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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jun 10, 2018 16:47:42 GMT
bretf, I've got a hunch Bob will get his well deserved justice.
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Post by meandtk on Jun 10, 2018 19:43:57 GMT
bretfKeep up the good work! You have a great talent.
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Post by cccindy on Jun 11, 2018 11:36:22 GMT
Thanks for the update.
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Post by bretf on Jun 12, 2018 18:08:02 GMT
bretf , I've got a hunch Bob will get his well deserved justice. Maybe, Maybe not. Thanks Meandtk Chapter 26
Despite successful foraging, Chad was constantly mindful of their food supply. Food and fresh water were always of high concern when traveling, and even more crucial in the arid west. Early spring growth had a narrow window in the dry country, and sources of water were few and often far between. He was troubled as the area they were passing through was looking more and more like desert country the farther they traveled. The area was typical of so many they’d seen before. Abandoned farms dotted the countryside between sagebrush covered plains. The farms had flourished when irrigation was available, with deep wells, pumps, and sprinklers. But take away electricity and the added water, and nature reasserted itself and reclaimed most of the land that’d been tilled earlier. There were places the travelers passed where the road was near rivers, the Animas, and then the Mancos, but the overall landscape continued to look more arid. Chad harvested all he could, setting snares, putting out a trotline when they were near water and picking everything he recognized that was edible. As they passed through areas lush with oak trees, Chad and Howie gathered all the acorns they could during their times on watch. The nuts were filled with tannic acid and very bitter, so each day when camped near water, the bag of acorns was submerged and weighted down with rocks. The water would leach the tannic acid out of them, but it was a long process. Waterways also yielded crayfish, Chad and Howie taking turns wading into the water and turning rocks over to find them hiding beneath. The snares yielded rabbits, and on two occasions turkeys. Unfortunately, the wild turkeys were nothing like their domestic relatives which had graced so many platters at holiday meals in the past. The birds Chad got were much smaller with tough, stringy legs, but the meat from each one was stretched out for two consecutive days. For the most part, the trotline produced a few trout that were always eaten in one setting. The day spent alongside McPhee reservoir was more productive and had Chad considering staying an extra day after pulling the line in the first time. It was the best haul he’d had since using the trotline as there were a number of perch and catfish on it. He put fresh cut-bait on the hooks and threw it back out. Howie pulled the line in again while Chad was sleeping, taking off enough fish to feed them for three days. Though they were pleased with all the fish, it also created a dilemma. The fish would only keep for so long, and Chad was reluctant to burn a smoky fire to dry them, it would be too likely to draw unwanted attention. So despite the temptation, they moved on after one day. After leaving the lake, Chad considered what their trip would be like once they passed Monticello. At the excruciatingly slow pace they were moving, it was still several days away. Once there however, they should be able to walk dawn till dusk again The odd feeling he had pushing him on, that they needed to cover ground faster was still with him. It was strong enough in fact, he was sure he wouldn’t want to stop to stock their food supply unless they had to. So he would have to take greater advantage of their daylight down time. But there were problems with the plan. After leaving the reservoir, the landscape became drier yet, and the former farm buildings were farther apart. Chad grew more concerned about the water supply than he was with food as the water courses and farms became more sporadic. He had a well bucket on a long rope in the cart, his dad had made one so long ago when they’d lost power at their own home and he’d had to use it then, and he’d used the one he carried many times to pull water from wells at the farms they passed. They never ran out of water, but it was troubling. And the amount of natural food he found diminished. Not only was there no extra food to pack away for later, he didn’t always find enough to feed his family each day and they often dipped into the travel food they’d packed at Philmont. At least Chevon always found plenty to eat. Chad knew he needed to do something to stock the cart for the long trek across Utah. Food and water, always a concern when traveling were on his mind constantly, along with his desire for greater speed. Fewer places for water, diminished foraging, and the snail’s pace of travel all had him on edge. The morning after passing through the ghost town of Dove Creek, Chad picked an area of scattered juniper trees to camp. As he led the way through the trees to an open but secluded spot, deer bounded away. Chad considered the deer and amount of food they still had as they made their meal. They’d dipped deeper into their reserves than he’d planned. Traveling at the time of year when foraging should be at the best, he’d hoped those reserves would go further. After finishing the sparse meal, they put everything not needed for sleeping away, and Carol bedded down with the kids. Chad sat and pondered. It was obvious deer were numerous in the area. He considered that as he studied the ground around the campsite. Aside from the deer he’d seen, tracks and manure were everywhere and Chad looked from the ground to the food in the cart and back again. He looked at the position of the rising sun. There were deer everywhere, and he was sitting around, wasting time. Though they were still in the area Chuck Gray considered no-man’s land, they were within one or two night’s walk of Monticello and they hadn’t seen a soul for days. Maybe there wasn’t anyone else around. Chad fought a mental battle, considering the pros and cons of trying to get a deer. Not for the first time since he’d left home, he wished he had a bow and knew how to use it. It would be silent, and he’d told himself for years he needed to get one, but never had. If he was to get a deer, he’d have to use a rifle, and it would make noise, even the air rifle. But he reminded himself they hadn’t seen any indication of other people for days. But just because he hadn’t seen anyone, didn’t mean they weren’t around. But maybe the countryside was as devoid of people as it seemed. He looked at the food they had remaining again, and tried to calculate how far it would get them. It wouldn’t take them far, and by the deer sign, he should be able to find one nearby. Would he find another place with the deer right at camp? If I get one now, we won’t lose any travel time, he told himself, always mindful of the desire to move faster. And if he got one, what then? It would have to be cut into strips and dried. That meant flies buzzing around the meat and laying eggs on it, or a smoky fire to keep them off. He continued his silent mental argument, first convincing himself it would be worth the gamble to take a deer, then telling himself it was too dangerous. Movement deep in the trees drew his eyes. He silently groaned when he saw several patches of gray fur pass behind a small gap in the branches. That does it, he told himself. I’m ready for some fresh meat.
“Howie, I need you to be on watch. I’m going to see if I can get us a deer,” he said softly in Howie’s ear. Carol was already asleep and he didn’t want to disturb her, or the deer for that matter. “Is that a good idea? I mean, I know we can always use more food, but shouldn’t you wait till after we’re past Monticello? Will stopping for a day then really hurt us? You planned on a couple of months for the trip and we’ve been doing pretty well to this point,” Howie said louder than Chad would’ve liked. Chad glared at him and hissed, “Keep your voice down!” In a quieter tone, he said, “We need food and there’re deer just beyond those trees,” and pointed where he’d seen the glimpses of the animals. “If I get one now, we won’t have to waste a travel day getting one once we’re past Monticello. We’ve been moving slow, and once we clear Monticello, we can pick up our pace. I don’t want to have to stop for a day then.” “Sure there’re deer, and we could use the food, but why don’t we wait. You said we’re only one or two nights at the most to Monticello. Shoot, if it’s that desperate, I can skip meals until we get there; I’ve gone hungry before. Give my portion to Carol and John,” Howie said. “Howie, the deer are right there,” Chad said, losing patience. “Yeah, and what else, or who else is out there?” Howie asked. “There’s no one around. We haven’t seen any signs of people for days,” Chad said. “So just because we haven’t seen them, there isn’t anyone else around, huh? We’re the only people in this entire region,” Howie said. “Maybe so. Besides, when did you get so dang cautious?” Chad asked. Howie said, “Oh, from observing my super aware and cautious cousin all the time. You should meet him. He’d try to talk you out of doing anything to attract attention until we’re in Mormon territory.” The response made Chad bite back what he’d been ready to say and reconsider. Finally, he said, “Listen, we’re here and the deer are here. I can kill one without us losing any travel time at all. And I’ll use the air rifle because it’s quieter than my rifle. We’ll roast as much meat as can fit in a stone oven, so we can eat before we take off this evening. We’ll take the rest of the meat raw, and work on drying it at our next stop. We won’t lose any travel time that way and with another night closer to Monticello, it should be safe enough to make smoke. Then we’ll have enough meat to last us for quite a while and we’ll be able to move fast, and not stop to hunt and dry meat.” “I don’t know Chad. I’d still be good with waiting,” Howie said. “We can stop for a full day somewhere beyond Monticello.” “No,” Chad said, “It’ll be fine. Now you work on an oven, while I get us some meat to put in it.” Chad took the air rifle and slipped off into the juniper trees. Howie watched him, shaking his head. He questioned if he should wake Carol and let her chime in on the matter. Better not. Chad would be pretty ticked off at him if he did that. So he got the shovel and boards out of the cart and looked for a spot for the oven. But he still questioned his cousin’s actions. What’s the matter with you Chad? You aren’t usually like this. You’re always the one stopping me from doing something to draw attention, he said silently as he got going on the oven. # Howie wasn’t arguing with Chad’s logic as he ripped a mouthful of the roast venison off the larger piece and chewed it. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had something so tasty. Maybe he’d been wrong to question Chad’s judgement, even though it’d been out of character. Chad smiled knowingly at him, raised his eyebrows, and used a finger to track down his face where meat juice was running down Howie’s beard. Chad had his own piece of meat in his hand and raised it for a bite. “Well isn’t this cozy!” a voice said from behind a tree. “Now keep your hands where they are so I don’t have to spoil that nice hunk of deer meat by splattering your blood and parts all over it.” Copyright 2018 Bret W. Friend
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Post by cccindy on Jun 12, 2018 20:02:25 GMT
Thanks for not making us wait...
