No Normal Day IV (Travelers)

by Richardson, J.

  Lee had been nearby and expressed his agreement. Jeff had told them he appreciated their assessment and warnings, he would keep all of their advice in his mind. Jason had also marked on Jeff's map, the rural roads to stay on to reach the base. The interstate highways were still clogged with old autos and even where paths had been cleared, it was easy to get ambushed on those decaying byways.

  Over the next two weeks, the woods slowly faded into the much more open terrain of central Texas. The trees became scrubby and more scattered, white rocky hills rolled along the horizon. The streams and rivers that rushed over rocky beds, had no sappy pines to stain their waters, the water ran clear and cool. There was a stormy day when the travelers had to find a place to shelter all day. They spent three nights and two days camped beside one of the blue green rivers, filled water containers, cleaned and hunted. When they were on the move again, they kept to those country roads that Jason had marked on the map. The military base was getting closer and they formed a plan of entering the city.

  Because this had been the location of an extensive military government complex, the populated areas, the housing was sprawled for miles. The suburban towns merged right into the main city. There would be no way of knowing until they began to cover the territory, if the area had been cleared or if there were still inhabitants in the housing off the base. Part of their plan would be to secret the wagon away but there would be no old barn on the edge of the town, as they had used in Arkansas.

  Early one morning, they had already moved through a suburban community and found it rotting away and deserted, the typical auto skeletons made it necessary to weave and wind around. Over the highway a sign read, North Gate, 2 ½ mi. Jeff turned the wagon down into a street with rows and rows of small frame houses that all looked the same, off base housing. No signs of life. There was not much space between the houses, just enough for the wagon to be pulled between two.

  The three were going to ride the donkeys up to the government camp at the base, Jeff on one, Emily and Kevin on the other. They each filled small back packs with water and some basic necessities including first aid supplies. Their small pistols were secreted in their boots. Emily and Jeff slung their rifles over their shoulders and Kevin wore another pistol in his shoulder holster, under his shirt and jacket. Plodding along, Jeff's long legs dangled down the plump side of the donkey, he thought I feel like a stupid cartoon character on this donkey. He looked back, Em and Kevin fit a little better but still made an amusing picture.

  As they approached the North Gate of the complex, an armed man stepped out from a guard house and stood in front of a barricade. “Halt. Who goes there?” was the greeting.

  Jeff replied, “Sir, we are just travelers.” He held up the envelope with Mr. Boone's letter inside. “I have a letter for someone who may be living here.”

  The armed man said, “A letter? Look, bud, it's impossible to know who is living here.” He looked over the three riders, “This is not a very good place to be, I would suggest you just keep on going.”

  “Isn't this the government survivors camp? The letter is written to John Boone. Have you heard of him?” pursued Jeff. He looked past the guard and could see some smoke in the distance hovered among numerous multi story buildings, maybe old barracks. He really could not see people from their location.

  Before the answer came, a barking orb of fluff whizzed by, under the barrier and after a scraggly cat. Kevin yelled, “Girl, stop...Girl!” He hit the ground in a run, cleared the barrier and chased after the little dog. The boy thought that he had secured the pet in the wagon, but obviously he hadn't, it had followed them. The guard twirled and leveled his rifle.

  Jeff shouted, “WAIT! Are you crazy? It's just my son chasing his dog.”

  The thin and weary man who was dressed in tattered clothes that had once been military sharp and clean, lowered the gun and looked at him, “You go on and get him, find the man in the letter...if he exists.” Emily was already on the ground. The guard said, “The jackasses and the guns stay here. You will be back, I guarantee. I have warned you, this is not a place that you want to be in for long.”

  Jeff and Emily un-shouldered their rifles, tied the donkeys and jogged off in the direction that Kevin had ran. What they headed into was an unknown, they did not immediately start yelling for him. Girl yipped and the boy called, far ahead of them. They drew near to the boxy many floored buildings and the smell floated over them, not the smoke odor, but the putrid sour smell of sewage and other very unpleasant things. Parking lots and streets surrounded at least half a dozen of the big buildings. Even though the buildings with broken windows and doors hanging rose up, rows and rows of tents lined the parking lots. Camp fires burned in barrels and on the ground, practically no aroma of food cooking could be detected. The couple had pulled their pistols up and searched the scattered pitiful looking people hanging around, for Kevin.

