by Poe, S. B.
“He’s just a kid.” Jennifer said.
“He can’t be more than a year or two younger than you. That makes you a kid too.” Charlie smiled.
“Things change a lot in a year.” Jennifer said.
“Ain’t that the truth.” Charlie said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Bridger watched as Ed shoveled the last few piles of dirt over the graves. Vernon stood at the end of the grave.
“Are we gonna have a service?” Vernon asked. “Say a few words?”
“Go ahead. If you want.” Cody said.
“Bridger?” Vernon turned to Bridger.
“I didn’t know them. You did.”
“Okay. Violet Parnell was a good person. She came from good people. She tried to keep her family safe. And even when she did wrong, it was out of love.” Vernon glanced over at Devin. “Peter was a child. He was adventurous and a joy to those who knew him. Rest in peace.”
“Amen.” Ed said. “Can we go get something to eat now?”
Bridger chuckled a little as he turned and walked towards the truck.
“Come on. I’ll give y’all a ride back to the house.”
They all piled in the SUV. They made the quick turn away from the church and started down the street towards Cody’s house. He had to slam on the brakes when Cameron stepped into the road. He rolled down the window.
“I almost hit you.”
“I needed to stop you for a second. I want to show you something.” Cameron said.
“What is it?” Bridger said.
“Best I show you. It’s the horse.” Cameron said. Bridger opened the door and got out. He turned back to Devin.
“Take the car back to the house.” Bridger said. He turned and followed Cameron between the houses.
“This is your horse? The one Kate said you rode to our place in the woods?” Bridger asked.
“It is indeed.”
“I haven’t heard the whole story but I did hear Ed telling Devin part of it while we were at the cemetery.”
“Cemetery?” Cameron asked.
“Yeah, Violet and Peter. We found them up on the interstate. They were in a wreck. They didn’t make it.” Bridger said.
“Horrible. I’m sorry I didn’t know them well.”
“What did you want to show me?” Bridger asked as they cleared the houses and walked across the green space to where the horse, Ham and Jahda were waiting.
“This.”
He pointed to the bite marks along the horse’s haunches and the top of her hind quarters.
“Here. And here.” He said. “These have mostly healed. Jahda pointed out that apparently horses aren’t affected by the virus like we are.”
“Okay, interesting. Is that what you ran out in the road for? To show me some healed up bites?” Bridger asked.
“No, it’s not the healed ones I thought you needed to see. It was the fresh ones.” He pulled the mane up and showed the still fresh bite marks along the neck. “Not deep, not like the ones on the legs. Just small bites. Like someone was slowly eating her.”
“You think this man who had her, the almost deadun, did this?” Bridger asked as he leaned closer.
“Maybe. I wanted to show you this because he himself said that we shouldn’t feel safe with him around. He seemed genuinely afraid that he would finish turning while in our company.” Cameron said. “I just thought you should know that he told us the truth. Mostly.”
“Where is he now?”
“I do not know. He didn’t arrive with Raj when he returned.” Cameron said.
“I’ll find Raj and find out. And thanks.” Bridger said.
“See you at supper. I hear we have decisions to make.”
“We sure do.” Bridger said as he turned and walked away.
Beside the Dying Fire
10
The sun still hung in the sky but it had started to sink below the tops of the tallest trees in the distance. Kate squatted beside the kindling and struck the match to the gas soaked sock at the bottom of the stack. The flames leapt through the stack of wood and soon was giving off the low hiss and dull roar as the fire caught. She stood and looked around. The others were still finishing the last bites of stew that Emma Grace had cooked. She decided it was time to start.
“We have a problem.” She spoke. “All of you know what has happened. This has been a difficult few days. But before we talk about our troubles, I wanted to talk about our joy.”
She nodded at Tilly. Tilly looked at Raj and took his hand. They both stood.
“We have wonderful news. I’m a little nervous but here goes. Raj and I are going to have a baby.” She smiled as she spoke. The group all looked at her. She could see several emotions at once in their faces. Shock was the easiest to recognized. She scanned until she met Bridger’s eyes. She had been afraid of what she would see. All she could see was his smile.
“Really?” Bridger said as he stood.
“Yes, really.” Tilly said. Bridger walked over and shook Raj’s hand.
“Congratulations.” He said. He turned to Tilly and hugged her. He whispered in her ear. “You will make the best mother in the world. And we will all keep that little baby safe. You have my promise.” He pulled away and held her at arms length as tears rolled down her face.
“Thank you.” She said. The others made their way to shake hands and give hugs. Kate waited until everyone was seated again.
