by Hunt, Jack
Minutes turned into hours as they waited for supper. Everything relied on getting that plate given to them but it never came. From inside their room they heard the sound of shouting only hours after her failed escape attempt. The door was unlocked and in stepped a scowling Denise. She moved across the room and grabbed Erika by the face and turned her head from side to side while Gus stood in the doorway, his eyes planted on Nate. She released her face and looked at Nate.
“You did that to her? Why?”
“Would you believe me if I said your boy did?” Nate replied. “Or maybe it was your daughter.”
“He’s lying,” Jesse said from behind Gus.
She wagged a finger in his face and studied him before looking towards her kids.
“Am I? Then how is that I know we are in a bunker, or that the entrance is below a kitchen?”
Denise’s nostrils flared and she hurried over to the door and reached past Gus and grabbed Jesse by the ear, pulling him into the room. “Is that right? Is that what happened?”
“Ma, you have to believe me. I wouldn’t dare do that.”
“Jesse’s telling the truth,” Zara said.
“Then how does he know?” Denise asked.
“Lucky guess,” Zara said scowling at Nate.
“Think about it, Denise. What are the odds of us knowing?” Nate said rising from his bed and leaning against the wall. “Unless of course God himself revealed it to me.”
She raised a hand to swat him but stopped inches away from his face. Without saying a word she ushered out her family and closed the door. They heard loud shouting, mostly from her.
“Interesting woman, that Denise. A prime candidate for an asylum ward, don’t you think?” As soon as they had gone, Nate went back to plotting. He was serious about trying to escape. His way was riskier but the chances of being kept alive were slim to none. If they had the nerve to kidnap them and lock them up in some squalor below ground, what would they do if they didn’t get what they wanted?
And if Erika was right and they were in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of town, they would need more than an escape. Nate knew he was going to have kill them.
In the middle of the camp, a crowd had gathered. Tyler followed Jude through the midst of the people. At the center of the commotion was an average-sized man being held on either side. He had a thick dark beard, and long black hair that was swept back behind his ears and reached his shoulders. He wore jeans, a plaid shirt and a hoodie, normal clothing for anyone outside of their circle, but from what he could tell, they knew this man well.
“Lucas. This is very disappointing.”
“Please, Jude. I didn’t disagree. I never tried to turn people against you. I never told any outsiders about the camp.”
“That’s not what others say,” he said.
Tyler watched, slightly confused as he tried to piece together what the conversation was about, and what the man’s crimes were. Who was he? Jude cast a glance at Tyler and then turned to Maddox. “Bring it out.”
“No. No. Jude. No!”
Firm hands grasped him to contain his struggle.
A log was brought out that had a section cut out. It was stained red.
Jude turned towards the crowd. “As it was decreed when we established Camp Olney that every act of judgment must be jointly decided, his fate lies in your hands. The crimes against me are crimes against you. What do you say?”
Many stayed silent. Others replied, “Guilty.”
“All it takes is one, and this house crumbles. Do you want the house to crumble?” Jude cried out as he walked in the midst of the people like a god among men.
Lucas flailed in the grasp of Maddox. Maddox struck him in the stomach causing his legs to buckle. He and another man dragged Lucas over to the carved wood and grabbed his head, so that his neck sat firmly in the space. What the hell?
The crowd parted and someone slipped through and handed Jude a large blade. Was this some kind of joke? What had he done that was so bad that he deserved death? Tyler turned his attention to the guy and noticed he had wet himself in fear. His jeans were soaked.
“Let it be known that—”
“Jude,” Tyler said stepping into the clearing and interrupting him. “What the hell is going on?”
“A community cannot exist without punishment for crimes.”
“But…”
“Step back, Tyler.”
Lucas turned his head, his eyes longing for Tyler to speak up.
“And does a community exist without a fair trial? Where is this man’s trial? Are we not all innocent until proven guilty?” Tyler asked.
