by Ryan King
Nathan found that he enjoyed traveling with the Creek Indians. It was the first time in many years that he felt responsible only for himself. He had no concerns for protecting or providing for others. His daily pressures were those of an individual. He found it refreshing.
His leg still bothered him some, but it was growing stronger day by day. Initially he couldn't ride more than a few hours, but now he could go all day in the saddle. Granted he was often sore the next day, but he admitted it beat walking.
Joshua appeared to get better at riding every day. He tried to learn everything he could about horses from Susan and the Indians. They in turn appreciated his interest and hard work, and both he and Nathan tried their best to contribute by herding, hunting, keeping an eye out for exotic and dangerous wildlife, and general labor.
Jack rode in the front of one of the makeshift yurts. He was still as cranky as ever, but Nathan thought he seemed more tired lately. The old man had never been a quiet one, but now unless directly engaged he stayed with his own thoughts. Nathan had to admit that the man was easily in his seventies and had been through a lot. All things considered, Jack was holding up well.
The last few days they had been skirting a large forest to their right. Now that the Creek knew the Paducah crossing was not feasible they headed further east. The next large bridge crossing on their map was at Evansville, uncomfortably close to Louisville, which Susan said had received at least one nuclear strike. Nathan kept hoping they would find a smaller crossing before then.
Seeing the yurts and wagons begin to concentrate around a stream for the noonday break, Nathan galloped up find out what was for lunch. The Creek were fantastic hunters and the land was filled with game. The smell that came from the pot over the fire told Nathan it was rabbit stew, one of his favorites.
Dismounting and tying his horse where it could graze, Nathan walked to the fire, retrieved a bowl of stew and then sat down beside the others gathered there.
"How's the leg?" asked Susan.
"Getting better," he spoke around a mouthful of food.
She nodded in the direction of his horse. "Until your leg’s fully healed you need to be careful with any galloping. It's easy to re-injure yourself in the saddle."
Nathan nodded.
"Anyone seen any bridges?" Jasper asked of no one in particular.
The group shook their heads trying not to look uneasy.
"Any way to ford it?" asked Don.
"The Ohio River?" asked Jack from his perch on a nearby yurt. "Have you actually ever seen the Ohio River? It's quite broad."
"I was just asking," said Don. "We forded a lot of rivers getting here."
"You won't ford this one," said Jack. "We need a bridge unless you want to go all the way to the middle of Pennsylvania and then come back down."
They were interrupted by a young brave who rode up and stopped his horse suddenly in a cloud of snow and dirt.
"Easy there, young fella," said Jack, "there's still plenty of stew left."
"Billy," the man said. "I was out hunting and I found something."
"Did you get anything?" Jack asked.
The brave looked at the old man and seemed distracted. "I shot a deer, but only wounded him. Tracked him into those woods there."
"Nobody knows how to shoot anymore," Jack shook his head.
"Anyway, you'll never guess what I found," he said.
"Hopefully it was the poor deer you say you shot," Jack quipped.
"Jack," said Nathan, "would you please let him talk?"
"Fine," Jack answered. "But I don't see any deer on his horse. That tells me that he couldn't track the animal. These younger generations ain't self-reliant."
"Smoke," said the brave excitedly. "Lots of smoke. Like from hundreds of fires."
"Forest fire?" asked Nathan with concern looking toward the trees to their right.
"No," the brave answered, "I sneaked in there and it was cooking fires. Lots of them surrounded by thousands of people, all huddled around these fires eating and sleeping."
"Did you say thousands?" asked Susan.
"Sure did," answered the brave.
"Did you see any weapons?" asked Billy. "Did they look hostile?"
"Not that I could tell. Lots of women and children. Don't look hostile to me."
"Wonder where they came from?" said Susan.
Everyone looked at Billy and he rubbed his chin. "We can either pass by them or go make contact. Probably no reason to do the latter and it could be dangerous. It's unlikely they could assist us in any way."
"I haven't told you the best part," said the brave.
"You're saying what you've told us already is good?" asked Jack.
Susan gave the old man a warning glance. "What is it?" she asked the brave.
"You'll have to come see it to believe it," he answered.
*******
They picketed their horses out of sight and then carefully made their way down the river bank until they could see clearly west down the river.
"There it is," said their guide with a flourish.
Nathan wasn't immediately sure what he was seeing. A large barge was stuck sideways in the bend of the river extending from the right bank nearly all the way across to the other side. Water piled up in big foamy heaps against the side of the brown rusty boat before forcing its way powerfully through the small channel that was now all that remained of the river. This water surged through with tremendous force.
People worked on the end of the barge. A great deal of people actually, covered in black dust. There was a tall makeshift wooden platform with a series of men handing buckets up off the deck hand over hand to the top. Once there, the contents of the buckets were dumped into a wooden chute that carried the pile of black rocks out over the churning water to land in a growing black pile against the far bank. On the shore other men appeared to be cutting and shaping logs, after which they carefully attached them to what appeared to be an extremely long, flat, and heavy tabletop.
"What are they doing?" asked Don.
