The Regulator (Complete First Draft)

Chapter 59: Nick - Idle Threats

Nick sat in bed and watched as the light from a single candle in the middle of the room danced across the floor, walls, and ceiling. It had been a long, rough day. He was completely strung out and at the end of his rope. His best friend killed five people, a man he considered a mentor was dead, Brandon and Monica didn’t seem to trust him… and on top of all this, Ivan, his own camper, wouldn’t forgive him.

Everyone else, the rest of Nick’s group, was asleep. Logan, Jack, Jake, Mike, Chris… they all slept soundly in their beds against the walls of the cabin. But Ivan, he sat up straight in his bed. Staring across the room at Nick, watching the candlelight dance across his face.

“I did what I had to do.” Nick whispered.

“So did he.” Ivan responded coldly.

“He killed people, Ivan. He’s dangerous.”

“Those men were dangerous. Andrew was protecting us.”

“Protection and murder are two different things.”

“So then why was it okay for Andrew to kill the Madman?” Ivan asked. Nick was taken aback. Ivan had always been pretty well known for his maturity and above average intelligence. But just hearing a question like that come out of a camper was almost shocking to Nick. It was so confrontational, a complete attack on Nick’s morals. But it was subtle, so calm and collected. Nick couldn’t help but feel slightly disturbed by it.

“That was a different situation.”

“How?”

“The Madman was killing multiple people. He was crazy and unstable, torturing people for fun.” Nick said, almost angrily.

“And you and Andrew went in there and stopped him. Killed him. but the second Andrew comes back and tries to do the same thing here, you declare him crazy and throw him in a cell.”

“You threw him in the barn, might as well be a tomb.” Ivan muttered. Nick’s blood began to boil.

“You have no idea what went on in there.” Nick said, coldly and angrily, but still at a hushed whisper.

“I know enough.” Ivan said, pushing himself to the end of his bed and leaning towards Nick. “Everyone does. It’s something you’re gonna have to carry for the rest of your life.”
“We were right.”

“You know, and I do too, that it doesn’t matter wether or not you were right. No one cares about that. It’s the way you handled it, the things you did, and the things you then failed to do.” It was quiet. Ivan stared through the waning light at Nick as Nick sat there and contemplated what he had said. “When this all started, you, Andrew, and three other people killed things you thought might be alive in order to protect this camp. Today Andrew killed people he knew were alive, and he did it to protect this camp. What he did was right, and maybe not everyone at the camp sees it, but he was right, and both you and I know it.”

Nick sat for a second before pulling back the covers and lying down in his bed. He heard Ivan do the same. “Andrew needs to be punished. The camp needs to know they still have strong leaders.” Nick said.

It was silent for a moment.

“Andrew is stronger than you.” Ivan said.

“What did you say.” Nick said, sitting up in his bed. He wasn’t whispering anymore, but he wasn’t yelling either.

“Andrew. Is. Stronger than you.” Ivan repeated.

Nick jumped out of bed, his feet hitting the cold wood floor, “Little shit, do you know what I do for you!” Nick said, growling at Ivan through his teeth. Ivan jumped out of his bed and face Nick.

“What? What do you do? Andrew saved me when the camp got attacked, Andrew taught me how to shoot, Andrew taught me how to survive.” Ivan claimed, “And you. You let me sleep in your cabin cause it’s your responsibility.”

“I keep you safe!” Nick insisted.

“I haven’t needed you since the first attack, and you weren’t even there. Andrew was. Andrew know’s how to lead, what it’s going to take to survive in this world.” Ivan said, walking up to Nick and looking straight up at him. Nick wasn’t even the slightest bit intimidated, the short little twelve year old was trying to talk down to him? Threaten him? That was laughable.

“Andrew is mentally insane. That man, that Bedlam, has put this Regulator thing into his mind. Now he’s on some kind of ego trip because he probably thinks he some kind of chosen one fulfilling some kind of prophecy. He’s dangerously insane, and can’t be trusted to lead the camp.”

“So what? You’re gonna do it? You can’t take care of your own group. You neglect us at every turn, always concentrating on building the wall or trying to gain some kind of command over people. When was the last time you sat down and actually talked to us? Played a game with us? You can’t even care for us, how can you care for the whole camp?” Ivan inquired.

Something in Nick snapped, he grabbed Ivan’s cheeks and got up in his face. “Monica is weak. Brandon is too nice. Andrew is crazy. Brad is dead. No one else can fill the leadership role. The Regulator is a f***ing pipe dream, and I’m going to put an end to it when I kill the crazy son of a bitch who think’s he’s some kind of mythical figure, and the insane ass who gave him that idea.”

Ivan spit in Nick’s face through his squeezed lips. Nick grunted and pushed Ivan back by the face, letting him fall to the floor in front of his bed. “Gabi was right.” Ivan said, catching his breath and leaning his back against the bed. “Monster’s come in many forms.”

“I’m no monster.” Nick said, with a creepily calm demeanor.

“Power hungry sociopath whose willing to execute his best friend to get a leg up? You’re not exactly a hero are you?”

Nick let it all out. He screamed and charged toward Ivan. He was gonna make the little shit pay. Ivan quickly rolled out of the way, causing Nick to crash right into the bed. Ivan ran out the door of the cabin and Nick followed, grabbing his hunting knife off the table as he did so. He caught Ivan at the porch, about to pick up his crossbow which was leaning on the wall by the stairs. As Ivan bent down to grab it, Nick came up behind him and gave him a big strong kick to side, pushing Ivan down the stairs and onto the ground. Nick jumped down on top of him, and held the knife up to his throat. “You listen here kid. You were always my favorite, you were the one kid who actually made this summer job tolerable for a college student. You were funny, easy to talk to, listened to instructions. You were a good camper.” Nick pressed the blade up against Ivan’s throat, just enough for Ivan to feel how sharp it was without cutting him. “But you listen to me and you listen well. That world is gone. There are no rules or laws, only men who have the will to survive. Survival requires one major thing. Power. I want power, but I’m not gonna get it if word of what we just discussed gets out tonight, you follow me?”

“I follow you.” Ivan said, “But I don’t agree with you. And I don’t think they do either.” Ivan looked past Nick, and Nick turned around to see the rest of his group, all five of them, standing on the porch and looking down at the scene unfolding below. Nick was shocked for a moment, but he didn’t get much time to think as Ivan rolled his legs up and kicked Nick hard in the groin. Nick gasped and keeled over, allowing Ivan to get out from under him, run up the steps of the porch, and grab his crossbow. Nick struggled to his feet as Ivan came back down the steps, Crossbow aimed at Nick’s head. “Don’t you f***ing move, asshole.”

“You do it, and you and Andrew can get to know each other even better in the barn.” Nick said, grinning a devilish grin. Ivan face was stone cold as his finger trembled on the trigger. Nick, slowly, began clenching his fist around the knife he held behind his back.

“Ahhhhhh!” They both heard a woman's scream come from near the big field, where most of the cabins were. Both Ivan and Nick turned and looked out over the field, and were shocked by an immense horde that had appeared around the first group of cabins. Undead were walking in and out of the cabins, cabins people had just been living in. Without a second thought, Nick turned his attention away from Ivan and began sprinting towards the horde. He soon heard Ivan’s footsteps behind him.