by N. C. Reed
*****
Billy had to admit, if only to himself, that the ‘market’ was a pretty good set-up. Signs warned people about stealing, and cheating, stating clearly that either would be punished quickly and severely. There were several more men inside the building, and all around it, wearing the Constable armbands, and they seemed to take the duty seriously. Anything that even looked like it might turn into something attracted their prompt attention.
“Seems pretty well run,” he told Rhonda.
“Yeah, I thought so too,” she nodded. “I like how everything has its own spot. Everyone who’s selling food is in one spot, guns and ammo somewhere else, and so on. Keeps you from getting taken.” Billy nodded. He hadn’t noticed that himself.
They took their time, looking over everything they took interest in, Rhonda haggling on occasion to try and get a better price. Sometimes successful, sometimes not. She didn’t begrudge anyone. That was the way of bartering. If you had what someone wanted bad enough, they’d trade. If not, then you might be out of luck.
They did pass one man who was hawking ‘women’s supplies’. He saw Rhonda and started in on her about ‘stocking up’. She tried to wave him off, but this guy had obviously been a high-pressure salesman before the Plague. A stern look from Billy, however, was enough to make him retreat to his table.
“I knew you’d come in handy for something,” she teased as they walked on by.
“I’m here to serve,” Billy chuckled. He was enjoying himself, he admitted. He and Rhonda had no chance to get out and do things like this at home. Today was a nice break from their routine, the roadblock not withstanding.
Billy was looking at some holsters and leather goods, thinking he might see if the man selling them had made them himself, when his radio crackled. The noise startled Billy, as he had forgotten the thing until now.
“Billy, can you hear me?” Jerry’s voice came through loud and clear.
“I hear ya,” he replied.
“Hate to ask, but I’m gonna need you out here at the truck. We’re havin’ an. . .issue, with your friend from earlier.”
“We’ll be right there,” Billy said at once. He looked at the leather man.
“I’ll try and come back, if this ain’t somethin’ bad. You think you’ll be hear a little longer?”
“Sure,” the man nodded, dealing with another customer. Billy grabbed Rhonda’s arm.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, not having heard the radio in all the commotion.
“Jerry needs us at the truck,” he told her, making his way through the crowd. “Said he was havin’ an issue with our friend from earlier. I guess he means Blaine, but we’ll be careful, just in case.”
Rhonda nodded, and the two made the trip back to the truck in silence. Billy slowed as he approached. It was Blaine, and he was squawking at two constables, a different pair than they had met earlier, while pointing at Jerry and his family. Billy frowned as he noted one of the constables was all but pointing a shotgun at his friends.
“. . .and that nice young couple aren’t anywhere around!” he heard Blaine finish as he drew near.
“You mean us?” he said softly. The Constable jerked at the sound of Billy speaking, and turned quickly.
“You hadn’t oughta be sneaking up on people, Mister!” the Constable stammered.
“And you ought not be pointin’ a gun at my friends, who are God fearin’, law ‘bidin’ citizens, neither,” Billy shot back. “What are you doin’ here?” he asked Blaine. “I thought I made it clear to you this mornin’, whatever you’re sellin’, we ain’t buyin’.”
The Constable turned again, just as swiftly, his attitude toward Billy now directed at Blaine.
“That right, Blaine?” he demanded, angry.
“I. . .well, how could I have known. . .I mean, they were here. . . .”
“We travel together for safety,” Billy told him. “And I can’t for the life o’ me see how it’s any of your business.”
“Now see here!” Blaine blustered. “I was merely trying to do my duty as a. . . .”
“Connivin’, low down, snake,” Billy finished for him. “You folks okay?” he asked Jerry.
“Reckon we are now,” Jerry nodded. He was red faced from anger.
“Can I assume this it over with?” Billy demanded of the Constable who was doing the talking.
“Yes, sir,” the man managed to stammer. He whirled about to face Blaine.
“If you start anymore ruckus, Blaine, I’ll ask the Board to ban you from the market, understand me?”
“I was just. . . .”
