by Newman, AJ
“I tried to tell you to slow down on that whiskey last night.”
Ann still couldn’t get her eyes to open. She could handle her alcohol and was shocked that she got drunk and Tom didn’t. “Did I make a fool of myself? I love to drink, but I’m either a mean drunk or a sloppy loving drunk. Did we …”
Ann’s eyes snapped open when she heard Tom chuckle. He continued laughing as her face turned red. “Oh, you tried to seduce me, but I resisted your charms. After we lay down for the night, you woke up and puked twice.”
Ann noticed her shirt was gone and she only had Tom’s jacket and a raincoat covering her. She tried to remember what happened that night and everything was a blur. “Tom thanks for being a gentleman. I have to stop getting drunk. I get out of control.”
“Ann there is nothing wrong with drinking, but you slammed ten ounces of 70 proof whiskey in an hour that should have been sipped over the entire evening. I don’t need to tell you that all men won’t behave well around a drunken beautiful young lady. I’m not your dad, so I’ll shut up.”
“Daddy, first I look much younger than I am. Second, thanks for being a gentleman. Third, the next time I come on to you, I’ll be sober.”
“Cut the Daddy crap, or I’ll spank you. I’m happily …err…in a relationship with Meg,” Tom answered. Tom then took charge to change the topic. “Now get your butt dressed and eat some of that summer sausage so we can check out another ranch. I found that stack of food you placed on the counter in the house and filled our backpacks. Chop, chop, and get moving.”
A few minutes later Ann came out of the barn yawning and stretching until she saw the smoke from the next ranch to the east. “What the heck. Tom, that home had people living in it last night. Oh, my God, I was drunk when the raiders attacked.”
“Yes, they hit around four this morning, and it was ugly with the screaming and gunfire. I was tempted to go over and kill the jerks, but couldn’t leave you here alone. After daybreak, I went over and buried the man and his small son. I couldn’t find the teenaged daughter and her mom,” Tom confessed as tears formed in his eyes.
“How do you know there were a woman and daughter?”
“The clothes in their closets.”
Ann swallowed and went into the house to get the bags of food. “Wait a minute. I need to fetch something.”
She came back in a few seconds with a small pink bag hung from her neck. “I grabbed some soap and undies for the ladies. I stink, and they probably do also. Why don’t you grab a few things for you men?”
Tom reached down into a camo bag hanging from his shoulder and pulled out a pair of women’s underwear and a bra. “I have the men and women covered.”
Ann left Tom wearing a dirty pair of jeans and dark green pullover with holes. She came back wearing black jeans, a cotton shirt, and a jeans jacket. “Now I feel better. I washed up a bit. The clean undies and clothes make me feel much better.”
Ann found some food in the cabinet and made a plate of tuna, pickles, crackers, and applesauce for their breakfast. “I’m still hungry. Here, eat this.”
Tom thought he heard something but just shook his head and reached for the plate. Before Tom could take the plate, there was a roar overhead and then a vast explosion south of them. They were knocked off their feet, and the dishes went flying across the room. Ann started to get off the floor, but Tom pulled her under the kitchen table with him. “Meteors! There could be more.”
There were sounds of small meteor impacts all around them for about fifteen minutes, but none even hit the house. While Ann had fought and killed the enemy in several countries with her bare hands, she was a bit scared of the meteors. Then it dawned on her to show her fear and vulnerability to Tom. She hoped showing him a softer side would attract him. Tom held her close under the table with her head on his chest, and she didn’t want to leave when he tried to get out from under the table. “It’s clear now. I promise you are safe.”
“Those bastards scare me,” Ann said as she pulled him to her and kissed Tom. Tom was surprised but didn’t pull away until he realized he was falling for her charms. He knew she had been trying her best to get him interested in her but had resisted until now.
Tom pushed her away. “I have to keep us alive and get back to Meg in one piece.”
Ann knew her plan didn’t work.
