Sam dragged him onto the battered rear of the jeep. The two men holding the teenage girl released her. She ran off and jumped into the passenger side of the jeep. Joshua got in the driver’s seat and started the engine. They drove off, the other rag-tag members of the gang watching helplessly as they took off with their leader.
When they were two miles down the turnoff to Bryce Valley, Sam ordered Joshua to stop on the side of the road. He kicked the fat man off the jeep where he lay sprawling in the dirt. The girl got out and kicked him, once, twice in the stomach. Sam flinched at her viciousness.
“And remember your promise,” said Sam, wagging a finger at him. “Don’t follow us.”
The man glared at him but kept silent. The girl kicked him again for good measure and then clambered back in the passenger seat. She still hadn’t said one word.
As they roared off down the road, Joshua started laughing.
“What?” asked Sam, slightly confused by his good humour.
“I can’t believe you said that.”
“What?”
“You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. Do you think you’re the hulk or something?” He laughed again.
Sam found himself smiling although he was just telling the man the truth. He wouldn’t like him when he was angry. No-one did.
Bryce Valley city wasn’t much of a city. In the tourist season, the population swelled to thousands. In the offseason, the residents numbered only one hundred and fifty six. Currently the population was six, not including Sam, Joshua and the girl they had rescued.
All six of them, the entire population, faced the three teenagers with loaded rifles.
The oldest of the men was carrying a heavy calibre machine gun. “Who did you say you were again?”
“I’m Joshua, this is Sam and this is, uh … “
“Grace,” said the girl.
“We’re from Black Ridge. Adam sent us. Told us to speak to Big Tom.”
The man nodded, stroking his silver beard. “That’s me alright.” He looked thoughtful. “Adam sent you, huh? He must have had good reason.” He turned to the five young men who were standing behind him. “Put your guns down, boys. If Adam said they were okay, then they must be. Blake, put the kettle on. Come on in,” he said to them, gesturing with his rifle.
He led the way into the stone block building. It was solidly built with iron bars on the windows and doors. It was also one of the few buildings still standing in the town. The others looked like they had burnt down.
Inside, the place was a veritable Aladdin’s cave. It must have been the general store before the Rapture, and shelves of supplies, mostly still full, were stacked up so high they touched the ceiling.
Big Tom led them to a large table and offered them chairs which they gratefully accepted. One of the young men, presumably Blake, set down a cup of coffee for each of them.
“So, what’s old Adam up to at the moment?”
Joshua shrugged. “The same as everyone else, I suppose. Trying to stay alive.”
“Why did he send you to me?”
“We need to get to Los Angeles,” said Sam.
Big Tom took a slurp of his coffee and looked at Sam sideways. “Why?”
“Adam thought it was important. Is that good enough for you?”
Big Tom chuckled. “You’ve got some balls, young man. Coming into my house and asking for my help without a good reason. Do you think me and my boys have lasted so long because we just took people at their word?”
Sam nodded. “I understand, sir, but I don’t know if I can trust you. Yet.”
“You’re lucky I’m still listening. Adam and I go way back. We were in the special forces together.” He ran his fingers through his beard. “Ok. How about we do it this way? You tell me what you need first and we’ll go from there.”
“Well, it looks like the state highway is blocked. Did you know that?” asked Sam.
“Yep. Those boys set up a couple of days ago. Bit of a thorn in my side. Me and my sons were planning on paying them a visit in the next day or two.”
“Well, you might want to do it even sooner. They’re creating trouble. That’s where we found Grace here.”
Sam nodded towards the small teenage girl. He hadn’t really looked at her before. She had dirt plastered all over her body and her clothes were torn in parts. Lines of tears left dirty tracks on her face. Grace looked from Sam to Big Tom but didn’t say anything.
Big Tom looked grim. “We’ll sort those boys out first light tomorrow, as soon as the demons go.”
Sam felt a surge of hope. Big Tom was obviously a good man, worthy of his trust. “So, I was thinking of going overland, at least until we get to Las Vegas.”
“That could work. It’s about 200 miles as the crow flies to Las Vegas. I’ve heard reports that there’s some law and order around there, so the roads will hopefully be clear. Or it’s about thirty miles to the interstate, but you’ll be pushing your luck going that way. The roads will be blocked and there’s gangs of survivors out there who’ll rob you and kill you for your boots.”
“Overland definitely sounds good. At least until Las Vegas,” said Joshua.
Sam agreed. “Then we’ll need some good maps, some hiking boots, tents, food, water and whatever else you can give us.”
Big Tom shook his head sadly. “You don’t ask for much, do you? It may look like we’ve got a whole lot of supplies here, but I’ve got five hungry boys to feed, plus I give whatever I can to Adam and the Black Ridge lot. You need to give me a real good reason, otherwise the answer is going to be no.”
Sam took a deep breath. “I’m going to kill the Antichrist.”
Big Tom sat completely still for a moment. Then he smiled.
“Yep. That’ll do it.”
When Sam awoke, Joshua and Grace were still sound asleep just outside his pentacle. He let them sleep a little longer; he suspected that this would be one of the last opportunities to get a good night’s rest.
After a substantial meal, Big Tom had given them one of the empty side rooms as a bedchamber. It had no furniture in it at all and only one window, covered by iron bars. Josh and Grace went to sleep immediately on the bed rolls that Big Tom had provided. At first, Sam had thought that he would meditate but then he realized how tired he actually was. But what about the pentacle and what it revealed? Joshua probably already knew about it, but Grace was another matter. Then there was Big Tom and his boys to consider. If they walked in and found him within the symbol … Sam had the feeling that Big Tom was the sort of man to ask questions from the dead corpse at his feet.
Eventually, necessity outweighed other considerations. He doubted whether he would have another chance for a proper sleep and he would need his strength. He shook Joshua gently awake. Although grumpy at first, Josh had understood. Sam didn’t ask but he suspected that his uncle had already told him through talking with Hikari.
With instructions from Sam, Joshua drew the symbol. Sam was conscious that this changed everything between himself and the other boy. The pentacle essentially trapped him, leaving him at the mercies of other humans, so it was at that moment that he realized how much he trusted Joshua. It was a good feeling.
Sam could see through the bars that it was dark outside. Something was niggling at him; there was something about this situation that wasn’t right somehow. Then he worked out what it was. He couldn’t hear or sense any demons. Strange. Since the Rapture, he’d never known a night where there weren’t demons about.
Conscious of not waking Grace, he hissed at Joshua. The girl was obviously still pretty fragile — if she woke up now to find herself confronted by a half-demon trapped inside a pentacle, Sam was pretty confident it would not help her state of mind.
Josh stirred sleepily and opened one eye. “What?” he said groggily.
“Keep your voice down,” Sam whispered. “I need you to break the symbol.”
Josh grunted and pulled himself slowly out of his sleeping bag, dragging one foot to break and smudge the chalk outline. Sam immediately felt the invisible barrier that contained him dissipate.