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The Kid
This is a little something I started a few weeks ago. I still don't know if I'll add to it or not. It can stand on it's own, I think, or it can also be the start of a larger story. Either way, I decided to share it with you guys.
Happy Holidays!
Bad
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They were finished.
No one wanted to admit it, and certainly no one would say it, for fear of someone agreeing with them, but deep down, they all knew it was so. This was the end.
They had made a valiant effort, at least that’s what they told themselves. Things had gone to hell in a hurry after the collapse. Thousands had died in the span of minutes when the riot started. Memphis had been a cauldron of boiling anger and resentment, and the realization that the ‘dole’ days were gone had sent many of those dependent on welfare as a way of life into a frenzy of violence and looting.
The electricity was off after the second day, forcing many to seek alternate ways to survive. Winter was early this year for the first time in two decades. Any other time, the prospect of a white Christmas would have excited everyone. But not when you’re living outdoors, with little other than the clothes on your back, and nothing much to eat.
The last minute grabbing of food, clothes and other supplies had included too many heirlooms, antiques, and valuables that were no longer that valuable. When you’re hungry, the only thing of real value is food. When you’re cold and wet, warm, dry clothing became worth more than gold. A fire starter that would work without fluid worth more than that collectible Zippo lighter.
Realizing too late that no one was really working to contain the rioting crowds, the residents of Maple Tree, an upper class property development, were forced to flee just minutes ahead of the descending mobs. Their vehicles were long since abandoned for lack of fuel. They had walked for miles in the cold and snow, covering only eleven miles in three days. The last day with no food, and melted snow for drinking water. The group was pitifully unprepared for what had happened, for the situation they now found themselves in.
Jared Thomas was trying to keep watch for the group as he shivered in his light jacket. It was stylish, and rather expensive, but did nothing to help fight off sub freezing temperatures, especially once it was water logged with falling snow. As he watched for trouble, others tried vainly to get a fire started with the wet dead fall they found around the stand of trees they had taken shelter in.
By Thomas’ estimation they had traveled a grand total of seventy miles since leaving Memphis, headed east. That would put them near Jackson, Tennessee, a good sized town along I-40, midway between Memphis and Nashville. He didn’t expect Jackson, which had been crime and violence ridden before the collapse, to be any better than Memphis. Nor did
he expect any help there, either.
Their one radio had been on an MP3 player brought along by a teenager, and had long since gone silent, the battery drained by constant use. No one thought to ration how they used it, instead wanting the constant updates they were accustomed to before the collapse. Now, they knew nothing, except cold, and hunger, and desperation.
They knew from harsh experience that almost every road was occupied with roving gangs, searching for food and victims on which to vent their anger. Their presence had forced the group into the woods where they were now, lost and afraid. They had no way to defend themselves, none of them having owned a gun, or ever imagining a world where they’d need one. Everyone was regretting that decision, now.
Thomas was startled from his reverie by movement in the snow. He strained to make out the approaching shape, and realized with a start it was a man.
“Someone’s coming,” he announced. The group stopped whatever they were doing and hurried to where Thomas’ was standing. Gradually the man became more visible, walking toward them with purpose, something across his shoulder. Thomas was shocked to see it was a small deer.
The ‘man’ turned out to be a teenage boy, Thomas thought. As he arrived, the teen merely dumped the deer on the ground, and looked at the assembled group.
He was tall, Thomas noted, with what looked like sandy blonde hair peeking out from under a floppy hat combined with toboggan. Piercing blue eyes seemed to pin the group in place. The bulk of his leather coat hid the boy’s build, but his strength was apparent, considering the ease with which he’d carried the deer.
Thomas looked at the deer, noting how blood had stained the snow covered ground. The deer had been gutted.
The teen looked at them for less than a minute, eyes sweeping the group, appearing to take in everything about them in the time. Then he was moving again, walking into the trees. Without a word, he began to pull smaller trees in the circle down, and tie the tops together. In less than five minutes he had formed a crude hut of small cedar trees, occasionally hacking limbs off with a small hatchet. These limbs he tossed into the center of the hut.
With the hut formed, the boy gathered the branches he had cut, and used one of them to sweep the snow from the inside, taking the wet leaves with it. No one in the group moved to assist him, not knowing what to do, or what he was doing. Once the inside was clear, the teen carefully placed the branches into a small pile in the center.
