Civilization

by Stephen Drake

  “You know he’s gonna ask why and for what purpose,” Hornsby responded.

  Reed took in an exasperated breath: “It’s a rather delicate matter, concerning women, and we would prefer to discuss it in person, here. He will be allowed one other, from his camp, and no more. You will leave tomorrow, before sunup, and will be expected back by sundown. Failure to return by sundown will mean you’ll be spending the night outside. You understand?”

  “Yes,” Hornsby responded, “I understand. What you fail to understand is that it is a fair distance, even without the snow and cold. If they come with me, they’ll slow me down, so, by not letting me in when I get back, you won’t know what the answer is. I doubt I can survive outside after dark in the cold and snow.”

  “Fine, I’ll leave word to let you in whenever you return,” Reed capitulated.

  #

  Kimberly was finally cold and hungry enough to lower the ramp and knock on the door to the longhouse. It was immediately opened by Declan and was closed behind her as she hurried in.

  “Where’s Heather?” Kimberly demanded, after the door was closed.

  “She’s lying down over by the hearth, but I think she is sleeping so leave her alone,” Declan said.

  “You forced her to sleep on the floor like a dog?” Kimberly asked louder than normal. “She’s no dog to be kicked to the floor and refused anything resembling acceptable human treatment!” Declan was holding up his hand to try to get her to quiet down and to interrupt her tirade.

  “No one forced her to lie on the floor,” Declan said. “She chose to lay there. The floor in front of the hearth is quite warm and, with a deer hide, can be quite cozy. I do it myself sometimes.” Declan could see that Kimberly didn’t have an argument in mind to continue her rant. “What is it that you wanted?” he asked.

  “I came to appeal to your sense of decency. You need to allow Phylicia inside to stay warm,” Kimberly argued, “that’s assuming, of course, that you have anything resembling a sense of decency.”

  “That isn’t up to me,” Declan said. “The decision to ban her was made by everyone and can only be rescinded by everyone. You and Heather were allowed in, because we all agreed.”

  Kimberly looked around to see who was inside the longhouse. She noticed that Doctor Harris and Emily weren’t around. Neither was Murdock. “Can I request a hearing to plead Phylicia’s case with those that voted not to allow her inside?” she asked with an increasing disrespect.

  “You can ask,” Declan stated and then waited with a smirk.

  “Well?” Kimberly asked frustrated by Declan’s silence. “Who do I have to ask?”

  “You can ask me or anyone that lives here,” Declan responded. “So far, all I’ve heard are demands.”

  “I just did, you brainless twit,” Kimberly raged.

  “That is enough,” Annie said as she’d joined in because of the loudness. “Declan can only make a request when we have a meeting and if he chooses, you churlish, clay-brained harpy. You’re quickly wearing out your welcome!”

  “Harpy is a bit harsh,” Murdock chuckled as he entered from the door opposite the one Kimberly had come through. “Waterfly might be closer to the truth.” Kimberly paled and turned to face him.

  “Speak of the devil—,” Kimberly started.

  “And he’ll appear?” Murdock finished with a smirk. “Well, if I’m the devil then shame me by telling the truth. What is it you want? I know you want us to relent and allow Phylicia entry, but why? Is it to salve your own conscience for wanting to stay inside where it’s warm?”

  Kimberly’s complexion paled and then flushed of its own accord before she could give any answer.

  “First of all, you need to apologize to Declan for coming into his home and making demands,” Murdock stated. “I find you to be rude and I wouldn’t blame him for putting you out permanently. Then, you need to apologize to Annie for the same thing and for raising a ruckus. If you don’t have the common courtesy to do that, then we have nothing to discuss.” Murdock stood there glaring at her and waiting for her to comply.

  “I don’t see why I should,” Kimberly said with disdain. “If it weren’t for Phylicia, you wouldn’t have this building. You stole it from us!” Kimberly crossed her arms in defiance.

