Blake couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. “You mean this one?” He held up Tucker’s arrow. “It almost hit me. We will have to discuss safety precautions when having contests, boys.”
Darius’s mouth hung open before he openly glared at him and ran down the hill.
Tucker hung his head and walked slowly up to his dad. “I’m sorry I almost hit you, Dad. I shouldn’t have done the contest.”
“No one got hurt. We can figure out a safe way to have a shooting contest.” He handed the arrow to the boy and ruffed up his hair.
“Well, I shouldn’t have done it for two reasons. One because I almost hurt you. Two because now Darius really won’t want to be my friend. You always told me not to showcase my skills. I’m sorry.”
“It’s the rite of passage for boys. It’s hard to be humble when they goad you into things.” He wrapped an arm around Tucker and continued to walk his route. “You’ll learn.”
“I will, Dad. I promise.”
Blake stopped and looked seriously at his son. “I am proud of you, Tucker. You handled yourself well, with restraint and courage.”
Tucker’s glum expression dissolved as a small smile broke free.
“Come on. You can help me finish the perimeter check.”
Blake felt at ease with his son by his side. He didn’t like the fact that Darius tried to bully him around, but Tucker had handled it with maturity far beyond his years. The boy would be fine. It may be hard on him at times, but he would hold his own.
The last month had been a challenge on Blake and his family. Being in a group situation after surviving on their own for so long, and under such imminent stress, had taken its toll. More than once Blake had threatened to take them and disappear in the night. Each time, Kris talked him down.
Right now, this was the safest option for them, and Arland needed his help. Every day he trained with the men and women, and even some of the children, teaching them how to shoot bows, use knives, as well as defense strategies should things go wrong.
They learned things, too. Kris gleaned all the information she could on how to forage and use plants from Laurie. Tucker learned the art of getting along with other children, as well as the tips Hannah shared on the daily hike she took the children on.
The storm that had dumped snow on them as they left their home for good had been the start of a series of cold storms. Finally, the snow began to melt away. Only patches here and there were left in shady areas. Blake knew it would only be a matter of time until the next cold storm hit. He wanted to have their shelter more insulated by then. Those first few days had been rough, especially on Kris and the kids.
This was definitely a different way of doing things, but he would find a way to help them thrive, even if it took him years to do it.
~*~
Kris bit her cheek to keep the words from pouring out her mouth. She kept glancing up where the boy, Darius, said Tucker had attacked him. Attacked him? The boy had to be at least three years older, almost twice his weight, and a foot taller. Tucker was not one to attack, either.
She controlled the urge to call the boy a liar and demand he take her to Tucker right now. It worried her that he still had not returned.
“Whatever, Darius,” Scott said. Kris recognized the older boy from their first visit when he met them on the forest path to warn about Jake. “Why don’t you tell your parents the truth?”
“What is the truth?” His dad stared down at him.
Darius glared at Scott and crossed his arms.
When he didn’t say anything further and the parents didn’t push it, Kris walked over to Scott. “Can you please tell me what really happened? I’m worried about Tuck.”
“Well, I didn’t see what happened up the hill, but I know Darius was mad because the survival kid beat his best shot.”
“They were having a contest?” Kris asked, sensing the parents paying closer attention.
“Yeah, I told Darius he should know better than think he could beat The Survivalist’s kid, even if he is younger. But that guy never listens.” Scott shook his head.
“He didn’t beat me.” Darius pouted. “His dad rigged it. He held up a different arrow at the top.”
“Blake was there?” Kris asked.
“Yeah, after he watched his son beat me up, he taunted me with that fake arrow.” Darius glared.
“Hmm...that doesn’t sound like Blake.” Kris wanted to say more, but she swallowed her words. Knowing that Tucker was with Blake eased her anxiety, giving her the energy to mind her manners.
“Nor does it sound like something an adult would do, especially The Survivalist,” Darius’s mom said.
“We’ll get to the bottom of this when they return. Younger or not, that boy has grown up knowing how to fight. I won’t have him picking on my son.”
“Did you really just say that?” Kris couldn’t stop her mouth. This guy really thought that her little, barely seven year old had beat up his oversized bully of a kid.
