Civilization

by Stephen Drake

  “I want you to walk back toward the river the same way we came and keep your eyes forward and don’t look back, got it?” Murdock instructed.

  Emily got to her feet as she nodded her accent. She started walking, at a good clip in the direction that Murdock had instructed. Once Emily was a few yards ahead, Murdock levitated a limp, ashen Declan and followed her.

  It didn’t take long before Murdock saw the entrance to the cave ahead of them. It was about ten feet off the ground and was well hidden behind the branches of the nearby trees. If he didn’t know its location, he wouldn’t have found it. Once in position, he told Emily to stop and he levitated himself, Emily, and Declan through the entrance. Once inside the cave, he located the path that led down and told Emily which direction to go and he followed. The familiar structure curved slightly down to a small anteroom. He quickly appraised the anteroom and found the way into the main room. He directed Emily into the main room and he followed. Once inside the main room, he set Declan down gently on a small area of sand.

  “Keep his arm out of the sand, but stay with him. He looks like he’s lost a lot of blood,” Murdock instructed Emily as he left the room.

  Murdock made his way to the entrance just as Mei Lee and the children entered. Murdock levitated the cart into the cave entrance. While he picked up a few deer hides, he instructed the elder children to stand lookout at the entrance. Mei Lee grabbed the younger children and followed her husband down to the main room. Once there, he spread out a hide for Mei Lee and the younger children and then spread one out for Declan. Once the hide was placed, he levitated Declan onto it and then covered him with the remaining hide. Murdock left the room to get more supplies from the cart.

  “How did he do that?” Emily asked Mei Lee after Murdock had left the room.

  “That’s something you’ll need to ask him, but I would accept what he says without further questioning. Just accept it.” Mei Lee advised. “How’s Declan?”

  “He has a nasty cut on his arm and has lost a lot of blood. We did what we could to get the bleeding stopped,” Emily informed her without taking her eyes from Declan’s pale face.

  Murdock returned with the rest of the hides and the meat and, after finding a place to put the meat, to keep the sand off it, spread a hide and put the meat on it. He then set the extra deer hides off to the side until he decided were to bed down his family. It was then that Murdock came over to Declan and Emily.

  “How is he?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. He is breathing, but shallowly and he is still unconscious,” Emily said, concerned.

  “I think he’ll be okay, for now anyway. I need to get some wood and get a fire started.”

  Once Murdock was outside the cave, he cast around looking for sign of their passage. As he collected fire wood, he obscured whatever sign he found. Any wood or rocks, to be used, he levitated into the entrance of the cave. The elder children carried it all to the main room where Mei Lee and the children set the fire-ring and got a fire started.

  Once the fire was started, the cave was well-lit. Mei Lee looked around and noticed that it was a smaller version of the cave at the Oomah hive mountain by Rose’s grave. Emily looked around in awe. She left Declan only long enough to get a better look of her surroundings.

  “I thought the cave we found was one-of-a-kind, but I can see that I was wrong,” she said as she wandered around the cave.

  “These caves are more abundant than you think,” Mei Lee said emotionless not wanting to say too much.

  “Did you know this cave was here?” Emily asked.

  “We haven’t explored everywhere,” Mei Lee stated.

  “What happened? How did he get cut?” Murdock asked.

  “One of the guards recovered enough to slash out with his machete and Declan instinctively put his arm up. After he was cut, he punched the guard to knock him out and then drew his machete. I was busy with one of the guards as well,” Emily explained.

  “Well, there’s nothing to do but wait. What happened when you went back to the compound to give whomever your decision?” Murdock asked.

  “I didn’t get far,” Emily explained. “The guard stopped me and refused to let me pass. When I asked to see Keith Rogers, he wasn’t available. Then the guard wanted my weapons and I refused. He grabbed me and I cut his arm. Then I came back to Declan’s camp.”

  Murdock sat and listened to Emily’s explanation of events with only a few nods to indicate he was listening. When she had finished, he sat there running the attack over in his mind.

