by David Peters
Tuck looked from Niccole then to Dylan, “your truck is filled to the brim with camping gear and food, you are both wearing pistols and have automatic rifles nearby, and you are driving in the middle of nowhere with your horses and enough feed for a week or two. You are far too nice to be running from the law, and far too trusting to be starting something fishy. So you must be on a journey of, well, of something else.” Tuck shrugged like it was common knowledge as he passed the potatoes.
Dylan looked down “I don’t want to spoil this wonderful dinner but you have a right to know what is happening” Dylan began to speak as he looked at each face at the dinner table.
“The world has changed in the last few days, in a bad way, in the worst way. I’m pretty sure that the way of life we knew before, the world we knew, has ended.” Dylan went on to tell the story of how they came to find out about the Corrupted, the loss of their neighbors, friends in town, and moving on from their beloved home. He then reluctantly told them of the fight at the dam, and hoped Tuck could understand. Somewhere, deep inside of Dylan, he dreaded letting the old man down. He knew he was right in what he had done. At this point he was completely firm in that conclusion. But for some reason the old farmer’s opinion was extremely important to him.
Tuck backed away from the table and went to the fridge for refill of his special brew, offering refills to both Dylan and Niccole, they accepted without a word. He sat down, thought to himself briefly, then looked at Minney and smiled. She gave him a warm smile back. A deep love ran between the couple. Tuck then settled his old eyes on Dylan “first off, the Lord would never chastise a warrior such as you that makes the world a safer place for the meek. The only comment I can make about those three gentlemen, and I use that word only because we are at the dinner table, is this: Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword. Don’t lose sleep over it young man, you did the right thing. I know what is going through your mind son, I have taken a life myself and that feeling will be with you forever. That is what makes you different from those three, you respect life, and you value any and all life. They simply saw it as a commodity to abuse and squander.”
“I remember fighting in World War Two” said Tuck, talking specifically to Dylan. “I was sitting in a fox hole on Iwo Jima with my friend Marty. We had gone through boot camp together, were as close as any two friends could be. It was my watch and I had nature send me a call that I just couldn’t ignore. One of the things we learned on that beach was if you can avoid it; don’t go in your foxhole. You may have to sit in that thing all day. So I walked a short ways away to do my duty. When I came back, a Japanese Soldier was bayoneting my best friend while he slept. He never made a noise, never woke up.”
Tuck was getting teary and seemed to be telling the story to no one in particular “I drew my sidearm and shot the man in the chest without even thinking about it. Then I jumped into the hole to cover his mouth and keep his cries quiet.” The old farmer was now staring into his open hands “I sat face to face with this young man, he had to be within a year of my own age, and I watched him die. I watched the life leave his eyes. I think about that man all the time. Did he have a wife? Did he have family? Could I have taken him prisoner? He was there to do the same job I was. We were both sent by someone else to do something we didn’t completely understand. I won, he lost. These are the things people like you and I think about, because we are different. I know I did the right thing, the only thing I could have done. Anything else and I would have joined Marty. But that doesn’t change the fact that I killed someone.”
Tuck looked up at Dylan as he recomposed himself, “you will think about this day for the rest of your life, but you need to know you did the right thing. Any other decision and those wastes of space would have done the same to others.”
Tuck took a breath and the old light came back to his eyes, “Now, about the rest of your story, what kind of crazy stuff is that anyway?”
Thus the conversation started, both Tuck and Minney had many questions, and the conversation went on for several hours. At some point, the table became very quiet. Tuck had his elbows on the table, fingers laced, thinking very deeply.
The old farmer finished his thought and announced his conclusion to the table, “I’ve lived in this house since I was born, and I’m eighty-six years young. In nineteen hundred and forty nine I married my childhood sweetheart. We had a beautiful son a couple years after that in this very house, named him Steven. Steven was taken from us when the government sent him over to Vietnam. I fought in two wars Dylan, gave everything I had to this country, and it took my son away from us in a war we didn’t need to fight. Steven was our life, he meant everything to us. That was when we stopped caring about the rest of the world, it would take care of itself, or it would not. Minney and I will stay here, until we die, which God help us, will be many summers from now. We will be safe here, you are safe here, and welcome to stay as long as you would like.”
Dylan looked at the elderly man; he saw both the pain of loss and joy of living in the twinkle of those eyes. “I believe you; I have no doubt you will see many more summers.”
And with that, the issue was resolved and Tuck went on with other, happier stories, and the four of them laughed until after darkness had crawled across the farm.
Tuck stood up and spoke, “You two are welcome to stay the night, we have a spare room already set up, hasn’t been used in years. We can also turn your horses out for the evening if you are sure they won’t get too fat out there.”
Dylan and Niccole both laughed out loud. Dylan spoke while looking at Niccole, “We would be honored to stay here, wouldn’t we Hon?”
