by Kip Nelson
They made a small fire and discussed whether they should use the yellow wood or not, in case it would be disrespectful. Ultimately, they decided the biggest act of disrespect was not using something when it could prove useful. Grace tended to the fire while the others went to fish. They had seen a number of silver-streaked fish swimming by, and it was always beneficial to eat fresh fish whenever possible. Luis and Mack grabbed spears and made their way into the water, trying to gauge the path of the fish and spear them. Unfortunately, they did not have a net, which would have made the whole thing easier. However, carrying one the entire time would have been far too cumbersome. Luis and Mack had a little luck, but more fish got away than they caught.
“What I would give for a rod and reel right now,” Mack said as he jabbed his spear once more into the water, narrowly missing a fish.
“Who needs a rod and reel?” Saul said, striding into the water alongside Luis and Mack, looking like Poseidon himself. His long straggly hair was matted together in thick knots, and his gray beard was darkened by the water.
Muscles rippled on his body and scars were visible. He raised his huge arms and looked down at the water, taking measure of the fish. His eyes followed their movements carefully and then, in one swift move, his hands darted into the water. When he brought them out there was a fish in each one, squirming and writhing to escape back to their natural habitat. Luis whooped in delight at the show of such dexterity and skill, and even Mack was impressed. Saul then smashed the fish against a nearby rock and they stopped moving. The instant brutality took the others by surprise.
“Was there really any need for that?” Grace shouted out as Saul walked back to the fire and started to skin the fish.
Saul shrugged. “Puts them out of their misery. No sense making them wait for the inevitable. I know if I was in their position I'd want someone to do the same,” he said before returning to the water and repeating the trick.
When they had enough fish to provide a hearty meal they returned to land and began preparing them to be cooked. Although it was a filling meal, and the soft meat of the fish went down nicely, Mack's eyes couldn't help but fixate on the piece of yellow wood that burned before them. The people in the kayak, he was sure, had not imagined they were going to die that day. Yet, their lives had been snuffed out so quickly.
Death always had been close to him. He had had many friends who were on the front lines in the military. More of them had died than he liked, but there was something different about that. Those people had chosen to give their lives in service to their country, but this was chaotic and random. He knew nothing about the people in the kayak, only that they had been trying to make it through the world, just as he and his group were trying to do. They may even have been trying to make it back to somebody they loved, and there was a good chance Mack and the others could suffer a similar fate. So, even though he hadn't known them personally, Mack spared a thought for them, knowing it was a small comfort for a stranger to mourn the loss of lives he knew nothing about.
CHAPTER FOUR
SINCE THEIR MOODS had been struck low by finding the remains of the kayak, and because Mack could sense the others were feeling tired anyway, he declared they should camp there for the night rather than moving on for a little while and settling. Without a shelter, they only had blankets for comfort. Thankfully, there was not another storm on the horizon. They settled down to sleep, and as he kept watch Mack looked over each of them in turn, feeling proud of the responsibility for taking care of all of them. He hadn't been in charge of a unit for a long time, since he mostly had been working by himself. Although he had people in his department, it was a lot different than actually being out in the field with them.
It took his mind back to when he was a commander out on the front lines, forming a bond with those men that went deeper than almost anything else he had experienced. He could sense the same thing was happening with Grace, Luis, and Saul, even though they weren't soldiers. In some ways that made it all the more impressive, since they were dealing with the end of the world in such a practical manner. He was proud of them for different reasons, especially Grace, who had changed so much since they first had met on the plane, and he wondered if she even realized it. Again, his thoughts turned to the future. He wondered what other trials remained for them all. The world had changed so much in such a short space of time, but how much would it change them along with it?
Just as Mack’s turn at watch was finishing, and Luis was ready to take over, it seemed as though there was something on Luis’ mind.
“Is everything alright Luis?” Mack asked.
“No, no, it's fine. You should get some rest,” he said.
“Are you sure?” Mack asked. Luis took in a deep breath and Mack stopped walking away, knowing the signs of when somebody wanted to unburden themselves.
“I don't know anymore,” Luis said. “I never thought that I fit in at home, so I left. Then the world changed, and I thought I could make a fresh start, but I guess I'm struggling to work out who I am. I had that thing with Margaret, and I wasn't expecting that...but how can I start something in this world when everything is so up in the air? We don't know what's going to happen at any point. So is it worth just waiting until things are settled? It still bothers me that I hurt her...”
“It is tough, but you should try thinking about everything good while the two of you got to spend some time together, rather than focusing on the end of it. I never felt as though I belonged anywhere either, until I found the army. That helped me define myself and my purpose, but you're not alone in feeling the way you do. Even I have those feelings sometimes.”
“Really?” Luis said, looking surprised.
