He frowned and looked away before answering her. “Yeah, I know, but there’s bound to be some deep scars after what my dad did to the town. Not everyone would be as welcoming as you guys.” He looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. “Then there’s the whole Alex, Quinn thing. Can you say awkward?”
Lisa snorted a laugh. “Uh, yeah, they managed awkward just fine without you there!”
He threw up his hands in confusion. “What happened? As much as I wanted to be the one for her, it was pretty clear that those two were destined to be together!”
Lisa nodded in agreement. “I think they still are. Quinn’s just lost his way right now. His grandfather passed away suddenly from something that could have been prevented before when medication was available, and it threw him for a loop. He’s lost so much with his parents dying when he was just a kid and now Harry passing. He’s filled with anger at the world and it made him push everyone away. It’s not just Alex, he’s pushed all of us away. He wasn’t even going to come with us on this trip. I think Josh basically goaded him into coming.”
Cooper could understand being angry with the world. He hadn’t had very many breaks himself. They dug into their meals in silence until Lisa asked about his time in Red Deer.
“It was…it felt like I was just killing time. For the first month, I was in their hospital recovering from the gunshot. I basically laid there feeling sorry for myself, getting shot, losing Alex and not being able to go home. It was a real pity party. After I got out of the hospital, they put me through basic training but I was still recovering so it wasn’t really military training, more like how to follow orders training.” He paused and wiped his mouth, looked down into his pouch of half eaten food and shook his head. “I wanted to help people. I don’t know what I thought I’d be doing but it wasn’t what I did.
“The summer months were all about farming crops. Getting them planted and tended was the biggest thing they did. The fields around town were just swarmed with refugees working but it still didn’t seem like there were enough people to get all the food we’d need for the coming winter. There were teams of soldiers who traveled around the central part of the province that scavenged and brought more people back but I wasn’t on one of those teams. Once the harvest was done, it switched to preserving all those crops. People were working like dogs to get everything put up before it spoiled. I honestly can’t believe how hard everyone worked. It was amazing. Once that was done, we switched to stripping the city. Every house, apartment, office building and store was searched and stripped of everything that could be reused or repurposed. They have warehouses filled to the seams with shelf-stable food and goods for the future.”
Lisa held up a hand to interrupt him. “Wait, there isn’t a shortage of food there?” when he shook his head she frowned. “The people we saw lining up for food looked pretty thin!”
He shrugged. “They ration everything. The doctors told them how many calories people needed to survive every day and that’s how the menus for the day’s meals are created and served. The people might look thin and miserable but no one is starving. There’s just no excess anymore. It’s a hard life now and the people there aren’t really happy but they’re safe and they’ll live.”
Lisa frowned and shook her head in disbelief. “I just can’t imagine living like that. Day in and day out, the same drudgery! I mean, we worked really hard on the crops and harvest too but we also had a lot of community events that were fun. At least until winter hit, then it was impossible to get out and see anyone else.” She got to her feet and took his empty food pouch along with hers and tossed them into a garbage can. When she sat back down across from him she asked, “So what are you going to do after this? Will you go back to Red Deer? Do you think you’ll be in trouble for leaving the way you did?”
Cooper let out a half laugh. “Honestly? I have no idea. I’m kinda hangin’ in the wind here. I don’t really want to go back and I’m not sure if they would even let me. As far as going to Prairie Springs with you guys, well, I don’t really feel like there’s a place for me there either. I just wish I had a clearer idea of what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I guess I just feel like I need a purpose.”
Lisa nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I get that. Emily’s family and our friends have been amazing to me but I kind of feel the same way. I don’t exactly have a background in farming. I’ve never worked so hard in my life as when we were bringing in the harvest! It was actually very satisfying in a way to see all that I helped accomplish but I can’t help thinking, is this it? Is this all I will have for the rest of my life? I guess it’s hard to let go of what we thought our lives were going to be before all this happened. It’s hard to not want more after so long of thinking we’d have more.” She barked out a laugh. “You wouldn’t believe how fast we all were to jump on the chance to take this trip! I guess we all feel like we need more than what the future holds.”
Just as Cooper was about to answer her there was a soft knock on the door. They both bolted to their feet and rushed to grab their rifles. Cooper strode purposefully to the door and climbed on top of the tool chest before he put his ear to it. When he didn’t hear anything he called, “Who’s there?”
A tentative voice replied, “It’s Kirkland Kelly. Lisa’s dad. Is she in there?”
Cooper looked over his shoulder at Lisa and raised his eyebrows in question.
Her face had gone from wary to ice in an instant but she jerked her head in assent so he hopped down and pulled the boxes and chest away so he could open the door a crack. He glanced around her dad to make sure he was alone before opening it wider and waving him in. Once Cooper had closed and restacked everything in front of the door he turned around and let out a shout of laughter at what he saw.
Lisa’s father had his hands thrust up into the air above his head while his daughter had brought her rifle up in a shooter’s stance pointed at him.
Cooper took a few seconds to enjoy the entertaining view before he cleared his throat.
