Miracles

by Thomas A. Watson

  Not answering Sarah climbed back out almost giddy, hoping they could help the little girl. When she reached the front of the truck, Sarah stopped and waited for Sutton. He climbed out before throwing the loop of the sling over his head. Pushing the submachine gun under his right arm, he joined Sarah at the front of the truck.

  “Stay here,” she whispered.

  Moving slowly, Sarah held out her right hand like she was holding food. “We won’t hurt you, little girl. Nobody is in the truck with the robot thing, so you don’t have to be scared.”

  Sarah froze at seeing a small face peek around the corner of the hedge and dart back. “We have some food, would you like some food?” Sarah cooed out softly and the face peeked out longer this time, and Sarah saw the little girl looked Hispanic.

  “Damn, kids do respond like cats,” Sutton mumbled in shock.

  When the girl’s face darted back, “It’s okay, baby, we won’t hurt you, and the mean robot won’t look over here anymore,” Sarah called out softly.

  The front door of the cabin banged open, “Don’t you hurt my kids, assholes!” a woman screamed, running out of the cabin. Both turned as they instinctively lifted their weapons to see a female soldier with red hair coming at them and aiming a rifle.

  Registering what the soldier had shouted, Sutton lowered his weapon. “Like we would hurt a kid!” he shouted back, very insulted. “I can’t believe you would even insinuate something like that!”

  The soldier’s steps faltered and she could actually see Sutton was insulted. “Anna, get behind me,” the soldier said, and the little girl jumped up from behind the hedge in a run and ducked behind the soldier. When Anna was behind her, the soldier saw Sarah lower her weapon. The soldier could tell the only reason Sarah had lowered her weapon was because she didn’t want to hurt Anna.

  Beyond shocked, the soldier lowered her own weapon. In the months since the virus had hit, she’d never seen anything like this. Neither had their weapon aimed at her. Turning back to Sutton, she could swear he was sulking like his feelings were hurt. “Um,” she stuttered, actually feeling bad. “Sorry,” she finally said.

  “Like we would hurt a little girl,” Sutton grunted, turning away.

  Emotionally numb, the soldier let her M4 go in shock to let it hang at her side. “I’m sorry, but we’ve come across some very bad people, and Homeland has been a few of them,” she told them.

  Sarah let out a laugh. “We aren’t Homeland, we stole these,” Sarah smiled, and saw the little girl peek out from behind the soldier. “We used to work for the CDC. My name’s Sarah.”

  Just blinking in shock for several seconds, “Sergeant Ellie Green,” she said. All morning Ellie had watched the two vehicles and had to admit, the group had no idea what the hell they were doing. “Again, sorry,” she offered to Sutton, and was shocked at herself for feeling relieved to see him nod and turn to her with a smile.

  “We would never hurt your daughter,” he told her and gave a small wave at Anna peeking out behind Ellie.

  “She’s not mine, none of them are,” Ellie mumbled at them. It had been so long since she had talked to people that weren’t trying to harm or kill her or the kids. For no other reason than they were alive.

  Hearing the door to the MRAP open, Ellie’s right hand grabbed the pistol grip of her M4 and her mouth fell open. Barefoot, Skannish slid out wearing old man boxers and a white tank top undershirt with his gray hair spoofed out. “Where did the soldier and little girl come from?” he called out.

  Feeling lightheaded and trying to process what her eyes were seeing, Ellie’s hand slipped off her weapon in double shock. First, Skannish was the oldest person she had seen in months. Second, he had no weapon and was in boxers and a tank top, barefooted.

  “She thought we were going to hurt the little girl,” Sutton huffed, waving his arm out at Ellie.

  Puffing out his chest, “I have a good mind to spank your bottom, young lady. Soldier or not,” Skannish barked, then gave a wince when he stepped on a rock.

  Really wishing she could take back what she’d said, Ellie cleared her throat before she spoke. “Homeland agents shot at us two weeks ago when we were looking for food.” She was certain she could walk faster than the old man coming across the parking lot.

  “What? Where at?” Skannish shouted, then turned to Sarah and Sutton. “You two go on and I’ll catch up to you after I go and shoot the cowards! Wanting to hurt soldiers protecting a little girl!”

