Purpose (The Wanderer Trilogy Book 1)

by B. Buechter

  “I just do not know how much more I have -” she started, “how much more I have in me.”

  “You have more in you than anyone.” He jerked her back to the road as the homes from the Old Times faded from the horizon. “We can do this together. Eva, you make me strong. Let me make you strong this time.”

  Eva licked her cracked lips and nodded. Jake would never let her lie down and wait for death. Normally, she would not have given up so easily, but she was in a debilitating stupor and losing stamina. Following Tommy and Jake was what kept her going. They are my purpose. And suddenly, every step seemed further from death. The very pain itself seemed to leave her body. Hope filled the void. Jake’s words floated down like a harness that lifted her further.

  They had reached the outskirts of the colony when Jake stopped hearing Eva’s gasping. Rovers had seen them coming a mile away and flocked to him when he called out for aid. Handing Tommy to a couple of men, he sprinted over to a group surrounding something. Eva.

  Her face was relaxed, almost expressionless. Her eyes were closed. His heart stopped until he saw the faint movement of her stomach rising and falling. A small trickle of blood was pooling underneath her arm and her ankle was facing out awkwardly. Expressions of disgust were whispered under hushed tones. Some of the Rovers were accusing Jake for Eva’s current state.

  “I don’t give a shit if you think this was my fault or not.” He jabbed his finger towards the shacks. The muffled gossip ceased. “Help. Her. Now. She needs to live. I promised she would. I - I - I swore to her.”

  Exhaustion finally took over him. Blackness encompassed his view of the Rovers as they carried Eva’s limp and weary body. He expected to feel the hard, uninviting ground meeting his back, but it never came. The Rovers had caught him. They were carrying him to the Healer. They were giving him a second chance.

  Chapter 11

  Jake was the first to awaken in the care of the Healer. He had suffered a few minor injuries like scratches, bruises, and complete fatigue. It was a struggle for him to even lift his head to look around the room. He spotted Tommy laying in a bed at the corner of the room, near the fireplace. They had removed his shirt and wrapped his chest with white linen. No one was tending to him, so Jake figured that his brother was just resting. Eva, however, was nowhere to be found. Jake swiveled his head back and forth, searching for any sign of her. His body went numb when his eyes locked onto her gun and blades near the door.

  As he attempted to rise to his elbows, the Healer pushed him back onto the bed. She had just entered the room when she noticed him trying to sit up. Dropping a pile of blankets, she hurried over to him and forced him to lie down. Jake hesitantly agreed, huffing to himself.

  “Where is Eva?” he demanded. “Please tell me she is alright.”

  The Healer was silent. She picked the blankets up off the floor and walked back over to him. Because she was usually blunt, no matter what, her silence made him sick. After clearing her throat a few times, she answered him, but not with the answer he was hoping for.

  “I’m not sure. Ankle’s messed up pretty bad. And her arm must have got infected when you all were trudging through sewage. She is fighting a fever and hasn’t opened her eyes in days. It could be worse. I think she can make it. Just has -”

  Jake turned to his side and interrupted her. “Hold on. I have been sleeping for days?”

  “You all have.” The Healer pointed to Tommy. “And the Tigers have been here looking for you. We have all been forced to stay inside. They have been tearing people from their homes and interrogating them. Luckily, they haven’t reached this home yet. Only in the middle of the night are we able to pass around food.”

  His eyes widened. “They followed us? They’re still here?” he repeated.

  “Yes. Which is another reason Eva is not faring well either. I have to wait until after dark to get anything I need. Lucky for the children, and for you, they haven’t started killing anyone… yet.”

  Jake glanced at the front door. He could faintly make out the sound of voices on the other side. Tommy stirred in the corner. The room itself was warmed from hearth fire, but Jake pulled a blanket towards his chin. As the Healer stepped into the next room, he posed one more question.

  “When can I see Eva?” Again, her answer was not what he was expecting.

  “I don’t think that will be a good idea for a while,” she murmured. “Just rest. My Apprentice and I will do everything we can to save her. But you need to rest and tend to the little one when he wakes.”