“Um, Lisa? We have to sleep in here tonight so if you’re going to shoot him, can you take him outside first?”
Her cold as ice expression started twitching at the corner of her mouth and she just couldn’t hold it so she giggled and lowered her rifle but then turned her back on the man who was her father in name only.
Cooper tried not to laugh as he walked past the man who let out a whooshing breath but his amusement faded when Kirkland said in a snooty tone, “Was that really necessary?”
Cooper stopped short and turned hard eyes on the man when he saw Lisa’s shoulders tense up. His tone was just as hard as his eyes.
“Careful mister, she might not shoot you but I would. Be VERY careful!”
Lisa’s father dropped his gaze from Cooper’s and gave a soft nod before walking towards his daughter.
Lisa spun to face him. “What do you want? I think we said all there is to say.”
Kirkland held out a hand to her that she ignored so he sighed deeply. “Princess, Lisa, I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am. I’ve let you down in so many ways. Please, seeing you here after so long made me rethink everything that I’ve done. I’ve been a terrible father to you. I’m begging you to forgive me!”
His words seemed to deflate her and she slumped down on a crate. Her eyes were sad when she looked up at him.
“Why do you even care, Dad? You got your new life here. I saw that woman. It looks like you’ll have a new kid soon so why do you even care what I think? I’ll be gone in the morning and you never have to see or think of me again.”
His face crumpled with sorrow and his voice was choked with emotion.
“Oh Lisa, I’m so sorry. I don’t want that! I don’t want to never see or think of you again. This whole thing has been horrendous but it’s also wiped away all the garbage that filled up our time and thoughts before. It’s given me a chance to really reflect on the person, the father and husband that I was. I see now what’s important and I feel
like I’ve been given a second chance to do things better. The right way, the way I should have done them in the first place! Please, let me be the father I should have been to you. I promise I will do everything I can to make it up to you if you just give me the chance.”
Cooper was leaning against the wall at the other end of the garage to give them space but he easily heard every single word spoken. He had to blink away tears. Here were the words that he dreamed he would hear from his mom one day. It had been a fantasy of his that she would swoop back into his life and beg his forgiveness for abandoning him. He swallowed hard past the knot of ache in his throat. He knew he would never hear the words being poured at Lisa’s feet. He wondered what she would do with them when his radio belched static and Josh’s voice flooded the garage.
“Cooper, come in.”
Cooper was quick to reply, “Here, all quiet.” The next words had him shoving away from the wall.
“Not for long, buddy. We believe some people are headed your way to try and take the sleds. We’re booking it to back you up right now but be ready for anything!”
Cooper’s eyes met Lisa’s who had shot to her feet and his voice was rock hard when he replied. “They can TRY!”
She nodded in agreement and got busy pulling rifles from the trailer. Her father watched opened mouth in shock as she checked to make sure each one was loaded with a full magazine before she leaned the assault rifles against the wall by the door so they’d be easy to pass out to her friends if they needed to.
Kirkland was still looking at her bug-eyed when she finished.
“What?” She asked him.
He was looking at her like he had never seen her before. “Where, how…what happened to you, honey? I mean, the last time I saw you, you were a spoiled cheerleader who was afraid to chip a nail. Now you’re all Rambo-girl?”
Lisa opened her mouth to say something sarcastic but then paused and finally shrugged and asked, “Are you the same person you were on that day?” When he looked down and shook his head she continued, “Neither am I. Bad things happened to me on the way home from California. But it was what I found when I made it home that really changed me.”
His head shot up at that. “Your mother?”
Lisa let out a snort of disdain. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about her, she was just fine! The apocalypse didn’t even put a wrinkle into her world.
“See, a gang of very bad men took over the town and after they had killed a lot of people. They made the rest into slaves. Mom turned the house into a brothel and had most of my cheer squad working there. Not by choice, either. She was granted certain privileges for her work.”
Her dad’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he sputtered in outrage. “She…you…she made you...?”
Lisa smirked. “Hell no! My friends and I showed up after that was all set up. Thank God for them. They helped me survive and showed me how real, decent people behave. Then we attacked them and kicked their asses and freed the town! The military showed up shortly after and Mom just joined up with them and left town.”
She turned to Cooper. “I never did ask. How is my mommy dearest?”
Cooper grinned at her. “Oh, she’s the belle of the ball in Red Deer. Reinvented herself as a victim and fell in love with one of her saviors. I’m sure it didn’t hurt that he’s pretty high up in command. She’s a real piece of work! Claire came to see me in the hospital when I was recovering and told me if I kept my mouth shut about what I knew she had done in Prairie Springs, that she would make it worth my while.”
Lisa’s mouth dropped open. “Cooper!”
He let out a laugh. “Yeah, I passed!”
Lisa just shook her head. “That woman is such a…” She froze mid-sentence and lifted a finger to point past Cooper. He turned his head and saw what she had. Someone was trying to quietly lift the overhead door from the outside. It was moving up and down as it caught on the levers that latched it closed.
They both heard Josh’s voice from outside the building loudly call out. “You all need to back off!”
