by Joyce, Anne
“She’s not that good. I tried to teach her when she was younger, but she wasn’t interested.” Clyde cut in.
“Your vision’s gotten worse, Dad. You’re not the marksman you used to be,” Cassidy protested.
“You’re not ready for this. You can help by taking Xiomara and the kids downstairs. Wake your mother and take her with you. You need to protect her and these girls, too.” Clyde put his hand on her shoulder.
Cassidy nodded. She took Paola’s hand and led them to the bottom floor.
“One of us should take watch upstairs,” Joshua said.
“I’ll do it,” Maria offered.
“I have a couple of old walkie-talkies in the kitchen cabinet. They might still work,” Clyde said.
“Good thinking,” Joshua replied.
Clyde went to the kitchen while Joshua and Julio knelt beside the couch and readied their weapons. “Here they are. Cassidy and her friend found these when they were kids. They said they’re like twentieth century cell phones.” He tossed a walkie-talkie to Julio and Maria. Maria grabbed her rifle and ran upstairs to the master bedroom.
“Testing,” Julio said into the walkie-talkie.
“I can hear you,” Maria replied.
“Sweet. They work,” Julio said.
“Everybody, get into position,” Joshua said.
Clyde perched beside the green chair. They grasped their weapons and waited, frozen like statues. The only sound was the ticking of Clyde’s old grandfather clock. Joshua was starting to believe the clock’s hands weren’t really moving and that time was standing still.
“What the hell could they be doing?” Clyde stumbled to his feet, walked to the window, and peeked through the curtains. “Do you think they’re waiting on reinforcements?”
“I think you should get away from the window,” Joshua replied.
“Do you see anything?” Julio asked Maria.
“Nothing. Wait I see movement near the dirt mound.”
“What type of movement?”
“It looks like one of them is loading something.”
“He’s loading his gun?”
“No, it’s definitely not a gun. It’s more like……” her voice trailed off.
“Maria?”
“Holy shit! Guys, get to the left side of the house. Now!” she shrieked.
Julio dropped the walkie-talkie, grabbed his rifle, and crawled on his stomach toward Joshua. Clyde headed for the other side of the living room as fast as his decrepit legs would carry him. “Come on, man!” Julio cried.
“I’m trying,” Clyde said.
A loud boom made him stop and turn around. Joshua and Julio hit the floor and covered their heads until the noise faded. Julio poked his head over the couch and saw Clyde sprawled on the floor with the remains of a metal rocket beside him. There was a large, charred hole in the wall and the window had shattered. A thick cloud of smoke filled the room. “I can’t breathe.” Joshua pulled his shirt over his nose. When the smoke cleared he could see the old man’s eyes were fixed and blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. Blood and entrails were splattered across the wall.
“They shot a damned bazooka!” Julio coughed. “Who the hell uses a bazooka anymore?”
“Some cheap bastards that don’t want to spend a lot of money killing us,” Joshua replied.
Gunshots pierced the foggy air. A very large person fell with a hard thud. “That’s near the house,” Julio whispered.
They raised their weapons and started shooting through the hole in the wall.
“Guys… guys, are you okay?” Maria’s voice came over the walkie-talkie.
Julio crawled behind the couch and picked it up. “Maria, what happened?”
“I just took out a Purifier. I don’t see any more of them.”
“You know they’re around somewhere. We need to get to the lower level. This crap is burning my eyes,” Julio said.
A round of gunshots tore through the side of the house, obliterating the TV and the grandfather clock. Glass shattered above them followed by Maria’s screams and a thud. “They shot her!” Joshua cried. He scurried toward the staircase.
“Come on! We have to get to the lower level.” Julio grabbed his arm.
“We can’t just leave her.”
“It’s too dangerous. We’ll help her later.” Julio dragged Joshua to the kitchen, flung open the latch in the floor, and ushered him down the stairs. He pulled a throw rug over the latch as he closed it.
“Where’s my dad?’ Cassidy ran to them.
Joshua looked at the floor.