  “You need to apologize, Kimberly,” Heather demanded from where she lay near the fire. “You and I were going to die, if these people hadn’t helped by bringing the pod closer. They didn’t steal anything. Declan helped plan and build this building and with Murdock’s help, finished it and made it useable. Declan, Annie, Doctor Harris, me, and Emily have a claim on the building, as it was unfinished and unused.”

  “Murdock has no right to demand anything of anyone inside this building,” Kimberly raged as she kept her arms crossed and refused to look at anyone.

  “I don’t know the particulars,” Heather started, “but I’d guess that the building is currently on his property, property that has been homesteaded by him long before we got here. So far, everyone here has been accommodating and civil to you, me, and Phylicia. It’s you that’s been rude!”

  Kimberly remained obstinate and stomped her foot a little and made a harumph while holding her crossed arms tighter. The door that Murdock had entered through banged open and everyone jumped and turned to stare at Emily, who looked incensed.

  Kimberly started retreating through the door closest to her as Emily was quickly crossing the room. She had managed to start the ramp cycling, and waited for it to open, as Emily reached the door and exited. Kimberly didn’t take two steps up the ramp before Emily lifted her feet free of the surface. Kimberly immediately began screaming and ineffectually kicking to try to gain freedom from Emily’s grasp.

  An hour later, Murdock was banging on a bench with a piece of firewood to get the others to be quiet. Kimberly and Phylicia were gagged, their hands tied behind their backs and their feet tied together with the legs of the bench. Heather was sitting quietly and was preparing her arguments mentally.

  “We are called . . . again . . . to try to resolve this issue with Phylicia and Kimberly,” Murdock announced. “Heather has agreed to act as spokesperson between us and them, even if she doesn’t fully understand our position.”

  “Are the gags necessary?” Annie asked without standing.

  “They wouldn’t be if we could count on civility and some sort of order from Phylicia and Kimberly,” Murdock answered. “Since we can count on them to disrupt and confuse the situation as much as possible, the gags stay on.”

  “My friends,” Doctor Harris said as she stood, “I’m sorry to say that I agree with Murdock. These two are the epitome of chaos. I move we dismiss the hearing and just put them out to fend for themselves.” Everyone looked to the Doctor with shock. “I know you’re shocked that someone dedicated to life would make such a statement. There is a point, in the growth of an organism, that one or two members of that organism will endanger the survival of the entire organism. Cancer is a good analogy. These two are a cancer, a detriment to our survival. Putting them on some other group would just be infecting that group with chaos and passing the problem onto someone else.” Irene Harris sat.

  “First,” Murdock said as he got to his feet, “I would like it clearly understood that I have not decided what to do with these two. Also, this is not a legal process. We came together to form our own tribe, for the purpose of having others around us that we can trust and depend on to work toward the continued survival of our tribe and the children born into it. Being a member of our tribe means we all have a say and we all have to take responsibility for the actions of the tribe.” Murdock resumed his seat. The others, seated, made some murmuring noises as they nodded agreement.

  “Members of this tribe,” Heather said as she stood, “I have no defense for the actions of these two. All those that witnessed the apprehension of Kimberly by Emily already know I have tried to argue your point and for whatever reason, these two fail to grasp the simplest concepts of appropriate behavior.
They show no tendency toward civility or manners of any sort. I can only conclude that they were not trained as children to have manners or know what it means to be civil or the accepted protocols that we all use and interpret as manners.” Heather resumed her seat. Kimberly started becoming animated and tried to stand, even though she knew she couldn’t. Phylicia just sat and glared at everyone else.

  “Are we going to allow them to speak for themselves?” Declan asked without standing. Everyone groaned.

  “Do we have to?” Annie asked looking to Declan and then to Murdock. “I have heard more than enough from these two. Listening to them is irritating.”

  “I have a question for them,” Murdock said as he stood. “Do you two understand that we are considering putting you in the pod and removing the pod from our influence so you two can live or die by your own skills and tenacity? Just a nod of your head would be a sufficient answer.” Murdock was watching the two women for some sort of signal that they understood what was going on. Heather was also watching them.

