Erika grabbed her rifle and looked down the sight through the pouring rain.
“Maybe they are from our group,” Erika cautioned Vince, but he had seen them come from behind the rocks, and they both knew they weren’t. Their actions were those of thieves who had been watching the caravan proceed, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce.
“On the count of three,” directed Vince. Vince was so calculated in his actions, Erika had no choice but to follow his direction. “One… two… three.”
Their guns fired, bang! in the same instance, and the two men fell dead at the same time.
“There’s a third,” Vince yelled but the man ran left behind the cart. Then, bang! Erika had fired a second shot and the third man was down. Rob with a group of fighters, including Michelle and Randy, came running back to them. The rain was pouring down.
“What are you guys shooting at?” questioned Rob.
“Three guys trying to rob us,” Vince answered in a cold tone of voice.
“Well, let’s go check it out,” Rob said amused. He always did love a good fight. Rifles were at the ready as the team walked to inspect the thieves but there was no need. Two men lay dead, taken out with extreme precision, and the third was clinging to life. Rob stood over him.
“We… just… wanted… to eat,” the man said in a weakened voice.
“Should have looked somewhere else,” Rob said as he fired his gun and killed the man.
Everyone in that team felt mixed feelings. They were happy to have protected their goods but it was horrible to have killed these men. Maybe their only crime was hunger.
“Vince, Erika, good job. Don’t look all sad. You made the right choice. We can’t save them all,” Rob said trying to quiet their minds.
“Did we?” said Vince. “Not too long ago we were the thieves.”
“No, we weren’t,” countered Rob. “We went to save people and maybe get some stuff in the process, but our intentions were completely different. We would never have even been there if it was solely to steal. We were in the right then and we are now, and as long as we continue to do what is right, we are still good people.” Rob was trying to convince himself as much as Vince. Decisions had to be made and lived with, and none of them were going to be easy. “Now, Michelle, Randy, and Tom, you three stay back here to watch the rear. The rest of you come with me.”
“It’s okay, baby,” Erika grabbed Vince’s hand. In reality, she was just as distraught as he was, but this was no time to show it. They had made the choice. “Anyway, that was an awesome shot we made!” She had been impressed by their combined accuracy and teamwork.
“How can you say that? Those men are dead by our hands.” Vince was appalled.
“Yeah, they’re dead, but they are dead by their own hands. They didn’t come and ask. They were going to rob us, or kill us, or rape men’s daughters. They can all die for all I care. I am done feeling sorry. I am done wondering what if. Fuck them, baby, fuck them!” Erika had snapped. All this death and maliciousness was too overwhelming.
Vince saw the hate in her eyes, but he still wondered if they had made the right decision. Deep down, he knew Erika was right, though. It was time to quit wondering and just keep on doing. “Well, I guess it really was a good shot, wasn’t it?” He smiled at her and saw the love come back into her face.
They had finally reached the front of the line of carts and saw the dilemma. The quakes had completely ravaged the landscape ahead. Normally, this area was filled with rolling hills that could be easily skirted if you followed the highway. Now, it was full of cracks and crevices with rocks teetering in unstable positions. In the pouring rain, it was difficult to see to the bottom of this particular crevice. The people were discussing a rather obvious trail of tracks that skirted the crack in a direction that headed left. But the former people that traveled through here, which included Erika’s children, hadn’t faced this decision in the rain. It appeared that the rain runoff was channeling through the crevice so who knew what the top looked like. Plus, the wildfires that had cleared the landscape had created a perfect environment for mudslides.
All kinds of scenarios were discussed. If they turned right and tried to blaze a new trail they had no idea how far they would have to go to find the river and then backtrack all the way up through land that didn’t have any kind of road before the quakes. Even with the road before them in shambles, at least they were more familiar with it.
It was also suggested that they just wait out the rain. It was a valid suggestion because usually, in California, the rain wouldn’t last more than a couple of days. But what if it didn’t let up? What if it got worse? People were living in terror and waiting for anything normal to happen didn’t really make sense right now.
So, in the end, they turned left, following the tracks in the mud, hoping against all odds for survival. The giant ravine loomed in darkness on their right and the flow of the mud pushed them toward the edge. The horses snorted deeply as the mist from the rain blasted through the air. Everyone was back in position now, and it wasn’t long before Vince and Erika turned left and began their fight with gravity and the pull toward death.
Finally, the caravan halted again. Most people were afraid to leave their carts on the edge of the cliff to go forward and see what the holdup was now. Erika left the cart in Vince’s care and went to find Rob. As she passed the horses, she saw that the ravine did indeed have an end. It ended right into the side of one of those huge rolling hills. To get around the top of the ravine, the carts would have to be put almost completely on their sides. Her eyes followed the line that a cart would fall down and to her shock there was a cart down there. Then her worst fears were realized, she knew that cart! It was the same one Kit had pulled with her kids in it!
“Oh my God!” she screamed. She immediately started down the crack but she was stopped short.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rob said as he grabbed her by the arm. “I already sent Taylor down there. There are no bodies there, not even a horse, so calm down.”
“My God, Rob, I was so freaked.” Erika sighed as she realized the implications of his statement.
