Amitola: The Making of a Tribe

by A. Grant Richard

  Her mind regained focus on her forlorn reality. She had to do something about her ailing body, but first, she wasn't about to let anyone sneak up on her again. She pulled her guns from her bag and tucked them in her waistband like she should have done earlier that day when she’d been so exhausted she wasn’t thinking straight.

  She pulled the safety glasses and the bandana down around her neck. At least when she was still and out of the direction of the wind, she could feel free to breathe without the constraints the fabric mask provided.

  She looked down at the two pistols and had to laugh. Not because it was funny because it wasn't. She laughed because of how absurd it was that the world she once knew had come to this. What was even more unbelievable was how difficult it was to remember the world before Judgement Day. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She took a deep breath then reached down and attempted to remove her shoes to let her feet dry. Each time she tried nausea fanned the pit of her stomach, and she felt the trees begin to swarm around her.

  She'd trudged so much over the last few days that her feet were raw. Blisters and scabs had formed around the fibers of her socks, and every attempt to remove them left her in excruciating pain. She'd whimper and submit to temporary defeat.

  Caleb turned to look away from Tye who was holding up a lap blanket to give Sadie some privacy. He wished he could shake the guilt and uneasiness he felt knowing how much his friend hated doing such a task.

  “Okay, Dad,” Sadie said taking the blanket and folding it back up.

  Hearing that, Caleb moved again trying desperately to find a somewhat comfortable spot on the old tractor tire. They’d stopped to rest, relieve and rehydrate which, when translated meant, they’d stopped so the kids would cease to complain.

  He couldn’t blame them, though. They’d been through every worst-case scenario imaginable and been plenty tolerant as well as obedient up until this point, but they were starting to get weary. They’d been promised over and over that help would come, and they’d find a safe place to stay and neither of those basic things had arrived yet.

  The fact was he’d complain too if he thought anyone would listen. What he wouldn’t give to have a live video feed to what was left of the country right now. He’d love to say, “I told you so,” but somehow that seemed out of line compared to the current state of things. Not to mention, survivors needed to know there was hope. And as bleak as the world now was, he still believed there was some. He even had faith they could make it.

  Tye and Sadie returned then he warned, “Time to move.”

  When Caleb was putting away the water bottles and food reserves he looked over and noticed Tye picking up an empty bag the kids had tossed on the ground. Amused, he asked, “Dude, what are you doing?”

  He could see that Tye looked slightly embarrassed as he glanced down at the bag and laughed it off. “I don’t know, bruh…habit, I guess,” he said as he dropped the bag and watched it fall to the ground.

  Caleb prepared himself after the obvious change in demeanor that simple act triggered in Tye. He could see it in his face. The man was about to snap.

  “No,” he said as he picked the bag back up. “I’ll find a trashcan to put it in. This is still our home. We still live here.”

  Caleb breathed deep and tilted his head then set his pack down. “You need a minute?”

  Tye continued to pace.

  Caleb could see he was only getting more agitated by the second. He checked the time on his watch. “Bro, you gotta rub some dirt on it. We gotta get moving.”

  His face showed the stress of the situation had finally come down on him. “We have to find her. We have to. I can’t leave her out here alone.” His voice grew louder, “I️ know her.”

  He stopped pacing long enough to invade Caleb’s personal space. He continued to talk loud, “We can’t let her die or get snatched up. If we want our life back, it starts with her.”

  Caleb lifted his hand to warn Tye to back down. Then, he took a moment to think. He almost made an assumption about the root of the outburst. The two of them had many conversations about starting over; about rebuilding a community. Hell, even before Judgement Day they entertained thoughts about what they’d do if the world got a reset. This was a duty they were willing to take on. They knew it’d be difficult because many more women than men had perished over the last few months, but it didn’t deter them. They had detailed plans and the confidence to bring them to fruition.

