by Ison, S. A.
She’d never come up against so much violence. As a lawyer, she’d handled quite a lot of domestic violence cases. With the veneer ripped off society’s benevolent face, it seemed to her that people had de-evolved. They had passed people on the road, wretched looking. It had only been a few days for Christ’s sakes. Yet, with little food and drinkable water, things were going down fast. Jack had stolen from them and left them vulnerable in their sleep. He was a coward in her eyes, a selfish coward. He’d not last, she was sure. They’d all eaten less, knowing the food must last them on the journey. Not only that, the heavy sodium in the food left her hands and joints slightly swollen.
She was glad the men were able to catch food to supplement. She was also glad they were staying put for an extra day or two. She hoped that Perrin would be alright. It had been frightening to see Liev run from the forest, with Perrin on his back. Perrin had looked awful, the color gone from his face. Liev looked like a ghost as well, she could see the fear and worry in his eyes, for his friend. It was funny, convicts and corrections officers. It had been an unusual combination, but she figured people would team up with others in a time like this. Strange bedfellows and all.
She stopped, farther away from the group. She could just hear their conversations. She was standing in a pool of sunlight and she tilted her face up. Closing her eyes, she could see the bright light behind her lids and smiled up into it. Her face was hurting less now. It had helped putting cool compresses on. Her jaw was still a little sore and she moved it around experimentally. Better, much better and smiled. Her teeth weren’t as loose as they had been those first few painful hours, after the beating.
There were numerous birds around her, singing and calling to one another. She could hear blue jays in the distance, it sounded like older babies crying to get fed, and the parents giving into them. It was late in the season for young. She slowly turned in a tight circle and Iris breathed in deeply. The loamy earth and green around her filled her nostrils. It was peaceful here in the woods. She’d never been a camper or hiker. She was an urban woman. But she did enjoy this peace, especially in the light of recent events. It had been forced on her by some unknown country and she resented it, but she couldn’t let that consume her. It would eat her alive.
She opened her eyes and saw several small yellow butterflies, flitting through the undergrowth. She looked around and began to walk once more. She’d have to check herself for ticks. It had become a nightly ritual for all. There had been a few, but most had been on the outside of the clothing. She’d been glad she’d found camo clothing at the abandoned thrift shop. She had more clothing now. She could at least wash some and set them to drying while she wore other clothing. When she got off her guard duty, she’d take advantage of the pond.
=
It was early evening and all were satisfied with the fish they’d eaten. They’d saved their rations, preferring to eat the fish while they laid over at the pond. The fire was dying out and Tomi looked around at the sluggish and sleepy people. They were all taking advantage of the respite, building up their energies and enjoying the downtime. They’d all washed their clothes, some swam, enjoying the cool water in the heat of the day. It was as close to a mini-vacation as they could get.
“I’m going to take the NVGs and take a walk around.” Tomi announced, he was so used to moving, that this idle time was making him a bit antsy.
“I’ll come with.” Iris volunteered.
“Here, you’ll need these.” Liev said, handing over his NVGs.
“I’m going up and down the road, see if there is any activity. See if we were followed, though I’m thinking we’d have seen them yesterday, if we were. If they did build up the courage to follow, I’ve a feeling, they’ll be on the road, especially as it gets dark.” Tomi said and started out toward the road.
“Do you think they’ll need this pair to keep watch?” Iris worried.
“No, Dawn has hers as does Perrin. They’ll keep watch there, while we’re gone.”
Walking out to the road, Tomi looked up and down each way. Then he started walking back the way they’d run, the day before.
“You think they might sneak up on us during the night?” Iris asked softly.
“No, honestly, I think we got them all. But I’d not take a chance that I could be wrong. Unless they have NVGs, they may well have flashlights, those we can see from a long way off. That’s one of the biggest reasons we don’t have a fire at night. We’d be seen easily.”
The light was fading quickly, the birds in the trees settled down. Only the occasional chirping could be heard.
