“Forty-four more are on their way here,” Bass responded.
“I’m not going to teach that many,” Murdock said adamantly. “I’ll teach one or two and they can teach the rest. What tools do you have?”
“We don’t have any and we don’t know what tools the others brought with them,” Bass said much chagrined.
Not having any tools, Murdock decided to teach Bass, and two others, how to build a fire. He spent a little time telling and then showing them what was entailed in fire-building and how to recognize flint. When he decided to let them try their hand, Murdock took the other three and showed them how to catch fish in the river. It wasn’t long before Murdock had all six men busy doing something constructive. When the three that were catching fish had succeeded in catching three fish, Murdock showed them how to clean them and then he showed all of the men how to cook the fish. As the men ate, Murdock returned to the ridge where he had left Declan and Annie.
“How’s he doing?” Murdock asked Annie. He had glanced at Declan and had noticed that he was sleeping again.
“He’s going to be okay, I think,” Annie reported. “What’s going on down there?” she asked indicating the men off the ridge.
“They’re the ex-guards that changed sides at the confrontation,” Murdock explained. “They’re the start of a larger group. I guess there are another forty-four coming. Just about everyone decided to call it quits with Phylicia and crew.”
“Really,” Annie replied excitedly. “Where are they going to settle? Anywhere close by?”
“I was thinking about across the river,” Murdock said. “It’s well sheltered and has a lot of trees for building. More importantly, they won’t have to cross the river for anything. There is plenty of game over there and they can fish the river as they need to.”
“I was thinking that they could settle up here,” Annie suggested. “They wouldn’t have anything to fear from Phylicia and her cohorts and they would be a lot closer for us to visit.”
Murdock looked at her sadly. “There is a lot you don’t understand. To be up here, I have to trust them and I don’t. I’m going back down and tell the six that are there to hold everyone until I get back. Then we’ll leave to get you two to the cabin. I’ll feel better with Declan being as comfortable as possible.”
Annie nodded agreement as he made his way back down from the ridge.
When he was approaching the six ex-guards, they all got to their feet as if startled.
“We didn’t hear you coming,” Bass said apologetically.
“You should always have someone standing guard,” Murdock chastised. “There are plenty of animals that are quieter than I am. I was thinking of having you go across the river.”
“Any particular reason why?” Bass asked.
“There’s plenty of game over there as well as trees,” Murdock explained. “It’s sheltered and has plenty of resources for building shelter. You’d still have the river for water and to fish, but the river would act as a natural barrier for those who might want to attack. They couldn’t sneak up on you without you knowing.”
Bass thought about what he had heard and decided that Murdock would know better than any of them would. “How do we get over there?” he asked after a long pause.
“Wade across, but do so slowly and in pairs,” Murdock told him. “That way you won’t kick up much mud from the bottom. Kicking up mud is a good way to give away your position. If you can get everyone over there and get them semi-organized, you’d be more prepared. I need to go, but will be back in two days with tools you may need.”
“It’ll be done,” Bass replied confidently.
#
When Murdock returned to Annie, Declan, and the cart, he was glad to see that Annie had it all packed and was ready to go. Without many words, Murdock picked up the cart and started off toward his cabin. He hadn’t gone very far before Declan fell asleep once again.
“He is sleeping a lot,” Murdock mentioned to Annie, who was walking by his side. “Is it normal?”
“He’s had a lot of trauma,” Annie responded. “He’s not had good food or rest since he left us. Add to that, they nearly beat him to death. His body wants and needs all the rest he can get for the next few days.”
Murdock nodded that he understood and remained quiet.
“Where’s the pod that you came in?” Annie asked after several miles.
“Why?” Murdock asked suspiciously.
“You obviously don’t use it and I was thinking that maybe it would work for me as a clinic and residence,” Annie explained innocently.
“That is out of the question,” Murdock responded ominously.
“I was just asking,” Annie said apologetically. “You don’t need to bite my head off!”
“Sorry, but it’s a sore subject with me,” Murdock said, “And lots of open wounds.”
They traveled quietly until they got to the river crossing. Annie got on the cart and checked to make sure Declan was still sleeping. Since she was already used to the routine, she closed her eyes and kept them closed until Murdock told her otherwise. When Murdock stopped for water and a little rest, she got off the cart to walk.
“Are you going back to help those few that came to you for instruction?” she asked after taking a long drink from her water skin.
“Yes, I am,” Murdock responded quietly. “After I rest some and play with my kids.”
“Do you need me to go along?” Annie asked.
“No, I think you need to rest and take care of Declan,” Murdock said.
It wasn’t long before they were on their way again. The rest of the trip went quietly as both Annie and Murdock were thinking of the cabin and those that will be glad to see them.
10
Jeff Carter was leading the parade of one hundred fifty souls away from the transport pod. He had chosen a diagonal course that would take them toward the river and downstream from the pod. He had been one of the hunters, under Phylicia, but now was leading those that chose to strike out on their own and live free of Phylicia and Palmer.
