Tucker softly snored, and she had almost dozed herself when she felt Blake begin to stir. He didn’t overreact or sit up straight wondering where he was, he only tightened his arms around his family and breathed in deeply, letting out a soft murmur before falling back into a deep slumber.
That moment soothed Kris’s fears. He would be okay. Having his love surround them eased the worry. They were still together, and together they would make it through anything.
~8~
Blake awoke to pins and needles in his hands and an ache in his side. His calf burned when he moved, but it didn’t throb as his side did. Warmth surrounded him. It distracted from his pain and made him want to stay there forever. The soft whisper of his family’s deep breathing brought him a comfort he had never before experienced. He could stay here for the rest of his life.
He finally forced his eyes to open only to see his wife’s beautiful blue eyes showering love on him.
“I made it back,” he said, his voice gravely and his throat raw.
“You did.” He heard the emotion in her voice even as her lip trembled.
“It’s okay, Krista,” he whispered and drew her even closer, a feat made difficult by their boy between them clutching tight to his shirt and his daughter Kris still wore in her wrap. “It was bad?”
Her head bobbed before she nuzzled into him. “Laurie got the bullet out.”
“Butler?” he asked, bracing himself to hear the worst.
“She went to work on him after you. I fell asleep before I heard anything.”
He nodded, doing his best to remain stoic. “He saved my life.”
“I know.”
“I couldn’t leave him.”
“I would expect nothing less from you.” Kris reached up and touched his cheek. When she pulled her hand off, it left a spot that felt bare and cold. She uncovered their beautiful daughter’s face. In the firelight, her eyes looked as if they were turning green like his.
Mercy reached out toward him. “Dada, dada.”
“Daddy’s here, Sweetheart.” He bent over to kiss her, his beard causing her to wrinkle her nose.
Tucker stirred then, his arm tightening on him. “Dad?”
“I’m here, Champ.”
“We kept you warm enough?” Tucker rose on an elbow, wiping at his eyes and peering at him.
“You did.”
“Do you have an infection?”
“I don’t think so, Buddy.”
“Good,” he said solemnly and full of manliness.
Blake tried to push up, doing his best to swallow the groan of pain that burst through him.
“I think you should just rest.” Kris planted a hand on his chest.
“I need to find out about Butler.”
“Lie down and I will.” Kris shivered as she drew the blankets off her and tucked them back around Tucker and him.
She scanned the camp, and he followed her eyes. Dawn barely lit the snow in a pink hue that covered the ground outside of the overhang. Most still slept on the dry ground in bundled blankets and hides. The fires were down low, some close to embers.
“You did well, Kris. Everyone made it?”
“Yes, everyone is now accounted for.” Kris put a few sticks on the fire and he immediately felt the increase in heat. “I’ll be right back,” she said before leaning down to plant a kiss on him.
Blake watched her go and then eased back, trying to find the most comfortable position for his side. Tucker snuggled in once he stopped moving.
“I prayed for you, Daddy. I’m so glad you are better.”
It didn’t pass Blake that Tucker had said Daddy rather than Dad. It tore through his heart that he had worried his family. Being back with them and knowing that they were safe made it all worth it.
“Thank you for praying for me, Champ.” He kissed the top of his head and wrapped an arm around him. Maybe he should take a lesson from his son and pray for Butler.
Why had he put himself between a bullet meant for him? If Blake reversed the situation, would he have done the same to save Butler? Blake blew out a breath. Mind games did no one any good.
“The snow stopped,” Tucker whispered, his head now lying on Blake’s chest.
“It’s like it came just to cover our tracks.” Blake wondered if the storm, though rough, cold, and miserable, had been sent to save them. If he would have followed directly behind his people, would their tracks have been visible at all by the time the marauders had made it down and decided to follow them? They had to wait for Dillon, though, and events kept piling up reason after reason to stay behind.
“It did, Dad. It did.” Tucker said reverently. “Did you know little sister saved us on the journey here?”
Blake realized then, that although he had told Kris she had done well, he had not asked how the whole trek went. Guilt twisted in his gut, and he promised himself he would ask Kris as soon as she returned.
“Tell me about it,” he told his son.
There were times he thought Kris and Tucker saw too much behind coincidental circumstances. As Tucker told the story, he wondered if Mercy screaming at that moment had actually been the miraculous event that they saw it as, or had she just happened to be upset right then. There was no way to know, and if believing that his sister had that special bond with him made Tucker happy and treasure his sister, then he saw no harm in it.
As Tucker finished the story, Kris came back over and knelt down by them. She pulled Mercy out of the wrap and his daughter wiggled, kicked, waved, and squealed in delight. Tucker sat up and made a place for his sister in front of him between them.
“I was just telling Daddy about how you saved us again, Little Sister.” Tucker let her wrap her hand around one of his fingers while he supported her sitting up. “Look, she’s sitting!”
“She is,” Kris said gently and then looked at Blake. “How are you doing? Can I get you anything?”
“I want to hear about your journey, but I am actually quite hungry,” Blake said.
