Grant Us Mercy 7

by D C Little

  “Daddy loves you, too, sweet girl.”

  He held Kris’s gaze for a long moment before donning his pack and bow and striding off toward the west. “Come on,” he told Butler. He glanced at the other two. “Don’t be aggressive, we need to keep them calm.”

  Then he turned his head completely, wanting to get this over with before he had second thoughts. They weaved in and out of the brush, Butler staying as silent as he was.

  Once they made the clearing where they had a line of sight in the direction Butler needed to travel, he stopped. Butler halted next to him, looking toward the long valley that held the cities miles and miles away.

  “There’s no smog,” Butler said, breaking the silence.

  “Amazing what no electricity or running cars will do.”

  “I can’t believe I left them alone in that mess.”

  “The way you told it, you really had no choice in the matter. Don’t live in the past. Go get them and bring them home. And Butler?” He turned toward his friend. “Watch your back.”

  “Thank you for all you have done for me, sir. I will never forget.” Butler held out the rifle Blake had given him months ago.

  “Keep it. You will need it.” Blake sighed. “Okay, head west, keep the twin nuclear towers to your left and the large river to your right. Once the river crosses your path, follow it downstream until it hits a confluence. At that confluence head directly west again. At that point you will soon know where you are at. Don’t get yourself caught.”

  “You can bet I’ll avoid that like the plague.”

  “You will bring them back?” Blake wanted to believe he would see him again and meet his wife and son.

  “I don’t know where else to go. Again the question is, will they have us?”

  “Leave that to me, just watch your back. I don’t want the council to be able to say I told you so,” Blake said, looking back out across the distance.

  “I can’t let you take the blame for me leaving,” Butler said.

  Blake heard the shift behind him and turned right in time to see the stock of his own rifle coming down on him with no time to stop it.

  The last thought that swam through his head before the world went black was, that sneaky, smart little devil.

  ****

  “He should be back by now.” Kris paced on the knoll where they watched the cows lazily graze below.

  They hadn’t needed to wave any blankets. The herd happily stayed there where the grass grew in new, sweet shoots.

  “Has he been acting weird, too?” Lexi asked, twisting a stalk of grass in her hands.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, Butler has been acting strange ever since Arland and the council told him he couldn’t go back to his family, and last night...Well, he talked all night, sharing things about his family, and how he felt,” Lexi’s face turned red. “Anyway, he has only poured out his feelings like that to me one other time.”

  Lexi dropped the grass stalk and grabbed Kris’s arm.

  “He did that right before he left to join you guys.”

  Kris’s eyes went wide as she tried to decide what to say or do.

  “Don’t you get it, Kris? He’s leaving!” Lexi bent down to grab her pack and sling it over her shoulder. “Watch Ryan. I have to go.”

  “Wait, Lexi! We shouldn’t split up!”

  “We can’t leave the cattle, and the boys don’t need to see this,” Lexi threw the words over her shoulder as she ran in the direction Blake and Butler had taken over an hour ago.

  It had been too long. Her stomach heaved as she imagined all the things that could have happened. When she thought about Blake escaping with Butler, the breath caught in her throat. He wouldn’t do that. She shook her head.

  “Where’s Lex going?” Ryan ran up to her, the panic in his eyes mirroring how she felt.

  “She’s going to check on Blake and Butler.” She did her best to keep her tone light and calm. “She’ll be back soon.”

  “I’ll go with her.” Ryan started off in that direction, but Kris caught his arm.

  “I need you to help with the cattle. She won’t be gone long.”

  The wariness in his eyes told her all she needed, but he nodded and went back to his post with Tucker. Though his dark eyes watched where the woman who had taken him on had disappeared.

  Kris realized then that the other men hadn’t returned either. She shuddered, and her chest broke out in tiny pinpricks. What in the world was going on?

  She did her best to breathe deeply, keeping her mind on the moment, on the beauty of her daughter sleeping peacefully against her, the cattle grazing below, the birds singing, the sun shining. Each time her mind took her other places, she went back to the beauty around her, until she heard the shouting from the east.

  “Get him in there! Don’t let him past.” John cleared the brush, his hat in one hand and a branch in the other.

  A moment later a bull with large horns snorted his way through a bush and into the open.

  “Keep him going!” Dillon called as he ran up from behind.

  “Woohoo!” John shouted.

  The boys stirred and ran over to see the commotion.

  “They got a bull!” Tucker yelled as the bull pranced into the little clearing with the cows.

  “They sure did,” Kris said, a smile tugging the corners of her mouth. “Your dad will be happy.”

  “We’ll all be happy. Dad said if we found a bull, then we could breed and have beef all the time!”

  “Hamburgers sound nice,” Ryan said with a smile.

  “I wish we had ketchup,” Tucker said.

  “Well, maybe we can make some after we plant the tomatoes that Laurie has been sprouting in her dwelling.”

  “Yes!”

  “What about buns though?” Ryan asked.

  “We could use the acorn bread. This is going to be the best!” Tucker did a little happy dance until he froze.

  His sudden stop in movement made Kris’s pulse fire up. She followed her son’s gaze to see Blake coming out of the trees leaning heavily on Lexi.