Carter had met Murdock when he first came to the pod, but he wasn’t sure he could trust him. Phylicia and Palmer had left a bad taste in his mouth and he had decided to leave some time ago. What he hadn’t planned on was “The Night of Revelations”, as he called it, and leading this many people into the unknown. He had heard Murdock’s warning and the restrictions on where they could go and he chose to obey it. He’d heard rumors of what had happened to the work crew that had ignored the warning and how they were still paying for their disobedience and he wanted no part of it.
Carter wasn’t thrilled with the numbers that chose to follow him. He had to constantly keep an eye on the stragglers and the pace was maddeningly slow. As he looked behind him, he could see them strung out for over a mile. It didn’t help that they had to carry so much of the supplies and he found himself wishing he had a wagon drawn by horses or even oxen. That would be a big help. What good comes from wishing, he thought. Being pragmatic, he didn’t like delving into the realm of wishful thinking. If he wanted to go to that realm, all he had to do was to associate more with his charges. They seemed to be living in an entirely different world from his.
It has taken most of the day and we aren’t more than ten miles from the pod, Carter thought. He guessed that they would be at the river by the next day sometime, probably by late in the day. Even though he had been a hunter, he had managed to slip away from the other hunters and had explored the land downriver from the pod. He had found the ridge and saw the place where the river went over the ridge to the valley below. He had no idea how far the river went, but he did have an unyielding desire to find out. At the river, they would have all the water they could want and all the fish they could eat. He knew they were far enough from the transport pod that the risk of being found by Phylicia or Palmer was minimal, as his estimation of the ten that were left behind was that they were all basically lazy. It was something, however, that he didn’t want to
trust to chance. The further from the pod, the better our chances, he thought.
“Circle up! Make camp!” he called out since it was close to sundown. He walked back along the line of people goading some and encouraging others to make all haste to the campsite.
#
Of the six ex-guards, Vernon Parker was the most skilled in fire building, but still had difficulty with catching fish. Because of his fire building skills, Bass had decided to leave him on the pod side of the river while the rest went ahead to scout some of the area across the river. Being the restless kind, Vernon spent his time waiting by pacing and by trying to catch something to eat after the other five had crossed the river and disappeared. His instructions were clear. He was to wait until the rest of the forty-four arrived and then lead them across the river and keep going. The other five ex-guards would meet up with them.
#
After leaving Vernon behind, Bass and the other four ex-guards walked straight away from the river. As they walked, they all commented on the number of trees and the high grass in the clearings. Bass, who was leading, was looking ahead and caught glimpses of mountains. He had no idea how far they were, but figured that they may find a cave for a temporary housing somewhere as they went toward the mountains. As they walked, they were all talking and joking and didn’t see any game at all. After walking about three miles, the mountains didn’t look any closer to Bass and, after a short break, the five men turned back toward the river.
When they were about a mile from the river, they ran into the forty-four, who had found a clearing that they liked and had started to make preparations to camp there. Once Bass had found Vernon, they all reported to Elizabeth Reyes, who had been leading the forty-four on their trek.
“From what we’ve seen so far, this side of the river goes for more than three miles when you go straight away from the river,” Bass reported. “I could see mountains in the distance, but they must be many miles away. There also appears to be lots of trees.”
“Did you see any game?” Reyes asked.
“We didn’t see any, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any,” Bass responded.
“Did Murdock agree to give us a hand?” Reyes asked after some thought.
“Yes, he did,” Bass responded. “He should be back in a couple of days. He didn’t say anything about going up the ridge,” Bass pointed in the direction of the ridge upriver, “but I would recommend that we observe his restrictions. He gave no indication that we had any special dispensation. He did show us how to build a fire and how to fish and said we should train the rest.”
“You’ve done well,” Reyes said. “What was your name?”
“Sebastian Heartly, ma’am,” Bass responded, “but most people just call me Bass.”
“Well, Bass, I want you and your fellows to show the others how to make a fire, when you have time, and to explore the area,” Reyes said. “We do need to know this area as well as possible, so if you can find some way to make a map, then do so. I have to check to see what human resources we have just to be able to start building shelter.”
“Murdock did ask what tools we had and said he would bring some tools when he returns,” Bass added.
“That’s good to know, but I’ll be delegating the building to those better qualified,” Reyes said with a smile.
Since Bass couldn’t think of anything else to report, he bowed and went looking for his fellows to give them the news about what Reyes wanted them to do. He found a couple of them working on a crude lean-to while the rest were gathering wood for a fire. As Bass watched, he saw some of the others copying the ex-guards building the lean-to. He had gathered the water skins from his fellows and took them to the river to get them filled. While he was there, he managed to catch a couple of fish before he refilled the water skins.
By the time he had returned, the lean-to was completed and Vernon had gotten a fire going. After cleaning the fish, Bass started cooking them, as Murdock had showed him. While the fish were cooking, he could see some of the others milling around trying to make some sort of a camp for themselves. After eating, and sharing what he couldn’t eat with his fellows, he made up a mental watch list and settled in to get some sleep before his watch.