“He’s guilty. This is has nothing to do with you. Now shut up and step back in line,” Maddox said in a threatening manner while pushing down Lucas’ head again.
“We are six days into this. People are looting, rioting, fires are out of control, and there are some turning to murder but this… how do you justify this?”
Jude could tell that Tyler’s words were sinking in. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd and Jude handed off the blade to Maddox, and took Tyler by the arm and led him away. Once they were outside of the circle, he paced in front of him as if searching for the right words.
“This is wrong, Jude.”
“Wrong is doing nothing when others are willing to take what you have.”
“What is this man’s crime?”
Jude stopped in front of him. “Listen to me. You’re right, the blackout occurred only six days ago but this place has been in operation for far longer than that. He was trying to turn others against me. He wanted the place of leadership and he was willing to leave the camp and seek out others in order to do so. Who knows how many he has told about this place?”
“That’s it? That’s all you’re worried about?”
“You don’t understand.”
“Oh, I understand enough. I understand my father was right about you. You are dangerous. I shouldn’t have come.”
Tyler turned to walk away.
“Why did you come?”
“Because I thought you could help. Friends of mine have gone missing. My brother’s home has been trashed. I think it’s connected and…”
“And nothing. You need to understand that the best thing you can do right now is look after yourself, join with us. Be in a place you can thrive not simply survive.”
“Thrive? Join with you? A group that would willingly kill someone because their views are different?”
“Kill? You think I’m going to kill him?”
“Then what’s the knife for? Huh? Idle threats?”
“He wants my position.”
“And? What happened to ‘And if people find things difficult, help them. Don’t look down upon them. Rules, structure, the old ways are good but they can also be a hindrance.’ What about that?”
Jude placed a hand on his hip and looked down at the worn earth.
“I was speaking about extremes.”
“Well, shit, this seems a little extreme to me,” Tyler said pointing towards the crowd. Some of them looked at him. “Jude, we are not animals.”
“But we will be,” Jude said. “You will see.”
“No I won’t. I’m done. I thought you could help, I was wrong.”
“You returning to him?”
“My father might have rules but he’s no murderer.”
“Or father,” Jude said.
Tyler stopped in his tracks. He wasn’t sure why that got to him but it did, enough to turn around and stare back at Jude. Before he could reply, several people in the crowd cheered and both of them looked over to see Maddox holding a piece of bloodied skin. Lucas was still alive but he was coughing blood. Maddox threw the piece of skin on the ground before him and he saw that it resembled tongue. A look of glee flickered in Maddox’s eyes as he wiped blood from his hands.
Tyler looked back at Jude. “I thought you were different.”
As he walked away Jude hollered, “I am. Tyler, Lucas is fine. Look ag
ain.”
Tyler turned his head and saw Lucas with a grin on his face. He wiped blood from his lips and opened his mouth revealing his tongue. It was still there. What the heck? Tyler’s eyes bounced between them. Was he seeing things? Was it the moonshine?
“What kind of game are you playing?” Tyler asked.
“I’m sorry, I needed to know.” He paused. “To see how much he damaged you.”
Tyler screwed up his face. “What? Who?”
“I think you know.”
Tyler didn’t know what to make of this. He felt as if he was having an out-of-body experience or a bad nightmare. He waved him off as he walked away.
Jude lifted a hand. “C’mon, Tyler. He’s fine. Aren’t you, Lucas?”
“It’s just pigs’ blood,” Lucas said rising to his feet. Maddox stood by, arms folded, cracking up laughing as if the whole thing was one big gag.
“See,” Jude said. “I wouldn’t do anything like that. Hell, they wouldn’t let me, would you?” he asked the crowd. Many shook their heads.
Tyler felt like a fool, kicking up a fuss only to find out that it was just a ploy, some odd trick of determining how he would react. “Look, I’m out of here.”
“You said you wanted our help?”
He shook his head unsure of what to say. He really thought they were going to kill Lucas. “I… I don’t know anymore.”
