Civilization

by Stephen Drake

  “This wasn’t here before,” Bass insisted as he wandered around.

  “It had to be. The exterior rock tends to mask things, depending on the lighting and the angle,” Murdock explained.

  It didn’t take them long to take advantage of the cave and the protection it provided. Murdock took the watch while Reyes and Bass found a place to sleep and snuggled under the warm hides Murdock had provided. Once he was assured the others were asleep, Murdock communed with Beron telepathically to get an update on the rest of the newcomers’ situations.

  #

  When Irene Harris finally woke up, she refrained from moving quickly. She was very sore, mostly her face. She gingerly touched it and found it to be very swollen. She did notice that it was still night, or she thought so. Her eyes seemed to be open, but she could see nothing. As she lay there, she tried to mentally assess her condition. Her body felt bruised and sore in places it shouldn’t. When she touched her chest, she found that her clothes had been placed over her, rather than her wearing them, which is what she last remembered. She continued to examine herself as best she could and found that her breasts were sore and her inner thighs were badly bruised.

  As she slowly got to her feet and tried to dress, she discovered that she was bruised worse than she initially thought. As she dressed, she realized that her shirt was missing a button or two, but her jeans were intact. Her undergarments, however, didn’t fare as well. They were nothing more than scraps of cloth; well beyond her ability to repair. With great difficulty, she managed, eventually, to get her shoes on and walk very slowly out of her compartment and head for the ramp.

  She could feel the coolness as she descended the ramp and it felt good, to her. She slowly looked around to see if anyone else was about, but, to her relief, saw no one. She headed for the stream, needing the cold water to help reduce the swelling, but it was a long slow process. By the time she had reached the stream, she found herself wishing Annie Cooper was there. She was competent and knowledgeable and would have consoled her when her emotions finally caught up with her.

  As she dipped the cold water, with her hands, and splashed her face, she tried to remember what had happened to her. She didn’t know who attacked her, but she did remember landing at least one kick. After her face felt better and her head had cleared some, she decided to soak the rest of her bruises. After undressing, she slowly lowered herself into the cold water and felt the relief she was seeking for her bruises. As she made her way out of the water, she became aware that it would soon be sunup and needed to get dressed as soon as possible. She wanted no one to see all of her bruises. It was bad enough that she couldn’t hide the ones on her face. She’d never been overly vain, but she now wished to not be seen by anyone.

  Sunup found her almost to the ridge, as sore and battered as she was. She thought she had been angling toward the river. She had brought nothing with her; no water, no food, no weapons. I’m extremely vulnerable to animal attacks, she thought. Why not? I’ve already survived one animal attack, why not another, she answered in her thoughts. It was then that she dropped to her knees and started wailing loudly. She gave no concern to being heard. It took her the better part of an hour to calm down enough to continue her painfully slow trek toward the river.

  12

  Murdock, who wasn’t sleeping, but was in a meditative state, had his awareness awakened by low growls outside the cave. When he looked out the entrance, he could see that it was still dark and he did see a few dark shadows pass by just outside the circle of light from the small fire close to the entrance. He automatically sent his astral self to reconnoiter the box canyon outside the protection of the cave.

  The vision of his astral-self turned the dark into shades of grey, much like his own natural night vision. He could clearly see a dozen wolves vying for a more dominant position in a possible ambush of those inside the cave. They all stayed outside the circle of light that came from the cave entrance. With little mental effort, he levitated the would-be attackers straight up to the ridge above the box canyon and tossed them away from the edge. The ridge above was at least fifty feet above the floor of the canyon, so he knew it would take them some time to return, if at all.

  Murdock stood to stretch his muscles, took some water, and then checked on his two companions. He walked so quietly that they were not disturbed by his nocturnal wanderings. Both Reyes and Bass were sleeping soundly. He had planned to wake Bass, shortly, to take the watch so he could get some sleep, being as exhausted as he was, but seeing them both sleeping so soundly, he felt regret at waking either of them. He finally woke Bass as gently as he could, so he wouldn’t wake Reyes, and both men walked over to the entrance and the fire.

