Returning to the barn once again I grab a pair of gloves. There's a bush of mint leaves near the barn. I go there next. I take off the glove for the hand I cut on my scythe and grab a handful of mint. Crushing them to get what little juices I can. And rubbing it into the wound. After which I put the glove back on and stuff them both with mint. Not wanting to take any risks I try and cover my human smell as much as possible. Cramming more mint into my boots, up my sleeves. And down my pants. I fill my pockets, and crush more leaves, rubbing them into my hair. If I'm right about them being attracted to the smell of humans, and not just their blood. I'll have to find something easier and more potent. For now the mint will have to do. I've wasted enough time now. I need to go see Amos.

It's pouring rain by the time I get to Amos' house.

Banging on his door rapidly, I'm praying his family hasn't woken up yet.

"Amos! Let me in. Quick!"

The door opens slowly. Amos standing behind it. Red from head to toe. There's no Part of him that isn't absolutely Covered in blood.

"What happened?"

I ask.

"Come in."

Amos replies. Showing no emotion, Just slowly panning the room with his hand. Guiding my eye.

There's blood everywhere. Pools on the floor. Splatters up the walls and onto the ceiling. oozing hunks of meat and bits of flesh scattered around. I can't even tell which parts belonged to which person. Except For older his sister. He must have still been working on her when I knocked. From the waist down is gone. But her upper body mostly still intact. The left side of her head caved in, and breast exposed. One of them is removed entirely. leaving a round patch of exposed muscle on her chest. The other still intact. It's hard not to stare at it. She was a very attractive girl. I use to think about her a lot, before Susanna developed and I started thinking about her instead. I've always wanted to see a pair of breasts. But not like this.

Leaned against the wall beside her body there's an axe. Dripping red. Beside that a saw, a hammer, and some rope. This wasn't self defence, this was something much worse.

Amos walks into the house and begins speaking. I stand at the doorway watching.

"It's the only cure Levi."

"I..."

I try to reply but he cuts me off.

"There was no other choice. They were all sick. I had to cure them."

He says this so cold and directly. seeming less human then the sick do.

Grabbing the axe he heads towards the door. I try to stop him.

"Amos no! There has got to be another cure. I'm going to the city to find one."

"This is the only cure, we need to tend to the rest."

"You can't do this Amos. We need to tie them down. Secure everyone, then go to the city find a proper cure. And bring it back to them."

He ignores me and keeps walking out onto the lawn. I run out to in front of him and draw my scythe. He laughs.

"You're not going to use that Levi. Just get out of my way."

Trying to scare some sense into him I swing broadly.

"I'm going to do this Levi. Try if you want, but I won't let you stop me."

He Lunges forward with the axe. I jump back. It misses by a foot but the implication is clear.

Realizing Amos is well beyond being reasoned with, I know what needs to be done. Stepping forward I swing the scythe low. Crashing into his ankle hard. It gets stuck, and I need to jerk it backwards to dislodge it from his boot. The axe comes down and narrowly misses my head. I back away, stepping to the side. Creating distance and working big circles around Amos. He continues his approach, I've got the better range, but Amos comes in quick. Swinging fast and frequently. Another low sweep slams straight into the same ankle. Amos stumbles but regains his balance quickly. I make another low sweep. Hitting the same ankle a third time. This time on the inside of his leg. Amos falls.

Grabbing the axe, I return the scythe to my back. Amos stays down, watching me. Standing over him I draw back the axe over my head, with both hands. I'm going for the ankle again. One good swing should get that foot clear off.

"You won't be "curing" anyone else."

I begin the swing. The axe descending hard and true. Then it comes to an abrupt stop. The handle now clenched in a tight grip. Turning my head I see Yoder.

"What on earth are you doing?"

He tears the axe from my hands.

"Damn it Yoder!"

I erupt.

He strikes me across the face hard enough to make me go dizzy for a moment.

"I will not tolerate the use of such language Levi. Furthermore, You will address me as Father Yoder like everyone else. You will show me the respect I deserve. Do not think that being my nephew grants you any special privileges. Now, I demand you tell me at once what is happening here!"

"He killed his whole family! He Slaughtered them! And now he is trying to kill everyone else."

"Well now. From where I'm standing Levi. It seems to me you are the one trying to kill him."

"No, I swear, Go check his house. He thinks he's curing them!"

"I will be doing no such thing young man. It is clear the pressure of everything going on has gotten too you. You are no longer thinking straight and need to be dealt with."

He grabs my arm and begins dragging me while he continues talking.

"I have a nice bed with some straps in my basement. Perfect for when children like you get a bit too worked up and need to be calmed down. A few days should get you back to normal."

Yoder is a big guy, but he's getting older so it doesn't take much to break out of his grip.

"It's Amos that needs the bed. Not me."

"This would be much easier if you would just come with me like a good boy, instead of putting up a fight."

I continue pleading my case, unsure what else I can do.

"Amos is killing everyone! Don't you understand! And if he doesn't the sick will. They're all getting up and going crazy."

"Levi, Levi, Levi. Amos is just sick. All we need to do right now is hunker down for a bit and wait it out. I have no doubt they will come to their senses shortly."

"But he isn't sick! He never caught the flu!"

"We are not discussing this further. You need to come with me so I can help you settle down."

"No! What we need is to go to the city and find a cure."

Again he strikes me. This time across the jaw. Everything goes dark.