Legend of Mace Read online

  Lisa erupted in mad laughter as he pulled the second spike free. She shuddered as the laughter turned to a tortuous scream.

  “Cut her loose!”

  The boys carefully tore at the ropes that bound Lisa to the wood beams. Lisa gasped repeatedly with every movement. They finally pulled her free of the horizontal crucifix and helped her to a standing position.

  White as a ghost, all Lisa could say was, “I need a vacation.”

  The boys gathered around her, helping her to remain upright. The ropes cut off her circulation and pain now flowed through every inch of her body. She could barely move without excruciating pain.

  “How we gonna get out?” Dolphin asked, as they moved her slowly towards the front of the courtyard, following Joline’s path out.

  “If they don’t recognize me, they’ll think me one of their own,” Lisa said through gritted teeth. “It needs to look like you’re my captives.”

  “You can barely move,” Crockett said sympathetically as he moved in front to scout out the perimeter. The church doors were around the corner. He held his hand up to keep everyone back before creeping to the edge of the courtyard. He returned a few seconds later. “There’s two horses tied up right outside. Let’s get her on one and get the hell out of here.”

  “I can’t hold onto anything,” Lisa stated in shock, staring at her shattered wrists. “There is no way I can ride.”

  “We can’t fit five people on two horses anyway,” remarked Dolphin.

  Bowie took a deep breath. “You all go,” he said to his friends, “and ride like hell. If anyone sees you, I’ll create a distraction.”

  “You sure?” asked Crockett, surprised. Bowie just nodded.

  “Mace was wrong about you,” Crockett said as he put his hand out to shake it.

  Grabbing it firmly, Bowie answered. “No, he wasn’t. I just want stay here and kick some Plaguer ass.”

  Crockett smiled sadly as he turned to Lisa. “Can you wrap your arms around me?”

  “I think so. I don’t know. I’ll try.”

  “Take my bow,” Crockett said as he handed it to Bowie. He slid the quiver off his back and handed it over as well. “I’ll get her back.”

  Bowie took the pouch of arrows and nodded. “You better.”

  Lisa closed her eyes for a moment as she thought about what the boys risked for her. “I owe you,” she said sincerely. “You are all honorable young men.”

  “I just want to avoid your cooking,” Bowie said sarcastically. “Now get the hell out of here.”

  Dolphin and Miles helped Lisa climb on the horse behind Crockett. She did her best to wrap her arms around him, crying out several times as her wrists were even slightly touched. They wanted to shoosh her but knew they couldn’t as they looked nervously around. Like lightning bolts, the pain shot repeatedly through her body. She felt like puking.

  “Go,” she said weakly as her body trembled, trying to remain on the horse. Sweat poured off her. Dolphin and Miles jumped on the other mare, and they carefully trotted away from the church. For the moment, all remained still.

  CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

  Mace jogged steadily down the Riverwalk, waiting for the moment when he’d run into the first Plaguer. He wanted to show up on foot and try to blend into their midst. Despite his new appearance, he still remained concerned that one might somehow recognize him. He needed to convince the Plaguers that the threat lay far off.

  Hearing the steady gallop of horses moving towards him, Mace pulled his handgun, keeping it tucked close to his body. Wearing a bullet-proof vest with a long jacket over it, he was armed to the teeth. A second handgun, ammunition, two grenades, a machete, and several knives were stuffed in pockets, sewn inside the jacket, or strapped to his belt. An automatic rifle was slung over his shoulder.

  Mace spotted Lisa first as the horses approached from a distance. Even though she was larger than the boys, her body was awkwardly hunched over Crockett’s. She looked on the verge of toppling off the mare as it trotted towards him.

  Relieved they were still alive, Mace grew more concerned the closer they approached. Bowie wasn’t with them, and the tormented look on Lisa’s face told him she was crippled with pain.

  The boys stopped the horses as soon as they spotted him, at first pulling their weapons until Mace waved and yelled out, “It’s me. It's Mace.”

  “Mace?” Dolphin yelled, shocked by his appearance but elated to see him.

