12

Chapter 12 of Disease

You know nothing about this world. Nothing.

- Yahweh

Julius sat meditating in his tent, a small polyester pyramid supported by a single long branch in the center. He breathed deeply, calming his mind. He and his group had had a difficult day, with several Hungered packs accosting them along the way. Randall was killed by one of them, and Tak and Shawn were injured pretty bad from the attack and from insufficient protection from the rain.

Julius yelped as he felt several large drops slam into the top of his tent, making a crackling sound. He growled at his own cowardice, and punched the center stake in his anger. He hated how something he had loved as a child, glorious and life-giving, had turned into the greatest murderer on Earth. It had killed many of his friends. It killed everyone.

Julius gasped as tears sprang from his eyes to run down his cheeks; water of any kind startled him. After a second, though, he cried freely, quietly sobbing in his tent as he remembered the faces of his fallen friends.

“Julius? Are you all right?” Veronica said, ducking into his tent. She was dressed in a thick winter coat that kept the rain out; however, she shrugged it off when she entered to reveal a pink tank top and tight blue jeans, both sprayed with waterproofing agent. They were taking no chances with this.

Julius looked at her and stared, drinking in her tremendous beauty for as long as he could. Shint, she was beautiful. Her long auburn hair trailed down the small of her back, smooth and shimmery as velvet. Her deep brown eyes were dreamy and like chocolate; he frequently found himself lost in those whirlpools of intrigue. She wasn’t grotesquely thin, and she was curvy in all the right places. Her pale, almost pink skin was soft and smooth, and Julius loved to feel hers against his.

She saw him staring and smiled while walking toward him, and climbed into his lap, putting her arms around his waist.

“I am now.” He said with a smile, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek. She gave him a small, knowing smile and bit her lip, rubbing his tense shoulders.

“What’s wrong, Jules?” She purred, whispering it in his ear as she stroked his neck. “Why are you avoiding everyone?” She kissed his neck softly.

“I’m not avoiding everyone.” He said, sighing and pushing her off to rub his temples. “I’ve just been trying to figure out the plan from here.”

Veronica pouted, folding her arms and cocking her hip to one side.

“Does that mean you won’t have time for me?” She said scornfully, childishly pushing out her bottom lip. Julius laughed, walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist again.

“Of course not.” He said, and pressed his lips to hers before she could respond. She tensed for a split second, then relaxed, kissing him back with passion and grace. Her fingers ran through his hair, and his up her back. Julius lost himself in her wet lips, letting them drag away all his cares in the world. No Burst, no Hungered, just warm, sweet Veronica running her soft fingers all over his body. He could feel her tongue exploring his mouth, and he responded in kind. He tasted her, felt her, and was content. His hands traveled up and down her smooth back. She tried to pull him toward his cot, hands grasping at his belt, but at the last second Julius pulled away, sadly knowing that he really did have a lot of pressing work to do.

“Oh, Julius,” she breathed, following him. “Don’t stop now.”

“I have to.” He replied regretfully, savoring the moment they just shared. “Veronica, this really can’t wait.”

“Why not?” She snapped, gesturing to the deluge outside the tent flap. “That doesn’t wait! No one can travel in that! We have all the time we want.”

Julius sighed, and he wrapped his arms around her again.

“All right, but only for a little bit.” He said kissing her on the neck, the cheek, the lips.

She smiled devilishly, and rubbed his chest.

“I knew you’d see it my way.” She whispered as she kissed him again.

* * * * *

Julius sat up, rubbing his temples, watching Veronica walk out into the rain. He sighed, one of many, wishing that Veronica could understand how torn he was. He could not be both a leader and lover and be successful in both roles. All he wanted to do was love her, feel her, kiss her; and yet, he needed to help the people in their care. Many were old and suffering much, and he couldn’t just leave them out in the rain. They looked up to him, for guidance and for leadership. If he abandoned them, no amount of love from Veronica could mask the blood on his hands. He would not allow it.

No. A small voice said in his mind, bolstering Julius’ conviction.

Julius grimly turned his mind back to the task at hand. He needed to find a safe haven for his group to find refuge in. The Hungered had been taking their stronger members bit by bit, and Julius feared that soon he wouldn’t have enough to keep their strength up. So he pulled a weathered plastic map, one of the few maps that were not consumed by the Burst. He studied it, noting the routes they had taken and locations they’d resided in. All were either taken or compromised in some way. There was that little house by the Ohio river that had been burned down by outlaws. The old factory that had been taken by a horde of the Hungered, the warehouse that had rats. No matter where Julius’ group went, trouble always seemed to follow.

