Home Coming (The Survivalist Book 10)

by A. American

  She took it and looked it over for a long time. “It’s strange to be holding a package like this. Haven’t seen packaged food in so long. The one last night had so much food in it.”

  “You eat it and enjoy it.”

  “We’re going to go look at the gate,” Dad said. “Go ahead and pack everything you want to take.”

  Taking a knife from the block on the counter, Mom cut the bag open and replied, “I will. But I’m going to have something like a real breakfast first.”

  We left the house and started towards the gate. It was still dark, but the air was heavy. It must be eighty degrees already; it was going to be a hot day. The streets were dark and empty, and we walked in silence. Rounding the end of the block, we could see the gate. The men from the night before were still on duty, manning the same positions behind the sandbag emplacements.

  Sarge stopped in front of the position, looking at the gate. “Any of you boys wander out there for a looksee?”

  “Hell no,” the man I gave the AK to replied. “We’re not about to run out there and get our asses shot off.”

  Sarge gripped the Minimi and said, “Well, there’s enough of us now.”

  “I don’t think anyone is going to be out there,” Dad said. “Last night was a hell of a surprise for them.”

  “That’s all it takes,” Sarge replied. “Make the investment not worth the return.”

  We formed a line and started advancing towards the gate. The sky was just beginning to turn purple as the sun was waking. One of the men began opening the gate as we covered him. Swinging the gate fully open, we stepped out onto the road.

  The acrid stench of fire hung heavy in the air and smoke still drifted in faint wisps straight up into the thick still morning air. I passed on the driver’s side with Dad. Danny and Sarge went up the other. The men from the neighborhood provided “cover” from behind the sandbags. I was more worried about them accidentally shooting me in the back than anything else.

  We found three bodies and two blood trails leaving the area. We collected the weapons that were left behind. I walked over to the driver’s door of the truck and looked in. The driver was still behind the wheel. Or at least his blackened form was. A burned human is a horrible thing to see. What was left of the lips was pulled back into a sneer, showing the bared teeth that hung open in an eternal scream with no sound.

  “Doesn’t look like there’s anything to worry about here,” Sarge said. He waved for the men to come out from behind the sandbags and called out to them. “Come on out here and search these bodies. Take anything useful, and then you’ll need to bury them pretty quick too.”

  The men came out, and the one with the AK looked down at the bodies. “We should have thrown them into the truck last night.”

  “Maybe,” Sarge replied. “But it would’ve stunk to high heaven.”

  Dad was looking at the charred truck and said, “And that smell will never leave you.”

  The man with the AK nodded. “No, it won’t.”

  Mel looked out the window at the kids in the backyard. Aric and Fred were sitting on the porch watching them play. She was feeling better, her pregnancy progressing to the stage that morning sickness was waning. Mel smiled as the kids ran through the sprinkler and took to their bellies to slide down a piece of long black plastic that served as their impromptu slip-n-slide.

  “Hand me that other jug of milk,” Kay said.

  Mel picked up the half-gallon jug and handed it to her. “Here, I’ll measure the vanilla.”

  As Kay poured the milk into a large bowl, Mel measured out a tablespoon of the real vanilla and poured it in with the milk. Kay added the sugar to it and started stirring.

  “When this one’s done, we’ll have nearly two gallons ready,” Kay said.

  “This will make for a really nice surprise when they get back,” Mel said.

  Kay glanced over at her and asked, “You think his folks are still alive? It’s been a long time.”

  Mel took a deep breath. “Morgan’s dad is a tough man. He’s spent a lot of his life fishing and hunting. He worked for the state in the woods and on the water. If anyone is alive. He is. Morgan learned a lot from him.”

  Kay offered a reassuring smile with no conviction behind it. “Then this will be a really nice homecoming for them.”

  Dalton came into the house, announcing, “Ello ladies!”

  “Hi, Dalton,” Mel replied. “What are you up to?”

  “I came to get food for the prisoners.”

  “How are they doing?” Kay asked.

  “They’re enjoying the food. Can’t understand how they’re being fed so well.”

