Chapter 13: Believe

"You're getting close to it," Sam tells us.

"Any word on what we'll find?" Louise asks. We've been running for a while now, and the closer we get to this lead, the more anxious I become. This is either a total flop or another clue that could lead us forward. I've been too scared to ask too many questions, but Louise has more courage than I do and is finally speaking up now that we're getting closer to our destination.

"All a bit unclear. That Comansys documentary suggested they had some tech that could motivate people to stay away from that area even back in the 70's. We know they made the repelling device that's keeping the children's dorms safe from the zoms. So, we're chasing up every rumor of someone who reckons they can keep zombies away."

"And this is one of those rumors?" I guess, slowing down so I can pick up a blue colored pencil that's hidden in the dying grass. Milo will like that; He said he's been running out of colored pencils, but I haven't had the time to go on an entertainment run to go get anymore of them. Louise shakes her head at me, but I ignore her and place the pencil in my backpack.

"Yeah. Now this one's..." He murmurs something under his breath and I can hear papers shuffling. A smile tugs at my lips. "Oh, yeah. There were a couple of travelers last month who said some creepy people around the abandoned sawmill said they could repel zombies."

"So me and Five could be going after a bunch of people who reckon they can keep zombies away with their BO?" Louise deadpans.

"What kind of creepy?" I question. "Creepy as in 'that one uncle who your parents never leave you alone with' creepy, or 'Child standing in the corner with a knife while watching his parents sleep' creepy?"

"Okay, we're going to have a talk about your family when you get back," He says. "And to answer your question, Louise, yeah. Or it could be by really boring conversations."

I roll my eyes. "Haha. You're hilarious."

"Well, they might keep them away by shooting anyone who comes near-human or zom," Louise says seriously, and I let out a small noise of worry. That was something I was worried about before we left Abel. Whenever we're meeting people we don't know too much about, we have to be careful, and cautious.

I've already met enough people who acted friendly but had less than kind intentions: Ephraim, that one cannibal guy that had a Greek accent...

Simon.

I shake my head. No. I am not going back to that again. He's dead. There's no need to waste my brain cells on someone who never cared about me or Abel in the first place.

"We have to check it out," Sam insists. "If they've got one of those devices, then-"

"They might know more about the people who took Maxi." She nods solemnly. "Yeah, gotta check, even if it's probably nothing."

"Still could be dangerous. Keep your eyes peeled."

A sudden, loud screech erupts into the air, causing both me and Louise to jump, our heads snapping in the direction of the sound. I feel the blood drain from my face, and my stomach churns at the... thing.

"Oh, God. Why did you have to say peeled?" I ask, averting my eyes because I know I'll throw up if I keep looking at it much longer.

"What?"

"Are you picking that up?" Louise asks, seeming unable to look away. "On my head cam."

"That-oh-oh, God. Don't-don't look."

"Trust me, I'm not," I say quickly, but even as I say it, my eyes dart up to see the zombie that's pinned down to the ground by a stake. It's... the skin has been peeled off entirely-the body has no flesh. I can see the muscles and the grayish-red blood that keeps pulsing out of it. "What kind of sicko does something like this?"

"Do you think it's a warning?" Sam asks.

"It's sure as hell not a welcome," Louise replies, "but if anyone can do this to a zom-get that close to the teeth and not get bitten..."

"Um, yeah. We want to meet them."

My jaw drops. "Uh, no. No, I actually don't. If they can do that to a zombie, imagine what they could do to a human."

"We have to check it out. It could help us in find our people-finding Caleb."

I whine, knowing he's right. I swallow thickly, reminding myself just how much I care about Caleb and Maxine. I'm doing this for them. I'm doing this because I have to believe that they're still alive.

So Louise and I run past the screeching zombie, keeping our eyes ahead as it tries to grab at us. It's disgusting and sick and I can't understand why someone would do this when they could just kill the zoms. I know they're not people any more, but damn. I mean, just because zoms aren't people doesn't mean you can do something like that. That makes you more of a monster than the zoms.

