Book Review: The Acolyte by Nick Cutter

 

The Acolyte takes place in the dystopian city of New Bethlehem, a city much like modern-day New York or Chicago except that the governing body is controlled by a religious totalitarian regime that has made any deviation from Christian ethics a criminal offense. In order to combat crimes against the faith, they have created an enforcement agency with authority above all others. Jonah Murtag is one of these agents and he is 'The Acolyte' we follow throughout this terrifying tale of tyranny, treachery, and intrigue. 

Murtag is a devout follower of the faith and even turned his mother in for her sins when he was a child. She was sent to a center where part of her brain was removed rendering her with the intellect of a child. Murtag and his fellow acolytes spend their days cracking the skulls of those who dare to break the rules set forth by the ancient text of the Bible. Gays are sent to reconditioning centers or they are otherwise eliminated. Atheists are arrested, taken to prison, or beaten to death in the process. Muslims and Jews are allowed to live in ghettos to continue having a large workforce but their children are forced to adopt Christian ways and no one is allowed to practice or hold onto any non-Christian religious traditions, symbols, or relics.  Also, science is essentially gone as it provides a source of doubt and an alternative explanation to the word of God. 

One night Murtag is tasked with being the bodyguard of the daughter of the most important man in the city, The Prophet. The Prophet runs the city and his family is the shining light of all that is holy until one night, when a terrorist self explodes, killing The Prophet's daughter and almost killing Murtag and his fellow Acolyte Doe. Murtag's sins begin with his lust for Doe, the first female acolyte, who turns out to be much more than just another follower. As the investigation into the bombing begins more bombs start to go off around the city and as Murtag gets closer to the truth he gets farther from his faith. As his faith devolves his humanity starts to blossom as he indulges in acts of compassion as well as sins of the flesh. He acts as a microcosm of the impending destruction that engulfs the city around him. As the city is torn apart so is his mind and by the end, he becomes what the powerful fear the most; a committed believer. 

Nick Cutter writes in a very straightforward fashion with little in the way of colorful metaphors or long-winded internal diatribes. The chapters are short and continuous. The story is a relentless trek through a dark and dangerous realm full of the worst of what humans are capable of. It provides a stark example of how horrendous acts can be made justifiable with a strong enough belief in one's own righteousness. When power meets conviction anything is possible. This story is a huge allegory for the problems that come from religious dogma, totalitarian governments, and the inevitability of violent reactions to subjugation and tyranny. 

This is a good book if you can stomach some very gruesome depictions and macabre situations. There were a few moments where I was genuinely disturbed and a little put off. It is very pulpy and like a certain type of horror, it paints pictures in blood to a degree that may not be for some. I would recommend it to anyone interested in a quick read that packs a big irreverent punch. 

Book Review: Anathema by Channing Cornwall

 Go to joesnotesblog.com for more!

Channing Cornwall's latest novel is another example of his diverse style and ability to span genres. From westerns to fantasy and now to Anathema, Channing continues to push the boundaries of what his readers should expect. Anathema straddles the line between the genres of horror and noir mystery where the world of the spiritual and profane are explored while nestled in the unnerving arms of dysfunctional family dynamics. 

Anathema takes place in the small town of Neskowin, Oregon in the early 20th century. The Galloway siblings are all grown up and reunite at the family estate to bury their father, whose sudden death becomes increasingly suspicious. This all occurs years after the suicide of their mother, Anna, who spent the last years of her life painting depictions of the nearby island of Anathema. The island's inhabitants are a mysterious group of religious zealots that only come to shore to recruit new members and have lost most of the color in their skin, which is not the oddest thing about them. 

The Galloway siblings are accompanied by a Chinese woman named Song that is convinced that a higher power is guiding them to the island to discover and deal with the supernatural occurrences that are plaguing the nearby village of Neskowin and the Galloway parents more directly.  In their pursuit of the truth of their parents' deaths, the Galloway siblings struggle with each other, as their personalities and lifestyles clash, as well as with the forces that brought them all together. 

I enjoyed this book and I appreciate Channing's take on a genre that I don't normally take to. His writing is a breeze to read and the pacing doesn't allow for dull excesses or boring exposition. The journey builds toward a climactic standoff that is both horrific and satisfying. I would say more but I don't want to give anything away. The fun is in the discovery of the truth. I recommend this book to anyone that likes the intrigue of mysterious deaths, ghostly apparitions, and unearthly realms. 

Get the book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Anathema-Channing-H-Cornwall/dp/B08F6X4QFK

More reviews of Channing's other books:

https://jdgnotes541.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-hell-came-with-her-by.html

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-the-world-carried-on-by-channing-cornwall

https://joesnotesblog.com/blog/book-review-breathed-out-by-god-by-channing-cornwall

30 Days of Fiction: Day 27

*

The room was filled with the soft light of the morning sun as the alarm clock's wrenching beeps pierced through the silence of Adam Nusbaum's room. It was a plain room meant for only the most basic of human activities. Reading, sleeping and the bathroom for cleaning. Everything from the alphabetized bookshelf to the color-coded clothes in the closet was organized for pragmatic purpose and ease of use. No extras. No frills. On the walls, a single painting hung above the reading chair with the inspirational phrase "Just do it!" in bold yellow letters on top of a runner with nice shoes sweating through a finish line.

Adam was normally ready to "Just do it" in the morning but this particular morning he woke up distracted from the aching pain in his teeth and jaw. This was a new sensation for him and it had disturbed his sleep but he was determined to have a good day regardless. By the time he got out of the shower and brushed his teeth the pain had been willed away by sheer enthusiasm. He literally whistled as he packed his satchel with books with titles such as "Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology", "Rocks and Minerals", and a paperback of Stephen King's "The Shining". When he got in his car to drive the 15 miles to his job at Lincoln High School the song "I'm Happy" by Pharrell Williams was the first upbeat tune he would slap his hands on the steering wheel to as he belted out the lyrics with only half the words correct.

Adam was still humming the words to "Let it Go" from the soundtrack to the movie "Frozen" when his students filed into the room with the energy and enthusiasm of the last bit of molasses reluctantly dripping out of the end a cold bottle. Most of the students failed to notice the warm smile on their teacher's face as their heads hung down over their chests counteracting the force from their heavy backpacks. He was one of the very few men that could accomplish simultaneously portraying a sense of intense engagement and overwhelming calmness. He leaned against the desk, arms folded and waited patiently for each student to give him eye contact and within a few minutes the room was silent with all eyes on him.

"How are we doing this morning?" Adam asked in a tone that told the students this was not a rhetorical question.

A civilized cacophony of answers erupted from the students. "Pretty good!" "Just fine!" "I'm good." "What's up?" "How are you?"

"I'm doing very well everyone," Adam answered like the question sent his way was an incoming tennis ball requiring a speedy response. "I woke up with a nasty pain in my jaw this morning. I've never felt it before. It felt like every tooth was trying to get out of my skull."

"Maybe you are getting sick," said a helpful female student in the back.

"Maybe," Adam pondered and wondered if he felt any other signs of sickness. "I don't feel sick, Sam. But that might be it."

"Maybe you're grinding your teeth," said a helpful female student from the front row. "My dad grinds his teeth. He has to wear a mouthguard now."

"Hm, maybe I'm grinding my teeth because I'm getting sick? Good thinking Jen." Adam said and looked around the room scanning for a face. He locked onto one and asked, "How was your weekend Sean?"

"Um," Sean started to answer, not prepared for such an ominously simple question. "I, uh, went riding with my dad in the hills above Empire. That was fun."

"That sounds awesome," Adam said remembering when he used to ride motorcycles with his friends in the dunes on weekends. He scanned the room and locked onto another face. "How was your weekend Jax?"

Jax tried to hide his smile but it crept in at the edges of his mouth and betrayed the serious face he thought made him seem more grown up. He said cooly, "I killed my first deer this weekend. With my dad and brother. No big deal."

Some of the other boys were so impressed they let out a harmony with sounds like "ohh" and "aww".  Silently Jen grimaced and mouthed the sound, "boo."

"That isn't easy Jax. How did you do it? Gun or bow?" Adam asked.

"Winchester 30 06," Jax said and crossed his arms with pride.

"Why did you shoot the deer?" Adam asked.

Jax unfolded his arms and stared blankly into Adam's eyes and finally offered, "The meat?"

"Alright! Good answer!" Adam said and scanned the room for reactions. Jen was staring at the ground and caught his attention. He asked, "Does anyone have anything else to say before we get started with today's lesson?" Adam hoped she would take his prompt if she had a differing opinion and he waited.

