Day After Disaster, The Changing Earth Series, Uncut Edition

by Sara F. Hathaway

  Having horses pull a cart is much more difficult than one would assume or the old movies portrayed. These horses had been pets. Used for pleasure rides now and again. Now they were being asked to do so much more than they had ever been trained for, and with the choppy terrain and jimmy-rigged equipment, the task’s difficulty was amplified to near impossibility. But the group was determined and needed the horses’ power so the horses gave it their best shot.

  Erika sat down at the warm fire by Vince. It burned brightly in the evening dusk. Surprisingly, they didn’t talk about their experiences at the compound. Each was too much in conflict in their hearts. They were thinking about different decisions they could have made so they made small talk about nothing important and enjoyed one another’s company. When their meal of tuna and rice was done and the dishes were washed, Vince decided he wanted to go visit Greg and talk with Rob about tomorrow’s plans. Erika had other things on her mind.

  She slowly picked her way through the camp. It was a solemn night full of self-reflection. Most folks had built small private fires to cook their food and were keeping to themselves. Still, there was a communal fire where mostly young people had gathered and were chatting quietly. She headed toward the glow. When she got there, she saw a familiar face. Michelle was there chatting with Randy. Erika knew they were talking about their sniping fury because of their gun-like hand movements. Love was in the air and it looked as if these two were really starting to hit it off. Why not, they were about the same age and let’s face it, the pickings were pretty slim nowadays.

  Erika chuckled to herself as she interrupted, “You guys did a great job out there that day. I don’t think I’ve had the chance to properly thank either one of you yet.”

  They both blushed with pride and Randy said, “Thank you, Erika, we just did what we had to do.”

  Such a mature response. Here was this kid, seventeen, who should have been finishing his junior year of high school, and here was this ditsy eighteen-year-old girl who should have been finishing her senior year. Now, they were being turned into snipers and facing a hopeless world. They were looking fear straight in the eyes, and they were even falling in love in the process.

  Erika decided to leave them be. Who knew what tomorrow would bring. To change the subject and get out of their hair, Erika queried, “Do either of you know where Harold and his family are camped?”

  “Yeah,” answered Michelle. “If you follow this line of carts”— she pointed over to the right—“they’re down there, kind of by the horses.”

  “Cool, thanks,” Erika said.

  “Are you going to see them?” There was something wrong in Michelle’s tone of voice.

  “No, I was just asking for the sake of it,” Erika jested back.

  “Well, I was just asking because…”—she lowered her voice and leaned closer—“well, don’t say I told you but…” She was stammering a little.

  “Just spit it out, for God’s sake!” Erika was getting a little impatient with her slow reply.

  “Well, I went over there to visit with them. After all, they were pretty much the reason why we went to that compound in the first place. Anyway, Harold’s oldest girl, Jen… well, she’s fifteen, and I thought maybe we could be friends. Well, Harold said I could visit with her but it probably wouldn’t do any good. It didn’t.” Michelle was just as ditsy as ever, and Erika wasn’t following her explanation at all.

  “Why? What’s wrong?” Erika shot right to the point.

  “Those guys, Erika… those guys fucked that girl up, literally. They beat her and did… stuff to her; she just sits there, staring,” Michelle said in one breath.

  Erika should have figured. She had heard what that guard had said before Greg shot him that day on the side of the canyon. Doug had been taking his hatred for Harold and Erika out on Harold’s daughter. Erika knew the whole story. She had heard it from the mouth of the beast himself. Erika had killed his brother and set Doug’s horrible plot into motion. Then Harold had put up more of a fight than Doug had intended, knocking out one of his teeth in the process. The two of them had been on the top of Doug’s list and he had directed this anger at Jen. What a horrible thought. The poor girl. Erika had only tasted a little of Doug’s rage, but Jen had endured it for days. The fear that Erika had experienced for only a matter of minutes must have been minuscule compared to the fear and desperation that Jen must have felt. Erika thought about those silk sheets and his beady, hungry eyes. An innocent fifteen-year-old girl had those eyes fixated on her and had felt the sickening touch of those sheets. Erika wanted to puke. There had to be something that Erika could do.

  “Thanks for the heads up but let’s not give up on her.” Erika felt horrible for the girl and wanted to make sure Jen would have a friend if she wanted one.

  “I won’t,” Michelle whispered. “But I really hope she can snap out of it. Honestly, I don’t know if I could, though.”

  “I hope she can too,” said Erika, ignoring the second part of Michelle’s statement. Deep in her heart, she wondered if she would be able to overcome that experience as well. She turned to head toward Harold’s camp. She walked down the row of carts and saw at the very end Carol and Betsy whispering quietly as they finished the family’s dishes.

  “There she is!” Harold boomed as Erika walked up. For a moment, he sounded exactly like his father. He walked up and gave her a big hug. Carol and Betsy had left their work to join in one big hug.

  “What are you guys doing camped way out here?” Erika felt their joy and wondered why they hadn’t camped closer in to the other folks.

  “Well, Kim here”—Harold hugged Kim closer—“has been reunited with Lightning, her horse, so we wanted to be close to him. He has a big job to do, but Kim has been quite a help with the horses.”

