by Chris Lowry
"Chores," said Bis. "I'll show you."
She had spent her time as a ranch hand for months.
Bem asked the million dollar question as Brian walked up.
"Are we going to stay here?"
Bis nodded, before I could answer, but didn't say anything out loud.
The truth was, I hadn't decided.
And they were looking to me to decide. That weight was mine, somehow.
But there was too much to learn here still. Too much to see. About Meroni. About the world around us on the middle edge of Florida, tucked between the Space Coast and Orlando.
Part of the reason I wanted to ride with the man tomorrow was to learn more.
"I'll tell you when I know," I promised.
"It's safe," said Bis.
Safe was important. Especially for here and what she went through. What they all went through.
If it was true, we would stay.
If I could make it safer, I would.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Meroni put me on the back of a plodding mare as we saddled up and started riding the fence as the sun broke the morning horizon.
“Sometimes its better to walk,” he told me without looking back. “We’re going further today to check the outer perimeter.”
I didn’t answer because there was no need.
The horses picked their way through the knee high grass, leaving tracks in the dew that looked like scratch marks, a darker green.
“Glad you volunteered,” he said.
We saw our first Z walking next to the fence. His horse nickered and blew a raspberry through its lips at the sight.
The Z turned, saw our movement and bounced into the wire.
Meroni pulled his machete, angled his horse close and swiped off the top of the Z’s head.
He wiped the blade against his pants leg at the boot and slid the tool back in the sheath at his belt.
“Saves you from asking me out here on my own.”
He glanced back then, snorted and nodded.
“I’m too old to do much beating around the bush.”
The man had twenty years on me, maybe more. And he’s built a safe place in an insane world.
Plus, he’d kept my daughter safe.
“I appreciate that,” I told him.
“I don’t mind patching your people up,” he said. “I don’t mind you joining and staying on.”
I heard a but coming.
“That one, Brian. You said he was in charge.”
“He is.”
“You don’t seem like the kind of man that gives up being in charge.”
“I’m not.”
“So which is it? You or him?”
I thought about it for a moment. The fence stretched uninterrupted by anything but dragonflies for almost half a mile.
A creek ran under the wire in the distance, terminating in a long shallow cow pond where Meroni or his family had dammed it with cut logs.
Water ran over the top in a trickling overflow. It was a smart design, letting the creek keep the pond water fresh as it circulated in the depression before continuing across the property.
“He’s the leader,” I said. “I give him advice.”
“The power behind the throne?”
“Not quite.”
He nodded.
“If you stay, you’re going to have to understand something.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m the throne.”
“A man’s home is his castle.”
Meroni waved his hand to encompass the land we were riding on.
“All this is my castle. My family built it. I made it safe. And if your little girl wasn’t here, I’d send you on to keep it that way.”
“I’m safe,” I started to say.
But four Z pressed against the lower edge of the fence as it dipped into the creek cut me short.
We couldn’t reach them from the back of the horse.
I dismounted first.
“Let me,” I said.
Meroni crossed his hands on the saddle horn and watched me.
I took a pike from the saddles, and stood on the edge of the creek. I had to hold the fence with one hand to balance, and poked the sharp end of the blade with the other.
The first two Z were easy. Close enough in that ending them wasn’t a problem.
The third Z clawed out with a grotesque hand and hit the end of the pike, knocked me off balance.
My boot slipped on the dew slick grass and dropped me toward the creek.
“Son of a bitch!” a hunter screamed as he sprinted from the woods, shooting.
The slip saved my life.
I heard the bullet zip past me and the whinny of my horse followed by a meaty thud.
Three more men followed from the trees, rifles held on Meroni and me.
I sat up, jerked the pike and threw it like a spear.
It would have been cool if it lodged in the man’s chest, but it didn’t.
The makeshift spear turned at an angle in the air, the pole slapped the man across the cheek.
It bought us time.
Meroni drew his pistol and fired off two shots, dropping two of the hunters.
I got the other two from where I sat on the ground, leaning on one elbow.
Meroni wheeled his horse around, searching for more threats, and slipped off the side.
I noticed it put the horse between him and the trees.
“Friends of yours?” he called out after a moment.
The two Z in the creek battered against the wire fence, arms reaching through.
I pushed up off the ground, tried to hide the wince and stared at the pike on the other side of the wire.
“My friends have better aim,” I said.
“More of them?”
I shrugged.
If there were, I wanted the rifles lying in the grass.
These must have gotten away from the ambush and followed us.
Or came after and picked up our trail.
If there were more, they might be attacking the house.
“The house,” I turned to Meroni.
But he was a step ahead of my thinking.
The words hadn’t left my mouth before he was on the back of his horse and galloping back toward the ranch.
I was left with a dead horse, four dead hunters, two moaning Z and no fast way back to help.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Flopping over the fence was painful. The barbed wire moved and rocked under my fists as the thin metal bent under my weight.
I managed not to fall on the other side, but the movement drew the Z out of the creek in a sloshing slog up the bank.
It gave me enough time to retrieve the pike, jab them both, then gather the rifles and weapons from the dead hunters who had stalked us from the island.
