the-survivor-chronicles-book-3-chapter-5-al.pdf

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The Survivor Chronicles: Book 3, The Forsaken

Erica Stevens

Copyright Heather Cox 203

!u"lishe# "y $il%our&Cox !u"lishing at S%ash'or#s

Al

(l place# his han# on Bo""y)s shoul#er an# gently shook the snoring "oy* Bro'n eyes "linke#

up at hi%, there 'as a %o%ent o+ con+usion an# then Bo""y starte# upright* (l place# his han#

over his o'n lips in a gesture to silence hi% as Bo""y)s gae #arte# aroun# the hall* Bo""y)s

eye"ro's #re' together as he looke# -uickly at hi% an# then at .osh, 'ho (l ha# 'oken +irst*

Bo""y)s shoul#ers slu%pe#/ he heave# a sigh as he +ocuse# on (l again*

1hat is it he 'hispere#*

(l no##e# to'ar# the roo% 'here ary Ellen an# 4ochelle ha# slept* 5)ll sho' you*

(l hear# the su"tle groan Bo""y release# as he shove# hi%sel+ to his +eet* (l steppe# into the

#oor'ay o+ the "e#roo% an# spotte# ary Ellen kneeling "esi#e 4ochelle on the "e#* The young

girl 'as sitting on the "e#/ her co++ee colore# hair a tu%"le# %ess aroun# her shoul#ers as she

stare# at the% +ro% re# ri%%e# eyes*

ary Ellen looke# to the% an# cli%"e# -uickly to her +eet* She gesture# to'ar# the 'in#o'

an# (l 'alke# over to %eet her at it* Ever so slo'ly, (l %ove# a corner o+ the curtain asi#e to

peer out* His "reath caught in his chest, a s%all tre%or shook his han# as the hor#e o+ people

spille# out o+ the 'oo#s, across the street an# into the yar#* He ha#n)t seen so %any people since

the sta#iu% an# he)# hope# to never see so %any in one place again*

Especially ones that looke# an# %ove# like these people #i#* He coul# instantly tell the

#i++erence "et'een the %in#less 'an#erers, or The 6ost Souls as he 'as "eginning to think o+

the%, an# the angrier %ore ra"i# in#ivi#uals* The 6ost Souls 'eren)t overly +ocuse# on anything,

i+ there 'as a tree "e+ore the% they 'alke# into it an# o+ten re%aine# there until so%eone or

so%ething else knocke# the% a'ay* The ones that #i#n)t get caught up on so%ething 'alke#

ai%lessly aroun#, so%eti%es in circles, an# they 'ere usually staring at their o'n +eet* ore

o+ten than not The 6ost Souls picke# at their o'n skin an# hair* His sto%ach turne# at the sight

o+ their torture# an# "rutalie# +lesh*



There 'as nothing le+t to the%, there si%ply coul#n)t "e* 7o hu%an, no %atter ho' sick, 'oul#

pick o++ their skin to the "one i+ there 'as reasona"le thought le+t 'ithin the%*

The angrier ones, 'ell though they le+t The 6ost Souls alone +or the %ost part, they also

'eren)t a"ove pushing the% out o+ their 'ay, knocking the% to the groun# or stepping upon

the% 'hen they +ell*

(ll o+ the +aces o+ the sick ones "ore so%e sort o+ rot, perhaps it 'as leprosy/ perhaps it 'as

si%ply their "o#ies #eteriorating +ro% 'hatever illness 'as ravaging the%* Bo#ies he 'as certain

coul#n)t hol# up +or %uch longer, "ut then he)# also "een certain that a tsuna%i 'oul# never hit

4ho#e 5slan#*

6i+e 'as +unny a"out certainty/ he kne' it like# to prove people 'rong* 5t %ost certainly ha#

proven hi% 'rong %ore ti%es than he coul# count*

Though the hor#e ha# chase# %ost o+ the coyotes o++, he spotte# one o+ the coyotes at the e#ge

o+ the 'oo#s #ragging one o+ The 6ost Souls into the sha#o's* Though their legs 'ere still

li%ply kicking along the groun#, the person #i# little to try an# +ight the ani%al o++* .esus, 'as

the only coherent thought he coul# +or% as he 'atche# the #istur"ing sight*

Bo""y)s "reath hisse# out "esi#e hi% as even %ore people +iltere# +ro% the 'oo#s* ore o+

the% +ell upon the re%ains o+ the coyote, tearing into it as i+ it 'ere a leg +ro% a Thanksgiving

turkey*

The creepy "astar#s re%in# %e o+ "ir#s, Bo""y %uttere#* 6ike they)re +locking or

so%ething*

6ost Souls, (l %ur%ure#* They)ve "een +orgotten* They #on)t kno' 'here to go any%ore*

