Chapter 2: Chapter 2
"What do we do?" Nick asked. "Keep going for Georgia, hoping it's not some ground zero? Because these are signs of a nuclear winter."
"We would've gotten alerts, " Tris says reassuringly. "There should've been sirens."
"I would sense the large amount of death and pain, which I don't," I said. "There's impending fear and evil building however, so we must return."
Just then, as if on cue, a swarm of smaller demons tackled the roof. Everyone started panicking, but I kept calm. Using the force, I managed to launch one off the windshield, then going over it as I floored the gas. A few more flew off but that wasn't the plan. "Hang on!" I yelled excitedly, putting my arm across Tris, then hit the brakes. Just then all the demons went flying forward, tumbling and sliding on the road. It didn't look fun being them, one even did the flying leg maneuver for a good hundred feet. However, they all managed to get up.
Now I know what you're probably thinking. The car is stalled, or just doesn't want to start right? Nah, I'm a really good mechanic who's done that before enough times to learn. I pressed that gas and nothing was wrong. Brake pads may be a little more used now, but that's easy. Anyways, we got moving. The demons kept coming but they weren't built for speed at all, and we left them in the dust.
"Everyone ok?" I asked a mile or two later, when we were all calmed down.
"Yeah. We're good back here," Alex said.
"I'm good," Tris said.
"So, Georgia?" I asked.
"Yeah," everyone said together.
The drive wasn't very bad. We had another situation or two but nothing we weren't ready to handle, and made it to Georgia pretty fast with no real traffic, which was weird. We saw no other signs of humans. I could sense life all around us, but everything in sight was dead, with no bodies.
Anyway, we made it to Atlanta, where most of our friends lived at this point. It was largely populated, and turned into a shelter town. We heard the area was claimed by groups, and Six Flags as well as White Water were taken by the same group. Some mentioned them riding modified bikes with gas motors.
"Come on guys, we know who got that area," I said.
"Who?" They asked.
"It's obvious. I know I told Jack about my plans as well as Lane if something like this ever happened forever ago. They both know where Kyle and them live. Sure enough they've stockpiled up on everything at our place and any store in the area to take both areas. Besides, they're the only ones smart enough to manage that overnight. Also I left the dogs to Lane while we were away."
"Luna and Frost?" Tris asked.
"Yep. I'm ten times better fighting beside those dogs. I'm not leaving my kids behind."
"Behind for what?"
"The apocalypse. Regroup, get your people, find safety, and survive. Of course, in my case and anyone who's with me, we'll fight. Fight to get the world back from the invasion of Hell."
We made our last turn before Six Flags, seeing the tracks loom overhead as a jungle gym.
"Well," Tris said, "I'm with you. Pretty sure everyone else is too."
"It won't be easy. I really don't mind going it alone."
"Nope. Where one of us goes, the rest follow. And your destination is more important, may as well be the first one."
Everyone in the back kept quiet, though I could tell they were siding with her.
"You sure? It's not safe, and the camp we have will be prone to invasions before long."
"There's nowhere else to go besides with the person most likely to succeed in winning and surviving this, and the way I see it that's you. Or at least who you're going to be."
"Fine. But from here on, until this is all over, everyone in this car listens to me and Tris. If we disagree, which is rare, we go with the group vote on which is best. But if it means your safety, all of you please listen to me." I can't bear anything bad happening to them, but I can't just let the world be swallowed in darkness if I can help it. If I can save it, I must. And they know I'd do anything to make sure they're ok.
We made it to the amusement park, which was organized already. I saw a bunch of people going around, asking each other for help and working in harmony. They'd cleared out the junk they no longer needed here, and everyone was either working on moving something and making conditions more liveable, settling in their places with friends and family, or telling others what needs done next. There were only a few of the latter, and I recognized none of them, which was weird, but I didn't think anything of it given the state of the world. We walked to the main central area, by Goliath, where mostly everyone was just getting settled in. Not any moving stuff around, just a bunch of tents circling around the main area where a giant tent rose above the rest.
"Hey guys," I said, "let's go check it out. Sounds like a speech."
We walked through and into the central one, a stage was in the middle, with someone on it talking about an invasion. Everyone around us seemed to be heavily armed and ready for a fight. I could see my dogs up on the stage, which made me call out, "Luna, Frost!" Instantly, they struggled excitedly against their leashes. Everyone in the crowd turned their heads, wondering who the heck just walked in.
"Who are you?" The speaker asked, looking directly at me.
Before speaking, I remembered. I left them with a friend. "Andrew Carter! Now I wish to know where you found my dogs and why the fuck you chained them up!"
He walked wowards them, mW and my friends pushing pas the crowd. "Some owner you are. They were at my doorstep in the middle of the night. That's how I knew the world was ending."
He was close enough, and as far as I could tell, no one had a gun. In fact, I couldn't sense even an explosive in the room. At least thirty or fourty people and not a single grenade. Looks like we had the upper hand.
but, just as he was about to pet her, "Luna, interrogate!" Just like that, she bit his hand. He screamed in agony and shock, the crowd frozen in fear.
"Girl. Hold him." She did. Just like that, the crowd seemed really interested in giving us some space. I made it to the stage and unchained my animals, Frost nuzzling my back as I looked this man in the eye. "I left my dogs with a very important friend," I said calmly, him struggling to meet my gaze. "Now you're gonna tell me what you did with him."
"You bastard! You'll be lucky if you survive getting out!" He exclaimed, nodding his head.