  “Stay inside the cave,” Murdock said quietly as he handed Bass the spear. “Keep the fire going and stay awake. I did hear wolves outside, so stay alert.” Murdock walked over to the spot Bass had been sleeping only moments before and settled in to sleep. To him, he had no more closed his eyes and Bass was waking him. He knew he hadn’t been sleeping soundly, that was reserved for home. As he turned over, he could see that it was almost sunup.

  After getting to his feet and stretching the sleep out of his muscles, Murdock headed out to the waterfall. Once there, he splashed the cold water on his face and neck and ran his wet hands through his hair. He dumped out his water skin, refilled it with fresh cold water, drank his fill, and then refilled it. The sun was coming up and he looked around for sign of the wolves. He saw them at the top of the ridge, but they couldn’t get down inside the box canyon.

  “Fixated, aren’t you?” he asked quietly while looking up.

  Murdock spent some time gathering more wood. He was hungry and knew Reyes and Bass would probably be just as hungry. After gathering more wood than they would need, he headed back to the cave. Once he entered the cave, he dumped the load of wood close to the fire. He noticed that Reyes was making use of the falls and Bass was faithfully standing guard. Murdock cut off some of the meat and got it started cooking.

  “You want to make use of the falls?” Murdock asked Bass as he hunkered down to tend the fire and the cooking meat.

  “Yes, I would, as a matter of fact,” Bass replied good-naturedly as he handed the spear to Murdock and headed out of the cave.

  “Good morning,” Elizabeth Reyes said cheerfully as she entered the cave. “I slept very well. Why didn’t you wake me to take a turn guarding?”

  “Bass and I handled it and I didn’t want to disturb you,” Murdock explained.

  Reyes and Murdock discussed the process of moving everything to the box canyon and get things setup while the meat cooked. Once Bass returned, with more wood, he joined in the discussion. When the meat was finished, the discussion continued while they all ate.

  While Murdock was listening to Reyes and Bass argue back and forth, he was presented with a mental picture of a female meandering along the base of the ridge. She appeared to be in some distress and would periodically drop to her knees and cover her face.

  “There’s a problem,” Mei Lee communicated with him telepathically. “I sent you the image that Bridget sent me. I don’t know how you want to handle it.”

  “Is Declan sufficiently healed to stay with you without you needing to nursemaid him?” Murdock asked telepathically. “I would like Annie to come to me at the base of the ridge by the river, but not if she’s needed there.”

  “I would like to come instead of Annie,” Mei Lee explained telepathically. “I need to get away awhile.”

  “Clear it with Annie, first, and Declan, of course,” Murdock told his wife. “If it is something that requires medical treatment, it can be dealt with once we are at home. You will be okay on your own?”

  “I doubt we are ever alone,” Mei Lee expressed, “but I should be.”

  “I will be leaving soon to assess the situation,” Murdock told his wife. “Something has come up that requires my attention,” he said to Reyes and Bass. “I’m going to need my cart, so the meat should be okay h
ere, on the rock floor, as long as someone stays to guard it. Elizabeth would be my choice, as Bass knows the way to the encampment and back again. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Anything you need, just let us know,” Reyes told him.

  “Just stand guard and don’t go too far from the entrance until some of the others are here. Keep the spear. It will help you to deter any wolves that come your way.”

  Murdock and Bass unloaded the cart and Murdock pulled it quickly over the fire that had died down after their breakfast. He left his water skin, since Reyes didn’t have one and had requested Mei Lee bring an extra with her. Before long, Murdock was well on his way toward the river following the ridge. At the river, he paused long enough to be certain that he wouldn’t be seen before levitating himself and the cart to the other side. Once across he proceeded to follow the ridge. An hour before midday, he came upon a female form that was kneeling, holding her head in her hands, and wailing bitterly. Murdock dropped the cart handles and went to her to see what the problem was.

