“We’re not letting in anymore strangers, Shadrach. This is how dams break, something causes a leak. I’m halfway home. I didn’t drag my wife across the country on a horse to get sloppy now.”
“They’re mostly women and children. The man who rescued them says he’s a doctor and he has family in Mexico. He’s on his way to meet up with them. These people are hiding from flesh peddlers, Judea. The man saved them from a group of cowards who killed their men and stole them. The women back him up. Let’s give them a chance. If he’s a doctor, he can be useful. Duma might need a doctor.”
“He isn’t touching my wife. You keep them in quarantine outside for seventy-two hours. If they are still alive after, they can come in. I have a child that comes before anyone else’s.”
“Fair enough.”
“Anyone who goes out to meet them stays outside until the quarantine is over.”
After seventy-two hours of mostly sleeping and making love, everyone outside is still alive. The heavy bay doors roll up. Judea and Father meet the group with masks in place. I watch from my hiding spot high in the rafters. They told me to stay out of sight so I climbed up here. There is a lone man standing in the group. He’s an inch or two shorter than Jude with the yellowest hair I’ve ever seen. You could see it from space. He’s speaking and introducing the pack. A tall, brown haired woman steps forward and takes his hand. There are four women total and three children. The women are young and pretty. They look tired and afraid. One gets bright eyes for Jude right away. I see it in her face when I scan their group. My eyes lock with a pair that are ice blue and watching me curiously. I’m covered all over. Why do I feel like he can see me? I swing down from the high ceiling with the agility of a monkey and disappear. How did he know I was up there?
“Duma, do you want to go hunting with me? We are sure to catch a gator or a mess of fish in that lagoon we passed on our way here.”
I grab my rifle and bow. I’ve been cooped up in here for days. I want to go outside. Judea puts an arm around my waist and he walks me down the iron stairs to the warehouse floor where everyone has set up camp. The new people watch me with curiosity. The old ones watch me with respect. They nod their heads as I walk by and some of them bid me a good day. I nod my head in acknowledgment. The man with the yellow hair is waiting outside with a cigarette between his lips. I don’t have to look him in the face. I can see it out of the corner of my eye. His hair is hard to miss and the smoke is hard to miss too. They aren’t the little clove cigarettes Judea enjoys from time to time. He flicks it away before approaching us.
“Gavin, this is my wife, Duma. Duma, this is Gavin Antonov.”
“Pleased to me meet you.” His voice is kind and polite. I don’t acknowledge him. I keep my eyes averted and my chin down.
“She’s shy. Let’s go.” Judea shrugs kissing my head.
The man moves lightly for an outsider. It’s important when hunting in the woods. I don’t make a sound when I tread along the swamp floor. It’s hot and mosquitos are out in full force. I don’t mind. I hear the smallest ripple in the water and I raise my hand to stop them. I aim my bow at an invisible target. Invisible to them but I know it’s there just below the water’s surface. Hiding from us. I let my arrow fly and there is a huge splash when it sinks deep into flesh. I put two more into the beast before it can swim away.
“How did you see that?” The stranger asks me. I ignore him.
Judea and the man wade out into the dangerous water and drag in the alligator. I shoot another when it swims up to investigate.
“Holy shit. That was fast. How did you learn to shoot like that?”
“She isn’t going to speak to you. Leave her alone. You are embarrassing her.”
“Why not? What did you hear about me?”
His attempt at a joke falls flat with the both of us.
“Because our women don’t speak to strange men. They don’t look at strange men either.”
“It sounds domineering.” The stranger says with distaste.
“It’s goes both ways, stranger. What do you need to speak to my wife about? You aren’t friends. You want to ask her about her shooting? Why do you want to know? Because you are interested? Be interested somewhere else.”
I blink twice. Judea is so rude. I move closer to him.
“Was it an arranged marriage?”
“I love my wife.” Jude says offensively.
