by Cooper, DJ
Matt angrily stormed out of the barn. Sam rose to follow him, when Tawny reached for his arm. “Let him go, keep an eye on him, but he’s not gonna do anything.”
After he left, Matt’s mother stood and asked, “Is all of that true?”
Tawny replied, “Yes.”
She started to leave when Mark grabbed her arm and said, “Where are you going?”
She shook his grip off and said, “With Matt of course, he promised me luxury and I intend to have it.”
She and Kimmie proceeded out the door after Matt. Connor had been watching him as he gathered some things. It only made things seem more concrete when he noted that he already had a bag packed and hidden by the driveway. Since he’d been watched continuously since the attack, it seemed like it had been there even before the battle began. Kimmie and Renee also began to pack. The three of them left in Mark’s pickup truck. Never looking back or even asking Mark her husband, their father to join them.
Connor came into the barn saying, “They left, and they took Mark’s truck.”
Mark rose and looked outside, troubled he returned to his seat and said nothing. Sam asked, “Hey man, did you see this coming?”
Mark sighed looking down, he said, “Renee has always been this way, greedy and selfish. I only stayed for the kids. Turns out I was probably wrong to do so because now so are they.”
“Damn, guy that’s harsh.”
“Yea well, I guess I just felt trapped. No way out.”
Tawny came over and sat next to him and said, “Stay with us, I know Dez cares about you. She has always said you were kind. And just for the record…We are NEVER trapped in things like this. All we need is to take the initiative to make a change.”
Mark smiled a little but still sat solemn.
Chapter 6
“Reunited”
“Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten”
-David Ogden Stiers
Matty was happy to see Charleigh, running towards her slamming into her legs, he hugged her tight. “Where is Ariel?”
“She’s napping with my mom, wanna see them?”
Matty smiled like a light shown from the inside and nodded. Practically dancing, eyes full of questions. Holding Charleigh’s hand as they walked his whole attitude changed. Looking up at her, questioning in his eyes. “Is Dez ok?”
Smiling at him while tousling his hair. “Yes, I’m pretty sure she’ll be fine. I know she’ll sure be happy to see you.” He smiled as she continued, “You have to be careful though, she had to have an operation so don’t touch her tummy, ok?”
Matty nodded, jumping up and down with excitement and anticipation of his chance to see them. “Ok, ok. I won’t, can we go see her?”
With a tear in her eye she asked the doctor, “I’d like to take him to see my mom.”
Admonishing her, he reminded. “I want her to rest, she needs to rest.”
“I promise only for a few minutes and I’ll also retrieve Ariel, so that she can.”
The doctor nodded, “Only a few minutes.”
Loel pulled Charleigh aside, “Let’s not mention his mom yet. I need to check with Ryan first and talk to him about a few things.” Pausing, he turned back to her before walking away, “Don’t let him out of your sight, Tawny sent him here to get him away from Matt.”
Charleigh nodded and grasped Matty’s hand again for the trip to Dez’s room. Matty was chattering happily about how he couldn’t wait to see Ariel and that now he could protect them. Passing Rita’s room, Charleigh saw her peek out of the small window in the door and shook her head no. Tears welled up in Rita’s eyes, every bit of restraint had to be mustered as she longingly watched her son skip past.
Lightly knocking on the door, the nurse opened it. Charleigh walked in to find Ariel busily chatting to her grandmother about the wood chopping and hole digging at the farm. Dez just laid patiently, smiling at her. But Charleigh could see the exhaustion in her expression. When Matty entered the room Ariel exclaimed, “Matty, look Mimi’s ok.”
Matty stood there behind Charleigh, silently, his head down shuffling his feet. This brave ten-year-old, who’d seen protecting Dez as his important task, began to cry. Dez reached out her hand and said, “Hey now, what’s that all about? Get over here and give me a hug.”
Matty ran to her, throwing his arms around her neck, saying, “I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry you got hurt. It’s all my fault. I hate Morgan!” Sobbing and clinging to her neck he said, “She hurt my mom and now she hurt you.” Lifting his head, tears flowing freely, he angrily said, “I’m gonna kill her like she killed Kevin.” Hugging Dez tighter, still sobbing into her shoulder his back heaved with great sighs.
Dez lifted his head off her and said, “Is that what this is all about?”
Sniffling he nodded to her.
“Well, I’m fine and now I have a job for you.”
He wiped his tears and sniffled, stood straight and nodded to her waiting for his job.
“I’ll need you to help Ariel… always, ok? You’re older than her and she needs help sometimes. She’ll need someone strong like you to look out for her. Can you do that for me?”
He smiled and wiped his snotty nose on his sleeve. Happily, he hugged her neck again and grunted in agreement.
“And I promise, that will help protect me too because then I won’t have to worry so much about her.”
Lifting his head, he nodded vehemently and hugged her again. Ariel was getting jealous and called out to him. “Hey, why don’t you come over here and talk to her with me.”
