Turners | Book 3 | Junction

by Thomas, Ellis

  Directing her attention to the boys, she said, “I’ve also made a list of things you should know about their care,” and she handed the list to Mason. “Read up on these notes, boys, so you give those pups the best possible advantage. They might one day save your life.” Then she gave each of them a big hug. “You don’t know how much I’m going to miss you.” Her voice choked a little and she wiped the corners of her eyes. “I’m going to expect frequent updates on how these little ones are doing!”

  The boys promised her the pups would have the best of care, and Sydney was sure Krissy knew they’d keep that promise.

  Jason had been standing quietly to the side, watching Mason, Christian, and Austin. “We’re really going to miss these boys around here,” he said to Joshua. “Going to miss both of you, too,” he said. “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

  “I imagine we’ll be back in a couple of months,” Joshua said, looking at Sydney. “We’d better get started. Looks like we’ll be making a few extra pit stops along the way.”

  Jason helped them load their bags into the Suburban. Then, with three excited boys and three even more excited dogs in tow, they headed over to Vic’s to say their farewells to Frances. They were already missing her sorely—Sydney, because of the deep friendship they had formed, and the boys and Joshua, well, Sydney was sure it would be a tie between Frances and her cooking.

  When they walked into Vic’s, Frances was busy cleaning up after the last group of diners. She stopped when she saw them. Walking over, she hugged them without saying a word. Departures were always uneasy because no one ever knew what would happen when someone left the safety of a group.

  The next stop was to see Jon and George. After that, there was a quick stop back at Krissy’s to pick up the rest of the dog supplies, and they were on their way.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The journey to Aftertown turned out to be more eventful than they anticipated. The second night they were doing their normal camp setup; Mason and Austin were seeing what they could shoot in the way of small game, Christian was setting up his perimeter alarms and booby traps, and Sydney was putting up the tents, banking the fire pit and making a secure area for the pups. Joshua was out driving the camp’s perimeter to make sure there were no signs of danger in the immediate vicinity.

  When Joshua returned and stepped out of the Suburban, Sydney noticed he had an odd smile on his face. “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “Better than you could imagine!” he replied. “Come here a minute,” he said as he waved Sydney and Christian over with his hand and started walking to the back of the car.

  They both stopped what they were doing and hurried over to the Suburban. When he lifted the back hatch, they couldn’t believe what they saw. Lying on a blanket were two coyote pups, probably about two weeks old.

  Joshua told them that while he’d been making his rounds, he’d noticed some movement in the brush. Whatever it was, it wasn’t big enough to be a Turner, but he knew as well as anyone that plenty of other dangers lurk in the desert. Making sure he had enough ammunition, he crept up on the rustling brush. As he got closer, he heard some faint whimpering, and as he pushed aside some of the scrub, he saw the two coyote pups, rolling around in an indented area in the ground.

  After watching them a few minutes to make sure they weren’t contaminated, he reached down and picked one of them up. There was no indication the mother was anywhere nearby, and the pups were obviously weak and hungry. Walking around the immediate area, he could see evidence of a recent struggle. Then he caught sight of spattered blood. Following the trail, he came upon the body of the mother. From the looks of things, she had apparently played the decoy to protect her babies, but whatever had chased her had gotten what it wanted. Joshua’s guess was a bobcat was responsible and the attack had been recent. The predator hadn’t returned for the pups yet.

  He couldn’t leave them there to die of starvation or be killed, so he picked them up and put them in a snug place in the Suburban. As he finished his perimeter check, an idea began to form in his mind.

  “I think we’ve just acquired a great start to our canine patrol,” he said. “Christian, grab some of the soft dog food Krissy made. As young as they are, I don’t know if we can get them to eat solid food, but let’s give it a try.”

  The pups weren’t quite sure what to do with the food at first. They pawed at it and ended up wearing a lot of it on their faces. With some help, though, they eventually figured it out. When they’d had their fill, they curled up against each other and promptly fell sleep, their little bellies bulging.