“Oh yeah, I mean, by now I was supposed to be home with my wife trying to make a baby, and that was going to be my new world, but instead I'm here. I get that it's hard to plan for the future, but I think all we can do is take each day as it comes and try to stay true to ourselves. We must remind ourselves of the things that we can control. I know it's a time of uncertainty, but we're all in this together, and you're not alone.”
“Thanks Mack, that helps a lot,” Luis said, smiling.
“Anytime. I'll see you in the morning,” Mack said, and went to his bunk thinking about Luis.
It had been a long time since Mack had been that young, and he had gone through the same problems with life and relationships as Luis. Sometimes he wondered what he would have done if he had not found the army. He knew he had to do for Luis and Grace now what the army had done for him then. It was funny in a way, as he always had wanted to be a father, but had assumed it would come in the usual stages with Anna. Yet now he felt so protective of the group’s two younger members, he almost considered them surrogate children.
The following morning, they ate breakfast and then gathered their supplies to go. This life was transitory, and they were leaving a few signs that somebody had been in the area, but nothing substantial. It was almost as though they were ghosts, moving through the forest, unseen by anything else. Indeed, aside from the fish and a few small animals, they had not encountered much in the way of wildlife. So when Mack heard a noise he was instantly on guard. He knew that, at some point, their luck would run out and they would run into a dangerous predator.
They were walking through an area that was thick with trees and in which the bushes grew wildly. This meant they had to push through them, but it also meant they were obscured from view. So far, they only had heard this animal. Mack heard it move on the ground, and the sound of it greedily lapping up water reached his ears. He motioned to the others to remain quiet while he had a look. Slowly and carefully, he pushed aside a big leaf and crept up to a rock where he peered over and was shocked by what he saw.
Instead of a boar, or even a bear, he laid his eyes upon a disheveled woman who was hunched over the river's edge, scooping up water in one hand and drinking with big gulps. His heart was filled with pity as he looked upon her. Whoever she was, she appeared to have had
a rough time of it. Her feet were bare and stained with dirt, and the only thing she wore was a gown that at one time had been white, but now was dirty and torn in some places. Her hair was thin and tousled, and he couldn't tell if it was naturally that dark or if, again, it was an effect of the dirt.
He assumed she had been wandering through the forests for a while and had only just come upon the river as she had chosen to drink before washing herself. He slowly moved back, careful to take the same strides back as he had coming forward so he didn't step on an errant twig and alert her to his presence. He folded himself back into hiding and spoke in a low whisper.
“It's a woman. She's drinking from the river and she looks as though she's in bad shape,” he said.
“I say we move on. I've had enough of running into random strangers who want to attack us,” Saul said.
“Does she have any weapons?” Grace asked.
Mack shook his head. “No, she's only wearing a white gown.”
“There is a mental hospital and a prison in the area,” Luis reminded them, “she could have come from one of those.”
“And if she did then we should stay well enough away. I know you want to help people, and that's all well and good, but there's a difference between helping people and putting ourselves in harm's way,” Saul argued. From Saul's expression, Mack could sense he was surprised it even was discussed.
“We can't be afraid of other people just because we've had some bad experiences. Think of the good ones we've met as well. From what I can see, this woman doesn't pose any threat to us, and if she does attack we outnumber her four to one. It seems as though she could use a little help. I think we should give it to her, or at least just talk to her and see what she's going through.” He looked at each of them in turn. Grace and Luis nodded instantly, and Saul joined in reluctantly.
“Let's move out slowly, so as not to scare her. Grace and I will go first. You two hang back a little bit, and get ready in case she is dangerous,” he added, nodding at Saul to show him that his concern was appreciated. They followed Mack out into the open.
CHAPTER FIVE
MACK AND GRACE nodded to each other as they moved forward, watching the ground carefully for anything that could make a loud noise and startle the woman. The last thing they wanted to do was frighten her off. They had their hands stretched out by their side and were crouched down, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Luis and Saul hung back beside the rock that Mack initially had hidden behind, watching the events intently, in case they were needed to help subdue the woman.
By now the woman seemed to have finished gulping down water and was rubbing her face and hair, cleansing herself of the stains from the world.
“Hello,” Mack said in a low, steady voice. The woman was shocked and startled. She paused, her hand hovering in front of her mouth as she turned around slowly, water dripping from her face with a look of fear in her eyes.
“I'm Mack, and this is Grace, are you okay?” he said.
The woman's eyes darted around. Her skin was white with fear and she looked underfed and gaunt. She had a glassy look in her eyes and crouched like a small animal. She didn't utter a word and Mack wasn't sure if this was because she was unable or unwilling.
“Do you think she's alright?” Grace said in a low whisper.
Mack tossed her a look that let her know he wasn't sure. Behind her, the river raged and he was afraid of scaring her in case she fell, or jumped, into the river. He already had seen the effects of what the river could do to people. He didn't want to see another life lost to the raging torrent of water that flowed through the land.
