Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come (25 page)

Ceara looked out to the yard, “I know you’re right, but…”

“But nothing, me getting bit changes nothing as far as what we normally do. Alden has things to do, and we have dinner to make.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Alden filled his coffee cup, “Well, I am.”

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Charlie leaned back patting his stomach and looking at Stray Eagle, “I almost feel guilty about eating a buffalo steak while the rest are back at the ranch, eating beans and stuff.”

Stray Eagle smiled, “I will take you hunting one of these days and teach you how to butcher and salt the beef to keep it from going bad.”

Running Buffalo reached down and picked up his pipe. Loading it with tobacco, he lit it. He watched as the smoke rose above his head. Looking back at his two guests he sighed, “The dead are getting more numerous. We have seen multiple small herds joining with others to form much larger herds. On the other hand, a few of the braves have found some that were actually dead. No head wounds mind you, they were just dead.”

Charlie looked at Stray Eagle then back to Running Buffalo, “Do you think the disease is killing them or is it starvation?”

Running Buffalo shook his head, “To early to tell, but I’m hoping for starvation, myself. I’d hate to think that our friends and family could get bit and do unspeakable things before they eventually die from the disease itself. I just can’t see the Great Spirit allowing a soul
to destroy that many lives before passing on.”

He continued on, “Now about these military units. Our scouts have seen and followed them. They appear to be just rogue factions of the original military. Most of our observations are that these units, though separate, do communicate with each other. Like us, they have set up small group camps which are easily defensible.”

Charlie looked at Stray Eagle then to Running Buffalo, “Well, that’s a relief. Alden will be glad to know this.”

Stray Eagle spoke up “The herds we have seen seem to be growing. Alden was trying figure out a way to try and herd them into a box canyon. What we would do after that is anyone’s guess.”

Running Buffalo took another draw off his pipe and smiled, “Knowing Alden, he’d simply blow the entrance to the canyon and seal them off.”

Running Buffalo looked to Stray Eagle he smiled. “So how is my daughter faring with the others?”

Stray Eagle smiled, “She is adapting very well. She seems to enjoy the ladies in the group and their companionship.”

Running Buffalo smiled, “She’s always one to make friends. She got that from her mother.”

The men spoke for another hour or so, then agreed that Charlie and Stray Eagle would return to the ranch the next morning.

As the sun rose, Charlie was already awake. He had made coffee and one of the women from the tribe had cooked up a large plate of scrambled eggs. When Stray Eagle showed up, and the two ate the eggs with biscuits. Running Buffalo came up and wished them well, as they mounted their horses.

By mid-morning, the two could see the ranch in the distance and smiles crossed both the young men’s faces. As they approached the ranch, they could smell food being cooked and saw Alden sitting in a chair on the porch.

Inside the house, Ceara and Tabitha heard the horses approaching. Looking at each other, Tabitha spoke up, “We better go and meet the boys. Alden’s going to need support when he tells Stray Eagle the news.”

Ceara wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. Ceara stood at the back door of the kitchen, and she watched as Alden stood just as the young men rode up.

Slowly, Tabitha stood up to join Ceara over by the door. Seeing the men approach, all sorts of things began to go through her mind. How would they take the news? What would their next step be? There were too many questions and all she could do was look over at Ceara, and then she started thinking about her, instead of everyone else.

Reaching over, Tabitha took Ceara’s hand in hers, “Just breathe…..we will make it through this… I don’t know how, but we just need to….. somehow.”

Ceara nodded and pushed open the door. Part of her wanted to run and hug Charlie, just thankful that he was okay. As the boys dismounted, Alden picked up his coffee, “Boys, come on over and sit for a bit. We got some things to talk over.”

Charlie let the reins fall, “Where is Ceara?”

“I’m right here, Charlie.”

Charlie ran over checking her over, “You ok? What is the sit down talk for?”

Stray Eagle snagged up the reins of Charlie’s horse along with his own, “No offense, Alden, but my ass is sore and I’m hungry. So I’m going to put away the horses, go see my girl, then eat; Pretty much in that order.”

Ceara looked up to Charlie, then to Stray Eagle, “Charlie and I will take care of the horses, you just sit down for a few. Listen to Alden… please?” Ceara said softly to Stray Eagle.

Stray Eagle finally paid attention to everyone’s looks, “Where is Niz?”

“Sit down son, as I said before, we need to talk.”

Stray Eagle handed the reins over to Ceara and watched, as she and Charlie headed to the barn. He turned back to Alden, “Is she even alive? Is she one of those things?”

Alden kicked out a chair for Stray Eagle and then sat in his. As soon as Stray Eagle sat down, Alden leaned forward, “There was an attack before I got back, Beth was bit, but it was a small wound on her hand. Niz tried to clear the house and was attacked; she didn’t have a chance from what Colt told me. I am truly sorry. I know you were just able to tell her how you felt.”

Stray Eagle sat in silence for a few minutes, and then lowered his head, “Is she down for good? Who made sure she didn’t return?”

Alden took a sip of coffee and sat back, “She is waiting to be welcomed by the Great Spirit. Why would you ask who made sure she didn’t come back? Depending on that answer is whether or not you find out. I know you are hurt, but don’t be doing anything stupid.”

Stray Eagle stood, “I will take her home, you will tell Running Buffalo who made sure his daughter would move to the next world.”

Alden stood too, “Not if the reason for knowing is to hurt someone, Chief or not I will answer for my people, but I will also defend them if necessary.”

Stray Eagle stepped to the back door, “Where is she?”

Alden led him into the house, past Tabitha. Tabitha leaned her head back on the wall, “Well that went splendidly.”

