Colt lay quietly as she did her thing, he was scared that he would say or do something stupid. All kinds of thoughts were going through his mind, would he have another chance to kiss her, did she want it? What would happen if they didn’t move soon enough? If anything happened to them he would always blame himself for getting shot. “Beth?”
Beth absently replied “Hmmm”
“Do you think we should go ahead and start the move to New Mexico now?”
Beth finished with the lower bandages and began working on his collarbone. “Colt, honey, to be honest with you right now we are not moving anywhere, except maybe out of this bed, to the bathroom and then outside. First thing’s first and we need to give your injuries at least a week or two so that this collarbone will set. Because sweetie, if you move it too soon or just simply agitate it, there could be a risk of infection and even though I do have antibiotics let’s just not rush this ok? Now to answer your question; yes, when you’re able a little more than of course New Mexico does sound nice to me.”
Once the bandages were cut off Beth took a look at the bruising and swelling. “It’s looking pretty good Colt, tomorrow I think we start the milk Alden suggested. I know you want to get better as quick as you can and vitamin D is the best thing you need now.”
He smiled a goofy smile, “You know what they say, Milk, it does a body good.” He started laughing at his own joke as Beth finished up and went to put all her supplies away.
When she came back in Colt was looking somber, “Beth, I don’t know why I seem to always be the fuck up of this group. I am, don’t tell me I’m not, you know it as well as I do. I don’t mean to be and I really try to pull my weight.” He looked down to his wounds, “Guess I can’t even do that now.” He sighed heavily, “I’m going to get some sleep, at least asleep I can be a hero.” He scooted down into the bed, “Good Night, Beth. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”
Beth pulled the covers up around him and gently brushed the hair out of his eyes then kissed his forehead ever so gently. Quietly, she walked around to the side of the bed, and sat down then wiggled in beside him. She didn’t want to leave him alone for a few hours and wanted to make sure that he was taken care of so that when time came for them to take first watch she could help him get up easily instead of being in a hurry. Colt was surprised but didn’t say a word, just eased his good arm around her to feel her closeness and went to sleep.
Chapter 5 – Boy Next Door
Ceara woke up and snuggled right up next to Charlie, at first she was confused on where she was but as soon as Charlie pulled her close, she smiled and lay back in his arms. He was still sleeping, she knew he wouldn’t be quite so touchy feely if he was awake. She lay there several more minutes but knew she would have to get up soon, her bladder was making sure she wouldn’t go back to sleep. She eased out of his arms and sat on the side of the bed; just as she stood Charlie turned and whined as he reached for her again. Ceara felt bad that she wasn’t able to crawl back in the bed. She slid into her jeans, and then headed to the bathroom. Once she had finished in the bathroom and got her hair into a ponytail, she went outside to make the coffee.
She dumped out the old grounds and rinsed out the old coffee, “God, what I wouldn’t do for a Starbucks”
“Cupcake, if there is one thing this bullshit fixed, and it’s getting rid of those damn places.”
Ceara jumped, “Alden, Damn it… I told you about doing that!!”
Alden smiled at Ceara watching her jump. He was still drying his hair with a towel walking over and gave her a little shoulder hug, “Sorry cupcake, but c’mon you should know by now if the sun’s up I’ve been up for at least an hour before. I did some P.T. this morning and after my run I figured I needed a shower. I smelled worse than the Wanderers.”
Walking over to the picnic table he sat down and began to mull over the maps once more then rolled them up to stowed them into a tube. Tonto and Maximus came trotting from around the shed. As they reached the table Tonto lowered his head and then stretched his back. Reaching down Alden rubbed the top of his head, “Missed you on the morning run. Where’d go… sick call?”
He laughed as he watched Maximus head to Ceara. “You know one of these days me an Ole Max there are going to have to do some physical training. In fact while we’re in this down time I may start that later today.”
