Rose stared at the road ahead, “Yeah, I guess. I mean, it hasn’t sunk in. You know… that he’s dead. I’ve not processed it yet. But yeah, we should do the right thing, I mean we can’t keep carrying his body around in the truck.”
“OK then, let’s pull off the interstate and get it done. You think Jade and Annalise will be OK with it? Dimitri was one of their people—” Mercy said.
“Yeah, they’ll be OK. We need to do this,” Rose replied, her voice quiet.
Mercy turned off the interstate and onto Route 95. She drove for two miles then pulled off the road. The truck stopped behind them. With the engines switched off the desert stillness rushed in, smothering them in silence.
Mercy sighed, “Come on, let’s get this done.”
The ground was too hard to dig so they buried Dimitri’s body under rocks. It took them half an hour to fully cover him. Mercy stared at the pile of rocks once they had completed the grim task.
Not pretty but at least it’ll keep the vultures and coyotes from getting him—
Jade laid a bunch of yellow desert poppies on Dimitri’s grave. “We should say something—”
Silence.
“Who knew Dimitri the best—?” Mercy managed.
Annalise started to speak, “Me, I guess, but I don’t know what to say—”
Barnes stepped forwards and cleared his throat, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
Mercy looked at Barnes.
Nice words Barnes. Still waters run deep my friend—
Rose sniffed and walked away. Annalise and Jade stared at the grave with blank faces.
Tawny threw a handful of gravel onto the grave, “Good knowing you Dimitri, see you on the other side—”
Barnes turned and walked back to the truck.
You’re born alone and you die alone. Life’s one long rollercoaster—
“You OK?” Flynn said, reaching for Mercy’s hand.
Mercy shrugged, “Yeah, no… it doesn’t mean anything, does it? None of it, it’s all bullshit. Life… all this running around, we’re pissing in the wind, aren’t we?”
Flynn closed his eyes, “I was pissing in the wind right up until the moment I met you. Then it was different, all different… new. Not just existing but living, everything was just so… switched on.”
Mercy shook her head, “You’re a hopeless romantic Flynn. Me, I’m just a cynic and a realist. Life is one long battle, you get to try and survive it each day. And every day you die a little inside until you're just a shadow… a ghost.”
And when you’re gone you’re just a flicker in someone else’s memory—
Flynn took a deep breath and embraced Mercy, “So dark for someone so young. We’ll see if you change your tune when we get to the Pacific Ocean. I hear it’s pure magic. It’ll get into your heart and never let you go.”
Mercy glanced at Dimitri’s grave and shuddered. “Come on, let’s go. I’m cold.”
Cold as death—
Mercy returned to the DPV and climbed in.
Rose handed her the map, “Check it out. Do you see what I see?”
Mercy switched on her head torch and examined the map.
Jesus, we’re close to the California Arizona border—
“Hey, Rose. California’s about eight klicks west of here,” Mercy said, pointing to the right.
“So close, you could almost touch it,” Rose answered.
They travelled in silence south along Route 95 for the next twenty kilometres. Rose stared at the map and at the endless desert terrain stretching out on either side. They came to a sign for Desert Hills. Rose checked the map. She held up her hand.
“Mercy, slow down. I think we should stop before we reach a built-up area. I don’t think we should risk any further contact,” Rose said. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I’d be happy to pull off the road and get some sleep in the car. We’re OK, we’re small and we’ve got camo nets but that truck is big. It’ll stick out unless we can find somewhere to hide it—” Mercy responded, yawning in sympathy.
“You mean like… over there?” Rose pointed at a gas station and fast food restaurant on the right.
A huge billboard on the side of the road proclaimed: JESUS SAVES. ARE YOU READY FOR SALVATION? ARE YOU READY FOR HEAVEN… OR HELL?
Mercy slowed the DPV and peered at the small retail park. “Looks looted, burnt out. No tropes to see anyway. If we park right under that billboard, one of us could climb up and keep watch from the walkway. That’s one hell of a watch tower. Yeah, let’s stop here.”
