The Last Survivors (Book 5): The Last Refuge Read online

  Contents

  TITLE PAGE

  CREDITS

  PREFACE

  THE LAST SURVIVORS - BOOKS 1, 2, 3, & 4 RECAP

  Chapter 1 - Franklin

  Chapter 2 - Melora

  Chapter 3 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 4 - Melora

  Chapter 5 - Franklin

  Chapter 6 - Oliver

  Chapter 7 - Winthrop

  Chapter 8 - Melora

  Chapter 9 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 10 - Ivory

  Chapter 11 - Oliver

  Chapter 12 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 13 - Ivory

  Chapter 14 - Winthrop

  Chapter 15 - Ella

  Chapter 16 - Ella

  Chapter 17 - Ivory

  Chapter 18 - Melora

  Chapter 19 - Melora

  Chapter 20 - Franklin

  Chapter 21 - Melora

  Chapter 22 - Oliver

  Chapter 23 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 24 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 25 - Ella

  Chapter 26 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 27 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 28 - Ella

  Chapter 29 - Oliver

  Chapter 30 - Franklin

  Chapter 31 - Ella

  Chapter 32 - Ivory

  Chapter 33 - Winthrop

  Chapter 34 - Franklin

  Chapter 35 - Ella

  Chapter 36 - Franklin

  Chapter 37 - Ella

  Chapter 38 - Franklin

  Chapter 39 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 40 - Bray

  Chapter 41 - Winthrop

  Chapter 42 - Ivory

  Chapter 43 - Ivory

  Chapter 44 - Franklin

  Chapter 45 - Ivory

  Chapter 46 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 47 - Ivory

  Chapter 48 - Melora

  Chapter 49 - Melora

  Chapter 50 - Bray

  Chapter 51 - Melora

  Chapter 52 - William

  Chapter 53 - Melora

  Chapter 54 - Bray

  Chapter 55 - Melora

  Chapter 56 - Franklin

  Chapter 57 - Oliver

  Chapter 58 - Ivory

  Chapter 59 - Franklin

  Chapter 60 - Oliver

  Chapter 61 - Franklin

  Chapter 62 - Oliver

  Chapter 63 - Franklin

  Chapter 64 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 65 - Beck

  Chapter 66 - Bray

  Chapter 67 - Bray

  Chapter 68 - William

  Chapter 69 - Beck

  Chapter 70 - Beck

  Chapter 71 - Franklin

  Chapter 72 - Franklin

  Chapter 73 - Beck

  Chapter 74 - Franklin

  Chapter 75 - Franklin

  Chapter 76 - Beck

  Chapter 77 - Franklin

  Chapter 78 - Franklin

  Chapter 79 - Franklin

  Chapter 80 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 81 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 82 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 83 - Franklin

  Chapter 84 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 85 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 86 - Beck

  Chapter 87 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 88 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 89 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 90 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 91 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 92 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 93 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 94 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 95 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 96 - Tenbrook

  Chapter 97 - Fitzgerald

  Chapter 98 - Oliver

  Reviews

  Email & Facebook

  Other Things To Read

  Copyright Info

  The Last Refuge

  A Dystopian Society in a Post-Apocalyptic World

  Book 5 of The Last Survivors Series

  By

  Bobby Adair & T.W. Piperbrook

  Find us at

  T.W. Piperbrook

  www.twpiperbrook.com

  www.facebook.com/twpiperbrook

  Bobby Adair

  http://www.bobbyadair.com

  http://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAuthor

  ©2016 Ancient City Publishing

  Cover Design and Layout

  Alex Saskalidis, a.k.a. 187designz

  Editing & Proofreading

  Cathy Moeschet & Kat Kramer-Adair

  Technical Consultant

  John Cummings

  Preface

  Hey everyone!

  We're steering toward a conclusion of THE LAST SURVIVORS series (Book 6 will be the final). As always, we hope you're enjoying the ride. THE LAST COMMAND was a trying book for the characters both in and out of Brighton, and THE LAST REFUGE will be no different.

