Rise of the Wraiths: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale (IMPACT Book 2) by Matthew Eliot

Author:Matthew Eliot
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: armies, Love, Sci-Fi, impact series book 2, meteorites, asteroids, zombies, matthew eliot, Science Fiction, post-apocalyptic, battles, meteorite strike, apocalypse, War, wraiths
Published: 2016-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

No one spoke.

Paul observed the room. It felt like he was sitting in front of a ticking time bomb. Rows and rows of ticking time bombs.

The sick, the healthy, Jeremy, the Council. He almost saw the lines connecting and dividing all these people, like musical strings stretched to the limit. If one of those were to snap, he feared they all would. And the precarious equilibrium that held Bately together would suddenly find a cacophonous end.

Jeremy had played them. Without providing a single detail of his supposed cure, he now had them in his trap. If they were to oppose his ridiculous request, the Afflicted would be denied the health Jeremy had promised. If they were to accept, the healthy, as well as the sick, would find themselves with their medicine stock halved, and no guarantee the cure could work.

It was a mess.

“May I say something?”

It was Luke. He spoke hesitantly, politely. All eyes turned to him.

“I have been living here for a while, now,” he began. His voice was filled with the innocent optimism Paul had often spotted in his flock (Claudio called it idiocy).

“I’ve made many friends, among you.” Luke glanced towards him, then Cathy, then to all those sitting in that tense room. “It makes me sad to see you pitted against one another. But, please, please understand... if I and the other Afflicted in Bately were cured, things would be better. Not just for the sick, but for all of us, I mean.” He coughed, nervously. The neon lights shone on the wounds in his flesh, on his mutilated features. “I know that what Jeremy is asking may sound like a lot, but think about it–” he turned to the Council table, “Cathy, aren’t most of your medicines used on us, anyway?”

Cathy nodded. It was true.

“So, once we are cured – and I really believe Jeremy will do that – well...” he turned the palms of his disfigured hands upwards, “those medicines won’t even be needed, will they?”

Paul sighed, almost exactly at the same time as Cathy did, beside him. They both knew this was a gross oversimplification.

“Father,” he then said to Paul, “I am a Christian. You know that. I am as good a Christian as I can be. I feel that this, helping other Afflicted while curing our own, is the true Christian thing to do.” Luke looked down, suddenly embarrassed.

“Luke,” began Paul, “I’m afraid it’s not that sim–”

But Jeremy interrupted him. “I think it’s time for us to vote,” he said to the audience.

“Vote?” cried Cathy. “But you haven’t told us about your supposed cure. We need the details.”

Jeremy sighed. “Oh, the powers that be, so hard to please,” he said, sarcastically. “No point in going into detail if you vote against my offer, is there, Cathy?”

“But–”

Jeremy ignored her. “So, I ask the illustrious members of the Bately Council to express their will regarding my offer – I shall cure the Afflicted in your beautiful little town, if you hand over half of your medicine supplies to those in need.

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