Surviving Day By Day (Book 2): Fears, Flames, and Future

by Allensworth, Audra

  Looking over to Alden, and then handing the sticks to the others, “When you’re up and able I would like to go with you so you have someone watching your back. I think going in pairs would be the best. Beth over there can just take care of the group while we go out and scout.”

  Beth looked over at Colt and saw how drained he looked and that worried her. She then looked over at Ceara and she was looking at Charlie who really looked rough too. “Tabitha, I think we all need to rest up, I do think you’re right. Charlie, Colt and Ceara need to rest, hell we all do, I will take care of them.”

  Ceara looked over at Beth, “I am not that bad.”

  Beth smiled and knew that she needed the rest then continued, “Ceara, I agree but it’s not that you’re bad…..it’s just that Charlie needs to rest and I will make sure that Colt gets his too. If we don’t take care of these guys and keep them down for about twenty four hours, their bodies won’t make any real headway on getting better.”

  Ceara chuckled and looked over to Charlie, “So you heard her Charlie, for one day you’re not doing anything!!”

  Alden’s marshmallow flamed and he pulled it back and blew on it. Then took a bite of the brown, gooey treat, swallowing, he looked at Tabitha, “So let me get this straight…. You’re going with me to protect me, right?” The grin on his face showed the amusement he was having over her remark. “That’s kind of like putting a lion on a leash and then handing the leash to a monkey.”

  Alden placed another marshmallow on his stick and held it over the fire. “As far as Charlie and Colt, I agree they need rest at least a couple of weeks. Charlie’s arm will be okay fairly quick, but Colts collar bone… Well that’s going to take some time. Most collarbone fractures take two to three months before they’re completely healed.”

  Alden popped the marshmallow in his mouth and did a reverse blow to cool it down. “The one good thing is we have a dairy cow over there so he’ll have plenty of milk to drink to help build the bone back up.”

  Colt went to the fire easing down into a chair; he leaned over getting his own stick and loaded a marshmallow on it. He held it over embers just wanting it to melt a little first, “I know it takes a while for bones to heal but I don’t think we need to wait that long. I figure once my leg and Charlie’s arm is healed up, we should start moving. I know I won’t be much help but it will be a lot more than I am now.” He pulled the marshmallow out of the heat and squeezed it feeling it was melting pretty good, “Fire time!” He caught it on fire and blew it out almost immediately. Once he ate it, he looked to Alden, “I think you know that we can’t stay in this area for months, but I do thank you for letting me be the one to point it out.”

  Beth looked over to Colt, “I think you’re right Colt, but I have to agree with Alden on your collarbone. I say at least give it a week to a week and a half. My reason being is this, the bone needs to set and you moving it around, even in the slightest, will do more damage than good. I can give you pain medication but you have to rest and Alden is a hundred percent right on the milk. You will need at least two or three glasses a day to start with.”

  Tabitha popped a couple of marshmallows on her stick and stuck them right in the flames and burnt the hell out of them. “Now that is what I am talking about!!!” she exclaimed as she took them out of flames and blew them out.

  Beth looked over at her and said, “That just makes my stomach turn”, and she giggled and looked away.

  Tabitha smiled and once they were cool she popped one of them in her mouth and laid back in her chair as if she was high on life. Beth grabbed her stick, reached over and grabbed a marshmallow and began roasting hers over the flame until it was a golden brown. When it was done to her liking, she too sat back and enjoyed the tasty treat and remembered when she and Mary were kids. Both girls loved doing this down at the lake back in Kentucky. After finishing her marshmallow off Beth looked over to Alden, “Alden, the call is yours, whatever you say we will do. After all, you are the king of the marshmallows and he who is king has total power.”

  Tabitha damn near choked on that last word and said while coughing, “AND ALDEN!!! What comment do you have to that remark!!?!??!” Alden smiled stood and placed his hands on his hips, “AS KING, I DECREE THIS MEETING OVER.” Placing his stick on the ground he walked over, poured a cup of coffee then headed for a hammock he had hung in the trees the first day they had arrived. Sliding into it he smiled, “This old man is tired and he’s going to sleep under the stars.” Tonto came over and lay beside him as he stared off into the night sky watching the stars twinkling above.

