Dark Titan Journey: Wilderness Travel

by Thomas A. Watson

  Slowly, Amanda reached up with her other hand, petting the snake’s head. “I’m sorry,” she said and the snake stuck its tongue out to her glove. It only took fifteen minutes but she finally held it and Nathan pulled out his camera and took a picture. The snake was draped around her neck and its tail was on the ground. John held the snake after her and said he thought it was cool.

  When they were done admiring it, Nathan took the snake and let it go and told Ares he couldn’t chase it, which made Ares mad. He didn’t get to hold the thing.

  As they walked back out to the road, Nathan pointed out the different trees to the children, telling them how to tell them apart and which ones were of use. Once they hit the road they walked along at a good pace, listening as Nathan taught them.

  It was noon when he stopped them for lunch, walking them off the road where they dropped their packs and ate. Then he told them to leave their packs and led them to a pond. “Watch where you step,” Nathan told them and both immediately focused on the ground.

  “Why are we watching the ground?” John asked, scanning the ground carefully before he moved.

  “There are a lot of snakes here,” Nathan said.

  “How can you tell?” Amanda asked.

  He pointed to the grass to his side then to his front. “Those are snake skins.”

  “It might be a Kingsnake,” she said, suddenly the expert.

  “Oh, I’m sure there are some around but I came to show you the real mean one,” Nathan said and Amanda started stepping real gently.

  “You know they’re here?” John asked, trying to levitate.

  “Yeah, I see three now but they’re in the water,” Nathan said, walking along the edge of the pond.

  “You see three of them already?” John said with a quiver in his voice.

  In a quiet whisper, Nathan said “Move up to me.” They moved beside him and both immediately saw the long black snake about seven feet away where it was sprawled out on the ground in the sun.

  “That’s a Kingsnake,” Amanda whispered.

  “Look close. Its head is like a triangle and even though its scales are dark you can see the pattern on that one. Some you can see the pattern better and others only where the scales meet the belly. That is a Water Moccasin or Cottonmouth,” Nathan told them.

  “Are you going to poke that one?” John asked.

  “No,” Nathan said, holding out his arms and walking backwards, pushing them back with him. When they were about fifteen feet away he turned and took them to their packs.

  “Why didn’t you poke that one?” Amanda asked.

  “That species has attitude. It will chase after you for a few feet, but if you are fishing and it doesn’t like where you’re fishing, it will try to run you off. I usually leave,” Nathan told them, walking back to the road.

  “They’re that bad?” John asked as they trotted up to him.

  “They can be, and when they bite they do it more than once. I went fishing with a man in Louisiana running trout lines and we pulled up next to the bank and one fell out of the cypress tree into the boat. Now it could’ve stayed in the tree, we were just passing by, but I guess we were in its fishing spot. It dropped down, landed with a thud and started striking at everything. Since it wanted the boat so bad, I jumped out and let the damn thing have it and swam to shore,” Nathan told them.

  “You jumped out of a boat where there was one snake into water where there could have been hundreds?” Amanda asked in shock.

  “I knew there was a pissed-off snake in the boat. I didn’t know that about the water,” he said.

  “Why didn’t you shoot it?” John asked.

  “Did that the next year hunting gators in Texas. One fell in the boat and struck at the guide, who pulled out his pistol and shot it just as I did. Let me tell you how hard it is to put your fingers in that many holes trying to run the boat to land,” Nathan told them as they laughed.

  He pulled out the map and passed it to John. “Where are we? That way is north,” he pointed. Slowing his walk, John looked around then at the map.

  “There,” he said, pointing.

  “Very good, John,” Nathan said, taking the map. “What is that plant there?” he asked, pointing at a fence line.

  “That looks like the onion plant but it’s tall,” Amanda said, looking at the plant.

  “No, that is a death lily and it’s poisonous,” he said.

  “How can you tell about mushrooms?” John asked.

  “Don’t eat the damn things,” Nathan said, shaking his head.

