by S A Ison
“How is it, any trouble with Connor and Matt?” he asked.
“Yeah, they tried to sweet talk their way in, but the camera crew and Hunter and William showed them that there was no sweet talking.” Leo laughed.
Aiden looked around, “Where are they, I figured they’d be here to go to the gorge to see if help was coming.”
“They already left, but we’re leaving the majority here. Me and Marla are going there. We’re afraid if we all leave, they could double back and steal everything that isn’t hidden or nailed down.”
“Good thinking. Christ, what a shit show. So, it is just you eleven? How are you holding out with the food situation?” Aiden asked, as Sarah walked up and joined them. She smiled up at Leo.
“So far, we are making it. With eleven of us, it is a lot of mouths to feed. I’d ask you to join us, but I know you won’t.” He grinned.
“Here Leo, here are some nuts to look for. They are good and high in protein and fats. Here is a tuber, the leaves are fat, so look for them in shady spots. That should help with your food colleting.” Sarah said, handing the food items over to Leo.
“Thanks Sarah, I appreciate it, I’d seen the trees up northwest of here, but wasn’t sure about them. I’ll have my people collect them.” He laughed then, “My people, Christ, I still can’t believe it. I’m hoping you’re wrong about the EMP and this is just some bullshit, but I know deep down that it isn’t. I am thankful that I didn’t leave a wife and children behind, poor Gabe is broken up about it. He is coming to terms, but he’s been devastated. I hope you two didn’t leave loved ones behind.”
Both Aiden and Sarah shook their head, their faces solemn. “No, we have our parents and siblings of course, but they are all grown and living their own lives. It still doesn’t seem real, I keep waking up in the morning and thinking, is this really happening? Then I feel the hunger in my belly and know it is really happening. Is everyone pitching in.” Aiden asked, his eyes drifting to Christian, who was talking to Diana.
Leo laughed low, “Word has it Marla threatened to kill him if he didn’t pull his weight. That boy has been busting his ass since.”
All three sniggered and looked over at Christian, who looked to have lost some of the pudge around his middle. “That’s good, you don’t need dead weight. When are we leaving for the gorge?”
“We were waiting on you, so I guess we’ll leave now, here comes Marla.” Leo said and grabbed his backpack. Aiden admired the long knife at Leo’s hip, it was a good tool for defense as well as cutting things. But he preferred his machete. They had been truly transported to the stone age, if they wanted more tools and weapons, they would have to make them from the rocks and wood around them.
The four of them left the main camp and began the two-hour hike to the gorge. Sarah and Aiden brought up the rear.
“I got five more empty bottles in my pack. I can’t believe they didn’t use them. The garbage is filled with empties.” She whispered, patting her backpack.
“On the way back, I’ll pick out a few more, that will be less trips we have to make to the waterfall.” He said, thinking of the small waterfall they’d found. It was almost a mile from their cave. Not a bad hike, but if they had to do it every day, that was nearly an hour out of their day they had to devote to getting water. They had a good collection of water bottles now, safe in their cave.
They would refill their new bottles on the way home. He was sure Leo would eventually figure out to use the rest of the bottled water and keep the empties, but for now, Aiden wanted to make sure he and Sarah were fixed up the best they could be. Everything they had would have to last them the rest of their lives, thirty to fifty years, bar any accidents, murdering teammates and disease. He almost missed a step at that thought, fifty years here, never to see others, to watch those around him dwindle away.
It made him feel very small and insignificant. He looked over at Sarah, her face was relaxed and a small smile curved her lips. He thought that perhaps she was relatively happy, despite their situation. And he was surprised, because he too was happy and contented, at least at their cave.
The threat of Connor and Matt didn’t make him happy one bit and kept him on edge when he was near the main camp site and in or near Connor’s vicinity. But he was happy and he was adjusting very quickly to the thought of living here the rest of his life. It was beautiful and peaceful.
