The Detour To Danger: An EMP Survival Story (EMP Crash Book 3)

by Kip Nelson

  “No! No! You're ruining my speech! Get after them! Fight back!” he yelled and, unfortunately for Grace and the others, the element of surprise was no longer a factor.

  The people Ethan had recruited were some of the most dangerous patients in the institute. To them, violence was a natural thing, and pain was an old friend. They could take being struck, but the patients that Grace had counted on were not used to violence. When they were struck they began to fall away, retreating in fright, and their numbers soon dwindled. The armies were still a blur, though. Grace and Saul still couldn't use their guns to help, even though they could see Ethan's force was gaining ground. They looked over at each other in desperation. Saul merely held his gun up and shrugged.

  “I don't want to risk killing anyone,” he said, and Grace agreed. By now the corridor was filled with a massive scuffle and a large mass of bodies stood between them and Ethan.

  They threw themselves into the fray and fought bitterly. Grace looked over at Billy, who was fighting as well, and he still seemed to be in the persona of a hero. In the distance, Grace could see Ethan running away. Mack and Luis emerged from the same room as Ethan. Grace tried signaling to them, but they immediately were occupied with some of Ethan's minions. Then she felt a fist crack against her jaw, and dark crimson blood seeped in her mouth. To her right, she was aware of Billy fighting like a skilled warrior. If it had not been for him their fortunes would have been far different, as he managed to defeat a great number of the enemy before he, too, caught sight of Ethan sneaking away, and growled defiantly.

  “He's mine,” Billy said.

  “No, you can't go after him alone,” Grace said, but before the words had left her mouth Billy already was sprinting off down the corridor, dodging other people, focusing solely on Ethan. When he finally caught up with him, Billy unleashed hell.

  The two men traded furious blows. Grace watched, hoping Billy would be able to hold out. She fought hard herself, wanting to make her way to him as well, in case he needed any help. Luis and Mack fought fiercely as well, not knowing who Billy was, but knowing he had his hands full with Ethan. Grace struggled to keep her eyes on the two of them as she had to contend with a flurry of blows in her face. Saul used his bulk to knock away her attacker and she could see Ethan and Billy moving to another room, away from the main fighting. Luis and Mack were in hot pursuit, as they had been able to break free of the people they had been fighting.

  Seeing Billy’s example, many of the patients who had been shell-shocked by being hit now had recovered and had re-entered the fight. With this newly increased force Grace’s patients regained the advantage. With more able people on the floor the bodies of Ethan’s followers had weakened.. Grace and Saul were able to draw their guns and frighten the others into submission. Even though they had succumbed to blood lust, they were not so foolish as to continue fighting with their fists when guns were pointed at them. With the threat much more manageable, Grace told Saul to keep a hold on things while she ran down the corridor to help Billy. She remembered the stories Miranda had told them, how Ethan should have been in the prison instead of this institute, how violent his crimes had been, and she was worried for Billy's well-being.

  She had a right to be, too, for when she reached the end of the corridor she saw Mack and Luis standing outside the office. At first, she couldn't understand why they were standing outside doing nothing, but Ethan had Billy pinned against the door, and no matter how hard Mack and Luis tried they could not push it open. Through the window, they had to watch as Ethan beat Billy again and again, his clenched fists crashing into Billy's skull, making his head bang against the door, threatening to smash the glass. Grace screamed as she saw the groggy look on Billy's face, and the malevolent smile that formed on Ethan's. Billy's arms hung limply by his side. Blood flew from his mouth and he would have sunk to the ground if Ethan had not been holding him up like a rag doll, taking a perverse pleasure in beating him into a pulp.

  Ethan showed no signs of stopping. His entire aura bristled and crackled with dark, evil energy, and although he was fighting for a lost cause, he wasn't going to stop fighting until all his energy was drained. He had hit Billy so hard his knuckles were bruised, but still he did not stop. Grace knew he wasn't going to unless she did something. Her eyes burned with tears and her heart burned with anger. All the moral questions disappeared from her mind. In that moment, there was only one truth, one right decision to make, and that was to stop Ethan by any means possible. It was her fault that Billy was in this situation. It was she who had to deal with Ethan. It was she who had to make him pay for everything he had done. She raised the gun. Her hands trembled but she knew what she had to do. Her finger found the trigger, and before she knew it, there was a loud crack and a crash as the bullet shattered the glass door, and Ethan went flying back, cradling his shoulder. Billy slumped to the floor.

