by Marc Seraphs
Addi gave herself over to his seduction, quickly forgetting the always and inevitable let down as he withdrew from her. He was wholly incapable of sating her womanly desires. It was one thing taking a horse to a body of water for a drink, but making the beast drink was the case with Fred.
Fred left her hanging with pursed lips and dilated eyelids as he politely cringed with a last heartbreaking peck on the forehead.
Addi was left reeling in the tub with unfathomable emotions as she fought back her tears of sorrow and loneliness, cascading on her like never before.
Heavens, she'd never felt so alone.
“You must be Ralph.”
“Yes,” Rafel answered to his pseudo name.
"Ben," the gardener Rafel would be taking over from introduced himself. “Who did you screw to get the job?”
Rafel smiled at the wry humor.
“Oh, I see...it's the smile, isn't it? He said with a rhetoric note. “No hard feelings...is just this is one of my favorite houses. Follow me, I'll show you around.”
Rafel was rueful. “Sorry to hear.”
They went up to the gate and hit the bell. They waited until a voice that recognized Ben as the gardener replied, “who's with you?”
“The new fellow.”
“Who was that?” Rafel asked once they were within the confines of the building.
“Security,” he replied. “He won't bite. Just you do your job. You come in and when you're ready to leave he'll buzz you out.”
What a beautiful home, Rafel thought taking in his new work-space. The resplendent greenery and plant grooves in the expanse told of the homeowner's appreciation for all that was green.
“Well, I hope you're a fast learner because, after today, you are on your own.”
“You must really want this house back,” Rafel laughed.
CHAPTER IV
Eustace cursed out the living blessedness of dawn when his bathroom faucet croaked at him without a single drop of water. He strode into the living room where the boys, still groggy with sleep were clumping.
“Good morning,” they greeted collectively.
“Morning,” he replied, sizing up the boys. “Where is Michael?”
“Still asleep,” Marty said.
Eustace tsked, stepping outside for the outhouse. Minutes later he returned with boots and fur coats. He wasn't quite sure how long the outfits had been there, but they were mostly unused—gifts from Diane and a few friends—friends he hadn't seen in ages.
“Try them for size,” he said to Marty and Donald before getting his rifle and hat.
Diane was up. “What's going on?”
“Something's wrong with the water supply. I'm going up the mountain with these two to check it out.”
“I heard you curse.”
“I am in no mood, woman.”
Michael awoke in an empty room to the strong aroma of coffee. He trailed the smell to the living room where Diane, Caroline, and his sister, Keira were breakfasting.
Greeting “good morning” to all, especially to the lady of the house, Diane, who invited him to join the morning meal.
He asked where the others were when he realized he was the only male about.
“Alfie is with his dad. The others went up the mountain to check the water supply.”
“Don't you need a plumber for that?”
Diane chuckled, explaining how the water comes from a hole in the ground, flows downhill via a fifty-gallon reservoir with pressure coming out the bottom of the gallon, then comes down the mountain to the house. “Primitive people all over the world do it. Its gravity power. You have pressure and the flow of water and a mountain source, you need nothing else.”
When they were done with their meal, Diane took Michael to the outhouse so he could pick from Eustace's unused clothes.
“He wanted you to have some of his old clothes."
Michael dug in; overwhelmed at the heap of clothing that was on the ground and hangers. He picked out two jeans that he saw fit.
“Try it out,” she said, pointing him to the corner where he would be out of sight.
Although wide at the waist; the jeans was perfect! He took the belt out of his old pant and it did the magic.
“Looking good,” Diane said when he emerged. “A few months ago, I imagined having a son and what he would look like and I made this...” she handed him a leather coat with a fur collar, and a chap.
“Thank you,” Michael said, trying them on. “I like it...fits like a glove.”
She smiled. “Well, the son I envisioned looked just like you.”
“You look like a rodeo junkie.”
He laughed. “All I need is a hat.”
“I have just the answer—”
They were still speaking when the sound of gunshots and revving trucks cut through the air to their aghast. They hurried out to see what was amiss, through the back door of the house to the living room where the girls were. Caroline was barely recognizable with a rifle in hand and savage like a wild mammal, Keira beside her like a petrified pup.
Diane rushed to her daughter. “What is it, Caroline, dear?”
“I don't know—some men...”
Michael peeped through the cotton apprehensively. “It's them!”
Diane who was now with a rifle of her own inquired, “Who?”
“The men from the fur shop. Ehud Brotherhood.”
“Mr. Eustace common out!” a loud voice with a mischievous nuance called out. “Don't you worry about how we found you. We have an Indian whose ancestors found the Americas on a trail of farts.”
Diane exchanged a bedeviled glance with Michael, who recognized Jud's voice, the leader of the outfit. “Is he a little touched?”
“Remember the story of Abraham and Isaac?” Jud continued. “We are going to do a reality drama. Guess who will be playing Issac, Mr. Eustace? And there would be no angel to save the day for Isaac!”
“That's it!” Diane said making strides for the door before she was abruptly stopped by Michael.
“That's not a good idea, he's nuts.”