“I'm not going to hurt you. You don't need to be afraid,” he said, speaking clearly.
“We were just passing by and saw you. You look like you could use some help. Do you need help?” he said, nodding his head, but again she merely stared at them.
It was clear to Mack she had suffered some kind of trauma, and it sadly was something with which he was all too familiar. Many friends and acquaintances had suffered the same thing. Unfortunately, there wasn't one quick fix for it, or a surefire method to get through to them. Given the way she was dressed, and how she reacted to them, it wouldn't have surprised him if she had been a patient at the mental hospital. It made him wonder how many other patients were wandering around the woods. While the first thought drifted to dangerous people, it was clear from this woman that many of them would have needed help. It was surprising she had managed to survive out in the woods this long by herself, although, clearly, she was starving and malnourished. These people were the real victims of this disaster, since the facilities and systems that were in place to help them would not have survived, and they would be left to fend for themselves.
“Do you think she even understands us? Maybe she doesn't speak English?” Grace said.
Mack then attempted to speak to her in Spanish and French, which impressed Grace. So far, she had been unaware of these particular talents. It seemed as though Mack had an endless supply of new skills. However, it didn't help him in this instance as the woman still failed to respond. Mack looked over at Grace again. It didn't seem as though he was going to make any headway with this woman, but he didn't want to leave her alone. He didn't want to turn his back on another person who just was trying to survive in the world. He thought back to the argument that Saul had made, about how they didn't have to go out of their way to help people, but it seemed too opportunistic to help people only when it suited them. It was all too easy to turn cynical in this kind of world and that was one change he didn't want to see in himself or in anyone with whom he was close.
The world meant nothing if they weren't going to be there for each other and their fellow man, and if that meant they took time out of their day to be patient with someone who was obviously in distress then that is what they would do. Even now, when Mack looked upon the pitiable soul before him, he wanted to know how she had come to be this situation in the first place. In good conscience he couldn't leave her without at least trying some more. Of course, he knew that, in the end, he only could help someone who wanted to help themselves. Yet she looked so helpless and so fragile that the thought of leaving her to fend against the forces of the world was just too grim a thought.
While Mack looked at her he thought about his place in the world and how his role in it had changed so completely. When he was younger he had joined the army to pledge his loyalty to his country and to matter in the grand scheme of things, to make himself feel as though he was making a contribution to the world. Over time, he gradually had moved into intelligence and became adept at negotiating with and interrogating people, making his difference through talking with people rather than with guns. All that time his skills at reading body language and using his words to read and influence people were used for protecting his country, a country that didn't exist anymore. However, the idea of it still did exist and he wanted to use his skills to help the people left behind by the disaster, people such as Grace, people such as this woman, who was so desperate for help, and so alone in this big, wide world.
Mack thought about reaching into his pack and getting some food, hoping it would tempt her into trusting him, but he was afraid of making any threatening movements. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Saul and Luis primed for action and he hoped they would stay still and not jump out prematurely to startle this woman. The last thing he wanted was to see her fall into the river and be carried away without any chance for them to help her.
“I know you're probably scared right now,” he said again, this time moving forward slightly, “and I understand. I get scared too sometimes. A lot has changed, but we're good people, and we just want to help you. Please, are you able to talk at all? We have some food we can give you, and other clothes. We'd just like to know what happened to you. Can you tell us that? Can you tell us anything?”
Mack was beginning to lose hope that anything would happen, and perhaps Saul was right; sometimes it would just be best to
move on without taking the time to see to someone else. This filled Mack's heart with sorrow as it often seemed the case that the ideals and principles he held so close did not match the realities of the world. However, when he finished speaking the woman rushed forward, feet and legs scrambling over the ground, still with that wild look in her eyes. She moved so quickly that it took Mack by surprise and he barely had time to react. Her unkempt hair flew about wildly due to the frantic nature of her movements, and although she did not utter a word she breathed heavily, almost panting, and her small, trembling hands clutched Mack's arms. When he looked at her he saw the look of sheer desperation in her eyes and he knew she was not to be feared, but the others did not.
Upon seeing Mack being leaped upon by the woman, Grace yelled and pulled out a gun, her hands trembling as much as the woman's. Saul and Luis emerged from the rock with their guns trained on the woman as well. They used these weapons sparingly as ammo was not limitless. So they didn't use them to hunt for fish, and they had not had the chance to draw them back at the cabin. In a way, it was a sad state of affairs that Grace and Luis were beginning to feel comfortable with guns in their hands, since before this they never had held guns before.
“Stop right there,” Saul bellowed, circling around Mack and Grace until the three of them had the woman surrounded, with Mack standing still on the same spot, towering over the woman, who appeared as though she was getting smaller by the second. Now that she saw these new people she cowered and her chest heaved, almost hyperventilating.