Fire From the Sky: Trial by Fire

by N. C. Reed

  “In the short time we've all been here we've normally gathered here to celebrate something or else to have a party of some kind,” Leon told them. “I'm sorry to say that ain't the case tonight. Tonight, I got to share something with you that's pretty horrible. Normally I'd have had you leave the young 'uns out o' this, but you 'll see why I had you bring 'em when I tell you what's what.” He paused and took a deep, steadying breath before continuing.

  “Today, my great-granddaughter and a group of others traveled up to the forestry station to get the fire plow she used to operate for them. She worried, rightly so, that if we had a wild fire we'd need that plow and need it running. Group went up there and managed to load it and the truck that carries it on a flatbed and haul it back here. No problem.”

  “The problem,” he stressed the word, “came when one of the men providing security for the operation took a look behind the station office. They had found signs that someone had been living there over at least part of the winter, surviving on military rations that the service used when they was in back country fightin' fires. At first anyway.”

  “At first?” someone asked, though Leon couldn't tell who.

  “Yeah, at first,” he nodded. “Obviously that stuff won't last forever no matter how careful you are, and it eventually ran out. Don't know when or how many people were using it but they ran through all of it at some point.” He paused once more, hating what he was about to say, but then plunged ahead, having found no way to soften things.

  “After that point, whoever was there apparently took to eatin' other people,” he said flatly, halting to look around.

  The look on the faces he could make out was shock at first, changing slowly to a flicker of disbelief before shifting to revulsion. A few looked as if they were trying not to be sick.

  “I ain't gonna get into the descriptive of it cause it's disgusting and beside that it won't serve no purpose,” Leon went on before things could devolve out of hand. “Ain't the point o' this meeting. The point was to tell you that at least one person in our immediate area, less than ten crow miles, has jumped a big fence. We don't know who it was, how many it was, or which way they went when they left the station. For all we know they're still around, or they could have gone the other way and be plumb outta the region by now. But we can't help but assume they're still in the neighborhood somewhere. And that means we gonna have to change things up a mite from now on. For safety.”

  “Now on, we don't get outta sight of one another,” he told the assembly even as the ripples of shock were still running through them. “No one is out alone, I don't care what they're doing or how important it is. Work parties will stay within sight of one another at all times, and that includes bathroom call. I don't wanna hear it,” he raised a hand to stifle objections already coming from the floor. “If you're too shy to take care o' your business around others then you need to find another job to do. Period.”

  “Guard details will be doubled as of now so that no one is walking the circuit alone. That's going to take more manpower, which means we 'll have fewer people available for other things. That's going to mean more work for the rest of us. And that can't be helped. Planting time will be here soon and after that the real work will start. But we got it to do or come next winter we starve. We done been all over this so it shouldn't come as no surprise to any o' ya.”

  “Top o' that, the boys was out a couple days ago and ran across a bunch of thugs attacking a small family few miles from here. They stopped 'em, but the point was they claimed to be from some larger outfit. That means we may seem 'em ourselves at some point. I'd like to say that any outfit such as that would steer clear of a group our size but. . .let’s face it. Stupid people are everywhere and they tend to congregate. So, we can't count on them being smart enough not to trouble us at some point.”

  “From now on, everyone goes armed. I know it's a hassle and I know some of ya ain't been doin' it. That stops today. I see about half the folks in here ain't carrying even though Clay and his outfit has made sure all of you got a good rifle and handgun. Stop leaving 'em at home and be carrying 'em from now on. Times is hard and gonna get harder and we seem to be having trouble on all sides. Be prepared for it and it won't be so bad when it hits.”

  “I know y'all got questions, but truth is I doubt I got any answers. Least not to the real questions. Reckon most of ya are gonna complain and offer reasons why you can't do all this. Don't wanna hear 'em and ain't gonna listen. We're all gonna do it and we're gonna keep doing it because it's all we can do. Clay and his bunch can't be everywhere at once, and they ain't no less human than the rest of us. Just cause they happen to be around don't absolve none o' the rest of us from being careful and being ready for any eventuality. I hope I done made that clear enough.” He paused to catch his breath.

