by N. C. Reed
“That don’t mean it’ll be bad, though,” he went on. “Just means we’ll need to have a good plan for it. Like ever body here knowin’ how to defend themselves, and the place.”
“I hope you’re right,” Rhonda sighed. “I really, really do.”
They rode home in silence. The two kids cleaned their weapons under adult supervision, while hearing lectures on safety and security. Both teens soaked up the instructions like a sponge. They had been through rough times already. They had no need to be taught how bad things were, or how bad they could get. They knew all to well from first hand experience.
“Reckon we’ll get supper on,” Rhonda announced as she and Mary finished up.
“We’ll see to the horses, and make a round, make sure ever thing’s okay,” Billy agreed.
Supper was a quiet meal, with the teens chattering away about their exciting day, while the adults thought about their discussion.
It was almost normal.
*****
Billy spent the next week working all over the farm, with Danny right alongside, learning as he went. Billy showed Danny how to care for the stock, how to see when something was wrong with the cattle. He told him about warning signs for sickness, the dangers of ticks and other parasites, whether to horse, cow, dog, or human.
Billy taught him everything he could think of, in fact. He took his own notes and read them off to him, going over the things that needed to be checked every day, or every week. He showed the teen the battery bank for the solar system, teaching him how to check the meters, and the batteries. He showed him the generator, how to service it and check to see if it was ready to run, then how to start it, and how to turn the power into the house when needed.
He taught Danny how to use a chainsaw, and the wood-splitter, as well as split wood by hand. He started showing Danny how to track, teaching him the signs that each animal made. He also brought out one of his father’s books on tracking, and another on edible plants. Danny gobbled them up, eager to learn.
Billy presented Danny with an excellent knife, an RTA III, along with a smaller RTA belt knife, and two good multi-tools.
“Why two?” Danny asked.
“Two is one, and one is none,” Billy quoted.
“What’s that mean?”
“I don’t really know,” Billy admitted. “I just always heard my daddy say it, and I kept it to mind. I think it means that having one of anything is just like havin’ none. When it breaks, when you use it up, when you lose it, then it’s gone, and you ain’t got nothin’ else.”
“Make’s sense,” Danny decided after a minute. “Two is one, and one is none.” He suddenly whipped out a small notebook, and scribbled a note to himself.
“What’s that?” Billy asked, not quite frowning.
“My notebook,” Danny said, putting it away. “I write down important stuff, so’s I don’t forget. It helps me, cause I can always go back over it again, and read what I wrote down. Helps remind me.”
“Good thinkin’,” Billy grunted.
“Just good plannin’,” Danny shrugged.
“So it is,” Billy grinned. “Let’s go up to the house, and I’ll show you how to sharpen them knives.”
“Neat!”
*****
“Howdy neighbor!” Ralph called as Billy rode into the yard. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Been keepin’ busy,” Billy admitted, stepping down. “Had a lot to catch up on.”
“I imagine,” Ralph nodded. “Don’t think anyone’s strayed too far from home last week or two.”
“How’s George?” Billy asked.
“Fine. Needs to sleep more, but I don’t blame him none for that. Deb’s doing better, but going through a rough patch at the moment. Amy says it’ll pass, but just takes time.”
“Glad she’s doin’ better,” Billy nodded. “Got a favor I need,” he went on. He held out two bundles.
“Whatcha got there,” Ralph said, taking the two parcels and placing them on the table in his shop.
“One’s a calf hide I tanned,” Billy told him, as Ralph was pulling the hide out.
“Nice,” Ralph complimented. “Very nice work. What you want done with it?”
“This is a coat of Rhonda’s,” Billy told him, holding out the other parcel. A waist length denim coat. “Think you can make her a coat from the hide, usin’ this as a pattern?”
“Don’t see why not,” Ralph nodded. “Denim jacket won’t survive the process, though,” he warned.
“She’s got three of’em, I think,” Billy shrugged. “Two for sure. And this calf hide oughta last a long time.”
“It sure will,” Ralph nodded. “Billy, this is a really great job. You’ll need to show the rest of us how to do this.”
