Surviving Day By Day (Book 1): So it Begins

by Allensworth, Audra

  “How are we doing today, boy?!” Cheerfully Beth spoke to Max as she began examining her handy work. There were no signs of infection and before she was done Beth could hear Max lapping at her water. “Well now, you are a thirsty boy. Maybe a little later we can get you some food. How’s that sound boy?”

  Maximus’s tail kept hitting the floor and this made Beth feel like she had really done something good.

  Colt put the ladder in the shed and walked past Charlie and Ceara, both were looking at a map, “What’s up?”

  Ceara looked up, “We are trying to think of a rendezvous point just in case we get separated.”

  Colt looked at the map, “I don’t know the area enough to really vote.”

  Ceara rolled her eyes, “And any of the rest of us do?”

  Colt caught the sarcasm and turned to go to his cabin shaking his head. When he walked in the cabin he slammed the door without really thinking. Maximus barked and Beth called, “I’m in here, what’s going on in there?”

  Colt went into the front room and collapsed on the couch, “Sorry it was just me, Ceara is just set on being a bitch to me. I know what you told me about giving her time but damn it Beth, she is out to make me look stupid and it’s pissing me off.”

  Beth stood up and went over to the couch where she took a seat beside him. Gently she placed her hand on his shoulder then calmly spoke, “Colt…. listen; I guarantee when Ceara sees that Maximus over there is awake and drinking water she will be a little better. However with you, let me put it to you like this. You see, women are just that way, ok? Then you add the total shit storm that we have all been enduring that would cause anyone’s nerves to be on edge. Maximus is on the road to recovery and when I said you have to give her a little time that does not mean a night or a day or hell even two days. Time is just that….time. Just don’t try so hard and in her time when she is ready she will come around, just like I did.”

  Beth smiled remembering when she was irritated with Colt and continued, “Colt, I had nothing close to me that I hadn’t already lost and after a good nights sleep and a hell of a lot of appreciation I got over it quicker. Unlike Ceara out there, from what I can tell Maximus has been with her a long time and fortunately is still with her. She will come around Colt. It’s just going to take time.”

  Colt looked at Maximus and smiled, “You know, it’s funny that the dog is fine with me and the owner is pissed. I guess I should be happy it was Maximus not Tonto. Alden may have shot me just to let me know what Tonto felt.”

  Beth smiled but didn’t deny the idea. Colt went over to Maximus and pet him on the head, “The guys are outside looking at the map for a good rendezvous area, so if you want we could go out and give our input.”

  Beth stood, “I think we should have a say so, don’t you?”

  Colt shrugged his shoulders, “I guess, just don’t think I will have a lot to say.” Colt followed Beth out of the cabin, joining Ceara and Charlie. Colt sat on the ground kicking his legs out in front of him and leaning back on his hands. He was just going to sit there and listen unless he heard something he totally disagreed with.

  Charlie had stared at the map for a while now his eyes kept going back to a part of the park called Elephant rocks. “You know this would be a good place to meet up. Plenty of open area for observing what would be coming at us and easily defendable.”

  Alden cleared his throat, and they all looked at him. Not one of them heard him walk out of his cabin let alone up to them. Ceara jumped from being startled by him, “Damn it Alden. Don’t do that.”

  He smiled at her, “Just wanted to see if you were all paying attention. I see you weren’t.” He turned to Charlie, “You’re learning though. I like the thought of a place we can defend and see whose coming.”

  Charlie looked at him, “Thank you, I did pay attention in class.”

  Alden looked at the group and then squatted down and stared at the map. He looked out towards the woods and then back at the map once more. Standing he smiled. “You cupcakes hold down the fort I want to go scope this out.”

  Snapping his fingers and suddenly Tonto appeared once more out of nowhere. “I swear to God!” Charlie started out, “That damn dog has radar ears.”

  As Alden turned to go Ceara called to him, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Alden turned and just looked at her. “Your gun silly, you don’t have your gun.”

  Charlie rolled his eyes and started to laugh he knew what was coming. Alden smiled, “Ceara, my little cupcake, I have my GUN, as you called it, all the time. Now as far as a weapon I have my knife and Tonto and that’s all I really need.”