They looked outside to the north, and everything seemed the same. Tom led Ann around to the south side, and the scene was horrifying. The city was on fire, and half of it ceased to exist. Many of the homes in the suburbs were demolished and on fire.
Ann couldn’t process the destruction and just got madder and madder. “Why does God hate us so much that he did this to us?”
“Ann, God didn’t do any of this. I’m not a very religious man but blaming God won’t help us live through this crap. God made the world and us and then sat back and watches us like a TV series. He probably has a beer and a big bowl of buttered popcorn right now, as he sees us feebly trying to survive. Oh, he roots for the good guys and jeers at the bad ones, but I don’t think he tries to tip the scale.”
Tom pulled his handkerchief out and wiped the tears from her cheek. “Ann you are one tough chick, and the rest of us need your tough side for a while. The hot vulnerable beauty needs to stay in hiding for a bit longer.”
Ann pulled Tom close and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for the pep talk, but I still hate those darn meteors.”
Tom led Ann to the next vacant ranch and was shocked to find several horses shut up in the barn. There was a big water trough, and several bales of hay tossed down from the loft. Someone had planned to come back and didn’t make it home. “Ann, can you ride a horse?”
“Hell yes! It will sure beat walking back to the camp.”
“Okay, check the home out while I get these girls ready to travel.”
Ann dropped her gear and ran over to the house. She cautiously opened the back door by prying it open with her knife and entered. A rotten cadaver like smell assaulted her as soon as the door opened. She wet her handkerchief, placed it over her nose, and entered the kitchen. Everything was neat and orderly in the kitchen and the rest of the house until she entered the master bedroom. An older woman lay in bed as though she had just laid down to sleep. An older man sat in a chair slumped down against the nightstand. A pistol lay at his feet, and his brains, bone, and blood were scattered on the wall.
There was a note pinned to the man’s chest:
“We’re too darned old and sick to go through this crap. We both have heart trouble and diabetes, so we don’t have long to live. Please take care of our horses or let them free to roam. Take whatever you need to survive.”
Fred and Ethyl Coburn
Ann was disturbed about the death of the old couple as she closed the door to their bedroom. She thought about them the entire time she searched the house. She found several large duffle bags containing a tent and old camping gear. Most of the equipment was useless, but she kept the tent, a Coleman stove, and a large tarp. She filled the bags with canned meat, vegetables, and several bags of beans, flour, and rice.
Ann moved everything to the back deck and then searched their closets for clothes and coats. She moved a stack of boxes in one cabinet and found a 12-gauge pump shotgun and a .308 deer rifle with a scope. She searched and found a box of shells for each gun. Ann loaded both weapons and slung the rifle over her shoulder. She ran to the kitchen with the firearms to let Tom know about the great find. Before she could burst through the door, she heard a noise outside and dropped to her knees by the back window.
Ann peered through the lace curtain and saw two men had guns pointed at Tom. She couldn’t hear what was said, but she saw Tom’s pistol on the ground. She knew she only had a few seconds to stop the men. Her instincts took over, and she ran back through the home and out the front door. She ran around to the backside of the home and looked over the raised deck at the men. She could see them through the deck furniture, but they hadn’t noticed her.<
br />
Ann knew there was a chance that Tom could be wounded or killed before she could kill both of the men. She didn’t think, she reacted with a warrior’s skill. She leveled the Savage .308 aimed and squeezed the trigger with the pad of her index finger. Ann lifted the bolt, pulled it back ejecting the spent cartridge, and slammed another home. She aimed, but no one was in her sights. She panicked, dropped the rifle, and jacked a round into the chamber of the shotgun as she ran around the deck to confront the one attacking Tom. She heard the crack of gunfire as she flew around the corner. Ann slid to a stop due to the unsuspected scene. The stranger was on top of Tom, and both were motionless. Tom’s side was covered in blood. “Tom! Tom!” she screamed as she ran to his side.
She butt stroked the stranger on the ear and then shoved him off Tom who said, “I’m okay. I drew my knife and stabbed the mother when your shot distracted him. He got off a wild shot but missed me by a mile. You saved my life.”
