Desperate Times 2 Gun Control

by Nicholas Antinozzi

  Another explosion rocked the night air.

  Jimmy screamed helplessly, unzipped and removed his scorched jacket. He did the same with his ruined bibs, ignoring the searing pain caused by his multiple burns. Something snapped deep inside of him, and the next thing Jimmy knew he was back at his post, lobbing a hand grenade at a cluster of men carrying a long ladder. Jimmy quickly slapped a fresh clip into his M-16 and began shooting anything that moved. He seemed oddly at peace, unable to miss, and he rained terror on those who attacked from below.

  “Give ‘em hell, Jimmy!” screamed Doc who was suddenly standing next to him and letting fly with a twelve-gauge pump.

  “No!” cried Jimmy, as Doc was suddenly flying backwards off the walkway and onto the snow below.

  “You bastards!” shrieked Wart as he fed another string of ammo into his .50 caliber. He quickly began to spray the woods, and fire blazed from the end of his weapon.

  More of the Molotov cocktails struck the wall, and some landed inside the compound. Jimmy could feel the heat from at least five separate gas fires, and he screamed curses at the shadowy attackers. Wart concentrated his fire in front of Jimmy and watched as one of the figures was cut in half by the slicing gunfire. Jimmy stole a look back at Doc. Julie was with him, kneeling at his side. The big man was lying flat on his back and wasn’t moving. Jimmy returned his attention to the battle and continued to fire. There were fewer and fewer shadows to fire at. Jimmy quickly reloaded and found that the attacking force had retreated. Wart was already sitting with his back to the wall, obviously exhausted. He gave Jimmy a half-hearted wave and leaned his head all the way back against the wall.

  He studied the woods using the open sights of the M-16, but Jimmy saw nothing as the fires around him began to sputter out. He leaned the carbine against the wall and risked a look at his burned wrists. Both wrists had watchband-like welts where his gloves had failed to meet the sleeves of his jacket. The burns were painful, but Jimmy was thankful to be alive. He had never experienced such an intense battle, and for all he knew, half of their number could be dead or injured. He left his weapon at the wall and scrambled across the walkway, careful not to slip on the shell casings. He then quickly climbed down the ladder.

  “How is he?” Jimmy asked, kneeling next to Julie. She had her flashlight trained on Doc, and Jimmy could see that his eyes were open.

  “I’ll be fine,” said Doc. “I just banged the back of my fool head. Nothing to worry about.”

  Julie gave Jimmy a concerned look and held her bare hands out. They were slick with dark blood. “We need to get a bandage around his wound. I’ll stay with him. Get up to Cindy and tell her to get down here with the first aid kit.”

  “I don’t need any nursing,” Doc said, attempting to sit up. His expression suddenly changed, and he fell back to where he’d been. “Right,” he whispered. “You’d better send for Cindy.”

  Jimmy got to his feet and charged up the stone steps to the deck. He was soon inside the house where he found one of the electric lanterns. The yellow light quickly illuminated the entire front porch. Paula suddenly appeared from out of the shadows. She wrapped her arms around him before he had time to think.

  “Oh, Jimmy,” she moaned. “I was so worried about you.”

  “Where’s Cindy?” he asked, gathering his senses and pulling away.

  “I don’t know, she went out the back door and hasn’t come back. There were explosions out there; did you hear them?”

  “How long ago did she go out there?”

  “I don’t know, an hour ago?”

  Jimmy nodded. He knew that the battle hadn’t even lasted half that long. Furthermore, he knew that Paula had her own concept of time. Carrying the lantern, he continued moving through the living room and into the kitchen. Patty’s first aid kit hung on the wall, and he grabbed the case and set it on the table.

  “Is somebody hurt?” Paula asked. “It wasn’t Julie, was it?”

  “No, it wasn’t Julie,” hissed Jimmy. He continued around the table to the back door and began to descend the stairs. Halfway down, he found what he was looking for. The old jackets hung on the wall. They smelled like a wet basement, but were better than nothing. Jimmy chose the newest looking one of the three and returned up the stairs. He paused at the landing and stared out into the darkness of the backyard. He couldn’t think of what might have happened out there, not yet. His first responsibility was to Julie and Doc.

