She grabbed the straps before Tabitha knew what was going on and gave them a tight pull.
Beth chuckled, “Tabitha, one other thing, try not to get hit either, cause you think it is snug on you now. It is a whole different realm of pain, if you get shot.”
Tabitha cocked her head, raised her brow and inquired, “Shot?!”
Beth continued while picking up her Beretta, “Depending on what kind of ammo they are using it may sting, knock the wind out of you or just flat out drop you to the ground, where you may pass out. So just keep your eyes open along with your ears, ok?”
Tabitha took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The pressure of the vest was extremely uncomfortable but she also thought of her nerves as the adrenaline began to rise in her body. Niz looked at Tabitha very quickly and suddenly spoke without wasting an ounce of time, “Tabitha. It’s going to be alright. Don’t let your emotions get too high or you will make mistakes. Use your senses and just try to stay calm.”
Beth looked over at Niz and everything that they both had talked about earlier was making sense. Of course, it had when they discussed it before but seeing how Tabitha was breathing, along with how she was fidgeting, made everything that Niz said fall into place.
“Tabitha, I will lead and you just be my backup. It’s like we always have done before. There is no difference, it’s just you and me protecting and fighting for what we have. Got it?”
Tabitha looked over to Beth then back to Niz, “Ok then I suggest we do this thing and, hey maybe, I can get a sweet bike out of the deal. I’ve never had one of them before.”
Beth chuckled, “See?! There ya go! Now you're talking.”
Ceara climbed to the loft as Mark called up, “Don’t shoot till we give the signal, just because a couple are in your sights doesn’t mean a thing. They could be sending a few in to see just where everyone is, or they could all be coming in, hauling all their fire power, just to scare the hell out of us.”
Ceara rolled her eyes, “This ain’t my first rodeo, so don’t give me any lessons on when to shoot and when not to.”
As Ceara crawled into the loft, Mark looked to Charlie, “Damn, what a bitch!”
Charlie slammed Mark against the wall, “You may want to take that back, she happens to be right. Just because you guys don’t know us, it doesn’t give you the right to treat us like we’re stupid, or call my girlfriend a bitch!”
Colt stepped up grabbing Charlie, “We got a lot bigger things to worry about, don’t you think? Charlie gave a curt nod, and walked to the wall. He leaned down looking through a small hole, trying to see any of the vehicles that were getting louder and louder.
Colt nodded to Mark, but got a glare in return, as Mark stormed off toward the barn door, “We were told your people were good, I have my doubts, so let’s get this done so I get to go home.”
Spirit Horse walked over to Colt, “No use playing referee now just let all three of them calm down before approaching again. Like you said, we have more important things to deal with at the moment than three children.”
Colt chuckled, “Yeah, but damn, do they need to add to the stress?”
Ceara voice came over the edge of the loft, “Guys, they're coming from the hills and some from the lake...”
Charlie called out, “How many?”
Ceara looked around, “I can count seven from my angle but this angle SUCKS, Nope, nine now!”
Charlie grabbed a bow, “I got two on my side!”
Mark glanced around, “You guys got radios to find out what the girls see?”
Colt shook his head, “Nope, but trust me, we will find a way to find out.”
Charlie started laughing, “They got three on their side!”
Colt gave Charlie a confused look, “How do you know?”
“One of the girls just put 3 jars in the window!”
Mark gave a small smile, “Ok, I’ll give you that... that was pretty good.”
Colt started doing the numbers in his head, “So that gives us fourteen?”
Spirit Horse shook his head, “Don’t count on everyone seeing all of them and not double counting a couple either. The two guys Charlie sees may be one or both that Ceara can see too.”
A shot rang out, and Mark leveled his rifle out the door, “They are going for the house!!!”
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Alden had stayed hidden in the rocks and watched as the group split up. He knew the lay out of the ranch and it didn’t take a genius to figure they were going to hit from all four sides. He watched as they spread out then picked his target taking the group that would be attacking from East. They were the closest for one thing and for another, he knew the kids would be able to handle the North and South groups. The ones from the west, he’d worry about later.
