The Rising: Selected Scenes from the End of the World

THE RISING:

SELECTED SCENES

FROM THE END OF

THE WORLD

Brian Keene

© 2008, 2009 by Brian Keene

Cover Artwork © 2008, 2009 by Alan M. Clark All Rights Reserved.

For Shane Ryan Staley, who knows a good thing when he sees it. Lets ride the wave of mutilation. Special Thanks to:

Trygve V. Botnen, Mark Beauchamp,

Shannon and Allison Wuller, Roman P. Wuller, Tony and Kim at Camelot Books, Terry Tidwell, Chris Hansen, Brian Lee, Michael Nolan, Jade Rumsey, Robert T. Shea, Jamie La Chance, William A. King, Eddie Coulter, Penny Khaw, Leigh Haig, Larry Roberts, Paul Goblirsch, Michael and Karen Templin, Mike Goffee, Terry Schue, Stephen Griglak, Edward Etkin, H Michael Casper, Donald Koish, Michael Bland, Paul Legerski, Robert Lewis,

Christopher Lee Shackelford, Jason Houghton, Bob Ford, and Paul Puglisi.

ALSO BY BRIAN KEENE

NOVELS:

The Rising

City of the Dead

Terminal

Ghoul

Dead Sea

Kill Whitey

The Conqueror Worms (also published as Earthworm Gods) Dark Hollow (also published as The Rutting Season) Clickers II: The Next Wave (with J.F. Gonzalez) COLLECTIONS:

Fear of Gravity

No Rest for the Wicked

No Rest at All

Sympathy for the Devil: The Best of Hail Saten Vol. 1

Running with the Devil: The Best of Hail Saten Vol. 2

The New Fear: The Best of Hail Saten Vol. 3

NOVELLAS & CHAPBOOKS:

Take the Long Way Home

The Resurrection and the Life

Shades ( with Geoff Cooper)

The Rise & Fall of Babylon (with John Urbancik) The Rising: Necrophobia (with Brett McBean, Michael Oliveri, and John Urbancik)

MISCELLANY:

Talking Smack

The Rising: Death in Four Colors (with Zac Atkinson) AS EDITOR:

In Delirium

The Best of Horrorfind

The Best of Horrorfind II

INTRODUCTION

This is a book about the end of the Earth, specifically, the end of the Earth at the hands of the Siqqusim, Elilum, and Teraphim, led by Ob, Ab, and Api. It does not have a happy ending.

(Can’t say I didn’t warn you this time, fuckers.) I can’t imagine this holds true for any of you, but I guess I’d better say it anyway. If you haven’t read The Rising or City of the Dead, you might want to do so before going any further. Like The Rising: Necrophobia (which it also wouldn’t hurt to re-read), The Rising: Selected Scenes From The End Of The World chronicles what was happening across the rest of the world during my entire zombie mythos; from the appearance of the very first zombie (“Don’s Last Mosh”) to civilization’s breakdown (“Last Chance For La Chance”) to the finale; the planet’s fiery, post City of the Dead destruction (“Two Suns In The Sunset”). There’s even a glimpse of what lays 7

The Rising: Selected Scenes...