8eah 'ell 5 #on)t kno' 'here to go either an# 5 really #on)t 'ant to kno' 'here they)re

going* 7ot even a little "it, Bo""y sai#*

7o'here goo#, 4ochelle 'hispere#*

$et a'ay +ro% the 'in#o', ary Ellen tol# her as she nu#ge# 4ochelle gently "ack*

ore people spille# out o+ the 'oo#s an# +lo'e# unerringly aroun# the houses, truck an#

Ca#illac* Thank+ully they pai# little attention to the vehicle loa#e# #o'n 'ith all o+ their

supplies* (pparently nor%al +oo# 'as no longer 'hat they crave# as %ore +ell upon the #o'ne#

coyote* eat, all they see%e# to 'ant 'as %eat or +lesh, or perhaps it 'as even the "loo# they

scente# an# that #rove the% on'ar#*

He 'as %ore than a little curious as to 'here they 'ere going, 'hat 'as #ra'ing the% on'ar#,

"ut he 'asn)t a"out to step +oot out there in or#er to +in# out* There ha# to "e so%e +oo# source

out there that only they kne' a"out, or coul# sense* Foo# an# killing see%e# to "e all they care#



a"out as the ones surroun#ing the coyote rose an# "egan to %ove on'ar#* Though he #i#n)t 'ant

to look, his gae 'as inescapa"ly #ra'n to the "ones littering the +ront yar# across +ro% the%* 5+

he ha#n)t kno'n any "etter he 'oul# have thought the skeleton ha# "een there +or years it 'as so

picke# clean* (ll that re%aine# 'as the "loo# that streake# the scattere# pile o+ "ones an# la'n

aroun# the%*

7o' that)s 9ust plain 'rong, .osh sai#* They)re 'orse than vultures*

Bir#s, Bo""y sai# again an# shook his hea#* He steppe# a'ay +ro% the 'in#o'* 5)ve seen

enough, let %e kno' i+ they hea# this 'ay so 5 can start shooting*

There 'as no 'ay they 'oul# "e a"le to +en# o++ this %any people, "ut he 'oul# still put up

one hell o+ a +ight* His +inger tightene# on the trigger o+ his gun, he 'asn)t going to allo' the%

to take hi% alive* He 'oul# take as %any o+ the% as he coul# out 'ith hi%, "ut he 'asn)t going

to "e alive 'hen they tore into hi%*

5 think 'e shoul# all get a'ay +ro% the 'in#o', ary Ellen suggeste#* !eter can 'atch

+ro% #o'nstairs "ut the less o+ us that are gathere# aroun# the 'in#o' the "etter o++ 'e are*

1ho is 'atching the "ack o+ the house 4ochelle aske#*

5)ll go, (l volunteere#*

He 'ante# a +e' %o%ents alone to gather his thoughts an# try to +or%ulate so%e kin# o+ a

plan any'ay* Turning a'ay +ro% the others, he %a#e his 'ay to the %aster "e#roo% at the "ack

o+ the house* There 'as a single "athro"e still lai# out on the "e#, see%ingly 'aiting +or its

o'ner a+ter a sho'er* Stopping "esi#e the "e# he 'as "rie+ly caught up in the %e%ory o+ 7ellie

hu%%ing as she steppe# out o+ a sho'er an# put her ro"e on* He coul# see her s%ile as she

knotte# the "elt "e+ore her an# #rie# her hair* He 'as so entangle# in the %e%ory that he "rie+ly

lost touch 'ith reality an# 'as transporte# to a #i++erent ti%e an# a #i++erent place* She 'as so

real that he coul# al%ost touch her as her scent engul+e# hi%*

( s%all "ang shattere# the %e%ory an# lurche# hi% "ack into the present* He hel# his "reath

as he straine# to hear anything else* The "ang echoe# again +ro% so%e'here outsi#e* Shaking

a'ay the lingering %e%ory he -uickly re%ove# his han# +ro% the cotton ro"e, he #i#n)t even

re%e%"er touching it in the +irst place* Stri#ing over to the 'in#o', he pulle# the curtain "ack

an# peere# out, "ut he coul#n)t see the source o+ the "ang as it soun#e# again +ro% so%e'here in

the 'oo#s "ehin# the house* There 'as a hor#e o+ people "ack there too, though not in the

