by E A Lake
“Hunter?” Her voice was soft and almost frightened. Sara, Emily and Sheila were on a dead run. He could see fear on their faces.
“Bring the girls and the babies inside the fence.” Hunter spoke fast and forceful to Theresa. “Shut the door and wedge something in it so it sticks.” Sara called out for the two adults. Hunter walked quickly past the girls to cut off the visitors. Theresa corralled everyone as Hunter had said.
Hunter stopped ten yards from the east end of the garden fence. The three men stepped within five yards and stopped. They were older men, maybe 40. Dirty with rags for clothes. This group had been on the road for a while.
Hunter spoke. “That’s far enough, guys. I think you should make your way back to the road and move along. Makes the most sense.” Hunter studied them cautiously. Two had backpacks and the third carried a large wooden baseball bat. This is precisely what trouble looks like, Hunter thought. Theresa was telling the girls the same thing.
The oldest and largest of the three spoke through a thin smirk. “We aren’t looking for trouble. Just hoping to find some food. Maybe some company.” He grinned at the group inside the fence. “Mighty pretty bunch of girls you got there. Maybe one of them could fetch us a sandwich and maybe some water. We don’t want to hurt nobody.” His continuing grin showed he was missing at least half of his teeth. Hunter stood his ground.
“Nope. Not gonna happen, friend.” He was sure to emphasize the last word. “Move on.”
The men stood their ground, as well. “You really want to fight us on this? It’s three against one. Give us what we want and no one gets hurt. Especially any of those pretty gals you got locked up in there.” The drifter seemed confident in his words. He had used threats before.
“We don’t have any extra food. We got ten mouths to feed here. Eleven actually. Those babies eat their weight in chow almost every day. So shove off.” Hunter didn’t budge an inch.
The spokesman of his opponents squinted at him. “We need food. We’ll kill you for your food. Is that worth it to you? God only knows how much fun we’ll have with them before we get bored.” He took a step closer.
Hunter shook his head then glanced back at Theresa briefly. “Theresa,” he said, “come out of there and go over and grab that rifle leaning up against the house.” Everyone’s eyes went from the nun to the 30-30 leaning against the side of the house some ten yards from the garden.
Carefully, Theresa let herself out of the enclosure, closing it after she exited. Taking quick steps, she moved for the gun. As she picked it up, she began walking toward Hunter keeping her eyes on the now nervous road slime.
Hunter shook his head seeing her movements. “No, just stay where you are.” He spoke with his eyes fixed on the trouble. “Raise the rifle and point it at any of these three in front of me.”
Eyes narrowed all around.
Theresa stopped, shocked at his words. “Hunter,” she whispered, “I can’t.”
Hunter grinned. Without looking back he replied. “Sure you can, Sister. You know how to use that thing. Line up the sights on one of these clowns.” Hunter watched as the three dirty men’s eyes watched Theresa’s timid movements.
As the gun came up, horror filled each of their eyes. Quickly they tried to place themselves between Hunter and the barrel of the gun.
Laughing, Hunter addressed the group. “Come on, stand still. You think a nun’s going to hurt you?” No one replied to his question. “Let’s find out who amongst you is the bravest.” The leader slowly moved into the open. Hunter nodded at him. “Cock the hammer, Sister,” he called out.
Theresa stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed.
“Sister,” Hunter called out again. “They aren’t leaving without a little motivation. Cock that hammer and line this guy up in the sights.” Hearing the action of the hammer being pulled back, and the loud snap at the end, he addressed the group one last time. “Last chance, boys.”
The leader’s eyes fixed on the shaking nun. “She won’t shoot me. I dare her. She doesn’t have the guts.”
Hunter leaned forward to whisper. “Let’s find out.” Leaning back, he called out one last time. “Pull the trigger, Sister. It’s us or them. I can’t fight three at the same time. I need your help here.”
Trying to steady herself, Theresa looked down the barrel one last time. She picked up the only man she saw, other than Hunter. “Please leave,” she called out to the group. “Please.” Her desperate cry fell on stone ears. The leader took a large step toward the desperate nun.
CLICK.
