by E A Lake
She peered around me at the stiffies. “Are they burnt?” She clutched at my arm. “Like burnt to death?”
I gazed back across the road. “I don’t know if they were fried pre- or post-mortem. But that’s really not the worst part.”
She looked at me, horrified. “How could it possibly be any worse?”
“You don’t want to know the details, trust me.”
“Tell me, Bob. I deserve to know.”
I gave her a sideways glance. “Well, they’re naked, of course. Their eyes have been gouged out, and they seem to be missing most of their front teeth.” I heard her gasp, but there was more. “Neither has a tongue, the man’s, um...thing has been cut off, and unless I’m mistaken, women are supposed to have breasts.”
Her eyes stared off into the distance, opened wide as dinner plates. “Who did this?”
I handed her something I’d found nailed to the man’s back. A single piece of white paper that looked so out of place that there was no missing it.
She read it aloud, “Leaf now.” I noticed her head shake.
“So, we know they’re illiterate.” Violet nodded. “But aside from that, I’ve got no idea who sent this message.”
Violet continued to study the note. “It all seems kind of extreme to me.”
“No shit, sunshine. I think that was the point of it all. Shock and awe, you know.”
She looked at me confused. “I don’t follow.”
“You know, George Bush, Iraq, shock and awe.”
She shrugged. “I don’t remember that, I guess. And what does any of this have to do with dead people?”
I pushed past and wondered where I’d put my shovel. “Are you going to help me bury them or what?”
I peeked back to find her still staring across the road at the bodies.
“I think I hear Hope crying,” she muttered, turning for the cabin.
Some help she was. At least we were off the subject from earlier. Maybe that was all behind us now.
Day 1,092
Wilson showed up the day after I expected him. Either I had the day wrong or Wilson was on his own schedule. Either option was plausible.
After hearing the story three times, once from each of us, mine less hysterical than theirs, he walked across the road with me and studied the crime scene.
“Any ideas?” I asked, watching him kick at the brown weeds beneath the hanging tree.
He moved slowly through the underbrush. “Yeah,” Wilson drawled, “someone wants you to leave. Wants your place, probably your supplies, too.”
That part bothered me. Any outsider who thought we were living high on the hog was sadly mistaken.
Our meals consisted of stewed meats — beef, pork, chicken, venison — a small smattering of vegetables, a limited number of ugly potatoes and burnt flat bread. We rarely drank anything other than well water, and even that wasn’t a treat anymore due to the brown color that infiltrated it each summer.
“They don’t know what they’re asking for,” I ruminated, watching my friend continue his search. “I don’t think anyone lives very well anymore. Anywhere.”
He looked back at me with a crooked half-smile. “If they got nothing, or next to nothing, it probably looks to them like you’re living in the lap of luxury. If they’ve seen me bringing you supplies, they know you got something. And that sure beats the hell out of having nothing.”
Wilson emerged from the brush, picking a wood tick off his arm and casting it aside. “Let’s check the road.”
We walked a mile south, then another just for good measure. I checked in with my family before we made the same trek north. According to Daisy, they were fine. They still had Lettie’s 30-30 next to the door, ready for action if needed. Violet begged me not to leave again. The hour absence made her anxious, she claimed. Daisy helped sooth her nerves as Wilson and I headed north.
I had checked the road in both directions the afternoon after finding the burnt corpses. Though I had only traveled several hundred yards in each direction, I found nothing. At least that day.
All the way to the first bend, some 200 yards, was clean. That wasn’t news to me. However, shortly after the bend clues began to pop up. Easy clues to spot.
Almost four years of the apocalypse had left the roads barren. Here and there the blacktop crumbled. In some spots it was almost gone, revealing the gravel beneath the formerly jet-black surface.
Branches and leaves were the only things on the road, and those were more prevalent in the fall and spring. During the summer, the winds and rains cleansed the roads of debris. That’s what made the mess ahead so noticeable.
Wilson kicked at the pile in the middle of the road. “Looks like this is two, maybe three days old.” He peered ahead, further up the road. “Looks like another pile a little ways up.”
I was glad he was a horseshit expert. The timing spoke volumes.
“So, most likely the Barster gang?” I looked back at him for confirmation, getting a non-committal shrug.
“They’re probably not the only people with horses up here, but could be, I suppose.”
His tone was less than convincing and his posture made me wonder what he was thinking.
“Can you find out if they’re back in the area?” I asked as he kneeled down in the gravel. “Just so we know. I think it’s important for both of us to be clear on this.”
His lips slid from side to side over his brown stained teeth. He stroked his beard several times before removing his hat. Wiping his head with a dirty brown rag, he rose.
“This may not be a war you can win, Bob,” he replied, his eyes as tight as his dry lips. “You may want to consider all your options. They could have recruited reinforcements.”
I felt the blood rush to my extremities. Did he really think there was a world where I wouldn’t go after the people who had killed my friend? The hoodlums who had terrorized us not once, not twice, but at least three times? If he did, he was sorely mistaken.
“There’s two options,” I whispered, peering back down the road towards my place. “One, I hunt them down. Two, I wait them out and kill them when they show up again.” I turned and faced Wilson head on. “Either way, they’re leaving this Earth in a gruesome fashion.”
