Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come

by Allensworth, Audra

  “She’s a little warm, but her body has gone through trauma, so a slight fever is just the body’s way of showing that she is fighting an infection. With the Ampicillin I gave her, the battle is half over. How about you keep an eye on her and every half hour you take her temperature and then we will see what it is.”

  Tabitha was confused as hell on how to take an adult’s temperature, and a bit uncomfortable. Beth turned around and could see the confusion in her body language. “I have a battery operated ear thermometer in my kit over there. All you have to do is place it in her ear and press the button.” Beth went over and grabbed it then proceeded to show her how it worked. As Tabitha began to relax, Beth took out her BP cuff and showed her how to work that too. Beth was fairly certain that she would be the one taking her blood pressure, not Tabitha, because the cuff was manual not an electric one.

  Carefully Beth placed everything on the nightstand that she would need and then placed her hand on Tabitha’s shoulder, “She’s going to be fine, thanks to you and me. Now let’s leave her to rest and hopefully the others are back.”

  Ceara lifted her head off Charlie’s chest as they heard the wagon pull up; both she and Charlie ran to the edge to check on Alden. The ride was short, but Alden was in more pain because of it.

  Ceara leaned over the edge, “What happen, are you ok, do you need any help getting out?”

  Alden lifted his hand just a little, “I need inside, anything else I really don’t give a shit.”

  Charlie helped the men carry him in as Beth ran over, “Damn it Alden, I didn’t expect you to get hurt!”

  She quickly pulled her bag over to look him over, “Ok, you tell me, what is most pressing?”

  Alden pointed to his shin, “I got bit by a rattler...”

  Ceara gasped, “Oh God, he is going to die!”

  Alden glared at her, “Not yet cupcake, now shut up or get out!”

  Ceara pouted, but didn’t move.

  Alden looked back to Beth, “It only got me with one fang and I drained the bite. I got most of it, so just clean it and dress it. Pretty sure I got a couple broke ribs and got kicked in the balls.”

  He cocked his eyebrow, “Wanna kiss that for me?”

  Ceara giggled and Charlie looked at Colt, then to Alden, “You can’t be too bad if you are making jokes like that. Come on Ceara; let’s let Beth take care of him.”

  As Charlie and Ceara walked out, Running Buffalo walked in, “What’s the verdict? How’s my daughter?”

  Beth got a surprised look, “Niz will be fine but she told me her father was the chief?”

  Running Buffalo smiled, “Good to know she is going to be fine and yes I am the chief, I just didn’t want anyone knowing that till I had my little one on one with Alden.”

  Running Buffalo looked to Alden, “You going to make it?”

  Alden nodded, “Will be as soon as fucking visiting hour is over!”

  Running Buffalo smiled, “I will go visit my daughter then.”

  ************************************************************

  Ceara sat on the back porch step as Mark and Spirit horse walked up, “How are they?”

  Colt walked out just in time to hear them, “Niz is resting and Alden is hitting on my girlfriend, so I am guessing he is going to be fine.”

  Charlie looked back to Colt, “Colt, you didn’t take that serious did you? He was just joking!”

  Colt looked off to the hills, “You wouldn’t be so forgiving if another man asked Ceara to suck his...”

  Ceara cut him off, “Oh Colt, grow up! Charlie would have laughed, even if Alden said it to me!”

  Colt walked off to the barn to start cleaning up the bodies and gather the weapons.

  Spirit Horse put a foot on the first step, “We got the trail of a couple that got away. We are about to follow them, you want to come?”

  Charlie jumped up, “Let me saddle up and I’ll be right with you.”

  Ceara shook her head, she knew it would do no good to tell him no.

  Charlie had his horse saddled quickly as Spirit Horse and the other braves rode up. Spirit Horse looked at him, “You ready?”

  Charlie nodded and the group rode out. They had only gone a few miles when Mark pointed of to the East. “There they are.”

  Charlie turned to look and could see a group of horses tied to a small grove of trees. The braves were standing around in a circle and watching something burning. “Goddamn it!” Spirit Horse said and rode quickly towards the group.