Three strangers, five teens and a nervous nun all jumped as the hammer struck the empty chamber. Hunter pushed the man back as his opponent realized the gun was dry fired. He tossed a brief glance her direction.
“Perfect. Now jack a shell into the chamber and do the exact same thing.” Hunter replied.
Hearing the action of the rifle go through its mechanical metallic sounds, the group all stepped back and raised their hands. “We give up,” cried one of the two still trying to hide behind Hunter’s form. “Don’t shoot. Please, don’t shoot.” All men stepped back and turned for the highway. The last they saw of them, the trio were in a dead sprint returning the direction from which they had arrived.
When everything finally died down, Theresa opened the gate of the garden. Sheila and Sara ran out to hug her. Emily, Karen, and Mary came out and crowded around Hunter.
“No more wandering off, any of you, for whatever reason,” he said. “Road’s not safe anymore. We have to pay attention at all times, understand?” Three scared faces nodded at him. He peeked over at Theresa. The strain of the situation wore on her face openly. She nodded at Hunter, as well. Sara and Sheila continued to clutch Theresa, now crying. Hunter thought they had all learned a valuable lesson.
Theresa called out to them much softer than before. “Let’s finish up the watering and get these babies inside, girls.” Each teen quietly went back to what she was doing before. Everyone stuck much closer to one another. Hunter noticed Sara glued to his hip until they finished their duties.
Chapter Twenty-two
The group sat on the newly enclosed screen porch in the late afternoon. The sobering situation still weighed heavy on their collective minds. They sipped on cool water from the well. There was no other options for refreshments, at least none that anyone was too interested in making.
Everyone and everything was quiet. The girls had changed and fed the babies, and they were napping for the time being, leaving the house eerily quiet. The only sound they had heard in the past half hour was a buggy going by on the road. Each and every one of them nervously eyed the road expecting trouble at any time.
“Do you think they would have hurt us?” Mary bravely broached the subject that everyone considered. She looked to Hunter for an answer.
Hunter peeked at Sara still by his side. She hadn’t let him get more than two feet away since the incident. She probably would have preferred to be sitting on his lap. He could sense just how scared she was. “No, I don’t think so, Mary. I think they just wanted to scare us into giving them some food. That’s all.”
Hunter tried to smile, but Mary couldn’t. Not now. “Would you have really shot them, Sister? If they would have tried to hurt us? Would you have killed them?” Mary continued. She needed to get the facts straight in her mind.
Hunter eyed Theresa’s hidden gaze and solemnly nodded. Theresa refused to look up, so Hunter answered for her. “If they would have tried to hurt any of you, yes, she would have had to. No other choice at a time like that. That’s the reason she had the gun in her hands.” Hunter focused on the deserted road again.
Theresa wanted to keep their minds off trouble. She thought it best. “I don’t like this kind of talk, girls. Let’s change the subject.”
“Sister?” Emily still looked shaken from the ordeal but wanted to say something. “What are we supposed to do if something like that happens at night?” Several heads nodded at Emily’s question. The group as a
whole was looking for an answer.
“We just have to pray that is doesn’t. God will provide us safety,” Theresa replied. She wasn’t sure she even believed her own words much less expect anyone else to put any belief in her.
“Really? That’s our defense? Seems kind of lame, Sister.” Emily felt bad the minute she spoke. “No offense. I mean you were awesome today, but really?”
Theresa nodded at Emily’s compliment.
Sara stared at Hunter further and finally spoke very softly. “Hunter?” Her small face still covered in fright. He knew what she was asking.
“No, absolutely not. I won’t. I can’t.” He rose and stepped away.
“Why not?” Sara sounded wounded by his quick response. Finally, he turned to address the group.
“This isn’t my fight. This isn’t what I’m here for. I can’t.”
“But if you were here all the time we’d never have to worry about something like that happening. Ever. Right?” Mary looked as wounded as Sara as she spoke to Hunter.
Sister Theresa tried to slow the conversation. “Girls, that’s not Hunter’s job. He wasn’t hired to be our protection. We’re just fortunate he was here today to help us.” She frowned after she spoke. Her words sounded hollow, even to her. “Don’t ask him something he’s not capable of. It’s not fair to him or to us.”
