by Kip Nelson
Eventually, the storm calmed and moved away, leaving the stars to shine. It passed as abruptly as it had come upon them, and they were left standing with water dripping off of them, their clothes heavy with water all the way through and their skin cold and soaking wet. They trudged back to the camp and gloom fell over them as Mack pulled out some matches and lit up the area, shedding light on the shelters, or, more accurately, what remained of them. The poles were left jagged and burned, and the material had been torn apart as though a wild animal had slashed it. Each of them groaned as they began rummaging through the shelters in the dark, hoping that most of their supplies had been spared from the humbling might of Nature.
CHAPTER TWO
WHEN THE MORNING light swept over the land the group was forced to face the grim truth; their shelters were destroyed and the ground was too sodden to remain there for very long. There wasn't enough of anything left to salvage from the shelters either, and Mack secretly prayed for a change in their fortunes. It seemed that for every positive move there were at least two things that pushed them back. Thankfully, their packs mostly had been left unharmed, although the sheer force of the rain had soaked through one of the pouches on Luis' pack that held his matches. So they were down to just a few. Wasting no time on negative feelings, Mack clapped his hands and told them to take what they could so they could get on their way. He knew walking would warm them up, which they sorely needed as their clothes were sodden. Even the few spare items they had stashed in their packs had not been spared the effects of the rain.
Grace and Saul were grumbling, so Mack tried keeping their minds on the task ahead, rallying them to get back on track. Walking forward was harder as now their feet sank into the ground with every step, and mud became caked on their shoes. However, Mack set the pace and tried keeping them moving.
“You know, this reminds me of one time I was out on a patrol and we got caught in a storm,” Mack began.
“Are you going to have a story for every type of situation we find ourselves in?” Saul muttered, and Mack chose to ignore his comment.
“We were caught in some dangerous territory. Our car had a flat tire, and we couldn't stay there for fear of snipers. So we had to crawl into this trench and stay there the whole night. The wind was howling and we didn't know if there were gunshots being fired in the distance or if it was just the storm. The next day we actually had to push the car out of the mud before we were spotted. I didn't think we'd ever make it out of there, to be honest, but the elements always are going to be there and we have to learn to deal with them as well as everything else.”
“I'm really starting to miss the idea of being at home,” Luis said.
“Hopefully, in the city there will be houses for all of us,” Saul said.
None of them really knew what awaited them, and given everything that had happened so far, they all secretly were afraid their worst nightmare would come true. The city would be destroyed, leaving them with nothing, not even their hope.
After walking for most of the day they came across a small cabin. It was an unassuming building tucked away in between the trees, and if they hadn't been looking carefully at the surrounding area they likely would not have seen it at all. They stopped walking and ran to hide themselves behind the trees, observing the cabin for a little while to see if there was any activity. When they could not see any, they decided to approach, hoping to make a new friend or at least meet someone who was not antagonistic. They walked up to the cabin tentatively, always aware there could be somebody lying in wait for them inside. Yet there still was no sign of anyone, even as they came up to the door. Mack knocked and announced himself as a friend, but there was no answer. He knocked again and again, but there was no reply. He looked at the others and shrugged. Saul reached out his hand and turned the door handle, allowing the door to swing open, creaking slowly.
One by one, they walked into the cabin and looked around. It was a small building made up of three large rooms. The first seemed to be a living room of sorts, with books strewn over the coffee table and a single chair. A television sat in the corner, although that was now just a relic of a bygone time, and a fireplace was on the right-hand side. Glasses were set on the table, and the smell of stale food filled the air. The other room was a kitchen. A pan sat on the stove, and a bowl filled with dog food sat on the floor. The cupboard was filled with all sorts of canned food, and the group marveled at the stash.
“Well this makes up for the storm!” Saul exclaimed, rubbing his hands together with glee, but Mack was not so quick to share his excitement.
“Somebody lives here, Saul. We can't just take what's theirs. We're not thieves, and I don't want to come in and ransack the place.”
“Hey, we have a responsibility to make sure we survive, and haven't you heard of ‘finders keepers?’ I'm pretty sure that's the law now,” Saul said, reaching up to pull a can of tomatoes out of the cupboard. He was stopped when Mack strode up beside him, and placed a strong hand on Saul's arm.
“Saul, whoever lives here could come back at any moment, and I don't want to have to explain to them why we're going through their things. We've talked about this before. I know the world has changed, but I want to keep living by my principles. It's pretty clear someone has been here recently, and we don't have the right to go through their property. So I think we should go before we get ourselves into any more trouble,” he said. Saul glared at him and Mack braced himself for another argument with the big man when they heard the click of a shotgun and the growl of a dog from the doorway.
“Uh, guys?” Luis said as the four of them turned to see a wiry man standing in the doorway.
