Yesterdays Gone: SEASON TWO (THE POST-APOCALYPTIC SERIAL THRILLER) (Yesterday's Gone)

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    Kingsland, Alabama
    The Sanctuary
    March 23
    9:06 a.m.

    Desmond added another freshly-measured and cut 2x4 wooden board to the pile, wiped his brow, took a long gulp of icy water, then picked up another board. He rolled the tape measure to the appropriate spot and marked a wooden check with his pencil before placing the board into the path of the circular saw, paying just enough attention to the task at hand so as not to cut off a finger.
    It had been four days since they arrived at The Sanctuary; each day of Demond’s newfound “freedom” had put him in a different part of the compound. Today, he was in the wood shop, helping with tasks for the construction of the new church. Though Desmond was decent enough with his hands, so far he had yet to be assigned a single task that a decent reward and a focused gorilla couldn't manage.  
    That was fine. He promised Will and Mary that he’d play nice, and he had. No reason not to see things out, so long as he kept his eyes and ears on full alert.  
    Luca seemed to love the place. That wasn’t too surprising since everyone doted on him, at least in their weird, far-off way. It was as if everyone at the church all took the same personality-draining pills, which turned them into Stepford Wife-like clones. Plus, Luca was allowed to stay with the other children for learning time, despite his size. The Prophet didn’t seem too shocked to learn that Luca would be celebrating his ninth birthday in another few weeks. Desmond figured that John had told The Prophet, whose real name nobody seemed to know, everything that had happened back at the Drury Inn.
    Paola had taken to Sarah’s daughter, Rebecca, who had just turned 13 two weeks ago. While Desmond wasn’t buying the bond between Mary and Sarah just yet, Mary was playing a good game, side by side with Sarah during the daily chores of cooking, cleaning and laundry. Will and Linc were doing their part, too, keeping their hands busy and noses down.  
    Scott, like Luca, seemed genuinely happy in his new environment, and particularly happy to be around girls his own age, judging from the awkward smiles and stolen glances Desmond had noticed.  
    While the others seemed ready to call this place home, Desmond wasn’t so sure how long he could put up listening to a second rate evangelist who just happened to have outlived the rest of the parasites. Mary was all he had in the world, along with Paola and Luca, of course. He’d be goddamned if he was going to be barred from their lives, seeing them only after breaking bread, where “The Good Lord’s Word” was spread more than butter, or at random times when they had intersecting chores. He’d rather face bleakers and monsters and whatever else the Apocalypse had in store than be forced to surrender the most of himself.  
    But for now, he’d wait — coiled, at the ready — with his mouth shut and eyes open.
    Each evening after dinner, Desmond and Will exchanged the day’s tidings. Will had already confirmed that the third floor of the men’s house was only for The Prophet, John and Rei, and that there was no doubt something fishy between Rei and John. Will was also positive that the third floor housed the weapons; not just because it would make sense for The Prophet to want them nearby, but because the locked door at the top of the stairs was the first and last stop in between each of the soldier’s shifts. Will was sure that’s where weapons were picked up and dropped off. No one was packing unless they were on active duty.
    Desmond wondered if The Prophet followed that particular part of The Word. God only knew what the man was packing under his weird ass white robes.
    There were four soldiers standing guard at all times throughout the compound: one per rooftop on each of the three homes and a fourth sitting in a booth beside the entrance gate. Each of the houses had a small, makeshift tower on its roof: a small room with a desk and chair, a bible, and a 14 page stapled copy of The Word, which served as a neat summary of the New Unity’s much longer dogma.
    Linc was the only one of their crew so far who had been assigned guard duty. Will got the skinny from Linc, who passed it to Desmond. According to Linc, each tower had a floodlight and a switch. Flip the switch and every alarm in the compound started screaming.  
    Desmond looked up from his 2x4 as Will entered the workshop. He smiled at the old man’s appearance, wondering what The Prophet really