Moving swiftly, he kept low, his rifle slung over his back and the ammo belt strapped around his waist. He carried his surprise package in his left hand as he worked his way down, coming up behind the bikers. Dropping down behind some boulders, when the bikers suddenly stopped. He listened and tried to see the ranch. His view was blocked somewhat by the giant sequoias but he could see enough to know the other groups were getting ready to do something.
Alden heard a shot ring out from the North and moved quickly and silently into position just a few yards above his target. Watching them, he saw they were checking their rifles and passing a bottle between them. He could hear their voices and their laughter but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. That is, until the one who was missing a hand, yelled something about fucking the injun bitch first. Two more shots rang out and Alden moved again. He was now directly above them. Holding the saddle bags, he began to shake them violently. The contents in the bag became very angry. This was evident from the sound of their rattles. Carefully he unlatched the covers so the flaps were hanging loosely. Giving the bags one more good shake, he stood up quickly and threw the bags down on the men below.
His aim and plan worked better than he’d expected. The bags were soaring directly over the heads of the bad guys as the flaps flew open and the rattle snakes began to rain down on the men.
Lefty turned and looked up, hearing the snakes’ rattles, “OH FUCKING SHIT” was all he got out as two fell on his face, one latching onto his cheek. The snake then fell on his shoulder and slid to the ground. It coiled quickly and struck him on the leg, just below his crotch.
The rest of the snakes fell down among the other men as they dropped their rifles and threw their hands over their heads to protect themselves. They were screaming and trying to run to escape them but all they did was run into each other and cuss even more. As the snakes hit the ground, they all coiled and struck at the nearest man.
Their attacks were more than Alden could have hoped for, as he watched from just a few yards away. After a few strikes, the snakes began to retreat. Alden then pulled his knife along with a tomahawk the Indians had given him. It was now his turn to finish the job. Leaping from the rocks above, Alden let out a loud war cry, “AIEEEEEEE!!!”
As he landed, he swung the tomahawk and caught one of the men on his arm and followed through with a swipe of his knife, sending him reeling across the desert floor. Alden spun and saw the one with the snake still clinging to his tongue. The man’s eyes were wide and full of tears. Alden raised his boot and side kicked the man in the stomach, sending him into a large group of cactus. As Alden turned to find his next target, he heard the man he kicked whimper. Suddenly Alden was struck from behind. He fell to one knee from the force of the blow but was able to keep his wits. Sliding his foot out, he spun quickly away as a second blow from a rifle butt hit the ground where he had just been. Alden stood quickly and was face to face with a large man towering over him. Alden sized him up as he squared off with him. The man stood about six foot four and weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds. Alden took a step back then suddenly leaped at the man driving his fist into the big man’s throat. The two hit the ground wi
th Alden on top. He quickly grabbed the man's beard with both hands and slammed his head into the ground, while punching him repeatedly in the face. The big man was finally able to get his hands underneath Alden and with one great push shoved Alden up into the air and off of him.
Both men scrambled to their feet and began to square off again. The man was ready when Alden attacked, catching Alden and throwing him to the side, where Alden landed hard on his back against the rocks, knocking the wind out of him. It was the big man’s turn now. He lunged forward and grabbed Alden’s shirt pulling him up and getting ready to slam him back against the rocks. Alden spit in the man’s face then tried to head butt him to make him let go. It seemed to have no effect as the large man shook the blow off and smiled. Pulling his own head back, the man returned the head-butt twice then punched Alden in his stomach. Alden groaned in pain as he heard a snap from his chest. Pain shot through him as he gasped for breath. The big man suddenly yelped in pain and let Alden go and reached down to grab the rattle snake that had bitten his leg.
