Read Online When Gods Fail by Nelson Lowhim - Free Book Online Page A

almost worried me that it would make too much noise. My
stomach churned. It was as if my body was rebelling against another
encounter with people. At the same time my mind focused on the land
around me with a laser-like intensity. I felt invincible, as if
anything could come at me, and I wouldn't have flinched.
    I saw one head appear, then a second one,
then the sleds behind them. They were halfway up the hill to the
cave. From their walk, movements, I knew it was Paul and Bill. I
wrestled with what to do. Carol and rebuilding a new world. But
there was also the wife and how I survived so far. My mind clicked.
The threat they posed now seemed greater than any existential
question I could ask myself. It was more important to have them
killed, and save myself, than to worry about how much anguish it
would cause me to kill them. They tried to kill me first. I
couldn't expect to find peace with them alive.
    I placed Paul in my sights. They were at
least 400 meters away. This was an untested rifle. If I missed they
could easily hide and launch some counter attack. Then I wouldn't
be so lucky. My handguns I'd used several times now, and I knew
that they were trustworthy. I slid back from the edge of the peak.
Crouching, I ran towards the mouth of the cave. They would take at
least a few more minutes, pulling those sleds, to get to the
cave.
    I slung the rifle over my shoulder, so it
was behind me, and pulled out my two handguns. I double-checked to
make sure bullets were chambered. I raised each gun up to my chest.
Off to the left of the cave entrance, I waited behind a large rock
jutting out from the hill.
    Every other second I'd check behind me,
check above me. Two minutes later, I wondered if I'd misjudged
which direction they were headed. I looked behind me, tried to
listen for some sort of dislodged rock falling down the hill. But I
couldn't hear a thing. My heart started to bang against my ribcage.
This is a trap, the voice said. You need to get out and at least
find higher ground. Find a place where you can shoot them from a
long distance, and from where you can hide if anything goes wrong.
Coming this close to them will only put you at risk. Fool.
    I was about to turn and find refuge in the
higher ground when the sliding sleds with matching footsteps
crunched on the other side of the rock.
    "Leave the sleds here, we'll take the
containers down, then bring them up one by one."
    "Why don't you stay here with the sleds.
I'll get the water myself."
    I could tell there was some tension in
Bill's voice. I glanced behind me one last time.
    "What's been gettin' to you Bill? How can
you fit through that hole? We'll both go."
    I heard some containers scrape against the
sleds. It was now or never.
    I stepped out. Both arms extended with the
handguns gripped tight. My foot crunched under some rocks and Paul
looked up, startled. I fired into his chest. He looked shocked. I
fired again into his face. The shock switched to nothing as he
collapsed to the floor.
    Bill stared at me. Fear crept across his
face, then an infantile acceptance, not of his fate but of me. It
made me pause for a second. But in that second the voice chanted my
doubts down. He just lost a friend. Don't make the same mistake as
you did with the mother. It's not like he didn't try to kill you.
The last cogitation filled me with another second of hesitation
before I pulled the trigger. Right in his stomach. He doubled over.
I fired another shot into the top of his head. He fell over in a
funny position, his ass in the air, before he toppled over to his
side.
    It had to be done.
    I walked over to Paul. Checked his pulse.
Nothing. Tapped his eyeballs. Nothing. Same with Bill. His face was
nice, kind, like a child's. With one hand I covered his face with
his shirt. It exposed his belly, but that was better than seeing
his face. I followed their trail for a few meters then stopped and
waited. Just to see if someone else was with or following them.
When I was certain there