Niccole smiled at the three of them, “yes, yes we would.”
The rest of their time together was spent laughing like old friends, cares thrown to the wind; fears set aside, remorse buried deep within them. Tomorrow would be another day, but as Tuck was teaching them, you can do everything in your power to plan for tomorrow, but you are only able to live in today.
--2--
Morning came far too quickly for Dylan. He rolled to his side and kissed Niccole on the ear. Niccole rolled over and embraced her husband.
“Let’s stay here forever,” she said as she stretched.
“No kidding, I already smell coffee, wonder if they grow that too,” Dylan said with a smile. “I keep thinking about Daniel though. How is he doing? He was right in a lot of ways and I feel like I owe him the world’s biggest apology.”
“I know they said we could stay but I can’t help but wonder how long it will be before the Hunters start searching around here” said Niccole.
“I woke up once or twice last night thinking about it. I keep flashing back to the way that Hunter stalked me on the porch that night. Still gives me the creeps when I think about it.”
“So how much longer should we stay here? As much as I like it, I feel like we are using up their supplies.”
“I agree, I think we should head out sooner rather than later. I feel like I really need to know what is going on down south and I don’t know why.”
“Heading south it is then.” Niccole caressed Dylan’s chest, “How quiet do you think we could be?”
“Shall we see?”
Sometime later the two got dressed and headed out to the smells of fresh coffee and bacon and eggs. A morning spread was already laid out, Tuck and Minney sat at the table talking quietly and smiling as the young couple entered the room.
“I’m sorry dears, did we wake you?” Minney said with concern.
“Oh no, not at all. We are both early risers so this is kind of late for us,” Niccole said apologetically. “That breakfast smells wonderful!”
Tuck grabbed their coffee mugs off of the table, “Cream, sugar?”
Dylan sat down at the table, “Two lumps for me, please.”
Niccole smiled, “Two lumps and a shot of milk if you have it please.”
Tuck readied their coffee orders and brought them to the table with a smile, “Your coffees as re
quested.” Sitting down at his seat at the table, Tuck took a long sip of his own mug. “So, what’s the plan today youngin’s?”
Dylan put his mug down and started in on his heaping plate of food, “Actually we haven’t even talked about it yet, but I am thinking we will want to get on the road as soon as we can, I don’t want to be anywhere near Viceroy come dark.”
Niccole nodded her head in agreement, “It isn’t a big town, but enough people that I would be concerned about having to be near it for too long.”
Tuck nodded, “Guess town is off limits for us moving forward Missus. Only thing I will miss is the coffee. Will eventually run out of fuel for the rigs, but I have a feeling those long days of combing fields are behind me.”
She smiled at that, “You don’t look too upset about it.”
The old man laughed, “Can’t say that I am, should have retired fifteen years ago, not like we need the money, don’t have much in the way of bills to speak of, never believed in credit much. Been living off of my pension and some good investments, the farming was pretty much a hobby at this point. Ya, I think afternoons on the porch with Minney may be as fine a retirement as one could hope for.”
“Is there any way we can repay your hospitality? We don’t have much with us,” Dylan said sheepishly.
“Tell you what, my new mechanic friend. You take a look at the generator out in the garage, pronounce it sound enough to get us through winter and we will call all debts even.” Tuck said.
“You have a deal, my friend,” Dylan said as they shook hands, “Let’s start on that right now.” Dylan excused himself and headed out to Tucks garage.
Niccole started picking up dishes, “Let me help you Minney, this is,” she caught herself, “I guess used to be would be more correct. Anyway, this used to be one of my favorite chores of the day, doing the morning dishes with Dylan and just talking.”
Minney and Niccole chatted away the time as they cleaned and dried the dishes in the old sink, while Dylan and Tuck pecked and pawed at the old diesel generator. It was nice talking with the old woman. She was the mother figure she wished she could have had growing up. Not that she regretted her own mother, every decision made in raising her made her the person she was today. She thought she was a decent person, but regretted the closeness that her friends tended to have with their parents.
Meanwhile Tuck and Dylan walked out to the garage, talking about some of the other equipment the old man had on the farm. They entered the garage and he opened the lid covering a slab mounted diesel.
“This engine is in great shape, very little wear; you take great care of it.” Dylan said with admiration as he poked and prodded around.
“That means a lot coming from you Dylan. You think it will be solid through winter son?”
“I think you have a few winters in her if you stay on top of the oil, wouldn’t worry about it at all.” Dylan said as he closed the cover.
“You know Tuck,” Dylan said as he put his arm around the old man and smiling, “I’m glad we nearly killed you yesterday.”
“The feeling is mutual, made me remember things about my son I thought I had forgotten. Had he gotten the chance to grow up, it’s my hope that he would be as upstanding and solid as you are.”
“That means a lot coming from you Tuck.”