  Ceara had eaten her fill of marshmallows and set her stick down, “I’m going to follow Alden’s lead on the move.” She stretched as she yawned, “I don’t know about you guys, but I damn sure didn’t sleep today and am pretty worn out. Charlie, I’m going to take a shower and you are welcome to it after I get out, but as soon as I get done, I am heading to bed. Beth, I’ll come over tomorrow and help you do tonight’s dishes. Sorry, but I’m just too wore out tonight.”

  She stood and stretched, yawned again then kissed Charlie, “Goodnight everyone.”

  Charlie stood, “Hold on hun, I’m coming too.” He waved to everyone, “You guys save me a few marshmallows for tomorrow night, Good Night!” He and Ceara got about halfway to the door and Charlie turned back, nodding to the now sleeping Alden “Hey Tabitha, since Alden is hanging out here, you are welcome to hang out at our cabin if you don’t want to be there, you know, alone.” He was stammering by the end, hoping he wasn’t insulting her by the offer.

  Tabitha looked over at Alden and he was already sound asleep. Not really wanting to be alone she sure would like to stay with them but did not want to be a third wheel. She knew that Ceara and Charlie were close to each other but still… they were her family. Tabitha slowly walked up the steps and with her hands cupped together she softly said, “I know that I am a big girl and all but ever since this whole mess happened I kind of grown attached to you all. I guess what I am saying is that I would love to stay with you guys that is if you’re sure I wouldn’t be intruding.”

  Tabitha looked to the ground, “It’s just after last night …. Well to be honest I kinda don’t want to be alone. But please don’t tell Alden that, because he will make fun of me.”

  Ceara laughed, “Your secret is safe with us, and you can sleep with me in my bed. I don’t move too much and I stay on my side.”

  All three went in the cabin shutting the door, leaving Colt and Beth by the fire. Ceara went straight for the shower, just like she had said.

  She rejoined Charlie and Tabitha in the living room; she now had freshly washed hair and another one of Charlie’s t-shirts that hung to her knees. She was combing her fingers through her hair trying to dry it more, “You know Charlie, I really like your t-shirts to sleep in. They are really comfy.”

  Charlie stood and stretched, “Well you look a lot better in them than I ever did.” His eyes scanned her from head to toe stopping briefly at her shapely legs. Walking over to her he kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, “I know this … well may sound bad ….. But I was kinda hoping you and I could share a bed…. I mean just sleep. I err I promise not to try anything. I … well I just want to be close to you.”

  He looked into her eyes to showed her he was sincere he only wanted to be close to her. For a brief moment Charlie felt ashamed, all his life he had grown up sleeping in large rooms with small beds shared by other boys. It wasn’t until he graduated from the school that he was allowed to have his own room even though it was right next to the boiler room at the orphanage. He loved the independence. He looked down at his feet and shuffled them a bit. “I’ll just go get my shower it won’t take long cause Beth says I ain’t supposed to get the bandage wet.”

  He turned and headed into the bathroom. Ceara was in shock, as soon as the door closed to the bathroom, she looked to Tabitha as if asking what she should do. Tabitha got all red in the face and giggled when Ceara gave her that look. “Ceara�
��. Let me ask you a question…. How do you feel about sharing a bed with him?”

  Ceara blushed but grinned, “Honest?”

  Tabitha nodded, Ceara picked up a small cushion of the couch and dropped onto the couch hugging it close, “I have really thought about it but I don’t want to…… well you know, until we are a little more sure of how we really feel. But yeah I kind of want to be with him too.”

