by Cooper, DJ
I don’t know how long I’d been sleeping, but when I awoke Rich sat by the bed reading a file from the case. A lamp burned on the table by his side with the warm glow that only a flame could emit. The troubled look on his face said all that needed saying about the contents. I rolled toward him and yawned, gazing at him with new eyes. He glanced up from the file and said, “Well, hello there sleepy.”
I knew life would never be the same, but I savored this moment. The corner of my mouth raised in a pained smile that would only show on one side. The right side of my mouth was swollen and hurt. With a manner of a lisp from the swelling, I said, “Anything interesting in there?”
Rich nodded tentatively and said, “Later. There is time for that. Let’s get you cleaned up and then talk about it.”
That sounded like a great idea. I was amazed at the way those in camp acted as I exited the tent. I’d not really seen anyone but Rich and the Doctor. There was hot food and coffee or tea made from the teaberry plants and other herbs found nearby. The attitude and look of the camp had been transformed from grey and staunch to one of joy with children laughing and others relaxing around the large fire in the center of the camp. Hot water was placed in a large drum above a tarped square for a shower. From the shower head hung a pulldown release to allow the water to fall when needed. All of this was new. In only a day. A woman climbed a makeshift staircase to add more steaming water to the barrel.
A nod of affirmation from the lady, was followed by, “Why not test the temp? I can add more hot or cold to set it to your liking.”
I looked up to Rich, who nodded saying, “It is for you, a nice long shower as hot as you like.”
“I don’t understand why all of this. I didn’t do anything.”
Rich said, “You did without even knowing it. Everyone here has been living in fear; we couldn’t make a move until something distracted them enough to put things in place. We didn’t know how but they knew everything. When you arrived, they wanted to find out where your group had gone, so much so that they had the cameras moved around the camp to watch you. That left gaps that the rest of us could use to prepare. You see, by not telling them when you remembered, you made it so that they had to go to the next step and send for the black suits. Putting the plan in motion.”
Getting angry with him I glared saying, “You hoped for this?”
Rich looked down and said, “No… of course not, but it was what gave us the chance to save us all. You included.”
I was angry but didn’t know why. Angry that he knew what they were up to but didn’t tell me maybe. Or angry that I had to be the one to suffer. I blurted out, “So I was the patsy for the plan? And why the hell do you keep calling them black suits? Roger and Ray called them that too.”
Rich’s eyebrows raised, “Ray is with Roger?”
Confused, I said, “You know them?”
“I only know of them.” He said.
Now, I was confused more, “What do you know about them?”
Rich replied, “Ray has the maps.”
“Ok, wait a minute. I have no idea what you are talking about. They helped us get out of Auburn and came with us. What maps?” I asked.
Rich said, “I will explain it all over dinner and show you what I found in the files. Ray is going to want all of this, and we will need to start for Kentucky in the morning. Now, you shower. There are new clothes for you to wear, more appropriate for our journey. We will need to move fast.”
Frustrated at all of it, I decided a shower would feel nice. The lady who had been adding water helped me gather up things to get ready for the shower. Before I could shower, there was a box of hair dye to rid me of this orange hair. The woman applied it to my hair saying, “We can’t rinse this for twenty minutes. Would you like to join in a cup of something hot by the fire while we wait?” I smiled at her and nodded. When we were done, I sat at the fire with a few of the ladies from camp. All of whom fussed over my swollen eye and split lip. Talking to me saying things like, “You are so brave. How did you do it?” My personal favorite was when one recounted the story of how I’d choked out the man in the black suit. I just told them, “If someone threatened your child, you would be just as fierce. It is nothing more than motherly instinct.” They all nodded and murmured to themselves as we rose. Bidding adieu to my newly formed fan club, I headed for the shower.
The woman helping me with my hair stood outside the tarp to hold the handle down so I could enjoy the warm water. Shampoo and soap were already in the cordoned off shower along with a razor and lotion. It looked like everyone had dug deep to find all the best girl type shower stuff. I felt grateful, but also sorry for these people that had suffered and still offer up their best things. I used them sparingly and felt genuinely refreshed afterward.
The clothing was military fatigues, at least that was what I thought they looked like. I know nothing of patterns, for all I knew it could have been hunter stuff. I liked the idea that they were military anyway. These would definitely hide me better in the woods than my neon pink hoodie would. I was glad to be rid of it, and the orange hair. “That’s the old me,” I said to myself.
Exiting the changing area carrying the socks and boots, my hair wrapped in the towel, and old clothes in tow. The woman asked if she could take them and wash them for me, to which I smiled and replied, “You could just burn them.”
She giggled and said, “I can do that too.”
I thanked her, giving her a tearful hug, and walked to the mess tent to join Rich. I was hoping for some real answers, but right now just happy to enjoy a few moments. As I approached the table, the men all stood. I still wasn’t sure if I liked all this treatment or not.
I sat down and began to wipe off my feet to put the boots on, and Rich asked, “Can I get something to drink?”