“What’s going on here?” Arland stepped in right as Kris thought she might lose her cool, and the guy looked ready to get physical.
No one said anything.
“Kris?” Arland asked.
“This kid and his dad are accusing Tucker of beating him up.” Kris spat the words out. She did not like confrontation, but her mama bear instincts were on high alert. She patted Mercy’s back as she stirred in her wrap.
“Was anyone else there to witness this?” Arland asked Darius.
“The Survivalist was there at the end.”
“And you’re saying that he just stood there and watched Tucker beat you up?” Arland looked him over.
Kris did as well. The kid had some pine needles on his back, but nothing else. No bumps, bruises, scrapes, nothing to show he had been hurt.
“You don’t look like you were beat up.” Arland stood staring intently at the boy.
“He knocked me down.” Darius’s lip quivered.
“Oh, I wonder why he would have done that.” Aland scratched at his cropped beard.
“I wasn’t really going to punch him...” Darius started and then covered his mouth.
“Ahh, I see. Tucker was defending himself. Why would you even pretend to punch him?”
“He said he could shoot his arrow farther than me,” Darius pouted.
“He can,” Scott said simply.
Arland squatted down. “You know, Darius. We all have our own skills that we bring to this community. Scott, here, is a great leader. Tucker is a wonderful archer. I hear you are really skilled with the snare.”
“Yeah, I’ve caught more animals than any of the other kids.” Darius stood taller.
“You see. You have your own special skill to contribute. No need to compare yourself to anyone else.” Arland stood, looked at all the adults and then to Darius. “So, are we all good here now?”
Everyone nodded.
Kris felt aptly put in her place. She was a teacher. She should have been able to negotiate that as well as Arland. If it had been two other kids, she would have. With her own son being mistreated, something unruly loosened in her.
“Kris, could you come with me? I was looking for you before I came upon this non-situation.” Arland nodded toward the fire.
“Of course,” she said as she followed him. The warmth of the fire eased the chill creeping up her. “I’m sorry about that.”
“No need. Boys will be boys. Tucker is trying to find his place, and Darius, well, he is known for pushing boundaries and being physical. He’ll adapt, as will we all.” Arland smiled knowingly.
“Well said. So, what can I help you with?”
“Well,” he said and chuckled. “I need the advice of a woman.”
“Why don’t you ask Laurie? I know she... Oh, it’s about her.” Kris’s heart warmed. “Ask away.”
“Do you know she and I both lost our spouses?”
“I do. I’m sorry.”
Arland nodded. “It’s hard to let go.”
“That’s exactly what she said.” Kris’s eyes went wide. She wanted to stick her foot in her mouth. She always talked too much, which is why she tried not to talk at all.
“She did?” Arland asked and then nodded. “I had been fine with the idea of spending the rest of my life without another wife, but now...”
“It’s different,” Kris said.
“It is.”
“Have you two talked about it?” Kris asked.
Arland shrugged. “Not directly.”
“It might be time.” Kris heard a commotion, but tried to keep her attention on Arland.
“What would I say?”
“Listen to your heart. Tell her exactly how you feel without tippy-toeing around the tough stuff.”
“That’s the hard part, huh?” Arland said as the commotion grew louder and closer.
She looked up just as Blake and Tucker ran around the end dwelling. They looked out of breath and Tucker’s eyes were wide as he ran to her. She stood at the same time Arland did and moved toward them. Tucker ran into her arms, hugging both her and his sister.
“They’re here,” Blake breathed out.
Kris took a step back, though keeping her arm around her son and wrapping the other around Mercy. How could they leave now? It was full-on winter. Traveling with an infant in the dead of winter with the old and sick of the community would be fool-hardy at best, life-taking at worst. Did they even have a chance of outrunning an organized, driven group of armed men?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DC Little writes what she loves, incorporating survival techniques within action-packed natural disaster stories. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are her playground, both for adventure and scheming up new plots.
If DC is not attached to her computer typing out her latest novel, then you will probably find her on some sort of adventure with her husband and son. Whether white-water kayaking, backcountry skiing, dirt bike riding, or finding the next bug-out hidden oasis, she feels most at home in the trees and granite wonderlands of her home county.
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Grant Us Mercy (Book 4): Grant Us Mercy Page 10