The zombies have no conscience because it's a corpse. Whoever did this, though has no excuse.

This is for Caleb. This is for Maxine. This is for Ed. Suck it up and do it for them.

But still, even as the screeching fades off into nothing as we get closer to the sawmill-even as I tell myself to stop being a wuss-the heavy weight that's on my chest stays. This doesn't feel right. Maybe it's paranoia, maybe it's my weird abilities, maybe it's the fact that things never really go right on any of my missions-no matter what it is, I know something is wrong.

But what? That's the real question.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

"So Jaime's gone?" Louise says, and I blink, wondering how much of their conversation I've missed.

"Yeah, the Ministry sent a chopper for him two days ago. It's pretty obvious he's not... pleased about it, but then again, I don't know if he's ever really pleased about anything."

"If it had been me, I wouldn't do it," She says. "I don't believe in any of that royalty rubbish. You get what you make for yourself in this life."

"He's big on duty-Jaime. Fireman looking after those kids. He wants to do his duty if he can."

"I think it's good that he's doing that-stepping up, being a leader," I say. "After the White House fell and President Obama and Vice President Biden were... eaten alive, along with everyone who was with them there, the country almost went mad. It wasn't until that billionaire-um, Trump, I think his name was. He stepped up and set up a force to secure the White House and take out the zombies surrounding it.

"D.C. still is one of the most dangerous places to be, since it was so populated, just like New York City or L.A., but he set up some places where wandering people could find shelter."

I know this because the A.M.T.B. is just on the outskirts of Washington D.C.

"Here's the sawmill," Louise says, slowing down to a halt. "Looks like they've built it out, like Abel. Big fence."

"But no signs of life," I murmur, casting a glance around. It seems too quiet.

"Besides that flayed zombie, you mean," Sam says, and I shudder.

"That's not something I would consider a... live." I go silent. There's slight groaning. It's close and there's a lot of it, but it sounds as if they're not moving. I take in a deep breath, worried that just around the corner will be more fleshless zoms. My steps are cautious as I peek around the corner, and my brows furrow together at the sight. "What the hell?"

It's a cage made of wood, and in it is about fifteen zombies. They're doing what regular zombies do-groaning, moaning, reaching out for us with rotting hands and bony fingers. There's dried blood crusting away on their blue lips-well, on the ones who still have lips.

"Okay, am I the only one who finds this really weird? As in weird enough to leave and come back with more weapons?" I question, my hand reaching up to grab my backpack strap. I have a really bad feeling about this.

"They must've trapped them for..." Louise hums and shakes her head. "No, can't think of any reason to trap zoms. Doesn't look like they're doin' research."

"Help! Help me! Zombies!"

Our eyes snap up. That came from down by the river. We head back around to the front of the sawmill, looking around for the owner of the voice.

"I can see something on long range cams," Sam says. "Someone's coming."

A man turns the corner, his long black hair nearly covering his wide, frantic eyes. He grabs my hand desperately, and it takes everything in me not to rip myself away from him.

I really don't have a good feeling about this.

"Please. Please," He begs. "You have to help me. There are people trapped, and the zombies are comin'. Please."

Sam lets out a noise of uncertainty. "He-he looks a bit red eyed."

"Which way?" Louise asks, and I pull away from the stranger, grabbing my axe. My grip on it is so tight, my knuckles turn white.

"This way. Down by the river."

She nods. "Come on, Five."

He leads us down towards the river, keeping his eyes fixed ahead. They're still wide and frantic, but it's like a different kind of frantic. It's not... fearful like it was before.

But that could be because of whatever drugs he's been taking. I recognize the signs of drug abuse pretty quickly. I've had family members who did drugs, and therefore I've learned to recognize the signs. Just because most of family were Christians, doesn't mean they always acted like they were. Whatever he's on must've really messed him up.

