Eden (Eden Saga) Page 19

  Alexandra smiled, though she knew the priest was not cracking jokes. “Cosmic Santa Claus? That’s kinda funny.”

  “So many people lean on their religion as the final answer, the place they can get what they need when all else fails.” He paused. “And sometimes, when their religious answers appear within their grasp, they abandon all sense of reason and selfishly expect gifts from their Gods.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Have you ever seen Jesus Christ Superstar on LightDisc?”

  She shook her head. “Never heard of it.”

  “It was a mid-20th century musical. My father took me to see it when I was a boy. The man who wrote the dialogue wrote an amazing line for Jesus Christ in the play. You see, while Jesus is healing the sick and crippled in Galilee, the crowd grows massive and demanding. Everyone wants to be healed. Everyone expects to be healed. In the play, Jesus bursts from the throng of people and screams ‘Heal yourselves!’”

  Alexandra wrinkled her nose and said, “That doesn’t sound like something Jesus would say.”

  Father Callahan shrugged and said, “Who knows what kind of toll all of that took on Jesus. Or what it will take on you.” He touched her arm. “If things become too overwhelming, I’m here.”

  Her lower lip trembled. “I’m afraid,” she said. “I’m afraid of the future. I don’t know how to handle all of this.”

  “You don’t need to handle it all alone,” he said, “We’re all here to help.”

  She nodded. “I know… I know.”

  Koneh approached from the beached cruise ship and stopped in front of them. “Ready?” he asked.

  “For?” Father Callahan asked.

  “She knows,” Koneh said.

  “Time for my training,” Alexandra said as she rose to her feet.

  Father Callahan reclined in his chaise and smiled. “Take it easy on him, Lex.”

  Alexandra laughed. “I’ll try.”

  After another exhausting training session with Koneh, Alexandra approached the cruise ship and washed her face from a communal bucket of soapy water. She longed for the indoor plumbing of her apartment.

  “Alexandra?”

  Wiping her face, she saw Jason approach.

  “Alexandra,” he said, “I want you to meet my wife. She’s awake now.”

  “Sure.”

  Alexandra followed Jason into a large tent. Along the walls, clothes-filled drawers laid piled on top of each other. Several plastic bins were stacked near the far wall, filled with rope, tools, diapers and canned food. Holly rested on the air mattress bed in the far corner. She was pregnant.

  “You must be Alexandra,” Holly said as she clutched her stomach and rolled into a sitting position. The woman’s thin blonde hair stuck to the sides of her face and neck. She wore a large patterned sun dress and sandals. Her belly appeared ready to burst.

  “Likewise,” Alexandra said, “Wow, you’re very pregnant.”

  Holly smiled and said, “Yeah, any day now.”

  “We were lucky,” Jason said, “Well, lucky considering the circumstances, I guess. Henry, the man you met earlier, is a doctor. So Holly’s been pretty well taken care of.”

  Alexandra recalled the doctor. Mid forties, short and squinty-eyed. “A doctor. That’s fortunate,” Alexandra said.

  “Please,” Holly said, “grab a folding chair. Where are you guys from? What have you seen? Is the rest of the world like this?”

  Alexandra unfolded a chair and said, “Well, most of us were in Mexico when the quake hit and we’ve seen some pretty strange things on our trip.”

  “Trip?” Jason asked, “Where y’all headed?”

  “Brasilia,” Alexandra said. “We’re trying to get Santino back to his home to see his daughter.”

  Jason whistled. “Brasilia? That’s pretty far.”

  “You know,” Alexandra said, “there’s a United States Army base to the north, near Veracruz. We could take you there, if you want.”

  “There’s people there?” Holly asked.

  Alexandra nodded. “A whole base full of U.S. Army boys and their families.”

  “That sounds perfect!” Jason said. “And you would take us there?”

  “Of course,” Alexandra said, dreading the conversation with Koneh she now brought upon herself.

  “Well,” Jason said, “I’ll tell everyone. Of course, we can’t leave until Holly gives birth. But that should be any day now. Man, we got a lot of work to do. I gotta… I gotta get everyone together!”

