Timidly, Jasmine asked. “What has you worried?”
“This rain. Did you see those creeks?” Nathan asked her.
Caught off guard, “Huh, what?” Jasmine asked.
“The water was almost over that last bridge. The river that supplies the Lake of the Cherokee is going to be over its banks. I don’t want to wait till it goes down or wash out the bridge and we have to find another one,” Nathan told her.
Jasmine looked at him dumbstruck. “Nathan, how can you think of this shit?” she asked.
This time it was Nathan who was dumbstruck. “What shit?” he asked.
“You are thinking of the water level rising, threatening the roadway, the population at the crossing site, how we are moving, and I bet a thousand other things. We just saw where humans were eating other humans! Don’t you get sidetracked?” she asked.
Nathan put his map up, “I’m sure if I do, one of us will probably die. I try to keep my mind on problems I can solve,” he said, kicking Smoke.
“And everyone snaps at me when I piss him off,” Amanda muttered.
Ignoring her, Jasmine fell in behind Nathan. It was then everyone started looking around noticing all the standing water and that the rain was still falling. In several places they came to water was over the road, so Nathan went first and the others followed. When they reached Wyandotte they didn’t see any people and Nathan’s fears were well-founded as they saw the river just at the edge of the roadway.
“How in the hell did you know this shit?” Jasmine shouted over the roaring water.
“Think, damn it! How in the fuck do dams open and close their flood gates?” Nathan shouted back. Suddenly Jasmine felt like the biggest idiot in the world.
Slowly Nathan led them across and even he was getting nervous, watching water nearly coming over the road in places. The horses started acting skittish as the roar of the water became deafening. Nathan kicked Smoke into a run and Smoke was fine with that. The others did the same. When they ran over the center suspension most closed their eyes.
Reaching the other side, Nathan turned around making sure the others were with him and found most had their eyes closed. “Wish I could’ve done that,” he said, pulling Smoke into a walk. The river had spilled its banks and covered the first road he was going to turn off. They moved on.
The next road was covered with water but it wasn’t deep or moving fast. They rode in the rain as the world started to lighten. In all directions the land was flat so the water accumulated. As they got closer to the interstate the water got deep, up to the horses’ knees. Nathan stopped, since they were exposed from every direction.
As Nathan looked at the map the others kept an eye out and soon the body of a bloated child floated past. Some threw up at the sight of it; the rest threw up as other bodies soon floated past. “We are finding a barn,” Nathan told them.
“What if the owner says something?” Amanda asked, wiping her mouth off.
“We just need a place to hole up,” Nathan said.
“I’m just asking,” Amanda said.
“I’ll offer him some money,” Nathan said, kicking Smoke. Ares and Athena were having to swim in places now.
Jasmine keyed her radio. “What if he doesn’t take money?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Nathan answered. As they neared the interstate the water became shallower. “There,” Nathan said, pointing at a barn that was half a mile from the interstate. None of them asked about the house just a hundred yards away. Nathan climbed off his horse as they reached the barn. He was getting ready to hand off Emma when he noticed Ares wagging his tail and looking inside.
“That’s good enough for me,” Nathan said, opening the door leading Smoke in. The others led the horses inside as Nathan cracked a chemlight, filling the barn with a green glow. There were stalls on the right side but nothing was in them. Nathan pulled off his saddle and hung it on the stall. He walked to the front of the barn and carried back a bale of hay, throwing it down for Smoke. Nathan led Smoke into a stall then threw her some hay and the others copied him.
Nathan carried over a bag of feed and had John fill the bucket in each stall. Nathan moved to the side of the barn and looked out at the house. Not seeing any movement he turned around to see everyone trying to get dry. “Everyone get in your sleeping bag after you hang up your clothes. I’ll be back in a second,” he said, walking out the side of the barn. Ares led the way toward the house.