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Post by bretf on Jun 14, 2018 11:23:19 GMT
Chapter 27
Chad’s hands froze but his eyes moved everywhere in a quick assessment. Carol was fully exposed to the area the voice had come from. She held Faith, while John was nestled on his lap. Howie’s back was a broad target. They were caught flat footed, and he mentally cursed himself for his stupidity. He glanced at his rifle on the ground beside him, within easy reach but the man was too well hidden to go for it. They were too vulnerable and he’d certainly draw fire from the unknown man if he made any moves.
It was as if the man read his mind or saw him look down. A shot rang out and a gout of dirt erupted between him and the rifle. Chad couldn’t help but jerk and slide several inches away.
“That’s the only warning shot you get. The next one will be in your head. It’s your choice.”
Chad groaned and held his hands still. “All right. I’m not moving. Show yourself and tell us what you want with us.” Carol slowly moved one hand away from Faith, and Chad gave her a nearly imperceptible shake of his head. We’re too exposed, he tried to convey silently to her.
“That’s a wise decision,” the man said. “And ma’am, you need to follow suit and hold your hands still too. I’m not all too particular about firing if I think someone’s gonna point a gun at me. Now how about you tell me what you’re doing here.”
Trying for an annoyed tone while stating the obvious, Chad said, “As you can see, we’re eating.” He suppressed the “Duh” at the end. Better not push too hard. His eyes continued to move, searching for the source of the voice. His right hand trembled as he fought the urge to grab his rifle. “Just minding our own business and having a meal.”
“Well, you picked the wrong spot for it,” the man said. In a louder voice, he called, “Come on in boys. We’ve interrupted a picnic. Maybe if we use our good manners and ask nicely they’ll invite us to join them.” He ended with a harsh laugh that sent chills down Chad’s spine.
Chad heard a shrill whistle from deeper in the junipers and in a short time he picked up the sounds of horses approaching. There he was, sitting on his backside unarmed, with his entire family exposed, and it sounded like there were too many people approaching to fight. He mentally kicked himself for being caught so unaware. He knew better, and yet he’d been so caught up in trying to stock their food supply so they could move faster, he’d allowed it to happen. Too long on the road without seeing anyone else and he’d dumbed down and his senses had dulled. Mat would have something to say about his lax in judgement if he managed to get out of the predicament and ever saw him again. In his mind he told Howie, Next time I want to do something dumb, hit me in the head and make me listen. Hopefully there’d be a next time.
“Sure,” Chad said, “You’re more than welcome to join us. Put your guns down and have a seat. I’ll cut you off a piece of meat.”
“Yep, I’m sure you’d like us to set our guns down,” a man said as he stepped into view. He was rough dressed, his canvas coat and homespun pants brown and gray with ground in dirt. Whether from neglect or design, Chad noted it actually made for passable camouflage. The man’s shaggy hair and bushy beard were both streaked with gray. The unmoving barrel of his rifle pointed straight at Chad.
No, straight at John, Chad amended in his mind, though the man was in fact covering him. But if he made any kind of move, John would be the most at risk. “You can relax, I’m not going to do anything,” Chad said, without the annoyed tone. “We’re not bothering anything; we’re just eating so we can move on.” Chad heard other people close in on the camp and stop. He didn’t look away from the first man, but caught a glimpse of two more in his peripheral vision. Mat would certainly upbraid him for being caught so unaware.
The man ignored the comments and told someone behind Chad, “Go through that cart and their packs. Let’s see what they’ve got.”
Chad longed to turn his head and watch but didn’t think it would be a good idea. It appeared he’d already done enough stupid stuff and there was no need to compound it. The rifle barrel aimed at him was unmoving, so he gritted his teeth and waited, though Carol’s expression told him enough. Her face and what he could hear told him the men weren’t being any too gentle with their gear.
“Now, other than the obvious that you’re eating, what’re you doing here?” the man asked. “Don’t you know it’s not too safe to travel around these parts? You never know what kind of people you’ll run into. One bunch will try to rob you and the other bunch will try to convert you. At least if you aren’t already Mormon.”
“I aint sure which of them options would be worse,” a man behind Chad said, chuckling. “The Saints or the sinners.”
“As I said, we’re just minding our own business, not bothering anything or anyone, and passing through,” Chad said. “So, which are you, Mormons or marauders?” He was sure which option was worse, he’d known plenty of Mormons and though there were always exceptions, most of them were good people. He was growing convinced it was the worse option he and his family were facing. Although, he could be wrong. The group didn’t seem too concerned about being quiet. Maybe they were the Mormon Militia, and were just hardened from the harsh life they led.
“Maybe we’re both, marauding Mormons. Did you think of that?” the man said with a sly grin. Looking behind Chad, he asked his companions, “What’ve they got?”
“It all looks like travel gear, and nothing notable,” a man replied. “At least nothing we aint already got. Well, except for this deer carcass, all cleaned up and ready for cooking.”
“Passing through, huh? To where and from where?” the man asked.
“Before I tell you, can I rest my hands on my son’s shoulders? It’s getting hard holding them up,” Chad said. A basic plan was forming in his head and unfortunately John wouldn’t like it, but he needed his hands on him if possible.
The man studied him and then nodded and said, “All right, lower them but keep them where I can see them, and then continue your tale.”
Relieved, Chad dropped his hands to John’s shoulders, resting them loosely and said, “Our most immediate goal is Monticello.”
“What business do you have there?”
“None actually, but on advice we received in Pagosa Springs, we’ve been traveling only at night since we left there. We were hoping to be able to move in the daytime again once we made it to Monticello. We were told it’d be safe beyond there,” Chad said.
“Well,” the man said. “You must’ve talked to Chuck Gray. He’s a good man and he gives sage advice.”
Chad was more confused from the man’s response. Are these guys bad or good?
The man gave a harsh laugh and continued, “You never know what kind of lowlife scum you’ll run into out here. Aint that right boys. Whadda ya think; should we escort ‘em into town since we’ve got business of our own there? You know, we could do our good deed for the day and maybe reap some benefit from it at the same time. As the Good Book says, “As you sow so shall you reap”.”
He was answered with several laughs. One man said, “Oh Fred, you’re killing me man.”
The man, Fred, took several steps until he stood right behind Carol. “Or maybe we don’t give you an escort,” he said. “It might be better if you folks stayed here for a while longer.”
His position and the way he spoke cemented Chad’s resolve. Though he hated it every time he was forced to kill a man, it looked like he was going to have to do it again if the guy touched Carol. Make another move Fred and it’ll be your last. He wished he hadn’t heard the man’s name; he knew he’d remember it forever after pulling the trigger.
Carol leaned away from the man and moved her right hand between Faith and her jacket.
Chad tensed, preparing to heave John to the side and roll the opposite direction, scooping up his rifle as he crossed it. It would be harsh treatment for his son, but better than being in the direct line of fire. He still didn’t know how many men were behind him, but at least they were in the open and he’d stand a chance. Hopefully they were over-confident enough in their greater numbers they wouldn’t expect him to make a move. He kept his eyes on the man he could see, the man Fred. One finger; if he laid just one finger on Carol, it would be the last thing he ever did. Chad would make certain of that. Afterwards, well, he’d do what he could about the rest of the group. He knew surprise would be on his side, just as it’d been on Fred’s side when he first spoke.
