The Wrath of the Just (Apocalypse Z) by Manel Loureiro

Author:Manel Loureiro [Loureiro, Manel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AmazonCrossing
Published: 2014-05-06T00:00:00+00:00

28

What could be worse than being immortal?

and still having to behave by the rules?

—Rameau, Platée

When I came to, I felt a sticky substance on my face. I thought for a moment they’d poured Cladoxpan on my head, but when a drop fell in my mouth, I detected the coppery taste of blood. My blood.

I had a good-sized gash on my head, one of my teeth was loose, and I could barely open my right eye. They’d worked me over good.

I was sitting in a chair in Greene’s office, all alone. Judging by the light coming in the window, the sun was setting. I had to get out of this mess or I wouldn’t make it home in time. An air conditioner hummed nearby. My hands were cuffed behind my back, so I couldn’t stand up without dragging the chair. I moved my wrists and heard the clink of a chain. Shackles. I’m sure I had the Aryans to thank for that.

I sat there for a while, struggling to think of something positive. At least someone had taken off my tie. My new suit was ruined, blood soaked, and ripped in several places. As if that mattered.

The door flew open and Reverend Greene strode into the room, followed by Malachi Grapes and a deeply worried Mrs. Compton. The Aryan seemed very pleased with himself and shot me a mocking look. The reverend’s face was more gaunt than usual. His cheeks were a flurry of tics. The broken veins covering his nose made him look like a drunk, and his eyes had an opaque veil over them, as though he had cataracts.

“Hello, Reverend,” I greeted him, trying to sound mocking. “What’s the matter? You look horrible. You should take better care of yourself—like me.”

“Shut up, asshole!” Grapes backhanded me and then pulled up a chair.

“Reverend, I swear I didn’t know. I thought . . .” Mrs. Compton wrung her hands.

“Calm down, Mrs. Compton,” said the reverend in a kindly voice. “You did what you thought best. Fortunately, the Lord is always watching over us and we apprehended this servant of Satan in time. Now, please take down what I say.”

With a sigh of relief, Mrs. Compton stationed herself behind a stenographic machine in the corner to take notes. Greene sat down and let out a cavernous cough.

He leaned across the table. On one side was a bottle filled with a milky fluid; on the other was his Bible. “Know what this is?” he asked, pointing to the bottle.

“I’m guessing it’s your piss,” I replied. “Or maybe the Green Guard took up a collection. Maybe they got together and—”

Grapes’s punch took me by surprise and hurt like hell, but I flashed a bloody smile, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“This is a bottle of Cladoxpan,” Greene said, quietly. “What you tried to steal.”

I didn’t answer and just looked at him in silence. I had no idea where this was going.

“It is a blessing from the Lord. If you get infected with the poison of the Undead, it keeps you from losing your life.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.