He smashed Kamiyo in the middle of his face.
The lights went out.
38
TED
Ted was fairly pleased with the rope swing. The lengths of thick climbing rope he’d employed were springy yet tough, and the children bounced vigorously as they swung back and forth. The large wooden crossbeam Ted had attached the swing to had another, more important purpose, but today it worked just fine as a swing.
Moods at the castle were down since Kamiyo and Philip failed to return after two whole days. While there had always been the chance they might remain on the road for a while, the hope had been that they’d return the night of the day they’d left. Ted knew what it was like out there, which was why he was probably most worried of all. That was why he’d set himself to a task, to occupy himself, but he didn’t work on any more defences. No, the camp needed to focus on something other than merely surviving. Just for today.
So, he had erected a rope swing from karabiners and climbing rope. The kids were ecstatic. It might not be a PlayStation, but it was the first time they’d had fun since monsters had eaten their world. Watching the children now, smiling and giggling, made Jackie’s absence all the more painful. She would’ve been overjoyed.
Ted needed to go check on things down at the cabin. He did so every morning, to check Nathan was still locked up, and to see if Steven needed help collecting whatever fish had made it into the traps. There were wooden snares too, but they were yet to catch any rabbits. Ted would have to find a way to improve them.
He took his hammer and passed through the sally port, starting down the hill in a diagonal line to keep from tumbling headfirst. Steven remained at the castle, but he knew the man would come down in the next hour. Until then, Ted would have peace and quiet, both things he still very much appreciated. Knowing the kids were happy was enough to lift his mood, even without watching the joy firsthand.
At the bottom of the slope, he started towards the cabin. This morning was the coldest in a while, and dew hung from the tips of the overgrown grass. The wooden planking over the cabin’s exterior was damp, as though the building had been sweating.
He continued walking beyond the cabin to a nearby clearing. All the graves there had markers, but the most recent marker had been put there by Ted. It was a sturdy cross made from the thick limbs of an oak tree. A strong, no-fuss marker for a strong, no-fuss woman. He hoped Jackie was some place safe. Some place she would be happy.
“I let Nathan live,” he said, as if not murdering a child would somehow impress her. “But I still don’t know what to make of him. I wish you could tell me whether he shot you on purpose. Everyone is certain he did. Think I am too. The kid is weird.” He blew air out of his cheeks and looked up at the grey sky. “I have to believe it was an accident. If Nathan is a killer… I suppose it would make me question a lot of things. Things that would make me wonder if things would be better if mankind just finished. You would probably argue with me about that.” He ran a hand over the loose dirt and imagined her body down there. “I hope you found your George up there, Jackie. Tell him I say hello.”
After his one-sided conversation ended, Ted got up and headed back to the cabin, planning to go check on Nathan. He hadn’t expected to see Vamps standing there.
Ted raised his hammer.
“Chill!” Vamps put his hands out. “It’s me, not… the bad guy.”
Ted started up the steps. “You’re going down, fucker. Eric was a good bloke, and you gutted him.”
Vamps didn’t move. “The attack will come tonight while you’re sleeping. They’ll come right to your front gate and smash their way through any way they can.”
Ted stopped in his tracks, only making it up the first step. “What? How do you know that?”
“Because the Red Lord knows, innit? He can sense all the other demons nearby. He knows there’s a large group getting closer. They will wait until the middle of the night and then come at you while you’re in your beds. It’s gunna be bad, yo.”
Ted took another two steps up, close enough now to take a swing at Eric’s killer. “Like I’m going to trust any word that comes out of your mouth. You’re just another monster.”
“No, man, I ain’t. I get these brief sessions where The Red Lord goes away. I don’t know why. But I came to warn you all. Get ready because tonight is the night. They’re coming.”
Ted ran scenarios through his mind, trying to pre-empt any angle the Red Lord might be working here. Warning Ted to be on his guard didn’t seem like something that could hurt him though. Maybe this really was just Vamps trying to do them a favour. The young man had worked amongst them for weeks without causing harm, and as a human he had skin in the game by default. Did he truly have periods of time where he was himself? What happened to the Red Lord then?
Ted decided he couldn’t be sure, which meant it wouldn’t be acceptable to kill this man who might be innocent. “Okay, I’ll have everyone be ready.”
Vamps nodded but didn’t seem done. “Ted, can I ask you to do me a favour?”
“Now you’re pushing it. What do you want?”
“For you to take me out.”
Ted didn’t understand immediately. “You… want me to kill you?” He looked at the hammer in his hands, wondering if he could do