“I knew you would be; so was I, honestly. Now the biggest problem is how do we get past this? Our carts are way bigger than that.” He pointed to the cart in the ravine.
Now that the shock was over, Erika focused on what could be done. The rain was still pouring down and she was so tired of being wet and cold. The water was driving down into the ravine, which made the crossing even more perilous. Everyone knew the supplies were too precious to leave behind, but they were running out of options. To make matters worse, it would be dark soon.
They decided there were basically two options. They leave the supplies behind and continue on, or they hunker down on the edge of the cliff for the night and dig. The rain was already cutting the hill and, if they could make the crossover flatter, they could get the carts by safely. They would take shifts digging and sleeping all night until it was passable and with any hope that would be sometime tomorrow. This would have to be a group decision, though, so Erika went back down the line of carts and informed them one by one of the options. Then when she had reached the end, she turned back and asked what decision they had made. No one wanted to leave the supplies. They all knew that this was their ticket into a community, or their start to a new one. They had come so far already and there was no way they were going to leave it all.
It was a horrible night. The carts had to be constantly readjusted because of the sliding mud trying to suck them into the ravine. Anyone not tending to carts was digging at the hill. Mud caked everyone and the rain continued at a steady downpour.
When the morning light shown, it was through fierce clouds that had a green hue. The rain had halted but the clouds were threatening. Food was distributed and everyone had a small rest before they were ready to start the crossing. Suddenly, a buzz ran down the chain of people on the cliff. Steve and Randy had ridden back from the Lotus camp. They had informed the
people there of the delay but knew that this crossing would be difficult so they had ridden back. He ensured the group that, after this crossing, the road ahead was manageable. He also informed them that a large group of people were coming from the Lotus camp to help but they were on foot so it would take them longer to get here. Relief ran through all of them. They would be accepted and they would have help.
It took about another hour before the people from the Lotus camp showed up and, even though people wanted to mingle, it was all business. The rain had started again and it was time to move. All the carts made it past the ravine safely, and feelings were very good as they trudged the carts through the mud toward a new home. As they neared the river and their destination, Erika saw snipers on the hills. These folks were organized. Soon they reached high wooden walls with guards posted on top. The walls had been recently constructed from old buildings and fallen trees. Erika was impressed as the gate opened.
Chapter 30
Erika's heart raced as she went through the gates. She had no idea what this camp would be like, but she knew her mom and kids were in there so she went on in with the group. She could tell everyone was nervous. A lot of these people had been living under the rule of a monster for months, and they were hopeful that this place would be different. They were corralled into a large area on the other side of the gates where men with guns stood watch from the fences over the top of them. Erika was beginning to feel like a cow in a cattle roundup when a militant man with sandy gray hair took center stage in front of them.
“My name is Andrew Bingham. I have been chosen by the people of this community as their leader and, as such, let me explain some things to all of you. Now, you are a very large group and we just took in the group from Cool, so obviously things are getting a little tight around here. But Steve and Randy have informed me that you have brought an extraordinary amount of supplies with you, so for that effort, we thank you. Plus, I hear you have a doctor and medical supplies, and we have many here in need. To get to the point, we can make this work if we all work together. The supplies, minus your personal belongings, will be stored in our central supply area across the bridge. When we are done here, you can take the carts there to be sorted and stored. The families here have already divided tasks among themselves. Some provide wood, some provide food, some security, and so forth, so we will make a line over by the supply area, and each newcomer will provide their skill set so they can be placed into the appropriate family group. They will show you your new home and explain things to you. Anyone not okay with this can leave now. If you cannot be of use to the community, we have no use for you. We all work together and survive together.” A murmur went through the group, but no one headed for the gate. “Okay, now that we have that straightened out. Welcome, everyone!” Andrew said joyfully, “and congratulations on surviving!”
The crowd cheered and started to mobilize the carts toward the bridge as Andrew had instructed. Men that had been standing idly around now smiled brightly and jumped in to help with the gear. Vince and Erika hung back as the caravan continued on toward the storage area. Erika approached Andrew and saw the two men near him with guns perk to attention.
“Andrew, right?” Erika questioned tentatively. “My name is Erika.”
“Oh, Erika Moore, I have heard a lot about you.” Andrew smiled wide and the men with the guns relaxed. “I bet you are looking for your mom.”
Erika was relieved. “Yes sir, I am!”
“She’s waiting for you at the supply area. She’s helping organize the food stores. You can head over there—oh, and it’s very nice to finally meet you.” Andrew was very welcoming and Erika could understand why he had been chosen as a leader.
Erika felt her heart pounding out of her chest with excitement as she and Vince pulled the last cart with Greg in it across a suspension bridge that had been resurrected where the old bridge that had crossed the river had once been. As soon as they reached the other side, Ripper came running up to meet them. The mud could not cover their scent from the dog. He barked and danced at their feet as Vince and Erika showered him in pets and praises. On the right, where an old hotel had stood, were tons of tents and shanties made from the wrecked wood of the hotel. People they didn’t recognize stood on the hill by the tents; some were waving with smiles and some were attending to tasks with grim faces dripping in the rain. They continued to follow the caravan. Lotus and Coloma were side-by-side towns with very little distinction between the two. Coloma was where gold was originally discovered in California and a historical area had been kept to remember the past. Ironically, it was mostly these buildings that had survived so far. The area they were taking the supplies to had once been a museum filled with tools from the past. The people were putting them back into use and horses pulled the historical carts around the camp, busily rebuilding a town for survivors. There was a clang, clang, clang coming from the old blacksmith shop, which was now back in full operation. Erika could not help but feel that she had stepped back in time.