“Some of that tea would be nice, I don’t know if it is the plant teaberry that makes it so good, or if there is something else in it, but it is really tasty.”
Rich nodded and went to get it. It was good to relax and amazing how much the air of oppression and anxiety had lifted in the whole camp. Looking around, I could see that people were smiling and chatting. Others were leaned back in chairs and laughing. In one day the whole feel of the place changed to reflect the relief that so many felt. I actually had no idea most of the men attached to this unit were also oppressed; they were being forced to do things being expressed as part of their duty. They all hated these black suits, and I wanted to know why.
Rich returned with my tea and some acorn muffins. A curious taste, sort of nutty but very good. Looking curiously at him, he volunteered, “One of the ladies knew how to make flour from acorns and made these from it.”
“They’re very good,” I said.
He smiled and said, “I suppose you want to know the whole story?”
“That would be nice,” I replied.
Rich began, “The black suits, as we call them, are government men. We don’t know what branch they are with, or even who oversees them.” Taking a sip of tea, I waited for him to continue. “There is something very wrong about the whole Ebola pandemic and the attacks that followed. We do know that it mostly was being used to cover the banking collapse. The entire financial system was on the verge of collapse. One of the briefcases found revealed that terrorists were being used to incite riots and civil unrest, both immigrant and domestic. This was to usher in the time of martial law.
“Unfortunately they were unable to control them, and instead of causing the unrest they were hired to do, they shut down the power grid causing nearly irreparable damage to so many of the substations that it will now be years. Martial law was declared, but it was too late, and the whole country was in disarray. The president declared war on North Korea and the Islamic world firing many weapons just shy of nuclear capability. Other countries became involved, and we fired first. A volley of nuclear missiles, not meant to incinerate the world but disable it, was fired and detonated into the atmosphere causing electrical damage worldwide.
“Ray has the case that proves the guilt of our own officials, implicating them in the biggest screw-up the world has ever known. Trying to maintain power, they are seeking the case and all those who might know of its existence. The problem is that more people than they can imagine know of it and what happened. Ray also has the maps of these camp locations. We assume that because they were asking you, they don’t know where they are. These papers here not only have the names of those they seek but also a secondary map, this one is camps that are not like this one. On this one, it shows where THEY are, their safe spots. But there is more…A list of infected camps as well.”
Taking it all in, it was not difficult to believe. After all, I had seen, from the red X’s on the doors of houses to the camp we ran from before we too could have been forced into it. It was easy to see that something was very wrong with how things were so quickly set up into camps. I asked him, “What difference does all this make now? I mean, after all the world is in chaos and no one really knows what is going on.”
Rich replied, “It’s not that easy, these same people want to continue to be in charge and we, as military, are sworn to uphold the Constitution and feel it is our duty to bring them to justice.”
Angry again at the thought that he was going to go after these people I stood and shouted, “Justice? Are you kidding me? The whole damn world is in the shitter, and you wanna be all heroic and bring them to justice? Why not just expose it all and leave them to the people?”
Rich sat silently, thinking about what I’d just said and looked genuinely perplexed saying, “I suppose if we got the word to every corner of the country there is no way anyone would let them regain power. But, what if people don’t or can’t care? Feeling so desperate, as to follow into the camps, be herded into them with promises of food and shelter? Many will go.”
“Maybe,” I said.
“This is why we need to get to your friends quickly and leave here by morning. Others likely know you are here and will come looking when no information comes out of the camp.”
Fear crept in, not for me but for Matty, I asked, “Do you think they will find them?”
Rich shook his head no, “They know it is Kentucky but that is all. Do you know Destiny Walters?” He asked.
Thinking to myself, “Dez.” I nodded, “Yes.”
“We have to get there; they only know that she is who they are going to see. Fortunately, they don’t know where because the only address she kept was an apartment in Lexington, but it seems she never stayed there.”
“Did they check it?”
“I assume so; it just stated in the file that she had it and that it was empty.” Pointing to a place in the file he said, “Right here.”
Taking the file, I began to read. They had a lot of information, but much of it was outdated and irrelevant. I always thought Dez was a little crazy for all of her ‘Prepper’ stuff, as she would call it. I guess now I know she wasn’t so crazy. I was glad my son was headed to her, I knew she would care for him and had the means to do so. Looking up from the file I said, “When do we leave?”
He said, “First light.”
I looked into his eyes and said, “No fear, they don’t have anything real in here. It is all just the disinformation Dez was forever putting out there to disguise things. She is one smart cookie I guess.”
He said, “Well, let’s eat and hit the hay. Tomorrow starts a new day and a journey that will hopefully reunite you and your son.”
We ate our fill and Rich walked me to the tent where I’d been these many weeks. He came inside and held me close softly kissing me on the side of my lips not swollen. His hands held my head as he whispered, “Goodnight.”
Holding him tight I whispered back, “Don’t go… stay with me.”
In one swift motion, he wisped me off my feet and gently placed me on the bed, our eyes meeting. I was lost looking into his eyes; my own darted from one eye to another in nervous anticipation. His embrace was intoxicating; our kisses embodied the passion we’d been holding in for these past weeks. It was not long afterward that we lay quietly sleeping in an embrace. One that would only grow in days to come.
