Deadly Independents by Ted Hill

Author:Ted Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: coming of age, biblical, young adult, war, christian, survival, four horsemen, contagion outbreak, dystopian apocalypse, famine and plague
Publisher: Permuted

Chapter Twenty: Hunter

Traces of moonlight peeking out through wispy clouds provided a ghostly light that made the world appear peacefully alien. Hunter couldn’t be happier, now that he had found Barbie and Scout and they were taking him back to the house where his body waited with Samuel, or rather Michael the Archangel, who surely could restore the order of things that Hunter lost when Death stole his soul. Even with the awkward walk from the two mismatched legs the other two fell behind. Hunter knew where he was headed. He had to strip himself of this body, terrified by his own existence living in the shell that Death had stitched together.

Scout caught up and took his arm, slowing him down. Hunter shrugged him off once, but Scout pawed at him again. “Hunter, take it easy. We don’t want to draw attention.”

“Screw that! I can’t spend another second like this.”

Scout released him, but the momentum had ceased the talking. Hunter drew in a deep shaky breath and then Barbie stood in front of him, wrapping her arms around him despite his horrible appearance. Hunter shuddered and broke down. Aware of nothing but the pain and torment of his current state, and a little voice in his head that said, You’re almost home, tighten up, you’ll make it.

He drew away with little effort as Barbie dropped her arms and allowed him to go. He couldn’t meet the eyes of his friends. He didn’t want to see his horrifying visage in their reflection. He stared at the pavement instead, the black of the asphalt catching traces of the weak moon in a sparkling dance that mirrored the stars above.

Scout gripped his shoulder. “Let’s keep moving, but do it casually. I still don’t think we’re out of the woods yet.”

Hunter noticed the drawn pistol at Scout’s side. Still not meeting his eyes, Hunter looked around the neighborhood where houses sat too close to each other and stretched out in every direction, so unfamiliar to his home in Independents.

Scout said, “Chase has more going on than he showed. We’ve already been screwed over by Cal.”

“Who was Cal?” The difference in Hunter's voice startled him all over again.

“Someone I used to know,” Barbie said. “Someone I better not see again.”

Hunter looked at Barbie this time, still not knowing who Cal was or how she had known him before Hunter had found her stuck in that grain elevator in Cozad. This time it was Barbie who didn’t meet Hunter’s eyes.

Hunter said, “Yeah, well I’m not too excited to see him again, or his two buddies. Let’s go.”

Scout took off. Barbie waited until Hunter shambled after him and then she followed. Hunter noticed the pain from his newly acquired sutures that had drawn together his parts. He twitched and jerked with each step, certain his movement would draw attention by any observer.

Hunter jumped, startled by a rustle from a nearby pile of debris. Something squeaked, scurrying to the top of the pile of trash. Sharp white teeth

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