Zechariah 14:12-13  

 

Page 2: A Path Not Chosen

 

 

“DON'T LET HER BITE YOU!” Ruthia warned Seamus. He gawks at the sight of the woman’s mouth full of blood and wide open, trying to bite a hole into his left wrist. She watched Seamus quickly use his right hand to fist her ponytail and snatch her head back and away from his wrist. Ruthia's eyes were wide as she watched Ms. Linda quickly retreat and go for Seamus's right arm. He then releases her hair and shoves her away. She landed with force, rolling back and stopping on the back of her head and shoulders with her bottom up. Seamus began to help the woman, but before he could lay a finger upon her, Ruthia took hold of Seamus’s left arm. Ruthia pulled as she screamed, “No! She’s infected!”

 

Suddenly, a SWAT officer's booming voice yelled through a bullhorn, "GET DOWN!!!" At the same time, another officer deployed tear gas while a few others shot bean bags to quell the riot. The officers again yelled over the bullhorn, but Ruthia could not understand the words.

 

“We gotta move!” She heard Seamus telling the others.

 

Then Amira mumbled, “I can’t. I’m gonna lay here. The police will help.” She said, feeling weak.

 

Amira tried to fall to the ground, but Vince fought against her and held her up with her arm resting over his shoulder. “Come on, Amira, We gotta get going.” Vince drags her behind Seamus, and Ruthia rushes through the scattering crowds. Seamus leads them to an alleyway between a pawnshop and a jewelry store, both stores being terrorized. Once Seamus reached the alley, he stopped before turning to wait for Vince and Amira to arrive as he placed the Ruthia behind him inside the alley.

 

Ruthia was suddenly grabbed and taken away from Seamus. She looked and saw Seamus turning his attention toward what was happening behind him. To her shock, she realized that a man was forcefully pulling her into the alley, keeping his hand tightly over her mouth. Seamus reacted with determination and anger; his expression revealed a multitude of emotions that Ruthia could not fully comprehend. In an attempt to free herself, Ruthia desperately elbowed the man and kicked his legs, but her efforts seemed to have no effect. Just as the situation seemed dire, Seamus arrived at the scene only to confront another man who was armed with a large 2x4 plank. 

 

Ruthia saw Seamus get struck with the weapon just as the strong man turned out of the alleyway. "¡Déjame ir, ahora!" she ordered to be released. "Stop!" she kicked and scratched.

 

"Bair save youuuu!" he spoke in the third person. Right away, Ruthia could sense he was a little different. "Bair- help you live long!"

 

Silence enveloped Ruthia as she navigated the chaos, her senses overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the rioting streets of Santa Monica. Fear and confusion coiled within her, tightening with each passing moment. Yet amidst the turmoil, she found herself not in fear of Bair amidst the tumultuous sea of unrest. However, her eyes remained fixed on Bair's towering form as he held onto her, guiding her through the pandemonium with a firm grip. His movements had a palpable sense of urgency, a silent assurance that they would navigate this chaos together. She had no idea where he was taking her.

 

"Hey!" Ruthia's voice pierced through the cacophony, her words desperate for Bair's attention. She pointed ahead, her hand trembling with apprehension as she directed his gaze toward the source of danger.

 

Bair's eyes narrowed in response to her warning, his instincts honed by years of survival in this unforgiving world. With a swift nod, he released Ruthia, leaving her momentarily alone amidst the chaos as he surged forward to confront the looming threat.

 

"Hey!" Bair's voice boomed, a fierce declaration of his presence amidst the chaos. His words echoed through the rioting streets, drawing the attention of the undead creature ravaging the driver's side of a nearby vehicle.

 

With a primal roar, Bair launched himself into action, his massive frame a formidable force against the encroaching danger. Ruthia watched in awe as Bair grappled with the undead man, his strength and determination evident in every movement.

 

"Bair smash!" Bair's battle cry reverberated through the chaos as he seized hold of the creature's forehead with one hand and its waist with the other. With a mighty heave, he lifted the soulless man high into the air before slamming him down with a resounding thud. The sound of impact echoed through the streets as blood splattered against the concrete, a reminder of the violence that surrounded them.

 

As Bair stood victorious amidst the chaos, Ruthia couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and gratitude wash over her.

 

"See, Bair, strongest there is," Bair declared, his voice tinged with pride as he flexed his muscles in triumph. "Like Hulk!" he added, drawing a smile from Ruthia despite the gravity of their situation.

 

At that moment, amidst the rioting streets of Santa Monica, Bair felt that, in a way, he had proven himself to be a formidable protector, a force of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. And as Ruthia stood by his side, she couldn't help but feel a sense of reassurance, knowing that they would face whatever challenges lay ahead together.