When he got to the back door he noticed it was kicked in. He brought up his rifle and looked down at Ares, who was just staring inside. Nathan eased the door open and the smell almost knocked him out. Even Ares sneezed when the odor hit them. Nathan draped Emma’s sling over his face and crept inside, letting his rifle hang. If a person was living here with this smell he wouldn’t shoot them. They were a tougher person than he was.
The kitchen was a mess with every cabinet open and broken glass over the floor. Creeping into the living room he found the source of the smell. A man was lying in the middle of the floor with dried blood forming a wide oval around him. Nathan moved down the hall and found a bedroom where a woman was tied to the bed. He couldn’t see how she had died so he ignored her, moving to the bathroom.
He found some towels and grabbed a sheet, tying them up in a bundle. Not wanting to find another body, he left. Back in the barn he found the group around a massive gas barbeque grill with blankets draped over their shoulders. He dropped the bundle beside them. “Grab some towels and dry the horses off,” he said grabbing one moving to Smoke.
“They’re going to get wet again when we go out,” John said.
“Yes they are and have been carrying saddles and not letting their backs air out,” Nathan said.
They dried off the horses and donkeys, then the dogs. The inside of the barn was starting to get warm with the grill on and all the living creatures in it. Nathan put a pot of water on to start supper as everyone ate some jerky. “Find anything in the house besides towels?” Tom asked.
“Nothing we need,” Nathan said with a shiver.
“Nathan, can I tell you something and you not get mad?” Amanda asked.
Closing his eyes, Nathan took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said.
“What you told Jasmine about the dam…they do have manual controls. I toured one before and I saw them,” she said.
Letting out a laugh, “Yes Amanda they have manual controls but who is at the dam? Think people are going to stay there as their families starve? It takes more than one person to crank those things,” he said.
“I was just saying,” she mumbled.
“I know but think about how things are now, not what was,” Nathan told her, starting supper. When supper was done Nathan carried Emma up to the loft. He opened the loft door toward the interstate. The rain was still coming down as he sat, feeding Emma and himself. He could see a few people moving along the interstate but the field between them and the interstate looked like a lake.
“Think we can sail a boat out there?” Jasmine asked, sitting down beside him.
Nathan didn’t answer her for a second because she had scared the shit out of him. “No, but if someone tries to cross that they will sink to their waist,” he answered.
“I’m trying to think like you, but it’s hard,” Jasmine said, laying her head on his shoulder.
Reaching over he patted her leg, “You’re doing fine. Just remember nothing works and you’ll do better.”
“How long can we stay here?” she asked.
“Not long. There are people moving on the interstate, and if this rain keeps up I don’t want to build an Ark to leave here,” he said.
The others soon joined them in watching the rain. Amanda looked at the interstate with her binoculars. She sat there for several minutes then gasped, “There’s a kid out there!” she said, pointing.
“Where?” Jasmine, John, and Tom asked together.
“By that big truck to the south,” she said, standing up zooming in.
“Let me see,” Jasmine asked, holding out her hand. Amanda handed over the binoculars so she could see.
It didn’t take her long. “I see him. He’s hiding under the trailer as those people walk by,” Jasmine said. Everyone took turns looking at the little boy hiding as people passed him.
Jasmine looked at Nathan. “Don’t you want to look?” she asked.
“Not really,” Nathan said. Jasmine was totally taken aback.
“Why not?” she asked.
“I’ve seen enough pain for one day,” he said, rocking Emma in his arms.
“We might be able to help him,” Jasmine stated.
Nathan looked up at her with sad eyes. “He may be trying to get to his parents or others. They could be close as it is. If we go out there we’re exposed. There aren’t a lot of people on the interstate, but still enough to make trouble,” Nathan said.
“He can’t be more than five,” Jasmine said.
“So you want to risk the safety of these kids for that one? If we go out there we can’t come back here. Look around! The land is flat and we will have to stay on the roads. Even those are covered with water. Do you want to risk it?” he asked.
Jasmine sank down to her knees. “It’s not right,” she said.
“Name one thing that’s been right since this started,” Nathan demanded.