  Holly leaned towards Alexandra and said, “Don’t mind my husband, he gets a bit scatterbrained sometimes.”

  Alexandra smiled. “Jason,” she said, “go find the priest, Father Callahan. He can help you get everything ready to go.”

  “Okay,” Jason said as he looked at his wife. “You all right for a bit?”

  “Yup!” Holly watched her husband exit the tent. “So, where are you from?”

  “San Antonio,” Alexandra said. “Well, I was born in Mexico but I live in Texas.”

  “We’re from Woodland, just outside of Boston.”

  Alexandra nodded. “I know the area.”

  “We booked this cruise a year in advance. I didn’t plan on being pregnant.”

  “Sometimes, things don’t turn out the way we plan,” Alexandra said.

  After exchanging more pleasantries, Alexandra yawned. The long days in the wasteland were taking their toll.

  “You look beat,” Holly said. “Why don’t you go get some rest?”

  Alexandra stretched her arms. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Nice to meet you, Holly.”

  “You too.”

  Alexandra stumbled from the tent and dropped onto her chair near the fire. Her bones and muscles ached from her training session.

  “We need to talk.”

  “I’m sleeping,” Alexandra said without opening her eyes.

  “You promised these people we’d take them back to the base?” Koneh said. “On foot, that’d be a week or more in the opposite direction.”

  “Tomorrow,” she said, though she wasn’t sure her words were coherent. “I’ll argue with you tomorrow.”

  The aroma of cooked bacon awoke Alexandra from her slumber. Every muscle cried in protest as she rose and walked to a makeshift table where Father Callahan served breakfast.

  “She lives!” Marco said as he extended his arms and mimicked a zombie.

  “Pretty much everyone else has eaten,” Father Callahan said, “but, I saved some for you.”

  “Thanks,” she said as she sat on a folding chair and tasted the bacon. “You’re Henry, right?”

  The other man at the table nodded.

  Henry appeared to be in his early forties. His hairline was receding, but he seemed to be in good shape.

  “A doctor?” Alexandra asked, still not fully awake.

  “General surgeon,” Henry said. “Your crew seems to be in good health. Do you want me to take a look at that bruise?” The doctor pointed at her chin.

  “Nah. Doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

  “Suit yourself,” Henry said as he rose and left the table.

  “Not much of a talker,” Alexandra said as she forked some scrambled eggs into her mouth.

  Father Callahan smiled. “Not everyone is. Are you all set?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay, I gotta go check on some supplies. I think you’re making the right decision, by the way.”

  “Huh?”

  “Bringing the people back to the base,” he said.

  “Yeah, well, we can’t just leave them here.”

  Father Callahan nodded and walked to Santino’s truck.

  After she devoured her breakfast, Alexandra noticed Father Callahan and Marco talking near the rig. They seemed animated. Alexandra approached the two men and Marco turned in her direction.

  “We’re going back to the base?” Marco asked.

  “What did you expect me to say? They’ll be safe there,” Alexandra said.

&nb
sp; “You know,” Father Callahan said, “If we turn our back on our fellow man, how much better are we than the demons we have met?”

  “Then tell them where the base is and we keep moving, no?” Marco said. “We don’t need to babysit them.”

  Alexandra sighed. “Do you really think they’d survive the trip without us?”

  “They done just fine so far,” Marco said.

  Alexandra frowned and couldn’t understand why anyone would question her on this, though she knew Koneh was next. Wasn’t this the right thing to do?

  To clear her head, she stalked off, away from the encampment. Not watching where she was going, she almost bumped into Carlos.

  “Sorry,” Alexandra said.

  “No problemo,” Carlos said as he shifted the weight of the branches and brush in his arms.

  “Gathering some firewood?” Alexandra asked. Before the words were gone from her mouth, she chided herself for asking the obvious.

  “Si-”

  Carlos never finished his sentence. A large creature burst from the underbrush and attached itself to the man’s jugular. Blood sprayed into the air and Alexandra recognized the attacker. A hound!

