After the Event (12 page)

Alec ran through the field, slowly working his way back towards the front of the compound. Every time he began to fear he had lost the man a bullet would strike the ground near him. As the burning car came into view Alec glanced back and saw the man fifty yards behind him, but the man had stopped. The man was reloading his gun. Alec stopped and the world seemed to stand still. A year ago he was safe sitting in their old apartment watching over his brothers and sister with only the memory of his dead mother hanging over him. Things seemed bad then but deep down he knew everything was going to be alright. He knew even if his father left them again he would find a way to provide for his family. Then things changed. As Alec raised his gun and leveled it at the unaware man he came to realize that he was going to have to change in order to protect his family.

He fired the gun and watched as the man screamed out in agony and then fell to the ground.
The man let out a whimper then went quiet. For a brief moment Alec thought he was going to throw up but he fought the sensation.

“Alec get down.”
Whitford screamed from behind a nearby wheelbarrow.

Alec dropped to the ground and crawled towards the man.
The gun fire had slowed down and now the night air was filled with the occasional scream for help and the breeze blowing through the trees. As he approached he noticed a body laying still in the yard only a handful of yards away. He glanced and continued forward but stopped when his mind registered what he saw. The body belonged to Trent. He looked again waiting for the man to move or say something but it was clear, Trent was dead.

“Alec you’re in the open, get over here.”

Whitford’s words floated past him. Trent was dead and Alec was certain he wasn’t the only one. Alec was vaguely aware that gunfire had erupted around him again the only thing he could think of was his father. He got to his feet and ran back towards his father.

The blow knocked him back onto the floor and for a second all he could focus on where the cobwebs hanging from the building ceiling, then the pain caught up with him.
It radiated from his stomach and he let out a scream of pain. His stomach felt warm and when Grant looked down he could see blood soaking through his shirt. It took him a moment to realize it was his own.

             
“You think you can come to my house and destroy my things?”

             
Grant saw the battered face of V standing before him, in the man’s hand was a pistol.

             
V stumbled forward a couple of steps and fired a shot the missed Grant’s head by less than a foot.

             
“I was going to let you all live in peace. You gave me your daughter and that was payment enough, but not anymore.”

             
Grant clenched his teeth as another wave of pain caused the world to come out of focus for a brief moment. “You killed my son.”

             
V waived his hand at him like it wasn’t a big deal. “I didn’t have a fucking choice. He killed one of my men. I couldn’t just let him get away with that.”

             
Once again his anger helped to push the pain aside. Grant looked to the side and saw his rifle just out of reach. V shot again into the concrete near his head, the shot missed but something shot up and struck Grant in the face.

             
“You stupid piece of shit. I know where your family is. I want you to know that once I kill you I’m going to head over there and kill each and every one that is left.”

             
Grant grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at V. It struck him in the face and the man staggered back a step, Grant rolled to his left, grabbed his rifle and fired. A bullet tore throw V’s shoulder causing him to drop his pistol and fall to the floor. Grant started to get to his feet but the pain knocked him back down. He pushed himself up against one of the nearby cages and aimed his rifle back at V. “I want you to know that I’m going to send you to hell and there is not a single person here that will mourn you.”

V started to say something but Grant ended his life with a single shot.

              Grant rested his head against the cage and closed his eyes. He had ended the life of the man who had murdered his son. The world was a safer place.

His body was wracked by another wave of pain and Grant let out a small grunt.
He looked to the side and saw an ever expanding pool of blood, his blood; it was at that moment that Grant realized he was going to die. His thoughts turned to Alec, Ben, and Alya. Once again he was going to leave them behind.

             
“Dad?”

             
Grant opened his eyes and saw Alec standing before him.

His father’s shirt was soaked in blood and Alec knew who the blood belonged to. He ran to his father and lifted up his shirt, he knew there wasn’t anything he could do but that wasn’t going to stop him. “Dad I need you to put pressure on this, I’m going to get the others so we can carry you out of here and get hel-“

             
“Stop.” Grant grabbed his arm. “There is nothing you can do, I’m sorry.”

