Dead World

CHAPTER 16

Isaiah looked across at his wife. He had so many questions, but didn’t know where to start. He sat against a tree trunk. The freed prisoners bustled around the camp. They had been given the opportunity to make their own way, and while some of them had accepted, others had stayed with the group.

Too dangerous to continue in the dark, they had set up camp for the night. While Lucy, Zeke, and Ben were free to roam around, Roman had shackled Anna.

“What’s going to happen to mum when we get back to Sanctuary?” Lucy asked.

Isaiah shook his head. “She’ll probably be punished.”

“Punished! She was trying to save me.”

“Save you? I know it was unconventional how this happened, but you were chosen to become immortal… are you questioning things now, too?”

Lucy stared at the ground and kicked her feet in the dirt. “I don’t know what to think anymore. I wonder if they are Gods.”

Isaiah shook his head. “I don’t want to listen to this. Your mother has obviously poisoned your mind.”

Lucy stared at her mother. “No, I think she’s opened my eyes.”

Isaiah walked across to Anna. She peered up as he approached then turned away.

“Why did you do this? Why did you have to run away? I understand you weren’t happy Lucy was selected, but why didn’t you come to me? Why didn’t you discuss things with me?”

Anna didn’t reply.

“Talk to me, Anna. I spoke to my mother before I came looking for you. She’s infected you with her crazy ideas hasn’t she?”

After a moment, Anna slowly lifted her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “You really don’t want to know why I did it.”

Isaiah crouched down and took hold of her hand. “Please, Anna, tell me.”

“The lottery was fixed. Lucy’s name wasn’t on that piece of paper.”

Isaiah frowned. “Fixed? What makes you think that?”

“Roman dropped the piece of paper. Lucy’s name wasn’t on it.”

“I don’t understand. Why would they fix the lottery?”

Anna swallowed. “Roman fixed the lottery to teach me a lesson. To punish me.”

“Punish you for what? You’re not making sense.”

Anna started sobbing. “Roman wanted to punish me because I refused to sleep with him anymore.”

“Sleep with him?”

“Oh, Isaiah, I’m so sorry. You were always so busy, and I was always alone. I didn’t… I don’t… I told him the affair was over, that I didn’t want to… but he wouldn’t listen. He fixed the lottery to punish me.”

Isaiah released his hold, letting Anna’s hand drop into her lap. “You mean you… and he… he…”

Anna nodded. “I’m so sorry, Isaiah. I meant to tell you… but I thought if I did, you’d confront him… and he would have had you arrested. Besides, there wasn’t time. I had to do something to stop him… to save Lucy.”

“Confront him? I’m going to fucking kill him.” Isaiah jumped to his feet and Anna grabbed his leg to stop him leaving. Before Isaiah prised her off, Zeke ran towards them.

“Have you seen Ben? I can’t find him. I’ve searched everywhere,” he said.

It took Isaiah a couple of seconds to realise what he was saying. “When did you last see him?”

Zeke shrugged. “I don’t know. A while ago.”

“You’re supposed to be watching out for him. How can you have lost him?”

“I’m not his keeper.”

Isaiah glared down at his wife. “This isn’t over. We’ll talk later.” He hurried away calling Ben’s name.

Isaiah traipsed through the bushes. “Ben. Ben, where are you?” He stopped once in a while, listened, then continued. The light of the moon was sufficient to see by, but he would have preferred daylight. “Ben, can you hear me? We need to get some rest as we’ll be moving out soon.”

He pushed through a bush and his fingers came away wet. Frowning, he lifted his hand and stared at his fingers, his jaw dropping when he spotted blood. It decorated the foliage in splashes. Isaiah’s heart sank and he shouted louder, cupping his mouth in his hands. He glimpsed movement up ahead and recognized his son from behind and his shoulders sagged with relief.

“Ben, thank the Gods. Where’ve you been?”

Ben turned around. Blood stained his clothes and a chunk of flesh was missing from his hand. Isaiah stumbled back.

Ben lurched for his father. Torn by the love for his son and his own safety, Isaiah turned and ran. He ploughed through bushes, ignoring the whip of the foliage that chastised him with every step until he stumbled into camp, almost running into his daughter.

“Dad, what’s wrong? Where’s Ben?”

“He’s… he’s gone.”

“Gone? Gone where?”

Before Isaiah replied, Roman strode across.

“What’s all the ruckus about?”

Isaiah stared at Roman and clenched his fists. He felt his blood pumping through his veins, throbbing at his temples. Overcome with rage, he ran at Roman but Lucy’s scream halted him in his tracks. He glanced back at his daughter and followed her gaze.

Ben lurched into camp, his expression feral, hungry. He lunged for his sister. Lucy shrieked and tripped over her feet as she backed away.

“What’s going on? Lucy? Isaiah?” Anna shouted.

The noise attracted the attention of the other people in camp and they ran across to see what was wrong, halting when they saw Ben.

One of the brethren crossed himself. “He’s not an ordained immortal. This can’t be right.”

Roman tutted. “Blasphemy.”

Isaiah ran back and pulled Lucy aside. Ben lunged for him, arms flailing, head cocked, mouth open in preparation to bite. He grabbed his father’s sleeve. Isaiah didn’t try to pull away. He stared into his son’s eyes, but they were empty, devoid of life and he knew that the son he loved was no more.

Ben leaned in to take a bite and Isaiah readied himself for the pain. Without his son, what was the point of living? But Ben’s head suddenly flew back and he collapsed to the ground. Isaiah dropped his gaze and spotted a crossbow bolt protruding from Ben’s forehead. Lucy screamed. Isaiah’s jaw dropped. He saw Roman lowering a crossbow, and heart pumping he charged across and started punching and kicking in a frenzied attack, nostrils flaring, relishing in the sensation as each punch connected with Roman’s face.

“You bastard. You killed him.”

After a moment a couple of men grabbed Isaiah and pulled him off, pinning his arms up his back to restrain him. Roman straightened up, his face bloodied. He wiped his sleeve across his lips.

“He was damned. Everyone bitten outside of those ordained is damned.”

“He was my son.”

“Now he’s at peace.”

Isaiah slumped forwards and the men released their grips, allowing him to drop to his knees. He heard Anna shouting in the background, but her words were drowned out by the blood pumping in his ears. He looked across at Ben but couldn’t see him through the tears that blurred his vision.