  Charlie looked and saw three motorcycles with bullet holes in the tires. The motors were leaking oil on the ground from where they also had been hit.

  The smell from what they were burning hit Charlie’s nose first, “Geez, what the hell is that?” Mark looked at him while tying a bandana across his face, “its burning skin.”

  As they rode up Spirit Horse looked at the braves, “Cut’em down.”

  The braves turned and looked at him then at each other. The biggest brave looked at Spirit Horse then nodded to one of the other braves. “Do as he says.”

  The rope was strung over a large branch and attached to a pole that all three men were bound to and the other end to a horse. The brave took lead halter and walked the horse forward raising the men’s feet out of the fires that had been built under them.

  Charlie was a little surprised that what he was seeing didn’t bother him. He kept thinking of Alden and the others who had been wounded. The big Indian walked over to Spirit Horse, “They wouldn’t talk.” the big man stated in a very deep voice.

  Spirit Horse looked up at him then to the men, “They will Mike, they will. Trust me.”

  Spirit Horse walked over to where the men were sitting. Charlie joined him, “So what do we do now?”

  Spirit Horse looked at the men and then to Charlie, “We ask them a question and they answer.” One of the prisoners looked up at the two, “In your fucking dreams, squaw.”

  Charlie went to kick the man and Spirit Horse placed his hand on Charlie’s chest, “No, we don’t want to break anything just yet.”

  Spirit Horse squatted down by the man’s feet. “Damn those are burned. I bet you wish you could soak them in some water.

  The man looked at him, “You know what, take your pussy psychological crap and shove it up your faggot ass.”

  Spirit Horse smiled at the man and then the other two, “Is he always this pleasant?”

  The two men looked confused. This Indian was trying to be nice, at least nicer than the ones who were burning them on the pole. One of them spoke up, “He’s just tired and hurt. We’re sorry, we just want to go. We won’t come back.”

  Spirit Horse looked at the man, then at the angry one, “You see. He’s polite. He apologized for attacking the ranch. He knows he did wrong. He may even be rewarded someday.”

  The second man looked a little relieved. Spirit Horse looked at Mike, “Cut him loose from the pole.”

  Big Mike glared at Spirit Horse, “You’re not going to let this piece of shit go?”

  Spirit Horse stood up, “I said cut him loose and bring him here.”

  Big Mike pulled a large stag handled knife from a sheath and with one quick swipe cut the ropes holding the man. Two of the others picked the man up and dragged him over to Spirit Horse. “Let him go.”

  The man started to fall from the pain in his feet as Spirit Horse grabbed him, “Come now, you were strong and brave to attack a camp full of women surely you can stand on two sore feet.” The man whimpered, Please let me sit, they hurt so bad.”

  Spirit Horse grabbed the man’s shirt and stood him straight up. “No, you faced the women as the man you are; now you will face me.”

  The man stood shaking from the pain, sweating profusely. Spirit Horse looked him in the eyes, “You said you were sorry, right?” The man shook his head and looked down at his feet, “yes” he whispered. “And you just want to leave, right?” Again the man shook his head. “I have just one more question, just what had you
planned to do with the women if you took them?”

  The man just shook his head, “nuthin really.”

  Spirit Horse looked at the loud mouth on the ground then back to the man standing. “Oh you had been doing so well, yet now you lie to me. Oh well, your friends will now learn why they will tell the truth.”

  Spirit Horse nodded to Big Mike, who grabbed the man from behind and stepped on one of his burned feet. As the man screamed, Spirit Horse was quick with his knife. The others including Charlie watched as the blade entered the man’s mouth and split the tongue quickly.

  Charlie turned his head away and choked back the urge to vomit. As he looked up, he saw a couple of the braves trying to do the same. One of the braves didn’t have as good of luck as Charlie did.

  The loud mouthed biker turned and threw up too. The third prisoner just started screaming wildly and trying to get out of his ropes. His violent twisting and turning caused the pole to hit his loud mouth partner in the head several times. Loud mouth finally jerked his arms a few times, ‘FUCKING PUSSY, CUT THAT SHIT OUT, AN MAN UP.”

