What Will had lain on the table was a map. Charlie had found it inside the Winnebago. It had been marked up to show the different places the raiders had scoured, but most importantly, it showed where their home base was.
“This is where you want to go?” Timothy asked.
“Yes,” Will said.
“That’s Shorewood. It’s only about thirty minutes or so from here. Really small town. Lives and breathes high school football. So what do you need from us?”
Will told him what he needed. Timothy frowned, and Samantha immediately jumped in to protest. After a few moments, the commotion wore down. Will’s gaze remained on Timothy, and when the doctor turned around, he saw the looks of the children. Dylan had started crying, mumbling that he missed Gabriel. Holly hugged him. The boy’s face helped them have a change of heart.
“All right,” Timothy said. “I’ll gather the others.”
Chapter 32
As the Empties exited the back of the truck, Gabriel counted. He landed at the number eight.
“We can defeat eight of them,” Gabriel said. “How many of these things did you have to kill out there before you ended up here?” Gabriel could only assume that Chase had spent time out in the world before showing up here. He hoped so.
“I lost count,” Chase said. “A lot.”
“Good. Then you know to aim for the head.”
“The neck. Won’t have time to be trying to draw that blade back out of their skulls.”
Good point, Gabriel thought.
“I only hope the edge is sharp enough for a clean decapitation,” Chase said.
The crowd erupted again. Gabriel looked above the opposite goal post to see Ambrose arriving in the bandstands. He waved to the crowd like he was their king or savior. Nathan Ambrose settled into his chair and looked down to the two competitors.
On the field, the Empties lumbered, and the truck raced off. A guard on the other side of the fence raised his hand and the crowd went silent. Next to him, another guard pointed a rifle into the air.
Gabriel scanned the stands, looking for Jessica and Claire. He checked the seats where they had been brought the last time for Thomas’ game, but neither woman was there. He refocused on his own game, glancing back down to the two guards assigned with starting the game.
The guard’s hand came down, and his counterpart fired the rifle.
Gabriel and Chase took off.
The crowd screamed.
Chase’s longer legs gave him a slight advantage. Gabriel thought that perhaps Chase had been right and Gabriel wouldn’t have had to let him win. As Chase put a few extra yards between them, Gabriel found himself thankful that he’d made the deal with his competitor. He chugged his legs as hard as he could. No way in hell would he have beaten Chase to that ax. Not unless something happened.
Then something happened.
Chase tripped at the fifty yard line and fell flat on his face.
For a moment, Gabriel thought to stop and help him.
Shit, I can’t do that, he told himself. If he helped Chase up, both men would be shot; that was the rule. Instead, he kept running.
He looked back. Chase had made it back onto his feet. Another twenty yards ahead, the Empties remained gathered in a herd. Gabriel still had time to give Chase the opportunity to catch up.
Gabriel grimaced and pulled up, grabbing his leg. He didn’t stop, continuing to run, but now with a limp. As he faked a cramp in his leg, Chase raced by him. Most of the crowd cheered. Perhaps they also felt as if Gabriel could not win.
Still limping, Gabriel worked his way to the right side of the field. He wanted to get as far away from the Empties as possible. Ahead, Chase reached the ax, yanking it off the upright. Again, the majority of the gallery clapped and yelled. Three of the beasts had broken off from the group and followed Chase. The other five remained focused on Gabriel.
“Son of a bitch,” Gabriel mumbled.
He’d made it about ten feet from the fence, and heard the jeers from the crowd. Spectators said things such as “Fight, you pussy!” and “Quit running!” and “Stand up and fight!”
He, of course, heard the heckling, but fought to ignore it. He found himself far more concerned with the guards lining the outside of the gate.
The crowd turned their attention to Chase when he severed the head of the first Empty in his sights. The creature had stretched its arms out toward 77, but it was of no use. The single blow took the Empty’s head clean off, showing that the blade was more than sharp enough to handle the creatures. He immediately drew the ax back up over his shoulder and swung at the next creature. This one put its arms up, and Chase chopped the thing’s hand off at the wrist. He pulled up again and buried the ax into the side of the Empty’s face. It fell to the ground, and he pulled at the ax as it slipped out of the creature’s face. If it had gotten stuck, the next Empty in line would have gotten to Chase.