His face hardened. “More gruesome than burning and mutilating people? I’m not sure you have that in you.”
I nodded slightly. “You’d be surprised what I’d do to protect my family, Wilson. Mighty surprised.”
Day 1,092
We argued amongst ourselves for a day and a half. But nothing, nor no one, was about to change my mind.
After dinner, we sat around the table. Both Libby and Hope slept soundly in the bedroom. Violet had left the door slightly ajar in case the baby awoke.
“Here’s what I think,” Daisy began, reaching for my hands. I was sure I wasn’t going to like whatever she had to say. “Maybe we need to go and move in with Mr. Wilson, like he suggested. It sounds like he has enough room for us all. And it would be much safer.”
I opened my mouth to counter, but Violet beat me to it.
“I can’t move in there,” Violet stated, pursing her lips. “I can’t. And you know why, Daisy.”
Daisy nodded and smiled at her. “But this may be necessary for our survival, Vi. For Hope’s survival as well. You see that, don’t you?”
Violet shook her head fiercely. “I can’t. He’s never come to see me or Hope. And I don’t even want to see him again. Please don’t make me.”
I placed a hand in each of their directions. “There’s a bigger issue than just moving in with Jimmy Wilson. It’s all about survival. Moving locations will probably just put off the pending battle. It’s not going away.”
Daisy looked at me with pleading eyes. “There has to be some other solution, Bob. There just has to be.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “We stand and fight, or I hunt them down. This has to be taken care of now. We can’t wait one more year, even one more season. You saw what they
did to those people they left hanging across the road. The time is now.”
Violet ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at the ends. “I agree,” she whispered, a bit of vibrato caught in her words. “I think you should take Jimmy and Johnny and go take care of this. That’s what I think.”
Daisy’s jaw dropped, her head shaking back and forth. “No, please. I don’t want anything to happen to you or the Wilson boys. We need to seek refuge with them. Together we’ll make our stand. Even Mr. Wilson said that was a good idea.”
The tides had changed, and Daisy knew it. It was always me against them, but now I had Violet standing firmly in my corner.
“I won’t give up this place,” I retorted. “They drove us from Lettie’s. They’re not driving us out of here.”
Daisy turned to me, clutching my hands in hers. “Bob, I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t think I can live without you. You have to know that.”
“I can’t either,” Violet added quietly. Her eyes met ours. “But I can’t live in fear anymore. Most nights I lie out here awake, listening for you at the window, Bob. If I think you’ve fallen asleep, I lift my head to make sure your eyes are still open. And when you take guard Daisy, I don’t sleep at all. We can’t keep going like this. It’s not fair to any of us.”
Daisy swiped away a few stray tears streaking down her tanned cheek. “I’ve just been hoping and praying it wouldn’t come to this. I just thought that maybe they’d move on. I don’t want anything to happen to any of us. That’s all I care about — our safety.”
I rose and walked over to the front window. “Wilson will be back when he has news. Either that, or he’ll be back in four days with more supplies. Something tells me that before summer is over, this is coming to a head.”
Violet and Daisy exchanged a look. “How long until the end of summer?” Violet asked.
“Probably a month,” I answered, gazing at the twilight outside. “I figure its mid-August. Another month before it starts to turn into fall. If we don’t do something before then, they’ll be here to visit us.”
“Maybe something good will come before then,” Daisy said, a tinge of hope back in her voice. “Perhaps they’ll lose interest in us and move on. Or maybe they’ll meet some other demise and never make it back.” She smiled at me and the frowning Violet. “I can just feel it in my bones, Vi. This will resolve itself without any violence on our part.”
Violet rubbed the top of Daisy’s extended hand. “Or maybe Bob will go after them and get this over with so we can live in peace.”
Daisy’s face fell. They weren’t the words she wanted to hear, and were probably closer to the truth than she wanted to admit.
Day 1,095
Each day we waited for word from Wilson. I knew the Barster gang had to be back in the area. It was only a matter of time before he showed up. I used the quiet time to prepare myself.
And each day we steadfastly watched the road, always on guard for some type of sneak attack. My pistol never left my side, even when I went to the outhouse. Lettie’s old 30-30 sat propped next to the door, ready for action if need be.
Daisy finally gave in to the idea of me going after them before they came for us. I’m not sure if it was the pressure of the situation, or maybe it was one of the whispered conferences I heard Daisy and Violet having late at night. Or perhaps it was when Violet changed her vote, and Daisy knew she was outnumbered.
Whatever the reason, we all finally agreed.
Anytime I noticed any movement on the road, or anywhere for that matter, a knot formed in the pit of my stomach. At first, I drew my weapon every time a twig snapped or a squirrel chased another through the woods. I found myself flinching at every sound, every strange sight.
I knew hunting down Barster could lead to my eventual demise, but I had to do it, and however it happened, it needed to be soon. If for no other reason, we needed a release from the constant tension that filled our days.
I heard the screen door close and then footsteps. Someone was coming to visit me while I took an extended break from chopping wood. I felt a hand take mine, small delicate fingers intertwining my rough calloused digits.
