Morningstar/Alignment by Keith Trimm (people reading books txt) 📕

"What do you think happened to our other men? The ones who didn’t make it to camp and the ones who died during the attack?" Jackson asked. "Are they out in the tall grass watching us?"

"Maybe, I don’t know. They may have been waiting for our numbers to thin down a little before attacking." Ramsey replied.

"Our own men trying to kill us? That sounds so wrong."

"They stopped being our men as soon as they died."

"Jesus Christ this sucks!" Jackson said. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Just watch," Ramsey said and jumped up onto the ATV. With a flick of a switch the safety was turned off and the commander aimed the machine gun at the pile of bodies. "Stand back!" he yelled. "This is going to get messy!"

Pulling the trigger, the gun shot thirty rounds per second into the pile of bodies sending flesh and bone flying into the air in all directions. Blood covered everything in a twenty-foot radius of the pile, dripping off the vegetation and streaming down the sides of trees. The sound of the machine gun bounced off the trees and rattled in the heads of those standing by. The flash at the end of the gun shot forth twelve inches illuminating the area like a strobe light.

Tony looked away not being able to stomach the horrific sight before him. Splatters of blood and chunks of flesh sprayed his body and everything around him making him gag. A moment later the firing stopped and the barrel of the gun was allowed to slump down and smoke. Tony uncovered his face and looked to the pile now reduced to a blend of flesh and bone mixed with blood and hair. Tony bent over and tried to throw up only producing dry heaves.

"That ought to do it," Ramsey said looking down upon his work. He jumped off the ATV and stepped over to the pile and kicked some of the body parts around looking for anything needing cut up. Ramsey looked to Tony seeing him visible shaken by the sight. "Get over it. The faster you do the better you will be."

Jackson looked at the pile and shook his head with disgust. "What a waste," he said and joined Tony. "You’re a mess," he said looking at Tony’s face. "Next time don’t stand so close."

"There had better not be a next time," Tony said wiping the blood away. Tony walked over to Seth and bent down on one knee next to him. "I don’t think they will be coming back to haunt us."

"Don’t be so sure of yourself," Seth replied. "You do not know the power you are dealing with."

"If Satan is so powerful why doesn’t he just come get us and get this over?" Tony asked.

"He is, in his own way," Seth replied.

"I don’t think he is all so powerful. We got you tied up pretty good."

"Yes you do, I will admit that."

Tony sat back on his rear looking at Seth. "I don’t get it," Tony said. "Why all the games?"

"Games? I find your choice of words interesting."

"What would you call it?"

"It is the way it has to be."

"That is a cop out if I ever heard one. If I am the Messiah like you say I am, Satan would never be able to capture me."

"He would if you lacked faith."

"The Son of God would not lack faith."

"How is your faith?"

Tony stopped dumbfounded. He had no answer.

"What’s the plan now?" Jackson asked.

"With our numbers down, we need to prepare for attack."

"Three against a whole city. That is just freaking fantastic! It is just a matter of time!" Jackson yelled. "No one is coming to rescue us!"

Ramsey chose not to speak for he knew Jackson was correct.

Tony stood and faced the other two soldiers. "They want me and we have no way to defend ourselves. Maybe I should surrender. It could save you two."

"Save us? We have no food. We are outnumbered. It is a matter of time. I think we have twenty four hours at best," Ramsey said.

"Twenty four hours," Jackson shadowed. "This sucks!"

Chapter 27

Jackson tossed roots and berries on the ground next to Tony. "You better eat this," Jackson said, looking down upon his starving companion.

"Do you think this thing is safe?" Tony said, examining the long stiff root. He looked up to Jackson and blocked the sun from his eyes. "I’m not sure about this."

"If you don’t eat, you won’t last long. You better take your chances on these." Jackson bit down on a root, tearing off a piece.

"How’s it taste?" Tony asked.

"Like plastic," Jackson replied laughing. The root crunched in his mouth as he chewed it like a cow.

"You’re a brave man Jackson." Tony said, picking up a root from the dirt.

"The Lord will carry me through."

"You really believe that don’t you?"

"Of course, only a fool would choose not to believe in God. He is my protector."

" How does he do that? Protect you?" Tony asked snapping the root in two.

"Pray my friend. Just pray," Jackson replied.

"I envy you in a way, private."

"Me? I’m just a grunt. You are a doctor. You can’t possibly want anything I have."

"You have something to believe in," Tony said "That is more than I have. Right now my qualifications don’t seem to be helping to much."

"I see your point sir."

Tony held the root in his hand and looked at it again. "I suppose you prayed before you ate?" Tony asked smiling.

"I was brought up that way. I always give thanks. You ought to try it some time."

Tony sniffed the root and nibbled a piece off the end. "I’m not sure what I have to give thanks for," Tony said discontentedly.

"You see that?" Jackson said pointing to the dead corpses across camp. "You can give thanks that you are not in that pile."

"I can’t. I don’t have the sincerity in my heart." Tony said looking away.

