Pulse

by David Lisenby

  By the time he reached him, Jake knew it was David that was milling about. He was a few feet from him when he finally spoke.

  “What’s up, Dave?” he asked, causing David to jump.

  “Dangit, Jake,” David said once he recognized who it was behind him, “why you gotta’ go sneakin’ up on people? You almost made me stain my drawers.”

  Jake chuckled. “Sorry, dude. I didn’t mean to scare ya’. I was just checkin’ to see who was up at this time of night.” He noticed that there was a backpack and a bedroll laying on the ground near the tall, thin man.

  “I’m just getting’ my things together,” David said. “I was hopin’ I wouldn’t disturb anyone.”

  “You goin’ somewhere?” Jake asked with concern in his voice. He had grown to like the strange man and his brother since they came around to the Landing.

  “Yea,” David answered. “I figure I’ll head south for a little while. It’s about to get cold around here and I don’t have enough meat on my bones to keep me warm. Thinkin’ I might go visit this pretty little Mexican girl I know down in Rio Grande City for the winter. She makes some mighty fine tamales.”

  David never looked up as he talked. He just kept packing different small things into his backpack.

  “That’s sure a long walk, Dave,” Jake said. He hated to see the man go.

  “I’ve been on longer ones,” David said as he put a compass in the side pocket of the backpack. “I’m not known to stay in one place too long. Now that Wade’s gone, there’s nothing holding me here anymore.”

  David sounded melancholy. Understandably so.

  “I get that,” Jake said sincerely, “but don’t you think it would be better here than out there? The world’s gotten to be a pretty crazy place since the pulse.”

  “The world has been a crazy place for a long time,” David said, looking up at the young man before him. “Especially in this country. We’ve been headed to hell in a handbasket for some time now. Look at what we’ve become.

  “People aren’t allowed to pray in public anymore. There’s no prayer in schools. People lose their businesses because they choose to not bake a cake for a gay couple. A man can walk into a public restroom where an innocent little girl is using the bathroom and get away with it by saying that he identifies as a woman. People want to tear down monuments to great men who helped build this country. They spit on cops and shoot them down in cold blood.

  “The pulse was a good thing. God sent down his wrath. He sent down a message. If we want to live in evil, we will live in evil. Take God out of this country and He will show you the repercussions. That’s what we’re seeing now. Pure evil is upon us.”

  “But David,” Jake interjected, “God is here. This place is a safe haven for good people. Good people like you. You belong here.”

  David stared into Jake’s eyes. “Jake,” he said, “I know this is a safe place. I know that there are Godly people here. Please don’t think I was talking about you are the people here. I am so grateful to have spent the time here that I did. I’m glad Wade is buried here; more than you will ever know. But I don’t belong here.”

  A tear rolled down his cheek.

  “Jake,” he continued, “I truly believe this is a place where hope springs. It is because of you people that I know that there really are good people left on this planet. You all have given me hope. You’ve given me a purpose.

  “I’m leaving because I believe it is my duty to spread that word. I believe that God has called upon me to share the message of hope and to plant seeds of love, compassion, and faith in other places where it can grow and blossom. It’s my calling to go out into an evil world and preach goodness to whoever I am led to. This isn’t something I want to do; it’s something I have to do.”

  The two men stood there for a minute just looking into the other’s eyes. There was no need to talk. They just knew.

  “What should I tell the others?” Jake finally asked.

  “Tell them that I am so grateful for everything they have done for me and my brother,” David said. “Tell them that I love each and every one of them and that I hope for nothing but the best for them. Tell them that my leaving here was hard because it is so comfortable here, but it is so easy because I know that I am doing what I know I am supposed to do.”

  “Is that all?” Jake asked.

  “No,” David said, “ask them to pray for me. I’m going to need all the help and strength I can get. That will come from prayer. It will come from God.”

  David bent over and sat his backpack upright and then secured his bedroll to it with a bungee cord. He then looked at his friend.

  “Jake,” he said, “You are a good man. You come from good stock. Take care of these fine people. Don’t let evil invade this Godly place from outside again, or from the inside.” He then stuck out his hand. Jake grasped it and shook it.

  “You take care of you,” Jake said. “There is always a place for you here if you ever pass this way again.”

  David lifted his backpack and put his arms through the straps. He jiggled his skinny body in a little dance to get the pack settled comfortably.

  “Keep your eyes open, my friend,” Jake said. “You’ve got Jesus on your side. You can’t go wrong with that.”

  David smiled and turned around. He started walking in the direction of the pipeline. “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “This isn’t the first walkabout for this old bag of bones.”

  A long, skinny arm raised above the backpack and waved as the thin man faded away into the darkness.

  Jake tried to swallow but couldn’t. The lump in his throat prevented it.

  In the short time David had been at the Landing he had proven to be a very intelligent, very interesting man. He and his brother were nothing alike, but their bond was obvious to all they met. Jake had taken a liking to David right off the bat and he sincerely hated to see him leave.

  However, one of the main things that made him so interesting was his free spirit and his gentle nature. He didn’t like confrontation but was known to boldly step right in the middle of one to deescalate the situation. He had a method amidst the madness.

