TRIBES

by Mia Frances

  Perhaps the rainstorms would deposit the worst of the fallout someplace else. She vaguely remembered a news story she'd read about radioactive fallout hitting Albany in the 1950s. The lethal dust had come from a nuclear test blast out west and had been carried east in the clouds. It came down in the form of raindrops, but nobody died from it then and, God willing, nobody would now. It had taken 25 years before anyone even realized it had happened. Except for an uptick in certain kinds of cancer, cancer clusters they called them, most people who got rained on that day suffered no ill effects. She couldn't worry about the future right now. What would happen one, five, ten, or even twenty years down the road. Her focus was on their immediate survival and the cave held the key to that!

  Chapter 3

  She darted around the front bumper to the passenger side. "Get out!" she yelled, pulling open the doors.

  No one moved. They just sat there staring blankly at her.

  Refusing to be ignored, Alex reached into the front seat, grabbed Tori's arm with both hands, and literally dragged her out of the car. "Move! Now!" she commanded, like a general ordering troops into battle. Tori was shaking like a leaf as she leaned against the guardrail for support. She looked as though she'd crumple to the ground any minute. Derek jumped out of the bus, rushing to his mother's side protectively. The other children followed him out, their faces pale with fear and uncertainty. The only person still inside was Cat. She was stubbornly refusing to move.

  Alex peered in at her sister, eyes betraying her anger. "Damn it Cat! Cut the crap. Don't do this." she whispered through clenched teeth, hoping the children wouldn't hear. "No bullshit. Not today! Not now!"

  "It's no use," she responded, staring down at the rosary. "It's God's will!" She lifted her eyes to Alex. "His judgement on us." ·

  Alex wanted to throttle her.

  "This is Armageddon. We're Babylon the great. The mother of harlots. The abomination of the earth," she paused to remember the words from the Book of Revelation. "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."

  "Get the fuck out of the vehicle!" Alex demanded.

  "There's nothing we can do, don't you understand?"

  "The only thing I understand is that you'd better get your ass out before I drag you out!" It wasn't an idle threat.

  Cat turned her head away and began to pray, refusing to budge.

  "Damn you," Alex cursed. "Of all the times to decide to act like a prima donna, you have to pick now? What the hell is the matter with you?" Alex leaned in, grabbing her sister by the collar and pulled with all her might. Cat resisted, grabbing the steering wheel, and beseeching heaven to give her strength. "Enough of this shit!" Alex screamed as she brought her fist down hard on her sister's hand and wrenched it free of the wheel. Then, grabbing her by the hair, she roughly pulled her out. The children watched horrified as Alex ripped the rosary from her sister's hand and flung it down the embankment into the water. Cat gasped as it disappeared beneath the surface, then began to cry.

  "Jesus Cat, get ahold of yourself," Alex pleaded, her tone kinder than before. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I can't bear to watch you just give up like this…without even a fight."

  She didn't respond, tears pouring down her cheeks.

  "Think of the kids. If you haven't the courage to do it for yourself, at least try for them."

  Cat looked down at the ground, shaking her head. It was futile, why couldn't Alex see that? She looked at her babies, at Deana, Justin, and Michelle. At their sad, frightened faces so in need of comfort and reassurance. But she had none to give. "Where will we go? What will we do?"

  "Up there," Alex responded, pointing to the cliff.

  "What is it? What's up there?" she asked, unable to see anything.

  "A cave. Right above the waterfall. Can't you see it?"

  "Near the top of the cliff?" she asked incredulously.

  Alex nodded.

  "But how do we get across the river. I can't swim and neither can Michelle. And what about Shawn and Derek?"

  "We'll wade across."

  "You want to ford the Hudson River? Are you crazy?"

  "It's only a couple of feet deep. We can make it. We just have to be careful."

  "No way! The current's too fast. The little ones couldn't possibly make it across."

  "I've done it before. It's not nearly as bad as it looks," she assured her. Alex quickly set to work, untying the ropes that secured the carrier on the minibus roof. "Besides, what other choice do we have?"

