Surviving Day By Day (Book 1): So it Begins (50 page)

Beth then walked over to Colt, “Well, I have seen plenty of them back home in Kentucky. My Grandparents owned a couple and they are very majestic. Something else about horses which will be an advantage to us
,
is they too are like Tonto and Maximus. More like Tonto for now though.”

Colt looked at Beth with a confused look
,
Beth smiled and continued, “You see Colt, Tonto there is a very sharp watchdog and that is why Alden has him stay out at night to keep guard. Horses are much the same way if not better. Horses
,
much like all animals
,
have an extremely good sense of knowing when something is not right and they are not at all ashamed to let you know about it.”

Beth stopped and immediately thought about what she just said and spoke up quickly, “And if you guys found them moving together in a herd formation in a certain direction then that tells me they are going away from danger. Animals travel in herds, just like birds, schools of fish and anything else that you can think of.”

Pausing for a brief
Moment
Beth chuckled then continued, “Kind of like us if you will. Together we are six and we are traveling together. There are strength in numbers and what is good enough for them is good enough for me.”

Colt looked from
his horses to the others and le
d them to another tree and stood there not sure how Alden tied them up. If he wrapped the reins around the tree the horses couldn’t move, he was saved when Beth took the reins and showed him how to tie them off. “Thanks, Beth”

They all sat at the table eating, Colt swallowed a bite, “Do any of you think they may be from the other’s camp? I mean, what Ceara and Beth said made me think.” He took another bite and took a minute to savor the fish then swallowed. “Ceara said they look really healthy, and Beth said they stay in packs, so that would mean that wherever they came from took care of all of them in the same location. It just seems strange that after we have the run in with those guys that there is suddenly horses around.”

Alden looked up as he finished his meal. “The fact that the horses were simply walking and not running tells me there is no immediate danger. We will continue to keep watch though. Tonight’s rotation will be Tabitha and I will get first watch, Then Ceara and Charlie finishing up with Colt and Beth.” he stood and took his plate into the cabin. Coming back he saw Charlie pouring coffee for everyone. Charlie looked up and looked at Ceara.

Ceara spoke up, “Charlie and I were talking the other day and we think we have figured out your rotation for watch the way you have it set up we get two nights of uninterrupted sleep with one split shift sleep.

Alden smiled, “seems fair
,, don’t it?
Besides you little cupcakes need your sleep time otherwise I noticed you all tend to get a little whiny.”

A few days past and all of the six were slowly finding their spots, each doing what they could to make the small site their home. Day by day each found their niche to ensure their survival. Although none wanted to talk about it, they all knew the quiet couldn’t last. Maximus was well on his way to a full recovery and few wanderers had found their way to the cabins. Each time the wanderers were put down without much commotion. But supplies were again running low and finding another farm or t
own would have to be done soon.

Colt walked out of the cabin stretching looking at the morning sun, then to the f
ire. “Morning Alden…”

Alden lifted his cup as a way to say morning, Colt joined him by the fire and got his own cup and filled it. “You know I would give my eyeteeth for a good old fashioned breakfast. You know, toast, bacon and eggs in a little
Mom
and pop restaurant being waited on by a cute little blond.”

Alden smiled, “Yeah, strange how our fantasies change.” Colt laughed and they fell into a silence just drinking their coffee.

Ceara got up early to take a shower so Charlie would be able to take one when he got up. The water was just warming up from the generator but it was good enough for a quick shower. Alden had told them the generator would only be run for a few hours in the morning to conserve what remained of the gas.

Once she was dressed and her hair brushed out she went to Charlie’s door knocking gently, “Baby…. Are you up?”

They had the second watch the night before and she knew he was tired but they all had chores to do. Ceara knocked again and cracked the door, she could see his bed and it was empty. Shrugging her shoulders she figured he was outside with Alden, turning to go outside herself. She hadn’t gotten two steps before she was grabbed from behind, her mouth covered and blade at her throat. “Keep your mouth shut and you might not die, your boyfriend over there didn’t put up much of a fight!
”

Ceara’s eyes darted to the living room and saw Charlie crumbled on the floor, she started struggling to get away. The man hissed in her ear, “I will kill you! I killed your dog, don’t think I won’t slit your throat! Sit still!!”

Ceara calmed and started looking around, how could she let the others know what was going on? She couldn’t tell if he was alone or if others were out in the woods waiting on him. She couldn’t risk everyone getting attacked. The guy felt her relax, “You going to keep your mouth shut?”

Ceara nodded, he released his hand on her mouth. “Is Charlie alive?”

The guy laughed, “Not real sure on that one. We are going out the front, you people all seem to meet out back every day so I got another hour before
they even notice you are gone.”

He started toward the door forcing Ceara to go with him. “What do you want?”

The guy kept moving, “Morris wants your supplies, and that truck over there is full and we know it.”

Ceara looked at Alden’s truck, “But why not just take it?”