--3--
The horses were loaded up, goodbyes were said, hugs exchanged, and a tear or two shed.
“Tuck, Minney,” Dylan tipped his hat to both of them, “Thanks again for your kindness and hospitality. Can’t tell you how much it meant to us.”
“You brightened our lives too Youngin’s,” said Tuck as he tipped his hat in return.
“I have to ask again if you would join us. We can make room, or you could follow,” asked Dylan.
“Whatever happens, happens.” Tuck replied back, “I won’t go down without a fight, but this is our home and I won’t leave now or ever.”
As they got back on the road Dylan thought about the journey ahead. The world of Tuck was behind them. What lay in front of them was unknown, dark and foreboding. Dylan thought about his brother again and how he wished he had tried to remain closer.
Dylan still recalled the last time they were together. They wound up in a heated argument about vice presidential candidates. It was almost comical to him how unimportant that was now. He smiled as he thought to himself, it was only slightly less important than it was then.
Chapter 5
Viceroy was about thirty miles south of Tucks house as the crow flies. They made about twenty five miles an hour without jostling the horses too much but it felt like they were crawling. The washboard road hadn’t seen a new load of gravel in some time and the ruts on the corners were nearly unbearable.
The stop sign at the intersection ahead signified the junction with the highway that served as the main road through the center of Viceroy. “Eyes and ears open Hon; things could get interesting in a hurry.”
They sat at the stop sign watching the main street of Viceroy. It was quiet. The four-way stop a few blocks down wasn’t blinking so it seemed the power was out. They couldn’t see a single thing moving.
“Place looks like a ghost town, although I haven’t ever been here before, so maybe this is normal mid-day Viceroy?” Niccole said, practically whispering. “Kind of gives me the creeps.”
“Same here. Never saw a town so quiet.” Dylan was also talking at barely above a whisper. “Wait, what is that? Look, coming around the corner of that burger place there.”
A jet black Hunter slowly crawled around the corner. It would take a few cat like steps then raise its head high and smell the air. It was walking on all fours like some alien animal. As they sat watching in silence it made its way across the street.
It was apparent that the Hunter had no idea it was being watched. The truck was a solid three hundred yards from Bob’s Burger Barn and the air was completely still. Dylan took the chance to observe a Hunter when it didn’t know it was being watched. He took a nervous glance to gauge Niccole’s mood and found that she too was in rapt fascination.
The Hunter reached the middle of the street and paused. Once again it lifted its head high into the air and scented its surroundings. This time it stood up like a human would, arched its head back and release a blood curdling, inhuman cry. It went on for seven or eight seconds, finally fading off in a series of dog like barks. Dylan’s blood froze and Niccole let out a small whimper.
After a few seconds the Hunters’ spell was broken, “Holy shit,” Dylan said in a whisper.
“I will never forget that sound,” whispered Niccole back before the echoes of the sound had completely faded. “That sounded like a steel barn collapsing.”
As they watched two more Corrupted joined from the other side of the street. They looked different, standing more erect. These were similar to the Corrupted that had charged them in Pullman. They had mottled grey skin and didn’t move with the same deftness and grace that the Hunter did. As they approached the Hunter it was clear that the new arrivals were subservient to the Hunter.
As they continued to watch as the Hunter communicated something to the two, at one point appearing to reach out and hit one of them. The two lackeys then turned and ambled off in the direction from which they came while the Hunter turned back towards the burger joint and left their view.
“Seen enough of this episode of Animals That Spawn in Hell or do you want to wander on down and have a chat?” Niccole said testily as she thought back to the incident near Pullman. “You want to hop out and start shooting up this town too?”
It hadn’t occurred to him how wrapped up he was in his observing, “Fascinating, creepy, and terrifying all at the same time,” Dylan said trying to make light of it but knew he had let it go on too long again.
He hit the gas and slowly, quietly as he could, accelerated onto the highway and headed east.
“These things are far more intelligent than we have been giving them credit for,” said Dylan, sounding almo
st impressed. He had this same feeling the first time he watched the local coyotes stalking a rabbit in the pasture near their house.
“Don’t ever sit still like that again Dylan, I’ll shoot you myself.” Niccole said angrily. She knew she was over reacting and told herself to calm down.
“I’m sorry, Coco. I lost my head for a minute. It won’t happen again,” said Dylan without really hearing himself.
“You said that after Pullman too, when are you going to take this seriously?”
“I am taking it seriously damn it! At some point we are going to be fighting these things if that isn’t already apparent. Our two species won’t be sharing this planet. One of us is going to ultimately win and frankly the first half of this game is looking pretty squarely in their favor. The more we learn about them, the better our odds of survival are.” Dylan was on a roll now and continued, “We just learned they communicate, at some point that will be extremely handy to know. We also just learned they have a hierarchy, also very valuable going down the road. We aren’t just dealing with wild animals here.”