With the group of five creatures only ten yards from Gabriel now, he figured that he’d sold his fake leg injury long enough. It was time for him to proceed with the plan. Licking his lips, Gabriel pushed off and ran around the side of the group of Empties.
Chase was about to swing at the last Empty in front of him when Gabriel shouted, “Hey!”
The creature turned, and Chase decapitated the beast.
As the crowd cheered, Gabriel looked around the perimeter of the fence. The guards raised their weapons and fixed their aim onto Gabriel.
Above the nearby end zone, Ambrose spoke into a walkie talkie. He looked down to Gabriel and smiled. When Gabriel looked around the fence again, the guards had all backed away and lowered their weapons.
Turning his attention to the other five creatures, Gabriel waved his arms. The small horde turned to him, and he worked to position them where all their backs would face Chase. All five creatures followed his lead.
Holy shit, it’s working, Gabriel thought.
When the entire group had faced Gabriel, he called out, “Now!”
Chase lifted the ax over his shoulder and beheaded another creature. Everyone in the crowd stood now, and all cheered and clapped for both men. The demise of the fourth Empty drew the attention of two others in the group. Chase quickly executed the next one, burying the ax into its head. Only, this time, the weapon didn’t come back out.
“Oh, shit.”
While two of the remaining creatures remained focused on Gabriel, the third monster extended its arms toward Chase. It dragged him down to the ground. From what Gabriel could tell, it hadn’t bitten him, yet.
The two remaining Empties stood between Gabriel and the ax—the key to saving Chase. The key to saving himself.
Gabriel squatted. He called out like a warrior and ran forward.
Lowering his shoulder, Gabriel bowled into the two creatures in front of him.
The creatures snarled as they stumbled backwards, falling onto the ground. Gabriel almost fell with them, but managed somehow to stay on his feet. Chase, still struggling with the empty on top of him, looked up at Gabriel.
“Help me!” Chase cried.
Gabriel looked down to the last Empty that Chase had attacked. It lay on its stomach, the ax buried into the back of its skull. As he reached for the handle of the ax, a hand grabbed onto Gabriel’s ankle. He looked back and saw one of the snarling beasts holding on to his leg. Again, he nearly fell, but managed to stay on his feet. He shook the creature loose and hurried to grab the ax.
Placing his foot on the creature’s head for leverage, Gabriel pushed down while simultaneously pulling at the ax. The blade made a grotesque wet sound as it drew from the beast’s skull. When the blade of the ax finally dislodged, Gabriel stumbled backward a few steps.
“I can’t hold him much longer!” Chase yelled. Nearby, the two other Empties had started to make it back to their feet.
Gabriel ran to Chase and kicked the beast off of him. It snarled as it rolled off of Chase. Gabriel raised the ax over his head and brought it down into the creature’s
face before it could raise its hands up in protest. Gabriel stomped his foot down in the middle of the Empty’s chest and dislodged the ax from its skull.
On the ground, Chase sat up on his hands and pushed himself backwards, pedaling his feet. He panted, working to catch his breath.
Gabriel had no time to worry about Chase. The two remaining Empties had made it to their feet and were headed toward Gabriel. One of the creatures lunged at him, and Gabriel ducked out of the way, causing the creature to dive past him. He turned around and decapitated the creature from behind
He turned around to face the final creature, and it was already coming at him. The beast extended its hands toward Gabriel, who brought the ax up across his chest and blocked it. The Empty grabbed onto the handle and Gabriel kicked the creature in the gut. The force of the blow was just enough to push the creature back, and it let go of the ax. With every ounce of energy he had left, Gabriel brought the ax up over his head and then slammed it into the top of the creature’s cranium.
The beast fell down on its back.
The crowd erupted.
Gabriel turned back to Chase, who still lay on his back. His hands gripped the turf. He looked up to Gabriel, the same fear still present in his eyes. Gabriel approached him and extended his hand.