  “What happened to Lisa and Bowie?” Mace said loudly as he walked towards them.

  “She’s hurt bad,” Dolphin said, climbing off the horse. “The assholes drove spikes through her wrists. Bowie’s back at the church. He’s looking for blood.”

  At the description of what they'd done to Lisa, blood rushed to Mace's head. His mind spun as he moved quickly towards her to inspect. Crockett, waiting from atop the horse, was afraid to move an inch, fearful she might topple over.

  “Holy shit,” Mace said as he stepped up to the horse. Lisa looked beaten, weak, and white as a ghost. He grabbed the reins and stared at her face, which just gazed back blankly. Looking at her bandaged wrists, he saw that blood soaked through the cloth wrapped around them.

  “That bitch tried to crucify me,” she said weakly. Her lips were dry and cracked. Her back, covered in splinters, oozed blood from the wounds. “You need to find her and cut her fucking head off.”

  “Who did this?” Mace asked, his face furrowed and hard.

  “They called her Joline,” Lisa whispered. “She’s a mean old bitch. I think she’s their leader.” Lisa moved an inch and gritted her teeth as pain shot throughout her hands and entire body. "They think I'm a witch. They think there is a crazy curse over all of them and they pray to a god named Gozer," she said, sharing what she knew. She suddenly shuddered as a wave of pain washed over her.

  “Get her back and have Melissa take care of her,” Mace ordered Crockett. “What happened to Bowie?”

  “He stayed behind. Last we saw him he was by the church about a couple miles down. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

  “I’ll find him,” Mace said directly.

  “I’ll go with you,” Dolphin offered as he got ready to dismount his horse.

  Mace shook his head. “Hopefully they’ll think I’m one of them. I need to do this alone.” Mace gestured towards the camp. “Get ready for Armageddon. Dig in tight, boys. We don’t know what’s coming.”

  Crockett gave a quick nod before he moved his horse slowly forward. Lisa moaned with each step.

  “You’re gonna die for this, Joline,” Mace muttered as he jogged towards the church. His whole being felt engulfed in flames. His fists clenched as he jogged faster, the rage steadily increasing until he was running at a full sprint. Any thoughts towards redemption were out the door. He knew who he was and what he was capable of doing. It was time to quit pretending he could ever be anything else.

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  Jim watched the approaching dust cloud from the second group of Plaguers. “I think they’ll walk right into the mines. Watch, I bet they’ll turn around and leave.” Improvised ground explosives surrounded the entire compound.

  Aiming a sniper’s scope to determine their numbers and location, Yvette took a deep breath. She couldn’t agree less. “It won’t take out enough, you dork.” she replied worriedly. “Sooner or later they’re gonna get in.”

  Standing next to Jim on the platform, Yvette watched the coming horde from the wall. The other girls remained silent, standing a little farther out. Six feet below and in front of them, dirt spread out towards the razor wire. A six foot path wrapped around the camp that marked their obstacle course. Razor wire marked the perimeter around that before the ground dropped four feet into a trench.

  “At least they’re all on foot,” Chelsea observed nervously through an old pair of binoculars. The Plaguers marched slowly closer. She handed the binoculars to Maya.

  “There’s a lot,” Maya said with a slight shake in her
voice. They were still a few hundred yards out. It was a Plaguer splinter group, drawn to the area by the strange magnetic connection. They hadn't yet connected with the other group and weren’t even sure why they marched. They were simply seeking their purpose. They were about to discover it.

  “I wonder what’s happening in the front,” Kelly asked nervously. She pictured Roger and Tom at the top of the hotel in the distance, with JB, one of the Rangers, as their scout.“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

  “They’re almost to the mines,” Jim said loudly as his heart raced faster and he picked up the Walkie-Talkie. He turned to Yvette and said, “We should load the catapult once they trip the first one.” He clicked on the radio. “We’ve got a large crowd gathering at post four,” he relayed. “If there are no other present threats, we need backup now.”

  Three, three-wheeled catapults existed inside the camp. Built like giant slingshots, they operated by a crank. Travis’ hands shook as he heard Jim’s declaration. He manned the catapult in this quadrant, and he started loading a few large stones that would launch fifty feet outside the walls when released.

