“I believe so,” John replied from the sofa, rubbing his hands together eagerly. Producing a large sheet of paper, he spread it on the coffee table before him. “Everyone should be packed and ready to go. Once we move into the caves, no one will be allowed on the surface except on official business. The more we come an’ go, the greater our chances o’ being discovered, so we gotta be discreet.”
“Agreed,” Pete, raised his cup in a mock salute, shifting his gaze over at the third remaining menfolk. “What say you, Mike?”
“Agreed,” the other man pursed his lips. “But, we need to rearrange some of the sleeping quarters, since some of our situations have changed.”
“I got that handled,” John wafted a hand towards the map that lay before him. “Since the Foxes no longer need their quarters, I’m putting Devon an’ ‘Manda in that room. An’ since my boy has taken up with the Dewitt girl, they’ll be in the Mason master bedroom, at Pete’s request,” he shot the other man a quick glance, “Or have you changed your mind?”
“Naw, it’s theirs. I’ll take a bunk bed in the other room, an’ when the boys get back we’ll square that away,” he grinned, “What else?”
“Well, ‘Manda’s move left Jennifer alone in one o’ the Knight rooms, an’ since Allen was killed, Don has come to me an’ asked for her hand,” he glared at Paula while he spoke, curious if she were aware of the arrangement.
Shooting up from her perch on the edge of a chair, the girl’s mother shrieked, “You can’t be serious! Jen is barely eighteen and that man is over thirty! You already forced one of my girls to marry one of them, surely you don’t intend to take both...”
“Well, we don’ got a lot o’ options here, now do we. He’s asked, an’ I gave my permission,” he cut the woman an icy glare, daring her to challenge his authority, “There’ll be a weddin’ soon enough, an’ I expect my boy’ll be announcing their intent as well.”
Caleb stiffened, having heard Bailey’s gasp from the other room. Moving to peek at her through the door frame, he grinned, giving her a small wave of his hand to quiet her while his father continued.
“Lastly, we’ve decided to post a sentry on the front gate. Twenty four hours a day, one o’ the men’ll be stationed there on lookout, since the main road’s the only way in, unless someone comes with another aircraft,” he chopped the air with a stiff hand in the direction of the front entrance. “That means th’ path between the barn an’ the fence’ll be cleared. Everything else’ll be allowed t’ fill in, an’ we go into hidin’.”
Bailey’s face shot up from her meal, “What about my dog?” she shrieked.
“Your dog?” John called, glaring at the girl as she entered the front room to confront him.
“Yes, she’s mine,” Bailey shook her ponytail in disgust, “I found her. If I hadn’t, she would have died. And, I’ve been taking care of her and her pups. Where are we going to put them?”
“Easy, little bit,” her uncle stepped forward, “We can’t take them down into Lawson.”
“Well, then we have to fix a place for them in one of the buildings. Over in the barn with the rest of the animals? Someone will have to come up and feed them, so taking on Patches and her puppies will not be a big deal,” she insisted, putting her hands on her hips defiantly.
Her eyes growing wide, she gasped, “And how are you going to get the food over to the rabbits and horses? The feed barn is on the other side of the arena.”
“We’re gonna stack enough over to get them by for a few weeks an’ put it out a little at a time,” John grinned at her, surprised she had thought of the animals at all. “Don’ worry, we’ll make a place for the dogs in the barn as well, an’ you can take the scraps up to her. But scraps only! I don’ wanna see any more o’ our food bein’ fed t’ animals.”
She stared with wide eyes, surprised he had given in. “Yes, sir,” she sighed, her shoulders drooping from the mental exhaustion of the confrontation, while considering there would be a final price for it down the line.
Moving in behind her, Caleb slid his arm around her waist, “What about the greenhouse? Mom would be setting up the seed pots soon. Who’s gonna take over that?”
“Well, your woman was workin’ with her last summer, let her take over until your momma gets back,” John grinned at the solution, watching the way his oldest son held onto the girl protectively. “Anything else we need t’ settle before we move?”
“Should I take things for the boys?” Bailey’s voice came out low, the idea of not including her brothers bringing her down rapidly after her brutal win with the dogs.