  Jake nodded and turned his back to her before she disappeared into the other room. Straining to listen to the hushed voices of the Healer and her apprentice, he tilted his head back towards the doorway. Eva was definitely in that room. Part of him wanted to jump out of bed to be by her side, but any motion below his neck was almost impossible. He was still very weak. And right outside the front door was a brigade of Tigers bearing more weapons than Rovers combined. And the only one who would even stand a chance to slashing their numbers had been in a coma for days. Exhaustion hit like a wave and suddenly, his worry melted into the soft bed as he drifted back into sleep.

  ***

  Another day passed before Jake opened his eyes again. This time, his strength had returned. The Healer’s Apprentice allowed him to sit up and walk around. The fire near Tommy had been out for some time. Now the cool air and rustling of dead leaves drifted under the space between the front door and the ground. Jake shivered and pulled another blanket over his legs. He asked again how Eva was. The Apprentice smiled softly but avoided his gaze.

  “The fever has subsided,” she replied. “But now, she just squirms in pain. The infection has almost cleared up… but… I can’t even comprehend how she managed to limp so far with an injury that bad. The Healer was confident that we were able to set it right and mend properly.”

  “She is an amazing woman,” Jake chuckled and twiddled his thumbs. “To me… well… when I first met her, I really believed that she was invincible. Silly, right?”

  The Apprentice was gathering a few medicine bottles from a box near where Tommy lay. She gave Jake a glass of water and he chugged it down. “No. We all believe those types of things from time to time. When you’re good at something - like indescribably skilled - people tend to see you as a surreal figure. If I wasn’t a healer, I would believe that many of our warriors are invincible.”

  “When can I see her again?”

  “Speak to the Healer. Eva is improving every day, but it is not for me to say. If she can pull through and wake up, maybe then you can see her.”

  “And if she doesn’t wake up? Please. I need to see her. Not as a corpse.”

  The Apprentice looked at him with pity. She paused, nodded, and left the room. The Healer returned in her place. First, she tended to Tommy who looked up at her and nodded in thanks. She laid a bowl of soup near him and patted him on the head. He had heard his brother talking and slowly turned with the bowl in his hands and waved at him.

  “How are you doing buddy?” Tommy gave a thumbs up with food in his mouth.

  The Healer moved in between the table and pulled a chair next to Jake’s bed. She plopped down, crossed her legs, and sat her chin on her interwoven fingers.

  “If I let you see her,” she started, “Just this once. Then you must swear not to touch her. I don’t want to hear about needing to see her until she gets better. You may have a virus or bacteria that she could contract.”

  Jake was speechless. Originally, he believed that the Healer was refusing to let him see Eva because he was still recovering. The thought of him carrying something that could kill her had not crossed his mind. He felt selfish - battling between the permission to see her, but not wanting to risk her life further.

  “I will just tend to my brother for the time being,” he sighed. “To me, Eva’s health is more important than my need to see her.”

  “Assume that nothing has changed with her unless I say otherwise,” she agreed. “Like my Ap
prentice mentioned, Eva’s temperature has dropped to normal. But she is still in a significant amount of pain due to the infection, mostly. Her leg will be okay, but it will take a while to heal.”

  “And the Tigers?” Jake hung his legs off the side of the bed. “Are they gone?”

  She pointed to the door. “Some have returned to their compound,” she said. “But I feel as though the most lethal ones have remained.”

  “How long do you think they will be here?”

  “Difficult to say. I’m not sure. Just stay inside and away from the door. Hope that they do not start breaking it down. But they still have not interrogated us yet.”

  Jake thanked the Healer as she vanished into the other room. He gingerly let his bare feet drop to the icy, stone floor. A chill crawled up his legs and made him shudder. He looked at the doorway into Eva’s room, just once, and pondered going in to see her. Instead, he pulled one of the blankets around his shoulders and brought another over to his brother. Tommy had been focused on his meal until Jake sat with him.

  “You doing okay?” he asked.

  Tommy nodded but pointed to his chest and winced.

