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

Slowly Beth walked over to the door and opened it, “Now come on, you need to show me how awesome this rabbit stew is that you’re going to make or we can make whatever you want to make out of it.”

Tabitha got up then made her way over to the door with Beth, “Thank you Beth. I can’t make you any promises right now …. Except, I will continue to try to make it day by day, if that is alright?”

Once more Beth put her arm around Tabitha’s shoulder and walked with her out the door, “Whatever it takes Tabitha…. that is all we can ask.”

When Ceara had the entire cactus cut up, she mixed in a can of pineapples but didn’t know what else to do to it. Beth was in the room with Tabitha and the guys were all outside. As soon as she made the choice to go outside, Alden and Colt walked in, “Where’s Charlie?”

“Checking the horses, making sure they have hay.” Alden set the can of peaches down, “Add those to the salad.”

Ceara grabbed the can opener, within a couple minutes; she had the peaches mixed in. Just as she finished Tabitha and Beth joined them. Ceara looked to Tabitha then to the door, “I’m going to find Charlie.”

She quickly left the house almost running into Charlie, “Whoa, where’s the fire?”

“I just wondered where you were. It doesn’t take that long to feed the horses.”

Charlie was relieved that Ceara involuntarily gave him the reason Alden had given her for his long absence. “Yeah, well you aren’t the only one that can talk to the horses. Maybe I just needed a little alone time myself.”

The look on Ceara’s face told him she took that the wrong way. “FINE, you all want to avoid me then I will make it easy for you. I don’t need to be around any of you anyway.”

Charlie threw his hands in the air as Ceara ran around the other side of the house, “Women!” Charlie joined the others in the house, he decided that Ceara needed to figure a few things out for herself; he had already told her everything he could. It was up to her to choose to believe it.

Alden looked at Charlie coming in the back door alone. Taking a bite of one of the peach slices, he got up and grabbed his crutch.

Charlie looked at him “I didn’t do anything boss, she’s just in a mood.”

Alden waved his hand and walked towards the front of the house. As he opened the front door and stepped out on the porch, he saw Ceara sitting on a yard swing. Limping out to her, she looked up. Before she could say anything, Alden grabbed the swing, “I’m old and wounded and I want to sit next to a pretty young girl.”

Ceara stopped swinging, with her arms crossed she looked up at him. Her eyes were red from crying.

Alden sat down placing his crutch on the ground. Stretching his bad leg out, he looked out across the desert as the sun was setting over the horizon. “Those colors are truly wonderful this time of night. The orange to blue to purple, the clouds look like waves coming into the beach off an ocean.”

Ceara leaned her head on his shoulder. Alden wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

She spoke softly into his chest, “Why is everyone against me now? Tabitha hates me. Charlie lies to me all the time. Beth and Colt try to avoid me because they think I’m overly protective. I’m sorry for all that happened and what’s more I’m scared we’re going to lose more before this is over.”

Silence settled between them for a few minutes before Alden spoke. “Sweetie I hate to tell you this but there’s more truth to your last statement then we all want to admit. The thing is this, I’ve been in this position before; you cupcakes haven’t.”

Ceara sat up and looked into his eyes. She suddenly realized what Alden’s life had been like. For most of his years, he had faced death and dying many times. More times than she really wanted to think about and certainly more times than the whole group put together.

Alden went on as he looked out across the desert, “We all face death every day. You just never realized it before all this crap happened. Every time you stepped into a bathtub, you risked death. Every time you got in your car, your risked death, hell every time you stepped out your front door, you risked death. The difference between then and now is you know what the death is bringing and how it’s coming at you. What you need to do now is come to terms with death.”

Ceara pulled back. “Come to terms with death. What the hell does that mean? With everything I’ve been through and seen, I think I’ve come real close to terms with death, thank you very much.”

Alden placed his hands on his knees looked to the ground then to her.

