Forager (9781771275606)

by Scheer, Ron

  Chane’s eyes filled with tears. “Can I come back?”

  “Only if your father approves. I won’t harbor you against his will. I’m sorry. It’s not safe for the rest of us.”

  I refused to acknowledge Chane and stared at the horses instead. “Where’s Bonnie, the horse Josh rode?” I asked.

  “I could care less about the loudmouth, but the horse can be put to good use. Don’t worry, as long as you deliver, you’ll get both of them back.”

  Fred gave me a look that said, What have you got us into this time?

  After patting her neck, I prepared to mount. It was then that I noticed Fred carried nothing but her saddle. “Where’s the saddlebags and weapons? Those belong to the Forager.”

  “Very well. Marsh—” she called to one of the men working in the coral. “Get the saddlebags and everything that was in them. The weapons, too.” To me she said, “I don’t need an angry Forager on top of everything else.”

  While Marsh collected Sawyer’s belongings, Chane stood next to me and stared at the ground. I could have spoken to her, but I chose not to hear her excuses.

  Fred tossed her head and snorted. I think she was impatient to be off.

  When everything arrived, I fastened the saddlebags to Fred’s saddle. Rasp unloaded Sawyer’s rifle. When it was empty, she handed me the gun. Then she unscrewed the broadhead tips from the arrows and placed them in a leather satchel she wore around her neck. When she was done, she handed me both the bow and the shafts.

  I had Sawyers weapons, but unless I wanted to use them as clubs, they were useless. It reminded me of the one thing I hadn’t told her. “Rasp, medicines aren’t the only thing in the cache.”

  “Yes?”

  Fred stamped her hoof. Let’s go already.

  Reaching up, I rubbed her behind her ear. “There’s a small arsenal in there—rifles, shotguns, handguns. There’s lots of ammo, too.”

  “And you’re telling me this now, because?”

  “You’ll have plenty of weapons. I’d like the broadheads back. They’re scarce.”

  “If everything is as you say, I will return the arrowheads, provided you wait until you are a least a mile away before screwing them back in.”

  It was more than I hoped for. I nodded my head in easy agreement.

  “Are you ready?” she asked.

  I mounted Fred and pulled Chane up behind me. “Ready.”

  Fred snorted. It’s about time.

  It was evening, but we had a fair amount of daylight left. It would have to be enough.

  It was hard to ride Fred with Chane behind me. I was glad four other Scavengers and a team of horses pulling one of the big grain wagons accompanied us. They’d be there in case I got us into trouble.

  The uneventful trip took about half of our daylight. It gave me plenty of time to consider all the ways the mayor was going to kill me.

  Leaving Chane and Fred with Rasp’s guards, I headed for the bushes. It was easier to get behind them in the daylight, but I still suffered more scratches squirming my way between the house and the thick shrubs. The rock was right where I’d left it. Bending down to get the key, I saw the pry bar I’d lost.

  I picked it up and bounced the tool in my palm. The weight of the cool steel twisted my thoughts. A solid hit on the back of the head when Rasp wasn’t looking would solve a lot of my problems. It wouldn’t work out here in the open, though. I’d have to wait until she was inside, away from her guards. Once she was down, it was straight to the basement, load a gun, and take out the guards. Then I could take Chane and the Scavengers’ horses and wagon back to town where I could gather the townsfolk to rescue Josh.

  I shook my head and let the pry bar fall. Hating myself for even thinking I could do something like that. Rasp was decent enough, and she seemed sincere about our deal.

  I collected the key from under the rock, climbed out of the bushes, and unlocked the front door. Rasp followed close on my heels. I couldn’t blame her for staying behind me, especially after my brutal thoughts—she had to figure I’d try something, given the chance.

  I led her to the basement. The light coming in from the walk-out door showed me the furniture and frizzy brown carpet, which were only shadows in my poorly lit first visit. Rasp pointed at the hole in the cinderblocks. “You do this?”

  I nodded.

  “You went through a lot of work.”