“Tilly’s news has reminded me of something. Almost a year ago we started coming together. We have added new people to our group and we have lost more than we deserved. Things haven’t always been easy. We have had to fight to get here. We have sacrificed to get here. Emma Grace, Cody and Vernon welcomed us. Violet and Peter did too.” Kate said. “We may have to fight again but I wanted you to all help decide.”
“Do you believe them? The soldiers?” Emma Grace asked. “Could this all be ending?”
“I don’t believe them. This isn’t ending. Sorry.” Kate said.
“Why not?” Emma Grace asked.
“Yeah, maybe we should trust them.” Jennifer added.
“Charlie? You wanna tell them?” Kate said.
“Tell us what Charlie?” Evelyn asked.
“Today that man y’all found out there came to the gate.” Charlie started.
“Ramey.” Cameron added.
“He said he was listening when the soldiers came. He said they couldn’t be trusted. He said they were the same ones who did whatever happened to him.” Charlie said.
“You believed him?” Kate asked. “Does he have any reason to lie?”
“No. And he doesn’t really have any reason to help us either. But he did. Or he’s trying to.” Charlie said.
“Jahda has some insight on this very subject.” Cameron said. He turned to Jahda. “Tell them what your thoughts are.”
“I just thought it was odd, and maybe because I heard both things almost at the same time, but soldiers showing up at the gate just as I was told the story of how the stranger outside the gate was with soldiers too. It just too coincidental, and now it doesn’t seem to be a coincidence.” Jahda said.
Bridger watched everyone in the group. The agonizing tease of a possible safe zone had deflated about half of them. He could see it in their eyes. He waited for the next part.
“So now we know. The soldiers aren’t here to help. Now we need to figure out why they are here.” Kate said.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Cody said. “They want this place.”
“Why do you say that?” Kate asked.
“Well they said either open our gates or not be here when they show back up right?”
“That’s what he said.” Kate said.
“Then they just want the walls. The barricade. We could just leave. Find somewhere new.” Jennifer said.
“I’m not leaving. This is my home.” Cody said.
“All of us left our homes. You have spent this entire apocalypse sitting in the same home, sleeping in the same bed and looking out t
he same windows you have your whole life. Why should we stay for you?” Jennifer turned.
“Easy kid.” Cody said. “You don’t have to stay.”
“So you’ll what? Welcome them in?” Evelyn asked.
“I welcomed y’all in, didn’t I?”
“We didn’t give you an ultimatum and we didn’t come here to take over.” Kate said.
“And yet here we are, waiting on YOU to make a decision.” Cody said.
“Shut up Cody.” Emma Grace said. “All you do is complain. Try helping or shutting up. What do you want to do Kate? We’re with you.”
“Thanks but I don’t know. What I know is that we don’t have a lot of time to decide. They said they will be back tomorrow afternoon but they could show up at any time.” Kate said. “We need to decide, right now, what we are going to do whenever they show back up.”
“Maybe they won’t show back up.” Bridger chimed in for the first time.
“Why wouldn’t they?” Kate turned to him “You know more about how they might think than all of us. What would you do?”
“If they wanted you to open the gates, they could have shot their way in when they were here. Them leaving tells me they probably looked at what they were up against and decided it wasn’t worth it.” Bridger said. “And if they were going to come back for a fight, they wouldn’t have told you they were coming back.”
“So you mean we shouldn’t worry about them?” Charlie asked. “What about what Ramey said?”
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t worry about them, I’m just saying don’t be surprised when the sun sets tomorrow night and they haven’t returned.” Bridger said.
“And if they do?” Kate asked.
“We should be ready for a fight.” Bridger said.
“Are you serious?” Charlie asked.
“Either fight or flee. If they show back up, they’ll mean business. If they intend on taking this place, they will be ready for a fight. We should make sure that we want one.” Bridger said.
“So what does that mean?” Jennifer asked.
“Don’t worry Jen, you won’t be involved. None of you kids will.” Charlie turned and looked.
“They better be involved.” Bridger said.
“They’re just children.” Charlie protested.
“If we’re going to fight, if we’re going to face whatever those guys are going to bring, everyone will be involved. There isn’t a formula for this. In a war for your home, everyone fights.”
“This isn’t war.” Charlie said.
“If they show up at the gates, it will be. War’s not some movie battle with big tanks and distant bombers. War is personal. It’s getting right up close and making the other guy dead before he makes you dead. It isn’t pretty, it isn’t coordinated, it’s brutal. You don’t win a war because you bombed the other side into submission. You win a war in the mud, dirt, sweat and blood. But more than anything, you win because you fight like a son of a bitch. Not for God, country or mom. You fight like a son of a bitch for the guy standing to your left and to your right.”