“Daisy,” I said with a smile.
“Close, but you only had two choices.” I jumped back at the sound of Violet’s voice. What was she up to now, I wondered.
“Don’t worry, she fell asleep putting Libby and Hope down for their nap,” Violet said, pointing at the house. “The curtains are even drawn. She won’t see us.”
Circling a log to get a few extra steps away, I studied her skeptically. “She won’t see us because nothing we’re going to be doing is worth seeing,” I said firmly. There, now she knew where we stood.
She crossed her arms, staring into the woods. “You know, when you kissed me last week, I noticed you let it linger an extra moment.”
I felt my eyes bug open. “You kissed me!” I countered in a hushed whisper.
She looked back at me and rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Romeo. You just didn’t seem too hasty to end our lip lock.”
“Violet,” I said, as evenly as possible, peering through the front window. I needed to be sure Daisy wasn’t standing there, listening in on something she might misconstrue. “You’re 15 years old. As delightful as you may think—”
“I’m 18,” she countered.
I felt my eyes narrow. “Three falls ago you said you were 12. This next spring will be the third one since whatever went wrong. That makes you 15 now, and 16 in the spring.”
A sly smile curled the corners of her lips. “And you were the only one whoever bought that story.”
“What?”
She took a step closer. “Mom thought I’d be less attractive, and safer, if we told people I was 12, that way we wouldn’t have a bunch of men like you perving on me all the time. Because I looked so young, she knew people would believe it. At least she hoped they would.”
She took another step closer and I became a little uncomfortable. “Dizzy never believed it; he saw right through it somehow. Lettie laughed the first time Mom told her. She said I didn’t have the hips of a 12 year old. Daisy never could remember what age we agreed upon for our little fib. Not that you ever noticed.”
She grinned, pointing a finger at me. “But you bought it. Hook…” she took another step closer, “…line...” another step and she was next to me, taking my hand. “…and sinker.” She raised it to her mouth and kissed it.
“I don’t believe you.” I actually wasn’t sure, but the confusion pulsing through my brain made it hard to think clearly.
“I’ll be 19 next spring. All of a sudden I’m not so young anymore, am I, Mr. Reiniger?”
She still had my hand in hers. I tugged it away. Lord only knew where it could have ended up next.
“It doesn’t change a thing, Violet. Daisy and I are a couple. And you know that.” I stepped away and picked up my ax. “Now, why don’t you fill the water buckets for tonight, as long as everyone else is napping.”
She turned, flipping her brown hair over her shoulder. “Okay, play hard to get. I can wait.” She skipped several paces before stopping and turning. “But remember, I love you. I said it first. And I’m the only one thus far. But you knew that, right?”
I watched her scoop the bucket off the stump by the corner of the house before disappearing into the woods. What the hell is she up to? I pondered in stunned confusion. Well good luck, little girl. I’m not interested.
We ate another evening meal in silence. While I exchanged smiles with Daisy, I caught Violet staring at us…or perhaps it was just me. She was going to ruin my life if she wasn’t careful.
“No Mr. Wilson again today,” Daisy said, causing me to jump. “He should be here tomorrow or the next day with some more food.”
Violet forked a green bean and lifted it to her nose, sniffing it suspiciously. “Yep,” she replied, stuffing it into her mouth.
Beside Daisy, Libby chomped on a piece of dried venison. “I hope Gra
ndpa Wilson brings us something decent to eat this time,” she complained. “I didn’t like his last delivery.”
Daisy turned and stroked the top of her daughter’s head. “We mustn’t complain about free food, Libby. Grandpa Wilson has been very good to us.”
Setting her fork on the table, Libby stared at her mother. “But he took Grandma Lettie.”
“We traded Grandma for some food,” Violet inserted, grinning at me. “Not a very good trade, based on what we’ve received lately.”
“It only has been a few weeks,” Daisy countered, eyeing Violet casually. “You can’t expect Lettie to perform miracles overnight, can you Vi?”
“It’s been three weeks, and it wasn’t a fair trade,” Violet snarked.
Damn that child, or teen, or whatever she was. Now she was picking fights with her only female friend left within five miles. I had no idea what her latest ploy was, but it seemed foolish to me.
“Bob, what do you think?” Daisy asked, catching me off guard. A smile flashed across Violet’s face. Damn it, she needed to stop this game.
“Lettie had to go, Violet,” I answered. Her eyes narrowed with anger. “Otherwise we’d starve to death. You know that.”
She rose from her spot, pointing a fork at me. “You’d agree with anything Daisy told you to. Why don’t you grow a spine?” Tossing her fork onto the table, she ran to the bedroom and slammed the door. Hope began screaming.
“Oh no,” Daisy fretted, getting up from her spot, “now the baby’s awake. Oh, poor Vi will be all in a tizzy now. Can you clean up while I help her, sweetie?”
I nodded, piling plates on top of one another. “Sure, no problem.”
“Oh, and Bob?” Daisy whispered. “Maybe you could be a little sweeter to Vi, please? She looks up to you so, and I really think she could use a kind word or two from you. You know how she thinks you walk on water.”