  “They have not shown any sign, that I can detect, that they don’t understand,” Heather said as she stood. “I’m of the belief that they do understand and that they don’t recognize your authority to do anything to punish them in any way. If I’m wrong,” she said to Kimberly and Phylicia directly, “just let me know.” She stood there looking closely at the other two women, concern traced out on her face. After more than a few minutes, her gaze met only contempt and silence, she sat and turned toward the members and shrugged.

  “Emily, remove these two so we may deliberate,” Murdock said without standing. “Put them inside the pod and untie them. Block the ramp to keep them inside.”

  “Well, what are we to do with them?” Murdock asked after Emily had escorted the pair of women out of the longhouse door.

  “I have no idea,” Heather said with concern and exasperation. “I’ve tried to get through to them, but it seems to do no good. I’m at a loss!”

  “It’s like you said, they act like no one has ever taught them any manners at all,” Irene Harris said. “What kind of parents would do that to their child?”

  “I think Kimberly knows better,” Heather said, “but she sees Phylicia getting away with it and is emulating her.”

  Declan broke into the room from outside. “They have escaped! They knocked Emily off the ramp and escaped.”

  23

  There was a flurry of activity, inside the longhouse, as Annie, Doctor Harris, and Declan ran out to see how Emily was. Finding her unconscious, they did whatever was necessary to get her inside.

  Murdock had donned his parka, and went out the other door to search for the two fugitives on his way to his cabin, his concern being for his wife and children. He had no idea how much of a head start they had and it worried him.

  “Get the kids inside and bolt the doors,” Murdock flashed to Mei Lee. “Phylicia and Kimberly have escaped and Emily is injured.” Murdock took a few more steps and got no response from Mei Lee. His steps quickened. Before he could reach the steps to his porch, he received images from Mei Lee.

  “You need to calm down and release Andy, Phylicia,” flashed to him from Mei Lee.

  #

  Mei Lee was standing in the middle of the cabin with her arms out. “Kimberly, please don’t hurt my babies,” she pleaded. She knew Kevin was outside and she had opened a telepathic connection to him so he could see and listen in. “Phylicia let my son go. We have done nothing to you.”

  “They’re both in there, armed?” flashed to Mei Lee.

  “Yes, Phylicia has Andy and Kimberly has Huo Jin and Rosa,” she flashed back.

  “You’ve done plenty,” Phylicia yelled. “You’ve abetted the killer of my cousin!”

  #

  Murdock could see the situation through Mei Lee’s eyes. Kimberly was cradling Hou Jin with a six-inch knife close to his throat and was holding little Rosa Lea with her knife hand, in such a way that any struggling on anyone’s part could result in both being killed by a single slashing movement. Phylicia had a good grasp on Andy’s neck with one hand and a six-inch knife in the other and was holding it at Andy’s throat.

  Murdock moved around to the back door of the cabin. From the positions Phylicia and Kimberly were in, that would be the least visible point of entry. When he was ready and could hear Phylicia yelling something, Murdock slid his twelve-inch machete from its sheath and slid the bolt on the door back. He crept in as quietly and as quickly as he could and closed and bolted the door as quietly as he could. He was hoping he had done so quick enough that the two assailants hadn’t noticed the momentary drop in temperature inside the cabin.

  He could see the women clearly as he was peeking out from behind the deerskin partition for Chun Hua’s sleeping area. As he crouched there, a tiny hand reached out to touch his. He jumped a little initially, but gave Chun Hua a quick smile. He didn’t know if she could see him, but it made him feel better that the child knew he would do what he could. He stood up straight and readied himself.

  In a sudden burst of energy, Murdock was running around the inside of the cabin. To him, everyone seemed to be either not moving or moving so slowly it was hard to tell which. As he passed Phylicia, he grabbed the wrist holding the knife and yanked it straight away from Andy’s throat. The tip of his twelve-incher found the hollow of her throat and didn’t stop until it severed her spine.

