-“Neither do men put new wine into old bottles”
The alarm sounded off. There was a patter in the trees among abhorred screeches, even though Leo had the vantage point at top of the black gate of the base, Grace’s Haven, and his enhanced five senses made him a human radar, it was still was difficult pinpoint their location among the stampede of black-eyed infected. He knew it was southeast, in tree area before the fields of craters.
Leo and his comrades, with huge archery quivers on their backs, in their uniformed blue coat on the shoulder were badges that have an insignia of a lightning streak on a castle’s wall, they’re red iris-eyed guardians keeping the haven safe. As they scanned the area, they aim with mechanized bows with electrical turbines on both sides. They use arrows that could pass for long javelins discharging currents of blue electricity.
“Keep an eye out, I hear two uninfected among them?” he said to others.
“Copy that” they replied
The atmosphere was thick with concentration as they sifting through screeches, screams and whatever horrific noise made by the dead. Leo’s heart stormed in his chest so he bit his bottom lip, the bow must be still as stone. There were shadowy figures at the entrance of the woods. Leo released the lightning strike upon the black-eye mauling someone.
Leo didn’t miss his target, threat neutralized- that was twenty-five mile shot and one mile away from saving that poor man. The smoke cleared, and there was a survivor, Leo puts the bow on his shoulder. He said, “Cover me.” He leaped from a five-story gate, his legs buckled in that instance so he safety-rolled to his feet.
It was a red hair young women, holding a Graceson knife. She stared at the remains of the man, maybe her father, someone that Leo couldn’t save. He helped her up and held her hand for comfort, then inspected her eyes, mouth, and nose. She was cleared, so he picked her up on his back and sprinted to the base. When they reached Grace’s Haven, he signals his comrade and the gates open. The survivor walked her way into home base with five major building like cafeteria, hospital, and myriad of house-like tents.
A camp that was very simple but maybe simple was what people need in an apocalypse. Leo saw Mama Ann walking her class out of the underground bunker at the center of the camp, he looked for his little brother and checking if he was being good. His brother waved at him, Leo held back his smile for a cool-older-brother salute instead. The young women walk through the open gate.
Loud scream popped, black-eyed humans ambushed them- charging like a war tribe. The alarm resumed blaring- every blue coat yelled “Close the gate.” A gust of air went through Leo’s face. One of the black-eyed passed him by, sprinting for the camp, hunting for prey. The gate was too old, the mechanics of the door was closing at a snail’s pace.
Leo turned about, the Black-eyed was very close to being out of his reach. He closed the distance with hop and clamped on its neck with bow and slammed the thing on the ground with enough force to snap its head off. A storm of lightning destroyed dozens of them but the surviving infected made a tactical retreat as if they weren’t mindless carnivores. The gate jammed leaving it cracked open.
Hours passed as the gate stuttered to close but Aren, a blue coat, kept pushing the buttons. Leo stop starring and reluctantly squeeze through the crevice, and he successfully, easily, went through the impregnable walls. His heart dropped into his stomach. Stephen and his daughter at the binds of the gate laboring with parts, plugs, and sparks for a miracle or cheat that would shut it. Mama Ann canceled school, old Ollie was outside with no bottle in hand, crazy Drew and cooks were out of the kitchen.
Everybody was gathered in an uproar, hoping the Graceson, the doctor, the leader, the chosen one, would calm their worries but it was only his assistant. “I understand the worries,” the assistant said, “but remember our old tired gate stand not because of itself but our beloved Storm Archers like our dear Leo.” Assistant continued, “The infected will not snuff us out but turn into ashes and by that time, Dr. Klein will have return with supplies, food, water, tools and whatever we need.”
The people walked away snickering and whispering doubts, as much as Leo wanted to walk with them he needed to stay with the assistant.
“What are you doing? You need to tell them the opposite like now.” He said.
“Dr. Klein will return with everything we need to maintain,” Assistant replied.
“If he returns… It’s not safe. The black infected are acting more like a militia- something I have never seen before and the door won’t close”
“Your lack of confidence is more concerning to me.”
“When threat level is red, we’re supposed to leave, if the Graceson is not present and that gap between our walls scream red.”
“Leo, I understand but can you please return to your post.” he looked away from Leo.
“Wow, so it’s not that obvious to you?” he pointed at the broken gate.
Leo could have slapped him but he walked away. As he was returning to his post, his little brother Isaac hugged him.
“Is Everything going to be alright, right?” Isaac said.
“You want the big bro answer or nice answer.” He replied.
“Both.”
Leo chuckled, “to be straight up, probably not. You remember how to pack.”
“A little bit. Can my friends come with us.”
“I don’t know.”
“Why can’t you know everything?” Isaac walked to their tent.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Leo returned to his post. He was distracted from the atmospheric contention from his comrades maybe he shouldn’t have informed them about the assistant idiotic decision, or are they weary of what the black-eyed will do next.
Thistle and bushes buckles from pounding forces. They wave of infected ran at them in a typical manner, what previously happened was a fluke. The storm archers only had to wait for the easy shot.
Suddenly the wave stopped and catapult several of their own into the sky, above the wall. Leo bit his lip hard enough it bled but he found his focus. The blue coasts took an extra millisecond to aim. They all unleashed lightning into the sky, and it was multiple explosions of sparks above the wall- not one of the infected fell through the lightning storm.
A mighty tremor pounded throughout the gate, shook the balance of the blue coats. The strength of black-eyed and leverage of gap allow them to bust through it.
Leo’s head went blank only instinct made him jump off the gate into the camp. Leo hung in the air above as the infected entered, but he unleashed a bolt of lightning. It struck the center of militia to only split the wave into smaller groups invading their home.
He crashed to the ground, few of his comrade followed after him, and the rest stood their ground shooting at the infected throughout their scatter tents and buildings. The blue coats warred against black-eyed until there were none left, not one infected was able to flee. There was no home, only ripped tents, craters, body parts and blood splatters trailing to the closed bunker.
Only hope to look for was the underground bunker, did Isaac, everybody, make it or is this their blood? The bunker opened up, and it was half of the people walking out. Leo didn’t see any hope or his brother among the crowd as he went through shouting his name- Leo punched the mindless assistant out of his way. Isaac wasn’t there, maybe he escaped into the woods. Leo ran into those dark woods just searching, searching, searching. Nothing?
Peculiar Parables 