Removing a small medicine bottle from one of several pouches on his belt, he removed what looked like a damp wad of cotton and placed in under the branches. He next removed a fire starter, raking shavings from it onto the cotton, and then struck the flint. Sparks flew from it, and the cotton and magnesium flared to life.
The teen, who had still not spoken a word, worked carefully for several minutes, feeding twigs and cedar and pine needles to the fire as the wood began to catch. The group looked on in silence as the fire grew. The teen looked up at them, and motioned for them to join him in the hut. The group moved as one, beckoned by the warmth of the fire.
The teen slipped away, and Thomas heard the hatchet again. Minutes later, he could see pine branches being slipped into the walls of the hut, shutting off the cold air still coming in between the trees and their branches. Thomas looked longingly at the fire, wanting nothing more than to be warm, then slipped outside to help. He watched the boy for a minute, learning what he could, then hesitantly picked up one of the branches, and began weaving it into the hut’s wall.
He finished, and stood back to look at his handiwork.
The boy examined it for a second, then nodded approvingly before going back to work. For some reason, the teen’s approval was important to Thomas. He hurriedly went back to work. The sooner he was finished, he figured, the sooner he could enjoy that fire.
Working steadily, he was surprised when they were suddenly finished. The teen pointed to the hut, motioning for Thomas to go inside, which he did, gratefully. He watched as the teen took a knife and began to fashion something out of a set of branches he had set aside. Shaking his head, Thomas went inside, where the others were gathered around the fire, still shivering.
He was pleasantly surprised to find that the hut was much warmer. The ground was even somewhat drier, with the heat from the fire working to dry not only the inside of the hut, but the clothes on their backs.
Five minutes later the mysterious teen entered the hut with an armload of cut wood, which he carefully added to the fire. Gradually the fire grew, and the teen left the hut again, returning with the deer, now skinned and run through with a heavy branch that the bark had been stripped from. He carried two other branches in his other hand that formed a Y shape. He motioned for Thomas to help, and handed him one of the Y branches. Thomas took it and stood opposite the teen across the fire. Between the two of them, they managed to hang the deer, using the Y branches to suspend the deer over the fire.
The boy looked at Thomas, then reached down and slowly turned the deer a quarter turn. He waited five minutes, then turned it again. Thomas nodded his understanding, and stood by the stick. Reaching into a shoulder bag, the teenager produced a butcher’s knife, which he handed to Thomas, still without a word.
The teen looked at the group, shaking his head in silent resignation. Waving to Thomas, he stepped outside of the hut, and disappeared into the snow, never having spoken a word. Thomas watched him leave, feeling lost once again.
Then he turned the deer.
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That is either a great start or a good little story on its own.
Thanks!
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Cool tale. Works good as stand alone or as a beginning.
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Thank you Bk!
The greedy story reader in me wants to scream "Moar!! Moar!!"
While the part that stands in awe of such talent says, "Wow, this is perfect exactly like it is."
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Very nice please contunie
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Bad very good start, we need you to continue as this looks to have great possibilities, with the kid and/or Thomas
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Kind of had chills when I read your story. I was talking with a friend of mine last night. She is recently widowed and living by herself in a big house in one of those upscale towns outside of Memphis. She has been pampered all of her life and even though she get's it, she is totally inept. She figures if SHTF, intercity Memphis will be heading down the highway straight to her house.
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Great short story thank you, and yes it would also be a great beginning to a longer one :).
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Thanks for posting this. It's a great little story. If you ever wrote more to surround it, I'd love to read it.
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Very good. I vote for more but appreciate it as it is.
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Wow! BK I think you have another winner started here.
If you would, please continue this... It helps bring to the 'front' the wilderness survival possibilities.
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Excellent on its own! However, I sure would like to read more of this!
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Good as stand alone. Let each one fill in those what if details. I liked the simplicity of the action without commentary, but like others, I'll take more if you give it to me.
Rabbit, your comment about your friend would make a great story of its own too.
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Outstanding story BK! Its great as is , but would make a great longer story also. If you write it we will read it. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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I always love your stories! Please write more!!! ;-)
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Oh come on now Bad your really teasing us when you said maybe no more right?
