by N. C. Reed
He was becoming a man, Roland decided. He had already been doing a man’s work, but now his emotional maturity was catching up.
As the service ended, Roland gave Jesse’s shoulder a squeeze, silently thanking him for always being the one to conduct the service. Jesse tried to grin, but all he could manage was a grimace.
Looking over at James, Roland was shocked by how haggard the teenager looked. Dark circles under his bloodshot eyes, the distance-eating look in those same eyes, and the slump of his shoulders told Roland that the younger man was near his limit.
“James, you need to take the rest of the day, and rest,” Roland ordered.
“Can’t,” James shook his head, “got too much to do, Roland.”
“It’ll wait until tomorrow,” Roland said firmly. “You have to rest. And see Jennifer about a good dose of vitamins. We all need you healthy, James. We depend on you, and Ralph, too much. You’re surely a blessing to us all.”
James shrugged. He appreciated the praise, but was too tired to do anything else.
“Do as I say,” Roland pressed the point home. “Whatever needs doing will need doing tomorrow.”
“Okay,” James gave in. He was honestly too tired to argue.
Roland took the time to walk through the school, and was struck by the dark mood pressing in on everyone. The sickness, the deaths, the isolation, all were contributing to the situation. It was as if a great, dark cloud was hanging over them. Pressing down on them.
Roland wanted to try and pick them up, but knew it was useless. He felt the same way and there was absolutely nothing that could be done about it. This was a game of roulette that Mother Nature was playing, and they had no control at all over how it played out. Some would die, some would live, and there was no way to know who was who until it happened.
He ate a small meal, took a shower and changed clothes, and headed back to the clinic. He was surprised to see Jennifer waiting for him.
“I want you to get at least eight hours sleep tonight,” he ordered before she could speak. “You’re killing yourself, and it has to stop.”
“Roland, I…”
“No arguing,” Roland cut her off. Jennifer shook her head.
“It’s not that, Roland,” she said hesitantly. “It’s. . .Roland, Maria just went into a coma.”
-
Roland sat in his chair and watched Maria struggle to breathe. It hurt him every time she did, as her breathing was labored and harsh sounding. Every breath was accompanied by a hissing rattle that shook him to the core.
Melissa came in, mask in place, and checked Maria’s vitals, noting them on the makeshift chart.
Roland looked at her.
“Her blood pressure’s falling,” she told him, tears in her eyes. “Her pulse is a bit more thready, and her respiration has fallen one. I’m so sorry, Roland,” she added before she thought. “I wish I could do more, or be more -”
“It’s all right,” he told her quietly. “Thank you, though,” he added. Melissa nodded, and then resumed her rounds. Roland leaned back in his chair, settling in for the night. Maria would come around, he knew.
When she did, he’d be here.
He was asleep when, two hours later, Maria took a final labored breath, sighed, and then her struggle was over.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
The flu passed, finally. The final death toll for the school was thirteen. Deena and two children who had been infected recovered. No one else.
Melissa hadn’t gone into the flu, and apparently wasn’t a carrier since no one else was sick.
James was so relieved that he cried, something he hadn’t done since Cassandra had drowned. Melissa held him while he sobbed, crying with him. The two had been through a great deal, but they had survived.
They would keep doing so.
-
Roland threw himself into getting things fixed up around the school. Constantly working, he seldom stopped except to eat and sleep, and did both very rarely.
Two weeks after the last burial, James found Roland going through his trailer, now hooked behind the Hummer.
“What’cha doing?” James asked.
“Checking the load out,” Roland replied. “How you doing, kiddo?”
“I’m tired,” James admitted, “but other than the garden, we’re all caught up.”
“Good to hear,” Roland nodded absently. “Everything running pretty well right now, looks like.
You agree?”
“Uh, yeah,” James said hesitantly. “Why?”
“Good a time as any for me to go, then.”
“Go?” James repeated, stunned. “What the hell you mean, ‘go’?”
“I’m leaving, James,” Roland told him. “Time for me to move on, see what’s left of the world.
