Zapatista is faithfully based upon the facts of the 1994 Chiapas Indian uprising in Southern Mexico. It is designed to be interesting to a reader simply wanting to read an adventure story, as well as one interested in the deeper drama of a people's revolution. The protagonist, Peter, is a Texan who sabbaticals with his friends in the Sierra Madre for the purpose of writing, drinking, and seeking adventure. Peter gets more adventure than anticipated. A whirlwind of circumstances hurls him away from his friends and into revolutionary life and death struggles. These adventures and the love of an Indian woman, Lxil, forever change Peter's life.

Blake Bailey is a trial lawyer who practices in Tyler, Texas. He is a pilot, scuba diver, Harley rider, trekker of the Himalayas, and occasionally writes prose.

Men scurried to their positions and locked and loaded their weapons. Peter moved to a position on the far left-hand side of the wall affording him a slit between the rocks so he could see the action. The once-noisy camp now became paralyzed with tense silence. Peter heard only the wind, and the wild beating of his heart.

The convoy rounded the bend. The front drivers noticed the roadblock too late. The first truck driver slammed on his brakes, then the second and on down the line. The last truck did not stop in time and ran into the back of the truck in front of it. Rebels on both hills opened fire. More Indians scurried across the road behind the convoy. Mexican soldiers returned fire of the Zapatistas that flanked them. Others poured from the trucks and scrambled behind the rocks to fire into the rock strongholds of the towering cliffs. Many died on the roadside. Bullets peppered the vehicles and ground as the Mexicans chaotically tried to retaliate. At the cost of more lives, some carried two canons and several machine guns into the protection of the rocks. A young Mexican officer barked orders and brought organization to his troops. Soon massive amounts of return fire hit the hillsides. The cannon blasted rocks into dust. The rebels along the rock wall on Peter s hill fired their clumsy weapons. Mounds of brass casings piled up at their feet. Peter rushed to bring the dwindling boxes of ammunition to them. A cannon shell hit the wall. Broken rocks and dust sprayed over Peter. The explosive sound left a numbing ringing in his ears. He stumbled to the wall and, to his horror he watched Mexican soldiers crawl and snake through the crevices of the rocks as they moved up the hill.

Ixquic and Hunahpu burst back into the camp. Wide-eyed and out of breath, Ixquic spoke but she could not be heard over the noise. She yelled this time.

"Soldiers from San Cristobal are but a mile down the road! They enter the mountains to get behind you!"

Kuk ordered half of his tiny force to retreat and the others to provide cover fire. The first group reached the next level of rocks and stopped to provide cover for their comrades below. In the second group to leave, Chac stood. A bullet struck him in the back. He collapsed. Still. Ixquic rushed back to him. She knelt beside him and put his head in her lap. His eyes stared at nothing. Hunahpu stood frozen where her mother left her.