  She froze as she watched the animal tear Carlos’s neck apart. Her knees lost their strength and she almost toppled to the ground. That’s when she noticed two more hounds crouched and ready to pounce.

  The first hound leapt but was plucked out of the air. With a surprised yelp, it landed ten feet away and crashed into a rock. Not wasting any time, the second hound snarled and advanced on Alexandra.

  Erzulie landed in front of her and said, “Get back to the ship and tell Koneh we have trouble.”

  “Will you be…?”

  “Go!” Erzulie yelled as she charged the hound.

  This time, Alexandra’s legs responded and she sprinted towards the beached cruise ship. However, she knew she wasn’t alone. The hound that killed Carlos was close behind her.

  “Help!” she screamed.

  Alexandra thought she could feel the beast’s sulfurous breath on her back. She cried for help again.

  Bang!

  A single gunshot rang out across the scrub and Alexandra dove to the ground. The first shot was followed by a short series of gunshots and then the area was silent. Risking a glance, she removed her arms from her head. Marco was the closest to her, his gun raised. Off to the side, Benjamin knelt and prepared another shot with his assault rifle.

  “I think we got it,” Marco said as he lowered his pistol and approached her.

  Koneh and Father Callahan ran to the scene. Alexandra glanced over her shoulder and saw the motionless form of a large canine. The creature’s dark fur glistened from numerous wounds.

  “Erzulie!” Alexandra said as she jumped to her feet.

  “Where is she?” Koneh asked.

  Alexandra pointed. “Over there! Another hound!”

  “Stay put,” Koneh said. “Marco, Benjamin – watch Alexandra!” Koneh dashed towards Erzulie’s last known location.

  “Are you okay?” Father Callahan asked.

  “Yeah,” Alexandra said. “Let’s go.”

  “Didn’t Koneh say to…?”

  “I don’t care!”

  “Then we’re going with you,” Benjamin said as he removed a pistol from a hip holster and held it out for Alexandra. “Here.”

  Alexandra reached for her own belt, but Erzulie’s sword was back in the camp. “Dammit,” she muttered as she logged a mental note to never again be caught without a weapon at her side. She grasped the pistol and strained to recall her one trip to the indoor range.

  Alexandra, Father Callahan, Benjamin and Marco reached the bloody scene. Koneh and Erzulie stood over the bodies of two hounds and a very dead Carlos.

  “Damn,” Alexandra said. “How did they sneak up on us like that?”

  “Many apologies,” Erzulie said. “I wasn’t fast enough to save this human.”

  “No,” Alexandra said, “I don’t blame you.” For the first time, Alexandra noticed Erzulie’s fingernails. They were an inch longer than the press-on nails Alexandra sometimes wore and blood dripped from their ends. She guessed they were also a bit sharper than her press-ons.

  “We don’t have much time to waste,” Koneh said.

  Alexandra crouched to catch her breath and said, “Why?”

  Erzulie stepped forward and said, “A demon army approaches from the northwest.”

  “How many?” Benjamin asked.

  “Standard host, ninety-nine strong,” Erzulie said.

  “Derechi?” Marco asked.

  Erzulie narrowed her eyes and said, “I don’t think so. However, I didn’t risk a closer inspection.”

  “How certain are you that they are not from Derechi?” Marco asked, his voice insistent.

  Erzulie said, “I’m not certain. But I didn’t see any Reavers. Derechi’s war-hosts usually travel with one or more.”

  Before Alexandra could ask what a Reaver was, Father Callahan said, “How far?”

  “Less than a day,” Erzulie said.

  Quickly thinking the situation over, Alexandra said, “Can we outrun them?”

  Koneh said, “Only if we leave now and abandon these people. They have no transportation and the last operable vehicle we saw was a few days back towards Route 180.”

  Alexandra turned to Koneh and said, “That’s not acceptable.”

  “How do you intend to fight ninety-nine demons and-”

  Erzulie interrupted. “Ninety-six, now.”

  Koneh drew a labored breath and said, “Ninety-six demons. Do you intend to talk them to death?”