“Tyler,” Jude said walking towards him, with a look of concern.
“You want to play games, fine but…”
“Ask Andy about December 13, 1992. Ask him.”
“Another one of your games?”
“No.”
“Whatever, man. I’m out of here.”
“You’ll be back.”
“Don’t count on it,” Tyler said heading for his horse. He let out a whistle and called out to Bailey. He scanned the area. From a tent nearby, the dog burst out and hurried over. As Tyler walked away, Jude, Maddox and the crowd watched him leave.
16
Nate stared at her in frustration. “I’m not doing it, Nate. Not again,” Erika said while finishing up the food they’d given them half an hour ago. Because she’d attempted to escape they’d punished them by cutting their meals in half. Denise had been the one to deliver the news before handing them their evening meal and waiting for their reaction. She seemed to find pleasure in punishing them. That was when Erika gave her the bird, and used the Lord’s name in vain on purpose, knowing full well it would get under her skin.
Denise had lashed out, leaving her cheek stinging. “Keep it up, and you’ll eat nothing,” she’d said before leaving them alone.
“Erika, you’re the only one that has seen where the exit is,” Nate said.
“It’s too risky.”
“And so is staying here,” Nate said. “You know this can work. But I can’t do it without you.”
Erika sat there pondering it all.
They’d had their ears close to the door eavesdropping on Denise’s crazy family ever since her kids had blamed Nate for the gash on Erika’s head. Of course, they were covering up their own screw-up, well, Jesse’s, but nevertheless Denise was still convinced that Nate and Erika had got into some kind of spat and he’d whacked her causing Erika to hit her head. The reason? Assumedly blaming Erika for their current predicament, at least that was what they’d heard Jesse tell his mother.
“Look, this can work. She’s already believes that I hit you. This will just look like payback. Zara comes in to collect the plate while her brother keeps a gun on us, and then they find me and…” he trailed off. “Once you’re out that door, I will hold them off. Just get topside, and keep running.”
“Topside? I think you have forgot one important piece of the puzzle. Gus and Denise?”
“Trust me.”
She shook her head. “It’s not a matter of trust, Nate. Even if I could by some slim chance get by them and get out, I have no idea where they have us. And if they come after me, she’ll be in one foul mood and I—”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said cutting her off. “Just run and don’t stop until you get back to town.”
Erika shook her head and slumped down against the wall drumming her fingers against the ground. “And what if it doesn’t work?”
“Then we aren’t any better off than we are now. But at least we tried.”
There was a long pause as she contemplated it. There was so much that could go wrong with it and with one failed attempt already, there would be little room for error. All of them were on high alert.
“No. There has to be an easier and safer way of doing this.”
“Like?”
“You heard her. We are leverage for supplies. They went into town today and haven’t said a word to us or to their kids about running into Corey or his father. You can bet your ass they were searching for him just as they were the day they came across us. The whole purpose of this charade is for them to somehow hand us over in exchange for whatever they don’t have.”
Nate shook his head and leaned back on the bunk bed. “Yeah, I can’t believe they honestly think that’s going to work?”
“Denise thinks it will.”
“Yeah, somewhere in that pea brain of hers.” He shook his head. “Man, some people just baffle me,” Nate said, and sighed. “I could use a cigarette. My nerves are on edge.”
“What about if we just speak to them?”
“We’ve already tried that.”
Erika got up and paced while Nate tried to convince her that it would work. “I have a better idea,” she said.
“Oh God.” He leaned back. “I hope this doesn’t involve me flirting with Zara as I don’t think I can lower my standards that low even if I was lying.”
Erika chuckled. “No, you idiot, I mean a way for both of us to get out.”
Nate swung his legs off the bed. “I’m listening.”
She explained what she had in mind and he pulled a face. “Ah, I dunno. It might work, then again it could backfire.”
“It’s not a change, just a tweak on your idea.”