"What's your name?" I ask. "What happened here?"

"Patrick." He gives no answer to my second question.

"The people trapped, are they your family? Friends? Maybe just a group you've been surviving with?"

"They are my brothers and sisters-fellow believers."

I blink. "Believers in what? Christianity? Judaism? What?"

He gives no answer.

Louise casts a look around as we run, and her pale lips pull into a frown. "I can't see any zoms, mate, or any people either."

"They're just around the next bend," Patrick replies. "You hate zombies, don't ya?"

She shrugs. "I wouldn't say hate."

"But you'll kill them, won't ya? That's why you're comin'-to help me kill them."

"We heard there were people 'round here that could repel zombies-keep them away."

He grins, nodding frantically. "Yes, yes. I've seen it. If you believe, then you will see it too."

"Believe in what?" I asks. "What is it you've seen?"

What drugs are you on?

"Wonders," He replies. "I've seen the ceremony of the Garlands of Flowers and the Great Chant. They will not harm those who can speak to them."

Louise hesitates in replying. "Was this a dream you had, Patrick?"

"All shall see it. Please, just come a little further. I shall show you."

'I really don't like the look of this,' I tap into the mic. 'Is our route back still clear?'

"Yep," Sam answers, his voice holding a twinge of nervousness. "You've got a straight road out of there anytime you need it."

Louise nods. "Alright then. Just a bit further."

•

Oh, I don't like this. I don't like this at all. Patrick has led us down a path by the river, and it's at the bottom of two cliffs, quite like the canyon we found that first Comansys base in. Only, I notice as I keep inspecting it, there are no jutting out rocks that will help us climb to the top if we need to.

I really hope we won't need to.

"You shall not wait much longer, my brothers," Patrick says in a singsong voice. "We are comin' for ya."

"Guys," Sam says cautiously. "I'm really getting a... not great feeling from this guy and... what is that? There, on the wall."

My face scrunches up at the odd drawing. "I think it's supposed to be a stick figure of-of a zombie."

"Reminds me of the stuff they got us to do in art therapy." Louise grimaces at the stick figure. "Except we were somewhat good at it."

"Either way, I really hope that it's painted with red paint and not... you know." He shudders. "And are those offerings underneath?"

She nods. "Two Yorkie Bars and a can of peas."

"It's... a shrine," I say in realization. "This is-this is not good."

"Patrick, what is this?" Louise grabs his arm, forcing him to come to a halt. He takes a step back, his black eyes glittering in a way that makes me feel sick to my stomach, and I tighten my grip on my axe. "Are there people who need our help?"

He holds the smile of a madman. "You are. You are needed."

"And the people who need us are where exactly?"

"Your eyes must be opened. Now, my brothers!"

Suddenly Patrick is being lifted up by some mechanical deck with ropes, pulling him out of the path and up to the top of the cliff.

"What are you doing?" She shouts.

"We have you, brother!" Another voice yells, and I see one person-no two. Wait... there must be at least ten people up there. What could they be-

Shit.

"Oh, God," Sam says. "Guys, there are zombies heading right towards you. Those people must've lead them here. They-"

"The cages," I gasp. "They let those zoms out of their cages."

I can hear them, groaning, growling. The path ahead ends in maybe fifty yards, then it's just river. They'll be on us in minutes if we don't get out of here.

"Feed, my brothers and sisters, upon the offerings we have brought for you!" Patrick yells. "Feed, my dead yet living ones!"

"It's a trap. This entire time," Sam murmurs fearfully, and Louise rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, we got that."

"It will hurt for but a moment," Patrick says. "And then you shall have eternal life."

"Love will surround you," Another person from the top of the cliff yells.

"Yeah, sort of like how my hands are going to surround your neck when I get up there!" Louise threatens as we start running as quickly as possible. I put my axe back onto my back for now. We'll either have to try to climb or swim and I need both of my hands free for that.

"Your spirits will be with us. We shall bless you every spring with offerings of meal and barely."

