Dead World

CHAPTER 19

Isaiah struggled to his feet, dislodging the bricks that had rained down on him. The room was a mess. Through a cloud of dust, rubble lay everywhere. One of the brethren slumped against the wall, blood streaming from his head. The other brethren sat near to the door, dazed.

“Anna! Anna!”

He heard bricks tumbling and saw Roman sit up, along with Carmichael. Carmichael coughed and spluttered.

“What the hell’s going on?” Carmichael asked.

Isaiah started rummaging through the rubble, moving planks of wood and bricks. “Anna, where are you?”

He heard another explosion outside, people shouting and screaming. Gunfire punctuated the noise.

“Anna, answer me.”

Movement caught his eye and bricks tumbled aside as Anna scrambled from beneath the debris. Blood ran from cuts on her face and hands.

Isaiah scrambled across and wrapped his arms around her. “I… I thought I’d lost you.”

Anna hugged him back.

Roman pointed an accusatory finger at Anna. “This is your fault. I said misfortune would befall us when you took the offering.” He turned to the enforcers. “Grab her.”

One of the enforcers struggled to his feet and approached Anna, but Isaiah barred his path.

“Touch her and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”

The enforcer hesitated and glanced to Roman for guidance. More screams came from outside and the gunfire continued.

“I gave you an order.”

The enforcer started forwards again, withdrawing a knife as he moved. Isaiah grabbed a piece of broken wood and lashed out, catching the enforcer’s hand. He slammed the wood into the man’s face, sending him reeling. Then he grabbed Anna’s hand and pulled her towards the door, squeezing through the battered wood that was hanging off its hinges.

“Stop them,” Roman shouted.

Isaiah led Anna along the corridor. “We need to get the kids and my mother, and then we need to get out of here.”

The sound of gunfire was louder. People rushed along the corridor, in a state of panic. Shouts and screams rang out.

“And go where? You’ve seen what it’s like beyond the gate.”

“It’s either run or stay here and face Roman.”

A blast rang out.

“What’s going on out there?” she asked.

“I presume Jones and his men have found us. Don’t worry, Anna, we’ll find a way. I’ll find a way.”

They ran outside where the evidence of the attack was more noticeable. Smoke drifted from the main building and dead bodies littered the ground. Enforcers in the towers were firing sporadically with everything they had. Isaiah and Anna proceeded to the main building and wormed their way through the swarms of terrified people towards the room where the kids were being held.

Isaiah started to head down the hallway, but Anna stopped him with a hand on his arm. He turned and gave her an inquiring look.

“Isaiah… just in case we… you know… don’t make it.”

“But we are going to make it.”

“I believe you… but just in case. I want you to know how sorry I am. I would never hurt you on purpose.”

“It’s my fault. I neglected you… I’m the one who should apologise.”

Anna squeezed his hand. “No! Isaiah, no. You have nothing to apologise for.”

“My eyes are open now, that’s all. I love you, Anna… you and our… our children are my life. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He thought about Ben and tears filled his eyes.

A loud explosion ripped through the air, interrupting their conversation.

“Come on. We’ve got to get mother and the children and get out of here.”

They continued to the room where the children were being held, but when they arrived they weren’t there.

“They must have moved them when the commotion started,” Isaiah said.

“So where’ve they taken them?” Anna asked, the panic evident in her voice.

Isaiah shook his head. “I don’t know, but we won’t find them standing here. Come on, let’s go.”

As they made their way through the main building, they asked everyone they passed whether they had seen Lucy or Zeke. Most people were running around like headless chickens, but of those who did reply, nobody had seen them and the pain in Isaiah’s heart grew more pronounced. When they reached Mother Charles’ cell, she wasn’t there either. Isaiah slammed his palm against the wall. “This is useless. We’re not getting anywhere.”

Anna put a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find them.”

Isaiah forced a smile. He wished he felt as confident.

They made their way back outside where the panic and confusion seemed even more manic. Isaiah spied a young boy crouched in the courtyard, cradling his mother in his arms. From the amount of blood that had pumped out of the deep wound in her chest, she was dead.

“There, over there,” Anna shouted.

Isaiah turned to where she was pointing and saw Roman and his priests dragging Lucy and Zeke towards the gates.

Isaiah charged across the courtyard. “What are you doing with my children?”

Roman turned and gazed at Isaiah with a supercilious expression on his face. “The Gods demand their sacrifice.” He motioned his enforcers and a couple ran forwards and intercepted Isaiah, tackling him to the ground.

Anna ran forwards, but another enforcer stepped out and trained a gun on her, bringing her to a halt.

“Those aren’t your damn Gods attacking. You can’t send us out there. I wasn’t picked by the lottery,” Zeke said.

Roman snorted. “It’ll take more to appease them now.” He stared at Anna, eyes narrowed.

“You’re crazy,” Lucy said.

The men opened the gates, and Roman and his men frog marched Lucy and Zeke towards the exit.

But before Roman could get them outside, Mother Charles appeared from behind the building and scurried towards him.

“Get your hands off my grandkids,” she shouted, waving an arm in the air.

Roman laughed but a scream from the gate distracted him.

Isaiah looked across and saw that a man had lumbered through the entrance. More people were shuffling towards Sanctuary. The man lurched towards Roman, his skeletal looking hands extended. Roman backed away and reached into his robes, withdrawing a pistol. He started to aim, but Mother Charles reached him first and grabbed his wrist.

Roman wrestled her aside and pushed her to the ground, but by now the man had reached him. Roman started bashing him with the butt of the gun, but the man sank his teeth into Roman’s neck.

“Shoot him,” Roman gurgled as he fought to pull the man off.

The enforcer who had trained his gun on Anna turned and aimed at the God, but he appeared hesitant.

Another man stumbled inside and grabbed Roman’s arm, causing him to drop the gun.

“Don’t just stand there. Help me,” he screamed.

The brethren started chanting and the men holding Isaiah released their grip and stood up, allowing him to stand. He watched Anna run across and drop to the ground. Next second she stood back up with Roman’s gun in her hand. She aimed the weapon at Roman.

“You can’t kill me. I’ll become a God,” Roman said, the trace of a grin on his lips despite the pain he must have felt.

“You’re not ordained. The sentence is death.” Anna pulled the trigger.

The bullet smashed through Roman’s head and he flopped within the arms of his Gods who continued to feast unperturbed.

Isaiah ran across to his wife and put his arms on her shoulders. She was shaking. He turned to see that the enforcers had run away and the remaining brethren were too busy praying to pay them any attention. Anna pocketed the gun then ran across and hugged her children. After a moment she turned, took hold of their hands and started towards the exit.

“Isaiah, come on, we’re going.” She looked at Mother Charles. “You, too, Mother. It’s time to leave.”

Mother Charles smiled, nodded, and headed towards the gate.