Dark Road (Book 6): Reckoning

by Miller, Bruno

  “Wow, I didn’t expect that.” Ben admired the setup and couldn’t help but put his hands on it. The engine block and valve cover were painted light blue and stood out against the bright-red sparkplug wires. It was very tidy, and Ben felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had been worried about the old Jeep making it back to Colorado, but not anymore.

  “Complete replacement. I stuck with the 258 in-line six. She won’t win any races, but I’ve got torque to spare. Pulls the boat with no problem,” Jack boasted.

  “Looks like you replaced everything,” Ben said.

  “Pretty much, and not just in here. I had the whole thing gone over mechanically. It might not look like much on the outside, but it’s practically a new vehicle underneath. Spent just under eight grand makin’ her right. Even put a new set of tires on.”

  Ben stepped back and looked at the aggressive thirty-five-inch all-terrain tires that fit snuggly under the fenders. The Jeep fit right in with the Blazer thanks to its homemade spray-painted camo paint job and oversized winch bumper, complete with LED off-road lights.

  “I had to do something since it’s my daily driver. Well, was my daily driver,” Jack corrected himself.

  “You must have had all this done recently?” Ben asked.

  “About six months ago, right after I wrecked the Ford. She’s only got eleven hundred miles on the new engine. Hardly even broke in yet.” Jack started to lower the hood, and Ben gave him a hand closing it gently and latching it shut.

  “We can’t take it, Jack. We can’t leave you stranded here.” Ben was hit with a wave of guilt, and even at the risk of starting an argument, he thought it was as good a time as any to try talking Jack into coming along one last time. The worst he could do was say no; then at least Ben would know he’d made every effort to reason with the man. He didn’t want the image of Jack stuck here and wasting away gnawing at his conscience all the way back to Colorado. The trip would be stressful enough without the guilt. Jack’s silence caught Ben off-guard, and all of a sudden, he felt awkward, like he’d opened a door he shouldn’t have.

  Jack took a puff on his cigar and slowly leaned back against the Jeep. For a minute, he had a faraway look in his eyes and seemed distracted. Ben stayed silent and made his way around the Jeep, inspecting the rest of the improvements as he went. He didn’t regret asking Jack to come with them again—he didn’t really have a choice if he was to have a chance at a clear conscience—but he didn’t expect this reaction from Jack, either. The silence was so deafening that you could have heard a pin drop on the concrete floor. Finally, Jack straightened up as best as he could and Ben prepared himself for whatever news he was about to deliver.

  “Ben, I can’t go with you because… Well, because I haven’t got long,” Jack muttered.

  “What do you mean?” Ben forgot all about the Jeep and feeling awkward.

  Jack sighed. “I mean I’m dying, Ben. There’s no other way to put it.”

  “Your heart?” Ben made his way to the hood of the truck so he could see Jack’s face.

  “No, I’ve got cancer. Well, I’ve got it again, actually. I went through chemotherapy a while back, and the doctor said I was good, but I went in for my yearly and they said it’s back.”

  Ben had a heavy feeling in his stomach. “Casey never said anything about that. She told me you had heart trouble but it was under control with meds.”

  “I did have heart trouble. The chemo gave me arrhythmia. Believe me, it’s been a tough couple years. Farthest I moved the boat last year was out of the garage for cleaning, and then it went back in. Only reason I have venison in the freezer is because I got lucky last year and took a deer from the porch with the rifle.” Ben glanced over at the Blazer, which stood where the boat was normally parked. The shelves were loaded with hunting gear and duck decoys. He noticed a good layer of dust and cobwebs on just about everything.

  “Yeah, I know it could use a little attention. Not exactly a high priority lately,” Jack huffed.

  It was as if a dark cloud had filled the room and Ben wasn’t sure what to say next. He immediately thought of the kids and wondered if they knew that their grandfather was dying.

  Chapter Three

  Ben couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but it began to make sense why Jack didn’t want to come along and burden them. But still, Ben saw no reason to leave him here. At least he could be with family in his final days or weeks.