"They're making a bridge," Susan said with a smile. "The barge is most of the way there and the log platform is to span the gap. The distance is too great for the log bridge alone, so they're building up a surface on the other side for it to rest."
"Must want to get across the river pretty bad to go through all of this trouble," said Billy Fox thoughtfully.
"As do we," said Nathan. "This is probably a better option than continuing north."
"Can we get the horses, herds and wagons across that thing?" asked Jasper.
Susan stepped forward and put her hand over her eyes to shield it from the sun. "Not without building another platform from the ground to the top of the barge. Then possibly more platforms. The surface will have to be covered with dirt to keep the cattle from breaking their legs in the gaps. The horses we could probably walk up a few miles to a wide slow part of the river and let them swim across."
"So we want to use it?" asked Jasper.
"I think so," answered Nathan. "The only question is do we go help them, go drive them off, or wait until after they've used it and follow along without them even knowing about us?"
"There's a lot of them in the forest," said the brave. "Like thousands. Driving them all off could be a problem."
"But we could take it," said Don.
"Sure we could," said Susan, "but why would we want to? It's not like a finite resource or anything. We can both use that bridge, assuming it works."
They all looked at Billy Fox who was deep in thought. Finally he spoke. "My grandfather always told me not to seek out trouble if you don't have to. These people might be friendly, or at least neutral. Let's try to be civilized at least."
Nathan unslung his rifle and handing it and his pistol to Don.
"What are you doing?" asked Susan.
"Going to try to be civilized," Nathan answered. "I'm an old pro at this. Let me walk up alone and talk to them. It will be less alarming than all of us. If things go
poorly you can cover me."
"You sure about this?" asked Jasper.
"Sure I'm sure," said Nathan with a confidence he didn't feel. "Besides, I haven't been able to be much help with anything else. This is my opportunity to contribute. I want to do what I can."
Billy nodded. "Okay then. Be careful, we'll be keeping an eye on you."
"I'm counting on it," said Nathan with a smile, as he stepped out of the concealment and began making his way down the river bank.
Chapter 13 - Fleeing North
"I don't like it," said Bethany again, her hands protectively clasped over her growing abdomen.
Reggie sighed, trying to control his frustration. "I know you don't like it, but it's the right decision."
Bethany looked around the living room of the cabin she had shared with her family. It was the only real home they had known since leaving Maryland. "You sure everyone isn't just exaggerating?"
"Dear," said Janice packing clothes for Bethany into a wicker basket. "We've been getting raids across the lake at least once a week. Several homes have been attacked, and it could be us next."
Reggie gave his wife a thankful look. "Also, the lines south are crumbling. They almost had a complete breakthrough a few days ago. If not for the act of some brave soul, they say we'd all be dead or captured by now."
"Sure would like to know who that was," said Janice wistfully.
"It doesn't matter," said Bethany. "I'm not going. You can go if you want, but I'm staying right here."
"Bethany," said Reggie with a sigh. "We've been over this. It's not safe here anymore. David said he could find a place for us at the dam."
"It's not safe anywhere," answered Bethany. "Even in our wonderful new world I've still lost Nathan and Joshua and maybe even David. It's important that I stay here."
"Why?" asked Reggie.
Bethany didn't answer. She moved to a window and stared out at the rest of Camp New Harvest rapidly packing their meager belongings and beginning the walk north along The Trace.
"Is it because this is the last place you were all together?" asked Janice tenderly.
She nodded, but didn't turn around.
"And you think you should wait here for them?" Janice probed.
"He promised," Bethany said in a tearful voice. "He promised he would come back and Nathan has never broken a promise to me."
"He'll find you," said Reggie.
She turned from the window, streaks of tears running down her cheeks. "How can you know that? He told me to stayhere. To waithere. He said no matter what happened, to stayhere."
"Because he thought this was a safe place," said Janice. "It no longer is."
Bethany shook her head. "How do we know the next place or the next or the next after that is any safer. At least here Nathan knows where to find me. Once I leave...he'll...think I gave up on him..." She sat down and put her face in her hands.
Janice rushed over and sat beside her putting arms around the trembling woman's shoulders. "There now, dear. That's a silly thing to worry about. He would never believe any such thing. You're just not thinking clearly right now, that's all."
"Because of the baby," said Reggie.
Janice shot him a warning look. "You have to think of the baby now. This is not a safe place. We can't count on the enemy treating you in a civilized manner when they get here, pregnant woman or no."
"When they get here?" Bethany asked.
Reggie sat down across from her. "Yes. It's a certainty. Our men are fighting bravely, but they can't keep it up forever. We have to fall back."
"And then what?" Bethany asked.
"Then we wait at the dam," said Janice.
Bethany looked from one to the other. "That's not a plan. We go hide at the dam until the enemy gets there and puts us under some sort of siege. I'd be better off staying here."
"No you wouldn't," insisted Reggie. "We get to the dam and then we see what happens. Maybe the fighting stops or maybe Harold can cut some sort of deal. The main thing to focus on is to get out of the immediate path of danger."