Jen's head was weighed down by the potential shame in dissenting from the majority but she had to say something. The fact that so many classmates were impressed with Jax and his family of killers was unbearable to her. That anyone could kill a defenseless and beautiful animal like a deer was inconceivable and she had to say something. Her eyes lifted and when they were brave enough she spoke, "I think it is morally wrong to kill another living creature. Especially when you don't have to. I mean, we don't have to go out killing creatures in the forest, just minding their own business, just for the fun of it. I don't understand..."

The room was silent for a moment as each student began an internal war of whether or not to think about what she said or to simply go with the group.

"We kill all sorts of animals to feed people," the calm but assertive voice of Callie, a confident 14-year-old student, interjected. "Unless you don't eat meat, I guess."

"Alright class," Adam took over the room with his "teacher" voice. "This is an interesting topic and if anyone would like to talk more about it, or even better if two people or two teams want to have a debate about hunting, farming or something like that, let me know after class and I will help set something up. For now, we need to get back to the task at hand." He turned quickly and pulled a stack of papers from off his desk and waved them in the air wildly. "I look forward to hearing about everyone's weekend during today's lab. We will be getting into to groups to like at some badass rocks!"

*

Adam drove away from the school feeling that the day had been a resounding success. He had started many lively conversations and all the labs went well. The students were engaged and he tried his best not to ignore anyone. His jaw still felt tense after he had bit into an apple during lunch but other than that he was happy. He did wonder what had caused the pain in his mouth. So much was he distracted by its mysterious cause that he didn't once drum his hands to the beat on the steering wheel or belt out any lyrics. The music was on but he wouldn't have been able to tell anyone what had he had heard. He only heard what he thought the sound of grinding teeth might sound like.

At home, he parked in his neat and organized garage where he knew he could find the digital recorder he had once used to do some light podcasting. He found it in a large cardboard box marked "Podcast Addicts" on the side and after some additional rummaging he found the power cable and rushed inside to test it out. He loved the idea of recording himself sleeping. What an unusual experiment it would be, he thought with glee as he tested the recorder by singing "Let it go! Let it go!"

That evening he chopped an onion into perfectly identical cubes making sure to prepare it beforehand as to minimize the vapors infecting his eyes. He minced garlic and mixed in the can of beans and thought about what he would do if it turned out that he was not grinding his teeth. As he poured the hot chili soup into his bowl he wondered what other noises he might hear in the middle of the night.

His house sat amongst a neat row of virtually identical houses in a shiny new development. He was bound to hear neighbors coming and going or dogs howling. He watched television for exactly one hour, which was what he allowed himself each night and read his current novel. "The Shining" was one he always wanted to read but had never gotten around to before now. Engrossed so fully in the Stephen King book Adam forgot himself and the time and before he knew it he was checking the doors, turning off lights and tucking himself in. He pressed the big red button on the voice recorder that sat on the side table and fell asleep.

*

The morning came early for Adam as his anticipation coaxed him awake with the prospect of solving one of life's little mysteries. He delayed the gratification of knowing until after his cup of coffee and he stood for quite a while staring out the window into the darkness of the dimly lit street until his mind could no longer hold off the desire to look at the waves of sound on his computer screen. It took a minute or so to load the entire 7 hours of recording time and when it did Adam stretched the timeline out and examined its patterns.

The previous evening's sound profile consisted of a series of sharp peaks like sharks teeth followed by long sections with barely a blip. It mostly consisted of light to medium snoring, the hum of the AC and a curiously short but rapid stint of himself talking. He zoomed into the area that contained him speaking, curious what he might have said while he slept. The peaks were consistently sharp and evenly spaced as if each word was given an equal emphasis like the beginning to a drum roll but it went on for only 30 seconds or so. He raised its volume by 5 decibels as to hear it better.

In his headset, he heard himself repeat with perfect enunciation and rhythm Revelation 12:9 which goes:

"The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

This was followed by a whispy rhythmic pulse of sound like wind escaping a crevice at even intervals that lasted only a few seconds followed by another recitation in his voice of the Bible. This time it was Revelation 3:20: 

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me."

Adam nearly panicked at hearing himself so easily recite verses he never memorized. He remembered going to Sunday School and being made to memorize bible verses but he still knew all the verses he had memorized fairly well but he didn't recognize these verses. With a sideways glance, he noticed something about the audio signature the followed his rapid hellish sermons. He zoomed in and increased its volume but it was still a rhythmic series of wind. Determined to examine this odd background disturbance he stacked a few more copies of that section to amplify the waves and listened again. This time an amazingly fast and articulate voice that could only be described as sensuous recited another bible verse, this time into Adam's sleeping ears. It was Psalm 34:7:

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”

As he listened to this section over again a few more times his heartbeat sped up to match the rapidity and soothing cadence of the one reciting the bible verses to him. Who was it? What was it? Was it him? His mind raced until the cursor continued past that sections and he heard himself repeat what was just said. Loudly he heard himself say, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." His jaw dropped as he stared into the screen not wanting to hear any more. After a stunned moment of shock, his headphone was sharply wrenched from its round port and thrown against the wall. 

He put the horrible results on his experiment out of his mind as best he could and continued his normal morning routine. The song "I'm Happy" blared throughout the house as he attempted to regain his positive disposition but even the relentless "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas wasn't enough to rid his mind of the revelation the sound waves had uncovered. He drove to work in a haze and made it to class just as his first students walked in. 

The students noticed he was not in his usual engaged stance but waited in silence none the less. He starred out the window for far too long and then finally asked the class without looking at them, "Where did we leave off?"

"Yesterday we had a lab identifying rocks," the helpful Jen answered with enthusiasm while her teacher looked out the window with a blank expression. 

After a moment of silence, he said, "Alright. Let's do that again today." He decided to turn to the class and was glad he did after he saw the eager faces that looked back at him. His spirits were lifted ever so slightly and he added, "This time we will focus on the conglomerate rocks."

*

The day had passed without help from Adam's conscious perception. His memories were blotted out by the incessant meandering thought of the recitation of Bible verses from the night before. He tried to convince himself that both voices were his own. It was just an odd case of someone whispering and muttering in two voices, one of which was leagues quieter than the other and in a different voice, he thought but failed to fully convince himself. Bible verses from his childhood raced around his head as he searched for any sign that he knew those particular verses he had muttered but his mind held no such memories. 

At home, he sat alone in silence, ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup he had made a few days earlier and afterward attempted to distract himself with television. He hoped that the soothing blandness of shows like "America's Got Talent" and "Survivor" would lull his brain into forgetting the fact that soon he would be tired and would have to sleep. As the television beamed its bright distracting rays for hours into his bloodshot eyes his eyelids began to betray him and sunk lower and lower. Before he passed out on the couch he stared at the big red record button on the recorder which grew large and seemed to stare back at him taunting him to dare press it. At four in the morning, he couldn't take it anymore so he shut the television off and with all the bravery he could muster he rolled over, and pressed the big red button and fell asleep.  

*

The morning came but Adam didn't get the message as he snored through the loud beeps of his alarm clock. Sometime after they had stopped their incessant screeches he was awakened by the somewhat less obnoxious sound of his phone's ringer. He wiped a bit of dried drool away from the edges of his mouth and answered it.

On the other end of the phone was the voice of his soft-spoken assistant principle Judith Calahan who asked, "Is everything alright Adam? Your students missed you this morning. This isn't like you."

Adam was as surprised as anyone by this news and when he looked at the time it was already eleven am and the pain in his teeth and jaw became once again apparent. His head was in a haze of confusion as to how he arrived in this particular predicament until he remembered that he had stayed up until past four watching shit television. He was also surprised to find that he was in his bed and that the red light of the recorder was still on. He hit the red button and said, "I'm not feeling well Judith. I'm very sorry but I need to stay home. Might be food poisoning."

"Alright then, but next time, can you give us proper notice, please?" Judith said in an attempted to assert herself.

"Of course," Adam replied and pressed the little red button to hang up the phone. He laid in bed and stared at the recorder for what felt like hours as he contemplated its contents. Would there be another bible verse reading or something even worse on its digital brain? At 11:30 he forced himself out of bed and made a cup of coffee. As the hot brown liquid flowed through his veins he began to feel normal again. That is until he walked into his room and found that the recorder was still sitting on the side table testing his will. Why put off the inevitable? He was a scientific man and this was simply a scientific proposition and that is all there was to it.

The downloaded file looked the same as it had the day before. Mostly small blips and bleeps but to Adam's scientific horror there was a section in the middle of more pronounced sharp peaks and valleys that indicated he had spoken into the recorder once again. This time the peaks and valleys were not so rapid and not so regular but instead looked more like the profile he remembered from when he would edit his podcast episodes except that where the second person would normally have spoken there were smaller waveforms which indicated the second speaker was barely audible. He put the cursor to the first section and pressed the spacebar down. He heard himself speak.