“Cupcake, what you’ve seen is a lot of death. Coming to terms with it is entirely different. Coming to terms means you accept the fact that you’re dead already.” Ceara eyes went wide but Alden kept talking and the next line stunned her. “When you realize you’re already dead, as is everyone you know, it is then that you can truly start to live and enjoy life. For time and life at that moment will become the most precious thing you have and one you will not want to waste.”

Alden reached down and picked up his crutch. Pulling himself up, he looked down at her and rubbed the top of her head, “You think about that kid. Then come on in, it’s getting dark. I’ll leave an oil lamp on low for ya on the front porch.”

Ceara watched him as he hobbled to the porch. He stopped and lit the lamp then turned it down low and disappeared inside.

Alden had woken up from the throbbing in his ankle. When he rolled over, his foot hit the floor. The pain shot through him and brought him straight out of bed. Sitting on the edge, he looked out the window and saw the sun’s rays were just beginning to shine over the horizon. Alden grabbed his camo pants and pulled them on. Alden then put on his typical O.D. green wool socks and laced up his jump boots.

Grabbing his cane that now replaced the crutch; he made his way to the kitchen, stopping briefly to see Colt and Beth sitting up but sound asleep on the couch. He shook his head. Months before he would have been yelling, but things had calmed down. Tonto was on guard outside, so he had no worries that an alarm would be sounded early enough.

Alden made a pot of coffee and took it outside to the fire pit and soon had a small fire going. Walking back in, he headed to the bathroom for his morning shave. Finishing quickly, he returned to the fire and poured his first cup.

As he sat and sipped his coffee, he watched as the sun rose. The air was cool and crisp. He could see jack rabbits skittering across the desert nibbling on plants. The sky was blue with a few large puffy white clouds. Many birds were flying back and forth including one eagle.

As he lowered his head to take another sip of what he jokingly called his lifer’s juice, Alden saw a small dust cloud in the distance. Picking up a pair of binoculars, he looked to the cloud. A grin came on his face as he noticed two horses pulling a wagon. Next to it rode five men. Although his thought he needed to get the rest of the kids up, he decided to just let Tabitha sleep.

Walking into the room, Alden quietly woke the first two on the couch by shaking them gently. “You two need to wake up and be quiet. The neighbors are coming but I don’t want Tabitha up yet.”

Alden moved to Ceara and Charlie’s room. They were in there sleeping soundly. Charlie on his back with Ceara cuddled up to him. He gently shook Charlie’s toes as he had done for months. Charlie opened his eyes, “What’s up boss?” he said sleepily.

“We got company, the neighbors are back to trade, I think. Rise and shine and keep quiet. I don’t want Tabitha to wake up.”

Ceara raised her head, “Why not, she’s part of the group.”

Alden looked at her, “With Tabitha’s temper? I don’t want to blow this deal. If I knew she would be polite, I would have no problem, but I’m afraid she’ll go off and that would put a wrench in the works.”

Ceara nodded and Alden headed back down the hall. Beth and Colt were up. Colt was folding the blanket they had been wrapped up in, and Beth was now in the bathroom. Heading outside, Alden could see the Indians coming close. He figured they’d be there within fifteen minutes. From the dust cloud, it didn’t look like they were riding hard.

When Ceara finished with her normal habits, she headed outside, Charlie and Beth were already out there, “Morning guys, how far out are they?”

Charlie pointed with a nod of his chin, “Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”

Ceara looked over; their new friends were just about there. “Alden, before they get here and I piss you off again… What do you want us to do?”

Alden didn’t smile, nor look at her, but kept his eyes on the progress of the small caravan, “I expect you to trust me and let me deal with this. You help once the deal is done, and be nice.”

Ceara sneered, “Damn, I wasn’t that bad.”

Charlie laughed but he was the only one and he quickly tried to hide it with a cough. Ceara smirked, “Well, I wasn’t… was I?”

Beth watched as the new men joined them, “Ceara, you weren’t that bad, just very much to the point, and well, that isn’t always the best.”

The men pulled up and Ceara noticed that now there was a woman with them too. She leaned over to Beth, “Wonder why they brought her?”

Beth simply shrugged, “We send females on our runs too.”