“Go for it,” Rose said, fighting another yawn. “I’m about to fall into a coma here.”
They pulled off Route 95 into the retail park. A fire-damaged car dealership stood broken, its steel bones laid bare in the starlight. Mercy pulled up underneath the towering billboard. Tawny stopped the truck behind the fast food restaurant, out of sight from the road. Mercy kept the DPV’s engine idling. They waited and watched. Mercy’s eyes searched the buildings, she waited for the dead to appear.
Nothing—
Three minutes passed.
It’s really dead—
Mercy killed the engine and closed her eyes. Desert silence rushed in, smothering her. Rose sat still and stared up at the night sky.
Drink in this moment. No bullets. No rockets. No killing. Just the desert and the sky—
Mercy followed Rose’s gaze and allowed the stars to fill her mind.
Oh. My. God. It’s so beautiful—
“The sign was right. We’ve been to Hell, we’re in Heaven now—” Rose whispered. “Jesus, I could use a smoke, but I’m fresh out.”
“Come on, let’s put the camo net up and check on the others,” Mercy climbed out of the DPV and reached into the side basket for the camo net.
They draped the net across the DPV and went over to the restaurant.
Tawny greeted them behind the truck. She pointed at a roof access ladder on the side of the building, “I parked under that so we can sleep on the roof and keep watch.”
Mercy nodded, “Yeah, good plan. I think we should have two watches. One up on our billboard and one up on your roof. That should cover it. Everyone else can get some shut eye. How does that sound?”
“Works for me,” Tawny said. “The others are up there already. Seems OK.”
Rose tapped the tailgate, “What were those crates in the back of the truck?”
Tawny shook her head, “Do you want the good news or the good news?”
Mercy raised her eyebrows, “What?”
Tawny smiled, “The crates are full of ammo, food and medicine. Also paint for some reason.”
“Paint?” Rose frowned. She brightened, “Any smokes? Beer?”
Tawny shook her head, “No beer but I found these in the cab and thought of you.” She handed Rose a packet of loose tobacco and cigarette papers.
Rose’s eyes lit up, “Lifesaver Tawny. I owe you. I’ll take first watch on the billboard. Mercy? You with me?”
Mercy looked up at the roof, “I wanted to check on the others but it looks as if they’re OK. So, yeah, I’ll hang back with you up on JESUS SAVES over there.”
Flynn, I just wish all this craziness would stop. Just for one night. Stick with it, for me, for us—
They left Tawny and returned to the DPV underneath the giant billboard. Rose took her AR-15 and climbed the ladder to the billboard’s walkway, thirty feet above. Mercy took her pack which contained the last of her food and water. She secur
ed her Sig Sauer P226 in her thigh holster.
Gonna have to find me a new rifle somewhere—
Mercy climbed up after Rose and made a makeshift bed on the walkway using her jacket and pack. Rose rolled a cigarette and lit it, a look of pure satisfaction on her face. Mercy’s eyelids grew heavy, she lay down on her bed with the stars twinkling in the heavens overhead. She frowned.
Rose, you need to cover your cigarette end, it’ll be visible up here. There, I’ve said it, we’re good—
Mercy’s eyes closed. A soft, fragrant breeze blew in from the west.
There it is again… that sweet desert smell. Who would’ve thought—?
Mercy fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
“Hey, wake up. It’s your turn,” Rose’s voice penetrated Mercy’s consciousness.
“Yeah, sure. Give me a second,” Mercy replied, bleary eyed.
God that only felt like a minute or two’s sleep—
“How was it?” Mercy asked, stretching her arms.
“Quiet, apart from some coyotes howling at the moon earlier on,” Rose said. She lay down on the walkway. She put her cap over her face. “Wake me up when it’s tomorrow.”
Mercy shivered in the cool night air. She pulled her jacket around her and stared out into the desert night. Starlight and a crescent moon lit up the surrounding landscape.