#roves that they)# "een in the +ront yar#*

He 'atche# the% +or a %o%ent "e+ore letting the curtain sli#e "ack into place* He 'asn)t going

to #o any goo# up here i+ they #i# #eci#e to co%e at the house any'ay* oving out o+ the roo%,

he crept #o'n the stairs an# +oun# everyone gathere# 'ithin the living roo%* He 'as a"out to

ask i+ there 'as anything ne' outsi#e 'hen gunshots rever"erate# through the air*



(l instinctively #ucke# as %ore shots rang out an# shouts rever"erate# through the air* 1hat

the***

(l #i#n)t hear the rest o+ !eter)s 'or#s as he turne# an# hurrie# "ack up the stairs to the

'in#o'* He nu#ge# the curtain asi#e "ut though he sa' scattere# corpses at the en# o+ the street

he coul#n)t see the source o+ the shots* Those things #i#n)t use guns too, #i# they

That %a#e a"solutely no sense though/ they ha# so%e intelligence, un+ortunately that %uch

ha# "eco%e o"vious, "ut this 'hole ti%e they)# "een using the%selves as 'eapons an# not guns*

7o, it ha#n)t "een the sick ones that ha# "een +iring the guns "ut then*** 'ho

ore shots erupte#, he leane# closer to the 'in#o' an# straine# to see +urther #o'n the roa#

"ut the houses o"structe# his vie'* ( +e' %ore "o#ies topple# over in the street, "ut even %ore

'ere #ra'n +or'ar# "y the gun+ire* They 'ere pulle# in like the ti#e #uring a +ull %oon as they

rolle# relentlessly +orth, so%e o+ the% even +alling over each other in their rush to reach a house

he coul#n)t see*

1hat)s going on

He turne# to'ar# ary Ellen an# shook his hea#* 5 #on)t kno'*

( soun#, one that %a#e so%ething insi#e o+ hi% -uiver an# long to cry, +ille# the air* His heart

lurche# as it 'ent out to 'hatever 'as %aking that soun# an# yet he kne' that the noise 'as

co%ing +ro% a hu%an* 7ot one o+ the sick hu%ans either, he +elt the sick ones 'ere "eyon# the

pain an# +ear that 'as enco%passe# 'ithin the cry echoing through the air*

He steppe# a'ay +ro% the 'in#o' an# inhale# a shaky "reath as he trie# to "lock out the

soun# "ut +aile# to #o so* They 'ere sitting #ucks i+ they staye# in this house an# yet they

coul#n)t leave either* His gae sli# "ack to the truck an# then aroun# the street again* Even i+

they coul# %ake it through all o+ those people to the truck, he #i#n)t kno' 'here the others 'ere

an# they coul#n)t 9ust take everything an# leave the% in this to'n*

The haunting 'ail a"ruptly cut o++ "ut he +oun# the ensuing silence even 'orse than the soun#

ha# "een* ary Ellen)s chest heave# as her eyes %et his* (nother soun# rent the air, "ut this one

'as easily recognia"le as a torture# screa%* Taking a #eep "reath, (l turne# "ack to the

'in#o' an# pulle# the curtain asi#e again* There 'ere %ore "o#ies in the street, "ut %ost o+

the% re%aine# stan#ing as they %ove# persistently to'ar# the house that he coul#n)t see*

1hat #o 'e #o ary Ellen "reathe#*

He o"serve# the street as he took a step "ack* He #i#n)t think it 'as going to get any clearer

than it 'as right no' as all o+ the people 'ere %aking their 'ay to'ar# the en# o+ the roa#*

Though he #i#n)t kno' 'hat ha# #ra'n the% to that house in the +irst place, he #i#n)t think the

people 'ithin the house ha# #one anything overt to #ra' attention to the%selves* They ha# "een



in this house an# to'n +or a #ay no' an# he)# never suspecte# that there 'ere other people on

the street 'ith the%*

5+ they le+t this house no' they coul# pro"a"ly %ake it to the truck an# the Ca#illac, "ut then