Ann fell down beside Tom. “I was afraid you were dead. The man’s blood ran down your side, and it looked bad.”
“I won’t lie to you. I was scared to death. One of those men looked like the thugs that robbed us.”
Ann helped a somewhat shaky Tom get up and made him sit in a lawn chair. Tom balked. “We need to get the hell out of here. One of the men mentioned others are coming. You grab their guns and ammo while I load up the horses.”
Tom led Ann and the packhorses into the scrub brush and pine trees south of Boynton Pass Road. He found a thicket and told Ann to dismount. “Girl, we have two choices. We can ride on to our camp in broad daylight avoiding the roads as much as possible, or we can wait until dark and ride down the middle of the roads and trails. Either one is a bad choice.”
Ann pondered the two ways to get back to the cabin. “I’d rather travel by horseback when I can see. Of course, there are some places where we’ll have to do our best to avoid detection. The clip-clop sound from the horses will be much more noticeable at night.”
“Okay then we cut across country,” Tom said and then pointed northeast. “I think that is the correct direction to take us close to Fay Canyon Trail where it crosses the paved road.”
“I agree. When we get to Boynton Pass, it should be running down from the northeast toward the southwest. If it is opposite of that we’re too far east,” Ann added.
They mounted and traveled southwest as Tom directed. The sun was low in the sky, so it was easy to stay on their course. They had to go around thick brush and several ravines, but Tom kept steering them back in the correct direction. They saw a few snakes, but none was close enough to spook the horses.
They found the paved road, and as Tom had said, it headed southwest. They quickly found their trail and breathed a sigh of relief as they rode the last few miles to their camp.
☆
Chapter 6
Walt and Mattie had covered a vast amount of ground since daybreak. He took her up and down the hills and ravines searching for a well-hidden location with water and a flat area large enough to grow a huge garden. They could easily find any one of the needs but not all three.
Mattie had lived in Stony Creek all her life but hadn’t been out in the mountains in years. She loved the scenery, animals, and birds. Early spring brought out a multitude of colors and wildlife activity. She had been so busy helping her mom run the bar that she had missed out on Arizona’s natural beauty.
Walt was in the lead as he walked into the small canyon. “I believe this is a box canyon and could be a winner.”
Mattie spotted something on the left wall of the entrance. “Walt, come here. Something is sticking out of those rocks.”
He walked back to Mattie scanning in all directions. “What do you see?”
“It’s a big animal paw. Look there is blood all around these rocks.”
They removed several layers of rocks and saw the remains of the deer and the cougar. Walt was surprised. “Holy crap. This is fresh meat. Start cutting the loins. Get as much as you can carry and let’s get the …”
Rocks slid down behind them, and they heard a raspy voice. “Yep, yee shoulda got the fock outta here before yee got caught stealin’ me meat. Drop yer guns and turn yer butts around slowly or you’ll get a 30 30 and load of buckshot in your arse.”
Mattie and Walt laid their guns down and turned to see a rough looking man who looked like an old west trapper standing in front of them. He glanced over his shoulder. “See Girly. Da bandits has already been cutting on our meat.”
Lisa walked around the man with her shotgun pointed at the two thieves. “Hey, I know these two. You’re Walt, and I can’t remember the girl’s name.”
“I’m Mattie, and you are Bob’s ex-wife.”
The old trapper lowered his rifle. “You know dease bandits? Dem two is about as welcome as a hair in a biscuit.”
“Yes, Roy, and please put your gun down. They are my friends. Walt, tell me what happened back in Clarkdale. Where are Bob and Luke?”
Walt gulped and then spoke. “Ma’am there isn’t a good way to put this. We know Bob, Mary, and Maria died in the fight. Lu …”
“Bob’s dead? I can’t believe it. Bob was tough. He was a fighter.”
“Lisa, I saw the body myself. We buried him.”
“What about my son, Luke?”
“Luke is missing in action. He didn’t come back from the fighting in Clarkdale. We waited for him over a day and then had to leave,” Walt admitted.