"That’s ok doctor," Jackson said. "I prayed for you already."

Tony looked to Jackson and took a bite of the root he had been nibbling on. It tasted like wood. He did not care, for it felt good in his belly. "What about the commander?" Tony asked.

"He gave me the roots. He wanted you to test them out."

Tony’s eyes opened wide.

"I’m just kidding, now eat." Jackson said laughing.

Tony picked up a handful of the red berries covered in dirt and wiped them clean. He tossed one in his mouth and his face puckered like he had just tasted a lemon. "Damn that’s sour!" he said then swallowed. "I need something to drink."

"So do I. I’ll grab some water."

"No, I’ll do it," Tony said and stood up shaking the dust off his pants. "I can’t wait that long," he added and walked over to the water storage bin at the other side of camp. Tony moved ever closer to the remains of the men scattered about the camp, keeping his eyes away from the site. The main pile had settled with gravity and spread out covering a thirty feet area. Flies swarmed about and the smell of death drifted upwards from the rotting flesh.

Grabbing the aluminum cup from the side of the plastic water bin, Tony pushed the button at the bottom of the container allowing the cup to fill with warm stale water. His back to the death scene, he could still see remains splattered before him on the trees and ground. The water bin had spots of blood on it that Tony tried to ignore as he filled his cup.

"Hurry up!" Jackson yelled from across camp.

"I’ll be there…" Tony said, and stopped frozen in mid-sentence. Before him, smeared on the water bin, he saw one of the bloodstains pulsating. About the size of a quarter, the stain collected itself like a water spot on wax paper. With a steady vibration it slowly slid down the side of the container as if it was seeking out a destination.

Tony backed up and looked around noticing more of the blood moving on its own. He turned to the trees and saw large sections of blood and flesh crawling on its own, down the sides of the trees and moving towards the body pile behind him. He was too scared to turn and face the pile alone. "Jackson! Get over here now!" he yelled and set the cup back on top of the water bin.

"Jackson ran over to Tony and stopped by the water bin. "What is it?" he asked.

"Look," Tony said pointing to the blood crawling down the leg of the table.

"What? It’s just blood," Jackson said.

"Look closer."

Jackson bent over and examined the blood. "Oh my God!" he said and stood up. "That thing has a mind of its own."

"If that is moving…" Tony said and again stopped his sentence. He looked to Jackson and then turned to face the pile of bodies behind him. Jackson followed his direction and gazed upon the pile.

Both men noticed right away a severed head lying on the ground looking up at them. Its eyes blinked and its mouth moved but no sound came out. "Oh Shit," Tony said. "They’re coming back."

"It didn’t take as long as the others," Jackson said staring at the eyes of the severed head.

The men could see the pile moving, as body parts reformed and reanimated. Flesh and blood crawled across the ground collecting in the ever-growing mass of bodies. Coherent shapes were forming as the body parts reconnected and wounds healed.

Jackson grabbed his radio and called his commander. "Ramsey! We have an emergency! Get over to the water bin ASAP!"

"Roger!" the commander snapped over the radio.

"We have to do something now!" Jackson said scared.

"We have no gasoline! What should we do? Shoot them again?"

"We have to buy some time. I have an idea," Jackson said and grabbed his radio again. "Ramsey, meet us at the ammunition depot!"

"What is it Jackson?" Ramsey asked over the radio.

"I’ll explain when we get there. Jackson replied.

Jackson and Tony both ran across camp into the woods where the ammunition was stored. Ramsey met them there a few minutes later. "Grab everything you can carry!" Jackson yelled.

"What is it?" Ramsey asked again.

"I’ll show you in a second," Jackson said grabbing up boxes of shells and clips. "We need grenades. Stuff them in your back pack."

Tony stuffed his pack with grenades and Ramsey filled up on shells and clips.

"I’ve got all I can carry," Tony said.

"Me too," Ramsey said.

"Ok let’s go," Jackson said and he led the other men back to the water bin at a full sprint. The weight of the ammunition wore on them like a ton of bricks but the adrenaline powered them onward.

At the water bin, Ramsey looked on in shock. By this time many of the bodies were well formed and on their way to regeneration. Ramsey stood close to the pile and did a quick survey of the situation. "Everyone grab a grenade," he barked and reached into his pack. "When I count three, we pull pins, toss and duck. Got it?"

Both men nodded in agreement.

Ramsey counted off, "One, two, three," and they pulled pins and tossed the grenades into the pile. Diving to the ground, the men covered their heads as the grenades exploded. The blast sent debris flying, covering the men in flesh and blood as the three explosives exploded in the heap. Ramsey stood and looked at the bodies again. "Once more!" he yelled and all three men grabbed for another grenade. Ramsey looked at the doctor and said, "You look like shit," with a grin on his face. "Ready, one, two three," Ramsey yelled and they again tossed the explosives into the pile. Three explosions rocked the area sending more body parts flying in all directions.

Wiping the