'hat They #rive ai%lessly through the to'n in search o+ the others That 'as i+ they coul# even

get a'ay +ro% these sick hu%ans* The sick ones 'ere +ast, not +aster than a vehicle 'hen it gotgoing, "ut that 'as the pro"le%, they coul#n)t get the vehicles to any kin# o+ real spee#* The

potholes an# #e"ris littering the roa# %a#e that nearly i%possi"le*

His %in# spun/ in seventy t'o years he #i#n)t think he)# ever "een ren#ere# co%pletely

speechless "ut he #i#n)t kno' 'hat to say or #o*

They coul# take the vehicles an# escape the to'n* Everything in hi% screa%e# against #oing

that* They coul#n)t 9ust a"an#on their +rien#s, they coul#n)t a"an#on the people that ha# save# his

li+e an# ha# "een there +or hi%* He)# ha# his +aults over the years, it 'as rare "ut he coul# have a

te%per, his patience 'as kno'n to +ray, he 'asn)t pious, "ut he ha# pri#e in the +act that heconsi#ere# hi%sel+ a #ecent an# honora"le %an* ( %an that 'oul#n)t a"an#on his +rien#s in

or#er to save hi%sel+*

Taking those vehicles 'oul# shatter all o+ the "elie+s he)# ever ha# a"out hi%sel+* 5t 'oul# "e

the co'ar#ly 'ay to go an# he 'as +ar too ol# to go out as a co'ar#* The others 'eren)t ol#

though* 4ochelle an# .osh 'ere 9ust chil#ren, they)# "arely ha# a chance to live an# though it

'as co%plete crap out there no', that #i#n)t %ean the 'orl# 'oul# stay that 'ay +orever* an

ha# co%e through so%e horri"le things "e+ore, %ay"e not this "a#, "ut they ha# persevere# in

ti%es 'hen the o##s ha#n)t "een in their +avor*

5n or#er to persevere #uring those ti%es he 'as certain that those %en ha# #one %any things

they ha#n)t 'ante# to #o, an# ha# "een asha%e# o+* They)# #one the% though in or#er to ensure

that the species survive# an# +or the species to carry on the young ha# to live* 4iley, Carl, .ohn,

an# an#er 'ere tough, they 'ere s%art an# gritty/ they 'ere +ighters that 'oul#n)t give up* He

'as #eter%ine# to "elieve they 'ere still alive out there, "ut they ha# to stay alive here too*

There 'as a goo# chance the others 'oul#n)t even "e a"le to %ake it "ack to this street*

He 'as going to hate hi%sel+ +or the 'or#s he 'as a"out to say, he 'oul# spen# the rest o+ his

#ays 'ith the% hanging over his hea#, "ut sai# the% he #i#, 1e have to go*

ary Ellen rang her han#s "e+ore her as her eyes #arte# to'ar# the 'in#o'* The others she "reathe#*

1e)ll leave the% a note an# 'e)ll see i+ 'e can +in# the%, "ut to stay here*** 'e 9ust can)t, he

%anage# to get out*

He %ove# a'ay +ro% the 'in#o' an# passe# her "e+ore he coul# change his %in#* 5t +elt as i+

he 'as 'alking through -uicksan#, his legs %ove# "ut they #i# so reluctantly as he cli%"e#



#o'n the steps an# into the living roo%* 5t +elt as i+ he 'as so%eone else, as i+ he 'as outsi#e o+

hi%sel+ as he continue# to speak the 'or#s that 'oul# con#e%n hi% +or the rest o+ his li+e*

1e have to go, 'hile they)re #istracte#* 1e have to get out o+ this house, he state#*

!eter)s +ace 'as pale as he turne# a'ay +ro% the 'in#o'* His gae +ell to .osh an# 4ochelle "e+ore he looke# helplessly "ack at (l* He rea# the un#erstan#ing in the teacher)s gae "ut even

still the %an shook his hea#* They)re not #istracte#, he sai# in a lo' 'hisper* 7ot any%ore*

(l +ro'ne# at hi% "e+ore hurrying to the 'in#o'* 4ising up on his toes he peere# out o+ the

s%all pane o+ glass* ;n the right, he coul# see the %o" clustere# "y the house at the en# o+ the

roa#* Fro% this angle though, on the le+t, he coul# also see a ne' %ass o+ the% spilling out o+ the

'oo#s an# into the roa#* ( lo' curse escape# hi% as he #roppe# a'ay +ro% the 'in#o' an#