Sarah called both Leo and Marla over to look at the broadleaf common plantain, she told them what she’d told him about it and both seemed very pleased to have a new food source.
“They are very high in vitamins and you won’t need to worry about scurvy. I would also hazard a guess to say your body will thank you for them.” Then she found some of the tuber plants and showed them both, and she kept several for them to eat later when they got back home. It was weird to call the cave home, to even think of it as home, but it was now.
Aiden didn’t know how long they’d live there, especially with Connor and Matt out there causing hate and discontent. He didn’t trust them, especially after they acted like animals, rushing Marla and her people for their food. They were supposed to be survivors, but they weren’t. By virtue of their actions, they were showing their true colors. He knew that Connor had a wife, and wondered how he had treated her.
Maybe this situation just brought out the worst in him, but it kept coming back to him, that it was only a matter of minutes, of hearing the words EMP that had set him in motion. Nothing had changed really, had Aiden kept his mouth shut, things would have gone on. But essentially, the moment Aiden told them their lives had changed, Connor had flipped, like a switch. He'd never seen anything like it.
Aiden kept his ears attuned for sounds and he kept scanning the trail, his dark brown eyes never still. If Connor or Matt were going to do anything, he wanted a heads up. He and Sarah had agreed that it could lead to violence, them going to the gorge and he’d offered to leave her at the cave, but she wanted to go. She wasn’t a wuss, that was for sure.
He had noticed that she’d lost some weight, but he knew she was eating well, they both were. He also noticed that he’d lost weight also, but he was gaining more muscles from the hiking and climbing they were doing on a daily basis, looking for food and food sources. His legs felt hard, and his muscles were becoming more defined, as were Sarah’s. She had nice legs and a great ass he had to admit and her skin was turning a light golden color. She looked the picture of health in this post-apocalyptic world. She was adapting very quickly and seemed very at ease with it.
Like most places, the food sources were seasonal, and since they had no idea when a particular food source would run out, they had to be vigilant in discovering new sources. They also had to stockpile what they had. If it came to leaner times, if they didn’t have extra, they’d starve to death. He needed to get better at hunting and find a better way to hunt. They were making a dent in the snake population he was sure.
In a year, they’d know the rhythm of this place and by then they would know where all the best places to hunt and to gather. Sarah had made the door for their cave, she’d gathered saplings, about an inch or so in diameter and she’d woven them together with some of the fronds from the cattails at their small pond. The door wouldn’t keep out small rodents, but bigger animals would have a hard time getting in. They made it so it would wedge into the opening, so nothing could slip past.
Sarah was becoming better at weaving, though most of her projects ended up in the fire, but she kept at it. She always seemed to be thinking and he liked that, it made him feel good that she had their comfort and survival in the upper most part in her mind. Once more, the thought of the stone age came to mind. Would they be wearing animal skins in a few years when their clothing wore out? What about their shoes? It was something to think about and keep in the back of his mind.
He could hear the roar of the gorge in the distance and his heart rate picked up. He knew he shouldn’t get his hopes up, but he couldn’t seem to help it. Leo and Marla sl
owed their pace and Aiden looked ahead, he could see Connor, Matt, Abby, Joey and Dan. Grayson, Carol, Vana, Sam, and Luke were not there. He wondered at Grayson not being there, he thought sure the man would be there.
“Do you know what time they were suppose to be over here?” Aiden asked Marla.
“They should have already been here this morning; I was halfway hoping we’d meet them on the hike here.” She said, disappointment heavy in her voice, her face thin.
“You don’t happen to have binoculars, do you?” He asked, but knew the answer, and when she shook her head no, he let out a sigh. He held his hands over his eyes and looked but the cage was hanging on the other side and there were no people around. It was such a small speck and so far away from them, as though on the other side of the world. Either they’d already come and tried, and couldn’t get it to work, or they just didn’t bother coming at all. Either way, they were stuck.
“Do you think we could rig something up to maybe get across?” Marla asked hopefully.