  Kevin had chased the dog into the desperate landscape before he even realized that he had slipped into danger. When he stopped long enough to notice his surroundings, he pulled his small pistol from his boot and kept his hand on it, in his jacket pocket. He was winded and still calling, not as loudly, “Girl...here lil' girl, come here...” with a click of his tongue. The boy eased around, between the fires and ghost like people, trying to not to inhale the stench. There was a little whimpering noise, he slipped up to a stinking dumpster and peered around it. There on the ground was a girl in raggedy jeans and t-shirt, tennis shoes that were just barely strings and soles. Her long hair was as dark with dirt, as her face. She might have been close to Kevin's age but it was hard to tell, she was thin and small. Big brown eyes looked up at him, her hand petted Girl, who sat in her lap and wiggled at Kevin.

  “It's mine,” said the girl.

  He looked down at her and said, “No, she's my dog. Come on Girl.” He put out his hand. The little dog jumped towards the hand but turned back and licked on the girl's hand. He reached down and picked up the dog. The girl had stood, she pulled up her loose jeans, tears made clean streaks down her face. At that moment, a grubby man and a woman lumbered around the dumpster.

  “Hey, boy...what cha' got?” said the man.

  “Looks yummy,” snarled the woman. The two moved towards Kevin, the girl backed up, inched behind the boy.

  “Stay away!” said Kevin but the two kept on towards them. He drew his pistol and tried what he had seen his father do, he shot towards the man's foot. He missed, decayed pavement sprayed up right beside the man's toes, which were poking out of torn shoes. That at least, made the two take a step or two backwards. Kevin backed up with the pistol still held out in front of him, the girl was behind him and she held on to Girl.

  Jeff heard the shot. He and Emily rushed towards the sound, around the dumpster and appeared behind the man and woman, “Hey, back off!” he shouted, his gun leveled at them. Emily stood near him, her pistol drawn. The couple eased around to where the boy and girl were, that edged the aggressors away just a few steps. The four pretty much had their backs against the wall of one of the big buildings with the dumpster on one side of them. Behind the scraggly man and woman, other people gathered, many with clubs and knives. They were not the zombies of old movies and stories, but Jeff thought they were the closest thing to walking dead that he had ever seen.

  “Run! Run now! Head towards the gate and don't stop until you get there...no matter what you hear.” Jeff shouted.

  Jeff fired three shots at the advancing mass and one man dropped to his knees and Emily fired a couple of shots. They started running behind Kevin and the girl who hung on to the dog for dear life. The girl tripped once on her baggy jeans, the dog yelped but she held on, the boy stopped and helped her up. They were within site of the gate and Jeff and Emily were not far behind. As the gate came into view, some shots rang out and the crowd stopped. Another round of shots zinged over the heads of the fleeing four and sent the crowd scattering back towards the barracks and tents.

  As the four reached the gate,
the guard said nothing. He had shot at the residents of the camp. The runners all dropped to the ground, holding their sides and catching their breath. Jeff looked up at the guard, “Man, why are you here? This is hell here.”

  “I honestly don't know,” said the guard. “I used to have a family. The time just went by...and, I just don't know.”

  Jeff, breathed a little easier said, “You need to leave here. I promise you, it is much better out there in lots of places.”

  They all seemed to suddenly notice the raggedy girl. She snuggled the little dog and then pushed her out towards Kevin. He took her and looked at the girl, studied her.

  Emily said, “What is your name? Are your parents back there?” she shuddered a bit as she gazed towards the complex.