“You should eat then. You need your energy to heal,” Laurie said as she kneeled next to Kris. “May I look at your wound?”
Kris pulled back the blanket, and Blake pulled up his shirt. He craned his neck to see the wound, never having the chance to check it out in light. Laurie pulled off the bandage and cleaned off some black goop from his wound. It didn’t look nearly as awful as he thought it would.
“No infection,” Laurie said with a sigh of relief. She piled more black salve on it.
Blake sucked in a breath at the sting. “What is in that stuff?”
“Mainly activated charcoal.” Laurie placed a fresh bandage on his side.
“You’re putting charcoal in my wound?” Blake pulled his shirt back down, groaning as he tried to sit up.
“You should rest more, and yes, I am. Activated charcoal helps ward off infection. As does this tea.” She handed a pouch to Kris. “This yarrow, nettle, and wild rose tea will also help restore your blood and help the existing cells carry more oxygen and thus faster healing.”
“I’ll take faster healing,” Blake said, not liking how sore his side really was. He pulled up his leg then, feeling the burn in his calf.
“What was that?” Kris asked. “Are you hurt somewhere else?”
“Just a scratch.”
“Where,” Kris said, crossing her arms.
He pulled out his leg and tugged his pants up. He couldn’t see it from that angle, but by the look on the women’s faces, it was more than just a scratch.
“Well, your scratch, is infected. We need to irrigate it and put some of this salve on it.” Laurie said as she rose. “I’ll be right back.”
“Do I need to do a full body check?” Kris asked, her lips thin and eyes stormy.
“My answer to that will always be a yes,” he teased.
“That’s not what I meant.” Kris did her best to keep a straight face, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
“Besides the scratches on my cheek, which I’m
sure you and Laurie would have said something if they needed attention, I don’t know of any more injuries.” He watched her, enjoying the playful banter. It made him feel like they weren’t fighting for their lives for once. The idea made him remember about Butler and his gut twisted. “You haven’t mentioned Butler.” Fear that he hadn’t made it caused Blake to tense in preparation for the news.
“Laurie is doing her best. He’s fighting, but he lost so much blood. Only time will tell.”
Blake nodded. The news was better than he had expected. He squeezed his eyes shut, God, help him heal. He saved my life.
Kris rested a hand on his chest. “It was a very brave thing for him to do.”
“It was.” He opened his eyes. “I still don’t understand it. He has a family, too.”
“From the news traveling around,” Laurie said as she returned, “he can’t go back to his family without them receiving repercussions.”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” Blake said. “We staged his death so he could leave the army without his family being mistreated because of it.”
“Maybe once we are in New Forest Glen, Mr. Butler can bring his family back here. He said his baby is about the same age as Little Sister.” Tucker took Mercy’s hands. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?”
“That’s quite the journey, but not a bad idea. Things in the cities are treacherous.” Blake thought about Tucker’s idea. What would a few more mouths to feed cost? The man saved his life. The least he could do would be to offer his family a safe haven from the chaos that had taken over their world. If he healed enough to make the journey, that is.
~*~
Kris kept her gaze down, pretending to soothe her daughter as she quickly made her way back to where Blake rested. Maybe if she acted like she didn’t hear the people calling to talk to her, she wouldn’t have to stop. She glanced up long enough to make sure she still headed in the right direction, and lowered her eyes just as Janene lifted her hand in greeting.
Finally, she made it to the fire area they shared with Arland and Laurie. Tucker and Ethan played on the blankets. She wondered how long those cars would last. Would they become relics that spoke of a different age? She refocused and met Blake’s eyes.
“The council is meeting,” she whispered.
“Then I need to move,” he said, groaning as he pushed up to his hands and knees.
“Laurie said you should rest,” Kris said, concern battling in her. She knew the council needed Blake, but at what cost to him?
Blake waved off her comment as he came to a standing position. His side throbbed, feeling like someone had used a meat pulverizer on it. His calf stung as well, but it was the dizziness that almost sent him back to his knees.
“I don’t know, Blake.” Kris grabbed his arm to steady him. “I can be your runner back and forth?”
“I need to be there.” The way he said it, Kris knew there would be no convincing him otherwise.
Hannah came over then, smiling as always. “Laurie asked me to watch the boys for a few.”
“Thank you, Hannah,” Kris said in relief. She didn’t want Blake walking to the meeting by himself, but she also didn’t want to miss out on the decisions being made today. After the trek here, she felt a responsibility to these people.
“Where you guys going?” Tucker asked, standing.
“To the council meeting,” Blake told him quietly.
“Oh, I’m coming, too.”
“Not yet, Sweetie. I have a feeling you will be on it when you are older, but right now, only grownups are allowed.”
“Little Sister is going,” he said, crossing his arms.
“Little Sister can’t talk yet,” Blake said. “Play. Take advantage of the time to just be a kid.”
Kris turned to watch her husband. Had he really just said that?
“Come on, Tucker. Ethan and I are making a track in the dirt. We need your expertise with this tunnel.” Hannah smiled up at him.