“And I love my husband.” I say quietly. I slip my hand into Jude’s bloody palm. I remember what he said. You look up Dumani and if you don’t know where to look after that, you look to me. I look to him. His handsome smile is my welcome. He kisses the scarf on my head and hugs me. I smile behind my silk mask.
“Let’s go back and the men will clean these for supper tonight.”
I gather dandelion greens and other wild things. Jude is talking to the stranger about our journey so far and the things he’s heard.
“It’s all true. The government is nonexistent. There are smalls bands of what’s left running around claiming to be recruiters and peacekeepers. They are rapists and kidnappers. They steal women and people who are immune to the plague and sell them. There are scientists trying to come up with a cure but they need viable test subjects.”
“How did you make it this far alone?” Judea asks him suspiciously.
“I am an Antonov.” He says arrogantly.
“Who is the woman you’re with? Your wife?”
“We met last week when I rescued them. I think she’s falling in love with me.” He says regretfully.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“I will never fall in love with her. She isn’t my type.”
“These are hard times, Gavin. Maybe she’ll grow on you.”
“I understand we’re moving on tomorrow? What are we going to do with the people?”
The stranger changes the subject. I feel sorry for the woman. She probably thinks she has a man when she doesn’t. He doesn’t want her. Nothing hurts like loving a man that doesn’t want you. I should know. I walked around with a broken heart for years before I knew Judea wanted me too. He didn’t break my heart. He never made me any promises. He never told me to love him. I broke my own heart when I handed it to a boy who wasn’t ready. Now, that boy is a man and my cherished husband.
“We aren’t heroes or vigilantes, Antonov. I have to think about my own people.”
“You are going to leave them here? How does your wife feel about you leaving women and children on their own to die?”
“My wife is none of your concern. I won’t say it again. What do you suggest we do? Take them with us? They’ll slow us down and get us killed. This place is safe and quiet. There’s water and the roof would be excellent for gardening. They can hole up here for a while if they’re careful. I never made any promises to save these people. You saved them and that makes them your responsibility, not mine.”
“You’re supposed to be church going folks.”
“We aren’t Christians. Our charity doesn’t extend very far. These people should have planned better instead of following their government. The signs were all there for years and they ignored them. We built our ark and we aren’t taking any new passengers.”
“Is there anywhere safe where we can leave them?’
“This is as safe a place as any. You can stay here with them if you want. But, come tomorrow, we are moving on.”
It’s cold and dark when we mount up before dawn. The stranger isn’t among us. He’s decided to stay with the women. He and Jude clasp hands.
“When I see these women safely settled, I will meet you in Texas.”
“You’re a good man, Gavin. A better man than me.”
The three of us ride away with two extra mounts. Jude left one with Gavin who is a friend to him after a short time. We stick to the roads. The wet swamp is no place for horses or humans. I ride between Father and my husband with my rifle in my arms and pistols at hand. We don’t talk. We don’t stop. We ride. The three of
us move across the wet landscape at breakneck speed. Finally, we stop to drink, relieve ourselves, and Father and I change mounts. Jude’s big stallion can carry him to California without breaking a sweat. We don’t have to shoot anyone and for that I’m grateful. We camp in a field with no fire and no shortage of biting insects. Nothing can touch me when I’m in Jude’s arms. Let the bugs bite. Let the cold come. I am invincible when I am with my husband.
We wake up and ride out before dawn again. Our trio crosses Louisiana with a new energy. We’re getting closer to our destination every day. Trouble finally finds us near the Texas border. Men dressed like confederate soldiers are patrolling in pickup trucks decked out with confederate flags.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Jude laughs. “This has to be some kind of fucking joke.”
We stop for them because they outnumber us. Jude rides forward alone.
“What you doing with them niggers? Where you all headed?”
“They work for me. I’m on my way to get my wife. She got stuck in Texas after all the shit went down.”
“You ain’t from round these parts. Where you folks come from?”
“Ohio.”