Bridger looked around the room. He had spent more time with this group of people than any group since the day he left the service. It had been easy to feel the camaraderie of facing the dead as they all fought their way to where they were. None of them had faced the living before. Not like he had. He realized as he looked at the mixed expressions of horror, fear and excitement spread across the group that what he was telling them, they weren’t ready for.
“If those soldiers come back tomorrow, they will be coming to take this place. If that happens, we can win. But not all of us. Some of us are sitting around our last campfire, talking with our friends for the last time. You all need to prepare yourselves for that. Tomorrow night, not all of us will be here. Or we can leave. Load up as quick as we can and get out. There would be no shame in that. We could at least be sure we survive another day. And isn’t that what we all fight for, another day?” Bridger said.
The mood around the fire had gotten darker as he spoke. The looks on the faces were even more desperate than before. He could see the wheels turning in some of their eyes. He could see tears in others. He looked at Evelyn and her eyes met his. He could see a fear that he hadn’t seen in her before. He saw fear in most of their eyes.
“I’ve never killed another person.” Scott said. “None of us have.”
“Red did.” Ed looked at Tilly.
“He deserved it.” Tilly said.
“And these guys don’t?” Ed asked.
“I don’t know.” Tilly said.
“When they show up tomorrow, how will we know if they are here to fight?” Josh asked.
“You won’t have to guess. If those guys show back up, they’ll come in shooting.” Bridger said.
“No.” Kate spoke.
“No what?”
“No, we’re not running. We’re not giving up like that.” Kate said. “We’ve lost too much, fought too hard. If we aren’t going to make a stand here, we never will. This place is the safest place we’ve been. We’ve made a good start on a future for all of us here. I can’t decide for you, I can’t tell you what to do. If you want to leave, decide now. If you want to stay, decide now. But I am staying. And if I have to I am fighting.” Kate said.
Bridger watched as the expressions on their faces slowly changed. It started out as fear, and then calm and finally resolve. The thought crossed his mind again. They aren’t ready. There was resolve in their eyes but he could still see the fear. He knew the look. He probably had had it himself in a long ago life before his first time leaving that bird in the middle of the night and descending under a canopy of nylon into enemy territory. But he had trained to get there. He knew what he was doing. He felt pain in his chest. He looked around again at the group. The heartache at the thought of losing any more of them, especially like this, almost overwhelmed him. He took a deep breath.
“You okay Bridger?” Kate asked.
“I am. And I am with you, always.”
“I am with you too.” Tilly stood.
“We are with you.” Emma Grace and Devin stood. They all eventually stood except for Cody. They all looked at him.
“Hell, I already told you I was fighting. Do I have to stand up?” Cody smiled. The others smiled too.
“Now what?” Charlie asked.
“Tilly, get guards posted.” Kate said. “The bus, the bridge and make sure someone stays on walking patrol the rest of the night. I’ll take the first shift. I want the rest of you to get some sleep.”
“Charlie, you and Jennifer take the bus. Ed and Vernon, y’all take the bridge. Josh…”
“I’ll walk with Mom tonight. Lori can spell her. I’ll stay up.” Josh said.
“Tomorrow morning. Before the sunrise, we need everyone up. We need to make sure we don’t get surprised. We need to be ready.” Kate said. She felt more confident as she spoke but she could feel the quiver shaking in her chest. The fear kept coming to the top of her throat, she felt slightly nauseous. “Let’s go.”
The group broke up. Bridger kept his seat while all the others slowly moved away. He knew what he had to do. Or try to do. His eyes met Evelyn’s and he stood. He held out his hand and she took it. He turned to Kate.
“We’ll be ready.” He said.
“You promise?” Kate said. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe they won’t come back.”
“Maybe. See you tomorrow morning.” He paused and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. He pulled back in time to see her wipe the tear from her eye. “This isn’t the end Kate. I can promise you that.”
He and Evelyn made their way back to their house. He stood at the open bedroom door as she slid her jeans off and climbed into the bed.
“You coming?” She folded the sheet back.
“No. Not yet. I’m going to take a walk.” Bridger said.
“You okay?” Evelyn said.
“Yeah, sure. I just need to think. We’ve got about eight hours until the sun comes up
again.” He said.
“You’re not going to be thinking all night are you?” She asked.
He walked over to the side of the bed and took her hand. She sat up and stroked the side of his face. A single tear slipped from his eye.
“I love you. Don’t forget that.” He said.
“I love you too. What’s wrong?” She asked.
“I just wanted to tell you again. I’m going for a walk. Don’t wait up.” He said.