“Did you hear me?” the Constable grated.
“Yes, William, I heard you,” Blaine grumbled. He shot a withering look at Billy, and it was all Rhonda could do to keep him from pummeling the man right there, with the Constable’s watching.
“I better not see you ‘round me or mine, no more,” Billy satisfied himself with saying. Blaine didn’t reply, but walked off in a huff. The Constable turned to Billy.
“We don’t allow people to make threats, here, Mister. . . .?”
“I wasn’t makin’ one,” Billy assured him, not bothering to answer the almost question of what his name was. “I got here to see your partner holdin’ a gun on the only family we got left,” he indicated the Silvers. “I don’t much like that.”
“We have to do our job, sir,” the one who had held the Silvers at gunpoint offered, though not in a confrontational way. “We get people from all over in here on a trade day.”
“I take it you know that Blaine, fella, though?” Billy asked.
“We do,” he agreed.
“And he don’t never cause no trouble, I’m guessin’?”
“He is prone to. . . .”
“That’s beside the point,” the first constable broke in. “We were just doing our duty.”
“Well, the next time your ‘duty’ includes pointing a gun at a man and his family, on nothing more than that snake’s word? It had better not be my family. Got that?”
“Sir, we could arrest you for creating a disturbance right now, and be within our rights!” the Constable blustered.
“Just the two o’ ya?” Billy asked, his voice going very calm.
“Billy, that’s enough,” Rhonda said softly, taking his arm. “If you gentlemen are quite done pointing guns on the word of that. . .that, creature, then we have business to attend to.”
“You folks go ahead,” the second constable said as the first spluttered in rage. “Sorry about that,” he offered to Jerry. “Next time, I’ll know who you are.”
Jerry just nodded his thanks, not trusting himself to speak.
Billy watched until the two had moved away, then stormed up and down the sidewalk for three minutes. Rhonda walked with him the entire way, not saying a word. Finally, though, she reached out and took his hand. When she did, Billy stopped, and looked at her.
“Sorry,” he murmured, as if a light had come on, and he realized what he’d been doing. “I just don’t like that sort o’ thing.”
“I know, baby,” Rhonda soothed. “And you handled it pretty good, I’d say. Now let’s just see if the Silvers are okay, and then go back inside. I know you wanted to speak to that leather guy.”
Billy nodded. The two walked back to the truck.
“Billy, I’m really sorry,” Jerry started, but Rhonda cut him off.
“Ain’t your fault, Mister Silvers,” she smiled at him. “It was that slime ball Blaine. Trying to stir up trouble. Probably thought that he could get the truck, if he played his cards right. Or at least what he could get from the back.”
“Probably,” Jerry nodded.
“You did right,” Billy sighed. “I’m the one should of shut up sooner. I’m sorry about that. I’ll do better, happens there’s a next time.”
“Billy Todd, you hush that talk right now!” Emma Silvers scolded. “It’s rolling over to that kind of behavior that kept us a prisoner in our own country for too long. It needs to be
stood up to, and you did just fine. Don’t you agree, Jerry?”
“I do,” he nodded, not even seeing the glance from his wife that ‘told’ him he agreed. “Handled it mighty fine. I just wish it hadn’t been needful. Ticked me off, being accused like that.”
“Would me too,” Billy nodded. “We need to see a man inside, then we’ll be back. Maybe twenty minutes or so. That okay?”
“We’ll be here,” Jerry said firmly.
*****
“So you can bring me hides?”
“Some,” Billy nodded. The leather man’s name was Ralph Maness. “They’ll be tanned, and what not. I just don’t know how many at the time, so I’m hesitant to promise you anything.”
“Well, a promise ain’t worth much more’n a man’s word now days, anyway,” Maness shrugged. “Man might want to keep his word, and can’t. Tell you what I can do, though. I can cut you a deal on the amount of stuff you want, based on what you do bring. In other words, you bring me three hides, tanned and ready to work, then you get three hide’s worth of stuff for labor and materials other than the leather. Sound good to you?”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to do,” Billy nodded eagerly. “We might be able to find some of the other things you need, too, once in a while. You got a list of stuff you’re needful of?” Maness grinned, and pulled out a handwritten note.
