The Long Walk Home

by Ison, S. A.

  “Come on, let’s get back to camp. We’ve got to tell everyone what we saw. I’m something like an eighth Cherokee on my dad’s side. My great grandmother was nearly full Cherokee and so I was taught some of the language from my granny. I don’t remember much, just a couple words or phrases. There are a lot of people in Kentucky and Tennessee that have American Indian ancestry. Especially Cherokee, Black Foot and Chickasaw.” He said moving fast through the woods, his trekking pole beating the scattered bushes. His heart was beating painfully in his chest and his mouth was so dry, it felt as though he’d eaten a whole bag of cotton balls.

  “So, what do you make of him?” Carter asked, puffing as they moved at a near run.

  “I think we’re really fucked.” Beckett said, trying to swallow to get moisture back in his mouth. His brain was exploding in assumptions and speculation. And the absolute impossibility of it all. It couldn’t be, by hell, it really can’t be, he thought, nearly hysterically. He was edging toward panic-stricken laugher and bit down hard on the desire.

  “What? What do you mean?” Carter asked and Beckett stopped abruptly and looked at Carter. The man was of Asian descent, but he looked a little like a Native American. He had high cheekbones, full lips and almond eyes. He was fairer though, since the man on the rock had been deeply tanned, a coppery bronze tone, which meant years in the sun.

  “What is your heritage Carter?”

  “What? Japanese? Why?”

  “Well, looking at you, from his viewpoint, you look like an Indian of some kind. A mix for sure, same as me. I’ve got the black hair, but I’ve got blue eyes. He was looking at us. He didn’t know what we were.” He nearly choked on the words and he could feel the muscles in his mouth twitch.

  “What the hell does that mean? Wait, what are you saying?”

  “Carter, I don’t think we were hit by an EMP, I don’t think we’re lost or someone has taken the Appalachian trail markers or any of that. Fuck. I think we’re all back in time.”

  “Get the fuck out of here.” Carter laughed, but there was fear in that laugh, and incredulity. He saw the color slowly leave Carter’s face and his eyes were like dark splotches on his face. Carter dropped the rabbit carcass, and he’d not even noticed. Beckett stooped and picked the carcass up.

  “Look, let’s get back to camp and I’ll explain once we are there and we can all figure it out.” Beckett said, starting out again. He walked away rapidly, leaving Carter to follow behind. The rabbit carcass hung from his hand and it felt sticky. He didn’t like the feel of it, but he’d not lose his dinner, especially now.

  They heard voices as they grew closer. And came into the area where the camp had been set up. He set the rabbit down by Zoe’s backpack and put his pink one down as well. He took out a bottle of water and poured a bit on his hands and washed them.

  “I was wondering where you’d gotten to. If you want to cut that rabbit up, I can make a nice rabbit stew. I’ve got dehydrated veggies.” Zoe smiled, she was squatting by her backpack and had taken out several resealable bags.

  “Sure, but right now, I need to talk to everyone, something has happened.” He said, looking down at her. He swallowed once more, his mouth still dry with fear.

  She nodded, her smile vanishing and she looked around. Wyatt was with Rhena who was moaning and her head thrashing back and forth. It didn’t look good. Her leg was swelling like a balloon and soon, the skin would begin to split. He gritted his teeth at that thought. Between that and his news, things were not going well, nor would they be.

  He walked over to the middle, by the fire, Carter coming with him. He looked around and everyone began to stop what they were doing and looked over at him. He felt the cold sweat of fear pour itself through him. How could he tell these people what he was thinking?

  “May I have everyone’s attention please?” He said, though he didn’t raise his voice. The group began to gather around him, putting things down and walked to him.

  “Okay folks, I’m going to tell you what just happened to Carter and I, when we went to find a stream. Please no questions until I’ve had my say. I’ll say first that I could be one hundred percent wrong, and I hope I am. On our way back, I believe we met the man who Rhena had seen. He was and…Christ, I don’t even know how to say this, but he looked to be a Cherokee, Native American. As in the real deal, as in we aren’t in Kansas anymore, as in I don’t think it was an EMP that hit us. I think that somehow, some way, we have gone back in time.”