  Jake knew that was a strength that was rare among men. He knew that it would serve the gentle man well as he traveled in the unstable world around them. That was David’s way and he had to respect that. It was Jake’s way to settle down and carve out a place for his family. This was where he was now and where he felt was the best place for his wife and kids. His wandering days were far behind him.

  Well, at least the days of wandering too far from home were behind him. His night of wandering the perimeter of the property was just starting. He took one final look around the quiet barn and started walking in the same direction that David had just gone.

  Once he made it to the pipeline, Jake could see the thin man making his way to the west at a pretty steady clip. The clearing of the pipeline allowed enough moonlight to shine enough to provide one last glimpse of the good man before he once again faded out of sight.

  “God, watch over that man,” Jake said aloud. He had never been one to talk to God that often, but it just seemed right at that moment.

  When he turned and started walking eastward toward the Cessna carcass, a rabbit sprinted out into the high weeds of the pipeline. Jake decided that he better get his slingshot ready just in case he saw another. By the time he reached the plane wreckage, he had killed two more rabbits and gutted them.

  He stopped for a drink of water before taking the trail through the woods to the Ferrell house. He always loved taking a few minutes to sit under the majestic oak and check out the twists and turns in the trunk and bold limbs of the huge old tree. He could just imagine what tales this tree could tell if it could talk. Oh, the things it outlived over time since it started out as a small sapling.

  Jake decided he would circle back around the way he came instead of going straight back to the control room. It was a nice night out and the fresh air was invigorating.

&n
bsp; Heading back out to the pipeline he traversed the woods line, watching for anything out of the ordinary. He was confident that nobody was going to try anything this soon after the invasion, but he wasn’t going to take any chances.

  You can’t let your guard down; even for a minute. Uncle Harold had done just that and had paid for it with his life. Jake still couldn’t wrap his head around that. Uncle Harold. Of all people.

  Just a couple of minutes later Jake was again back near the trail leading toward the barn. He was still thinking about Harold and had missed out on killing another rabbit. He turned and started up the trail when he heard something ahead. He slowed his pace and pulled out his 9mm.

  Easing down the trail, careful not to make any unnecessary noises, he drew nearer to the barn. A twig broke beneath his foot. Dangit. He thought he had cleared that trail of debris yesterday.

  “Click-click,” the familiar sound of a 12-guage pump shotgun being loaded filled the air.

  “Identify yourself or catch some lead,” a familiar voice bellowed.

  “Don’t shoot, Uncle Tommy,” Jake called out. “It’s just Jake.”

  “Well, come on out of the woods then, Just Jake,” Tommy answered as he lowered the barrel of his shotgun. He was relieved that it wasn’t someone he was going to have to shoot.

  “What you doin’ up so early?” Jake asked as he holstered his pistol and walked out of the woods.

  “John and I saw some fresh tracks in the back corner of the pasture the other day,” Tommy said. “Looked like a pretty big buck. I figured I’d go out there and see if he’s still hangin’ around. Couldn’t get back to sleep after Ellen climbed out of bed a little while ago.”

  “Ah,” Jake said. He knew how much Tommy loved hunting and wasn’t surprised that he was going out again. “I got four rabbits with my slingshot tonight.”

  “Dang, boy,” Tommy said with a smile. “We’re gonna make a hunter out of you yet. You outta take ‘em up to Ellen and let her skin ‘em for you. She’s good at that. Then you can hang ‘em in the smokehouse.”

  “Good idea,” Jake said. “I may just do that.”

  Jake watched Tommy as he organized his things and then spoke up. “You know that David left a little while ago?” he asked. “Said he was going south for the winter.”

  Tommy finished up with his piddling and answered, “Didn’t know that, but it doesn’t surprise me, He’s like that. As long as I’ve known him, he hasn’t stayed in one place very long. Him and Wade have probably seen more of this country than everyone else that I know put together.”

  “You think we’ll ever see him again?” Jake asked the older man.

  “Probably,” Tommy answered. “He’s like a rusty old penny; he always seems to turn up when you least expect him.”

  Jake was actually comforted by that response. He hoped to see the thin man again.

  The two men chatted for another couple of minutes before Tommy grabbed his things and said he had to get on to the other side of the pasture. “I want to get that monster buck before John does,” he said as he turned to walk away.

  “Good luck,” Jake said. He then went to the control room to turn over his prized rabbits to the woman who had a talent for skinnin’.

  Chapter 19

  Coming to a head

  Saturday morning, October 13. It was quiet at Lindsey Landing.

  Roxie was up cooking (as usual). She was making grits and eggs this morning. It had been a while since they had grits and eggs. There was still some deer sausage, so she sliced it thin and fried it up. Hopefully there would be enough to go around.

  Ashlyn came out with her girls a little earlier than usual; probably because the girls knew that Saturday was they day that the kids had access to the tv all morning to watch dvd’s. This had become their favorite treat. They missed being able to watch tv every day since their young lives had been changed so dramatically.