  “Can’t you tell?” John asked.

  “Nope,” Nathan replied. “I know a man in Washington State that has taught me a lot about plants and he collects mushrooms. Three years ago he collected some and ate them. He almost died. If someone with that much experience can’t tell, I’m not going to try,” Nathan said.

  Amanda nodded. “I like that thinking,” she said.

  “Don’t you eat mushrooms?” John asked.

  “Only from the store. Those are grown at a farm and removed from the bad ones,” Nathan answered.

  They walked on into the afternoon, eventually coming up to the crossroads. It was only two dirt roads crossing. “There’s a store up ahead. Let’s check it out,” Nathan said.

  “Not another store,” Amanda whined.

  Nathan ignored her as they came to the crossing. The store was set back off the road and a truck was parked outside. Nathan adjusted his rifle and uncovered his badge as he walked toward it. He opened the door and stepped inside, feeling like he was walking back in time. This was an old store. “Ares, stay,” he said, and Ares sat down outside the door.

  “Leave your packs outside,” an old lady called out.

  Stepping in the doorway, Nathan took his hat and sunglasses off. “Ma’am, if you don’t mind the kids will stay right here. I’m just after some bottled water and some from your faucet. I’ve come to find out, if you don’t keep your stuff close it goes missing,” he said.

  The old lady chucked at him. “Then it’s okey dokey,” she said, gesturing for them all to come in. Just then a man came around the corner. He looked even older than the lady.

  “Ain’t got much,” he said, smiling. Nathan saw the cooler and walked over, grabbing three bottles of water. He noticed they were cold. “Wife has the grill up if you want something,” the old man said.

  “What’s on the menu?” Nathan asked, walking up to the counter.

  “Burgers, chicken strips, or grilled cheese.”

  “Burgers, guys?” Nathan asked, looking at the two, and they nodded their head vigorously.

  “Six burgers with the works, please,” Nathan said and the old lady moved off.

  “It’s cash only though,” the old man said.

  “That’s no problem, sir,” Nathan said, looking around. “What’s in the back room?” he asked.

  “Just odds and ends. City folk call it a thrift area.”

  “Mind if I have a look?” Nathan asked.

  “Come on, I’ll show ya,” the old man said, walking around the counter.

  “You two stay right there,” Nathan said as he followed the old man. He walked into the back room and saw clothes racks. He moved through pretty fast and found one set of sweat pants, a t-shirt, a pack of underwear and socks for John. Then he saw the old man talking to another man sitting at a table in the corner. Nathan walked over with the items. “Found what I need,” he said, smiling.

  “Be back in a minute, Herbert,” the old man told the man at the table, gesturing for Nathan to follow him back out front. Nathan nodded at the man and noticed dominos on the table. Nathan wasn’t sure why but he didn’t like Herbert. Got a funny feeling about him, Nathan admitted to himself.

  Nathan sat the stuff on the counter and looked behind the old man. “Are those fresh eggs?” he asked.
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  “Collected and washed this morning,” the old man said, adding up the stuff.

  “I’ll take two dozen,” Nathan said.

  The old man nodded and continued adding then said, “Nineteen dollars and fifty-two cents.”

  Nathan pulled out a twenty and set it on the counter. “Don’t suppose you would consider a trade?” he asked.

  “Depends on what you’re trading,” the man said as the woman brought out a bag.

  Nathan reached into his tote bag and pulled out the revolver he’d taken off Green Coat Man. “This,” Nathan said, sliding it across the counter.

  “You want to trade a four-inch Smith .38 for this stuff?” the old timer asked in amazement.

  “Okay then, how about ten canned goods thrown in? I saw some stew over there,” Nathan said.

  “You steal this?” the old man asked.

  “Nope, killed the man,” Nathan said, and the old man and lady stepped back from the counter.

  “Why?” the old woman asked.

  “He attacked and tried to kill that little girl by the door,” Nathan told them.