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I'm glad you guys enjoyed this. It was an idea I had, and I'm still sketching it a little hoping to make a full story of it. When I started it I didn't really know if it was something I could make a full story out of, but I've had a few ideas since then that I think will work, so we'll see.
Thanks for your feedback too. I'll try to have something else on this soon.
Bad
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Nice story,
Be nice to see where you go with it!
Jeepcats3
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Bad it's good to be reading your writing again, you have my vote to continue it's looks like the start of of another great story.
Wayne
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Goodie! Another great tale from Bad! Love your writing, this is well done ~ Hope you can expand this, there is a lot yet to tell!
Thank you!!!
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Chapter Two
Jared stirred from his spot beside his girlfriend, realizing that it was cold inside the little hut. He looked hastily at the fire, fearing it had gone out. No, it was still burning, but it was very low.
He moved carefully, not wanting to disturb Pam. She moved slightly, missing the warmth of him lying next to her. He put his jacket over her, hoping it would help keep her warm, and then moved to the fire. Everyone else was sleeping, including Mitchell Willis, who was supposed to be on fire watch, making sure the fire stayed burning.
Jared’s nostril’s flared slightly in anger, but then he relaxed. He really couldn’t blame the man. Everyone had been exhausted yesterday, and having full bellies for the first time in what seemed forever had made everyone sleepy. Shaking his head at the thought, he started working on the fire.
They had to get away from that kind of thinking. Letting that fire go out could mean their death. If their silent savior hadn’t come along when he had, many of them would have frozen to death last night, and the rest would be hungry this morning.
Thinking about the boy from the day before, Jared wondered what his story was. He hadn’t spoken a word yesterday, despite the time he’d spent here. No one in the group, including Jared himself, had tried to make the stranger speak to them, either from fear, or just plain gratitude.
Jared hoped the teen would return, if for no other reason than to allow them to show some appreciation for what he’d done for them yesterday.
The fire started rising finally, flames crawling steadily higher. Jared looked around, locating their one cooking pot. Taking the pan, he stepped outside intending to gather some clean snow to melt for drinking water. As he stepped into the cold, he shivered. He didn’t intend to be out here long, but even stepping out was a shock to the system. It was cold this morning. Much colder than previous mornings, for sure.
He had taken several steps when he realized that the mysterious teen was sitting on a log ten feet from the crude hut. Jared stopped short, his heart hammering for a second before he realized who it was. The other man was looking directly at him, those piercing blue eyes almost glowing in the dim light of early dawn.
“Morning,” Jared nodded tentatively. A return nod was all he got, but the boy raised his arm and pointed back toward the hut. Jared followed the gesture, and his eyes came to rest on a bundle beside the entrance to their shelter. He looked back at the visitor, who made a hand motion indicating Jared should take a look. He walked over and opened the duffel.
Inside he found a half-dozen blankets, a cast iron skillet, several cans of assorted vegetables, ten cups of various sizes, and a still frozen chicken, along with salt, pepper, and a few other spices, and three packages of egg noodles.
His face a mask of delight and disbelief, he turned to. . . .
Nothing. The teen was gone again. Jared looked around frantically, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. Shaking his head in wonder, Jared moved quickly to fill the pot with snow, then picked up the duffle and carried it and the pot back inside. He pulled the blankets from the duffel, and immediately put one over Pam’s slight frame. He moved quietly and carefully through the hut, covering all the women and children in the small group with the blankets.
With that done, he looked into the duffle again, and saw that he had missed a few things in his quick perusal from earlier. There was a small stock pot, lacking a lid, along with a ladle, and four bowls. A half dozen spoons and two forks where inside the pot. And in the bottom was a small hand axe and a fire starter.
Jared breathed finally, unaware he’d been holding his breath. Retrieving his jacket, he took the axe and stepped back outside. Donning a pair of gloves he’d found under the axe, he set out to cut more wood. Wondering all the time about their mysterious benefactor.
**********
“We have to talk,” Jared announced to the group as they all enjoyed the chicken noodle soup. Six women, one of them a teenager, Five men, two girls and three boys. Plus him.
I don’t want to be in charge, he told himself. But someone needed to point out the problems, and no one else was stepping up.