“Look over there, there’s a light in that window.” Iris whispered, touching his arm and pointing. Her touch was warm. He’d not been touched by a woman, a young woman, thinking of Linda at her store, in a very long time. Years in fact. It was a strange thought.
He’d just started dating, after he’d gotten out of the air force. Just before his sister was arrested. After that, he’d been incarcerated for seven long years. He shook his thoughts away from those musings. He didn’t want to be that pathetic and desperate man. This woman didn’t need his private brand of bullshit. He looked at the house she’d pointed out.
“Let’s get closer, I don’t think they’ll see us. But keep alert, we don’t want them shooting us, thinking that we’re intruders.”
Walking closer, they peered into the window. They stood on the road, not wanting to enter the yard. The house was a good ways from the road, set back and surrounded by trees. The house was dark but for one lone light, which was like a beacon in the dark night. With no street lights, nor lights from other homes that dotted the long road, it stood out. Tomi saw a form move across the interior. Then a smaller one. A child, he thought. He tapped Iris’s shoulder and nodded his head to start walking down the road. When they were well away from the home, he checked his NVG’s and looked around the forests that surrounded them on each side. Nothing.
“It looked to be a family.” He said softly.
“It’s weird seeing these people now. I feel like I’m in an alternate reality.”
“Christ, we are.” He laughed low and then she joined him.
“Yeah, I guess we are. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it all. I know it’s stupid, but I wonder who did this? I know it doesn’t matter now. But still.”
“I know. We used to get all kinds of intel. I worked in communications and the threats I saw were nearly daily. The average Joe citizen had not a clue, and rightfully so, about the threats out there. My biggest guess would be North Korea. They were playing too nice, lately. I saw a documentary about these two satellites they have. I believe the one was launched in 2009 and another, I believe in 2012.” Tomi stopped, holding the NVG up and looked around and then touched Iris’s arm and pointed.
Deep in the forest, they saw five deer, all female with their older offspring. In another month or so, it would be rutting season as well as hunting season. He smiled softly; it was like being privy to something special. He heard Iris’s soft exclamation of wonder and smiled. It pleased him that she acknowledged something special. He stood quietly, watching the animals move deeper into the night forest. The night frogs had begun their chorus and when he took the NVGs from his eyes, it now seemed pitch black out. Time had resumed for them.
He could still see enough to walk on the road, moving easily around vehicles. He picked up his thoughts from earlier.
“I believe there was talk about shooting the North Korean’s satellites down, but that would be provocation for North Korea. I believed the congress spoke about hardening our antiquated power grid, but I’m sure they didn’t. Too much greed for that.” He snorted softly and grinned when she did the same.
“Yes, god forbid congress not fill their pockets with money better spent for the people.” She huffed. Tomi stopped once more and put a hand out. His heart slammed into his chest. He could see five silhouettes of men, roughly a mile ahead of them. One had a flashlight. He pulled Iris into the trees.
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“Those men are coming our way. I don’t know if they’re from the group Liev and I killed or, if they are just men walking. I’d like to stay while they pass, maybe hear what they are saying. Do you want to head back and warn the others? It’s about three miles back down the road. If you go now, they won’t be able to see you.” He whispered.
“How can I know where our group is?” Iris asked, fear in her voice.
“You’ll hear them long before you see them. They might have one of the lantern’s cracked. Just go back the way we came. You should be able to run, the road is clear enough.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure I tell everyone that people are coming.”
“Iris, this is important, I’ll only be able to follow these guys. Tell them to bleed into the woods. Away from the camping gear. Tell them to make the sleeping bags look occupied and be ready. If these are bad guys, we’re going to have to kill them. Do you understand?”
“You mean, cold blooded murder?” Her voice sounded brittle.
“Iris, if these men want to harm us or anyone else, would you want them roaming around? Coming on an innocent family?”
“So, we’re judge, jury and executioner?”