“I don’t think so, that cable is metal, and it is rough, we’d need something really strong to go all the way across without it tearing it apart. Maybe wood, but what ever we made would have to be strong enough to hold one or two people. We don’t have screws or nails or bolts. The few nails we have are small, from the crates.” Leo speculated.
“Even if we were to get to the other side, all that awaits us is China, Tibet, mountains and people.” Aiden said softly, his eyes on Connor.
Everyone tensed when Matt and Connor walked over. Aiden could see both men were looking haggard and knew they were unsuccessful in their hunting and gathering. Abby looked despondent, she stood looking out over the gorge, waiting. Dan also looked thin, he’d had a paunch but that was gone and there were serious bags under his eyes. He met Aiden’s eyes and glared at him, as though all of this were his fault. Aiden mentally shrugged, he’d not caused the EMP and he was here like everyone else, of their own free will. It was just shit luck that it happened the way it did.
“So, look like we are fucked, thanks so much Marla, really, thanks for choosing such a fucked-up place.” Connor sneered.
Marla didn’t take the bait and everyone stared at each other.
“So, what are we going to do now?” Matt asked, looking around.
“Go back and try to survive the best we can. What else?” Aiden said, his voice bland.
“That’s not good enough asshole.” Connor said angrily, his posture hostile and aggressive. Out of the corner of his eye, Aiden saw Leo’s hand go to his knife and his own grip tightened on his machete.
“Well that’s all you get asshole, you got greedy and acted like a shit-heel, so you’re not welcome in our group and I’m sure Aiden doesn’t want you near him.” Leo growled back.
“No Abby, don’t!” Dan cried, breaking their attention and everyone looked in time to see Abby step off the edge of the gorge. They ran to the edge and watched her body disappear into the mist below. Sarah cried out and Aiden grabbed her and held her tightly to him, his eyes keeping Connor and Matt in sight. He didn’t trust them not to shove one of them over the side.
“Oh my god, that poor girl.” Marla breathed, then choking out a sob, her hand up to her mouth, shaking badly.
“One less mouth to feed.” Connor said flatly and Leo swung around and punched him in the mouth, causing Connor to fall to his knees, his hand to his bloody mouth and nose.
Matt went to step forward and Aiden brought up his machete threateningly, and Matt backed up, his hands up in the air. Dan looked at them all, tears in his eyes. His mouth was moving but nothing came out and then he stepped off the cliff’s edge and Sarah screamed and tried to jerk away but Aiden held her firm.
He pulled her into him and held her with his one arm, his machete still threatening. He could feel her vibrating with silent sobbing. His grip tightened around her small waist and pulled her tighter to him, trying to comfort her while guarding her.
“Let’s go Leo, there is nothing we can do here.” Aiden said in a low voice and all four backed away from Connor’s now diminished group. Joey was just standing there with a blank look on his face, as though he was totally confused by it all. Aiden shook his head, he didn’t understand any of it, but Abby and Dan’s worries were over. The rest of them had to live. Standing around with Connor wasn’t getting anything accomplished. All four were walking rapidly, constantly looking behind them.
When they were out of sight of Connor’s group, who were still standing there looking out over the gorge, Aiden started to run, he held on to Sarah’s hand and pulled her along with him.
“Why are we running.” Sarah asked, trying to catch her breath.
“I want as much distance between us and them. I don’t trust them as far as I can spit.” Aiden said, looking back every now and then.
“Hell no, I’m surprised he didn’t try to shove us all off that cliff.” Marla said, huffing.
“He probably would have if he’d had a few moments to think about it. That is why we need to put distance between us. He’s in a more weakened condition, so I don’t think he will catch up to us if we can just sprint a little, then rest, and then sprint some more.” Aiden suggested.
“Okay, but I can’t promise I can go far, its been a few weeks since I’ve been on my trainer. But by Christ, I’ll give it my best.” Marla said, anger and sorrow clear in her voice.