“Oh, no.” She clasped her hand over her mouth. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back.
“I’m so sorry, Cassidy. Where’s your mom?” He glanced around.
“She’s upstairs in bed. She must’ve died in her sleep last night.” Cassidy’s voice broke and tears ran down her cheeks.
“What about my mom?” Paola rose from her spot in the corner next to Xiomara and Danisha. “Where is she?”
“She’s upstairs,” Joshua replied.
“Is she okay?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you go get her? Why are you just standing there?” she demanded.
“Shhhh.” Julio held a finger to his lips. “I think they’re in the house.” He reached into the burlap sack and handed Weston’s gun to Cassidy.
“Get back to the corner and stay there,” Joshua told Paola. Paola, Xiomara, and Danisha huddled together with their hands over their heads. Joshua, Julio, and Cassidy waited with their weapons drawn. Footsteps creaked through the house. Doors opened and closed. The footsteps got closer and closer until they were right above the lower level. Joshua thought he heard one of them mumble something, but he couldn’t make out what was said.
He grabbed a crate from the corner, stood on it, and pressed his ear to the ceiling. “What are you doing?” Xiomara hissed.
“Josh has ears like a damn hawk. Be quiet so he can listen,” Julio muttered.
“See if you can hear with one of these.” Cassidy picked up a small, black box and handed it to him.
“What is it?”
“They’re Dad’s old hearing aids,” she replied.
Joshua slid the device into his ear. It rang and screeched so loud he yanked it out. “Does this thing pick up sonar?” he gasped.
“Turn it down!” she said. He turned the tiny knob on the side and shoved it back into his ear.
“How did these sons of bitches get away?” one of them whispered.
“They couldn’t have gotten away. There’s nowhere for them to go,” another replied.
“We’ve only found three dead, and one of them wasn’t killed by us. That old lady must’ve died from age or heart attack,” a man with a thick northern accent muttered.
Joshua’s heart sank when he heard “three dead.” A rage stronger than anything he’d ever felt boiled up inside. He indicated where each man was with his finger and motioned for Julio and Cassidy to stand on either side of him.
“We need to keep looking. We can split up,” the northern man hissed.
“Hey, wait a second…” another man whispered.
They pointed their weapons at the ceiling. “Now,” Joshua said and they all opened fire. The Purifiers screamed and they heard one of them hit the floor hard.
“They got my eye! I can’t see,” another man shouted. His footsteps echoed as he clomped around the room, knocking over furniture.
The third man circled the room, shooting at them in every direction. A bullet grazed Julio’s shoulder. He jumped back and rolled on the ground. Gunshots whizzed past Joshua and Cassidy.
I’ve got you now, Joshua thought as he fired in the shooter’s direction. The shattering glass let him know he’d hit Clyde’s oversized lamp instead. Shit!
Cassidy dropped her gun and fell on her stomach. Julio ran to her. She groaned and her body twitched. Blood soaked the back of her lacey white tank top.
“Stay still,
” Julio whispered. The footsteps stopped.
“He’s right above us. I think he’s reloading,” Joshua whispered. He crouched over Cassidy and fired. The Purifier’s body hit the floor and stopped moving.
Joshua and Julio stood poised and ready to strike, but all was quiet above them. Xiomara crawled over to Cassidy, turned her over, and inspected her wound. “Are they all dead?” Danisha moved her hands away from her ears.
“I don’t know. I only heard two of them hit the floor.” Joshua tried to peer through the bullet holes in the ceiling.
“Is she going to be okay?” Julio stared at Cassidy. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out except a few ragged breaths.
“What is it, Cassidy? Talk to me,” Xiomara said.
Frothy blood oozed out of her mouth.
“What’s wrong with her?” Julio gasped.
“She’s got a punctured lung,” Xiomara replied. “Cassidy, do you have any syringes in the house?”
She nodded.
“Are they upstairs or downstairs?”
She pointed up.
“I need you to find those syringes.” Xiomara turned to Julio and Joshua.