  “What are you thinking?” Mei Lee asked her husband.

  “I’m thinking that this Keith Rogers needs to be a little more sociable. He should have allowed Emily a chance to tell him where to stick the leadership position,” Murdock responded, more to himself than anyone in the cave. “I’m also thinking that Declan may need Annie.”

  Mei Lee just nodded.

  “Who’s Annie?” Emily asked.

  “The nurse that helped Mei Lee deliver Huo Jin,” Murdock answered. “Tell me more about this Keith Rogers.”

  #

  Keith Rogers had been walking down the catwalks and ladders when the six guards returned from their encounter with Emily. He was fairly certain that they would have no trouble disarming Declan and her, if he was with her, as he had hoped. Without a single weapon, how long could they survive? With those two out of the picture, then he stood a better chance of convincing Tutt to bring back his group.

  As he reached the top of the last ladder before he hit the ground, he saw the guards and they appeared to have had a battle. As he got to the ground, he called them to him.

  “What the hell happened to you?” Keith asked the head guard before he could get too far.

  “Murdock was there,” the man answered angrily.

  “Did you get all their weapons?” Keith asked figuring they should have gotten some, if not all.

  “No, Murdock stuck his nose into it, so we got nothing!”

  “Not a single weapon?” Keith asked in shocked anger. “Six against three and you come up empty?”

  “Not exactly. Murdock, alone, easily kicked the hell out of us. We think one of them was injured, but we’re not sure!” the head guard answered with surliness.

  Keith Rogers’ face turned a deep red, his anger evident. “Get your asses out there and finish the job I gave you,” he shouted.

  “Do it yourself,” the head guard snapped back. “It wasn’t worth it to die for a couple machetes! Besides, Murdock had his own weapons and Declan had more than a twelve-inch machete!”

  “Where did Declan get more weapons?”

  “Let me think! Um, maybe he got them from Murdock, dumb ass. Use your head for something besides keeping your ears from banging together!”

  Keith was speechless, from the insult of the head guard and anger at the guards’ failure. He was under the impression that Declan was on the outs with Murdock, so someone was lying. However, if true, then they were all in big trouble. Keith had decided to stay close to the cave entrance for a while; just until someone found out if they were going to be attacked. He turned and went back into the cave.

  #

  While Murdock, Emily, and Mei Lee were talking, Declan moaned. Emily rushed to his side and offered him some water.

  “How are you doing?” Murdock asked as he came over to Declan.

  “Weak,” Declan said and tried to chuckle. “I guess I screwed up!”

  “Why would you say that?” Murdock asked, concerned.

  “I should have blocked that guard’s attack with something other than my arm,” Declan said weakly with a grin. “How bad is it?”

  “Don’t know yet,” Murdock said. “I think we should get Annie or Doctor Harris to look at it.”

  “There’s a doctor here?” Emily asked, shocked. “I had no idea!”

  “Yes, there is, but she’s had a hard time of it,” Murdock explained. “Feel like eating?” Murdock asked Declan. Declan nodded weakly. “Give him all
he can eat,” Murdock told Emily.

  While Mei Lee fed Huo Jin, Emily cut some meat for everyone and started roasting it over the fire. After the venison was cooked, Murdock selected some for him, Mei Lee, and the kids and gave it to them. Emily picked up enough for herself and Declan and started to feed some to Declan.

  “Will we be safe here?” Emily asked as she fed Declan.

  “As safe here as anywhere,” Murdock said. “The problem, as I see it, is remaining hidden. With Declan down, it would be exceedingly hard for you to care for him here. If the others came looking for you, they’d find you, probably when you went out for wood.”

  “So, what are we to do?” Emily asked, concerned.

  “You’ll come home with us,” Murdock said flatly. “After Declan is capable, and you desire to, you can go where you want.”

  “I don’t want to impose,” Emily protested politely.

  “If you were imposing, would I have invited you?” Murdock asked good-naturedly.

