by Belle Harper
“I didn’t realize you knew so much medical stuff.” Ezra looked at me with his brow raised and small smile across his face.
I shook my head. “No I don’t, but a friend told me a few things. His father is a doctor, so I asked questions.” I shrugged, I didn’t know much and I wasn’t about to tell them that friend was Adam. Or that I saw him in our kitchen only hours earlier. I still had not processed that. I didn’t understand his reaction to me at all.
Glancing around, I saw the backpacks they brought in with them. I pulled one over and realized it was much heavier than it looked. I opened it and saw a metal canteen and a cast iron frypan. A few pieces of clothing and some tin cans without labels.
I opened the canteen and with Colton’s help, I washed the dry blood from my hands. And then we cleaned the wound on Noah’s head.
“Ezra, is there something in one of the bags that we can use to close this or cover his head like a bandage?”
Ezra started looking though the other two bags and pulled out what once was a bandage but the once-white fabric was almost gray.
“That isn’t clean. Is there anything we could cover the wound with that is?”
He pulled out a small rag from another bag and handed it to me. It was much cleaner than the bandage, so I folded it up and placed it on the wound and then wrapped the dirty gray bandage around to keep it in place. I laid his head back down on Colton’s thigh and smiled gently to him.
I gently touched Colton’s shoulder “He will be all right.” But deep down I didn’t know if I was saying that to make him feel better or convince myself Noah would be. I just hoped and prayed he was.
That night the boys decided we needed to leave. It was a miracle no one had come and found us yet. Ezra thought maybe it was because they stole a lot of their loot to trade with, so that they had stopped chasing me to take it back with them to Bakersfield. For now at least. But Colton had wanted to wait until dark before we moved on. They explained to me that we were going to their special bunker that was not too far from here.
“Should we make a travois?” I asked no one in particular.
“I thought about it earlier, but I’m worried it will leave tracks,” Colton informed me. My shoulders lowered as I realized that was true.
He came over, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a hug. “Hey, that was a good idea, though. You are very smart and resourceful.”
I smiled softly as I hugged him back. The feelings I got from his arms around me comforted me in ways I didn’t know it could. This is what I had been missing in my life.
Once Ezra had Noah on his shoulders, I took one backpack—after insisting I was fine to carry it—and Colton took the other two, and we headed out of the shed and into the dark of the night.
It was hard to navigate through the dark. I stumbled over small rocks I couldn’t see and the wind had started to pick up. I really needed a hat to contain my hair from whipping around my face and getting stuck in my already-dry mouth. I didn’t know how far this bunker really was, so I couldn’t be certain if we were almost there or only halfway. And I didn’t want to ask. I didn’t want to come across as complaining. Especially since I was only carrying such a small amount. But I was exhausted, physically and emotionally from everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.
When the sun came over the horizon and I could see clearly. I noticed there were a lot more shrubs and small trees in this area. I didn’t know all this still existed outside Bakersfield. I always had hoped. And this gave me hope for more than just survival; this gave me hope we could stay at the bunker and really settle down, maybe one day we could find the place called Eden. If it really does exist. And finally, I can relax and be free, happy and loved. Not always looking over my shoulder, and worrying where my next meal was coming from. With Colton, Ezra, and Noah, I hadn’t had to do much looking over my shoulder this last week and my belly was never empty. These guys were my family now. I trusted them with my life.
“Let’s stop for a quick break. It’s not too much further,” Ezra said as he turned to me, carefully placing Noah down.
I dropped almost where I was standing. I was thirsty and needed some water desperately. But we didn’t have much with us, and what the guys had in their packs was being rationed out.
“Here let me help.” Colton grabbed Noah’s head. He moaned and grimaced in his unconscious state. I didn’t know if that was good or bad. I only knew a few medical things. I felt like it was a good sign. He was still alive, at least. I quickly moved over to him and saw the sheen on his head.
“Shit, I think he has a fever.” Using the back of my hand, I placed my hand on his forehead, I could feel him burning up.
