The Peacekeepers

Part Three; Chapter Thirty-Eight

Shared Wounds

"After we cremated my Father and my friend, my girlfriend missed her period which we thought was supposed to start the previous week. We all thought it was just stress. A few weeks later she wakes me up with a pregnancy test in hand. She smiles and says 'Babe, we have a baby.'"

"I had no idea how to react at first. A few hours later I puked my guts out. I had never been this downright terrified in my life. As the weeks went by I found myself growing attached to my unborn baby. Gideon in his geniusness had actually found and set up the first solar panels. With Winter on the way we were able to get electricity for space heaters and we were able to stay comfortable through the season."

"Summer came... So did they. It was my first brush with The Fallen Kings. A group of ten tried raiding our food stores but Gideon and I fought them off, killing a few of them in the process. When they took off we thought we were done with them. We had no idea how wrong we really were."

"About a month later we started getting stuff ready to welcome my child into the world. Gideon had already started referring to himself as 'Uncle Gideon' to our child. We could hardly wait! Then they came."

"There were so many all at once. We tried getting her out before they came inside but it was too late. Their numbers just overwhelmed us. They tied us to chairs with thick rope and logging chains. They had her pinned to the wall. Gideon was in a silent rage just... staring menacingly at them. He knew that struggling was futile. I was kicking and screaming and thrashing around but it was useless. I couldn't do anything but watch... as they raped the love of my life right before my eyes and.. they cut her open. They cut out my baby boy!" Sheamas had tears streaming down his face as he told me this.

"See how lucky you are? You were unconscious when they did it. I was awake. They laughed while they... Do you see why I never tell people this? I know what you're feeling better than you do!"

"They left us the key to the padlock on the chains we were connected to and they took off. We finally got out and I had to see them both like that. My love and my legacy were both dead at my feet and there was nothing I could have done to protect them! We buried them both that night. I had never felt so useless and alone. I tried hanging myself that night but Gideon stopped me. He told me that we could do so much good in the world, that we could save lives and help victims of The Fallen Kings. Over the course of several weeks we started taking people in. We offered food, clothing, shelter and security. As our numbers built up we successfully defended from attacks that normally would have wiped us out. When the attacks became more frequent we had the perfect solution. One that has been used for thousands of years. We built a wall."

"I just want you to remember something Drake. The same monster that killed Alice killed my life! That's my story Drake! Are you fucking happy now? I hope so asshole!"

"If I ever see that man before you do, I'll put a bullet in his skull myself..."