Monster of the Apocalypse Read Free Page A

changed, circumstances evolved, wanderers found them and decided to stay.
    Lecti was fourteen when the old leader died shortly after his wife. A wanderer with a wise demeanor and an aura of gentle kindness led the group through their mourning and soon began gathering support among the men without wives. Within a year, after some unusual deaths, several of these men had forced marriages, including some younger girls formerly considered too young to wed.
    Lecti was gathering unwanted attention. While she had crushes on young men of her own age, her father noticed the glances she elicited from the older men.
    On a warm summer night her father explained to her what was happening and explained his plan to keep her safe. She was almost sixteen and Deo was already thirteen. They would be leaving immediately. Their backpacks were already waiting.
    Leaving seemed so uneventful, so easy. They did not know about the sniper that had been in position since soon after the change in leadership. It was obvious that their father was dead when they started running.
    “Hey, Sis!” Deo woke her from her reverie. “Look, the intersection ahead means we’re almost to the top of the pass. I’m worried about Toshi. We need to catch up.”
    Lecti was surprised they hadn’t caught up with her already. She looked back. It would be just like Toshi to hide along the trail and come up behind them after making them apprehensive.
    “Look, you know she’s using you, and she’ll throw you away whenever it suits her.” Lecti told Deo.
    “I love her.” This raised an eyebrow. Deo had never told her that. “And she’s really trying to be your friend. She likes you, you know.”
    “Yea, you would think that because you can’t see how she works, but I can, and you need to wake up and see what she’s really doing.”
    Deo gave her a look, half dangerous and angry, half pitiful and sorry. “Don’t say that. I don’t want you to talk about her that way.” He almost sounded ready to cry. “If you’d ever felt the way I do you would understand.”
    Lecti didn’t want to see Deo hurt, and she could either let Toshi hurt him or hurt him herself with very little chance of changing his mind and opening his eyes. Her worst fear was that Toshi would separate them somehow and then lead Deo away from her. It would be easier if Deo were angry. Easier still if he thought he was in love.
    “You’re my little brother, I have to protect you, but you’re making it very hard. Please, please, think about how she treats you, and ask yourself if you would treat her that way. I love you, little brother. If you decide to stay with her, I’m with you too.” Lecti used a conciliatory tone, “Just remember, if you need to talk, I’m here for you.”
    She gave Deo a hug, which he seemed to accept. “Love you, bro.”
    Toshi had stayed ahead of them all the way to the pass. She sat on a rock in the shade, shoes off and picking at her toes, waiting for them. Her pack and the skateboard had been thrown on the pavement to sit in the sun. She smiled as they approached, standing up and picking the shorts out of her ass.
    “Yo, ‘bout time you got here! The road looks good!” she yelled.
    Apparently she was over her snit, but underlying her smile was a coolness that chilled Lecti.
    Toshi eyed them both intently as they got close. Seeing the look in their eyes she knew they had been talking about her. Lecti was still being difficult, but Toshi imagined herself to be a patient person and willed herself to be nice. She must not be upset in front of Deo. She would wait her chance. Soon she would either take Deo for her own and get rid of Lecti or just lose them both and move on to better things.
    As Lecti approached, she criticized Toshi for leaving them behind.
    Toshi snapped, “Get over yourself, Lecti. I’ll do as I please, and you know it.”
    The façade that Toshi had projected was cracking, and Lecti took advantage. “Well you sure seem to be in a