“We have to get some organization, here,” he said firmly. “Gerald, you fell asleep on fire watch. In all fairness, we were all exhausted, and had eaten for the first time in two days, but it can’t happen again. Not for any of us. If we all go fast asleep, we’re in danger.”
“As tired as we were last night, we would have just stayed asleep and froze to death if the fire went out. Honestly, if not for the kid, I think most of us would be dead already.”
“Is this something the kids really need to hear?” Angela Bottoms asked, just short of being snide.
“If they want to live, yes,” Jared replied bluntly. “The world is changed, Ange. There’s no help coming, there’s no cavalry riding to the rescue. None of us was even remotely prepared for anything like this. Thanks to the kid, we get another chance. We can’t waste it, and we can’t afford stupid mistakes. And we certainly can’t sugar coat things.”
“We have to learn how to live in this new world, and it’s going to be hard. We don’t know much about surviving like this, so we have to be careful. An injury that a month ago meant a trip to the ER might mean death today. The kids have to know that, so that they know to be more careful.”
“On top of that, we remember how we all came to be here in the woods.” Everyone nodded at that, fear present on several faces. “There’s more like them out there, you can bet on it. I don’t have to tell any of you what could happen if we’re caught by a bunch like that.” He could tell from their eyes, especially the women, that he didn’t have to tell them.
“We have to establish a watch. Around the clock. That means at least one person, at all times, doing nothing but checking the fire and the surrounding area. We need a toilet area, and we need to collect leaves to use as toilet paper. We need to start looking for berries and other edibles. There’s a lot to do. And on top of everything else, we need to stay well. Getting sick could be a death sentence.”
“Who put you in charge, exactly?” Danny Taylor asked. He wasn’t exactly challenging, but it was clear he didn’t like even ‘suggestions’ about what to do, let alone being flat out told what to do.
“I don’t want to be in charge,” Jared shrugged. “I’m just pointing out the obvious. I willing to follow anyone who can get the job done, and keep us fed, and alive. You want the job?”
Taylor rocked back slightly, surprised by the answer. After a minute he
shook his head.
“No. And I don’t disagree with what you’ve said, to be honest,” he admitted.
“Anyone else willing to step up?” Jared asked, looking at each adult in turn. No one spoke.
“In that case, I say we have a session like this each morning to discuss problems, possible solutions, and work that needs to be done. For today, I suggest firewood, any edible berries or roots, and work to make the hut more comfortable. Anything else? Or any objections?” Again, nothing.
“Well, let’s get to work, then. I’ll work on firewood. Someone want to help?” Two men and all three boys raised a hand.
“Good deal. What about foraging?” Slowly but surely everyone took an assignment, and the group split up to accomplish their tasks. It felt good to be doing something other than waiting for the next disaster.
For the first time in many days, most of the group felt as if they had at least some control over their life back.
**********
It was late in the day when it happened, and caught everyone off guard.
As the day had progressed, everyone started feeling a little better. The children were playing in the snow that remained, and their play led to laughter. No one thought to stop them, of quiet their squeals of laughter. In fact, most of the adults were careless with their own voices, often shouting across the small clearing at each other.
Jared’s girlfriend Pam was gathering more leaves for their makeshift latrine and her gathering had taken her to the edge of their small clearing. One minute she was almost alone along the edge of the woods, the next she was facing a very large man she had never seen before. Even without the sneer of lust on his face, she would have ran from him on sight.
Her scream alerted everyone in the group, and all stopped what they were doing to look in her direction, to see her running for the hut and the relative safety of the group. The man she had seen burst from the trees followed by two more equally unsavory looking men, all three following close on her heels.
Jared reacted before anyone else, probably because it was Pam that was in trouble. The hatchet was in his hand, and he gripped it tighter as he started to run toward her.
Just as the nearest man reached for the fleeing Pam, an arrow appeared in his chest, burying itself almost up to the fletching. The stricken man’s friends stopped short, surprised. They had expected no resistance from this group. This proved costly as another arrow flew, striking a second man in the stomach.