“Yeah, but that’s because there are so few of us, right?”

Beth gave her a quizzical look, “The world went to hell, so I’m thinking equal rights has just started meaning each and every one of us has to pull our own weight.”

The men went straight to Alden but the woman went to Beth and Ceara, “Hi, my name is Nizhoni, it means beautiful, “She gave Ceara a little wink, “but just call me Niz.”

She looked around their area, “We are in need of spices and sugar, and the men don’t think they need to be bothered with the simple things, so I asked to come with them on this trip.”

Beth smiled at Niz, “My name is Beth, and this is Ceara. We can completely relate on the simple things. Once we went on a run, it was Ceara and I that looked for both soap and razors.”

Ceara started laughing and both women looked at her, “Hey, you have to give Alden credit, one time he did ask if we needed female things.”

Niz got a surprised look, “My men have never even thought of those needs. I’m not going to tell you what we have been using.”

Ceara got a bigger grin, “You are in luck, in the trailer is a whole box of ummmm both styles.”
Niz got a genuine smile, “Our women will be forever in your debt!”

Beth waved the girl in the house, “Let’s go see if there is anything else you could use that we can deal to part with.”

Alden met with Stray Eagle, Running Buffalo, and the young man Billy. There were two more young braves driving the wagon and two more on horseback, who were herding four head of cattle. A bull was tied to the back of the wagon which also contained a few crates of chickens and one rooster. A fourth box was covered with a small blanket.

After the pleasantry of normal greetings, Alden along with Stray eagle and Running Buffalo walked to the trailers leaving Colt and Charlie with the young braves.

Alden smiled at the two men. “I’m glad you waited to come back. Things have been a bit tense around here since we lost two of our members.”

Running Buffalo hung his head, “The rains that will fall from now till the end will never match the tears and sorrow that have been shed for those you have lost.”

Alden shook his hand and thanked him.

Stray Eagle spoke up quietly, “We held an old fashioned Pow-Wow,” grinning as he said the last words. We all decided that four cows and a bull to help breed more would be a good start. Along with some chickens and a rooster again to help breed more. For that we wish to look into your general store.” He smiled big as he pointed to the back of one of the trailers.

Alden grinned, “I think we can work something out that will benefit all of us and be fair.”
Alden walked up the steps that Colt and Charlie had made out of old pallets and opened the first trailer. The two Indians’ eyes went wide when they saw all of the paper goods and other essentials such as blankets, towels, washcloths, and an entire section of tools. All the items had been organized and placed on shelves that they had built from the pallets and other piece of wood they had found.

Alden grinned, “The men’s wear section is back a few feet on the left, the women’s wear is on the right. We got a bunch of those newfangled Hi Def T.V.s in the barn if you’re interested. There are also some movies, dvd players, and Blu-ray players,” he said as he pointed to the barn.

Running buffalo turned and looked at him, “You’re kidding, right?”

Alden shook his head, “Nope dead serious. We put them in there, because we needed the space in the trailer for the stuff that needed to be kept dry and away from mice and other critters.”

Stray Eagle had walked to the back of the trailer and had come back carrying two axes and a sledgehammer, “How much for these oh great white man of Wal-mart?” His sarcastic smile let everyone know he was making jokes.

Beth and Ceara were showing Niz what they were willing to part with and Niz began telling them about their camp. Beth motioned for her to sit at the kitchen table and poured all of them a glass of water. Colt came in just as they all sat down, Beth gently rubbed his arm, “Colt this is Niz, she came with the men to trade. Niz, this is Colt. You have met or at least seen everyone but Tabitha, I am sure she will be up and moving soon.”

Colt shook her hand with polite greeting added, then looked to Beth, “I’ll leave you ladies to talk, and I’m going to go join the men.”

As soon as Colt was out the door, Ceara looked to Niz, “I don’t want to sound rude but could I ask how your people survived the outbreak?”

Niz set her glass down and watched the men working outside the back door, lost in thought. Ceara sat in silence but wondered if she messed up again just as Niz began talking.

