Pt Four-One

1

Three Years Later....

Eli sat and watched as the traveler stopped speaking, opened his eyes and locked them onto the old man. There was a lot of pain behind those eyes, but at the same time Eli couldn't help but realize that there was tremendous joy there as well. The two were constantly in competition like two dogs fighting over a bone, only they were fighting for control of his soul. Luckily the joy was winning but telling this story had brought up old feelings of hurt and anger.

"Thats enough for now," The old man said with a smile on his face, "We have plenty of time to share with each other later. You don't have to finish now, but thank you for telling me these things. It takes a lot out of someone to talk about their past so openly as you have."

"I tried to remember as much as I could," the traveler responded, "I hope it was enough."

"Oh it is, it is. You have been through a lot my friend and I am afraid to tell you that there is still a lot in the coming days. The evil one's time is just beginning and it is going to get rough for those of us who believe. The rest of the world has yet to be touched, but I am afraid that it is only a matter of time."

"Do you know what I am suppose to do? The boy speaks with love and peace but has yet to reveal my true purpose. I was hoping that you might possibly have some answers for me. Emily says you are a prophet."

"Did she?" Eli asked with a chuckle. "I guess it would seem so to her, she is so young after all, but she is too kind. I only listen when the wind blows, and do what I am asked, and every once in awhile He rewards me with some privileged information."

"So you can't tell me anything?" The traveler asked with a look of disappointment clearly showing on his face.

"Not specifically, but I can tell you what I am feeling in my spirit about you. I do sense that the Lord has a specific, special purpose for you. I feel he is raising you up as a witness and a warrior to his Word and glory. He is with you more then you know, the breeze travels with you."

"I only follow where it takes me." The traveler stated. "But it always leads me true it led me to you and also..." He paused for a few moments, opened his bag and removed something from it that was wrapped in tissue. He unfolded the tissue slowly and laid it down in front of Eli. Looks like skin, Eli thought.

"I took this from a women I encountered," the traveler continued, "I cut off her arm it didn't even phase her. I then chased her outside where she had zombies waiting to meet me almost as if she was controlling them."

"Yes," Eli nodded examining the object in front of him, "That has been known to happen. People on the enemy's side have dark powers that control the creatures. Well, for a price I would guess, it can't be cheap the mark on this skin is the mark of the harlot. She was very high up in the enemy camp, it seemed like she was always out doing evil work. It seems that we don't have to worry about her anymore."

"No thanks to me," the traveler said, "I had her cornered and buried my machete into her skull, but then something else happened. Something ripped itself from her, calling themselves Legion."

"A physical manifestation?" Eli asked with a look of puzzlement on his face. "Literally ripped itself from her?"

"Yes," the traveler said, "I was as good as dead, but the One showed up."

"He always does, especially when we need him the most. Especially when he has a purpose for us. But this physical manifestation bothers me, it hasn't been heard of before his power must be growing tremendously."

"We have nothing to fear," the traveler said. "As long as he's for us who can be against us?"

"Here I am, the one who is suppose to be giving the wisdom and yet here you are with the wise words."

The two of them laughed over the little joke and then the tent grew quiet once again.

"Dark times lie ahead," Eli said, "We are going to need all our strength for what lies ahead, but at the end the one who has already defeated them will be victorious. We will need to work together, you don't have to be alone anymore."

The traveler was suddenly hit with the realization that the old man was right. All this time he had been by himself and now he had found others who had the same beliefs and struggles as he had. He tried to keep down the emotion as it washed over him he began to cry. Not tears of sadness or despair, but tears of relief and joy. Eli reached over and put a hand on the mans shoulder.

"Welcome to the war," Eli said. Just as the words left his lips several gunshots rang from outside the tent.

"We have visitors," Eli said with a grim look. "They will need your help."

The traveler nodded as he wiped the tears from his eyes and walked out into the early evening to face the enemies that were invading his new home.

********

The traveler walked out of the tent into total chaos. People were running around in all different directions, the traveler could not quite make out what they were trying to run away from. He could see Marcus and Luke up ahead, with their rifles firing in the direction they had entered the camp from earlier. Emily was nowhere to be seen. Luke turned around and saw the traveler looking at them and motioned with a quick head gesture for him to join them. He moved past several people who were running, heading towards Luke when he saw the source of panic.

Several zombies had broken the perimeter to the east side of the camp, obviously surprising everyone. There were few warriors it seemed in this camp, most chose the peaceful approach. Mark, Luke, Emily and himself were the only ones that knew how to fight. The traveler withdrew his machete from it's hiding place. He had still not gotten ammo for the twelve gauge so it was going to be the fun way to dispatch them. He rushed to the east side, there were four zombies there, one of them had just grabbed a person and taken a chunk out of their neck.