The leader whistles as he looks at me again.
“That’s a mighty long way to go for a woman.”
“Then, you’ve never been in love, amigo.” Jude says grinning.
“We’re gonna need your guns and horses before you pass. This road ain’t free.”
I shoot him in the face and take out two more before they realize what’s happening. It’s too late. Father is shooting and Jude shoots out their tires. We haul ass into the trees before the other truck come back. It doesn’t take them long to find their dead comrades. There is yelling revving engines as they give chase into the mud after us. These people build their trucks for terrain like this and they gain on us fast. I stop my horse without Father or Jude noticing me fall behind. I wait in the trees with both pistols aimed. When the truck passes me, I let loose on it. I take out the driver and it sends the truck into a roll that leaves it upside down. I get down and approach the disabled vehicle before anyone can collect themselves. The wreck killed all of them. They should’ve been wearing seatbelts. I hear crying and I get down to peek in further. A teenaged boy is trapped under a dead body and crying for help. He’s wearing a uniform too. He begs me, please. Don’t hurt me. I feel sorry for him because he’s so young. I shoot him anyway and the others too just be sure.
“Goddamn it, Duma! What were you thinking? Why did you ride away from me? I’m having a fucking heart attack right now. I was so worried about you. What will I do if anything happens to you?” He’s shaking me and kissing me as he scolds me like a wayward child. Father is busy robbing the dead.
“Jude! Let the girl go and get over here! Help me get their guns and ammo.”
I watch my husband remove his shirt. What is he doing? He starts undressing a body that was thrown from the back of the truck. He puts on the confederate uniform and hat.
“Now, we will blend in. Let’s go before the others come searching.”
The shirt gets us across the border but we are met by unexpected land owners.
“We aren’t white men. I put on this shirt after I killed the man wearing it. I told the white men these people work for me when in fact, they are my wife and Father-in-law. We come in peace.”
“You look white.”
“My mother is a black woman. My wife is a black woman. My father was white.”
“You are a half-breed. Why do you want to cross our lands, Pale-face?”
“We are going to a church in the desert. The Saints have a compound there. We are Saints.”
The men speak among themselves in a language I don’t understand. There are too many of them to kill and I doubt if we can outrun them on those race horses.
“We know of your church. The white men hate them more than they hate us. We will allow you passage through our land and into the desert for a fee.”
Jude offers a handful of gold coins without hesitation. The young chief nods in acceptance. It takes days to cross their land. We camp and they feed us well. They give Jude a buffalo robe for me when they find out I am carrying a baby. These are the nicest people I’ve ever met and it pains me to think of how this country cheated and slaughtered them. Well, they are taking their land back and killing whoever doesn’t like it. I watched them shoot fifty troops today and leave their bodies out to dry. At their border, they hand us full bladders of water and point us into the endless ocean of hot sand. Jude shakes hands with every brave and so does Father before we head out. It’s hot and dry as hell. I’ve never known a heat like this before. I uncover my face to take deeper breaths. It doesn’t help much.
“Hello, beautiful.”
I look over at my grinning husband and blush. I touch my cheek.
“You’re beautiful.”
He has a sun burn on his nose and his hair is plastered to his head with sweat. My beautiful husband. We stop at a cluster of boulders to cool the horses and rest in the shade. I lay my head in Jude’s lap and sleep. He wakes me when it is time to ride on. We lose three horses in the desert. I’m riding behind Jude when the tall, white, walls of the compound finally rise out of the sand like the turrets of a futuristic city. The stallion smells water and picks up its pace. I’m nervous. I am so nervous that I nearly fall off the horse when I turn my head to throw-up. Jude grabs me before I slide from the saddle. Father is on the ground catching me when I slip from his grip. I vomit in the sand until I’m a sweating, empty, mess. Riders are coming towards us with guns pointed. Jude is bathing my face with the last of our water.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“I’m Shadrach Dare and this is Judea Hamilton. Son of the good Reverend Mordecai Hamilton now lower your damn weapons.”