Nate hemmed and hawed for a moment, then said, “All right. We’ll give it a shot but like I said, if it comes down to it, I want you to run. Don’t look back, no matter what you hear.”
She nodded and looked at the door. The next time it opened, she wouldn’t just meekly obey their orders. The time had come for them to fight for their survival. She watched as Nate picked up the plate and gave it a hard whack against the concrete floor. It cracked into three shards and he picked up the sharpest one of them all. He blew out his cheeks a few times as if trying to pump himself up to do it. She didn’t envy him. First, he took one of the pillows from the bed and removed the case, and then wound it up and bit down on it. He then lifted his shirt, took the shard and looked at Erika before cutting himself across his chest, deep enough that he caused blood to trickle down and soak his pants. He wiped some of the blood over his face, wiped some on the plate shards and then laid down on the ground in a position that made it look as if she’d struck him over the head with the plate. “Ready?” Erika asked.
“Let’s do it.”
Erika took a deep breath, trying to push down her fear. She reached down and grabbed a piece of the plate and held it in her hand then screamed as loud as she could before running at the door and pounding into it. “Take that, you piece of shit!” she yelled loudly. It didn’t take long to hear footsteps coming. Moving like a cat she sprang back from the door ready to pounce. The lock was released. Her body tensed up.
There was a click, and the door swung open.
Erika dropped the shard on the ground to make it look like she was responsible. Zara’s nostrils flared and Erika moved out of the way.
“He came at me. I had no other choice but to protect myself,” she said, pretending that she was trembling.
In an instant all the focus shifted to Nate.
“Jesse, get mom,” Zara said darting in and dropping to her knees beside Nate. Confused or fro
zen by fear, Jesse stood there holding his rifle at the ready. Snapping out of whatever mental fog he was in, he stepped in to get a better look. Erika timed her leap just as the tip of the barrel appeared. With all her strength, she launched herself at the door and slammed it into him, crushing him between the frame. Zara turned to help her brother but it had all been a distraction.
Nate flipped over, clasped Zara around the neck in a choke hold and pressed a shard of plate into her throat. “Drop the gun, now!” Nate yelled. Erika pulled back behind Nate as he clambered to his feet keeping a firm grip on Zara. She looked panic stricken and for good reason, Nate was ready to kill if he had to, both of them were.
“Put it down!” he yelled a second time. “I won’t ask again,” Nate shouted as he pressed the shard so hard against Zara’s neck, a bead of blood formed and trickled.
She let out a cry. “Jesse, do as he says!”
Jesse let go and the rifle clattered on the floor.
“Step back,” Nate said. “Back.”
Erika swooped in and picked up the rifle.
“Right, lead the way,” Erika said aiming it now at Jesse. He backed up with his hands in the air, shock masking his face.
It didn’t take long for Denise and Gus to come running. “What’s going on?”
One look and both of them went for their guns.
“Put it down. Put it down.”
“Let her go,” Denise yelled. “You touch my baby and I will—”
“Bitch, you better put that gun down or I will rearrange your daughter’s throat.”
“I would do as he says,” Erika said in a firm tone while keeping her rifle on Jesse. “I’m sure you don’t want to be burying both of your kids, now do you?”
Gus immediately dropped his and backed up but not Denise. Oh no, she was a different kettle of fish. A wild card. A complete headcase. She gritted her teeth, and a look of disgust formed on her face.
“You know this could have gone very differently.”
“You won’t get far.”
“We’ll see about that,” Erika said. “Now put the rifle down,” she said to Denise.
“Mom,” Zara said.
A moment of hesitation and she complied. Erika gestured with the barrel of her rifle for them to head back down the corridor into the living room. Denise backed up and joined Gus in the living room. Jesse joined them, and then Nate, still holding Zara, instructed them to get on their knees. He turned his head ever so slightly. “You good?” he asked Erika. She nodded and jerked her head towards the direction that led out to the exit.