Julius was shocked back to the world by the sound of Veronica screaming, a bloodcurdling roar that pierced Julius’ head and heart; he leaped to his feet, pulled on his protective coat, and dashed outside.

The scene outside horrified him and shocked him like an icy blow to the chest.

The camp was burning.

All around, naked men were running with black torches, setting everything ablaze. THe rain was not affecting them; their bodies were simply wet.Screams and insane laughter filled the air, piercing the ears of the terrified people who were at their mercy. Julius saw horrors he never could have imagined. The Hungered ran around around attacking anything that moved, beating men and women alike. One was wrestling with an elderly woman, snarling and snapping at her neck and shoulders, trying to tear off a chunk of flesh. Another had broken the limbs of her husband, and was prodding the man with his torch, giggling the entire time.

Veronica lay still on the ground, her clothes torn in pieces and the rain sizzling on her skin. Her body was red and glistening with the disease eating away at her flesh, and her eyes were lifeless and vacant. Her hand was raised towards Julius’ tent, one finger stiff and pointing at the door. Her last cry had been for his help.

Julius gaped, unable to think or speak from the pain. Tears gushed from his eyes, and he very nearly ran out into the danger to cling to her dead body. He wanted to scream, to howl at the sky for taking his love away from him. Only sheer terror of dying himself stayed his hand, and he ducked back into his tent to find his rain gear.

In addition to that, he found a small blaze growing on the far end of the tent.

Julius hastily grabbed his gear and threw it on, making sure to create the watertight seal that he needed to keep himself safe from the Burst. Then, after grabbing the sword that he had found and sharpened in their last big city, Julius went out to remedy the situation.

He stepped out of his tent, looking as menacing as he could possibly be, and planned his attack. Although his instinct screamed against the choice, he knew that he needed to be calm and collected for this attack to work. He was one man against an army. Failure would mean his demise.

Start with the biggest Hungered you can find. They’ll be in one large pack now, so you can pick it out easily. A small voice whispered in his head. Julius started, but relaxed and followed the voice’s suggestion. Regardless of the source, it was a good idea nonetheless.

He walked carefully and precisely, approaching a pack that had gathered to feast on the body of an older woman. They were crouched low against the ground, hands digging into the flesh of their prey. Julius picked out the largest one: a big man with long blonde hair and thick muscles, sitting with his back to Julius. He was not as engrossed in the frenzy as the others; in fact, he seemed to be distanced from it.

Julius didn’t care. These creatures had killed his one chance for happiness in the world, and he couldn’t forgive them. Not this time.

He crept up to the Hungered, softening his steps against the slippery mud. He hefted his sword, Backbreaker. A lot of the camp had laughed and teased him; it sounded like a name from a dumb movie. Julius hadn’t cared. He had read in a fun book that all swords needed a name, and he thought this one was fitting. Right now, it certainly was. These Hungered absolutely needed their backs broken. And, he threw out his back picking it up the first time. He thought it was ironic.

As he approached the Hungered, the naked man lifted his head up from the ground and sniffed the air. Julius hastened his pace, raising Backbreaker for a deadly thrust. As Julius reached the man, the Hungered spun his head around and howled, and the rest of the groups heads sprang up. Julius answered the action with a single thrust into the Hungered’s chest, breaking through the sternum and piercing his heart. The Hungered man looked down at the blade, and a look of serenity flashed onto his face.

“Thank you.” He whispered in a deep bass voice, putting his hand on Julius’ shoulder as he fell. Julius was stunned, he didn’t even notice another one of the group come up behind him and sink its teeth into his shoulder.

Pain blossomed in his flesh, a stabbing sensation that quickly turned into a searing pain as water fell into his wound. Julius screamed a menacing scream, and he spun around with his sword and, in one fluid motion, lopped off the Hungered’s head. It spun around, falling next to the body of Veronica.

Julius quickly used his hand to cover the hole in his suit, and glared at the rest of the pack with fury and rage. They looked back, and they actually managed to look afraid. Julius had never seen such a thing. They all gibbered and screamed at once, then they turned and ran into the forest, screaming and laughing all the way.

Julius stood in the middle of all that carnage, the tents burnt to a crisp,  clinging to his shoulder to keep the water from rushing in and eating away at the flesh. It had already happened a bit; the skin was red and puckered as his body quickly to fix the wound. The pain was hot and fierce, and Julius had to focus to keep his mind off it.

