“They’ll send in the expendables first. Each will only have a few shots,” Butler added.
“How can men be seen as expendable, especially when the human race is dying off like flies,” John man sneered.
Blake wondered the same thing, but he couldn’t get lost on that thought right now. He didn’t like taking lives, but he didn’t want to lose any from their community either.
“Change of tactic. We’ll try to persuade them first. If they push on, then shoot. Aim for the weapons first or rocks and trees near them. We don’t want to have to kill unless necessary.”
“Are you sure?” Butler asked.
“I may regret it, but I am tired of death. We’ll try to hold them back. If it looks like it isn’t working, I will take the first kill shot, you all follow suit.”
“Yes, sir,” the three of them responded.
“Just in case we get separated or something happens to me, to find the others keep the ridges to your left until you meet a road, follow it east. They will find you.” Blake looked each one in the eye. “Thank you for staying.”
“Pleasure serving with you sir,” Kevin said, and they both saluted before they jogged off to their places.
“Butler, you stay close,” Blake said as he covered his tracks until he reached the brush.
“You can trust me, sir.” Butler held his gaze.
Blake nodded. He sure hoped so. Otherwise he may have not told the truth about him making it out of this, and might have brought two innocent men into the mix.
~*~
Kris could feel the temperature drop once the sun fell behind the trees. She couldn’t see it behind all the clouds and snow, but she could feel it. The last of the people finally caught up to the side trail that led to the overhang.
Her stomach twisted, thinking how close she had been to passing it. If it hadn’t been for Mercy squalling and needing a diaper change, she wouldn’t have seen the overhang through the snow.
Blake’s memory amazed her. Not only did he remember this overhang, it was the perfect size for their large group. People collapsed onto the dry dirt that still existed underneath the huge rock ledge. Exhaustion filled everyone. You could see it in their eyes and their limp body movements. Kids no longer cried, but whimpered.
She had counted every person that had come into their camp for the night. All were accounted for except eight. Looking out into the snow she hoped Blake would make it back in time to keep her and the kids warm tonight. A shiver shook her, causing Mercy to gripe.
“You did it,” Laurie said as she walked up.
“Now to keep everyone from freezing to death.” Kris kept her voice quiet. “I’ll ask David and others to start fires. Five or six should really help, especially with the reflective rock.”
“I agree, though this wind is brutal.” Laurie tugged her jacket closer to her. “How is Mercy?”
“Grumpy, but she’s warm tucked in against me.” She looked over at Tuck who cuddled close with Ethan where she had left him against the deepest part of the overhang. She had immediately pulled out their blankets and tucked them around him. As soon as Ethan had arrived, she sent him to warm up underneath the blankets with Tucker.
Kris took in the scene. Everyone huddled beneath blankets or furs, shivering, eyes drooping. Some had jerky hanging limply from their hands, too tired to eat. They had made it. She blew out a breath. The worst part wasn’t over yet, though.
A gust of wind whipped in from the northwest. Something had to be done or that wind would steal a good portion of their heat. She caught David’s eye, and he walked over.
“You did good, Kris. Blake would be proud.” David squeezed her arm gently.
“Thank you,” she said, losing her focus in the snow again. “Hey, could you organize some people to start six fires evenly spaced.” Another gust blew across her frozen cheeks. “And find some guys with good gloves, to build a wind break for us. A snow-wall along the Northwestern side would do wonders to keep in some warmth.”
“My thought, too.” David reached out to touch her. “You need to rest.”
“We all do,” she said, pushing a tired smile to her face.
“People are coming!” one of the guards she posted as soon as they arrived shouted.
“Maybe it’s Blake and the rest of the men!” she started toward the commotion on the road.
“I hope so,” David said. “I’ll get to those fires.”
“Thank you, David.” She glanced over her shoulder before urging her reluctant feet to push forward.
