Chapter 14 Joining the Blood Cult

Days passed as I smashed the only walkie-talkie to keep tabs on my friends. Knowing that Ace and the others called me to come back, it was a mistake on Jade's part. But I knew that she meant every word that came out of her mouth. I knew that Jones would leave for a Blood Cult meeting or to keep an eye on the zombie population. I was stuck at home with Squeaks, waiting to feel something that wasn't me being sad or upset. It ended with him walking inside with a smile on his face

"Well, I heard some good news," Jones said with a smile.

"What is it?" I questioned

"The leaders said they'll take the price on your head," he spoke, "if you join them."

"Join the Cult that almost killed my friends…" I replied blankly.

"I know that you don't like them," he started to speak.

"I'll do it," I answered with a smile. I thought it could be a great time for me to take a stand for myself. "When do I start?"

"They said when you get the chance to," he answered

"Let's do it today," I smiled as I went to grab my bag with my knife and gun. He didn't think I would join as quickly as I did. I want to feel different and not this monster I was seen to be. When I left out of the house with Jones on my side, the sky was grey and dead looking. It should be a bad sign to join a cult, but I didn't care what others thought of me. He had his own car to get back and forth from their main base in Ava, Missouri. It was about an hour or two away, but it seemed to be worth the trip.

He started the car and we both made it inside. The signs of nature started to take more of the houses and buildings as we drove by. There was nothing wrong as I saw the Wally World base as we have gone by. It didn't seem alive like it was before, it was dead and cold as no one cared to watch the wall. It could have been an advantage to me, but I wasn't going to bother them any longer. The feeling stayed as I finally closed my eyes and slept the hours away. When we came to a stop made me jump. Jones smiled and told me to breathe, but I felt so out of place as I looked at their base. The wall was high, and the sounds of chants came from inside a church. It wasn't a mess like the other cult base as their walls were covered in blood and bodies. They seemed to care about their people in some way here.

"Welcome back Jones," a voice said as we drove on in. I felt scared as I tried to hold myself together, but it felt better as a woman walked towards the car. She was in black robes and had a kind smile on her face. She seemed to know who I was when I came here.

"You must be Karma," she replied.

"She's a part of me yes," I replied as we have gotten out of the car.

"I should say you really did a number on Noah's base." she laughed, "You even killed the bastard for us."

"What?" I questioned.

"We had a price on his head for days," she replied, "but it seemed that we needed to wait for you to finish him off."

"So, him taking people isn't a thing you do?" I asked

"Now that's something…" she stuttered, "we do in our free time."

"Okay…" I muttered and looked at Jones. Hoping that he would at least say something to her.

"She wants to join us," Jones said nervously, "since her friends abandoned her."

"Is that so?" she asked, "What for?"

"I was bitten and didn't turn." I sighed as I looked to the ground, "Becoming a monster that looked and act human in their eyes."

"We'll have to deal with them later." she answered, "Now, let's get you all set up as a member of our little group. Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Karen Manson, I used to be a priest in one of these churches here. But when this happened, I took it as a sign from God, that blood must be shed to keep him happy."

As we walked to the church with people standing guard at the front. The sights of them made me frown as they were once people who had homes and families to take care of. Soon as the doors opened, my life was going to change forever in the making. If they ever found out it would be the end. The building had many things to it, an altar for killing the innocent, books of their God, and a fire pit in the middle. Karen had a smile on her face as we have gotten closer to the pit as there were branding items laying inside. She picked it up and looked at me, wanting me to roll up my sleeve.

She could see my fear as I took off my hoodie and gave it to Jones. He took it and I was left on my own. The feeling of fear started to leave as she placed the hot iron on my left shoulder. Pain shot up as I look to see a mark of a blade stabbing into a skull. To me, it seemed more like a biker's tattoo, but now it was the sign of a cult. It didn't take long for my body to heal into a scar, and it seemed to shock Karen.

"Interesting," she said as she waved for someone to come over, "you might be useful after all."