"It's freaking fall, you idget!" I scream.

"So, we're thinking zombie cult?" Louise asks.

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Only one thing for it," Sam replies. "Into the river. Run."

We don't have to be told twice. I practically pounce into the river, yelping at the cool water that hits my skin.

"Five, come on," Louise says. "No time to waste."

I obey, wading as quickly as I can to get away from the zombies that are steadily approaching. My heart pounds into my chest as I keep wading, the water coming all the way up to my waist. I try my best at swimming, but my axe and backpack weigh me down too much. Plus, being cold natured, this water feels way colder to me than it does to Louise, so trying to swing will slow me down instead speed me up.

The cultists all start chanting, and I can't help but wonder how someone can actually think that zombies are good, or how feeding people to zombies is good. I always knew the world was messed up, but this is sick.

They're catching up to us, and I push myself to go faster. As we keep going down the river, I see rocks jutting out of the walls leading up to the cliff's surface. But trying to climb up now would be too difficult, seeing as we're weighed down by our water soaked clothing, and we'd need at least some rope to help us up this part of the cliff wall. Maybe we'll find a bit of an easier climbing spot as we keep going.

But even if we did make it to the top, even if we climbed up the opposite cliff wall that the cultists were standing on, they have a bridge built so they could cross over and be waiting for us when we get to the top.

This is going from bad to worse, I realize, as the zombies keep up a good pace behind us. I try to wade faster, but I can't-not in this water-not with how high it is.

"Do not resist," Patrick commands. "Allow our brothers and sisters their nourishment."

What the hell is wrong with these people?

"Yeah. Yeah, you allow me my nourishment when I get my hands on you!" Louise threatens, before grimacing at the sight behind her. "This river is up to our waists, Sam, and the zoms are hard on our heels and they're not tiring. Tell me there's something out here."

"There's nothing but cliffs for another couple of miles. They picked this place for a reason," He says.

"I saw some bones washed up on the ledge we passed. These sickos have been feeding their pets for months."

"Please don't resist," One of the cultists say, her voice soft as if she's trying to sound kind. "Allow yourself to become one with them. Because of your sacrifice, we shall live."

"Why don't you jump down here and say that?" She shouts, just as a zombie lunges for her.

"Louise, duck!" I shriek, grabbing my axe off my back. She ducks down under the water as I swing, jamming my axe into the zombie's head. I pull back, and the zombie goes limp. Grabbing Louise's arm, I pull pull her back up to the surface and practically drag her down the river, ignoring Patrick's high pitches shriek.

"No! No, don't hurt our brothers!"

"They've gone mad," Sam says. "Must be it."

"I don't know," Louise says, pushing her dripping white hair out of her face. "I've met a few religious crazies in prison and this isn't far from crazy religious talk."

"True," I say.

"Five, you're a Christian."

"Yeah, I know. Some Christians can be nice and loving and want to do what's right according to the Bible, but some Christians take things to the extreme. Take the Amish Mafia, for example."

"Psst! Over here! Over here!" Someone calls out. The voice is coming from ahead of us, but I can't see anyone.

Louise groans. "Oh, God. What now?"

A head suddenly pops out from a ledge, the rest of her body hidden in the shadows. "Climb up onto the ledge. I've got a way out, but it'll take three people. Please be quick."

"That could be another trap," Sam says.

"We're not gonna last another two miles of river running," Louise says. She looks at me, and I nod quickly. "We're going up."

She wades ahead of me, jumping up to grab ahold of a rock and then shimmying up to the ledge, with me only a second behind her. The unnamed woman helps the two of us up, and quickly runs into the shadows of a nearby cave to stay hidden. Her chocolate colored skin nearly blends in with the dark surrounding her, and her long hair is braided but tangled, tied together by a white cloth.

"Oh, praise Gia you've come!" She says. Her voice has a wispiness to it. "I thought I'd die here alone. I only have one soy bar left."