The man looked away from Chad, gazing at Carol’s head instead. “That sure is pretty hair you have Ma’am. My sister had hair just like it,” he said softly. The man’s eye’s looked distant, and Chad wondered if he was telling the truth. Was he really being nostalgic or trying to throw Chad off. “You wouldn’t mind it I touch it now would you?”
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP BREATHING, YOU’LL KEEP YOUR DAMN HANDS TO YOURSELF! Chad silently shouted at the man. His next thought was for John, that he land safely, because he was about to go flying. Sorry Buddy, this is going to hurt.
One of the men behind Chad barked out a laugh. “What sister?” he asked as the man behind Carol took one hand off his rifle and moved it towards her head. Carol cringed and leaned farther away from the man, her right hand moving to her pocket as Chad’s grip tightened on John to throw him clear. They all froze in place as several rifle shots broke the silence beyond the grove of juniper trees.
Copyright 2018 Bret W. Friend
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Jun 14, 2018 11:59:28 GMT
bretf, Okay, now I'm wishing I had computer skills, I'd find a way to hack your computer and get the rest of this episode.
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Post by cccindy on Jun 14, 2018 13:53:37 GMT
No computer skill here either, so please don't make us wait too long, bretf!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2018 0:06:06 GMT
Cliff hanger! Don’t make us wait!
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Post by Thtwudbeme on Jun 16, 2018 1:47:13 GMT
Sounds to me like some Mormons just showed up and just before a "Deliverance-type" moment.
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Post by bretf on Jun 17, 2018 2:44:13 GMT
Chapter 28
Chad reacted first, and John’s screams of pain and outrage jerked everyone else back into the present. Pandemonium broke out as several people broke into action at the same instant.
“CAROL, DOWN!” Chad yelled, and he hit the ground in a roll, grabbing his rifle and coming up onto his knees with it grasped in both hands. Although he moved fast, he wasn’t fast enough to take aim and fire at Fred.
Reacting nearly as quickly as Chad, Fred yelled, “IT’S THE MILITIA! LET’S GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!” His actions matched his words, starting for the horses like a sprinter bursting away from starting blocks. As he rushed past, Chad thrust the rifle out ahead of him, catching the man’s foot and tumbling him to the ground. Fred slammed down with a “whoosh” of expelled breath, momentarily stunned. Chad scrambled to him and ground a knee into his back while putting the muzzle of his rifle against the base of his skull. “I should pull the trigger right now for whatever it was you thought you were going to do to my wife,” he hissed. In a louder voice he called, “He gets a bullet in the head if anyone makes a move towards us.”
The only answer was the sound of horses running away.
“It doesn’t look like your pals are too loyal to you,” Chad said.
“I wasn’t going to do anything to her,” Fred rasped. The words were garbled; it was hard to talk coherently with his face jammed into the ground and the knee pressing down on his spine. “She just reminded me so much of my sister.”
Chad wasn’t buying it, not after the comment the other man had made. He ignored Fred’s statement and asked, “So it’s the militia out there huh? And I take it they’re looking for you and your group?” He was met with silence from Fred.
John’s howls diminished as Carol pulled him into her arms. As she further controlled his crying, he looked at his dad accusingly, and through sobs said, “Dad” . . . sniff . . . “hurt” . . . sniff . . . “me.”
Chad cringed, hurting inside for inflicting paint on his son, and tried to ignore it as he watched the direction the men had disappeared. He listened intently for any sounds coming from that way, but was also aware John had stopped crying behind him, so thankfully he wasn’t hurt bad. Really John, I didn’t want to hurt you, he thought. Hearing nothing more from where the men had run, he chanced a quick glance at Howie. Howie had his pistol held in trembling hands, also watching the direction the men had disappeared. The way the pistol was waving around, Chad wasn’t sure if it was a good thing for his cousin to have the gun out or not. There was probably nowhere safe if he started firing.
“Are you all okay?” Chad asked.
Howie didn’t answer, just looked into the trees like he was expecting the men to return at any moment.
“We’re good,” Carol said. “Are you going to kill him?”
Chad felt Fred stiffen beneath him. “If he gives me any trouble I will, so it’s up to him now. But if he’d laid one finger on you I was going to kill him for it.” He wasn’t what would’ve happened if Fred had touched her and he hadn’t killed the man. Carol might have killed him for it. He really didn’t want her to go through that if she didn’t have to.
Chad well remembered the first time he’d taken another man’s life. The memories often came to him as if it’d just happened. It’d been years ago and he’d been so young at the time, but the memories were always vivid, burned into his subconscious as if it’d just happened. Thinking of the first time, it all flooded back to him.
Brush popped louder than Rory’s noise, and he got a strong whiff of rank body odor. At three different spots, shaggy, filthy men appeared, one gun pointed at Rory, two in his direction. Chad’s heart lurched at the sight. “Now THAT looks like Charlie’s riffraff,” he thought.
“Well now, what do we have here?” one of the men asked, stepping clear of the brush and closer to the two youths.
“Huh, what?” Rory sputtered and saw the man for the first time.
“Don’t they look like a couple of tasty morsels,” another man said. Rory’s eyes got big as saucers and he turned to see not one, but two men approaching. “Especially the butterball there. We’ll eat good for quite a few days on that one.” After seeing the two kids closer, two of the men were concentrating on the older and bigger kid. One was all that was needed to keep an eye on the small kid.
“Yeah, that old guy was a bust, and he didn’t have much food in his house. He was hardly worth killing, and I’m hungry after all this running around,” the second man looking at Rory said. It looked to Chad like he was practically drooling. “It’s too bad we can’t do him right here.”
Rory looked from one to the other in terror. He’d heard stories of cannibalism. But that was supposed to be at Nampa, down where there were a lot more hungry people. Not around Cambridge. Even then, he thought they were just stories to scare the little kids and keep them inside at night. His pants grew a large wet spot as his bladder released its contents. He wanted to run away, but couldn’t make his legs move. Instead he stood frozen in place, the urine running down his immobile legs, while the men got closer and closer. He managed to close his eyes, not wanting to see what came next.
The man covering Chad looked over when his companions started laughing. “Now we’ll have to wash the meat before we eat him. He wet himself,” he guffawed.
“We can’t stick around here long,” he continued. “I don’t know how much time we’ll have before those guys hunting us figure out they’re going the wrong way. I want to see what this kid is packing, then let’s get this meat gagged and get the heck out of here.” Turning back to Chad, he said, “You, set that pack down and step away from it. I want to see what you’re carrying.”
Chad was scared; he thought only an idiot wouldn’t be. Rory was certainly an idiot, and even he had sense enough to be afraid. But Chad didn’t have the paralyzing fear that gripped Rory. From the moment the men appeared, he’d been calculating and noting everything. Mat had pounded it into his head to observe everything, no matter how small the detail. After the earlier scare with Rory, he was sure that if he kept his wits about him, he could work through his dilemma. Lessons with his dad had already ingrained in him that “can’t” wasn’t an option. After all, the situation he was in was what Mat had trained him for, for the last year. It might even be the ultimate final exam for his newest homeschool course. A test that would be graded pass or fail; it certainly wouldn’t be graded on the curve like some school courses.
The three men didn’t appear intimidating, not in the way Mat could be. They were armed for certain, but they were careless with their guns. The one watching him, held his loose in one hand. He’d already been dismissed as not being a credible threat.
It seemed the men wanted him and Rory alive too, to move on their own. And they were concerned about the men hunting them. Therefore, they wouldn’t use their guns unless they had to.
Something Mat had told him ran through his mind. “In a fight for life and death, there are no rules. The only rule is fight to survive. If it’s with guns, you aren’t shooting to kill, you’re shooting to live. Unfortunately, in some circumstances that means someone might have to die. And it is the same in other fighting; you fight to live. Because you can be certain the other guy is fighting to kill. Look for their vulnerabilities, ALWAYS look for their vulnerabilities. We all have them; some are just more obvious.”