#
When they reached the cabin, Murdock and Annie managed to get Declan settled into a hammock in an area that was divided by hides to give him some privacy. Annie stayed with him, to make sure he was comfortable, for a short time, before joining Murdock, Mei Lee, and all the kids at the table for some freshly cooked venison.
“Will Declan be okay?” Mei Lee asked in her quiet way after they had finished eating.
“He should be, but it will take time,” Annie responded while she ate.
“You look tired, Annie,” Mei Lee said.
“I am, a little,” Annie admitted. “Would it be possible to use your spa?”
“I think we all need to utilize it,” Mei Lee said pointedly.
“You two can go first,” Annie said blushing. “I just want to stretch out and relax.”
“You can join us, or not, as you please,” Mei Lee stated as she got up and took Murdock’s hand. She stood in reach of Annie and held out her other hand. Annie took it, after thinking about it for a second. Mei Lee started pulling the two toward the back door and the spa.
It was quite dark when the three got undressed and slipped into the hot water. Each made their own noises of pleasure as the water caressed them.
“Kevin, when do you go to teach the others?” Mei Lee asked after soaking for some time.
“In a day or two,” Murdock responded with his eyes closed, enjoying the hot water. “I want to check our stores for venison and will take another deer, if needed. I’m sure they’ll need some venison as well.”
“How long will you be gone?” Mei Lee asked quietly.
“Not long,” Murdock answered. “No more than a couple of days. They need some training, but I’m not going to do it for them. They’ll have to learn some things on their own.”
“Should I go with you?” Annie asked sheepishly.
“We’ll see,” Murdock said. “You’ll be taking care of Declan and he needs to be well enough to stay here unattended. Mei Lee has enough to do already.”
“Just so you know,” Annie said, “I would like to go, but I’m not going to fight you on it. I’m more tired than I thought and could use the rest.”
When they were finished with their bath, Annie checked on Declan while Murdock and Mei Lee went to bed. After making sure he didn’t need anything, Annie went to bed soon after. They all fell asleep quickly.
#
While she slept, Annie was made aware of the history of the first transport pod. She was not, however, made aware of Murdock’s capabilities or of the Oomah. She heard all the conversations and saw all the political machinations. She also saw all the consequences of those machinations.
#
When Bass was awakened for his watch, he noticed that it was quite dark and he could smell dampness in the air. He didn’t know if the dampness was rain or from the river, but it caused a chill that went through him. After building up the fire a little and getting closer to it, he was, after a short time, warmed. As he looked out over the rest of the company, he could see a fog roll in from the river and settle between the trees. It seemed to give the area an eerie view in the dark. He had noticed that one tarp was being used to cover what supplies they had and was being used by Reyes as her quarters. At each fire was one person on guard, keeping watch.
Several hours after Bass assumed his watch he noticed it was starting to rain lightly. He put some more wood on the fire and placed logs in such a way as to use the fire to keep them dry. He was wishing he had a slicker or a poncho as he hunched closer to the fire to try to keep as much rain off as possible. He would periodically walk around the area of their lean-to to collect more wood and to listen for anything that sounded strange, not that he knew what to listen for as everything was strange to him. After a couple more hours, o
r what he thought was a couple more hours, he woke up his relief and then went back to the lean-to to try to sleep again.
The next morning, despite the rain that was still falling, Bass and his fellows were tasked to explore the area more thoroughly than they had initially. They were to look for caves that could be used to shelter the troop. Reyes knew enough to want someplace defensible and someplace that they could be safe and she felt confident that Sebastian, and his fellows, could find such a place, if it existed. After breakfast, the six men gathered water skins and twelve-inch machetes and set off upriver. It didn’t take them long to get to the ridge at which point they turned away from the river.
They did their best to follow the ridge looking for caves that would have an opening large enough to accommodate humans and still be small enough to be easily defended. The trees obscured the base of the ridge in many places and forced the men to investigate more closely. After traveling five miles from the river, they did find a box canyon that had an opening wide enough for several men to enter standing shoulder to shoulder. The canyon itself was quite large and, by Bass’ estimation, would hold all fifty members of the group very nicely. There was even a small fresh water stream that fell from the ridge above in a small waterfall, into a small pool with the overflow trailing out through the center of the opening. When he tasted the water, Bass found that it was pure and cold.
Since he found this canyon, he needed to be able to find it again, so he sent one of his men to place stakes to the canyon. He was to go dead away from the ridge driving stakes periodically until he was out of the trees. From there, he was to return and catch up to them, as the rest were going on away from the river following the ridge. Even though they explored further, Bass doubted they would find something as well suited as the box canyon.
The five men walked away from the river for the rest of the day and found nothing. None of the men thought to bring anything to eat, as they had expected to find another river or stream with fish. All were getting hungry and all were looking for small game, but no game was found. Bass had called a halt and the men tried to find a large tree to make camp under. All of them were done in, but they did set a guard mount and the rest did their best to sleep and ignore their grumbling stomachs.
Civilization Page 16