by E. E. Borton
“We decided to try the bridge in Stevenson, but they had the same signs,” said Morgan. “When we saw them again here, we were feeling pretty hopeless. We didn’t know what to do. We thought about just staying here, but I knew it wouldn’t be safe. It wouldn’t be home.”
“Well, none of that matters now,” I said. “You helped us when we needed it. I’m glad we can return the favor.”
“Sun’s coming out,” said JD. “You ready to try this again?”
“I am,” I said, turning to Morgan and his wife. “Rest well tonight. We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Thank you doesn’t seem like enough,” said Shannon, giving me another hug. “You saved our lives.”
As we stepped off the porch, our boots crunched into a layer of melting ice. The hailstones were big enough to kill a person out in the open, but the damage to the house seemed minimal. I was confident the people in our towns were able to find shelter as soon as the skies darkened. Not knowing for sure was just one of the reasons why I hated leaving Kelly alone.
“What are the odds?” said JD, turning off of the road and back onto the tracks.
“Of what?”
“Running into a house full of people from Atlanta trying to get to Scottsboro and us being able to make that happen. If it wasn’t for that hailstorm puttin’ us on their doorstep, they might not have ever made it.”
“Fate, my friend,” I said.
“You mean faith,” said JD.
“Maybe a little of both.”
“You think things might have ended up different if they had guns?” asked JD. “If a group came up on us like that, we’d have shot first and asked questions later.”
“They did have guns,” I said. “They just didn’t have any ammo.”
“What if they did have ammo?”
“Is there a point to this?” I asked, smiling at him.
“I’m just sayin’ this little episode put a few holes in your ‘no hesitation’ policy,” said JD, smiling back at me. “Maybe sometimes you should give the benefit of the doubt.”
“Shouldn’t you be up there?” I said, pointing up the tracks.
“Chew on that, boss.”
As JD and Tucker disappeared into the woods ahead of us, any good feelings about helping strangers faded with each step. For every decent person out here, there were a hundred that would shoot or cut a throat before giving the benefit of the doubt. In JD’s defense, it was always something I chewed on.
“He’s got a point,” said Doug, walking up beside me. “You have a bit of a reputation.”
“Is this an intervention?” I asked, looking around.
“Maybe.”
“If you guys want to send me to rehab in Palm Springs, feel free,” I said, putting Doug in a headlock.
“I don’t think there’s a rehab for what you got,” said Doug, breaking my hold. “Naw, I was just thinking about what your uncle said after that guy offed himself. And then we find these folks just looking to get to their cabin and not looking to cause trouble.”
“It’s hard to tell, you know,” I said, scanning the tracks ahead of us. “These days we don’t have much time to figure things out. We have to do it on the fly. You can’t just look at someone and immediately see their intentions. For that, you have to get to know people. We just don’t have that kind of time anymore.”
“I think that was your uncle’s point,” said Doug. “We need to find a way to make that time. I’m no sissy and there are people we’ve had to kill that deserved it, but not all of them. No, not all of them.”
“That would be much easier to figure out if people wore black or white hats,” I said. “But until they do, we have to make sure we take care of our own first.”
I knew we were getting close to the dam when the tracks ahead of us veered to the right. JD and Tucker stepped out of the woods and made their way back to us. It was my first visit, so I had no idea what to expect. JD and Tucker had been there a few times, and Doug and Daniel had commuted to Nickajack every day for years.
“The dam is hydroelectric,” said Doug. “We can follow these power lines right to it. There’s a smaller path that runs next to the lines so we won’t be as exposed. It’s less than half a mile to the parking lot.”
“Was anyone there last time?” I asked.
“A few in the distance,” said Daniel, “but not a soul at the dam.”
“Let’s hope for the same.”
We took our time walking the last half mile to the dam. We still had plenty of sunlight left in the day. Our plan was to stay overnight within its concrete walls after Doug and Daniel manually opened the outlet.
The trail ended and we surveyed the area with our scopes. It was the first time I laid eyes on Nickajack Dam. It was much smaller than I had imagined. It now made more sense to me that they could open the gates manually.
The closest town to the dam was three miles away to our north. Doug told me there were no populated areas in between. As I swung my rifle to the west, I saw a sliver of smoke rising from a campfire along the shoreline a mile away.
“Do you see that, JD?” I asked.
“I do. What’s over there, Doug?”
“Shellmound Campground,” said Doug. “There’s a couple small buildings, but not much else. That’s where we saw those folks last time. They stayed put and didn’t cause us any problems.”
“That’s a little too close for comfort,” I said. “Are you going to need us to go down into the dam with you?”
“Nope,” said Daniel. “Not much room for more than two people where we need to go.”
“Okay,” I said. “JD, Tucker, and I will stay up top. We’ll figure out where we’re going to sleep after you open the gate. You guys ready to move?”
“Let’s do this,” said JD.
We would be out in the open the last five hundred feet to the entrance of the building. None of us liked being out in the open. JD and Doug were the first to move while we covered them. When they arrived at the door, Daniel and I made the crossing. After we made another scan of the area, JD waved his brother over.
