Forsaken World:Coming of Age

by Thomas A. Watson

  “That’s one big ass pussy,” Lance mumbled.

  “How did the big kitty get here?” Carrie asked with a small grin.

  Jennifer shook her head. “There are more tigers in private captivity in America than are in the wild.”

  Ian and Lance turned to look at her. “How the hell did you know that?” Ian asked.

  “Animal Planet,” Jennifer said, never looking away from the monitors. “It’s either a Siberian or Bengal Tiger. As Lance said, ‘That’s one big pussy.’”

  Reaching over, Lilly patted her back. “Very good,” she said, looking at the screen. “Someone probably let them out.”

  “Are they fucking insane?” Lance said, spinning around to face her. “Those motherfuckers eat people, and unlike the stinkers, they know how to hunt. I read a report from India that one tiger alone was responsible for hundreds of deaths.”

  “I’m not going to say you’re wrong, but we aren’t a tiger’s primary food source,” Lilly said as the other tiger came to the first and hit it with its tail. “Oh my,” she said. “That is a male and female, and it looks like the girl is hot to trot.”

  “Just fucking great!” Lance shouted, throwing up his hands and walking away. “We have stinkers trying to eat us, gangs trying to rape and kill us, and now we have tigers moving in to fuck and have babies!”

  “I want one!” Allie yelled out.

  “Me too,” Carrie said, and they held hands, jumping up and down.

  “NO!” Lance shouted, and both girls froze. “They will eat your ass! Those aren’t house cats!”

  “Are you going to shoot them?” Allie asked hesitantly.

  “Fuck that shit!” Lance yelled. “The only way I’m shooting one is if they attack; I don’t want to piss them off!”

  “Excitable, isn’t he?” Jennifer said, glancing over at Lilly.

  Nodding, Lilly turned around and walked over to him. “Lance, I just want to tell you.” She stopped, taking a deep breath. “Before the camp fell, we got reports of hundreds of zoos releasing their animals before they starved.”

  Lance dropped to the floor, landing on his ass as Ian charged over. “Are you fucking kidding?”

  “I didn’t do it,” Lilly said, looking at him.

  “I know that, but you heard that hundreds have done it for real?”

  Seeing the near panic on Ian’s face, Lilly slowly nodded. “Yes, several of us were asked how we thought that would impact America. The list they gave us listed every major zoo and many small ones; three hundred and eighteen were on the list. But Ian, you have to realize that many animals like those tigers there are in private collections.”

  Ian stormed over and yanked Lance up off the floor. Grabbing Lance by the arms, Ian started shaking him. “Listen, Lance, I don’t want to die, but I can take getting killed by stinkers, shot by gangs, hell even killed by wolves, but I can’t take getting killed by a big cat. There is no way they will let me in Heaven with my man card if I get eaten by pussy!”

  Jennifer snorted, shooting snot out her nose as she clamped her hand over her mouth. Lilly bit her bottom lip and turned away from them.

  Lance looked up at Ian in terror. “Motherfucker, we aren’t going pussy hunting for those bitches, especially not at fucking night! Yeah, I was scared out there moving around at night with stinkers, but shit, with two big ass pussy cats, my nuts will fall off and roll under the bed, refusing to come with me!”

  Letting Lance go, Ian stepped back. “I want your word as a valid man card holder that if one of those pussies attacks me, you’ll shoot me. I can die happy in the fact I died because of a gunshot. I’m not going to get eaten by a pussy.”

  “Ian, why don’t I just shoot the fucking tiger?”

  “I may die later from injuries, and that’s worse. I get attacked, ass whooped, and partially eaten by a pussy then die of sickness like a little bitch,” Ian said, crossing his arms. Jennifer sprinted past them into the bedroom, trying not to laugh because she could see Ian was dead serious.

  “Does that include all cats? Like lions, jaguars, panthers?”

  “If they can put ‘Died from getting his ass eaten by pussy’ on my tombstone, yeah, it’s included,” Ian said, setting his chin. He could care less that Jennifer was howling with laughter that he could hear with her door shut.

  “Imgointobed,” Lilly said, biting her bottom lip. When she started to the bedroom, Carrie and Allie took off after her, wanting to know what was so funny.

