The Golgotha Initiative

Chapter 11: Baahir

I stand with Kyle and make him do it. He broke the rule, and so, must suffer the consequences.

"We don't have to. Not yet."

"Maria is awake and walking. He will live."

"It will hurt. Baahir- you know how bad it was, when he first-"

When we arrived, the island was a minefield of corpses, rows and rows of dead bodies, children rotting in furrows like planted corn. Most were heaped on the cafeteria. Piles of trash strewn over tables, with the bugs already flying over their stiff toes and crawling across their eyes. The sight was excruciating; the stench more so.

I didn't think anyone had survived. If Kyle hadn't brought along full-body suits and gas masks, we wouldn't be alive either. But when Kyle knelt by Eric he felt the boy's warmth, then his heart beat. Barely there, but still, fluttering.

"Kyle. You have to wake him up."

"No." He's shaking his head, back and forth, back forth, like a rag doll. "Not yet. You remember-"

Not Eric. But Caleb, at the door, woke up as we carried him to the helicopter. It took a moment for the pain to register, and then he started screaming.

He blacked out within seconds, thankfully. We put them all on morphine as soon as we reached the cave.

"You became attached. That prevents logical thinking and will not allow you to use your full potential. Fix this."

Kyle inhales. Slowly, he turns the dial to change the sedative drip. I go into the next room and do the same for Caleb's.

We only got to the three of them before choppers appeared over the looming ocean. Maybe if we had found them more quickly we could have saved all five, but we weren't sure they were living at all and each body was so swollen and disfigured by blisters that they were hard to identify. Justin wasted more time by checking other bodies for pulses, hoping to save those who had no chance. I'm surprised we got three- but then again, I'm surprised we got any.

"AAAAAAAH! AAAAAAHHH STOP HOLY SH-"

"Wuss." Maria is leaning in the doorway, ignoring me, watching Caleb. "If I can walk, you can shut up."

"AHHHHHvay? Ave, what- SON OF A-"

"Jamari set you up," I explain. "The vial was poison. Think of it as mustard gas, but on steroids."

"IT HURTS. Where is everyone? Ave, why-"

"You're the boy with nightmares."

"OW. Yeah, I'm Caleb, and you're my annoying friend. Speaking of- OW- where's Eric?"

"Is that the gay one in the other room?"

"WHAT?"

I walk over to check on Eric. His eyes are closed and his breath flutters the air. Kyle looks up from his seat by the cot.

"He's awake."

Eric moans.

"He's just..."

Eric's finger twitches against Kyle's palm. "Where... I heard Caleb..."

"Maria... I mean, Ave, is here too."

"Kik... Kiko and..."

"Heal up," I say. "You're going to want your strength."

Justin and I agree that hiding in this tiny bunker in the middle of Wales is not a permanent solution. Justin built this place himself in case of an emergency, so Compass doesn't know about it, but that doesn't mean they won't find out. We could disguise ourselves. Each of us could take two children and start a new life. But the same problem remains- there is nowhere we can go where Compass will not look.