Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home (12 page)

The others continued to follow as the sky got brighter. Having traveled so much at night, the group got nervous in daylight. Ahead of them, truth be told, Nathan was itching for a fight and didn’t give a shit if someone spotted them. When the NVGs started shutting off because there was so much light, Nathan ripped the harness off his head, knocking his boonie hat off. Nathan pulled Smoke to a stop, shoving the harness in his messenger bag, and climbed off his saddle, grabbing his hat.

Climbing back on his saddle, Nathan started bitching out loud again. To everyone’s surprise, his language was worse. The others stopped as he got his hat, not really wanting to get close to him. When Nathan kicked Smoke to start back up, the others followed.

It was dawn when they noticed a house ahead beside the road they were on. In the last two hours they hadn’t seen any. Everyone started digging in their packs for binoculars as John spoke from the back. “There are some people in the front yard. Two beside a tractor, three on the porch, and one up in the tree beside the house. All of them have rifles.”

When the house was about a mile away, Jasmine glanced at the group then up at Nathan. Taking a deep breath, Jasmine kicked her horse into a trot, pulling beside Nathan. “Nathan, there are people up ahead.”

“Yeah, no shit,” he barked, grabbing Emma’s sippy cup and filling it up. He laid it on her chest as she slept. Jasmine raised her eyebrows and took another deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“Don’t we want to avoid them? John said he saw weapons.”

“Fuck those cocksuckers,” Nathan barked. “They want some, I will kill every man, woman, child, dog, and goat there.”

“What if they don’t do anything?” Jasmine asked, suddenly feeling sorry for the people ahead.

“Then those nine get to live today,” Nathan proclaimed as Emma woke up and picked up her sippy cup.

“Nine?” Jasmine asked.

“Two by the tractor, three on the porch, some dork in the tree beside the house, one in the upstairs window poking his rifle out the window like a dumbass fucking whore, and two butt-licking cocksuckers beside the barn,” Nathan barked, reaching for the SAW.

Jasmine saw a figure walking away from the tractor, heading to the road. “Nathan, please be nice if they are,” she begged. Nathan didn’t answer as Jasmine moved back to the others. “Spread out,” Jasmine said. “John and Tom, concentrate on those at the barn. Amanda and Natalie, cover the ones on the porch and tractor. Casey and I will take the house. Don’t aim at them until they are a threat.” They nodded as she pulled back up beside Nathan.

Nathan didn’t have a chip on his shoulder, he had the whole damn tree daring someone to cross him. Jasmine tried to calm her breathing as they got closer and the figure reached the road, but everyone else at the house was just standing and watching. When they were fifty yards away, Jasmine saw it was an older man standing beside the road waiting on them. She could tell he was holding an AR-15 loosely in his right hand.

When they were ten yards away, Nathan came to a stop, looking at the man with a blank expression. Jasmine looked at Nathan’s face and it was devoid of emotion. Turning back to the man, she saw he was older wearing coveralls and a cap but with a smile on his face. He kept his eyes on Nathan. Jasmine could tell he was scared of Nathan.

“Morning,” the man called out.

Nathan tilted his head, “Yeah, it damn sure ain’t a good one.”

The man smiled bigger. “Well my family and friends are alive and together, so I can make an argument about that,” he said. He nodded to Nathan’s group. “Seems your family is together, so you can make an argument for the same.”

Nathan sat silent for a second before replying. “There still ain’t shit good about it.” Jasmine bowed her head, then lifted it back up, remembering she could be embarrassed later.

The old man chuckled. “I ain’t walked in your shoes, so I can’t say.”

Even though he was trying not to, Nathan was starting to like the old man. “Want to tell me why the boy in your upstairs window has his rifle pointed at my head?” Nathan asked calmly with a blank face.

The old man spun toward the house. “Goddamn it, Johnny, I told you not to aim at them!” the old man bellowed. The house wasn’t off the road more than a hundred yards but Jasmine was sure that the old man could’ve been heard a mile away. The rifle that was poking out the window was pulled inside the house. Shaking his head, the man turned back to them. “I’m truly sorry about that.”