The third man lost his hesitation at that, and wheeled to flee. Jared watched in stunned amazement as the kid erupted from the brush, pursuing the fleeing bandit. The man managed to reach the edge of the clearing before the teen jumped across his back. Jared didn’t see the knife the teen used to slash the man’s chest open from the area around the man’s heart all the way across to the right side of his neck. The would be attacker was dying before he hit the ground.
Without a lost move, the teen turned his attention to the man shot in the stomach. Running to where the gut shot thug was struggling to sit up, the kid drew his razor sharp knife across the man’s throat without hesitation. One of the women, Jared didn’t know who although he knew it wasn’t Pam’s voice, screamed at the sight, and everyone grabbed children to shield them from the scene.
Paying the people in the group no attention, the kid began to strip the men of their gear, piling it together. After that he looked at Jared and waved him forward, indicating he needed assistance. Jared and two others stepped forward, and the kid indicated for Jared to take the feet of the man who’s throat he had cut.
Thirty minutes later all three dead men were piled a safe distance from the camp and covered with brush and what few rocks were nearby. The kid pointed the way back to the hut, motioning for the three men to move. He remained behind, making sure no one was following.
Jared walked back to camp slowly, his mind working furiously.
Their young benefactor had saved them yet again. And he still hadn’t
spoken a word.
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This is great. There are too few stories out there that start with the totally clueless. A great challenge for a writer.
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Thanks. This kept me at the edge of my seat. Great story.
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ty
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I second the excellent motion. Thanks Bad.
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Oh yeah, I already know I'm goona love this story.
Sully
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Good one Bad.
I wonder if the KID would come back the second or 3rd time if the group hadn't started helping themselves.
They got a lot to learn don't they?
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This is definitely something I'd like to see continue, BK.
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Bad defitntley a keeper I think every one will agree. Thanks and please keep writing.
Wayne
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Excellent!... This one is gonna be good... Please feed us moar.
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Excellent story! Looking forward to more. Thanks for sharing with us.
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Hey VW, good to see you here. And thanks for the idea of bar coding my pantry.
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Thanks for the addition. Looking forward to the next.
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BKOO,
Thank you. We need a jolt of reality, this story has endless possibilities.
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Great story!! I hope it continues. It has started out to be a "good 'un"!!!
WAB
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Chapter Three
Jared walked into the clearing to see everyone gathered together. Their voices were subdued, at least, but emphatic hand gestures showed that several people were upset. Seeing him, the rest turned their attention toward him.
“Was that really necessary?” Angela asked. “Killing those men in cold blood like that, right here in front of us? In front of the children?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Jared asked. “What else was there to do?”
“There’s never any excuse for killing someone, Jared,” William Bottoms supported his wife. “It’s uncivilized. It’s wrong.”
“You may have noticed that those three intended to harm us,” Jared pointed out. “They apparently don’t subscribe to your views, Bill.”
“That’s no excuse for us to sink to their level,” Angela snorted.
“Fine, next time try to reason with them. Pam and I will leave you to it. And I do mean leave. If that’s your attitude, then we’re out of here at the first sign of trouble, make no mistake. I’m not letting her be put in danger like that because the two of you are squeamish.”
“Now see here. . . .” William Bottoms stepped forward, but jumped backwards as an arrow landed at his feet. Startled, everyone turned outward.
“They would o’ tol’ ever body where ya’ll are,” the kid said softly from ten feet away. “Ya’ll make too much noise.” The shock of him speaking left the group in silence. A soft and genteel southern drawl, almost soothing despite the situation, seemed to captivate them all for a few seconds.
“Thank you,” Jared spoke quietly, and Pam nodded her agreement. The kid nodded, but offered nothing else.
“Who are you, anyway?” Angela demanded haughtily. “And what gives you the right to kill those men like that?”
The kid looked at her for a moment, then simply turned and stepped into the brush. By the time he’d taken three steps, he was invisible. Jared couldn’t even hear his foot steps.
“Of all the. . . how rude!” Angela Bottoms snorted.
“Yeah, funny how that works,” Pam told her, her voice saying what her words didn’t. Jared embraced her, noticing she was still shaking.
“I’ll take first watch,” Jared spoke easily, “if no one else wants it. We’ll have to set a schedule. We can’t expect our young benefactor to keep showing up to rescue us.”