  He turned and with a few quick strides disappeared into the woods with Tonto right beside him. Ceara looked at Charlie, “He didn’t have his gun. He always has it tucked behind his back or in its holster.”

  Charlie was laughing hard now. Ceara glared at him “What’s so damn funny?”

  He looked at her, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You see honey,” Charlie stood and picked up a branch holding it like a rifle and started to march in place singing, “This is my rifle,” and touched the branch with his hand then went on, “This is my gun,” grabbing his crotch slightly.

  Beth erupted in laughter as Colt was trying hard not to. Tabitha came around the corner of their cabin and saw what Alden had just done. Shaking her head she walked over to Charlie and Ceara. With a huge smile Tabitha remarked, “So then Charlie are you trying to tell me that you’re packing something down there?”

  Ceara looked over at Tabitha and her eyes got as big as saucers because she could not believe that Tabitha would have said something like that. When Tabitha caught the look she spoke up to Ceara, “Relax Red. It’s a good thing that he’s getting a sense of humor like that.” Ceara took a deep breath and didn’t want to even respond to Tabitha and her crude jokes. As far as Ceara was concerned they were getting old. Not getting a reply from Ceara, Tabitha continued, “So, we are all good with the rendezvous being at Elephant Rocks… we got to think of something for dinner tonight. I got no idea what to come up with. We might be able to go fishing if someone would like to go with me?”

  “But I do miss one little thing,” Tabitha looked around at the woods as the wind blew through the trees. It was seriously nice out here and she so loved being in the woods. Charlie glanced where she was looking and asked, “What’s that?”

  Tabitha looked over at him, “Fountain soda pops and those gas station sandwiches! From time to time I would go off on one of my walks and when I got hungry, I would pop in to one. I would pick up a pop along with a sandwich and if I had enough money I would grab a big bag of Cheetos!!! The little things that we all took for granted, but hey, if we survive this and civilization gets back to where it was you can bet your ass that the first fucking thing that I will wrap my lips around is a handful of Cheetos and some beef jerky!!!”

  Ceara jumped up, “I got you covered on the beef jerky!!” She ran into her cabin and brought out the bag she had grabbed out of car on the highway, smiling big she ran back out of the cabin and held it out to Tabitha. “Here you go, help yourself! Just save a little for Maximus please.”

  Tabitha was so thankful she grabbed the bag and snagged a couple pieces out of it. Then she thought about poor Maximus. “Here ya go Ceara! I will just take a couple pieces for now for that will be a treat for me. If Maximus gets up and about soon, he will need something to eat and I don’t know if we got any dog food or anything for our furry friends.” After taking the first bit the look on Tabitha’s face was orgasmic! “Now that is the shit!!!”

  Ceara laughed at Tabitha, “No worries I have a big bag of dog food and something tells me we won’t have to worry about the dogs getting their own food when it runs out.”

  She set the bag down in the middle of everyone but grabbed a few pieces out to hold back as treats for Maximus. “You guys help yourselves.”

  Everyone but Beth grabbed a piece and Colt even told her thank you. Ceara turned to Tabitha, “I would
go fishing with you if you are serious? I love to fish but after having to clean all those Alden caught the other night I would much rather be on the catching end than the cleaning end.”

  Charlie smiled, “I wouldn’t mind a little fishing myself.”

  Colt looked to Beth as if asking what she would want to do. Beth smiled standing up and dusting off her pants, “I think I am going to pass this trip, I can keep an eye on things here, babysit Maximus and let Alden know where everyone is if he gets back before you guys do.”

  Colt shook his head, “I think I’ll hang around here too, I need to get some more wood chopped with all of us in different cabins, we are going through what I had pretty quick.”

  Charlie jumped up, “I’ll get the gear ready. Oh and here’s the deal… first fish caught means that person is excused from cleaning them.” He walked off towards his shed and turned quickly, “And just to clarify, the fish caught must be a keeper, none of those little finger food fish.”