Thankfully, it was still light so when she arrived at the road she easily recognized Arland and the three others, but no sign of Blake. She couldn’t help looking down the road, hoping to see him coming.
Arland came toward her as soon as he saw her.
“He’ll be coming. Don’t worry. He and three others have stayed to ensure we weren’t followed.”
Kris nodded. “Come, get out of the snow.” Her words sounded choked as her throat tightened.
“Hey,” Arland said and pulled her into a hug. “He’ll make it.”
Kris let herself relax into the hug briefly, the stress of the day overwhelming her before she pushed off and led him and the others back to their temporary camp.
“David is leading a team in building a windbreak.” She pointed to where a few men began piling snow up around the edge of the overhang. “Others are starting fires.”
“You’ve done well, Kris. Thank you.” Arland rested a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so glad you and your family decided to join us.”
Kris’s eyes filled, but she blinked back the wetness, turning her attention to Laurie rushing toward them.
“You made it,” she breathed out and wrapped her arms around Arland.
Kris smiled and discreetly left them to their homecoming to check on the boys. They had leaned back against the rock, their heads resting on each other’s and eyes closed. This would be a moment she would have normally rushed to get a picture, but all she could do now was ingrain it into her memory.
Soft sobbing, broke into her memory-making moment. She turned to see Janene huddled over her baby, rocking back and forth. Kris’s heart froze for a moment, and she pushed herself to approach the woman.
“Janene, are you okay?” Kris eased down into a crouch, ignoring her screaming muscles. “Is your baby doing okay?”
“Where is my husband? He didn’t return with Arland.”
“Your husband is with my husband. He’ll bring him back.” Kris reached out, hand shaking to pull the blanket back from the baby’s face. Warm breath burned her fingers. Kris let out the breath she had been holding.
“How do I keep him warm enough tonight?” Janene sniffed.
“Oh, honey, that’s easy. You keep him right up against you.” Kris helped her get her baby situated against her chest under her jacket, but with room to breathe. She repositioned the beanie on the little one’s head and stood. “You’re going to be just fine. And I’m hoping we wake to our husband’s warmth surrounding us.”
“Me, too. Thank you for your help and your kind words.”
“I’ll be right over there if you need anything.” Kris nodded toward the sleeping boys.
She longed to join them, but she had to check on the rest of the community. It would be a long night, made longer without Blake’s return.
On her way to check on the windbreak progress, she spoke to each family she passed. Giving out encouragement like it was candy, and wishing she had extra blankets instead. She reminded each family to take off their shoes and socks and dry them by the fire. It would be another long hike through the snow tomorrow, and having soggy shoes would only lead to frostbite and dangerous conditions.
The windbreak did wonders. She could already feel the difference. The men had built up the snow, packing it down and adding more until it was taller than them. It almost reached the top of the overhang and it had stopped the majority of the wind.
“Thank you, guys. This works great.” S
he did her best to show them a gracious smile.
“If we had more time, we could extend it across most of the opening and it would really keep the heat in,” one of them said.
“I agree, but we just need to survive the night. We have a ways to travel until we reach New Forest Glen.” Kris looked across the distance in the direction their new location lay. Would they reach it?
“I was thinking,” David said. “What about staying here until the storm ends? If we aren’t being followed, then why push through a potentially dangerous situation?”
“Luckily for me, David, I don’t have to make that decision. Arland is back.”
“Good, then you go rest. Blake will have my hide if you pass out from exhaustion.”
“You don’t have to push it. I’m headed there now.” Kris turned, but looked over her shoulder and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Tell my wife I’ll be by her side in just a few moments,” David called after her.
Wives. She decided to stop and talk with Janene and John’s wife. Their men were still out there with Blake. As military wives, they knew this situation all too well, but that never made it easier. The two women huddled together near the fire closest to her. With a quick glance she saw her boy and Ethan still snuggled and sleeping.