  The twins were herded inside the Main House, where Ryder, Marie and the Goode boy were anxiously waiting for them. Allie led all the children into the living room and got them all settled in. She started The Minions and all the kid’s eyes were glued. They all loved those little yellow guys. Ashlyn handed each of them a Pop Tart and a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. The satsumas were finally starting to get ripe.

  The women knew the kids would be alright and wouldn’t miss any of their tv time playing around, so they went out back to grab a cup of coffee. Ellen joined them as they walked through the control room. Loretta was up and took over the monitors.

  One thing that was unusual about this particular morning was that Roxie finished scrambling the eggs, frying the sausage and cooking the grits and placed the pots and serving dishes on a long table that she and Kenneth had set up. She then went to the bus to get Kay up, leaving the others to fend for themselves making plates. Both coffee pots were full when she left.

  People meandered toward the Grub Hut for breakfast. There was a heaviness in the air that people couldn’t really put their finger on, but everyone seemed to notice it.

  When most of the people of the Landing were there, around the back yard with their plates and coffee cups filled, there was a noticeable difference in seating arrangements.

  Shiela Mae took place behind the food prep area, where Roxie usually stayed. Rickey was there with her. Kenneth was sitting on the swing sipping his coffee. The girl scouts had fixed their plates and joined Lyss and Hunter in a corner near the end of Ashlyn and John’s place. Ashlyn, John and Ellen were sitting near the back wall of the Main House, below the windows of the control room.

  Although nobody said anything about it, all noticed that Jerry and Arlene were sitting together near the stack of firewood holding hands and staring dreamily into each other’s eyes. One of them would say something and the other one would laugh about it. They looked like a couple of high school kids caught up in puppy love.

  It was so cute.

  Bobby sat by himself in an obviously foul mood. He was relatively close to the swing, but Kenneth didn’t seem to notice him or want to interact with him. Bobby nursed his cup of coffee (which smelled like it had been spiked with more whiskey than coffee). Jake and Allie were sitting where Ashlyn and John usually sat. Phil sat with them. So did River and Will.

  Ray Lynn and Bruce were just outside the fence to the backyard, sitting on the tailgate of the pickup truck drinking their coffee.

  Abe and Sierra came walking up with Josi, which caused a round of “Oooooo’s” and “Ahhhhhh’s” from the women-folk. River was the first to reach them, asking to hold little Josi for the first time. The new parents were concerned, of course, but they let the young lady hold her anyway. That would give them a brief moment to snag some coffee and breakfast.

  When Sierra saw there was orange juice, she changed her mind about the coffee.

  A couple of minutes later, Whisper and Roxie came toward the Grub Hut with Kay. The three seemed unusually cheerful, laughing as they rolled along the pathway. That tidbit didn’t go unnoticed. Neither did the fact that Jerry and Arlene were wrapped up in each other. Kay and Roxie noticed that right away.

  Soon, everybody was eating or was finishing up with their meal. Each little group was engrossed in their own conversations. Abe was the only one bouncing around from group to group, showing off his new daughter to everyone he could. He certainly was a proud Daddy.

  The focus of attention changed when Arlene walked over and stood near the fire pit. “Everybody,” she said, “I know this may not be the best time to do this, but I feel like there is something that needs to be addressed. Almost everyone is here, and I think we need to have a community discussion.”

  Some of the people got up and moved in closer, knowing that things were about to get interesting.

  “It has come to my attention that there have been some people talking to other individuals about things that could affect all of us,” Arlene continued, seeing that she had everybody’s undivided attention. “I know that everybody
has the right to their own opinion and, as adults, we all are going to see things in our own way. But …”

  “You’re damn right we are,” Bobby interjected. “I think I know where you’re goin’ with this, little lady.”

  “Let her finish, Dad,” Jerry said as he walked up next to Arlene.

  “Ahhhh,” Bobby said. “I see how it is.”

  “Look, Bobby,” Arlene said, looking right at him, “This isn’t all about you. It’s about all of us. Apparently you’ve brought up some things with a few people that need to be addressed by all of us. Since I wasn’t a part of any of your conversations, I wanted to say where I stand to the entire group. “

  “What’s going on, Arlene?” Whisper asked. This was the first she heard about any of this.

  “Well,” Arlene said, “I just want to know if it’s true that some people here believe we should split up the food and things and then go our separate ways? If it’s true, how many are there?” Her gaze went from Bobby to each person around the group. Nobody spoke up. Except Bobby.

  “I ain’t afraid to admit that I have my reservations about staying here,” he said. “What’s to stop some other group from coming in here and attackin’ us again? We were able to fight ‘em off this time, but there weren’t that many of ‘em. Next time they might come better armed and better prepared.”

  “There’s strength in numbers, Bobby,” Ellen said. “We won this time because we stuck together and fought side by side. We didn’t let those evil people win. It don’t matter if there’s a dozen or a hundred; as long as we continue fighting together we can never be beat.”

  “How is splitting up into smaller numbers going to help anything?” Arlene asked.

  “That’s right,” Jake joined the conversation. “What makes you think that’s a good idea? You ever heard of divide and conquer? That’s exactly what will happen if we divide ourselves into smaller groups. We will all be conquered.”