  Sarah and Sutton nodded and turned to see Ellie staring at Skannish in utter astonishment. When Ellie saw Skannish wince when he stepped on another rock, “Um, that’s why I had to leave my unit, we had orders to shoot any person not in their residence,” Ellie told them numbly. “I shot my lieutenant when he ordered me to kill Shanna.”

  “Shanna? I thought you called her Anna,” Sarah said, looking at Anna. When Anna smiled at her, Sarah gave a little wave. “Why would they order you to shoot a kid?”

  Sarah, Sutton, and Skannish turned to the cabin and saw more kids come out. A young teenaged black girl came out holding an M4 in shock. Behind her was a teen boy holding a Ruger 10/22. They led out two other teens with guns and four other kids, with two holding infants and three toddlers holding the older kids’ hands. Seeing the stunned faces, “Oh, guys, we are so sorry!” Sarah cried out. “We didn’t know you were in there. If we had, we never would’ve pointed the robot at you.”

  Shifting her gaze from one to the other, “You guys, like, know a virus has killed most people and it’s like a warzone out there, right?” Ellie asked, wondering if they had been frozen or something.

  Nodding her head, “Oh yes, we were working on the vaccine and made one, but the president left us to die when some people attacked the bunker we were in,” Sarah answered, then rolled her eyes. “Then the president killed the rest of our team that headed for Atlanta. After that and hearing about the government starting forced labor camps, we quit and are heading south.”

  Ellie really wanted to walk out and touch the three just to see if they were real. She couldn’t believe people this clueless were still alive. “How long have you been out of the bunker?” she asked.

  “Yesterday,” Sarah shrugged as Skannish finally reached her.

  “Ellie, right?” Skannish asked and Ellie nodded slowly. “Where the hell is the rest of your unit because I’m going to shoot the microphallus excreta gormandizers after those Homeland staff.”

  The three just looked at Ellie as she stared at them with glazed eyes. “What the hell did he just call her old unit?” Sarah whispered to Sutton.

  “Small penis men that gorge themselves on feces,” Sutton whispered back.

  “Oh,” Sarah nodded with a grin. “Small dick shit eaters.”

  Cringing at the literal translation, “Where are you guys headed?” Sutton asked waving at the kids.

  Barely shaking her head, “Nowhere, just trying to stay safe and not get killed or raped,” Ellie mumbled.

  “Raped!” Skannish shouted, then turned back to his truck walking tenderly. “That does it, I’m getting my damn boots on and killing someone! You don’t go around scaring young ones like that!”

  Rolling her head back, “You deal with him, I’m not,” Sarah moaned.

  “Screw that, he’s going to get his gun,” Sutton huffed. “We’ll make him walk to go shoot them and when he gets tired, we’ll tell him we’ll look for them later.”

  “Sutton, if it’s more than thirty yards away, Skannish can’t hit it.”

  Slowly coming out of the numbing shock, “Where are you guys headed?” Ellie asked. “Maybe you should go back and hide in that bunker, I’m not sure you’re ready for the outside quite yet.” Staring at them and listening to the talk, Ellie could tell they were very intelligent, book-wise. But the way they acted, the three seemed to think bad guys would be wearing masks and name tags that read ‘Bad Guy’.

  “We can’t go back,” Sutton told her. “Oh, my apologies, my name is Scott Sutton. D
octor Scott Sutton,” he smiled and saw several of the kids jump back. “Oh, I don’t give shots,” he assured the kids.

  “You gave me one,” Sarah snapped.

  “Oh, I guess you wanted Skannish to do it?”

  Thinking about that, “No, not even on a dare,” Sarah admitted.

  The younger kids and toddlers smiled at them as the others over the age of seven looked at them in stunned bewilderment. “We’re heading to my sister’s,” Sutton said, turning back to Ellie. “It’s really mine and my sister’s, left to us by an uncle.”

  Seeing the younger kids seemed interested, “It’s way back in the woods with a pond and stream,” Sarah told them with a smile. Turning to Sutton, “Can they come? Ellie says they’re just trying to stay safe,” Sarah asked as Skannish shouted.

  “Where did you put my boots, Sarah?! I can’t go shoot those ignoramus Neanderthals barefoot!”

  Ignoring Skannish, “We would have to put several in each bedroom, but I don’t see why not,” Sutton told her.