Dez told him to go ahead and share the seat with Ariel. She motioned the nurse over and whispered to her. Immediately leaving the room she returned a few minutes later with Ryan. Looking at Matty with an indicating look and then to the door, Ryan knew she wanted him to see his mother. He nodded it would be ok and went to get her.
Dez turned to Matty and said, “We have a surprise for you.”
He smiled at her clasping his hands around his knees. “I like surprises.”
Looking past him and pointing for him to look, she motioned towards the door as it opened. Rita walked through smiling. Matty turned and looked. Seeing her he jumped from the chair and ran to her, again sobbing some unintelligible mumblings. Wrapping his arms and legs about her, she couldn’t even move. Everyone in the room was crying, even Ariel, although at four years old she didn’t really know why. The reunion was as sweet as it could get. Kneeling to her son, Rita reached into her pocket pulling out a stick figure on a string she handed it to him. He exclaimed, “My pendant, you found it!” Happily hanging it around his neck, he turned to show Ariel.
Loel stood at the door saying, “He’s with you from now on. Do not let him out of your sight.”
Looking to Ryan, “There will be guards at all times for you, but I want to move everyone to a larger interior area, away from the outside windows. I’ll take the remaining militia men, Dickie, Loel, and Jeremy back to the farm to work with them.”
Rich stood saying, “I’m coming to help.” Ryan shook his head to which Rich said, “I have another reason for going, I need to see Roger and Ray.”
Ryan conceded, “Ok then let’s go.”
Dez called after them, “Remember, tell no one about Rita. And for God’s sake leave us ladies some guns will ya?”
Ryan laughed, “Leave it to you Dez. Yeah, we’ll issue everyone a sidearm.”
Dickie came over to Charleigh, “Take care of my little one missy?”
Charleigh nodded, “You can bet on that.”
Everyone was moved to the quarantine area. It was where those with Rita were housed during quarantine. It was also large, with a couple of sofas and a sink. Nearby was a small fridge and cabinets. Beds were rolled in and set up around the perimeter of the room. Dez remained in her room for a little while longer to rest but was heavily guarded. As everyone was settling in another young boy entered the room, he looked scared and alone. Rita got up, going over to him sh
e put her hand on his shoulder and said, “Hey everyone this is Joseph, he arrived with us.”
Matty whom had not taken his eyes off his mother and
Ariel for a second joined Ariel and went to Joseph and asked if he wanted to play with them. His expression relaxed, looking to Rita like he needed permission. She nodded and said, “Go ahead.”
Keith was standing behind her, “Do you mind? I’m going to the farm with the others to see if I can help.”
“Go ahead, I got this.” She smiled.
Chapter 7
“Defense”
“Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own and cherishes it not only as precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and is conscious that he gains protection while he gives it.”
-Andrew Jackson
They piled into the Jeep with Ryan and headed back to the farm to attend to the issue of Matt. They also wanted to see to the defenses and prepare for what would inevitably be another attack from the gang.
It was dusk, and the sun was setting behind the mountain. Unwilling to use the headlights for fear they’d be spotted. They made their way slowly down the dirt road to where; sat nestled between the two ridges, was the farm and the others awaiting word.
Pulling up to the gate they found Toni and Tawny on watch. Toni was anxious to know how Dez and the others were doing. Ryan smiled at her and she knew before he said anything that Dez would be fine. Jeremy sat nodding with his lips pressed together in a tight smile. So much of the previous day’s concerns lifted as she and Tawny hugged one another.
Swapping the post with two of the men from the militia that had come with them, the girls hopped into the jeep for the short ride up to the barn. It was time to look over and seriously discuss the defenses. Pulling up to the barn they were spotted by Conner who announced they’d arrived. As soon as they walked in everyone was speaking at once. They all wanted to know how Dez was doing.
Ryan quieted them all so that they could speak. “Dez is out of surgery and is doing fine. She will be back here with the rest of you before you know it. Everyone else is well and the children are safe at the infirmary.”
Nearly cheering, the noise level in the barn was thunderous. Once everyone settled down they could finally sit and discuss the defense of the farm. Ryan had brought a topographical map that he laid out on the table. Jeremy knew this map well; he had one of his own. They began to look at the farm and the area surrounding it. Recalling from the last incident how those in the gang had come over the ridges that looked down upon the farm. This is where they would begin their defense preparations.
Jeremy nodded as Ryan explained the area a made note about this place. The ridges were why Dez had decided to purchase it in the first place. This reason was also a problem that they had to face. The farm sat nestled surrounded on 3 sides by ridges. When one looked at it from an aerial view or a topographical map it almost looked like a heart in the midst of these ridges. Flowing from between the two lobes at the top of the heart on each side ran a spring. These continued freely into a single creek running out at the bottom of the heart. A pond held the water until it flowed over a small dam and continued its path to the larger creek at the edge of the property. While it was ideal because it provided shelter from storms and it kept the farm nestled in behind these ridges unseen from the road, it also proposed a dilemma where they could easily be caught in a crossfire between them.
Sam pointed to the ridges and looking at Jeremy he began. “I've been checking the area along the tops of these ridges. I think here is where we need to begin our defense preparations. Keeping attacks to the far sides of these ridges will inhibit their ability to not only descend upon the farm but also to converge, keeping them separated from one another.”
