The Final Rule (24 page)

“C’mon.” Dave patted on his back. “Let’s get this done.”

George looked up from the hand-drawn map spread out on the dining room table. “I got a call from Berry about ten minutes ago. He said someone set the elementary school on fire.”

Jon leaned against one of the vacant chairs. “I guess it’s moving faster than I thought.”

“You can say that.”

It was the look George gave Jon that made him ask. “What else has happened?”

“Pharmacy in town was looted. At least two different people have been arrested for shooting a family member.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“They asked me to come in. I told them I couldn’t. They’re calling in the state patrol.”

The people who came into Gilford would also have to go out. “That’s not a good idea. If
The Big and Terrible
infects them they’ll spread it.”

“I know. But there’s no way I can stop Berry. Not only am I not in charge, but what the hell would I tell him?”

Jon hated that he was right. “Okay, so the town is going to shit, where are we?”

George pushed the map over to Jon. “We need to run through this, but we obviously don’t have time. Leon and Chunk are filling up the barrels. Terrance is hooking up the trailer to the pickup. We’ve only got fuel to fill fifteen of the twenty-five barrels, two of eight tanks, and the tractors. It’s not going to be enough, Jon.”

Not enough to burn it back, maybe. But that wasn’t the plan anymore. “It will.”

“It’s half what we hoped.”

“It won’t matter. We just need to hurt it.” He sat because his legs would no longer hold him up.

“Jon?”

“After we light the field on fire Ellis is going into the cabin.”

“What?” The brittle edge to George’s tone left a searing burn across Jon’s soul.

“I told Ellis what Rudy said.”

George’s face twisted up. “So you’re sending him to die because of a dream.”

“It’s not just a dream and you know it.” Jon scrubbed a hand over his face. “And for the record, he wants to do this.”

“Then tell him no.”

“I can’t.”

“If you love him, you will.”

Jon slammed his fist against the table hard enough to slosh the cup of coffee sitting near George’s hand. “No. I love him enough to let him make his own choices.”

“Even when it’s the wrong choice? ’Cause I got news for you, boy.” He jabbed a finger at the table. “This is the wrong choice.”

“It’s not.” Jon couldn’t believe he said the words. The expression George wore said he couldn’t believe it either. “I don’t want Ellis to do this and he knows it. But he also knows if he doesn’t, this thing will keep coming back over and over and over…”

“But it will be someone else’s problem.”

“Will it?” Jon shook his head. “I don’t think so. We might not be around, but it will still be our problem. We will have done nothing to stop it when we could. That will make us responsible for any future deaths. Do you want blood on your hands? I don’t. Ellis doesn’t either.”

“You can’t seriously believe in what you’re saying.”

Jon wished he didn’t. “Rule number six: Save the innocent.”

“Rule?”

“Rudy’s rules.”

“What the hell does any of this have to do with how Rudy was supposed to behave in public?”

“It doesn’t. Rudy had his own rules. Four: It has to happen. Five: Everything happens for a reason. And Six.”

“I can’t believe what I am hearing.” George stood. “You’re going to send someone you love to die on the words of a dream about his dead brother.”

“George—”

“No.” He shook a finger at Jon. “I don’t care what you say. I don’t care what you believe. You’re sending him to his death.”

Jon slumped. “I know.”

George snapped his mouth shut. “If you know, then why are you doing this? And don’t give me a line of BS about dreams and rules.”

“It’s all I have to give you.”

“Damn fool.” George came around the table. Jon got up and in his way.

“They brought us together,” Jon said. “Danny for me, Rudy for Ellis. Everything that’s happened has been for one purpose and that was to put us together so Ellis could do this.”

“If you want to convince yourself he’s some sort of prophet, fine, but that’s not enough for me. I love Ellis like a son and I will not let him do something stupid just because of one of your visions.”

“You’ve seen what this thing is capable of.”

Under the anger in George’s eyes there was pain. “I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do. You knew what I was talking about that day in the restaurant. You just chose to convince yourself it wasn’t real.” George stepped back. Jon said, “As human beings we have a responsibility to stop this thing if we can.”

“Is that what you told Ellis?”

“No. It’s what he told me. He’s right. You know he’s right. You’ve seen what happens when people fail each other.”