  The crowd erupted in yelling and laughing and talking all at once. Beckett waited for them to stop, it took a few minutes and Carter yelling at them to hush. They finally quieted and Beckett went on.

  “Look, I know, I get it, it’s bullshit and crazy talk. But here is what we have. The trail is no longer recognizable. The trail is not really a trail at all. There are no markers, we’ve not seen another soul on this trail, now that maybe normal, I don’t know. The man we saw, well, he was the real deal. Not only that, he had a knife at his hip and it wasn’t a metal knife. It was a stone knife, a sharp one, but stone for all of that. Again, it just might be some dude out there screwing around, scaring the hikers. But why?”

  “So, you’re saying that it isn’t the EMP that screwed stuff up, but we’re back in time as in a few hundred years?” Milo said, a condescending tone to his query. Beckett ignored him.

  Wyatt stood up from his wife and walked over to Beckett.

  “Are you sure Beckett? I mean, it’s hard to believe, but it kind of makes sense. I’ve walked these trails since I was a teen. None of the trails are this narrow, unless you get off trail. But we never deviated from our route.” Wyatt said softly.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what to think. The guy was friggen real though. I mean that. His body was lean and hard, like he lived the life of a hunter warrior. He had a longbow and the quiver full of arrows. The bow looked homemade, but well made. The only adornment the guy had on was a feather in his topknot. He studied me and Carter, and we looked back at him, watching. He didn’t seem afraid of us. I said hello in Cherokee and though he didn’t answer back, he nodded acknowledgment. Other than that, it’s just supposition, but it answers some of the questions.”

  He looked around and he saw wonder and fear in the faces around him. An EMP apocalypse or time travel. Which was worse? They were all screwed, there was no help, because if there are colonies, he and his companions would either be imprisoned or enslaved. He looked at Zoe, Evie, Astrid and Rhena, he shuddered at the thought for their future in the hands of the white colonists. If they were even in the time of colonists. Not to mention Lucas, who was black. Christ, was there slavery back that far? Their clothing alone would brand them as something otherworldly. Would that get them killed?

  The Cherokee man had a stone knife, which meant that it was before the Europeans came? He wished he knew more about the timeline. So, they were in the land of the Cherokee. The man didn’t act hostile, only curious. He was profoundly thankful he knew a few words. That might be helpful. If he were wrong, and this was just some guy off his medication and he was roaming the woods? No, he didn’t think so.

  If they were in an EMP situation, that was just as deadly. They were two days in and by now, if it was an EMP, then people would be going crazy, he thought, if not in towns, most certainly in large cities. Techno addicted people would be jonesing for their techno fix by now. And when they found out it wasn’t coming back? What about the mentally ill, the physically ill, and all those people in the hospital on life saving machines?

  Yet, not ten feet away Rhena’s leg was swelling so much, that he feared it would begin to split open. There were no doctors, except Wyatt and he had no anti-venom. There was no getting her out of here. She’d lose the use of her leg or she’d be dead, in a very painful way. If her moaning was any indication, the pain was getting worse. His hands went to his hair and he felt like pulling it out. He thought perhaps he was losing his mind. None of this made any sense.

  They all turned when Rhe
na cried out, clutching her chest. Wyatt ran back to her, holding her in his arms, murmuring to her. Beckett walked back over to his blanket and sat down heavily. The whole camp was quiet now and everyone sat watching Wyatt and his wife. She was crying out in pain, it had been almost two hours since she was bitten.

  Zoe came over and sat beside him, Evie joined them. Both women were trembling and their faces pale from worry, stress and fear.

  “I don’t know what to do or say?” Zoe said delicately.

  “Me either. I’m afraid for Rhena and I’m afraid for us. Are you sure we went back in time? I mean, it’s just so implausible.” Evie asked.

  Beckett took a deep breath and blew it out, scrubbing his face in his hands. His fingers laced into his still damp hair and he pulled at it, shaking his head.

