This kill, left her somewhat unsatisfied. She wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to feel. These things were a blight on the world and deserved to be exterminated, for the vermin they were. They had taken the person most dear to her and she was pissed at them. They were so mindless and no matter how many she killed, he was not coming back.
She shrugged and went to check her line. Finding it empty, she pulled it in and put it away. The shadows were starting to get long and she needed to find a place, to bed for the night. It took her only a few minutes to snuff the fire and pack her bag, then she began heading downstream. Worst case, she could climb in a tree for the night, but she was hoping something better would present itself.
She walked maybe a half an hour, before coming across a car, that had no earthly reason to be there. It's age and flat back paint, indicated it has been here, since the bootleg days. The driver, was most likely trying to evade the revenuers, headed through the woods and got stuck. Over the years, kids and hunters had taken potshots at the car, blasting out it's windows and riddling the body with holes.
She went around to the trunk and found, that at sometime, the latch had been popped, allowing her to open the lid. The trunk was spacious, but littered with wet leaves, animal droppings and the bones of small animals.
She got to work, scooping the litter from trunk, then placing in a layer of fresh dry leaves and grass. Using her pack saw, she cut some pine boughs. This did help with the musty smell inside the trunk, but more importantly, covered her scent, coming from the trunk. Moving a short distance away, she set a couple of snares, in hopes of catching a rabbit for breakfast.
Satisfied, she spread out her sleeping bag in the trunk, placing her backpack in, before undoing her holster and setting that inside. She climbed into the trunk, bringing her rifle in after her. She slipped off her jacket, pushed back a sad memory of Bess, but that caused her to once again ponder, how the herd had gotten into their compound. Shaking her head, because it was all useless at this point.
She unlaced her boots, slipped them off and settled into her sleeping bag. Taking a bit of rope from her pack, she closed the trunk lid and secured it. Laying down, she flicked on her flashlight and pulled out a picture of the two of them, taken during happier times. Giving a heavy sigh, she returned the picture to her pocket, knowing that she could not wish away the events of the past few days, or return to that past. He was no longer there for her and she was no longer that girl in the picture.
[Christine2]She pulled her pistol from the holster, laid her head down, turned off the flashlight and drifted off to sleep. The thoughts and memories she tried so hard to push away, during the day, came back to her in dreams.
The cell phone chimed. “Hello.”
“Blast from the past, Sweetie. How the hell are you?” Came the reply.
“Rita?”
Rita laughed. “Ding ding ding, we have a winner. I've missed you Doll.”
She slipped the head of the sleeping child off her lap and moved off the couch. “Missed you to, I've had a bit of life change.”
“Andy filled us in, I'm happy for you. I know this Mommy, daughter time means a lot to you. You do need to take some time for yourself to, sweetie.” Rita said.
She looked over at the tiny figure, curled up on the couch. “I know, Andy keeps telling me that. It's just that everything is so new and exciting for her, I hate to miss a moment of that. She starts preschool in the fall and I won't have her to myself anymore. I want to make the most of our time together, until then.”
Rita answered in a serious tone. “Honey, I may not have a maternal bone in my body, but I understand what you're saying, I really do. Paulie's been nostalgic lately and wants to bring the old gang back together. He's rented a big place, with a pool and a guest house. You and the little spud...”
“It's Angel.” She interrupted.
“What's that?” Rita asked.
“My daughters name is Angel.” She repeated.
“You and Angel, can have the guest house and except for the big pool party, you won't be apart. I'll even see that Paulie hires a nanny, to keep an eye on her.” Rita explained.
“It would be nice to see everybody again.” She allowed.
Rita replied excitedly. “That's my girl and one more thing, I get the feeling Paulie is getting close to poppin the question. You and I, have got to go shopping. We need to make sure Paulie understands, he's not the only game in town. Can we get together tomorrow afternoon? I have Paulie's credit card.”
After hanging up with Rita, she stood there working up the nerve, then dialed the phone. After a couple of rings, she heard a response. “Yes.”
“Hello to you to Dad.” She answered.
Alastar Walsh refused to be baited. “What do you want daughter.”
“Dad, I have plans tomorrow, would you be able to watch Angel?” She answered.
Alastar's voice, betrayed the joy he tried to hide. “You know my Granddaughter is always welcome here, what time?”
“I'll drop her by around one.” She replied.
“And when will you be picking her up?” Alastar asked.
She guessed. “Let's say sevenish.”
“Fine, I'll have cook make a special dinner, for the two of us. If you've been drinking when you get here...” He started to threaten.
Remembering too many times, she rode with him, when he was drunk. “You know I never drink.”
His anger was sparked by her words. “I'll be waiting for Angel at one o'clock, I trust you won't be late.”
Two nights later, she was seated at the vanity, in the bedroom of the guest house. Angel was in the bed, a small pink teddy bear pulled close, watching her mother finish her makeup. “You look pretty Mommy.”
