Land (12 page)

“Okay, let’s go check on the sad dog but everyone be ready for trouble just in case.” Quinn warned.

So the group headed away from the highway and further down Ghost Road. It didn’t take long before they came over a rise and saw a square of trees planted around a house with a couple of out buildings. There was a driveway with an open gate set ten feet off the road. It was hard to see the property with the trees surrounding it, but as they came even with the driveway a Golden Retriever raced toward them. It stopped at the gate and started to bark and whine at them, doing the classic doggy ‘follow me’ dance at them and then turn back with an ‘are you coming’ look over its shoulder.

Josh joked, “Do you think its name is Lassie and Timmy’s in the well?”

“Ha ha, very funny Josh,” Alex said sarcastically, “It definitely wants us to follow, so let’s go see.” she said as she started slowly down the driveway.

The dog took off ahead and cut towards the house across the lawn. As they got closer they could see it was standing, barking at them from beside a bush with flowers on it. There was a mound of dirt with a shovel sticking out of it and the dog was standing over a crumpled form of a man lying on the ground. Without hesitating, Alex dumped her bike and rushed toward the man. The dog’s whine changed to a growl and Alex dropped to her knees a few feet away at the warning.

“Oh, poor puppy, I’m so sorry. Its ok, it’s ok now. We’ll help. Come here baby.” Alex cooed to the dog and held out her hands in a non-threatening way. At the tone, the dog went to its belly and slid closer to her. Once it was close enough, the dog sniffed at her hands and with a whine, nudged under them so she could rub its head. Keeping up a steady stream of nonsensical baby talk, the dog was soon her best friend, and with a wagging tail moved over so she could check on the man. Staying on her knees to keep the dog calm, she reached for the man and checked for a pulse.

“Good dog, what a good boy.” she told him as she felt the dog stiffen as she reached for his owner. He settled his body along the man and rested his head on the man’s chest, whining softly.

Alex guessed the man was in his sixties or early seventies. He had a weak pulse and was breathing shallowly. Alex smoothed back his white hair and felt his skin to be very dry. She dumped her backpack off and grabbed a water bottle and wash cloth out of it. Wetting the cloth she wiped the man’s face down and squeezed a few drops into his mouth. The water seemed to bring him around some and he let out a groan so she squeezed more water out for him. The dog lifted his head and gave a half-hearted growl at something behind Alex. The man’s hand came up and rested it on the dogs back calming it as his eyes fluttered open. When he seemed to focus on Alex, she gave him a reassuring smile.

“Hi, looks like you took a little fall here. Can you handle some water?” she said brightly to keep him calm. He nodded, so Alex held the water bottle to his lips, “Not too much. Let’s save the heavy drinking for when you’re back on your feet.” she joked. Alex had volunteered at the senior’s home in her town and knew that fear and confusion was the first thing a person feels when they become aware after waking. She kept her tone light and fun so the man would know he was safe.

As he took sips from the bottle, she kept talking, “My name is Alex and your beautiful dog persuaded me and my friends to come and help you.” When he made an attempt to sit up she braced herself behind him to help. “I’d like to get you out of the sun. Is it ok if some of my friends help?” The man looked past her to the group that was standing off to the side. They hadn’t wanted to upset the dog so they stayed back. He nodded again so Alex turned to her friends, “Cooper can you grab a patio chair and put it into the shade, please? Josh, Quinn, will you help him into it?”

The dog started growling again as the boys approached and the man spoke for the first time, “Down boy, friends.” he commanded in a gruff voice. The dog instantly relaxed and started to wag his tail

With the boys on either side of the man, Alex backed out of the way and they guided him to the chair Cooper had retrieved. Now that the man had reassured the dog, it was busy running from person to person, sniffing them and getting petted. Alex looked around the lawn and realized what the mound of dirt was. She stepped closer and peered down into the hole beside it. A body wrapped in a white sheet lay at the bottom, waiting to be covered. She turned back to the man with a look of sadness. He was staring at the open grave, clutching the water bottle.