             
This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening, I can’t lose him too.
“Get off me I’ve got to get you some help.”

             
“Listen, the woman that was in the cage with Alya took her out of here when V attacked me. You’ve got to find her and bring Alya back home, do you understand?” Tears blurred Alecs vision but he nodded his head. “You’re an amazing person Alec, much better than I ever was. I’m sorry I’m leaving you all again.”

             
Alec hugged his father and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “You’re not leaving us again dad, you saved us. If you hadn’t brought us here then we would have starved in the city, you gave us a chance.”

             
Tears ran down Grant’s face and he gave Alec a kiss on the forehead. “I love you son.”

             
“I love you too dad.”

             
Grant closed his eyes and didn’t open them again.

The sun crested over the horizon giving everything a warm orange glow. Whitford found Alec as he was slowly dragging his father out of the building and helped him, nothing was said. Alec didn’t ask where the rest of the bandits were, part of him didn’t care. Freddie found them at the edge of the clearing.

             
“The few that were left took off towards the woods.”

             
“Did you see my sister?”

             
Freddie nodded. “I saw her and some lady get in a truck and take off down the road.”

             
Alec snapped back to reality. “Where were they headed?”

             
“That road heads back towards Centralia.”

Alec nodded.

              Whitford spoke up. “Freddie grab one of those vehicles so we can take Grant and Trent home and give them a proper burial.”

             
He tried to be strong but failed; Alec fell to his knees and broke down.

Ben watched as Alec and Jack buried his father and brother.
He didn’t say anything because there wasn’t anything to say. He remembered Alec trying to say something comforting but he couldn’t understand the words. His world had ended, his family had been destroyed.

             
“Ben I need you to pay attention.” He tried to focus on Alec. His brother’s eyes were bloodshot but he had a look of determination on his face. “I have to find Alya, do you understand?” Ben nodded. “They didn’t stop in Centralia but they can’t be too far. I’m going to find her and bring her back do you understand?” Again Ben nodded. “I need you and Jack to protect our house ok? I’m coming back with Alya.”

             
Ben walked past his brother and sat at the foot of the newly covered graves. His world had ended.

“I need you to watch over and protect him.”

              “And who is going to watch over and protect you?” Jack asked.

             
Alec threw a bag containing a few days of food into the back of Jack’s truck.

“I’ll protect myself.
The main road heads west so they have to be going in that direction. There are a couple of towns down that way so they will have to stop for gas or food. I can catch up to them there.”

             
Jack placed his hand on Alec’s shoulder. “Once they hit the first town they can go anywhere, north, south, even further west.”

             
Alec turned on the man. “And what is your suggestion? What the hell do you want me to do, not even try? She’s just a child.”

             
The old man looked away and shook his head. “You’re in an impossible situation and I’m not trying to second guess you. I just want you to be careful. Ben is hurting just like I am sure you are hurting.”

             
“I can’t take him with me. It’s safer for you all here.”

             
“Yes, it is and your sister needs you too. But if you get out there and can’t find her then what?”

             
“I’ll find her.”

             
Jack gave the boy a hug. “You bring your ass back here, understand?”

             
Alec nodded and saw Ben still sitting at the graves. Jack followed his gaze. “I’ll take care of him until you return.”

             
Alec turned towards the open road knowing his sister was out there somewhere waiting for him. He wanted to turn back around and look at his brother but stopped himself. He couldn’t waste any more time. He couldn’t put his family back together again until he found his sister. Alec turned on the truck and hit the gas.

The Remnants

Book 2 of the
After The Event
Series

Out Now

About The Author

T.A. Williams is the author of the
After The Event Series
(
After The Event
, and
The Remnants
). He lives in middle America, USA with his wife and son.

http://www.TheTAwilliams.com/