by E A Lake
Tiny and Wilson stood in the center of the side road, talking to an older man. Sharon watched Wilson’s face closely. He didn’t appear happy at all. After five minutes, the two came back to the rest of the group, hidden around a corner in the road.
“That old fart ain’t no help,” Wilson spat in disgust. “He’s got a place just a few hundred feet east of where we were standing. Said we could all sleep in his barn. Like we’re some kind of animals or something.” He shared a glance with Sharon and then looked back to the road.
“What about those places we just came past?” Sharon asked, away from the younger children and Judy. “Any of those open?”
Wilson immediately shook his head no. “Said most the place around here have people on them still. They call this area the western bank. Close enough to the community for a little bit of safety, but still outside the big boss’ domain.” Wilson sighed, picking up a piece of bark from the road and crumbling it in his hand. “So a lot of folks live out this way he said.”
Sharon stared between the men. Tiny, as usual, didn’t have anything to add. “And you don’t want to hit town tonight?” she asked, looking at Wilson.
“Nah,” he replied. “They don’t have a gate or anything. Not even a roadblock from what the old-timer said.” He glanced at Tiny, then at the younger kids. Miranda was on the prowl, headed for the discussion. “They got patrols though. We get too close and there could be a problem. Again, if you can trust someone as old as that fellow.” Wilson peeked around Sharon at Miranda.
“Randa, there a water supply close by?”
She stopped and shook her head. “Don’t know. Never been this way into Eau Claire. And we use to live a two-hour walk north of here. I know the area a little bit, but not all that well.” She stood between Sharon and Tiny, facing Wilson.
“What good are you then?” Wilson flipped at her with a grin. “I thought you knew everything.”
Miranda shot Wilson a quick grin. “I know you don’t go into Eau Claire at night. I could have told you that. They’ll lock you up until Captain Wayne can see you in the morning.” She crossed her arms. “If he feels like seeing ya. I had an uncle who sat in their jail for a month before Wayne gave him the time.”
“That don’t make no sense,” Tiny added.
Miranda grinned and punched Wilson lightly in the shoulder. “Well, my uncle was kinda a wise guy, like Wilson.” Sharon and Tiny laughed along with Randa.
Wilson grinned and shook his head. “Funny, real funny.” He became more serious. “We need to go back about six houses. I think that’s the last one I saw that looked clear.” Sharon agreed. “Tiny, you and Randa take the water catcher and find us some water to boil so we got fresh later on.”
Sharon gave Wilson a questioning look. “If that’s okay with you, boss?” Wilson added with a playful grin.
She took Wilson by the arm and led him aside. “She’s kinda young, Jim. Why don’t you go with Tiny?”
Wilson had a ready answer. “Everyone pulls their weight, Sharon. Even 14-year-old smart alecks.” She agreed again. “Meet us six houses back,” he said to Tiny. “I think it was blue.”
“Green,” Judy added from the rear. She had nothing better to do, so she memorized houses along the way each and every day, Sharon knew. She could tick them off by color and location even days later.
“Whatever,” Wilson threw out. “Green then, Tiny. Six places back.” Sharon watched carefully as Judy nodded at his count. At least he got that much right, Sharon thought.
The house was green and faded, but still a sort of green. The barn, or at least what still remained of the old barn, was red once upon a time. Now it was just spots of faded red paint. At least the place seemed abandoned, or “clear”, as Wilson preferred to call the situation.
“Okay, you little poopsicles,” Wilson stared at the three young boys. “I want your butts glued to this porch until we make sure this place is clear. Got it?” Three faces glanced at Sharon and Judy, standing next to Wilson.
“He wants you just to stay out here until we look the house over,” Sharon interpreted for the youth. They immediately nodded their agreement.
Wilson stood next to Judy. “Isn’t that what I just said?” he asked quietly. Judy patted his arm and steered him inside. Sharon followed. “Okay,” he started again. “I’ll take the basement, Sharon look in the attic, and Judy, you give this level a quick once-over. This place ain’t very big, so let’s hustle before those squirrels get all nuts on us.” They split and began their searches.
