Within seconds she had the coffee made and she turned around after picking up her cup, leaned back against the counter, crossed her feet at her ankles while she stood and continued, “Shit hun, I’d think we’d all be pretty damn stupid as to not hope that there is someone out there who might have a solution to this fucking problem here.”
Beth sat back in her chair, looked at Alden then over to Colt, then back to Tabitha, “There was a whole mess of stuff that I knew in my former life. Some of which could have thrown the whole entire world into a mass hysteria. Smallpox, plagues, and typhoid are just a few things that we had under our control. There were several other viruses that we had contained and experimented with, so that we would have cures for if and when there would ever be a suspicious outbreak we would have a vaccination for it. But honestly….” Beth raised her hand in the air, “it very well could have been one of those that caused all this.”
Alden finished his coffee, rinsed out his cup and placed it in the strainer. Looking at Colt then out the back window, “We are done talking about the past and what may have happen, we’re in this mess and there’s no point to wondering if there is a cure or what caused it.”
Alden turned to Colt and said, “You might be right Colt. My truck gets decent mileage, but hauling a trailer with a couple of thousand pound cows and horses is going to drag it down. Not to mention, make it a little less maneuverable in tight spots.”
He turned and headed towards the front room and out the door. As he got to the trailer he unhooked it and began to turn the crank to raise it off the hitch ball. Getting into the cab, he pulled it forward hearing the clunk as the trailer released; he stopped after a few more feet and got out. Moving to the back, he lowered the gate and raised the lid on the camper shell and began to rearrange the contents. Moving non-essential items to the front and pulling the weapon boxes to the rear making them easily accessible.
Heath came walking out of the woods and up to the truck. “So I guess they’re all up now?”
Alden looked at as he kept working, “Yep and I think they all got itchy feet. Yesterday took a toll on them, and I think they all just want to get the hell out of Dodge.”
Heath shook his head, “Yesterday took a lot out of all of us. Problem is moving ain’t really going to change things. It will simply put us in another geographical area. The memories will still be here” he said as he pointed to his head.
Alden stopped and looked at him, “You know son, when I first found you, I wasn’t too sure about you, but over the past few days you have come to impress me more and more. There’s a lot more to you than I realized.” Alden walked to a fence by the truck and pulled a coil of rope off a post as he handed it to Heath, Alden grinned, “And I think there’s a lot more to you than you realize yourself.” Alden winked at him, “Toss that in there towards the middle.”
Ceara walked past the two, “Alden did you get that mix?”
Alden nodded to the hood, “Right there”
She grabbed the mix as she walked into the house with a fresh jar of milk. Charlie had the bacon and ham ready; they were all just waiting on the pancakes. Within the next forty-five minutes everyone was fed and relaxing with a full stomach. Neither Heath nor Alden had come back in, so Ceara made them a plate each, taking it out to them. “You guys missed breakfast! I got you a plate and if you need more coffee you will have to get that yourselves.”
Both men took the plates as they thanked her and sat down on the tailgate as they started eating. Ceara smiled and headed back inside, she looked to Beth, “So what do we need to do in here? I just think we need the sleeping bags, right? Did we want to take any pans or stuff like that?”
Beth looked around at everything lying in little organized piles. It seemed funny, but sad all at the same time, as to what all they had as far as personal possessions; which was close to nothing. However the thing that each one of them had was their lives and THAT was the most important thing of all. Looking over to Ceara with a smile she answered, “I’d say we pack the perishables items, like the meat and frozen stuff out in the freezer in the shed. Look for a cooler or something like that. After that, the sleeping bags will be the last thing along with shoving the blankets in between so that it will hopefully insulate it to keep it cold longer.”
Ceara looked around, “Well, the only meat would be…..” Ceara was looking out the kitchen window, “WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?????”
Everyone jumped pushing the other out of the way to see. Charlie whistled low, “Alden must have gone hunting.”