  “Sarah!” Skannish cried out in a creaking voice.

  “They’re in the floorboard where you left them!” she shouted back, then turned to Ellie and saw her cringe. Giving a nod, “I’m sorry about that and I’ll feel bad about yelling at him later,” Sarah admitted.

  “No, you shouldn’t be yelling,” Ellie told her, and all the kids were nodding.

  Glancing back to her truck and misunderstanding, “Sorry, but Skannish doesn’t hear that well sometimes and when he’s in an irritated mood, shouting at him is the only way to get him to shut up,” Sarah clarified.

  Holding her hands out as she walked down the sidewalk. “No, you don’t shout because bad people will hear you,” Ellie clarified, speaking slowly as if they were children.

  “It wasn’t that loud,” Sarah said.

  Feeling like she was talking to the toddlers walking up behind her, “For this new world, that was very loud. Voices carry a long way now,” Ellie told her.

  Glancing at Sutton who just shrugged, “Oh,” Sarah said in a low voice. “But the offer stands if you guys want to come.”

  Turning and seeing all the kids were excited, “Where is this farm?” Ellie asked.

  “Arkansas,” Sarah answered as Anna stepped around Ellie. Thinking Anna looked awful skinny, “Anna, want something to eat?”

  Anna’s smile fell off hearing someone just offer food freely. Worried she had offended Anna, Sarah gave a sigh to see Anna give a slow nod. Turning to Sutton’s truck, Sarah tapped the door and felt the paint was dry and opened it up before climbing in.

  Sutton noticed the entire group stunned. “Sarah, just bring a whole box out.”

  Sarah gave a grunt pulling a box of MREs out and held one out to Anna. “It says it’s food but leaves a lot to be desired, but it does have candy,” Sarah said, and Anna glanced up at Ellie in shock with her mouth hanging open. Taking that as an okay, Anna took the MRE.

  Opening the box of MREs, Sarah waved the other kids over and they dove in. Watching one of the toddlers pick up an MRE, she couldn’t help but smile seeing the bag was nearly as big as the child.

  Wondering why Ellie was in shock, “Want to come with us?” Sutton asked.

  All the kids, even the teens turned to Ellie with pleading faces. Throwing up her hands, “Okay, hold on a second,” Ellie called out and stared at the two. “We’ll go on one condition,” Ellie offered, and both nodded to hear it. “It’s your rides and house, but all of you will listen to me. I’ve been out here longer, and it’s not the world you left behind. I’m not lying when I say people will kill you for just what you gave the kids. So, we go, you listen to me,” Ellie told them, then grabbed Shanna’s shoulder. “Shanna is only fifteen, but listen to her because she’s had to help me kill people that were trying to kill us.”

  Hearing that, the shock went the other way. Ellie gave a sigh seeing the reaction on the two. She wanted help and trusted the trio, but they had to wake up fast because the bad guys didn’t wear black and have masks. “We can show you how this new world operates, but you have to listen. Your first mistake usually gets you killed,” Ellie told them and they nodded.

  Leaning to Sutton, “I really think we need to beg them to come if it’s that bad. Nothing we read said it was that bad and that your voice carries a long way,” Sarah said.

  Giving a nod, “We accept, and don’t think we won’t shoot people who want to hurt these kids,” Sutton told Ellie.

  “Sutton, I’m calling you that since both your partners have, is it okay?” Ellie asked and he nodded. “We’ve already lost one kid, a thirteen-year-old boy. He died when Homeland was shooting at us. You only get one chance to kill them if you see them first. You can’t hesitate. If you do, you’re dead and so are some of the kids.” Just hearing that the group had lost a child to gunfire made Sarah and Sutton want to cry.

  Now dressed, “I’m ready,” Skannish sang out stepping down. Walking over, “Tell me where these heathens are,” Skannish demanded.

  Seeing Sarah and Sutton were finally getting a grasp on the violence, Ellie turned to Skannish. When she saw his eyes, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind he was willing to shoot someone. “We know they aren’t there, sir,” Ellie offered and Skannish’s shoulders slumped.

  “You see them, you better tell me, young lady,” he warned. “You don’t threaten young ones like that while I’m around.”

  “Yes, sir,” Ellie sighed, glad the old man wasn’t going to take off.