Chapter Sixteen
Alex led her group as they rushed out of the dining room with Matthew hot on their heels. As soon as she cleared the glass doors and felt the cool night air on her face she reached under her parka and un-holstered her handgun. She cursed inside that they had agreed to leave their rifles behind. Josh caught up to her and she spared him a glance but didn’t slow down when he looked down and saw the gun in her hand.
“Easy there Alex, we don’t know for sure that they’re making a move.”
She rolled her eyes. “Maybe, but I know for sure I’m not walking all the way home!”
Alex took a quick glance behind her when she heard Emily gasp out a laugh and immediately felt better. She was too tense and Josh was right, she needed to ease up a bit. She just couldn’t stop feeling angry and frustrated. Every time she tried to calm down, she saw the faces of the kids she used to babysit. The clock on their lives and everyone else that was sick at home was ticking down. The pounding footsteps beside and behind her reminded her that she wasn’t alone in feeling the urgency of their task.
Matthew was out of breath when he finally caught up to them and he gasped out, “I think…you are…overreacting!”
Josh and Alex barely acknowledged him but Josh tried to explain. “The way things are now, it’s better to prepare for the worst. We no longer have the luxury of giving people the benefit of the doubt.”
He said this as they rounded a bend in the pathway and the garage, that they had left their friends and sleds in, came into view. Right away they could see a group of people hovering around the overhead doors and they picked up their pace. Josh sped up even faster and as soon as he was close enough called out, “You all need to back off!”
Every head in the group turned as one to look in his direction. Josh angled towards the man door in the side of the building as the other group headed his way. He planted himself between them and the door and pulled his handgun from his holster. He didn’t point it at them but he was ready to. Quinn and Alex joined him on either side and he heard Dara and Emily take spots behind them. Everyone had their handguns drawn when Matthew caught up and stepped between the two groups with his hands held out on either side of his body like he could hold them all apart.
“Aaron, please stop this! What do you think you are going to accomplish by attacking this group?”
Aaron ignored Matthew and just glared at Josh and his friends and then racked the shotgun he was holding. He had four other men with him. Two others had rifles and the other two held baseball bats menacingly. When all five of the teens raised their handguns and pointed them at his group he snarled. “They have more than they need! We just want a few of their snowmobiles to get to Red Deer before the weather turns. If they don’t want to share, well then…”
As Aaron was speaking Alex could hear things being moved around inside the garage and then the door behind them opening. She kept her eyes on the threat in front of her but stepped to the side to allow room for Cooper to join them. He pointed his rifle at the other group and spoke quietly to her. “Take the rifle from my shoulder. We gave the others behind you theirs already.”
She glanced his way and saw that he had brought out an extra rifle that was hanging from its sling over his shoulder. She made quick work of switching her handgun for it.
Quinn lost his patience and yelled at the other group. “We aren’t giving you anything and if you try to take anything from us you’ll all end up dead!”
When their only response to his words was to raise their rifles, Emily pushed through the line of her friends.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you see you’re out gunned? We have assault rifles. By the time you take one shot we can take twenty! Do you really want to die for nothing?”
Aaron’s face was filled with contempt for her. “Please, you’re just a bunch of teenagers playing war!”
Emily cocked her head at him. “Are you really that
stupid? I mean, you heard our story. Do you really think we made it all the way here from California through a country that was filled with chaos and lawlessness without having to fight and kill people?” She barked out a bitter laugh. “You look at us and see a bunch of kids. Well, let me show you just how old I feel right now!”
She pulled the trigger on her rifle and a three-round burst hammered into the ground in front of Aaron and his men. The reaction from them made it clear that they hadn’t been in any type of gun battle before. Aaron dropped his shotgun and stumbled backward while two of his men just turned and ran away. The other two stumbled back and fell on their butts with fear in their eyes. Emily took a few steps towards them and placed her boot on the shotgun while leveling her rifle at Aaron’s face. Her blue eyes were the color of steel and just as hard. Battle hardened soldier eyes looked back at him, unflinching, and he found himself taking another step back.
“Do you understand now? Do you get that I will shoot every single one of you and just add your names to a list and then move on with my mission? Do you get it?” The last sentence was a low growl that should have never have come from such a young, sweet face.
Aaron found himself nodding his head but couldn’t help but add a complaint. “It’s not fair!” When Emily just raised an eyebrow, he continued, “It’s not fair that you all have so much and can move around while we’re stuck here!”
She kept the rifle pointed at him but lifted one hand from it to rub at her forehead wearily and then let out a sigh.
“Not fair? Do you know how many people on this continent have died in the last eight months? No? Try millions. Millions of people are dead and a lot of them starved or froze or were beaten or shot to death for the few belongings they had.” She waved her hand around at the buildings. “And yet here you are, safe, warm and fed and you want to complain about how unfair it is that we have a few extra things that you don’t?” She stared at him for a few more seconds before turning slightly to the side until Matthew came into her line of sight.
STRANDED: Box Set: Books 1-6 Page 90
