Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
But in that same moment, something outside draws his attention. There’s a commotion. People yelling, but also… something else. Something that sounds like a loudspeaker.
I let out a laugh.
Ike walks over to the closest window, looking out. “What the fuck is that?”
My breath comes out in a rush. “That, you asshole, is the Call to Revival.”
He leaves the kitchen and opens the front door.
I follow, because this is over now and he knows it as well as I do.
Two seconds.
That’s how long you have to push Collin Creed into action.
Two seconds and then he takes care of business.
Outside people are panicking. Running all over the place. And from within the trees comes the sermon, in Pastor Creed’s own voice, just like it does every day during Revival.
“When you look upon the hills, the sun shining on the peaks”—this is coming from off to the left—“and you hear the rumble in the distance”—this is coming from my right—“don’t you ever forget that behind it comes the glory!” That comes from above and everyone looks up. There is—I squint, because for a moment I think it’s a bird, but it’s not. It’s a drone. And it’s belting out Revival words.
I laugh out loud as the sermon continues. “And as that rumble resonates into the echo on the water”—these words come from the forest—“let it be a sign! A sign that the righteous will find comfort in the brave”—there are too many drones to count, and now they all call out in unison—“and the danger will exist only in the damaged. Because when you give yourself to something higher, you will feel the relief that comes with the emptiness of anger and you will know, in your heart, that the blessing of grace is now upon you!”
It ends the way it always ends. With Pastor Creed doin’ his best impression of Billy Sunday back in the righteous revival tents of the Great Depression.
Ike has a gun out now, and he’s shootin’ at them.
I scream, and start running. Because he’s crazy! He slapped me just because I said some words he didn’t like. He was gonna hit me with a closed fist next. He’s angry and out of control. And that gun could just as easily point in my direction.
The shootin’ stops, but I don’t have time to be relieved because I can hear him coming after me. He reaches for my jacket, gets a hold of my hood, and the only reason I get away is because I unzip it and fling my arms backwards, letting it slip off me.
I run harder towards the trail that starts between the blacksmith and the stable that will take me the hell outta here. But it’s far, and I know Ike is already back on his feet.
Then there’s a noise—a thumping in the air—and when I look up there is a giant military helicopter with two propellers, one on each end, coming down right at us.
The wind from this massive piece of machinery blows everything around and almost knocks me down.
And even though there is a helipad on the other side of the village, it does not waste time landing on the helipad. It lands right in the gravel street.
I’m on the ground now, and there are men everywhere with guns. Village men, not military.
Stairs fold down from the helicopter and out comes… well, some military man. An older gentleman with lots of colorful things on his very important-looking uniform. He’s got a bullhorn to his mouth and he yells, “You motherfucking mountain men had better stand down, because if I get shot today, every one of you assholes will be goin’ to Hell with me.”
I look back at Ike, who is still on his feet, and he must know this man, because he lowers his gun and salutes him.
When I look back at the helicopter four soldiers in all-black armor—helmets and everything, so you can’t see their faces—jump out from behind the man, who must be a general or something. They fan out in a pattern, but they are all coming straight at Ike and me with their weapons up and ready to shoot.
Three of them walk up to Ike and push their rifles right up against his face. Hard enough to press into his skin.
The fourth comes over to me, flips the faceplate up on his helmet, and offers me a hand.
Collin stares down at me. “Come on, Low.” He’s not smiling. He looks pissed. “Let’s go.”
I take his hand and he helps me up. But before we leave, he lets go of my hand, turns to Ike and aims his rifle right between his eyes. “If you ever come down off this mountain, consider yourself a target. I will take you out, Ike Monroe. And you won’t ever see me coming. And then, when I’m done with you, I will firebomb this whole fuckin’ place. And if you think I can’t get permission to do any of these things, take a look at your commanding officer right there.” He juts his chin towards the general in front of the helicopter. “Because he’s the guy who gave me a ride in today.”