"You again. I don't want to learn any more bible verses. I want what you promised."

Adam adjusted the nearly silent sections between his words and listened to the voice in the margins.

"You will get all that you wish for and more but you must be patient and you must do as you are told."

"I will. Just tell me what to do." Adam was disgusted to hear himself sound so feeble.

"You are not yet worthy of the mercy of the lord. You must purge the evil that surrounds you. You must vanquish the corruption that would infect and defile the innocent."

"Who is corrupt? Who must I destroy?" Adam listened to his enthusiastic other self in horror.

"You have been chosen to rid the world of a great evil. One that has already used their power to molest innocent children at your school. One that sits at the most powerful desk and has given you your position. One that plots even now, as you sleep, to take another by the end of the week."

"I know of whom you speak. Principal Mauser."

"Yes," the voice hissed in excitement. "Now, get up and go to your room. You will sleep well today for there is much to do soon. You will tell Judith Calahan that you have food poisoning. Then you will fulfill your duty and be blessed."

"Yes, master. Thank you, master." Adam said and then heard the rustle of himself getting up off the couch to trod into his bedroom.

He heard himself say the words but didn't believe it. Was he going insane? How could he test this theory? Show someone? Who could he show? They would think he was schizophrenic, delusional and other words Adam remembered from his psychology course in college. He couldn't tell anyone, he decided. He didn't even know what he would tell them. He moved around the house like a zombie unaware that he was talking to himself out loud and pacing in and out of rooms with no conscious effort.

The clock struck 1:30 PM and he was still enough for a silent lunch, followed by frantically going over the audio files for the next 6 hours. He dissected them with every audio editing trick he could think of. With the help of Youtube's finest giving him advice on how to use the AudioCity freeware program to edit audio files. He also used Youtube to search for evidence of paranormal activity. Youtube's algorithms acted as a divining rod which guided him into an endless spiral of ghostly videos. With titles like "10 Terrifying Recordings of Paranormal Activity" and "10 Possessed People on Tape" his mind slowly deteriorated into madness.

*

It was three in the morning when Adam drove to Principal Mauser's house. There would have been a darker veil covering the town that night but the clouds had opened up just for him to reveal a full and bright moon that lit his path. Like a beacon, it stayed in view guiding him toward the defiler's home. He made no attempt at a stealthy entrance, and even as he stumbled out of the vehicle, still wearing the same clothes he slept in the night before, the high beams of his car shown against the front windows of the pale gray house. Something glimmered in his hand as he stood and stared at the house until the door opened.

The principal burst out of the house with a pistol in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Henry Mouser was not the kind of man that would shrink from an altercation, but instead did as he always did in such situations, he met it head-on. "Who's there!" He shouted and pointed both hand held implements at the dark figure in his front yard. The flashlights 500 lumens should have blinded Adam as it slammed against his face but he didn't blink. When the principal recognized who stood in front of him he sighed in relief. It was only the happy, quiet and generally ignorable geology teacher. "Mr. Nusbaum? What in the hell are you doing here? It's three in the fucking morning man."

Adam said nothing but instead stared at the principal as he recounted the demon's words in his head:

"You have been chosen to rid the world of a great evil... One that plots now, as you sleep, to take another by the end of the week."

He had listened to it so many times that day that it echoed off the walls of his mind like an alarm. It rang in his head so loudly he barely heard the principal say, "What's that in your hand?"

Adam looked down and saw the 22 caliber revolver his dad had given him when he was a boy in his hand and smiled with gleeful surprise as if he hadn't been the one to place it there. He continued to smile as he raised the pistol upward and as he did so so did Principal Mauser raise his pistol upward. 

"What are you doing? You crazy motherfucker!" Principal Mauser yelled with sheer anger and confusion. 

The flash from Adam's pistol fought against the flashlight's beam and won the day as its projectile hit its glass bulb straight on which caused a temporary darkness to fill the yard. Time slowed for both men but only lasted until the next shots rang out. The next 15 seconds were punctuated by flashes and bursts from both pistols as both men pulled their respective triggers as fast as they could. While neither of them was trained in the ways of the duel they each met the challenge with equal effectiveness. When the flurry of noise and sparks ended both men fell to the ground. Both bled from multiple wounds. Mrs. Mauser called for paramedics as she held her husband's lifeless body.  

30 Days of Fiction: Day 26

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18 Years Old

As the sun started its route over the horizon to scorch the earth with its hot tendrils three horses galloped side by side down an abandoned road toward what was once called Downtown Los Angeles. Each horse had a rider and each rider had a burning desire to flee the danger they had narrowly escaped just minutes earlier. Their party of seven had been taken by surprise. As they had passed a line of markets along the road they were suddenly engulfed in a chaos of explosions and gunfire. All around them were loud bangs and snaps and before any of them could react two of them lay dead on the ground. Most of the horses had bucked their riders off to run away from the danger and as shots were being wildly flung all around only three were able to escape.  

A few miles down the road the three men slowed their pace to a canter and allowed themselves to breathe. One of the men turned his head to look back and asked, "What the fuck was that shit?"

"A fucking trap is what it was!" Another rider exclaimed as he wiped his brow. "Those motherfuckers must've been waiting for some poor saps to come down that exact spot so they could butt fuck'em! Fuck that shit!"

"Yeah. Fuck," the third cowboy said softly in agreement with the others. 

"You held onto your horse and controlled him well, Blake." The first man, who was the eldest, complimented the young cowboy whose head was bent in exhaustion. 

"Yeah. Good fucking job kid." The middle cowboy said unimpressed with either of them. 

"Should we go back?" Blake asked the two sheepishly. 

"Fuck that shit!" The middle cowboy said confidently. "I'm not going back. You can go back and get yourself killed. I don't give a fuck!"

Blake looked to the eldest one for guidance. "Joe?" He asked.

"I don't think it's a good idea to go back that way. Not now." Joe said. "We stick with the plan. We head southwest to the beach. Get out of this fucking heat and take it easy." 

"That's right!" The middle one agreed emphatically and began to kick his horse but just a few yards into his triumphant gallop he was violently jerked from his saddle by the neck and thrown to the ground suffocating from the blow.

As Blake of Joe's horses reared back to stop from being taken out by an invisible attacker a gray figure pounced from above them and landed behind Blake sitting as if they had been longtime friends out for a morning ride. Joe let out a booming, "FUCK!" as the gray hooded figure slashed Blake's throat from behind painting the horse's mane in burgundy. 

Joe pulled hard left on his reigns but before his horse could get traction the horses back legs were sliced through at the shins causing the horse to collapse on the ground and its rider to fly forward onto the hot pavement. Joe struggled to his feet and turned to see the gray phantom standing in front of him. "You're just a kid," Joe said looking into the face of a young man named Jacob before him smiling. 

Jacob was covered in gray camouflage cobbled together from different materials and wielding a long shiny katana. "I know who you are," he said. "You're Joe. The leader of cowboy gangsters who go around raping and murdering."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Joe said as his hand slowly inched its way closer to the gun at his side. His fingers twitched as he contemplated how fast that sword could move. 

Jacob stared into Joe's eyes and said, "We've been watching your group and we have been weighing your deeds."

"Who do you think you are?" Joe asked, his hand getting recklessly closer to his pistol. 

"The living are either good or evil and you are evil," Jacob said calmly. 

Joe went for his gun but before he could reach the handle a shimmering beam of steel slashed through the air severing Joe's head from his body. Jacob knelt down and wiped the dead man's blood off on the dead man's clothing when he heard a raspy cough from behind. He spun around to see the middle cowboy regaining his composure from getting throat checked on Jacob's fishing line and struggling to get control of his pistol. Jacob rushed toward the man and in a few strides was upon him plunging his sword into his chest. He slid the sword back out and with wide eyes and a gurgle, the third cowboy fell. 

Jacob sheathed his sword and began checking the dead for valuables. He took the saddle bag off of the only horse dumb enough to stick around and filled it with guns, ammunition, food, and water. Jacob took a moment to notice the beauty of the horse that stood before him. It was young and lean with dark auburn hair that was broken up randomly by large stark white splotches. It looked fast.

Satisfied with the day's events Jacob reattached the saddlebag to the horse and lifted himself onto its back. He'd never ridden a horse before but as soon as he took the reigns it all felt right. He kicked the horse and his new ride started galloping back toward the ambush.

A few minutes down the rode Jacob could see a figure walking his direction. He slowed to get a better look. Up ahead he could see a tall, slender body holding a long rifle. When he saw the red shoes of his friend Miah he smiled and coaxed the horse to a gallop. A few yards from the figure he yelled out, "Look what I got!"