“I . . . I . . .” Chad stuttered. Rory was still frozen in place. Maybe he could get away with acting like he was terrified also. His left hand went to the pack strap, and he fumbled with it, but didn’t let it fall, not yet. His right hand dropped to his side.
The man cussed and said, “I told you to drop that pack,” and he stepped closer, his hand outstretched to take it forcefully from Chad.
“Closer, just a little closer,” Chad thought. “One more step.”
The man cussed again, louder, as the pack slipped away from his outstretched fingers when Chad lowered his shoulder and let it fall to the ground. The man’s eyes followed it, his attention distracted from the terrified boy.
His cussing was replaced by an ear splitting shriek. When Chad dropped the pack, he pivoted and his right hand came around. His first two fingers were held out straight and stiff. All the force he could muster was directed in those two fingers, and he jabbed them savagely into the man’s eyes. The pack was forgotten; the man clasped both hands over his tortured eyes and screamed. Chad took full advantage of the man’s vulnerable position and brought his left knee up in a crushing blow to his crotch. The man’s shriek became a pained whimper. He collapsed on the ground in the fetal position with his hands still over his eyes. Chad may have been much smaller than the man, but the blows he delivered to such tender spots, were devastating. It was done in mere seconds.
Chad turned his focus to the other two men while be pulled his pistol free of the holster. They’d both turned his way when their companion shrieked. They looked stunned; frozen in place.
Mat’s voice was in his head, “Center of mass, fire, sight and fire again; a quick double tap.” The moves were natural from hours of practice. The man was down in an instant, and Chad looked at the last man standing. Rory was directly in the line of fire. But for the heat of the moment and the adrenaline surging through Chad’s veins, he would’ve had the memory of the taste of soap as he mentally cussed at Rory.
The last man took advantage of Chad’s pause and turned and ran. The kid might be small, but he’d just put down two grown men. It was better to get away alive.
Looking at the sight, the two men lying motionless and Rory still crying, his legs gave way and he fell down. Rolling to the side he heaved and heaved again while trembling all over. When it felt like he’d thrown up every meal he’d eaten for the past week, he took deep breaths until he felt he could trust his legs again. He stood and picked the rifle back up and went for his water bottle. After rinsing his mouth, he swallowed a small amount, hoping his stomach had settled. The water stayed down and he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Carol looked on with concern as Chad looked like he was about to throw up. He closed his eyes tight, then opened them and looked around, chasing the vivid memory back to the recesses of his mind. He never wanted Carol to go through anything like that. The wave of nausea passed and he said, “Now we better hold onto him and see what happens. Call out. If it is the militia, it might help to hear a woman’s voice. Not that you’re any less dangerous to them.”
Carol nodded and called loud, “Hey, we’re innocent travelers. We caught a man who might be part of the group you’re looking for.”
Chad felt Fred tighten beneath him and said softly, “I will shoot if you try anything. Then I won’t have you to worry about while we deal with these other guys.”
Fred mumbled something unintelligible into the dirt.
Three men materialized through the trees with their rifles ready to fire and paused where they could look over the disrupted camp. Though not as shabby as Fred, they looked more menacing. One’s face was in a fierce scowl and Chad was concerned he was going to shoot first and ask questions later. Thankfully, he didn’t.
“All right you two, lower those guns and step away from them,” the scowler called out in a deep voice. They dismissed Carol; just a woman hugging two babies to her chest.
Fred muttered a curse.
When Chad and Howie had both moved away from their guns, the man called again, “Now you on the ground. Raise up on your knees so I can see you.”
Fred cursed again, and did as he was told. He glared at the man who’d done the talking for the group up to that point.
The man’s fierce glower turned into a look of glee. “Well, well, look who we have here. Hello Elder Lewis,” he said. There was no warmth in the greeting, only triumph.
Fred glared at him without answering.
“What, aren’t you going to greet me Fred? Is that any way to act towards a fellow ward member?” the man asked.
“I’m not in your ward, remember?” Fred said. To Chad he said, “It was a mutual decision by the way, they didn’t want me around anymore, and I couldn’t stomach being around them.” Directing his attention back to the man with the rifle aimed at him, he said, “Anyway, I suppose I could greet you and tell you I was happy to see you Wes, but my mother taught me not to lie. You remember my mother don’t you?” Wes’s smug smile disappeared.
Chad was looking from one to the other, surprised at the exchange. “Wait a minute, you guys know each other?”
Fred gave a wry laugh and said, “And you thought I was messing with you with the marauding Mormon’s comment, didn’t you?”
Ignoring the men with the rifles, Chad asked, “So what else did you tell me that was true and I thought you were just messing with me?”
“All of it was true,” Fred said. “Like I just told butthead there, my mom taught me not to lie and I still honor that.”
“Pshaw! I wouldn’t trust a word you say,” Wes said.
“What, so you think I am happy to see you?” Fred asked.
“Okay, I believe that,” Wes said. Directing the other two men, he said, “Tie all the men up. I’m going to talk to the woman and find out just what’s going on here.”
“She’s married Wes, so don’t get any ideas,” Fred said.
Wes glared at Fred and told the other men, “And make sure you get his ropes real tight.”
All three men were trussed up tight and forced to the ground in a clump, making them easier to watch over. One man watched them, somewhat, spending as much time watching Wes as he talked to Carol. The third man went through the travel gear heaped on the ground. Chad fumed at the way it was handled.
“So Fred, you want to tell me what’s going on here?” Chad asked. “You held a gun on me and had unknown designs on my wife, and these guys tied us all up. Are those guys really the Mormon militia? I’m not sure which of you are good and which are bad.”
“I suppose we’ve all got some of each in us, good and bad. But as for your wife, I really wasn’t going to do anything. From the back side, she looked just like my sister sitting there,” Fred said.
“But that other guy said you don’t have a sister.”
Fred gave a slight shake of his head and said, “Well, Steve doesn’t know everything, he only thinks he does. But I suppose it all depends on how you look at it. I don’t have one any more. I had a sister and I was stunned when I saw your wife from the back, it looked so much like Debbie. But once I had a moment to think about it, I knew it was impossible, just my mind playing tricks on me.”
“But you did have a sister?” Chad asked.
Fred’s face got the distant look he’d had earlier when he first mentioned a sister. Softly he said, “Debbie was in Salt Lake City when the nuke hit there. So in a sense Steve is right, but he’s also very wrong.”
“You should have told me,” Chad said. “You were seconds from dying. If you’d laid one finger on her, I would’ve killed you.”
Fred shrugged as much as he could with his hands bound tight at his back and nodded his head. “I can’t say as I’d blame you, in fact I respect your opinion. That’s how a man should be for his woman.” His face turned harsh and he spit. “Maybe it would’ve been better than what these idiots have planned for me. At least it would’ve been instant,” Fred said.
“So why were you pushing it, putting me in that position?” Chad asked.
“I don’t know,” Fred said. “Maybe I was posturing for the men. Maybe I was missing Mom and Debbie so much I just don’t give a damn anymore. I really don’t know.”
Not finding anything of interest in the gear, the man who’d been going through everything walked over to stare down at Fred. “Doug will be so happy to see you,” he said.
“Where is my dear loving brother anyway?” Fred asked. He didn’t crane his neck to look up at the man and Chad noted disappointment in his face as he backed up a few steps.
“He’s out chasing your band of Merry Men. He should be back before long,” the man said.
“Your brother?” Chad asked.
“Yes, he’s –”
“Bring me the one who looks scared of us,” Wes called. “I’ll see if his story matches the woman’s.”
The men heaved Howie to his feet and escorted him to Wes. With only a glance back at Chad and Fred, they stayed to listen to Wes’s interrogation.
“Sorry, but I never got your name,” Fred said quietly.
“It’s Chad, Chad Smoke,” he said, equally quiet.
“Well Chad Smoke, I’d say it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but it looks like we’re both under the Gestapo’s thumb, so I’m sorry I held you up and got you into this,” Fred said. “So where are you folks headed?”
“Home; a little town in western Idaho called Cambridge,” Chad said.
“Home,” Fred said wistfully. “It must be nice to have a home to go to, even if it is to Hell and gone from where we are.”
Chad let the comments go and addressed what was on his mind, and at the time, more pressing.
“So are they the militia, and were you one of them?” Chad asked.