Louise looks unimpressed. "And you are?"

"Oh, sorry. Sorry. Our auras are so connected."

She blinks. "Our auras?"

"You feel that too, don't you? Your purple aura, my blue one. They're..." She laughs sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm Moonchild."

"Moonchild?" Sam repeats incredulously. I nearly laugh. That's what she wants us to believe her name is?

"Pulled the same trick on you, did they?" Louise crosses her arms. "Lured you down then tried to set the zoms on you?"

Moonchild bites her lip. "Not exactly."

"Well, we're not gonna try and guess. What was it?"

"Their heads are messed up, man. They said they wanted to trade with me, for my... supplies."

"Supplies?" I ask, tipping my head to the side curiously. "What kind of supplies?"

She doesn't answer.

"Guns? Army tech?" Louise pauses, and her eyes harden. "If you've been selling people to cultists so they can feed zombies, I'll throw you down the cliff myself."

Moonchild's eyes widen, and she quickly shakes her head. "Oh no, man. No. I believe in peace. I think we should all just live together in harmony. My supplies are just something to take the edge off the apocalypse."

"Oh," She says in understanding. "Great. Got any smack? Ever since this started I've been thinking, 'You know what would really help right now? Some smack.'"

"Uh, is this the time?" Sam murmurs softly while Moonchild shakes her head sadly.

"The cultists took all my supplies. Patrick, their leader, says they wanted to trade for a special event." She forces a smile. "Turned out they didn't have a lorry loaded with fuel."

"And the special event was your death?" I guess, and she nods.

"They had a bad reaction to my stash. I've been hiding around this ledge and in these caves for five days. I've been meditating, conserving my energies. I've looked around. See what I've found."

She stands up and walks down the ledge, beckoning us to follow while still staying hidden. Louise and I both share a look of uncertainty, but seeing as we have no other choice, we get up and follow her. She says nothing as we walk, but I notice as we keep walking that there's another hidden path where the river splits off. The river continues for miles one way, but ends only a few hundred yards the other way, becoming dry ground there. We would have never seen it had we stayed in the water.

But the path isn't clear. Up ahead is a wooden stockade blocking the path, and behind that gate is crowd of zoms.

"The universe answered me when you arrived," She says. "Do you see? If two of us climb on the gate, we can lift it."

"And we'll need one person to distract the zoms and double back around the cliff path," Louise finishes.

"Moonchild!" Patrick yells. "We know where you are! Your magic potions won't work!"

"It's not a great plan, but it's all we got. Come on. Down the path."

I don't waste any time heading down towards the gate. We don't have much time. We've lost those other zombies, thankfully, but those cultists might try to find some way to lure them back towards us. We can't risk them coming while we do this plan.

Moonchild and Louise climb up each side of the gate, and I turn around, getting into sprint position. I'll have to be quick and start running as soon as that gate goes up. I have no idea how fast these zoms might be, and I'm not going to take any chances.

"Ready, Moonchild?" Louise questions.

"Ready."

"You're gonna be okay, Five," Sam says assuringly. "Those cultists are still milling about at the top of that cliff. I think they don't want to hurt the zombies."

"Brothers and sisters, sing with me the song of our brothers!" Patrick booms, and the cultists all start singing a lyricless song that's very off key, and the zombies growl with more vigor.

"Am I crazy?" Louise questions. "Is that song making the zombies calmer-wait, no. My mistake; It's only maddening them more."

"The dead shall recognize us! Their spirits are with us."

"God, these people are sick." She looks at Moonchild with a raised brow. "What did happen to that flayed zombie? How did they do that?"

Her eyes go wide and she shakes her head. "Man, I really don't think you want to know."

"I do. If they've got some way of keeping zoms at bay, we need to know about it."

"Seriously, you don't want to know."

Louise frowns. "I do want to know. Tell me. Things are less scary when you just know the truth."