  “Yeah.” Keeping my eyes on her face as I pulled the door open and ushered her inside. Her expression remained stoic and unreadable. “Can I have the broadheads now?” I asked.

  She handed me her leather satchel. I fished out the arrowheads and handed it back. She never took her eyes off of the contents of that room.

  “I’ll be back in the morning with the doctor.”

  Rasp still didn’t say anything. I left her standing in the doorway. I opened the sliding glass door and walked around to the front of the house where Chane and the Scavengers were waiting.

  Marsh, Rasp’s hostler, held the reins of the horses pulling the grain wagon. “It would be easiest for you to move the wagon around to the back of the house,” I said. “There’s a door there that will make loading easier.”

  Chane stood next to Fred. She twirled her right index finger through her long hair while the fingers on her left hand drummed against her leg. “I don’t want to go back. Dad’s gonna kill me,” she said in a small and fearful voice.

  You and me both.

  A tiny piece of me pitied her, but mostly I was too hurt and angry to care. I climbed on Fred and sat there looking straight ahead, waiting. A few moments later Chane let out a heavy sigh. The saddle jostled slightly as she climbed up and settled in behind me. Nudging Fred into a walk, I pointed us back to town.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The great orange ball of the setting sun filled the sky, too low on the horizon to provide light the entire way home. A few days ago I’d have jumped at the opportunity to ride with Chane. I’d have given anything to spend some time alone with her. Now all I wanted was to take her home. I’d finally seen past her pretty face to the selfish, immature, and devious girl she was. I couldn’t wait to get back to town so I could dump her on her father.

  “You’re not going to tell my father I ran away are you?” It sounded like something an eight-year-old would say.

  “I won’t, if you tell me why your father has made it illegal to hunt,” I said.

  “Dillon, I can’t. My dad…he made us promise. I…I can’t. He’d kill me if I told. You don’t know what he’s like when he’s mad.”

  I had a pretty good idea.

  I decided to let it go. I wasn’t going to force it out of her. Besides, I’d rather hear it from the mayor. He needed to be honest with me, and everyone. If things returned to normal, I’d be getting my jolts in a day or two. I resolved to make sure I left the town square with the answer.

  “Please, Dillon, you can’t say anything to him about me running away.”

  I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. The mayor deserved to know the truth. The whole town did. To buy some time I asked, “How did you even manage to find the Scavengers in the first place?”

  “It wasn’t hard. I waited until nightfall when they came to collect their dead and wounded. It was easy enough to follow them. Dillon, if you keep quiet, I’ll go to next movie night with you.”

  I’d sooner take Fred.

  She must have sensed my indifference. “I’ll ask my dad to drop the charges. It’ll be like a reward for rescuing me.” Her voice rose with excitement, like she expected me to jump at a deal like that.

  A few days ago I would have. Now, the jolts didn’t scare me as much. It was pain, discomfort, and public humiliation, but what of it? Once I was through it, it would be over. In time, people would forget it happened. In time, I might too.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “How did you know there were medicines in that house?” she asked.

  I reveled in the chance to tell her what had happe
ned in town the last few days and didn’t try to sugarcoat it. She should know how much trouble she’d caused. I started with the search for the alternator, which was made more desperate by the ransom demand she and the Scavengers cooked up. Then I told her about the town-wide search for her, and how it cost us most of a day’s work. My voice cracked when I mentioned Sawyer, the infection in his leg, and my quest to see him healed.

  “Did the medicine work? Is he better?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. He only took the medicine this morning. Dr. White said it would be at least two days before he’d know.”

  Thinking of Sawyer made me wonder what he would do in my position. Would he tell the mayor his daughter faked the kidnapping? Or would he keep quiet, thinking that it couldn’t be changed, so why share information that would only cause hurt and anger?

  We rode in silence after that. The sunset turned a beautiful pinkish-orange. It would have been wonderful to have some special to share it with. Instead, I was stuck with Chane.

  Fred’s steady clomp clomp eventually led us back to town. A crowd of people gathered at the city limit sign, even though darkness had fallen.

