“South African rabies, my ass.” Carter muttered, shaking his head. Sweat streaked clean lines down his face.

“I always knew the end would come from there.” Johnson nodded knowingly. “It’s in Revelations. Dark Lady and all of that. This is the time when we’ll be put to the test.”

Mopping his brow with the front of his shirt, Carter paused. “Shut up, Johnny.”

The old man retreated back a few steps. “This is still the good old U.S. of A. and I got my rights. I’m telling you, God has abandoned us and closed the gates to hell—the souls have nowhere to go. They’ll all come back now. It’s begun. No sense in blaming the darkies, though,” he said, reflectively. “They were just playing their part.”

“You can give up if you want but I’m planning on surviving this mess.”

“Who said anything about giving up? I’m a Christian soldier.” Johnson said stretching out the last word into two syllables.

“Watch the street in case there are any more, I’m going to grab supplies. You need anything?”

“Marlboro reds and a Bible.”