You, Jesse, and I guess Ralph now, you can handle things here. Drake and Dominic are going to stay on permanent, too, so you’ll have their help. You don’t need me anymore.”
“That. . .that’s bullshit!” James spluttered. “We can’t do this without you!”
“Of course, you can,” Roland snorted. “You have been, haven’t you? You and Ralph pretty much ran things while I was…while I sat with...her.”
“That don’t mean we want to keep having to!” James objected.
“Well, that’s too bad,” Roland replied, but grinned, taking the sting from his words. “We all have to do things we don’t want to, James. And you’ve got your life ahead of you, you and Melissa.
This is a good place for the two of you. Jesse and Jennifer will be here to help you. And looks like Ralph and Mandy will be too.”
“Once things have settled down, you’ll have to see who’s left, reestablish contact with who you can. Haven’t heard from Sheriff Wilson, so I don’t know if he made it or not. Same with Turnbow. Did hear from Nevers. They lost three people, but otherwise they’re okay. Left a list of the others, and Tom Mackey, he knows them all. He’ll help.”
“Roland, I…no,” he shook his head, “you can’t make me do this.”
“Got no intention of making you,” Roland surprised him. “Up to you whether you do it or not.
This is where the rubber meets the road, kid.”
“But. . .why?”
Roland sat down in the open trailer door, sighing.
“I’ve had it, James,” he said tiredly. “I can’t stay here. Not now. Not after...” he stopped. “Not now,” he started again. “There’s probably more to do, out there,” he swept his arm around vaguely.
“I’m going to head out, do what I can, where I can, for as long as I can. Every now and then, I may send you some folks, if I think you can trust them. We’ll work out a code so you’ll know I sent them.”
“Roland, I understand, but...”
“Do you?” Roland replied. Not unkindly, but rather firmly. “I don’t see how you can, but you might. And while you might could deal, I can’t. I won’t,” he added, more firmly.
“I…I guess I can see that,” James said glumly, “but I don’t know what we’ll do without you.”
“Same thing you’ve been doing,” Roland’s voice was sure. “You’ll do fine.”
-
“You’re leaving.”
Roland turned to see Susan Powers looking at him.
“Yep,” he nodded, knowing what was coming. He’d expected it, once word got around.
“I want to come with you,” she said bluntly.
“Why?” he asked.
“I want. . .I need,” she stressed, “to try and make a difference. I need what happened to me to matter.”
“It already matters,” Roland told her. “You defended this school. Killed their leader yourself.
You did that.”
“It’s not enough,” Susan shook her head. “I…if I can keep what happened to me from happening to someone else, even just one someone, then. . .then it mattered. What happened to me, what it made me become, it will matter.”
“Will that make what you went through w
orth it?” Roland asked.
“No, but it’ll make it matter,” she replied, her voice strong.
“I won’t carry you,” Roland said simply. “I won’t coddle you, either. We’ll be uncomfortable most of the time. Short on water, no showers, baths, and probably not too much in the way of prepared meals, either. We’ll make camp where we can, scrounge what we can, live off the land, and whatever’s left.” He eyed her closely.
“Think you can handle that?”
“If I can’t, you can always leave me behind,” Susan shrugged, surprising him.
“Not a bad answer,” Roland admitted. “All right, it’ll be like you say. Gather your things. You may want to think about getting an AR, though, to go with that AK. Might have to make do with whatever we can find ammo for, ‘fore it’s all said and done.”
“I’ll do that,” Susan nodded.
“Well, partner, like I said. Gather your gear.”
-
“This is stupid,” Jesse said bluntly.
“Well, I’ve never been overly bright,” Roland shrugged. “It’s what I got to do, Jess. That’s all.”
“You sure you ought to be taking her with you?” Jesse nodded in Susan’s general direction.
“Think so,” Roland mused. “She’s hard, now. Maybe too hard to be here, with the kids that are left. She needs somewhere she can be. . .wild. I think I can give her that. Might keep her sane.”