So beautiful. So peaceful—
Mercy took out her binoculars and scanned the road and desert. The mountains stood, dark and foreboding in the distance. A cool breeze rustled the tall weeds and grass in the car park below. Mercy reached into her pocket and pulled out her last stick of gum.
Gonna have to get more gum soon—
Rose moaned in her sleep and her body jerked. She let out a low whimper. Mercy looked down at her friend, concern on her face.
Another nightmare Rose? You’re starting to worry me girl—
Rose settled after a few minutes and her breathing returned to normal. Mercy relaxed and resumed her star gazing.
A low howl went up, mournful and brittle in the cold desert air. The sound became higher in pitch, sending a shiver down Mercy’s spine. A series of howls answered, from different directions.
Coyotes. Why do they do that? Surely, if they’re out hunting they don’t want to advertise their presence—
Mercy trained her binoculars on the restaurant roof and spotted a figure perched on the edge.
Looks like Jade… or maybe Annalise—
Another howl. Closer. Mercy turned back to face the desert. She brought up the binoculars.
Nothing—
She scanned the main road. And froze.
What the fuck—?
A figure on a horse was watching her.
Goddammit—
“Rose, wake up. Get your shit together. We’ve got company—” Mercy said.
Rose opened her eyes and grabbed her rifle, “Where? How many?”
“One, as far as I can see—” Mercy answered.
The sound of a diesel engine broke the silence.
Mercy swung around, “That’s the truck—”
The DPV’s engine burst into life below. Rose swore and raced towards the ladder.
“No, Rose, don’t—” Mercy shouted.
There’s more of them than I can see. Our group’s split—
Mercy looked back at the road, the rider was gone.
Shit, stop Rose—
The DPV sped away, its rear lights red blurs in the night.
“Fuckers, I’m going to rip your lungs out when I find you,” Rose shouted in anger.
Mercy dropped to the ground and stared after the disappearing DPV. “They must’ve hotwired the vehicles. Clever bastards. Not a single shot fired. We can follow them. I saw a guy on horseback. I heard coyote calls, it must’ve been them—”
Rose kicked the tarmac, “Goddammit Mercy, they took our stuff. They took our ride—”
Mercy brushed past Rose, “Come on Rose, let’s see how the others are. We’ll figure something out.”
They walked over to the fast food restaurant. Jade and Annalise were standing beside the roof access ladder. Flynn and Dimitri were climbing down.
“Tawny saw them drive south on Route 95,” Jade said, her voice flat.
“Bastards,” Annalise said.
“Total fucking douche bags,” Rose added.
Mercy looked at her watch; 4:37 am. “Well, I guess we’re not gonna get much sleep now. We might as well start walking.”
“Yeah, but where? What’s the plan?” Annalise said.
Mercy ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged, “Well, we’re not going back to the interstate, we need to go south and find a new way west. The interstate’s hopeless because of the warlords. We need to keep below their radar and find another way. I don’t know who these new guys are, they could’ve shot us if they’d had guns. Maybe they don’t have guns, who the hell knows?”
You’re rambling. Just slow down and think. Think—
Mercy walked away from the others and stared out into the night.
It could’ve been worse—
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Yeah, it could’ve been so much worse. Don’t beat yourself up about it—
Mercy walked back to the others. She reached the spot where the truck had stood. Her boot scuffed on something. She looked at the ground.
What’s that?
She bent down and picked up a book of matches. She turned it over in her hands.
“Hey Rose? You got your torch?” Mercy said, walking over to Rose.
Rose fumbled in her cargo pocket, “Sure, here.”
Mercy shone the torch on the matches. A photograph of a large building adorned the front flap. She opened the flap and read the words on the inside: HEAVEN AWAITS YOU AT PARADISE CASINO, 8036 Beachcomber Boulevard, Lake Havasu City, ARIZONA 86403.
Mercy smiled.
Well, hello—
“What you got there?” Rose asked.