Karen finally had enough of beating around the bush; she stood and addressed the only man present. “You’re it. Don’t you get that? Look around, Hunter. Do you see anyone else stepping up to help us? To protect us?” She stood tall in front of him to get his full attention. “The answer’s no. Pretty simple really. You win.”
Hunter looked at Karen and then over at Theresa. He thought she might have more to say. Wrong. “You expect me to give up my life to come live here with you? So I can help out and be your muscle? Really? Why? Why Karen? Why Sara? Why Theresa? Tell me why. You expect me to suddenly become some noble man? Like I’m cut out for that. Please, don’t make me laugh. I’ve got other stuff to do. I’ve got a life without any of you. Don’t lay your problems at my feet and expect me to fix them. You should have thought of that when the militia was still here.”
Theresa sprang out of her chair and rushed over to Hunter. “Don’t you dare talk to any of them like that. You can’t talk to any of us that way. We’ve all given up everything to do this. None of us asked for this. Not a single one. But we’re all here doing our best, and not by choice. But we sure as heck aren’t about to give up.” Theresa looked at the others. “They deserve a better answer than ‘you’re just too damn busy’ to care about them. At the very least, they deserve honesty. Don’t lie to my girls, they’re my family now, my only family.” She threw her hands down as she continued. “You can be such a narcissistic ass, Hunter.” Theresa stood by the others. All but Sara moved away from him. He gazed at the group. Maybe now was as good a time as any to disappear. Maybe this was enough.
“I can’t and I won’t.” He looked far off again. “I swore I’d never do this again, ever. I can’t do it.”
Theresa softened, fearing the worst. “What happened Hunter? What happened to you? What made you like this?” Theresa could tell by his sad eyes he was in pain from something. “You lost someone close to you I believe.”
Hunter sighed and gave the group a small frown. “Not your worry, Sister. My past is none of your concern; any of you.” Hunter’s eyes wandered around the assembled group. “It was a long time ago.” Looks softened around him. The whole group moved closer. Theresa turned her head a little to the side, so he continued. “Let’s just say I don’t care to get close to anyone. I’ve lost people. We’ve all lost people. That’s just the way it is.” Hunter’s gaze fell as he finished.
“Hunter, I’m sorry. We didn’t know.” Theresa tried to be as nice as she could. Hunter faced the group. “Not your fault. I’m just not getting involved … again.” Hunter scratched the back of his head. “I didn’t know there were going to be five babies here when I agreed to do this. I never would have agreed if I had known. This is impossible for me. You need someone else you know.”
Sara rose from the ground and looked at him closely. “There is no one else, Hunter. We only have you.” Tears filled her tiny eyes.
Hunter stared at her and rubbed the top of her blonde head. “Well, I guess that sucks, doesn’t it?” He shook his head. “Looks like I got myself in a real mess.” He searched for help from Theresa again.
“You can have my room. I’ll sleep with Emily and Cal,” she said. “They have a large bed, and Emily hardly takes up any room. We’ll just have to give you your space. Right girls?”
Five heads nodded in agreement. Their faces perked up.
“I’ll think about it. Maybe I’ll stay out here on the porch tonight. But I’m not making any promises. Just so we’re all straight on that.” He studied the group; they weren’t buying a second of this. “But I’ll think about it, okay?”
“That’s all we ask, Hunter,” Sister Theresa said. “And thank you.” She reached out and squeezed his hand.
He could only give a small indifferent look in return. He wasn’t sure this was a good idea. Not in the least.
Chapter Twenty-three
Against his better judgment, Hunter slept on their front porch that night. A brief rain shower early in the morning showed him the exact spots where the roof still needed fixing. Even with the rain and the sounds of the outdoors, Hunter slept soundly.
Theresa sat up late into the evening reading her Bible in the living room. She searched for hope inside the good book – hope that she’d be able to come up with the right words, the right attitude, the right spirit to convince Hunter to move in with them. Though he was here tonight, she told herself, he had other plans for the future.