Tabitha heard Ceara go out the back door and sat up in her bed. Looking out the window the sun’s rays were shining through as she pulled her knees up to her chest. By the sun’s position Tabitha figured it must be close to noon. Leaning her head to the side she thought about the days gone by and how she used to be before she had met the five members of her new family.
She knew that is she had not met them she would have never changed to the person she was becoming now. Tabitha didn’t have much of a reason to be a team player back in Camdenton with how she was treated by all of those assholes. However, now that the world had gone to shit, she along with the other five had found their own special place in this world and for the first time since she was born she was finally content.
Jumping out of bed she stretched from side to side and her lower hamstrings hurt so bad from the small war. After walking around the room she began to loosen up a little then she quickly got dressed to begin her day. When she was all finished she heard something coming from the other room. Slowly she crept out of the room and noticed that the other door to the room where Charlie and Ceara had been the night before was slightly ajar. Tabitha quietly peeked past the door and saw that Charlie was restless while he was still asleep. “Poor little guy”, she thought to herself. Charlie had been through so much growing up, not to mention what happened over the past few days Tabitha thought that he must having one hell of a bad dream with how he was tossing. Slowly she stepped backwards out of the room and went out into the kitchen where she washed her hands along with a few dishes that were lying in the sink. When the entire kitchen was cleaned up she decided that she would go join the others outside.
Charlie’s dream was a continuation of the one before, people just walking aimlessly staring out looking normal then turning into Wanderers. He tossed and turned, waking briefly as Ceara got up. The sound of the screen door closing brought him right up in bed. Charlie rubbed the sand from his eyes as he sat and looked about the room. He knew it had to be late morning but he really didn’t want to get up. Flopping back down on the pillows he caught a whiff of Ceara’s scent on the pillow and remembered the night before as they had laid in bed and drifted off to sleep. Realizing any more sleep was going to elude him, he got up he trotted to the bathroom. Finishing up, he walked into the kitchen and heard Alden’s voice. Grabbing his mug he headed out the back door. His face flushed a little and he proceeded to the camp fire. Picking up the pot he poured himself a cup then turned and smiled, “Good morning.”
He turned and took a seat at the table staring into his coffee. Alden walked up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Dreams fucking with you son?”
Charlie turned quickly, “How’d you know?”
Alden sat down beside him, “Son, I’ve been down this road a few times myself. The headshrinkers even gave it a name P.T.S.D. It happens to people who have experienced a traumatic event in their life, and you and the rest of us all just experienced one hell of a Traumatic event.”
Taking a sip of coffee Charlie looked at him with teary eyes, “How….. How the hell do you just forget something like that? I mean God Alden; I cut that man in half.”
Alden gave him a caring look. It was the first time Charlie or any of them had ever seen that expression or side of the old man. “Charlie you don’t forget it. You’ll never forget it. You have to learn to live with it. Look at those two girls over there.” Pointing to Ceara and Tabitha, “If you hadn’t done what you did, do you think today they would be standing here with you and an old fart like me drinking coffee? Maybe, but probably not and I don’t want to think what the alternative would have been for them i
f we had lost.”
Charlie looked to the girls then back to Alden, “I guess I’m just a big pussy when it comes to this kind of shit.” Charlie kept watching the girls for a minute then looked back to Alden, “I don’t see them crying.”
Alden stood up and touched his shoulder, “Not yet, and truth is you may never see it. Fact is this son, you’re a human being and as a human being you were raised to know it was wrong to kill. Don’t ever lose that son… ever; I don’t want to see you end up like me.”
Alden set his cup down and walked towards the woods giving a whistle, Tonto jumped up to follow him. Charlie watched him walk away then took a sip of coffee. Looking to Ceara and Tabitha he got up and rubbed his shoulder, “I guess I better get started on chores. I’m not going to be any good with firewood and stuff but if you all bring me the guns I can get them cleaned. Alden is preaching to me about keeping my gun and my weapon cleaned, although I really don’t understand that. They’re both the same thing.”