Thats not good, the traveler thought to himself as he collided with the group. First, swiping in an arc at the zombie who had just bit the person, the machete hit at the left elbow cutting clean through and then he continued through with the right arm just as another zombie was getting ready to lunge at him, he quickly spun around. The armless zombie was trying to grab him with his stumps, not realizing he didn't have arms, blood sprayed from the nubs and the person that had been bitten was on the ground convulsing as blood poured from the hole in his neck. The traveler kicked out at Stumpy sending him flying back as he ducked under another attempted lunge, swiping across another one's midsection, splitting its abdomen open, all the hidden treasures came out and fell with a splash to the ground. He then spun around again and took off a leg of the one behind him then quickly stood up and slashed at it's neck sending its head falling to the ground. He then brought the machete back immediately in the opposite direction repeating the decapitation slash to the zombie he had gutted. Two down, two to go hopefully not three. The traveler looked over quickly to the person who had been bitten they were still on the ground no movement was evident. Anytime now, he thought. The effects of the bite should be setting in.

"Don't worry about him," Emily cried from behind him appearing almost out of nowhere it seemed. "We aren't affected by the bites."

This was a new piece of information, it almost cost the traveler from hesitating for a few moments, the third untouched zombie was inches away when a knife flew into its skull and it stopped dead. Sweet Emily, the traveler though as he shifted his attention back to Stumpy. He almost felt bad, this guy was helpless on the ground trying to get up by propping himself up with his stubs but he kept falling.

"Sorry sport," the said as he raised his machete up and then brought it straight down on his neck where the head met the spine. Stumpy lay flat on the ground, no signs of movement, finally free from his struggle. The traveler withdrew his machete just as Marcus and Luke were running up to them.

"I think thats the last of them," Luke said, "We just took care of about five on the other side of camp. We need to get moving soon, the others will know we are here soon we have to go."

"Easy kid," Marcus put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "We still have a little time we have to start gathering the things we need then meet the others at the rendezvous."

The group always had a predetermined spot where they met after an attack. From there they tired to find a new location to settle, it confused the zombies if they didn't stay in the same spot for too long even though it always seemed like they found them.

"That was fast," the traveler said, "You didn't even have enough time to unpack from the last time."

Marcus shrugged his shoulders, "We are use to it. More often then not we only have a couple days. Every once in awhile we get a week or two. One time we lasted a month, that was nice."

"So," the traveler began walking over to the dead believer on the ground. The fish mark still clearly visible on their forehead. "Since when do people who get bit not turn?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Emily asked pointing to the mark, "We are protected. His children aren't allowed to be turned to the enemy."

"So it's just the undecided then?"

"And the straight up evil people," Luke interjected.

The traveler was just about to ask something else when a cry came from the center of camp. It was a mans cry.

"ELI!" Emily yelled as she rushed towards the old mans tent the two other men following behind her. The traveler felt a pit growing in his stomach. He knew that this had been too good to be true, even now it seemed as if though tragedy could reach its blade into his life, and twist the handle.

Pt Three-Eight

8

Rick woke up the next morning with a weird feeling on the inside. Something did not feel right as he got up and surveyed the sanctuary. It looked as if though everyone was here, no one was missing as far as he could tell. He could hear cluttering in the kitchen so he walked towards it, walking past a sleeping Aaron on the way. Man there was something off about that kid, Rick thought to himself. He hadn't figured it out yet but ever since he had walked out of the bathroom when Danny was holding Kailee hostage something began to emanate from him that just rubbed Rick the wrong way. He been making an extra effort to keep an eye on the kid just so there wouldn't be anymore incidents like Danny. The morning they had gotten to the church the guy had just been here chilling as if there wasn't a psychopath waiting to spring in the womans bathroom. Kind of convenient actually, now that Rick started to think about it.

Rick was still thinking of that when he walked into the kitchen and was greeted by three smiley faces. Kailee looked one hundred percent better than when she had gone to sleep the night before. The three of them were laughing and playing like there wasn't flesh hungry monsters outside waiting to eat them all. Strange, Rick thought as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup of the delicious black liquid. Oh the small things, Rick thought to himself as he took the first sip which was always the best and then turned his attention to the trio behind him.

"Well you are looking good this morning." Rick said to Kailee whose smile was etched into her face from ear to ear.

"I know right? Jake and Dave prayed for me this morning when I woke up and I feel one hundred times better! There is a little tenderness but almost all the pain I had is gone, isn't that amazing!"