  “You could still come with us. We can take care of you.”

  “Without treatment, they gave me a couple months or so. But that was a few weeks back, and I was supposed to start therapy the day after the EMPs hit. I’m going downhill fast, Ben. I can feel my strength fading a little more every day. I’m only hanging in there for the kids’ sake, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep it up.” Jack paused to catch his breath and take another labored puff on the cigar. “I don’t want them to know, to see me like this or how bad it’s going to get.”

  “They have to know. Don’t you think that’s fair?” Ben asked.

  “Fair?” Jack laughed. “The kids think I’m waiting here for Casey, and that’s partially true, so I’d like to leave it at that. They don’t need to know I’m dying. They’ve been through enough. Casey doesn’t even know the cancer is back.” Jack, an angry look on his face, pushed himself off the Jeep and slowly walked over to where Ben was standing. But as he approached, his face softened and he put his hand on Ben’s shoulder.

  “I can’t tell you how happy I was to see you standing there on the front porch. I’ve been worried sick over the kids and what would happen to them if…” His eyes were red and glassy as he looked at Ben.

  Jack nodded. “I’ve made peace with it. It’s okay. And now that you’re here, I can take comfort in the fact that they have you. I don’t want to die out there in some strange place.” Jack glanced over Ben’s shoulder. “And I want the kids to remember me how I am—or how I was. I’ve made arrangements with the Smiths to bury me under the tree, if they’re still around to do so.”

  Ben felt his throat tighten as Jack reasoned with him bluntly and explained the morbid details of his plan. He didn’t want to accept it, but he would respect Jack’s wishes. How could he argue with a dying man over his last request? To add insult to injury, he couldn’t tell anyone the real reason why Jack wasn’t coming with them.

  He didn’t think it was fair to leave the kids in the dark about something like that; he hated keeping information like this from them. In his mind, they deserved to know what was going on. They’d earned that much. It felt irresponsible to try and shield them from the truth. But this was his burden to bear now, and there was nothing he could do about it unless he disregarded Jack’s wishes.

  He wasn’t sure how Bradley and Emma would take it, but he was positive that Joel would want to know and have the chance to say his final goodbyes to his grandfather. It would be hard, there was no denying that, but Ben had seen Joel—and Allie, for that matter—grow up a lot in the last couple of weeks. They’d both been dealt some blows along the way, yet they had never given in, at least not for long.

  “I need to ask one more favor of you, Ben.” Jack pulled back a little and looked toward the house.

  “I’ll do whatever you want.” Ben’s heart sank again. What was he going to ask him? Dear Lord, please don’t let him ask me to help him die, Ben thought as he braced for the answer.

  “Take Sam with you. She’s got a few good years left in her. I don’t want her to be here all alone when it happens. She should be with people she knows.”

  Ben nodded, relieved that Jack’s request was an easy one. “Sure thing, Jack. No problem.” Sam heard her name and her tail began to wag as she slowly got up and headed over to Jack, unaware that she’d just been given away.

  “I owe her that much. She was always a good hunting partner and never let me down. You understand?” Jack grunted as he dropped to one knee and greeted Sam with a thorough head rub.

  Jack stood up as fast as
his old body would allow and started for the door. “Well, come on. Let’s get back inside and lock up for the night. Tomorrow we’ve got a big day of sorting through gear and packing the Jeep.”

  “Good idea,” Ben said. He followed Jack outside and helped him with the bucket and the lantern as he locked the outbuilding doors. Ben didn’t want to talk anymore tonight anyway. He was not only physically exhausted from the trip, but now mentally exhausted as well. He had a lot of new information to process, and he knew that even though he was tired, he might not actually fall asleep for a while.

  Sam sensed that they were done outside for the night and trotted across the well-worn path leading through the grass and up to the steps. She didn’t stop until she reached the back door, where she sat down and waited for Jack and Ben to catch up. When they entered the house, the kids were still in the front room, but they were talking more quietly than before and with much less enthusiasm. The house was darker now that the sun had completely set, and Ben was tempted to turn the lantern up but decided against it.