Moonchild gives her a certain look-a 'Okay, but I warned you' look. "I saw them do it. He was a-a cult member. They believe they can befriend the zombies."

She deadpans. "Yes, we've noticed that."

"That flayed man... I don't know, man. I think maybe the LSD like, freed his spirit from the cult. He talked to them. He said, 'You're all crazy!' Oh, man. They got so angry. They said he was an unbeliever... He wasn't a zombie when they flayed him."

Louise flinches, and I pale. "Oh. Yeah, maybe that's not less scary to know the truth."

"Guys," Sam cuts in, "the cultists are on the move. If you're gonna do this, do it now."

"Moonchild, on the count of three, we heave this gate up. Five, get ready to run."

I give her a thumbs up, silently praying to God that this plan will work.

"One, two-"

"I can see them!" Patrick yells. "We can't let them get away."

"Three!"

The gates open, and I run like my life depends on it, which in this case, it does.

•

Oh, crap. Oh, shit. Oh, crap. This isn't good. This is not good.

I've lead the zombies off, and I've managed to jump around a few ledges to get around them and run back down the path, but they've managed to turn themselves around and are following back after me, and the cultist are running alongside the cliff on my right side, chanting and singing to their 'brothers'.

Moonchild and Louise are up on a nearby ledge on the opposite side of the cliff as the cultists. I can't keep running like this forever, and the zombies aren't fast enough to climb up here and catch me. So, I take my chances and start climbing, not daring to look down since I know I'll freeze up.

One rock after another, higher and higher I go with my backpack and axe weighing down on me. Moonchild and Louise are both watching me, their faces full of worry because a fall like this would definitely break a few bones, if I'm lucky enough to survive a fall like that.

"Grab my hand!" Louise shouts over the chants and growls. I grab her hand, my grip almost vice-like as she and Moonchild pull me up onto the ledge to safety. There's a clear path to the top of the cliff, so we can easily escape.

"Yes!" Sam cheers. "They're trying to go up the cliff, but they're not fast enough."

"The zombies aren't heading after me anymore," I say, seeing now that I am not the closest thing available. They don't go for the weakest or the slowest. They go after whatever is closest.

Chris McShell told me that.

There's an easier path up the cliff at my right side, and that's where the zombies heading on. Their prey just stand there, too ignorant to realize what will happen to them when the zombies get to them.

"Karma, man!" Moonchild yells out to them. "Karma!"

"We can't just let them get eaten," Sam says.

Louise scoffs. "Don't see why not. They flayed a man alive."

"They're still people. You're safe now. At least-at least warn them."

I admire him. I really do. I don't like to see people die-not usually. I don't think I've ever taken pleasure in a person's death besides Van Ark's, but even I don't think I'd want to warn people who feed other people to zombies.

"Fine." She rolls her eyes. "Run! Back the way you came! Run! Find shelter and slam the door behind you!"

"Our brothers and sisters shall not harm us since our eyes have been opened. We have seen them for what they are. They are like us. All things are like us," Patrick insists.

She facepalms. "It's like talking to someone who's really stoned. You have to go! The zoms are coming for you!"

"They shall not hurt us," Another says. I can barely see her dopey smile hidden behind matted red hair. "They are our friends."

"Are we not like them?" Another asks.

"No, you're not! Run! Run, you idiots!"

"Witness now the miracle," One says, opening his arms as the first zombie staggers toward him. "They shall not hurt us. They all-"

He screams when the zombie grabs him and sinks its teeth into his neck, and as the other zombies start to grab ahold of the other members, they all start screaming too.

"They won't listen," Moonchild sighs. "They believe."

"You must run!" Louise shouts out one last time.

"Abel Runners, come back home," Sam says sadly. "There's nothing we can do here."

I almost laugh at that. He says that as if we could have done something before-as if we could've helped these people before. But I know the truth. You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.

And these people did not want any help from us.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Moonchild is an interesting character, huh? Anyway, please be sure to vote and comment. Thank you and have a blessed day.