Chapter 6: Purpose
Max had started to become accustomed to the life of a farmer. He enjoyed waking up early, milking the cows, and helping out around the barn. He was beginning to feel like he had a purpose. But he knew his real purpose was greater than farming, it was to save the town from the Red Death. He would have to come up with a full-scale plan, and write it all out for Mayor George. Max also knew once he got back in the town he would immediately be put in some sort of prison. He also was feeling guilty for leaving and for threatening his sister. He knew he would never have killed her, but he had to tell her that because he felt he needed to be protected at the time.
“Max, I want to show you something, come in the barn!” Rich yelled out to Max. Max was eager to see what Rich wanted to show him, but he tried to act preoccupied, “What is it Rich I was milking the cows,” Rich ignored him, so Max walked into the barn and saw Rich holding a small black case. He opened it very slowly.
“I want to give you this boy. It’s a plasma ray gun, able to shoot through anything.” Max had heard of this, but thought it was just a myth. “There are only four of these in the world Max, this weapon is very dangerous and deadly. It has unlimited ammo because it’s solar powered and the only way it can be destroyed is by water. If touched by water the gun will malfunction and will actually shoot backwards, so make sure you’re careful with it. It was my father’s, and since I don't have a son, I want to give it to you,” Rich beamed at Max. Max stared in awe at the gun. He was so amazed that he was speechless. “Thank you Rich,” he was able to spit out.
Max had never been given anything beyond his school supplies, food, and clothes. “Well don’t you want to try it out boy?” Rich asked. Max picked up the plasma ray gun, pointed it a wooden fence, and shot.
“Bam!” The shot went through the fence and made a gaping hole. “That fence is thick as ice boy. Just imagine what it could do against some weak Red Death.” Max looked at Rich in awe and excited at the same time, “That’s what we need to do Rich, kill them before they kill us.”
“You know boy that isn’t a bad idea, but I think me and you need to put up some defense. I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said, how they could find me at any time.” Max and the farmer thought for awhile. How could they keep crazy infected people out? Max announced, “We could build a wall or an electric fence.”
“No, it’s going to have to be stronger, at least strong enough so me and you could fend them off. My father told me the best defensive mechanisms are moats. But he told me they are hard as hell to make,” Rich replied. Max smiled, “Well then Rich we better get started.”
So they set off right away, first making a ditch big enough to surround the entire barn. It was grueling work, but Max and Rich were strong and determined. They dug for twelve hours a day from sun up to sun down. At night Rich would tell stories from the time before the Red Death passed down through generations of his family. At dinner one night, Max asked, “Hey Rich, where the hell did you or your father get that plasma ray gun?"
"Well boy, my great grandpa was the first man to make a gun, I've just been holding on to it ever since."
"You know Rich, I want to create something someday, you know, make everyone's life better."
"Well Max the last man who did that only ruined civilization so I don't think you could do much worse," Max and Rich laughed hysterically and for the first time Max felt like someone understood him. "Rich, I don't want to sound all emotional and shit, but I think you’re my first real friend. Back in the town I never said anything to anyone at all."
"Well that’s just because you haven't met the right people yet boy."
Max smiled, but he still worried about the Red Death. He knew at anytime they could find the town and kill everyone. "Rich I know what the town has to do, to make sure everyone doesn't die."
"I'm all ears Max, what’s this idea of yours?"
"The town can't keep running away from this problem. The only way to survive now is to fight."
"You’re right Max, that would be the only way." They sat at the table not saying a word, but Rich eventually spoke, "You know boy before everyone died, there used to be a thing called freedom. It meant that you could do what ever you wanted and buy what ever you wanted."
"What do you mean by buying something?" Max asked, not knowing what Rich meant.
"Oh that’s right you don't know about money. Money is like those cards that you have, except with it you can get whatever you want. But you have to work and earn money, and when you have a job, you get paid for the hours you worked.”
Max dreamt that night about the freedom Rich described, and a thing called money. Max would own his own house, and buy all the things he wanted. But right before he woke up, the dream became a nightmare, as Max saw his town falling victim to the Red Death.
“Wake up boy,” Rich yelled at Max. “It’s time to dig. If we work extremely hard for the next couple of days, I think we can finish the ditch.”
“Alright I’m coming” Max replied, still drowsy from waking up. Max carried his plasma ray gun now, because he was always a little on edge and he wanted to master his aim. Rich and Max had kept up a very steady pace that day and they were almost done with the ditch. Everything was going great until they saw something in the distance running toward them. It was far away, but whatever it was, it was moving fast. The thing stopped about a hundred yards away from them.
“What the hell is that Rich?” Max asked in a shaky tone. “That’s the Red Death boy.” The thing let out a loud shriek and started sprinting away. Max hopped out of the ditch and started chasing it. “No Max let it go!” Rich shouted to Max, but it was too late. Max was in an all-out sprint trying to catch it. Max started to gain on it and when he got about thirty yards away it stopped, and stared right at Max.
“What are you?” Max shouted.
“Red Death” it replied in a shrill tone. “It’s too late for you now child, my followers will be here in a couple of days,” it smirked at Max.
The thing was bright red, deformed and very skinny, with a white cloth over its chest. It started running toward Max, getting closer with every step. Max waited until it was five feet away from him, and then pulled out his plasma ray gun. He shot it dead in its tracks, blowing a huge hole through its chest.
“Send that to your followers!” Max yelled at the motionless body. He heard Rich running from behind him, “You okay boy? That was one hell of a shot if I say so myself. You’re a natural.”
Max paused for a moment still not being able to believe what he had just done. “Thanks Rich,” he said quietly and he started walking back to the house. He told Rich the Red Death would be at his farm in a couple of days, and they would need to fight them off. Max didn’t sleep well at all that night, he just kept thinking of that horrible thing he shot. The words the Red Death had told him, “It’s too late for you now” rang in his head like a loud bell. He looked at the clock and saw it was four-thirty in the morning. Max lay back down and finally decided to allow himself to rest, to prepare for the battle that was soon to come.
Max woke up around nine and decided to walk back to the house to get some food from the kitchen. He saw Rich staring at a photograph on the wall.
“Is that your wife Rich?”
“Was my wife” Rich replied sadly.
“What was she like?” Max asked, hoping to cheer him up. Rich looked at her picture and slowly mumbled, “She was the best Max, the best. She became infected and asked me to kill her, and she told me she was pregnant with our daughter. I couldn't kill her so she decided to commit suicide later that very night. She wanted to name our baby Hope, hope for a better life."
Max turned to Rich, who looked as if he was going to cry. But they both knew they didn't have time to mourn, so they went back outside. While they knew their moat could not be finished in time, they believed the ditch they made would help stop the Red Death from getting to them. They also both knew that after
this day, the Red Death could show up at any time ready to strike. So they started putting down nails and spikes in the ditch, where the Red Death would have to enter. The ditch surrounded the entire barn so they spent a good four hours or so laying down each nail and spike.
“I also got a couple explosives boy. It’s very dangerous, but we could use them to take out a lot of those evil bastards.” Max looked out in the distance and announced, “With this plasma ray gun in my hands we got a hell of a chance.”
Rich smiled, it was one of the first times Max had seen him do that. “You’re cocky boy, just like myself. But heck I haven’t ever seen anyone more accurate with a gun then you.”
They decided to call it an early night, knowing it was going to be the last night they would be getting some decent sleep for awhile. Max went to the barn and lay on the soft ground. He shut his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.