Colton took Noah’s hand and placed his fingers over the pulse point in his wrist. “His heart rate is a little slow. But not too bad. We got to keep moving. We need to get to the bunker now and get him out of the sun. We need to cool him down.”
Without speaking, Ezra bent down and carefully cradled Noah in his arms. And started walking.
“Ez, that is going to kill your back. I will help you put him on your shoulders,” Colton stated as he approached Ezra, who just shook his head and continued walking.
By the time we got to an area that was dense with small shrubs, the sun was in the middle of the sky and it was unrelenting. The heat of the day was thick in the air, and we all needed shelter and water badly. Ezra was unsteady on his feet as he stumbled and lurched to the side.
“Ezra,” I screamed as I watched him fall to the ground in front of me. I ran to him. Colton turned and ran back. Ezra wasn’t looking any better than Noah, and I felt his head too. He felt clammy but wasn’t hot.
“Ezra, are you okay?” I asked as I ran my hand over his brow again. Just to make sure he wasn’t burning up like Noah.
His eyes looked distant, and he just stared at Noah who was still in his arms. He turned to get up. When he stumbled back down again, I caught him as best I could as Colton grabbed Noah before he hit the dirt.
Colton struggled to carry Noah, and I tried to help as best I could but Noah was huge. In the end we half-carried, half-dragged him. We took him to the nearest shrubs for shelter from the sun. It wasn’t much but it was better than lying in the hot sun. Colton and I returned to where Ezra was still sitting, we lifted Ezra up to stand as Colt draped Ezra’s arm over his shoulder and I took the other trying to take as much of his weight as possible to get him out of the sun.
“Shit, Ezra, what the hell? You’re killing yourself. You should have said something.” Colton grabbed a canteen from his backpack and placed it against Ezra’s lips. He didn’t react, so I tilted his head back as Colton poured water into his mouth.
Tears started running down my cheeks. This wasn’t happening. I couldn’t have this happen again. I only just found them. I couldn’t lose them. I…think I love them. It wasn’t too early to feel like this was it?
20
Colton
Fuck! Fuck and more fuck. How? How the fuck did this happen? We were eating three full meals a day, drinking water till we couldn’t drink anymore, and even bathing and washing because we had enough water to do so… Now this. An empty canteen, no real food. Just unlabelled cans. Nova she had been incredibly strong but now her tears were silently running down her cheeks and honestly I just wanted to do the same.
Noah hadn’t woken up. He moaned a lot and the pain on his face made me want to break down and hold him. Never let him go. But I had to lead. I needed to be the strong one who got us to the bunker. I needed Ezra to be my second as always, but he was staring into the distance with a blank look on his face. And Nova was trying so hard to keep it together. She was gently stroking Noah’s cheek and whispering about how they were going to get to the bunker. And how much fun they will have there.
I didn’t realize it was this far to get here. But we had been traveling slowly. We were close. I just knew it. I was looking for the other marker, and when I find it I can get us to the bunker. Which
hopefully still had water and food stored in there.
“Nova?” I stood up, looking at our surroundings. I could see the old highway in the distance, the concrete long broken up and weathered like the rest of the country.
She looked up at me with those eyes, her white hair fanned around her face making her look like an angel. Beautiful. But that look in her eyes made me want to wrap my arms around her and tell her everything would be okay. But I could do that later, when everyone was in the bunker.
“I’m going to go on ahead and find the bunker. I won’t be long. Stay here with the guys and just keep your head down. You never know who might be around these parts. We are getting closer to a major trading city. Full of smugglers, and sometimes Red Raiders drop by with… Well, just stay down, cover your hair with this.” I handed her the shirt from my own back. It had holes and was a faded blue, but out here she wouldn’t stand a chance against anyone who wanted to take her. So it was better than nothing. She quickly lowered herself under the closest shrub, wrapping the T-shirt around her head and holding onto it in a death grip. Fuck she looks so small, so scared.