  Tye shook his head in disbelief. “Look, this woman is a fighter. I know what she’s made of. You saw what she did back there. She won’t quit. She deserves a better ending than this,” he choked up, “I couldn’t give Beth and Lanie this chance, but we can give her one.”

  And there it was. Caleb now understood precisely where this was coming from, but he didn’t dare push that button. He decided to ride it out and let him talk it through.

  “What are you suggesting?” he asked, as he turned to check on the kids and signaled Junior to look out for them. He turned back to face Tye.

  “We find her. We help her if she’s hurt. We find a place to stay. We take care of her. We find a new normal.”

  “And you are what, gonna make little baby Tyes with her? Repopulate the world? Too soon for that, bro. We got other priorities right now.”

  Oh, how he wanted to shove those words back into his mouth the moment he said them. The kids immediately reacted in jest. Caleb shushed them and shook his head, turning his attention back to the conversation at hand.

  Tye shook his head, “No, man. C’mon. That’s not what I meant. We get her back to Lance, and we all stick together. The point is we can’t just pretend we never saw her.” He put his hands to his chest. “And we’re gonna need help. We’re out here trying to find food and a place to sleep, dragging them around,” pointing at the kids, he continued, “making bathrooms out of trees. My daughter shouldn’t be out here. We have to settle down, and we need help. She’d fight to protect our kids if she had to. I know she would.”

  Even before this conversation, Caleb had no intention of leaving Maia if they stumbled across her again. But, actually seeking her out wasn’t something he planned to do. He knew his friend was right, though. They would be better off if they had a woman in their group. Scavenging and hunting with the kids in tow was too dangerous.

  For the last month or so he’d kicked around similar thoughts. He’d seen something in the woman too, and it was evident Tye cared about her. They’d just have to find her before it was too late.

  “Okay. But we have to hurry. It’s colder than it usually is at this time,” he took a deep breath and inhaled the sweet scent. “It smells like it’s about to storm. They could be out with those dogs soon too, so you better be able to work your charm fast. She didn’t look like she was too happy with you back there.”

  They wouldn’t have to wait too long. Ten minutes after Tye’s meltdown they heard her. Though she tried to stifle it, the sounds of her agony carried through the otherwise muted forest. It led them directly to her.

  Chapter Four

  Maia had her back to a tree staring out into an overgrown field. She’d been trying to remove her shoes and warm herself, but it was no use. She no longer had the strength or willpower to do it.

  She tilted her head, hearing the sound of shuffling nearby. She spit out more blood then mouthed a silent prayer. She wanted so bad for it to be her boys showing up to carry her home even though she knew that wasn’t likely. By the time she noticed them coming up behind her, they were only a few feet away. A second wind kicked in, and within seconds she was on her feet. She grabbed her pistol and racked it.

  "STOP!" she shouted, still behind the covering of the tree. "Don't come any closer. Keep moving, and I won’t have to shoot!”

  They ducked behind a nearby tree. Tye was almost directly behind her. Junior had the younger kids hiding in a cluster of fallen trees and overgrown shrubs a bit further away. Caleb was a bit to her left with a clear line of sight. He looked over at T
ye and raised his index, and middle finger to his eyes then pointed at the ground beside her.

  "Maia, it’s me, Tye…" he assumed she didn't recognize him with the bandana covering his nose and mouth.

  "I know who you are. I said keep moving."

  He squinted his eyes and dropped his shoulders as he exhaled. “We’re not going to hurt you. We just want to help you. Where are you bleeding? Let me look at it."

  Bleeding? She wasn’t bleeding. Was she? Inhaling deeply now, she scanned her body for injuries. Then she remembered her nose and lip. She’d been so worked up she forgot. She rested her head back on the tree and closed her eyes for a second.

  "Let me help you. Trust me. Come on, you know me,” Tye said breaking the silence once more.

  She opened her eyes and looked around as though she was searching for something. “Trust you? I can’t trust anyone anymore.”

  “That’s not true,” he replied.

  She cringed. The pain in her feet was escalating. “Who's with you, besides your kids?”