Gingerly, she laid a hand to rest on Mercy’s back and worked her way into the wrap to touch her fingers, toes, ears, and nose to ensure her baby wasn’t cold. Kris couldn’t help wishing that her extremities were as toasty warm as her daughter’s, but there was a peace in knowing your children were safe.
“I can’t wait until we get to New Forest Glen,” Janene said. “I want Kevin my side.”
“We got through all those years before. We’ll get through tonight,” the other said, clutching her two children to her side.
“We will,” Kris added as she squatted near them. “Blake will bring them home.” She hoped she spoke the truth, but she knew Blake, and he never left a man behind.
“Yeah, but will he be shot up like Dillon?” Janene said.
Kris sighed. “You know how it is. We know the risks our husbands’ take and the prices that may have to be paid. Dillon will heal. He still has the chance to start a family with his new wife. We need to have faith.”
“Faith. Honor. Hope.” The oldest child, a boy of about ten, whispered.
“That’s right. Together, we will prevail.” Kris stood and touched each woman’s shoulder. “Let’s have hope our husbands will return to keep us warm tonight.”
Kris felt chilled to the bone as she took the few steps to Tucker. She didn’t want to disturb him, but laid a hand on his cheek to see if he was warm. The firelight flickered across his smooth skin, and his cheeks were warm to the touch. Not a fever, but a healthy warmth. His boots needed drying. She watched him sleeping peacefully for several more seconds before she pulled the blanket off his feet and began unlacing his boots.
He moaned in his sleep, but didn’t wake up. Poor boy was exhausted. She yawned. She was too.
While taking his boots off him, she realized just how tight they were. His toes were scrunched and cold. She put his boots by the fire and draped his soggy socks over them. Then she dug through the carts near them until she found two pairs of his socks, which she warmed over the fire before slipping them onto his feet and wrapping the blanket around them once more.
She hesitated for a moment before reaching for Ethan’s feet.
“I’ll take over. Thank you for thinking of him,” Laurie said as she squatted beside her.
Kris rose to pull out a few more blankets and the deer hides that Blake had cured. She laid out the hides on the ground, one over the other and then layered the blankets at the bottom to make for easy pulling over. She watched Tucker sleeping. She needed to get him lying down so they could keep each other warm, but once again the desire to not disturb his much needed slumber had her just watching him.
“It’s sweet isn’t it?” Laurie said from where she squatted at her son’s feet.
“It is,” Kris said.
Laurie sighed and started tugging off Ethan’s soggy shoes. “It’s time to make some waterproof moccasins.”
“I have a pair started for Tucker, but haven’t finished them yet. How do you waterproof them?”
“Animal fat or pine sap. Both work, though you have to reapply many times. Our boys’ feet are growing so fast, it will be hard to keep up.” Laurie measured her son’s foot against her hand. “How fast they grow.”
Kris took the boots and socks from her and set them next to Tucker’s and then became aware of her own. She had quality boots, but her toes still hurt from the cold. She sat on the bed she had made and tugged off her own boots. Her socks were hardly damp, but her toes were freezing. She warmed them in her hands for several minutes as she watched Laurie do the same to Ethan.
Ethan stirred. “Mama?”
“I’m here, Honey. Just warming up your toes.”
“I’m hungry.” Ethan sat up and stretched, waking Tucker.
“I’m hungry, too,” Tucker said with a yawn.
Kris let go of her toes and searched her bag until she found some jerky and dried berries. Ethan had sat in Laurie’s lap, so she called Tucker over.
“We’re going to sleep cuddled up tonight,” she said.
“Dad won’t get mad?”
“No, Dad will be happy we are keeping each other warm.” She held up the blankets and patted the hides.
Tucker came over, bringing the blankets that had surrounded him to add to the pile.
“You aren’t putting the hides over you?” Janene asked from the next fire over.
“Two on bottom is better than one on top is the saying. The frozen ground will suck out your heat. Do you have enough to put some on the bottom?”
“Yes, we each have a hide. Thank you for the tip.”
