Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 16

"Before long, Ulysses had amassed a legion of loyal followers. A horde of undead men and women who not only wanted to deliver Benjamin to their leader, but believed in his views of undead supremacy. Dead walkers who grew tired of hiding what they were. Those tired of subjugation by humans and their supernatural allies. They hailed Ulysses their Undead Lord, awaiting the day that all dead walkers will be free. Free and domineering." He grinned in Benjamin's face. "Ulysses' followers today are known as the Immortal Order. They terrorize. They kill. And they hunt for Benjamin Crawford. If I were you, I'd go into hiding. I'd go into hiding and never come out."

The human girl only stared at Benjamin with compassionate eyes. The man sitting next to the woman called Elsie, stood. He was blonde and tan and built like a tank.

"The boy himself." He offered a hand. "The name's Sebastian."

Benjamin hesitantly took the man's hand and shook it. Sebastian turned to Joseph.

"Benjamin Crawford? You outdid yourself this time."

"I couldn't just leave him where I found him," Joseph said.

"Yes, you could have!" Antonio spat, turning to Joseph. "You're risking all of our lives for a kid you don't even know."

"Relax, Antonio," Sebastian laxly said. "I'm talking now."

Antonio abided, pursing his lips.

"You prepared to deal with the possible repercussions of taking the kid in?" Sebastian asked Joseph.

"You mean Morrison and the Immortal Order . . ." Joseph said.

Sebastian gave a single nod.

"Look, all I know is that . . . I couldn't leave him there," Joseph said. "He reminded me of myself after my brothers had abandoned me--quite literally leaving me in the cold streets of New York to either starve to death or be killed by gang members. Ever heard of The Dead Rabbits? They make modern-day gangsters look like the Garbage Pail Kids. Anyway, I was lucky enough to find a caring family. Don't you think Benjamin here deserves the same?"

"Look at you," Elsie said, smiling at Joseph. "I'm not used to seeing you so . . . philanthropic." Her smile quickly faded. "Now, if only you could be half as philanthropic towards humans."

Joseph scoffed.

"I'm nice towards Natalie, aren't I?"

The human girl only gave Joseph an unamused glare.

"That's because you know I'd kill you should you lay a finger on her," Elsie said, her lips curving into an eerie smile.

"You all are making a big mistake," Antonio interrupted as he began pacing around them all. "When--not if--when Ulysses eventually catches up to the boy, we're all good as dead."

"What do you suppose we do, then?" Sebastian asked.

"Take the boy back where you found him," Antonio said to Joseph.

Another silence followed, soon interrupted by the human girl standing from her rocking chair and making her way over to Benjamin. She watched him with deep, green eyes, filled with what Benjamin could only guess was sympathy. She wore a white evening dress and ruby necklace and her curly brunette hair in a psyche knot. When she finally reached Benjamin, she placed a hand on his cheek and attempted to smile.