  “His name’s Caleb. We’ve been friends for years. You can trust him. Let us help you find Lance.”

  “Lance…” she chuckled. “Yeah…where’s your wife? And your other kids?”

  He hesitated. This wasn't a question he wanted to answer, but he knew he had to. “Beth didn’t make it. She died the first day. Troy died about a week later,” he paused, “I wish I knew where Lanie was. Sons of Bit—,” he bit his lip and changed his word choice, “Some people showed up at the shelter where we were staying, said they were with the government. The doctor took her for a check-up,” his head sunk. “I should’ve gone with her. I’ve been trying to find her ever since.”

  Suddenly she was ticked at herself for asking him. Her heart broke for him. Now she had to add to it by telling him where his friend was. “I didn’t lose Lance. I know where he is.”

  With excitement in his voice he said, “Good, we’ll help you get to—“

  “No, you can’t,” she interrupted, "you can't." She rubbed her fingers along her wedding band and couldn’t help but recall the one comfort she now had; he could never leave her again. He'd always be with her. Even now, hiding behind an old tree in the middle of the end of the world, he was still with her.

  “He's gone. We buried him by a drug store.” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t want to leave him, but we had to.”

  Tye’s mouth hung open, and he swallowed hard. He shook his head in disbelief. He couldn’t even process what he’d heard. Lance Graham was the last person he'd expect to learn was dead.

  "The FEMA people took Gabriel too. I couldn’t stop them.” Her lip trembled, and she took another deep breath, “I keep coming out here to try to find him. They took my baby…”

  Caleb reassured her, “We can help each other. We—”

  “No! Be quiet and let me think!" she pleaded.

  Maia ignored the emotions rising from her gut. Instead, she tried to focus on the stats, facts, and figures. Absolutes were the one thing that brought her comfort, and according to her previous bosses, she was a whiz at interpreting them. More often than not, she made decisions based on logic. It was reasonable to assume that every man she encountered wouldn't be looking to harm her. Statistically, there were many honorable men left in the world. She knew several, just none outside the safety of her circle of survivors.

  She also concluded that she’d known Tye for years and men traveling with young children at their side weren't likely to be rapists and kidnappers. Especially when they were trying their best not to use profanity in front of them. But it was no use, no matter how she attempted to talk it out in her mind. She didn't know what to do.

  While Maia was still considering her options, Tye gave Caleb a nod and stepped from behind the tree. He raised his hands and began walking towards her. "I'm unarmed. My hands are up, and I'm coming to help you. My kids are right here too. Now, you can shoot me if you want, I’d rather you didn’t, but if you do just know you’re doing it in front of my kids and they’ve already lost their mother. I’m just sayin'."

  "Please don't come over here. Please, just go,” she whimpered. Her body trembled. Fear of all she'd experienced consumed her. The moment he stepped around the tree where she'd taken refuge, there was no hesitation on her part to point the gun right in his face. It may have been a survival instinct, but she regretted it instantly.

  Shooting a stranger trying to harm her was one thing, but this was a man she knew; a man she cared about. She also realized he could have easily disarmed her and yet he didn’t. She stared deep into those familiar brown eyes and knew there was no way she was pulling the trigger even if she had to. But that would have to wait. Within seconds she heard Caleb approaching from the other side. Before he had a chance to get close, she reached for the second gun, and when he came upon her, she pointed it in his face.

  “Go! Leave me alone!”

  “No, I can’t leave you here alone,” Tye replied.

  She was holding her breath now; her attention shifted from one to the other. Her gut told her she would be safe with them which is what she desperately wanted, but the turmoil in her mind refused to let her back down.

  She knew Tye was trustworthy. He was a good friend to Lance, they’d known him for years, and he’d always been so kind to her and the boys. But that meant nothing anymore. Others she’d known and trusted all her life had betrayed her. And Caleb, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something oddly familiar about him. He reminded her so much of someone that she felt a connection to him. Tears welled up.

