Until The End

by Brown, Derek

  “You know I have to kill you now.” He paused and looked over his shoulder as if he was directing his comment towards someone only he saw standing there. “You need to look away now, honey, I have to do this. I can’t let him live any longer.” Then I noticed he had a katana that he was holding pointing at the man on the ground. I really didn’t know what was going on but I couldn’t let him kill the unarmed man. Then the unarmed man spoke in a quiet but firm voice.

  “Carl, you will do what you must but I can’t help you anymore, I tried my best to help. This is not the world that we once knew, it has changed. Only the strong survive…” He was trying to plead with the other but was interrupted by Carl.

  “The strong survive! What the fuck does that mean?! We are not animals. Fuck you Erik now you die. ” Carl brought the katana up then looked over. “Promise me you won’t watch, honey, Promise?” Then I saw Carl quickly turn the blade around and plunge it deep inside of his stomach. I saw the cold steel slid out the other side of him as blood began pouring out of his mouth. His eyes squeezed tightly in pain and he gasped silently holding the pain inside. “You have to live with this now Erik, it’s on you, you failed her, you failed my daughter.” Then he moved towards whoever he had been talking to and reached out as if he was hugging someone. Then before he collapsed face first onto the ground he uttered the words. “I am coming to you now baby.”

  “Well shit.” The man named Erik sat there in the grass watching the life expire from the man named Carl. I stood rooted in place although I have seen so much death in my life. I was blown away by the sadness of the situation. Carl died with so much pain that it brought me to tears thinking of how I would feel had I lost Emma. I just watched Erik as tears welled up in his eyes as well and he was overcome with grief. “Carl why did you have to do this? There was no need to, I tried so hard to save your daughter.” He began to sob out loud as a slight rain began to fall. The early signs of fog began to roll licking at my feet, swirling around lit a serpent. North of me I heard the faint scraping noise of the infected coming our way. I turned to move quickly to Erik. As I stepped out of the shadows it took a moment for him to notice me.

  “Oh great, look just kill me now, those zombie are less than a quarter mile away. So just loot me now and put a bullet in my head. I don’t want to end up like one of those creatures.” He spoke as if none of this mattered to him. He was so calm and in control, honestly he reminded me of myself. It made me smile.

  “I am not going to kill you. Nor am I going to loot you. I am actually going to help you.” I stated as I reached him and untied the ropes that held his hand behind his back. As he moved to get to his feet I moved over towards Carl. I reached down and pulled the Katana blade out of his abdomen. I wiped the blood of the blade on the grass and then I put my hand down and closed his eyelids.

  “Did you know him?” I could feel him staring at me behind my back. I grabbed the swords sheath off of Carl’s body and slid the sword into as I turned to face the man named Erik.

  “No but I respect him for the love he had for his daughter.” I brought my hand up to shake his hand and he reached out to me. His deep blue intense eyes met mine and I could myself being sized up. “Name’s Colin and you are Erik. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Pausing to consider Clair’s words. “I am just a survivor out here and I came upon you two. I saw what happened, there was nothing I could do though.” The sound of footsteps interrupted me though. “Hurry we have to move now, we can talk later.” We both turned and started running east through the forest. I looked over my shoulder, seeing several of the infected behind me. I started spiriting faster pumping my arms and legs as fast as they could. Erik was keeping pace with me though step for step which I found extremely impressive. I have always been an avid runner, when you are being chased infected it seems to make you an extremely motivated runner though.

  “Is this fun or what?” He shot me wink as he let a shout. “Hunters. Hunters to me.” I had no idea what he was doing. “Come rain down the fire of hell on the unloving!” I honestly thought that he had gone mad. Then in front of me appeared a wall of men and women dressed in green. They had guns, bows, and some swords pointed at me.

  “I’d duck if I was you.” A man with a Scottish accent shouted with a chuckle at me. Quickly both Erik and I dove to the ground as they opened fire. I heard the bullets and the sound of arrows flying over me. I heard the thud of the infected being hit behind me. The infected charged ahead trying to reach the people firing at them. The infected were getting mowed down so quickly that they were tripping over the bodies as they fell only to be met by more arrows and bullets. Nothing appeared to halt the incoming flood of infected pouring towards us until finally the shooting stopped. Then it became utterly silent, no birds, no normal sounds could be heard of the forest. Everything just stopped in that moment it was unnerving to say the least. I looked up covered in the mud from where I had jumped to see several women and men standing over us. The Scottish man was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Well Laddie, what did the cat drag in? We thought you were dead Erik.” I looked up only to see the butt of a gun coming down smashing into my head. My world slowly faded dark to black.

  I slowly awoke picking my head in the air trying my best to look non-threatening. As I raised my eyes I found a women with dark green eyes staring intently at me. The Scottish man was hovering over me as his dark blue eyes seemed to be piercing me peeling me back to look inside my soul.

