Reckoning

Chapter Twenty Nine: War

We drive down the misty road, which is slowly dissipating.

I sit between Charlie and Emma, and in the back of the large truck there is enough room for at least twelve of us. A black SUV and grey truck trail behind us.

We speed down the road, hitting a few walkers down the way.

As the wind rushes through my long black hair, I think about how lucky I am to be alive still.

Let's see if this luck lasts.

"Up ahead!", Lauren shouts at the driver. In a clearing on the side of the road, Nathaniel's army has their vehicles parked.
"Get ready!", Caesar shouts at all of us. The large truck we're in swerves to a stop beside the clearing.

The back of the truck opens.

"Go!", DJ yells.

The Haven army and the Angels of Darkness start firing at each other, a few causalities on both sides.

I hide behind a fallen log next to Caesar, Theo, and Eli.
"Shit!", Theo shouts over the gunfire.
I spring up from the log and fire my hunting rifle at one Angel of Darkness, the bullet hitting his neck. I immediately crouch back down before I can get my head blown off.

"We're pinned down! What are we gonna do?!", Theo shouts.
"We need to find an opening", Eli says loudly over the gunfire.

I then glance over to my right and see Emma behind the truck, holding a grenade.

She yanks the ring off of the grenade and hurls it at a group of Nathaniel's men.

They try to scatter, but the explosion tears them apart, sending blood and limbs everywhere.

"There's your opening! Go!", Caesar yells.
Eli, Theo, and I jump over the log while shooting at the scattered Angels of Darkness. I don't get far before I hear Caesar cry out in pain. Eli and Theo advance forward, killing several of the opposing army.

I turn around and see him fall back against the log, clutching at his bloody chest covered with a brown coat.

I run back to his side.
He falls onto his back, and I press down on the gunshot wound.
"Stop! Stop!", he commands, blood running from his mouth. I stop applying pressure to his wound and listen.
"My wife is dead...but my son...he made it...make sure he...gets raised...right..."

I watch as the light fades from Caesar's eyes.

I stab his head so he doesn't turn.

I pick my rifle back up and shoot at an Angel of Darkness.

The rifle is then shot out of my hand. I cry out in pain and clutch my bleeding hand. It came from the trees. I look ahead and see Nathaniel standing there with a revolver in his hand. He backs up into the forest.

He wants me to follow him.

I grab my rifle and start to run but I am tackled to the ground by an unknown figure.

Richard. His bald head and neck is bloody, and his thick gray coat is spotted with dirt.

He grabs my neck and starts to squeeze.
He mutters, "Nathaniel will be pleased, hearing that I killed you. Just...stop...squirming."

I gasp for breath, reaching for a stick nearby.

Out of nowhere, Grace jumps on Richard's back and stabs his chest and throat again and again.

As she attacks him, I catch my breath.
Richard falls silent. Grace pants and helps me up.
"What are you doing here?", I ask, leading her away from the battle.

"I wanted to help", she says, her sweater, hands and face splattered with Richard's blood.

"Stay here with the others", I say before I run off towards the woods where Nathaniel was.

"David!", Grace shouts.

I turn around and she tells me, "Remember what I said."

I nod and run into the woods.

I'm coming for you Nathaniel, and you are gonna pay for what you've done.