  We've been calling this book "the answers book". Some of our characters learn things that no one in Brighton has ever known. As you can expect, this has significant outcomes for the characters, both good and bad.

  Expect many things to change. And wish our characters luck.

  They're going to need it.

  Tyler Piperbrook & Bobby Adair

  March 2016

  The Last Survivors – Book 1 Recap

  Three hundred years after the fall of society, the last fragments of civilization are clinging to life, living in the ruins of the ancient cities in nearly-medieval conditions. Technology has been reduced to legend, monsters roam the forests, and fear reigns supreme. But that is just the beginning.

  The wind-borne spores are spreading, disfiguring men and twisting their minds, turning them into creatures that threaten to destroy the townships. Among the townsfolk—the political and the religious—dissension is spreading.

  Ella Barrow has discovered that her son is infected with the spore and has spirited him out of Brighton before he can be burned on the pyre. General Blackthorn's soldiers are in pursuit. She has fallen into the company of an unscrupulous Warden named Bray, who for the moment is helping her and her son on the journey.

  Minister Beck and his scholars have discovered that through poor management of town resources a famine is inevitable, but Beck is frustrated by his inability to convince the other ministers to do something about it.

  Father Winthrop comes to the realization that a council of three ministers led by a brutal General Blackthorn is a form of government that has outlived its ability to rule. His desire to lead a rebellion is growing. He doesn't understand that his pompous, selfish ways have lost the loyalty of his novices Franklin and Oliver, who are unlikely to follow his lead.

  Ivory—the son of a man named Muldoon who was taken to the pyre at the last Cleansing—has traveled to the Ancient City where he has met his teacher, an enigmatic man infected by the spore.

  The Last Escape – Book 2 Recap

  After the massacre in Davenport, Ella, Bray, and William flee into the forest to escape pursuing soldiers while at the same time trying to find Melora, Ella's daughter who might still be alive. William starts to exhibit aberrant behavior due to the spore growing in his body. After a violent encounter with soldiers, Ella, Bray, and William find a disheveled, frightened Melora, clinging to the body of her dead friend.

  Ivory learns that his father Muldoon was burned on the pyre on Cleansing Day. Beck, having discovered books on Ivory's person, offers to take Ivory into the Academy as a Scholar if Ivory provides him with more books. Beck believes Ivory has found them in the Ancient City. Confused and disturbed by his father's death, Ivory flees back to the Ancient City to talk to Jingo. He is pursued by the Warden Jeremiah, who Beck has sent after him.

  Fra
nklin struggles under Father Winthrop's growing cruelty while he develops a relationship with a girl from The House of Barren Women named Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald later gets caught stealing a priceless relic from Father Winthrop's personal collection, and Franklin steps in to save her from the pyre.

  Blackthorn grooms Tenbrook to take his place as the leader of Brighton. Meanwhile, Blackthorn prepares the army to march to the Ancient City for a battle that seems destined to be the death of them all.

  Beck and Evan begin to plot to overthrow the government, or to escape west and start anew with a group of educated settlers. They recruit Oliver as a messenger boy, sending him on several errands. All goes well until Oliver is stopped by a few guards who eventually report back to Father Winthrop. Fed up with Oliver's antics, Winthrop threatens Oliver's life.

  The Last Humanity - Book 3 Recap

  Father Winthrop forces Franklin to beat Oliver. Franklin reluctantly complies. Initially angry with Franklin, Fitzgerald comes to the realization that Winthrop is evil, and she and Franklin devise a plan to ensure Winthrop goes out with Blackthorn's army.

  The plan succeeds, but not without its unexpected outcomes. Franklin becomes the new appointed Bishop, but only after burning Father Nelson in a decision forced on him by Blackthorn. Fitzgerald is brutally attacked by Tenbrook, who agrees to trade political favors in exchange for sexual favors.

  Beck and Evan continue their plot to overthrow the Brighton government. Beck is to abscond after the army leaves. Evan is to manage the recruit of insurgents, led by Tommy and Timmy Dunlow. Just before the army leaves, Tommy Dunlow reveals the plan to Tenbrook and gives up Scholar Evan's name. As the newly appointed General of Brighton, Tenbrook swears to uncover the plot and punish all involved.