“Pack them, but leave them in their room. They’ll be easy to fetch for them, when they get home,” Peter supplied. “Anything else?”
When no one else spoke up, John stood, clearing his throat loudly, “Alright, we got two hours, an’ then I want everyone down an’ quiet. All the women move the gear an’ get set up below. Caleb, we’re gonna need your help, but don’t hurt yourself. You, me, an’ the rest o’ the men need t’ meet at the barn so we can get the feed loaded an’ moved,” he indicated the structure that housed the feed across the parking area through the wall, “Le’s go people!”
Without further delay, the entire house began to move, as if it were an ant hill that had been kicked. Spinning in Caleb’s arms, Bailey twisted to face him, “I guess this means I’ll see you downstairs,” her belly flopped at the idea.
“Yeah,” he agreed, leaning his forehead against hers. “You’re officially with me now, little bit. You know that, right?”
A small smile tickled her lips, “Yes, I guess I am. So be careful out there, ok?”
“Sure thing, baby,” he kissed the tip of her nose and followed the rest of the men outside, pulling on his coat as he went.
Watching them go, Jennifer stepped up beside the girl who only stood an inch or so taller, and tossed her arm across her shoulder, “So, we doin’ a twin weddin’?”
Bailey’s eyes grew wide, staring at the girl who had never spoken to her directly, “I thought you didn’t like me,” she blurted.
“Meh,” Jen grinned, “That was mos’ly for ‘Manda’s sake; I thought you’s stealin’ her boyfriend. But now she’s got her own man, so I guess you’re welcome to him.”
Her brow furrowed, her green eyes sparkled, “Gee, thanks.” She looked away, “Well, we can’t have it outside, right now anyways,” she smirked coyly, “Unless you want a really white wedding.”
Her laughter loud, the shorter girl punched her in the arm, “Tha’s funny. See, we are gettin’ along!” Walking away, she grabbed her jacket to go get her own things ready to carry below.
There Is No Peace
Connie frowned at the burned out buildings as they pulled into the compound, “I thought you said you guys burned th’ jail!”
“We did,” Luis’s jaw hung open in disbelief.
“Oh my God,” Bonny began to cry, the diner where she had worked unrecognizable. “What the hell happened?”
“I’m stumped,” the man next to her faltered, “We were long gone before any of this happened, remember?”
Noticing people gathering in the street, his heart began to beat faster. Applying the brake, he brought the vehicle to a halt, and slipped it into park. “I guess we get out.”
“Let me go first,” the girl suggested, opening the door, and stepping out onto the snow, “Hey guys!” she called loudly, giving a few of them a wave.
“What the hell are you doin’ here?” Phillip Pipes practically screamed, reaching the girl first.
“They brought me home,” she offered, allowing the door to close and moving away from it, “They were hoping you would let them take the rest of their people home.”
Gripping her arms, he gave her a violent shake, “The rest of their people? Are you out of your God damned mind?”
“Hey!” Luis yelled, whacking the dash board with his right fist and pointing a stiff digit at the man, “Don’t do that to her!”
Staring a
t the man making a scene from inside the car, the leader of the community laughed, then gave the girl a good slap, “Come out here an’ make me!”
Opening the door in an instant, Luis bolted out, clearing the front of the Jeep, but falling short of reaching the other man. A crowd of people grabbed him, knocking him to the ground. Kicking him repeatedly, several of the Pouty townsfolk began to chant for his head and get a rope, among other things.
“Oh my God! Stop!” Bonny shrieked, a pair of hands grasping her from behind and holding her in place while the mob dispensed its justice. A few minutes later, the old woman was noticed, and dragged out of the back seat to join them.
“Stop this!” a loud shout could be heard over the chaos, “You stop this RIGHT NOW!”
Ignoring the voice of reason, the gathering continued to lay blows upon the man, and a few took to beating the elderly woman, sending the girl into wails of hysterics. “Please, stop! They’re only here to talk!” she begged for their lives. The arm around her neck tightened, and she began to gasp, “I can’t breathe.” Her fingers moved desperately over the appendage in an attempt to remove it. A moment later, she lost consciousness, her body hanging limply in front of her attacker.