  Erika could tell he was holding back the whole story, and she had to wonder if it was for Jen’s benefit as well. Erika was surprised that, for the most part, the family was very cheerful. The family was reunited and free and that was the focus. Horrible things had happened, and Harold was having a hard time coping with the fact that he was not there to protect his baby from those men. There was a spot in him that was very hardened because of it, but he would work with it and appreciate the fact that his family was alive and together.

  They talked about Henry, and Erika could see that Carol was very lonely without her love, but he would not have wanted her to give up. She was here with her family and she was going to thank God for every moment she had with them. Carol did mention, however, that the traveling had been very hard on her. The arthritis in her joints was flaring and she didn’t know what pace she would be able to keep. Erika advised her to go talk to the doctor and see if she could get some medicine. Plus, he would have more ingredients to make salves.

  Jen was quite a contrast to the high spirits of the rest of the family. She just sat there staring off into nothing. The bruises on her face and body were healing, but the bruises on her soul would take a lot longer to heal. Erika did not know how to approach her or what to say, but she knew she had to say something. She had to think of something to reassure her that the bastards who had done this were dead and her family would give their lives to protect her. Her grandfather had proudly given his for that very reason.

  Erika went and sat next to Jen. The family had seen Erika make the move to contact Jen through her veil of depression so they moved to the other side of the camp to talk quietly. Jen’s light brown hair blew in the breeze. Erika remembered her vigor when she had first met her and that she had loved basketball. They sat there quietly. Erika still did not have the words.

  “You gonna tell me how everything is okay now and nothing will ever happen again.” Erika was startled by the tiny voice, so full of hatred.

  “Nope.” Erika was still unsure and paused for a moment. “All I would say is those guys are assholes, sent from the devil himself. I am sorry for what happened but you’re going to have to live on. Your grandfather died to make sure you would nev
er have to face those men again. If I know your grandfather, he died a little more inside each time they hurt you and he was unable to stop it. He killed that man, Jen. To protect me and to protect you, and if you give up now, his sacrifice will mean nothing and that’s not acceptable to me. Nothing will erase what those men did but you can be strong and learn to protect yourself so that you can ensure that nothing like that ever happens to your little sister.”

  Jen just sat there. She didn’t say anything more, and Erika had nothing more to say. It would be up to her now. Erika got up and said her good-byes to the rest of the group. It was late and tomorrow would be painfully exhausting. She headed back towards her cart. Her ribs screamed with pain as she looked at it. Pulling that thing was hell but it had to be done. She looked around for Vince. He wasn’t back yet so she stoked the little fire, put on another log, and climbed under her blanket. At least sleep would dull the pain.

  Vince returned to the camp just as Erika was falling asleep. Vince tended to the fire again and climbed in next to Erika’s warm body. They talked about Harold’s family and about the plans Rob had for tomorrow. Then they discussed how Greg was acting like a big baby, sulking around because of his injuries and inability to be the center of attention, even though all the single females had stopped by to check on him. Then they chuckled, remembering the past and how it was almost impossible to get a night alone without the kids.

  Vince snuggled up closer and fondled Erika’s nipple in his fingertips. Erika tried to play coy and back him off because of the pain in her ribs, but soon, Vince took her erect nipple in his mouth and began to suckle on it, pressing the issue. Erika gave in to the erotic moment and kissed his neck. He proceeded to reach down and rub her soft fuzz. Erika could feel his erect penis rubbing up against her and reached down to take it in her hand. They moaned softly in the loving embrace. Vince spun his body around so that their heads were at each other’s pelvises. Erika kissed the soft tip of his penis and gently licked the head with her tongue. Vince thrust it into her mouth and Erika’s lips moved up and down it as he thrust it in and out of her mouth. He slid his finger into her soft folds and felt her moist readiness. He gently caressed her mound with his tongue and slid his finger in and out of her. Erika’s body began to tingle as she moaned and felt the intense orgasmic feelings. Once he knew she was ready for him, Vince turned back around. They kissed and embraced one another as he slid his hot member into her moist folds. Vince thrust in and out of her. He held his body in an arch so that she would not feel his weight on her ribs and she willingly accepted his body. They moaned as the raw energy grew into a final climax of thrusting, joyful orgasm. With his essence spent, Vince slowly slid his penis out of her. He looked deep into her eyes and they kissed. He snuggled up to her again. They cuddled into one another and fell asleep enraptured in the pureness of their love.

  Chapter 29

  Vince and Erika awoke the next morning with loving, sleepy eyes. When they emerged from the blankets, it was to a cloudy sky. Nobody liked the looks of it but Erika had known it for days; rain was on the way. The riverbed was not where you wanted to be camping when it started pouring so they packed up as quickly as possible. The bridge was completed and there was nothing keeping them there now. Breakfast would have to consist of dried fruits and nuts that you could eat on the move.

  Coming down the canyon had been much easier when they were on foot with no carts to pull or horses to worry about. Obstacles could be easily jumped or climbed around but now they would have to be methodically calculated. They had planned to take essentially the same route to Cool that the main river group had taken on their trip up the canyon, but the current group had much larger carts than that group had. Also, the quakes kept the landscape in a constant state of change, so areas you had just traveled through days or even hours before could be completely altered.