  On the roof of the hotel, Roger, Tom and JB took sniper positions at different corners. They could see for fairly long distances from their vantage points.

  As the Plaguers drew closer, Roger, Tom and JB would descend into the stairwell to defend the Alamo from different floors, windows, and positions. So far, the only movement on their side came from the two horses that now trotted slowly towards the camp from the Riverwalk area.

  Watching through the scope, Tom’s heart dropped as he zeroed in on the pained expression on Lisa’s face. “I’m going down,” he yelled to Roger from the rooftop. “Radio if you need me back. I’ll help cover Post Four for now. Lisa looks bad.”

  “Stick to the staircase!” yelled JB. He’d helped plant the mines. He knew every location. “Leave through the 2nd floor, room 213.” They’d placed an old garbage bin underneath.

  From behind them they heard the first explosion from the rear of their compound. Roger spun around and aimed the scope in its direction. It was too far to see anything but a large dust cloud.

  “Go!” yelled Roger. “Get them inside and provide cover.”

  The radio squawked and Jim’s voice said excitedly, “We’re letting the first catapult go. They’re running towards the second mine. They’re confused.”

  Another explosion sounded at the rear of the compound as Travis let the small boulders fly. Tom picked up his speed as he flew down the stairs. He wanted to get Lisa out of harm's way.

  Chelsea watched in horror as a limb hit the dirt thirty feet outside the wall. Screams sounded from the dust cloud and part of a torso bounced off a debris pile in the near distance. Travis cranked the slingshot back into firing position as several boys rushed a second wooden contraption forward.

  Another blast sounded and the crowd of Plaguers started to retreat. Travis released the slingshot and a ten-pound boulder flew end-over-end through the air, arcing at midpoint and dropping at a high rate of speed to smash into a Plaguer’s back as he ran. He went down hard, his face slamming into concrete. He didn’t budge.

  The confusion was almost instantly replaced by rage. “We are under attack!” one yelled. As if some psychic connection filled the air, another one yelled out, without knowing exactly why, “It's a curse! We're being attacked by witches!”

  The others yelled out in agreement. “We must not retreat!” “We must destroy them!”

  Tom ran up to Lisa’s horse, speaking quickly to Crockett. “Plaguers are attacking Post Four. We need to get you inside.”

  “We heard the explosions,” Crockett said in agreement. “I can only move her so fast, though.” Lisa barely held on.

  “What happened?” Tom asked, shocked by her appearance.

  “They tried to crucify her,” Crockett answered bitterly.

  Tom’s eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Shit, let’s get you inside.” He helped lead the horse towards the front of the compound.

  From the roof above, Woody ordered the gate open. “Close it the minute they get through,” he yelled down.

  Regrouped, the Plaguers at the back of the compound prepared for a second assault. “We can’t stop,” one said. “It doesn’t matter if we die. We must kill all witches!”

  From Texas and beyond, the vibration grew stronger. More Plaguers from Louisiana and Mexico turned their attention towards Texas, reason unknown. They all started marching towards San Antonio.

  “Oh my God,” uttered Chelsea as Herman scampered down her back. “They’re going to come back!” The Plaguers started running towards the Alamo, screaming in outrage at the curse inside the walls. Several more explosions went off as more stepped on mines. The Plaguers didn’t slow as their comrades blew apart. More raced past their dead or dying companions, now covered in blood and dust; their eyes filled with rage and an intense sense of purpose. This group numbered over fifty. As they approached the wall, over three-quarters of them still lived and charged.

  “The catapults!” screamed Jim. “Keep firing the catapults!” Travis hit the lever and more small boulders launched, now passing over the first line of approaching Plaguers and connecting with those behind. Several gunshots rang out as the Plaguers who carried weapons fired wildly upon the adobe fortress.

  Woody jumped on the Walkie Talkie. “Roger, clear on other sides?”

  “Yes,” Roger answered as he scanned the area from the hotel rooftop.