  “Your arms,” Paula said. “What happened to your arms?”

  “Forget about me. Listen, we’re going to be bringing in our wounded. You’re going to need to take care of them, okay? The battle isn’t over.”

  “Are you kidding me? What do I know about taking care of people?”

  Jimmy slapped her hard across her face. “You damn well better learn how to take care of people, you self-centered bitch. Do you hear me?”

  Paula held her hand to her cheek, but oddly enough she didn’t cry or recoil from the shock. Jimmy wondered what she’d experienced while she’d been away. He found that he really didn’t care. There just wasn’t any time to care, not for her. Paula nodded her head as Jimmy pulled on the musty cloth jacket. Wordlessly, he picked up the first aid kit, and Paula followed him with the lantern.

  “Be careful,” she whispered as Jimmy slipped out the front door.

  Jimmy jogged down the stone stairs, holding his flashlight in one hand and the first aid kit in the other. He could see Wart standing at the wall keeping watch, which was good. He also saw that Julie and Doc hadn’t moved, which was even better. He had been suddenly worried that Julie might have seen Paula when she hugged him, which would have been very bad. Jimmy joined Julie and Doc where they waited for him. Quickly, Jimmy helped Doc sit up, and he shone his flashlight at the jagged gash on the back of Doc’s head. Jimmy quickly trained his beam on the cause of Doc’s injury. Doc’s head had struck one of the bowling ball-sized rocks that lined each side of the driveway. Unluckily for him, this rock had been square. The snow around it was red with Doc’s blood.

  Julie cleaned his wound, and Doc groaned but he never cried out. She then wrapped his head in a bandage, and they helped him to his feet. The entire operation had taken less than three minutes, but with no sign of any of the others, it seemed like an eternity to Jimmy.

  “Where the hell is everyone?” Doc finally said.

  “That’s just what I was thinking,” replied Julie. “It’s too damn quiet.”

  “We’ve got to get back there,” Jimmy said. “I suppose I should go alone. I know where all of the tripwires are.”

  “Tripwires?” asked Doc. “You set up booby-traps back there? That’s why there were so many explosions… How could you do such a thing?”

  “It was Bill’s idea,” replied Julie.

  “And since Bill thought of it, naturally everyone thought it was a good plan?”

  “There’s a first time for everything,” called Wart, in his shrill voice from his post at the wall. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  “Come on, Doc,” said Jimmy. “Let us help get you in the house.”

  “I don’t need any help, thank you very much,” Doc said, brusquely. “I think you both have done quite enough. You might want to grab some trash bags so you can gather up our friends.”

  “That’s not fair,” whispered Julie, but without any conviction.

  “There is no fair anymore, only death,” Doc grumbled. “I wish now that you’d never found me in the shed. I wouldn’t have to see what’s to come. Go. I’ll set up an operating room on the porch. Bring me the most seriously wounded, first.”

  Doc stood and slowly began walking up the stairs. Soon he was illuminated in the light of the lantern as Paula opened the front door for him.

  “Bitch,” muttered Julie.

  Jimmy let it go. “Stay behind me,” he said. Then with his heart in his stomach and his flashlight beam leading the way, they slowly began to make their way to the unknown.

  Cha
pter 36

  The dead were many, and they littered the backyard. Doc had been right—there seemed to be limbs scattered everywhere, and Jimmy fought the urge to vomit at the sight of them. Julie held onto his upper arm as they ventured further into the darkness.

  “Oh, my God,” stammered Julie.

  Jimmy’s flashlight beam fell on the horrible sight. Ken, Patty, and Cindy were all gathered around Bill in the darkness. Bill was writhing in pain as Ken held something tightly wrapped around the stump of Bill’s missing leg. Cindy was sitting on Bill’s good leg, pinning it to the ground.

  “Be careful!” hissed Ken. “We don’t know how many tripwires are left. You can’t see the damned things!”

  A tear fell down the bridge of Jimmy’s nose as he nodded his head.

  “Let’s get him up to the house,” Julie said. “Doc is waiting for him.”

  “We can’t move him,” Patty said, pointing to a nearby birch. “Look.”