  Kay smiled at the light compliment. “I do the best with what we have.”

  “And a smashing job you ladies do!”

  “Thank you,” Kay replied as she picked up a cloth bag and handed it to him.

  “Ah, thank you,” Dalton replied.

  “How much longer are they going to be here?” Mel asked.

  “No idea. When the old man gets back, we may know. He’s the only one talking to anyone up the food chain.”

  “I’d just like them to go away. I don’t like having them here. Having to feed them. They should be shot. Not fed.”

  “Oh, I agree,” Dalton replied. “But some think they have a use yet. So, it isn’t up to us to make that call.”

  Mel turned and leaned against the counter. “Yes, we could. Who’s going to stop us?”

  “Now Mel,” Kay started. But Mel cut her off.

  “Why not? No one has the right to tell us anything. We’re the ones that paid the price for them being here. Not someone up in Eglin or wherever they are. It’s not their friends and family that have been dying.”

  “I know how you feel, Mel,” Dalton replied. “But if we do what you’re suggesting, they’ll all have died in vain. We’re trying to rebuild our lives, community and nation. And it’s a hard road. We could take the easy road, but anything worth having requires hard work.”

  Kay stopped stirring the creamy concoction in the bowl and said, “Oh, honey, he’s right, you know. The hard thing is almost always the right thing.”

  Mel sighed, “I know. I’m just irritated.”

  “Mel, don’t worry about Morgan,” Dalton said. “I’ve met a lot of interesting characters in my life. I’ve done a lot of uh, interesting things in that time as well. Morgan is a guy I can’t quite put my finger on. He’s either the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet, or he’s just damn good.”

  Mel laughed, “He’d disagree with you.”

  “Facts are facts,” Dalton said as he shouldered the bag. “Just remember, like Kay said, the right thing is usually the hardest choice. I’m going to run down and feed these guys. I’ll see you for dinner.” Then he looked at the bowl and the items sitting on the counter and asked, “What are you two up to? What are you making there?”

  Kay came out from around the island and began pushing Dalton towards the door. “It’s nothing you need to know about. Now, go on.”

  Dalton left the house and returned to the old man’s place. Coming into the garage, he saw the two men were lying on the ground right where he had left them. A Guardsmen was standing outside the door; they weren’t going anywhere.

  Seeing Dalton, the Colonel sat up. The only real interruption to his routine was when his meals were brought twice a day. Crossing his legs, he waited eagerly for the food. Dalton put the bag on the counter and started taking out the food.

  “What has your cook prepared for us today?” Aleksei asked.

  “Boiled socks,” Dalton replied as he carried the plastic dishes over and placed them in front of the men.

  “Your cook does a wonderful job with them. Pass along my compliments.”

  Dalton set the food down and replied, “One of those cooks wants to kill you. And I believe she would do it herself if she had the opportunity.”

  Aleskei took the meal with enthusiasm. As he ate, he said, “We all have reasons for blood
lust.”

  Dalton pulled a bucket out and sat down on it. “Maybe. But I would say we have more of a claim to it at the present moment.”

  Aleksei shrugged. “The reason doesn’t matter. Blood lust is blood lust. We will kill one another. That is the way of it.” He looked up at Dalton and motioned with a crust of bread he’d just dredged through the soppings left in the bottom of the bowl. “What about you? I cannot figure you out. Your Russian is good. But your accent is peculiar. You’ve been to Russia, yes?”

  “No. Just worked with some.”

  Licking his dirty fingers, Aleksei asked, “What sort of Russians have you worked with? What did you do with them?”

  “Hunting men.”

  Leaning back on his hands, Aleksei replied, “I knew you were different. I could tell,” he paused, “you are a dangerous man, I think.”

  “We all are. All of us here.”

  Aleksei laughed. “Yes, yes, of course you are. Especially your cowboy, yes?”

  Dalton considered the man for a moment. “Why are you here? Why did your government send you here?”