“Shit, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’m trying my best here.” I leaned down to her, placing a kiss on her forehead and then one on Noah’s. I squeezed Ezra’s shoulder. Nova nodded, but you couldn’t miss the watery sheen in her eyes, she was going to cry again, and I didn’t want to be here when she did or I might not leave them.
Jumping to my feet, I looked again for the highway. And started running.
“Fucking rock. Where the hell are you,” I curse to myself. The large rock was one of my markers. It was a big fucker too, so it was not like someone would just come pick it up and take it. It had been roughly twenty minutes since I’d left them, and I didn’t know if it was from the heat or just my heart that my eyes were watering. I didn’t cry. I never had. But my heart was pounding as I looked for the marker. I just wanted them all safe. I was scared to return and find them gone.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Removing all the negative thoughts from my mind and I felt clearer. I looked to the highway and then turned left. It’s got to be over here. I turned to my right and started back to where they were all waiting, and I saw a large gray and red rock sticking out of the ground.
“Thank you,” I called out to no one as I ran over to it. The surrounding shrubs had grown since we’d last been here, and I didn’t see it. I must have walked right past it. Once I got there, I saw the small chimney sticking out of the ground. I started my fifty paces toward the highway which was still miles away.
As I got closer to the bunker, I could see the outline of it slightly emerged from the ground. I moved over to where the hatch should be and rubbed my boot along the ground, looking for the latch covered in red dirt and dust.
A small metal ring appeared through the red and I reached down, twisted it, and pulled the hatch up. It was hard and heavy and groaned as I pried it from the ground. The dirt and dust filtering down into the bunker. When I had lifted it open a smell of musty old air hit my nose. I looked down and saw everything looked the same as we had left it. Pulling out my pistol, I quickly lowered myself down the ladder.
“Anyone in here better fucking leave before I shoot you,” I called out into the dark room as my boots hit the floor. My voice echoed back to me. I walked over and ran my hand along the wall looking for the solar flashlight we’d left there. When I found it, I clicked it on, grateful it had enough charge in it and pointed it around the room. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw everything was the same as when we last were here. No one had been here. I quickly turned the light off and hurried up the ladder to get my family.
“Nova, I will go down inside. Can you help lower Ez down to me?” When I got back to them, Ezra had been a little more coherent, and was able to walk with the assistance of Nova. I carried Noah on my back, it was a struggle but I got us back to the bunker in one piece. But getting him down into here was going to be hard. I really needed Ez to help lower him down, but Nova was better than no one.
Nova grunted as she struggled to lower Ez down, I pulled on his leg, and he toppled down on me with a groan. “Shit, Ez, you’re almost as heavy as Noah, dude.” I placed him on the floor near the ladder and went back up to help Noah down next.
I saw Nova talking sweetly to him and rubbing his face. Shit, this girl is really breaking through all my barriers right now. I fucking loved Noah. But Nova had wormed herself in. I was hooked just as badly as these two. And only after a week.
After a few choice words over how heavy Noah was, we finally got him down into the bunker. Nova lowered herself down, and I handed her the flashlight as I reached up and locked us in.
“Wow, this place is a lot nicer than I thought. How did you find this place?” she asked as she touched the shelves and walked around the small room. There was an actual bed at one end, and I could see the look on her face when she saw it.
“A real bed and everything,” she exclaimed.
She pulled down the bedding, and dust motes sprinkled the air and danced in the air. I awkwardly picked Noah up and laid him down on the bed. Then, Nova began stripping him down.
“We have to cool him down. Is there water?”
I quickly went to a cupboard that we stored the water in. It had been a while and the water was not as fresh as we had been use too. But it was perfect to cool him down with, and to drink until I could get more. Snatching a cloth from another cupboard, I ran over and gave the supplies to Nova and went to check on Ezra.
“Man, you don’t look so good,” I told him, and it was the honest truth. He peered up to me, his one blue eye always drawing my attention. He glanced over to Nova and back to me. He gestured for me to come in closer.