Jeremy nodded in agreement. But Ryan look troubled. Sam looked to him tilting his head slightly with the question in his eyes. Ryan explained. “This is indeed an area where we need to beef up the defenses. But I think we need to be mindful of a wider area.”
“Wider?” Asked Sam.
“Yes, while we’re thinking about defending this farm. Something else to consider is that even though at this moment in time this gang is targeting you all on the farm; eventually, they will seek the rest of us in the area. I think the key to stopping them is keeping them out of this area altogether. We do need to beef up your defenses in case of an imminent attack. I also think we need to have a meeting of others in the surrounding area to identify chokepoints. Places where we can stop these guys before they can get this far.”
The volume in the barn raised as everyone begin to talk at once. Considering a larger picture was not something they immediately gave thought to. So busy in their own little world; in trying to maintain their own safety they hadn’t thought about the community as a whole and the ways to create safe zones.
Ryan continued. “I don't believe that we can keep people out of every area of our community. I think that’s too large of an area; spread out across too many miles to be able to completely encompass it all. In town we have a lot of people and these people can help provide for defense, however, they do not have the means to provide the kind of food that the outlying farms can. I propose that we have a community meeting to create zones for the provision and protection of all. I’ve already spoken to Dez on this topic and she whole heartedly agrees, but that everyone in her group has a voice.”
Janice was the first to speak. “I think this is a fantastic thought. I agree with you as well. What should we do to plan for this meeting? Where and when do you propose the meeting should take place?” Janice was followed by nods of agreement and subtle chatter in affirmation.
Sam put his hands up for silence. “First thing’s first, what we know is a couple of facts. The first of these is that Morgan and this gang will attack again. We need to be ready right now, here, today.” Looking over at Ryan, “Not just here, but also at the infirmary. Matt left, he knows where Dez and the others are. If his plan is to join that gang, as I suspect it is, we will need to be mindful of not only our farm; but the town and the infirmary as well.”
Nodding in agreement, Ryan sat with his hand on his chin; as though in deep thought. Dickie spoke what Ryan was thinking. “How can we mount a proper defense for both?”
“I think all we can do, is the best we can do.” Sam looked to Ray and Roger sitting off to the side talking with one another and asked, “Hey there, do you two have any ideas?”
Ray nodded and stood. “Our thoughts are that we are questioning spending all of our time and energy on defense. When the easiest thing to do would be to just hunt them down.”
Gasps filled the air in the barn, as Ryan’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “I don't mean old west posse style run em’ down kinda hunting. What I'm talking about is sending scouts to find out where their holed up. Once we ascertain this information we can accurately determine their numbers. While I know it's impossible to get all the information before they carry out any other attacks, being smart about it and using this chance to gather some intel would be prudent. These attacks can provide us the information we need to take these guys out. And do it quicker than if we just took a defensive track.”
John smiled, “I knew these guys would come in handy sooner or later.” Everyone laughed.
The meeting concluded with acknowledgement that these were promising ideas. The community gathering would be scheduled for a time when Dez could attend and represent the interests of the farm. Sam and Roger talked with one another and determined that they would be the ones to track the gang. Ryan volunteered two of his best guys to take on this task with them.
They had hoped that they would have had more time before another attack, but when the first shot rang out they found themselves completely unprepared. Racing from the barn they started to take a position in defense of the farm.
Chapter 8
“Decisive moments”
The essence of morality is a questioning about morality; and the decisive move of
human life is to use ceaselessly all light to look for the origin of the opposition between good and evil.
-Georges Bataille
Shards of glass flew across the hall as the doors shattered. They’d been blown from their hinges. Inward the glass, mixed with pieces of metal lay strewn across the hallway. The small room holding many friends and the children was on the right, protected outside the doors by the men from the militia. On the left, the room where Dez lay sleeping, protected as well.
Shots rang out as the men began to fire at the intruders. Echoing through the hallway as each shot was louder than the last. The children curled up, everyone huddled under one of the hospital beds. Rita and Charlie were poised and prepared to shoot anyone that walked through that door.
On the other side of the hallway Dez was shocked into a waking state as the firing continued. Her own guards unmoving from her doorway, still looking from one to another in confusion as to whether they should stand their guard, or aid in the fight. The door flung open. Dez stood, holster around her waist, nine-millimeter hanging from her hip. She nodded to them to advance. Holding in one hand the shotgun and in the other a box of double ought Buck. Placing her finger to her lips she shooed the men from her door and followed them down the hallway as they moved in the direction of the main entry.
Creeping around the corner they could see that the invaders were focusing on the men protecting the doorway to where the children remained hidden. The final man at the door between the children and them fell from the gunfire. It ceased and through the smoke in the hallway emerged five people that marched straight for the door. They thought it was the only protection between the children and them. The two men in front kicked the doors open and marched in as victors. They were unaware that what lay behind were armed mothers not about to allow them to have access to their children. They were instantly dispatched; Charleigh firing on one, while Rita fired on the other.