Alden took the moment to regain his breath and his thoughts before lunging at the man. The man looked up as Alden began yelling again. Raising his head, Alden took aim and placed a karate chop directly across the man’s windpipe. Alden followed through and spun, prepared to kick the man. As he did, he watched the man fall back and let out his last gasp of air. Alden fell back against the rocks to rest. Holding his chest, as the pain shot through him every time he tried to take a deep breath.
He looked at the men in front of him on the ground. The man with one arm was lying on his side, his tongue swollen so much it looked like a huge apple had been shoved in his mouth. The snakes poison had swelled the man’s tongue into a large grotesque shape.
Alden saw the man he had hit with the tomahawk. He didn’t realize it but the blow had cut deep into the man’s chest, just below his heart, which was now hanging out of the wound. Looking around for the last two, he started to move slowly towards the ranch. It wasn’t long when Alden came to a small gully. There below him, lay the last of the group. One’s throat was swollen and covered with bite marks. The second was lying on his stomach with a large wound in the back of his head. Alden kicked him over on his back.
He had never heard the shot the man fired. The remains of the snake that had bitten the man’s face over and over again lay dead around his neck. Alden started to turn when heard it. The rattle snake was quick. It lunged and struck Alden in the top of his boot. One fang hit the boot the other imbedded in his leg. “GODDAMN IT!” Alden yelled as he brought the knife down on the snakes head cutting it off.
Alden sat down and pulled his pant leg up and removed the head from his boot and leg. Looking at where the snake’s fang had struck him, he sighed, “Yeah, that’s going to leave a mark.” Alden drove the tip of the knife into the wound cutting it open. He then sat and squeezed the blood out then bandaged it up with a bandana. He whistled lowly and his horse came to him. Mounting it slowly because of the pain in his chest and leg, he started to ride slowly in and out of the sequoias to get down to the ranch.
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Ceara lay in the loft waiting for the riders to come around to attack the house. She crawled to the edge and looked down at the guys, “Charlie, how long are we going to let the girls be attacked before we do anything?”
As if on cue, several more shots rang out, causing Ceara to jump, “Oh to hell with this!”
She moved to the loft window to take aim. Her first shot took out one on a small dirt bike. A guy that was close to him yelled out, “WE GOT SOME IN THE BARN!” Mark yelled up to Ceara, “THAT was why we didn’t want to shoot yet!”
“Screw you! They aren’t going to get Tabitha and Beth!” Ceara was mad and it caused her next shots to go wide. Charlie scrambled up the ladder taking aim out the same window as Ceara, “Remember what Alden said, breathe, aim, breathe, and then pull the trigger.”
Ceara nodded, “You mad at me, too?”
Charlie took aim, fired and a man dropped, “No, to be honest, I was waiting on you to snap so I could use it as an excuse to fire, too.”
The men on the bikes were scrambling for cover; motorcycles were being deserted for better hiding spots. A very gruff voice called out, “Hold your fire! Damn it, stop!!”
Slowly the gunfire slowed to a stop.
The same voice called out again, “Ok, we know that there are more here than the three we thought, so let’s talk terms......”
Charlie answered before anyone else could, “Terms are simple, you leave, you have a chance of living... you fight us, you die!”
The voice came back laughing, “Boy, I don’t care if you have fifty in that barn, we still outnumber you!”
Charlie gave Ceara a nervous look, whispering, “He’s bluffing, don’t worry!” He turned back to the window, “Seems funny you think numbers are what ensures your victory. We aren’t too worried. Bring on your best, asshole!”
“You the spokesman for your whole group, boy? I would rather deal with an adult on grown up matters!”
Charlie didn’t rise to the bait, “I got your boy... and if you’re so all fired up to know what our numbers are, just start firing on us again, and you will find out!”
Ceara gave him a quizzical look, “What are you doing?”
Charlie called out the window, “Well, what’s it going to be?” Charlie looked down to Ceara, “As long as I keep him talking, the longer Alden has to get here.”
Tabitha glanced out of the window then leaned back to see Niz at the front window, “Still three?”
