12. Judgement

"Fuck." I know it's my favorite word and I probably overuse it, but it's the only word I can think of to describe my situation.

I shook Malka's shoulder in attempt to wake her. "Malka! Malka! Get up." It took a few tries but she finally groaned and sat up, blinking wearily as she looked around. It took her a moment to remember what events took place and when she did her face turned beet red and she pulled the blankets over her head.

"G-get out!" she yelled in embarrassment. I couldn't help but wryly smile.

"Uh.. Okay. My bad." I got up and began putting my clothes back on. I turned back while dressing and noticed half her face peeking out of the blankets. When she noticed she had been found out she quickly covered back up. (How cute.)

Once I was done, I left her room without another word and closed the door behind me. The situation was awkward and I didnt want to make things worse.

Kyle still hadn't come back home yet so I decided to leave. As I came down the stairs I saw Kyle's mother and she just smiled at me as i was leaving. (Thank god she didnt tell kyle's father. It looks like she will keep this a secret.)

I got back home and took a shower. My underwear had a spot of blood on them and I couldn't help but think how fucked up what I did was.

I laid down in my bed and it took awhile for me to fall asleep with the turbulent thoughts in my head.

Eventually my eyes closed and I drifted off to sleep.

***************************

I found myself on a road surrounded by crumbling buildings and overgrown vegetation. It was a place I recognized and a place where I often had nightmares of. I was strangely conscious despite this being a dream.

"Fufufu, so this is what you dream about. I thought you had gotten over it." I wasnt surprised by her presence. I figured something was up, as usually you wouldn't normally experience everything so clearly when your sleeping.

Yandere Stalker stood next to me. She wore a black leather skin tight suit and had a pretty face, long straight blond hair that cascaded down her back down to the top of her ass. Dark eye shadow around her gem like emerald eyes.

"What do you want?..." I didnt have the motivation to act harshly with her, despite my annoyance.

"I just wanted to see what kind of dreams you have. It's boring not having a physical body, ya know?"

I didnt retort and instead kept my focus on the road leading up to me. A canal ran along the side of it. In the distance a group of six were slowly approaching.

The group consisted of 3 men and 3 women. They walked with weapons in thier hands and wore tattered clothes. They got closer and closer to us but didn't see us. This is a dream after all.

"Hey, are you guys sure this is the right place?" Cynthia asked.

"Should be. The guy said it was a gated community that's near the canal. Should be right." Donovan said.

"I don't know about this. This place gives me the creeps." Said Myra.

The group walked closer and closer to the gate. There were earthen walls piled up around the place and signs of recent use could be seen.

The group approached the gate and Donovan knocked loudly. After a minute a peephole slid open on the gate a mans face could be seen. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Sir, we were told there was a community of survivors here. We were wondering if you'd take us in?" Donovan stated.

The man eyeballed Donovan and then the rest of the group. His eyes tended to stay longer on the females as if inspecting.

"I see. Wait right there. I'm gonna get the boss. He will decide whether you can come in or not." saying that, the peephole closed shut.

"You sure about this guys? I didnt like the way he was looking at the girls." Jason stated with a uneasy look. Everyone became anxious at his words.

I couldn't take my eyes off this scene. I wanted so badly to scream. To yell. To warm them to go away. Tell them only hell awaits them. Above all... I wanted to kill. Yes, I wanted to kill. To tear through the enemy in front of me and savor stripping them of every pound of flesh.

Yandere Stalker next to me noticed my state, but didn't say anything. She only looked at me. Watched me. Observed my reactions. That's what I always hated about her. She always just watched...

A few moments passed and the gate began to slide open. For me every second dragged on.

The gate slid open and a few armed men stood there. At the front a well built man stood. He had an air of arrogance about him yet he was what most would consider a handsome man.

"Welcome! My guard has told me you are seeking asylum with our community. My name is Brock. I'm the leader of this place." He spoke with a tinge of self importance.

"I'm Donovan. This is Jason, Ethan, Cynthia, Myra and Maria. We hadn't seen many survivors out here. Can you tell us how many, by chance, live here?" Donovan asked him hoping to get some information about this place.