  The smaller man looked at him and screamed, “FUCK YOU MAN, I AIN’T DYING FOR THOSE SHIT BAGS YOU CALL YOUR BRO’S.”

  He turned to Spirit Horse, “I’ll tell you whatever you want man, I will if you just promise me you won’t torture me.”

  Spirit Horse knelt in front of the man, his eyes were coal black, and his voice was calm, “You tell me what I want to know and I promise you your release will be quick.”

  Loud mouth jerked the pole again hard to hit the man in his head, “You tell them nothing, you fuck, or I swear I’ll cut your balls off and stuff in your mouth.”

  Spirit Horse looked at Big Mike and gave him a nod. Mike bent down while pulling his knife out and cut the ropes of the smaller man, letting him off the pole. He then jerked the pole up lifting loud mouth to his feet which caused him to scream in agony. Mike looked at him, “Oh come on now. How did you put it? Oh yeah, man up.”

  He jerked hard on the pole lifting the loud mouth off his feet then dropping him on them. “Come with me, we’re going for a walk. Your friend needs to talk to my friend.”

  Mike pulled on the ropes that were still attached to the pole forcing loudmouth to follow him across the rocks and desert. Spirit Horse watched till they were out of sight dipping down into a gully. He turned to the smaller man, “Okay the captain meanie is gone. I want to know how many are in your group, both men and women and any kids. How well you are armed, and where they are hold up.”

  The smaller man nodded, “and then you’ll let me go?”

  Spirit Horse nodded, “yes I will release you.”

  The man spoke for almost thirty minutes; he gave them all the details of the group right down to the fact that a few of the tough bikers were really just some gay, male dancers before the world ended. This bit of news caused even Charlie to chuckle and turn away, to keep from laughing out loud. One of the other braves was quickly writing down the more important items, like number of weapons and vehicles and then in bold letters he wrote NO KIDS and underscored it. Spirit Horse drew a crude map of the ranch and the roads of the area in the dirt. “Where’s your camp?”

  The man looked at it then looked at Spirit Horse pointing to a line drawn, “Is this the main highway by the turn off for those truck stops?”

  Spirit Horse nodded. The man looked at it a few more minutes then drew a circle in sand just south and west of the intersection, “Somewhere right about here.”

  “You’re sure?” Spirit Horse asked. The man nodded. Spirit Horse stood up and looked at Charlie, “We need to get back to tell Running Buffalo and the others, we will have to let them decide what to do. The place he’s talking about is an old Ghost town. It used to be a tourist trap.”

  Charlie looked at him “So what are you saying? That it’s not defendable?”

  Spirit horse nodded, “Yeah in a way, the buildings are old wood. A few fire arrows and the place will go up like a match in gas”

  Spirit Horse looked at two of the braves, “You know what to do.”

  The braves grabbed the man and lifted him up then dragged him over to a horse. Tying the rope around the horse’s neck they ran out about fifteen feet behind the horse and tied the man’s feet to the rope. The man started to scream as they shoved a cactus ball in his mouth, “Shhh, you don’t want the biters to hear you, do you?” He then fired several shots behind the horse which caused it to bolt off into the desert dragging the man behind.

  Charlie’s eyes went wide as he watched the man head bounce off rocks as he was dragged behind the galloping horse. He turned to Spirit Horse and grabbed his shirt, ‘WHAT THE HELL, YOU PROMISED TO RELEASE HIM.”

  Spirit Horses eyes went cold, “I said I would release him quickly. I didn’t say I’d let him live. That piece of trash shot Billy and Niz and beat up your man Alden. He got what he deserved.” Spirit Horse pulled Charlie’s hands off his shirt. “Get used to it. There ain’t no white man law anymore. We do things the old way.”

  **************************************************************

  Taking her time with Alden, Beth made sure that she checked him for any other wounds. The only thing that she did see was the snake bite, “Well, you did a pretty good job of draining it but I want you to lay still while I put some triple antibiotic cream on the wound. I will wrap it up so that no infection can get in.”