The thought of me being killed left as she looked at me with a smile. Her arms spread wide as she told me that I was one of them. That I won't be judged again by anyone or anything under her God and rule. Her smile was wide as she finally asks what my real name was and if I was willing to stay different here.

"Lize," I replied, "just call me Lize."

"Welcome to the family Lize." She said proudly as she pulled me along with her, "Now we have learned that you are living with Jones here."

"Yes, Ma'am." I answered

"Now since it's a long way back and forth," she said, "I want you to stay with him and watch a base in that area."

"Is it the one in Wally World?" I questioned

"The very same one." she laughed, "We don't know if we want it or not yet, but since you know of it. Tell me what's going on there?"

I lose faith in what to do, that I should say what I saw today might let them stay away. I know Jade would fight to the death, but I didn't want Emma to be taken by them. A part of me worried about what I was going to do and if it was worth lying about it. I breathe in and out before speaking.

"They don't have many with them," I sighed, "There are less than twenty of them and they are trying to survive on what little they have. I lived with them since it all happened and over time, I grew to love them. When I was bitten, they tested what I could do, but got further away from me over time. To them, I was a monster."

"I hope that here would treat you better," Karen said with a smile as she walked me towards the door. "Now I know you and Jones have a long trip back, but make sure to pick up some supplies to take back home."

"We will," Jones said as he pulled me away and out the door. I finally got to see what this place was really like without suffering in mind. People were working on farms, teaching children education, and even guarding the walls with nothing in mind. We move closer to a building with fresh food in the front for people to look at and even guns and knives at the front window. It was their community shop and we have gotten inside with the feeling of home and danger. The owner was a black man with a kind smile as he was cleaning a gun above his mantel.

"Welcome to Bit's and Kills," he said with a smile, "we have food, ammo, guns, and for you, young lady. Knives"

"How did you know I like knives?" I questioned

"Here I can tell what you like," he replied, "Wearing an empty knife holster on your hip speaks a lot."

"Wait…" I said in shock, "my knife it's gone."

"And here you go," he replied as he handed my knife back to me. "You should watch it more. But something seems to be wrong with it?"

"There is?" I questioned.

"Liam," Jones said with a warning tone, "you should know her friend made it for her."

"It's good craftmanship," Liam answered, "but the blade is going to break with how thin it is. You can tell it's their first piece."

"She is learning still…" I answered, "I guess…"

"Well, I can give you one for free," he said, "till you can give it to your friend."

"Thanks" replied with a smile as he pulled us to the back. It was filled with guns, parts, ammo, and a forge of his own. I don't know when he had the time for it, but it showed how much he loved it on the walls. He pulled us to a dummy in the corner of the room, it was cut up and shot at, but it showed how much work he put into it. When it came to showing his weapons, it was better than anything I thought could happen. He had a cloth rolled up with knives of different shapes and sizes, some curved and others straight.

Each had their own look as he picked one up and threw it at the dummy. It was clean through the head as he went to pull it out. He looked proud as Jones shook his head at him for showing off. At this point I grabbed one and looked at it, it was a hunting knife, but curved for a clean slicing position. I also saw that I could kill something by stabbing with great force as well, but I didn't if it was the one.

"That right there is my own design," Liam said proudly, "I made it to cut about anything. From vegetables to metal. I even tested it on a zombie too, clean cut through the bone."

"Need to prove that" I replied with a sigh.

"Can do," he answered as he walked towards a corner of a room. It was out of sight, but the sounds of groans came as he walked back with a cage covered up on wheels. I knew what was inside as the sounds were younger and the movement of the cage was something clashing with it. Soon as the cloth was removed the sign of a zombie child was there with cuts and a hunger for flesh.

"This is one of my test dummies," he replied, "I call him Moe as he is still alive for the moment."

"I don't know how I feel about this," I said with a calm voice. "It seems tortuous to kill them in a cage."

"Yes," he answered, "but it keeps it from killing anyone on base."

"Liam," Jones said, "Lize and I still have to get supplies and head home."

"Right," he answers, "So let's get to the point."

