by Kip Nelson
Nick didn't really have a high opinion of him anyway and was glad to have shown him up. Nick hadn't brought up the solar flare again because he knew it wasn't an argument worth having. Still, he couldn't believe anyone could be so blind as to think the world was going to be put back together. Mikey and David seemed like decent folk when it came down to it, but they had very strange ideas about the nature of the world. Maybe they had been in the woods for too long. That had to be it. If they had seen what Nick had seen, there's no way they could have believed that things would go back to the way they were.
Over the following few days the four men bonded, going out hunting, bathing, and then enjoying the fruits of their labor in the evenings. Mikey, Nick, and Cosmo were getting along well, but David still was being difficult. He kept trying to outdo Nick's efforts and then grew annoyed when Nick either didn't react or bested him. Nick was thankful to Mikey for keeping the peace between the two of them, and he wished David was a little more understanding, but Nick wasn't going to go out of his way to soothe David's insecurities. They all were grown men, and David should have been able to handle it better.
Nick actually enjoyed hunting, but it was a bittersweet feeling as he knew that Backdraft would have liked it, too. He tried not to think of his companion, loyal to the end, as it only brought tears to his eyes. For so long Nick had had his buddy, but now he was gone. It was just another thing those men had to pay for. Eventually, they would. He would go back to the city and hunt them down, and then he'd make them realize what suffering was. Until then he would bide his time and he wouldn't care about David's little problems because there were other things to worry about. David just would have to get over it.
Aside from those problems the few days went by quite quickly. Nick and Cosmo got around to washing their clothes in the river and the sun baked them dry. Mikey was a good cook and knew how to prepare the meat properly so it was nice and tender. They boiled water so they could have stew, too. So the meals were varied. Hunting was a dangerous affair. David continued taking risks and the four of them weren't hunting as a group, for David seemed to have his own agenda. Although nobody confronted him about it. Nick, however, knew that it was coming to a breaking point. If it came down to it, he'd have to rely on Cosmo. He'd been giving Cosmo some lessons on how to use the crossbow, and some simple fighting tips. He and David could remain civil only so long before it boiled over. Nick knew that Mikey would take David's side as they had known each other for so long and that's just what friends did.
During the night Cosmo awoke to noises. He jabbed Nick in the side. Nick tried batting him away. He was getting tired of Cosmo always making a ruckus during the night. This time, though, Cosmo was more agitated. Nick heard a rough growl. Then the side of the tent next to him was slashed open by a sharp claw. Nick pushed himself out of the sleeping bag when he saw the beady eyes of a wolf looking at him. Cosmo screamed as he ran out of the tent. Nick cursed under his breath and moved as quickly as he could, pulling the tent over the wolf as the animal snapped its jaws toward Nick. The fabric was the only thing standing between Nick and the wolf's teeth. Nick bumped into Cosmo, who was standing frozen. More wolves circled them.
David and Mikey ran out of their tent, firing crossbow bolts. One of them flew wide but another lodged itself into the side of a wolf. It howled and only seemed to anger its brethren. Mikey and David hurriedly tried to reload as they made their way to Cosmo and Nick, but the wolves were out for blood. Mikey shot again, and the bolt went straight between the eyes of a wolf. David raised his crossbow, but in the heat of the moment his hands shook, and he was unable to release.
“David!” Mikey called out, and threw himself in front of his friend. The burly man wrestled the wolf to the ground and managed to hold back the gaping jaws. Mikey punched the wolf square in the face, knocking the animal out. Meanwhile the other wolves were snarling, encroaching slowly, ready to pounce.
“Got any matches?” Nick asked.
He was surprised when Cosmo produced a pack. He looked ashamed when he did so, and Nick got a sense of what really had happened in the watermill. He was impressed by Mikey's strength, but David only served to annoy him. On top of being a petty man, he also seemed to be a coward. His face was white as a sheet and another wolf was getting ready to attack him. They always went for the weakest ones first. Nick worked quickly, pulling a thick branch up from the campfire, then scratching a match against a stone. The fire blazed into life and then bloomed out as he put it to the branch. He ran in front of David and waved the branch wildly. The nearest wolf backed up, its yellow eyes reflecting the light. Nick walked forward. It was funny, for so long he had fought fire, but it did have its uses.
He swung the torch and yelled at the wolves. They backed away slowly, but still were looking for an opportunity to attack, until Nick swung the torch like a bat and hit the nearest wolf in the face. It yelped, and the smell of burned flesh filled the air. With that the wolves fled into the darkness. Nick and the others stood there, panting.
“Maybe it's not so safe to stay here anymore,” Mikey said.
“We always could go back to the city,” David said. “They've probably got things figured out by now. There's gotta be some safe place.”
Nick glared at him.
“I don't think that's such a good idea,” Cosmo said.
“Why's that?” Mikey asked. Cosmo glanced at Nick and Nick knew it was time to tell Mikey and David the truth.
“There are some men in the city. They were the ones chasing me. If we go back there, we'll see them. I need to get revenge on them, but there are a lot of them and the four of us won't be able to take them on. It's not safe to go back to the city. There's no salvation there.”