  The girl stood up, held up her jeans and said in a soft voice, “My name is Cissy. My parents are dead. I have been hiding for the last month or so. Kids, especially orphans seem to just disappear around here.” She looked back at the vast complex with the smoke rising above it and then towards the outside landscape, “Maybe, I just won't go back in there.” The guard remained silent.

  Emily took in the shadow of a child, with dark circles under her eyes, covered in filth and fear. “How old are you, Cissy?” she said gently.

  “Twelve, next month,” she answered.

  They were all standing now, Emily looked at Jeff and at Kevin. There was a brief passing of time, the travelers, the young girl and the guard stood in silence. Only the very far away sound of shouts broke the quiet. Then Jeff said, “Come here, Cissy.” Touching her small shoulder, he led her to the donkey and lifted her up, he got on behind her. Emily and Kevin mounted the other donkey. The guard handed them their rifles and they urged the animals away from the government camp. Jeff paused and looked back at the guard, “Get out of here, bud. Save yourself, find a life somewhere.” The man raised his hand and nodded.

  It had been a long and frightening day. The two burdened donkeys made it back to the wagon that huddled between the two houses, undiscovered. Jeff would have felt better if they could move further away from the slum of a camp. It was getting too late, the dark came a little early on these Fall days and he didn't think he should push the donkeys. They would have to spend the night and move out in the morning. As he lifted Cissy down from the donkey, he thought Once again, I just acted on impluse...don't know what the hell I was thinking. Here, we have another mouth to feed, Damn, a little girl! Who knows if she is sick. His thoughts were interrupted when Emily's arms snaked around his waist from behind.

  He heard a whisper in his ear, “You are a good man, my husband.”

  From the wagon, Emily gathered a pail, some soap, a wash cloth and towel. Kevin opened his mouth like he would protest, as she dug in a bag of his clothes but the dog jumped around at his ankles and he didn't speak. She reached for Cissy's hand and the two of them walked to a concrete sided channel that ran behind the houses. The stream did not look or smell like sewage and the bucket pulled up clear water. For measure, she opened a small bottle and put a couple of drops of bleach in the bucket. While the water sat a bit, the young girl stripped off the horrid soiled clothing. Emily gently wiped and cleaned away the dirt. It made a lump in her throat to see the skin stretched over bones and also bruises and sores that made her think of a not so long ago experience of her own. It took three pails of water to get the girl and her long hair clean.

  Emily put some antibiotic salve on any sores she found on the frail body. She took one of her stretchy hair bands and pulled the girl's hair back from her face. As it dried, the wavy hair was actually a golden blonde color. She wore one of Kevin's t-shirts, a pair of his jeans that fit much closer than the ones she had shed and tennis shoes that were just a bit too long. Under the filth had been a lovely little girl, though pale and undernourished.

  When the two walked back to the wagon, Girl ran up to her, sniffed and yapped. Kevin's mouth dropped a little open and Cissy's face broke into a pretty smile. It was the first time they had all seen her smile, maybe the first time she had smiled in a long time. Emily said, “Okay, I am going to see what I can find for supper. We girls are nice and clean. That stream seems safe, why don't you guys go and get some of that stink off.”

  “Yes, mother,” said Jeff as he picked up the bucket.

  ***

  Jeff was more than a little relieved to see the military town and the government survivors camp fade away behind them. The night before, even after baths and supper...the meal that Cissy ate like the starving child that she was in reality...it seemed to him that the dark stench of the place hung around him. He and Emily had made a bed from his sleeping bag and blankets on the ground behind the wagon. The had given the girl Emily's bag and bedded the two young ones down in the wagon. He wanted to keep watch. They would have to discuss the sleeping arrangements later. It wasn't just that they were all tired and the night came quickly. Other than who sleeps where, what did the girl need and how to get her healthy and strong, there would be no discussions about the fact that they now were a family of four. Just as, in an instant Emily had been there and had been added to the small family of Jeff and his son, so Cissy was there and she was now part of the family. Jeff, Emily and even Kevin knew it was a done deal.