Kris smiled and then turned back to her son who was scarfing down his food. She nibbled some as well.
“We’ll stay here until Dad gets back, right?” Tucker asked.
“That’s up to Arland, Sweetie, and I’m sure it will depend on when he returns.”
“If he does,” one of the boys whose dad was out there with Blake said as he made his way back to their fire with his arms laden with blankets.
Tucker shot up. “My dad always returns to us.”
The boy stopped and stared almost blankly at Tucker. His eyebrows furrowed and his shoulders fell. “Until he doesn’t.”
“Your dad will, too. They’ll all be back,” Tucker said.
Kris tugged on Tucker’s coat, urging him to sit. “It’s okay, Sweetie.”
“John’s not my real dad. My real dad didn’t return.” The boy turned away and slumped off to where his mom and sister cuddled near the fire.
Kris’s heart dropped. That poor boy. She wanted to bring him into a hug, but knew the kid tried to play it tough. These kids have been through too much.
“Dad will return to us. He promised, and he always keeps his promise.” Tucker’s lower lip trembled. He looked into her eyes and whispered, “Besides, I saw it Mommy. He returns.”
“I know, Sweetie. He will. That boy has been through a lot of heartache, and that’s where he’s speaking from.”
Tucker stuffed the last piece of jerky into his mouth and drew the blankets up. “What if I squash sister?”
“You won’t squash sister, and besides, you know she’ll let you know if you did.”
Tucker grinned. “She does have a really loud screech. I have never heard that from her before.”
“Me neither. I think you were right. I think she saved us by calling out to you.”
“One of many times, Mom. One of many.” Tucker pulled the wrap back and kissed his sister’s head, and then he laid down and wrapped up in the blankets.
Kris lay down next to him, seeing Ethan already back asleep too. Laurie met her eyes and smiled. Kris wanted to talk with her friend, dissect the day, and share how incredible their children were and
the resiliency of their community. Yet her eyes felt heavy, and her tongue slow.
Arland stepped quietly up to them. Laurie’s attention drew away from Kris and to him, so Kris slowly lowered her eyelids.
“Hannah wants to sleep with Tyler so he can keep her warm,” Arland said with a huge sigh.
“It’s hard to watch our children grow. She’s an adult now. You have to trust her and let her make her own decisions,” Laurie counseled.
“I know,” his voice sounded defeated.
“Come,” Laurie said. “Ethan and I will keep you warm.”
Kris didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but they were right there, sharing their fire. She was happy for Arland and Laurie. They would make a great couple when they were both ready to move on with their lives. A single tear ran down her cheek. She missed Blake. It had been a long time since she had to sleep without him. His warmth and security had spoiled her. Without it she felt the burdens of keeping her family safe and warm.
To divert her thoughts, she wondered about Mercy. Tucker had the gift of sight; did Mercy have a gift, too? Tucker had mentioned many times before about his sister saving them all. What had he seen that he hadn’t shared? A shiver ran through her as she wrapped her arms around her children. What heavy burdens her children carried, and where would it take them?
~7~
Blake eased into position, the cold from the snow seeping into his body. Laying on his belly would give him the best cover and shot. Thankfully, he had on his good winter gear so he only felt the cold and not the wet. He turned to his right and saw Butler in a similar position, except all he had on for protection was Arland’s hand-me-down coat.
To his left, his other two men hid in the boulders. They held the best position possible, and though they wouldn’t be able to hold off an army, he hoped he could change Meyers’s mind and send the men back the way they came.
His body tensed and he evened his breath as the first few men came into view. They stood in the area they had stomped down, searching for tracks. Blake narrowed his vision and focused on the rifle one of them held lazily. With a deep held breath, he pulled the trigger and heard the resounding twang of metal on metal a half-second before the startled man screamed and dropped the gun into the snow.
Grant Us Mercy (Book 5): Grant Us Mercy Page 6