Read Apocalypsis 04 - Haven for Free Online Page A

planning to just let them walk to the lobby, but Ronald stopped them from proceeding any farther with a hand held up and a wide-legged stance.
    “Wait. Stop right there.” He turned to me. “Bryn, aren’t you going to have them say the oath first?”
    “Yeah. They have to say the oath,” said Derek. “We did. Everyone should have to.”
    “Oh. Yeah. Okay, I guess.” I looked to Peter and he nodded.
    “Oath? What oath?” asked the girl. She had a sour look on her face that instantly put me on edge. It reminded me of Coli. Her hair was thin and stringy, very greasy. Her eyes were small and her nose sharp. She looked like an angry, mangey bird.
    “It’s a promise to help and not eat your fellow man,” said Flick. It should have been funny, but no one laughed.
    I separated from the pack and moved to the empty space between them and the front door. I raised my voice so they could hear me over the sound of muttering coming from my friends.
    “Anyone who comes to Haven must be willing to sacrifice what he needs and wants for the good of our group. We promise to keep you safe, fed, sheltered, and cared for - to the best of our ability. But anyone who messes with us or tries to hurt us will pay the price.”
    “What’s the price exactly?” asked the girl. “Death? Are you guys killing kids who refuse to live in a dictatorship?”
    One of the guys nudged her. “Shut up, Gail.”
    “No, I don’t have to shut up. It’s a legitimate question.”
    Peter walked around the outside of the crowd to stand next to me. Whispering out of the side of his mouth, he said, “Everyone’s watching. Don’t take any crap from her.”
    I jabbed him with my elbow, whispering back, “I got that. Thanks.”
    I lifted my chin a little. “This isn’t a dictatorship exactly. But for now, I’m in charge. You don’t like it, stay out. It’s your choice. But if you come in, you have to accept that.”
    “Without holding back,” added Derek. “Just like the rest of us. No one’s any better than anyone else here.”
    The entire group was nodding, and none of them looked happy. I had to doubt the intelligence of a chick who’d walk up to a place like this and make such a terrible first impression. I was almost hoping she’d walk away when she finally spoke.
    “Fine. I accept your terms. At least for now.”
    I was actually okay with her response, so I moved forward to join the others.
    “No. Huh-uh. No way does that work for me,” said Gretchen, moving from her spot next to Jamal to go stand in front of Paci and the others he brought. “If you can’t walk through this gate and tell me that you’ll have my back the entire time you’re here, then don’t even bother. We don’t need troublemakers like you in here.”
    Things were quickly getting out of hand. Feathers were ruffling all over the place as people got their backs up and squared off on either side of the fence.
    I rushed forward to put some water on the fire. “Hey! That’s enough. Gretchen, get back, please. Let me deal with this.”
    Gretchen only hesitated about half a second before she complied, never taking her eyes off Gail.
    I got there and faced Paci again. “Are you good with the terms?”
    He spoke without emotion. “I’m with you Bryn, no matter what the terms are. You know that.”
    My face flamed up again. “Good. Go ahead in.”
    The crowd parted to let him by.
    I faced off against the three newcomers. Gail was looking definitely mutinous, but the other two seemed neutral. I didn’t feel threatened by them, nor did I feel any warm and fuzzy stuff coming at me either. My gaze took in all of them.
    “Listen … we don’t want any trouble. We all just got moved in here, and we have a lot of work to get done before we’ll be comfortable. We don’t want to exclude anyone, but we also can’t let anyone in who will hurt what we’re trying to accomplish in here, you know what I mean?”
    One of the guys nodded. “Yeah, I get it. It’s