Sitting at gunpoint in the back off the pickup truck, Cameron's blindfold was taken off and ropes binding his arms were undone, as he finding himself before a wall.
When the gates opened up, it looked no different from Yuba. But then again it looked a lot more neat and tidy, making seem like a nicer place to live. People were up and about doing their own thing, laughing, talking, just living their lives in this new world. But not everyone was laughing and talking, Cameron noticed. Some were looking dejected, slumping around wishing they were somewhere else.
He instantly saw why. Most of the less than happy people looked as if they had the Cross branded to their cheek.
"Oh my god!" Becky screamed, inching closer to Cameron, her eyes bugging out.
"Don't take the Lord's name in vain," one of their hostage takers admonished.
But Cameron barely heard him. He saw what caused Becky to freak out. In the center of the town was a large wooden cross, and attached to it was a rotting corpse!
"Fuck dude!" he shouted. "What the hell's up with that?"
"Break three Commandments and you get marked. Break three more and that's what happens to you," the assailant explained calmly. "Behave and that won't happen to you."
Well shit, Cameron thought horribly.
"Look," Becky pleaded, "you don't like the way we do things in Yuba—that's fine! Just let us go. Live and let live. Trust that God will punish us one day. We just wanna go home!"
"Don't take the wrath of God lightly," another said. "And what happens to you is up for the Father Donnelly to decide."
"At least let her go," Cameron begged them. Remembering how uncomfortable she was during that San Francisco wedding, he jumped on it. "You heard her, she only agreed to let the two queers get married because she felt pressured."
"Cam!" she cried.
"She's a good Christian," he said desperately, fighting back tears. "Let her leave. Please!"
"It's up to Father Donnelly," he repeated.
The truck came to a stop in front of a small church.
"Well I didn't expect to you see you again," a vaguely familiar woman's voice said. Cameron then saw Francine Decker appear, looking amused at their situation. After Cameron and Becky were taken off the truck, Francine walked between them, her smile getting wider and wider. "Cameron, isn't it?" she asked him.
"What of it?" he shot back.
"So how are Marge and your bastard child doing?"
"DON'T FUCKING TALK ABOUT THEM LIKE THAT, YOU BITCH!" Cameron raged, having to be pulled back by two men. He was ready to pounce on her, beat the ever-living fuck out of her. To him, she was no better than a bandit.
"Child?" Gerry asked, confused. "Funny, I pegged these two as a couple. What's with that?"
Cameron and Becky kept their mouths shut, and Decker didn't press the issue. But another voice said, "Yes, Francine, please do tell." His eyes drifted to a gray-haired man, with sunken eyes, and a belly that barely fit in his silk robes.
Decker walked over to the man, and began rubbing his shoulder sensually. Becky looked disgusted.
"Well, Father, this man here impregnated a woman, and didn't marry her. Then he found himself this new whore."
"Watch your fucking mouth!" Becky shouted at the top of her lungs, also needing to be held down. Cameron actually lunged at the bitch, but he was swiftly tackled.
"You better pray I don't get my hands on a gun, otherwise I might put a bullet between your eyes," Cameron spat at her.
"My, my," the Father said, looking down at them with concern, "I have my work cut out for me, don't I?" He smiled at them, making Cameron want to convulse. "But don't worry, I shall make sure to save your souls."
"Save our souls?" asked Cameron skeptically, giving the man a funny look. "Are you serious?"
"Correct," Donnelly said with assurance.
Cameron just stared at him disbelievingly as he stood up straight. "You're a fucking whacko, aren't you?" he asked in awe.
"HEY!" Gerry yelled, hitting Cameron in the gut with the butt of his rifle.
"Cam!" Becky cried. But he just stood up straight again, not letting the bastards have the satisfaction.
"No need," Donnelly said calmly. "This isn't something I haven't seen before. Randy."
"Yes, Father," said a man.
"Take them to the jail cell, please. These two are going to be reluctant for a while, and can't be trusted."
"Yes, Father," Randy repeated, pulling out a pistol. "You heard him, let's go."
Having little other choice Cameron and Becky left in the direction Randy was leading them. The more he saw the more he disliked. Almost everyone caught sight of them, and began to whisper. The dejected ones just avoided eye contact, and went on their way. But there was one person that blatantly stared at them as they passed.
"Cam?" that person said in disbelief. "Cameron!"
Staring back, his jaw dropped in amazement, not being able to believe whom he was seeing. There was just no way it was possible. If she wasn't dressed in an old-fashioned dress then Cameron might've been able to recognize her easier. But the tan complexion, black hair, shapely face became familiar. "Jules?" he said, flabbergasted.