George pinched the bridge of his nose. “This ain’t right, Jon.” He sank into the nearest chair. “We were just supposed to burn this thing back.”

“I know.”

“Why did you have to tell him?”

Jon sat back down in his chair. “Because I love Ellis too much to not tell him.”

“How would he have ever found out? You two could have gone on with your lives and he would have never known.”

Jon pushed the hand drawn map around on the table. “I’m not so sure he didn’t already know.” It was a possibility Jon hadn’t considered until then.

“How on earth could he know if you didn’t tell him?”

“The same way he knew it was afraid of him and how to drive it out of me. And how I had to practically drag him back to the car when we were in the Grove. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”

“No, it tells me that his judgment has been compromised by Rudy’s death.” George’s gaze slid away. “We can’t let him do this, Jon.” He rubbed his chin with a trembling hand.

“We don’t have a choice.”

“The hell we don’t.” The worry on George’s face hardened. “If we have to tie him up and leave him in the barn that’s what we’ll do.”

If only it were that simple. “This is his choice.” It amazed Jon how much the words weighed on his tongue. “Even though you and I don’t agree with it, it is the right one to make. Save the innocent. That’s what Rudy meant. I always thought he was talking about Ellis, but I think he meant everyone.” George watched him with tears in his eyes. Jon said, “I’m starting to wonder if this is it. You know, the last chance to kill this thing. The last chance to keep it from tearing the world apart.”

“You don’t know that, either.” George’s voice was barely a whisper.

“You’re right. I don’t. But are you willing to take the chance we’re wrong about being able to drive this thing back?” All the stress, all the worry, all the conflict life had thrown at George showed in the deep valleys and cross work of wrinkles on his face. Right in front of Jon the man aged a hundred years.

They sat there in silence until George said, “Did Rudy say Ellis had to die?”

“Not in those words, no.”

George nodded. “Then there’s a chance we can save him.”

“I don’t—”

“There is a chance. We’ll let him do this, but we won’t accept the idea he can’t come home.” It was a hopeless fantasy, but Jon understood George’s need to believe it because he needed to believe it too. Without it, Jon didn’t think he would get through the day.

“No helmet.” Ellis dismounted the dirt bike. The vibrations from the engine echoed in his legs.

“If you fall you’ll crack your skull,” Jon said.

“The helmet blocks my vision. I think dodging this thing outweighs the risk of a head injury.”

“He’s right,” Buck said. “Without the helmet he’ll have better peripheral vision and that will give him a better chance to respond. If we’d had more time for him to practice it would be one thing, but he’s going to be disadvantaged as it is.”

Jon ran a hand over the top of his head to the back of his neck. “Please.”

“I’m sorry. But the helmet stays here.” Ellis stopped beside Jon. “C’mon, we don’t have time to argue.”

“Fine.” Jon wheeled the bike to the back of the truck. “Did you have any problems getting the hang of it?”

“It was easier than I thought it would be.” Ellis grabbed the rear tire, Buck the middle, and Jon the front.

“But you can handle it, right?”

“I know where the gas and brake is, so all I need to do is stay on it long enough to lure that thing away from you guys.”

They slid the bike into the space beside a large tank of fuel.

Jon tapped the container. “Why is the gas pink?”

“Farm fuel,” Buck said. “They dye it because it’s illegal to use it in vehicles being driven on the road.” He tied down the bike with heavy-duty bungee cords.

“We’ve still got a few minutes,” Jon said. “Do you want to take a look at the map George drew?”

“I’m good.” Ellis nodded at Buck. “He told me everyone’s general position. I just have to make sure that I stay out of your way and get
The Big and Terrible
to come after me.” Then when they set the field on fire, Ellis would head for the heart of it. The house where Lenny’s father lived, or at least what was left of him.

Gravel popped and crunched in sharp bites under the tires of the dump truck as it pulled into the driveway. Chunk and Leon were in the cab. Ellis hoped they’d been able to get all the tanks in the back.

“I guess that means we’re ready to move out,” Jon said.

There was more in those words than were actually spoken. Ellis glanced at Buck who cleared his throat and waved in the direction of the dump truck. “I better go see if Chunk and Leon need anything.”

Ellis took Jon by his hand and pulled him close and they held each other.