Natalie came over and sat down beside him, “You saved us,” she answered.
Shaking his head Nathan held out his hand for the binoculars. He found the truck and trailer but didn’t see the kid. “Where is he?” he asked.
“He climbed up in the back wheels when that last group went by,” Amanda said.
Nathan watched the truck for half an hour and was starting to doubt them when he saw a little blond head poke out between the wheels looking around.
“There he is,” John said behind him. Nathan turned to see John watching the kid with his massive binoculars.
Turning back around, Nathan looked back at the boy. The kid was wearing underwear and nothing else. He would venture away from the truck, then see someone and dash back to it. “It looks like he’s trying to leave but keeps running back,” John noted.
“Yeah, he has a good hiding place,” Casey said, looking through her binoculars.
“If he’s there when we leave we will go and check on him,” Nathan offered.
“That’s going to be awhile,” Amanda said.
Putting down the binoculars he looked at her, “You want me to go get him?” Nathan asked.
Amanda looked at the interstate and around the countryside. “No,” she said looking down.
“Guys it sucks, I’m not saying it doesn’t. But think about the risk,” Nathan said.
“You came for us,” Casey said.
Nathan nodded. “I did. But I knew how many were around.”
“Would you go out there if that was me?” Casey asked.
“Casey, I would lay waste to the world to make sure you were safe. If you were out there I would get you then spank your butt for going out there,” Nathan said.
“Would you—” Casey started.
“Don’t,” Nathan said. “Casey, if I die, so be it but where does that leave you guys?”
She looked down at her lap and leaned over till she was touching Nathan’s arm. Nathan picked her up and sat her beside him. He looked over at Jasmine who didn’t know what to say. “We can’t save everyone,” John said sadly behind him.
“Hey look to the north, those guys are beating someone up!” Amanda shouted.
“Amanda, keep your voice down and back up from the door. When you are that far out you can be seen. That’s why I’m sitting back from the opening,” Nathan commanded. Amanda stepped back. Nathan took her binoculars and looked to the north. He soon found six men beating two women and a man. “John, go get the sniper rifle,” Nathan said.
“If you shoot everyone will know we’re here,” Jasmine said.
“I’m only going to shoot once,” Nathan said as John carried over the Lapua. Nathan handed Emma to Jasmine and set up the rifle as John set up the spotting scope. Nathan got in a good prone position, lifted the stock to his shoulder, and found his target. “Range?” Nathan asked.
“Eight hundred and seventy-four yards to the one with the cowboy hat,” John said.
Nathan reached up and dialed in his point of aim. “Rain looks like it’s falling straight down,” Nathan said.
“No, it’s going a little northeast,” John said. Nathan found a bush in his scope and guessed about an eight-mile-an-hour wind. He adjusted for windage.
“Even with a suppressor it’s going to be loud in here,” he warned them, as he slowed his breathing. A man in a cowboy hat was kicking the man on the ground as his buddies ripped clothes off the girls. Cowboy stepped away from his victim, looking at his buddies and laughing.
Nathan smiled. “On the way,” he said, squeezing the trigger. John watched the trail the bullet left and was stunned when it hit Cowboy in the back. John’s mouth fell open when the two men in front of Cowboy fell down.
“Fuck a duck, you got three!” he said, watching one of the other men that fell down get up without an arm. The other one was holding his side with his mouth open, like he was screaming.
“The girls and man are running away,” Amanda told everyone.
“How did you do that?” John asked, watching One Arm dance around and fall down.
“Luck. I was trying to hit Cowboy and the one I got in the side. They were standing in front of each other. After I pulled the trigger the other guy turned into the path,” Nathan said. “Amanda, look around and see if anyone is looking this way.”
Standing up, Nathan motioned to John. “Cover me,” he said, pointing to the sniper rifle. John nodded and crawled over behind the rifle. He aimed it toward the semi where the boy was hiding. Not saying anything else Nathan headed down the ladder to his pack. He pulled out the tactical pants and t-shirt he had worn at the gas station. Holding up the t-shirt, he studied the word “Sheriff” printed across the front. He could hear those he left behind in his mind in what seemed two lifetimes ago and smiled.