Wilson tromped up the basement steps and entered the living room. Staring at the large group assembled, he shook his head unhappily. “You little turds nWilson tromped up the basement steps and entered the living room. Staring at the large group assembled, he shook his head unhappily. “You little turds need to learn the meaning of staying outside. Could’ve been a serial killer loose in here.” He tossed Sharon a nasty look before plopping on the dusty brown couch.
“I told them it was okay, Jim,” Sharon said. “I didn’t hear any screaming from downstairs, so I figured it was safe.” The boys took spots on open chairs and the couch next to Wilson.
He angrily stared at Timmy, or was it Brock? Remembering names wasn’t his style. “When the whole place is clear, it’s clear. Not until then,” he spewed at the child. Timmy slid away from Wilson in Sharon’s direction.
“Anything down there?” Judy asked Wilson, trying to no doubt lighten the mood.
He shrugged and leaned back on the couch, letting out a long sigh. “Nah, not really.” He rubbed his eyes and cast a glance at Judy. “Couple skeletons, nothing else really.” He winked as he finished.
The boys’ eyes shot open together. Wilson smiled. “Couple dogs. The owners must have just left them down there to die. Probably couldn’t stand their mooching anymore.” Wilson sat up quickly and glared out the front window. “What are those two knuckleheads doing here already?” He rose and moved to the door.
Seeing Wilson standing on the porch, Tiny went on the offensive. “Didn’t see any water, Jim,” he called out. “No ponds, no lakes, no streams even.” Tiny and Miranda stepped close to the unimpressed self-appointed leader.
“Oh, and you looked so hard I can tell,” Wilson sarcastically spat out. “What you give it? Two minutes and then you just followed us?” He scowled between the girl and the giant. “Gotta look harder than that, people. We’re low on water, dang it all.” Wilson spun and stared at the barn, noticing a pump just off the back end.
“Well, looks like you two got lucky,” he said spinning to face the pair. “Go see if that pump out back will spit anything out.” He tossed Tiny the water bottle from his belt loop. “Remember to prime it good. And pump a bunch out on the ground first. I don’t want a load of sand and crap to sift through.”
Tiny shrugged and began the short journey to the device. Miranda stood and glared at Wilson. “Are you ever nice to anyone?” she finally asked. Wilson shook his head and headed inside, missing her arm extension and a single finger pointed his way.
Chapter Seventeen
Wilson patrolled the quiet house, making certain everyone was down for the night. In the back bedroom he found Judy tucked in with Miranda and Brock, while Dalton and Timmy snuggled on either side of Sharon. Both adults were used to sleeping with another. The addition of an extra, albeit tiny, body made no difference in either of their sleep patterns.
Tiny took the couch in the living room that he’d covered with an old sleeping bag he’d found in the basement. Lying on his back, he snored loudly as Wilson stared at him from the recliner on the other side of the room. He had first watch, making sure no one snuck in during the dark night. Across his lap lay an aluminum baseball bat he carried in his sack. That bat was one of the last items he possessed from his former life.
Each year, they foraged and found new clothes, shoes and jackets. Never once did they pass up the opportunity to upgrade any of their apparel. That was especially true with footwear. Nothing
slowed a person down like an ill-fitting pair of shoes, or worse, blisters. Life on the road meant staying in nearly constant movement. A person had to be able to flee trouble at the very least. On bad feet, fleeing became an issue.
Jumping from his chair, Wilson poked Tiny with his weapon. “Roll over, you big dummy,” he whispered loudly. “You’re gonna wake the whole house.” Tiny rolled and faced the rear of the couch, away from him.
Wilson stood at the front window, staring at the night outside. There was a small bit of light filtering through the newly budded trees, allowing him to see a little more than normal. Must be just a sliver of moon up there tonight. He liked the full moon best. You could see everything just like day. New moon was awful. The night was always blackest then. No light made his turn at watch unbearable. Usually, if it wasn’t too cold, he’d sit outside of the front door, or the door nearest the road. That provided his friends the best protection he could offer. Opening the door, he discovered a pair of metal porch chairs. He took a seat, staring at the empty road.