  Cat walked to the railing, peering down at the greenish-blue water apprehensively.

  "Mommy," a voice cried out, followed by heart-wrenching sobs.

  "Aunt Alex," Deana called, trying to get her attention.

  She turned to her niece and saw a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye. Her head spun around to see Tori running down the road. The ropes dropped from her hands as she chased after her.

  "Tori! Come back!" she screamed. "Cat! Help me!"

  Her sister looked up from the water, but didn't come to her aid. She was too busy praying. Praying for a sign from God that He did indeed want them to survive a little longer. She shut her eyes and dropped to her knees. Hands folded, head bowed, her mind filled with visions of Christ's agonies on the cross. Pain and suffering were the atonement for sin. Providing redemption that cleansed the soul. Saving it from eternal damnation. Making it worthy of salvation. This was what He intended. That mankind should repent. That in their torment, agony, and grief, they might come to Him on their knees, like children begging forgiveness from a chastising father. Judgement day was at hand, those found unworthy would be cast into a burning lake of fire. But those who stood before Him in righteousness would enter into the kingdom of everlasting life. That was why He had spared them. His purpose was clear to her now. She would bring sinners, His lost sheep, back to the fold.

  Alex was closing the gap. She listened for the sound of Cat's footfalls behind her, but heard nothing. Breaking stride, she looked back over her shoulder, and seeing that she'd receive no help from her sister, cried out for Deana to lend a hand. In a burst of speed, legs aching from the strain, she came up behind Tori and tackled her, dropping her to the ground. Screaming and writhing around on the pavement, Tori tried to elude her sister's hold. Being the smaller of the two, Alex was having a tough time of it. Perhaps there was truth in the old adage about the superhuman strength of madmen. Madwomen as well! Like a slippery snake, every time she thought she had her, Tori would slither and squirm away.

  "Brian," she screamed hysterically. "I've got to get to Brian." Pushing Alex away with all her might, she began crawling on all fours in an attempt to escape.

  Alex refused to tolerate any more of her sister's theatrics. Precious time was being wasted. She scrambled after Tori, determined to bring this lunacy to an end. Grabbing her by the arm, she roughly shoved her face down on the blacktop, then flipped her over onto her back, and sat on her stomach, using the full weight of her body to hold her down. Tori groaned, then began flailing her arms and kicking wildly. She was screaming: nothing intelligible, just high-pitched shrieks of despair. Furious that her sister had chosen now to play the lunatic, Alex grabbed hold of her shoulders and began to shake her. Tori's head bounced against the pavement. Alex had no sympathy for her sister. She was endangering them all with her rantings, self-pity, and hysterics. Unable to control her rage, Alex raised her hand above her head, and swinging it through the air, landed a loud, stinging slap to her sister's face. Her arm rose and fell again and again. The screaming stopped, replaced by pathetic whimpers. Someone grabbed her arm.

  "Stop it! Stop it Aunt Alex," a voice begged.

  She turned and gaped dumbly at Deana. It was then that she caught sight of her hand. Its fingers smeared with blood. Alex gasped, then looked down at Tori. Trickles of crimson were visible around Tori's nose and mouth.

  Alex looked down
in horror at her handiwork. Shaking off Deana's hold, she moved to touch Tori's face, tears welling up in her eyes as her sister cringed. She gently stroked her cheek, hoping to wipe away the hurt with the same ease she did the blood. "I'm sorry. I…I don't know what came over me," she stammered apologetically, yet the words, no matter how sincere, couldn't make amends for what she'd done. Never in her life, had she raised a hand to Tori. She was the baby, the frail one, the one they looked after and protected. Alex rose slowly, wondering if Tori could ever forgive her. She extended her hand to her sister. At first the woman hesitated, then gingerly took it, allowing Alex to help her to her feet. They stood staring at each other awkwardly for a moment, like strangers.

  "I want Brian," Tori said, sounding like a frightened child.

  Taking two tentative steps forward, Alex embraced her. "I know you do honey. He'll be here. He'll come to the camp as soon as he can. But in the meantime, you have to stay with us. You have to be brave. You have to be strong for your kids."