“That’s worried me, too,” Jesse admitted.
“Well, that’s one less worry already,” Roland almost smiled. Jesse grunted in amusement.
“Ro’, don’t do this,” he said quietly. “Stay here. Rest. You earned it, bro. Don’t walk away, man.”
“I’m driving, not walking,” Roland pointed out, and Jesse snorted.
“Smart ass, you know what I mean.”
“Jess, you got a good thing here. You and Jennifer, I’m really happy for you. She’s a great lady, and you’re one of the finest men I've ever known. I'm proud to call you brother. You’ve got James and Melissa, too. Deena will deal with the kids, mostly, along with Mandy. And Mandy will help keep Ralph out of trouble,” he added, a genuine smile coming at the thought.
“I’d imagine,” Jesse laughed out loud at that.
“I can’t stay here, Jess,” Roland said earnestly. “Can’t do it. I got to go.”
“I know,” Jesse sighed. “I’ll miss you, brother.”
“Same here.”
-
Tom Mackey and James were the only two awake when Roland and Susan climbed into the Hummer. Fuel tanks were strapped along the trailer’s sides, and the rear of the Hummer. Water was stored in the trailer, along with most, but not all, of their gear.
“You two take care,” Tom Mackey said, shaking hands with Roland.
“You too, Tom,” Roland replied. “James, I’m proud of you,” Roland said, and surprised them both by drawing the younger man into an embrace. “Take care of yourself. And watch after Ralph and Deena.”
“I will,” James nodded. “Promise.”
The two of them watched the Hummer out of sight.
-
Roland and Susan would never return to the Bethesda school house. Occasionally people would arrive at the school, usually people with children, and whisper ‘Maria’. That was the word Roland had settled on. Everyone would gather around these people, eager to hear news of Roland and Susan. Where they were, how they were and what they were doing.
The two were traveling, covering a lot of ground, always on the lookout for people in need of help. Always stepping in to lend a hand. Always, always, protecting those who weren’t able to do it themselves.
Sometimes the newcomers would have heard of them before they even arrived. Word was spreading about a man and woman who fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. A man and woman who went out of their way to hunt down trouble, and eliminate it.
It was during one of these times that Roland acquired a new name.
A family group had been set upon by thugs while camping. Held near the fire they had been cooking over, the group had been forced to sit and watch the thugs eat their hard-earned meal, with children in the group going hungry.
As the food ran out, the thugs turned their attention to the women in the group. Before they could act out, however, rifle fire from the dark had cut them down. A man and woman, faces painted and wearing body armor, had materialized from the dark, ensuring the trash was well and truly taken out.
One of the rescued had asked for the man’s name. It was the woman who answered.
“Paladin,” she told them. “Call him Paladin.”
THE END
A Note from the Author
First of all, I hope you enjoyed the story of Roland. When I first started this story, I had no idea where it would go. There are so many things that can happen to any group of people who are on the edge of survival. Sometimes it's difficult to remember that we're usually only a few days away from starvation, lack of medicines, or any one of the dozens of things that can happen should order collapse.
Next, some of you with experience will no doubt note that occasionally in my more modern stories, information on certain weapons systems, capabilities of vehicles, or improvised munitions, among others, is sometimes, well, not completely accurate. I know that, I assure you. However, one thing I promised myself when I started my first novel long ago was that I would not place such information in my books for just anyone to find. Yes, most of it is available on the net, or even in local libraries. That doesn't mean I want to give anyone something for free. Someone who wants to do harm to others will likely find the information he or she needs somewhere, but I determined long ago that they wouldn't get it from me.
Lastly, if you enjoyed this book, I hope you'll do me the favor of leaving me a review. Also, feel free to visit my blog over at Wordpress, and leave a comment there if you'd like. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter, and the links are on my blog at https://badkarma00.wordpress.com/. There are other stories there, and intros to others books. And, occasionally, a rant or two about something that has gotten under my craw. Feel free to ignore those if you want, it's usually just a place to vent.
N.C. Reed
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