  He headed to the shed to get the poles. Laying them up against the outside he grabbed a shovel and picked a nice soft spot near the back of the shed and began digging by the third shovel full he cried out, “Jack pot!” There in the dirt were about four large night crawlers. A few more shovels and he had well over a dozen worms. Throwing them in an old coffee can with some dirt he walked back to the girls. “I’m ready when you are.”

  Ceara smiled, “You know I am going to catch not only the first one but I will catch more than you!”

  Charlie smirked, “Want to put your money where your mouth is?”

  Ceara was getting cocky, “What’cha got in mind?”

  Before Charlie could respond Tabitha spoke up, “If I win you guys clean my cabin for a week, ALL of it even Alden’s room.”

  Both looked to her and smiled, Ceara agreed for both of them, “But if either of us win you have to clean ours!”

  Tabitha looked at both as they walked, “Odds have always been stacked against me, you’re on.”

  Charlie poked Ceara goosing her in the side, “So Red, what’s our bet?”

  Ceara glared at him, “I let Tabitha get away with calling me Red, not you.”

  Tabitha smiled but said nothing. Charlie couldn’t tell if Ceara was kidding or not. Times like this he hated not having a little more experience with women. “Gee, okay I’m sorry I didn’t mean anything bad. I just thought….”

  He stopped talking and kept walking, his mind racing about what to say next. He had always hoped that he would have time to talk to someone about girls and dating but now this, he had no one he could really trust except Alden and he didn’t want Alden to think he was some sort of big baby.

  Tabitha saw the creek up ahead and started looking right to left. Nothing looked good over on the right because there were a lot of trees and just plain logs, but on the left there was a good size open patch of land where each one of them could have a nice little place to sit and have plenty of room to cast out. Walking over to Charlie, Tabitha had her eye on the big black rod with an open reel which was perfect for how she loved to cast. “I will take this one Charlie.”

  After she carefully took it out of his grip Tabitha stepped over to where he was holding onto the coffee can. Immediately she reached in and pulled a long, fat and extremely juicy worm out. “Yaaaa this fatty will bring me the winner. Wont’cha boy?!?” she asked after she had it between her fingers and walked over to pop a squat.

  Once she put the worm on the hook she wasted no time and with one quick snap of her wrist she cast her line and then let it sink to the bottom. Looking around Tabitha found a branch and with the pole still in her hand she walked over just a few steps and retrieved the branch. Carefully she made it into a make shift fork and shoved it into the ground with the two little branches sticking up. Tabitha then did what she had always done whenever she went fishing when she was younger. She tightened up her line then placed the pole right between the forks. That way if she got a bite the tip rod would bend or jump and she would then grab it and snap it so that the hook would be set. After she was all done Tabitha began helping Ceara first. “Now Charlie, are you watching how I do this? I will show Ceara and keep my eye on my pole all at the same time. It’s not too windy but there is a nice current. There will be channel cat on the bottom and those will make a damn good meal. However if we don’t have much luck in about an hour or so we can do some fly fishing and maybe we will catch some bass or trout.”

  Ceara watched as Tabitha put the worm on the hook and this caused her to wrinkle her nose. “Tabitha that is the one thing about fishing that just gets me.”

  “What’s that Red? asked Tabitha.

  “When I went fishing with my Dad he would always put the worms on for me because I just couldn’t do it. I just worried about if it would hurt them and I just didn’t want to hurt another living thing.”

  Tabitha chuckled after she shoved the worm onto the hook then said, “Well, look at it this way, one; worms do not have mouths so you would never be able to hear them if it did hurt and two; well,” she chuckled, “Worms in some parts of the world are a delicacy and are full of protein. You can rip them in half if they are too big and they keep moving.” Quickly she wiped the slime off of her fingers onto her jeans and handed her back her pole. “You’re ready to go!”

  Tabitha walked over to Charlie and he was taking this all in. He took the weight off and replaced it a tiny clip on weight squeezing it shut with his teeth. Looking up he saw Tabitha watching him. He took a whole worm and threaded it gently from one end to the other along the hook leaving a long tail.

  Tabitha spoke up, “You really did grow up sheltered didn’t you?”

  Charlie scowled at first then backed off a little, he knew she didn’t know anything other than he grew up in the city. Smiling, “Yeah I did grow up in a city.”