  Tori looked petrified and unconvinced, "Are you sure he'll come?"

  "Positive!" The words sounded hollow, meaningless. Brian was probably dead.

  Tori smiled weakly, momentarily reassured. Then, features clouding over with concern, she backed away from Alex. Spinning on her heels, she gazed down the road longingly.

  "Deana take your aunt back to the car," she ordered, holding fast to her sister's hand lest she try to run again.

  The girl nodded, taking Tori's arm and gently turning her back toward the place where the others were waiting.

  Alex watched after them with concern. There was so little time left. A terrifying thought crossed her mind. What would she do if Tori bolted again? Would she imperil the survival of the others and go after her? Or would she let her go? Leave her behind. Abandoning Tori to the dark clouds, rain, and wind? She felt a churning in her stomach as though she were about to be sick. Tori was so vulnerable, so helpless; how could Alex ever desert her? Yet there were the others to consider, one life weighed against many. She gritted her teeth, refusing to think what she'd do if the choice had to be made.

  She caught up with them, and, taking Tori's arm, led her, sobbing, back to the minibus. Six pairs of eyes watched her approach with apprehension. Aunt Alex who could always be counted on to buy the coolest Christmas and birthday presents. Who doled out money for good report cards. Who took them to amusement parks, movies, swimming, and fishing. Whose house was always stocked with an assortment of their favorite goodies when they visited or slept over…had suddenly become an ogre who shouted orders and bullied their mothers.

  "Justin. Lindsey. Get that rope untied," she directed, opening the rear door of the bus and crawling in. "The rest of you get your sleeping bags, put on your sweaters and jackets, and go down by the water."

  No one moved. Was this some kind of pint-sized rebellion? The kids ran roughshod over her sisters. They were sassy and defiant, refusing to do what they were told, ignoring orders and tuning their mothers out. That might work with Cat and Tori, but it sure as hell wasn't going to work with her. Alex's jaw tightened, her eyebrows forming a frown. "Get your butts moving! Now!" Startled by the sharpness of her tone, the kids quickly began picking up the items she was tossing out the back. They could only take essentials, she reminded herself, even as she passed out a half-naked Barbie and a tattered teddy bear. They'd have to make do with the clothes on their backs, the suitcases were too cumbersome to take across the river, but the food…that they had to have! She paused a moment trying to figure out how they'd manage that. There was a cooler full of chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, and other perishables in the carrier, plus three grocery bags full of canned goods, breakfast cereals, and snacks. How could she ever hope to get it all across? She crawled out of the minibus and looked up at the carrier, watching as the kids pulled off the last of the rope. It would probably float she theorized as she examined the two pieces of molded fiberglass which made up the container. The current would be a problem though. The carrier was ungainly and would be hard to control. There was a good chance it would be carried away in the flow, along with whoever was holding it. Still, there had to be a way.

  It took her a few minutes to remove the braces, but with Cat's help they finally got it on the ground.

  "We'd better take the cases too," her sister insisted, as Alex began sifting through the contents, discarding what was unnecessary, leaving only the food and a backpack filled with hiking gear. "The kids will need clean clothes and changes of underwear."

  Alex stared at her in disbelief. "I'm worried about getting through this alive and you're worried about clean underwear?" she growled. "It's going to be hard enough to get this thing across the river as it is. We can only take essentials. That means food…underwear doesn't qualify. We can't chance the extra weight."

  "I can carry one across," she challenged, determined to be difficult.

  "Where the hell is your head?" Alex asked, her irritation growing, "You'll have Derek on your back and Michele to look after. You can't manage a suitcase too."

  "Why Derek? What's the matter with Tori?"

  "Are you blind? She's falling apart. You gonna trust her with our nephew's life? I'm sure as hell not! If she goes berserk out there, I want her to do it without endangering anyone else. Besides, you know how terrified she is of water. We'll probably have to coax her along as it is."

  Realizing that arguing with Alex was futile, she sulked, like a pouting child.

