A wave of pain radiated up his left leg, making his vision blurry. Gritting his teeth, Bill held the reins tight as he turned his horse north. Still at a full gallop, Bill pulled back on the reins slowing the horse to a canter, so the dogs wouldn’t get left behind and the horses would have something left for later.
Johnathan galloped past the wives and pulled back, matching Bill’s horse’s speed. “Sandy and Mary took out two more four-wheelers. One in the back and the other was coming from the north,” Johnathan shouted and Bill nodded, feeling nauseous. “We need to stay in the fields and cut through the barbed wire. That will slow any stinkers following or heading toward us from the side.”
“You lead. I’ll cover the back,” Bill told him.
Seeing Bill’s face was pale, “You all right?” Johnathan asked.
“Not right now, but we need to get away from this area,” Bill answered, pulling back on the reins and letting Johnathan take the lead. Making sure the wives passed on his right, Bill pulled in behind the group.
Glancing down as his horse settled into a trot, Bill saw Ann looking up at his bloody leg. “I know, girl, but we can’t stop now,” Bill said, looking down at her. “It’s going to be hard to make them leave me as it is, and now isn’t the time for an argument.”
When Johnathan saw a fence ahead, he would speed up and jump off his horse, cutting a gap. He was usually on his horse before the others had to slow. As he rode, Johnathan would scan around with his binoculars. The only thing he saw to the east was small groups of stinkers several miles away heading south.
Glancing to the west after riding for an hour Johnathan sighed, seeing the bottom of the sun barely over the horizon. Hearing galloping hoofbeats, Johnathan turned and saw Bill riding past the wives. Before Bill reached him, Bill lifted his arm and pointed ahead. Turning, Johnathan saw a farm half a mile away. Before he could turn back, Bill galloped past in a dead run for the buildings.
Kicking his horse, Johnathan followed Bill and then noticed Ann wasn’t beside him. Looking over his shoulder, he found Ann running beside Mary’s horse. After making sure Dan was beside him, Johnathan looked ahead and saw Bill had quite a lead.
Johnathan and the others were several hundred yards back when he reached the farmhouse. Climbing off, Bill fought the wave of weariness that washed over him. Stomping his left leg on the ground, Bill cringed as pain exploded in his vision and the haze that was trying to form over his mind vanished.
Undoing his tool belt, Bill stumbled back gasping for air as the others rode up. “Don’t get off,” Bill shouted as the others stopped. “I was bit coming out of the barn.”
“No!” Mary cried, moving to get off.
When she landed, Bill held up his hands, “Don’t, Mary,” he shouted, blinking his eyes. “I can feel it turning inside me.”
Mary froze beside her horse as tears rained off her face. “Baby,” she whimpered.
“Notice Ann won’t even come near me,” Bill panted, dropping his backpack. “I’m giving you my gear and one hug, then get on your horse and go.”
“Bill, we can’t leave you!” Johnathan snapped with tears soaking his beard.
“Yes, you can. If they follow, I will keep them interested,” Bill said, taking the hand grenade out of his tool belt. “I love you all,” he said, hobbling to Mary and taking off his tool belt.
“You will need this,” Mary said, taking it and looking down at Bill’s blood-soaked leg.
“No, you will need it more,” he said, taking off his AR and handing it to her. “Give me that shotgun and revolver.”
Jonathan moved back to Sandy’s pack horse, pulling the shotgun out and digging out the revolver. After pulling the ammo, Johnathan handed the two boxes of ammo and guns over. “You sure you don’t want us to stay?” Johnathan asked as Bill handed Johnathan his backpack.
“Yeah, I feel guilty as hell about taking the grenade, but I don’t know if I can shoot myself. But I have no problem pulling a pin,” Bill replied, trying to smile but could only grimace. Taking the stuff, Bill squeezed Johnathan’s hand, “Get them home,” Bill said softly.
“I will,” Johnathan vowed with tears now dripping off his soaked beard.
Shouldering the shotgun and stuffing the revolver in the front of his pants, Bill moved over to Mary. “I’m going to hug you quick, but don’t try to kiss,” Bill said, blinking his eyes lazily.
Mary nodded, putting the tool belt on but not buckling it, and just dropping Bill’s AR. Holding her arms open, Mary engulfed Bill in a hug. “Baby…” she whimpered.
“Don’t, Mary. You have to get to the kids,” Bill said, squeezing her back and burying his face in the top of her head. “Swear to me, you’ll make it to them.”
“I will,” Mary sobbed and Bill pushed her back quickly and stumbled back, shaking his head.
Bending over, Bill punched the bloody spot on his leg with a wet squish. “Shit,” Bill gasped, stumbling back more and throwing his arms out so he didn’t fall down. Seeing Mary moving toward him, “NO!” he snapped.
“Shit moves fast,” Bill gasped, then pulled his wedding band off and held it out. “Give this to the kids and tell them I went down fighting.”
Taking the ring, Mary fought the urge to move closer. “Mary, get on your horse and go. I can do this alone, but not with you here,” Bill said, breathing hard. “I know you love me and I love you. We had a wild ride and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Turning around and picking up Bill’s AR, Mary climbed up on her saddle and turned back. She could see the clammy color on Bill’s pale face as sweat poured off with his tears. “I love you, too,” she said and blew Bill a kiss.
Bill spun around on his right leg holding his left up. When he was facing Johnathan and Sandy, “Watch my girl and help her with the kids,” Bill told them, holding up his hands. “Don’t come closer and leave. I’m going to wait until the last second before pulling the pin and I don’t want you close.”
“Bill-,” Johnathan started only to have Bill shake his head.
“No, Johnathan,” Bill snapped. “I can feel it taking over. I don’t care what those reports we listened to said. My mind is trying to go to sleep and my body is numb, so go. Please, if you ever thought of me as a friend, go now and protect my family.”
Slumping down in his saddle, “You were the best friend I ever had,” Johnathan mumbled, turning his horse away. “I will miss you always.”
Unable to speak, Sandy blew Bill a kiss as she sobbed her eyes out. Turning her horse and taking up the reins to Bill’s horse, she followed Johnathan with Bill’s horse and his pack horse, giving a last look back at Bill. Hearing Mary’s horse, Bill turned and managed to give her a smile. “You’ll do fine and don’t be hard on Ian, he’s only a boy. Remember, I took his side many times,” Bill said, holding the smile as pain shot up from his leg.
Forcing a smile, Mary nodded. “Don’t worry, my love,” Mary said in a breaking voice as her horse followed the others. She saw Bill’s eyes flinch from the pain. “Don’t worry about the kids.”
Giving a forced sigh, Bill made his grin bigger. “That means a lot to me,” he said. “I love you.”
With her horse walking past, Mary stayed turned in her saddle blowing Bill a last kiss and watching him, burning his image into her mind. Only when she was several hundred yards away did she turn around, gripping the reins hard.
When they were small dots out in the field, Bill turned away and leaned over, punching his leg again. As pain filled his being, Bill puked while grabbing his knees. Feeling the pain subside, Bill hobbled toward the house. “Let’s do some good before I check out of this shit-show,” he growled, grabbing the door.
End of Book Three
Click on the Links Below to Check Out Other Works by
Thomas A Watson
Thank You for Reading, Please Remember to Leave a Review
Like Thomas A Watson Facebook Page
Join Us on A-Poc Press Page
Follow me on Twitt
er
Check out My Website Sign up for my Newsletter Here.
Forsaken World (Book 3): Rite of Passage Page 41