“My wife, she died yesterday.” he explained. “She was diabetic and had a fancy insulin pump. It stopped working with everything else. I walked to our neighbor’s house, four miles down the road, but they are away in Florida, visiting their son. I remembered Tom has an old 1950’s, restored farm truck and gave it a shot. Started up on the first try, but by the time I got back June had already passed. She loved those Oleander bushes, so that’s where I was going to lay her to rest. Started at first light this morning, to beat the heat and got her down in there but when I climbed out I felt dizzy. Next thing I know, I’m lookin’ up at your pretty red hair.” he said weakly, his energy spent. He slumped to the side, barely staying in his chair.

Quinn helped straighten him up, “Sir, please let us help you finish that.” he solemnly told the man.

“Thank you son, it’ll keep for a minute. Let’s just sit a spell and you kids tell me how you ended up here. Alex, you said your name is? Could you go in the house, there’s a pitcher of sweet tea on the kitchen table. Bring out some glasses and we’ll all have tea while I get my strength back and hear your story.”

“Yes of course. I’ll be right back.” she said and with Dara in tow walked around the house to the front door.

The front driveway had been expanded for parking and there was a strange assortment of new and old vehicles parked there. A huge new motor home sat beside the garage with a newer truck parked in the garage. On the other side was an older, smaller Winnebago motor home camper. Parked in front of the house was an antique forest green farm truck with wooden side boards enclosing the truck bed. It was shiny and looked well cared for. Alex could see a small barn further back on the property and she could hear the clucking of chickens and mooing of cows.

Beside the front door was a welcome sign that read, Welcome to the Peterson’s, Luke and June. The girls entered the dim farm house and walked back into the kitchen. Dara collected glasses for all of them and Alex carried the pitcher of tea back out. As they came back around the corner they heard Quinn telling Mr. Peterson about their trip so far and how they were going to keep heading north to Canada. Dara started pouring tea for everyone and passed Alex a glass to hand to Mr. Peterson. His hand shook as he reached for it and Alex had to steady it for him. Looking into his face she could see he wasn’t doing very well. His skin had an unhealthy grey pallor to it.

“Sir, do you have any family nearby that could come and stay to help you?” she asked. They couldn’t leave this man alone in his poor condition.

With a resigned smile he shook his head. “It’s just me and June here now. Both our boys live on the East coast. No one will be coming, besides, I don`t think I’ll be here much longer and to be honest, with my Juney gone I don’t really want to stay.” When Alex tried to disagree he waved her silent. “So let’s talk turkey.” his voice getting firmer, “Your friend filled me in on where you been and where you’re going. You seem like good kids and if it was my boys stuck far from home I’d want someone to help them. Biking all the way up to Canada is just plain crazy, even being young and full of get up. So you’ll load up those bikes and take Tom’s old truck. As a matter of fact, I never even thought to try the old camper. It’s an early seventies model so it just might work. I’ve kept it serviced and put new tires on it a few years back. I don’t know why we kept it after we bought that huge road hog. Lots of good memories I guess. Anyways, there’s extra gas cans in the shed so you can siphon out the gas from the new truck and big motor home. They won’t be going anywhere so they don’t need the gas. You girls can get all the extra food we have put up in the basement. Take as much as you can fit and there will still be plenty left for me. I’ll just ask that you help me put June to rest and you should be on your way.”

The life seemed to drain out of him as he finished what would be his last will and testament. The drinking glass slid from his hand and dropped to the grass. The dog let out a heartbreaking howl and Alex didn’t need to check his pulse to know he had gone to join his Juney.

No one moved or spoke for a while, just sitting and absorbing what had just happened. It was Josh who finally stood and when Alex looked to him she saw tears streaming down his face. He walked to the hole in the ground and in a raw voice asked, “Some help here guys?” and dropped down into the hole. “Let’s take her out and widen it so they can lie together.”

Cooper dropped in and it was with the greatest respect that Quinn, Dara and Alex took the body and carried it over to lie beside Mr. Peterson’s chair. The boys took turns digging the hole wider and the girls went back into the house for a bed sheet. They got the man down and had him wrapped in the sheet by the time the grave was ready. After placing the bodies side by side, they filled the grave and stood around it in silence.