"It's too soon to despair," said Janice. "We're a long way from that. You've got to stay strong."
"I'm not despairing," Bethany said. "I know Nathan will come back for me. He would never leave me."
Reggie shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, Bethany...you know that it's horrible out there...and..."
"Spare it," she said. "Nathan's not dead. He's coming back."
"But how do you know?" asked Janice.
"I just know," Bethany said with a set jaw. "Now we'll not have any more of that talk."
Reggie looked around the room and his eye caught on a notebook. "What if we leave him a note? That way if he comes, he'll know where to find you."
"What a wonderful idea," said Janice. "Then we can leave without fear that he won't be able to find you."
Bethany was silent for a long time thinking. "You really think we have to leave?"
"I do," said Reggie. "It's past time. We have to go and we're not going without you."
She finally stood and walked over to the wall where a family photo hung. It showed all of them happy from several years ago. Bethany had pulled it out of the frame and carried it from their home in Fort Meade, Maryland across the mountains and to their new home. It was the only picture that she had of her family. She yearned to take it with her, but they needed someplace to hide the note for Nathan. Somewhere that he would notice.
Bethany sat down with pen and paper and then couldn't think of anything to say. It seemed so final, as if she were writing her last words to him. She pushed the thought aside and began to write.
Nathan, I know you told me to stay here, but we had to go north to the dam. Reggie and Janice are here with me and they insist we move because of the fighting to the south. I want you to know that the baby and I are okay and waiting for you. David is okay too and I hope you found Joshua. If you didn't, please don't stay away because of that. I want you with me. Come home soon. Your loving wife, your best friend, Bethany.
Bethany realized she was crying again and she wiped her eyes. The hormones were wreaking havoc on her ability to stay calm. She carefully folded up the letter into a small square and then walked over to the picture again. Bethany tilted the frame ever so slightly off center and then placed the paper behind one corner. Nathan never could stand a crooked picture. If he came in the house he would have to fix it and the note would fall out.
Someone else could find it too, she thought.They might destroy it or use it for toilet paper.
Wings of panic started to flutter around her and she forced the feeling aside. "He'll find it," she said out loud.
"Of course he will," said Janice. "Now we had best go."
Bethany nodded and walked away from her home.
Chapter 14 - Crossing the Water
Nathan was surprised how good it felt to be back in Kentucky. He had asked to go over early and Givens agreed. That turned out to be a good thing because several dozen men with guns had converged on him and the few who had already crossed. Nathan was able to explain that they were refugees from Kentucky and were seeking to return home. Getting them to understand the Creek situation had taken a little more explaining, but in the end the men had not interfered. Their role was to protect the LBL's northern flank from incursion by Ethan's forces in exchange for electricity. If the refugees were not a threat, and they certainly didn't look to be in any condition to cause trouble, the men saw no need to fight. Nathan appreciated their pragmatism.
From them Nathan learned the current situation and thus increased his anxiety. It sounded like New Harvest was on the verge of collapse and he worried about Bethany. Nathan had seen firsthand what could happen in war when one side defeated the other. The results were especially brutal when civilians were mixed in with the soldiers and those soldiers had suffered greatly. Only Nathan's promise to help the Creek through Kentucky kept him from racing south as fast as his borrowed horse could go.
He continued to watch the n
early never ending flow of people climb up the log ramp to the barge and then walk along its length, to traverse down the other wooden ramp to the southern shore. People moved purposefully to designated areas to camp for the night. These newly resettled refugees wasted no time building fires to ward off the cold wind and swirling snow.
Although the procession was orderly and quiet, there was a sense of jubilation. Nathan wondered if these people were delusional. Their lives would not be any better simply because they were back in Kentucky. Many of their homes were likely gone. They could not go into the LBL since that was where the fighting was and if it weren't, there was no way New Harvest could support all these people. They would have to return to the Jackson Purchase where the government might view them as traitors.
Joshua rode up beside his dad, horse wet from the swim across the river upstream. "Nearly all across," he said. "We started yesterday morning and thought it would take three days, but looks like everyone will be across today."
"This was very well done," observed Nathan. "Surprising for such a huge number of civilians. Givens has them under control and they listen to him."
"Did you hear what he did to Brazen's man?"
"I did," answered Nathan. "Don't judge Givens too harshly. He did what he had to do and it looks like they now respect and listen to him because of it."
"Could just be they're scared shitless of him," Joshua said.
Nathan grinned. "What you don't realize is it's almost the same thing. It's hard to respect someone that you're not at least a little bit afraid of, especially when you're terrified out of your wits at other things. Givens gave them something that they fear more than starvation and freezing to death. He kept them from scattering or murdering each other. In my book, that's quite an accomplishment."
Joshua touched his head. "I just don't like torture, that's all."
"I doubt Givens got any joy out of it," said Nathan. "It served a purpose and sounds like that thug, Jacko had it coming."
"Jack says we all have it coming in the end," said Joshua.
Nathan chuckled. "That old man is crazy half the time, but he's not wrong about that."