There was much to focus on. Julius stood in the middle of a bloodbath, the water dripping off his coat into the crimson pool. He stood there, not really thinking of anything, until his eyes fell onto the ravaged body of Veronica. The rain had been falling on her for the duration of the entire battle, and it had done its work. There was very little left of the woman that Julius had loved with all his heart.

Julius walked slowly over to the body, feet splashing in the red mud, and looked down on her. He lifted his head to the sky and howled, all the hurt and misery escaping into the air through his horrendous scream. He dropped to his knees, Backbreaker slipping from his fingers, and he cradled the body in his arms, not caring now if the water seeped into his skin. Indeed, he now wished it to take him as well. He wanted to cease to exist, become nothing, just as his love had become.

With grim resolve, he dropped the remains into the mud and stood up, raising his arms to his hood. In one swift movement he removed the hood and face mask, letting the deadly rainfall onto his exposed head. He waited for the release of his body. He waited for the pain of the Burst and for his imminent death.

It never came.

Julius stood with his arms raised, rain falling on his head and face; however, no pain came. His body didn’t burn, didn’t scream out in pain; it stayed the same. Not even the water he let into his mouth burned. The rain, his greatest enemy, how reverted to its natural and life giving form.

You now are who you need to be. The small voice in his head whispered. It has begun.

Julius whirled around, looking for the source. He found none

“Who are you?” He asked audibly, squinting his eyes.

No need for petty speech. The voice replied. Your thoughts are enough. As for who I am, well, I am powerful. And I am your friend. That is all you need know. Then Julius felt the presence leave.

Julius stood in the middle of the burnt clearing with rain dripping down his face, utterly dumbfounded with where his path would go. His death had been taken from him, and had been replaced with a guide. A powerful guide.

Julius hoped he really was his friend.

“I think I heard it come from over here!” A different, human voice shouted. Julius spun around to face the source. He could see light through the petrified trees; a group was coming close.

Thinking quickly, he threw his hood and mask back on, locking them into place with a snap. He didn’t want to reveal his immunity and subsequent guide to anyone else just yet. He looked around to make sure no one saw, but instead he saw that he was the only human alive in the clearing. Everyone else had fallen, the rain eating away at their flesh. He would continue down his path alone.

Julius walked over to the now skeletal form of Veronica and picked up Backbreaker, glad to feel the steel in his hand once again. A good sword like this was very hard to find, and he didn’t want to lose his best weapon. Then, with one last glance toward the skeleton, he walked toward the lights.

“Hey!” He shouted, waving his arms and sword to signal his presence. “Over here!” He immediately heard voices in the affirmative, and the lights started heading towards him. Several men and boys came into view, each in their own respective rain suits.

They stopped as they reached the clearing, looking at the carnage that was spread all around. They saw all the grotesque corpses, and looked Julius, the only man alive and the one who held a dripping steel sword.

“What happened here?” A big man asked, eyeing the sword with anxiety. Another man shushed him and walked over to Julius, putting his hand on Julius’ shoulder.

“My name is Robert Thurman.” The man said, his wise eyes sparkling. “We’re here to help.” He looked down at the crimson sword Julius held.

“I don’t think you’ll need that anymore.”

Backbreaker slipped from Julius’ hands for the last time.

* * *

Robert and Terrence sat in their tent, a crackling fire burning bright in the center, the smoke traveling out of a screened hole in the center of the ceiling. The screen was of Robert’s own invention; its holes were wide enough to let air and gases in and out, but were small enough to keep liquids, namely the rain, out. Robert had invented it in the days after the incident with the group of bandits at Diffusion Labs, as he knew that eventually they would need it. Being able to safe from the rain and also able to have a fire was a necessity in this kind of world. The fire was less for heat and more for light and the drying of wet clothes, but they appreciated the familiarity of its crackling embers.

Robert sat and stared into the orange flames, the light of them dancing in his deep eyes. He contemplated the events of the day, consorting with his own personal demons.

He was immune to the Burst.

He thought and thought of where this particular trait would have been useful in his struggles. Certainly for the days when-

No. No matter what, he would not think about that again. Never again.

He looked over at Terrence, watching him, and attempted some lighthearted conversation.

“This is just like the old days,” He said with forced joviality. “You and me rushing around on some nigh impossible mission, camping out in the Stone Forest, hoping to high heaven that we don’t encounter any Hungered packs.” Terrence chuckled, rubbing his eyes.

“You act like they were a good thing, Robert.” He said with a slight grin. “You want  to go back there?”

“It’d certainly be better than chasing after a small hope.” He said, staring again into the flames. It certainly was a small hope. How could Diffusion labs still stand? It had been ten years. Was it still there?