  Mack leaped forward and flung open the door. He and Luis rushed through and restrained Ethan. Grace sucked in breath and stepped over the broken glass, then knelt down and smiled as Billy's bruised and swollen eyes cracked open.

  “Did we...” he asked.

  “We did. It's all going to be alright. We saved everyone,” she said, eyes welling up with tears. She took his hand and clutched it tightly.

  “I can die a hero,” he said smiling, and his head lolled to the side. Grace called his name and tried to bring him back, but it was no use. He had breathed his last breath, and her head collapsed onto her chest as she sobbed for him, and for herself, too. She felt Mack standing behind her, and took his hand as it found her shoulder, but she never took her eyes off Billy.

  Chapter Twenty

  A few hours after the brawl the sun rose and recaptured its celestial throne. Bright light poured through the windows and illuminated the bloodstains on the walls and floor. They had rounded up all the patients and put them back in their rooms, and had taken measures to contain those who had sided with Ethan, as well as Ethan himself. They all were detained and secured to their beds until the doctors could decide what to do with them. Though it only had been one night, it felt like ages since the group had been together. There were hugs all around, especially for Grace, for the death of Billy had affected her deeply. Saul and Mack shared a look of respect, and both men felt relieved for it.

  It took most of the day for the doctors to shake off the effects of the sedative, although they still were groggy when they did come around. They all were thankful to Mack, who found it startling to talk with the real Gary Richardson. He was nothing like the way Ethan had portrayed him, and Mack had to apologize for having any doubt. Across the other side of the corridor he saw Miranda, who clearly was avoiding him. He couldn't blame her, but he wanted to make things right. He excused himself and ran up to her, pulling Miranda's arm back so she could face him, only to see that her eyes were burning with anger.

  “Hey, I just wanted to say--” he began.

  “What? That you're sorry? I told you what was going on, but you still couldn't believe me? Why, because I was wearing a gown? Because I looked like I was scared out of my wits? Well I was! I was, dammit! And you just handed me over to him without a second thought! Was he really that persuasive, or are you just that dumb?” she said, raising her voice, and other people within earshot turned to look at what was going on.

  Mack wanted to tell her that he thought it was the only way, and that it was the only thing he could have done in that moment, but instead he hung his head in shame. What he had done was wrong, and he shouldn't have let her down like that. He apologized again and turned away from Miranda, knowing that the best thing was to leave her alone.

  Gary, the real Gary, came up to him and threw his arm around Mack's shoulder. He told Mack not to worry, that Miranda usually calmed down after a while and that he was, in fact, grateful for everything Mack and his friends had done. He then took Mack to where they kept the inventory, and offered Mack his choice of supplies. Mack thought it was incredibly generous. So, he chose some medicat
ion, as that was the one thing they had been lacking so far on their journey. The four of them stayed at the institute for most of the day and ate, and helped clean up after the fight.

  The patients themselves were a mixed bag. Some of them seemed distressed, while others acted as though nothing had happened. It was left to the doctors to usher them back into their wards and rooms. The building looked much different in the day. At night, it had been filled with terror and had a foreboding presence, but now Mack could see it for what it was, a place where the mentally ill could come and find safety, and treatment. Now that Ethan had been dealt with, hopefully the place could continue for its intended purpose.

  While Mack was talking with Gary, and Luis and Saul were helping to clean up the place, Grace staggered away to a small room where she could be alone. She sat on the bed and looked absently out the window. The color drained from her face. In the distance, she heard a door open and an echoed voice called to her, but she was not truly aware of it until she felt a touch on her hand. It startled her, and she jumped, then turned to see Miranda standing over her.

  “I said it looked like you could use some water, and maybe someone to talk to,” the doctor said. Grace took the cup and sipped the water gently.

  “Thank you,” she said, “although I don't think I have much to say right now.” Miranda nodded and walked toward the window.

  “You know, while this place was intended to treat the most severe mental disorders, some people have come here to get away from it all. Sometimes people just need a break and to talk things out, almost like a vacation for the mind.”

  “Are you suggesting that's what I need?”

  Miranda turned to face her. “Maybe. You've been through a lot. We all have.”

  “But at least we're still here,” Grace said. “Some aren't...like Billy.” At the mention of his name, Miranda bowed her head.

  “His loss is felt by all of us.”

  “He mentioned you. He said you were one of the only ones who talked to him, who treated him like a real person. I mean, when he was in his superhero mode.”