  Kris wrapped a supportive arm around Mercy to keep from jostling her as she hurried toward her husband. Tucker ran ahead of her, calling out as he did.

  As she got closer, she saw the blood running down the side of his face. No one followed. Butler was gone. Had he attacked Blake? Had Blake changed his mind?

  “He’s going to be alright,” Lexi said, as Kris closed in on them. Her voice was hard and even.

  “What happened?” Kris asked.

  “Butler. He left,” Lexi said, grunting under the weight of Blake.

  “Here,” Kris said as she slid under Blake’s other arm. “Let’s get him over to the camp.”

  “I can’t believe I let that little devil get the better of me,” Blake mumbled.

  “I don’t think he’ll be permanently damaged, but he has quite the concussion. Butler didn’t leave anything to chance, did he?” The anger in Lexi’s voice felt palatable.

  As grateful to Butler as Kris was, right now she had it in her mind to tear off after him to let him know exactly how she felt.

  “If I ever see that man again, I’m going to—” Kris started, but Blake dropped a heavy hand on her.

  “He did it to save me,” Blake mumbled.

  Kris looked around. The men were on their way over. “Keep quiet, Blake. You’re out of it. Just rest.”

  Lexi stared at Kris, her eyes narrowing.

  “If they even think that Blake had something to do with this, we might be exiled,” she whispered to Lexi.

  Her friend nodded tightly before dropping her pack and digging through it. “Tell them to go back and watch the cattle. We will need to stay another night in order for Blake to heal.”

  Kris did as she was told, then had Tucker help her set up camp. She needed a place to put Mercy down so she could help out more.

  Glancing at her husband still looking bewildered, she had to wonder if the confusion was from the
concussion or from the fact that someone had bested him.

  ~17~

  Blake’s head ached as they herded the cattle over the last rise. He fingered the raw but healing cut on his temple, wishing that Butler hadn’t felt he needed to make it look as real as he did. Lexi had told him that the headache should dissipate in the coming weeks.

  A lasting parting gift, he smiled.

  “What’re you so happy about?” Kris asked as she hoofed it up to him.

  “Nothing.” He glanced around. Tucker and Ryan guarded up one side, John the other, and Dillon and Lexi pushed from behind. The cattle took to being herded easily with the lead cow happy to follow them. She must have been one of the original herd who knew humans meant food.

  “You know you don’t lie very well,” Kris said.

  “Maybe not according to the human lie-detector, but I bet most people can’t read me like you.”

  “Let’s hope not. I’ve never known anyone to be happy when a friend betrays them, leaving them with a concussion and split head.”

  “Yeah, well most people wouldn’t get it.” Blake shrugged. “He made sure that I couldn’t be blamed.”

  “And could have permanently damaged you.”

  “Nah, he knew what he was doing. I just turned at the wrong time.”

  “Huh. Well, now he won’t be allowed back for sure.”

  “We’ll see. Arland won’t be able to turn away a woman and a small child.”

  “Arland is perceptive, and you know he will have his suspicions.”

  Blake grunted. He rolled his shoulders back, hating the way Kris was right. Thinking of the distrust that would be in Arland’s eyes ruined his happy mood.

  “I’m going on down to make sure the gate is open,” Blake said, taking a step toward the valley.

  “You really think that one gate will keep the cows in that valley?”

  “The steep sides will keep the cows wanting to stay there, and the only easy way out will be blocked by the gate.”

  “What happens when they eat all the grass here?”

  “We’ll have the next valley ready for them.” Blake shrugged.

  “Good thing you had enough time to plan this all out,” she remarked sarcastically.

  “It’s the only thing that kept me sane during the last few weeks.”

  “I know. It’s important to have something to do. You’re doing great. I worry about the reaction when Butler is found gone.”

  He took the few steps back to her and brought her into his arms, careful not to squish the sleeping Mercy. “I know. This community means a lot to you. I’m doing my best, but I couldn’t follow that foolish order. Butler had every right to leave to find his family, no matter the fear.”

  He kissed her on her forehead and glanced back at the line of cows coming toward them.

  “Go on,” she said, pushing him gently. “We will have to trust.”

  He smiled appreciatively and then headed down to the gate to let the cows start filing into the valley. They would love it here with the fresh grazing to be had and the stream that passed through. Of course, they would have to take turns watching over them.

  He wouldn’t mind having something to keep him busy again. When they stopped posting guards, he actually missed that time alone with a purpose. This was so close to camp, he would be okay to be gone for a couple hours for his watch.

  In fact, even now he could hear the kids at the camp yelling while they played and a steady thwack as someone chopped firewood. A sense of rightness settled in him. He may not agree with the last council decision, but maybe it really was okay to have them all here. Maybe.

  A lot of that depended on Arland’s reaction.

  Blake glanced toward camp in time to see the leader crest the ridge. He blew out a breath. It wouldn’t be long until he found out his fate.

  Blake stood near the gate of branches tied together with grass rope. He had no idea how long such a thing would last, but soon they would have leather strips and sinew to hold the gate together. The cows plodded past him, eager to get to the fresh shoots. Even with the delay needed for his head to heal, he couldn’t have asked for a smoother journey. Part of him waited for the ball to drop. Something had to go wrong, right?