  When Declan had eaten his fill, Emily joined Murdock and Mei Lee at the fire. As she sat, she got a better look at the cave interior. “This looks to be a smaller version of the cave we found and established as our home.”

  “There are many such caves,” Murdock said as he poked the fire a bit, refusing to look Emily in the eye. “What was the one you found like?”

  “It was a grand cave with many smaller rooms off the two main rooms. It had two main rooms, one above the other with a spiral ramp, and, what we called, a bathing room with a spa! It was quite a stroke of luck to find it!”

  “I’m sure it was,” Murdock responded, wondering if it was luck or leading.

  “When are we leaving here?” Emily asked.

  “Early tomorrow morning, I’m thinking before sunup,” Murdock informed.

  “Will Declan be well enough to travel by then?” Emily asked.

  “He’s already strong enough. We’ll put him on the cart, but you’ll have to walk,” Murdock informed her. He saw Emily nod that she understood. “As for me, I’m going to soak,” he said as he got to his feet.

  Without any instruction, that Emily could hear, Mei Lee got the children ready to bathe as well as herself, once they were all at the side of the spa pool. Murdock had stripped and, once in the water, helped the children and Mei Lee into it. Emily, after thinking about it for a minute, came over to the pool.

  “May I join you?” she asked quietly.

  “Suit yourself,” Murdock said as he made room for her. While Emily stripped, Murdock got a good look at her body. She was a big woman and looked like a weightlifter.

  “I hope Declan never makes her angry,” Murdock told Mei Lee telepathically, “she’ll snap him like a twig, if he does.”

  Mei Lee had a hard time hiding the fact that she had thought the same thing.

  “Can I ask how you managed to get Declan and me into the cave?” Emily asked, looking at Murdock.

  “I levitated you,” he said with a smirk.

  “If you didn’t want to answer, you could’ve said so. You didn’t need to poke fun at me,” Emily snapped. Murdock just shrugged.

  “What do you suggest for your old charges?” Murdock asked Emily after a short pause.

  “Leave them! I’m well shut of them,” Emily responded angrily. “I think Declan would say the same thing, but he’s free to answer for himself, once he’s up and about!” She laid back, her head against the edge of the pool and closed her eyes. She resented the off-hand way Murdock had refused to answer a valid question.

  #

  When Emily was awakened by Mei Lee, she found that she was still upset at Murdock’s seemingly flippant response to her question. After the cart was packed with all the gear, with Declan, who was in and out of consciousness, and the two younger children, everyone was assembled at the mouth of the cave. After a brief wait, she was instructed to close her eyes. She complied, but after she felt the morning breeze on her cheek she opened them and became a little disoriented and her stomach became queasy. The movement of the group and the cart without a physical conveyance was disconcerting to her.

  By sunup, the Murdock tribe, for that his how Murdock himself looked at them, was a mile away from the ridge edge. Well on their way toward the group that housed Annie and Doctor Harris. Murdock had decided to save some time by bypassing the river crossing to avoid being seen by anyone.

  Emily was amazed at how they all knew what their travel positions were and how they assumed them without being told. The silence of their passage also impressed her. All she could hear were her own footfalls. After an hour of the quick pace, one set by the elder children who lead the way, Emily chastised herself for being upset at Murdock’s seemingly flippant response to her question of the night before.

  Murdock’s tribe didn’t stop until around midday. As everyone drank, Murdock came around to each giving them some of the small pieces of smoked venison. When he got to Emily, he handed her more than the rest.

  “Give some to Declan,” Murdock explained quietly. “Are you holding up okay?”

  “It isn’t easy, but I’m managing,” Emily said as she chewed on some of the venison.

  “With any luck, we should be able to camp somewhere close to the group just before dark,” Murdock said quietly. Emily just nodded that she understood as she tended to Declan, giving him some water and a few pieces of venison.

  When everyone was rested, the tribe pressed on. They traveled at a slightly faster pace. As they traveled, Emily could see the ridge drawing closer with each passing hour. It was close to sunset when they all stopped inside a large, dense group of trees. Emily could smell wood burning and knew they were close to the group that was Murdock’s target. After setting the cart down and drinking some water, Murdock headed toward the group’s encampment while the rest of his tribe made camp.