“Don’t want Nova to know, but…I’m all messed up, man. I’m seeing shit that isn’t there. Don’t tell her, though. I don’t want her to freak out. We already have Noah not doing good. I just needed to tell you.”
“Ez…I think you’re dehydrated, man. Didn’t you drink enough? You should have said something.”
“I was saving water for Nova. I only drank small amounts to make sure she would have more. I didn’t think about me.”
I grabbed the back of his head and pulled his forehead flush to mine. “I won’t tell her. But next time, don’t do that. You scared me today. I will grab you some water and something to eat. That will make you feel better. You carried Noah for so long. And you didn’t stop. You hear me, you didn’t stop. I will be forever grateful to what you have done for Noah... for all of us.”
Ezra grabbed my shoulder and nodded. “I would do it for any of you, any day. You’re my family. Nova is our family. We stick together no matter what.”
21
Nova
“Ezra…” I whispered into his ear. He had been sleeping for a while. Well, almost a whole day. Noah’s fever hadn’t gone down. It had only become worse during the night. I cleaned his wound again, and when I did I saw the signs of an infection. I cleaned it the best I could, but I don’t think that was going to be enough. Colton had been worried. We had been taking it in turns trying to cool Noah down, but it was hard to sleep with him so sick. And the painful moans he made, just hit me right in the chest. I wanted to ease the pain, but there was nothing we could do but wait and hope the fever breaks soon. Colton had left earlier to go catch us something to eat. He was setting up some snares to catch rabbits.
I shook Ezra gently and whispered to him again. He moaned and stretched his arms above his head. Which made me breathe a sigh of relief, he was fine. I couldn’t have two of them sick, but I knew we needed to get something for Noah to break this fever.
“Hey,” he croaked out as he sat himself up, he ran his hand down his face then gave me a warm smile. I passed a water bottle to him. He drank the whole bottle and wiped his chin where a little had spilt.
“Thanks, I’m feeling much better.” He turned to see Noah still lying next to him. I placed the cloth we had been using to cool him down with
in the small bowl of water. I squeezed the excess out and ran it over his forehead and it down over his chest and arms to try cool him down.
“Any change?” Ezra asked as he lowered his body back down onto the bed and rubbed his eyes.
I shook my head. “If anything, I think things have gotten worse. He needs antibiotics. But it’s not like we just have that stuff just lying around. I will try my best with what we have.” I needed to think. What did Adam teach me about infection? Clean and cover the wound. And there were other things I could do, but I just couldn’t think of them; my head was foggy from lack of sleep. I needed to get some rest, but I needed to stay awake until Colton came back to take over. But then Colton also needed sleep too. When Noah’s fever breaks, I am going to kiss him so hard. Then sleep for a week straight.
I saw Ezra just watching me. I smiled at him and he opened his arms, silently asking me to come to him. I crawled over and laid on top of his chest. He wrapped his arm around my back and I settled into the hug. I closed my eyes and listened to the rhythmic beat of his heart. It was soothing.
“This feels amazing,” I murmured against his chest, his heartbeat lulling me into sleep. But I couldn’t sleep yet. “I need to stay awake.” I tried to tell him, but the words were slurred.
“Shh…. I will take over. You rest now.” His voice rumbled deeply in his chest as he stroked my back. He smelled like home.
“Just for a minute. Until Colton comes back.”
22
Ezra
I don’t want to move. Nova fell asleep on me and it was the best feeling in the world. My heart wanted to burst from my chest. Feeling her slight weight against my chest felt incredible, I pulled in a deep breath and let it out without waking her. I lay like this for a few more moments, but I knew I had to get up. I needed to help Noah. I carefully sat up cradling her droopy head and placed her where I was just lying. I placed a kiss on her head as I pushed her hair back from her face. I ran my fingers through the longs strands as I watched her small chest rising and falling as she slept.