There was some mumbling among the men, and they soon had a watch schedule worked out. Some of the women walked to the fire and started to put a small meal together. They were working to make what they’d been given last, but with so many, it went fast.
“Jared, what are we going to do?” Pam asked softly, her voice trembling. “We’re not safe here, anymore than we were in Memphis. I’m scared.” He hugged her to him tightly.
“Me too, babe. Me too.”
He had no answers for her.
**********
The evening passed uneventful, other than the on-again, off-again ‘discussion’ about the days events. Jared didn’t bother to get involved with those talks, choosing instead to listen and learn.
Despite the fact that they were all neighbors, and had been for five years or more for the most part, Jared realized as he listened that he really didn’t know these people all that well. The occasional bar-b-que, HOA meeting, or party was simply no substitute for truly knowing someone well. Some of the attitudes in the group surprised him.
Eventually he tuned the talk out, reclining gently on the wall of the hut, hugging Pam to him under the blanket they shared. The fire kept the hut fairly warm, but it was always cooler near the wall.
Since he’d taken the first watch, Jared was done for the evening. He grew sleepy, finally, and stretched out on the cedar boughs that made their bed. A few minutes later Pam joined him, and the two were soon asleep. Whatever the group wanted to talk about, they weren’t interested. Jared had a lot on his mind as he went to sleep that evening.
The next morning Jared was awake first, which was becoming the norm. Rick Bells, one of the men who had helped haul the three dead bodies away the day before was sitting cross legged at the door of the hut, and the fire was a low but well banked pit of cinders. Bells nodded at Jared, then stretched out to get some sleep himself.
Jared took the cooking pot and started out to collect fresh snow for drinking water. He was almost unsurprised to find the kid sitting on the same log as the day before. He was busy skinning two rabbits and three squirrels, animals he had obviously killed that morning.
“Morning,” Jared said softly. The kid looked at him, nodding, then continued with his work. Jared hesitated for a moment, then walked over to sit next to his. . .friend? Protector?
“Why are you doing all this?” he asked softly.
“Doin’ what?” the teenager asked softly.
“Everything,” Jared waved. “Protecting us, feeding us, helping us to survive.”
“Christian thing to do,” he shrugged.
“I never put much stock in that sort of thing,” Jared admitted. The boy looked up sharply.
“Reckon I’d start, if I was you,” he said simply. Jared simply nodded.
“What’s your name, anyway?” Jared asked. “I don’t like calling you ‘kid’.”
“Good a name as any,” the boy shrugged.
“You’ve got to have a name you’d rather be known as,” Jared insisted. The boy kept working for moment, then stopped.
“Zachary,” he said finally. “Zack,” he amended. “That’s my name.”
“Well, Zack, I’m Jared. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, which the boy shook after wiping the blood on his hands off on his camo pants.
“You people are in a world o’ hurt, Jared. You know that, right?” Zack’s voice was calm and soft, but the tone held a sense of urgency.
“Yeah, I had noticed that,” Jared smiled grimly. “I figure if not for you, most if not all of us would have died that first night.”
“Most like,” Zack nodded, intent on finishing his work. “You know ya’ll can’t stay here like this much longer, don’t ya?”
“That’s crossed my mind as well,” Jared admitted. “I just don’t have an answer. I don’t know where we can go, or what we can do.”
“Few empty houses around,” Zack noted. “Folks that ain’t comin’ back for one reason or another,” he shrugged. “Some food scattered here and there in them houses that are abandoned.”
“You think we could find a safe place, and enough food to make it through the winter?”
“Might,” Zack nodded. “Have to be able to keep others from takin’ if from ya, though,” he added. “No offense, but ya’ll don’t seem like the type for that sort o’ thing.”
“None taken,” Jared assured him. “We’re not.”
“Reckon I can scout around, next day or three, see what’s there and what ain’t.”
“I’d appreciate that very much.”
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great thing to wake up to on a Saturday! another chapter!
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thanks for the chapter, seems Jared has a large learning curve to get over, but at least he is trying
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Maybe I missed it but why are they leaving Memphis? Going home or on the run? Confused a little.
WAB
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It's in Chapter One. About the first third of the story, give or take.