“What do you need a syringe for?’ Paola knelt beside Cassidy.
“I’m going to try to remove the excess air,” Xiomara replied. “I’ll also need whatever first aid supplies you can find. If you can’t find any, bring a plastic bag. I’ll cover the wound with it if I have to.” She glanced at Julio.
“I don’t know if we should. We could be walking into an ambush,” Joshua said.
“She’ll die if you don’t,” Xiomara snapped.
“We can’t stay down here forever. There’s only one left and that’s assuming he’s still alive. We should be able to handle him,” Julio said.
Joshua lifted the bottom level latch as quietly as he could and cautiously poked his head out. “Do you see anything?” Julio whispered behind him.
“Oh shit!” Joshua cried. Bullets flew past him, hitting several pots and pans hanging from a rack on the ceiling.
“I’ll kill every last one of you pricks,” the Purifier screamed. He staggered around the room, blasting his rifle.
Joshua ducked back into the lower level. “How are we going to get the syringes? Should we wait until he runs out of shells?” Julio said.
“I don’t think Cassidy has that much time.” Joshua thought for a moment. “I’ve got an idea.” He lifted the latch again.
“Josh, wait! You’re going to get shot!” Julio hissed.
“Hey man, he’s on your right! Shoot him!” Joshua mimicked the northern man’s accent.
The Purifier whirled around and shot at the wall. Joshua seized his chance and fired a fatal bullet into the blind man. Blood spurted from his neck. He stumbled and collapsed on the couch.
“I got him.” Joshua crawled out of the bottom level.
“That was amazing.” Julio smiled.
Joshua and Julio stepped over the dead Purifiers on the floor and ran up the stairs. Julio sprinted to the bathroom and flung open the medicine cabinet. “I found the syringes! There’s a first aid kit too!” he called.
“Good.”
Julio flew past him and took off the down the stairs.
Joshua searched for Maria, dreading what he would see. He gasped. She was on her side, facing the window. He crept over and knelt beside her. “I can’t believe you’re gone.” A lump formed in his throat.
Chapter Eleven
Joshua rolled Maria onto her back to see her face one last time. “Wait a minute,” he said. Did her chest just move or am I imagining things? “Maria?” He shook her. Her limp body flopped like a rag doll.
His heart leapt. He felt for a pulse on her neck. “You’re alive! Wake up!” He shook her harder.
“What are you doing?” she groaned.
“Oh, thank God. You’ve been unconscious for a while.” He stroked her hair.
“My head hurts.” She glanced at the broken glass around her. “When the window shattered I thought I’d been shot so I jumped back. I must’ve fallen and hit my head.” She touched the top of her bleeding head.
“That’s why the Purifiers thought you were dead. I’m so glad you’re all right.” He wrapped his arms around her.
“Where is everyone?” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“They’re all downstairs.” He picked her up, carried her down the steps, and set her on the recliner. “I’m going to make sure everyone else is okay.” He hurried to the kitchen. “How’s Cassidy?” Joshua said when Xiomara came up from the bottom floor.
“She’s stable for now. I removed the excess air and bandaged her wound, so she can breathe,” she replied.
“What about Danisha?”
“The bullet didn’t hit an artery. I think they’ll both be okay until we can get them to a doctor in Mexico.”
“That’s a relief. Julio and I will carry Cassidy to the Purifiers’ truck. It’s parked on the side of the road near that steep hill. You and Paola need to find our food and water.” Joshua headed to the bottom floor.
“Where’s my mom?” asked Paola.
“You should wait to tell her. We need to get out of here before the looters see the truck.” Julio knelt beside Cassidy, holding her hand.
“Tell me what?”
“I’m not telling her anything. Paola, why don’t you go to the living room and see for yourself?” Joshua said.
Paola flew up the stairs.
“Why did you tell her to do that?’ Julio looked puzzled.
“Mom!”
“Maria’s alive?” Julio said.
“Yes!” Joshua couldn’t contain his joy. He was grinning like a fool.