“We were not left alone, we have quite a few, and they were losses we would not wish on anyone. We are not so set in the old ways that we didn’t have some of the modern conveniences. Many of us had TVs and computers, most of the teen-agers had cell phones. We watched as the newscasts showed what was happening, we watched videos that were posted. Our chief banned anyone from leaving; those returning were checked before they were allowed back in.”

Niz looked into her water as she twisted the glass, “My younger brother was returning from Albuquerque, he went to school there. We were calling everyone back, the chief saw what was happening before most of the government did. He wanted his people home. My brother arrived and I ran to greet him as I had each time he returned, but he pushed me away. He was bit and didn’t want others near him. He said he returned to die at home but to also allow us to see what the true result was of the infection.”

Beth laid her hand on Niz’s arm, “I’m so sorry, you don’t have to tell this story. We have all had horrible losses.”

Niz took a sip and shook her head, “No, it is better you know how we stayed safe, perhaps you will be safer for the knowledge.”

Beth nodded and moved her hand away as Niz continued, “We took him to what was to become a quarantine building, and we restrained him for his own protection. He had a very high fever and would thrash about so much that we feared he would hurt himself. We had no idea that it would save our lives.”

Niz looked to Ceara with tears brimming in her eyes to see tears in Ceara’s, “My brother joined our ancestors the same night he returned. Whatever is happening to the world happened to him the next morning as we were building his funeral pyre. I went to say good-bye alone and I saw my brother trying to break free. Our medicine man said we had to kill him again or his spirit could not leave. My father did it…. We now saw what my brother wanted us to see.”

Our chief setup lookouts, he sent men out for food, weapons and ammo, he cut off all communications. The women were making hand-made bows. You may have noticed we ride horses more than drive. Our Chief told us it was better to feed a horse than to rely on a supply of gas. He put our village back to the eighteen hundreds. Those that disagreed were allowed to leave but knew they could not return. Our number is small but thanks to our chief and our knowledge of the old ways we have done ok.”

She took another drink, “So to answer your question, those that did survive have survived because of our chief.” Niz lifted the glass looking at the water, “Your water well is fed as ours is, by the river. You would do well to still boil it, we don’t know if or when the river will get contaminated.”

Ceara pushed her glass away, “I’m sorry I asked you that, I had no right.”

Niz looked confused, “You have every right to know about anyone in your camp!”

Beth stood picking up the glasses, “Niz, I think she just meant she was sorry she made you relive it.”

Niz had a small smile and stood, “Oh…. well, should we join the others?”

The men were moving around stacking things in the yard, Niz saw one of the large TVs sitting with many other things, “Billy, what the hell would we need that for?”

Billy set a box down, “Who said I picked that?”

Niz cocked her head and put her hand on her hip, just looking at him. Billy ran his fingers through his hair and got a coy look, “It will make a great target for the young to practice with their bows!”

Niz shook her head, “That gets put back, even if you did mean it for that, which I doubt, it would make noise. You know the rules, Billy.”

Billy got a defeated look, “Fine, just thought it could be cool to have.”

Ceara started laughing, “Damn girl, you got to teach me how to do that. I talk and I get ignored, you talk and there ain’t no arguments.”

Niz smirked, “One of the few benefits of being the chief’s daughter.”

Before Ceara could register what Niz had just said the girl walked off, “Why are the little ones still covered?”

Stray Eagle joined Niz by the last crate, “Alden said no.” He said it in louder voice than Ceara thought necessary, but she was curious what the little ones were. Hand guns, knives or even grenades, but she didn’t know why Alden would say no to weapons.

Niz looked a little confused, “They will be needed to help with the animals we have given them. Why would he say no?”

Alden joined them by the covered crate, “We have just lost one of our own and Ceara wouldn’t be ready now.”

Ceara joined them, “Ready for what? Why wouldn’t I be ready? What is it?”

Stray Eagle pulled the cover off a litter of puppies, “They are blue heeler pups, they are great natural herders and very good protectors. But Alden said no and we must respect that.”