Liam seemed determined to show what he had as he held the knife in hand. He waved to Jones to be near the cage to open it up. I watched and waited to see what would happen as one of his dummies ran out toward him. He showed no fear as he moved his arm toward them with great speed. A thump could be heard as the body fell to the ground without a head on its shoulders. He kept his word about how it could cut right through anything.

I was shocked by how well it worked, but at the same time, I wasn't. I grabbed the blade from his hand and placed it in my holster. I looked at Hayhay's blade and remembered how hard she worked on it as she carved her name on the hilt. I was going to return it and say that their friend was dead at my hands. I wanted them to feel the pain I felt as I was thrown away without a thought.

"Thanks, Liam," I said with a sad smile, "I'll be using this."

"No problem," he replied as he started to move the body of one of the dummies back into the cage. Jones grabbed my hand and walked right back into the main store with a card in hand. The card was with what he needed and how long he was going to be gone away from their main base. I knew that he goes back and forth to get missions to gain points for food, ammo, and other supplies for the house. Liam gave Jones a cart for us to grab food and ammo before we could leave. He grabbed canned food, fresh vegetables and fruit, pasta, meat, water, and ice for the road. The ammo was for both of our guns, pistol ammo, and magnum ammo. I kept looking around the store to see what else was there. One thing that caught my attention was a book, a cookbook that I and my grandmother used to use for baking and cooking. A part of me wanted it, but I didn't say anything to Jones about it.

"What is it?" he asked as he held the cart in hand.

"Nothing," I replied and walked towards the door.

"Liam!" he said out loud, "Can we afford the cookbook?"

"Dude," he answered, "you know you can."

I stopped in my tracks, what was he doing, and did I hear that right? His hands were on the book as we headed out the door. He had a smile on his face, and it was intoxicating as I felt something heavy in my hands. I looked down to see the book and the photo of a woman holding a turkey with greens and stuffing. I questioned why he got it for me. But it made me happy as I felt lips on my forehead as we finally made it to that car. The area was still busy and made me feel at ease a bit. The car sat there as Jones open the trunk. Inside there was a cooler for the meat, ice, and fresh produce. Bags of food was put inside as he finally handed me something, a gas can, and a ticket for a refill.

"Tell them that we need a refill and two drinks," he said with a smile.

"Okay," I replied and grab the can, and walked inside. There was an older woman with two children as she worked on the papers. She looked over at me and smiled as she held out her hand. I thought it was for the ticket, but she frowned and shook her head.

"You are new around here," she said with a sigh, "I wanted a handshake, Missy."

"Sorry," I replied and finally took her hand, "We needed a refill and two drinks."

"Jones," she asked

"Yes Ma'am" I answered as she smiled and walked right on the outside with the two kids. She knew who he was and ran over to give him a hug.

"Boy," she said with a smile, "you should have come in yourself to say hello."

"Sorry Miss Pat," he said with a smile, "We were about to head out."

"Well, you got yourself a shy one," she laughed as she slapped my back.

"Yep," he answered and gave to two kids a hug, one was a boy, and the other was a girl. "We are living together in West Plains."

"You're finally settling down," she smiled, "Knew that this was going to happen one day."

"Pat!" he said in embarrassment

"You know it is true," she smiled, "Watch him, Missy, he can be a real handful."

"I'll try," I replied with a smile

Mrs. Pat had a smile on her face as she told the kids to grab a couple of sodas for us for the road. She told Jones to pull up to the pump for a refill in both the gas can and the car. The car was an off-white from driving on dirt roads and pavement. Jones looked tired, but happy at the same time as Pat set up the gas pump. She made sure that we could leave without a problem but gave me a piece of paper. I didn't understand why I was given this, but when I looked inside it was hopeful. She gave me a recipe that Jones liked to cook and eat when he lived with them.

We said our goodbyes to Pat and her children as we headed towards home. It was going to be a long drive, so I took the chance to drive and let Jones have a break. He set up music for both of us to listen to as he took a nap. I wonder how he join in the first place and if we should leave later in life.