  “Here, now,” Murdock said gently, but firmly. “What’s the problem?” He gently took her wrists and the female fought back, slapping him hard and trying to run toward the river. The brief glimpse he managed to get of her face made him wince. “Doctor Harris?” he asked gently. “You’re okay, now. No need to fight or run.” As he advanced toward her, she ran a few steps before stopping. Since she wouldn’t let him get close to her, he hunkered down and decided to wait for Mei Lee. “I think it is Doctor Harris,” he told his wife telepathically.

  “You think? You don’t know?” Mei Lee asked.

  “She has been badly beaten and it is hard to recognize her from the brief glimpse I managed to get of her face,” Murdock explained. “Where are you?”

  “At the main crossing,” Mei Lee replied. “I just crossed the river. I should be there soon.”

  “Beron, can you, or one of the Oomah, calm her down?” Murdock asked his large friend. “I don’t want her to hurt herself.” Since he was still watching her during the conversations, he saw that she suddenly collapsed.

  Murdock pulled the cart over to the unconscious form and gently levitated her onto the cart and covered her with a deer hide. He then continued toward the river. Mei Lee had gotten to the river first, but he was within fifty feet.

  “What did you do to her?” Mei Lee asked as she gently inspected the bruises while the female was still on the cart.

  “I didn’t do anything to her,” Murdock stated. “I asked Beron to calm her down.”

  “Well,” Mei Lee started with a smirk, “she certainly is calm, now!”

  “How bad is she?” Murdock asked concerned.

  “Pretty bad,” Mei Lee said. “It reminds me of someone else almost as badly beaten, many years ago,” she said in a melancholy tone.

  “Do we take her home, so Annie can look after her?” Murdock asked softly while looking at Doctor Harris.

  “Let’s tend her here for a bit,” Mei Lee said softly. “She looks like she needs some water and something to eat. I’d like to see if she will eat before we go too much further.” Doctor Harris was starting to stir. “It’s okay,” Mei Lee said to her gently. “We won’t hurt you. We’re trying to help.”

  Since Mei Lee’s voice seemed to have a calming effect on Doctor Harris, Murdock let his wife tend her and he walked a short distance downstream and got a fire started. He then got some of the fresh venison cooking for the three of them. He then went back and pulled the cart closer to the fire. While the meat was cooking, Mei Lee did what she could to get some water into the Doctor. Harris drank greedily from the water skin.

  “Can you tell me what happened?” Mei Lee asked the Doctor as gently as she could as she retrieved the water skin. Doctor Harris just shook her head and tried not to look at Mei Lee. “Can you tell me who beat you?” Mei Lee asked.

  “Palmer, I think,” Doctor Harris said weakly not meeting Mei Lee’s eyes, “but I can’t be sure. It was dark and I did kick whoever it was, but that is all I know.”

  Doctor Harris’ voice lacked any vitality and hearing it tore at Mei Lee’s heart. She gave her a reassuring pat on the hand and stood there trying to be a comfort. Mei Lee had relayed what Harris had told her to Murdock telepathically and was not surprised at the anger that came from her husband’s mind.

  When the meat had finished cooking, Murdock took some to the two women. As he returned to the fire, he saw four men coming toward them. They were some distance away and Murdock warned his wife. The closer they got to Murdock, the more he was certain of their identity. He saw Preston Freeman clearly and the others with him looked to be the guards that had first attacked him. While he waited, Murdock had a piece of meat and was eating it as he watched the men approach.

  “What the hell are you doing in our territory,” Freeman asked when he got closer to Murdock, the cart, and the two women. He had stopped twenty feet away and the other four men stopped behind him.

  “Rendering assistance,” Murdock said as he cut a bite of meat and popped it in his mouth. “Not that it’s any of your business!”

  “Assistance? Who needs assistance?” Freeman asked. “All I see is a slope bitch and you!”

  “Your mother must be proud of the crap that comes out of your mouth,” Murdock responded angrily, his blood boiling at the racial slur to his wife. “You need to keep a civil tongue in your head before it ends up in your pocket!”

  “That looks to be a nice cart,” Freeman taunted. “I’m sure we can put it to good use!”

  “That’s not likely to happen,” Murdock said with a chuckle.