“I’m glad she’s okay. Are you able to walk, Danisha?” Julio said.
She stood and hobbled across the floor. “It really hurts.”
“Lucky it was just a flesh wound,” Joshua said.
“My dad has a cane in the living room closet,” Cassidy said.
“I can make it up the stairs.” Danisha crawled on all fours to the stairs while Joshua and Julio prepared to move Cassidy.
“Brace yourself, sweetie, because this is going to hurt.” Julio lifted Cassidy by the arms while Joshua held her legs. She let out a loud moan.
“I suggest you close your eyes,” Joshua said to her when they reached the living room.
“Why? Oh, my God!” she cried when she saw her father’s remains. “How could they do that to him?” She sobbed and struggled to catch her breath.
“I’m really sorry.” Julio searched for the right words.
“Most of our water jugs are ruined.” Xiomara held a container full of holes.
“That’s okay. Just grab the ones that aren’t ruined and the guns. There’s probably more water in the truck,” Joshua said.
Joshua and Julio trudged through the yard and up the hill with Cassidy. They laid her on the padded bench in the truck. “I know my parents are at peace. They’re not old, tired, or sick anymore. My dad still didn’t deserve to die that way,” she said.
“You’re right, but I’m sure he would want you to have a great life. That’s what we’re going to do in Mexico. Tomorrow, we seek a new beginning.” Julio touched her cheek. She gave him a weak smile and closed her eyes.
“This truck has a water keg!” Maria grinned “Look, the Purifiers left their jackets in here. They’ll make good pillows tonight.”
“You can marvel at that stuff on the way. Climb in the back and let’s leave,” Julio said.
“Who says I’m riding in the back?” she retorted.
“You need to let me tend to your wound,” Xiomara said.
“Fine, I’ll ride in the back for now but I’m moving to the cab when we make a rest stop. I need some air,” Maria said as she helped Danisha into the vehicle.
“Somebody wants to be with her lover boy,” Julio taunted.
“Shut up.” She rolled her eyes.
***
Joshua stomped the ga
s pedal so hard that Julio slammed into the back of his seat. “Whoa, you’re driving like a bat out of hell!” Julio grabbed the handle on the truck’s ceiling. “Why are you going so fast all of a sudden?”
“I’m trying to get us to Mexico as soon as possible,” Joshua said. “The Purifiers will notice some of their men are missing and the next attack will be even worse.” Joshua gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles turned white.
“I know, but we’ve got injured people in the back. Cassidy’s in bad shape.”
“That’s why I’m in a hurry to get her to a hospital,” Joshua replied.
“You could make her injuries worse. If we meet up with more Purifiers, we’ll deal with them like we dealt with the others. You need to calm the fuck down.”
“I’m sorry, man. I’m not trying to hurt her. You really care about her, don’t you?” Joshua loosened his grip on the wheel.
“I just met her. I don’t know… maybe.” Julio’s face turned red.
“It’s all right if you do. I’m actually kind of happy about it.”
“Why?”
“You make jokes about Maria and me. Now I have something to make fun of you about.” Joshua smiled.
“You’re a barrel of laughs,” Julio scoffed. “What happens next, wise guy?”
“We’re driving through the night. We can’t risk getting spotted by Purifiers or looters.”
“Are you going to trust me to drive this time? You’ll need to sleep at some point.”
“Yes, I trust you.”
Julio leaned back and closed his eyes. Joshua started to yawn. He opened the windows to let in the cool night air and sang to himself to try to stay awake, but eventually his efforts became futile.
“Julio, wake up.” Joshua nudged him.
“Huh?” He looked around. The night sky was dotted with stars, the moon a gray thumbnail. It was their only light source other than the truck’s headlights.
“I’m starting to doze off. It’s time for you to take the wheel.”
“Okay. How long was I asleep?” Julio rubbed his eyes.
“You’ve been snoring for a while.”
“I was dreaming we were in Mexico. Where are we?”
“The map says we’re near Benson,” Joshua replied.