Tabitha backed away from the window, “Screw this,” she headed out the back door. Everyone followed her, just as Alden and Heath came around the corner.
Alden and Heath got to the table. Alden grinned, “Yeah, I figured we needed some more meat and these hills are full of wild boar.”
Heath reached down and began to unwrap the blanket. Charlie moved up next to the table with Colt following. “Whoa that’s one big ass pig,” Charlie exclaimed as Colt started to help Heath.
Alden smiled, “Yeah it is, but I’ve seen bigger in these hills. Be right back.”
They watched as Alden went to the shed and came back with an old black canvas bag. Tossing it up on the table, he opened it up and took out some large knives and a hacksaw. “Now boys, you’re all going to learn how to butcher a hog.”
Ceara looked at the pig then at Alden, “What if I don’t like wild pig.”
Alden grinned, “I don’t think that’s an issue, seeing as how I just watched you eat a ham steak and few pieces of bacon. Just where did you think that came from? I haven’t bought meat in years.”
Tabitha looked over to Alden and with a huge smile from ear to ear spread across her face she spoke right up and wasn’t shy in the least, “Damn Alden!!! Now all’s we got to do is think of a way to ice it down after we butcher it. That way we can take what’s left with us.”
Tabitha looked down at the back end of the boar and smacked the ass of it, “Shoot, I got a damn good recipe for pulled pork that we all could eat on for days.”
Alden interrupted her. Alden put his hand on her shoulder, “We’re going to cure it with salt, and I wish I had time to smoke it but the salt will do.”
Turning to Colt he picked up a knife and handed it to him, “You start by cutting rings around each leg and the neck. Then one around each knee, after that you simply score it with about two inch strips and start to peel the hide off using the knife to cut away the fat. Charlie you get in there and help.”
Colt looked to Charlie totally confused, “Do you know what he means?”
Charlie shook his head, “I ain’t sure but maybe we just start skinning it I think.”
Colt turned a little green, “Hey, at least he already gutted it.”
Ceara walked back in the house before they started, she had watched her dad butcher cows so she really didn’t care about watching a pig. Colt cut all around the top of the back legs, once that was done he started just yanking at the skin. It was not as easy as the movies made it seem. “Alden, I’m kind of having issues here.”
Alden got up from his chair and took the knife then ran it down the outside of the fur making a cut just deep enough to get through the skin. He did it one more time about two inches from the first cut. “There see how simple that is,” handing the knife back to Colt, “Now just slip it in between the meet and the skin and start cutting the skin away.” Alden Looked at Charlie, “You pull it out and back as Colt cuts okay?” Charlie nodded.
Soon Charlie and Colt had a rhythm and were working as a pretty good team. Colt looked over to Alden, “Man that made a major difference.”
Tabitha watched the guys work together and she ran back into the cabin to get a big pot of water, so that she could wash down the meat. She had no idea about salting it down, but she did know that the meat had to be clean before packing it or all forms of fungus may grow in it. Charlie saw Tabitha come out of the house with a huge pot of water and after she placed it down she ran back
inside to retrieve a big plate to put the meat on after it had been cleaned so that it then could be salted the way that Alden had said he would.
Colt saw her return and handed her a hind quarter of the hog and she began washing it down real good. Alden got up and went to the house, returning shortly with a roll of white meat packing paper and large bag of salt. Setting on the table he looked at Tabitha, “I want you to take the meat and put salt all over it then wrap it up real good. Tomorrow when we stop we’ll drain it and pack it in some small wooden barrels that I have and I’ll show you how to make the Brine solution with Cayenne pepper molasses and water. It’s not the best way but it works and has for centuries.”
Heath looked at the group, “I’m going out front to see if I can re organize some of the vehicles to get us more space. Also to ration out the gas into whatever cans I can find.” He looked to Alden, “I did see some old five gallon water cans in the shed can we use those?”
Alden nodded, “Yeah and there should be a can of red spray paint in there to mark them so no one pours himself a glass of gas.” Heath turned and headed to the shed.