“Get time, I will,” Billy agreed. “Meanwhile, reckon you can have that done for Christmas?”
“Two weeks?” Ralph figured. “I think so. I don’t have a lot going on at the moment.”
“How much?” Billy asked.
“For you?” Ralph snorted. “Nothing. I’d consider it a way for me to give back after all you’ve done for us.”
“I reckon I can pay,” Billy said stubbornly.
“I’m sure you can,” Ralph nodded. “But I reckon I can decide what my services is worth. And for you, they’re priceless. Your money’s no good on this one, Billy. My treat.”
“Ralph, I don’t want. . . .”
“Stow it, Billy,” Ralph said pleasantly. “I’ve wanted to find a way, any kind of way, to show my appreciation. You just don’t ever seem to need anything. Now, you’ve give me a way to do it. I’ll have it ready by Christmas Eve, Lord willing. Don’t you fret.”
“Thanks, Ralph,” Billy nodded. “‘Preciate it.”
“No problem. What are neighbors for?”
*****
Billy rode back home to find Rhonda saddling her own horse.
“What’cha doin’?” he asked.
“Goin’ up to see them new folks,” Rhonda smiled. “Thought I’d check in on them before we ride over to the Silvers’ for dinner.”
“Mind of I ride along with you?”
“Course not!” Rhonda beamed. “I might need you to protect me from lions, or bears, or. . . .”
“Plain old yes or no would be fine,” Billy held up his hand. “I ain’t even been up there since we got back. Reckon I should at least drop by.”
“Reckon we ought to start puttin’ the cache’s out soon,” Billy noted as the two started up the trail.
“They’re done, then?” Rhonda asked.
“Yeah. Decided to just place two tubes each time, instead o’ tryin’ to make bigger one’s. Just put their stuff in the new one.”
“Good idea,” Rhonda nodded.
“I used some of daddy’s old guns for them,” he added. “SKS for Mary, and an AK for Danny. Gave’em a couple o’ CZ handguns that daddy found somewhere years ago. Pretty good guns.”
“My daddy always said so, too,” Rhonda nodded. “I wonder what he would say, if he could see me now,” she sighed.
“He’d say he taught you right well, I’d imagine,” Billy replied without hesitation. “He’d be proud, too.”
“I hope so,” Rhonda sighed again. “I miss him every day, but some days are worse than others. Like when I really need his advice on something or other.”
“I know how you feel,” Billy said quietly. “There’s many a time just since all this started I wished I could talk to my folks for just five minutes. Course, I’d just want five more after that.”
“Yeah,” Rhonda nodded sadly. She forgot, sometimes, that Billy had been on his own for over three years before all this had happened. He’d had to learn to get by on his own. And he had. The two of them had made errors, but they hadn’t done too badly considering.
The ride didn’t take as long as it seemed to when they had first rode up. Now days, the trip was a regular thing, and everyone was used to riding horseback by now. Rhonda noticed that a buggy wa
s parked in front of the house.
“Looks like Emma’s here too,” she noted. Emma could ride, but much preferred the buggy that Jerry had refinished for her when things had gotten so bad.
“Looks like,” Billy said, dismounting. “Reckon me and Rommel will take a look around,” he told her. “Make sure everything’s looking okay.”
“Okay,” Rhonda smiled. “I’ll be inside if you need me.”
Billy nodded, and he and Rommel started over to the trailers first. After that he figured they’d look around the tree line behind the house, and then circle it good.
Paid to be cautious these days.
Rhonda went inside, where she found Emma and Michelle visiting with Regina and the others. Michelle was holding the one year old in her arms, cooing softly to him.
“Hello neighbors,” she smiled. “I bring gifts,” she announced, handing over a basket with some fresh bread, jelly, and cookies. “I thought the young one’s might enjoy the sweets.”
“I’m sure they will,” Regina smiled, handing the basket off to one of the twins to secure. “How are you Rhonda?”