  Jimmy’s heart sank as he shone his light on what Patty wanted them to see. Bill’s good leg was tangled tightly in one of the tripwires which was still tightly attached to the pin of one of the grenades. The pin was hanging on by a thread and a miracle, and the awkward angle of the tripwire was the only reasons that the grenade hadn’t exploded.

  “That thing could go blow at any second,” muttered Ken.

  “Just go,” moaned Bill.

  “We’re not leaving you,” scolded Patty. “Now, quit your wiggling around and let us figure out a way to get you up to the house.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch,” whispered Jimmy.

  “I’m so sorry,” replied Bill, his voice ragged with pain. “I always mess everything up.”

  “Shut up, Dad,” said Cindy. “Keep still. Jimmy will figure out a way to get you out of this.”

  “That’s right,” agreed Patty.

  Jimmy felt Julie’s grip on his arm tighten, and he turned to look at her in the moonlight. She looked like a frightened child. “Please,” she said. “There isn’t much time.”

  Jimmy looked at Ken for support, but Ken wouldn’t meet his eyes. He studied the tripwire again and slowly crept toward the live grenade. The duct tape held the grenade tightly to the base of the tree. Jimmy sat there for a second and studied their predicament. Ken was right—that pin could pop free at any second. Cutting the tripwire would likely cause the pin to fall. There was only one hope. Jimmy would have to carefully cut the grenade free of the duct tape and somehow throw it before it exploded.

  “What do you think, kid?” asked Ken. “Can we disarm that thing?”

  “I doubt it. I think our best bet is if I cut it free and throw the damn thing.”

  “I thought you’d say that,” agreed Ken. “Patty, take the girls up to the house. Jimmy and I will take care of this.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” spat Cindy. “My dad needs me.”

  “I’m not leaving you,” said Patty. “Jimmy will get us out of this.”

  Jimmy looked at Julie. “Don’t look at me,” she said. “Who do you think is going to hold the flashlight for you?”

  “Hurry,” whispered Bill. “I think I’m slipping away.”

  “Shut up,” said Cindy, “and quit struggling.”

  “Here,” said Ken, flipping Jimmy his hunting knife. “Just be careful, kid.”

  “I’m praying for you,” said Patty.

  “I think we all had better,” said Julie. “Come on, Jimmy. Let’s do this.”

  Julie took the flashlight from Jimmy as he kneeled close to the grenade. He was right-handed, but he thought that he should use his left hand to cut the duct tape, keeping his right hand free for when it came time to throw the grenade. The pin pointed down and away, and it hung impossibly crooked from the grenade. The fishing line was stretched as tight as a guitar string, and Jimmy gave thought to just cutting it. Once again he shook his head. Cutting the line would likely just allow the pin to slip free, and they’d all be killed. He had to cut the grenade free of the base of the tree. Jimmy’s hands shook as he inched closer with his left hand.

  The silence of the night air was shattered by the howling of a nearby wolf.

  “Oh, shit,” stammered Julie, just as another wolf joined in.

  Jimmy fumbled with the knife, his wrists burning and his hands trembling with fear. He slowly began to saw through one side of the duct tape.

  Somewhere in the darkness, a man began screaming as the frenzied sound of attacking wolves fell upon him. The screaming lasted only for a few seconds, but the growling and barking continued as the wolves fought among themselves for the choicest cuts of flesh.

  “Dear God,” whispered Patty.

  Jimmy tried his best to ignore the distraction, even as another wolf began howling. This wolf seemed to be right outside the front gate and Jimmy quickly thought of Rita out there. He held the grenade tightly against the tree as the knife blade finished slicing through one side of the heavy tape. Jimmy risked a look back to Julie and winked at her, hoping to look confident. “Are you ready?” he asked. “I’m going to toss this thing over the wall behind you. Stay down, all right?”

  Julie nodded. “I love you, Jimmy,” she whispered.

  “I love you, too,” he replied.

  “Will you two cut the crap?” asked Ken. “Finish the job so we can get the hell out of here!”

  Jimmy glared at Ken for a moment, but he saw that Ken was smiling. He nodded and returned to his work. The air was suddenly filled with the sound of howling wolves. They seemed to be everywhere outside the wall, and the howling was soon answered by screams and gunshots. To their horror, the gunshots died away much faster than the screams did.