Charlie picked up the other hind quarter as Colt kept stripping the hide off and doing the initial cuts. Picking up one of the large knives he looked at Alden as he began to cut the hindquarter up into smaller pieces. Alden nodded in approval and watched as the three, Charlie, Colt and Tabitha worked as team to get the meat ready.
Several hours past, Ceara stayed hid out in the cabin using the excuse of her and Beth making lunch and packing up things they might use in the house. She glanced out to see Alden load the remains into a wheelbarrow then she watched as Colt and Charlie headed off into the woods. Ceara ran out the back door, “Where are they going??”
Alden looked over at her, “Hi stranger, they are getting rid of the extra.”
Ceara looked at him like he lost his mind, “But all that blood and crap will attract the Wanderers!!”
Alden smacked his own head, “Well you know, I just forgot all about them.” He winked at her to let her know he was playing, “Ceara they are taking them deep enough that even if the things could track them back we will be long gone.”
Ceara went to the table to help Tabitha clean up, “I just worry, I didn’t mean that you don’t think about that stuff.” Tabitha coughed and Ceara could have sworn she said “Bullshit!” Ceara looked at her, “What?”
Tabitha smiled wiping down the table, “We know what you worry about Red.”
Ceara put a hand on her hip, “Well you would worry too if you had a….” She turned bright red, “I mean that you would worry too.”
Tabitha cocked an eyebrow, “I would worry if I had a man? Is that what you were going to say?”
Ceara looked down then back to Tabitha, “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it the way it was going to sound.”
Tabitha started cleaning the table again, “Well Beth has a man, and I think that man went into the woods too, so maybe that isn’t it. Maybe it’s that you don’t trust Charlie to take care of himself.” Ceara started to speak but shut up and thought about what Tabitha said, was there any truth to that?
Colt was sweating pretty good as they made their way through the woods, “You want to explain to me why we were the ones voted for butchering that thing and now hauling the shit down here?”
He set the wheelbarrow down wiping the sweat off his forehead. Charlie took over with the wheelbarrow, “Well, we got to know how to do the butchering, and I guess it’s in for a penny in for a pound. That’s what the sisters always said, so I guess it fits here too.”
Colt walked beside him looking through all the trees but only thing moving was Maximus. Tonto couldn’t be seen or heard, but Colt knew he was there somewhere. “So you’re saying that if we start a job, we finish it even though there are five others that will be eating it too?”
Charlie laughed, “See this is where we use today as leverage. When they want us cooking we just point to the meat and say we did our part!”
Colt clapped him on the shoulder, “I like your thinking kid!”
They got a good mile from the cabin before dumping the hide, head and other discarded parts of the boar. Charlie kicked a little dirt and leaves over it before Maximus came over trying to steal the head. Colt grabbed his collar, “No Maximus! Come on boy, we have to get back.”
They began making their way back to the cabin, Colt dragging Maximus for a ways until they got far enough that he felt ok letting him go. “Charlie, at the risk of getting jumped on again, can we talk?”
Charlie didn’t slow down, but took a sideways glance at him, “If you are going to tell me to shoot you if you get bit, that is getting easier to say ok to every day.”
Colt gave a nervous laugh hoping Charlie was just kidding, “What I want to say was I’m sorry you thought I was purposely listening in on your talk with Ceara. I really wasn’t, I just didn’t want to interrupt. Then I heard what you were talking about, and just thought I would put in my two cents. I guess it really wasn’t the time, considering what we had just gone through with Biff.”
Charlie breathed an exasperated sigh, “You think so?”
Colt continued on hoping he could get Charlie to understand, “The only reason I said anything is because we count on each other so much, and I know that is the darker side but we have to be willing to do what has to be done.”
Charlie dropped the wheelbarrow, “Let’s get this straight, I am NOT a kid, I know exactly what can happen out there. You are not the only one that lost someone. I get that you were the only one married and that has to make things harder, but stop with that shit already.”