  “How long can we expect this to last?” a female voice that Leon didn't recognize asked from somewhere in the crowd.

  “Reckon this is our new normal,” Leon replied calmly. “Get used to it. I would expect things to get worse, not better. Like I said, I hope the fact that there's so many of us and so well prepared that we won't have such troubles. But we can't count on that, and we ain't gonna. Don't be caught not ready. Might mean the difference 'tween living and dying. Hear?”

  Nodding heads accompanied murmured assent, though some were clearly reluctant to agree.

  “Reckon that's all I got to add,” Leon said, clearly fighting for breath now. “Sorry to make you all walk over here for just that little bit but I thought it was important. That you deserved to know it now rather than later. If there ain't nothing else then ever body can head on home. Night all.” Leon turned without waiting for anyone else to speak and looked at Janice and Brick.

  “Take me home.”

  -

  “Pa you've overdone it today,” Patricia said as she put her stethoscope away. Behind his oxygen mask Leon nodded his agreement even as he breathed deep, filling his struggling lungs with clean, pure oxygen.

  “I think he 'll be okay after a bit,” Patricia said as she finished attaching the apparatus for a breathing treatment to Leon's oxygen line. “This will help him breathe better,” she promised as Leon began taking the medicine into his lungs along with the oxygen.

  “You all should take turns staying up with him tonight,” she told the assembled trio of Marla Jones, Janice Hardy and Brick. “He should be fine, but he may struggle in the night. He could also loose that mask and he needs to wear it tonight. Ideally, he needs to wear it every night, but I stopped believing in miracles like that the same year I realized Santa wasn't real,” she added wryly.

  “We 'll make sure he does as he's supposed to,” Marla assured her. “He's stubborn as a damned old mule, but between the three of us we should be able to make him mind.”

  “You know I can hear you, right?” Leon's muffled voice came from behind the mask. “I may not can breathe all that good at the moment but ain't a damn thing wrong with my hearing!”

  “He 'll be fine,” Patricia sighed. “Pa, take it easy for at least tonight and tomorrow, understand? This treatment will ease your struggling and help you breathe easier, but please use the O2 tonight, okay? If you want you can just kick back in your recliner and sleep there. It should be comfortable and will ease the pressure on your lungs, or should. You should breathe easier with your windpipe straight.”

  “Fine, fine,” Leon nodded. “I've slept here many a night anyway. It ain't bad. Need a blanket though,” he added.

  “I 'll get it,” Janice said at once, her face showing worry. She went at once to get a blanket and a pillow as well.

  “Well, I'm going home, but if you need me in the night just call. We have a radio at home and it's always on,” Patricia instructed as she made her way to the door.

  “Will do,” Marla nodded. She could see Gordy and one of his friends waiting on the porch to take Patricia home for the evening.

  “We 'll be around if you need anything Miss Marla,” Gordy told her be
fore the door closed. “Just holler.”

  “Thank you, boys.” She closed the door and locked it before turning to look at Brick.

  “I'm glad you're staying here after hearing all that,” she told the former bouncer.

  “We 'll be fine,” he assured her. “We need to work out a schedule-”

  “I 'll stay with him,” Janice said abruptly. “If I get too sleepy I 'll wake one of you. Whoever wants to go first after me,” she shrugged as she worked to make Leon comfortable.

  “I will,” Brick told her. “Let Miss Marla get a good night sleep so she can be up with him tomorrow. He minds her better than anyone else.”

  “Didn't I just get done sayin' I could hear you?” Leon growled, though it lacked his usual fire. “Stop talkin' about me like I ain't here!”

  “You keep doing like you are and you won't be, you old fool!” Marla snapped back at him. “You have got to be more careful and take better care of yourself or you ain't gonna be able to snap and growl too much more!”

  “I 'll be here long after the rest of ya are gone!” Leon shot back. “Go on and tend your business and let me be.”

