He was visibly relieved, so him and Joe shook hands on it. Then they disappeared into the clinic for heavens knows what. They're medics so I guess they doing medic type things. Anyway, I was going with Mason to the fishing cabin to finish up preparations for the berry harvest. I wanted the cabin cleaned, stocked, some picnic tables set up and the barbeque prepared. It was going to be a big day and a long one. We fixed a playpen area for Davy and cots for the girls. After a few hours we messed around in the lake skinny dipping then went back to the lodge tired but happy.
Ken had departed on his second trip. He'd found a small airport and fueled up so he could stay out a bit longer but he was due back at any time. When we arrived at the lodge everyone was excited. There had been a phone call from someone near Helena. They said there was only four of them but if they could find a way, they would arrive in a week. They'd had a rough time of it and was anxious to get to safety.
We'd just sat down to eat when Ken flew in. He reported several sites that might do and showed us the pictures he took of the area. He said there was a place he liked north of Helena in a small valley. It looked deserted but we had no idea. Someone may have been hiding since they didn't know who we were. Ken had dropped a package anyway so we'd have to wait to see if anyone called.
The rest of the day was just plain quiet. Just the way I like it. Mandy got a scrape that Joe fussed over. I washed clothes and helped Sarah make bread for the next day. The smell of baking bread drove everyone nuts until she finally made some cinnamon rolls and quieted everyone down. I went to bed early and snuggled Mason all night. The cool air of the mountains wrapped around me and sent me to sleep with a smile on my face.
Clint, Mercy and Clarissa along with Don the medic, Frank the mechanic, John the gardener and Liz the cook, arrived early the next day. We had cinnamon rolls and coffee waiting for them when they arrived with picnic baskets, blankets and coolers. The Valley East land was being watched by the three deserters that arrived with the siege last month. They were being tested and it had been their idea. That allowed everyone to come to the party. The ones we left behind were three of Mad dogs crew. They were still nervous about leaving the lodge so were happy to babysit it while the rest of us played. I figured it was time to trust them with something, so left them to it. Alan, the guy who pushed me up when I fell through the road, would come with us. We got on our four wheelers and the caravan started for the fishing cabin.
We followed the creek around and over and back around again. If I have learned anything about Montana it's there's no straight shot to anything when you live in the mountains. But the road to get there is a beauty. There were fluffy clouds dancing gently across the sky while a slight breeze played in your hair. The smells of pine and honeysuckle had you sniffing like a cocaine addict and the smiles on our faces made our cheeks hurt. Eagles floated on the breezes calling to their mates while deer and elk dodged back and forth in the tree line, while warily watching us from afar.
When we arrived at the cabin, the kids and dog scattered. The girls chased butterflies while Bubba chased them. Davy was sleeping peacefully in her crib set up in a shade near the cabin. Some of the guys went to fishing right away and others went off in search of the bee hive they knew to be there. I wasn't interested in that so much as enjoying time with my friends. I told Mercy about how we were preparing for the worst and reaching out to others like us, but she didn't care for the idea. Said we didn't know those people and we'd worked hard for what we had. If they are just gonna mooch then they weren't worth the trouble. I guess some people might think that but I wasn't one of them. I would've liked some help but I'm proud of what we did have because I had worked so very hard to get it. Her ideas had some merit, but so did mine.
When it was time to eat it seemed everyone had the same idea at the same time. We grilled some fish with deer steaks and pork chops then sat and talked and visited until Sarah and Mercy put the girls down for a nap. Bubba was ready for one too so he joined them. Then leaving Lacy to babysit with one of her many magazines while the rest of us headed to a blueberry patch with our pillow cases.
We chatted and laughed ourselves to pieces. Eating some of the berries we each had purple lips and talked about recipes from the past and what we planned for the future. Squealing caught our attention and we saw some of the guys running screaming. Looks like they found the bee hives. Joe came running and after catching them doctored their stings. They told us where the hives were and we took note but until someone knew how to get the honey without getting stung we had no intention of going near them.
Later that day the girls ran up to us and said they'd found some caves so we decided we better check it out. Sure enough, there were several caves behind the cabin a ways and they were full of stuff. I hadn't realized there was so much stuff in there. Mostly fishing stuff and cots and tubs of clothes and whatnot for the cabin during the summer season. Old man Robertson must of been sleeping in there because he had rigged up a door near the middle of the one of the caves and on the other side we found a nice sitting room, makeshift kitchen and bedroom. It looked like he'd just left and would return any minute.
The late afternoon brought with it some heat and we all got tired and sleepy. Duke said he'd talked to both houses and all was well. We pieced on the food and decided to get ready to head back. As we were getting ready to leave, I heard a massive explosion and the ground vibrated. Mandy pointed towards the lodge and said, "What's that?" A huge fireball erupted and then dirt and debris began to fall all around us.