Charlie walked off leaving Colt to take over with the wheelbarrow, “Charlie?”
Charlie looked over his shoulder, “Look Colt, let’s just drop this. We both know the rules, we don’t like them, but we know them, and will do what has to be done. I just don’t really want to focus on that.”
Colt nodded then realized Charlie would see him, “I agree, so are we ok?”
Charlie shrugged, “We will be…. If you drop this.”
Colt did his best to talk about anything else till they got out of the woods and back to the cabin.
Beth looked outside after she had cleaned up the house a little. She wondered if Colt and Charlie had made their amends or if they were still fighting tooth and nail. Honestly, she had hoped they had smoothed things over especially with how the world was being now. Looking around she started to think about Biff and what he had done. Then she started remembering what had taken place with her family and friends.
This was the first time that she could actually remember everything in detail that had taken place before had met Colt. Her body was going numb as she crossed her arms and walked slowly back and forth from one end of the house to the other. What if Alden was right? What if there were others out there in the CDC who may not be as friendly as Beth was? So many questions now were racing though her mind that she started getting a headache. Deciding to get some Aleve that she had in her purse, she went to the Rover and retrieved some. Quickly she popped two of them in her mouth and swallowed hard when something came up behind her, “Whatchya doing?” asked Tabitha.
Beth turned quickly and was a little shaken, “I … I … have this horrible headache and wanted to get some meds on board is all.”
Tabitha looked at Beth with the weirdest look then said, “He’s going to be fine…”
Beth looked confused, “Who?? What??”
Tabitha smiled and replied, “You’re worried about Colt right?”
Beth smiled and shook her head, “No, I was just thinking about the talk that Alden and I had. The world now has changed or stopped for all we know and if there is any hope out there….” Beth paused for what seemed like minutes then continued, “Will we be able to find some place safe and secure it off from the rest of the world? I just know that no matter what, we are moving into the unknown.”
Tabitha looked at her and had no idea of what kind of an
swer to give her. Too much had happened in the past forty eight hours. So instead of racking her brain for words of wisdom, Tabitha did something that she never thought she would have ever done in her life. Slowly she put her arms around Beth and gave her a hug.
Beth was very surprised at this show of affection but for the first time she started to cry. Tabitha held onto Beth and spoke some soft comforting words that hopefully would help. “Now, Beth, I didn’t do this to make you cry but hell, who am I to say you can’t cry if ya want to. With all of this shit that has gone down, I am probably still in shock and people tend to show their emotions differently. Some cry, like you’re doing, while others like me and Ceara try to wash the shit stains out of the boys undies.”
Beth chuckled when Tabitha had said that. The actual thought of scrubbing out that kind of stuff was not the thought she had wanted but with the way that Tabitha said what she said was exactly what needed to be said.
Tabitha set Beth away a bit and smiled, “There, I made ya laugh so let’s just relax a little and you come with me to go help Ceara find more of them skid marks.”
Beth began walking beside Tabitha and she continued sniffling but wasn’t crying anymore, “Thanks Tabitha… I am the kind of person that doesn’t show much emotion and I guess I had just reached my breaking point.”
Tabitha put her arm around Beth and walked with her over to be with Ceara. “Hey, I aim to please.”
Alden had told Ceara to wash everything she wanted since they were leaving the house for good; there was no need to conserve the generator power. Ceara had the first load hung out and working on the second when the boys came back, “Everything go ok?”
Colt looked himself over, “All in one piece and so is he so yeah, everything’s ok.”
Ceara smiled, “Where’s Maximus?”
Charlie looked over his shoulder, “He’s coming, he’s probably with Tonto. Do you need any help?”
The girls came around just as he asked, “No, you go relax, I can get Tabitha or Beth to help if I need it.”
Charlie looked to the lawn chairs, “Nah, I think I am going to go get a shower and crash for a bit.”
Surviving Day By Day (Book 2): Fears, Flames, and Future Page 28