Dead World

CHAPTER 20

Outside the walls Anna spotted Gods swarming in from all directions. She now knew they weren’t really Gods, but it was hard to call them anything else. Jones and his men had set up a perimeter and were both attacking and defending on all fronts. A few enforcers that had remained in the towers were still shooting, but their efforts seemed ineffectual.

People were everywhere, either dead or alive and she couldn’t see any way through.

Lucy pointed, her face a mask of terror. “Jones. He’s coming for us.”

Anna glanced up and saw Jones galloping across the field towards them. She quickly withdrew the gun and fired a couple of rounds that missed their target. Gods swarmed towards her, barring the path.

“Quick, back inside,” she said.

She led her family back towards the prison, inside which, the residents were trying to fight back. Some of the priests were knelt in supplication before their Gods, who attacked them without remorse.

“We’ll hide in our cell for a while,” she said, leading the way back into the main building and to their room.

“We can’t stay here. Jones is coming for us,” Isaiah said as they piled inside

“We need to arm ourselves with anything we can find.”

“With what? There’s nothing here,” Zeke replied.

Isaiah squeezed his son’s shoulder. “We’ll make it out of this. I promise.”

“Just like Ben?” Lucy said.

Isaiah sighed. “No, not like Ben.”

Screams and shouts filled the air along with sporadic gunfire. Anna found a cutlery knife and palmed it just as Jones appeared in the doorway. He raised the gun, a maniacal grin on his face.

“Out. All of you, out. Now.”

He motioned with the barrel of the gun.

“This is crazy,” Isaiah said. “We need to get out of here before those dead creatures find us.”

“They won’t have to find you because I’m gonna take you to ‘em.”

“Like hell you are,” Anna said.

“Well I’ll kill you all here then.” Jones pointed the gun at Lucy.

Anna held her hand up. “OK, OK, we’ll come out.”

Jones laughed and backed away to allow them to exit the room. Isaiah clenched his fists and glared at Jones. Zeke bowed his head and walked out. Lucy stood defiantly in place until Anna grabbed her hand.

“Lucy, do as he says. I won’t let anything happen to you. Please, you’ve got to trust me.”

Lucy stared up at her mother for a moment and allowed herself to be led out into the corridor. She glowered at Jones but he seemed uninterested. Mother Charles hobbled out next, followed by Isaiah.

Jones followed Anna and her family along the corridor, the gun pointed at them. He put a cigar in his mouth. Up ahead, a zombie lurched into the corridor, followed closely by another one. Lucy screamed and backed away.

“Well look what we have here, it’s a couple of yer so-called Gods come to visit their loyal subjects. How fuckin’ sweet.”

“You can’t do this,” Isaiah said. “It’s murder.”

Jones took his cigar out and laughed. “No, according to your people this is a privilege, so I’m doing yer a favour. Now get movin’.”

Isaiah watched Anna slide the knife down into her hand. He glanced across at his mother. She nodded at him and started laughing, long and hard like a maniac. Jones looked over his shoulder, frowning. Anna used the distraction and moved in for the kill. She stabbed the knife into Jones’ side. Jones’ expression turned to one of surprise. Anna released the knife and backed away. Jones stared down at the handle protruding from his side. He grabbed hold of it and pulled the knife out before dropping the blade to the floor.

“Now that stings. But not as much as this is going to.” He pointed the gun at Anna but before he could fire, Isaiah dived at him, sending them both crashing into the wall.

“Run. Get away!” Isaiah shouted.

He pinned Jones to the wall with his elbow at the man’s throat. Anna led her family past the men. As she did so, Isaiah pulled Jones off the wall, punched him a couple of times and kicked him towards the zombies, who latched onto him and started munching at his flesh.

“Let’s get out of here,” Anna said.