Chase reached out and grabbed Gabriel’s hand, and Gabriel pulled him up to his feet. The crowd cheered the loudest that Gabriel had heard yet.
On the perimeter of the fence, the guards raised their weapons and pointed them toward the two competitors. Gabriel looked up to the bandstand at Ambrose, who now stood, holding his walkie talkie to his mouth.
Gabriel and Chase put a little bit of distance between themselves, and Gabriel dropped the ax, raising his hands into the air and surrendering.
The crowd continued to cheer.
“Let them live!” one person shouted.
“Mercy!” called another.
This wasn’t the game, but Gabriel’s plan had worked. He and Chase had won over the crowd, and they’d put Ambrose in a tough spot. Ambrose wouldn’t want to ruin his game, but he also couldn’t make the spectators angry by not giving them what they wanted.
A different kind of commotion came from the crowd as they pointed behind Gabriel. He looked back just in time to see Chase about to swing the ax at him, and he ducked.
Chase stood in a fighter’s stance, slightly crouched and holding the ax with both hands. His teeth gritted, he stared down Gabriel.
“I can’t believe you actually trusted me,” Chase said, laughing.
“I saved your life,” Gabriel said.
“Yeah, well, that’s your fucking problem.”
Chase faked another swing, moving just enough to throw Gabriel off balance. He then swung again, aiming for Gabriel’s midsection. Gabriel caught his balance quickly enough to jump back, but tripped over his own feet. He ended up on his back, where he looked up and watched as Chase brought the ax up overhead. Chase slammed it down into the ground, just as Gabriel rolled out of the way.
Gabriel got back to his feet and the two men circled each other.
“There’s no way you’re going to win this,” Chase said. “If you give up now, I’ll make this quick and painless.”
Not responding, Gabriel remained focused on his opponent.
Chase reared back to swing the ax again, but this time Gabriel was the quicker of the two. As Chase swung the ax back over his shoulder, Gabriel kicked him in the stomach. Chase doubled over, but managed to keep the ax in his hands. Gabriel almost had his hands on the handle of the weapon when Chase raised it straight up, hitting Gabriel in the chin. Gabriel fell backwards, landing on the body of one of the fallen Empties.
The crowd exhaled a collective gasp.
Dazed, Gabriel came to in time to see Chase bringing the ax down once again. Gabriel rolled away, dodging another blow. Instead of the ax going into the ground like it had before, the head of it buried into one of the Empty’s skulls. Chase couldn’t pull the ax out of the thing’s head.
Gabriel saw an opportunity.
He jumped to his feet and tackled Chase. Both men tumbled to the ground and the gallery erupted again.
Gabriel fell on top of Chase and landed one good punch right off the bat, clocking Chase in the chin. Before Gabriel could land another, Chase managed to block his face with his hands. He then found Gabriel’s collar, pulled toward him, and head-butted him. Even through the wall of the crowd and Chase’s grunt, Gabriel could hear his nose crunch. Blood shot off from each side of his face. He rolled off of Chase’s body, landing on the turf next to him. Gabriel held his face as the broken cartilage screamed at him.
Chase fought to his feet, staggering as he stood. The crowd booed. With Gabriel writhing in pain on the ground, Chase shouted at the crowd. He told them to “Fuck off” and shot them the bird. He turned around and kicked a still ailing Gabriel in the ribs. Gabriel coughed and rolled onto his side.
“Look at yourself,” Chase said. “You don’t stand a fucking chance against me, and they’re booing me. I guess everyone does love to root for the underdog. But the underdog never wins.”
Gabriel looked up at Chase, who’d diverted his attention away from him. Chase eyed the ax, still buried in the skull of the nearby Empty. He stepped on the chest of the creature, and pulled out the ax. Gabriel heard the blade withdraw from every tissue and layer of flesh. The skull crackled. Gabriel rolled onto his back, splaying his arms out like he was about to make a snow angel. He tried to blank out the sound of the raging crowd as he closed his eyes.
He thought of Katie and of Sarah. He wondered if he would see them soon. He thought of Jessica and Claire, hoping they would make it out of this hell. And he thought of Dylan, trusting that the boy was all right in the hands of Will and Holly.