“Aren't you just the sweetest thing.” She answered, as she got up and walked over to the bed and tucked her daughter in.
“Can't I go to the party, for just a little while?” Angel pleaded.
She put on her best Mom face. “Angel, we talked about this. Tonight is for grown ups, tomorrow you and I will swim, until your arms fall off.”
Angel giggled. “Until my arms fall off?”
She couldn't hold back the smile. “Oh yes, and your legs too.”
Angel burst into a peal of childish laughter. “Oh no.”
Rita came in. “What did I miss?”
“Just a couple of goofs, kidding around. Angel, this is Mommy's good friend Rita.” She stated.
“I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Rita.” Angel greeted, using her best manners.
Rita came in and stood by her friend. Rita was dressed in a red two piece, with a red sarong around her hips, while Ria was in a white two piece, with a white sarong. “Glad to meet you Spud.”
Angel pouted. “I'm not Spud, I'm Angel.”
Rita shook her head. “Not tonight. Tonight, your Mommy's the Angel and I'm the Devil and the boys won't stand a chance.”
She bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead. “Love you Angel. Now go to sleep, if you need anything, Miss Joan is just in the other room.”
She and Rita began to exit the room, but Angel called. “Mommy, I have something for you.”
She turned as Angel blew her a kiss. She caught it and then placed her hand over her heart. “I'll give it back in the morning. Now good night.”
Angel curled up with the teddy bear. “Goodnight Mommy.”
Angel woke up several hours later, it was still dark, but her Mommy hadn't returned yet. Angel got out of the bed, put on her slippers and tucked her teddy bear under her arm. Angel opened the door quietly, to check on the nanny. Finding the nanny, head down and sound asleep, Angel quietly closed the bedroom door and slipped out of the guest house.
Angel made her way up the walkway, leading from the guest house to the pool. When she got to the pool, she found it dark and the gate locked. Angel tucked her teddy bear into her pajama top and climbed up the fence. Her top got caught on the fence, tearing off a strip, as she climbed down the other si
de. The empty pool area confused Angel. When the party at the pool was over, Mommy was supposed to come back to her.
Being this close to the pool, thinking about the day she and Mommy would have here, Angel just couldn't resist exploring. She went into one of the cabana's, thinking of having lunch here with Mommy. Curling up next to Mommy on one of the lounges. Angel left the cabana and went to the pool. Angel had always loved the water, even as a baby, bath time was the one sure thing to calm her.
Angel had been around pools before, Grandfather had a pool and Mommy had taken her for swimming lessons, even before she could walk. Even in the dim light. she could tell this pool was way bigger than any, she had ever seen. This was way more than a pool to swim in, it was a place to experience. To be sure, there was room to swim and a diving board, but there was a grotto, a waterfall, and a slide like Angel had never seen before.
Angel went up to the slide, imagining sitting in Mommy's lap, with Mommy's arms wrapped around her and sliding together, into the pool. Angel's planning for the coming day was interrupted, when a car pulled up to the house and a pair emerged from the car, carrying pizza and beer. Angel tucked in tighter to the slide, fearing she would be discovered, at a place she knew she was not allowed to be. As the two men drew nearer, she backed up even more. Angel's heels bumped into the curb at the edge of the pool. Toppling backwards, she dropped her teddy bear and grasped for the leg of the slide, but caught only air. As Angel fell back, her head slammed against the slide, knocking her out and cutting off her scream.
Feeling guilty and missing her daughter, Ria excused herself from the group of old friends and made her way back to the guest house. When she entered, she found the nanny sound asleep. Opening the bedroom door, she was greeted with an empty bed. Fighting back panic, she checked the bathroom. Still not finding Angel, she want back and shook the nanny awake. “Joan. Joan, where is Angel?”
Joan shook her head to wake up. “I..I just rested my eyes a moment, she can't be far.”
Angrily she retorted. “Start looking, I'm going to the house for help.”
Joan jumped up and began searching, the small guest house. She ran out and flew as fast as her legs could carry her to the main house. Bursting in, she found a small group still up. Rita was the first to greet her, waving her hand with a shiny, new engagement ring on it. “You missed it. Paulie popped the question, got down on one knee and everything.”
She waved Rita off. “Please. Help. Angel is missing. I must find her.”
Andy was the first to react. “Paulie, go check the pool and then lock it.”
“I already locked the gates, when we came in the house. I didn't need the liability of anyone going for a drunken dip in the pool.” Paulie answered.
“There's a relief, double check it though. Claudine, take Rita and wake everyone up, get them searching. We'll meet back here in an hour. Come on Sis, you and I will start at the guest house.” Andy directed.
Back at the guest house, she slumped against her brother. “Andy I am so scared. She is my life. I can't lose her.”
Andy hugged his sister. “She just got turned around in the dark, is all. We'll find Angel soon and I'll make the two of you my special pancakes.”
She tried to match his optimism. “Little brother, I just want to find her, not poison her.”