“Thank you,” Nathan replied blandly.

The old man looked behind Nathan. “How do you know any of the kids behind you didn’t aim at us?” he asked.

“You’re breathing. They only aim when they kill,” Nathan replied factually. “If they aim at someone that’s not a threat, they will end up across my knee with a belt.”

The old man shook his head. “Mister, I ain’t done nothing to ya. Why you so pissed off?” Nathan took a deep breath and Jasmine wanted to hide.

“I’m sick and tired of killing government cocksuckers who are trying to kill me just because I won’t bend over and let them fuck me! I’m sick of killing motherfucking shitwads who want to take my shit and hurt my kids! I’m fed up with having to hide as I try to get the fuck home! My fucking head is about to explode from a headache because a little man inside my skull is pounding railroad spikes! I’m tired of these girls mojoing my ass with voodoo, bending me to their will!” Nathan bellowed.

The old man leaned back and blinked his eyes wide. “Damn, guess you’re right. Fuck a good morning.”

Jasmine let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Two men ran to the old man. They stopped beside the old man and Jasmine noticed both were young in their early twenties. One had on a cap and coveralls like the old man and the other had on jeans and t-shirt. “Papaw, did he say someone was coming here to kill them and us?” t-shirt asked.

“Naw, he was just saying what we’ve been hearing on the radio. They had to kill some government thugs and gangs who tried to take their stuff,” he said.

The boys looked dejected. “Man, we thought we was going to get to fight ’em,” the one wearing the cap said.

Nathan snorted. “Careful what you wish for. They are coming. If you don’t bow down and let those fuckers shove their dicks in your ass they will kill you and hang your bodies from the trees in your yard.”

The three slowly turned to Nathan, traumatized. “You serious?” t-shirt asked.

“We’ve seen more people’s bodies hanged on their farms than I ever want to remember. If you don’t leave when they say, they just shoot the shit out of everything. When everyone’s dead, they string up the bodies, regardless of age,” Nathan said, raising his hands and massaging his temples.

“Shit,” the old man gasped.

“Why they do that?” t-shirt asked.

Really wanting the little man inside his skull to die, Nathan closed his eyes as he massaged his temples harder. “To scare others. I left my group and scouted around Herington. I saw a Humvee and two troop trucks pull up to a house and demand everyone out. They waited five minutes and when no one came out, they opened up with fifty cals, shredding the house. Some troops went inside and pulled out the dead family. They wrapped rope around their necks and stung up the bodies. The youngest was still in diapers.”

The three where staring at him in horror as was Jasmine and the others. “And you didn’t tell us this?” Jasmine barked.

Never turning to her, Nathan didn’t open his eyes or stop rubbing his temples. “What difference would it have made besides putting more memories in your heads that you don’t need?”

“What else did you see?” Natalie asked behind him.

“I have pictures and video if you want to see. I’m not saying,” Nathan moaned, still rubbing. Jasmine moved over beside him putting her hand on his shoulder.

“They might have seen you,” Amanda pointed out.

Nathan snorted. “Only the ones I wanted to, and they died.”

“How many did you kill?” Amanda asked.

“Thirteen,” Nathan said. He stopped rubbing his temples and pressed hard. The asshole in his skull quit driving spikes but kept hammering. “I killed the six they left at the next house, stringing up the bodies. Then I moved to another house and called you on the radio and moved away. One of the ones I shot told me they were tracking radios and jamming them. When the Humvee and the truck showed up they shot the shit out of the house, and when they got out to get the bodies, I cut their asses in half. I’m sure I got some more because I booby-trapped the bodies,” Nathan said, knowing Amanda wanted answers and wouldn’t shut up till she got them. Feeling the little man starting to drive spikes again, Nathan started massaging his temples.

Jasmine looked at Nathan’s face and could see he was in pain. “Nathan, let me get some medicine for your headache,” she said, reaching for his backpack.

“It’s not working,” Nathan said.