The audience had gone quiet, and Gabriel could hear the grunt Chase bellowed. He slit his eyes open to see 77 lift the ax over his head. The sun shined down, blocking Gabriel’s view of Chase’s face, but he could imagine what it looked like. The prisoner likely either gritted his teeth, or held a malevolent smile from ear to ear.
Chase swung the ax straight down.
Eyes wide, Gabriel rolled to his right, stopping when he was on his back again.
The blade of the ax planted into the grass again. Gabriel pulled his leg back and drove his boot into Chase’s knee. He didn’t have to hear the leg snap; he could feel it.
Chase crashed to the ground, hands gripping his injured knee. The stadium exploded, and everyone appeared to be standing on their feet. Gabriel slid his forearm across his face, leaving a crimson streak from his elbow to the top of his wrist. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet.
On the ground, Chase writhed in pain. Gabriel spun around, looking to the crowd. People had begun to chant.
“Fin-ish him! Fin-ish him! Fin-ish him!”
They stomped on the bleachers in conjunction with each syllable. Many people clapped. Others pumped their fists.
Turning to the opposite end zone, Gabriel stared up into the bandstands. Ambrose stood, clapping his hands to the same rhythm of the crowd. A smile stretched across his face. He nodded at Gabriel, and raised his hand to his throat, sliding it across his skin like it was the tip of a knife.
Gabriel pulled the ax out of the ground and stood over Chase.
He could now see the damage he’d done to 77’s leg. The limb contorted below the knee. Gabriel had broken either the tibia or the fibula—perhaps both. Chase rolled on his back like it was a turtle shell, trying desperately to relieve the pain in his leg with his hands. It would be of no use. He would need serious medical attention to fix it. That, or he could suffer the same fate as a horse would with a similar injury. The crowd preferred the latter. Ambrose had demanded it.
Chase stared up and caught Gabriel’s gaze. He stopped writhing and just stared up. His lip quivered and his eyes were bloodshot. As Gabriel lifted the ax overhead, he didn’t speak. Chase closed his eyes, and mumbled through tears.
With his arms up, the blade of the ax behind him, Gabriel looked around to the crowd. People continued to pump their fists. Some cupped their hands over their mouths, shouting at Gabriel to kill Chase. Around the fence, the guards held their guns down, and they watched.
Diverting his attention to the bandstand, Gabriel watched Ambrose nod down at him again.
Gabriel nodded back.
He screamed.
He swung the ax straight down.
Chapter 33
Near complete silence had fallen over the stadium. Gabriel still held the handle of the ax, his body bent over, the blade buried into its target. He closed his eyes as he drew in long, deep breaths.
When Gabriel opened his eyes again, he saw Chase with his hands covering his face. Blood covered Chase, and the piss stain on his pants was unmistakable. He made the only other noises Gabriel could hear aside from his own breathing. Panting, Chase uncovered his face and looked up at Gabriel. He looked over and saw the blade of the ax buried into the turf, inches away from his head.
Gabriel had missed.
Still standing, Nathan Ambrose looked upon Gabriel, dumbfounded.
Keeping his gaze focused on Ambrose, Gabriel grunted as he turned and threw the ax as far behind him as he could.
Gabriel then walked with a swift gait past Chase and came to a stop on the ten yard line. Around the perimeter of the fence, the guards had all raised their rifles and aimed them at Gabriel. He breathed so heavy that his shoulders rocked up and down. Faces in the crowd ranged from shock to disappointment. A few people even smiled. They’d remained silent.
“Is this what you want?” Gabriel yelled as he circled around to look into the faces of the spectators. “You want me to bury that ax into him?” He pointed to Chase, who remained on the ground gripping his injured leg. “And for what, your few moments of entertainment? I am not a killer of human beings. I would guess that I have killed dozens more of those creatures than any of you have. Because while you’ve all sat here, watching these bloodbaths, I’ve been out in the world. I’ve seen hell, and still, I’ve held on to the one thing that makes us human. Compassion! I’ve failed to let empathy escape me.”
Empty Bodies Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 83
