by Kip Nelson
But he wasn't done.
“Mack,” he heard Grace cry, her voice trembling with worry.
He emerged from the coal cellar trailing soot on his feet, supporting this man who had been held against his will, to find Grace's face stricken with fright as Kathryn, Tom, and Harry stood at the kitchen entrance. The matriarch had a disappointed look on her face while the two men were impassive as usual, but Tom had a gun pointed straight at them. As Mack stared down the barrel his mind whirled with all the tactical situations he had been thrust into during his career. Then he slowed his breathing as he prepared to try dealing with this family who, while living in the middle of nowhere, posed a great threat to their lives.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MACK WAS aware that the next move he made was going to be a decisive one. He ran through different possibilities, eyes shifting slowly between his adversaries. He could feel the hostage trembling against him, and knew that Grace was doing the same, too. She had moved slightly behind him, wanting him to protect her. The isolated family stared implacably at the three of them. There were only a few ways in which events were going to proceed. Either Tom would shoot them all then and there, and this whole ordeal would be over, or they would hold them all hostage. And, at some point, they could try escaping, or Mack would be able to talk to Kathryn and they could work out some kind of deal.
Outside the sun had set a long time ago. Inside the candles burned throughout the house, causing the temperature to rise. Mack's temples were beaded with sweat but he ignored it. On the table in between the two groups lay the knife that had been used to chop vegetables. It didn't look to be in the best condition but it still would do damage, and if Mack had been on his own he would have been tempted to make a grab for it.
Although the gun was imposing he assumed Tom hadn't had much cause to practice with it over the years, since they were so isolated. If he moved quickly enough he probably could evade the first shot at least and dive for cover. However, he had Grace and the other man to think of and he had to play it carefully. Kathryn was standing by the doorway that led to the garden while Harry and Tom were blocking the exit to the rest of the house. Mack knew that if they made it outside they could slip into the darkness and escape. All they had to do was stop Kathryn from giving the order to shoot.
A lot of people would have pleaded directly to the man with the gun, assuming he had the power to end their lives. But Mack knew the hierarchy in this house and it wasn't Tom who was at the top. He wouldn't shoot unless Kathryn gave the order, and it was she who Mack had to deal with. He exhaled deeply and raised his hands, indicating to his companions that they should remain silent while also showing Kathryn that he respected the situation and her superiority. Later, he would chastise himself harshly for his actions leading up to this moment because it shouldn't have been so easy to fall into their trap. But at the present moment he needed to focus on getting the three of them out alive.
While Kathryn was in charge, Tom and Harry still were intimidating figures. They were both burly men who snarled more than they spoke, and Mack wondered about the events that led to Kathryn and Tom meeting and falling in love, for they seemed quite opposite. Harry evidently took more after his father than his mother, which was a good thing for Mack. The two men seemed simple, straight-shooters, and if it had been only the two of them Mack had to deal with, things would have gone much easier, but Kathryn was a bit of a wild card. She clearly had a strong idea of right and wrong, and it wasn't going to mesh with Mack's. The trained military negotiator looked at the steely gleam in her eye and remembered everything she had said over the course of their stay. He thought it likely they had come to this remote location because Kathryn knew their beliefs would not have been agreed with in the city. He thought about the coal cellar again, and wondered how many wandering travelers looking for shelter had been locked in there, lost to the world.
Usually there were two ways to play this kind of situation. If his opposite showed signs of nervousness then the best thing to do was act aggressively and grasp the power away, but Kathryn showed no signs of this. She was supremely self-confident and clearly felt righteous in what she was doing. So Mack had to show her respect and acknowledge that she had the power, and then hope he would be able to turn the situation to his advantage as they spoke more, if Kathryn was willing to hold off on shooting them. He tilted his head down, and noticed that Grace and the man by his side had followed his lead. A wry smile played upon Kathryn's lips as she enjoyed her superior position, and Mack watched her carefully, hoping to spot any sign of weakness.
“Let's stay calm and not do anything stupid,” he said, keeping his voice soft and even.
“Oh Mack, you've already done that,” Kathryn replied in a withering tone.
“We all were enjoying a nice dinner and you had to go and ruin it. Didn't your parents ever teach you that it was rude to leave the table before you've finished your meal? And without even asking no less.” She shook her head and sighed.
“I remember a time when manners were expected, but it seems in this day and age it's more of a surprise when people behave correctly. Seems like things haven't changed much since we left the city. I'd have expected it from her, she seems the type to make trouble, but not you. You seemed like a decent sort.”
“Kathryn, I'm sure you can understand why I left the table before we finished. How about we all go back to the table and continue? I know I still could go for some more roast potatoes. They were the best I've tasted in a long time. They reminded me of my mother's.”
“You are a sweet one, but that kind of talk isn't going to work on me, young man.”
“I'm sorry. Forgive me for saying so, but I think getting up from the table isn't as bad as keeping someone locked up against their will. How long was he down there?”
“Just a couple of days, he's not as strong as we thought he'd be. Figured he'd be able to take more before he cracked.”