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Found it, Thanks!! Can't wait for
MOAR!!!??????????? :D
WAB
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Chapter Four
Zack was gone before the others woke, and Jared decided not to mention that he had been there. He couldn’t blame Rick Bells for not knowing the kid was there, since he moved like a ghost. As far as he could see, there was nothing to be gained by it, so he presented the meat like he had found it at the edge of the camp.
“I wonder what he wants from us?” Angela Bottoms just had to snark, even as she ate the food the boy had provided.
“Nothing,” Jared shrugged. “We don’t have anything. He obviously doesn’t need us, or anyone else, to survive. But we do need him, and he knows it.”
“Why do we need a killer?” William Bottoms piped in, also while stuffing his face with the food Zack had left for them.
“You’re eating one of the reasons,” Jared replied calmly. “Could you have provided this meal for us, Will? I couldn’t have. Haven’t got the faintest idea where even to start. I’ve never shot a bow, a gun, never hunted, hell, I don’t even know what plants are safe to eat if they aren’t on a tree.”
“He’s still a killer. A murderer. He should be held accountable for what he did,” Bottoms sniffed.
“You’re a jackass, Bottoms,” Rick Bell observed softly. “A clueless one at that. Those three men would have killed us, and done worse for the women. All he did was take out the trash, as far as I’m concerned. And if we were more like him, we would still be in our homes, instead of freezing our asses off out here in the boonies.” He stood abruptly and left the hut. Several others stirred as if to follow.
“I’m going on wood detail again,” Jared spoke before anyone else could escape. “We need to make sure we’ve got enough for the night. I’m also going to look for water. The snow is almost gone, and may disappear completely if today is warm as yesterday afternoon was.” Others nodded, speaking up to claim chores for themselves as well.
“I’m going with you,” Pam said firmly, and Jared nodded.
“I think we’ll just keep the fire going,” William Bottoms said airily.
“You’ll work like the rest of us, Will,” Jared informed him. “We all have to work at what we can if we’re going to survive. That includes you two. If Angela want’s to mind the fire, she can watch the children, too. They should stay close to the fire, anyway. We don’t want them getting sick.”
“I thought you didn’t want to be in charge,” Angela sneered.
“I also don’t want to do your share of keeping us alive,” Jared said flatly. “And I won’t, either. You want to eat, and be warm, you work.” He paused, and then smiled grimly. “We can always put it to a vote, I guess. Wonder how everyone would vote?”
Neither Bottoms replied, but their flushed faces were evidence of their anger. William stomped angrily out of the hut, while Angela simply sat near the fire and sulked. Jared didn’t push, mostly because he didn’t feel like it. He and Pam left in silence, holding hands.
**********
Jared knelt next to a small stream of clear water. There wasn’t much water, to be honest, but it looked clean. He formed a cup with his free hand, and scooped water up to taste it.
“Don’t drink that,” Zack’s quiet voice startled him. He lost the water, trying to get to his feet and almost toppling into the water. His brain finally recognized the voice.
“You just scared me out of ten years of my life,” Jared sputtered.
“That water ain’t fit to drink,” the youngster ignored the complaint. “Farm up yonder, creek runs through it. Be full of all kinds of stuff.”
“It looks clean,” Jared pointed out.
“Suit yourself,” Zack shrugged. “Ain’t no time to be havin’ the runs, though. And you drink that water, you’ll have’em.”
“Oh.”
“I found a place you folks can hole up,” the boy explained. “I know. . .knew, the people that lived there. They ain’t gonna be usin’ it no more. Ain’t over large, but it’s solid shelter, and got a wood stove. Hand tools, even some clothes might suit ya’ll better’n what you’re wearin’. Interested?”
“I am,” Jared nodded. Zack motioned for the two of them to follow, and set out through the woods. Jared realized with a start that Zack had a rifle slung over his shoulder. He hadn’t noticed that before.
“Have you had that rifle all this time?” he asked.
“Yep.”
“Why didn’t you shoot those three instead of using a bow and knife?”
“Noise.”
“What noise?”
“Exactly.”
Confused Jared decided to remain silent. He’d always heard it was better to be thought an idiot that prove it beyond doubt. The trio walked for nearly thirty minutes, by Jared’s watch. He didn’t know how far they had come, but it seemed to be a good ways from where they were.
