by E. E. Borton
I can see it in their eyes. I can see when they’re sizing me up. They go through a mental checklist while trying to decide if they should move along or wait for me to make a mistake. The mistake comes in the form of hesitation. If they have a knife, they’ll try to get closer to me. If they have a gun, they’ll wait for me to turn away. I don’t let either happen. It’s why I’m still alive.
My decision is already made. It has been made for a long time. I use all of my senses to stay aware of what’s happening around me, but there is no better warning system than my gut. If someone makes the decision to take from me or hurt someone that I love, my gut will sound the alarm. It’ll speed up my heart rate and focus my vision. It’ll pump adrenaline and blood through my veins. It’ll silence that voice in my head that tells me to wait and see what they do next.
The cowards that steal and murder don’t hesitate when the opportunity presents itself. They look at it as a gift being offered up to them. They believe that the have-nots now have the right to take from the haves. Sometimes they have no idea what’s in the backpacks or the pockets of their prey. It doesn’t matter to them. Another person’s life doesn’t matter. It’s a simple equation. They know it’s easier to take from someone who’s dead or dying. It’s easier to kill than negotiate.
When the time comes, I don’t think about disarming or wounding a coward. All I think about is using a higher level of violence and resolve than they do. There is no hesitation. There is no conscience. There is only kill or be killed.
There is no doubt I’ll have to answer for my actions when this world is done with me and I move on to the next. I have no idea in which direction that conversation will go. I’ve accepted the fact it’s going to remain a mystery until I get there. Before I do, I plan on sending as many assholes as I can to the front of the line.
“Good Lord, that smells good,” said Kelly, taking a seat at our table. “I think I’ll keep you around.”
“I appreciate that,” I said, setting a plate in front of her.
“How’s the leg?” asked Kelly, taking a bite. “And tell me the truth, please.”
“It’s always a bit achy in the morning,” I said. “But it loosens up, I swear.”
“What about the rest of you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you ready for what might happen out there?”
“Mentally?”
“Yes,” said Kelly. “I know I can’t stop you from going. In a weird way, I’m proud of you for that. The first day we met, I knew you were different.”
“In a good way?”
“In a dangerous way,” said Kelly. “You had no fear.”
“Oh, it was there, sweetheart,” I said. “At that point, I was just numb to it. Trust me, there aren’t too many moments when I’m not afraid.”
“It gave you an edge,” said Kelly. “The rest of us saw it as well. That’s why they always come to you when the shit hits the fan. They know you won’t back down.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not for them,” said Kelly. “It is for me.”
“Why?”
“Because we love each other,” said Kelly. “But I have to break up with you now.”
“What?” I asked, setting down my fork. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve lost your edge because of me. You’ll be worried about how I’m doing back here, and you won’t focus on what’s happening in front of you. If we’re not together, then you won’t think about that.”
“So ending our relationship is the solution to that problem?”
“It is while you’re gone,” said Kelly, taking a sip of water. “We’ll make up when you get home, but until then, I won’t even think about you.”
“You’re a hot mess,” I said, smiling at her. “You know that, right?”
“Pot calling the kettle black,” said Kelly, smiling back at me. “I’m being kind of serious here. I want you to do your best to push everything out of your mind while you’re out there. That includes me. Focus on what you need to do, and then come home to me as soon as you can. That’s an order.”
“Aye-aye, Captain.”
We finished our breakfast, but she refused to let me help her clean. She wanted me to take that time to recheck my gear and supplies. My plan was to be gone for two days, so I prepared for five.
If my leg had been at one hundred percent, I would carry a short, a medium, and a long-range weapon into unknown territory. They would consist of two semi-automatic pistols, a shotgun, and either a bolt-action or an assault rifle with a scope that could reach out and touch someone. With a twinkle of pain in my thigh, I’d be taking only one pistol and the AR-15.
Water and ammunition were the two heaviest items I’d be packing. I didn’t dump the other weapons to carry more bullets for the AR. I dumped them to carry more water. It had been months since I went for a long walk, and I knew my body would need more hydration than normal to prevent fatigue and cramping. The lighter load felt good, but I also felt I was at a disadvantage if we were to engage in a firefight. My plan was to avoid a firefight. (My personal history has shown that plan difficult to stick with.)
Kelly and I held hands as we walked the short distance to the armory where my guys were gathering. Even at that early hour, the town was buzzing with activity. But none more impressive than the locomotive hissing steam. She was as beautiful as she was powerful. It was easy to see how the people of Stevenson and Bridgeport saw her as a beacon of strength and hope.
Kelly stopped me in the street before we were illuminated by the torches along the sidewalk. I knew we were standing in the place where she was letting me go. She released my hand and reached up for my face. I could see flames reflecting in the tears in her eyes.
“I love you, Henry,” said Kelly, pulling me in for a kiss goodbye. “More than you know. Just come home to me, please.”
“I will, sweetheart. I love you too.”
I watched her for a moment after she turned and headed back to our house. I was glad she didn’t make me promise to come home. I only make promises that I know I can keep.