“They dropped this,” Mercy said, handing the book of matches to Rose.
Rose read the address and nodded, “Looks like we’re going to heaven after all.” She spat on the ground and showed the matches to the others.
Yeah, we’re going to paradise for some payback—
Mercy turned to look south, along Route 95.
We’re pissed, we’ve got your number, and we’re gonna call—
Chapter 19
Lake Havasu State Park
Mercy examined her map, “Paradise Casino. It’s only eight klicks from here. It’s on an island, there’s a bridge; London Bridge it says here.”
“London Bridge?” Jade said. “That’s odd.”
“Yeah, well, they’ll have that under watch for sure,” Barnes said.
Mercy eyed Barnes, concern on her face.
“Barnes, how’s the bruising coming along? The swelling seems a bit better,” Mercy asked.
“Yeah, I’ve had worse, believe me. It’ll be fine, it just needs a few more days to heal,” Barnes replied.
“OK… so we can walk into Lake Havasu City, lie low, scope out the bridge, and see what’s what,” Annalise said.
“Yeah, that’s what we’ll do. They probably figure we’ll just melt away, well that’s not gonna happen. Nobody takes my ride,” Rose said.
“OK everyone, let’s get moving. We’ll take Route 95 into the city then approach the bridge from the lakeshore. That way we’ll have the lake on one side so we’ll only have to watch our left flank,” Mercy said.
“Makes sense,” Tawny said, nodding.
Mercy took the book of matches back from Annalise. She checked the time; 6:37 am.
They’ve made one small mistake. And one small mistake can change everything—
They left Route 95 an hour later and found London Bridge Road. Rose and Tawny led the way. Wasteland extended down to the lakeshore on their right. Warehouses and overgrown stretches of tarmac sprang up on their left as they moved south. A row of dust cov
ered speedboats lay forgotten behind a rusting chain link fence on the left.
Mercy stared at the boats and examined her map. “Did you ever notice wherever there’s money there’s always golf and boats?”
“And tennis and horse racing and… water polo,” Flynn said. He sidled up to Mercy and whispered in her ear, “I miss you babe, back there, in Kingman… I thought it was all over.”
Mercy reached down and squeezed his hand, “Not yet Flynn. It ain’t over, not by a long shot. Do you realise that’s California over there? The state line runs through the middle of Lake Havasu. We’re so close, we just have to figure a new way to get there.”
Flynn smiled, “Like the Wild West pioneers.” He looked at the peaks to the west, “Yeah, they had to find their way through the mountains to the Pacific too. I guess nothing changes, does it?”
“We’re living our lives, trying to get to where we’re going to. Just like those people way back then. Life’s all about survival, ain’t it?” Mercy said, looking into Flynn’s eyes.
“It’s about love too, babe,” Flynn whispered into Mercy’s ear. “And I love you with all my heart—”
Mercy closed her eyes. She gripped Flynn’s hand. A wave of something like vertigo washed over her.
Oh, Flynn. If only you knew—
“I love you too Flynn,” Mercy whispered back.
Here, on this nowhere road, at the end of the world. There it is, our snatched declaration of love. Wild West love. It’s mad. Don’t let it in, it’ll make you soft, dull your edge. Keep strong, love needs time and space. Things we don’t have right now. Park it—
Rose stopped and raised her arm. Tawny pointed to the right. Lake Havasu was visible, extending to the south and west. Mercy took a deep breath.
It’s beautiful, so blue. It’s real, we’re here, and that’s California over there. Just over there—
“California babe, over the water. Have a wish,” Flynn said, drinking in the view.
Mercy closed her eyes and made a wish, “I know what I want Flynn, and it’s—”
Flynn held a finger to Mercy’s lips. “No babe, don’t spoil the wish. It’s supposed to be a secret. If you tell someone it loses its power, keep it in here,” he tapped his heart.
The Survival Chronicles | Book 8 | Final Mercy Page 11