  Aleksei wiped at the beard that was now long enough to be in the itching stage. “Because I am a soldier. I should think then, that you understand why we are here.” Aleksei waved a finger at Dalton. “But, you know the proper answer. Your president asked us to come. We are here to help the poor people of this country.”

  “Help with a Grad, huh?”

  “You Americans have such a sense of superiority.” Aleksei sat up and focused intently on Dalton. “But, that is not the truth, is it? You people are weak. You’re fat and lazy. You feel you are, what is the word,” he struggled for a moment for the right word. When it didn’t come, he said, “that your government owes you. That everyone owes you, that the world owes you.” He leaned back again and smiled. “But look at you now. How you say, your chickens have now come home to roost.”

  Dalton rose and walked over to Aleskei. The Russian observed him with mild disinterest. Dalton squatted down in front of the man. “You think we’re weak? Look around you. You’re chained to the floor. These weak and fat people managed to destroy all of your men. And we chained you to the floor.”

  “This is true, yes. But you didn’t do it on your own. If not for your bombers, we would have eliminated the rest of you in your little town. Your country is going to change,” he laughed; “it has changed already, only you don’t see it. How you say, dead man walking? You are already dead and don’t even know it.”

  Dalton looked over at the other man. He sat listening, but not saying anything. He was young, probably no more than eighteen. His Colonel probably told him to keep his mouth shut. Looking back at Aleskei, Dalton said, “You will find that I am hard to kill.”

  Aleskei laughed. “I am Russian. We know how to deal with peasants such as you. All of you. Soon, it will be you in chains. I will see to it.”

  “Suka!” Dalton shouted as he viciously slapped Aleskei, toppling the man to the floor. Dalton leapt onto the man, gripped his shirt and lifted him from the floor, delivering a punch to his nose. It busted like an overripe tomato. Standing up, Dalton kicked him in the ribs. He never said a word as he did this, and he decided in that moment he would never say another word to the man. But this would not be the last time Aleskei would feel just how “weak” these Americans were.

  “What the hell did you do that for?” The Guardsmen asked.

  “It’s the only language he understands,” Dalton replied as he walked out of the garage.

  Thad closed the lid of the smoker. Wiping his brow, he said, “That’s the last of it.”

  Cecil dropped a handful of beef fat into a bucket. “Now all we have to do is wait. I’ll stay here overnight and watch this if you want. You go on home. It’s been a long day.”

  “I can stay here,” Thad said.

  “I got nothing else to do, Thad. You go back home to Mary. If I had a pretty woman at home waiting on me, I’d want to be there.”

  Thad smiled. “If you’re sure.”

  Cecil stepped around the table, wiping his hands on a rag. “I’m sure. Besides,” he pointed at Perez sleeping on top of a picnic table moved under the covered walkway, “you need to get him home.”

  Thad shook his head. “He’s somethin’ else.”

  Without lifting his head, Perez shuffled through a pocket and fished out a pack of smokes. Shaking one out, he replied, “I can hear you.” He lit the cigarette and let it dangle from his lips.

  “See?” Thad said with a laugh.

  “Oh, I recognize the type,” Cecil laughed.

  Jess came walking out of the gym with Doc in tow. They were holding hands as they walked towards the smoker. “How’s things in there?” Cecil asked.

  “I think all the ones that were going to die have. The rest will need a lot of help and time. But they should make it,” Doc replied.

  “That’s good. Chris need anything in there?”

  “No. He’s in good shape now. There are fewer people to take care of. They’re actually able to get some sleep at night now. Only one person is on shift at night. So, things are improving.”

  “You two ready to go home?” Thad asked.

  “Yes, we are,” Jess replied.

  Mike and Crystal sat on the dock with their feet in the water. Crystal made lazy circles in the water with her toe. “How’d you get down here?” Mike asked.

  She sighed, “Mother sent me down here. Said I needed to get away from the city for a while. I think she just wanted to get her kink on and wanted me out of the way to do it.”

  Mike pulled his shirt off and lay back on the dock. “You’re lucky she did. Being stuck up north wouldn’t be good.”