“So is this why you moved away from the city? So you could be away from the police?”
Kathryn snorted derisively. She stepped forward and placed her hands on the edge of the counter, leaning forward.
“I left the city because people were going to hell, and they seemed happy about it. Everywhere I looked I saw good, old-fashioned values being torn down and cast aside, and nobody seemed to give a damn about it. This country used to stand for something, but we all lost our way. So yes, we left to start our own lives out here. We don't need anyone else. We don't need no laws or anything like that. We have the word of God to live by and that's all we need. He's kept us safe so far and he'll continue to watch over us.”
“And you think that he's okay with you capturing innocent people? Is he the first?”
“What makes you think he's so innocent?” Kathryn said, and following this remark Tom and Harry chortled.
“You hear about it all the time, all those Mexicans running across our borders, infesting our lands, taking over our jobs and homes and everything. There's a war going on, Mister, only nobody seems to be fighting it. You got everything going on now. Even those homosexuals are allowed to be married, and it just ain't right. I'm not going to stand for it, and if you do then you are on the side of the damned.”
“So you feel threatened by these people?”
“Of course I feel threatened! The whole country should be! I remember a time when it was safe to walk down the streets and you didn't have to worry about seeing drugs and sex everywhere you went. There are some things that should be kept behind closed doors, but everything exploded. You know what I think it was? I think it was the day JFK got shot. The world just went crazy then, and the country lost its mind. They say people grieve in different ways. Well, the whole country had to grieve. Then we had crazy things like men going to the Moon, and it all just went downhill from there. The kids who were raised then grew up and had all these wacky ideas and they strayed from the word of God. All I want is for us to go back to being a good Christian nation, is that so wrong?”
/> “Of course not, but you have to admit that locking up someone in a coal cellar doesn't seem very hospitable. Is he the first?”
“No. People come wandering through here all the time. They think they can just walk through the forest without any danger, like the whole world is theirs. Well, they soon know that when they come on our property. We try to be nice to them, but some of them deserve what they get.”
“Is that what you were going to do with us?”
Kathryn chewed her bottom lip. “No, I don't think so. You seemed like a good sort at first. If she had been on her own,” Kathryn tossed her head toward Grace, “then maybe. She's got that look about her, but I figured if she was with you then you could set her on the straight and narrow, but now I can't let you leave. You might get some foolish idea of bringing people back. Maybe you even want this house to yourself.”
“I can assure you that won't happen. Like I said, the world has ended. The only people we know are across the country. As for the house, it's yours. I'm not the kind to trespass on another person's property. All I want is to get out of here still breathing. Surely we can work out something?”
“Let's just shoot them! All this talking is giving me a headache,” Harry said, rolling back and forth on his heels with an excited look on his face. Grace's hand reached up and squeezed Mack's arm. Kathryn's neck snapped around and she glared at her son.
“Keep quiet and let me do the talking. If you had done your job properly we wouldn't even be in this mess. All you had to do was tie him up and gag him properly but you couldn't even do that, could you? You're a disappointment. You always have been. So just stand there and don't say another word.” Her tone was vicious and Harry's head instantly dropped, shoulders slumping as well. Despite the tension between the two groups Mack felt a little sympathy for Kathryn's son.
“I see you're a woman who has high standards.”
“I think people should do their best, but that was another thing lost as the world changed.”
“So you feel like you don't belong anymore?”
Mack's way of talking made Kathryn somewhat uneasy, but she continued sharing things about herself. Mack was using a technique called empathy statements, which he had used many times to get people to open up about themselves. The key was focusing on what the other person was saying, then responding with one of these statements that showed you understood how they were feeling without simply repeating it. It led them to continue talking about their feelings. Because if there was one truth that Mack had learned over the years, it was that people loved talking about themselves.
“In some ways I felt like I never belonged. Even when I was younger I saw people around me being tempted by the devil. It was all too easy for them to fall into a life of sin, but my parents raised me right and they taught me about being a good person. I learned my lessons, and it just wasn't fair that everyone else was behaving badly and not being punished for it. How would you feel if you knew something to be right, but everyone else ignored you? And it only got worse as I got older, and became more aware of the things around me. Sometimes it seemed as though even people in the government didn't understand what it took to make this country great.”
“So you wanted to leave it all behind, just you and your family?”
“Yes. It seemed the sensible thing to do. I know the old adage is that if you can't beat them then join them, but I knew I had to resist. If I was the last person to stand firm in the face of sin then so be it. I was just lucky enough to meet Tom, who shared my view.” As she said this she moved past Harry and placed her hand on her husband, and then placed her other hand on her chastised son.
“And we had Harry, and raised him to share our values. We may be only three people, but we are holding onto the word of God and we are doing our best to carry out his plans. And now you see everything that all the sin has wrought.”
“You believe that God is responsible for all this?”