  Shaking the shock off, “I was painting the MRAP, that was good, right?” Sarah asked.

  Nodding, “Yes, and we need to do that before we leave,” Ellie grinned. “Shanna, climb on the roof and keep an eye out.”

  “Why don’t you let her just use the robot gun?” Sarah asked, pointing to the roof.

  “You armed it?” Ellie asked in wonder.

  “We studied the book for three days and did what it said,” Sutton answered, making Ellie give a startle.

  About to ask a question, Ellie just shook her head and stepped around them. Climbing up on the bumper to the hood, Ellie moved to the roof and checked the remote firing station. Closing her eyes with a sigh, “Guys, you left the servo safety pin in,” Ellie told them, and pulled out a pin that had a red ribbon with ‘Fire Pin’ printed on it. “The gun won’t fire with this in. It’s a safety you have to put in before pulling onto a base.”

  “The book didn’t say anything about pulling that,” Sutton confessed. “It said fire pin, so we left it because we wanted the gun to fire.”

  Cocking her head and giving a nod, Ellie had to admit that was sound reasoning. Not taking chances though, she opened the feed tray to the M2 and was very surprised to see it was loaded properly. “Good job loading Ma Deuce.”

  “Mother number two?” Sutton whispered, leaning toward Sarah and Skannish.

  Giving a shrug, “Maybe it’s the remote firing station’s name,” Skannish offered.

  Giving a snort as she snapped the feed tray closed, “No, that’s what the troops call the M2 fifty caliber,” Ellie told them and all gave a nod. “What are your batteries at? I haven’t heard you crank up since you got here.”

  When she turned and saw all three had a lost look, Ellie jumped down and climbed in the driver’s seat. Hitting the toggle, the starter gave a dragging grumble before the engine turned over and fired up. Hearing the sound of the starter, all three had heard that before and knew it meant the battery was low in a car. “These things are brand new,” Skannish snapped. “More wasted money.”

  Walking around the front, “No, you had everything on and haven’t cranked in seven hours. I’m surprised it cranked,” Ellie told them.

  Very impressed, “You seem to know a lot about the MRAP, what did you do in the army, Ellie?” Sarah asked.

  “MP,” Ellie smiled, and knew from the look on Sarah’s face she had no idea what that meant. “Military police,” Ellie corrected and Sarah gave a nod. “Kids, half paint this one and half the other,�
� Ellie said looking at the kids and saw most were finished with their MRE. “I’m going to start the other one, so we don’t have to slave it.”

  “That doesn’t sound good,” Sutton said shaking his head.

  “We need to listen to Ellie. We’re really lucky to have run into her and these kids,” Sarah said, and the kids nodded in agreement.

  Hearing the other MRAP’s starter dragging but not firing up, the three gave a groan but Ellie came back and didn’t seem worried. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” Ellie said stopping in front of them. “You had radios, thermal driving camera, remote firing station on, but the vehicle ID transmitter is gone, how did you know how to disable it? I know it’s not in the manual.”

  “We read the manual and it said the system had a friend/foe identity transmitter, so we just looked for a transmitter control board wired into the vehicle’s system and pulled it,” Sutton told her.

  Knowing that took intelligence and manual skill, Ellie gave a nod. “Kids, step back so I can pull over and slave the other truck off. Then Shanna, you and Raymond get in so I can show you how to use the remote firing station.”

  When Shanna and the older teen boy followed, “I’m watching,” Sarah said, following the MRAP over. Sutton and Skannish smiled and walked with the kids. Watching Ellie plug a heavy cable from the running MRAP to the one that wouldn’t start, Sarah understood. “No car I’ve seen jump starts like that.”

  After it was started up, Sarah climbed in with Shanna and Raymond. Listening to Ellie, Sarah realized the manual had left a lot of information out. “Shanna, you monitor right. Raymond, you have the left. Call before you shoot unless you see them aiming,” Ellie told them and climbed out.

  With so many painting the task was done quickly, only leaving four cans of paint left. Ellie and the kids ran back to the cabin and all came back with a backpack. Cradling one of the infants in her arms, “Want to hold the baby?” she asked the three.

  All three took a step back while shaking their heads. “Never held one,” Sarah admitted.

  “Neither have I,” Sutton said.