Rise of the Death Walkers (The Circle of Heritage Saga) by Lawrence Nason Jr.

on impulse. I got up out of my chair and started walking toward the charcoal.
    The silence that ensued was deafening.
    “Jason,” Katie exclaimed, “You are on your feet walking!”
    I took another step and what she said registered in my mind. I looked down and moved my foot forward in another tentative step. Once I was consciously thinking about walking my knees buckled and I dropped to the ground.
    Everyone rushed over to me to help me up from the ground. I waved them away and used the house to lean against and get back on my feet. Sweat formed on my forehead and began dripping into my eyes. I wiped it away and took a tentative step toward the bag of charcoal.
    “Careful Jason.” Mimi warned.
    “I am fine Mimi. I know I can do this.” I reached down and picked up the charcoal. Turning around I saw my family. Their eyes were glowing in excitement. I had reached an important milestone in my recovery and I suddenly wanted to do this on my own. I waved them away again and started walking to where Mimi was standing. When I reached her I handed her the bag and said, “Here is the bag you wanted Mimi.”
    Silence still commanded the situation as I turned and walked back to my chair. Once I was seated the situation turned from silence into calamity. Everyone was talking at once in excited tones.
    “Jason that was beautiful. Seeing you back on your feet was something I had hoped for since you first got out of the hospital.” Katie hugged me and started placing kisses all over my face.
    “Well done Jason.” Grandfather Sam said proudly. “It won’t be long and you will be roaming the woods with me. You will be one with nature and at peace with yourself.”
    My own mind was still jumbled and I could hardly believe myself what I had done. After so many months of trying to force myself to walk I just get up without a thought and do it. “I don’t understand how I could do what I just did.”
    Mimi smiled at me and said. “Sometimes, Grandson, the mind just needs to be free. It needs to handle things in its own way. Forcing conscious actions can, at times, be detrimental to your recovery. Your mind and body will know when it is time for you to do things.”
    “Now,” my grandfather poured apple cider into glasses. “We can celebrate with a proper feast.” He handed out the plastic cups to everyone and held up the glass. “To the first step into the future. You will succeed in many things in life Jason. Always remember in the good times and in the bad. We are there with you, if not in body then in spirit”
    We had good reason to celebrate that night. Katie sat near me holding my hand. She reminded me, by being there, just how much I had to be thankful for in life.
    June had come and passed and I was no further to tapping into the secret powers my grandfather claimed was buried deep within me. The other aspects of my life were progressing much faster. I had regained use of both of my legs and I could generally walk medium length distances if I was very careful and there was nothing bigger than a dime in my path. My relationship with Katie had deepened to such proportions that I astonished myself with what I was capable of. I was finding it more difficult to keep my promise to her father and my grandfather because she was forever finding ways to test my willpower. For instance right now it was three in the morning and she walked into the bedroom her parents had been letting me use on my frequent visits to stay over the weekend. She was wearing something that would have broken the willpower of a monk who had abstained from sexual encounters and had held that vow for sixty years.
    She pushed the door open and distracted me from my thoughts. I turned my head to the door and stiffened. The negligee she was wearing must have come right off the hooks of a closet in the Playboy mansion and although it blurred the areas of extreme desire very well if let nothing for the imagination.
    She moved to the bed and sat down. "Good