Fred harrumphed. “I never was one of these idiots per se, but I was raised in Monticello and went to church with them and everything. My mom used to babysit ol’ Wes there. I used to be a good Mormon, in fact, my dear father is the grand pooh-bah of them all, the President, the Prophet, sitting on his throne up in Provo,” he said with scorn.
“You don’t seem too happy with him, or is it his position?” Chad said.
“Humph, my old man wasn’t loyal to his family. For him, everything was about climbing the power ladder. And no one saw through his act except me and my mom. So he got what he wanted, the overall top job. Then the old bastard was visited by the angel and had a vision. Just like old Joseph Smith, and just like Smith, he was told all good Mormon men were ordained to take on several wives. It was our duty.”
“And you didn’t agree with him, I take it,” Chad said.
Fred shook his head slightly and said, “A lot of people didn’t agree with him, I think the majority in fact.”
“It must have gone over well with your mother too.”
“Humph. He put her out and took on a couple of girls younger than my little brother,” Fred said. He was quiet and Chad let him dwell on his thoughts. Finally, Fred said, “And it wasn’t just that he put her out. Mom was sick, really sick. Something was wrong and the doctors couldn’t help her. So he tossed her to the curb in her time of greatest need. I quit the church then. I couldn’t follow anyone who’d do something like that to someone he claimed to love at one time. So to send a message and squash the dissension, my dear father sort of made an example of a certain dissenter; me. Since I wasn’t active in the church, I was ostracized and shunned in town. I was told I had to toe the line or get out. So I got out and took Mom with me. That’s when I started taking whatever I wanted from them. Right or wrong, I admit I did it, but I was so sour on the whole bunch. Mom needed care and they threw us out. I don’t know if Mom was sick from radiation exposure, a broken heart from his betrayal, the loss of Debbie, or what. All I do know is she didn’t last long after we left. Whatever it was, it killed her, and my own father had a hand in it. Do you have any idea what it’s like to watch you own mother, a woman you’ve adored, waste away? Have you ever had to watch your mom go downhill, knowing something was eating her up inside and you couldn’t do a damn thing about it?”
Chad thought about his mom, and how he’d felt when she had the smallpox. He’d been sure she was going to die. She hadn’t, so he couldn’t share all of Fred’s pain, but he could certainly empathize with it. He felt the pull towards home stronger than ever.
“I see you do know what it’s like,” Fred said, reading Chad’s face.
“Well not exactly. She had the smallpox and I was sure she was going to die, but she pulled through. Then I went through the same thing a few years later with Carol,” he said, using his head to indicate his wife.
Fred nodded. “Well, at least you can relate. So anyway, I was sour on the faith and its leadership and of course my dad. My dear brother sided with him, he liked the idea of a harem.”
“So Fred, I’m still not certain about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys in this whole situation,” Chad said.
Fred looked at Chad intently, studying him in the failing light, and then said, “As I told you, we’re all good and we’re all bad. Not a damn one of us live up to God’s expectations for us. So it’s up to you to use your own moral compass to decide who’s good and bad. There’s no black and white with it, all just shades of gray.”
Chad didn’t respond, contemplating what Fred said. He was still deep in thought when the two men who’d listened to Wes interrogate Howie walked back to where he and Fred were tied. “Your cousin said pretty much the same thing as your wife did. We’ll untie you and you can join her,” one told Chad. With a sneer he looked at Fred and said, “But not you.”
Chad stood and pulled at his pants and coat and slipped a hand into a pocket. With his hand cupped, he stretched his arms out wide and flexed them, working the kinks out of muscles stiff from being secured in one place for so long. He took a step towards the men, stopping with his feet next to Fred’s. Looking at the men he said, “You know, if I didn’t want to get home, I’d like to spend more time around here. It’s incredible country and I understand there are still a lot of artifacts scattered around.”
“Yeah, there’ve been some nice finds. I’ve got a whole collection of arrowheads at home,” one man said.
“Well, unfortunately, I want to get back to Idaho as soon as I can, so I guess I’ll have to pass on the opportunity to look around more. And now I better join my wife and kids,” Chad said. He walked away, an obsidian knife laying on the ground where he’d stood. Fred shifted his feet to cover it.
Carol recognized his attempt at sleight of hand. When he joined her, she whispered, “Do you think that was the right decision?”
“Maybe, maybe not. But you know, to err is human. And I must be the most human person you’ve ever known.”
Copyright 2018 Bret W. Friend
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Post by cccindy on Jun 17, 2018 3:53:29 GMT
Thanks, bret!
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Post by bretf on Jun 17, 2018 13:39:06 GMT
You're welcome. But I had to post. I was concerned Tom would find his hacker and I didn't want that to happen. And to alleviate my concern for that, how about another chapter. Will this suffice for now Tom?
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Post by bretf on Jun 17, 2018 13:44:58 GMT
Chapter 29
It’d torn Chad up inside when John was crying because of his actions and it was even worse when he reached out to take his son from Carol. He felt like crying himself at the way John cringed and leaned away from him and buried his face into his mom’s neck. “Hey Buddy. I’m really sorry for what I did to you,” he said.
“Dad . . . hurt me,” John said, his face twisting up to cry again.
“I know I did, and I wish I didn’t,” Chad said and rested a hand on his son’s back. “But I was afraid those bad men were going to hurt you and hurt Mom and Faith. I needed to get you away so they couldn’t, so I could help all of you.”
John turned his head to Chad and sniffed and said, “No hurt me again.”
“I’ll try Buddy; I’ll try real hard. Okay?”
John’s bottom lip trembled as he looked at his dad.
“We have a lot of work to do. Can you help me? I can’t do it without you,” Chad said.
John’s face softened and he let go of Carol and held his arms out to his dad.
Chad breathed a sigh of relief. “Now we better get all our gear taken care of,” he said. The sun had gone down while the man interrogated Howie, so they got to work under meager light while the two militia men got a fire started. “Unless the high command doesn’t want us to,” he added under his breath, indicating Wes. The man had ordered his companions to get the fire going while he took it on himself to taunt Fred. Chad watched and bristled while he worked. If it went on much further, he wasn’t sure he would give Fred the chance to free himself. He might have to take matters, actually Wes, into his own hands. It would be smarter to let things be, though. They had a long way to travel and it wouldn’t be prudent to tick off the local establishment. But he had to do something.
“Sorry, but I’ve got to put a stop to that before I do something to that idiot I’ll regret,” Chad told Carol and Howie. He took quick steps to where Wes stood laughing in front of Fred. “Excuse me, but can I talk to you for a bit?” Chad asked.
Wes turned to Chad, irritation obvious in his face. “What is it?” he demanded.
“Well, I don’t know if you noticed our stuff here,” Chad said, indicating their gear and taking two steps away from Fred. The irritation was still plainly written on Wes’s face, but he moved to follow Chad. “You see, we’re getting short on supplies, and you seem like a man who’d know who we should talk to once we get to Monticello,” Chad said. He didn’t want to lay it on too thick, but was sure a little manure would work well with Wes.
Wes changed in an instant, looking smug and self-important and reminding Chad of a bantam rooster as it strutted around a group of hens. “Well yes, of course I can help you with that. I know everyone in town, and who has what. What is it you need?” he asked.
“Mostly, food that won’t spoil while we travel. Also, I need to know what the best route for us to take after Monticello is,” Chad said.
“Of course, I can introduce you to the right people to set you up once we get into town. Now as for travel, your wife said you are on your way to your home in Idaho. And well, sorry to say, but I’m not familiar with the town where she said you live,” Wes said.
Chad suppressed the sarcastic answer he wanted to tell the pompous buffoon. Instead he said, “We’re real close to the Oregon border, about a hundred miles north of Boise.”
“Ahh yes, well, that’s not going to be real easy from here. You see, Salt Lake City was hit very hard with the nukes. So hard, we’ve pretty much abandoned it and moved our capitol to Provo. The easy routes north were wiped out. Now you could go east of the city and through the mountains to Evanston and then into the southeast corner of Idaho. Then you’d have to traverse all across the lower part of Idaho, going through the Snake River Plain. Or you can go to the west and cross the Great Salt Lake Desert,” Wes said. “There are no mountains until you get into southern Idaho, but there’s also a whole lot of nothing.”