  Ivory escapes the warden Jeremiah and reunites with Jingo in the Ancient City. Ivory tells Jingo about Muldoon's (Ivory's father's) death, and also that Beck has offered to make him a Scholar. Afterward, Jingo gifts Ivory a compound bow and takes him into the Ancient City to reveal a secret. They evade Jeremiah, who finds them, but they escape in Jingo's secret—a sailboat.

  Melora bonds with her new family—Ella and William—and Bray, as they travel away from Davenport. William is acting more strangely as he succumbs to the spore. They decide to head to the Ancient City to seek refuge. Bray splits off and heads to Coventry to get supplies. While in Coventry, he realizes he's developed feelings for Ella. He rejoins the group and they reach the Ancient City.

  Tired of being abused in Brighton, Oliver decides to flee into the wild. He secures knives, coin, and chainmail to assist in his journey. At the last moment, he decides to go out with the army, with the goal of murdering Father Winthrop.

  The Last Command - Book 4 Recap

  Oliver heads out with Blackthorn's army, intent on killing Father Winthrop. Winthrop's incoherent babbling is mistaken as god-speak. Over the course of several days, an army of several thousand gathers behind Winthrop and begins killing demons in his name. Winthrop becomes convinced he is a god. His followers brand themselves with the bloodied handprints of the demons and threaten Blackthorn's leadership. Blackthorn leads several bloody battles against the demons while trying to distill the growing threat from Winthrop.

  Ivory and Jingo sail away from the Ancient City on Jingo's boat. During the trip, Jingo tells Ivory about the death of his wife and daughter several hundred years earlier at the hands of the infected. Before returning, Ivory and Jingo notice smoke near the Ancient City. Ivory insists they should seek out the source, but Jingo dissuades Ivory with a cryptic warning.

  Franklin and Fitzgerald come to terms with the burning of Father Nelson. Fitzgerald's anger flares when she finds out Franklin has let Oliver go out with the army, but Franklin convinces her that Oliver's success in killing Winthrop might ensure his permanence as Bishop.

  While trying to sneak a night's rest at the army's camp, Oliver unwittingly runs into Beck, gaining an unlikely ally.

  A fall from a horse accelerates Blackthorn's already-failing health. On the eve of the army's final battle, Blackthorn admits his plan to kill the nineteen thousand to Beck. Beck is reluctant to lead the doomed army. As the battle grows fierce, Oliver disguises himself as one of Winthrop's followers and makes an attempt on Winthrop's life, but is unable to follow through with it due to his guilt. Before Beck can rally with the remaining captains, Winthrop, believing Blackthorn is the devil, sneaks into Blackthorn's tent and murders him with his own sword. The remnants of the fractured army engage in a bitter battle while demons continue to attack. Beck and Oliver escape in the fray by jumping in a river.

  In an attempt to uncover the plot against him, Tenbrook gathers the names of the two hundred insurgents. He calls in Evan, the purported leader, and pretends to recruit him. A nervous Evan talks with the Dunlows. The Dunlows wait for word from Tenbrook, who cuts off communication with them. Fearing for their lives, the Dunlows to go to Tenbrook, where he reveals he's been torturing their family. Evan, convinced that Oliver is the rat and certain he is about to die, goes to Franklin and Fitzgerald in a last-ditch attempt for help.

  Melora, Ella, William, and Bray settle down in the Ancient City. Bray's attempts to get closer to Ella are unsuccessful. William begins sneaking out at night and consorting with demons. Melora discovers his secret and confronts him, but William makes excuses. After catching him a second time, Melora follows him into the Ancient City and loses him in the streets. She is surrounded by demons, but a strange man named Ivory rescues her.

  After losing track of Ivory and Jingo in the boat, Jeremiah discovers a secret cache of books and decides to take them back to Brighton and sell them. Before he can enact his plan, he discovers William wandering in the streets. He corners and threatens a scared William, but William kills him when he commands a group of demons to attack.