Niz nodded, just as Beth came back in to see Frank climbing into the attic space, “What the hell is he doing?”
Harold smiled, “Best place to fight is high ground or a roof... we don’t have a roof available, so the crawl space will work. There will be a vent up there that Frank will get a very good view from. Larry has a few pieces of plywood up there so Frank will be able to get to both the front and back of the house.”
Beth looked again to the crawl space, “He better be careful... anyway, I saw two going around the back of the barn, how can we warn the others?”
Tabitha kept her eyes to the back of the house, “No need, we have good enough training that even if they get around there, they won’t live long. Colt and Charlie will expect that.”
The man’s voice rang out again drawing everyone’s attention, “Young man, you still with me?”
“I’m here, what?”
Tabitha glanced to Beth, then the others, “They are buying time, wonder if they have more on the way? I say we say fuck the talking and just start taking these assholes out!”
Beth shook her head no, “Let this play out, Alden hasn’t made an appearance yet and that is always our cue to start, we don’t change that now.”
The man’s voice came through again, “Listen kid, we ain’t had good-looking women in a while. How about you let us take a couple off your hands and we call it even for you shooting a couple of my men!”
Before Charlie could respond, Tabitha called out, “Man, I wish you had rode up on a horse, I could tell you to go fuck yourself and the horse you rode in on AND mean it!”
Charlie rolled his eyes, “Damn, I knew she wouldn’t let that go,” he said as he smiled to Ceara.
Tonto’s growl drew everyone’s attention in the barn. Spirit Horse looked up to Charlie, “What’s up with your dog?”
Charlie snapped and Tonto sat down growling at the back door, “Ease open the door just a little, let him out. There are one or more out there.”
Spirit Horse looked at Tonto, unsure of walking beside him, “Easy boy, I’m letting you out.”
Tonto bolted out the door.
Mark eased open the front door. Just enough to get a view between the house and the barn, when one of the puppies ran out. “Shit!” Mark looked to Colt, “Sorry dude, I didn’t know they got out of the basket.”
The young pup ran across the
yard, his feet carrying him faster than this body could go and he rolled a foot or two. He bounced up and shook the dirt off just as one of the men grabbed him up, “Lookie here guys, dinner!
He snapped the puppy’s neck and before the puppy hit the ground, so did he. No one knew for sure where the shot came from.
Tabitha looked back to Beth, “Do not bitch at me for killing that mother fucker!”
Beth just stood there, “If you hadn’t done it, I would have!”
The man’s voice was once more heard, “Well, you just took out one more of my men, you are getting harder and harder to deal with. You have one..... OW FUCK!!!”
Tabitha grinned at Beth, “We’re up, Alden’s here!!”
Alden had stopped just short of the ranch and listened as Charlie and the man were yelling. Getting off the horse, he worked his way toward the man but was keeping an eye on the ranch. As he closed in, he watched the big man kill a puppy, whispering to himself, “Fucking asshole, why’d he go and do that?” Just then Alden saw the big man get hit in the neck with a bolt. “That’s my girl, Tabitha.” The man in charge started yelling again while the others around him started to fan out away from him. Alden moved in slowly, stepping lightly. He had gotten right behind the man as he started to yell once more. Alden stepped up and drove his fist into the kidney of the man, “I’m real tired of listening to your bullshit.”
As the man dropped to his knees and turned his head, he started to yell for help but Alden had him by the throat. “Call off your dogs, if you want to live.”
The man’s eyes were bulging as he choked under Alden’s grip. He finally nodded okay. As Alden loosened his grip, the man drove his fist into Alden crotch then threw sand in his eyes. The blow caught Alden off guard and he fell backwards. The man got up and yelled, “KILL THE MEN AND RAPE THE WOMEN!”
Alden’s boot swept the man off his feet. Alden rolled over in pain as he drove his knife into the man’s crotch. The man screamed in pain. Alden moved up the man’s body with the knife at the man’s throat. “Bad move, hoss.”
Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come Page 8