An hour passed and still no sign of Angel. Paulie had contacts with the police and was able to get a crew with search dogs dispatched. She and Andy, were watching in the front yard as the police picked up the search. It wasn't long, before the officer came walking up to them, carrying the pink teddy bear and sad look on her face. She started repeating. “No, no, no, no, no, no.”
The officer started. “I'm sorry...” Whatever she was going to say next was lost, when a gurney was rolled up to the ambulance. The small body, that laid on it, covered with a sheet. An errant gust of wind blew the corner of the sheet up, revealing a mop of wet, red hair.
“My baby.” She screamed and would of fallen to the ground if Andy, hadn't caught her.
Andy turned his sister around and buried her head in his shoulder, so she wouldn't have to watch this anymore. The officer, shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “I'm sorry. I truly am. There is a procedure we have to follow. Hell, they got a procedure for everything. Except for a way to tell you, how to make sense out of this.”
Andy nodded. “I understand, I'm her uncle, will I do?”
The officer nodded. “You will do just fine, I'll wait for you over by my car.”
Andy waved Rita over and gently lowered his sister to the ground. Rita sat down next to her, wrapping Ria her in her arms and rocking her back and forth. She was sobbing uncontrollably, at a loss to comfort her, Rita slowly stroked her friends hair.
Two days after Angel's funeral, Andy insisted that he and Claudine check on his sister. The pain and sorrow she was going through, Claudine could clearly see. However, because of the bond the twins shared, his sister's torment, cut into Andy like a knife. Andy knew his sister was in trouble and was desperate to get to her.
At his sister's apartment, Andy pounded on the door and called her name, but all he managed to do was bring her neighbor out. “God awful thing, what happened to her little girl. No parent should ever have to go through that.”
“No they should not, do you know if she's at home?” Claudine asked.
“My dear, there is not a thing that happens here that I don't know about. She hasn't stepped foot out of that apartment, in two days. I could hear her crying for the longest time, but it's been quiet the last couple of hours.” The old woman answered.
Andy brought up his foot to kick in the door, but the woman stopped him. “Hold on there young man, you'll do better with this.”
Andy took the key she held out to him and unlocked the door, to his sister's apartment. He and Claudine, entered and quickly searched the apartment. They found her laying on Angel's bed, the pink teddy bear clutched to her breast and her life pumping out of her from the gash in her wrist. Andy ran to the bathroom, grabbed towels and quickly bandaged her wrist, while Claudine called 911.
With the bleeding slowed, she opened her eyes and looked at her brother. “Let me go Andy, I don't know how to go on, without my Angel.”
[Christine3]“Well you're going to have to figure it out, cause I don't know how to go on without you.” Andy answered softly.
Alastar Walsh brought in the attendants from an institution whose discretion was easily bought, scowled angrily at his sleeping daughter and kicked her hospital bed. “Wake up.”
She opened her eyes and stared at her father. Alastar growled at her. “Thought you'd take the easy way out didn't you? You took something precious and dear away from me. For that you'll never see your brother again, you'll never see anyone again.”
She woke with a start, one hand clasped over the ragged scar on her wrist, to see shafts of daylight streaming in through the holes in the trunk. She took the time to make sure she wasn't going to be set upon by the dead, then quickly opened the trunk lid and popped to her knees with pistol raised.
She stayed three days camped out at the “runner”. She added smoked fish and dried rabbit to her food stores, but had to supplement this diet with the fruit and vegetables in her pack. She was needing to diversify her food supplies, but the biggest factor pushing her to move on was the dwindling number of dead in the area for her to hunt.
Without regular targets to vent her anger, loneliness was setting in. She desired conversation and companionship. Her fear of suffering the pain of losing someone she had become close to, dimmed at the simple human need to hear another voice and to see a living face. She had no idea where to go and didn't want to think that far ahead.
She finished her breakfast of smoked fish and snuffed out her fire. It didn't take long to pack up and she shouldered her bag, straining a bit under its weight. She pulled her pistol from the holster, checked to make sure a round was in the chamber and set the safety on, before returning it to the holster. Her oth
er hand drifted to make sure the knife was in its sheath, then drifted back to check on her hatchet. Before picking up her rifle, she checked the pouches of her jacket for the spare magazines, survival kit and firestarter.
Taking off she followed the stream. Sometimes the way was easy and there was a game path to follow. Sometimes the brush was so thick she had to veer far from the stream. It began to get warm as midday approached causing her to open her jacket. Eventually the heat of the day forced her to stop. At this point the road was built over the stream. A billboard presenting year old gas prices and a promise of the best food for miles. She ascended the ladder of the billboard that gave workers access to a narrow platform to maintain the sign.
With the billboard providing shade, she decided to spend the night on the platform. In the morning she would proceed the fifteen miles to the gas station, hoping to scavenge some supplies. She woke to tires screeching on the road. Flattening herself on the platform, she retrieved her binoculars and looked down the road.
Dead Reckoning_HZA, Vol. 3 Page 9