Chapter 42

I stood alone, surrounded by vermin. Hopefully the others would meet Lieutenant Bain in the smaller chamber and dispose of their undead guard. I tried to remember how many soldiers had emerged from the back of our single truck. Fifteen, perhaps? Not enough to turn this tide, my mind whispered.

Fifteen men had to be enough, because there was no alternative with the rest stationed at the big house. The men could send Alice toward safety and the outside world before they launched an attack on Elizabeth. All I had to do was stay alive until then. Death would not claim me today. I had things left unsaid to Seth, and things not yet done, that I wanted to grab with both hands.

Animated corpses drew closer to me and I shied away. I could use my time pretending I was dicing vegetables in the kitchen, or try and draw more information from Elizabeth. The creatures herded me toward the altar, where they flowed around the pile of stones to surround their queen. They left me standing before Elizab