Bonny awoke to pitch black. Blinking into the darkness for a few minutes, she couldn’t see anything, but the smell had a familiar feel. Sitting up straight, she determined she was home, in her own bed. Rising, her neck stiff, she stretched, trying to pop it, to no avail. Flicking on her light, she noted she still wore the same clothes she had left The Ranch in, and felt no desire to change.
Instead, she exited her chamber, finding her mother alone in the kitchen. Flopping onto a chair to watch the older woman wash dishes, she sighed loudly, “So, what happened?”
Making a loud, disgusted click with her tongue, “When do you mean? When they burned our town, or when they got what they deserved?”
“Oh my God!” Bonny was on her feet, “Where’s Luis, mom? Where’s Connie?” When her mother failed to respond, the girl began to cry.
“Stop that; it was damn foolish of you to run off with him,” her mother’s voice loud, her words were clipped. “An’ even more so for you to come back!”
“Where is he momma?” she sniffed through her tears, “Please tell me he’s ok.”
Pulling her hands out of the soapy water, the woman grabbed a towel to wipe them clean. Staring down at them as she did so, she exhaled slowly, “They killed him, Bonny. He’s gone; and the woman. An’ the two they left here the night they fled.”
The squeal that followed deafening, the girl collapsed where she stood. Thrashing about, she kicked and screamed, throwing a tantrum as if she were a small child. When the flailing subsided, her mother knelt down beside her, touching her face with water-wrinkled fingers.
“I’m sorry, baby,” she pursed her lips, “But I’m so glad they didn’t kill you, too.”
“What do you mean, kill me, too?” she stared up with wide eyes, her breathing sporadic.
“Phil was holding you; choking you. If someone hadn’t forced him to release you, when you passed out…” her voice trailed away, the reality of losing her only daughter more than she could bear. “I’m so glad you’re home, baby.”
Slapping her hands away and rolling over, the girl got to her feet. She stumbled down the hall in agony; Luis is gone! Making it to the bathroom, she bellowed, gagging and spitting wads of thick saliva. When the wave of misery ebbed, she washed her face in the sink. Lifting her head, her ebony locks parted, and she stared at her green eyes in the mirror, shocked by the deep red splotches of blood that filled the whites of them, “Holy shit!”
“It’s from being choked,” her mother explained. “You were on the edge.”
“But someone saved me,” she breathed. Turning, she reached out to embrace the woman behind her, “Oh my God, mom, I loved him! Why did they kill him?” Her wail started all over again.
“Bonny!” the command came with a firm snap, “Calm down! It’s done and over, and carryin’ on ain’t gonna bring him back!”
Freeing her, the girl took in deep pants to calm herself, “So, what happened to all the buildings? It was like, all of them! Why are they all burned?”
“Because,” her mother patted her daughter’s shoulder absently, “They set fire to one of them before they left. Only, we weren’t able to put it out, an’ it spread to the others. Burned ‘em to the ground.”
“Oh... my God,” her arm pressed to her furrowed brow, deep lines formed around her mouth, “They never meant for that to happen,” she defended their actions, “They just wanted to get away!”
“And they did,” the other woman shook the hair out of her face, crossing her arms while she leaned against the door frame. “So, why come back here? They had to know our people would retaliate. They have to know what’s comin’, for what they did!”
“They just want their people back, that’s all! They don’t wanna fight with us,” she defended loudly, “All they want is peace an’ t’ be left alone!”
“There is no peace, Bonny. Not after what they’ve done,” she blinked at her offspring for a moment. “They poisoned us. Some of the food; it was tainted, and three whole families died, children and all. They’re gonna get what they deserve.”
The girl stared at her, realizing what her words meant. Her mind turning, she knew tough choices lay ahead of her, “When?”
“Very soon,” her mother supplied. “If they hadn’t stolen our helicopter, it would’a already taken place.”
“What are they going - I mean we going - to do?”