Chapter 7
Warm Welcome
I waved at Doug Kramer who was cleaning the forward .50 caliber machine gun perched on top of the passenger car. (The gun was mounted on a rail so he could swing it around and shoot in any direction.) As I walked by the steam engine, I saw his brother, Daniel, talking with Bruce and Parker in the cab. His job was to shovel coal from the tender car into the firebox.
Running the engine at forty miles per hour, we’d reach Bridgeport in fifteen minutes. If we didn’t use the train, it would take us over three hours to get there on foot. I didn’t mind a long walk, but I’d much rather ride with an inch of steel between me and the rest of the world.
“Good morning, Uncle,” I said, walking into the armory.
“Good morning,” said Perry, loading a magazine into his rifle. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel ready. I’m looking forward to my first train ride.”
“We’ll head out as soon as JD and Tucker get here. Should be any minute now.”
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Anxious to get this over with,” said Perry, setting his rifle on the table. “I’m still not sure which way this will go.”
“What does your gut tell you?”
“It tells me that Gunny is a good man, but he’s trying to take care of his people just like we are. He’s been taking a beating on our account. I don’t think he’ll be rolling out a red carpet, but also I don’t think he’s looking to hurt us either. What does your gut tell you?”
“I really don’t know what to expect,” I said. “We need to be ready for anything.”
Uncle Perry put the word out to the town that we were making a run to Bridgeport. He didn’t go into detail about why, but he requested people bring any supplies they could spare. When JD and Tucker arrived, we loaded the train. It wasn’t much, but we hoped it was enough to buy us a few
more weeks of goodwill from our neighbors to the north. When the last box was loaded, we all gathered next to the train.
“Tucker, you and Doug will man the fifties,” said Perry. “Stay on them until I tell you to come down. I don’t care where it comes from, but if either of you hear a shot, open fire on anything that isn’t us.”
“Yes, sir,” said Tucker.
“Bruce and Parker, if you hear any shots or see any signs of trouble, throw the train in reverse and get the hell out of there. Even if we’re not on board.”
“Not a problem,” said Parker. “We should leave Bruce behind to cover our retreat. I’ll throw him off if he resists.”
“You couldn’t throw a fart off this train,” said Bruce.
“I’ll let you two work it out when the time comes,” said Perry, smiling. “Until then, just keep that boiler hot.”
“Will do, boss,” said Parker.
“When we get to the station, Henry, JD, and I will be getting off,” said Perry. “The rest of you stay on board and watch our backs. I don’t expect any trouble, but we need to be ready for it.”
I settled into my seat after the train jerked forward. It was the first time I had been inside of a vehicle propelled by an engine since my car died. The sun was still below the horizon, but enough light remained for me to see the trees flickering past my tiny window. It felt good seeing the world moving fast again. It was going to be a short ride, but I could have looked out that window all day.
It was easy imagining that I was going somewhere else as the train reached its cruising speed. The sound of the wheels crossing the seams in the tracks was hypnotic. I closed my eyes for a moment and could feel Kelly’s hand holding mine. In my mind, we were taking our first vacation together and would be riding the train to its final destination in Miami. From there, we’d rent a car and drive through the Florida Keys until we found the perfect cottage on the perfect beach. Our only plans for the day would be to lounge by the water, sip on tall cocktails, and wait for the sun to sink into the Gulf of Mexico. (So much for putting her out of my mind.)
My daydream didn’t last long. The sound of waves lapping against the shore were replaced with the sound of rounds being chambered. We knew we were close when the train slowed. After the first house passed by my window, all thoughts of Kelly disappeared. It was my turn to let go.
Bridgeport was still asleep. I could hear the big guns on top of the car sliding on the rails as they scanned for trouble. All eyes inside were doing the same. When the train stopped, the only movement outside was the sun rising above the tree line. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Bridgeport was a ghost town.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting this,” said Perry, moving to the door.
“Do you see anyone?” I asked, standing below Tucker.
“Nope.”
“Stay sharp, gentlemen,” said Perry, opening the heavy steel door.
JD and I followed Uncle Perry out onto the platform of the station. With an unobstructed view, I was sure I’d see someone. There was nobody in any direction that I turned.
“You know what they say about it being too quiet,” said JD, looking down the rail through the scope on his rifle.
“I do,” said Perry.
“What’s the plan, Uncle?”
“We stay with the train and keep it hot,” said Perry. “They had to have heard us coming in.”
Bridgeport was larger than Stevenson. When I say larger, I mean that they had a three- story building downtown. The difference in population may have been forty or fifty people. As with Stevenson, most of the residents moved into abandoned homes closer to the center of
town – which happed to be the place where we had just parked a steam train.
“Has this ever happened before?” I asked.
“No,” said Perry. “There are usually at least twenty or thirty people around. No, this is a little strange.”
“So is that,” said JD, standing with his back to us.
Uncle Perry and I raised our rifles and looked through the scopes. A mile up the track, a wall of white was churning toward us. It rose two hundred feet from the ground.
“What is it?” asked Doug, swinging his gun around.