Emily and Calvin slept soundly in the bedroom just off the back end of the living room, where Sister Theresa sat reading. She had heard the baby squawk several times, but he seemed to be sleeping soundly thus far. Thankfully Emily was as well. Theresa wasn’t sure she had any strength left this evening to try and encourage a weepy teen that everything was going to be all right. Especially when Theresa didn’t necessarily believe it herself.
Upstairs was a different story. Four babies slept soundly while their mothers sat together in Karen’s smaller room, plotting and planning. Maybe Sister Theresa didn’t want to beg or argue with Hunter, but they had no plans of giving up that easy. They knew if they put their collective minds together, they could hatch a scheme that just might work. At least they knew they had to try.
“I think first off,” Sheila seemed to be full of ideas tonight, “Sister needs to be nicer to him, all the time. That would help a lot. And maybe lose the hat for a while. Nothing says available to a man like a nun’s headdress.”
Karen agreed; Sara and Mary silently stared at one another.
“What makes you think he’d be interested in her even if she was available? I think he misses someone from his past.” Mary expressed her doubts to the others. Karen looked at Mary and Sara before she spoke.
“Come on you two, get on board here. The easiest way to get him to stay is to match them up. By far, that is the quickest thing to do.” Sheila nodded in complete agreement as Karen continued. “She just can’t be so churchy all the time. I think that will drive him away quick. I mean, she’s cute enough, sort of plain, but he’s no movie star. So I think they’re perfect for each other.”
Sheila joined Karen staring at the two dissenters. “And they’re about the same age. So they have that in common.” Sara and Mary looked at each other, finally beginning to buy into this idea, even if just a little. Sheila continued. “It’s either that or Karen has to get sweet with him.”
Karen shook her head. “I’ll do a lot for our group, but he’s twice my age. I’d prefer to look for someone born in the same decade as me. And there’s no reason why she can’t. Theresa’s the obvious choice.”
Sara sat up; she needed to voice her objections. “But she’s a n
un. I don’t think it works that way. I don’t think she can, can she?” Sara looked to the others for help. Karen and Sheila shrugged. Mary appeared to be deep in thought. “And maybe she doesn’t want to. Maybe he’s not her type.”
Sheila shook her head at Sara. “And what is the type that a celibate nun goes for exactly?” Now it was Sara’s turn to stare blankly at the others with no obvious answer. “Yeah. That’s the point. It’s new territory for her. He’s a good enough starter boyfriend. It’s not like she has a lot to compare him to.”
Mary joined the conversation. “She does keep talking about sacrifice. The sacrifice we’ve all made. The sacrifices she expects him to make.” She surveyed the others shyly. “So this is like her sacrifice for our safety then, right?” Mary watched the other three. Even Sara could see the point. “We should go see if she’s awake. Maybe if we ask and are real nice about it, she might do it.”
All heads nodded in agreement.
The group of five sat in the living room gawking at one another. Karen had announced their plan to Theresa, and she seemed to be truly pondering their words. Finally, Theresa held a finger up. She left the room but was back just as quickly as she had left. She took her place on the couch again and thought for a moment more before she spoke to the four teens.
“I just wanted to be sure he was sleeping before we went any further.” She surveyed the group as they continued to look at her expectantly. “First of all, let me say that I appreciate your opinions and thoughts. I know you have the best interest of everyone at heart, so that says a lot. Next, I have to admit that similar thoughts have crossed my mind. But I have several reasons I don’t think the plan will work.”
Four sets of shoulders slumped.
“I think there’s someone in his past he misses greatly,” she said. “I’m not sure he’s ready to move on. He may never be. I believe that whoever it was, they were quite in love.” A few heads nodded. Karen had wondered that earlier. “Also, there is me. I’m married to the Church, girls. I’ve taken a strict vow of celibacy. Now, I know desperate times call for desperate measures, but I don’t think this is the time. And I’m probably not his type. He seems worldlier than I see myself. He’s a survivor. I’m more of a follower, you could say. Mostly, I just don’t think he’d ever be interested in a woman like me. I’m probably too simple for him. He needs a woman that has more backbone and knows what to do when it needs to be done.” Sister Theresa talked herself in a circle. She wasn’t even sure anymore what she was trying to say.