  Sydney and the others were amazed at God’s providence. With Captain Jack and Aussie’s three pups and now these two coyote pups, they had a healthy mix for breeding Coydogs.

  16 Reunion

  Their arrival in Aftertown was nothing short of a celebration. Jeremy and Aaron had been notified that they were close and had gathered Jen and Savannah on their way to the front gate.

  The Suburban had barely stopped before Sydney jumped out and ran straight into Jen’s outstretched arms.

  “Wow! You have a tummy!” Sydney said, surprised at her transformation.

  “It was a surprise to all of us!” Jen replied, laughing. “For a while there I just thought I had a virus, and then after I started feeling better, I gained a little weight, but I still didn’t think much about it. I’ve never been very regular. Even though I’m about seven months along, I only started looking pregnant about three weeks ago.” She was radiant.

  As they continued talking, Sydney wondered what it would be like to have a life growing inside of her. Maybe one day she’d know, with Joshua’s baby.

  Aaron was absolutely beaming. Sydney gave him a big hug and let him know again how happy she was for them.

  Joshua was hugging Savannah when Sydney broke in and got her turn. She had really missed Jen and Savannah. They were like sisters to her.

  The boys wasted no time showing everyone the pups from Junction and the new pups they had picked up on the way. Aaron and Jeremy took an immediate interest, since they already had the vision of a canine patrol. They had shared the idea with Cade Bowen, a practicing veterinarian there in Aftertown, right after they returned from Junction. They assured the boys that Cade would know exactly what to do with the coyote pups.

  When the greetings were finished, Jen, Savannah, and Sydney decided to walk over to Savannah’s to catch up on plans for the upcoming wedding and all the town’s news. The rest piled into the Suburban, along with the pups, and went to look for Cade.

  They hadn’t walked far when they met up with Deby and Leesa, who had come to welcome Sydney back to Aftertown.

  “Leesa is my star student,” Savannah said as she put her arm around the girl, “and my right hand!”

  Leesa blushed.

  “I love it!” she said. “Besides, hanging with Savannah isn’t exactly work!” They all laughed because they knew how true that was.

  “And I’m the slave driver of them both!” Deby said, which led to more laughter. “How are things in Junction?” she asked Sydney.

  “Really nice, except for the Turners waltzing into town every so often. I hope one day you’ll all get to meet the folks who live there. They’re still struggling with some security issues, but they have a plan they’re working on, and I think that will improve.”

  “What good news to know we’re not alone,” Deby said. Then, with a touch of disappointment in her voice, she added, “I have a heavy schedule at the hospital, but I had to tag along when Leesa said she was popping over to see you. How long will you be here?”

  “Probably a month or so,” Sydney replied.

  “Oh, that’s great!” Deby said, looking greatly relieved. “We have plenty of time to catch up, then. I really want to hear more about Junction.” Turning to Leesa, she asked, “Are you coming back now, or shall I have to get out the whip?”

  Leesa giggled and looked at Sydney. “I do have a lot of chores waiting. Deby’s a
lso letting me do some basic lab work, so I have my hands full,” she told her.

  “She really seems to have a mind for medicine,” Deby remarked. “Her grasp of medical concepts is amazing, and she’s exceptionally disciplined and focused for a thirteen-year-old.”

  Putting her arm around Leesa again and leading her away, she called over her shoulder, “Back to the grindstone now. We’ll see you later!”

  As Savannah, Jen, and Sydney continued their walk, Sydney asked Savannah, “How are you and Jeremy getting along?”

  “Love him more all the time,” she said, smiling softly.

  “Guess that was a dumb question, considering you’re getting married,” Sydney admitted with a little embarrassment.

  Savannah thought a moment and said, “It’s not a dumb question. I’ve seen a lot of people get married out of desperation, just to have someone near, should they meet their end, or to have a survival partner. I feel blessed that that’s not my situation.”