“I thought we already said goodbye.” Jon’s exhale felt unusually hot against Ellis’s temple.

“This isn’t goodbye.”

“Then what is it?” Jon laughed, but it sounded broken.

“Just me and you.” In that moment nothing else existed for Ellis. Not
The Big and Terrible
, the men willing to sacrifice their lives to try and kill it, Rudy’s death, or even the world. Only Jon. In this moment the entirety of Ellis’s existence was one man.

If only it could be that way forever. If only Ellis could freeze this moment; the feel of Jon’s strong body and his scent. Ellis was convinced he needed nothing else to live.

But it was only a dream. A thought. A hope. Impossible.

Ellis stepped back. The colorless light gleaned twenty years from Jon’s features and transformed the knowledge in his eyes into innocence. Jon’s touch lingered, but when he let go and turned away, he didn’t look back.

As much as Ellis wanted Jon to, he was glad he didn’t.

Terrance walked over from the porch. “You ready?”

Ellis didn’t think he would ever be ready, but he still had to do this.

Chunk and Leon got out of the dump truck. Leon said, “I don’t have to tell you to be careful now, do I?”

“No,” Ellis said. “But it’s always good to be reminded.”

“Then be careful.” He clapped Ellis on the shoulder. Chunk ruffled Ellis’s hair.

“You sure you don’t want to drive the rig?” Terrance said.

Chunk shook his head. “I’m stronger than any of you, so I need to be on the trailer”

“And I need to be with him.” Leon and Chunk exchanged sad smiles.

“Let’s go, old man. We got work to do.” Chunk led Leon in the direction of George’s sedan.

Ellis and Terrance got in the truck. After a moment, Terrence whistled at Dave who trotted over from the porch and climbed behind the wheel.

“So, I guess this is it.” Dave’s grin shoved all his wrinkles to bunch around his eyes.

Terrance shook his head. “How come it doesn’t surprise me you still get off going into battle?”

“‘Cause you know me too well, brother.” Dave cranked up the truck.

The beast of a vehicle strained under the load on the back. Ellis wondered if maybe it was too much and it would strip out the clutch. Then it struck him how it probably wouldn’t matter. There was a good chance that there would be no one left to drive it.

Terrance squeezed Ellis’s hand. The gold band on Terrence’s finger looked almost silver against his brown leathery skin. Did his wife know what he was doing? Did the families of any of these men know?

He touched the ring on his finger with his thumb. “She’s long gone.”

Ellis was ashamed of the relief he felt.

Dave guided the dump truck behind the tractor being driven by George. The pickup with Jon was positioned between the tractor Buck drove and George’s sedan, with Leon and Chunk. Like some sort of bizarre parade they inched down the street.

No, not a parade. A death march.

Ellis said, “I wish there was another way to get this done.”

“Why do you say that?” Terrance said.

“It’s not right for you guys to risk your lives.” Ellis looked back and forth between them. “You know there’s still time for you to change your mind.”

Terrance smiled. “Sorry, ain’t gonna happen.”

“He’s right.” Dave said. “George said he needed help so nothing is going to make us change our minds.”

“Aren’t you two afraid of dying?”

“I’ve seen death.” Terrance stared out the windshield. “Death is easy. Death is quiet and painless. If anything scares me it’s the devastation that this thing, this monster, this—”

“
The Big and Terrible
.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s a good name for it. Lots of
Big and Terribles
in the world.” He looked at Dave. “We’ve all seen too much of what they can do. So no, son, death doesn’t scare me, but the idea I might not stop the suffering of others does.”

Dave said, “It will be all right.”

Ellis didn’t have the heart to tell them all the ways it wouldn’t. They were willing to die for this and they probably would die. But it was better for them to leave this world thinking they’d made everything safe again.

The road curved and Ellis caught sight of the pickup before it was overshadowed by the massive tractor. He wanted to believe he saw Jon through the window, if only for a second or two, but it was impossible to know for sure. It didn’t matter anyhow. They’d said their goodbyes, they’d exchanged “I love yous.” There was nothing else to be done. Yet, all Ellis could think about was being wrapped in Jon’s arms. Being held. Being touched. Feeling the warm exhale of a sleepy sigh on the back of his neck.