They were still contemplating on what to do when Joe and his son, Alfie joined them in the living room. “All of you, find a way to the mountain and warn Eustace,” the fur buyer who was still suffering from the injuries done to him said, taking Caroline's rifle.
“What are you doing?”
“This is a matter of dignity, Diane. They did this to me," he said, referring to his wounds. "Now go. All of you.” He kissed his son.
Compelled by Joe's steely resolve, they all began retreating for the backdoor. Michael and Alfie were the last to leave because of Alfie's resolve to remain with his father and Michael urging the boy to do as they were told.
Michael saw a man with a kamikazic determination as Joe cocked his rifle and kicked open the front door, replying the troublemakers with a defiant gunshot and another...
Michael covered Alfie's eyes with his palm as he tugged the younger boy away.
“Hurry!” Diane urged everyone as quickly as bullets pinged off the mountainside.
Once they were out of range of the bullets and out of sight behind one humongous boulder, they stopped, as did the gunshots.
Diane stayed back to make sure all was accounted for: Caroline, Keira, and Alfie—who was beside Michael—ebbing silent cries, doubtlessly about what must have happened to his father, Joe. They tried consoling the young boy, but he wiggled away from any consoling touch, surging forward. They all followed behind him. Diane took one peek behind with a groan. Their home ablaze with fire.
They had been walking some time when three figures emerged some distance up the mountain, coming down their direction. No sooner did they realize it was Eustace, Donald, and Marty.
While they were glad to see them, Eustace was taken aback. “What's going on? We heard gunshots...and the smoke!”
Diane stumbled forward to her husband. She physically crumbled in his arms. “The men...they found our home...they...”
“What men?”
“The men from the fur shop. The Ehud Brotherhood,” Michael said.
Eustace withdrew his arm from behind her to cup her paling face—only to find his arms covered in blood— “you are bleeding...”
“I think a bullet ricocheted off the mountainside and struck me. Didn't want to trouble the kids.”
Michael, Alfie, and the girls were as shocked as Eustace at the new discovery.
Caroline rushed forward. “Why didn't you say something, mother?” she cried.
She replied, patting her daughter's hair; an affectionate gesture that screamed every emotional epiphany of love and affection than words could ever say.
His head fell woefully over his wife as the consequences of his actions dawned on him. He should have listened to the boys.
“They saw us go up the mountain,” Michael warned.
Eustace ripped his outer shirt to fit a bandage, before wrapping it around her in an attempt to stop the bleeding. On a closer inspection, the bullet had gone through her upper back. He prayed it didn't hit a vital organ. He knew she would pull through. Diane was as tough as coffin nails.
“All right,” Eustace said, gathering his wife in his arms, bracing himself.
He led them down the side of the mountain, hoping if they were being tracked, their trackers would continue up the mountain. “Stay with me, hon... stay with me.”
Fortunately, they found a less treacherous path that saw the Yaak River below it. His agitation almost caused him to trip on a rock as he hurried down the steep and slippery terrain with his wife in his arms, but the old fox quickly regained his balance. Thanks to the boys who were quickly at his side to steady him.
When they reached the base of the mountain, Eustace found a nice rock for a pillow to lay his wife on. She was as pale as snow now. Her blood all over her dress as on Eustace. She was losing too much blood. “Just one minute, hon. I'll find something...Come here,” he bid Caroline and Michael to “put pressure on the wound, while—”
“They found us!” Keira blurted.
And once more they were off to the races as Eustace tried hoisting Diane, but she elbowed him away. For one second, he let go of her, thinking there was a good reason for her reaction.
Diane stood, venturing closer to the banks of the Yaak. “Love you, Caroline, dear...Eustace...all of you, which is why am going to do this—”
“What are you talking about?” Eustace cried, trying to comprehend her recent change of attitude for the odd and theatrical.
“Protect them...and bye,” were her last somber words before she closed her eyes and let herself plummet backward into the river.
“No, Diane. No!” Eustace screamed, instinctively going after her, but the river current was so strong, she was whisked from his grasp before he could reach her.
Eustace cursed with the unholiest of words there were in a rare break of character as he forcefully blasted the waters with his hand in tears. He was hopeless and disoriented.
Eustace eyes locked on their pursuers with red-dead-retribution. He unloaded his rifle at them until the rifle went 'click'. One body tumbled down to the base of the mountain. The others who had taken cover began to rise, rebutting with shots of their own.
Eustace took another rifle from the boys with all intention of standing his ground, but when he saw the men amass with more men and a conspicuous, familiar figure at their head...
Jud.
He re-tracked his thoughts. Diane's last words were of protecting his new family.
“Is that a rocket launcher!?” Caroline blared.
“Run!”
A few heart-throbbing seconds trawled before a deafening blast that shattered behind them with a jarring spring to their steps before leaving everyone reeling on the ground. The mini-explosion was deafening, throwing lots of dust and debris.
The after-effect was delirium and a piercing buzz. Despite being barely able to hear himself, he asked if everyone was “all right”—especially Caroline. He could see everyone in his view hazed with dust and smoke. Surprisingly, they all shook their head affirmatively. If the rocket had hit the ground a few inches farther towards them, it would have been a different story. Eustace looked up to see Hunter ahead, clearly petrified and looking back at them.