  “I know what you mean. Joshua and I feel the same way,” Sydney said.

  “Oh, that’s right! In all the commotion, I completely forgot. Congratulations to you, too! Aaron told us the great news. When’s the wedding?”

  “We haven’t set a date, but it won’t be long.”

  “Maybe before you leave, so we can all join in?” Jen suggested.

  Sydney laughed. “Right now, all I know is that it will definitely be here!”

  “Well, all I know is that—” Jen began before an alert signal from the town’s new alarm system interrupted her.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The alert signal indicated that a lookout in one of the towers had radioed the operations hut that something wasn’t right.

  Sydney followed Savannah and Jen as they headed for one of the weapons caches strategically placed throughout the town—another safety improvement that Aaron and Jeremy had made. Everyone had been trained to be able to use at least four different weapons, from pistols to rifles. The weapons in the caches were regularly inspected and were loaded for emergencies such as this. Many people still carried their own personal gun, but the caches ensured that everyone had rapid access to a weapon.

  A few minutes later, a different alarm rang, letting everyone know which direction the attack was coming from. Jen headed straight for the designated “safe” place in town, because of her condition, while Savannah and Sydney made their way toward the section of Aftertown that was most at risk, based on the alarm. Knowing that the boys were with Joshua, Aaron, and Jeremy, Sydney was able to focus on the task at hand.

  As she and Savannah got close enough to look out beyond the town’s perimeter, Sydney could vaguely make out a handful of Turners. She couldn’t understand why all the commotion for such a small threat, but within minutes it became clear. Behind the first few swaggering Turners was an entire horde. The ones in front were fresh transitions that had outpaced the others. Searching through the townspeople, Sydney spotted Joshua and the boys and hurried to join them.

  Then the fight began.

  A sharpshooter took out the first one at three hundred yards, and everyone waited for the rest to get within range. Before long, everyone had more than they could handle, and Turners were dropping all over.

  Turners usually bunched together, so it was usually fairly easy to hit them. Even if shooters missed their intended target, there was almost always another Turner close enough to get hit. They only spread out when the de-brained ones piling up on the ground in front of them became difficult to walk over.

  Trying to anticipate their line of movement was not so easy, and there was the constant need to be frugal with ammunition. The townspeople did their best to make every shot count.

  Sydney noticed that Leesa had fine-tuned her shooting skills. She brought down every Turner in her sight on the first attempt. For that matter, they all were aiming well.

  The confrontation was finished within thirty minutes, and the nasty job of going out and torching the corpses was left to a specialized crew that handled the flamethrowers. Naturally, Christian volunteered to give them a hand.

  Joshua found Sydney and led her to a quiet spot, where he pulled her close and kissed her. Long. Then he took her hand without saying a word and began walking again.

  Sydney followed along silently, waiting for him to share what he was thinking. They came to a garden area that served as the town’s park, and Joshua led her over to a huge Chilean mesquite tree. He turned around to face her, leaning back against the tree. Taking both of her hands in his, he looked into her eyes.

  “Care to tell me about it?” she asked.

  “I can’t go another day without having you as my wife. Sydney, death hounds us every step we take, and I don’t want to be separated from you anymore.”

  “But we’re together all the time.” She couldn’t help playing with him just a little.

  “No, we’re not. Every night you go to your quarters and I go to mine. I want you by my side every possible moment, not just the daytime.”

  “Okay. So, what do we do about it?” she asked, trying to suppress a smile. He was so serious.

  “I want to get married this weekend, after Jeremy and Savannah finish celebrating. I’d do it right now, but you deserve your own special moment, and I want to make sure we don’t steal the show away from Savannah.”

  Sydney had anticipated this for so long that she was having a hard time believing she was finally going to be with this wonderful man as his wife. He was going to be her husband. They would have children! With red hair!

  For Joshua’s sake, she kept her reply simple. “You know I’m ready. I’ve been ready for a long time.”