“If these are bad guys, are you okay with letting them live? Are you okay with the people they’ll hurt, even though it won’t, be you? What happens if they go to the house with the candle in the window? There is a child there. What happens if they hurt or kill those people?”
“It’s just not fair.” She hissed low.
“Yeah, I know that. None of this is fair. But it is our reality now. We can let them pass, and they might not hurt anyone. I’ll listen to them while I follow, and if I get a sense, they are okay, we can let them pass. But, if they aren’t, then expect me to start shooting when they get near our camp. But the others have to be warned. They have to stay safe.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll go ahead.”
Tomi didn’t think she sounded convinced, but he didn’t know what else to tell her. Their lives depended on them thinking rationally, not emotionally. He watched her go back the way they’d come. She was jogging, and sometimes he saw her run, then jog. He held up his NVGs when he could no longer make out her form in the dark. Good. She disappeared around a bend in the road. Tomi stepped back into the tree line to wait for the men coming his way. He heard their distant laughter.
=
Liev stood in the tree line, his NVGs around his neck. He could hear the soft snores of those around him. He smiled, using the NVGs to look at Dawn. She looked so cute with her mouth hanging open. He sniggered softly and knew she’d be pissed, if she knew he watched her sleep. He heard the frogs from the pond, it was nearly deafening. Christ, Godzilla could sneak up on them. He’d have to mention to Tomi that maybe next time, not sleep too close to a pond.
He walked out to the road and looked up and down the road with the NVGs. His heart slammed into his chest when he saw Iris coming toward him. Alone. Where in the hell was Tomi? He waited for her to reach him and she was panting heavily.
“What’s going on?” He asked in a harsh whisper.
“We…we saw some men.” She panted out, bending forward and tried to catch her breath. She inhaled deeply and then blew her breath out.
“Tomi is going to follow them. He said to have everyone hide in the trees, to leave the camping stuff there. He said if they were bad guys, then he’d start shooting when they got near here. So, you guys could help.” She said, gasping, holding her side.
“Shit, okay, let’s get everyone up quietly. Noise travels. Come on.”
=
Tomi stood ten feet from the road. He could now hear the men, laughing and sounding carefree. He stood still as death, listening. He stood behind a small grouping of pines; they were thick enough to hide him easily.
“You’re some kind of fucked up, I’m telling you.” One man laughed hard and spit.
“Hey, Jack was a liar. He knew a hell of a lot more than he was telling.”
“Boomer, I still say you kinda went over the edge.” The man pushed.
“Hey, he said there was three women and four guys. But he didn’t give us much more than that. Only that they had food. I just knew that with a little more encouragement, he’d spill the beans.” Boomer said.
Tomi felt the heat of rage and hate wash over him. Jack had betrayed them. He’d sent these dangerous men their way. Jack knew full well what had happened to Iris and he told these men where they were. Knowing that Dawn, Iris and Linda would be hurt. He could smell blood now and the blood beat heavily in his body, thrumming its way through his veins.
“Well, he spilled his guts now didn’t he. Now we know they got weapons and now we know there are going to that guy’s uncle’s place. We can take over and live like kings there and have women. Shit, we can even use the women and rent them out for food. Hell, you know men will pay for that shit.” Boomer laughed and was joined by another man.
“Hell, yeah Boomer, and we use’em up first, though.” The new man said, still laughing.
“How far ahead are they?” Yet another man asked.
“Probably another day. That fat fuck couldn’t have walked very far, but I’m sure they were mobile as hell.” The first man said.
“Then why don’t we stop Jimmy. You know damned well they’ll see us coming with that stupid flashlight.” A man reasoned.
“Hell, yeah Jimmy. Let’s stop for the night. I’m fucking tired of walking.” A man whined.
“Buck, if you’d have worn normal goddamn boots, you’d do better.” Boomer laughed.