  He stopped running in an instant, twisted, and threw his machete at Kimberly’s head. Just as it was about to stick, Murdock saw Rosa Lea being tossed toward Mei Lee, the six-inch knife in Kimberly’s hand slit the throat of his infant son and the knife being tossed toward Mei Lee, all in a single motion. Mei Lee was falling forward. Kimberly’s head snapped back violently as the machete slammed into her skull, the blade buried deep into her brain.

  Rosa Lea had rolled with the impact on the floor and was being held by Andy to keep her safe and out of the way. Chun Hua had come out, her own six-inch knife drawn and was standing next to her brother and sister ready to attack anyone else who would harm them. Murdock bent over and rolled Mei Lee over to see the six-inch knife sticking in her lower abdomen.

  “Irene, I need you at the cabin, quickly!” Murdock flashed.

  He saw the blood starting to seep into and stain Mei Lee’s leather dress and he knew the Doctor would be there as soon as she could, he was hoping it would be in time. “Chun, open the door and see that the Doctor comes in here,” he told his daughter and she did as he asked. “Andy, are you and Rosa okay?”

  “We are uninjured, father,” Andy said stoically.

  “Sorry, daddy,” Rosa said with tears, “but that woman was trying to hurt us. When I saw you, I bit her arm as hard as I could.”

  “That’s okay, Rosa, you did just fine,” Murdock tried to console her without leaving Mei Lee’s side.

  “Andy, get the table cleared away. Rosa, go to your sleeping area, please.”

  “What’s happened?” Doctor Harris said as she entered the room through the main door with Chun Hua in her wake. Chun started helping her brother to quickly clear the table. “When the table is cleared, I need her on it. Be careful not to pull or push the knife at all.” Murdock nodded that he understood.

  “Table’s cleared,” Andy said and they moved out of the way.

  Murdock carefully levitated Mei Lee onto the table. The Doctor took the moment to check on Huo Jin, who hadn’t moved nor cried since the melee started.

  “I’m so sorry Kevin.” Irene placed her hand gently on Murdock’s back as he laid his wife on the table. Her soft tone revealing what he already knew to be true. My son is dead. The Doctor immediately started working on Mei Lee. “I’m going to need more light and something to soak up all the blood. I’m also going to need a needle of some kind and something to use to sew her up on the inside.”

  Murdock passed the Doctor’s requests to Annie telepathically and tried to maintain his composure for Mei Lee’s sake. A tear, however, managed to leak from of his eyes
for his dead son.

  Annie came in shortly after he’d sent for her with everything the Doctor had requested. With her arrival, Murdock gathered the three children and headed toward the longhouse. He was worried about Mei Lee, but he felt that he should leave so they could do what they needed without kids and husbands underfoot.

  Just as he got to the door, it was opened by Declan: “Come on in. Mi casa su casa.”

  Murdock had carried Rosa and Chun Hua. “You three go find a corner to sleep in,” he said as he put the girls down. They immediately did as their father had told them.

  “Mei Lee okay?” Declan asked.

  “Unknown, at this time,” Murdock responded coldly, his voice cracking a little. “Irene and Annie are working on her now.”

  “Huo Jin?” Emily asked trying to get her head to stop bleeding.

  Murdock said nothing. He just looked grim and shook his head slowly.

  “What happened to you, Em?” Murdock asked after a while, to break the uncomfortable silence.

  “It was my own fault, really. I took my eyes off them for a second and they pushed me into the edge that the ramp seals to. I must’ve been stunned because before I knew it I was on the snow looking up at the pod and my head was spinning. Then nothing until Declan roused me.”

  “How are Phylicia and Kimberly?” Heather asked in a concerned, quiet voice.

  “Dead,” Murdock responded coldly, “along with my infant son and maybe my wife.” Murdock didn’t speak harshly nor did he turn toward her to answer. It struck Heather that his reactions were oddly cold. He’s either uncaring or he cares so much he’s afraid to let out how much, she thought. With what little she knew of him, she decided it was the latter. He may act cold and distant, but he isn’t.

  #

  Murdock had no idea how much time had passed, as he had dozed off, when he received a telepathic message to come to his cabin. He knew it was from Doctor Harris, but there were no details.