“Why I’m fit as fiddle, I reckon,” Rhonda twanged back, and all the women laughed. “Billy’s making a check around outside. He’ll be along after while.”
“Ralph was up here this morning to check on us, too,” Regina nodded. “I don’t what we’d do, where we’d be, if not for all of you.”
“Well, you’re here, now, dear, and that’s all that matters,” Emma smiled. “Rhonda, dear, how are you?”
“I’m good, Miss Em. Shelly.”
“Hi,” Michelle looked up from the baby. “Isn’t he gorgeous?”
“Yeah, he’s a cute little tyke.”
*****
Billy had a bad feeling. Like the hair was wanting to stand up on his neck. He looked to Rommel, and noticed the large dog sniffing the air.
“Easy, boy,” he warned gently. “Let’s just ease along, and see what’s what, okay?” Rommel ratcheted down a notch at Billy’s words, but he was uneasy.
Billy didn’t like that. If both of them were uneasy, then there was probably a reason. That gave Billy a dilemma. Should he risk going to check on his own? Or should he get someone else up here to back him up? He weighed the two ideas for a minute, then decided to check things out a little more first. No sense in alarming everyone for no reason.
Nodding to Rommel, Billy let his sling catch his rifle and started ambling along, with no clear direction in mind, or apparent to someone who might be watching. In fact, though, he had a very clear destination in mind. There was a small trail inside the tree line, and Billy was heading indirectly for it. For some reason that he couldn’t place, he had an idea someone was in those woods, watching. Or had been. And he didn’t like that one bit.
Easing along, he acted like he was just out looking things over, with no real reason to be here other than that. Rommel stayed close, helping that idea along without knowing it. Probably without knowing it, Billy decided. Rommel was an uncommonly smart dog.
When he was within thirty yards of the woods, three white tail deer suddenly lunged into the field, running. Billy instantly threw his rifle up, but held his fire. His M4 wasn’t the best rifle to try and take game with, and he didn’t really need the meat at the moment. No one did. Allowing his rifle to fall back into rest, he acted like he was watching the deer. What he was really doing was eyeing the area they had run out of.
“Easy, Rommel,” he ordered softly, as the dog quivered, wanting to give chase. Rommel calmed, but kept his eyes on the fleeing deer.
“C’mon, boy,” Billy ordered loudly. “Ain’t no need o’ tryin’ to get’em. They’s too far gone, anyway. We can see if there’s more, though.” He spoke loudly for the benefit of anyone who was watching, if there was someone watching.
Angling for the spot where the deer had come from, Billy walked slowly but steadily in that direction. No hurry, here, friends. Just walking about.
He was inside the trees before he realized it. As soon as they were in the tree line, Billy started moving more carefully. If there was someone in here, Billy wanted them to have to work at seeing him.
“Let’s go, boy,” he whispered to Rommel. Billy led him back toward the area that had made him uneasy, working slowly through the wood, quiet as he knew how. He did this for almost ten minutes, during which he traveled less than thirty yards.
Kneeling beside a large oak, he found what he’d feared. Pressed grass, cigarette butts, and a candy wrapper. From the look of it, at least two had been watching. Billy looked around carefully, but saw no other signs. He traveled another twenty to thirty yards, but found no other sign.
Steadily making his way through the woods, he emerged behind the house again, this time on the opposite side where he’d entered. He’d found no other place where anyone had hidden and watched the Clifton house.
But one was enough. More than enough.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Billy was antsy the rest of the time they spent at the Home. Everyone had taken to calling it that, since it’s purpose had been to house orphans. It was now housing orphans.
Rhonda recognized his fidgeting, and made an earlier exit that she’d intended to. As they mounted up to leave, she asked him what was wrong.
“Who said anything ‘bout somethin’ bein’ wrong?” he asked evasively.
“Billy you really are a horrible liar,” she told him, grinning. “I can tell when something’s bothering you, and you’ve been worrying over something ever since you took that walk.”
“Someone’s watchin’,” he said softly. Rhonda looked at him, dumbfounded.
“What?”