“Mom!” Erika said excitedly to Vince as she nudged him. She had seen her mom up by the supply house, but she was met by another family member first. “Dexter!” He ran to meet them, and Erika was almost breathless as she reached out and hugged him, spinning him around in the air. Vince jumped in and wrapped them both up in his arms. They all fell on the ground, laughing.
Greg poked his head over the side of the cart and watched with a loving smile at the three of them all wrapped up in love, rolling and laughing on the ground. “What about uncle G,” he said. “Where’s my hug?” Dexter got up in the cart and tackled Greg, giving him a huge hug.
“Where’s Star, Dex?” Erika questioned with urgency.
“She’s in helping Grandma. They said I was too little and should just go play with the other kids, but I’m not too little, Mom. I’m strong and I can help,” he said in a pouty voice.
“I know, Dex, you’re my big boy right?” Erika said lovingly. “That’s right!” Dexter said confidently.
“Well, let’s go see where they are then.” Erika smiled so wide she thought her cheeks would bust.
“Come on, Mom, I’ll show you.” Dexter grabbed Erika’s hand and began to pull her along.
Erika looked at Vince, asking him with her eyes if it was all right to go.
“You guys go ahead. Greg and I can get in line with this stuff. I’m sure we can find someone to help get the cart over there,” Vince said, knowing what her look meant.
“Are you sure, Vince, I can stay here and help.” Erika wanted to double check.
“Just go and I’ll catch up,” Vince replied.
“Come on, Mom,” Dexter yelled pulling Erika along as hard as he could.
Erika felt like a little kid at Christmas as she followed him through a mass of people. With all the supplies coming in, it was all hands on deck. Some people were sorting and storing, food was cooking, some were leading the new folks off to camp areas, and everyone was busy doing something. Dexter led Erika past the line of people and through the main sorting area. Erika could smell the food cooking strongly now as they entered the food storage area. She waved at Clay and Laurie Roberts as they went by. They were right at home preparing food for the camp. Erika and Dex walked past a big pile of boxes and there was her mom. Erika had stopped so she could just take in the image. She was alive and well and just as busy as ever. She was in her element, surveying each item and directing people to where that item would be stored.
“Come on, Mom,” Dexter said as he pulled at her again. “Grandma, look!” he yelled.
Erika’s mom looked up from her task, almost disgusted with Dexter’s latest distraction. She saw Erika and dropped the box in her hands. She ran over to her daughter with tears streaming down her face.
“Oh my God! Thank you, God! My baby!” The words were hard to find so she just gave Erika the hugest hug she could muster. “I thought… I thought you were…”
“I know, Mom,” Erika said, not wanting her mom to say what Eri
ka knew she was going to. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“My baby… I love you so much!” she said as she held tight to her daughter.
“Erika!” Star yelled. She had heard the commotion and came running out from a stack of boxes.
“Hey, girl,” Erika replied lovingly. They all hugged and no one wanted to let go.
“I got to get in on this,” Dexter said and it was a big ball of loving hugs all over again.
They were interrupted by a man saying, “Hey, Nancy, where should I put this?” He had a big box in his hands.
“Just put it there and I’ll take care of it,” Erika’s mom, Nancy, replied.
They all wanted to hug forever but necessity was knocking at the door and there was work to be done.
“Erika, don’t you go anywhere, but I have to sort and store this stuff,” Nancy commanded her daughter.
Erika could see that her mom was torn between visiting with her daughter and the task at hand. "Just tell me what to do, Mom, and I’ll help.” Erika didn’t want to leave her mom right now either.
“Oh, but look at you, you’re all a mess. You should go get cleaned up,” Nancy admonished as she stepped back to get a look at her daughter.
“Nonsense, I’m always a mess nowadays. That can wait.” Erika didn’t care what she looked like; she wasn’t going anywhere.
Erika did take a little scrub in a nearby bucket of water that was going to be used to wash dishes after the camp was fed. Then she jumped right in stacking boxes and unpacking cans with her mom, Star, and a lady named Cathy. Cathy was her mother’s neighbor before the quake. There were other men and ladies about but they were busy cooking a feast for the new arrivals. From her vantage point amongst the incoming boxes, she could see the folks from Auburn all lined up outside like cattle. First, they would pull their cart into the unloading zone and have a brief conversation about its contents with a receiver. Then, they would take their personal belongings, which usually consisted of a backpack or two, and get into another line. Here, they would discuss what they did before the quake and what use they could be now. Then they would be led off to an area where they would live now. Most of the folks looked completely exhausted. Their trek had been long and their lives were obliterated.
Day After Disaster, The Changing Earth Series, Uncut Edition Page 26