Leaving behind the person she was walking with, Jules ran at them and flung her arms around Cameron, who hugged her back in shock.
"You're alive?" he asked, still not being able to believe it. Cameron pulled back to get a good look at her. "Holy shit!"
"Yeah," she responded, smiling and wiping some tears away. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be the one asking you that!"
"Julia," the man she was with asked, walking up to them. "Mind telling my what's happening." Cameron took a quick look at Becky, and it was clear she wanted to know the same thing.
"Oh…uh, yeah," Jules said, suddenly becoming stiff. "Ben…dear…this is Cameron, an old friend from back in Chicago."
Dear? Cameron thought, bewildered.
"I'm sorry, but these two are to be taken to the prison cell until they become cooperative," Randy interjected.
"Yes, and we have business to attend to," said Ben.
"Oh please, dear," Jules begged. "I haven't seen him since the outbreak. It would be ever so lovely to catch up." Since when the hell did she talk like that? She turned to Randy. "Please, Randy, I might be able to explain to them the wonders of this community and Father Donnelly."
Ben seemed against it, but he looked down at her glowing face filled with hope, and he nodded. "Only if Randy agrees."
Sighing, he said, "Very well."
"Take them back home, Julia. We can meet up later," said Ben.
With that matter settled, they now went in the direction of her home with Randy in tow. Cameron was about to ask her a question, but she hissed quietly enough so that only he'd hear, "Later."
Her house was very lavish on the inside. It had hardwood floors, paintings, nice furniture, and a tea set or two. Cameron, Becky, and Jules all sat down in the living room. Randy stood at the entrance to wait for them.
"Oh, Randy," Jules said with a smile, "surely you don't have to do that. Why don't you be a dear and make us some coffee." "Dear" must've been her favorite word now.
Randy smirked. "I can't trust you as far as I can throw you."
Jules rolled her eyes and dropped her demeanor a smidge. "Please, the entire town is surrounded by walls, and there are armed guards at each gate. How can they possibly escape?"
Randy grimaced, but he went to the kitchen.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" she immediately hissed.
"We ran into those bastards out there, and they had more guns," Cameron swiftly answered. "What are you doing here?"
"An army truck was passed by after a few weeks (they were in a hurry so I couldn't get word to you, sorry). They were going west, but I wanted to look for you in Wisconsin. I over shot it somehow, and ended up running into these assholes."
"Cam, who is this?" Becky finally said.
"Like she said, a friend from Chicago."
"And who's this?" asked Jules, intrigued.
"My girlfriend Becky." Things were getting off track. "Who's that douche you were hanging out with?" asked Cameron.
She looked disgusted. "My…ugh…husband. It was forced on me. He's been trying to get me pregnant for months." Jules lowered her voice even more after making sure Randy hadn't come back. "Luckily I found a bottle of the morning after pill in the medicine cabinet, and he has shitty vitality, but I'll be running out soon."
"That's horrible!" Cameron said, totally appalled.
"They actually took away your right to choose your partner?" Becky said, not being able to believe it.
"You don't know the half of it," Jules said angrily.
Becky shot him a questioning look. "She's a lesbian," he explained shortly. That generated an "ah" response, and her tensing up a bit.
Rolling his eyes, he turned back to Jules. "What about this Donnelly?"
If the face she had on before was something, the one Jules put on next didn't even compare. "He's the sickest, filthiest, most horrible person I've ever laid my eyes on. That fat asshole takes more of the food, brands people for stepping out of line, and claims to talk to God Himself. Not only is he fucking that new bitch Francine Decker, but he also likes to take a bunch of girls half our age. Over ninety percent of the people here either don't know about it, or turn a blind eye." Her eyes began to tear up. "God dammit I wanna leave."
"We will," Cameron assured her, putting a hand on her knee and shaking it. "We will."
"I don't see how," Jules said, dejected. "All the landlines are down, and the only two computers are in Donnelly's office and in the police station."
"Coffee's done," Randy declared.
"Be a doll, and pour it in mugs," she said, automatically putting back on her obedient façade. Randy grumbled in agreement. Jules suddenly looked at Becky, checking her out from head to toe. "How old are you?"
She looked taken back by the sudden question, but answered, "Nineteen."
That actually looked to have cheered her up a bit. "Figures. It may not be by much in your case, but Cam here has a major hard on for older women," Jules explained with a small laugh, causing Cameron smack his own forehead. "Not only did he worship Kate Beckinsale, but he drooled over our math teacher."
Becky gave him a sideways look, and said, "That sure explains a lot."