  “Yeah,” Jake wrapped the blanket around him tightly and stared at the glowing coals in the fireplace. “I am so sorry this happened to you.”

  Tommy sat up and shook his head. He wore his usual innocent smile and patted his brother on the arm. Jake half-smiled. The Healer’s Apprentice brought him a bowl of soup and some soft bread. That was when it dawned on him. He had not eaten in a few days. His stomach growled loudly as he slurped it up. Piping hot liquid burned his mouth and throat, but he was so famished that he hardly noticed. His brother giggled as half of the soup dripped onto Jake’s chest.

  “What?” he laughed. “I’m starving.” It was nice to see his brother smile.

  All of a sudden, someone pounded on the front door. It was a heavy bang, a sound no fist could make. The Healer rushed in and motioned for the McAvoy boys to hide in a small closet behind a curtain. Tommy was the first to jump to his feet, grabbed the dishes they had been eating from, and ducked behind the drapes. Jake lumbered to his feet, nearly tripping over his own knees, and sprinted to the closet just as the door burst open. The Healer narrowly had enough time to unlatch it and dodge out of the way to avoid being hit by the swinging sheet of steel.

  “We’re checking houses now,” said a brawny woman. “And it’s your turn. You should feel lucky that we aren’t taking any of you back with us... just the three we are looking for.”

  “Who or what is it that you are looking for?” The Healer stepped out from behind the door. Her face was expressionless. “Perhaps I could help you.”

  Jake could see them through the crack between the curtains. A cold fog covered the view to the street, but the dark shadows of Tigers moved about. They were all carrying guns. From a distance, he could hear other doors in the colony being busted open. The screams of terrified children seemed to be cloaked by the thick haze. His stomach churned when he caught sight of Eva’s blades out in the open. The Healer, too, had spotted them and leaned against the wall to hide the weapons. Thankfully, the Tiger paid no attention. Jake wondered if they had hidden Eva as well.

  “Two people came this way,” she stated, “Carrying a third. A man and a woman. The one they were carrying was a servant of ours. Seen ‘em? Young-ish. One was limping. Looked pretty bad. Kinda hope she’s dead by now.”

  Rage burned white hot inside Jake. His vision turned red and his breathing stiffened as the woman let out an evil cackle. It took every ounce of energy not to explode into the room and beat her senseless. Tommy noticed his brother’s chest puff out and wrapped his arms around his torso.

  “My men and I are not leaving until we find them,” she announced. “We’re checking every house.”

  The Healer bowed helplessly. The Tiger scoffed and flipped a table onto its side with a crash as she walked through the room. She was carrying an assault rifle strapped over her shoulder. Her pants boasted pockets overflowing with various blades. Jake and Tommy backed against the wall as she walked over to the closet and stopped. Both brothers covered their face to still their breathing as her gun poked toward them. The thin barrel was nearly touching Tommy’s nose when she yanked it out impatiently. She started knocking over things in the room in anger. Various bottles of homemade medicines shattered on the floor and pooled at her feet. The Healer winced with each crash. The Tiger spun around at the Rover, smiled with her hand on another bottle, and pushed it onto the floor.

  “Too bad your shelf here is so unstable.” She made a fake frown then laughed. The Healer bit her lip. “And you’re sure you don’t know where they are?”

  “No ma’am,” the Healer repeated, now red in the face.

  “Haven’t checked this other room.”

  The Tiger hurried over to the adjacent room. Jake and Tommy let out a sigh in unison, but now they could not see the Healer, the Gang member, or the Apprentice. Jake went into a panic. While he knew that the Healer would have hid Eva, he still did not know whether the woman with the gun would give up on her prey so easily. When the Tiger entered the adjoining room, it was empty, but she spoke so loudly, the brothers immediately thought that Eva had been discovered.

  “What is this in here?” she yelled.

  The Healer’s response was inaudible.

  “Repeat that. I can’t hear you scum Rover!”

  Again, only a murmured response.

