The Gathering

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning we all gathered at the edge of camp, Adrian and Chris with their new horses in tow, Aithon and Phlogios.

"Gods, these things are sick" Chris said.

"Can't argue there" Adrian replied, stroking the fiery mane.

With a few parting words to Zoe and Naomi, we were off. And we sure were in for a surprise.

Adrian and Chris scouted ahead and came back, with some pretty grim faces. Adrian's eyes, usually a dull orange, were now wide and bright, unbelieving. Chris' normally pale complexion paled about 30 shades more in horror.

Slowly they dismounted and walked sullenly to us.

"What happened? Is there anyone there" I asked, amazed at this expression of terror and sadness.

"You need to see for yourself. I coudlnt do it justice if I tried" Chris said somberly.At a trot, they led us through the city to a shopping mall. What was in the shopping mall was the problem.
Tying their horses outside, Adrian and Chris led us in.

Bodies. Everywhere. Zombie and demigod alike were strewn across the entire floor in every which way.

"What could've happened here?! Are they even still here?" Ava exclaimed.
"We didn't make it far enough to check" Adrian said.

"Only one way to find out I guess" James said sadly.

We walked throughout the mall looking through every shop to find the Aphrodite kids. We had gone throughout just about every shop till we came to a Victoria's Secret shop at the end of one of the halls.

"Well, it seems like Aphrodite's style. Let's hope this is it" I said.

We walked in and came to a wall of wood, probably from the Home Depot down the hall.

"Who's there? Is that you Paige?" A voice on the inside of the wall said, hope filling her voice. I hated to be the bearer of bad news

"No. My name is Vande and I am a son of Athena. I am here with children of Ares and we wish to speak to your leader" I said.

"I will relay your message and see if you are welcome" The voice said, with noticeable chord of despair.
We waited for what seemed like forever. "Okay, our leader Tori will speak with you" The voice said as she opened the door.

"Thank you for the kindness" I said.

"By the way, my name is Lindsay" She said. She almost reached for a hug, but at remembering we were strangers, she held back. Still though, she gave off the very feeling of friendship and joy and in that moment I sorely regretted having to be the one to shoot her down, seeing the darkness in her eyes despite the radiance on their surface.

Suddenly concious of her appearance, Lindsay, with her small delicate hands, smoothed out her blue flannel and brushed off the crumbs on her jeans, and ran her her hands through her hair so it wasnt a tangled mess.

From the mirror behind her though, as I watched her straighten her appearance, I noticed how terrible we looked. Eyes gaunt and faces haggard from days upon days of nightmares and sleeplessness, I was surprised Lindsay hadnt run off in fear at this point. Our clothes were caked in mud and blood, and not like in the rugged outdoorsman type way.

"This is James, Ava, Chris, and Adrian" I said motioning to each in turn, suddenly concious of our terrible first impression.

"Follow me" Lindsay said. Without even thinking, all of us did. She must have charmspeak, that could be useful, if she came with us.

"Hello. Please have a seat" Tori said, as we walked in one of the back rooms, made for storage. "I hope you will understand if I am not the most forthcoming. Last time I was, half our number died and I was left with this reminder" She said, tracing the long black scar that ran down her face, which none of us had been able to stray far from since entering the room. She would have been truly beautiful if not for the scar. Her otherwise flawless skin was toned perfectly and only complemented greater by her chocolate brown hair that fell down her shoulder in such a soft and natural way, you would think she woke up like how she was. Her scar ruined it though, as from the scar webs of tainted blood flowed from the wound, discoloring her face with a green tint.

"First of all, take this peace offering to show that we mean no harm" I said as I took out the dress and gave it to Tori. Her face showed true gratitude, but she tried to keep a mask to show that she could not be won over that easily, and i didnt doubt it.

"Thank you. Truly. But I do not think you came here to gift complete strangers. What is the reason for your visit, so far from home?"

"Right to the point. I like her already" James joked under his breath.

"Well it started out with just a simple visit from the hunters-" I began, but was then interupted by a loud bang on the door.

"Escuse them, keep going" Tori said, annoyed.

"Well when they visited-" I said, attempting to continue, but then got cut off by yet another bang at the door, yet this time followed by many screams and bellows of force.

Alarmed, Tori raced to the door and threw it open, to find utter chaos before us.

There were several zombies roaming around inside the barrier and already several campers dead on the floor.

We moved right into action, attacking the remaining zombies. Chris and I attacked a pack of 4, James and Ava attacked another pod of zombies, and Adrian threw some of her small explosives through the holes the zombies had created.

"No! Vande, help!" I heard Lindsay call from my left. I looked and saw Lindsay on her butt reaching for her whip as a zombie approached her, but I could tell from how far it had been knocked from her that it would never reach her in time.

I made a dash for Lindsay but I soon realized I wasn't going to get there in time. I pulled out one of my smaller daggers to throw when a boy ran out and tackled the zombie aside right before it reached Lindsay.

I was ready this time though and threw the dagger, but it was already too late. The zombie had already infected the boy, biting him in the neck. I walked over and stabbed both the zombie and the boy, to ensure he didn't come back. It sickened me to do it, but as I hacked off the zombies head, the boy turned and I knew he understood what had happened. His deep blue eyes begged for me to end this before he was turned to something he didnt want to be, and I knew I had to. "Thank you" I whispered to him, and he gave a curt nod in acknowledgement. I didnt have the strength to pull the blade down myself, but the boy gripped my hand tightly amd in his muscular grip brought it down to just below his heart and then looked to the wall behind me. With the small resolve I had left, I stuck the blade through his body, and his body fell limp, collapsing along with me to the ground.

I heard Lindsay crying so I turned around, and she was talking to Ava through her tears. "The... The boy.... Was my boyfriend Brock... And the... The zombie was Paige"

He wasnt looking to the wall in his final moments, he was looking to Lindsay, and I didnt give them a chance ot have anything more than a final look of goodbye.