Rick had to admit, she did look ten times better then the day before, but that could easily be from all the sleep she had been getting. It was easier for Rick to believe that then her being healed by some all powerful deity. But still, something inside him was curious, very curious indeed but he would not let curiosity get the best of him. If it could kill cats then who knows what it would do to him.

"So you two are drinking the kool-aid now too?" Rick asked, "Now I have three religious nuts to watch and a kid who lays in a corner by himself and doesn't communicate with anyone else. Wow my luck just keeps getting better and better by the second."

Kailee had been raised in the church, her story was very similar to Jakes actually. She had been praying ever since the stuff that happened at the clinic and her healing was just icing on the cake and now she was back in the fold. Where else was she going to turn? The world was hopeless, so she might as well turn to the one person that offered her hope.

"You know, you could always just give in and realize the Truth that is right in front of you." Jake said with a smile. "When are you going to stop running Rick? When are you going to stop and turn to the one who loves you?"

When I have no where else to go, Rick thought to himself, choosing to keep that comment to himself.

"I'm glad that you can find someone to pressure even now," Rick said, "I have my opinions and you have yours. I think it would be best if we keep them to ourselves from now on."

The room grew extremely quiet, the three of them were looking at him with smiles of joy still on their face. Why were they so damn happy? Rick asked himself. There was absolutely nothing to be happy about, but still these three were acting as if there was nothing wrong outside.

"Very well Rick," Jake said, "We will leave it be for now. But just know when you are ready we will be here for you."

Rick turned around and walked out of the kitchen holding his coffee cup. He was trying to stuff down a sudden wave of feelings that were coming up. No dammit, Rick thought, no I won't do it. If only the three of them could have seen the single tear that started to drip down his cheek as he walked out of the room.

********

Aaron awoke late in the afternoon, rising from his spot of solace and began to make his way to the rest room. He ignored the greetings of the three people that had smiles on their faces. Kailee was up and about and Aaron had to stuff everything down to keep himself from vomiting on the floor. They were making him sick. Every part of this new person he had become was disgusted by all these people. He actually wouldn't have minded Rick, if only the guy wasn't always watching him with a scowl on his face. That guy has a hunch about me, Aaron thought to himself, I will have to be extra careful trying to get out of here with him around.

But something inside told him that he would have nothing to worry about. Tonight, when everyone was asleep he would slip out into the new worlds and into the new life that had been given to him. As he walked into the bathroom he couldn't help but smile at the idea of everyone realizing he was gone and noticing his exit spelled their doom. It would be too late for them of course, according to Legion they would all be dead by dawn.

As Aaron walked up to the bathroom sink, he turned the water on and waited for it to get warm and then made a cup with his hands, filled it with the warm water and then splashed it on his face. He looked into the mirror at the reflection staring back at him. The gash on his forehead where Legion had touched him was starting to scab up and early signs of healing were starting to show. Aaron reached up with a finger and dragged the fingernail across it until blood started dripping from the wound and began to trickle down his face.

Something about the blood intrigued him and he could feel something inside of him jump at the sight of it. He took the same finger that he had reopened the wound with and stuck it right into the blood that was on his forehead and began to draw shapes. He could suddenly hear whispers coming from all around him uttering strange words that he had never heard before but at the same time they felt familiar. Aaron joined in with the voices, whispering the words with them as he began to remove his clothes and then walked over to the separate adjoining room that housed th shower. He turned the water as hot as it would go and jumped in. A sharp burning pain touched him at first but eventually he just got use to it and stood in the middle of the shower still muttering the words as the water came down around him. He closed his eyes, and could feel a presence all around him as he continued the ritual that he had discovered. He felt reborn, a new person was standing her now, something inside him was different and he knew that he was going to do great things. He embraced the darkness, and continued to chant as the water got colder, he didn't move for an hour until he snapped back as though in a trance, realizing the coldness and got out. As Aaron got out and put his clothes back on he realized that tonight couldn't come fast enough.

********

Several miles away from the church a group of zombies were starting to form in one single location. The could not think for themselves, they had died and were now in the control of something evil. As these zombies had been roaming the small town and the surrounding area and they had suddenly felt an urge and pull to stop what they were doing and come in this direction.

It was like a mysterious song that they couldn't help but listen to, the melody washed over them and they had no choice but to do what the words commanded. The words were old. They had been around for thousands of years used in many different ways. And now someone was using them to bring these things to a place, and they listened. The group came together and then stopped suddenly, all of them stood still all at once and looked in the same direction.

It wasn't time yet, but soon they would walk, and soon they would eat. All they had to do was wait. The time would come, and the end would then begin.