  Gunner was no longer sleeping in the kitchen and had moved to the living room to be near the kids. The front curtains had been pulled closed, and Ben was glad to see that Joel and Allie were still exercising good judgment and doing their best to stay inconspicuous from any possible threats outside. Thankfully, they were still being cautious when it came to their safety. Just because they had made it to Maryland didn’t mean they could relax and let their guard down.

  If anything, now they would need to be more vigilant with the addition of the younger kids, especially once they headed back out on the road. Having a second vehicle would pose its own unique set of challenges, but at least they had the radios to communicate.

  Ben had given much consideration to who would be riding in what vehicle, but up until now, he wasn’t sure if Jack would be part of that equation. With that question answered, he was pretty sure how it would work out. Ben wanted Bradley and Emma with him and also knew well enough that Joel would want to be with Allie. That put Ben with Sandy and the younger kids in the Blazer, most likely with Sam. There was no way Gunner would be happy unless he was with Joel and Allie.

  Ben had reservations about Joel and Allie making the trip on their own in the Jeep for many reasons, but he had to put those feelings aside. Not only was there little choice in their travel arrangements, but he had no real reason to object to it. Any other suggestion would lead to an argument from Joel, and Ben wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Both Joel and Allie were capable, and it was time to have faith in their abilities. He decided to let it go; besides, he could focus on helping Bradley and Emma adjust to life on the road.

  It didn’t take long for everyone to make their way to bed after Grandpa Jack reminded them all that tomorrow would come early and that there was a lot to be accomplished before they left. Ben’s heart was heavy about the situation with Jack, but in spite of that, he was looking forward to tomorrow. He saw it as a kind of new beginning for all of them. He could put the trip here behind them, or at least try, and plan a fresh start by setting up the trucks as well as they could for the journey home.

  In light of the news Jack had just laid on him in the garage, the practical side of Ben couldn’t ignore the fact that they were likely to inherit a large amount of gear and supplies tomorrow. He had no doubt that Jack would insist on them taking just about everything they could cram, stuff, or tie down in the vehicles. And seeing as how there would be six of them now and two large dogs, they could certainly use all Jack was willing to offer.

  As Ben lay there in bed, he began to mentally pack the trucks in his mind, trying to think of the things Jack was most likely to give them. It was better to think about that than the other things they had talked about tonight.

  Ben’s eyes grew heavy as a slight breeze came in through the window, and he felt comfortable for the first time in a while. The bed was small, and sharing it with Joel wasn’t ideal, but he wasn’t going to complain. The mattress was soft and felt good on his weary back. He was too tired to think any more today.

  Chapter Four

  Morning came painfully early as Ben awoke to the sound of a distant rooster crowing. It might have been the boisterous fowl that woke him, but it was the smell of food and fresh-brewed coffee that lured him out of bed. Joel was already up and gone, but not by long, as evidenced by the lingering steam in the bathroom.

  Jack must have had the generator running again. Ben hated to see the man use so many of his resources and worried about what might happen if the doctors were wrong. What if he lived for longer than they expected? What if he outlived his supplies? He would starve to death here all alone.

  Ben took a deep breath. It was too early to get his head twisted up over all that, and he didn’t want to start the day with hypotheticals. He needed coffee and he needed a shower. He’d only had a chance to get cleaned up a little bit last night before helping Jack with dinner. Ben flipped the switch in the bathroom and the light flickered for a second before staying on. No point in running the generator for nothing.

  Ben could have stood under the soothing hot water all day. The bed was plenty comfortable, but his back and left shoulder were still tight from days behind the wheel. Regardless, he kept the shower short and forced himself to turn it off after only a couple of minutes. They had a lot to do today and he wanted to get to it. He also wanted to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures. He could already feel the humidity in the air and couldn’t tell anymore if he was wet from the shower or if he’d started sweating already.