“Some body’s watchin’ this place,” he repeated. “Like as not been at it a while, though I can’t be sure o’ that. Found where they been layin’ out in the woods, keeping an eye out.”
“Who could it be?” Rhonda asked. “Oh, duh,” she added a second later.
“Yeah,” Billy nodded. “Ain’t no way o’ knowin’. Not really. Not until we catch’em. I’m gonna ride down and see Pete. Reckon he’ll help me stand a watch tonight. We’ll have to figure out who it is. Maybe we can follow’em back to where ever they’re camped.”
“Meanwhile, we need to let every body know what’s happening, so they can be watchful. I’ll leave it to you to stop by the Kelvey’s, Ralph and George’s, and tell Jerry and Miss Em. I’ll head on down to see Pete.”
“Aren’t you gonna tell Regina and them?” she nodded back to the Clifton place.
“Tell’em what?” he asked. “They’re nice folks, but border line useless at the moment. Which is somethin’ else we got to change,” he decided. “I’ll talk to Terry about that. We need to get them women checked out on rifles. They need to be able to defend themselves and them kids. I never imagined we’d have someone behind us like this. I mean, it’s like five miles back there to the nearest road!”
“Even fire trails and the like?” Rhonda asked. Billy actually stopped his horse at that.
“I didn’t think o’ that,” he admitted. “Even so, it’s still got to be somebody that’s familiar with the area. Either that, or somebody flew over us with a plane, and saw all them trailers. Or at least the cattle.”
“What can we do?” Rhonda asked.
“All I know to do is find’em, and kill’em.”
*****
“Watching the Home?” Terry asked, concern on his face.
“Ain’t nothin’ else up there to watch as I know of,” Billy replied. “Reckon they saw the trailers, or something else they wanted.”
“Like the women, maybe?” Pete asked. Billy shrugged.
“Well, we got to do something about that,” Terry said casually.
“I figured to ask Pete to help me stand a watch up there,” Billy said. Pete nodded.
“No problem,” he said at once.
“Won’t be just that simple, though,” Terry mused. “They’ve got to have a camp somewhere back in there.”
&
nbsp; “That’s what I figure,” Billy admitted. “What I thought was if we can catch the one who’s watchin’, we can convince him to tell us all about it. Then do what need’s doin’ from there.”
“Simple and direct. I like it,” Terry approved. “We’ll stake’em out tonight. In fact, let’s just head on up there now, and get situated. We can plan on two or three days, so we need a good hide.”
“Was hopin’ you’d do somethin’ else,” Billy said. Terry frowned.
“Really? What?”
“Them women need to be armed, and taught to shoot. I was hopin’ you’d help Rhonda with that. Maybe Shelly can help too. Or Toby. Thing is, we can’t leave any one place empty for more’n a minute or two. I got to thinkin’ on the way down, we ain’t got no idea if they’re only watchin’ the home. Hell, somebody could be watchin’ us right now!”
Terry hadn’t thought about that, but he agreed it was possible.
“Well, I can do that,” he nodded. “And you’re right. We should have already seen to that. Damn it all. We were counting on isolation keeping the Home hidden, and now it’s the one we know for sure is being looked at. Ain’t that just the way of it?”
“So it is,” Pete nodded. “I think it’s about time we opened that truck and trailer George brought back.”
“And moved it,” Terry added. “Like today.”
“Rhonda’s warnin’ all the other houses. I ain’t said nothin’ at the Home as yet, since ain’t none o’ them could lend a hand no ways.”
“They’ll be able to in a couple days, I promise,” Terry assured him.
“Meanwhile, we should go get that truck, and start loading some mags,” Pete pointed out. “For all we know, there’s a whole platoon of them, just waiting to see what all’s here, and how many of us there are.”
“Be nice to have a few more fellas right now,” Billy said. “But I reckon we’ll have to make do.”
*****
The HumVee and it’s attached trailer were moved to Billy’s place an hour later. Ralph had decided that there was some work he and Ben Kelvey just had to do up at the Home, and had taken off as soon as Rhonda had mentioned things.