"Get to the caves," Mason shouted. Everyone ran that way but my feet refused to move. I stared at the fire and wanted so badly to go there. It was about where the lodge was situated. Mason grabbed me by the arm and hauled me to the caves as burning bits of trees and rocks rained down on us. I felt a sharp pain on my shoulder but it didn't register as pain until I was in the cave. I couldn't see what was going on so Mason had to keep pulling me back inside.
The girls were crying and Bubba was shaking as Mandy held him tight in her arms. We did a head count and noticed, Alan, the one who had saved my bacon back at the river, was missing. I finally found him in the cabin peering out the window at us and motioned him our way but he shook his head. He planned to stay there. Soon the hail of burning debris landed on the roof and the cabin became engulfed by flames. Alan ran screaming from the cabin, his clothes on fire and collapsed on the ground. I turned into Masons shoulder, unable to watch more.
The screams died and in time the roof of the cabin caved in. A couple of the four wheelers had caught fire also and when Mason pulled me inside the 'apartment' and closed the door the resulting explosion rattled the door. We took soaked towels and stuffed them into the cracks around the door to keep the smoke out, then waited and waited.
It was dark when we finally crept out of the caves. What we saw almost sent me back inside. A forest fire had resulted from the first explosion and was traveling away from us but growing at the same time. I couldn't see any flames but the glow from the fire nearly lit the whole area. The glow of another fire could be seen towards Valley East and I had a sinking feeling it was burned also. Mason asked, then pleaded for everyone to wait here at the caves while he checked things out at the lodge. We didn't have enough four wheelers to take everyone back anyway so most of us went back inside the caves. I stood and watched Mason, Ken, Clint and Flynn drive away and prayed they'd bring back good news, but I knew it wouldn't be.
We waited a long time. The smoke had gotten to me. My asthma hadn't bothered me since I'd gotten back to Montana. Clean air and all that. The smoke changed that. Joe tied a scarf around my face and told me in no uncertain terms not take it off. So I was walking around looking like I was about to rob someone at any moment. Mercy and Sarah were doing their best to calm the girls, while Howard and Duke kept watch for walkers. Yep, they probably heard the explosion and were headed our way too. Just what we needed.
A breeze came up around midnight and blew some of the smoke in the opposite direct
ion helping a lot. I was pacing outside the cave in the light cast by the lanterns inside. A piece of paper floated around in front of my face, then swaying back and forth it floated to the ground. I reached down to pick it up but a breeze caught it and danced it away from me. I played keep away a few more times until I was able to grasp it. Turning it one way then another to see it in the light, I finally saw it was a charred piece of a coloring book page showing part of a purple dogs head and the letters b and a in the corner. It was a piece of the picture Mandy had colored of Bubba last year and presented to Howard for Christmas. He had Flynn make him a frame for it and hung it in his bedroom. I now knew my beloved lodge was gone. A cold spot formed near my stomach while I stood there in the darkness and watched the area I last saw the four wheelers, hoping to see some sign of the guys.
I hated the idea they were out in the dark with no night vision cameras to see but I hated the idea that walkers might be out in the dark worse. Finally, Duke and Howard dragged me back inside the cave, shut the door and refused to let anyone leave again. I was mad as hell but I knew they were right. I just wished Mason would hurry back. I took Howard to the side and gave him the piece of coloring book page. He looked at it a minute, then gently put it in his pocket. When he looked up, I saw tears in his eyes. He knew the lodge was gone also. He held me for a moment then turned away and walked to the door.
Sometime around morning I fell asleep but woke when I heard the four wheelers. I ran to the cave entrance and watched until I saw them, dancing in place while I waited for them to arrive. The look on Mason's face told me all I needed to know. He read the devastation on my face and encircled me in his arms, holding on tight.
"I'm sorry, baby. So sorry," he crooned as he gently rocked me back and forth. The others stood around us staring in the direction of our homes, the men holding their loved ones as they cried. We stood out there amid the devastation and destruction and grieved for our loss because I knew I was going to have to pull myself together and start all over, again.
The early morning found us going home. The women rode the four wheelers while the men walked beside us. We were anxious to see our homes but knew that what we'd find would be devastation. I briefly thought of Sissy and wondered if she had anything to do with this. She knew we'd be gone today and a skeleton crew would be left behind. Was she that heartless? Our grief was a weight that pushed our heads down and rounded our shoulders as we slowly made our way back home or what was left of it. We knew we had to face the future no matter how brutal it was. We had friends, loved ones and a determination no force on earth could shake. We'd be ok. We'd prosper. I just dared someone to try and stop us. Again.
To be continued...
Be sure to read the next book in the Walker Series THE SURVIVORS at Amazon.com
.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Other Book
Walkers (Book 2): The Rescue Page 18