That night, his thoughts were scattered. First, he wondered about finding these kids’ parents. If they were anywhere, they’d probably be in Eau Claire. That was their best bet at finding them. Wilson’s face soured at the idea. Their parents weren’t missing - they were dead. No decent parents would leave their children alone for four months. Even crappy ones wouldn’t be that heartless. Perhaps they’d find some sort of care for them in the safety of that community. Maybe.
He worried next about the kids tagging along all the way to Ashland. Not so much tagging along as one of the others in his group insisting they couldn’t leave them behind. He scowled at that thought. That’s why he preferred to leave them back in that house in Elk Mound. Taking them to Eau Claire was one thing; all the way to Ashland? Out of the question.
Finally, he thought of his family back in McCook. Not so much the whole family, but mostly his sister. He struggled to recall Julie’s face, all of it. Her sweet smile, her caring eyes, her mouth that loved to pout. He stared down, lost in the dreams of her thin arms and fingers, her long bird legs. And how she loved to hug him and tell him how much she loved him. Only 11 when he left, she was so young, still so tender-hearted. Julie was the only one to cry the day that Wilson left, though she knew in her heart he would return one day. ‘A grown man with a family,’ she had said. “What a joke,” he said softly to himself.
“What’s a joke?” a tiny voice asked from near the door. Wilson jumped at the sound of another human being’s voice and turned quickly to see Miranda standing on the porch. Quietly, she padded around Wilson and sat in the vacant chair next to him.
“Nothing. Just thinking. Thinking of old stuff,” he replied gruffly. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” He focused on her face in the dim moonlight.
Her head bobbed to one side. “I don’t sleep much at night. Haven’t for a while.” Her reply was soft, almost a whisper. “With the boys and all, I let them sleep while I sat up and listened for sounds.” She turned to face him. “An empty house has so many sounds at night. Sometimes I thought there had to be a thousand people upstairs. Then the sounds would stop and it’d be quiet for a while.”
Wilson went back to his watch and nodded. “Yeah, houses are like that.” He listened as Miranda shuffled in her chair, bringing her stocking feet off the porch and onto the seat.
“Are you always mad?” she asked.
Wilson smiled slightly and scoffed at the teen. “I ain’t mad. Just not happy and stupid like others,” he answered. He shot a quick glance at the girl; she was watching the road, just like him. “Life like this ain’t easy. Nothing like I thought it would be. Takes a lot of good out of a person.” He watched as she pulled her hands inside her sweatshirt sleeves. “But this is the way it is. The life we chose. It’s the way it’s gotta be.”
Miranda stirred on the cold metal seat. She seemed to want to look at Wilson, but seemed to fear his gaze at the same time. “You have family?” she asked.
He smiled again. “Everyone’s got family, Randa,” his tone softer than before. “I got parents and brothers and a sister. All the kids are younger than me. I was the oldest.”
“Do you ever miss them?” she asked quietly. Her questions got braver by the moment.
Wilson stared harshly at the road. His lips shifted as he considered her question. “Only at night. That’s the only time I think of them,” he answered, his voice purposely void of emotion. The land in front of him had become a blur as he again began to think of home through his mind’s eye. “Can’t think about ‘em during the day. Too much to concentrate on. First time my mind ever wandered out here, I got busted by the law.” He glanced at the girl. “That was my first mark.”
Miranda sighed. “I think about my parents all the time. I wonder what they’re doing. If they’re thinking of me at that exact same moment. How hard they might be trying to get back to us.” Miranda paused and wiped a drip from her nose with her sleeve. She turned to the man, lost deep in her thoughts.
After a moment, she started again, with a small voice. “Do you think my parents are alive, Wilson?” Her voice trembled as she spoke.
He sat still for a long time. He knew what he should say. He should say something positive like Judy would. Something that would give the girl hope. Finally, he took a deep breath and stoically faced her.
“No, Miranda. They ain’t alive anymore. They been dead a while, I figure.” He spoke quiet, yet direct. She deserved that much.
