Thomas Amo - An Apple for Zoë - Book One ~ The Forsaken

The crack echoed like a busted walnut splitting the bone in half. Grantham's red, burning eyes narrowed into thin slits as he pulled the axe from his mangled smoldering arm.

"My turn!"

With a quick swing the axe, Grantham slammed it through Steve's left forearm lobbing it off and catching it in mid-air. Then he shook it in Steve's shocked face.

"Left arm gone clean up to the elbow! Ha ha haaaa!" sang Grantham, sounding like an evil Jerry Reed.

Steve fought going into shock as he watched blood spurt from the gash where his arm had once been. With other hand he tried to retrieve his pocketknife and keep distance between himself and Grantham. Slowly backing down the stairs, Steve fumbled with the knife until he finally got it open, slicing his thumb at the same time. He held the knife up pointing it at Grantham.

"You go to hell!"

"You first," smirked Grantham as he swung the axe in a flash and ejected Steve's head from his body. For several seconds, his body thrashed and reached for the space where his head had been only moments ago.

James and Jake continued moving down the staircase. Winded, Jake set Kirkland down a moment. What had happened? Both men wondered where Steve was. James grabbed Jake's radio.

"Bobby! Where the hell are you?"

"Tom we're making our way to the lobby. What happened?"

"It's Zyklon B exploding in the attic. Listen we need help and fast. Kirkland is seriously hurt and we are trying to get back to the twelfth floor. Please send someone up as fast as you can," said James when his attention was turned to the thumping of footsteps descending rapidly.

"Bring guns, Bobby!"

"I hope to God that's Steve and not Grantham!" said Jake.

Looking up toward the sound of the footsteps, Jake and James saw it wasn't footsteps at all. It was Steve's head bouncing down the stairs like a deformed basketball. It went from side to side along the stairs and walls of the narrow passageway. The floor and walls shook, as another explosion of Zyklon B blew in the attic.

"Jake, we gotta get out of here, this whole place is going to burn."

The two men picked up Kirkland and made their way down another landing, which ended in a doorway.

"Keep going Tom, that's the doorway to the twelfth floor."

Stillwell stood in horror as he looked into the radio and then at the Hazmat backup team. "Bring guns?"

"I don't know about you man, but I'm getting the fuck out of here!" yelled Donny as he bolted for the lobby leaving Stillwell and the other guy behind.

"You coward Donny!"

"Screw you Randy!" shouted Donny as he disappeared up the stairs.

"Never mind him, I'm with you Bobby, Steve and Jake are my friends, they wouldn't leave me behind. Let's go."

"Thanks Randy," said Stillwell as they began making their way to the stairs.

"Bobby forget the stairs, we'll never get to them in time. We gotta take the elevator."

"It's filled with dead bodies."

"At this point who gives a shit? Come on let's go."

Stillwell nodded and quickly spoke into his radio. "Requesting back up, twelfth floor, Aleris Hotel, send SWAT!" he commanded as they stepped inside the elevator.

Once James, Jake and Kirkland reached the landing of the twelfth floor, James looked for something to bolt the door with. "There, Tom, grab that chair and hook it under the door handle." Rushing to the chair laying flat on its side James picked it up and locked it into place. Jake laid Kirkland down on the floor so he could catch his breath.

Pressing the elevator call button there was a click and hum as the car doors opened revealing a pile of dead bodies. Grimacing with disgust Stillwell stepped inside the car followed by Randy. Pressing the button for the twelfth floor the two men watched the doors slowly close cutting them off from the rest of the living world.

James and Jake turned their attention to the sounds of the elevator on their floor. "Oh Jesus, I hope Grantham didn't find a way into the elevator," said Jake. But their question was quickly answered, as a soft knocking started to come from behind the blocked door. Turning to it, James could smell Grantham's burnt skin. Smoke was pouring through the cracks around the door. The sounds of flames crackling only made the moment more frightening. Grantham knocked again and tried twisting of the doorknob as he whispered ."Please let me in, I only want to drag you to hell with me."

Jake and James picked up Kirkland and looked to the stairs, when the ding of the elevator announced its arrival. They slowly backed away as Grantham's knocking became louder and more belligerent.

Stepping from the elevator car Stillwell and Randy looked around with guns drawn.

"Bobby! You gotta get us out of here and now," shouted James as he and Jake carried Kirkland as quickly as they could towards the elevator car.

"Jake, where's Steve?" asked Randy.

"He's dead, that thing behind the door killed him."

Randy gave Jake a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?" he said as suddenly there was a splintering of wood exploding throughout the hallway as Grantham stepped out. His suit was blackened like charcoal. Smoke poured from him as he walked towards the five men.

"What the hell are you?" shouted Stillwell.

"I'm the devil and I'm here to do the devil's business!"

"This ain't happening!" screamed Randy as he and Stillwell began to unload their guns into Grantham. Jake and James covered Kirkland.

Slowly and clumsily Grantham closed the gap from the other direction. The bullets struck him over and over, snapping bones, cutting through vital organs. Grantham began to falter as he walked. He stopped and started to shake violently. What remained of his fire-scarred face started to twist and contort until the ear splitting shriek spewed forth a name from his mouth.

"I AM LEGION!"

The shockwave from Grantham's scream sent chairs crashing into walls. Doors unhinged and ripped themselves free of their frames. Windows exploded and showered glass across the floor. The intensity of Grantham's violent reaction had knocked James and the others to the floor. Grantham staggered and collapsed on the floor. Kirkland had come to and crawled over to Grantham and whispered to him.

"You lie. You are not Legion! Christ cast him into the swine." said Kirkland.

Lying on his back and rasping for air Grantham looked at Kirkland and spoke gently ."You know nothing of us. Long before he who is the most high spit you into the dirt, have I existed! I, who seduced Samson and took away his gift. I, who tormented Job and I who danced before Herod!"

Kirkland now knew the hotel manager was demon possessed, he was no longer speaking to Richard Grantham. Kirkland spoke firmly.

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues! Book of Mark Chapter sixteen, verse seventeen!" spoke Kirkland confidently.

The demon inside Grantham laughed, "You think speaking the words from the book will send us away? You cannot command me."

Kirkland remained unshaken. "It isn't I who commands you. It is Christ who commands you and it is his name that causes you to tremble."

The demon gave Kirkland a sinister smile.

"Never Fink Mia."

Kirkland suddenly looked confused as he remembered those were the same words tattooed on Valerie Rivera. "What?"

"What?" the demon mocked him and then spoke with a deliberate calm tone. "The problem is Michael, not all of you believe," it said as it grabbed Kirkland by the throat and began to strangle him. "Come join me in hell!" the demon laughed.

James leapt up and dove on Grantham in an attempt to protect his friend. Kirkland screamed, "Tom, don't touch him!"