“Miss you guys,” Nathan mumbled, then got dressed.
Jasmine came down seeing him pull on his tactical pants. “You’re not wearing your big vest?” she asked, pointing to the large vest he wore every day.
“No, it might scare the kid,” Nathan said. He walked over to all the hanging gear they were drying out. All the kids with the exception of Emma wore vests as they rode. Nathan pulled it off the line and found it was still wet but he put it on then grabbed his shirt. “You need to have somebody watching the other way in case that shot was heard,” Nathan told her and pulled out his 1911. Giving it a press check, he holstered it, then called Ares over.
“Let me go with you,” Jasmine offered.
“So if both of us die these kids can die a slow death?” Nathan asked, shocking her.
“Let me go instead of you,” she said.
Shaking his head, “No, I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said reaching out rubbing her cheek. “I’ll be back,” he said in his best Arnold impersonation, making her smile.
Opening the door he and Ares ran out in the rain and were instantly soaked. That was the one thing he didn’t like about the south: This was classified as a shower. In Idaho this was classified as a torrential rainstorm. Nathan stopped and looked out across the field and decided not to risk crossing the field and ran toward the road.
The road would take him half a mile south, then he would go the half a mile to the interstate and walk the half mile to the kid. He remembered making fun of some gangbangers for doing the same thing, but the field they passed didn’t look like a lake. Moving down the road the water was over ankle-deep, so running was out of the question.
It took him an hour to reach the interstate and his mood had deteriorated somewhat. Two men came out from under the bridge as he walked up the ramp. “Unless you’re giving me food, shut the fuck up, or I’ll cap
both of you,” Nathan barked.
The two jumped back and headed back under the bridge. Nathan no sooner hit the bridge than he saw the three men who were with Cowboy walking toward him. All three had rifles and stopped seeing Sheriff on his shirt. Not saying anything, Nathan drew his pistol aiming at the first one squeezing two rounds at the first one, hitting him in the chest as Nathan dropped to his knee. Before the man fell, Nathan sent two rounds into the next man’s chest.
Nathan was already aiming at the last one’s chest when the man started to raise his lever action. Squeezing the trigger Nathan popped him twice in the chest and dropped his magazine, speed-loading the next. Standing in a low crouch, Nathan scanned the area and saw a few people looking at him, none closer than fifty yards. He picked up the partial magazine and put it back in his belt.
Under the bridge the two men looked at each other. “Damn, glad we didn’t ask,” one said, and the other nodded.
Moving up to the bodies, Nathan searched them to find two alive. Not finding anything he wanted, he stood up. “Ares, kill ’em,” he commanded and walked away. Ares lunged, taking the first one’s neck in his mouth. He clamped down, shaking his head vigorously. Hearing his friend making gurgling noises, the other man raised his hands up as Ares spun toward him.
Leaping at the next man, Ares passed between his arms and locked on his throat. The man started to scream but was quickly cut off as Ares clamped down on his throat. Nathan hadn’t walked more than twenty feet when Ares trotted up beside him. “Good boy,” Nathan said, patting his back.
Nathan keyed his radio. “Is the kid still there? Over,” he asked.
“What the hell was that about? Over,” John asked.
“Didn’t have to worry about anyone finding you guys, over,” Nathan said glancing behind him. He spotted several people moving toward the bodies he left.
“Yeah, the kid is there. He climbed back under the trailer when you lit up those guys, over,” John said.
“Anyone see people staying close to the kid? Over,” Nathan said, crossing over the median and heading to the semi.
“Negative, over,” John answered. “You have a group of nine coming toward you in the other lane. They have just been walking down the road and didn’t stop by the three dead ones you shot from here, over,” John said.
Dark Titan Journey: Finally Home Page 5