  Miranda nodded. “Some people thought it was best to ignore the delusion, but at what point can we say which one was real? Obviously, he didn't actually have superpowers, but when it came down to it he was a hero. It used to be that whenever anything major happened he would revert to the regular Billy. So I'm surprised that he didn't do that here. He was a good person, and never made any trouble.”

  “What happened to him? I mean, why was he like that? Did something cause it or was he always that way?”

  Miranda sighed. “When he was younger, he was abused, and it caused a split in his personality. All his guilt and his shame at not being able to prevent it created the other persona. I suppose it was his way of trying to be strong and fight back against all the bad things that happened to him.”

  “It's terrible...I feel so bad. He wouldn’t be dead if it wasn't for me.”

  “No, he wouldn't, but he would have died out there anyway, as would everyone else in here eventually. What you gave him was a chance to do something with his life, to matter. He always used to beg to be released just so he could do some good in the world. Obviously, we couldn't sanction that, but thanks to you, he got his wish. Obviously, I'd prefer it if he was still here, but if he had to die then at least he died in the way he wanted,” she said softly, and this seemed to give Grace some comfort. Grace yawned as the rigors of the night took their toll.

  “You should get some rest, it'll help,” Miranda said, and gently pushed Grace onto the bed.

  “What's going to happen to them? To Ethan and the rest of them?”

  “Since there's no law anymore, we will have to keep them here and try rehabilitating them. That is what this place was meant to do, but I can assure you that we won't be taken by surprise again. We'll make do here,” she said, and pulled the blankets over Grace to let her get some sleep.

  Meanwhile, Mack was talking with Gary. Mack still was feeling guilty about what he had done to Miranda and he hoped to leave on good terms, but it seemed as though that was not going to be a possibility.

  “You know, you have a pretty good set-up here,” Mack said, and proceeded to tell Gary all about the other settlement. He suggested they seek them out to establish a trade route.

  “You are always welcome to stay here. We could use all the help we can get,” Gary said, but Mack politely declined his offer as they had other places to be.

  They stayed at the institute for another night as they wanted to rest and collect themselves before continuing on their journey. During the remainder of their stay Mack caught glimpses of Miranda, but they never crossed paths, until they were about to leave, and she finally approached him.

  “Look, I know I was harsh with you, but I've had a chance to think about it and I can see why you did what you did. You helped me, and you believed me when you found me in the woods. I just didn't want to leave things on bad terms, not when you went out of your way to help us. If it wasn't for you and your friends I don't know what would have happened to this place.”

  Mack smiled. “I am really sorry, I didn't see any other way out. I'm glad things worked out for the best, and we certainly won't be forgetting this place in a hurry. I've talked to Gary about a few things. You probably should set up some committee to talk things over. Just be careful, it's a dangerous world out there and you never know who is going to knock on your door.”

  “I know that all too well,” she said with a knowing smile, and bid Mack and the others farewell. She hugged Grace and thanked her especially for everything she had done.

  Now that the four of them were back together and rested, and everything in the institute had been sorted out, they were able to get back on their way. Miranda made it clear that, whenever they wanted, they could return to the institute to find friendly faces and a safe shelter. However, Mack knew they likely never would see this place again and that was one of the unfortunate results of the world in which they lived. Their lives would be transient until they found a place to settle, and none of them knew when or where that would be.

  They stepped out of the front doors and made their way back to the road. Miranda said that from there it would be a straight route to the city. However, to avoid the prison, they should walk for a few miles and then go through the forest once more, and that sounded like a good idea to all of them. As they walked along they passed the point where Grace and Saul first had met Billy. Grace had to wipe a tear from her eye, hoping that nobody noticed. Their time in the institute had been brief, but it had left an indelible mark on all of them as they strode toward their next adventure, whatever it may be.

  “Will you at least promise to not help any random stray people we come across?” Saul said, half-seriously. He and Mack hadn't spoken properly since they were reunited in the institute, but there was a silent understanding between them now.

  “Where's the fun in that?” Mack replied with a smirk, and all apart from Grace chuckled to themselves.

  The four of them walked in a line, their packs once again heavy on their backs. Yet, they were filled with a renewed hope for the future. The road stretched out in front of them, with all its possibilities. They knew if they stayed true to themselves, then everything would be alright. They all spared a thought for those in the institute, hoping that everyone in there could find some peace.

  Find out what happens in part four! Coming Soon!

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