  Ever since early June, when they left Colorado, the weather had increasingly grown hotter, or at least that was how it seemed. This wasn’t the dry heat that he was used to; it was humid here, and at times, he felt like he could choke on it. All the more reason to get an early start.

  As Ben stepped out of the bathroom, he found a neatly folded pile of clothes on the dresser. Sandy started a load of laundry last night while he was helping Jack, and someone must have finished it this morning. Ben picked up the newly dried T-shirt from off the stack of clothes and instinctively brought it to his face. He inhaled the fresh scent of whatever laundry detergent Jack used and felt the warmth of the shirt on his skin. It had been a long time since Ben smelled clean, and it felt like a luxury.

  It was comforting to get dressed in clean clothes for a change, and he thought it was very fitting considering that today represented a fresh start for them all. Not just physically, but mentally as well. He had his kids now, and nothing that had happened on the way here mattered. At least that was what he told himself. They could put that all in the past and chalk it up to experience. The journey ahead of them was daunting—there was no denying that—but they were smarter now and they wouldn’t make the same mistakes they made while traveling east.

  Ben hastily pulled on his hiking boots as the smell of coffee and food continued to motivate him. He hesitated, but only for a second, as he reached for his 9mm on the nightstand. It felt unnecessary to wear it in the house, but he needed to set a precedent in front of the kids. He didn’t want to alarm them or cause them to worry unnecessarily, but it was the reality in which they lived. The sooner they accepted this fact of life, the better.

  He had to lead by example if he expected the others to carry a weapon and stay on their toes. There was no need to be lulled into a false sense of security just because they were at Grandpa Jack’s house. Those were the types of mistakes he vowed not to make. If something happened, the nightstand might be too far away. There were no guarantees anymore, and they needed to be ready at all times.

  As Ben descended the old wooden staircase, the creaks and groans gave him away, and Gunner and Sam were eagerly awaiting his arrival at the bottom.

  “Hey, guys. What’s going on this morning?” Ben gave each dog a quick scratch behind the ears. He was glad to see them getting along. He was a little concerned at first that there might be some rivalry between the two dogs, but nothing could be further from the truth as the
two large animals bumped into each other playfully while leading the way to the kitchen.

  “Good morning.” Sandy was the first to look up from the table and greet Ben as he entered the room. Joel was seated across from her, and Jack was at the counter, pouring a cup of coffee that Ben hoped was for him.

  “Still take it black?” Jack asked.

  Ben nodded and took the mug. He sipped the piping-hot liquid and savored the moment.

  “Help yourself. It’s not much, but it’s something.” Jack motioned to an empty seat at the table, where there was one egg and a couple of venison sausage patties on a plate.

  “The Smiths keep us stocked up on eggs in exchange for produce from the garden.” Jack poured himself another cup of coffee, made his way back to the kitchen table, and sat down.

  “Where are the kids and Allie?” Ben asked.

  “Still sleeping. They were up late last night. They convinced Allie to play some board games before bed. I hung in there for a while, but I just couldn’t do it,” Joel said.

  “Emma is glad to have another girl around,” Jack added.

  “Well I couldn’t ask for a better role model for my daughter.” Ben looked at Sandy.

  Sandy smiled. “Thanks. She’s always been mature beyond her years.”

  “I can’t even begin to tell you what an asset she was to us on the trip out here. Both of you guys pulled your weight.” Ben glanced at Joel as he ate. It didn’t take long for Ben to devour the two links of deer sausage and single fried egg. He wished there was more, but it would do.

  “Thanks for washing the clothes,” Ben said.

  Sandy shrugged. “Oh yeah, no problem. I wanted to finish last night, but I fell asleep waiting for the washer to finish. To be honest, it felt good to do laundry. It felt normal.”

  Ben understood what she meant. Things they had once taken for granted, like flipping on the light switch to illuminate a room or brushing your teeth with water from a running faucet, were luxuries now. These types of things were conveniences of a former life and were now only afforded to them on rare occasions.