  The next destination of the travelers would be the old cowboy town of Bandera, TX. It lay several days ahead to the southwest. The nip of Fall was certainly with them now and they would need to try and barter or search for some necessities for Cissy. Very few things were left these days to scavenge, although sometimes a few clothes could be found. She definitely needed a sleeping bag and some warm things. With winter in the future, they could not count on any of them sleeping outside and they would have to sort out how they could all get inside when needed.

  For the next ten days, they made do with the provisions and the wagon. They encountered only a few people along the twisting roads that covered one of the most scenic areas of Texas. They were survivors but had nothing to trade that would help them. The travelers ended up giving away a bit of food and they traveled on. Cissy wore Kevin's and even some of Emily's clothes. When a cool rainy night forced them inside, they had to sleep cross ways in the wagon, Jeff being the most cramped of the four.

  Back in California, he had found the old farm wagon and had worked on it for a long time. He had modified it to be more workable for he and his son, to not just travel in but to live in. The original wagon had been about six feet wide and eight feet long. Jeff had used lumber and bolts and added about two foot in the front, for the wagon seat and foot rest. He also added two foot to the back of the wagon. He then had found an old canvas tent and permanently attached it to the wagon.

  So, the interior of the wagon was about ten foot long, that was enough space for the family of four to sleep side by side. Emily, Kevin and the newly added Cissy were all short enough for that to be comfortable, Jeff came close to having his head pressed against the side of the wagon. The father and new husband felt that he had to be at the back of the wagon, to keep a watch and be able to exit quickly. So, the four of them lined up like sardines in a can. This, of course meant that the newly wed couple had no privacy at all. Truth be known, Jeff was not really complaining, just having the warm presence of the woman he had come to love near him, made him happier than he had been in a long time. He accepted that with the wintry weather coming on, there would be many nights spent huddled in the wagon.

  The small town of Bandera, Texas had been established nearly two hundred years before and it only consisted of eleven streets. Always a true cowboy town, the name was Spanish for flag. A clear meandering river took the travelers right into the old town. Across the entrance to a weather aged building, a long faded sign had the outline of a longhorn steer and the word Saloon was still visible. In front of the building, horses were tied to a long hitching rail. Jeff pulled the wagon up and they tied the donkeys to the rail.

  The couple and their two children, stepped through swinging doors and stood on a dusty wooden fl
oor. A large room that looked like a replica of any old saloon that ever existed in the Wild West greeted them. Small wooden tables and chairs scattered around, someone was playing a tinny upright piano at one end. A couple of big wagon wheels hung from the ceiling with oil lanterns hanging around the rim and a long rod hung from each that appeared to be a lighter. In front of them, a bar stretched across the room, no stools, only a foot rail. Behind the bar was a long mirror and a couple of western landscape paintings, on a shelf in front of the mirror were numerous liquor bottles. The bottles were not new or unopened but liquid from amber to clear filled them. Three men and a woman stood at the bar, every one of them wore jeans, boots and long sleeve shirts, a woman worked behind the bar, she plopped down glasses and wiped away dust.

  The woman, with a single long braid and a sun bronzed face, looked up at the four visitors and said, “Sorry folks, we don't allow young'uns in here.”

  Jeff said, “Oh, sorry,” He and Emily turned and started to herd Kevin and Cissy back out. The woman came out from behind the bar, she was wore faded jeans tucked down into tall western boots and dried her hands on an apron, “Whoa there...hold up.” She pointed to another set of swinging doors on the side of the room, “That's the kiddo's bar in there. Go ahead, give it a look...”she pushed them towards the doors.

  They pushed into the adjoining room, a noisy cheerful buzz of activity filled the area. Several more wooden tables with chairs squatted around, cards and checkers and other games were on many. Six to eight children of various ages roamed around or sat playing games. One young man played a harmonica and danced a little jig. On a table with a colorful bandana print cloth was a big jug of what looked like lemonade and another with some sort of grape liquid. About a dozen tin cups were turned over on a cup towel and some seemed to have names painted on. A plate of cookies sat next to the jugs.