The old man shook his head, trying to shake the shock of what he head off. “Mister, come up to the house. I’ll find you something for your headache. If nothing else I have some vodka, top shelf,” he offered.

“Thank you sir, but there is a stand of trees a mile north from here. I’m going set up camp and try to relax to get this little fucker pounding spikes in my skull to stop. We’ll head back out tonight,” Nathan said, finally opening his eyes. Dropping his hands, Nathan grabbed his reins.

The old man stepped in front of his horse. “Young man, you can stay here. Your horses look tuckered out, as do you.”

Nathan looked at old man with blurry vision and tried to smile. “I’m Nathan, sir, and I’m sorry for my behavior.”

“Name’s Greg. Shit, if I’d been through that, can’t say I’d be holding up as good as you or your family,” Greg said. “These are my grandsons, Hank,” he pointed at t-shirt, “and Greg Junior,” he pointed at the other one. “Come on up to the house and we’ll find you a place to bed down.”

“Thank you for the offer, but if you don’t mind, we’ll stay in the barn. I don’t feel comfortable in a house that can’t take gunfire,” Nathan said. With a long face, Greg nodded in understanding.

As Greg and his grandsons walked back, the group followed. They headed straight for the barn. When Nathan reached the barn he noticed Emma hugging his chest, babbling. Dropping his pack he turned to dig out his woobie but Jasmine ran over pulling it out. “I’ve got it,” she said, handing Chip to Tom. She grabbed Nathan’s arm, leading him inside the barn.

Nathan stopped to pick up his pack but Greg walked over and picked it up, “Nathan, I think she wants you to lie down.”

Not caring anymore, Nathan let Jasmine lead him inside to a corner. Greg dropped his pack and went back to unsaddle the horses. As Jasmine spread out his woobie, Nathan dug in his pack for Percocet. Popping two in his mouth, he pulled Jasmine close. “I’m going to pass out. If you need me throw water on me. Watch our stuff and keep an eye out,” Nathan whispered. He pulled Emma out of her sling. Dropping his gear where he stood, Nathan fell on his woobie and rolled on his back.

Whining as he walked over, Ares lay down beside Nathan, resting his head on Nathan’s chest. Jasmine picked up Emma and stood at Nathan’s feet. It only took five minutes for Nathan’s breathing to become regular as he drifted off to sleep. “Take care of him till I get back, Ares,” Jasmine said, then walked outside to watch over the group.

Chapter 11

Day 44

Hearing whispering, Nathan struggled out of a deep sleep. Feeling like his eyes were nailed shut, Nathan fought to open them. Slowly they opened and the ceiling of the barn rotated in his vision. Blinking his eyes till the merry-go-round stopped, Nathan tried to sit up but couldn’t. Looking down, he saw the top of Emma’s and Ares’s heads on his chest. Reaching up with his right arm he stroked Ares, who opened his eyes. “Hey, boy,” Nathan said quietly.

Ares gave a little whine as he lifted his head up. “Daddy’s fine,” Nathan said, petting Ares. Ares opened his mouth and panted. Nathan smiled and noticed it was dark outside. Remembering he’d heard whispering, Nathan spotted John and Tom just inside the open door, looking outside. “Not standing in an open door, they remember,” Nathan chuckled as he started scratching behind Ares’s ears.

Like a bolt of lightning, Nathan realized it was dark. He tried to lift his left arm to see his watch but it wouldn’t move. Jasmine was curled up on his left side, holding a sleeping Chip, pinning Nathan’s arm under them. Lifting his head higher, Nathan spotted the girls lying next to his legs and Athena sprawled out at his feet.

“Damn, I can’t say I don’t feel loved,” Nathan said in a dry, croaking voice.

Hearing Nathan’s voice, Jasmine woke. Seeing Nathan awake and smiling she returned it, “Feel better?” she asked.

Letting out a long groan, Nathan laid his head down. “Hell yes, that little man with the hammer finally quit.”

“I’m glad,” Jasmine said, kissing him.