“Deacon Hamilton, we didn’t recognize you. Welcome to our home. Is the girl ill?” They ask nervously. They think I’m infected.
“She’s with child.”
His explanation causes a wave of relief. Jude climbs back on his mount and Father hands me up into his lap. I bury my covered face in his chest and I hold on to him.
“I’ll have you bathed and settled in a real bed before the hour is out, Dumani. We made it. We are here and the sooner you feel better, the sooner we can leave.”
There are hundreds of people waiting inside the walls. Maybe thousands. Saints from all over the country are congregating here. A cheer goes up when we ride through the gates. My step-mother is out front watching expectantly. Father is on his feet running toward her and his son.
“Jude! Jude! You came for me!”
I’d know that voice anywhere. It’s Hannah.
Chapter Seventeen
I don’t look up because I don’t want these people to know that I’m a sinner. Jude gets down with me in his arms. My sister stops near us. She’s probably jealous and wondering who I am.
“Who is this woman, Jude?”
“She’s your sister. Your last sister.”
“April?”
“Duma.”
“That’s Duma? Impossible. She’s so—”
“Skinny? Months on the road will do that to a person. I have to get her inside.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Nothing’s wrong with her. She’s carrying my child.”
“Duma? You did it with her? You couldn’t wait for me?”
Jude walks away and she follows us. He walks up to a Deacon.
“I need a house for the duration of our stay.”
“Of course, Reverend. The women will show you to the house. Our steward and his family died in the first week of the illness. He went to Dallas and came back sick. Your house is brand-new. The nurse will take the woman to the ladies’ quarters.”
“The woman is my wife and she stays with me.”
“Your wife? You married her? In the last letter that got through, Father said she was dying. How did she survive?” Hannah demands loudly
. Jude and I are both shocked. How dare she speak to him this way? He doesn’t know her like I do. This is typical Hannah. She is vain, spoiled, and not held to the same standard as other women. Her angelic face is her pass to act as she pleases.
“Hannah Dare, get out of my way before I give you the caning that your father won’t.”
She turns red and bursts into tears. I hear her footsteps as she runs away. I feel sick again. He’s going to marry her. Jude is going to marry her because they aren’t going to give him a choice. They will push more women on him and tell him it’s his duty.
“Put me down. I’m going to be sick.”
“I don’t care. You’ll have to throw up on me.”
We are getting into a new jeep and the man behind the wheel drives us away from the crowds. I finally peek at my surroundings. It’s like an oasis in here.
“This place sits on top of an aquafer like our land back home. They will never run out of water. Their irrigation system is built to water trees and gardens. God knows how much soil they shipped in to do this. It’s incredible.”
We ride past small shops and homes. The house reserved for the Reverend is the second most grand building in their city. The first is and always will be the church. It’s more of a monument. Like a pyramid built in God’s honor. How did they afford this? They sell water and work outside jobs. These people are contractors and plumbers and farmers and teachers. They are fishermen and attorneys. Select boys are sent to outside schools to obtain degrees to better serve the church and protect the flock. The women here are plump, smiling, and healthy looking. They have their chins up and act far too bold. I look away. What in the hell kind of church is this?
Judea is looking at me like I am growing another head. Did I say it aloud? Forgive me. I didn’t mean it. His dark eyes twinkle with laughter. I blush. My husband is a threat to my faith. He leads me across green pastures and lies me down beside still waters and Jude doesn’t do it to pray. No. What he does when we get there is our own business. I look up into his weary face and I can see the exhaustion and the relief etched in the dark hallows of his cheeks. He wears the badges of his dedication under his eyes. He hardly ate. He hardly slept. All he did was watch over me. It’s always about me. Now, he can sleep. This is the third safest place in our world. There are armed men walking the perimeter of the walls on the top and the ground below. A trained army is ready to back them up.
The Doomsday Papers Page 17