Chad glanced quickly at Fred. Slight movement in his shoulders made Chad think he had the stone knife and was working on his bonds. “Do you think you could show it to me on my map to make sure I understand where you’re talking about?” Chad asked Wes.
Wes nodded his head and said, “Of course. It wouldn’t do for you to go and get yourself lost somewhere up there.”
Chad led the way to their jumbled pile of gear. Carol and Howie were making headway slowly with the mess the two groups had made. “Have you come across the maps and atlas yet?” Chad asked.
“Not yet, but they shouldn’t be too hard to find,” Carol said. She dug through the pile carefully, taking as much time as she thought she could get away with. She was trusting Chad’s judgement about Fred, and from her angle, she could see he had the knife in his fingers and was working at cutting the rope binding him. “I’ve got to be getting close,” she said as she shifted more gear around, revealing them. “Ahh, here they are.”
“Why don’t we take them over to the fire so we can see better. Carol, Howie, you both need to see the route too. I want to make sure we all know where we’re going. It wouldn’t do for me to miss something that you two might remember,” Chad said. He also wanted Carol and Howie near and in sight if Fred happened to disappear. Wes’s companions sat on the opposite side of the fire, staring sightlessly into the flames. Chad smiled. Soon they’d all be fire blind and Fred would be unobserved in the dark.
Chad carefully unfolded the map and passed it to Wes.
Wes held it where the firelight could illuminate it and got his bearings. “So Monticello is right here,” he said, pointing. “You should be there tomorrow. The highway is good from there. You can go up through Moab, Green River, and Price, all the way to Spanish Fork. Not only is the road good, it’s safe from people like him and his bunch,” he said, turning and gesturing into the darkness towards Fred. Chad tensed, hoping Wes wouldn’t see any indication Fred was working on freeing himself. It was doubtful Wes could even see Fred. He couldn’t have any night vision, not after standing so near the fire, but Chad tensed anyway. He didn’t want to have to do anything to Wes if he could help it; it really wouldn’t help their trip if he did. Wes turned back and focused on the map. “And at Spanish Fork, that’s where you’ll have to turn either north or southwest depending on which way you decide to go.”
Wes continued to talk showing them first the route bypassing Salt Lake City to the east. “You would need to follow this highway and go through Orem, Heber City, to Evanston, and then take this road to go into southeast Idaho past Bear Lake.”
“Bad man go,” John said with a tug on his dad’s hand.
Wes ignored, or more likely didn’t understand him.
Chad understood, and in an attempt to cover what John said added, “Uh huh, go past Bear Lake,” and returned John’s tug with a gentle squeeze. Take care Fred, he thought to himself. He followed the route Wes had just traced with his own finger. “This seems like it’s taking us a good distance off our track. “So what if we go the opposite direction at Spanish Fork? Can you show us that one?”
Carol rested a hand on his shoulder and he gave her a quick glance. She gave a slight nod. Chad put his head down over the map, trying not to crack a smile. John was right; the bad man was gone. But Chad decided he was no worse or better than many men he’d known.
Wes traced the other route on the map from Spanish Fork. It went southwest to Eureka, then north to Toole, to the old interstate highway, and west across the Great Salt Lake Desert to Wendover. From there, he traced secondary roads north into Idaho and The City of Rocks at the bottom of the map.
“The City of Rocks, huh? I’ve heard of it but never seen it. It’s supposed to have some pretty incredible formations and sounds like a real interesting place to go to. This route looks a lot more direct to where we’re going and it might be our last chance to see a scenic place before we get home,” Chad said. He actually didn’t care in the least if there was anything interesting or scenic. He just wanted to get home and it appeared the more direct route was across the Salt Lake Desert. The rest was for Wes’s benefit. The man needed to stay occupied with something other than Fred for as long as possible. “Do you know anything about this desert and what it’d be like to cross it on foot?”
Of course Wes knew all about it and was glad to share his vast knowledge about it with Chad. Chad tuned out a lot of what he said, but still caught the high points. It was certainly more direct, but it was also over a hundred miles with no water and little or no food for Chevon. At least they had several days to travel before making the decision of which way to go, but he already knew which route he preferred. They just had to make sure they were prepared for that part of the journey once they got there.
Wes continued to drone on about the times he’d gone to the Bonneville Speedway on the salt flats for Speed Week. It’s too bad we can’t have one of those fast cars just to cross the desert, Chad mused. Hearing something other than Wes, he tilted his head slightly to hear better. As Mat would say, the stuff’s about to hit the fan. Hope you’re far enough away and can hide well Fred.
Wes’s companions heard the sounds as well and stood and looked into the trees in the direction of the highway.
The sounds grew louder and were identifiable as moving horses with a few snatches of conversation from riders thrown in. Wes heard as well and straightened up looking smug as he looked into the darkness, never looking behind him.
A group of horsemen stopped just inside the ring of firelight. “It sure was nice of you to get the fire going Wes. It made it a lot easier to find you. Of course it would’ve made it easier for Fred and his boys to find you too, if we hadn’t chased them into the canyons,” the lead rider said. As he talked, he stepped out of the saddle and stood in front of his horse holding the reins out as if he expected someone to take them. One of the men with Wes did just that, hurrying over and taking the reins to lead the horse away.
The man was a younger version of Fred, though he looked to lead an easier life. I guess I’ll find out pretty quick if I made the right decision, Chad thought, watching and listening.
Wes had a big smile on his face and took a couple of steps towards the group. “Speaking of Fred,” he said, “Have I got n –”
“Your guards however,” the newcomer said interrupting Wes, “Must be very well hidden. We never saw a trace of them. But it is concerning they never challenged us,” he said in an accusatory tone. “I’m sure it’s because they recognized us.”
“Well, we . . .” Wes said and seemed to deflate. “Sorry Doug. We messed up. We won’t let it happen again.”
“It better not. You know what happens to people who fall out of favor,” the man said, all traces of camaraderie gone. “I trust you at least have something cooking, or is this just a beacon fire you have going?”
“No, we uh, weren’t sure when . . .” Wes turned to the other man who’d stayed with him. “You heard the man. Get some Dinner going.” He turned back to Doug and said, “Now as I was saying –”
Again, Doug never allowed Wes to finish his statement. “You got a goat! That’s great, I’d love a nice hunk of goat meat,” Doug said, seeing Chevon at the far side of the camp. “Men, get that creature butchered and spit over the fire.”
Chad had just about had enough of this guy and he hadn’t even been introduced yet. It appeared Wes wasn’t so pompous after all. He’d just been playing the part of his leader, though not nearly as arrogant. Stepping directly into Doug’s line of sight, Chad said, “That’s my family’s work goat. He’s not for eating.”
John was alarmed at the man’s statement and hurried over to Chevon, his buddy. He wrapped his short arms as far around the goat’s neck as he could and said, “You no eat Chevon!”
Doug seemed to see Chad and his family for the first time. He reminded Chad of stories he’d read where nobility never saw or acknowledged the peasants.
“And just who are you and what are you doing sticking your nose into our business?” Doug said, a sneer on his face.
Chad decided he didn’t look that much like Fred after all. Fred was hard, but there was compassion in his face. His brother showed nothing but disdain and superiority.
Chad also decided to ignore the question and said, “You should give Wes a break. We caused quite a stir when he and his men came into our camp. I’m the one that kept him from completing his duties.”
Doug’s glare intensified. “You still haven’t told me just who you are!” he demanded.
“We’re just some travelers, passing through,” Chad said. “But we’re willing to protect our belongings, including our goat, from thieves if we have to.”
Doug glared at Chad, and Chad returned the stare. If it came to it, Chad knew he’d have to kill Doug first. Maybe Wes would be next, maybe not. There was a chance his words had diffused at least part of it, but the guy he was staring at was so arrogant, he wasn’t sure if he cared either way. Beyond that, he’d have to take out whichever man was the next threat. He was sure Carol understood what was about to happen and hoped Howie did as well. He wasn’t sure he could take out enough of them, but maybe they’d be like a snake. Chop the head off and the rest dies. His hand itched, already feeling the Browning in it.
“There’s a deer over there,” Wes said, trying to break some of the tension. He didn’t know anything about the traveler, except he’d been holding Fred down with a gun to his head. It was a feat none in their group had ever been able to do even though they’d been trying for a long time. He had no idea why the man had said what he had, but he’d take advantage of it if he could. It was never good to be on the President’s son’s bad side.