“Keep these all the time. Most of the traders here do. Never know where the next goldmine’ll come from.”
“Not bad thinking,” Rhonda complimented. Maness looked at her.
“I’m takin’ it you’ve been doing this for a while before the sickness hit?”
“A little,” she smiled at him disarmingly. “Learned from my daddy,” she added. Maness groaned a little.
“Glad I already struck a deal with your mister, then,” he laughed. “Got a feeling you’d drive a hard bargain.”
“Only when it’s something’ I want real bad,” she smiled again, hugging Billy’s arm to her. Maness laughed outright at that.
“You got yourself a sure enough spitfire, there, boy,” Maness told Billy. “Better take good care of her.”
“He does,” Rhonda sing songed brightly before Billy could answer. Billy handed the list to Rhonda. She looked at it, a smile tugging at her lips as she put it away.
“You make that saddle?” Billy asked, pointing to a beautiful black saddle sitting on a wooden horse.
“I did,” Maness sighed. “Doubt I’ll be able to make many more. Even though there’s bound to be a demand for them, it takes a lot to make one.”
“Not enough leather?” Rhonda asked.
“Not enough thread, oddly enough,” Maness shook his head. “And that don’t even get into the rings, rivets, and so forth. Folks don’t realize how much stuff goes into a saddle. Not these days, anyway,” he shrugged.
“What you askin’ for that one?” Billy asked casually. He didn’t need it, but this man might be a good trading partner, and possibly someone they might want as a neighbor someday. And it was a nice saddle.
“Three ounces of gold,” Maness replied. “Know it seems high, but I like as not won’t have another. Need to get some tradin’ money outta that one.” Billy did some not so quick arithmetic in his head.
“What about one ounce of gold, five ounces of silver, an M-16 that needs a good cleaning’, with one hundred rounds and three magazines, and a Smith and Wesson .357 revolver. Got about thirty rounds for it, too,” he added. Maness blinked at him.
“Well, let me see. . . .” He obviously was thinking about what he could do with the goods, and was it worth the ounce of gold it replaced.
“How about one-and-a-half ounces of gold, instead of one ounce,” Maness countered.
“How about one-and-a-quarter ounces, eight ounces of silver, and the guns,” Billy came back. Maness again had to figure.
“If you can add another fifty rounds for the rifle, it’s a deal,” he said finally. Billy seemed to ponder the offer, then extended his hand.
“Deal. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Rhonda waited until they were out of earshot to speak.
“Billy, I thought we didn’t need a saddle,” she said softly.
“We don’t, really,” he replied. “But it’s a nice saddle, and he’s a nice guy. I think he’d make a good friend. Today has proved we need friends around here, wouldn’t you say?”
“Well, yeah,” Rhonda agreed. “And he does seem like a good guy. Wonder if he knows anything about country living?”
“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Billy chuckled. “He may turn out to be a dick, for all we know.”
“Billy Todd!” Rhonda almost squealed. “Such language!”
“What can I say, you’re a bad influence on me,” Billy laughed as they reached the truck.
“Make you a deal?” Jerry asked, as Billy started gathering.
“I did, and got rid o’ this awful rifle,” Billy chuckled.
“Was thinkin’ on usin’ that myself,” Jerry said quietly. Billy scoffed.
“You want somethin’ like this, I’ll get you one when we get home,” Billy told him flat out. “Way hell and gone better than this. I promise,” he added.
“Okay,” Jerry nodded, pleased. “I. . .today made me think that the Garand is good at the house, but maybe I’d be better off to have something. . .else.”
“You and Toby can share ammo and mags, and it’s lighter, and easier to reload. And you ain’t got to grope around to find them en bloc clips, once you’re done,” Billy agreed.
“Yeah, that can be a hassle.”
“We get home, I’ll take care of ya,” Billy winked. His goods in hand, including the coins already counted out, he and Rhonda went back inside. Maness grinned when he saw them coming.