“Why didn’t you stay until he returned? He could be in Clarkdale now.”
Walt was a bit defensive in his reply. “No, he isn’t in Clarkdale. That Carlos guy told us to leave, or he would kill us all. He hated Tom and was actually sent here to kill Tom the day the fit hit the shan. That’s a long story, and Tom can tell you about his past. I don’t know if Luke is alive or not, but he won’t be in Clarkdale. Once we get settled, we will search for him but nowhere close to Clarkdale.”
Lisa broke down in tears sobbing for her son. Roy held her and tried to soothe her without success. She only cried for a few minutes, pushed Roy away and asked, “What do we have to do before we can start searching for my son?”
Mattie, who had been quiet, replied, “We need a place to hide from Carlos and his men where we can live and grow a large garden while we hunt for meat and scrounge for food. Walt and I are hunting for such a place while Tom and Ann search for food and supplies. Carlos allowed us to take food and some weapons with us, but we were robbed the other day and lost it all.”
Lisa asked Roy to step away from the others for a private discussion. Walt saw Roy shake his head several times and voices were raised. Lisa suddenly hugged Roy and turned to Walt and Mattie. “Roy has graciously agreed to let you move to his homestead and set up there. The valley is small, but it’s hidden and has enough fertile soil for more than a large garden. It’s a bit hilly, but Roy has used some ingenuity to grow his gardens. Will you join us?”
Walt replied, “We need to check with the rest of our group and our leader, Tom. Do you have any extra housing there?”
Roy’s face screwed up like a kid getting a dose of Castor Oil. “How many are der in this group. How many men and girls?”
Mattie responded, “Five women and two men counting us.”
“Der ain’t no extry homes, but you girlies can stay in me house while the menfolk fix something to live in. Der’s some old canvas fer a roof in me shed. There ain’t much rain hereabouts, but you needs a roof to keep the sun from baking your brains. The nights are cold.”
Walt didn’t know what to make of the guy then the lightbulb grew brighter in his mind. The old fellow was trying to please Lisa. The man looked old enough to be Lisa’s father. Walt answered. “We all have lived down by Stony Creek for many years and know what to expect. We can throw up some tents until we can gather building material and build a cabin.”
“Der’s a small spring that runs down from de mountain, so der’s plenty of water most of the year. It dries up every no
w and then.”
Walt extended his hand and looked Roy in the eyes. He saw something he didn’t like behind the glassy gray eyes. Something menacing was the feeling that spread over Walt. Roy finally extended his hand. They shook, and Roy yanked his hand back as if he’d touched a cherry red pot-bellied stove.
Roy looked at Lisa and winked. “Be back right cheer about daybreak in two days.”
Walt balked at the two days. “We have another scouting team out, and they aren’t due to return for two to three days.”
Roy spit out a cud of tobacco. “Make it four mornings from now. Roy turned and went about skinning the lion. Lisa looked at Walt and shrugged her shoulders. “Be here. Roy isn’t very easy-going. Oh, take the meat you have already cut off.”
Walt and Mattie shouldered the meat and walked away. They made sure they were out of sight before stopping. Walt moved close to Mattie and whispered. “I think I should follow them back to Roy’s place and then come back on a longer scouting mission before making a decision.”
Mattie replied, “I agree, there’s something about him that I don’t like. He just seems fake to me. That hoarse voice and fake assed hillbilly language don’t appear correct for old-timers in this area. Let’s tread carefully. Yes, go on back and find where he lives. I’ll move on down the trail about a mile and wait for you.”
“That works for me. It might take a while since he was taking the time to skin that cat,” Walt chuckled at his words
***
Walt returned as the sun sank below the horizon. Mattie heard him before she saw him and was relieved when she saw the Indian. “Walt over here. I have a small roast cooking over the fire. I figured we’d spend the night here and head home in the morning.”
“Good idea, I’m beat. Roy’s place wasn’t very far from where we found the deer. I’ll tell you what I saw after supper.