“You scared of them?” David asked.
“I'm scared of what they can do. I need time to form a plan. I can't just go running in there.”
“Yeah, you're just a coward. I say we go back, and if we run into these men, we'll just deal with them like we dealt with the wolves.”
“I didn't see you dealing with them,” Cosmo said. David shot daggers with his eyes. Mikey stepped in between the two of them.
“Now, now, gentlemen, it's been a stressful night for all of us. If you ask me, there are two ways to go, either deeper into the woods or back to the city. Frankly, I don't know what's more dangerous, nature or man, and it's something we're going to need to think about. I say we go back to bed and talk about it more in the morning.” Mikey made sense, and none of the others were able to argue with him.
Nick went back into his tent after setting it up and putting out the torch, but what little respect he had for David had gone after that showing. He didn't want to put his life in David's hands and he knew there would come a time when they would have to part ways.
Chapter Ten
All through the night David couldn't sleep. He couldn't get Nick off his mind. It wasn't fair that this man had come into their lives and taken away everything David had. He was the one who was leading Mikey, but it seemed that everything that he could do, Nick could do better. He was even trying to steal Mikey away from him. It seemed as though he could do no wrong, but there was something about him David didn't trust. This whole business with the men in the city played on his mind. There was something Nick still wasn't telling them, and David didn't like that. He wouldn't have been surprised if Nick actually had done something wrong. He seemed like that type of man. Two-faced.
The anger burned in David as the hours of the night came and went. He kept thinking about the battle with the wolves. He knew the others saw him as a coward, but that wasn't how things had gone at all. His crossbow had jammed, that's all. He was ready to take the shot. Then Mikey had jumped in front of him and then Nick had stolen all the glory. It wasn't fair. He was a hero and he deserved his chance to shine.
While awake he thought of what to do next, and in his mind, there was an obvious solution. The woods held all manner of beasts waiting to prey upon the weak, but the city was safe, wit
h buildings and shelter. The adventure had been fun while it lasted, but it was clear by the events of the previous night that it was time to move on. He and Mikey needed some more supplies anyway. Once he had made his decision he started packing up things. When the others awoke he told them he was going to head back to the city.
“You really don't want to do that,” Nick said.
“You might have run into some trouble there, but I haven't. Those men are your problem. I'll just stay out of their way and find the authorities. For all you know everything has been cleaned up since you've been there. You don't have to come if you don't want to, but I'd rather take my chances where there's actual shelter than with those wolves and whatever else is lurking in the woods.”
“You really don't,” Nick said.
“You don't know what it's like in the city. It's fallen apart. It's in ruins. I get that you think the government is going to come in and save everything, but it's not. There is no government anymore. There's just people like us, and people like them. We must get as far away from them as possible. Otherwise, they'll find us, and they won't show us any mercy.”
“No, they won't show you any mercy. Just because you've been spending some time with us doesn't mean that we get the burden of your problems as well. You can go into the woods if you want, but I'm heading back to the city.” With that he turned his back and stormed off. Perhaps it wasn't the most mature thing to do, but sometimes you just have to show a little decisiveness.
David knew that Mikey would follow. He'd probably make an excuse for David as well, because that's the kind of man Mikey was. He was a good friend, David's best friend, and as long as he had Mikey by his side David knew that everything was going to be okay. Maybe it was better that they split up anyway. It seemed like Nick was poisonous.
Chapter Eleven
“Just give him a chance. I promise that he's not all bad. I think he's just stressed. I know you haven't seen the best side of him, but trust me, he's a good man,” Mikey said.
Nick still wasn't convinced. He wanted to drag David back. He remembered what it was like to be captured by those men and didn't want that fate to befall anyone else, not even someone such as David. He remembered the sense of helplessness and how there was no reasoning with those men. They just were doing what they did for no other reason than because they could. They took Backdraft from him, tied him up to a pole. They shoved him and John around. They made a circus of them, and if he went back to the city now Nick knew that the same thing would happen.
“I get that,” Nick said, “but it's just too dangerous. You don't know what I've seen.”
“I believe you, but David is going to go back there, and I have to go with him. If you want to go into the woods, I understand. But if these men are as bad as you say they are, then I have to ask you to come with us to help us if we get into any trouble.”
Nick glanced toward Cosmo, who shook his head and turned his gaze to the woods. Nick thought back to his training. Back to his vow. His duty. He still was a champion of the people. He had sworn to sacrifice himself for others. It went deeper than the uniform. It was in his blood. Reluctantly, he nodded and the three of them packed up their things and chased after David, who was walking slowly.
As they made their way back to the city Nick knew that everything was wrong. This was too soon. He hadn't had time to make a plan to take them down. They were probably still combing the area, looking for him. If they got him this time, there would be no chance for escape. He looked to his companions, and then thought of John and Backdraft. He heard Backdraft's soft yelps as he was dragged away from Nick and kicked. He heard John's grunts as he was beaten. He remembered what it was like to feel the fists and feet slam into him again and again as he was pushed to his knees. He remembered the cackling laughter as they all took their turns at beating them, all because they could.