  Cries of “Chane, Chane,” echoed through the night. Hands reached up to pat my leg. I heard things like, “Good job, Dillon,” and “Way to go.”

  Faking a smile on the chance they could see my face, I needed to at least act like I’d done something special. A few days ago, bringing Chane back to the cheers of the townsfolk was exactly what I had wanted. Now because of her actions, my heroics were hollow, even if the crowd didn’t know it. I felt cheated.

  Chane grabbed my shoulder and whispered, “Please don’t tell anyone.”

  Then she was pulled off of Fred by people desperate to touch her, assuring themselves she was really there.

  The mayor, Jason, and Chane’s mother arrived. After hugging her, they still clung to her. The mayor put his arm around Chane’s shoulders, her mother held one hand, and Jason the other. It was like they were afraid to let go.

  Suddenly, the mayor’s ex-wife cried out, “Where’s Josh?” Then louder, “Where’s my son?”

  Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I said, “I need to speak with the mayor, Frank Miller, and Dr. White as soon as possible.”

  More voices—”Dr. White? Why does he need the doctor? Is Josh hurt? What happened to Josh? Where is he?”

  A moment later, Frank touched my leg. “What happened? Where’s Josh?”

  Another hand grabbed my other leg. It was Jason. “Where’s Josh, Orphan Boy? If you let something happen to him, I’ll beat you bloody.”

  Frank took Fred’s bridle and led us away from the crowd. The mayor, his former wife, Jason, and Chane followed close behind.

  When we were far enough away from the crowd to speak privately, Frank said, “What happened to Josh?”

  “Let’s find Dr. White first. That way I don’t have to say everything twice.”

  “Just tell me,” the mayor said. “Is Josh all right?”

  “Yes, he’s still with the Scavengers. I’ll explain everything when we’re all together.”

  Chane’s mom burst into tears. The mayor went to her. He spoke too quietly for me to hear, but a few seconds later he rejoined Frank, Jason, and me. Chane and her mom turned for home, her mother holding tight to Chane’s arm.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t sure if I was going to tell the mayor about her, but having Chane there would’ve only made it harder if I decided to.

  Frank set a quick pace, and when we reached the doors of the infirmary the mayor sent Jason to find the doctor. The three of us were left waiting.

  I rehearsed a few phrases in my head. No one was going to be happy about what I’d done. I wanted to make sure they understood my lack of options.

  Dr. White arrived, lighting the way with a single candle. Its flickering flame bounced shadows off the walls. Beside him, Sawyer hobbled along on a pair of crutches, and Jason followed them. Sawyer’s presence gave me courage.

  “How’s the leg?” I asked.

  “It hurts. The doctor says it’s too early to tell if the medicine is working.”

  Dr. White led us to a small room that held a table and chairs. He dripped some wax from the candle on the table and then set the candle in it to hold it upright.

  “So what’s this about? Where’s my son?” the mayor asked.

  “Josh is being held by the Scavengers. They want the doctor to come out and care for their wounded. Once he has, Josh will be released.”

  “That’s it? What about filling all those wagons?” Frank asked.

  “They don’t want that anymore.”

  “So all they want is the doctor?” Jason asked. “Are they planning on kidnapping him next?”

  I wondered again how the Scavengers had earned their reputation as savages and if it was warranted. “No, both the doctor and Josh will be free to go after the doctor has seen to the wounded.”

  “This doesn’t make sense,” Frank said. “They wouldn’t give up all of those supplies just for a visit from the doctor. What aren’t you telling us?”

  I gulped. This was the moment I’d been dreading. Keeping my voice low, I made sure to speak clearly. I didn’t want to have to say it twice. “I led them to the cache.”

  The mayor exploded out of his seat and slapped his hands down hard on the table. “You did what?” The candle flame bounced wildly. The dark moving shadows it cast on the mayor’s face made him look like a snarling wolf.

  Jason yelled, “You really are stupid, Orphan Boy!”

  Frank shook his head and sighed.

