HIS EVE: The Aftermath Chronicles (Book Two)

5 † The Hunting Party

† "For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence." - Psalm 91:3 †

The hunting party gathered at the gate.

From the watchtower, Doyle took the infected down one by one. Dalton, as always, remained impressed by Doyle's impeccable aim. Bodies fell, carrying the virus that still threatened to take them all down in their piled carcasses.

Behind the hunting party for the day, the other team gathered behind Dalton—the clearing team. Here only, to burn the slain infected, where the other diseases that pooled in dead bodies could also prove lethal. In their hands, they carried the torches, wore the masks, as the hunting party firmly grasped their guns. Dalton, for the first time since his arrival, would tread beyond the colony's walls in pursuit of what the carrion virus hasn't already tainted.

Hiding his fear the best he could after staring into the gaping, starving mouths of the infected beyond the gates, he focuses on how hungry he is to find the proper motivation. At his side, is a man he knew would lead them to success—Nick. In their group before, he'd proven himself a thousand times over. Dalton knew, as all of them knew, that if it weren't for Nick, they would have surely starved.

So, it is here at Richmond Hill that Nick's talents prove him worthy of everyone's respect. That is...except for Hannah...who had lost it all for them in the discovery of their previous affiliation. Belonging to a group, that sent both himself and Nick, to scout for weaknesses. To help, in ridding Richmond Hill of Russell Wolfe's influences. Though she was no fan of Russell's, apparently their imperative secrets struck a chord in the tumultuous female. A girl, Dalton liked but understood now that he'd never stand a chance with.

Tensions ran high in not just the hunting party, but in the colony as a whole. Everyone feared the new religious order, which left Doyle to take his place in staying behind. Afraid, as Dalton, and the rest of them were, to what the unpredictable Abel would do next.

The last in their hunting party was Fisher, who looked worse for wear than the rest of them in the workload. With the back-breaking work of construction, of farming, of trying to expand the colony's resources, the older male with almost three decades on Dalton, sighs out underneath his snakeskin cowboy hat. A sigh Dalton heard often from Fisher, which gave great warning to everyone that one day, the old man might snap.

Doyle promised them all rest soon and didn't pressure anyone as Russell did. Hell, even Hannah who spent so long in protest under Russell, tried to keep up with the workload alongside Fisher alone.

Other than Doyle, Fisher seemed to be all Hannah spoke to anymore, along with Doyle's girlfriend, the nurse, Sophie. As Dalton stares at her profile, he can see the agitation in her features. How she still hates him, still wants him to look in any other direction but her own.

Surely, she hated that Doyle asked Dalton to step in for him today on the hunt.

Offering her a reprieve, Dalton casts his weary eyes up to the watchtower. Where he can't see Doyle from his vantage point, but sees the white flag swinging in giving them the all-clear to move on.

On foot, they move. The hunting party first, then beyond, as the cleanup crew works on piling up the corpses to burn. Something surely, that would attract more of the dead as it always did with the flames—but Sergeant Doyle and his chosen snipers covered each corner of the colony with the watchtowers.

Nick's radio goes off, linked to the watchtower and Doyle's trained eyes. The soldier says, "There's a small horde moving in from beyond the tree-line. Bear left to avoid them. I'll be taking them out once you guys give me the window. Over."