Just then, a presence I didn't recognize held a knife to my neck. I turned my hand so my palm faced upward and lifted it as if I was holding something, and the guy behind me started floating and grabbing his neck as if he was being hang by an invisible rope. I turned to him, anger in my eyes. "You knew to wait for me. He told you to, didn't he?" I realized by feeling their emotions. "Don't worry, I felt your presence following us since we walked into the park."
After that, someone pointed a gun at me. My dog tried to charge but I felt something off. I dropped the guy I was levitating. "Frost, stay. Don't engage."
"Game's over, kid," the guy said, pulling the trigger, only to hear a small click. "What the heck? I swear I loaded it!" He chambered the next round, another click. He kept trying as I walked across the stage, back to the leader, too stupid to realize I was causing the malfunction through telekinesis
"Just tell me." I waved my hand by his head as I said this, reaching out to his mind.
"Lane. Your friend, he's held with the others that spoke of you. In the Batman ride, away from the refugees."
"What did they say exactly?"
"They all said it's a mistake to underestimate you. That if you came, to pray. I didn't listen to them. I thought a kid wielding a couple swords was nothing. But I get it now, and I'm sorry."
"You think an apology is all it takes?" I asked, reaching for a throwing knife. "I should have your head!" I threw the blade right for his head.
"No! Please, no!" He yelled, flinching. The room went silent. He looked up again in shock. I stopped the knife just before it hit him.
I pulled it back to my hand and sheathed it. "Ladies and gentlemen," I turned back towards the crowd, "I am Andrew Carter. Now, I have no idea who most of you are, but I must say this. I woke up this morning to snow in Florida, and demons attacking everywhere. That can only mean one thing. They broke the veil or found a way around it. Now, the veil is a side function of the force. While it's the gateway, it's also the barrier between our worlds. This means we can expect to see anything from any kind of mythology, and we'll have to fight them. I won't be surprised if I have to sword fight Satan himself. The point is, the world as we know it has ended and if we want any kind of security and peace again, someone needs to fight. I'm sorry if I frightened any of you with my entrance, but he stole my dogs and he wrongfully imprisoned my friends. So please, I ask you to restore the human race to its original strength, but I also wish for coexistence with nature and a society that rebuilds the world to be better. It's different and we must inspire that change. Who's with me?"
They all raised their hands, and I could tell that some were in fear, most in confusion, and only a few truly understood.
"I can tell a lot of you are uncertain and willing to follow anyone strong enough to give protection and shelter, or afraid to stand up and just go along with it. But there are a few brave souls who wish to join because they know it's their calling to do this. I have to warn you that what we're going to do won't be easy either, or fast. It's going to be a war. Now, I need fighters, but another thing I need is the same mindset across the whole team. That you must do anything to help as many people as possible, listen to orders, more importantly tell when orders are unjust and protest against them. But the most important thing is that you know no matter what you have your team by your side to back you, and you have me, who will do anything I can to protect you guys. And remember it is all your choice, you can still choose to be a refugee at the end of the day and stay in camp and away from the front. Not all of you have to fight."
Just then a woman walked on stage, one of the few who were afraid. She couldn't be younger than 25, and when she looked at me she realized it.
"How old are you, kid?"
"18, ma'am. I'll be 19 in june."
"You're so young but so powerful and fearless. You've been through a lot, haven't you?"
"More than you know. But thankfully it's given me one of our greatest weapons, my abilities. The astral realm has called me since I was a kid and taught me these powers. I can even teach anyone all I know. It will give us a serious edge against any demon or evil spirit. And I vow to cut off Satan's head myself if needed."
"You have power no one's ever seen before," said a guy in the crowd, "I believe you have what it takes, kid."
"Thank you, Sir. So, as I said, anyone who doesn't wish to continue is allowed to quit anytime they wish. Who all wants to stay and follow along?"
Everyone cheered. Some of them probably didn't believe they'd be so lucky, and a lot of them felt truly safe by me. I could tell by their faces.
"Very well, I need a small task force of five to come up here. Fifteen volunteers."
A lot of people raised their hands, but not all of them. I picked out enough and invited them upstage. My friends and dogs got off stage, knowing what was about to happen as I took off my coat and swords, left wearing my T-shirt, pants, and belt of knives, which I wouldn't need.
"Your job is to take me out. None of you will succeed, but I need you to give it your all. Everything except poison, projectiles, or explosives."
"What is this?" Asked a man in a Rick and Morty hoodie, some skinny jeans and walking dead inspired looking weapons. His build was skinny and he looked like a twig.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Taylor."
"Ok, Taylor. This is a test. Best five men to face me, the ones who come closer than the others to landing a hit, come with me. The others will stay and help the camp with setup as well as the others in this tent. Also the main test is not to get knocked off. That happens, you're out."
"What?! You're crazy!"
"This task force will help me and my brothers find a base of operations, information, data, anything."
"Of what?"
"The demons and our situation. We could be out for days. We need to be strong and fearless. You, there!" I pointed to another one of the fifteen men, he was well built, had a military haircut, steel toe boots, good gear, and a decent outfit for battle. "Ex military, right?"
"Yes, Sir. I was a black ops field agent."
"Do you understand the point of such an exercise?"
"Yes, a test.of strength before a first mission. I've seen tons of those."
"Exactly. Do any oppose it?" No one said a thing, instead, everyone was getting ready. Some had swords, I saw a few knives, hatchets, one even had a staff. "Very well, let's do this."
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