The young woman slung her rifle over her back dramatically and as Jacob circled her she clapped slowly. "Well done, Haus. You're a regular root-tootin cowboy you are!" She said with a huge dimpled smile.

"Yes I am," he said and put his hand out. He looked at Miah and asked, "Wanna ride?"

Miah took his hand and they both rode toward the center of the city. Los Angeles was a decaying desert but the city's massive expanse was mostly void of walkers. Herds of walkers in the millions had gathered years ago and traveled away from the inner city leaving a desolate but relatively walker-free land with only a few small settlements of the living. Jacob had met Miah while traveling to one of the settlements and while at first, they couldn't stand each other they soon found that it was only because they were both so alike.

About a year ago Jacob had strolled into a settlement based around the old Staple's Center to get some supplies and check out the locals when he saw Miah in the street arguing with a local blacksmith. He walked over to watch the show but when Miah noticed him getting closer she swung at him. He caught her arm and pushed her aside but she swung again, this time hitting him square in the jaw. Jacob tackled her and they wrestled for a moment until Jacob finally pinned Miah forcing her to tap out. Jacob got up and extended his hand to her but she just spat at him, stood up, brushed her pants off and walked off in a huff.

Over the next couple of days, they exchanged hateful glances when seeing each other around the settlement but then one night they both ended up in a tavern and got to talking. Miah explained that she was pissed at the blacksmith because he owed her some bullets and hadn't delivered. Jacob told Miah that he was gearing up to take down a group of "pirates" that had been attacking small settlements. They quickly found that they both shared a love for enacting justice and from then on the two had patrolled Southern California seeking out those that would prey on the innocent.

"Should we go toward Little Tokyo or The Staple's Center?" Jacob asked as they rode the majestic horse down the hard concrete road.

"Let's go back to the Staple's Center. It's been so long." Miah said enthusiastically.

"Remember when we met and you punched me in the face?" Jacob asked while jabbing his elbow backward into her side.

"I do," Miah said, fending off his jabs and returning with her own jabs. "I remember your black eye."

"And I remember pinning your ass to the ground," Jacob retorted.

"I let you win," Miah said and kissed the back of his neck.

"I'm sure you did."

After about an hour of riding the two stopped and took a break around the back an old convenience store. They fed the horse some grain they had and gave it some water. Then they sat on some trash cans and fed themselves. After a dozen or so minutes of needed rest, the two decided to see if the convenience store had any supplies.

"Just a few cans of who knows what," Jacob called to Miah holding out a can with an unintelligible green label.

"Yeah. I found bottles of water over here so that's something."

Just then they heard the horse make a loud whinny and they both crouched down looking toward the open back door. Then they heard a voice say, "it's a real fucking horse!"

Jacob looked at Miah and gestured toward the front door. She nodded and the two slowly crept out the front door. They heard a loud shot ring out from behind the store and the horse whinnied again. Jacob silently pulled his sword out from its sheath and Miah took a silenced pistol out as they shimmied down the side of the building. When they got closer to the rear they heard more voices.

"It's my horse, I saw it first!"

"You don't even know how to ride the damn thing! You fucking moron."

"Fuck you! Yes, I do!"

"Fuck me? Fuck you! You think Sam will let you keep the horse? He'll take it the second we show up."

"I'll ask him to keep it."

"Just let me ride it back and then you can ask him to keep it. I know how to ride a horse."

"You'll just leave me here!"

"Ok. We'll take turns until we get to the Staple's Center and Sam will decide."

Jacob looked at Miah knowingly and they both rushed around the corner to find two men standing in the alleyway. "Hands up!" Miah shouted as she pointed her pistol at the one farthest away and closest to the horse. Jacob slowly walked up to the first man and held his blade up to his neck.

"Don't move asshole," Jacob said. "Answer my questions and no one has to die."

"Fuck you," said the one without a sword to his neck.

Jacob pressed the sword into the first man's neck who quickly shrieked, "Shut the fuck up, George!"

Jacob laughed and asked, "What are you doing at the Staple's Center Settlement?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just stopping for supplies." The first man answered.

"Bullshit!" Jacob yelled. "Who is Sam?"

"Nothing, nobody," the first man spit out.

"Their fucking liars!" Miah said and added, "Let's just shoot them. They fucked with Tulip."

"Tulip?" Jacob pondered the meaning and then realized. "Yeah. They tried to steal Tulip!"

Perplexed at these two horse lovers the men started to break.

"We didn't know she belonged to anyone. I swear it." The first one whimpered.

"Who is Sam!" Jacob yelled.

"He's our boss," George piped up.

"Shut the fuck up! You idiot!" The first one said to his companion.

"What does your boss do?" Jacob asked and then lowered his sword from the first man's neck.

"He just leads a small group of us. We are heading toward better land out west." The first man answered.

"Yeah, we're heading toward Beverly Hills and then heading up the coast," George said cheerfully.

"Shut the fuck up!" The first man yelled.

"Bullshit!" Jacob shouted. Then he looked over at Miah and walked swiftly up to George. Miah switched her aim toward the first man.

Jacob held his sword up against the second man's neck until it started to break the skin, a small amount of blood spilling out. He leaned forward and asked softly, "You're going to tell me the truth George or I am going to chop off your dick and feed you to the walkers. Who's Sam and what do you do for him?"

Sobbing George answered, "Sam's our boss. I am just a scavenger. We just go out and find gear and stuff and bring it back to Sam." He began to piss himself.

"What else?" Jacob said calmly.

"Sometimes he makes us burn down settlements!" George said falling to the ground crying.

"Fuck!" the first man exclaimed and then went for Miah's rifle just a foot away but he wasn't fast enough. Smoke cleared from Miah's pistol as the man lay lifeless on the pavement. She walked up to the man and put another shot into the back of his head.

"What should we do with the dumb one?" She asked Jacob.

"I kind of feel bad. I mean is he evil, or just dumb and easily manipulated?"

"How can someone so dumb live out here for so long?"

"Maybe by doing whatever someone else says to protect you?"

"Either way, what do you think?" Miah asked.

"I think we don't have enough to condemn this man. But he should be punished."

"Hmm," Miah said dramatically rubbing her chin.

"Yes. Hmm." Jacob said mirroring her actions.

"Take his hand?"

"No that is too much. I think we should banish him."

"That works for me."

Jacob leaned down and said to the man sitting in his own piss, "Today we show mercy for such a wretched creature as yourself and choose only to banish you. From this day you will denounce your old life and gang and will devote yourself to good. You will travel away from the city and never harm another innocent person. If we see you again and you're still a dumb asshole we will not be so kind."


Jacob and Miah gathered their gear and headed toward the Staple's Center settlement on the newly named Tulip. In about an hour they were nearly there and decided to scout the area surrounding the settlement before barging in looking for a fight. Adjacent to the main entrance of the Staple's Center there was a tall building that Miah knew how to gain roof access to.

Behind the building, two walkers stood motionless until they noticed the two travelers clomping around the corner. Starving from a lack of living flesh to feast on the walkers were slow and feeble, barely able to lift their arms. Jacob, not wanting to waste the sharpness of his blade, found a nearby metal pole and jammed it into the face of the nearest one. Miah found a chair and buried it into the next one's face and stomach. They left Tulip behind the building and headed to the roof.

With the sun beaming down on them they lay quietly on their bellies and peered at the people roaming around the settlement, Miah with her scope and Jacob with binoculars. After about a half an hour of watching people clean clothes, sharpen spears, and attempting to stay cool by remaining under the decaying roof of the once immaculate Staple's Center Miah nudged Jacob and said, "A convoy is heading this way." She pointed to the right where a combination of huge trucks and super-cars were approaching.

"Looks like trouble."

The convoy rumbled and roared before coming to a stop in front of the entrance where all the villagers had receded into the building. Men began to file out of the vehicles, all with heavy weapons. From the lead vehicle, a man with a black baseball cap and a pistol in his hand came out and walked up to the makeshift fence that was erected to keep walkers out. A moment later a man Miah recognized as the settlement's "governor" (if you could call him that), Henry, came out to greet the man. Miah and Jacob couldn't hear what the two were talking about but could just make out that the man in the cap was yelling and waving his pistol around.

Henry let the leader of the convoy and a group of his men into the fenced in area and then the man pistol-whipped Henry knocking him to his knees. The man in the black cap pointed his pistol at the top of Henry's head and pulled the trigger. A loud bang echoed off the tall buildings surrounding Jacob and Miah as Henry's body slumped to the ground. They watched as the capped man and his men went into the building shouting and firing their weapons terrorizing the residents.

"We have to do something," Miah said looking over at Jacob.