“It’s my deer too,” Chad said. It was silent as he and Doug stared at each other. Finally, Chad said, “But I’d be willing to share it, if it was brought into consideration when we try to stock up for continuing our trip.”
Wes breathed a sigh of relief and went to help his man with the deer.
“Now while my deer meat is cooking, we need to get the rest of our gear packed up. We need to hit the road, if it’s all the same to you.” Chad said.
Doug said, “No, I don’t think I can allow that.”
“Excuse me? You can’t allow it?” Chad asked.
“That’s right,” Doug said. “You’ll spend the night here where we can keep an eye on you, and go into town with us tomorrow. Afterwards, we’ll see. Maybe I’ll allow you to go on your way, and maybe not. Perhaps I’ll send someone along to escort you, to make sure you don’t cause any problems.”
“An escort?”
“That’s right. We showed up here and you were with the group we’ve been hunting. And you expect me to just let you go?” Doug said.
“We were having a meal before taking off when they appeared and held their guns on us. Now stop and look around,” Chad said. He pointed to Carol and then John. “You think a band of raiders is running with a woman with two small children?” He pointed at the goat and cart. “That’s not what I envision using to haul the loot away after a raid either. The raiders I’ve run into generally want to move a bit faster.”
“And that’s exactly why I’m suspicious. My brother is devious, very devious. It is exactly the kind of thing he would come up with to throw us off,” Doug said.
Chad looked at the man, shaking his head. “Well, I don’t know if your brother is devious or not, but, oof—” Chad didn’t complete the statement. Carol elbowed him in the ribs before he could say something to make matters worse.
“And what if we don’t want to spend the night here?” Chad asked.
Doug grinned, but no humor reached his cold eyes, and he pointed at Carol. “Do you really want to leave a young widow with two babies in unfamiliar surroundings?”
Several of Doug’s men tensed and Chad saw more than one rifle raised in his direction.
“We’ll be fine spending the night here,” Carol said. “But I’m afraid we might slow you down tomorrow. We move slower on foot than riders do.”
“I’m sure Wes and the men who stayed here with him would happily loan their mounts to you,” Doug said.
“I’m not much for horses,” Chad said. “I trust my feet and I’d rather walk. Wes can keep his horse.”
As if speaking his name had summoned Wes, he stepped back into the ring of firelight. His face was pale and he looked from Chad to Doug and resettled on Chad. The other man was behind him, a haunch of Chad’s deer on a stick. He also looked like he’d seen a ghost.
Chad suppressed a smile. They must have found something, or someone rather, was missing, he thought. Now what will they do since Doug never gave Wes a chance to tell him they had a prisoner?
Turning back to Doug, Chad said, “Well regardless of staying the night or leaving, our gear is a mess. I’m hoping you’ll ALLOW us to get it all organized and get our beds made up.”
Doug gave a shooing motion with his hand, and then turned to his men and said. “Where is my camp chair? I’m ready to sit by the fire.”
Chad, Carol and Howie busied themselves packing away their gear. John was at his Dad’s side and Chad was glad for it. It wasn’t a fast process as the two groups had gone through everything, dropping it all in a heap.
Wes stepped over to them and asked Chad quietly, “Can I talk to you?”
“Sure,” Chad said.
“Let’s step further away,” Wes said. He led to where Fred had been tied.
“Wh . . . what? Your prisoner is gone. What happened? Didn’t your man tie him tight enough?” Chad asked.
“Obviously not, and I . . . uh . . .” Wes stammered.
“Oh . . . And you think it would be better if I don’t mention it, not a word, right?” Chad asked?
“Well . . .”
“Your pal Doug will unload on you and the two men with you if he knows you had his brother and he got away,” Chad said. “And you have to live and work with him. It would be very rough to be on his bad side. It might be enough to drive someone out of town, to take refuge in the canyon lands and turn into a thief.”
Wes nodded his head, barely discernable in the light.
“I suppose I can keep a secret,” Chad said. “However, once we get to Monticello, I don’t want to stick around. If possible, I’d like to stock up a bit, but regardless, I want to be out of there the next day.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Wes said. “And thank you. Doug can be . . . somewhat difficult to be around at times.”
Chad returned to his family and helped with the remainder of their gear. “What was that all about?” Carol asked softly. “Fred?”
“Yep. We need to act like we never met him. I think as long as Doug doesn’t find out about him, Wes is willing to help us. If Doug finds out though, I’d imagine he’ll come unglued and there’s no telling what will happen then,” Chad said.
“Well if he does find out, it won’t be from us. Now let’s get everything taken care of here, so we’re ready to move if we have to,” Carol said.
Chad looked at the militia men sitting around the fire. “You know,” he said, “I wouldn’t mind taking advantage of that fire and the down time to dry the deer meat. But something tells me we might lose a lot of it if I do, but don’t spend the night watching it.”
“We can do it later,” Carol said. “It should keep until we’re clear of them.”
“I suppose,” Chad said.
When all their gear was put together, the family took to their beds, as far from the militia men as they thought they could get away with. “This will be nice for you two,” Carol said. “Able to sleep all night and not be on watch.”
Not being on watch was nice, but Chad didn’t sleep well. He’d been all geared up to walk through the night and his mind and body didn’t take the transition well. When he did fall asleep, it was fitful, and he jerked awake from a troubling dream. They’d been in a valley with rugged stone formations all around it. He could only guess it was connected to his conversation with Wes about the City of Rocks. In the dream, he was alone, searching for his mom. He searched frantically as if every moment counted. Seemingly out of time, he finally found her in a pocket in the rock formations. Lisa was flushed red with fever, her skin covered in blotches. She was lying on a bed, too weak to get up. The dream didn’t make sense, because he kneeled beside her bed and held her hand and lightly kissed her on the cheek. When she had the pox, he had to stay away from her. He was never able to get anywhere near her, let alone give her a kiss. “I love you Mom,” he whispered. She focused her feverish eyes on him and opened her mouth and tried to speak, but no words came out. Her eyes filled with tears as she struggled to talk. He jerked awake, confused about where he was. As realization came to him, reached out to make sure Faith, John, and Carol were all there.
Chad lay there for a long time, unable to get back to sleep. Finally, he carefully got out of the bed, trying not to disturb Carol. He was sure the dream was triggered by his conversation with Fred, it had to be. He sat on the ground and wrapped his arms around his legs and stared into the darkness to the north. The dream remained with him as vivid as if he’d just lived it. He was done sleeping for the night.
Copyright 2018 Bret W. Friend
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Post by bretf on Jun 18, 2018 18:23:23 GMT
Chapter 30
Carol rolled over and ran her hand through the bedding, searching. She only encountered emptiness where Chad should be, not even lingering heat. It was obvious he hadn’t been there for some time. Opening her eyes, she saw light in the eastern sky from the fast approaching dawn. She rose and looked all around, guessing Chad was the dark shape sitting near the fire. She got up and eased into the trees to take care of her morning business before the militia men were up and moving around.
When she was finished, she walked quietly up to Chad, bent down and wrapped her arms around him. “Changed your mind I see,” she whispered in his ear as she hugged him. Close up, she could see narrow strips of meat hanging from sticks all around the fire.
He reached up and took her arm, clutching it. Even though he knew it’d only been a dream, he was nearly overcome with relief at her presence. Now if he could only see and feel his mom. He emitted an unintelligible sound.
“Chad, are you all right?” Carol asked, concerned with his actions.
“Uh, sure,” he said, controlling his emotions, but not convincing her. “And uh, yeah, I didn’t need much sleep, so I figured I might as well take advantage of my time.” He didn’t mention, he couldn’t mention he hadn’t been able to sleep, not after the dream he’d had. Maybe later, but it was still too real to put into words. Besides, he really did want the meat taken care of. Of course he couldn’t get it all dried, but at least it was started and it was all cut off the bones. He’d debated about the bones, taking them or tossing them out for the coyotes. Given time, they could cook the bones down for a nutritious broth. But time was the kicker. He didn’t want to spend any more time sitting around than he had to. The draw to get home was even stronger after he’d been chased from sleep by the dreams. So he’d bagged some of the bones and thrown the rest out.