His lean frame was cloaked in a long trench coat with tattered clothes underneath and stained shoes, a dirty sock poking out of a hole in the left one. His beard was scraggly and gray, his hair came down to his shoulders, but it was thinning on top and his scalp shone through. The dog that stood by his side growled, baring its teeth. Its body was lean like that of its owner, and the outline of its ribs could be seen through the mottled white fur. Its ears were flat against its head, and upon seeing them Mack inwardly sighed. He moved slowly and tried introducing himself, but before he could utter any words the man was ordering them to get out of his cabin. Mack glared at Saul, angry that, once again, they were being held at gunpoint and, once more, Saul had questioned Mack's method of doing things. It was clear now Saul resisted any type of authority, even when it was for his own benefit, and Mack would have to watch out for that in the future.
The man kept his gun trained on the group as they slowly walked out of the cabin, holding their hands high above their heads. When they were outside they stood in a row and exchanged anxious glances at each other, reminded that no matter what their plans, they just as easily could lose their lives at any moment from something unexpected such as this.
“Now, what the hell do you think you're doing going through my home? You think just because the world has changed you people can come in here and take what you want? You got another thing coming. I know people like you, all smart and young and think the world owes them. It don't owe you shit, and you ain't gonna get nothing from me. So you'd better start talking quick, and tell me why I shouldn't shoot you and teach you some manners,” he said, squinting his eyes, his grip so tight on the shotgun that his arms were beginning to shake.
Mack held out his hands and tilted his head to the side, speaking softly, showing all the subconscious signs of submissiveness to the man who held their lives in his hands.
“I'm Mack, and this is--” he began, but the man quickly cut him off.
“I don't give a crap who you are! With one word, I could send ol' Bruce here against you and he'll tear you apart, or I could just fire this gun and see your brains blasted all over your pretty young friend over there.”
“Okay, okay, I'm sorry,” Mack said humbly, “and I'm sorry that we entered your cabin without permission. It's just that we've been traveling in these woods for a while now, and we
got caught in the thunderstorm last night. Our shelters were destroyed, and we were hoping to find a friendly face to give us some charity, or maybe make a trade,” he said hopefully, trying to discern any sign of kindness from the man, but his eyes betrayed nothing. “We knocked on the door. We weren't sure if the cabin was deserted or not.”
“Well, it's not, and I'm not interested in making a trade, and you ain't gonna find any charity here. I was never a generous man before this, and I'm not gonna change now.”
“But I don't think you were a killer either. I understand that you want to defend your home and your friend there, but I promise you we're no threat. We're just trying to make our way through the world like everyone else. I'm sorry that we bothered you, but if you let us leave we'll be on our way and you'll never see us again. I know a lot has changed in the world, but that doesn't mean we have to change with it. We all still can come out of this with our dignity intact,” Mack said, finally feeling as though he was getting through to the man. “Besides, I'm sure you've got enough on your plate already without having to worry about dealing with four dead bodies.”
The corner of the man's mouth twitched and he smirked, then the smirk turned into a chuckle, which turned into a full belly laugh. The dog looked up at his master, somewhat confused, but the shotgun finally was pointed away from the group of survivors, and they could each breathe a sigh of relief.
“Alright, maybe you aren't so bad after all,” the man said after he had recovered from his laughing fit.
“You know,” Mack said, “you're welcome to join us if you wanted to make it to the city with us, maybe try rebuilding society, or see what's left of it.”
“I didn't have time for people in the old world, and I certainly don't have time for them now. I've got Hughie here and that's all I need.”
“I wish you well. We'll be on our way,” Mack said, and signaled for the others to back away slowly.
The man kept a close eye on them, making sure they didn't make any sudden movements. Eventually they were far enough away that they could walk normally and relax. They were out of danger for the time being.
“I thought that was going to be it,” Luis said.
“I know, and who knows what else is waiting for us in the woods, and in the city?” Grace said, a trace of worry creeping into her voice. Saul remained quiet again, and Mack decided to let him wallow in silence.
“You're right, it was dangerous, but in the end, he turned out to be a reasonable man and I think it goes to show what can happen when you talk to someone. He could have killed us and nobody would have punished him but he didn't, and I think that's a good sign. You know, I've come across a lot of people who have said that it's in man's nature to kill, but I don't think that's true. We never would have been able to come as far as we have without working together and sharing our ideas, and being compassionate. Deep down that's the kind of people we are, and that's the side of us that I think we'll see come out, if we all just have faith in one another and show that little bit of trust.”
CHAPTER THREE
SINCE THEIR SHELTERS had been destroyed they walked more quickly to spend as little time as possible in the forest. They didn't want to get caught in another storm. Since they were coming from a different direction this time, they decided to make it back to the river and follow that up, as they had done before, although they were going to be cutting across a different portion of the forest. However, despite this the scenery still looked the same. The green trees stretched out everywhere, occasionally giving way to a drop of color from other flowers. Sometimes there was a rustle around them as animals scurried about.
The air was a pleasing temperature, but as they were walking quickly they were sweating more than usual. So they were glad when they came to the river as it allowed them a chance to bathe and feel the cool water sliding down their throats. Washing was now a rare privilege, so when they had the chance to dip their bodies into the refreshing crystal water they took their time lingering in it. Saul made sure to stay near the edge, though, as he had bad memories of when he almost drowned. Mack noticed this and walked over to him, the water coming up to his waist.
