Pumpkin Hollow

Chapter 6: Homecoming

"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry!" J.D. begs. Climbing a huge rock in front of me I struggle with my question.

"What does J.D. stand for?"

"Johnny Day," J.D. Replies.

"His real name's Lenny, but since it's the apocalypse he wanted some cool name like it's Resident Evil or something!"

What's Resident Evil? Did he just say the Apocalypse!

"Shut up Harry!"

"Your fault for being such a nerd!"

"I'm gonna KILL YOU!" He tackles Harry to the ground and they begin to wrestle like kids. Len shakes his head in shame then keeps heading up the forest hill. Watching them in amusement, I give a small chuckle. It's kind of funny watching two people fight like that.

The air suddenly grows cold. Shadows overtake the warm light on my face. Looking towards the east I can see the sun is setting. Harry and J.D. immediately stop fighting and grabs their bags. They both run to catch up with Len and me.

"Hurry! The sun's going down!"

"Alyssa?" Len calls out on the radio. Suddenly, a combination of clicks echo from behind a huge rusty, metal door right above the hill. The church reminds me of a bigger version of St. Jerome. The dirty-white building somehow scares me. There aren't too many windows from where I'm standing. Why would a little town like Redwire need such a big church? Harry notices my gaping mouth immediately.

"It's was an orphanage too. That's why it's so big." Walking inside a woman with short blue hair greets us. Behind her, a few more people tend to their own business.

"Come on you people. We still need to lock-up."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch Alyssa. We're here aren't we?" J.D. sasses back flinging his backpack to a corner in the room. The strange features of the building soon startle me as I head deeper into the lobby. I can hear my own feet echo against the dirty, wooden floor. The ceiling has faded scenes from the bible painted on it. These people have barricaded whatever was left of the windows leaving hardly enough light to shine inside. Various candles flood the desks and floor-edges with flickering light. This seems more like a haunted house than a church, but at least I'm with other people now.

"Len, get the boys to help me with this door." A man wearing a bandana over his head calls. Len waves his hand for me to come. I hesitate then run to help them nail boards over one of the doors. Finally, I get to help with something.

+Why do these stupid humans get so heavy after they're dead? I can barely stand carrying them any longer. Even though I am Father's first creation, I at least have the right to know what his intentions are with this town. Even from the beginning, he has always been secretive. All I know is that we're observing an experiment. What experiment could be so important that we have to take into such careful consideration and preparation? What could possibly be so great?

Oh, for the love of-

The wondrous joys of human beings. They even leak out fluid when you have them slung over your back. Why can't we just blow up the damned planet? I'm sure that would be so much easier than years and years of planning and sliding past government officials in over forty countries. Sometimes I think Father is just a complete idiot. Then again, he did tell me that this was all apart of his master plan. But what could that be? Well, at least I will be a major part in it. I will contribute the most I can give and receive a generous spot as a general for future specimens. The BIG BROTHER project was only the beginning. Soon we will rid this filthy planet of it's vermin. Then, only then can we start to rebuild. Only then can we begin to erase the past's filth.

Hurling the body onto the remains of a truck, I pull out the gasoline beside me. I dowse it in the clear, musky liquid. Then I pull out the match from my breast pocket. Too bad Father only gave me control in the cold. The fire gene would have come in handy right now. But what must be done must be done. With the flick of my wrist, tossing the packet of matches into the pool it bursts into flames.

+ The building is safe now. I slammed a couple of nails into my hands in the process, but now I can officially say we can rest for the night. J.D. told me I could help with finding spare parts for the van tomorrow. We gather around a fire in a pit dug inside of the church's floor. The cackling of the burning wood and constant chatter of the people make me feel uncomfortable more than comforted. Orange light coats the walls while their shadows create scenes on them. This reminds me of Halloween. I loved Halloween when I was a kid. Dressing up and going trick-or-treating. I couldn't get enough of it.

A sudden burst of pain erupts in my skull, throbbing.

Gripping my head, I give off a moan. Why does it stop for a while then come back?

"Here," Harry tosses me a small white bottle. It's pain reliever. "That should help for a couple of hours."

"Thanks" I say downing a few pills with my water.

"So what's your name new guy?" Alyssa asks me from across the fire.

"Matt,"

"So Matt, Len says you can't remember what happened after the fire?"

"How could someone forget?" A man next to me remarks.

"I just remember waking up and everything was gone." I answer lowering my head.

"How did you survive for three weeks?" J.D. asks.

"I don't know. It was just a normal day for me. Then the next thing I know I wake up and everything is gone. What happened to the town?"

"That's my specialty," Everyone quiets down as J.D. rises in a dramatic sense. Somehow, everyone forgets how I amazingly fell asleep for three weeks. How did I do that...?

"Oh no, here he goes again with his apocalyptic tone!" Harry cracks up.

"As I was saying," Johnny smirks at Harry then continues.

It all started with just a typical Sunday morning. Alyssa here was the local bartender, and did a damned good job at it. Len owned a gun store. Harry and I ran a bookstore. Everyone here was just playing out his or her normal, peaceful lives. It was all going sweet too. Then we noticed the smell of burning wood. And that the sky turned black."