Tucker turned and knelt down next to Ethan. “Well, the first thing we need is a good foundation.”
Kris touched Hannah’s shoulder and mouthed her thanks. That girl had the art of distraction down. She would have made an excellent teacher. Still could, Kris thought.
Blake pulled her back to the present moment as he took his first step and nearly stumbled. She saw, as well as felt, the eyes of the others, so closely assembled, watching their fearless Survivalist struggle. Kris wrapped an arm around him lovingly and helped support his weight as they traveled to where the council was meeting at the farthest fire, away from the others.
It wasn’t really a council, but that is what Kris called it. They had no set of rules or voted-in leaders, but the group consisting of Arland, Blake, Laurie, Pastor Rob, Mitchel, David, and now herself had started meeting quietly before the community meetings to ensure they were all on the same page. To her, it was a council, and every community needed one.
When Laurie looked up and saw them, her eyes darkened and her lips thinned. “What are you doing up?”
“You think I would let you all decide the fate of the world without me?” Blake pushed forth a smile, though the crease in his brow gave away his pain.
“Since you’re here, sit down.” Arland nodded at the log someone had brought in. “We were discussing whether we should stay here for a few days to rest and recover.”
“It’s already close to midday,” David said. “My family is tired and their boots are still wet.”
“Everyone is exhausted. Yesterday felt like a week,” Mitchel added.
Kris thought a few days rest would be good for Blake. He wouldn’t make a journey in his present condition, and she knew he would never submit to people pulling him in a travois. She watched as Blake stared out into the vast land of snow around them.
The birds had woken in birdsong as the sun had risen and the snow stopped. The land felt at peace, frozen in fresh, clean beauty. Yet, she had no idea of the danger that still lay out there.
“Are we still under threat?” she asked, though she looked at her husband as did everyone else.
“We won’t know for sure without sending runners back,” Blake said.
“Then that should be our first task.” Arland nodded. “Do we all agree to stay at least until we have more information?”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“So who should we send?” Arland asked.
“Dillon was our fastest runner,” Mitchel said.
“He won’t be running for some time.” Laurie folded her arms.
Blake stiffened and one look told Kris that he felt guilty for not asking about him. “He will be okay?”
“I don’t think he’ll have permanent damage, but really I am no expert. Bullet removing is something outside my normal skill set,” Laurie said with a small smile.
“Let’s hope those days are behind us,” Arland said.
Kris hoped so as well. Could they really find this Promised Land Blake had shared with them and live undisturbed as their children grew?
“Keep moving,” one of the guards, Declan, called out, interrupting everyone’s thoughts.
Every head under the overhang looked up at the guard who unceremoniously pushed the muzzle of his rifle into a person lost in an oversized jacket. The hood covered the person’s down-turned face and the hands that were held up had holes in the gloves.
Arland immediately stood and strode over to the guard. “What is this?” he asked, his tone not his normal kindly voice.
“I’ve caught another one!” Declan cheered, looking around with glee glowing in his eyes.
“Has this person threatened you to be treated this way?” Arland asked, eyeing the gun.
“No, he has given no resistance.” Declan shrugged. “I have a gun pointed at him.”
“We will talk about protocol later.” Arland rubbed a hand down his face. “Thank you, Declan. You may go back to your family now. Have John take over your shift.”
Declan strutted into the over
hang while everyone stared.
“Follow me,” Arland said to the covered person as he made his way back to where the council sat.
“He should have at least checked for weapons,” Blake growled beside Kris.
She agreed. Bringing someone into camp without ensuring they couldn’t harm them was not the smartest response.
“Sit,” Arland said calmly, nodding toward an open space between Pastor Rob and David.
“Are you armed?” David asked.
The person sat, reaching for the hood with trembling hands. A few council members gasped as a woman stared back at them. Her intelligent, almost black eyes watched them, seeming to observe and analyze everything.
“It would be foolish not to be,” she responded with a hint of amusement. “Have no fear, I do not intend to attack.”
Kris covered her mouth, trying to swallow the giggle that wanted to burst forth. She had no idea who this lady was, but she already liked her.
“Why are you here?” Arland asked, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Hoping for sanctuary.” She looked each of them squarely in the eye.
“From?” Blake asked.
“Meyers and his men.”
“They have women with them?” Mitchel asked.
“Not many. Only when necessary.”
“Why were you necessary to them?” Arland asked.
“I’m a dentist turned medic.”
Laurie sat up straighter. Her hand landed on Arland’s arm. Kris watched her friend analyze the woman before her as hope lit her eyes.
“How did you find us?” David looked out into the pristine snow.
“I had no idea if I would. I followed the paths of least resistance, and when I found the road, I had hope that it would lead to you, but,” she said with a shrug, “I’m just glad it did.”
“No one came with you?” Blake asked, his eyes narrowing.
“No,” she looked down. “Two of us had planned on it, but he...didn’t make it. I escaped last night while it still snowed.”
“They could follow her tracks,” David said.
Grant Us Mercy (Book 5): Grant Us Mercy Page 8