  When Murdock returned, he had Annie Cooper and Elizabeth Reyes with him. Everyone greeted Annie with hugs and handshakes as she made her way to the cart where Declan lay semi-conscious. Annie and Emily washed off the mud to allow Annie a good look at the cut on Declan’s arm. Emily and Mei Lee were helping by holding up brands they had picked up from the fire built while waiting for Murdock to return.

  Murdock and Reyes were off by themselves talking out of earshot of the others. However, Murdock was allowing Mei Lee to hear everything that was being said and Mei Lee was returning the favor by letting him watch and listen to Annie while she worked.

  “Let it breath for a while,” Annie said to Emily after a good look at the cut.

  “Is he going to be okay?” Emily asked, deeply concerned.

  “He should be, if he takes it easy for a while,” Annie answered as she walked toward the fire.

  Murdock and Reyes joined her at the fire, as did Emily and Mei Lee. Murdock made the introductions all around.

  “I need to talk to you, Murdock,” Annie said and then added, “Privately.”

  Murdock nodded and started walking away from the fire and Annie followed. Once they were out of ear-shot, Murdock turned to her. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.

  “What’s your plan for Declan and...Emily, was it?” Annie asked quietly.

  “I was taking them to my place,” Murdock informed her. “They can’t go back where they were and they can’t stay here, because of Declan’s arm, and they don’t know enough to survive on their own.” Annie was nodding as he spoke.

  “That makes sense. When did Declan get cut?”

  “Yesterday, late morning. Why?”

  “When I inspected the cut, I noticed it was already healing. I would have guessed the cut was a week old, at least. What did you do to make it heal like that?” Annie was looking at him skeptically.

  “Just mixed up the mud and applied it after Emily washed it and got it to bleed pretty well. He has been unconscious a lot of the time since it happened. Fed him, gave him water, and made him rest,” Murdock explained.

  “Well, I’ve not seen anything heal like that before. If that was al
l you did, then I’m at a loss to explain it. I could see that he’s lost a lot of blood from it, but there was no permanent damage. The reason I asked to talk to you privately is because of Irene.”

  “Doctor Harris? What’s happened?” Murdock asked.

  “She’s as alright as she’s likely to be,” Annie tapped her head with a finger. “She’s too skittish to be around the group and things have gotten kind of heated with the others. They all say she should be turned out to fend for herself. None of them liked her before she came here and most are holding a grudge. I was thinking she could go with you. At least she would feel safer with you.”

  “Why would she feel safer with us?” Murdock asked. “She doesn’t know us and we don’t really know her.”

  “She remembers you and Mei Lee did what you could for her after her escape from the pod. She gets panicked by the looks some of the other men are giving her. What I think she needs is a quiet, loving home environment,” Annie explained. “And time, of course,” she added after a brief pause.

  Murdock hung his head a little to think. “Is she rational enough to function as a doctor?”

  “She should be. I think it’s a case of her expecting to be attacked again and caring for Declan would give her something useful to do,” Annie explained. “Our group has more men than women and I have caught a few of them leering at her.”

  “Any other reasons?” Murdock asked skeptically.

  “Frankly,” Annie took a deep breath and let it out, “I’ve been by her side since we brought her here and I’m tired. Reyes has requested that I speak to you about taking her. She had originally thought that having Irene in our group would be an asset, since Irene is the only doctor on the planet, but for now, Irene is a liability.”

  “I don’t know what we can do for her, but she can come with us,” Murdock said. “I hope she is ambulatory, though. We have no room on the cart to transport her.”

  “She has been outside of the cave quite a few times and can walk,” Annie explained, “until she gets panicked.”

  “Have her here tomorrow morning and we’ll take her with us,” Murdock said. He had already asked Mei Lee telepathically and gotten an affirmative answer. “What should we do for Declan’s arm?” he asked.