“Are you alright there?” he asked.
“Sure, it's only water,” Saul said.
“You know, it's okay to be afraid. I think I would be, too, if I had been tossed into this river to die, but that's not going to happen again. You've got the three of us now, and we're going to look out for you, as long as you do the same in return.”
“I have so far, haven't I?” Saul said, raising an eyebrow toward Mack.
The younger man put his hands on his hips and glanced around to make sure Grace and Luis were not within earshot; Grace was still on the river bank lazily dipping her feet in the water while Luis just had emerged from the water.
“Listen, I think me and you need to have a conversation. I don't want to make it a big deal, but there are some things that need to be said. When you decided to stay with us I made it clear I was calling the shots, and to get through this we were going to have to trust each other and work as a unit. There have been a few times now when you've gone against what I said, and it's gotten us in trouble. I get it, you've never liked authority, and you're used to doing whatever you want. I understand that, but you must understand that you can't keep doing things like this, not when it's putting us all in danger.
“You're a good guy and I'm glad we have you around, but please can you do me a favor and try curbing this instinct where you have to push back against anything I say? I'm not trying to hold you down, I'm just trying to give us the best chance to survive this.” Mack waited for a response, but all he got was a slight nod.
When it was clear Saul wasn't going to say anything in response, Mack threw himself back into the water and swam a little deeper into the river, letting the weight of his body be carried by the frothing water.
As he looked around he found himself smiling as this would have been the perfect spot to take Anna. They would have camped and spent time strolling through the woods, then come down to this river and swam together, losing themselves in the beauty of nature, and it was truly beautiful. The blue sky was unblemished with clouds and the trees provided a verdant blanket. The water frothed against the dark rocks and made them glisten in the sun. Foamy waves rippled through the wide river, and back on land the others were milling about, for now Saul too had left the water, leaving only Mack. He knew he would have to get out soon, and they would have to be on their way again, but he wanted to stay in the water as long as he could. Somehow, everything seemed simpler as he let the water gradually encroach around his body, feeling his hair become heavier and slipping into the floating, free sensation. Of course, he was careful enough not to let himself get swept away with the current. He already had seen how powerful it was when they first had come across Saul.
Part of him was curious to abandon his quest for the city and follow the river all the way to its end. They would have a constant source of water and always would have a constant bearing to find each other if they got lost. His natural urge to explore and see the world inspired him to do this, but he knew his best chance of finding Anna was to get to the city and try establishing a network of other people. The only way to make it through the end of a world they once knew was to work with each other and see what everyone else had to offer. There had to be someone out there who had a way of helping Mack get back home, and he wasn't going to rest until he found that person. Then perhaps he and Anna could go off and explore, and maybe settle in a cabin away from the world just like that man.
A thoughtful smile played upon his lips as he thought about the future. It had been something he always had planned for, and often thought about. Starting a family with Anna was the greatest challenge he wanted to face, but now thinking about that was fraught with danger. He didn't want to build up his expectations only to be disappointed, and those thoughts now almost seemed more like dreams than plans. There were so many different dangers lurking out in the world. M
ack knew he had to be focused on the present, making it through each day, and then facing the next with the same knowledge that it could well be his last. Yet, it just didn't make sense that he would die without seeing Anna's face again.
As he idly lazed in the river, Mack was taking in his surroundings again when something strange caught his eye. He moved his gaze back to study it more carefully and cursed before swimming across the river toward the yellow shard of wood that had been lodged against two stones. The others stared at him, wondering if he had seen another victim of the river. Luis jumped into the water in case Mack needed help.
Mack's arms slammed against the water and his legs kicked, powerfully propelling him across the cool liquid to a collection of jagged rocks that pointed up to the sky. He braced himself against one of them as the water beat against his body and ran around him. One hand was wrapped around the rock, and with the other he pulled and heaved on the piece of wood, which was about a foot long, trying to extricate it from its resting place. With a groan and a mighty heave, he felt it come loose. With his final pull he managed to dislodge it, and it fell back into the water. For a moment, the wood slipped from his grasp, but he quickly managed to regain his bearings and clamped his hands down on it, holding it in front of him like a float as he swam back to shore.
When he emerged, he tossed the piece of wood down and walked off with a solemn look on his face. The others gathered around it and soon they, too, understand why Mack was looking so weary. Part of the wood had been jutting out of the water all this time, and its short foray into the water as Mack brought it back had not been enough to wash off the crimson stains. Blood had splatted across the piece of wood and it was a fair assumption that it was from the yellow kayak they had seen a while ago. Back then Mack thought those people had had the right idea; to make their way across water rather than land to avoid running across any people like Mr. Smith. Yet they had not considered the danger that the world presented. The natural world, while so beautiful, was also deadly. Mack gazed down the river, knowing that, in all likelihood, there had been two dead bodies drifting helplessly along; their kayak evidently had been smashed against the rocks. It was impossible to tell how long the kayak’s remnants had been resting there, and even if they spent days looking for the bodies there was no guarantee they would find them.