“Would it though?” Terrence asked, looking at Robert intently. “All the things that happened. All the things we did.” He raised an eyebrow. “All the things we lost. You lost. You really want to go through that again?”

Robert didn’t answer, he just stared back into the flickering flames, imagining all the things that Terrence had described. His loved one murdered, his morality gone. Did he really want to be that man again? Or did he want to be what he was now, something more than a man?

Now you are one the right track, Mr. Thurman. Hunt told him approvingly. You are indeed more than a man. After what has happened, I’m surprised that you are still indeed that low. For all intents and purposes, you should be something even i could never imagine.

Really? Robert thought. And what’s that?

Robert could almost picture Hunt grinning as he spoke. That, Mr. Thurman, is why you are on your little errand. To see if you can indeed become that being. And then he was gone.

Robert didn’t react, and subsequently failed to give acknowledgement that Terrence had said anything.

“What did you say?” Robert said meekly when he saw Terrence staring at him.

“He was talking to you again.” He said. It was not a question. Robert nodded, but didn’t say anything. Terrence sighed and rubbed his eyes again.

He’s not saying what he’s feeling. Robert thought, insight blinking on in his brain. He wants to know why hunt talks to me and not him.

“I asked you if you wanted to know what I found in that clearing today. Right after you killed all those Hungered.”

“Do you even have to ask that question?” Robert said with a raised eyebrow and a curious smile. Terrence took in a deep breath and sat up on the stump he had found as a seat.

“Well, do you remember when we first found Julius in that same clearing, having just done what you did today?” He said, gesturing to the direction they had come with a raised finger over his shoulder. “When we found him standing in that bloody mud and bodies all around, with that dripping sword?” Robert gave a single nod, grimly remembering how troubled Julius had been and how desperately he had needed Robert’s help.

“Backbreaker.” Robert said. “I remember it.”

“I found it.” Terrence said triumphantly, pulling the sword out from behind his stump. It glistened in the firelight, shining and completely clean. Robert gasped, looking closer to make sure it was the one and the same. Yes, there it was. The words carved into the bottom of the hilt, nearly indecipherable in the shadows. Backbreaker.

Robert looked back at Terrence, gesturing toward the sword with his eyes. Terrence wordlessly handed the weapon, and Robert took it reverently. This was a relic of when he was on the run, and a remnant of the Raze.

“Did Julius ever tell you about Veronica?” Terrence said out of the blue, interrupting Robert’s thoughts. Robert looked up, surprised.

“No, he didn’t. Sister?” Robert asked. Terrence shook his head sadly.

“Lover.” He said mournfully, the one word penetrating Robert’s ears. He put the sword down to the ground.

“Really?” Robert whispered, sadness and pity bringing tears to his eyes. He knew what that felt like. He knew exactly what that felt like.

“Yeah. According to Julius’, his friends said it was like trying to be in the same room as Romeo and Juliet.” Terrence chuckled. “You remember when we were like that? Young and full of hormones?” Robert laughed, a liberating sound that release all of his pent-up emotions.

“That’s certainly an accurate description.” He said with a grin. “I know my parents definitely were tearing their heart out at the antics me and girlfriends would get into.”

“You?” Terrence said with mock disbelief. “Mr. High and Mighty himself, purist man in all the Earth? Preposterous.”

“Contrary to popular belief,” Robert said with a raised finger. “I did have a marvelously troubled youth. I’ve had my fair share of narrow scrapes and… favors of the appreciative maidens.” He said this last bit with the articulation of a knight of old, earning the laughter of Terrence.

“I wish I could have had the same kind of luck you had.” He said, taking a drink from a canteen he had at his side, filled with boiled rainwater. “The ladies definitely weren’t as appreciative of my marvelous wit and rugged good looks as they were of you.”

“Hey now, at least you got the brains of this outfit.” Robert said gleefully, and they both laughed for a long time.

After the last guffaw was out and the last tear shed, they both went back to staring at the fire, contemplating anything and everything. Robert finally stood up, brushing off his pants.

“It’s getting late, and we have a lot of walking ahead of us. We should get to bed.” He said, gesturing to their cots. Terrence nodded, and doused the fire with a bucket of water, waving away the steam. They nodded to each other and clambered into their cots like little boys, although without any covers to pull over themselves. Within seconds, Robert could hear Terrence snoring his bear-like roar. Robert rolled his eyes and put in the earplugs he always slept with, closing his eyes slowly.

He slipped into a dreamless slumber, deep in the middle of the Stone Forests of the Appalachian Mountains.

And awoke on the hard ground, completely alone, next to the entrance to the caverns of Connelly Mental Health Institution.