  “Well stand up son and let’s have a look at head of yours.” He shouldered his gun but I noticed the others were still standing tense with their weapons trained on me. The first man extended his hand out to me and I reached up as he helped me up. I stood there looking down upon myself to see that I was covered in mud and blood, head to toe. My clothes were all torn and ripped; I hadn’t had a decent night of sleep in weeks. What a sight I made though, I kept my arms at my side as I felt them all inspecting me. Then I heard someone humming a tone that I thought sounded familiar but I couldn’t quite place it.

  “About time you woke up sleeping head.” Erik walked up to stand in front of me looking me up and down. I could feel my worth was being measured in his eyes. Then his grim expression turned to a smile. “Welcome to my merry band of misfits. We are called the Hunters.” He gave a huge wave gesturing to others surrounding us.

  “The Hunters and what exactly do you all do?” I asked the first question that popped in my head.

  “Well we hunt funny man. We hunt the infected and keep the forest. Hmm. Well we try to keep the forest clear of those things.” Erik spoke up explaining it all to me. I admit I was having a hard time taking it all in. “You see I recruit people, good people, I screen everyone before they join up. You though seem to have found us though. So this is something new and so I need to know one thing.” He paused as he considered his next question. “Can you hunt or are the weapons for show?”

  “I can fight. Look I don’t want any problems, I just want to go on my may.” Warily I met his piercing judging blue eyes. I was doing everything I could to appear meek. I kept my head down; I was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. He moved his hand up to my chin and pushed my head up and got so close to my face I could feel his hot breathe against my cheek. He gave me a smile that was meant to disarm me.

  “Well my archer friend it appears we have a problem, since I find myself in need of man with your talents.” He reached out his hand to me as I stood there thinking. I had to get to Emma but he didn’t seem like the type that you say no to. So I decided to plead with him.

  “Listen Erik, I am looking for my daughter she was with her mother outside of Tulare and I have to reach her. I know it sounds crazy but she is alive and she needs me.” I could the panic rising up inside me and it took every ounce of disciple that I had to keep a straight face. The gravity of situation was sinking in, doubt was seeping into my soul. My face must have paled because everyone became quiet and starred at me.

  “Fear not my
friend. I only ask for some of your time. You see we have a plan set in motion that should allow us to rid the forest of all the infected at one time.” He turned towards everyone and said. “Let me introduce first to everyone. Well you know me I am Erik and I run this band of misfits. Before all of this I was an accountant arguable not a very good one but it paid the bills. The fellow with the Scottish accent and the big red beard is Cat. You can ask him what he does but I doubt you will get a straight answer out of him.” Cat stopped him.

  “What I told you I was a librarian before all of this started, Erik…” He shrugged his shoulder as he grinned. The woman with green eyes and a long blonde hair flowing down her back started laughing.

  “You told me you were a mechanic, Cat! Told you we couldn’t trust the Scottish man.” Everyone in the group started laughing. Cat simply shrugged his shoulder as if to say it didn’t matter. Erik continued speaking as soon as the laughing died down.

  “The blonde beauty goes by Queen she a nurse before this started but now her tool is an ax and beware her blade. The red head goes by Lindy and she is just as fiery in the field of battle. The man with one eye is Cope quite the quiet fellow but he speaks with his swords. Z is the man with shaved brown hair uses a shotgun as his voice.” Z gave me a nod as he sized me up. Then the last man standing next to Z who was not yet introduce spoke up for himself.

  “I go by Destroyer and well I destroy stuff.” He smiled a friendly smile that somehow just didn’t meet his eyes and seemed off on his face. The Erik turned to me and continued.

  “So my friend what’s your name and story?” I liked this group and I felt like lying would not serve me right now.

  “My name is Colin. Before the end of the world I was a nurse like you Queen. I am a father and I am here looking for my daughter Emma. I have to get to her.” I looked into each of their eyes.

  “Well Colin you can’t be going by your real name out here. So Archer it is. So Archer here is the situation we have a plan and as long as you can shot that bow of yours then we need you. If you help us, I swear we will do whatever we can to help you find your daughter. You have my word on that.” He reached his hand out to signify an agreement had been reached. First off we need to do some training while the rest of the team lays the final ground work.

  May 3, 2014

  I have been training with the team and I have to say it has been challenging Erik accepts nothing less than perfection. He has been training us day and night non-stop the last few days. He pushes everyone to their physical and mental limits. There is a battle coming I can feel it in my bones. We move every night setting up a new camp to sleep we have started moving south east closer towards the mountains. Erik says that moving makes us safer, you move you live, you stop you die. We get up at dawn and run until we drop then Erik has us do a complete workout including push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and squats. After the morning workout we have lunch and then move on to perform tactical team drills. As anxious as I am to be searching for Emma. I have to respect Erik he pushes us all and inspiring us to do better and be better. I am learning a lot about the infected apparently they have been scouting and studying them for quite some time. They normally move alone however for some reason sometimes the infected band together and become packs like the one that I stumbled across the other day. Shooting them in the head is the best option to kill them. Most are not very intelligent and are only motivated to find food, however every once in a while you can find smart ones. Erik said those are the most danger although they had only seen a few of them, the smart ones are capable of some sort of communication and seem to direct the other less intelligent infected. He said that they also retreat when faced with danger unlike the average infected who will run right into your sword in search of food. The rarest ones are the body builders of the infected not very smart but extremely strong. They get their names from their massively over developed muscles. Erik seems intent on teaching us every way to kill the infected. I think that his plan has something to do with that but he keeps his distance from me. I have tried to get close to him to find out what the plan but he just tells me to wait. I will not give up though I have to find Emma. Alright back to training tonight we are performing night exercises.