  Franklin's first sermon goes surprising well, but his celebration is cut short by the arrival of Evan, who informs him of the plot against Tenbrook. Franklin, Fitzgerald, and Evan are shocked when Tenbrook calls a sudden meeting with the entire town. In front of all of Brighton, Tenbrook burns the leaders of the revolt, as well as a shocked Evan.

  Franklin and Fitzgerald come to the terrifying realization that they are next.

  Chapter 1: Franklin

  Candles flickered, casting ominous shadows on the walls, deepening the dread that had settled over the Sanctuary since the burnings. The hallway outside the room was silent. Normally, Franklin heard murmured conversations, or the scuff of shoes from passing clergymen. Not tonight. His brothers were huddled in their rooms, clutching old books, worry stones, or talismans, praying they wouldn't be the next on the fire.

  Nervous sweat dripped down Franklin's back as he sat on the edge of the bed, a kitchen knife clutched in one hand and his arm around Fitz, holding her close.

  "I keep waiting for footsteps in the hallway," Franklin whispered, trembling.

  "Me too," Fitz admitted, swallowing her terror. "They'll take us both."

  "No, they won't." Franklin tried reassuring her, but his words lacked conviction. He turned the knife in his hand. "They only want me."

  "Tenbrook saw us together. He knows Evan was meeting with both of us."

  "Why don't you go somewhere safe, Fitz? Hide in one of the servants' quarters," Franklin suggested.

  "I won't leave you. Besides, I wouldn't get farther than two steps out the door, if that's what he wants."

  Franklin swallowed. He knew she was right.

  He couldn't believe Evan was dead.

  Evan's gurgling screams were seared into Franklin's brain. So was Tenbrook's icy stare. Something merciless and dark lurked behind Tenbrook's eyes—an ancient devil in the body of a man, a monster, worse than Blackthorn, worse than a nightmare. It was just as Evan had said. But Evan had warned them too late.

  Franklin clutched Fitz tighter and asked, "Why are we alive? Why not burn us, too?"

  Fitz's eyes flitted around the room. "Tenbrook is biding his time. This was a message meant f
or Brighton, not just for us."

  "Do you really think so?"

  "Yes. He could've killed you. Or he could've set you up, like he set up Evan. He probably figured he couldn't burn both of you at once." Fitzgerald bit her lip as she groped for an answer. "Maybe there's something about you that makes him afraid."

  "Like what?"

  "I don't know yet," said Fitz. "Whatever the reason, we're still here."

  "But for how long?" Franklin looked at his smooth hands. "My skill is in reciting The Word, not battling soldiers."

  "Maybe that's what Tenbrook's afraid of."

  "I already tried saving Evan with my words," Franklin said, staving off tears. "They didn't work."

  "You did what you could." Fitz patted his leg.

  "I can't stop seeing it in my head. I wish I could have done something that made a difference."

  "There's nothing to be done now," Fitz said, shaking her head. "Evan's with the gods."

  "He shouldn't have died like that. No Elder should've." Franklin watched the walls, as if they might come alive and grab him.

  Fitz lowered her head. The memory of Evan's tortured screams replayed in her mind. Franklin knew because he was thinking the same thing. Each passing minute was a reminder of their fragility.

  Anyone who might've been sympathetic to their cause was either dead or gone: Evan, the rebel leaders, Oliver. The clergymen? There'd be no loyalty there. Some might respect Franklin, but only out of fear. A few might've appreciated his sermon, but Franklin had said the words that put Father Nelson, their brother, on the pyre. They wouldn't remember Blackthorn forcing his hand. They'd remember Franklin, and in their hearts, they'd think of him as a cold-eyed killer.

  Franklin and Fitz were alone.

  "What are we going to do?" Franklin asked.

  "I don't know," she whispered, "but if we don't think of something, Tenbrook will, and then we'll both burn."

  Chapter 2: Melora

  "I think they're leaving," Ivory whispered to Melora.