  “Don't be so aggravated Mister Leon,” Janice told him as she stood back to check her work. “We can't afford not to have you with us and I would miss you terribly. You have to take better care of yourself and do as Miss Patricia says.”

  Leon tried to glare at the girl but found his usual orneriness wilting under her puppy dog look. He hated that look. Mostly because he couldn't say no to it.

  “Fine,” he grumped at last, unable to withstand the look for long. Janice beamed at him. She started for the kitchen, looking back at him over her shoulder.

  “I 'll just make you some hot chocolate!” she told him. “That will help you stay warm!”

  “Well, she seems to have you well in hand,” Marla smirked at him. “Since she's got you took care of I think I will lay down and rest. Watching after you is more tiring than running that store ever was!”

  “Then go on and go to bed and leave me the hell alone!” Leon hissed from behind his mask.

  “I love you too, you old idiot,” she blew him a kiss as she headed for her bedroom. “Wake me if you need help, Brick.”

  “Will do,” he nodded to her. When she was gone, Leon looked up at him.

  “What you think about all this?” he asked.

  “I think you need to do as Patricia told you or you could have-”

  “I meant about the damn cannibals, you jackass!” Leon tried to explode but it came out as more of a muffled sputter.

  “Oh. Well, I think it's horrible of course, but again it was to be expected at least in some cases. Like I said, though, it surprised me to see it here, where food is so much more plentiful. I would have expected to see it more in urban areas once the food had run out.”

  “I mean about the actual people doing it, not the act itself,” Leon sighed in exasperation. “I know you know what I mean, Byron.”

  “Leon, we know nothing about them,” Brick stopped playing and turned serious. “Not who they are or even how many, as you said yourself. There is absolutely nothing we can do at this point that you haven't already done. Taking the precautions you outlined are about the best defense you have against an unknown enemy like that. It should work, so long as everyone does what they're supposed to do and doesn't get sloppy. The danger with that is that over time people will get lax and fall back into bad habits. A patient hunter will wait for that to happen before he strikes.”

  “Hunter, huh,” Leon grunted. “Odd choice of phrase ain't it?”

  “No,” Brick shook his head. “It's not. Because that's exactly what he or she is. They're hunting their next meal. Stalking their prey. Just like your grandchildren and great-grandchildren stalking a deer or turkey. In their twisted mind it's no different.”

  “I really don't know why I talk to you,” Leon almost whined, though it could have been his breathing treatment making him sound that way. “I really don't.”

  “Just lonely probably.”

  -

  “I can't believe someone would do something like that,” Lainie said quietly as she and Clay sat cuddled in their living room. “I mean, around here,” she clarified. “I know that sort of thing happens of course. History is full of it in different cultures, including here among certain native peoples.”

  “Really?” Clay looked at her. “I didn't know that.”

  “It wasn't very prevalent, but it did happen,” Lainie nodded, trying to snuggle even closer as a chill swept over her. “There was a small tribe of Apache I think it was that were shunned by the rest because of it. I think there were others but I can't recall right at the moment what their names were. And then there's Dahmer and others like him in our own time.”

  “Those are individuals,” Clay nodded. “And even if there's more than one in this case, they still would qualify as being like Dahmer more than the island head hunters and what have you. There it was a cultural thing whereas here it's a deviance.”

  “Do you think we're in any danger?” she asked.

  “Not if we're careful and do as Leon said,” Clay assured her. “Speaking of which, I want you to be sure you're armed at all times. I'd prefer you carry even in the house to be honest. When you bathe, lock the door and have your gun with you in the bathroom. And when you head out to work, I 'll escort you. If I'm not around you call whoever is on watch and have them come do it.”

  “That seems like I'm putting you and them to a whole lot of trouble,” Lainie semi-objected.

  “We 'll be doing it for everyone else,” he reminded her. “It's not just you, I promise.”

  “What else can we do?”