“Please don’t, I have to pee really bad,” Nathan chuckled.

Jasmine sat up and helped Nathan extricate himself from the mass of bodies. They didn’t have to move Ares; he jumped right up. When Nathan stood up he was dizzy and threw out his arms to keep his balance. Jasmine grabbed his left arm. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, studying him.

Nathan closed his eyes and opened them again slowly. “Yeah, I’m a pussy when it comes to drugs. I should’ve known better than to take two Percocet, but that little man with the hammer was pissing me off.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Jasmine said. “Did I give you the headache from hell?” she asked with a worried expression.

“No,” Nathan chuckled. “I get migraines but haven’t had one in years. I think the stress and changing to the thermal brought it on.”

“Then don’t wear it,” Jasmine said.

“That isn’t an option. To be honest, I think wearing both monoculars will stop that,” Nathan admitted. He pulled his arm away from Jasmine. “Let’s get the horses ready,” he said, and looked at his watch. Jasmine cringed when he saw the time. “It’s three a.m.!” Nathan stated in shock.

Jasmine knew what time it was; she had gone to sleep at one after her shift. “Yes, we wanted you to sleep.”

“Damn, I guess I did that,” Nathan chuckled. Then he realized he only had his boxers on. As he was contemplating that he noticed he wasn’t sticky from dried sweat. “I’m clean,” he observed.

“Yeah, I washed you down at sunset. The girls cleaned your clothes and the boys cleaned your weapons,” she said, hoping Nathan wasn’t mad about them not leaving at dark.

“Damn,” was all Nathan could say.

“We were worried about you,” Jasmine said and stepped over the sleeping bodies, wrapping her arms around him. Smiling, Nathan wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. He realized his arms felt skin, not clothes. Looking down, he saw Jasmine was in her bra and panties.
This girl is going to have to start wearing clothes,
Nathan thought, shaking his head.

“I’m good now,” Nathan said, let his arms go, but Jasmine held on.

“If you feel another headache coming on, tell me. We’re stopping then,” Jasmine said, not letting go. Nathan wrapped his arms back around her, and Jasmine smiled, burying her face in his chest.

“It’s good to know I’m loved,” Nathan admitted.

“Damn right you are,” Jasmine said as Nathan let go again, and this time she did as well. Carefully, Nathan stepped over the bodies and headed to the door to take care of business. Walking past the boys, they were both staring at Jasmine with open mouths.

“Boys, quit staring at your stepmother like that, others can see you,” Nathan smirked as he walked past. The boys closed their mouths as he went outside.

Tom looked at John, smiling. “He’s so cool.”

John nodded. “The coolest,” he replied, smiling bigger than usual because of how Nathan referred to Jasmine.

When Nathan returned he stopped by the two. “Seen anything?” he asked.

“One really big pack of dogs running through the field to the south,” Tom said.

“When?” Nathan asked looking out the door to the south.

“Sunset,” John said.

Nathan turned to look at them. “About how many?”

They glanced at each other, then at Nathan. “I’m guessing over a hundred,” John said and Nathan raised his eyebrows.

“Yep, that’s a big ass pack of dogs,” Nathan said. “Does Greg’s group have someone on watch?”

“Yes, one in the tree out front, one in the upstairs looking south, and another on the northwest corner of the house,” John said.

“They need to spread out a little,” Nathan said. “How many people do they have?”

“Fourteen,” Tom answered.

“That’s pretty good,” Nathan admitted. “Let me get dressed and I’ll take over.”

Both of the boys shook their heads. “No, go lie down,” John said.

“I’m not sleepy,” Nathan informed him.

“Then look at the ceiling,” Tom replied.

Nathan clasped each on the shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Besides, stepmom likes resting beside you,” John said, chuckling.

“Her and everyone else,” Nathan said. He returned to the sleeping pile to find Jasmine sitting on his woobie.

As he walked over Jasmine archer her eyebrow, “Stepmom?” she asked.

