The Mississippi Zombie Chronicals

Chapter 32: The Awakening

I was sitting in that God awful steel chair again, the lights still swinging.

I hated this place, it reminded me of my mind, how cold and dark it was.

Or perhaps this was my mind, as seen by me in a metaphysical sense.

I smoked my cigarette and waited, as usual.

"Do you know why you're at Alexander's home?" Asked Hardy.

"No." I replied.

"There's something there we need, a vaccine. You could say its an immunity vaccine." Said Hardy, appearing from the shadows.

"Where." I said.

"Inside his desk, but not in any drawer or compartment. It's in the wood itself, he used his powers to create a place within the wood only accessible to someone with your powers. You see, the wood used to carve that desk is the same used to create the faces on the black gate, grown and passed down through the Hardy family. The wood consists of a living material that reacts with our psychic abilities, and we can't get to it. You, however, can. Touch the desk and focus, you'll be transported into the realm created by Alexander." Said Hardy.

"Great. Now I'm an errand boy." I replied smugly.

"Do not test us, son. We will and can destroy you." Said Hardy, a dark tone in his voice.

"And what exactly do I have to live for?" I asked.

"Maria. Shane. Jared. Morgan. Ryan. Wade. Jessica. Cody. Philip. Those you love need your leadership and tenacity. And if you get this vaccine, you won't have to ever worry about the zombies that plague the earth. You'll be immune." Said Hardy.

"I'll do it. Not for you, but for them." I replied.

"Good." Said Hardy.

He snapped his fingers and I came to, completely disoriented.

My friends were standing over me, yelling and shaking me.

"Jake, what the hell man, are you alright?" Said Morgan.

"Yeah. Psychic abilities and all that bullshit." I replied as Bob helped me up.

"Wait, am I missing something?" Asked Wade.

"Long story short, my dead girlfriend left me her psychic powers and now I'm supposedly the savior of the human race." I replied, rubbing my throbbing head.

"Oh. Well shit. That's nice." Replied Wade.

"That desk, I need to look at it." I said.

"Why? We've searched it up and down. The only thing we found was a box of Cubans." Said Wade.
"Wade, how long was it before you came here after you were bitten?" I asked.

"About a day. We came into this community and set up in this house, in this room." He replied.

"Did you touch this desk or move it?" I asked.

"Yeah, actually. I was getting feverish and Kate laid me down on the desk to dress my wound. I got a few splinters from the edge in my leg when she was setting me down. Next thing I know, I passed out. I woke up and my wound had healed, save the scars, and the fever had broken. Why?" He replied.

"The immunity vaccine is hidden inside this desk. Imbedded in the wood." I said.

Mouths dropped in shock.

"How do you know that for sure?" Bob asked.

"Hardy." I replied, a distant tone in my voice.

"Well, how do we get to it? There's no hidden compartments." Said Wade.

"I have to find it using my mind. I and I alone can do this. Watch over my body while I'm absent." I replied.

I laid down on top of the desk and relaxed, focusing my body and mind to the silent vibrations of the wood.

I felt a surge and then nothing.

Complete darkness enveloped my mind.

I felt myself falling and then I was standing in a mist cover forest, the trees were bent and broken.

Ahead of me was a soft blue light, its glow was eerie, enough to send chills down my spine.

I trudged through the mist towards the glow, the only thing I carried was the golden Python revolver.

I emerged from the misty woods to find a massive stone pedestal with a giant glowing glass jar full of liquid.

I walked to it and pick it up, observing the eerie shine of the jar, its contents seemed to be alive and moving.

"What business do you have with that?" Asked a deep and dark voice from the mist.

"I am here to retrieve this antidote to help those who cannot help themselves. I need to protect my friends and family. No matter the cost." I replied firmly.

"Then you are here under good intentions. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Do not let yours become another layer of material for others to travel down. With such a power comes a hefty price. Are you willing to accept the consequences that come along with such a power?" Asked the voice.

"To my dying breath." I replied.

"Good. Go forth and fulfill your promise, but know I'll be watching." Said the voice.

Just then, I was awoken, the jar still in my hands.