  “So, who are you assisting?” Freeman asked. “I don’t think you understood the first time I asked!”

  “Rape victim,” Murdock responded curtly.

  “That’s a serious charge,” Freeman responded with a look of surprise. “I hope you can prove it. Who’s the victim?”

  “Doctor Harris,” Murdock said hotly.

  “Really?” Freeman asked with surprise. “We were looking for her. We think she wandered off in the night. We’ll take her off your hands, now!”

  “No,” Harris screamed from the cart. Mei Lee was hard pressed to get her to stop struggling.

  “It sounds to me like she doesn’t want to go with you,” Murdock said flatly while staring at Freeman.

  “I don’t think you understand,” Freeman yelled. “She is coming with us, as is the cart and that slope bitch as —”

  Murdock was on Freeman in a flash, knocking him to the ground. He had his twelve-inch machete at Freeman’s throat. The other four men hadn’t seen Murdock move. They had been waiting for the prearranged signal to fan out and take Murdock, but his attack had stunned them all into inaction.

  “If you want to keep that tongue of yours, apologize to my wife,” Murdock said low and menacing with his machete at Freeman’s throat.

  “You don’t —” Freeman started before Murdock hit him in the head with the machete handle, knocking him out.

  “I’d stay right there, if I were you,” Mei Lee yelled. The other four men, being shocked at the turn of events, had stepped forward to help Freeman. When they looked up, they saw Mei Lee holding her bow at full draw.

  Murdock had rolled quickly forward and used the momentum to get quickly to his feet. He was now standing in the midst of the four men. All four were shocked and didn’t know what to do. They did, however, step back a couple of steps. When they did, Murdock noticed one of them limp a little. Murdock grabbed the man by the wrist and jerked his hands up.

  “Well, what do you know,” Murdock said with a mock smile. “This one limps and has abrasions on his knuckles!”

  “That don’t mean nothin’,” the man yelled adamantly.

  “Did you enjoy raping a woman who couldn’t fight back?” Murdock asked rhetorically. “Do you get off on beating women?”

  One of the men reached for Murdock and then suddenly had a hole through his hand. He grabbed it and starting running around sc
reaming, spouting blood everywhere. One of the two remaining men tried to grab the one screaming so he could see if something could be done to stop the bleeding.

  Through all the chaos, Murdock maintained his hold on the man with the abraded knuckles. “You gonna answer me?” he said shaking the man.

  “Hey, what’s the big deal?” the remaining man asked. He had been holding onto the man with the hole in his hand. “It’s not like it is illegal or anything!”

  “Really?” Murdock asked incredulously. “I suppose you helped him? Did you hold her down while the two of you took turns?”

  “Um, no,” the man said reluctantly. “I just don’t see what the big deal is.”

  “Tell me that when your wife, or daughter, is raped by some moron,” Murdock responded heatedly. He reached into one of his pockets and produced a small length of leather that was about two inches wide and tossed it to the man. “Wrap his hand with that and then get the hell out of here!”

  The man caught the piece of leather and did as he was told. “Both of us?” he asked when the wrapping was done.

  “Yes! Get out of here before I change my mind,” Murdock yelled. He watched as the two men headed back the way they’d come. When they were a hundred yards away, Murdock pulled some thongs of leather from another pocket and tied the man with the limp, hands behind him and dragged him back closer to the cart and then tied him securely to a tree. He then went back to retrieve Freeman, who was just starting to come around. Murdock tied his hands as well and walked him back to the tree that the man with a limp was tied to, and tied Freeman to it as well.

  “What are you going to do with those two?” Mei Lee flashed.

  “I haven’t decided, yet,” Murdock responded. “I’m tired of dealing with rapists and I can’t abide a racist. Add to that, he needs to learn to keep a civil tongue. I was actually enjoying a little time alone with my wife and then these morons ruined it for me!”

  “We have the one that raped you,” Mei Lee told Doctor Harris calmly. “He’s tied and can’t hurt you.” She could see the news upset Harris. “What would you like to see happen to him?” she asked.