Looking through the windows, we saw no movement. The doors were still unlocked from their last visit. After clearing all the rooms in the building, JD, Tucker, and I went up a ramp to the walkway over the dam, while the Kramer brothers went down a ladder and disappeared. I was glad everyone agreed with my plan. I didn’t want to have to tell them that I was claustrophobic.
We reached a point on the walkway where we could see in every direction. We crouched with our backs together and scanned the shoreline for any movement. From my position, I could get a better look at Shellmound Campground. There may have been only one fire, but there were more than a few people around it. I rubbed my eyes and adjusted my scope.
“JD, check out that campground,” I said, needing a second pair of eyes. “Tell me what you see.”
“Holy shit,” said JD. “They look like military.”
“What?” said Tucker, swinging his rifle around.
“I count four,” said JD.
“Look up the shoreline,” said Tucker. “There’s two more.”
“How long is it going to take them to open the floodgate?”
“Last time it took about an hour or so,” said JD.
The Kramer brothers came up twenty minutes after they went down. I motioned for them to stay where they were. I crouched low as I made my way to them.
“That was fast,” I said, moving us around a corner.
“What’s up?” asked Doug.
“Six men at that campsite,” I said. “They look like military or some kind of militia. Either way, I don’t want them to know we’re here.”
“Shit,” said Doug.
“Why shit?”
“The main valve is stuck,” said Daniel. “We sprayed it down with lubricant, but we need to let it sit for a while.”
Shit.
“What’s a while?” I asked.
“Overnight should do it.”
“You think those guys are going to cross the river here?” asked Daniel.
“I don’t know, maybe.”
“Looks like we’re all sleeping down in the hole tonight,” said Doug. “There’s only one way in or out and we can lock the steel hatch from below. They’d need a blow torch to get to us.”
Shit.
“One of us should stay up top,” I said. “That way we’ll know for sure if they’re crossing.”
“You’re scared to go down there, aren’t you?” said Doug, giving me a sideways smile. “I’ll be damned. You’re claustrophobic.”
“Very,” I said.
“Don’t worry, Sally,” said Doug. “The only tight spot is where we were. There’s two big rooms with plenty of space and plenty of air. You can run your lantern all night if you need to.”
“It’s still underwater,” I said.
“Cowboy up,” said JD. “It’s just for one night.”
As the sun was setting, we made our way down into the hole. The group on the shore was packing their gear. Entombed in concrete and steel, we could scream at the top of our lungs and nobody up top would hear us. I wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
Our mission was to open the gate on the dam. A thousand people were depending on us to get it done. We weren’t leaving until we did.
I had no idea what the intentions were of the men in camouflaged uniforms. As usual, we didn’t have the time to find out. If they crossed the dam and turned left, I never would have to find out. If they turned right, our paths would be crossing again soon.
I was glad to find the ladder was short. Doug and Daniel were laughing at me as I looked around the large control room. There was more than enough space, and it wasn’t below the water line. I let them have their moment, and then they showed me the longer ladder that would take them down to the valve.
“Now that’s underwater,” said Doug. “You wanna check it out?”
“Maybe tomorrow,” I said, shaking my head.
We followed the Kramer brothers into a smaller room down a long hall where there were several cots with pads and pillows. We dragged the cots back into the larger room where we’d be sleeping. I have to admit, I did feel safe and secure behind all that concrete and steel. It didn’t take long before all of us were sound asleep.
Our internal clocks woke us early in the morning. I turned up the lantern and looked at my pocket watch as I stretched. Doug and Daniel were already on their feet and gathering their gear. JD and Tucker both pulled the sheets over their heads and rolled away from the light.
When they went back down into the hole, I went up. I cleared all the rooms again and scanned the area around the building. I made my way back to the vantage point on top of the dam.
It made me uneasy when I saw them the day before camped so close to us. The uneasy feeling came back when they weren’t. All I could do is hope that they had turned left when they reached the tracks.
Chapter 12
JD
JD and Tucker joined me on top of the dam. As we were talking, we heard the sound of churning water. When we looked over the side, we could see the swirls and turbulence of it moving through the outlet gate. Ten minutes later, Doug and Daniel walked around the corner of the building. Mission accomplished. It was time to go home.
“Nice work, gentlemen,” I said, shaking their hands.
“We need to get up here more often,” said Doug. “At least once a month to do maintenance and keep everything greased.”
“We’ll make that happen,” I said. “We need to stay alert on the trip back. Looks like our friends from the campground passed over us while we slept. They may be on the tracks in front of us.”
“Let’s get moving then,” said Daniel. “I’m getting hungry.”
Knowing there might be strangers walking the tracks, we decided to move through the woods on either side. It would take us longer, but it was a much safer route. We were all feeling good about successfully opening the dam. We were feeling even better when we made it back to the farmhouse to meet up with Morgan’s group. That changed in a heartbeat.