However, disoriented, they quickly picked themselves up, running forward along the river at Eustace's lead until they could hear themselves again, about half-a-mile later.
Eustace soon found himself at the back of the pack as he began to favor his left knee. The drilling pain was from an injury he incurred during his old rodeo days. Nonetheless, it seemed high time for a break—they all deserved it—they'd been running nonstop for a while. To Hunter who was way ahead. He took a peek behind and when there was no sign of their pursuers in sight, Eustace called everyone to heel, including Hunter who barked in surrender.
When they had gathered under one tree, Eustace told them he had a cabin about three miles north from here, but "first, we must take a quick breather.”
They shared a long moment of silence to catch their breath, after which Eustace asked, “your dad, Alfie?” the boy's countenance told it all without words. “Diane...the house,” he saw the flames...All gone
“I see a boat,” Marty said.
“Let's go,” Eustace urged without looking. They'd overstayed their respite it seemed.
They retreated some feet into the thicker woods from the river to prevent being spotted, before keeping north as planned. Their survival was afoot.
An hour later, the cabin became visible, just as the air was getting crisp from a cold northerly wind. The sight of the cabin renewed their strength, despite exhaustion, hunger, and thirst. They hurried forward for the door, but there was something horribly wrong. The first sign of the nightmare was the door of the cabin that was left slightly ajar and the bloodied nail-spiked snare at the threshold.
“No, no, no,” an agitated Eustace lamented, motoring forward.
Eustace expression was hard as granite when he brisked into the cabin to inspect the carnage he expected. His stockpile of dehydrated beef jerkies, fruits, and nuts was strewn on the floor. The water jug half-emptied on the ground.
“What happened here!?” Keira asked.
Eustace picked a shed of fur on the floor, sniffing it. “A brown bear...some silver lining this is. Had to be right dang now.” He took another scope of the room, resolving to look on the bright side of having their lives as spoils. He began salvaging what he could, urging the others to do the same.
“I need to go...” to a bathroom Marty said.
“Me too,” Donald added.
“The outhouse is out back. Be quick about it, we can't stay here for long.” They had no idea how far behind their pursuers were. “Do you know how to load and clean a gun, Michael?”
“Not really.”
“Well, am going to show you. Bring all the rifles,” he said, opening a hidden compartment in the cabin laden with magazines and cartridges. “You should join us too Keira. I already showed Marty and Donald.”
They all gathered around Eustace as he went to work. “Do you know how Alfie?”
He shook his head. The stripling who was the youngest of them all at sixteen was understandably puppyish with insecurity as a new orphan.
“Look around you Alfie,” Eustace said pointing to Keira and Michael. “They lost everything to whatever these steaming boondoggle in the city is. Caroline and I just lost Diane,” his tone turned choppy with emotions. They were rejoined by Marty and Donald for the encore of his speech. “We've all lost loved ones, but it's us now. We have each other. We are now a family by circumstance...”
And for the first time since the death of his father, Alfie broke with words—whimpering ones.
“It's all right son, let it out,” Eustace commended. They were all moved...
Keira reached for Alfie, hugging him, wetting his cheeks with tears of her own. Caroline followed. The others joined in—even Eustace was moved.
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They were still savoring the stirring moment when the sound of Hunter barking outside the cabin ripped out the tranquil in the air. Eustace stepped out the cabin to see what was amiss. Hunter always had something to say with good reasons when he barked—if only the furry bud could speak in sentences. “What is it Hunter?” he asked crouching to his level with an affectionate ruffle.
The canine gave him one look before barking once more into the distance they'd come from. Then came the growl: it was a warning.
Eustace followed the line of Hunter's gaze but saw nothing. He didn't have to know what was out there: their pursuers or a wild animal. Hunter like most dogs had an uncanny sense of perception and sight that he'd come to trust and revere. With his eyes still fixed in the distance, Eustace urged with a dreary note: “pack up what you can and let's get out of here.”
It had been an uneventful week for Rafel. As he mowed the lawn of the Heims home, he kept a watchful eye on the house as always and surreptitiously as possible. There was always a presence in the house, though he never saw anyone, but the security guard. He was in the right house. He knew so. Or was he?
Rafel was half way through with mowing when it began to rain. He wasn't going to stop now—it would be unprofessional—so he found shelter under the shade of the patio.
There he waited for the rain to cease, but it only worsened, coming down with more ferocity. Half an hour went by with the rain beginning to invade his shade of respite. He remembered looking at the weather forecast for the day and this wasn't in it.
Finally, he decided he'd had enough and wanted to leave when he heard a tiny voice from behind asked, “Excuse me!?”
Rafel spun.
By Allah, it was her...
Addison Heims.
He was in the right house after all. It was just like the first time he saw her in the desert—that same infectious innocence—except with the unkemptness of desert grit. Then, on the day of her capture in Syria, she was gagged and bounded, her arms behind her back. Her comrades who picked her up during a routine patrol saw an infidel, not the innocent woman within. They were going to slit her throat and televise it to the world, right then and there, but he interceded for her. He argued she might be a "bargaining chip" in the future for the sake of buying her time.