"There are too many of them and we don't have a plan," Jacob said. "But you're right, we need to do something and I need to find out if that is my Sam."

"The one that killed your father?" Miah asked.

"Yes. I need to get close and if it is my Sam then I need to be the one that does it."

"Alright, so what do you propose?"

"Any walkers nearby?" Jacob asked looking around.

"If so they would start walking this way from that gunshot."

"Over there," Jacob said pointing to a small group of about ten walkers coming from the left. "If we can get them to distract the men outside the fence then I can circle around to the back side of the building. If we can set off a firework far right then maybe the walkers will get close enough to distract some of the men."

"As soon as the walkers are on the men I'll start taking them out," Miah added. "Then you flank them and take out as many on the inside as I take the ones out front. There is an entrance in the back that I used to use to get out after curfew next to a handicap bathroom. I broke the lock so hopefully, you should be able to use that."

"I'll circle around right, set off the fireworks and then head around back," Jacob summarized the plan and gave Miah a passionate kiss before getting up. He grabbed a backpack and started for the stairs.

Outside of the building, Jacob smirked when he found Tulip was still standing in the alley with a blank look on its face. He left the horse behind and made his way quietly to the alley behind the next building over. When he reached the edge of the building just around the corner from the view of the men watching the street he placed a few firecrackers on the ground and readied them to go off. He peered around the corner and when no one was looking his direction he lit the fuse and rushed across the street to the right flank of the Staple's Center building.

Soon, the loud bang of fireworks started to explode as Jacob was scaling the fence to the rear of the building. The armed men started to shout at each other and some started shooting in the direction of the loud bursts. As their backs were turned Miah could see the group of walkers descending on them and as soon as the first walker grabbed an oblivious gunman chaos ensued. Some men started shrieking commands to take care of the walkers while half the group was searching the building where the fireworks were coming from.

While they were confused Miah let out the first of many rounds. Even with the silencer, her rifle was loud enough for the gunmen to eventually figure out the direction of her shots. She was a deadly aim and had a superior position and was able to take out man after man, leaving them writhing on the ground in pain. She was taking heavy fire and knew that it was only a matter of time before they swarmed her position. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the roof access door where she attempted to barricade it shut with anything she could. Then she took up a different position on the rooftop and started shooting again.

The backdoor Miah had suggested was unlocked and Jacob was able to slip into a maintenance hallway. Inside the building, he could hear screaming and shooting and knew he had to act quickly if he were to find the man in the black cap. He tried a door at the end of the hall and saw a gunman beating up on an old man. Jacob pulled his sword out and as swiftly as the wind he swung his blade upwards slicing deep into the man's torso and face. Jacob looked around and saw another gunman heading up the stairway to the second floor.

He followed behind and before the man reached the top step the tip of Jacob's blade was sticking out of his chest. As the man fell Jacob was staring at another gunman pointing his gun at him. Just as shots started flying his way he dropped to his stomach and held up the dead man's body for cover and then slowly slid down the stairs. After what felt like forever Jacob heard a click indicating the man's gun was empty. Jacob got up and rushed over the man and before he could load another magazine Jacob's blade was scouring his throat sending blood into the air.

Miah had taken out quite a few men by the time the pounding on the roof door started. She sent a couple of her high powered rounds through the door causing a temporary pause in the pounding. When it started back up she quickly got up and pulled a small machine gun and a grenade out of her backpack. The door started to pry open and when she saw the first arm reaching around it she started firing. As men tried to come through the door she shot them dead in their tracks with a hail of gunfire and when she heard the gun click she pulled the pin from the grenade and threw it at the door. It landed on top of a pile of bodies and exploded chunks of flesh and bone all around the area. She had just enough time to reload when the next group tried to come through the door but she kept firing.

Jacob made his way down the hallway of the second floor with his sword ready to bite. He silently opened a door to a room full of beds and found that two men were terrorizing a group of women. One was watching while the other ripped the clothes off of one of them. As they were distracted Jacob slowly crept up on them. He was able to crouch behind the one watching and placed his sword between the man's legs sharp side up and then as he stood up the man was cut from balls to belly button, his guts spilled onto the ground as he shrieked. The other man turned just in time to see his friend fall and a gray hooded ghost swing a blade at his face.

"Shhhh," Jacob mouthed to the distraught women. He grabbed a rifle from the dead man's hands and headed toward the door to the hallway.

As he stepped out into the hallway a set of men were running his direction and when they noticed him they began to shoot. Jacob fell to his stomach and shot back taking out the men with precise shots as the carpet around him was torn up by incoming bullets. He jumped to his feet and as he passed the dead men he grabbed one of their rifles and started around the corner. One man was standing guard outside of a door and without hesitation, Jacob shot the man in the head. Jacob slowly walked up to the door and when he was about to reach for the doorknob he heard gunshots blasting through the wood. He jumped back against the wall and waited.

After a moment a voice came from behind the door, "Come on in!"

"Why don't you come out, Sam!" Jacob yelled back.

"Who the fuck are you!"

"Ever been to Beverly Hills? Sam!"

"How do you know my name, motherfucker?"

 "One of your lackeys told us we could find you here. Said you like to burn down settlements!"

"Not before I take what's mine!" the man said shooting more rounds through the door.

"Come out here and fight me like a man!" Jacob shouted.

A few minutes later Jacob heard rustling and then the door started to open. The man in the black cap came out holding his pistol up to the head of a young woman. Jacob held his rifle up and when the woman's face moved out of the way it revealed the face Jacob recognized as the same man that had killed his father. It was "his" Sam.

"It is you," Jacob said with a wry smile on his face. "Remember me?"

"You're just another dead motherfucker," Sam said. "Now drop it or I shoot this lovely young woman. You wouldn't want that would you?"

"If you shoot her I'll shoot you, idiot. So, why don't you drop your weapon and nobody get's hurt." Jacob said lying to the man.

"Yeah, right!" Sam laughed.

"Remember Beverly Hills? Where you killed a man trying to help you and then burned down my house."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"6 Years ago my father and I found you in the street and you killed him. Then you followed me back to my friends and killed them too."

"Oh yeah!" Sam said and chuckled. "That was a long time ago. Fuck! I was a nobody back then. That was the beginning of my career." With that Sam pointed his gun at Jacob and fired, hitting Jacob in the left shoulder. Jacob dropped his rifle as another two shots hit him in the chest causing him to fall to the ground.

Miah was running out of ammunition as there were still men coming for her. She took out her pistol and fired her last rounds at the men coming through the door. Two men made it past her shots and walked up to her. She pointed her gun at the first man and when the only sound came out was a sharp "click" the man laughed. He pointed his pistol at her chest and fired. She fell back from the force of the blast. The man stood over her, turned to his friend and said, "She put up a hell of a fight. Fuckin cunt!" They laughed. When he looked back down he noticed that there was no blood coming from her chest. He leaned down and ripped her shirt open to see a bulletproof vest with a silver metal projectile embedded in it.

As Miah's eyes opened and met his a knife was plunged up into his chin. He fell onto her with a gurgling sound, blood rushing out onto her. She grabbed for his gun and just as the second man shot the dead man on top of her she lifted the pistol and killed the last man on the roof. Miah pushed the large dead corpse off of her body and stood up finally getting a good look at the carnage she unleashed. A half-dozen dead bodies lined the roof near the doorway and a few lay just inside the stairwell. She was covered in blood as she took her long knife to the skulls of each of the dead men ensuring they didn't come back to try again.

Sam shoved the woman aside and started toward Jacob's lifeless body but when he was within reach Jacob kicked his feet out from under him and Sam fell to the ground. Jacob jumped on top of him holding his wrists pinning him to the floor. Enraged and without thinking Jacob began pounding his forehead against Sam's face. With a few swift slams to his face Sam stopped struggling and after a few more slams there was little left of his face that was recognizable. His face was turned into a red, pulpy mess with teeth and bone shattered and hanging loose.

Jacob's face was covered in blood as he stood up panting from the exchange. He pulled his sword out and with a primal scream, he plunged it into Sam's heart. He fell over and laid beside his enemy and began to cry. His sobbing soon turned into hysterical laughter as a crowd of settlers began to surround him staring at the maniac that had just saved them. Jacob noticed them all looking at him and stopped laughing. He stood up and without a word started towards the stairs and headed back to the entrance.

When he made it to the outside he saw the corpses of walkers and soon to be walkers strewn about the street and courtyard. He opened the gate to the fence and looked up at where Miah had been positioned but no one was there and it was eerily quiet. Then he heard the sound of Tulip's clomping hoofs on the pavement. Then he saw Miah leading Tulip by the reigns coming out from behind the building and he was filled with relief. He ran to her and they embraced each other in the blistering heat of the day. As they knelt on the hot pavement holding each other a crowd of grateful settlers formed around them clapping and cheering. When he noticed the attention Jacob looked at Miah and said, "I think they like us."