As soon as we saw the three bodies on the porch, we dropped to a knee, raised our rifles, and scanned the windows for movement. When none was detected, JD and Tucker split up and maneuvered around both sides of the house. While they secured the perimeter, Doug, Daniel, and I moved up to the front steps.
JD and Tucker returned and let us know that nobody was outside. In unison, we slung our rifles across our backs and drew our handguns. We formed a single-file line and entered through the open doorway with speed. JD, Tucker, and I moved through the hall on the first floor while Doug and Daniel peeled off and went up the stairs. With each room we cleared, the body count rose.
When the first floor was secured, we waited at the bottom of the stairs. Doug and Daniel came down with somber faces. Without saying a word, they both walked by us and out onto the front porch.
I returned to the living room where I discovered Morgan’s body beside another of his men and the two male children. They were in a row in front of the fireplace. They had been bound, and were down on their knees when their throats were cut. (The cowards must have subdued them with their guns, but didn’t want to waste the ammunition for their executions.)
We stood in silence for a few moments. When I heard JD and Tucker turn for the stairs, I followed. We knew what we were going to find up there, but we needed to see them. It was how we were going to silence the voices in our heads that would try to stop us from killing the men responsible.
Walking into the first room, we found Shannon naked in the bed with her hands and feet tied to the posts. The sheets were soaked with her blood. Her face had been beaten so badly I didn’t recognize her until I was standing over her. I remembered her red hair that was still pulled back in a ponytail. She had bruising around her neck from the hands that strangled her to death.
We found two more women from their group in the second bedroom. Both had been beaten, stabbed, and then tossed into a corner on top of each other as if they were trash. We all hesitated before entering the last bedroom. We knew who was in there. The only person left in the group who was unaccounted for was the young girl.
Tucker stopped in the doorway and then turned around. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled before walking down the hall to the stairs. We understood why when JD and I stepped inside the room.
She was in the same condition as Shannon, but with multiple stab wounds to her chest and abdomen. We didn’t have the time or energy to bury all of them, but we would bury the children. We pulled our knives to cut through the restraints. When I held her wrist, she moaned.
“Oh dear God, Henry,” whispered JD, shaking his head.
We both knew we couldn’t save her. Even if we were in an emergency room with power, she wouldn’t survive her injuries for long. From the looks of the sheets and puddles on the floor next to her, she had already lost half the blood in her body.
After cutting through the restraints, I placed her arms by her side and drew my gun. JD walked around the bed, knelt beside her, and then held her hand. He looked at me before turning his face away. I whispered that I was sorry, placed a pillow over her head, and then pulled the trigger.
I walked out of the room and left JD alone with her. Tucker was running up the stairs as I was walking down the hall. He stopped when he realized what had happened.
“She was alive, wasn’t she?” asked Tucker, leaning against the wall.
“Yes,” I said. “But she wasn’t conscious.”
“She was just a kid,” said Tucker, rubbing his face. “How could they do that to a little kid?”
“They’re not human anymore,” I said.
“It was those military guys, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said. “JD says the boot prints in the front yard are the same as the prints near the dam. They probably saw the light from their fire.”
“Jesus Christ,” said Tucker. “They thought they were home free. The
y were so happy yesterday when we left them. They thanked us for saving their lives.”
“I know, buddy,” I said. “It doesn’t get much worse than this.”
“It’s about to get a lot worse for those assholes,” said Tucker. “Do you think they’re headed for Bridgeport?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is my brother still in there?”
“Yeah, but I think he needs a minute or two.”
“Okay. What are we going to do with them?”
“We’ll bury the children,” I said. “Leave the others in the house. We’re going to burn it.”
“All right,” said Tucker. “I’ll see if I can find some shovels.”
We wrapped the women upstairs in sheets and brought them down. I don’t know why, but it seemed like the right thing to do, putting them all together in one room. Their pain and suffering was over, but it was transferred into each of us. None of us questioned if we were going to hunt down the men who slaughtered them. The only question was how bad we were going to make them hurt for what they did.
JD came outside ten minutes later carrying the girl. He remained silent as he laid her down in the wet grass with care. He picked up a shovel and started to dig her grave.
I remembered he was drawn to her when they met the day before, but I didn’t know why. He was deeply affected by her death, but I imagined more by the way she died. With every thrust of the shovel into the ground, I could see the pain on his face.
“He has a daughter,” said Tucker, walking up beside me. “Did you know that?”
“No,” I said, turning to face him. “He’s never mentioned that to me before.”
“He doesn’t talk about it anymore,” said Tucker. “His wife got full custody after they divorced and moved to Texas a few years ago. That tore him up being so far away from her, but he knew it was for the best.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He couldn’t take care of her like her mother could,” said Tucker. “You see, me and JD were born and raised in these hills, and this is where we’re gonna die. He never wanted much more than that, but he always wanted more for Erin. She was a beautiful girl and smart too. Real smart. She’s about that girl’s age and a spittin’ image, Henry. I ain’t kidding either. When I first saw her, I could’ve sworn it was her. JD thought so too. He told me.”