Alex dropped to her knees and placed her hand on the loose soil, “Thank you Mr. Peterson, please thank your wife for us.” and she rose and walked away. The others followed suit all kneeling and thanking the man that had provided the way home for them.

**  **  **  **  **  **

Alex sat on a tree swing lost in thought. She couldn’t bear to go into the house so soon after Mr. Peterson’s death. She was thinking about his sons and wondering if they were feeling like she was. Wondering if their parents were okay and trying to get home to them. What if strangers had had to bury her parents? The not knowing was the worst feeling Alex had ever known. Hearing Josh curse loudly brought her out of her gloomy thoughts and she saw the boys were still working on the engine of the old camper. Dara came out of the house and headed her way. She settled on the grass close by but didn’t say anything. After a few minutes she began talking.

“I believe that there is a reason for everything. I believe there is more than just our existence, our everyday life. I don’t know if it’s God or Fate or even Mother Earth, but I believe there is something that plays its hand in what we do and the choices we make. This morning, we were headed to the desert and possibly our deaths. Something told you to turn the other way, something that will now change our odds of getting home. That man woke up and saw nothing but kindness in your face and he returned it. Take that gift and honour it, use it and repay it when you can. Let’s go home Alex.” With that she got up and walked away.

Alex looked over at the fresh grave where the dog still lay. She was saddened that she didn’t even know its name. She thought about Dara’s words and resolved to keep looking forward, to the way home. She gave a huge push to the swing and pumped her legs to get higher, finally doing a flying dismount and used the momentum to keep going.

She was almost at the old camper when she heard its engine turn over. The boys gave a huge cheer and Alex couldn’t contain the grin on her face. Two vehicles to get them home meant double the chance of making it.

“Josh, you’re amazing!” she congratulated him.

“No problem. I just had to rework some stuff and presto! Wheels!” He said modestly. “This is going to be great. We can fill the holding tanks with water so we don’t have to lug the jugs around and we should have a working propane stove and fridge. No more roughing it for us. This old girl sleeps six, so we won’t have to sleep on the ground.”

Quinn was beaming, “This is going to make all the difference. We won’t be killing ourselves everyday biking and we can carry more supplies. With all the wrecked cars on the roads, we can get all the gas we need. Even if we have to leave one, we will still have another to keep going in. We just cut the time it’ll take us to get home by weeks.” he said excitedly with a big smile.

Alex had never seen him so excited. She wondered how hard the disaster must have been weighing on him. Her and Josh had both vented some of the pressure but so far the others had kept it together.

“We should stay here for today and sort out supplies and load everything up. I want to strap the bikes onto the roof just in case and we have other things to do that will take a while. Let’s just stay here and work at it, then leave first thing tomorrow.” Quinn suggested.

Everyone agreed, so Alex headed to the house to help Dara sort out supplies and fill her in. The house was heating up as the day progressed, so Alex went around opening all the windows to air it out. Hearing noises from the basement she headed down looking for Dara.

The basement was cooler than the upstairs and very dim. She could see light off at the end so she made her way around the outline of a coffee table, passing a TV and an arm chair. Just as she was going to pass into the next room, something caught her eye. Moving closer to try and make it out in the dim light, she realized what it was. A gun safe was against one wall and it was the same type that her Dad kept his hunting rifles in. Reminding herself to look for keys to it later she turned to go in to the next room when she heard a soft sob. Freezing at the sound, she could make out Dara`s quiet crying in the next room. Debating on giving her privacy, Alex remembered Dara holding her hand in a dark hotel room and entered the room. A lantern burned in the center of the room, illuminating a storage area with metal shelves filled with canning jars and dried goods. Dara was sitting on the floor with her knees up against her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them. She was crying softly and rocking back and forth.

Alex walked up behind her, kneeled down and wrapped her arms around her. At first Dara stiffened but then collapsed back into Alex`s arms, dissolving into heartbreaking sobs. Alex didn`t say anything, just held the girl and let her cry it out. After a while she calmed and started to sniff. Alex spotted a case of tissues on the shelf and got up to open the case, passing a box to her. Dara mopped her face, blew her nose and took a deep breath.