There was no way out. No way to fight back, and no reason for their attack. Nick remembered the feeling of blood seeping into his mouth, spitting it onto the floor. He remembered looking over at John and seeing the same thing. He was supposed to be helping people. He was supposed to be the protector of the city, but they didn't want protected. In that moment, he saw the true horror of humanity. All he could do was pray that they would leave him alive, yet he knew if they found him again there would be no chance of staying alive.
“If you want to go the other way I'll understand,” Nick said to Cosmo. Cosmo sighed.
“You know what? I'd love to, but I owe you, and Cosmo Mellon always pays his debts. If you go that way, I'll go with you.”
Dammit, David, Nick thought. It would have been easier had David just been willing to go into the forest. Maybe Nick should have suggested going into the city. He figured David just was doing the opposite of whatever Nick wanted to do. Now they were going back into the lion's den, and they may never return.
On the way back, they passed the remains of the watermill. It was charred, and the wheel lay on the side. Mikey gave a low whistle when he saw it. Nick and Cosmo glanced at each other, but didn't say anything. It didn't take them too long to catch up with David, and when they did he barely acknowledged them. Nick was on guard and kept looking into the distance for any sign of the people chasing him. He didn't know why they were so fixated on him. Maybe just because he was the one who got away. That was all thanks to Backdraft, though. And John. Nick tried not to think about them because it was too painful. He'd tried to be by himself, but the rivers of fate had swept him up in the path of these three men, and now he was going back to the city. The place he loved. The place he was sworn to protect.
The place that filled him with fear.
Mikey was trying to placate David, but he growled and grunted. Nick was walking behind, alongside Cosmo.
“Maybe it won't be as bad as you think. It's been a while now. These men might have forgotten all about you,” Cosmo said. How Nick wished that he was right.
They had been walking for a while when they started hearing voices. Even though he couldn't see who it was Nick knew it was them. It had to be. He grabbed Cosmo and yanked him to cover in the bushes by the side of the road. Mikey and David followed suit.
“That's them. We'll have to wait for them to pass,” Nick said, trying to hide the frustration in his voice. Hopefully, now that David had seen them he'd actually realize how dangerous it was to go back into the city. He was deluded if he thought it was a safe place, but Nick didn't know how else to make him see other than to have him experience it for himself.
“I can get them,” David said, wielding his crossbow. Nick glared at him. He was afraid of this. After the wolf attack David wanted to prove himself. He wanted to be a hero.
“Leave it. Stay quiet,” Nick said.
“I don't need you telling me what to do. I have a shot. If I get them, I'll scare them off,” he said.
Cosmo and Mikey both joined with Nick, telling David to stop and put the weapon away. However, David was determined. Nick knew that made him a dangerous man. He tried to push past Cosmo and Mikey to get to David and stop him before it was too late, but before he could move David had fired the bolt through the air. It looked to be on course for the leader's head. David grinned and looked triumphant, but at the last moment the bolt veered to the right and flew harmlessly by the men. It took them a few moments. David's face fell.
“It should have...” he said, unable to finish his sentence.
Nick cursed and looked around to see if there was any safety in the woods. There was no way they could escape now, though. The men, there were about ten of them, were looking in their direction. David hastily lodged another arrow in his crossbow and then took aim, but again his hands shook. Nick stepped up and ran out to meet them in a fight.
“You want me, leave the others alone,” he yelled.
The men came up to him and clocked him in the jaw. Nick saw stars, but stayed on his feet. He blocked the next punch and then swung his fist back, taking the other man down. He elbowed another who came at him
, but then the men swarmed over him and brought him to his knees. Again, blood filled his mouth and his body ached all over. Tears stung his eyes. Then, behind him, he heard grunts and groans as Mikey and Cosmo joined the fight. From his vantage point Nick barely could see anything. He only could hear Mikey and Cosmo. Figures that David wouldn't join.
For a moment he thought they were able to turn the tide. With this renewed vigor he pushed himself up and tried fighting back. He nodded toward his allies, and for a moment he thought they actually would be able to defy the odds and fight back. Then he heard the sound of a crowbar being dragged along the ground. It was swung, and Mikey's head snapped around. A sickening crack filled the air as blood flew from his mouth. His body crumpled, and as he lay on the ground his neck was jutting at an unnatural angle.
It was happening again.
Nick felt the impact of another punch to his face. Everything went numb as he fell to the ground, his eyes swollen, blood bubbling from his mouth.
“We taking him back?”
“Nah, let's leave him to bleed out. It will teach him to try coming back. He can die slowly and painfully. Maybe there will be a dog or something to come along and eat his remains. That's about as good as he deserves.”
“Shame though, I kind of liked hunting for him. Gave us something to do.”
“Eh, we've still got that bitch to find. There will be others anyway.” The men moved away. Nick groaned, lying on the ground. Pain flooded his body. David ran up to Mikey's body, tears streaming down his face. He cradled Mikey's limp body.
“No...Mikey...no,” he said. He buried his face into Mikey's chest. When he came up his eyes were red, and anger was etched upon his face. He let Mikey drop to the ground and then stood over Nick, his hands grabbing the scruff of Nick's neck.