“Uh huh,” she said, wondering what he wasn’t telling her. “So what do you think today will be like?” she asked.
“Hard to tell. His excellency is a hard one to read,” Chad said.
“Well try not to provoke him.”
“That’s totally up to him. If he wants to be decent, I’ll be decent,” he said.
Chad needn’t have been concerned. Even though most of the group was up before him, Doug rose from his bed and looked around in disdain. “What the hell is everyone doing sitting around. Get your horses. We’re going after those raiders, and by God, we aren’t going home until they’re all swinging from trees!” he stated. “Jimmy, get my horse ready. Wes, you’re in charge of the prisoners. And make sure they don’t escape.”
Wes cringed at the remark. If Doug ever found out about their real prisoner, life would be unbearable in Monticello.
Chad had packed his meat away when the militia members started moving around. It needed longer to dry, but he thought it might be too tempting for some to ignore if left in easy reach. Along with Carol and Howie, they packed all their gear and were ready to hit the road. He stepped over to Wes and said, “We’re ready to leave when you are. But I’m surprised he left you alone with us. Isn’t he concerned we might overpower you?”
Wes watched the back sides of the horses and men with Doug disappear before addressing Chad’s comment. “Let’s give him a while longer. He can be erratic at times and it’s even worse when he’s been thwarted by his big brother. All his life he was measured up against Fred and always came in second. It makes him crazy. I’d prefer not to see him again for a while if possible, you know, after Fred . . .”
“Fred?” Chad asked. “I don’t know anyone named Fred. Although I remember a cartoon character a long time ago called Fred Flintstone.”
“Yeah, Fred Flintstone. And thanks,” Wes said.
“Don’t mention it,” Chad said with a grin. “And I mean that literally.”
The walk to Monticello went well. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, but not cold. And best of all for Chad, he was able to stay with his family. Wes continued to stay amicable, obviously humbled by the experience with Fred. Chad was surprised they were allowed to carry their guns and mentioned it.
Wes said, “I think if you were a threat, you wouldn’t have done what you did. I suspect you would’ve used what happened as a wedge between us and seen what happened. Besides, there’s still a chance we could run across raiders and I don’t’ want to be the only one armed if we do.”
After some time on the road Wes said, “I’ve been giving some thought about you folks leaving Monticello.”
“What, you want to get rid of us?” Chad asked.
Wes gave Chad a sideways glance and said, “As a matter of fact, I do. The more you’re around, you might get Doug to thinking and asking questions when he gets back, not just assuming he knows everything. And let me assure you, it won’t be good for either of us if he finds out about Fred.”
“Who?” Chad asked.
“Right,” Wes said. “Anyway, you could forget about seeing your home again for a very long time, if ever, if Doug does find out.”
“So do you have a solution that won’t get you into hot water with him?” Chad asked.
“I think so, but you just never know with him. My nephew Rex, who’s also in the militia but wasn’t with us on this run, has been planning a trip to Moab. It’s a two-day walk from Monticello. I think you could go along with him,” Wes said.
“I prefer to travel alone, but if it’ll get us on the road fast, I guess I’m okay with it,” Chad said.
“Personally, I think it’s your best solution,” Wes replied. “If it works for Rex, you’ll be days away before Doug gets back to town.”
“Then let’s set it up,” Chad said. “The sooner, the better.”
They traveled in silence for some time, before Chad asked, “So what are things like now in Utah? We’ve heard that things are getting rebuilt, almost a new magical kingdom according to some of the stories going around. We’ve been places where it’s downright medieval with clans and warlords, and other places where things are slowly progressing. But the stories always say Utah is a paradise.”
Wes chuckled and said, “There’s nothing magical about it and I’m not sure I’d call it paradise, but we are coming out of things pretty well in places. I attribute a lot of it to the first couple of years after the pox and the bombs. I’m guessing you’re aware of how the Church always stressed having a year’s supply of food on hand. Not everyone did of course, but enough did that we weren’t scrabbling as hard just to survive as most people. We were able to work more on creating stability and get the people mobilized to dealing with the problems. We were mostly peaceful and stable, so we were able to get into restoration sooner than most regions, but it all takes time, a lot of time. Most everything is centered around Provo, with the capitol and the university both there. But the key was establishing stability. I’m sure you’ve seen you need order and stability before things can improve.”
“That’s the way of it, and the reason some areas we’ve passed through haven’t made any progress in all this time,” Chad said. “It’s hard to recreate the lost technology when you’re fighting for your life all the time.”
“Right. So one of the most important things, is every able-bodied man is a member of the militia,” Wes said.
“Only men, and no women?” Carol asked.
“That’s right ma’am. Only men,” Wes said. “Most everyone has their normal job and duties, but they can be called up at any time. Besides that, we have a full time, standing militia. Other areas, but not here yet, have gas powered vehicles as well. They are well armed and mobile, so they have little trouble with raiders.”
“Why don’t you have gas vehicles? It seems you’d have a big advantage here if you had some,” Chad said.
“Yes,” Wes said, “We would, but at the same time, the canyon lands are so rough, horses can go where machines can’t. However, I’ve heard we’re supposed to get a couple of equipped four by four utility vehicles and fuel for them soon. Apparently, it’s bad for the President’s image to have a son gone rogue, so we are supposed to be getting men and vehicles at any time to hunt him down. I think that’s part of why Doug was so testy. He really wanted to show everyone he was up for the job and every bit as good a man as his brother.”
Chad felt it was better no to respond to the final statement.
Carol raised her eyebrows at him having a good idea of what he was thinking, and changing the subject, asked Wes, “So you have fuel production?”
“Yes, but nothing like in the past,” Wes said with a wry chuckle. “But I guess we don’t need that much yet, either. None of the more modern trucks, cars, or tractors will run. They’ve had to scrounge up older rigs, and scrounge other old rigs for parts to make them run and keep them running. There’s a big push at the U to work around the fried components and set up manufacturing facilities for parts for the old rigs, but it’s all pretty intensive. It seems they have more delays than success, but they are making headway.” He gave a wry chuckle and pointed at a section of road that was just broken up chunks of asphalt. “But even with trucks, they have to move slow. Our roads are in pretty bad shape just about everywhere.”
“What about power?” Chad asked.
“We also have hydro power re-established to a few places. But that too is a slow process, utilizing technology from the last century. We hear stories of great strides being made at the U, but we still light our homes with oil lamps and ride horses. Maybe it’s all just propaganda, I don’t know. But they do make deliveries to us in trucks.”
“So does that mean you have commerce and some kind of currency?” Carol asked.
“Well, we do have limited commerce. And there is a currency, but a lot of people are hesitant to use it. Junk silver seems to be more widely accepted, though it’s in short supply,” Wes said.
“What about phones?” Howie asked.
“They’re digging up yet more old technology and getting it in place,” Wes said with a laugh. “That’s one area the real out of the way places are ahead. A few of them never had modern systems put in. The telecommunications companies couldn’t justify the expense. But of course we had modern equipment in Monticello and we’re far enough away from Provo, so I don’t know if I’ll ever see working phones again.”
“You sound like you miss it,” Carol said.
“I do,” Wes said. “See, my kids are all in Provo now, two of them at the U. I can’t call them, I can’t jump in the car and go up there or meet up with them somewhere in between. It’s quite a trip between there and here. We do have mail delivery so we write to each other, but I miss hearing their voices and seeing their faces. You have no idea what I’d give for one of those phone or computer systems we had that would let me talk to them and see them.”
“Can’t you move to Provo to be near them?” Carol asked.
“No, I can’t do that,” Wes said quietly. “I’d be lost there. Besides, my parents are here and they’re getting up in years. I need to be here for them.”
“And I’m sure they appreciate it,” Carol said.
Chad missed what she said, tuning out after Wes mentioned his parents and being there for them. The dream came to mind, and he too would have given most anything to communicate with his parents, talk to them, see their faces. He stared sightlessly to the north, recalling every feature of his folks he could.
It was quiet for a while until Howie broke the silence. “I don’t suppose your nephew, the one who you suggested we leave with, will be going in one of those trucks you mentioned.”
“No he isn’t,” Wes said. “But I think he was planning his trip so he and his fiancé could catch a ride back home in one.”
“That figures,” Howie said.
Copyright 2018 Bret W. Friend
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