  Tabitha joined her friend on the couch, “Ceara, I understand exactly what you’re saying and to be honest with you after the epic night last night I really don’t want to be alone either; just the closeness of living human beings. Nothing would make me feel wonderful than to have Alden just close by and we did the same thing last night when I was feeling a bit nervous. Now to be just a bit of a mother or protector, Charlie does need to have someone be close to him during the night simply because of the condition of his wounds. Beth is looking out for Colt with his injuries and Charlie, well as sheltered as his whole life has been up until now, he has us both looking out after him. So how about this, while he is in the shower we will get the beds together and just have a big time slumber party? That will do a couple of things, first of all it will relax him and also it will be kinda funny to see the expression on his face when we offer to have a small pillow fight with him. I mean, I bet the nuns never had any fun like that!”

  Ceara leaned her head on Tabitha’s shoulder giggling, “I don’t think that plan will work since they are full size beds in two different rooms. But, I do think you are right, I just want to know he is ok after everything last night.” Ceara sat up and scooted forward on the couch, it had just registered that Tabitha said her and Alden slept together. She looked back at Tabitha, “You and Alden??? Really?? Did anything happen, you have to tell me before Charlie comes out! SO HURRY UP… TELL!”

  Tabitha shook her head, “Oh hell NO!!!! I mean not that I wouldn’t…but well, let me start over.” She suddenly felt her foot going into her mouth and that is when she chuckled and took a deep breath. When she had composed herself, Tabitha continued, “Last night I was feeling kinda scared and I know right, me scared?!! Well, it was kinda like Charlie in there. When two people get together and being in this situation, without knowing if there are ANY decent people out there; I just walked into his room and asked if I could just sleep with him. I was nervous, scared and just freaked out with all of the fucking Wanderers out there and Alden was just like a security blanket. He gave me that human blanket that we all need from time to time. Now to answer your question…. No we never DID anything.”

  Tabitha giggled and thought of him calling her a cupcake then chuckled while saying to Ceara, “Come on now…Cupcake!!!!!!” I don’t think he would ever be able to call me a cupcake again and if he did I sure in the hell wouldn’t be able to hear him call me that cause all I would be thinking about is Hostess cream filled cupcakes and that ain’t happening!!!”

  Ceara covered her mouth, “Oh my God that is sooooo not a thought I wanted!!!” They both heard the shower turn off and Ceara turned a serious face to Tabitha, “If you need someone to be with you, I will tell Charlie no for tonight and stay with you, I don’t mind!”

  Tabitha turned around and made her way to the door, “You stay with Charlie and I will go turn in for the night. If I get up in the middle of the night and hear something I will be right on it and what’s more I may sit out front on the porch for a bit.”

  Ceara smiled at her, “Ok, but if you need us just knock and we will both get up with you, Night.” Ceara went down the hall meeting Charlie as he opened the door; she kissed him on the cheek then checked his bandage, “You barely got it wet! I don’t even need to change it yet.” Ceara kept messing with the bandage, “And to answer your question, yes I will sleep in your room tonight. I already talked to Tabitha and she said she was ok with it.” Charlie smiled as they walked into his room.

  Colt sat by the fire watching the flames lick at his now empty marshmallow stick, Beth sat across from him lost in her thoughts too. Colt cleared his throat trying to get the nerve up to talk to Beth, but nothing he thought of sounded right. He saw she was watching him now, “Beth, we need to talk about last night, how I acted was just not me, I was all drugged up and I didn’t mean to act like that.” As he spoke the words he knew he said it wrong, “Ok, that isn’t exactly what I mean. Let me start over, I don’t know how you feel about me… Hell I don’t know how I feel about you but, when I kissed you I was drugged up and that wasn’t the time I would have picked to do it. So I guess I am saying I’m sorry for the timing, but I do want to do it again when the time is right and me drugged up isn’t it.” He threw the stick in the fire frustrated that he couldn’t say things the right way.

  Beth put her fingers underneath her nose and right over her lips to keep him from seeing the giggling, Colt was tripping over his own words, thoughts and ideas. However when she saw him throw his stick into the fire all frustrated she spoke to him extremely calmly, “Colt, I understand what you’re talking about and on a personal note it was very nice. I mean given the situation that we are ALL now in, and how tensions are a little high, that kiss broke the ice and even though you were all XXXidwestXXX out it was cute as hell. So therefore, I would do it all again just to loosen your ass up.”