“Philip wants to crush them,” the older woman stepped aside, turning her back and moving to the front room. “I say, we should let them starve to death. They only got a few of their animals back, an’ they can’t live more than a few months on those.”
Rolling her tongue inside her cheek, Bonny refused to divulge what she knew; she hadn’t seen the stores, or anything concrete, but she knew the people at The Ranch were not going to starve to death. “It wasn’t their fault, mom. We attacked them first. What did Phil expect for them to do?” Her words had grown sharp in anger at the stupidity of the situation.
“Why are you defending them?” she spun around to face her daughter squarely. “You’re one of us, remember?”
“Not anymore,” the girl grit her teeth, “Not like this! You people disgust me,” she lumped her parents in with the rest. “And I don’ care if they kill me! They shouldn’t have done it, any of it! And now there will be no peace between us.” Fresh tears welled and spilled, covering her face with trails of sorrow, “We didn’t want much, mom. Why couldn’t they just let us be?”
The woman stared at her daughter in bewilderment. “Go to your room, Bonny. Go to bed, and get some rest. An’ when you get up, I don’t wanna hear you speak of that man, or that woman, or that place again! You’re home now, an’ THIS is where you belong!”
Turning her back in reserved rage, the girl stomped down the hall, slamming her bedroom door behind her. Flopping onto the bed, she allowed herself quiet tears while she brooded, her mind running in circles over what she knew. Chris and Martha; those are the two adults who didn’t get away. Her mother had said they were dead.
But there were kids, too. Two girls, and two boys, who were left behind. Luis had asked her about them before they made their escape, but she had no idea where they were. I have to find them, she rolled over and stared at the ceiling. I have to know if they’re ok.
Closing her eyes, she willed herself to sleep; to rest, knowing she would need her strength. They pissed off the wrong bitch, she whispered to herself. I have to find the rest of them, and help them get home. She sighed heavily, her hand on her chest rising and falling in a steady pattern. And I’ll burn the rest of the God damned town to the ground if I have to, to do it!
Pretty Reckless
Bailey carried the last load of their stuff into their tiny chamber, dropping it onto the bed; home, sweet home. Her eyes swinging around
compact space once more, she emitted a small sigh. “Well, I never saw this coming,” she mused aloud to herself.
Selecting a bag, she dumped the contents on top of the pile, and began hanging the items in the closet, her clothes on the left, and Caleb’s on the right. The idea of them sharing the room gave her an odd twinge in her gut, and the memory of what they had done that morning flashed into her mind, staining her cheeks bright red.
Well, you wanted to get it over with, she admonished herself; and it’s over with. But somehow, it hadn’t occurred to her he would expect the behavior to continue; as if the first time would have been enough and things would have remained the platonic same afterwards. Emitting a small sigh, she could at least be glad that Caleb had been her first, and not Ked. I wonder whatever happened to him, anyways.
Of course, she never saw him after they returned to Midland, not even at the high school. Therefore, she could only assume that his family had moved to the other school’s district, or left town. With the way people came and went, there’s really no telling.
Tackling another bag, she made quick work of the chore, and moved on to making the bed. Only a full-sized, like the one she had in the ranch house, she smiled at how Caleb’s feet would hang off the end, since hers almost did. Smiling to herself, she finished straightening, and moved out into the front part of their tiny apartment to put that in order.
Lastly, she tackled her uncle’s clothing, placing it in the small closet that had been meant for her brothers. Making up the bottom bunk for the man as well, a sadness settled over her, causing tears to drip onto the sheets while she smoothed them. Her hands slowed, it took her longer to complete the task, and her two hours were up by the time she finished.
“Hey!” Deanna called to the girl from the outer doorway, “Get movin’! The meeting’s about t’ start!”
Pulling the curtain across the closet, Bailey exited the room, wiping her eyes thoroughly before joining the others. Making her way out to the large room, she noted that John, Mike, and her uncle all sat in a ring of cushioned seats that appeared to have been carved out of the rock itself, smack in the middle of the enormous hall. Moving a chair from the closest dining table, she joined the others, who all sat in a larger circle around the smaller one, looking down upon their leaders.
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 43