  When finished wrapping his leg, Beth then wrapped his ribs securely with an ace bandage. Beth sat down on the side of the bed and started cleaning up her stuff while she spoke to him calmly, “I just think that right now it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to a possible infection. Now all I have to do is change the dressing once a day for a few days and you will be good to go. However, as for your boys...” Beth chuckled, “You and them will just have to hang here in bed for a while and rest. Tabitha is in the other room watching over Niz and the others will be back soon.”

  Alden looked at her, “Okay cupcake, let’s go over this, we have a refrigerator that we keep cold from the generator right?” Beth nodded. “We also have ice in ice trays for drinks and emergencies right?”

  Beth suddenly realized what he wanted, “Fine, you big baby. I’ll get you some ice for your.... privates, but don’t bitch at me when you don’t have any for your whiskey.” She smiled as she walked out of the room.

  When she made it back into the kitchen, Beth saw Tabitha getting her a glass of tea. “Is he okay, Beth? I wanted to leave you alone with him and watch over Niz.”

  Beth got into the drawer that had the big zip lock bags in it and then retrieved one. “Tabitha before you put the ice back into the freezer, can you put some cubes into this bag... say about six or seven please?”

  “Sure thing but what on earth do you need ice for?” inquired Tabitha.

  Beth chuckled then continued, “Our baby boy Al has sore boys that got in a fight.....”

  Tabitha busted out laughing as she almost dropped the tray but quickly held onto it tighter. “Poor thing..... But seriously Beth... is he going to be alright?”

  When Beth got the bag closed she got a hand towel then wrapped it around the bag of ice, “He got bit by a rattler but only one fang got into him. He managed to drain the wound himself but after I got done cleaning it up good, I put some triple antibiotic cream on it then bandaged it up good. He will be fine after some rest, but I just want to keep a close eye on him because he is pretty banged up. I don’t think he has a concussion or anything, because he’s just his normal self.”

  Beth started to make her way back to Alden’s room when she realized that she forgot to say something to Tabitha, “Hey?”

  Tabitha put her glass on the counter after taking a sip, “Ya, what’cha need?”

  Beth smiled, “Thanks Tabitha. You did great today and I am very proud of you!!”

  Down deep inside Tabitha felt a warm feeling of accomplishment and she was so proud of herself. “No problem Beth, after all we are family and we
have to look out for one another.”

  Beth nodded and made her way back into Alden’s room, “Here you go Alden.” Alden was lying on his side and when he saw the wrapped towel he reached for it then placed it where it would help him the most.

  Taking a deep breath then exhaling slowly, Alden looked around, “Have you seen Tonto?”

  Beth looked around, “No, sorry I haven’t. I’m sure he is around.”

  Ceara sat on the back porch looking at the carnage; Colt had gathered all the weapons and was now dragging the few bodies into a pile.

  Ceara got up and went to Colt, “I’ll help, what are we doing with these guys?”

  Colt motioned with his head to the side of the barn, “I was just putting them over there, there isn’t that many.”

  When they walked over to one of the bodies and flipped it over, they heard him moan. Ceara jumped back, “Shit... umm what now?”

  Colt pulled the revolver and pointed at the man’s head and fired. “He’s dead. We take him with the others.”

  Ceara just stared at Colt, “What the hell was that about?”

  Colt shrugged as he grabbed the man’s arms, “We have enough to deal with, without adding any damn prisoners to the equation! Now either help me or leave.”

  Ceara reached down grabbing the man’s legs, “Damn Colt, what’s wrong with you?”

  Colt didn’t reply till they had the man laid out with the other dead. As they walked around the front of the barn he spoke, “Ceara, you guys all have done things that you know were wrong, or wrong as far as our previous lives would have told us. I have still been living by those rules, but they don’t apply anymore, do they? These assholes were going to rape and kill Beth... Not going to give ANY of them the chance to ever come back and finish the job. If you think that’s wrong, well I guess that’s your right, but it won’t change me defending things the way I think they should be.”

  Ceara walked beside him in silence for a few minutes, “Colt... you love Beth, I know that even if you don’t. If anyone hurt Charlie, I would leave everyone and everything to kill the bastard that did it. So I totally understand why you did what you did.”