Miah laughed, burried her head in Jacob's chest and said, "I need a nap."

30 Days of Fiction: Day 25

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12 Years Old

"What is the first rule, Jacob?" Mark asked his 12-year-old son in the dimly lit basement of their home.

Jacob stood straight as he'd been taught and held his spear in his hand hard against the floor and said confidently, "The dead are our enemy and should not be underestimated. Their power is in their numbers and their singular desire to kill. Use your ears and they will never get the better of you. Keep your distance and do not let them overwhelm you. They must be purified!"

"Very good!" his father said while pacing the room. "What is the second rule?"

"Do not be afraid. Fear is useless and clouds the mind with doubt. Fear leads to hesitation and death. Instead be decisive. Take action and think quickly. Train every day to connect your body to your thoughts and if you have time to think you have time to plan. Discipline the mind as you discipline the body and you will vanquish fear!" Jacob yelled the last two words which echoed off the small concrete walls.

"What is the third rule son?" Mark asked as he stopped and stood in front of his son, towering over him.

"The living are either good or evil. They are cunning, selfish and ruthless. They are thoughtful, compassionate, and forgiving. We must route out evil to allow the good to flourish...," he said trailing off at the last. He looked down ashamed he forgot the next part.

His father pulled Jacob's chin up to meet his eyes. "We must stay vigilant in our purpose and resolute in our code."

Jacob repeated, "We must stay vigilant in our purpose and resolute in our code. For we are the living and we make the world!"

Mark stepped back and smiled at his son. "What is the fourth rule?"

"Those on the side of the good are family. Protect the family and protect yourself. Be an example to those that would witness you and be a demon to those that would attack you. I make the world!"

"Very good. Very good." Mark said looking at his little warrior. He then asked," Are you afraid of the dead?"

"NO!" Jacob yelled.

"Prove it!" Mark yelled back and then opened a door at the back of the room and then quickly spun around behind it. As the door opened the sound of gnashing teeth and gurgling preceded the two walkers that made their way slowly toward the boy. Their hands reaching out toward the flesh they would take if they got what they wanted. They smelled of rotten meat as their flesh slowly peeled away from their frames.

Jacob quickly stood in a ready position holding the spear with both hands. He was not a tall 12-year-old but his spear would make up for that as it stood 6 feet tall with another 1 foot of hard steel sharpened and honed at the end. He took one step forward and with one smooth motion, he thrust the tip of the spear into the face of the closest walker and pulled it out. It was like a hot spear through buttery flesh. Then he turned and did the same to the other living dead creature which thudded to the ground. Jacob turned slowly in 360 degrees, stopped and stood at attention with his spear held tightly at his side.  His father stood now looking at him and then walked up to Jacob and put his hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Let's go."

They grabbed their prepared backpacks, rifles, bulletproof vests, and other assorted survival gear and headed for the door. Outside of the house, they were greeted by the early morning sun gleaming down on them. Mark and Jacob lived in the largest house in a small culdesac that was in the once luxurious Beverly Hills. Their house was in the center with two very large houses on each side. Each in relatively good condition, given the lack of landscaping and construction services available for the past two years. Each house had its own little picket fence, multi-car garage, and original solar panels on its roof. The current residents of the culdesac had been there a good while now and had built it up from its meager condition.

The three houses were surrounded by a triple set of fences that followed the road to two large metal gates that led to the outside world. Inside the innermost fence were a number of small and large greenhouses, fields where sheep, chickens, and pigs roamed and one small barn constructed directly behind Mark and Jacob's house. Each fence was made from different materials and sizes. The outermost fence was made from 12-foot tall four-inch thick oak planks and supported by a lattice of two by fours and metal triangles. The middle fence was made from concrete highway barriers stacked two deep and two high. The inner-most fence was made from standard chain-link similar to that at a high school.

Mark and Jacob walked down the walkway, through the small gate of their picket fence and walked toward the center of the culdesac where three cars sat. One of their neighbors that lived in the house to the left was in their front lawn sitting at a picnic table drinking coffee. He was the newest member of the culdesac club as he had only been there nine months. He was 40 something and had a huge graying beard and ballcap that said USMC on the front. Mark and Jacob walked up to his fence to give him a briefing.

"Hey, Bill," Mark said. "We are going out to look for ammunition, canned goods, and the like. If we're not back by sundown we probably ran into trouble. If we still don't show up by the next morning someone might look for us."

"Roger that," Bill said in his typical monotone fashion. "Stay safe out there." He lifted his mug and Mark and Jacob nodded back.

When they got closer to the three vehicles Mark looked over at Jacob and asked, "Which one should we take?"

Jacob looked back at his father with what Bill would call a "shit eating grin" and then ran over to the bright red Ferrari. He pulled on the driver side handle but before he could get comfortable Mark was there to pull him out. "Good try." He said to his dejected son who quickly regained his excitement as he jumped into the passenger seat and they started for the gates. Jacob was tasked with opening the two gates for his father and after the second of the two heavy metal gates were finally locked into place they raced toward the city.

As they entered the outer rim of the ruined city they slowed to maneuver around broken down cars, military vehicles and other fodder that were strewn about the roads. There was a clear enough path to drive slowly and since they had already scavenged a good deal of the area closest to their homes they would have to travel farther into the city. They made their way around what used to be posh restaurants and shopping centers along desolate streets where random walkers gave the illusion that life existed there. They continued until they passed the upscale area and found themselves in a new area that was full of 7 Elevens, pawn shops, and fast food places.

"What I wouldn't give for some Taco Bell right now," Mark said as they passed a building with a large purple bell on the outside.

"Yeah, I used to get those crunch wrap supremes, remember? Jacob said licking his lips.

"Yep. And your mother used to get the nachos with the hot cheese." Mark said and then looked over at Jacob to see his reaction to mentioning his mom. Jacob didn't react but just kept looking out the window at the dilapidated buildings.

"There!" Jacob yelped pointing out the window at a pawn shop. "There might be ammunition or guns there."

They made it a rule to never park close to where they scavenged, just in case they got surrounded they would have a better chance and if any of the living saw them they might not notice their car if it was further away. Mark pulled the car over to the curb a block and a half away from the pawn shop entrance and they both got out.

"Remember where the car is and think about how you would get back here if you couldn't come straight here from the pawn shop," Mark said to his son as they put their vests, and packs on and checked their guns. "Also, when we are out here I want you to think about what you might do if you cannot use the car to get home."

"That seems a little extreme," Jacob said.

"Nothing is too extreme to think about and if you have time to think, then you have time to plan."

"You're right, dad." Jacob agreed. "I would try to find another car that still ran and drive it back home."

"Do you know how to get there? Where you paying attention?"

"I would go east. Our home is east..." Jacob's answer trailed off with his lack of conviction.

"Yes! We are almost exactly due west of our house. That is why we carry a compass and map each. We might get separated one day and you would need to go back on your own."

"Ha! Yeah right!" Jacob said unconvinced that this would happen. "You won't let that happen, right?"

"I will do my best," Mark answered with a solemn tone. They were nearly at the pawn shop doors and only a few walkers could be heard shuffling around the parking lot. They weren't very close and hadn't noticed them but Jacob was ready if they did.

Mark walked up and tried the door but it was locked and made a rattle that the few walkers heard drawing their attention. He made a gesture to Jacob to keep an eye on the walkers while he tried the windows around the side. Jacob nodded and held his spear ready as the walkers approached. The first one was within striking and Jacob took it out quickly. The other two walked together and Jacob was having trouble deciding which one to take out. He hesitated and then finally thrust his spear into the one on the left but as he pulled the spear out of its bloodied face the other one was within grabbing distance. The spear was too long to use and as he attempted to back up he tripped and fell backward.

"Dad!" he yelled out but his father was too far away and the walker was about the grab him. Jacob, knowing it was up to him, swung the spear sideways at the walker's legs slicing them both in half at the shins. The walker fell over, on top of the spear, its face clacking just inches away from Jacob's. Jacob quickly pulled out his long bowie knife and tried to stab at the walker but the walker's arms got in the way. He tried to scootch himself back and managed to create enough distance to stand up where he was able to recompose himself and look around the make sure there weren't any other walkers encroaching on their position. With a renewed confidence Jacob walked up to the walker and swiftly plunged the long blade into the back of its head.

Just as he did he heard the door to the pawn shop open. His father looked out at him and asked, "You alright?"

"Yes! I'm fine." Jacob told him as he pushed the twice-dead corpse off of his spear and picked it up.