Suddenly they were standing on a graveled road. Zack stood still for a minute, his head turning this way and that.
“What is it?” Jared asked.
“I’m just listenin’,” Zack sighed. “Easier to do that when it’s quiet.” Chagrined, Jared hushed, but he didn’t miss Pam’s chuckle from his side. He shot her a mock glare, bit remained quiet.
“Let’s go,” Zack said finally. Crossing the road, they plunged once more into the woods. This time, though, they hadn’t gone far when they hit a small trail. Zack stooped to study it for a second, then removed an arrow from his bow quiver, and nocked it.
“What’s wrong?”
“Deer come this way a little while ago,” Zack whispered. “You folks need meat.”
“Why not use the rifle?” Jared asked before he thought. Zack just looked at him in silent resignation until Jared realized how stupid that question was.
“Sorry,” he muttered, red-faced again. Shaking his head, Zack started out once more. Jared and Pam followed, trying to be as quiet as possible. The woods grew thicker, it seemed, until suddenly, there were no more woods. They were in the edge of a clearing, where a house and barn sat.
“Thompson’s were in Nashville, vis’tin’, when the trouble hit,” Zack whispered. “Ain’t seen nor heard from’em in. . . .” He stopped suddenly. His bow rose and he loosed an arrow all in one swift motion, almost faster than Jared could follow.
Across the clearing, a doe deer stood erect, tail quivering for a moment, before she collapsed on the ground, hind legs still kicking. Pam blanched slightly, but recovered quickly. Jared just stared.
“Ain’t seen nor heard from’em in two weeks, now,” Zack continued as if he’d never stopped. “Ain’t likely they’ll be returnin’, I fear. House is fairly large, and well provisioned. Mister Thompson was a cautious man.”
Zack walked over to the where the doe lay, and quickly cut her throat, allowing her to bleed out. He set to work field dressing the animal, and Jared forced himself to watch, trying to learn what needed to be done.
“Few head o’ cattle around the place, but not many,” Zack went on. “Best to save’em for now. Mister Thompson had a good bull, so you can get calves in the spring, you’re lucky. There’s a handful o’ hogs, too. Again, best let’em be until they bear new litters.”
“But most of it’s crop land. You folks will have to learn to plow and what not, I’m thinkin’. There’s others about you might can share work with. I figure every body’s gonna have to learn to get along, they aim to survive.”
“Mister Thompson had a right few guns as well, and plenty o’ ammunition. You folks gonna have to learn to protect yourselves. That bunch you ran from, they’re still around. You’re off the beaten path here, but sooner or later they’ll start searchin’ around. Prob’ly not till they’ve run through ever thing they can get easy, mind, but they’re coyotes, make no mistake. Live off other’s leavin’s, and whatever they can take.”
He finished with the field dressing, and took a rope from his bag, tying it around the doe’s rear legs. He started dragging the animal toward the barn, and Jared quickly lent a hand, with Pam following, careful to avoid where the animal had been dressed.
With the deer hung in the barn, Zack led them to the house. It was comfortable inside, though still cold. Zack showed them the stove, and then showed Jared how to lay the wood for a fire. Once it was going, Zack took the time to show them around. By the time they had examined the four bedrooms, den, study, and kitchen, the house was warming.
“Reckon this will keep you for a while,” Zack said, showing them a well stocked pantry. “Thing is, you need to be frugal, count o’ this is all there is til springtime. You eat it all up now, you’ll starve some ‘fore spring.”
“Zack, this is wonderful,” Pam said softly. “I don’t know what to say, or how to thank you.”
“Survive,” Zack shrugged. “That’s thanks enough. I got to be goin’ soon,” he added. “Want to lead everyone here now? Or you reckon you can do it later yourself?”
“Let’s do it now,” Jared decided. “I tried to pick landmarks as we went, but I’m not confident that I can find my way back here, even if I do make it to camp.”
“Fair ‘nough,” Zack nodded. “Let’s be goin’, then. Be dark ‘fore you know it.”
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This gives me the shivers, it's real and true. Thank you BK00.
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In bad situations there are always Angela's and William's. Wonder how long before they try to take over leadership and/or get themselves or everyone else with them killed. This is another great story from you Bad, can't wait for more. Thank you.