  Lance closed his eyes, shaking his head. “You’re being unreasonable. You could say, ‘I fought pussy and died.’”

  “Oh, that’s good,” Ian said sarcastically. “I fought pussy, and pussy whooped my ass and ate my dick and balls!”

  “Ian—” Lance started, but Ian held up his hand, stopping him.

  “Do I have your word if a large cat attacks me, you’ll shoot me?” Ian said, and Lance just stared at him. “Lance, if I die later in life fucking pussy, that’s cool! I can look around in the afterlife with a grin. ‘Yeah, I was going at it so hard I died.’” Howling laughter sounded behind the girls’ closed door.

  “Ian, besides the internet and our movies, you’ve never seen a real pussy, much less had one. How in the fuck do you know that you would want to brag about dying while wrapping the wiener in the velvet glove?” Lance said, cutting his eyes at the laughter behind the closed door.

  Ian pointed at Lance with the tip of his finger at the end of Lance’s nose. “Hey, it looks like fun. I can live with ‘Dying while having sex,’ not with ‘Died getting beat up and ate by pussy.’ Now, do I have your word?”

  Stepping back, Lance nodded and held out his hand. “On my man card,” he huffed.

  Taking Lance’s hand, Ian shook it, and Lance could see he was actually relieved. “You want the same?”

  “Nope,” Lance said, looking back at the monitors, but the tigers weren’t in front of the camera anymore. “I’ll just tell everyone in the afterlife I fought the pussy, but the pussy won.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Hearing a loud beeping, Lilly sat up, looking around in a panic. “It’s the alarm clock,” Jennifer yawned, sitting up in her bed on the other side of the room.

  Lilly looked out the bedroom door that was half open and saw only the light from the monitors. As Jennifer turned off the alarm clock, Lilly threw back the covers and got up, stretching. She and Jennifer had sat up talking after laughing their asses off at Ian and Lance.

  When Lilly asked where the parents were, Jennifer told her the story. Lilly felt very sorry for them and said a silent prayer the parents would make it back but didn’t have any hope. She had moved around in this new world and knew she was only alive because of luck and timing.

  “Carrie, Allie, time to get up,” Jennifer said, getting out of bed. Flipping on the lamp on her nightstand, Jennifer saw Lilly petting her dogs that were lying at the foot of the bunk bed. “They were whining at the door last night, so I left it open.”

  Scratching their heads, Lilly nodded. “They like to stay close,” she said and stood up. “So it’s training with the airsoft first, right?”

  “Yep,” Jennifer said, walking over and shaking the girls. “Come on, guys, the boys will be starting soon, and we can’t let them start without us.”

  Allie sat up, rubbing her eyes with her hair puffed out. “I’m up.”

  Jennifer moved to her side of the room with Lilly following. She shared the clothes rack and dresser with Jennifer. Lilly watched what Jennifer put on then dressed identically to her. She looked at the clothes Jennifer had given her and smiled. “It’s nice putting on clean clothes,” Lilly said, pulling on the vest that was set up for airsoft training.

  “Yes, that’s why Ian and Lance aren’t allowed to touch the washer and dryer,” Jennifer said, looking over to see the ladybugs getting dressed slowly.

  Taking the airsoft AR, Lilly put the sling over her head, letting it hang in front of her. She had never seen a sling like the ones they used, and Jennifer
explained it was a one-point sling that turned into a two-point sling. While fighting, the rifle should only be attached at one point to aim easily. One could fight using the rifle when it was attached in the two-point sling, but it was harder to shoot off the opposite shoulder.

  “You think Ian and Lance are going to check on the infected that showed up last night?” Lilly asked, watching Allie and Carrie get dressed.

  “Yeah,” Jennifer said, walking to the dresser. She grabbed a brush and ran it through her hair until most was lying down.

  Glancing in the mirror, Lilly picked the brush up when Jennifer put it down, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. “How often do infected move around here?”

  “Every day,” Jenifer said, grabbing another brush and moving toward Carrie. “We’ve only had, like, two days where we didn’t have to go out and take them down. Our record so far for sweeping the area is twenty-six in one day.”