The pawn shop still had most of its goods as no one had tried to break into it yet. The owner must have locked it up one day and never returned. Old guitars, boom boxes, and other random earthly goods covered the shelves and cabinets. Behind the counter, there was an assortment of guns, ammunition, and knives under glass. Mark started to fill a duffle bag with the weapons while Jacob looked around the store in awe at all the cool things that were simply free now that the world had ended.

There were toys, tools, lawnmower parts and all of it looked like treasure to Jacob. He pulled a board game off a shelf and blew the dust from its lid. Sorry was written in bold letters on the top of the box and Jacob smiled. He turned to his dad and asked, "Have I ever played Sorry?"

His dad turned to him and said, "I don't think so. But we can't take fun things. We only have room for supplies that will help keep us alive. Toys and games are for the old world."

"I know," Jacob said dejected but soon remembered that this was not like before when they would go to the store and he would beg his parents for toys and treats. Then he thought about his mom and how she would always tell him he could get one thing so he better pick wisely. He shook himself away from the temptations of the old world and looked around for something useful. That's when he found the two-way radios. He checked to see if they still had a charge, which they didn't, but they had their charging bases so he put them into his bag. With all the real goods at the front of the store, he went to help his dad ransack more supplies.

With both their bags full they left the store from a side entrance made from a large broken window. Mark had always made them go different ways in and out of places to try to through off any would-be living Peeping Toms. They made their way to the car happy with their loot but as they walked across the lot they heard a rustle coming from behind some large garbage bins. Mark dropped his duffle bag and spear to the ground. He pulled his AK-47 rifle around his back in a flash and pointed in the direction of the sound.

Jacob wasn't quite as quick but soon enough they were both pointing automatic rifles at the garbage bins. Mark gestured to Jacob in a circular motion indicating that they would try to flank from the left. They both walked slowly together creating a wide circle until they saw what was behind the bins. A man with tattered clothes and a small backpack was sitting with their back up against the garbage bin holding his leg. When he saw the two men pointing their weapons at him he put his hands up and said, "don't shoot me!"

Mark stopped and Jacob continued to walk around so that they were at different angles and distances from the man.

"Is there anyone else around?" Mark asked looking at the distraught man.

"No," the man answered. "It's just me."

"I wasn't talking to you," Mark said back. "Get cover and watch for others."

With that, Jacob ran over and crouched behind a nearby car and scanned the area for anyone else but he didn't see anything.

"What's wrong with your leg?" Mark asked the man.

"I didn't get bit or anything," the man said nervously. "I just twisted it trying to get behind this bin. When I heard you too come out from the pawn shop I tried to hide behind it but fucked up my ankle."

"Were you watching us?"

"No, I wasn't. Not until I heard you walking out from the side there." the man said starting to lower his arms.

"Keep your arms up!" Mark shouted and the man did as he demanded. "Now, throw anything you have this direction and do it so I can see."

The man slowly took his backpack off and threw it towards Mark. Then he pulled a large fixed blade knife off his belt and threw both of them toward Mark as well. "That's all of it," the man said.

Mark then looked at Jacob to make sure he was paying attention and Jacob looked back at him knowingly. With his backup ready, Mark walked over to the man and stopped a few feet in front of him still pointing his rifle, now in a downward direction, at the man's face. "What are you doing out here?"

"Same as you I bet. Scavenging for supplies."

"Where did you come from?"

"That way," the man said pointing off in the opposite direction they had come from. "I still live in the same house I did before all this shit just about a dozen blocks down."

"Who else do you live with?"

"No one. I live alone."

"Why?"

The man looked down and said, "Well, I used to live with a group but we ran into a herd of walkers and everyone got killed. I managed to hide on my roof until it they left. It took two days of waiting but finally, the herd was gone. When I got down there was no one around."

"Why are you still here?"

"Where else should I go?" the man asked looking up at Mark. "Its all shit everywhere. I'm from here. I'll die here."

"Jacob!" Mark called to his son to come closer. Mark slung his rifle to his back and reached his hand out to the man. "What's your name?"

"Sam," he answered and used Mark's hand to shakily get himself back standing up.

"Can you make it back home? You need to rest that ankle. Maybe a few days."

"I don't know," Sam answered. "It hurts really bad. I don't think I'd be quick enough if I meet any dead ones on the way."

Mark looked at Jacob who still trained his rifle at Sam's head. "What do you think Jacob?"

"I think he's lying," Jacob said sternly.

"What!?" Sam was surprised by this.

"Shut the fuck up!" Mark snapped at Sam who immediately quieted. "Why Jacob?"

"I don't trust him," Jacob said. "Why is he out here alone. No one can survive alone."

"My friends just died a week ago..." Sam started to say.

Mark pushed Sam who quickly fell back on his ass. "Don't interrupt. Continue Jacob."

"Also, isn't it convenient that he was hiding right outside where we just scavenged?" Jacob asked.

"That is true," Mark said looking down at the man. "That is a mighty coincidence. But stranger things have happened. What do you say to this Sam?"

"I'm not lying," he responded sharply. "Help me to my house and I will give you something for your efforts."

"You don't have shit!" Jacob snapped.

"I have cans of food," Sam retorted.

"We don't need food!" Jacob snapped back.

Mark quickly turned to Jacob with a look of disapproval. He had told Jacob not to give out information to strangers about what they did and didn't have and he just indicated to this man that they had supplies back home. Now he had to decide whether to kill the man, let him go or help him get home.

"What did you do before this all happened?" Mark asked the man who looked surprised by the question.

"Um. I was a school teacher. Fifth grade," Sam answered. "You can't leave me out here to die with this shitty ankle. Come on."

"Alright, We will help you to your house but that is the end of it and you will not speak of us to anyone. We won't take your food but if you try anything we will gun you down."

"Of course. I get it. You don't know me but you will see. I just live up that way," Sam said pointing off down the road. "Can someone help me walk or what?"

Mark didn't want either of them to get that close so he started looking around the parking lot for something Sam could use as a cane or crutch. While he did Jacob had a thought.

"Wait here!" Jacob said and ran into the pawn shop. Inside the pawn shop he looked around for the crutches he had seen before but before he could find them he heard the sound of an engine getting louder and then screeching tires. He rushed out to his father but when he got to the door bullets started ringing out and the glass in front of him started to shatter. Jacob fell to his stomach as a hail of bullets whizzed past his head. After what seemed like forever the shooting stopped and he stood up but couldn't see his father or anyone else for that matter.

He tentatively opened the door and rushed out to where his father had been. When he turned to corner to look behind the garbage bin he saw his dad lying there, blood all around his head and body. He fell to his knees and rested his head on his father and began to cry. "No, no, no..." He said softly to himself. After many minutes of mourning, Jacob stood up and looked around. The bags of guns and ammunition they had collected were gone and instead, there were just dozens of recently spent bullet casings littering the ground.

Jacob knew that he had little time before his father would turn into a walker and as he pulled the knife out of its sheath he felt the weight of what he must do. His hand started to shake so he braced it with his other hand. On his knees, he held the knife above his father's head and wept, unable to move it downward.  After a few moments, he put the knife back into its sheath and started dragging his father's body toward the Ferrari. His heart bursting out of his chest he pushed his dad into the passenger seat and closed the door. He slowly gathered up the rest of the gear that they had and got into the driver's seat.

He had a few lessons on how to drive but never with the Ferrari. He'd begged to drive it so many times but now he felt nothing but sadness. After a few false starts, he made his way back to the culdesac. The way was slow as he had to continually refer back to the map and avoid the many obstacles in the road but as the sun was setting he pulled up to the large metals gates that signified home. Jacob got out of the car and pulled on a rope hanging from the outside of the first gate. A few minutes later he could hear the screeching sound of the inner gate opening and then the gate in front of him opened wide.

Bill and Edwardo were waiting with guns drawn and as Jacob drove by them slowly they could see the body lying in the seat next to him. A crowd was gathered around the culdesac and every resident was present. Molly and Autumn were sisters and only in their 20's but had acted like mothers to Jacob. Davonte was in his late 20's and had stayed up many nights talking with Mark about how to survive and be a good man. Clayton was the oldest at 65 and had lost an eye so he had a patch over it. Then there were Silvia and Ramon Ortiz, a young couple that liked to sleep in when they could.

They all watched as Jacob pulled up and clumsily parked the audaciously red car. Molly and Autumn came out to meet him and he fell into Molly's arms and wept. While the sisters consoled Jacob Davonte opened the passenger side door to find Mark's rugged corpse slumped into the seat, his chin caught on the seat belt. As he reached over the body to unlatch the seatbelt Mark's eyes opened suddenly and his mouth lunged forward biting directly into the meaty part of Davonte's neck.