  The group slipped and slid their way up the slope where the lake had been. Tediously avoiding stumps from old trees and new crevices that had been opened up. When they finally made it to the tree line, the rain came in. Any tarps they had were used to cover wagons that had water-unfriendly products in them. The situation became dreadful. They contended with the weight of the carts, the moist slippery ground, and drenched clothing. No one smiled anymore; they simply put their heads down and pulled up and up.

  The group was halted for a tree that had come down in the pathway and would need to be cleared. Everyone sat around huffing and puffing while people took turns hacking through the huge pine. No one felt like conversing and everyone just wanted to reach the top before night fell and all light was lost. They huddled under the carts and corners of tarps, trying to find somewhere dry to rest. Finally, the tree was cleared and cut up into rounds that were small enough to be carried. With the limited supply of firewood in the burn zone between Cool and Lotus, it was decided that the extra weight of the wood would be worth carrying. It was loaded onto multiple carts wherever it would fit. The only positive thing about carrying more weight was it helped to hold down the tarps in the rain and wind.

  The caravan was on the move again. The horses leading the way heaved their heavy loads up the mountain. Then, one by one, the groups of people with their own hefty loads passed through where the tree had fallen. Erika and Vince had lagged at the spot where the tree had been to make sure everyone made it through. Before long, the heads of the horses popped up over the side of the canyon. As night began to fall, the last of the handcarts arrived in Cool with Erika and Vince helping to push it up.

  The day had been completely exhausting. It seemed Greg, having been hauled up the mountain in a cart, was the only one with any energy to spare. Erika and Vince found him at a communal fire, the only fire that was built tonight, cooking and telling funny stories to try to lift everyone’s spirits. They sat down on a blanket in the throng of people by the fire. Each person was given a little portion of rice and beans with canned roast beef. It appeared that Rob and Gloria had taken careful stock of their food supplies and were rationing them out accordingly. The servings seemed awfully small given that they had worked hard and eaten very little that day, but no one complained. They were all so tired. They were just happy to have something warm in their bellies.

  The rain had slowed while they were eating but soon it came back with a vengeance. The people were wet and needed someplace dry to sleep. Tarps were very limited so they decided to move the carts as close as possible to one another so one tarp could cover multiple carts. In the end, two tarps were spared. One of them was used for everyone to sleep on and one was hung from the surrounding carts as rain cover. Everyone packed in like sardines in a tarp sandwich. It was a huddled mass of humanity that smelt of musty wetness, but it was warm. The warmth was welcomed as the night turned cold and the storm raged on.

  In the morning, the sun turned the clouds a strange shade of green, and theories went round the camp about the volcano fallout or a toxic meltdown, but the mission before them was still at hand. Rain or shine, the group had to keep moving. There was no water, except what they had carried from the river and could harvest from the rainfall. If they stayed put, it was only a matter of time until they would run desperately low. Even though the tarp covering their sleeping area had been hung low and you could only crawl and sit under it, most of the camp stayed there to eat breakfast. It kept the area warm and people talked with one another about how miserable the day would be if this storm kept up. Then they were forced out. Rob had called everyone into action. The horses stomped in the rain as they began the long march into territory Erika had not entered since the mega-quake had happened. This had once been a very familiar drive for her not so long ago. Her son was going to preschool down this road and she had driven it at least twice a week to go visit her mother’s ranch in Lotus.

  Erika’s thoughts wondered off to her mother as the line began to move; Vince and Erika dug in their heels and began to pull the cart. This was the longest time she had ever not talked with her mother. Normally, she would have called
her on her cell phone every morning just to say good morning and see how she was doing. They had always been such good friends, sharing all their thoughts and stories together. Erika could not wait to see her and it made all this pulling worth it.

  “This is earth calling planet Erika.” Vince had been trying to get her attention.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, what?” Erika said startled.

  “I was just saying I wish this rain would stop and do you really think all this stuff is worth all this work?” Vince questioned.

  “I agree about the rain, but I think Rob is right about the supplies. No group would take in all these people without a huge incentive. The group from the river was way smaller and the Cool group still didn’t want to take them in. It’s all about food and numbers now, Vince. More mouths means less food, so I have to agree with Rob. The more these people can bring to the table, the better, literally,” Erika said thoughtfully.

  “I guess you are right, but it still doesn’t make this cart any lighter,” he said sarcastically.

  “I hear that,” she returned his sarcasm.

  Much to their relief, the caravan came to an abrupt halt. Most people had left their carts and were moving to the front of the line to see what the problem was. Erika and Vince had taken the moment to rest before they too went to see what was wrong. As they were walking to the front, Vince saw someone unusual at the rear of the line. There were two men that had come out from behind some rocks. Both were very ratty and dirty, and they were peeping under the tarps of the last three carts.

  “Erika, get your rifle!” Vince commanded quietly.

  “Why? What’s up?” Erika had not yet seen the men.

  “Just do it and cover the left side of the carts.” Vince was already pointing his rifle down the right side.