  “How about when you go out further?” Lilly asked, pulling her hair back, then turned to see Jennifer was brushing Carrie’s hair.

  “When we go out around the cabin, Ian and Lance call it ‘sweeping the area,’” Jennifer said, glancing up at Lilly, then continued brushing. “When we go out further, they call it patrolling.”

  Lilly nodded and moved over to Allie, holding up the brush. “Allie, would you like me to do your hair?”

  Wiping sleep out of her eyes, Allie gave a sluggish smile. “Please.”

  Moving behind her, Lilly slowly brushed her hair. “My brother used to do this for me,” Lilly said.

  “When Ian brushes my hair, it hurts,” Allie said.

  Putting a ponytail in Carrie’s hair, Jennifer looked up at Lilly. “You think those tigers are going to be a problem?”

  “They’re cats and natural hunters no matter if they were in private captivity,” Lilly said. “They could be because they have no fear of humans and might associate humans with easy food, like being fed.”

  “I really don’t want the boys hunting them,” Jennifer said, walking to the dresser and putting the brush down then noticed the lights being turned on outside the door. Dino walked in the door, looked at the dogs, then turned and left. Judy and George took off out the door after him.

  Remembering Ian the night before, Lilly grinned for just a second, and then it fell away. “We might not have a choice,” she said with a little fear. “We will know if they start tracking us.”

  Ian stepped in the doorway, grinning. “Hey guys, ready?”

  “Hell yeah,” Jennifer said, spinning around with a grin.

  Lilly pulled Allie’s hair up in a ponytail and patted her back. “Ready,” she said, and Allie looked over her shoulder with a smile and ran out.

  When they came out, they saw Lance putting the targets on the wall. “Lilly, you’re paired up with Lance today. Once you get the hang of this, we’ll get back to rotating with everyone,” Ian said, passing around a box of pellets. “Allie, you’re with me, and Carrie, you’re with Jennifer.”

  As Lance walked back to them, Ian picked up the remote, and a man came on the screen, explaining the drill. “We’re going last, so you can watch the others,” Lance said, moving beside Lilly.

  “How did you get chosen to be my partner?” Lilly asked as Ian and Allie charged the targets, copying the drill on the massive screen.

  Shrugging as he looked from the screen to Ian and Allie, Lance said, “Chose scissors.”

  Jennifer gave a chuckle, listening, but was looking from the screen to Ian and Allie. “What did Ian choose?” Jennifer asked as Ian called, “Gun down,” and Allie covered him.

  “Rock,” Lance said, watching as Allie changed magazines. “Time out,” Lance said and moved down to Allie. “Allie, when you’re covering when he’s reloading, pull your pistol when your main gun goes empty. You want to keep shooting no matter what.”

  Lilly leaned close to Jennifer’s ear. “What was that about ‘rock and scissors?’” she whispered.

  “Man code rules to decide a dispute,” Jennifer said, watching Ian and Allie do the drill over. “Any dispute lasting any longer than 3 minutes will and must be settled by rock, paper, scissors. There is no argument too important for this determining method,” Jennifer recited.

  Lilly just leaned back, looking at the side of Jennifer’s face. “The loser had to partner with me?”

  “Don’t take it hard,” Jennifer said, slowly turning to look at Lilly. “It’s because they will have to stop and show you the right way to run drills. Ian and Lance keep score on which one runs the most successful drills without stopping.”

  “They are that competitive?”

  Jennifer nodded as Lance came back. “Yep, when we do patrols, they have a stinker hunt. You get to kill stinkers till you miss three times, then it’s the other one’s turn. In reality, they just want to be the best,” Jennifer said in a low voice before Lance rejoined them.

  Lance walked past Jennifer and Carrie as Ian and Allie backed up, firing at the targets. When Lance moved beside her, Lilly tapped him with her elbow. “I’ll do my best; I promise.”

  “That’s all you can do,” Lance said. Needless to say, Ian won big time, but for her first time, everyone was happy with Lilly’s performance.

  With gun training done, everyone went to change. Hanging her gear up, Lilly pulled out her workout clothes. “That was intense,” she said, pulling her boots off.

  “We will be moving outside to do the other DVDs,” Jennifer said, putting on her tennis shoes.