Smiling at her as he sat down, Nathan said, “Yeah, they were figuring roles out for everyone one day and you got hot stepmom and I got cool stepdad.”

Nodding her head in approval, Jasmine grinned, “I like that.”

“I was trying for crazy uncle and nominated you for hot erotic aunt but they said we were more stepmom and stepdad,” Nathan admitted, leaning back resting his head on his pack. Jasmine lay down beside him, putting her head on his chest and throwing her leg over his. Without realizing it, Nathan held his breath as she started caressing his leg with her foot.

“You know stepdad never asked stepmom out on a date, much less to get married,” Jasmine teased. Air exploded out of Nathan’s lungs as he chuckled at her. Nathan wrapped his arm around her and caressed her back, catching Jasmine off guard. Now she was the one holding her breath.

Nathan kissed the top of her head. “It was like an arranged marriage. Neither of us got any input,” he explained.

“Mmmm,” Jasmine purred, snuggling into his side. “I don’t mind.”

They enjoyed holding each other for almost an hour till Nathan broke the silence. “Sorry I was an asshole yesterday.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Jasmine replied. “The way you’ve been pushing yourself I’m surprised you didn’t get a headache sooner. What I don’t understand is how you could get angry with your head hurting like that. When I get a migraine it hurts just to move. Getting angry is out of the question.”

“Well,” Nathan sighed, “I studied under an Apache warrior who told me you can’t make pain go away by ignoring it. He told me, ‘Get mad like someone is trying to kill your family.’ I haven’t had to do it much but it does work.”

Just laying curled up next to Nathan, Jasmine started rubbing Nathan’s chest. “That does make sense. When you get angry endorphins and adrenaline flood your system.” Nathan just lay there, enjoying the feel of Jasmine next to him.

“Nafan, pee-pee,” they heard beside them.

Nathan shook his head. “I’m not enjoying the stepdad thing right now.”

Emma crawled over Jasmine onto Nathan’s chest and sat up on it. “Pee-pee,” she commanded.

“I went already. Why didn’t you go then?” Nathan asked, shaking his head. Emma blew a raspberry at him, then jabbered incoherently, waving her hands around in the air. “Are you voodooing me?” Nathan asked.

Stopping her antics, Emma looked at him, “No.”

In wonder, Nathan watched her start blabbering again, waving her hands around. Not wanting to ever let another human being know, Nathan swore he could almost understand her. “Are you telling me about the horse ride?” Nathan asked.

Emma clapped her hands, laughing, as Nathan raised his eyebrows, not sure if he should be cheerful or discouraged that he understood blabbering. “Wow,” Jasmine said beside him.

When the blabbering started again, he slowly stood, picking up Emma as Jasmine sat up. “Doodle bug said, ‘Let me pee now or I do it here,’” Nathan interpreted, and carried Emma toward the door.

Jasmine just shook her head and closed her eyes. “Nathan is a great man but some things he just doesn’t get,” Jasmine muttered, opening her eyes and digging the toilet paper out of his pack. She hurried to the door to find Emma in the assumed position and Nathan looking bewildered.

Handing over the tissue, Jasmine smiled as Nathan gave her a sheepish grin. “You’d think I would remember by now,” he said taking the tissue. When she was done he picked Emma up and gave her love and looked at Jasmine. Shocking her, Nathan walked over and put his arm over Jasmine’s shoulders, pulling her close as he walked back inside the barn.

Wrapping her arm around Nathan’s waist as they walked, Jasmine looked said, “In your defense, boys only need tissue for number two. I notice when she says that you grab the paper.” Nathan perked up hearing that. Noticing that she’d made Nathan happy, Jasmine continued, “When I babysat a five-year-old boy when I was fifteen I made him use tissue after he peed. The first time he looked at me like I was stupid, so I showed him.”

Nathan snorted as he laughed, sending Emma into a hysterics. “I can see your point of view,” Nathan said pulling her tighter.

“Oh its gets worse. When I saw him peeing outside I almost fainted. I ran outside and carried him to the bathroom so he could wipe,” Jasmine said, making him laugh harder.