  “There must be a million of them out there,” stammered Bill.

  “Shut up!” ordered Cindy. “And quit moving around!”

  Jimmy felt his heart thudding in his chest as he watched the pin jiggle while he sawed through the tape. The knife blade was now sticky with the adhesive, and it became more difficult to cut. He found himself holding his breath, and he had to remind himself to breathe. Another wolf howled. The husky voice seemed to call out in triumph. Jimmy shuddered at the thought of being eaten by wolves.

  “Cut the damn thing!” ordered Ken.

  “Careful,” warned Julie.

  “I’ve got it,” said Jimmy. “Almost there…”

  “Hurry!” cried Cindy.

  The last threads of the tape broke free, and the pin suddenly popped free from the grenade. Jimmy gripped the sticky surface of the cold grenade, and without standing he threw it as hard as he could safely over the wall. The grenade exploded even before it hit the ground. Julie tackled Jimmy where he sat and began to smother him with kisses.

  “I knew you could do it,” Patty said.

  “Good job, kid,” said Ken. “Julie, I need you to run up and fetch Doc. He’s going to have to help Jimmy to get Bill up to the house. Run, now.”

  “You’re goin’ first,” Bill said, his ragged voice sounding weaker by the minute.

  “The hell I am,” replied Ken. “And that’s final!”

  “What?” asked Julie, getting to her feet.

  “No way, man,” said Bill. “You got it worse than I did.”

  “Ken?” asked Patty.

  “Go get Doc and be careful…” Ken said with something close to weakness in his voice.

  Julie didn’t wait around to see what happened next, nor did she bother worrying about anymore of the tripwires. She scampered off like a startled doe and was charging through the backdoor in mere seconds. Jimmy stood and shone the beam of his flashlight on Ken. He shook his head, wondering how he could have missed it. The snow beneath Ken was crimson with blood.

  “Oh, dear Lord,” said Patty. “Jimmy, take an arm. You and I will have to get him up to the house. Come on!”

  “I’ve already said that I’m not going first. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for Bill. He saved my life.”

  “What are you talking about?” asked Cindy who hadn’t moved from where s
he sat on her father’s good leg.

  “They were coming over the wall ten at a time. I had to stop them. Then like a damn fool, I stumbled across one of our own traps. They were going to use me as bait, but Bill snuck up on them and let ‘em have it. Your dad’s a hero, Cindy. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for him.”

  “You would be,” agreed Bill. “We’d have made it out of here if it wasn’t for that stupid tripwire. I’m sorry about that.”

  “He carried me on his back,” Ken said, in obvious disbelief. “I swear to God, he did.”

  “Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do,” replied Bill.

  Another wolf howled from just beyond the wall. The howl was answered by dozens more. Jimmy had never heard of wolf-packs joining forces, but he knew that was exactly what had happened. He had never been so thankful for Ken’s decision to build the wall. The backdoor slapped shut, and Jimmy saw two shadows running from the house.

  “Dad?” asked Cindy. “Dad, you’ve got to hang on.”

  “Jon?” asked Bill in a weak voice. “Burt?”

  “Oh, shit,” muttered Ken. “Damn it, Bill. Don’t you dare die on us!”

  “I can see the light…”

  Doc was suddenly standing over them, shining the beam of a powerful flashlight on the stricken group. “For the love of God,” he cried out. “Why doesn’t anyone ever listen to me?” He then reached down and hauled Bill over his shoulder, expertly securing him in a firemen’s carry. Five minutes later, Doc returned and hauled Ken out in the same fashion.

  Chapter 37

  With Julie helping Doc in the little hospital he’d set up on the front porch, Jimmy joined Wart down at the wall. There had been no sign of any survivors on the outside, nor had there been any more sounds of wolves outside their perimeter. Still, Jimmy had no doubt that both were still lurking about somewhere. Patchy clouds obscured the moon, and a slight breeze rattled the branches.

  “This is weird,” Wart said. “Feels like its warming up out here.”

  “I know,” agreed Jimmy. “I was just about to say the same thing. This feels more like early May.”