Ceara poured Tabitha a cup of coffee and sat beside her on the log, watching Alden and Charlie talking. When Alden walked off to the woods and Charlie came over wondering about the weapon statement Ceara blushed a little. “Ah honey, my dad and his best friend were in the military and Alden is talking about two different things. Your rifle is your weapon and…” she turned bright red and barely over a whisper, “your privates are your gun.”
Charlie could only say, “Oh” but now he was bright red too.
Ceara looked to Tabitha hoping to change the subject, “I think today is going to be laundry day, I don’t think I have many clothes left and with me wearing Charlie’s t-shirts to sleep in he probably doesn’t either.” Ceara got up heading over to Charlie, “I’ll get the laundry going, you stay up here. I promise I will take small loads down at a time so I’ll be able to carry it.” She kissed him on the cheek and headed back in the cabin, grabbing the tub as she walked in.
Her clothes were all over the place and Ceara wondered what Tabitha thought about her inability to clean her room. “Damn, I should have cleaned up before I let her stay in here.” She shrugged as if saying “Too late now” She grabbed all the clothes tossing them into the tub then kicked it to Charlie’s door. All his dirty clothes were in a neat pile in the far corner, she grabbed all of them, trying to avoid touching the bloodier spots. Once she had all their clothes, she grabbed the detergent and her gun, heading out the door. Charlie was at the picnic table with his weapon, Ceara giggled because he had his gun too. She headed toward the woods, “I’ll be back later… Come on Maximus.”
Colt woke up to the sun coming through the window, blinding him as soon as his eyes opened, “Ow” He stretched and felt a weight on his left arm, turning he remembered that Beth had wanted to stay with him to make sure he was ok. He reached over, careful not to move his bad shoulder too much. “Good Morning… well by the look of it I guess its afternoon now.”
As Beth sat up and fixed her clothes, “Well good afternoon to you too.” Colt sat up swinging his legs over the edge, “How did you sleep?”
She looked over her shoulder as she fixed her hair, “Like a rock, you?”
He smiled, “Better than I have in a long time, but I damn sure could use some coffee. I am going to get to the bathroom, and then if you wouldn’t mind, I would be grateful for help out to the fire. How much trouble you think we are in for missing guard duty?”
Beth stretched, “I’ll be happy to escort you to the fire and none. If we were in trouble you can bet Alden would have been in here long before now throwing a fit.”
Alden walked through the woods and headed towards the battle scene, checking his 45 before he got there. As he came out of the woods a flock of buzzards and crows took flight they had been feeding on the corpses of both dead humans and Wanderers. He stood and watched them fly into the trees; a few stayed behind and continued eating. He looked over the gruesome scene and knew they had left none alive…and if they were, they were long gone now. He walked the perimeter slowly looking for any signs of blood or tracks leading away. He stopped and knelt down. It wasn’t footprints that caught his eye it was the way the grass was flattened out.
Standing back up Alden looked at Tonto, “we’re going to take this slow okay boy?” Tonto put his nose to the ground and began moving just ahead of Alden. The two followed the drag marks across the field and then into the woods. At times there were large spots of dried blood on the ground. Alden figured whoever or whatever it was stopped to rest. They followed the tracks till they reached the highway and suddenly it all disappeared. Alden walked a few yards in all directions including the one he came from but found nothing.
Taking a cigarette out, he lit it and looked down at Tonto who was still sniffing and seemed just as confused as he was. “Damn boy, it’s like he grew wings and just flew away.” Finishing his smoke, he flicked it to the woods and started to walk up the road towards camp. Turning suddenly Alden went back to where the butt had landed. There in the dirt was another one and it appeared too fresh. Not like the other trash and butts along the road. Kneeling down he picked it up and looked at it then smelled it.