  "I'll take care of this. You grab the rope and go down to the river. Have the kids look for thick straight sticks about five feet long."

  "What for?" she snapped, growing tired of Alex's orders. Where did she get off bossing everyone around?

  "Damn it, will you just do it!" she hissed. "We need them to get across. We've wasted enough time arguing. If you know a better way to do it, then say so. If not, shut the hell up! If you can't be a help, then at least, goddamn it, don't be a hindrance!"

  Eyes blazing in anger, Cat bent to pick up the rope, then turned on her heels, and disappeared over the embankment in a huff.

  Alex began dragging the carrier, worried that it was too heavy. But since there was no way of knowing how long they'd have to remain in the cave, she was reluctant to give up even the tiniest morsel of food, which could mean the difference between starving or surviving. Her biggest concern was how to get the damn thing across. She could use a few hundred feet of rope, but only had 75, and that was needed for a lifeline. She tried to think of a solution to her dilemma. She could leave it on the bank, get everybody across, then come back with the rope, but that might be risky with the rain threatening to start any minute, raising the water level in the river. Alex swallowed hard. She'd think of something. She had to. Failure wasn't an option!

  She braced herself against the rocks and allowed the carrier to slide over the top of the incline, using her body to stop its momentum. As the others watched, she negotiated it down, bruising her arms and legs as she struggled to keep it from tumbling to the bank below.

  Out of breath at the bottom, she lined everyone up at the river's edge. Deana would lead them across. She had an advantage over the rest: she was a strong swimmer. Alex tied the rope around her waist and put a stout stick in her hand. She explained to everyone how to use their sticks. How they should drive them into the river bottom, making sure they were securely wedged amid the rocks. Once the pole was secure, they should step to it, waiting until their feet were firmly planted before proceeding on. Nodding that they understood, Alex quickly arranged the others, slipping the rope first through Shawn's belt loop, then Tori's, Seth's, Lindsey's, and Michele's. She paused when she came to Cat, glaring at her yoga pants in irritation. Why couldn't she just wear jeans like everybody else?

  Slipping off her own leather belt, she handed it to her sister, instructing her to put it on, making sure that it was loose enough for the rope to move easily between it and her clothing. Next she lifted Derek onto Cat's back, securing him there by tying two jacke
ts together and knotting them round her sister's chest. Then, fashioning a sling from some sweatshirts, she slipped it over one shoulder and under the opposite arm. When she was satisfied that it would hold him in place, Alex turned her attention to Justin. He was a big, strapping boy of twelve. Taller than the rest of them, he was five eight and still growing, already the size of some full-grown men.

  She eyed him pensively, wondering just how strong he was. Could he hold up the rear of their rag-tag little column? Assuring herself that he could, Alex dashed to the carrier. After rummaging around in her backpack, she withdrew an old Swiss Army Knife. She fiddled with it, trying to find the longest, sharpest blade, then hurried back to Justin, tying the rope around his waist and cutting off the excess. Folding the knife back up, she slipped it into her vest pocket and zipped it closed.

  Working as fast as she could, Alex attached the rope to a handle protruding from one side of the carrier, knotted it, then fashioned a loop at the other end. In between rested 25 or so feet of slack rope, hopefully enough to maneuver it in the water. Picking up the stuff bags, she began to slip them over people's shoulders, hoping the straps were sufficiently tight and the wearers tall enough to keep the sleeping bags out of the water. The youngest children's slumber bags, with their pictures of dinosaurs, racing cars, and unicorns, were lying on the shore. They couldn't be taken unless they were floated across in the carrier. Gathering them up, she tucked them in around the bags of groceries. Picking up the remaining sticks, she passed them out and quickly searched the shore to see if they'd forgotten anything.

  Only the two toys remained. Stuffing the teddy bear in the sling beside Derek, she then moved to Michele, and, zipping up the little girl's jacket, tucked the doll safely inside. They were ready to begin.

  "OK Deana. You can start, but go slow. Give the littler ones a chance to keep up."