Odd Billy Todd (37 page)

Rhonda looked up.

“What?” she asked, seeing that he was looking at her.

“Just lookin’ at ya,” Billy smiled. “You’re ‘bout the prettiest thing I ever seen, ever. You know that?” She colored at that, her face going red, but she smiled, looking back down at what she was doing, and biting her lip.

“Thank you,” she murmured. Billy walked the short steps to where she stood, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leaned back into the embrace, and the two of them just stood there for a moment.

There was just no way Billy could credit his being here, with her, like this. His life hadn’t been supposed to include anything like this. He’d known it for as long as he could remember. Yet, here he was. Here she was.

He finally released her, and sat down to eat. She joined him, but just nibbled at a little pancake, not really hungry. Billy ate, both because he was hungry, and because it was cold. He expected a long day. Hunger would make it longer.

At last he had to go. He got reluctantly to his feet, taking the bag Rhonda had set out for him. It held some water, and, he chuckled, a Coke. He kissed her.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“You had better,” she warned. “Please be careful.”

“Promise.”

She followed him to the door, but didn’t go outside. It was cold, and she didn’t want to see him drive away, anyway. Once he started moving, she closed the door, bolting it tight. She looked down to where Rommel had gone to the window, watching as the truck left the yard.

“Bad luck to watch him out of sight,” Rhonda said softly. Rommel looked up at her, his tongue running across his nose. When he looked back, the truck was gone.

He followed Rhonda upstairs to bed, and cuddled next to her as she tried to go back to sleep. She was grateful for his presence.

It was a long time before she finally got back to sleep.

*****

“Damn, it’s cold!” Ralph exclaimed as he climbed into the Ford.

“Sure is,” Billy nodded. “You guys all right? Ready to go?”

“We’re good,” George nodded.

“Well, I guess it’s time we went, then,” Billy said, putting the truck in gear.

They were silent for several minutes, no one really saying anything. Billy used his NVG to drive, keeping the lights off. Car lights would carry a long way, with the leaves off. He didn’t want any telltale signs like that to give them away.

Once they got on the main highway, Billy used his lights, and put the goggles away.

“Anyone else got a funny feeling about this?” Ralph asked.

“Funny how?” George asked.

“You know, like. . .well, odd,” Ralph shrugged. “Like something ain’t right.”

“No, other than it’s a long trip, for these days, and it’s cold, and we’re leaving our families alone, and going through what might be hostile territory, and . . . .”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Ralph groaned. “Yeah, I guess that’s it. I really didn’t want to leave this morning.”

“Don’t think any of us did,” Billy said. “Fact is, with all that’s goin’ on, we’re all uneasy about leavin’ the Farm uncovered, even for somethin’ like this. But this is it. Once we get this done, we’re pretty much home for the winter, barring any unforeseen happening.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Ralph agreed. “I don’t feel anything bad about the trip. I just didn’t want to leave.”

“Get used to it,” George shrugged. He didn’t want to leave either. But he’d done it over and over again when he’d been in the Army. He never had liked it.

“Well, we’re on our way, anyway,” Billy noted. “Sooner we get there, sooner we’re home.”

“Amen.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

For a wonder, the trip up went smoothly. Of course, that just made everyone more jumpy. The feeling that things weren’t right somehow just wouldn’t leave Ralph alone, and it was contagious. More than once the three men debated turning the truck around and going back, postponing the trip for another day.

Eventually they decided against it. They needed to get this ordeal behind them, and get the newer families settled in. If this morning had been an indicator, their mild weather was coming to an end.

Billy pulled up into the Kelvey’s drive to see Ben already outside, taking last minute boxes to his truck. He waved when he saw the Ford, and walked over to say hello.

“You boy’s are a sight for sore eyes,” he told them. “Thought sure we’d have some trouble, yesterday.”

“What happened?” George asked, glancing at Ralph.

“Heard a good bit o’ shootin’ over to the east,” Ben informed them. “Went on for some time. At first I thought someone was just out practicing, but the fire was sporadic, and more than one gun. Or even two.”

“Heard any word about it?” Ralph asked.

“Not as yet,” Ben admitted. “And I hope time any news gets here, we’re long gone,” he added.

“We will be,” Billy nodded. “You guys ready?”

“Sure are,” Ben nodded. “Got just what we kept out for the night in the house, and I just loaded some o’ that. Everyone is up, dressed, fed, and ready to go.”

“Outstanding,” George complimented. “In that case, let’s get you shook down, and on the road. Do you know the way to the Blaine’s?” Even as he spoke, they could hear the sound of vehicles.

“Should be them, there,” Ben told them, looking down the road. From the opposite way the three had come, they saw a Ford Bronco pulling a trailer coming up a hill, followed by the other semi that Billy, George and Jon had ‘found’. Behind that came a Dodge Ram pickup, a crew cab 4x4 with a lot of attachments. It, too, was pulling a trailer, this time a U-Haul.