“You know, I about half-way wondered if you’d come back.”
“I make a deal, I stick to it,” Billy frowned.
“No offense meant,” Maness said easily. “But you’d be surprised at the people who stand and dicker, then tell me they’ll be back, and ain’t.”
“I doubt it,” Rhonda laughed. “I’ve dealt with the same kind o’ people.”
“I might have been wrong about him being easier to bargain with, too,” he winked at Rhonda. She smiled, and glanced nervously at Billy, wondering what he’d think about that wink. Surprisingly, he just smiled.
“Don’t fool yourself,” he told Maness. “I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed by no means. She’s smart.”
“Well, I’d hate to have to barter with you if you was smarter,” Maness laughed. Billy chuckled lightly, handing over the coins.
“Like I said, this thing is in desperate need of a good cleaning,” he said, handing over the M-16. “I can’t swear to you it’s in good shape. Just got it this morning. But I think once it’s clean, it’ll be fine. If it ain’t, I’ll make it up to you on the next visit,” he promised.
“Wow,” Maness said, looking at the rifle. “This looks like the real deal.”
“It’s a 2-A,” Rhonda offered helpfully. “Long on tooth for the military these days. . .well, before, anyway,” she added. “But still a good rifle.”
“Revolver looks good, too,” Maness nodded. Billy handed over the ammo, in a small box he’d taken an alternator out of.
“I kinda feel bad, now,” Maness admitted.
“Why?” Billy asked.
“This ammunition is worth a lot of money, here,” he told Billy. “Fella over yonder kinda cornered the market, when everything went to hell. Pardon, ma’am,” he added to Rhonda.
“I’ve heard worse,” she giggled.
“You’ve said worse,” Billy reminded her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
“Look, Ralph,” Billy said. “I’m looking to make friends. And business connections. I’ve got ammo aplenty right now. Can’t say it’ll stay that way, but I’m good. And it’s worth it to me, anyway, to be in good with you.” Maness looked at Billy closely, and nodded.
“Spoken like a man
,” he replied seriously. “Ain’t too much of that around here, these days, in spite of how bad off folks are getting.”
“What’s the problem?” Rhonda asked.
“Well, food is getting hard to come by, believe it or not,” Maness admitted. “Seems a few folks banded together when things fell apart, and sort of cornered the market on some things. Including livestock, ammunition, and such. It’s hard to be able to hunt, even. There ain’t much in the way of canned goods left, either, the way I hear it.”
“Ain’t so bad for me,” he admitted. “I was divorced long before the sickness, and we never had any children. But people who have kids are having to really dig to keep food on the table. I tried to tell them to use the summer to gather food, but they seemed to think that the stuff in the stores would last forever. Or at least longer than it did.”
“There’s a lot of people around here in for a rude awakening. And I’m afraid it won’t be long coming, either.”
“Do you live here in Franklin?” Billy asked. Maness shook his head.
“No, I live a few miles south of here. I only come in for the trade days.”
“Are you set okay?” Rhonda asked.
“Yeah, I’m pretty good,” Ralph smiled. “I took my advice,” he laughed. “I’ve got enough put by for the winter, and seeds for the next season. I don’t have all the heirlooms I’d like, but I’ll stay fed.”
“Good,” Billy nodded. Rhonda handed him a slip of paper.
“This is a radio frequency we monitor,” she said quietly, making sure no one could overhear. “If you get in a bind, call us. I can’t promise we can help, but if we can, we’ll try.” Maness took the paper, and hid it away in his wallet.
“I. . .I really appreciate that,” he said slowly. “You two show a lot of trust in someone you just met,” he added, looking at them curiously.
“Well, we don’t necessarily trust you yet,” Billy grinned. “But like I said. I want to do business, if I can. And you seem like a straight shooter, as my daddy used to say. I’m willing to take a risk once in a while.”
“Me too,” Ralph nodded. “I’ll be here next month, the weekend before Thanksgiving. After that, it’ll depend on the weather, and how hard fuel is to come by.”