  Caleb took one look at her and read her like a book. Her eyes told a different story from what the one coming out of her mouth. He saw the regret in her expression but more than that he sensed her need for someone else to be strong for her. She needed a break from the fight. For just a little while, she needed someone to take care of her; to protect her.

  Without any further thought he took the gun from her hand, “You know you’re not gonna shoot us, girl.” He talked to her as though they’d known each all their life. He didn’t understand it, but to him, she felt like family. He watched as Tye followed suit with the other gun.

  "We're not gonna hurt you,” Tye reassured her. "I promise."

  “We’re not going to let anyone else hurt you either,” Caleb added, bringing her head to his shoulder. “We got you. You don’t have to run anymore. You don’t have to be scared.”

  As he held her close, he could feel let go. Her muscles relaxed, and she broke. The dam that had held back the tears finally burst. She collapsed backward into Caleb's arms. They slid to the ground together. He wrapped his arms around her tight, soothing her with words of comfort while Tye held her hand and prayed.

  Whether it was the warmth she felt from Caleb or hearing Tye's brutally honest conversation with his maker and subsequent requests for her wellbeing, something finally put her over the edge. The tears ripped through the dirt and dried blood, revealing the delicate face underneath. She wept until she purged every emotion she had pushed aside since it all began. He knew she’d held it captive for too long.

  Once her temporary outpouring of grief waned, the guys situated the kids close to them. Caleb handed her a bottle of water and dug through his backpack. "You like Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini?"

  She gulped down the water and shook her head yes. No one liked MREs, but Caleb figured she was starving and would eat anything at this point. He prepared the pasta and handed it to her along with the remaining contents of the grab bag meal.

  In between bites, Tye examined the tear on her lip. "It's not bad. You took it like a champ.“ Her nose was cut but not broken. He cleaned it as best as he could with what they had and applied pressure until it stopped bleeding.

  Maia ate all of the pasta then tore open the oatmeal cookie. Caleb and Tye couldn’t help but laugh as she squeezed the peanut butter on top of it and squished the chocolate candies over that. She gulped it down, smiling the whole time.

  Tye of
fered her some of his water. With her mouth full she held it up to him and gave him a look that asked, “You sure?"

  His eyes bright, he pushed it back to her. “Drink it. We have more."

  Tye took the hand wipe from the MRE and wiped her face clean. “There’s the pretty woman I know.” He smiled, dabbing the last bit of blood from the corner of her mouth. “You said they took Gabe. Where are your other two boys?”

  “I don’t know. I got separated from them a few days ago. I was running from those stupid dogs. By the time I lost them I had no idea where I was or how to get back.”

  He reached over and gently touched her hand. When she gave him her attention, he made her a promise, “We’ll find them. Then we’ll find a safe place to stay. We'll take care of all of you. We’ll get what we need and once we get settled, you have my word, I’m going to find Lanie & Gabe, and I’ll bring them home.” He held her hand with a gentle but firm grip.

  She believed him. She needed to. She wanted to. She felt such relief in that instant. Then, she recalled the world in which they now live.

  She pulled her hand away. She didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. Nowadays, many men expected something in return for taking care of a woman. For all she knew, he meant nothing by it. He’d always been the touchy-feely type. It used to drive her crazy during training because the real housewives of self-defense would sit at the edge of the mat and gossip about how fine he was and how he was always flirting with them. She would roll her eyes every time. He was ridiculously in love with his wife, and if they’d stopped five minutes to watch them, they’d have seen it too.

  She looked at Tye, “You know I’m a bullet-point kind of girl, right?” He shook his head yes. She continued, “I have to say something, to both of you,” she glanced at Caleb then continued, “I’m not saying either of you wants anything from me, but I’m not naive either. Just to be clear; I’m not offering any favors in exchange for protection or provision or anything else. I mean, I know women do that now, but I just want to make sure you both understand that’s not what’s happening...”