Miranda wiped away several quick tears. Sniffling, she tried to speak but couldn’t.
Wilson tipped his head and shot her a sad smile. “They would have come back by now, Randa. I know that, you know that.” Through her tears, she nodded. “They sound like good people. That tells me the only way they’d ever leave their little girl and boy alone this long is if they didn’t make it.” He stared at her now. Her face was hidden behind her small hands.
Finally, she looked at him. “I know. I figured that much a couple months ago,” she said sadly. “I just thought if I never said it out loud, it wouldn’t be true.” Wilson nodded at her. She sat quietly for a few more minutes.
“Do you ever think about dying?” she finally asked.
“Me? Hell no,” he said with a laugh. “I’m too ornery to die. Heaven won’t have me and hell won’t take me. I’ll just stay here for a while. Me and Tiny and Sharon and Judy.” He stood and helped Miranda from her chair. “We got work to do in the morning. That means you need to get some sleep and Tiny needs to take watch.” He led her through the door and directed her to her room by her shoulders.
“Night, Wilson,” Miranda said quietly as she disappeared down the back hall.
He watched her small form evaporate into the darkness. “Night, little girl,” he replied, wiping a tear from his cheek.
Standing in the morning sunlight, two men looked over the 20-acre rich, black soil. A slight west wind wafted a sour odor their way. Both men covered their noses with their arms.
“Looks good, Jerry,” Wayne began. “All turned and ready to plant.” He glanced at his guard. “Maybe a little heavy on the fertilizer, you think?”
Jerry shook his head. “No, same amount as always. Turned in by the gangs real good, too. I expect a much better crop than last year.” Jerry let his arm drop for a second, but pulled it quickly back in place with one whiff of the putrid odor.
“What’s going here this year?” Wayne asked. “Corn?”
Jerry repeated his headshake. “Green beans, sir. We’ve had corn here two years in a row. Time to give the soil a little break.” The men turned and strolled back towards the community.
“How about over there?” Wayne pointed to another 20-acre field off in the distance. He noticed Jerry check a sheet of paper.
“Tomatoes, I think. Maybe wheat this year.” He shrugged. “The ag boys are still arguing about a few spots yet. They’ll get that all sorted out. The planters will start on corn today. Hopefully finish by late tomorrow. Then bean
s and peas and wheat.” Jerry adjusted his Twins baseball cap perched back on his head.
“How we coming on planters?” Wayne asked.
“They told me last week we had 280 eligible.” That response made Wayne frown. “May have to pull in some older ones as well this year. With 280, that’s more than a solid week of planting. Plus, with their other duties. Well, it just might be a little much.”
Wayne softened his expression. “Jerry,” he said, reaching out for his friends arm. “I think we should double the rations for the family of that thief for a little while. Maybe the next two weeks.” Wayne gauged the other man’s expression – nothing.
“Whatever you think, Captain.” Jerry stopped and stared at Wayne’s hat before he spoke again. “Seems like we’re rewarding them for housing a crook though, sir.” Jerry’s eyes searched Wayne’s.
“No, no,” Wayne started. “We’re just helping them through their grief. Showing we understand that this is hard on them. People will see that and know we care.” Wayne smiled broadly. Jerry missed his point.
“Jerry, listen to me. We’re rewarding them. A thief was caught. Good prevailed. If we reward them, what will them others think?” Jerry’s eyes narrowed; he still didn’t understand.
“Jerry,” Wayne said taking his arm. “They’ll know now that if anyone turns in a thief, even their own blood, they’ll be rewarded. Right?”
Jerry turned and shook his head. “They didn’t turn him in. Darby got him to confess. The wife said she didn’t know nothing about it.”
Wayne rolled his eyes. “Jerry. I know that, you know that, she knows that. But the rest of the people don’t.’ Finally, Jerry’s eyes lit up. Wayne nodded. “Time to start a rumor, Jerry. Time to let the people know. The truth will set their hunger free.” Wayne slapped Jerry’s back heartily as they returned from the fields.