  “Don’t lie to me. I know this place is watched by The Wanderer. That’s how you got these guns. You and your people are dirt. You are shit. You are nothing. And you had your chance. Now, I am going to have my men search every single home for what is rightfully ours.”

  With four heavy footsteps, the Tiger was out the door. She made the command to her troop and they began busting open the doors to every home they had missed. Screams of fright filled the air as the woman stepped into the fog carrying two more guns than she had before. The Healer closed the door behind her, locking it tightly.

  “It is safe to come out.” Her gaze dropped to her feet as she wiped a few beads of sweat from her brow. “All of you. She won’t be back.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Jake walked over to the older woman.

  “When she saw those guns,” she shifted her weight. “She knew they were made by the Tigers. Her face changed to pure fury. I thought she was going to kill me. But she just took them and left… and I hope she will do the same with the other Rovers. I grow tired of the needless bloodshed.”

  Everyone in the room jumped as a gunshot rang through the colony. A woman wailed as a second shot went off. Then, an eerie silence. The Healer shoved Jake aside and rushed over to a small slit in her wall, scouring for the source of the noise. She gasped and bit her lip.

  Her voice was shaky. “They just murdered a young couple. The Tigers killed them and are hanging them from a tree. Somehow, I knew we weren’t getting out of this unscathed.”

  She motioned for Jake to look out as she shook her head. Through the dense fog, he saw most of the Tigers leaving for their compound in the north. A handful of them were surrounding a large tree near the center of town by the well. His heart dropped when they stepped away to join their comrades. Hanging in the tree were the two victims. It was difficult to make out, but it seemed like they had hung a sign on the Rovers’ necks. What they wrote, he could not read. Before he turned to speak, he noticed that Tommy had also seen the gruesome display. In the past, he would have scolded him for looking, but censoring this life was hopeless. Innocence had become a figment of his imagination.

  “Eva is awake.” The Apprentice rushed into the room and motioned for everyone to see.

  Jake nearly knocked the Healer to the ground in his haste. The gunshots must have shocked her. Eva had opened her eyes. As he entered the room, he found her lying on a table with a thin mattress on top of it. Her body was drenched in sweat and her wounds were wrapped and treated with various salves and herbs. The Apprentice
had already helped her drink some water for the first time in days. Her first word was nearly inaudible.

  “Jake,” she whimpered.

  Neither Jake nor Eva could hold back the tears any longer. He took three long strides toward her and scooped her up in his arms. She cried in pain as he bumped her arm, but when he went to apologize, she put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Tommy giggled. The Healer and her Apprentice just shook their heads. After a moment, the lovers pulled away.

  “I thought I had lost you,” Jake admitted as he brushed her hair between his fingers. A wave of relief spread through his body. “I was so scared.”

  “You’re not going to get rid of me that easily Jake McAvoy,” she teased. “I cannot imagine myself without you and I don’t want to die without saying anything. While I was asleep, I fought with many demons. But each time, there was a beacon of light. It spoke in your voice, calling me back from the pits of darkness. I may have chosen death if it had not been for that voice, begging me to keep breathing.”

  “So my annoying voice kept you alive,” he laughed and wiped a tear from her cheek.

  “Pretty much,” she smiled and hugged him tightly. “I can’t get you to leave me alone and let me die.”

  “Is this how they always act, little one?” The Healer asked Tommy. He nodded and rolled his eyes.

  The two women left Jake, Eva, and Tommy alone in the room. They cleaned the shards of medicine bottles that the Tiger had destroyed. The younger McAvoy joined his brother at Eva’s bedside. From outside the shack, they could hear the Rovers filing out of their homes, sobbing loudly near the center of town. Eva tried to sit straight up but her fatigued body slumped her back against the cushions. She sighed in frustration and turned to Jake.

  “What happened out there?” she demanded. “I heard the gunshots.”

  He told her everything that he remembered, the Tigers following them back to the Rover colony but most leaving after a few days. The first time he woke and the Healer speaking of interrogations, the Tigress leader busting through the door, taking the guns and instructing her men to pillage the town. And finally, the ‘examples’ they had left hanging in the tree.