“Well, this is just too good,” George nodded. “We can get on the road pretty quick like this.”

Terry Blaine was driving the semi, and he stepped out, once he’d engaged the brake, leaving the truck idling. Two Bears was in the Dodge, which turned out to be his. No one was surprised.

“Ready to get this show on the road?” Blaine asked.

“Just about,” Ben nodded. “Got a few little things, and then it’s just to get loaded. We did a walk through last night, and everything’s loaded except what we needed this morning.”

“Outstanding,” Blaine nodded. Some of the others chuckled at his echo of George’s sentiment. Willing hands grabbed the few remaining articles and found places for them, while the injured Howie was made comfortable in his own Chevy diesel.

“Well, are we ready, then?” Billy asked, as the men gathered on last time.

“Looks like,” Ben nodded.

“We’re good,” Blaine agreed.

“We’ll use CB channel 14 on this trip,” Billy told the others. “Ralph is drivin’ Jon’s truck, and he’ll bring up the rear. George and me will take the Ford, and scout ahead. We didn’t see any trouble on the way in, but that don’t mean much these days. We had planned on splittin’ up, so there would be someone with each outfit who knew the way, but I think this set-up is the best we’re gonna get.”

“No names on the radio, and no mention o’ where we’re goin’,” he warned. “The idea is to get into the Farms without anyone the wiser. Once there, we don’t have to worry so much, but it pays to be careful. Reckon no one ever died from an over abundance o’ caution.”

“Well said,” Blaine nodded in approval. “Let’s put my truck in front. I did some work on the front end, so we can use it as a ram if we need to. Maria and Howie should come next, with Ben and Pete. Then Jon, and Ralph.”

“I don’t like just one man on the rear guard,” George stated. “But I can’t see a way to do anything about it,” he admitted.

“Agreed,” Blaine said. “I thought about that, too. Thing is, we really need two men up front. Any attack that we encounter is likely to be met on the front of the convoy, while we’re en route.”

“Let’s do it like this,” Billy said. “If we come under attack from back, we’ll slide over, and slow down. The rest of you floor it, and pass us by. We’ll fall back with Ralph.”

“I like that, but with one qualifier,” Two Bears spoke up. “Let me ride drag. No offense, Ralph,” he added.

“None taken,” Ralph nodded. “I’ll pull the trailer. Makes sense, anyway. I’m not a soldier. Never was,” he shrugged.

“Well, alright then,” Billy nodded. “Sounds like we got a plan. If we do, let’s get goin’.”

The changes were made quickly, and the trucks lined up. It took only ten minutes for everything to be ready, once the discussion ended.

“Ready to roll?” Billy asked, as George stepped into the truck.

“Yeah, everyone’s set,” George nodded, checking his M-4. “I’ll be glad when we’re there.”

“Me too,” Billy nodded. “I think this is the last time we do this for a while,” he added. “We got too much to do as it is.”

“I agree,” George nodded. “And we can start checking for more like Mary. There’s gotta be more in your area that survived.”

“Maybe,” Billy nodded. “We’ll see, I guess.”

Everyone checked in on the radio, ready to move out. Maria spoke for the first time that Billy had heard. She had a bit of an accent, which might explain why she was normally so quiet. He didn’t know.

“Tell’em we’re movin’,” Billy ordered George, and started down the road.

*****

The first few miles of the trip were used to ‘shake down’ their little convoy. Things were easier this time, Billy decided, with Terry and Jon doing the driving in the semi’s. Both were much better at it than Billy, in his own opinion.

He and George were about a mile in front of the rest, with the convoy maintaining a steady forty miles an hour. They could have gone faster, but the consensus was that reaction time would be more valuable than speed. George and Billy were very cautious, constantly checking the roadway in front.

Pete Two Bears had dropped back almost half a mile, maintaining a watch on their rear. He was also ready to shoot to the front and help Billy and George, if needed. Considering their manpower shortage, they were covering things pretty well.

“Almost to the half-way point,” George informed Billy. They had been on the road a little over an hour.

“How far are we from the tracks?” Billy asked. George studied the map.

“I make it about four miles,” he replied.

“Tell the others we’re moving on ahead,” Billy decided. “We need to get up there, and make sure it’s clear.” George nodded, and called the others. Billy sped up gradually, putting more distance between them and the rest of the vehicles. Two Bears called that he was closing up, just in case.

There was a small rise, and then a downgrade to the track crossing. Billy eased up on the rise, seeing that the track was clear. He started down the hill. They approached the tracks, and sat looking both ways. Billy pulled across, and shut the engine off. The two of them got out, listening for anything.

“I think we’re clear,” George finally said.

“Tell’em,” Billy nodded, studying the area around the crossing. They waited until Terry’s semi was in sight, coming down the hill to get back on the road.