“The old man you guys got with you has already killed enough of
us; we are trading you for it.”

Beth had just walked out of the bathroom and noticed that Maximus was growling a very low guttural growl. Noticing that he was trying to get up and look out the window Beth looked down at him, “What is it Max? Settle down, let me take a look.”

Just as Beth moved the curtain she saw some brut holding Ceara by knifepoint and walking towards the woods. Quickly she assessed the situation. She didn’t dare make noise because that would be very dangerous for Ceara but she had to try and get the attention of others. Quickly she heard Alden’s deep distinguished laugh coming from out back. Squatting down Beth whispered to Max, “You stay still. I will go get
help but you got to be quiet.”

Maximus’ ears went back and he whimpered softly. Still in the squatting position Beth made her way to the back door where she had heard Alden. When she got to the door she slowly rose to her feet and looked back towards Maximus. He was laying there and his whimper now turned to a growl once more. Beth looked out the window above Max and she could see the man and Ceara g
etting closer to the tree line.

Wasting no time Beth turned the doorknob and opened it slowly. Alden and Colt were enjoying the morning and before Beth could alert the two of them Alden looked over to Beth. Beth placed her finger up to her mouth then whispered to Alden, “We got company and he has got Ceara out by the tree line out front and by the loo
ks of it he is kidnapping her.”

Alden got up quickly and mouthed the words to Colt, “Go check on Charlie,” he pointed to Charlie’s and Ceara’s cabin. Just then he heard a crash of glass breaking and Maximus barking. Maximus had recognized the man who shot him and saw Ceara in trouble. Max had backed up and leaped through the glass rolling on the ground he was up quickly and running towards them. The man spun with Ceara, his eyes wide as he saw the Maximus, “FUCK!”

Ceara was standing still with the knife to her throat she dared not move and was scared the man was going to just kill her then try again to kill Maximus. Suddenly from their right she heard the growl. The man began to turn but it was too late. Tonto leapt and drug him to the ground with his arm pulling the knife away from Ceara’s throat. She was struggling to keep her feet and drove her heel into the man’s ankle just as Maximus arrived and tore into the man’s other arm. Alden was moving like the wind and was upon them all quickly grabbing Ceara by the waist and lifting then turning and almost tossing her out of the way, “THROAT!!” he yelled and Tonto immediately released the arm and had the man
’s throat in his powerful jaws.

Alden knelt down and gently petted Maximus, “Let it go boy, let it go,” he pulled on Maximus’s collar. Maximus was still biting and clamping down on the arm. Alden gave a forceful tug on the collar,” LET IT GO.”

Maximus reluctantly let go as Ceara reached down and took hold of him. Then Tabitha and Beth came running from behind the cabins as Alden looked down to the guy and pulled at the man’s long black hair. He slid his combat knife out and placed it at the edge of the man’s scalp. “I’m going to ask you some questions. Your first response will either be nothing, and
I kill you
or you will tell me and your friends will kill you.
One of those choices is
unacceptable and to show you how unacceptable that is
…
” He stopped talking and cut four inches of hair right at the scalp. This is what I will do to you if I th
ink you’re bullshitting me.”

Ceara couldn’t believe what Alden was doing but the trickle of blood on her throat stopped her from worrying about the man. She turned running to her cabin with Maximus on her heels, “CHARLIE!!”

She burst through the door just as Colt was putting a wet rag on Charlie’s head. “You’re ok!?”

Colt had him on the couch and Charlie tried to get up but Colt held him down, “Man, you got a pretty good gash on your head, stay put!”

Ceara knelt on the floor in front of him; Charlie reached out touching the drying blood on her throat, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what happen.”

“It don’t matter now, Alden has the guy outside. Let me see your head.” Charlie leaned down and Colt lifted the rag, Ceara cringed, “That’s bad Charlie! You may need stitches!”

Colt shook his head, “Bad, yes but it looks worse than it is. Look…” He sat Charlie back and motioned for Ceara to come around the couch. When she was in a good spot Colt refolded the rag to a clean spot and dabbed the spot earning a groan from Charlie. “See look” He had cleaned the fresh blood off and Ceara could see i
t wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Maximus was where Charlie had fallen and was sniffing around still growling. Charlie looked from Maximus to Ceara, “What happen?” She quickly told both
Colt and Charlie everything.

Beth looked over to Tabitha, “I am going to go check on Maximus and see what’s going on inside.”

Tabitha looked over at Alden, she so wanted in on the action. “No problem Beth. You go do what you do best and I will stay right here with Alden and this piece of shit!”

Beth immediately went inside and saw Charlie sitting up on the couch. She did not interrupt Ceara while she was telling her story. Instead Beth made her way over to the couch and knelt down in front of Charlie. “Charlie, I need you to follow my finger.”

Putting her index finger in front of the bridge of Charlie’s nose she slowly moved it right to left then repeated it. His right eye was dilated which was to be expected because from the looks of where the wound was on his head it would make sense. “I need you to sit still and Colt will keep you company while I fix this.”