  The hairs on the back of his neck stiffened, and he felt something out there, something filled with doom that awaited him in the future.

  As Arland scrambled down to him, he shoved the thought away. It was only his imagination. Everything was going fine.

  “You made it. Look at those cows! Another fantastic feat, brother.” Arland stood next to him watching the herd go by. “How many in all?”

  “About two dozen, and the greatest part, we found a bull!”

  “That is the great news!” Arland shifted his weight. “I have more news.”

  Blake glanced at him, keeping his injury out of his sight. “What’s that?”

  “A wedding,” he said.

  “Did you relinquish the orders on having to be twenty-one, or...” Blake raised his eyebrows.

  “I did as you suggested. Laurie and I are going to make it official.”

  Blake grinned and slapped him on the back. “Congratulations, man.”

  “I was hoping you would agree to be my best man.”

  The cows started scattering, their eyes rolling and movements frantic. A couple of them headed toward Arland and Blake. Blake pushed Arland back right before one side-swiped him.

  The bull stomped through the line, snorting and swinging his head looking for something to take his aggression out on.

  “Climb!” Blake shouted, pushing Arland up the rocky slope.

  The bull pawed the ground as it set its eyes on them. With a snort, it charged as they reached the top of a large boulder. The bull skidded to a stop, swinging his head and letting out a bellow.

  “Well, he is sure full of vigor,” Arland panted.

  “Not human-friendly for sure,” Blake said with a chuckle. For a second there he thought his intuition had come to fruition. Luckily, both he and Arland were still light on their feet. Though, the leader looked a bit more winded than previously.

  He turned back to Arland, and the man’s eyes went round. “What happened?” He pointed at the cut on Blake’s temple.

  Blake squared his shoulders. For a moment he had forgotten about the ordeal that had the potential to stand between them.

  “Butler,” he said, letting the word explain it all while reading the reactions rolling through his friend.

  His chest burned in shame that Butler had bested him, though it was for the best. Better his ego was damaged than he risked making his family outcasts.

  It wasn’t until this moment right now that he realized how much he didn’t want to lose Arland’s friendship. He sucked in a breath and held Arland’s gaze as he processed.

  “He got the better of you?” Arland’s eyes narrowed slightly.

  “I didn’t expect him to knock me unconscious if that’s what you mean.”

  Arland grunted and crossed his arms.

  “I need to be honest with you, my friend.”

  Arland’s gaze intensified.

  Blake swallowed. “I don’t blame him.”

  “A friend betrays you, knocks you out leaving a nasty gash on your head, and you don’t blame him?”

  Blake nodded. “Do you remember what you told me about the main event that shifted you into the leader you are now?”

  “More like a reluctant leader,” he murmured.

  “The best usually are.” Blake chuckled lightly. “You said that when that man started going after your daughter, something shifted inside you, right.”

  “Yeah,” Arland said with a nod, his brows scrunching.

  “Well, I am pretty sure that’s what happened with Butler. He didn’t really want to hurt me, but he had to do whatever had to be done to get to his family.”

  “Even if it puts a whole community in danger?” Arland asked.

  “Were you worried about your community when you
went after that man?”

  Arland blew out a breath. “The council is going to have a field day with this one.”

  “The council will follow their leader,” Blake stated.

  “Like you do?”

  “Arland, you are my friend. I respect you, but I told you from the day I met you, I don’t see anyone as in charge of me. I do understand that to be a part of this community I need to follow its guidelines. Is that no longer enough?”

  “That’s all a good leader expects,” Arland said and then reached to turn his head. “That gash does look awful. Thank goodness Lexi was with you.”

  “Yeah, she is quite torn up. If it wasn’t for her responsibility toward Ryan, she probably would have left my unconscious body and stormed after Butler herself.”

  Arland let out a tight laugh. “I could see that.”

  “Arland!” Tucker called out as he came to the rise.

  “Hey, Tucker!” Arland lifted a hand.

  Blake watched his friend greet his son like a favorite nephew. He hadn’t fully lied to him, but somehow he felt like Arland knew the truth and understood it was better to leave it in the past.

  Blake’s stomach settled. The doom still sat at the edge of his mind, but right now things went his way, and for that he would be grateful.

  ****

  “There,” Kris said with a satisfied smile.

  She put the last tiny flower in Laurie’s hair. Her friend had spent the last several weeks working on an outfit for the wedding. Of course, no one had dresses, and she didn’t make a dress.

  Laurie smoothed down the leather cloak that hung almost to her knees. “It’s not a wedding dress, but it’s a sight better than my tattered sweatshirt and stained up jeans.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Kris said, fingering the pliable garment.

  “You will teach us how to make such soft leather, won’t you?” Lexi asked as she unrolled the last lock of Laurie’s hair from the stick it had been wrapped around.

  “You know I will. I’ll add it to one of the stations.”

  Kris stood back to look at her friend. For having no modern beauty tools, they had done a wonderful job helping her look like a beautiful bride.