They kept up their pace for nearly twenty minutes and then slowed down, everyone winded. They paused and everyone drank some water. They were quiet, no one wanting to talk and draw attention. Aiden listened, but could hear nothing, but the pounding of his heart in his ears. He took a deep breath to get his breathing under control. No running, no talking, nothing but the sounds of the forest around them.
He could hear a woodpecker in the far distance, it’s rhythmic tapping made the hair raise on his arms. It was primeval here, if ever there was a beginning to time itself, it could have been here. He looked at all the large conifers and broadleaf trees around them. Large leafed vegetation all around. It was a deadly paradise and if you didn’t know how to survive, it would eat you up.
The air around them was filled with promise of either life or death. There were things unseen out there, things that would kill them if they weren’t careful. The very air was primitive, and Aiden almost felt as though he himself had changed into something primitive as well.
They continued to walk at a rapid pace as everyone caught their breath. Then Aiden took off once more, though this time it was a slower jog, but faster than their walking. Marla kept up better this time and didn’t lag, Leo kept pace with her. Sarah kept pace with Aiden, and she turned her head to look back from time to time. He was proud of her, she was becoming used to situational awareness. Once they got back to the main camp, he’d grab the bottles and he and Sarah would go back home. He wouldn’t go back to the main camp for another week. By then, he hoped that Connor and his group would be so weak as to not be a threat.
They slowed down as they approached the main camp; they could see everyone standing around waiting for them. Disappointment was stamped on all their faces and Christian and Diana began to cry. Aiden watched as Christian disappeared into the woods. William hugged Diana and whispered to her.
Aiden stopped and nodded to Sarah to get the bottles while he talked to Leo and Marla. She disappeared and he turned and stuck out his hand.
“Me and Sarah are heading home. We’ll come back in about a week. I figure Connor’s group, now down by two, will be a lot weaker. If he can’t pull his head out of his ass and figure out he is the only one that can save himself, then you won’t have him for a problem much longer.”
“Thanks for coming with us Aiden. And thank Sarah for showing us the tubers and the nuts. I’ll show our people and send them out to hunt for them.” Leo said, holding out his hand to shake Aiden’s.
“You might want to stockpile what you can. I don’t know the growing seasons here. I don’t know how long things will last
, so go cautiously.” He suggested.
Marla walked over and hugged Aiden, she had tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Aiden, and thanks to Sarah. I know you two won’t stay with us, but know you are welcome whenever you want to come here.”
Aiden hugged her back hard, he hoped she and the others could survive this. There were so many of them. He didn’t know much about the others, he’d not been able to get to know them well, but he did hope they survived as well, perhaps not Connor and Matt he amended. He joined Sarah who’d already walked up and away from the group, waving to them.
He waved as well and ran up to meet her. They turned and left the main camp heading to the west, to throw everyone off their true course. When they’d gone about a mile in, they turned east and headed back to their cave. From time to time, they stopped and waited, listening for anyone who might be following.
Sarah found a cluster of wild grapes and they ate silently as they waited nearly a half hour before continuing on toward home. It was peaceful.
“I think I will try making raisins with these. Over by the pond is a sunny place, I can lay these on flat rocks to speed up the heating process and see if we can’t get long term use out of these.” She said putting a few more grapes into her mouth and munching.
He smiled down at her and nodded, then looked around them. He saw nothing but verdant forests and large rock formations and numerous waterfalls. He saw several hawks soaring above, there were clouds gathering, and perhaps a storm coming, but all was quiet and peaceful.
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Connor was fuming, he walked back and forth, looking down into the gorge and then back across. His jaw hurt like hell, that god damn Leo had sucker punched him. Bastard. Joey and Matt just stood there like two stupid idiots, completely useless. He’d meant it about less mouths to feed. He was so fucking hungry, all he could think about was what a loss, they could have cut up Abby and had a fucking feast. He’d not even been surprised by the thought of it, when it came to him. He was so hungry now.