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Charlie leaned on the rail of the stall, watching Ceara unsaddle the horses, “When are you going to tell me what is going on?”

Ceara turned to him, “It ain’t good Charlie, and I just don’t want to tell you.”

Charlie walked around the stall gate and pulled her to him, lifted her chin with his forefinger, “You are alive and I’m alive, outside of that, we will get through anything.”

Ceara buried her head in his chest, “I don’t know about that! Niz is dead and Beth got bit!!”

Charlie pulled back, holding her at arm’s length, “What?”

All Ceara could do was nod, “I tried to stop them, I ran in to help Niz with Colt but it was too late. Colt had to… to.. He had to stab her in the head! Then Beth told us she was bit, but not bad, so she is still okay for now.”

Charlie dropped his arms and turned to walk out of the garage, “I need to help Alden!”

Ceara ran after him, “Wait for me!”

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Colt stood at the window as Beth wrapped her arms around his waist. He glanced down at her hand to see the bandages. He gently stroked her hand, “It isn’t fair.”

“No, nothing about this world is fair, Colt. How many times have we had that proven in the past months?”

Colt leaned his head back looking to the ceiling, “I was listening to Alden out there, talking to Stray Eagle. It wasn’t good… he wants to know who made sure that Niz wouldn’t come back.”

Beth stepped back and turned Colt around, “Look at me… Why are you looking at the ceiling?”

Colt looked down into Beth’s eyes, “Just wondering where God is, and what the hell could be so important up there that he just deserted us.”

Beth rolled her eyes, “You look for answers that will never come, not from there anyway. What you need to do is look at me, and ask me what I believe is going to happen?”

Colt smiled, “Well, you are a Goddess to me, so let’s hear your words of wisdom.”

Beth smiled, “I will research and examine my blood in the next couple of days. If I get anything, I will write it down for you to take with you, wherever you go. If there comes a time that you happen to find another doctor, scientist, or even veterinarian, you can give them my notes. I will have done my part.”

Beth stepped around the end of the bed heading toward the door, “Now as far Stray Eagle goes, I would think that there is anger. That is only normal, but once he has time to think about it, he will thank you for making sure that Niz passed on to the next life this way.”

Colt held a hand on the door stopping Beth from opening it, “And what if he doesn’t?”

Beth shrugged, “Then you guys will move on to a new place, and find new adventures. But Colt, we won’t know unless we join Stray Eagle and Alden. Now kindly move that hand so we can do that.”

Leaning up to Colt, Beth gently kissed the side of his face then whispered, “Sweetie, come on now. I am going through this right along with you.” Beth pulled back, wiped a tear from her eye then smiled softly, “Stray Eagle needs us now, and we have to take this one step at a time.”

Beth tugged his hand down from the door, “We will get through this.”

Beth had to regain her composure because down deep inside she knew that within the next seventy two hours, she would be going through the very same thing that Jessica had. The emotions inside of her were so tumultuous, her mind was reeling, her breath tightened in her chest. Beth suddenly lost her balance; she started to fall against the wall. Colt stepped up to help her but she held up her hand, “I’m okay, just got moving too quick, maybe.”

Shaking her head with her eyes closed, she quickly erased every thought in her head. The thoughts of Jessica were replaced with questions. Was the infection starting to spread? Did she have less than seventy two hours?

Slowly she opened her eyes and regained her balance, then looked down at her hand. Beth didn’t see any significant changes except for a small amount of discoloration. However, she knew that was to be expected.

Beth decided that she would stay in her room for a few minutes and begin her journal. “Honey, you go join everyone, I need to take care of something real quick”

After she sat down, she picked up a pen then opened up her long forgotten black spiral notebook. She remember jotting down the notes from a little town they had passed through. The kids dead outside of town with had no significant injuries, but were still dead. The next section was about all the children that she had met in some small town that had closed ranks, not allowing strangers in. She smiled knowing that Running Buffalo did much the same thing. Beth wondered if they were all still alive.

Taking in a deep breath, Beth turned to a blank page. She knew that this was becoming a diary of her death and hopefully someone, somewhere along the way, will use this. “Something good will come out of this,” she whispered, “Something has to, just please Lord, give me the chance to help start something, and then send someone along to help my family here, help them survive. Please Lord, watch over Colt, please help him… he has lost so much and I wish he didn’t have to go through this without me.”

ENTRY # 1

It has only been a few hours since I have been bitten. The area around the wound is discolored and I just experienced problems with my equilibrium…..”

Beth sat there writing in her journal for a little while when she overheard Alden talking out in the front room. She closed up everything and then made her way out to see how things were going.

Stray Eagle stood at the door that led to Alden’s room. There on his bed, was a body wrapped neatly in a southwestern patterned blanket. He walked in and knelt down by the bed slowly placing his hand on her stomach. Tears welled up in Stray Eagle’s eyes as he began to quietly chant in his native tongue. Tabitha was standing behind Alden, and whispered in his ear, “What’s he doing?”

Alden kept watching as he replied, “He’s praying.” Alden turned and slowly closed the door. “We need to go back to the living room and let him have his time.”
A half hour went by when Alden looked up at the sound of the door opening. Stray Eagle walked into the room and sat down on the floor looking at Alden.

“I ask you again old friend, who helped her crossover?”

Alden took a sip from a bottle he had in his hand then passed it to Stray Eagle, “It was Colt.”

Stray eagle took a sip, “I wish to thank him, if that’s okay.”

Alden got up, “I’ll get him.”

Colt and Beth were in the kitchen with the rest of the group. Alden walked in, “Stray Eagle wants to talk to you, Colt.”

Everyone started to get up, Alden raised his hand, “You all stay put. This is between Colt and Stray Eagle.”