  Alexandra reevaluated the situation in her mind. They could leave in Santino’s rig and maybe bring along a few others with them. Who stays behind? How could she make that kind of decision? Alexandra never thought she’d be in this kind of situation, one where she could be deciding her own fate and the fate of others. To her surprise, she found she cared more about these strangers than herself. They deserved a chance. Holly’s unborn baby deserved a chance.

  “I’m staying,” she said. “I’m not going to force anyone to stay with me. Go if you want, but I’m not leaving these people to die.”

  She turned around and took a step towards the cruise ship.

  “Wait,” Koneh said as he grasped her arm. His voice was soft, barely a whisper. “Wait.”

  “What?”

  He held her arm and said, “You realize what you are doing? If we leave, everyone behind will likely perish. If we stay, then you are putting the entire group in danger. I cannot protect everyone.”

  “Everyone is free to make their own decisions,” Alexandra said. “I’m not ordering anyone to stay.”

  “We’re not going to just leave you behind,” Father Callahan said.

  “Then, that is your decision, Richard,” Alexandra said.

  Koneh looked into her eyes and said, “People are going to die.”

  She had her flawed response ready. “But not through any action or inaction of mine.”

  Chapter 19

  “That looks good!” Alexandra yelled. “Stop there.”

  The hydraulics on Santino’s rig hissed and the vehicle rumbled once more before falling silent. Father Callahan, Marco, Koneh, Benjamin and a few of the survivors constructed a makeshift barricade with sheets of metal, crates and wood. Santino’s rig formed the remainder of the “wall” that extended from the base of the beached cruise ship and around Jason and Holly’s tent.

  The cruise ship survivors didn’t take the news of Carlos’s death very well. Most of them now huddled inside Jason’s tent with Holly. Alexandra, however, reasoned they were more afraid of the demon army that now approached.

  “It’s time,” Alexandra said as she turned to her guide in all of this, Koneh.

  He let loose a low whistle. Moments later, Erzulie dropped from the sky and scanned the panicked faces of the cruise ship survivors as they peered out from the tent.

  Addressing the group, Alexa
ndra said, “Erzulie is an angel and friend. If it comes down to it, don’t mistake her for the enemy.”

  “An angel?” Nicole asked.

  “Yes, and as I said before, my friend.”

  She expected some jeers from Thomas and Justin, but the two teenagers instead resumed their work on the barricade. Perhaps they sobered to their new reality, like Alexandra was forced to do after the toothless man and his gang chased her down the street.

  Turning away from the group, Alexandra leaned close to Erzulie. “How close now?”

  Erzulie’s melodious voice responded, “Not long now, Lex. The hounds and belchers will reach us within the hour.”

  “Belchers?”

  “You need some help?” Koneh said as he broke away from Alexandra and approached Father Callahan. The priest, Thomas and Justin attempted to lash pieces of metal and wood together to reinforce the wall.

  “Are you prepared for what will happen next?” Erzulie asked.

  Alexandra shook her head. “I haven’t been ready for any of this.”

  Erzulie smiled and said, “You sound just like him.”

  “Who?”

  “Yeshua.”

  “You mean, Jesus?” Alexandra asked. “You met him?”

  Erzulie nodded. “Yes, before I was cast down, Elah sent me to his only son to help Yeshua in his time of need.”

  “So, Elah does stuff like that? Sends his angels to aid those in need?”

  “Well,” Erzulie said, “not very often, no. Only when something is very important to Elah.”

  “I see-”

  A violent banging interrupted their conversation.

  Bang… Bang… Bang…

  Curious, Alexandra approached the barricade. Everyone watched as Koneh drove nails into the steel with one stroke each.

  Bang… Bang… Bang…

  “There,” Koneh said as he handed the hammer to Benjamin. “You should be able to handle the rest of the wall, it is wood.”

  “Where’d you learn to do that?” Alexandra asked.

  Koneh shrugged, “I knew a great blacksmith who was way ahead of his time.” He turned to the angel. “Erzulie?”