"Hm, I think theres about 60. We settled in here not long after things went to hell. There was more people in those days, but we didnt have walls or powers then. Tell me... What kind of powers do you guys have?"

The group told him the basics of their powers. Brock nodded along listening to them. He seemed pretty interested in Myra's light attribute healing spells.

Jason felt that something was wrong. The gazes of the men behind Brock gave him a bad feeling.

"Well ok. I dont see a reason you guys cant join us." Brock said and turned around walking back into the gate.

"Ah... but unfortunately that offer is just for the women."

He turned around lifting his hand. A hail of Light Bullets shot out. No one was ready for it and the bullets struck the men before they could react. They were simply too fast. Ethan fell to the ground immediately and Donovan fell to one knee.

Jason had attempted to evade but a bullet hit his shoulder leaving a hole. Maria ran up to Jason to support him. The men behind Brock swooped in and Donovan tried to fight back. However he had several holes in his abdomen and died quickly pierced by multiple weapons.

Cynthia and Myra had tried to save him. A fire ball hit a mans face and melted it off. He rolled on the ground screaming. Myra used her whip to keep her attackers at bay. But she noticed the situation was bad.

Jason and Maria were now behind them and Jason was coughing up blood. "Run! Take him and get out!" Myra shouted at them. She knew they were the only ones who could flee. Cynthia was already surrounded after her first spell.

Maria was stunned for a moment but then started dragging Jason away. Jason's body couldn't move well due to his injury, his consciousness faded in and out. A large hole where his shoulder used to be was bleeding profusely.

His hand stretched out reaching for his companions. The last thing he saw was Myra and Cynthia being pinned down and dragged into the compound. Other men were running toward him to catch Maria to. And the last thing he remembered was being submerged in water before the lights cut out.

As soon as the figures of Maria and Jason fell into the canal, everyone else disappeared. I stood there in that spot with my hands clenched and my teeth grinding. All alone... no, not alone.

"Do you hate me?" she asked. I didn't answer right away. But after a moment...

"Yes. I hate you Maria."

Inside I knew it was wrong. I knew there was nothing she could have done. But logical reasoning had no place in this for me. This was the beginning of my hell. It wasnt the apocalypse killing everyone I knew and love.

No. My hell began here. This was the start of my lifes nightmares. The turning point that led to despair.

Maria looked at me in pity. "I see." She turned her back and then continued. "I won't stop. I'll come for you. I'll make you look at me no matter what." Just as she finished speaking she disappeared.

I didn't have the energy to do or say anything. I sat down on the ground and then laid my head down and stared at the sky.

(Why am I such a bastard?)

I closed my eyes and then opened them. What I saw was my bedroom ceiling. I stared at it for what could have been hours before my alarm clock began ringing.

I had breakfast with my family and then left the house again. I took my bike and went out of district 7 towards district 4. I didn't really have a goal.

I stopped my bike and looked at the building in front of me. It was an old church that had a wrought iron fence around it and colorful stained glass window that depicted the virgin mary.

Since it was Sunday, there were a few people going inside. I leaned my bike against the fence and went in as well.

I sat on a pew by myself and listened to the sermon.

"Let us offer our morning prayer." Father Marcus said as the last of the people shuffled in. Everyone clasped thier hands together before he began.

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of His servant David.

Through His holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember His holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

To set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in His sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;

for You will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation  by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace."

His spoke the passage with calmness, and added addition prayers for specific people and then ended with "Amen!"

The service was typical of what you'd expect from a church. I sat through it, not really paying attention. Until at last a young nun came around carrying a collection plate.

She had a pretty face and a slim figure that was covered by her habit. When she got to me I pulled out all I had on me, and dropped it onto the plate. "Thank you. May the lord grant you his blessings."

Before she could walk away I said. "I sure hope he does Maria." and then I got up and left. Maria looked on me with a confused look wondering if we knew eachother and how I knew her name. But I had left too quickly for her to ask so she continued on with her duties.

After leaving the church I decided today I was gonna find some information. I'm not a religious person but I felt attending church was appropriate today. Because if god permits... I'll be reading someone thier last rites...