Ceara looked up at Beth and spoke to her nervously while Beth went over to get one of the first aid kits, “It didn’t look that bad…… is he going to be ok?? I hope Alden kills that son of a bitch!”

Beth picked up the kit then made her way back to where she had been before when she had examined Charlie. Beth calmly spoke as she opened the kit and retrieved gauze wrapping, tape, scissors and triple antibiotic cream, “Ceara, Charlie here is going to be fine. By looking at his wound along with his one eye it’s apparent that Charlie here has a small concussion. The reason that it looks as if there is so much blood is that head wounds bleed a lot because there is several blood vessels and arteries right close to the skin.”

Beth then put on a pair of rubber gloves and started cleaning the wound carefully. “DAMN THAT HURTS!”, Charlie yelled as he winced in pain.

Beth blew softly across the wound to dry it from the peroxide. “Charlie, it’s alright sweetie…. I am almost finished.” In fact, she was finished, for after Beth had said those words she quickly put triple antibiotic cream on it and then wrapped his head in gauze then taped it off. “Now Charlie, I need you to listen to me carefully. I can’t give you any aspirin because that will thin your blood and we can’t have that but I can give you a couple of Tyl
enol which will help a little.”

Beth stood up and went over to the kitchen sink where she got a glass of water and then made her way over to
the couch
. After handing the glass to Charlie to hold Beth looked in the first aid kit and found several packets of Tylenol. She ripped one of them open and said, “Here you go, hold out your hand and take these. Drink your water slowly and just relax here for a while. Maximus can keep you company i
f that would be ok with Ceara.”

Beth stood up once more and carried the first aid kit over to the table then came back where she sat down beside Colt. However just as soon as she sat down she remembered hearing Ceara tell the guys about how her assailant cut her. Beth leaned forward and gently touched Ceara’s chin, “Ceara let me have a better look.”

Ceara quickly put her head back and Beth looked forward then up with her eyes. “That needs to be cleaned and you get to have
the same treatment as Charlie.”

Beth got up once more and brought the first aid kit back with her and then began to work on Ceara’s wound. Ceara had much of the same reaction with her face when the peroxide had been applied but she didn’t yell like Charlie had done. Instead of the gauze
,
Beth
got a pretty good sized band aid and after putting the ointment on Ceara’s wound Beth then applied the band aid. Beth place
d
her hands on Ceara’s knees, “Now you both have war wounds and stories to tell everyone.”

That brought a smile to Ceara’s face and Beth looked back at Colt who was looking at Charlie with a very concerned look. Charlie looked as though he had been in a bad street fight and with all of the pain he was in managed to muster up a small smile. “Ya, I can honestly say I didn’t get the license plate number off that truck!”

Beth stood up and sat down beside Colt and place her hand on his knee, “Colt?! Hey, he’s ok, she’s ok and Maximus is ok. Now
you relax and you will be ok.”

Colt looked to both Ceara and Charlie, then to Beth, “I know you are right, Alden and Tabitha are out there alone so I am going to head out and make sure they don’t need help.”

Charlie tried to stand but a wave of nausea and dizziness hit him. Beth stood up, “Charlie you stretch out here, Ceara don’t let him go to sleep, if he tries to then do something to wake him up. With a possible concussion he may not wake back up.”

Beth didn’t want to scare Ceara
,
but she had to know not to let Charlie go to sleep. Beth turned wit
h Colt, “I’ll go out with you.”

When both of them went out the door Beth looked over to see that Alden had the man in a death lock and Tabitha was standing above them with her arms crossed with a smirk on her face. Tabitha looked up and saw both of them coming over and Tabitha put her hand up, “You guys might wanna stay out of the way because Alden’s giving our boy here a haircut and I wouldn’t want anything to get on you guys.”

Beth looked down and saw exactly what Alden was doing and after seeing what Cha
rlie’s head wound was; Alden’s ‘
haircut
’
made Charlie’s
injuries look like a paper cut.

The blood poured down the man’s face Alden held his head tight and Tonto’s teeth put pressure on the throat. “Now that we have an understanding you will answer simple questions by blinking once for yes and twice for no. Got it?”
The man blinked once.

“Are there more than ten of you?”
Again he blinked once.

“More than thirty?” He b
linked once.

“Forty?” He blinked twice. The tears coming down were mixing with the blood. They could see the fear in his eyes. “Any children?” The man blinked twice.

“Women”, he blinked once.

“Using your hand how many women?”

The man hesitated and Alden placed the blade against his hair once more. The man’s hand stretched out and he showed five fingers then two. Alden looked at Tonto, “Hold.”

He got up and walked to Ceara and Charlie’s cabin. Walking in he saw Charlie sitting on the couch, “You alright son?”

Charlie looked up weakly, “Yeah I think so. He knocked on the door real light I answered and he hit me before I knew who or what was happening. I went down and he kicked me in the head a couple of times and I went out.”