"acke# a'ay*

$et the keys +or the vehicles, he instructe#*

1e can)t go out there, !eter sai# at the sa%e ti%e 4ochelle "lurte#, 1e can)t leave Carl,

.ohn, an#er an# 4iley "ehin#<

Shh, ary Ellen sai# as she 'rappe# her ar% aroun# her #aughter an# pulle# 4ochelle

against her chest*

She)s right, 5)% not leaving %y +rien#s, Bo""y state#*

(l glance# "ack at the #oor an# then at the%* 4ight no' 'e #on)t have a choice, 'e)re stuck

here, "ut 'e)re going to 'ant those keys i+ 'e get the opportunity to escape*

1e can)t leave, 4ochelle sai# +ir%ly*

("solutely not, Bo""y agree#*

(l took a #eep "reath, he 'asn)t irritate# 'ith the%, he co%pletely un#erstoo# 'here they 'ere

co%ing +ro%, "ut their 'or#s only serve# to re%in# hi% o+ the people he 'as opting to leave

"ehin#* !eople he)# co%e to care +or, people that he 'oul# have sacri+ice# hi%sel+ +or, "ut he

coul#n)t sacri+ice the chil#ren* (lthough 4iley, an#er an# .ohn 'eren)t that %uch ol#er than

.osh an# 4ochelle* They 'oul# un#erstan# though, he kne' they 'oul#, an# he kne' that Carl

'oul# have %a#e the sa%e #ecision ha# he "een the one still stan#ing in this house*

They coul# "e #ea# alrea#y, an# i+ they)re not, #o you think they)re going to %ake it #o'n this

street 'ith those people out there he aske#* 1e nee# the keys, an# 'e nee# to start preparing

ourselves +or those things in case they co%e in here* The %ost i%portant thing is that 'e keep

you ki#s sa+e, the others are extre%ely capa"le o+ taking care o+ the%selves*



ary Ellen hurrie# +ro% the roo% an# returne# 'ith the t'o sets o+ keys, a notepa# an# a pen*

!eter took the truck keys an# sli# the% into his pocket as ary Ellen han#e# hi% the pa# an#

pen* 8ou kno' ho' to get to the ca"in in 7e' 8ork, she sai#*

(l no##e# an# "egan to scri""le #o'n instructions +or ho' to get to the ca"in* r* =a#e***

.osh starte# to protest*

They)re right an# 'e have to keep you sa+e, !eter inter9ecte#*

The reassurance #i#n)t %ake (l +eel any "etter as he 9otte# a sorry at the en# o+ the note that he

kne' co%pletely +aile# to convey the true #epth o+ ho' sorry he 'as* Forgive %e, he a##e# an#

place# the pa# on the co++ee ta"le*

1ith a heavy heart an# a %uch slo'er gate he %a#e his 'ay "ack to the +ront #oor* He)# %a#e

%any #i++icult #ecisions in his li+e, so%e he ha#n)t "een prou# o+, "ut this 'as "y +ar the 'orst*

1e 'ill look +or the%, he vo'e#*

He 'as a"out to rise up to look "ack out the 'in#o' again 'hen he hear# the #istinct thu# o+ a

"oot hitting the porch* For a secon# his heart soare# as he recalle# the heavy 'ork "oots Carl an#

.ohn ha# "een 'earing the last ti%e he)# seen the%, "ut even as the thought crosse# his %in# he

kne' it 'as 'rong* They 'oul#n)t "e strolling up to the +ront #oor a%ongst that cro'# out there*

$esturing the others "ack, he %ove# s'i+tly a'ay +ro% the #oor an# plastere# his "ack against

the 'all next to it* The #ull thu# o+ the "oots soun#e# across the porch to the "or#ere# up

'in#o' 'here they pause# "e+ore turning a'ay an# 'alking "ack across the porch* (l hel# his

"reath as he hear# the #istinct thu# o+ %ore +ootsteps cli%"ing the stairs* ary Ellen pushe#

4ochelle +urther "ehin# her an# to'ar# the kitchen*

!eter close# his eyes as he re%aine# next to the #oor an# Bo""y pushe# .osh "ehin# hi% as he

no##e# to'ar# the kitchen an# 4ochelle* The "oots soun#e# over the porch again, stopping

outsi#e the +ront #oor* (l 'asn)t so sure his ol# ticker coul# take %uch %ore as it hit his ri"cage

'ith a thu# so +orce+ul he 'as certain they coul# hear it outsi#e as the kno" "egan to rattle*

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