  “Maybe. But now I’m stuck in this Godforsaken swamp. It’s so damn hot here.”

  Mike quickly sat up, “Oh, sorry, I’ll put my shirt back on.” He was smiling devilishly as he said it.

  Crystal raised her eyebrows, “No, you’re fine.” She turned and lay down alongside him. “You’re the best-looking thing I’ve seen in a long time.”

  “So, what are you going to do?”

  Crystal traced a finger along his chest. “I don’t know. Just wait and see. That’s all I’ve been doing, waiting to see. I want out of here though. I’m bored.”

  “You should come over for dinner. Kind of like a date.”

  She laughed, “Janet will not let me leave here.” She rolled onto her back and looked up into the clear sky, “it’s like a prison.”

  “It could be worse,” Mike replied. “At least here you’ve got food and people looking out for you. You’re safe. And trust me, there’s a lot to be said for that.”

  “Maybe.”

  Ted and Janet sat on the porch overlooking the lake. “They’re getting kind of cozy with one another,” Janet said.

  “Good for them,” Ted replied.

  Janet sat up in her chair and looked at him. “Why do you say that? I’m trying to keep her out of trouble.”

  “Why? You worried about her reputation? Someone going to talk about her?” He looked over at her, “Those days are gone. Everyone needs to find a little happiness and it’s in short supply at the moment. Let ‘em have fun.”

  She sat back in her chair. “I suppose you’re right. It’s been rough, being stuck on the ranch. Worst of all for her. She’s young and used to traveling and being in cities. She’s had a hard time adapting to this.”

  “Shit, we’ve all had a hard time adapting to this. I’m bored out of my mind too. But this is life now, so I’m trying to make the best of it.”

  Janet’s eyes flickered towards him, “That why you’re here today? Trying to make it better?”

  Ted looked at her for a moment. “It’s nice here. A change of scenery is good. You and Crystal should come over for dinner. You can stay the night. We have plenty of room.”

  “Slow down, cowboy,” she replied. “I’m not looking to be bedded yet.”

  Ted was flustered. “That’s not what I meant. W
e have a house where Miss Kay cooks and we all hang out. You can stay there. It’s Danny’s house and he has the kids there. I don’t stay there.”

  “Keeping up appearances, is that the idea?”

  “Not that. Just no expectations. It would just be nice to hang out a little. Get to know you better.”

  “And what’s the end game to that? We going to play house in some little trailer?”

  Ted shrugged, “Doesn’t have to be a trailer. Jus sayin’.”

  Janet laughed and stared out at the lake. After a moment, without looking over, she reached over and took Ted’s hand. He didn’t say anything, nor did he look over. He simply took the small gesture and the two sat rocking together.

  CHAPTER 10

  It only took one trip to get Mom and Dad’s stuff to the boat. We used Dad’s surf cart to move it all to the river; there really wasn’t much. Many of their neighbors gathered at the ramp to wish them well and say their goodbyes. Mom was pretty upset. She had a lot of friends here and would miss them terribly. But they all insisted she go. That it would be better to be with family during these times.

  As they said their goodbyes, we waited at the boat, to give them the room and time. Once the hugs and handshakes were done, they walked down the ramp to the boat. I helped Mom in and Dad quickly stepped in as well. Danny held the boat as I got in and the old man followed me. He gave the boat a shove and hopped over the side as it drifted out into the small marina.

  The ramp was full of people waving and wishing well. I made my way to the stern and started the motor. In a moment, the little community on the side of the river was out of sight and the broad slow St Johns was all we could see. Dad stood looking towards Sanford, at the railroad bridge that crossed just upstream. He took it all in. He’d lived here for decades and loved the river and now he was leaving it.

  I kept the boat at an idle while he made his peace with leaving. I knew it would be hard on him not having it. Mom too. I saw her wipe tears from her face as she looked back towards where we’d come from. Dad finally sat down, and Mom laid her head on his shoulder. I took it as a sign they were ready and opened the throttle and we started up the river towards Crow’s Bluff.