“Looks like a fog bank,” said Perry.
“I hope that’s all it is,” said JD.
There wasn’t much we could do but wait for it to overtake us. We estimated that it was moving at ten miles per hour. Not knowing for sure what it was or what might be inside of it, we decided the best place to wait was inside the armored passenger car. Doug and Tucker came down from the turrets and we closed the hatches. Inside the car we buttoned up the windows as best we could. Parker, Bruce, and Daniel stayed in the engine cab in case things got any weirder and we needed to leave in a hurry.
We knew it was on top of us when what little light we had disappeared. We lit one lantern to keep ourselves from tripping over each other. The darkness wasn’t the first thing we noticed. The frigid air was.
A cool breeze preceded the wall of white. Seconds later, it turned into a cold wind. It didn’t last long, but it was enough to drop the temperature inside the car by twenty degrees. I could see my breath in the dim light.
We were prepared for chilly weather, not a cold front. We pulled bedrolls and sleeping bags from backpacks. Any extra clothing brought was layered on top of what we were wearing. Hands started crowding the top of the lantern. As usual, nobody knew what was coming next. It came as a knock on our door.
“Perry?”
“Is that you, Gunny?”
“The one and only,” said Gunny. “Did you bring this crap with you? If so, you can take it back now.”
“It wasn’t us,” said Perry, unlocking and opening the door. “We thought you did it.”
“We weren’t expecting you,” said Gunny, shaking Perry’s hand.
“A last-minute decision,” said Perry, stepping out of the car. “You remember JD, right?”
“I do,” said Gunny, extending his hand. “Good to see you again.”
“This is Henry. He’s my nephew from Atlanta.”
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you,” said Gunny. “Apparently, you’re a hard man to kill.”
“Not from a lack of crazy people trying,” I said, shaking his hand.
Visibility was ten feet. I noticed the silhouettes of two men standing behind Gunny. I couldn’t see their faces, but I could see the shotguns in their hands.
“This is Luke and Taylor,” said Gunny, motioning for them to step closer.
“Pleased to meet you,” said Luke, slinging the shotgun over his shoulder.
“Same,” I said. “Where is everyone?”
“We saw this stuff coming over the ridge and spread the word to stay inside,” said Luke. “Most of the town headed for the gym at the high school.”
“You’re the guy that killed the preacher?” asked Taylor, stepping forward and skipping the formal introduction. “And his people?”
“No,” I said. “I was the guy he tried to set on fire after he kidnapped three women. Two of whom he raped when the power went out. Why? Are you one of his people?”
“No,” said Taylor. “I wasn’t, but my cousin was.”
“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” I said, stepping closer to him. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, he’s fine,” said Gunny, glaring at Taylor. “He knows what happened down there. We all do. He’s just a little curious about how it went down. Maybe if you could fill in the blanks for him, he’d have a better understanding.”
“Sure, Gunny,” I said, backing down.
“Good. Now that we’re all friends, what brings you gentlemen to Bridgeport?”
“We have some supplies for the town,” said Perry. “I’d also like to sit down with you and discuss what you can expect from us over the next few months.”
“I’d like that,” said Gunny, putting his hand on Perry’s shoulder. “We were starting to wonder if you guys had forgotten about us.”
“They might as well have,” said Taylor, looking inside the passenger car. “Is this it? Is this all that you brought us? We’ve got people starving and dying up here trying to protect your town, and this is all you bring?”
“Maybe he wasn’t the best choice to bring with you,” said Perry.
“No, I was the right choice,” said Taylor. “A lot of folks around here feel the same way. You guys are down there living high on the hog while we’re shedding our blood in the streets.”
“Living high on the hog is a bit of a stretch, son,” said Perry, forcing a smile.
“Not the way I see it,” said Taylor. “You have no idea what it’s –”
“That’s enough,” said Gunny, getting his attention. “Go spread the word that it was just a cold front moving in with some fog. Let folks know winter decided to come a little early this year, and there’s nothing to worry about. When you’re done, I’ll be needing to talk to you.”
Taylor narrowed his eyes at Perry, JD, and me before disappearing into the fog. Gunny shook his head and smiled. Perry did the same.
“I’m kind of surprised you didn’t put him through a wall,” said Gunny.
“No harm done,” said Perry. “I remember how you and I were at that age.”
“Full of piss and vinegar and needing a good ass kicking, if I remember correctly.”
“You do,” said Perry. “What Bridgeport has done for us isn’t going unnoticed in Stevenson, Gunny. Everyone is truly grateful. The entire town gave what they could. I wish it were more, but there just aren’t any supplies to spare right now. You and I need to figure out how to change that.”
“We will, old friend.”
Luke apologized to all of us for Taylor’s outburst and helped unload the supplies. By the time we set down the last box, the sun was breaking through the fog and the temperature was rising. We knew the weather, and the welcome, could’ve been much colder.
Chapter 8
Worth Dying For
As rays of sunlight emerged from the fog, so did the town of Bridgeport. Several children broke free of their parents’ hands when they saw the train. It turns out we were being hijacked.