  Beth slowly got up and went over to where Colt was seated then placed her hands on his shoulders. His one side that was bandaged looked very well and she took her hand and started rubbing his neck and moved her other hand along with it trying to give him a massage. “Face it Colt, from the very beginning, we all have been through a hell of a lot, not to mention that everything happened in a very short time.”

  Beth thought about what the word ‘time’ meant to her growing up and brought it into her conversation now, “Time, Colt, after all is all that we human beings have, what is in the here and now. So let’s just rest and enjoy our time while we can, so that if time is given to us, then we will be able to also enjoy it in the future as well.”

  Colt leaned his head to the side letting Beth rub his shoulder, thinking to himself, “Jessica use to do that, No... I have to stop thinking about Jessica, she is gone, she is in my past. This is Beth doing this and she is just Beth not like anyone else.” He sat and watched the fire as she silently rubbed his shoulder making sure to never hurt his broken collarbone. He suddenly realized she never said anything to him about his statement of wanting to kiss her again at a better time. He thought she was thinking just like him, if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t.

  Reaching up to his shoulder Colt patted her hand, “I think we need to get inside, we have first watch tonight so we better try to get a few hours of sleep since all of us stayed up this whole night.”

  He smiled and pointed to the tree line. The sky in the opposite direction was still dark, but in the east, a mixture of yellow and orange touched the treetops. Colt stood and was okay with that but first step told him this wasn’t a good idea, “Beth, I hate to say it but I may need to use your shoulder for support for a couple of days, I don’t think I can walk on this without a bit of help.”

  Beth immediately got right beside him and gently put her arm around the small of his back then ducked her head so he could put his arm around her. “Let’s just take this slow then and not rush. When I get you inside, I will take you to the bedroom, change your dressings and give you some pain killers.”

  Colt didn’t really like the idea too much of being drugged, but after the first couple of steps the pain in his shoulder started to shoot across the back of his neck. When both of them made it to the front door Beth reached down and turned the knob. “Home sweet home…” Once inside Beth walked him over to the side of the couch then walked back over to shut and locked the door. Colt eased onto the arm of the couch wiping sweat from his forehead, “Shit Beth, I would never have thought six months ago that I would be standing anywhere with two gunshot wounds.” He laughed shaking his head, “I remember thinking I knew what a bad day was, and boy, I had no clue
did I?”

  Beth came over chuckling at him, “Let’s just get you down so I can change out those bandages and I bet you are looking forward to those pain killers now.”

  Colt started edging his way to the bedroom, “I have to admit that right now, I wouldn’t say no to anything as long as you told me it was for the pain!”

  Beth helped him into the bed and she left to get her supplies and gave Colt a bit of privacy to get undressed. He soon realized he would have to stand to get out of his jeans. He stood up almost passing out from the pain, once his mind cleared he dropped the pants and sat back down and let the jeans drop to the floor. Colt had just managed to lay back down by the time Beth walked in.

  Beth put all of her medical supplies on the side of the bed and went to get a pan of water. When she came back she could tell that Colt was in a tremendous about of pain, she decided that before changing his bandages she would just give him an injection of morphine. Quickly she got a new syringe and found her morphine. After she had filled her syringe, she began talking to Colt slowly and clearly, “Colt, I am going to give you two cc of morphine which will be enough to take the pain completely away and relax you while I change the bandages.”

  Being ever so gentle Beth took his good arm and prepped it. “There is a good vein, I say let’s go for this. In a second you will feel a stick and some warmth then give it about ten or fifteen seconds.”

  Colt looked down at her then immediately looked away. “One, two…” and but the time she hit three she had popped the needle in so quick and injected him that he hardly flinched. After she was finished with that she quickly began working on the bullet wounds one at a time. Colt got nauseous looking at the needle but he wasn’t about to tell her no again. As soon as the needle was out of sight his stomach relaxed. He was soon in no pain and flying high, he was in heaven.