  The old man and woman looked at Amanda then at each other. The old man slid the gun back to Nathan along with the bag of burgers. “It’s on the house,” the old man said.

  Nathan slid the pistol back. “It’s a gift,” he said.

  “Son, if you takin’ out people like that I’m rootin’ for ya, and this is my way of helpin’ ya,” the old man said.

  “I want help. When evil men come in, line their heads up in the sight and pull the trigger,” Nathan told the man. The old man picked up the pistol, swung the cylinder open and dropped the shells into his hand. “Sorry that’s all the ammo I have for it,” Nathan said.

  “I got lots of ammo,” the old man said. “When this started I tried driving to town to buy a few more guns but nobody would sell none. Didn’t matter what you wanted to pay. Then you just come in here and trade for a few knickknacks,” the old man said, shaking his head.

  Nathan smiled then paused. “You fixed your car on the first day?” he asked.

  “What was wrong with it?” the old man asked.

  “It just started up?” Nathan asked.

  “Yep, that Dodge done me good since I bought ‘er back in 1950,” the old man said.

  “So you guys have some cars running?” Nathan asked.

  “There’s a few, but mostly older ones. Ain’t even heard of a newer car running since the power quit,” the man said.

  “John, put your pack down and get ten cans of that stew,” Nathan said, pointing at them. Turning back to the couple, he asked, “Have you heard anything from the government?”

  “Shit, what’s worth hearing?” the old woman shot at him.

  “There is going to be a presidential address tonight at seven,” the old man said. “Where you headin’ to?”

  “Idaho,” Nathan said.

  The old man let out a long whistle. “That’s a long way to be goin’.”

  “Yes sir, it is,” Nathan agreed and started grabbing stuff.

  “You comin’?” Herbert yelled from the back.

  “I’m winnin’ so shut up!” the old man yelled back.

  “Why you even let Herbert come here is beyond me,” the old woman spat at her husband. Nathan was glad someone else didn’t like Herbert.

  “He don’t bite my head off,” the old man said as Nathan finished grabbing his stuff.

  “Keep that gun handy,” Nathan told the old man.

  “I will. It beats my old six shooter. You be safe out there and keep the young’uns safe,” he said as Nathan walked outside with a wave.

  He distributed the cans between their three packs. “Okay, let’s go and set up camp. I want to hear what the moron in charge has to say,” Nathan said as he started off down the road.

  After a few miles, they walked a few hundred yards off the road till they were by a large pond, which had the kids freaking out. “Hey, we have to have water and I’m not in the mood to carry it,” Nathan told them.

  Nathan spread out his stuff and watched as Amanda moved her blankets beside his. Shaking his head, Nathan noticed John moving his sleeping bag closer.

  “Amanda, you have first watch of four hours. John you have the last four hours. I’ll take the middle called the shit shift,” Nathan told them. “Now we take whore baths every other day and a full bath on the others,” he told them.

  “What’s a whore bath?” Amanda asked, confused.

  “What you did last night, washing out of a cup of water,” he said.

  “Why’s it called a whore bath?” she asked.

  As he unpacked his pack, Nathan looked up. “In between customers that’s how whores would wash,” he said.

  “What the hell did their customers buy that stunk that bad?” Amanda asked and John fell over laughing.

  “They—” Nathan froze as he looked at Amanda’s inquisitive and innocent face. “I’ll tell you some other time,” he said, taking off his vest.

  “That’s not fair. John knows,” she said, looking at John who was smiling at her. “Oh I guess you think it’s funny you know and I don’t?” she popped off.

  “No,” he said, still smiling.

  “Then why are you smiling?” Amanda demanded with a very grumpy face.

  “Y’all haven’t made fun of me all day and have just been real nice to me, like friends,” he said with an open-mouthed grin.

  “Why would I make fun of you?” Amanda asked. “Momma told me I couldn’t make fun of other people because it hurts their feelings. I know when some girls at school make fun of me because I’m so skinny and don’t wear a bra it hurt my feelings.”