  “Jennifer, can I watch the ones all of you have already done?”

  “Sure,” Jennifer said, getting up. “Let’s see what they are doing today, and if we can, I’ll set it up, and you can run through the drills.”

  Everyone grabbed their real rifles and tote bags before leaving the room and found the boys waiting by the back door. “How in the hell do they move so fast?” Lilly whispered to Jennifer.

  “Have no idea,” Jennifer said, shaking her head. “I can guarantee you if we were to go in their room, we would find it completely neat with beds already made.”

  Ian held the door open, and they walked out, heading to the gym. Seeing Ian and Lance talking behind them, Jennifer moved closer to Lilly. “We don’t clean our room till after we shower. We tried doing it as we went, but Ian and Lance were getting impatient waiting on us,” Jennifer whispered. “They didn’t seem to mind our room being messy, but I’ll be damned if they are going to be neat and organized while our area looks like shit.”

  “Sounds good,” Lilly said with a nod. “But I think we need to work on it to show them girls rule.”

  “Oh yeah, I like the sound of that,” Jennifer grinned as they walked in the gym.

  After the gym, everyone went to feed the animals as the ladybugs gathered eggs; then, they headed back in the cabin. Lilly always worked out and wasn’t tired from it. But her hands, wrist, forearms, and legs were sore as hell from hitting and kicking the punching bags. Seeing Allie and Carrie take off with towels to shower, Lilly moved over to the bunk bed, making hers and the girls’ top bunk.

  Jennifer nodded at that and made her bed quickly then started gathering the dirty clothes. When the ladybugs came back, the room was tidy and neat. “Girls,” Jennifer said, grabbing a towel. “Start breakfast, and we’ll be there soon.”

  When Lance stepped out of the bedroom, he stopped, seeing the ladybugs already cooking. “Getting faster,” he mumbled, walking over to the shop vac, and started cleaning up the pellets. Finished getting dressed, Ian came out and helped Lance.

  “When do you think we can let Lilly know about the bunker and give her a key to the cabin?” Ian asked, taking the targets off the wall and door.

  “I’m thinking she needs a key now,” Lance said, turning the shop vac off. “If she’s outside and needs in quickly to help or something, that could be bad for everyone.”

  Putting the paper targets away, Ian nodded. “Let’s ask the others, and if they agree, show her the bunker, but don’t give her
the code—at least not yet.”

  “What do you think about the hidden shop area?”

  “She really doesn’t need to know about it,” Ian said as Lance took the top off the vacuum cleaner. “Lilly has enough to do with catching up. I think we can tell her later.”

  When Jennifer and Lilly stepped out of the bathroom, they saw Lance and Ian pulling the washed pellets out of the sink using a strainer. “Told you they would have it done already,” Jennifer said, walking in the bedroom.

  Closing the door, Lilly went to the clothes rack and pulled down pants and shirts. “Okay, tonight, we sit and think up ways to get ready faster,” she said, getting dressed. “Are you sure they get up at four?”

  “No,” Jennifer said, pulling on her boots. “They get up at 0430. I tried getting up earlier but was tired all day, and the ladybugs had to take a nap.”

  “We can do it,” Lilly said with determination.

  They froze, hearing a knock on the door. Quickly, they pulled on their shirts, and Jennifer moved to the door. She opened it to see Lance. “We’re almost done.”

  “Oh, I just wanted you to come out for a second. We want to ask you something,” he said, looking her in the eye.

  Understanding Lance wanted just her, Jennifer turned around. “Lilly, they want to talk ‘guy.’ Can you wait here for a second?”

  “Sure,” Lilly said nervously. When Jennifer left, she closed the door, and Lilly grabbed the towels, putting them in the clothes basket. She sat down tying her boots, hoping she was doing well enough to stay.

  The door opened, and Lilly jumped up to see Jennifer walk in with a grin. “Hey, Lilly, you need to come out here,” she said with a wink.

  Relieved with Jennifer’s expression, Lilly smiled and walked out. She saw everyone else standing around the kitchen table. “Lilly, we talked it over and want you to keep this on you when you leave the cabin for any reason,” Lance said, holding up a massive, brass-looking key.