  His gaze was so soft. He pulled her close, kissed her again, and then held her tightly. Sydney could have stayed in that moment forever, just listening to their hearts beat.

  When he finally loosened his hold on her, he looked at her with a peaceful smile. “Now our life will begin.”

  17 I Do, I Do

  Savannah was the first person they told.

  “We’ll have a double wedding!” Savannah said as she clapped her hands with glee.

  “No, we can’t. That’s your day!” Sydney replied, shaking her head.

  “Nonsense! Getting married at the same time will only make the celebration more special, if that’s even possible!” Then, after a moment’s thought, she added, “That is, unless you want your own celebration, in which case I completely understand.”

  “I would love to share the day with you, if you’re sure you don’t mind. I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Sydney was already picturing the double ceremony in her mind.

  Joshua opened his mouth to object, but Savannah glanced at him and cut him off.

  “Let’s see. We have six days, and you’ll need a dress.”

  “I have some friends in Junction I’d love to invite, if they can make it. Joshua, can we call Frances and Krissy?”

  He was leaning against the wall, watching them with amusement.

  “If you’re absolutely sure,” he started, not entirely convinced that this was the best idea.

  Savannah raised her eyebrows and grinned, shaking her head yes. Joshua looked at Sydney and gave in. “Come on, then. Let’s go to the communication hut,” he said, holding out his hand.

  “I’ll come back here as soon as we’re done,” Sydney told Savannah. She started to walk away with Joshua but then turned around and gave Savannah a big hug. “You have no idea what this means to me!”

  “Sharing the biggest day of my life with my brother and soon-to-be sister is the only way I would have it. Now, go work on your guest list!” She pushed Sydney away, laughing.

  “We’d better fill the boys in on the change of plans first, so they don’t hear it from someone else,” Joshua said as they left, and Sydney, anticipating their reaction, agreed.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  When they made contact with Junction, there was no shortage of excitement and congratulations. Sydney knew that Joshua and George had beco
me close, but she was still surprised when George said he was coming to Aftertown for the wedding. Junction could do fine without him for a few days, he said, and when Sydney had a chance to talk to Frances and Krissy, they, of course, said they’d be coming with George.

  “Thank you both so much! I was hoping you would come. By the way,” Sydney said a little shyly to Frances, “Leandra’s dress was so beautiful, and, well, I was wondering if you could make a dress for me? It doesn’t need to be ornate. Just something simple, but special.”

  “Girl,” Frances said, “I already have it designed in my head! I knew you two wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer!”

  “And I know just the material!” Krissy chimed in.

  “You both are too wonderful. Thank you, thank you, THANK you! But more than for the dress, thank you for coming. It wouldn’t be the same without you,” Sydney told them.

  “It’s settled then,” Frances said. “We’ll see you on Saturday. We’d love to keep chatting, really, but we have to go now. Krissy and I have a lot of work to do!”

  Though she was choked up with emotion, Sydney managed to say, “Can’t wait to see you!” and they signed off.

  The next several days were a blur, with all the preparations that were necessary for a double wedding. It seemed to Sydney as though everybody in town was helping out in some way. Deby had many hidden talents that she put to good use as she created a dream environment for the nuptials.

  When Saturday morning finally arrived, Sydney could hardly wait for their friends to arrive and for the afternoon ceremony to begin. At about eleven o’clock, they got the news that a car had been spotted, so Joshua, Sydney, and the boys went to meet their friends from Junction.

  After all the hugging and hellos were out of the way, Frances and Krissy led Sydney to the back of their SUV, opened the doors, and pulled out a box.

  “Go ahead and open it!” Frances said with unconcealed excitement.

  Sydney’s heart was pounding, not only at the thought of having a special dress, but also because of what that dress represented. Opening the box, she caught her breath. She carefully lifted the dress and let it drape open. Jen, Savannah, and Leesa walked up right around that time and immediately started oohing and ahhing.