“Damn boy whoever it was got lucky, someone was here having a smoke and a piss and found our mystery guest.” Standing up he looked around but was listening more than looking. “Let’s head back boy it’s apparent we ain’t alone out here.”
Walking back up the road it came to a Y, one branch heading towards their camp the other back out towards the main road. There in the grass laid a green plastic pouch. Picking it up, he read it. “Cheese spread, damn this is from an MRE pack. I’d say our friends from the highway may be back scouting this area out.”
He picked up his pace and was walking back into camp in a short time shouting, ‘GATHER ROUND FOLKS THIS AIN’T OVER YET!”
Beth was helping Colt to the door when Alden came back into camp, he leaned on the door waving Beth to ahead, “I’ll get there, go find out what’s going on.”
She looked concerned, but did as he said. Colt grimaced but knew if they were in for another battle, he better start putting some weight on the leg. The first couple of steps were bad and he almost fell more than once but by the fifth step he was pretty sure he would do ok. If he was going to help he would have to stay one place to shoot.
Colt noticed the look of panic on Charlie’s face, “Charlie, you ok?”
Charlie was still standing by the picnic table, “I have to go get Ceara… she’s alone at the river washing clothes!” Charlie was gone before Colt could say a word.
Ceara was relaxing by the bank, sorting through her and Charlie’s clothes. She wanted to do the easy stuff first and leave the jeans till last. She remembered just how tired her arms were after wringing out one pair and she didn’t have Charlie this time to finish them for her. The tub was full of the cold soapy water and she started with the socks and underwear, and then moved on to the shirts. Ceara was scrubbing out the blood in one of the shirts when Charlie came bursting through the trees.
Ceara looked up pulling her gun at the same time but lowered it, rolling her eyes “Charlie you have to trust that I can take care of myself, you can’t babysit me honey, and you have your chores to do too.”
Charlie shook his head as he caught his breath, “Not that, Alden said we got company so you need to get back to camp.”
Ceara jumped up running over to Charlie, “What, No way! We shot all those bastards!” Charlie was already leading her back through the woods, “Don’t know what’s going on, we have to talk to Alden. We’ll come back for the clothes later.”
They reached the camp where Alden had everyone else surrounding him, and now had Charlie and Ceara joining them, Tabitha looked to both of them then turned to Alden, “Ok they’re here now, what the fuck is going on?”
Alden poured a cup and stood with everyone surrounding him. “I went back to the battle ground and found drag marks.”
Charlie spoke up quickly, “What you mean… a wanderer?”
“
I don’t think so, I think it was human. They pulled themselves to the highway and were picked up by what I think was a military group.”
Ceara broke in, “How do you know that?”
“I don’t really. I just found this,” tossing the empty cheese pack on the table, “I’ve eaten that shit and only a true grunt could choke that down.” He took a sip of coffee as they handed the empty packet around. “Point is, they may be friendlies, they may not, we just need to all stay on full alert. Fire kept low and sound discipline from here on out.”
Ceara smiled, “Oh like yelling, hey everyone get your ass over here?” Alden grinned and she chuckled.
Beth moved to Colt but he put his hand up, “I got this, it is actually getting a little easier, walking may be the best thing for it.” Colt went to the fire getting a cup of coffee then turned back limping to the table, “So, aside from our normal watches, are we going to start more even throughout the day? We could take a drive and just see what’s what, if only a couple of us go, we could pose as people looking for help?”
Tabitha sat listening till Colt said that, “If we do that, I should be the one going with Alden, if it is a male and female they will believe it more.”
Charlie shook his head, “No, I’ll go, it’s more believable for a father and son… No offense, Alden.”
Tabitha shook her head, “Yeah and you with a bullet in your arm won’t look suspicious at all, right?” She looked around the table, “Beth is needed here, Ceara isn’t as comfortable with confrontations as I am, and well… you and Colt are both shot up, seems to me this is simple math, just saying.”
Surviving Day By Day (Book 2): Fears, Flames, and Future Page 7