“Fine, Jesus Christ, you’re a bunch of fucking babies.” Jimmy bitched. “We can sleep in these cars here, pick a fucking car and get some rest. We’ll start again in the morning.”
“Thanks Jimmy. Sorry about the boots.” Buck said.
“Just get some rest and don’t take your boots off or you’ll never get them back on. I’ll leave your ass if you can’t walk.” Jimmy said.
“I’ll get one of those fucker’s boots, once we kill them.” Buck said, opening the door of a car. Tomi watched through his NVGs as each of the men chose a vehicle. Buck and Boomer shared a truck. He waited fifteen minutes before he moved silently down the road. The men were within two miles of his camp. He saw that Jimmy had a shot gun, but he’d not seen weapons on the other men. That didn’t mean they didn’t have them, it just meant he couldn’t see them.
He kept looking back over his shoulder as he walked, checking to make sure no one had left a vehicle. He rounded the bend in the road and disappeared from the stranger’s view. He began to run now, using his NVGs to check the locations of the abandoned cars. It wasn’t as easy to see them now, but he made good time. He slowed when he thought he was near their camp. He also knew that he didn’t want to get shot by one of them.
“Liev, Perrin, it’s me.” He called softly, waiting. He kept walking and then called again. He heard branches moving and walked toward it and then saw Liev’s large form. He saw the others now, stepping from behind trees. He joined them and saw that Perrin was moving, but slowly. There was no way they could run.
“What’s the gist, physicist?” Dawn said nervously, her voice low and soft.
“Are they good guys?” Iris asked, her voice a little on edge.
“No, they’re not. Jack told them about us. It seems they’re hunting us now.” Tomi said, low and angry.
“That sorry son of a bitch.” Perrin hissed.
“Yeah, he’s told them about my uncles place and about you women. They’re planning on killing us and taking you women and using you for themselves and then offer you up in trade for food.” Tomi said, he’d not meant to be cruel, but he wanted Iris to know, this was no longer a just world. She might have been a lawyer, but now, she was a commodity that these men wanted to use and exploit.
“That motherfucker. I’d kill the son of a bitch if I could.” Liev growled.
“I got the feeling that they did kill him. One of them has his backpack. One had a shotty, but
didn’t see any other weapons. Not sure if they are packing or not.”
“Should we leave?” Norman asked, his voice nervous.
“Can’t, they’ll just follow us. They won’t stop until they find us.” Perrin said.
“That little toad.” Linda hissed.
“What do we do?” Iris asked, her voice sounded small and afraid.
“We stand and fight. There is nothing for it. We ambush them. They’re sleeping right now. We can walk down there, before dawn. Wait as they’re getting out of their cars and kill them.” Tomi said in a hard voice, waiting for Iris to object and was surprised when he saw her nodding her head. So much for fair play. When faced with death or worse, there was no such thing as fair play. They’d kill these bastards and kill them all. Tomi didn’t want to look over his shoulder.
“I can’t believe that sniveling shit betrayed us.” Dawn said, fear and anger raging. Liev put his arm around her and kissed her head.
“Don’t worry honey bunny, I’ll kill all those fuckers.” He said softly to the side of her head.
“You guys get some sleep if you can. I’ll stay up and keep watch. I’ll get you up in a bit Linda, then you Dawn.” Tomi said.
“How about me brother?” Perrin asked.
“No, you need your rest and, in the morning, me, you, Norman and Liev will go and take care of business.” Tomi said.
“How about me?” Iris asked.
“You women will stay here, if we don’t make it back, kill anyone who isn’t us. When we leave in the morning, no talking. Voices carry a long way in the early morning damp.” Tomi said.
“So, we just leave near dawn and wait for them to emerge?” Norman asked, his voice shaking.
“Yeah, when we get close, I’ll point out the cars that they’re in. There are five men, shoot, kill and shoot the next. You see a weapon, shoot, you don’t see a weapon, shoot.” Tomi said.
“So, you’re telling us to shoot?” Liev asked, a low snigger.