The morning came too soon, we awoke and dressed, clearing the med tent of anything we thought we would need for the journey ahead, being careful to share with the others. Once packed we went out to meet the others. All the occupants of the camp would be leaving this day; no one was safe here. The camp was cannibalized for anything that could be used, and each set of vehicles was packed with all it would carry. Some people rode in the vehicles and some walked. This would be a hard journey for many. Our group all fit into the single pickup truck. It was an extended cab, with a full back seat. Rich and I, the Doctor, his wife and three children were all that left for Kentucky that day. Others headed north, while many went west in a long caravan that was to split off once they crossed the Mississippi River. I didn’t know it yet, but as fate would have it that at least one of these groups would see us again in the not so distant future.
Somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania was where we were starting from. At this point, I didn’t even know the date or even how long I’d been at the camp. For all, I knew Matty was safe with Dez already. At least I hope he is. We headed out on a dirt road that ran alongside the river. Crammed into the truck like sardines it was evident that this would not be comfortable for long. My hand on Rich’s leg I gave it a squeeze, he looked down at me and winked. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe.
It was only a few miles when we came to our first bridge. Rich was cautious, and after scouting it, he found no one around, hopped into the truck and we crossed. Something looked familiar, and I sat straight up shouting, “Left…Go left here.”
Rich looked at me questioning in his expression and nodding he said, “Something look familiar?”
Horror in my eyes I recognized the stand of trees and instructed him to pull off the road into them. We got out of the truck and could see that there was indeed a camp here at one time. I said, “This is it, we stopped here.” Pointing to the river, I said, “It was over there.”
“What was over there?” Rich asked.
“That is where they threw me in the river.”
Looking around Rich found a grave with a wooden cross that simply said “Kevin, killed by his own wife.”
I began to cry; I’d not realized how this moment would bring back the rest of the things that I’d forgotten. I remember those along our journey and the skirmish that had injured Danny. I began to talk in jumbled sentences, “Danny, Danny was hurt, and Laurie was his mom. I only remembered John and Amy clearly till now.” Thoughts of Kimmie and how she was so devious made me wonder about the others in their group. “Was Jenny going to help with Matty?” Frantically looking around where the death of Kevin had taken place, I said, “Where is it? I can’t find it.”
Rich grabbed my arm and pulled me to him saying, “Rita, calm down. It’s ok; it’s all going to be ok.”
I sobbed into his chest saying, “Matty dropped his pendant and was afraid to retrieve it. I told him not to tell anyone, that I would go find it. I feared if anyone knew he was in the area they would know he saw Morgan and Cindy kill Kevin.”
Rich looked around and nodded to the Doctor. He and his family began combing the area. They didn’t know what they were looking for but looked just the same. Once I was calm, he sat me on the tailgate and went to join the search. Looking back he said, “He may have had someone find it before they…”
Before he could finish the sentence the youngest son of the doctor yelled out, “Found something.”
Walking up to me, he held it in his hand. It was Matty’s pendant. A simple hemp neck cord with a string tied stick figure attached to it. Rich looked at it again questioning in his eyes. I sobbed, “That’s it! That’s his pendant.”
Rich said, “It’s just a homemade stick figure on a cord.”
Laughing as much as crying, I said, “Ariel made this for him, the day he asked he
r to marry him. It was just before all of this happened when Dez brought her to visit.”
Rich laughed with me asking about the day. I told him how Ariel would follow Matty everywhere and he would say how annoying it was. Laughing I continued, “One day she and Charleigh made pendants, and she gave hers to Matty telling him how much she loved him. Matty loved it so much he told her someday he would marry her.”
Rich smiled and asked, “Just how old are these two lovebirds.”
I winked and said, “Matty just turned ten and Ariel is four.”
Rich rolled his eyes saying, “So you made us search for this little stick figure a four-year-old made him?”
Batting my eyes at him, feeling a little sheepish I said, “Yes.” I hopped off the tailgate and walked to where the camp was, pointing, saying, “Our Tent was here. This is the last place I saw my son. I know it really isn’t that important but, it was the task I set out to do for him. It was what I last saw in him. A pleading look for his pendant.”
Rich hugged me again saying, “It’s ok darling.”
Shocked I looked up at him, but I liked it. It was good to feel loved at a time when I felt so lost. Everyone gave a look around for clues, hints or things left behind before climbing back into the truck to leave. The doctor’s oldest son found a bag of sodas tied to a rock in the river. We all marveled at them and then laughed at the moment of wonder. There were two cans of Pepsi, and three cans of Mountain Dew and another two cans of an off-brand orange soda…left was a single can of Monster energy drink. We all took a soda and reveled in the bubbles. Saving the Monster drink for later. They’d left nothing else, one last look around, and we were off. Down the same road, they’d traveled only a month or so earlier.
Chapter 8
“The Road”
“Our government… teaches the whole people by its example. If the government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.”