  Agreeing wholeheartedly, John nodded. “It does hurt my feelings, but y’all haven’t done it.”

  Nathan leaned over. “And we won’t,” he told John. “If I say something bad to you it means we are getting ready to fight but I kinda like you so I don’t see that happening. We are friends here,” Nathan told John as he grabbed the radio.

  “I ain’t ever had a real friend,” John said. “Except on X-Box and Facebook,” he added.

  “Those are just people,” Amanda said, laying out Ares’ blanket.

  Nathan strung up the clothesline and hung up a sheet. Then he got the shower bag and hung it up behind the sheet. Walking over to his pack, he pulled out a five-gallon collapsible jug. “John, your duty every time we set up camp is to fill this jug and hang it where I’ve got the clothesline. Amanda, your job every morning is making sure all the water bottles are full,” he said.

  “Oh, I get the girl job,” Amanda said, flipping her hand at Nathan.

  “It weighs over forty pounds,” he said.

  “My pack weighs over thirty and I carry that,” she said smartly.

  “On your back,” Nathan said. “John, get out your water pump today and alternate between everyone’s every day. Today take Wonder Woman and see if she can carry the jug,” Nathan told John, but he was looking at Amanda. Nathan pulled the stove out of John’s pack, figuring it had enough fuel for tonight as he set up and started some water boiling. Then he set up his fuel tab stove and started more water boiling for a dozen eggs.

  Looking up, he saw Amanda giving everything she had to toting the water, sitting it down every few feet and shaking her hands. Finally she stepped back and let John pick it up and carry it over. In her defense, even John’s actions showed it was heavy. Nathan helped him hang the water up. Then, reaching into the bag from the store, he pulled out the clothes for John and tossed them over.

  “Gee, thanks,” John said, holding them up.

  “We’ll get you some more clothes in a few days,” Nathan said. “You shower first then go to the lake and wash your clothes. Then you, Wonder Woman. I’ll go last. I want to be done in an hour so we can hear the broadcast after we�
�ve eaten,” he said as John stood up and took his shirt off. Nathan grabbed the shower bag and filled it with the cold lake water and dumped a pot of hot water in. Shaking the bag, he put his hand in to find it warm. “Hang it up,” he said, holding the bag out to John. Nathan noticed the red areas on John’s body were nowhere near as raw looking as they’d been last night.

  While John was showering Amanda leaned over to Nathan. “John looks like he lost weight today,” she said in a low voice.

  “Oh I’m sure he did,” Nathan said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he lost five pounds, maybe a little more,” he added.

  Raising her eyebrows, she said, “I thought you couldn’t lose that much in a day.”

  “Under normal circumstances yes, but this isn’t normal. I’m sure John was used to eating what you would eat in a week for one meal,” Nathan said.

  “You would die if you ate that much,” she said, leaning back.

  “No, you’d be surprised,” Nathan said, taking his shirt off.

  Amanda pulled her shirt up to her nose. “Wow I stink,” she said, grabbing her shirt to pull it off. Nathan leaned over, grabbing her arms to stop her.

  “You are a girl and don’t have a bra on,” he said, leaning back.

  She looked at him in shock. “Last night you made a fuss when I talked about wearing panties and bras and today you complain I don’t wear a bra,” she said, letting her hands fall into her lap. “Make up your mind,” she said.

  “It’s the same thing. You’re a little girl,” Nathan said, and Amanda didn’t like the way he called her a ‘little girl.’

  Seeing John walking to the lake, she stood up and stomped off to the shower. Ares looked at Nathan. “Don’t look at me, I don’t know,” he said to Ares. Not understanding, Ares laid his head down, staring at the bag of hamburgers that smelled real good. He was kind of hoping one of those might end up his.

  Once Amanda finished, Nathan ran over and showered after filling the bag up again. Drying off, he looked for his dirty clothes and didn’t see them. Putting on some clean ones he walked down to the lake to find Amanda scrubbing his clothes. “I could wash them,” Nathan said.