  “I don’t know what to think Evie. I truly don’t. I’m afraid and confused. I know what I saw and it doesn’t make sense. I’d lean more towards the EMP hitting, except for us not finding the trail or trail markers. Maybe when we leave out of here, and we see trail markers or some kind of station, then yeah, I’ll say it’s an EMP. Otherwise. I just don’t know.” He said tiredly. He was emotionally and mentally drained as well as tired and hungry. His stomach growled loudly and he blushed. Christ, even with all this shit going on, his body was screaming for food.

  “I’ll start fixing the rabbit if you want to cut it up for me Beckett. I can put a little rice with it. I think we might want to start cutting back on the food and eat what we can find to help supplement. If we went back in time or even if there’s an EMP, we’ll run out of food.” Zoe said softly, looking at Evie. He could see fear settling in on her soft features. He felt like a heel, eating her food, but there was no help for it.

  “I suggest you two pool your food, maybe make one good meal a day and forage for food the rest of the time. I can shoot rabbits or squirrels, I’ve seen plenty. So, we’ll have enough meat. But I’d say be very conservative, and I’ll see about getting two rabbits tomorrow.” He said and both Zoe and Evie nodded.

  He took his knife out and began to butcher the rabbit. Zoe took the parts and put into the pot and poured hot water over it. She set it on top of the cylinder and put more twigs in the fire. The rabbit began to bubble and she added some spices from the container. She then added a small handful of dehydrated vegetables and let it simmer. From time to time, she took the pot down and added boiling water to it. Then she put a handful of rice in it. And began to stir it. Once the concoction started to boil again, she let the fire die down.

  Covering the rabbit and rice mixture, she let it sit. The shadows were beginning to lengthen and the birds began to quiet. No one really spoke in the camp, they just listened to Rhena’s cries of pain and moaning. Then she screamed when her leg split open and blood poured onto the ground. It was grotesquely swollen and Wyatt wept, rocking his wife. Zoe and the other women began to weep softly and Beckett felt his own eyes tearing up.

  Rhena’s cries were heartbreaking and then she started choking and gasping for air. Her body began convulsing and Beckett got up and walked over, helping Wyatt hold her. She was hot as a firecracker, the sweat rolling off of her body. She jerked and arched and then she was still, deathly still. Her eyes were open, looking at Wyatt, but there was no animation within. Beckett felt his stomach fall and he knew she was dead.

  Wyatt choked and cried out and held Rhena to his chest, rocking back and forth. Beckett stood, and wiped at his eyes. He walked back over to Zoe and Evie, Carter had joined them. So had Milo. Milo had lost his sardonic attitude and was quiet. The people around the camp wept silently or just stared into the fire. The sun was disappearing through the branches of the canopy and it would be full on dark.

  “Beckett, I’ve got to go to the bathroom.” Zoe said miserably.

  “Me too.” Evie echoed.

  “Okay, let’s take your solar lanterns with us and I’ll walk you guys into the woods. Take your walking sticks too.” He stood and looked over to Wyatt. He felt helpless once more. He was beginning to hate that feeling and it was ever-present now. In nearly every aspect of this new life, he felt woefully unprepared. There were no do-overs to correct it. He grabbed a paper towel, his guts in a twisted mess.

  Christ, what the hell was he going to do when that ran out? He walked in front of the women, using the trekking pole and moved through the gathering darkness. They walked about one hundred feet away and Beckett checked the area around the bushes that the women wanted to use. He rattled his pole around, finding nothing there. He then left them one lantern as he went to find his own bush.

  A few minutes later, they all met back up. The crickets and tree frogs were now chirping. He led the way back to the camp, the glow of the fire showing the way. They walked back into camp and he saw that Wyatt was still sitting with Rhena in his arms. He was rocking her slowly. He’d leave the man to his grief.

  He helped Zoe set up her tent and both settled down.

  “Should we eat?” She whispered.

  “Yes, we’ve burned a lot of calories and we can’t let this food go to waste.” He said softly, his bent head near hers. Evie moved in close with her fork and all three sat around the pot eating the rabbit and rice. There was more rabbit than rice, but that was fine with Beckett. The calories were there. The protein was what their bodies needed as well. He drank heavily from his water bottle; they’d have to make another trip to the streamlet in the morning.