  He turned and casted out across the water snapping the line just before it hit a tree in the water and began to slowly reel it in. “But I had cable so I watched a lot of fishing shows.”

  Retrieving the worm he did the same thing again landing the worm in almost the exact same spot. On the fourth try he had just began reeling when he saw the fish hit the line and break water. “Oh shit!” he started reeling fast as the bass broke water again. Charlie had it almost to the shore when it broke a third time and the hook came out. “AWWW DAMN IT!!”

  Ceara laughed, “Just think, you almost won the bet in the first five minutes.” She emphasized the word almost; then turned back to her and Tabitha’s lines, neither was moving. She plopped down on the bank and kept watching the lines, suddenly she jumped up, “Guys we forgot guns! What if wanderers come out?”

  Tabitha pulled her gun out of the back of her pants showing it to Ceara, “No worries Red, they won’t get us.”

  Charlie pulled out his hunting knife, “Ceara, don’t want to be mean or nothing but you are the only one that always forgets her gun.”

  Ceara gave him a scathing look than looked down, “I don’t mean too, I just forget. Should I go get my gun?”

  Tabitha slid her gun back into the back of her jeans, “You go ahead, I’ll watch your pole and Charlie will keep me honest if you catch anything.”

  Ceara gave Charlie a quick kiss, “Be right back! Watch my pole.”

  Charlie quickly added as she started off, “Hurry, I don’t like the thought of you in the woods alone!”

  Ceara ran off, looking all around hoping she didn’t have anything to worry about.

  Within a few minutes she broke through the trees surprising Colt, “What’s wrong, the wanders coming? Where is Tabitha and Charlie!?”

  Ceara forgot she was mad at him, “No, I forgot a damn weapon and Alden will kill me if he finds out!”

  Colt sighed with relief, “Your rifle was propped up over by the shed.”

  “Thanks!” She snatched it up and ran back for the woods, knowing Charlie was worried. She made it back just as Tabitha snagged up her pole jerking on it. Ceara slid to a stop, “Is that my pole? Did I
win?”

  Tabitha laughed, “You wish, this is mine!” Just as Tabitha started pulling it in Charlie snagged another fish. He jerked back a little harder this time setting the hook deep. The bass broke water violently trying to get away but Charlie had him and he knew it. His smile was broad as he whooped. Getting the fish close to shore he spoke, “Not this time you son of a bitch!”

  He waded into the stream holding the tip of the pole up he reached down and grabbed the line throwing the fish and pole onto the shore. Coming out of the water yelling, “I GOT HIM, I GOT HIM!!!” He turned to see both Ceara and Tabitha laughing at him. “Screw you I got a Bass!”

  Ceara went to help him since her pole wasn’t moving and Tabitha was busy pulling her own fish in. Charlie grinned at her, “I got this, kind of proud of it. It’s twice the size of Tabitha’s, too bad we didn’t say that biggest fish, but I still won the bet!”

  About an hour after they pulled out the first couple of fish they had several ready to take back to camp. They had begun to pack up when the first wanderer appeared, Ceara grabbed Charlie’s shirt and pointed at the woman coming toward them. She had shoulder length hair on half her head, the other half of her head had the scalp peeled back exposing a lot of her skull. Her eye hung from the socket still attached through the skin that hung from her head.

  Ceara looked away as Charlie motioned for Ceara to stay put and worked around behind the woman as she approached Ceara and Tabitha. She was starting to reach out for them when Charlie sank the knife in the base of her skull. Ceara turned back when she heard water splashing. Ceara turned back in time to see Charlie pulling the knife out of the now dead wanderer.

  Tabitha and Ceara turned just in time to see another one coming. Charlie was still with the other one; Ceara grabbed one of the fish and flung it at the wanderer. Tabitha looked at her, “Really? What exactly was that going to do?”

  Tabitha ran over to it and cut its throat but that didn’t stop it, it still tried to turn to get Tabitha. “Shit!” Tabitha yelled as she drove the knife into the wanderers eye socket making the eyeball pop. Tabitha let it go and the man dropped no longer moving.