Looking down at her, “Thank you for not doing that to our boys,” Nathan said, sending Jasmine into a laughing fit. “John would’ve died if you tried to wipe him.” They collapsed on his crowded woobie, laughing.

Hearing laughter, the girls and Chip woke up to see Jasmine, Nathan, and Emma laughing. “What’s so funny?” Amanda asked with a yawn. Nathan looked at Amanda and laughed more at Amanda’s crazy hair.

“Amanda, when you wash your hair you have to dry it and brush it before going to sleep,” Nathan said, wiping tears from his eyes.

Amanda crawled into his lap. “You were asleep, and Jasmine pulls hair hard when she brushes it,” she informed him.

Nathan hugged her tightly. “If I’m not mistaken, you have two hands.”

“I pull harder than Jasmine,” Amanda admitted.

Looking up Nathan noticed two more bedheads. “Casey, Natalie, what about you?”

Natalie shrugged. “Amanda said you would fix it when you woke up.”

Nathan waved them over wrapped all three in a hug. Seeing that Emma began hitting them, talking in very angry gibberish. “It seems your sister doesn’t like to share,” Nathan observed, pulling Emma into the group.

“You have no idea,” Natalie informed him. Seeing Nathan hug the girls, Jasmine fought off a wave of jealousy and for a second sided with Emma. To everyone’s surprise, Chip dove on the pile of bodies, hugging Nathan with outstretched arms. The others lifted their arms and allowed him in, except for Emma. She blabbered at Chip with an angry face.

Jasmine lay down beside them and wrapped an arm over the bodies. “I can’t believe stepdad brushes hair better than stepmom,” she said.

Casey looked at Jasmine. “He does. You pull too hard.”

“Sorry,” Jasmine said and Casey stretched her head over and kissed Jasmine on the tip of her nose.

“It’s okay,” Casey said.

Tom and John walked over to see the mass hug. “Kind of makes me feel left out,” John said.

Tom nodded. “I know. I’m a guy and shouldn’t feel that way, but I do.”

Nathan looked over the stack of bodies on his chest. “Boys, I love you but if you dive on me I’ll hold you down and spit in your ear. I can barely breathe as it is.”

Jasmine smacked Nathan’s arm. “Nathan,” she chided.

Nathan looked at Jasmine in mock shock then looked at the boys. “Dive on and hug your hot stepmom,” Nathan said. Both boys blushed and looked down.

Nathan struggled to sit up and the girls let him go. Emma had no intention of letting Nathan go. He sat up just fine, still holding her. To everyone’s surprise, Chip was also still holding on, with his arms wrapped around Nathan’s neck. Nathan wrapped his arm around Chip and hugged him tightly.

Needless to say, Emma wasn’t happy with this gesture and slapped Nathan’s arm that was hugging Chip. “Emma, you need to chill,” Nathan told her. Turning so she was right in his face, Emma blew a raspberry, covering his face in slobber. Then she informed Nathan in gibberish that only she had the right to be held at any time. That’s what Nathan got out of it, anyway.

Standing up, Nathan put Emma and Chip down. Emma dropped on her butt and crossed her arms, complaining in gibberish. Chip ran to Jasmine as Nathan stared at Emma, fighting the urge to pick her up. Nathan dug in his pack for some shorts and put them on. “What happened yesterday after I went into a coma?” he asked Jasmine.

After Chip climbed in her lap, Jasmine said, “Greg and one of his sons are farriers, and his daughter is a vet. They looked over the horses, donkeys, and dogs. Athena got her shots. They said the horses were okay but several were getting cracks in their hooves that couldn’t be trimmed out. So they shoed all the horses. I asked about the donkeys but Greg said their hooves were fine.”

Nathan shook his head. “Damn, I should’ve been watching that better.”

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves and voice, Jasmine said, “Greg said it wasn’t that bad but it
could
become a problem. He said all the horses have had shoes at one time and it was better to be safe than sorry.” Nathan knew Jasmine was telling him he was doing the best he could.