  “We need some more dogs,” Clay told her. “Well, not just any dogs. We've got plenty of dogs now considering the pack that Mister Webb and his family brought, but they're hunting dogs. And that fur ball dog that Miss Jerrolds brought. Shit Zoo or something?” he looked at her quizzically.

  “Shih Tzu,” Lainie pronounced it carefully, trying to keep from laughing. “There's no Tee. Well,” she amended, “there is one, but it's silent.”

  “Whatever, however you say it, that dog is useless other than to bark at anything that moves,” Clay tried to wave off the irrelevancy. “We need more dogs like Jake's shepherd. Dogs that are bred to be guard dogs. That was a major gap in our planning right there,” he lamented.

  “Did anyone around here raise those kind of dogs?” Lainie asked him. “If they did and still have them I bet they'd rather give them to a good home that can feed and care for them than let the starve. Assuming they can't keep feeding them,” she shrugged.

  “You know, I hadn't thought of that,” Clay admitted. “And I truthfully don't know. I 'll ask my folks, and maybe Leon. They would know for sure.”

  “Speaking of Leon,” Lainie frowned, “was it me or did he look a little worse for wear this evening. Like he had run out of air there at the end of his speech.”

  “No, it wasn't you,” Clay sighed. “I saw Patricia going up to his place as we headed back. Whatever was wrong it was enough for him to see her. And that's saying something.”

  “I worry about him,” Lainie said softly. “Leon doesn't take good enough care of himself. I…I don't know what things would be like with him gone.”

  “I'd say no one can imagine it,” Clay nodded. “Right now, he's pretty much the glue holding this outfit together. If something happens to him, I don't know what might happen.”

  “Are you still planning on taking the Walters girl to her house tomorrow,” Lainie asked into the silence.

  “Yeah,” Clay nodded. “We already have it laid on and the pay-off is too much to just pass on. Assuming she's right and that safe room is still secure. If not, we may still can grab a few head of cattle to use. A good bull would be excellent for us. It would let us thin our own herd down and not cross breed so much.”

  “Be careful,” she placed her forehead on his.

  “I 'll be fine,” he scof
fed. “It's you that needs to be careful, running around here. You remember to keep those new rules, okay?”

  “Promise.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  -

  It was still very cool when Clay left his house the next morning on his way to the assembly for the convoy going to Samantha Walter's home place. He left his ATV for Lainie and walked the mile or so over to the other farm at a brisk pace that warmed him up and left him wide awake, the dregs of sleep walked off.

  “Morning Bossman,” Tandi Maseo met him at the door of the central building, handing him a cup of coffee and a pastry of some kind.

  “Where'd you get this?” he asked, biting into the apple flavored turnover looking item.

  “They were fresh and hot this morning on the table,” Tandi shrugged. “Martina and Beverly were both in the kitchen. I don't know if it was a group effort or what, and I didn't ask. What's that saying you taught us? 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth', or something like that?”

  “Yeah,” Clay nodded. “I'd say that fits. Where are we on preparations?”

  “We're ready to haul,” Tandi assured him. “Just waiting on daylight and for everyone to arrive. Most everyone is already here, somewhere. Walters girl hasn't showed yet but we've got another half-hour before she was told to definitely be here. We're good.”

  “Good to hear,” Clay finished his pastry and washed it down with scalding hot coffee. “Let’s have a look at the map and choose an alternate or two.”

  -

  “Our primary will be straight up the Interstate to here,” Clay circled the exit. “That leaves us less than three miles from the objective. If we meet resistance or if the route if blocked, we backtrack and take this exit,” he pointed to the alternate, “and proceed through the countryside. It's a bit longer but not much. Difference is we will run by a lot more residences and there are way more ambush sites along that path.”

  “A final alternative should both routes be impassable will be here,” he traced a curving route through the countryside on their own side of the Interstate highway. “This will add a minimum of thirty minutes to our travel time but it has the advantage of being lightly populated and has a crossing over the interstate that has no ramp access. The disadvantage is that its a narrow, winding road that has a lot of choke points.”