The Regulator (Complete First Draft)

Chapter 64: Gabi - The Counsel

“So, you’re him then?” Gabi asked the figure huddled under the roof of the Carpenters Lodge. She had been standing there, without making a sound or even moving, for what had seemed like ages. After she left Andrew in the barn, she had seen the beginnings of the outbreak at the camp and, fearing for her life, ran off into the woods away from the camp. She’d gotten lost for a time, running off into the dark and untracked woods like that, but she had luckily managed to stumble out of the woods and into familiar territory. She had been to the Carpenters Lodge on a hike once, and she knew the way back. But when she stumbled out of the woods, and looked into the lodge to see the huddled form of a man in the moonlight staring back at her, fear froze her in her tracks. After standing there as what felt like hours passed, she managed to determine that the man was, in fact, a living man. Not a Zombie. She’d also determined he probably had no ill will towards her, considering he hadn’t even moved since they made eye contact. At least she hoped he didn’t mean her any harm. “Well, are you?” She asked again, a little more forcefully.

“Be clear in your questioning.” The mans rough voice responded. He sat up and leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he clenched his hands together. Gabi flinched slightly at the sudden movement. She felt her hand instinctively reach for her gun, only to hit nothing. She shouldn’t have left it at the cabin, that was stupid. “You’d draw so fast?” The man asked, sounding almost entertained.

“Are you the Bedlam?” She asked with a bit of an angry tone, ignoring the question.

“Why yes.” The Bedlam said, rather nonchalantly. “And you… you… I sense you deserve a title of your own.”

“Huh?”

“Yes, yes. You hold significance. You aren’t sheep, are you? No.” The Bedlam rambled. Gabi couldn’t make any sense of it. “More important than The Madman… maybe not so as The Meddler however. The Patriot and The Arch-Angel are also more important… but who are you? Who are you in the tale? What do you bring to it?” The Bedlam stood up and moved quickly towards Gabi, who felt the fear re-freeze her in place. The Bedlam stopped about a foot away from her, and began circling her with his hands on his chin. “Who are you to The Regulator?”

“I…I don’t want to be part of your stupid game. My names Gabriella.” She stuttered out. She felt helpless in the situation even though he hadn’t actually tried to do anything to her.

“You’re a bit of a different story, aren’t you?” He continued, ignoring her. “You’re young, yes, but you hold strong convictions. You’re a fighter. You aren’t interested in sitting around and letting others do things for you. But at the same time, you’re weak. You follow nearly without question. You speak your mind on the side, but never in a way that changes anything. But then something, somewhere along the line of events of this hazardous world… that will change. You have power over the future that you don’t realize you possess. And the Regulator… he see’s you as some sort of advisor…” He stopped walking and scratched his beard for a moment, gazing up at the tree tops. A smile slowly creeped across his face as he peered back down at Gabi. “You are the Counsel. Ah, yes. I knew i’d figure out what role was yours.”

“I don’t want a role, or a title!” Gabi stated, defiantly. “Why do you even give them out! This world isn’t a game! It’s scary and hellish and sad and I just… I just…” She felt tears coming to her eyes as her emotions began to overwhelm her.

“Want to know the end?” He said, crossing his arms. Gabi looked up at him. She didn’t think she could get more confused, but she just had. “I know the story. Beginning to end.”

“Then what is the end? Tell me!” She demanded.

The Bedlam laughed, “Where’s the fun in that? Where’s the fun in ruining the experience?” Gabi had had enough, she rushed forward, punching The Bedlam in the stomach. He made a slight grunt and held his stomach for a moment, but was quick to straighten back up. Gabi backed up and looked at the Bedlam as a tear began to slide down her cheek.

“My family is gone, my friends too! My house, my toys, my room, my bed, everything is gone! I live in an cabin at a camp fearing every day that I might wake up to a monster lurking over my bed! I’ve seen more people die than I would have ever thought I would see! And you laugh. You claim to know the story. You know when people will die. When my friends will die. When i’ll die. You know everything horrible that I will ever go through. And when I ask you to tell me, you laugh in my face for fun?” She screamed at him.

“Meaningful words from a girl of your age, Counsel.”

“You grow up fast when you lose everything.” Gabi said quickly. The tears had stopped, but the streams still remained on her face. The Bedlam looked her over, huffed and walked back over to the lodge, sitting down on an old stone step.

“As I’ve told the Regulator, I am not your enemy, but I am also not your friend. You’re welcome to stay here until there’s light enough for you to find your way back. But you leave come morning, no later.” He said.
Gabi looked over at him, and took a deep breath, calming down from all the crying, “Just tell me what’s going on at the camp right now. If you know the whole story, then you must know how things are going down there.” She requested. But then something surprising happened. For a brief moment, The Bedlams face twisted into a face of almost confusion.

“All should be well.”

“Well it isn’t. The reason i’m here was I was running from a bunch of zombies that appeared at the camp. Don’t even know how they got in, but I guess they came from these woods.” Gabi said. The Bedlam began looking around with a face of what appeared to be bewilderment. “Don’t know how they could have though, Andrew said they couldn’t get over the mountains or past the wall, but…”

“Variables!” The Bedlam said in a hushed but panicked voice. He quickly stood off and darted down the trail in the direction of the camp.

“Hey! Where you going!” Gabi called after him, running down right behind him