  After dinner, Beckett walked over to Wyatt, who was still holding his wife. He was smoothing back her hair. Beckett squatted down, putting his hand on Wyatt’s shoulder gently.

  “Wyatt, I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks Beckett. I know we need to bury her. I know it’s dangerous, especially if we are as you say, back in time. I’m pretty sure that there are more animals now, than there was in our own time. Maybe that’s why there was a big timber rattler. I’d not heard of a lot of folks getting bit on the trail, though it wasn’t unheard of. I’m sure the smell of her blood is in the air. We don’t want to draw bears or mountain lions to us. Will you help me?” He asked brokenly.

  “Yes, of course. I’ll get a couple of the men and we’ll get started, you stay with Rhena.” He said, patting Wyatt’s shoulder once more. Beckett walked over to JP and Lucas.

  “Can you guys give me a hand? I want to go up into the tree line and dig a grave. I’m going to go get Zoe’s trowel.”

  “Sure Beckett, we can.” Lucas said, his face solemn.

  Beckett nodded and walked over to Zoe, who looked pale. She and Evie sat together, holding each other’s hand. Carter and Milo were sitting beside them.

  “I’m going to go start digging a grave.” He announced, reaching for Zoe’s towel, and she nodded.

  “Jumping the gun? Much?” Milo said.

  Beckett looked down at the blond man, his eyes cold and his mouth thinned. He looked over to Carter.

  “Would you mind helping us?”

  “Sure Beckett, let me get my trowel. We’ll also need to find rocks and put over the grave, so the animals don’t dig her up.”

  “Me and Evie can do that, we’ll come with you.” Zoe announced, standing up and pulling Evie up with her.

  “I’ll come too.” Milo said, and Carter and Beckett said, “no.” Both men walked away. Noland joined the men and they walked into the woods, using the solar lanterns to light their way. They found a likely spot, and Beckett hoped they’d not run into a lot of heavy roots. The men squatted and began to dig in a section and widen the hole as well as deepened it. Beckett went back to help Wyatt take Rhena’s body up into the woods. Astrid joined Zoe and Evie, gathering rocks.

  It took two exhausting hours, they’d all dug a hole deep enough to hold Rhena. They had to curl her on her side, and Beckett helped Wyatt ease his wife into the hole. Wyatt wept as he spoke a few words.

  “My beautiful Rhena, this was supposed to be our joy, our time, but I guess not. Wait for me, my love and one day, we’ll be together. I love you honey.”


  The women sniffled and wept softly. Beckett took note of Milo, standing off to the back. He was a troublemaker. He had a big mouth and didn’t know when to keep it shut. He didn’t know if Milo had a bug up his ass because he was a cop or because he was there watching over Zoe and Evie. Maybe he did have plans for either of the women and Beckett had put the kibosh on those plans. Good.

  After the dirt was put onto the grave, the group began to pile rocks over the grave. Everyone was exhausted as they made their way to the camp and all came to an abrupt standstill, below in the camp was a child. A little girl of about nine. She had pink jeans on, and a purple down jacket. She had a smaller version of the hiker’s backpack. She was filthy and she was eating out of the pot that had the rabbit and rice.

  There hadn’t been much left, just a few bites. Her small cheeks bulged outward and Beckett’s heart broke. She reminded him of his niece at that age. She had pale blonde hair, in a ponytail that was sitting askew on her head. She had her backpack laying at her side. She looked up and saw the group looking at her.

  Her face caved in on itself, and she began to cry. Zoe and Evie ran to her and both women cradled her between them. The three rocked back and forth and soon the child was able to speak. Beckett dug out a paper towel and wet it. Zoe held the child as Beckett wiped her face clean. He smiled gently into her face.

  “Hi, my name is Beckett, this is my friend Zoe and Evie. What’s your name?”

  “Christy McMillan. I can’t find my mom and dad.” She said softly and began to cry again. Beckett pulled her into his arms and held her and rocked her as she wept brokenhearted. He patted her head and he looked at Zoe, her eyes filled with tears.

  “It’s okay Christy, you’re safe with us until your parents find us. Don’t worry honey, we got you.” He said softly, patting her back. She nodded her head.

  “Are you still hungry?” He asked her. She nodded her head.