  Dr. White’s face paled. The hollow look of loss in his eyes was incalculable. He said one word— “No.” It came out in a heart-wrenching whisper.

  Sawyer gazed across the table at me with a thoughtful look on his face.

  Frank tried to take charge of the room. “Okay, everybody, I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason for this.”

  There was, but no reason I could give would ever be good enough for the mayor.

  “It’s done,” said Sawyer. “I suggest that you two,” he pointed at Jason and the mayor, “get a hold of your emotions.”

  The mayor’s rage turned on Sawyer. “What do you know about it? You and the boy probably planned this from the start!”

  Sawyer’s smile was cold and grim. “I wish I had. It’s actually a very good idea.”

  The mayor was about to yell something else when Frank grabbed his arm and coaxed him into his chair. “I for one would like to hear why the Forager thinks it’s such a great idea.”

  “Here’s why,” Sawyer said. “The Scavengers now have something you need. Given the opportunity to trade or fight, what would you do?”

  “I say we fight,” said the mayor. “Dillon can lead us to their camp. We shoot anyone we see. We take back my son, and the medicines and guns that rightfully belong to us!”

  Jason yelled, “Yes!”

  “Listen to yourself, Harold,” Frank said. “Do you hear what’s coming out of your own mouth? You sound like a….like a Scavenger.”

  “I wouldn’t do it, anyway,” I said. “If we show up with an army, they aren’t going to sit back and let you shoot them. More people would die. More people would be injured, and not just Scavengers.”

  Sawyer cleared his throat to quiet us. With help from his crutches, he stood, bent over the table, and looked the mayor straight in the eye. “The only military action the governor would approve against the Scavengers is one of defense. You know the governor wants every able-bodied person working to fill the quotas. If you take the fight to the Scavengers and lose even one worker to death or injury, you will lose his support, and most likely, the leadership of this town. Send the doctor. Let him treat their injured, and free your son.”

  The mayor covered his face with his hands. His chest rose with a great indrawn breath. He held that breath, and held it, and held it. I watched his chest slowly deflate. When he took his hands away from his face, he w
as calm, calmer than I’d seen him since before I’d shot the deer. “You’re right. I don’t like it, but I’ll not risk Josh’s life in an attack that’s sure to get more of us killed.”

  Dr. White remained quiet throughout the discussion. Now he stood and said, “I will do my part. I took an oath a long time ago to help however I could, wherever I could. Though I wish it didn’t have to be Scavengers.”

  “Is it settled then?” Frank asked.

  I was the first to stand. One by one, the others around the table stood in agreement. The mayor stood last.

  “I’ll be ready in the morning,” Dr. White said with a sigh.

  “Dillon, why don’t you sleep here tonight?” suggested Frank. “I’m sure the doctor can find you a bed. That way the two of you can leave at first light.”

  “I need to tend to Fred,” I said.

  Sawyer nodded approvingly.

  “Don’t worry,” Frank said. “I’ll see to her and have her and a horse for the doctor ready in the morning.”

  Frank left with Jason close on his heels. The mayor waited until they were out of the room before he spoke. “Dillon. Thank…thank you for bringing Chane back.”

  I locked my fingers behind my head and squeezed the back of my skull. How could this man hate me so much one minute and appreciate me the next?

  He turned to leave. “Wait,” I said. “There’s something you, and only you, need to know.”

  The mayor waved Dr. White and Sawyer out of the room.

  When we were alone, I said, “Chane wasn’t kidnapped. She ran away.”

  The mayor looked at me for a long time without saying anything. I couldn’t tell if he believed me. After a while, I tore my gaze away from his and fixed it on the candle flame.

  Maybe my silence would have been better, but I couldn’t see how. The mayor needed to know what his daughter was capable of. Now he could take steps to make sure she didn’t endanger the town again. The funny thing was, I expected to feel a bit of remorse at betraying her. I didn’t. Instead, a great weight lifted off my chest.

  I stood there and gazed at the flame until the mayor left.

  Prying the candle loose from the wax, I walked out into the hallway. Dr. White and Sawyer were waiting for me.