“Don’t bunch up,” George ordered on the radio. “Things look clear, so we’re heading back up front.” The others acknowledged, and the Ford sped on down the road. Once they’d gone a mile or so, Billy slowed back down. He didn’t want to get too far ahead.

“I don’t want to jinx us, but things are looking pretty good, so far,” George said, just before they heard it.

BOOOM!

*****

“Of all the days to have a blowout,” Jon swore, looking at the mangled truck tire. The big Peterbilt was sitting on the road, the outside rear driver’s side tire in shreds.

“I don’t even want to think how hard this will be to change,” Ralph shook his head.

“It’s a back breaker without a service center,” Jon sighed. “We’ll have to unhook the trailer, pull the truck out, and then jack it up. I. . .oh, hell,” he groaned.

“What?” everyone asked at once.

“I don’t have a spare,” he told them, looking under the trailer, and then under the truck frame. “What kind of idiot takes a truck like this on the road without a spare?”

“Uh, you,” Ben replied, grinning. Jon glared at his brother as the others laughed. Soon they were all laughing, Jon included. It was good tension release, and they needed it.

“Okay, we’ve had our fun,” Terry broke up the laughter. “And there’s a spare under the trailer I’m pulling,” he added. “Let’s get some local security up, and get to work. We’re burnin’ daylight.”

“George, take about a hundred yards front,” he ordered. “Pete, same to the rear. Rest of us will get the truck workin’.”

Jon had told them true. It was a job, and then some. But with four of them working, it didn’t take as long as they had feared. An hour later, they were ready to head out again.

“No sense takin’ this with us,” Jon shrugged, rolling the now warped wheel and the remains of the shredded tire off the road. “Hope that don’t happen again. We’ll be up a creek for sure without. . . .” He broke off with a frown as the Ford suddenly fired up, heading straight back to the group.

“What now?” Billy sighed. He really wanted to go home.

“Billy, there’s trouble at the farm!”

*****

The sun was well up when Rhonda and Mary went to do chores. The first order of business was to feed the chickens, and grab the eggs. One hen had gotten broody, which had surprised Billy, since normally they wouldn’t do so in cooler weather. At least his never had. Still and all, she was sitting on eight eggs. Eight new chickens would be a good thing.

“How does she keep all of them under her?” Mary asked, shaking her head.

“Just does, I guess,” Rhonda shrugged. She didn’t know, either.

“Can I have a baby chicken?” Mary asked. “When they hatch, I mean?”

“As a pet?” Rhonda looked at her. “No, sweetie. That ain’t a good idea.”

“How come?”

Rhonda chewed on her lip for a minute, wondering how to explain that her ‘pet’ would likely wind up on the table, sooner or later. As the main course.

“Chickens don’t make good pets, honey,” she settled for saying. “And they can’t live indoors. Better to just leave them with their own kind.”

“Okay,” Mary sighed. “I bet they’ll be cute, though,” she added.

“I’m sure they will,” Rhonda nodded. Right up until they hit the cooking oil, she decided not to add. She’d find out soon enough.

“Take these eggs in the house, and then you can come out to the barn,” Rhonda smiled. “We’ll feed the horses, then go check on the cows. After that, we’ll head over and look in on the hogs.”

“Ew,” Mary made a face.

“I don’t hear you complaining when you’re eating sausage. Or ham. Or bacon.”

“I get it,” Mary waved the comments away. “Be right back.”

Mary took the basket of eggs into the house, and washed them at the sink. Once they were dried off, she added them to the carrier in the refrigerator. As she turned away, she had a view of the windows in the living room.

*****

Rhonda was running before she realized it. Hearing Mary scream had galvanized her from the partial day dreaming she’d been doing while pouring a small bit of grain into the horse stalls, along with some hay.

Rommel loped at her side, head scanning everywhere. Dottie followed, and Rhonda heard the smaller dog growl. Something she rarely did.

Rhonda went into the kitchen door, pistol in hand, to see Mary still screaming. Rommel barked, and Dottie followed suit. Mary jumped at the sound, and turned.

“Mary, what is it?” Rhonda demanded.

“There was a man in the window!” the teenager exclaimed. “Looking in the window!”

Rhonda ran to the front door, and jerked it open, careful to stand to the side. The moment the door was open, she heard Rommel growl deep in his chest, and like a flash the huge dog was outside. Rhonda followed, though slowly. Dottie streaked out behind her, following Rommel.

By the time Rhonda was out onto the porch, Rommel was perched atop a squirming figure in the yard. Dottie off to the side, watching the squirming figure closely.

“Don’t let him eat me I got the wrong house is all I thought this was Mister Billy’s house I swear I don’t mean no harm please don’t let him eat me!”

Rhonda almost laughed at the hysterical rant, the entire thing sounding like one very long word. She held her pistol at her side.

“Good boy!” she praised Rommel, who was looking at her as if to say can I eat him?

“How many of you are there?” she demanded of the still squirming figure.

“What? How many what?” The questioning tone took the place of the hysterics.