Screaming, Davonte tried to push the beast away but it continued to devour him. Bill and Edwardo ran up the driveway and in a flash, Bill stabbed what used to be Mark's head. They pulled Davonte's limp body out by the feet as fountains of blood spurted and gushed out of him. Bill leaned over and plunged his bloody knife into Davonte's skull. He stood up and with a scowl on his face he marched over to Jacob and pulled him away from the sisters.

"You did this!" Bill yelled while he held the boy's arms. "Why didn't you finish Mark!"

Edwardo stepped in to get between the two and wrenched Bill's hands off of Jacob.

"He's just a kid!" Edwardo yelled at Bill who started to stomp around the pavement.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Bill yelled to himself as he stomped back and forth.

Edwardo turned to Jacob and said, "Go with Molly and Autumn to your house and I will be in soon for a debrief." When Jacob didn't respond he added, "You got that Soldier?"

Jacob's head raised quickly and he barked out, "Yes sir!" and walked over to the sisters who took him into his house. Bill and Edwardo talked in the yard and soon Bill calmed down and they all began to discuss what had happened. After a lengthy discussion, they began to disband when they heard a ring at the door. Above each of the houses' front doors hung a small dinner bell and they all began to ring out.

"What the fuck is that?" Edwardo said looking at Bill.

"I don't know but we need to take defensive measures now!" Bill said to the crowd. "Edwardo, go with them and post up in the attic. I'll get my gear and post up with the sisters and Jacob."

Edwardo nodded and the two groups moved quickly into their designated places. Bill leaped over his fence in two minutes flat was hopping back over it into Jacob's yard with a large bag in his hand. He rushed into the door and closed it behind him. The three were waiting for him in the entrance and Jacob was ready with the metal bar that he quickly placed into slots on each side of the door. He locked the deadbolt and turned around.

"Someone is at the gate. We need to get into defensive positions. Let's go!" Bill said with the confidence of a man who had spent 15 years in the Navy Seals.

They all made their way up the stairs making sure to place small makeshift barricades at the top of each of the three main stair sets. Bill pulled the string to the attic stairs which fumbled itself together and they all shuffled into the dark yet surprisingly roomy space. The attics of all the houses were outfitted as a type of panic room. Shelves were lined with canned goods and dehydrated rations. There were large barrels of water, weapons and ammunition racks, candles and a small plastic travel toilet in the far corner. Bill ran over to the window, grabbed a handheld radio and turned it on.

"Are you in position?" Bill asked calmly into the radio. No reply. "Are you in position? Over."

A few tense moments later a voice came over the radio, "We are in position. Everything is secure. Do you see them?"

Bill put a pair of binoculars up to his eyes and looked out toward the gates. There was a slight hill up to the culdesac from the road but in the highest part of the house Bill could see a group of at least five trucks parked on the outside of the property. Then he saw two men get out of a truck and pull large chains out from the bed of the truck. They walked up to the gate moments later got back into their truck.

"They are breaching the first gate. Over," Bill said over the radio.

"Roger that. I have eyes on. I guess there are about 30 of them. Over." Edwardo responded back from his perch.

"I guess more like 40 based on the van in the rear and the Rover in the front. I'll bet you a case it's 40. Over." Bill taunted.

"I'll take that bet, " Edwardo taunted back. "Should I get out the sniper? Over."

"Yes, sir. They certainly have initiated hostile action. Engage. Over." Bill said and as he turned to find Jacob holding a sniper rifle as big as himself out for him.

With red eyes and a red nose, Jacob handed him the rifle and said, "Locked and loaded, sir."

Bill looked at him with pride and took a prone position pointing toward the marauders at the gate. He put on ear protection and hunkered down. "Cover your ears and take cover." He said and a second later the attic shook with the burst of the concussive force from the 50 caliber rifle. The first shot was dead on target hitting the engine of the truck attempting to pull the gate down. Men began to file out of the vehicles. Immediately another shot burst out from Edwardo's window and Bill saw the chest of a man blow out and the man fell to the ground.

Shots began to ring out from the road and the wood around the tops of the homes began to tear apart. As men lined up across the gate and fence more and more of them were shooting directly up at the attics. All three houses took fire even though the shots had only come from the two. As bullets whizzed past Bills face and into the wood above his head he continued to fire. Shot after shot he never flinched and never missed. Each shot taking an appendage, chest, or head from a man. Edwardo did the same with slightly less accuracy but to deadly effect.

"They are coming over the outer fence!" Bill shouted at Jacob and the sisters. "Get to the third floor and fire from the windows. Stay low and aim first!" He said and then took another shot.

The three did as he said and each took an automatic rifle and ammunition with them down to the floor beneath. They each took a position in three of the four large windows facing the incoming horde. Molly took the first shots through the chain link fence at the men scrambling over the wooden fence. Many missed but she was able to hit one who fell to the ground. Then, Jacob and Autumn started shooting and soon more men lay on the ground screaming in pain. As they focused their fire on the men now taking cover behind the stacked highway barricades a flurry of arrows silently came barreling down on their positions striking the wood all around them.

Jacob dropped to a prone position and looked through the scope of his rifle and behind the trucks, he could see a dotted line forming from small glowing orange fires. Then the fires moved up in unison and soon flaming arrows were flying directly at their position. As the arrows and bullets scattered around the windows Jacob heard a loud scream coming from Autumn's room and before he could respond he heard footsteps bounding down the hall and then he heard Molly weeping. He trained his rifle on the archers and hit two of them before another volley of fire arrows came sweeping across the sky, one landing only a few inches away from his side. He looked at the arrow as it burned and quickly jumped to his feet.

He ran to the room where Autumn had screamed and found Autumn laying on the ground with bullet holes in her chest and Molly laying dead in the window with a rifle still in her hands. Jacob turned and quickly ran down the hall and up the stairs to the attic. Bill was still in a prone position but now there was one flaming arrow sticking out of the top of his head. Jacob held back the urge to start crying and instead grabbed a backpack and more ammunition from the stockpile and jumped back down the stairs to the backside of the third floor. The shooting had stopped and he assumed that Edwardo and the others had been killed as well and as he opened the sliding glass door to the balcony he could something pounding on the front door. He put the rifle over his shoulder and reached up to grab a wooden handle attached to a zip line leading over the fences and outside of the fortress walls.

He lifted up and slid down the zip line until he fell to the grass just a few dozen yards away from the houses. As he composed himself he heard a familiar voice.

"Jacob!" Silvia said running toward Jacob where she wrapped him in her arms. "We thought you were dead."

"Bill and the sisters are," Jacob said as Ramon and Clayton came running to them. "Edwardo?" Jacob asked looking at the trio.

The three stared at him for a moment and then Clayton looked up at the house they had been in and said, "He's still in there."

"What!?" Jacob yelled. "Why didn't he come?"

"He wanted to cover us as we escaped," Ramon said. "We have to leave!"

"We can't just leave him!" Jacob demanded.

"He said to meet him at the rendezvous point and if he isn't there in an hour to leave," Silvia explained, pulled on Jacob's arm and yelled, "We have to go!"

Jacob and the three turned to go just as shots began to ring out again in their general direction. They ran through the woods as their homes burned behind them. Continuing as fast as possible through the trees and past a few walkers, the group made it to a clearing a couple of miles away from the culdesac. After the clearing was another set of homes and they hopped the fence of one of them. Clayton lifted up a nearby rock and pulled a key from underneath. He opened the back door to the house and they all filed in.

Inside the dark house, they silently waited, listening. Jacob couldn't help but pace around the living room and the others sat on the couches. After 20 minutes Jacob couldn't take it anymore.

"We have to do something," he said to Clayton who was patiently looking at his watch.

"SHHHHH," Ramon and Silvia said together.

"Be patient, Jacob," Clayton said softly as Jacob commenced pacing around and biting his fingernails.

Another 10 minutes passed when they all heard a loud thud at the rear of the house. They all perked up and listened for more. Then, three hard knocks came from the back door. A pause. And then another two knocks. It was Edwardo! Jacob ran over the back door and opened it to find Edwardo laying against the side of the house, blood coming from his head. Ramon and Silvia quickly picked him up and took him inside. His head and left arm were bleeding furiously now but as Ramon and Silvia attempted to apply medical treatment he began to convulse. He shook violently for a moment and then just stopped moving.

Jacob stared down and asked the others, "Is he dead?"

Silvia put her hand to his neck and then said, "Yes. I'm..." But before she could say another word Jacob plunged his long knife into Edwardo's head startling the others.

Jacob pulled the knife out of Edwardo's skull, looked at the others and said, "I won't make that mistake again. Let's go."