“Who else would be? He's punishing humanity for all the mistakes it has made, and I for one can't blame him. How many chances did we need? How many times did we look at ourselves and get disappointed at what we saw, but we never did anything to change it? And this is what we get. The world begins anew again. Just like the flood that drowned all the sinners, so, too, will this apocalypse cleanse the world and we can begin again. We have been given the role of guardians of his word and we will spread it to whomever comes across our path. We also will punish those who do not fit into the new world, whose blood is not pure, like our little Mexican friend over there,” she said, almost spitting as she looked at the man Mack had rescued.
The more he spoke with Kathryn the more worried he became because she was deranged. He had to speak carefully as anything could have set her off, especially as she now almost was frothing at the mouth with righteous fury.
“So why didn't you kill him then? Why did you hide him down in the coal cellar? If his blood isn't pure, then what was the use in keeping him around?”
When Mack said this, the man beside him widened his eyes in fright. Tom adjusted the gun, flexing his fingers against the trigger to remind Mack that with just one squeeze of a finger a life would be ended.
“There would be time enough for that. But the truth is me and Tom aren't getting any younger and with the generator out it takes a little more work than it used to. So we were going to keep him around for the labor, once he calmed down. If he just accepted his fate you never would have known and you could have gone on your way, and tried to survive in this new world. And you know what, Mack? I like you. So I'm going to give you another chance. It wouldn't be Christian just to end this here and now without giving you the opportunity to get back on the straight and narrow. I know you can see where I'm coming from. I'm sure you've seen the same things as I have and you may even have had the same ideas. I've enjoyed talking to you. It's been nice to have someone else around here who is on the same wavelength as me. So here's what I'm going to do. You can go on your way, but you leave these two here for us.”
“The two of them? But Grace hasn't done anything wrong.”
“Hasn't she? Have you seen her? Covered in those tattoos, dying her hair. I know just what kind of girl she is and we had a word for those back home. She most definitely doesn't have a place in this world but you Mack, you could. You're a strapping young man. You easily could spread the word and be a disciple if you so choose. All you need to do is walk away and we'll hear no more of it.”
Mack felt revulsion at the trade being offered but he kept his expression neutral, trying to give the impression that he actually was considering the deal. He made the move to step forward and walked around the counter, getting closer to the knife, but also the door. The two he had left behind looked at him with fear and shock, wondering if he actually was about to betray them both and leave them in the lion's den.
“And if I left you wouldn't chase me?”
“As long as you swore to the Lord that you would serve him and restore the world to be free of sin.”
“Ma! You can't do that! We have them right there! We can kill them all!” Harry whined.
For a man in his thirties he seemed to suffer from arrested development and acted as though he was as bratty teenager, although that wasn't surprising given the upbringing he must have had. Mack assumed Kathryn was a very overbearing mother. Harry's remark was met with a swift slap across his ruddy cheek, and Kathryn stared up at him with ire burning in her black eyes.
“You do not talk back to me, young man. Do you hear me! I raised you to be better than that. Don't be one of those people who need to be purified.”
Tom had been following Mack's gradual movements with the barrel of the gun, but this family dispute meant the tall man with the thick, curly white beard and bald head was distracted. Mack knew that, given the man's age, his eyesight most likely would have been failing. So, in the dim light he would have had the advantage. Knowing that this was the moment when he had to act, he clutched the handle of the knife and flu
ng it in the direction of the family. It hit Harry in the back of the shoulder and he howled in pain, moving forward as his arm tried to bend at an unnatural angle to tear out the knife. Mack had thrown it with such force that it was buried so deep only the handle protruded, and a dark stain started spreading around the knife’s impact point.
When Harry barreled forward he rammed into his parents. Tom was about to shoot but Harry moved in his way and forced his arm up. So when the shot was fired it crashed into the ceiling and made some dust and debris fall down. Kathryn screamed as the three of them clattered together and Mack drove forward, falling on them and beating Harry and Tom heavily. In the cramped doorway the men fought while Kathryn placed her hands around her head and tried to avoid being hit. Mack knew the pressure points to hit and caused as much pain as he could. When he had a free moment he turned to the other two.
“You,” he said, looking straight at the man he saved, “get out there and start running. Grace, go and get our stuff, quickly. We're getting out of here. Now!”
The man they had rescued hobbled toward the door and struggled with the handle before he felt the cool freedom of the night air. Grace ran through the kitchen and deftly stepped over the mass of bodies, then ran upstairs and dragged the heavy packs down with her. However, in her absence Harry and Tom had fought back against Mack, and although his training was extensive there were still two strong men against one. When Kathryn started fighting, too, the odds were not in Mack's favor.
In a rather ruthless maneuver Kathryn yanked the knife out of Harry's back and wielded it herself, after extricating herself from the tangled web of three bodies. Blood dripped from the blunt blade, and as she slashed it across the air scarlet drops splattered against the walls. Harry, although he was reeling from pain, didn't want to disappoint his mother anymore. So he rose and raised his fists to defend his home. Mack had been wary of the knife, so his attention momentarily had been taken from Tom, who grasped the gun and raised it at Mack.