  “Get to the rear compound!” Woody yelled, as he slid down the ladder from the chapel roof and sprinted towards the back. The third catapult rolled up and was being loaded right when he arrived.

  Those at the wall now fired steadily at the approaching Plaguers. Another explosion to the right blew off a Plaguer's legs and he landed with a thump on his side. Delirious, he looked at the where his legs used to be and raged towards the camp. “Kill the witches!” he screamed. He crawled rabidly forward until an arrow pierced his head. Chelsea’s hand shook as the arrow stopped his progress.

  Balancing the sniper rifle across the wall, Yvette yelled “Holy shit!” as they kept running towards the wall. The entire camp now raced towards the back wall, weapons and machetes at the ready.

  The first Plaguers made it to the trench and tried to jump across, getting instantly tangled in the razor wire. They screamed in defiance as they fought to pull themselves free. Feeling close to panic, Chelsea fired an arrow at a huge Plaguer who was struggling to free himself. It embedded deeply in his shoulder, and she gasped as he yanked it completely out, glaring at her as he did so. He threw it to the side and fought harder to come after her.

  Dolphin and Miles suddenly leapt over the wall next to her. They’d passed through the front gates on horseback and were instantly intercepted by Woody, who gave them quick instructions. They raced straight to the back, where they jumped off the horse and grabbed machetes as weapons. Leaping over the wall, they were determined to prevent any Plaguers from making it any closer.

  Chelsea yelled out in fear as the huge Plaguer pulled himself free and jumped towards Dolphin. She swiftly shot another arrow at him and it punched straight through his heart. He tumbled backwards, falling on the razor wire; the metal prongs holding him fast. Dolphin swung his machete at the Plaguer next to him as he tried to scale the trench, lopping his arm off above the elbow as the man reached for him. A second blow to the skull scalped the back of his head off and the Plaguer toppled over.

  Dozens of Plaguers now screamed as they rushed faster towards the trench. Their numbers looked endless. Their collective rage overflowed. Woody ran to the boys manning the catapults and yelled, “Fireballs!”

  Travis took off to get the improvised fireballs and torches for the arrows.

  Over a year earlier, Mace buried dozens of 55-gallon plastic barrels around the inner edge of the trench, filling them with gasoline and leaving capped spigots protruding through the dirt in the trench. Dolphin and Miles now swung their machet
es at the spigots, causing gasoline to pour steadily into the gully.

  Jim yelled out as a group of Plaguers pulled out weapons and fired a barrage of bullets towards Dolphin. Dolphin clutched his side as two bullets tore through his waist. He turned and stumbled towards the wall as projectiles riddled his back. He fell against the wall directly below Chelsea. Sliding slowly to the ground, he left a splattering of blood against the wall.

  Chelsea screamed out in horror, and Herman braced himself on her shoulder. Seeing Dolphin fall, Miles charged towards the Plaguers. Leaping over the razorwire, he landed just inside the other edge of the trench, where he climbed swiftly and lifted his machete, screaming, “You bastards!”

  The camp fired desperately at the Plaguers, trying to provide cover for Miles as Travis returned, dragging a small wagon with several heavy bundles of cloth and twine covered in homemade pitch. Four unlit torches lay on top of them.

  A Plaguer rushed at Miles just before an arrow sliced through his upper chest. Chelsea quickly slipped another arrow in place as Miles pushed through him, not slowing down or pausing. He swung his machete at the next Plaguer, and blood sprayed from the wound as he sprinted past.

  A young teenage girl ran screaming towards Miles and it momentarily took him off guard. She was absolutely beautiful. A bullet grazed his shoulder as the girl lifted a handgun and fired, screaming, “Die!”

  Miles swung the machete at her neck as she rushed him, shocked as it sliced clean through. Her head toppled off as her body slammed into him, almost knocking him down. He pushed her body away and faced the next attacker. An old man jabbed a homemade spear at his face and Miles ducked quickly, swinging the machete up. The spear broke in half as the old man plowed directly into him and they both tumbled backwards. Struggling with each other, they wrestled and rolled until they slipped over the edge into the trench.