  May 5, 2014

  I grow weary of this training. But I am growing and becoming stronger. I am learning everything that I can so that I might be better prepared to not only save Emma but so that I can survive and thrive in this world. I have to remind myself every day of this face so that I may push myself harder. Each day brings me closer to my goal.

  May 10, 2014

  Today is my birthday, yay for me. It started out normally with the morning workout then Erik pulled me out of the line-up and brought me to a small clearing outside of where we had camped at the pervious night.

  “Archer, do you know why I brought you here, today?” He looked at me expecting an answer.

  “No, sir.” I was nervous and my palms began to sweat as I sat there. Looking into his piercing blue eyes, I felt like something big was coming.

  “Archer you are excelling at the training and have a natural ability when it comes to leading others. I need you to be my right hand man, is that a responsibility you can accept?” He just stared at me not blinking. I froze I didn’t know what to do or say. I wasn’t planning on staying.

  “I don’t know what to say Erik. I mean of course I will for this mission, after that I am gone, I am sorry. What do you need me to do?” He stared at me quietly considering me. Then after several moments he responded to me.

  “Archer get your shit together, you and I are going on a mission right now.” He smiled at me then turned and moved to get his gear. I went and got all my gear ready, I was feeling anxious after being stuck here for so long. I found myself feeling optimistic all of a sudden, I was feeling healthier than I have in a long time. I got my bow ready and checked my quiver for the arrows. I grabbed the katana that I had taken from Carl. Making sure the sword was oiled and adjusted it in the sheath then I got my Kukris ready. As I was adjusting my arm guard making sure that it was in position on my left arm, Erik came up behind me.

  “You both need to be careful out there.” Z came up as I was getting ready. “You know when you first came here I didn’t trust you but after working with you. Well I feel differently and so I need you to be careful and watch Erik’s back out there.” He reached out and gave me a hearty pat on the back.

  “Archer let’s move out now.” With that Erik started moving out at a brisk run heading north. We were moving along a path that led up into the mountains it was small dirt path barely recognizable. Erik was moving so fast not bothering to turn around and make sure that I was keeping pace. As the path began to level out we made it to the top of a cliff that overlooked a valley. What I saw below me took the air out of my lungs and I dropped to one knee to gain cover.

  “Oh my… Erik what have hell you brought me to?” He stopped and looked down unto the valley floor which was covered in milling infected there must have been hundreds if not more.

  “Now you understand why we are training so hard. The infected out number us and their numbers are growing steadily. One of our scouts found this valley and he called it the Valley of the Damned. We have to eradicating every single infected in the valley, you don’t understand how many survivors will die if we do not stop them here.” He surveyed the area as he spoke to me his eyes never leaving the valley floor. “Archer I need your help, my plan actually hinges on your ability with that bow of yours. You see the barrels down there?” He pointed and I had to squint to see them but I saw several barrels down on the valley floor. I nodded as he continued speaking “Since discovering this valley we have been placing barrels down there quieting and at great cost. We have lost three hunters trying to sneak those barrels into the valley. As we have moved the barrels we have left l trails of oil that will burn them out. Your job is going to be to rain fiery hell down on the heads of the infected and drive them out of the valley into the rest of the Hu
nters and the traps we have been setting up. Colin the entire plan relies on your aim, without it the oil might not catch fire, I know I am placing a great deal of pressure on your shoulders. Do you think you can do?” He turned and stared at me awaiting my response. I was judging the distance it was going to be about 150 yard shot to the furthest barrel. I would just have to fire the arrows rapidly back to back in order to create the sort of chaos that Erik wanted me to create.

  “I can do it, I mean it’s going to be a tough shot but I can do it. I will create hell on earth in that valley, Erik, I will not let the Hunters down.” I saw the smile spread across his lips. He motioned that it was time to move out and he started running back down the path towards camp. I sat there for several more moments surveying the area and just observing the valley floor then I turned and followed Erik back to camp. After we arrived back at camp Erik turned towards me.

  “Colin, my friend, get some rest, we roll out tomorrow morning be ready at dawn.” He clasped my hand in his and shook it vigorously.

  May 11, 2014

  We all awoke at dawn and my stomach was in knots, but I was excited at the prospect of doing something. Everyone in camp was up and getting ready there was so much activity going on. Everyone was feeling the nervous tension it reminded me of how I felt before doing a triathlon. I got all my gear ready and prepared my arrows with some cloths so that I could set my arrows on fire. Erik came over to me and sat for a moment watching me not saying anything.

  “Archer, you ready? Do you understand what this could mean for us? To be able to wipe out that many infected in this area could make the difference between life and death for so many people. It is important that you understand what’s at stake here.”