I stabbed them in the head too before they turned Z and became a future threat.
I strapped the rifles across my back and began a shuffling jog toward the gate.
My side decided that was a bad idea, so I just kept moving as fast as I could go.
A half hour later I made the road. The gate was shut and locked.
I could see a man on horseback leading another mount back in the direction of the creek, but he couldn’t see me.
I waved at the sniper on the hill and waited for someone to come get me. If I tried to climb over, they might mistake me for a hunter and I didn’t feel like getting shot. Again.
Anna and Brian came to the gate, walking slow, weapons ready.
“It’s you,” said Brian.
“It’s me,” I agreed.
“Meroni went back to get you.”
“I’m not there.”
“I can see that.”
They opened the gate and let me in.
“Have you seen anything?”
Anna shook her head.
“He came back and said you were attacked. We spread out to see if there were more, but so far, nothing.”
“Th
at might be it,” I said to them. “There were four and we got them. It could be all.”
“Do you think it is?” Brian asked.
I shrugged as we trudged back to the house.
“You bled through the bandage,” Anna said as her fingers traced the outline through my shirt.
A crimson stain was spreading in a slow dark circle.
“I climbed the fence,” I explained.
“Stupid,” she chided.
I couldn’t tell her she was wrong.
We reached the inner fence and the paddock beside the barn by the time Meroni came back.
He glared at me as he dismounted and waved over one of his people.
“Two dead in the creek,” he said. “We need to get them out before they taint the water.”
The man nodded and took the empty horse meant for me and rode off.
“You,” Meroni turned to me. “Let’s talk.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Usually when people say the words, let’s talk, what they really mean is that they want to yell for a few minutes to get whatever it is out of their system.
The only response needed is a nod, maybe a yes sir.
Meroni was no different.
“I’ve kept us safe,” he fumed. “I’ve kept us hidden and you’re here two days and we’re attacked. Do you think that’s coincidence?”
He paced the interior of the barn, a vein throbbing in his forehead as his cheeks flushed red.
“A lot of bad people out there want what we have,” he continued. “But everyone’s left us alone. Until now. Until you.”
I didn’t argue. I didn’t defend. The man was right.
The only casualty on our side so far, was a horse.
But even that price might be too high.
“Your daughter is part of my community,” he said. “I found her and brought her in. She can stay. But I need you to go.”
He turned on me and stopped pacing.
“If they’re following you, they will keep on following. I’ve got too many people here to worry about.”
His right hand gripped his left arm.
“You can stay one more night. Say your goodbyes if she wants to stay safe here. But at first light, I need you and your people to move on.”
My stomach gurgled. Yes, this was his house, and we were guests at his place. But he was threatening me with dividing my kids up again.
I took a breath and fought down the rage.
Then I nodded.
“We’ll go,” I said.
It was that simple. Either I could fight for all of us to stay, or gather up my wounded and my children and we could move on.
Even as I said it, I had a plan.
Send Byron and Tyler ahead to find transport, and bring it back.
Move the wounded into the trees by the creek until they did.
Set the weapons and watch and stay ready.
Meroni looked at me, his lips working open and closed, a half grimace that flashed to a scowl and back again.
I suspect he expected me to argue. To ask. To beg.
I brought trouble to his door. I’d take it with me when I left.
If I could.
It was the only way to repay his kindness.
“Thanks for the extra night,” I said.
His mouth opened again as his hand gripped his arm. Then Meroni pitched over on his side and flopped to the ground in front of the barn.
“Hey!” I screamed.
Brian and Anna came running. Anna hit her knees next to the man, rolled him over on his back.
“Still breathing,” she said.
“I think he’s having a heart attack,” I said. “He was holding his arm.”
She ran her hands over his chest, felt his pulse, then looked up at me.
There wasn’t much we could do but ride it out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Brian helped one of his other men move Meroni into the farmhouse.
Then we waited.
Stood vigil.
He wasn’t dead, but he wasn’t talking. His body twitched, eyes rolling in his head as he lay in bed.
Anna bathed his forehead with a damp cloth, taking turns with Bis and others of his people.
I told Brian about our conversation while we waited.
He nodded and accepted it, even sent Byron and Tyler to talk with me as the afternoon began to wane.
“I’m not sure how far you’ll need to look,” I told them. “The road goes through a couple of small towns you can check. Just get what you can and get back here.”
They agreed. The man who went to clear the creek stopped them.
“There’s a church about ten miles from here, off Calvary road. There’s a sign. They have a passenger van that’s still there. If you get gas for it, you can use it.”
I nodded my thanks and sent the two boys to retrieve it.
Bis, Bem and the Boy found me on the porch.
There were several chairs behind me, but I was seated on the edge of the boards, leaning against a column to relieve some of the pressure on the wound in my side.
The walk from the creek had left me exhausted, and even though Meroni promised one more night, I was secretly hoping for another two weeks.
Maybe three.
We could do some with someplace safe for a while.
I wondered how the church was set up, and if there was food to be found in the cities around it, as the kids approached.
“Dad?” said Bis.
She settled on to the porch beside me as the Boy and Bem put two points on a triangle in front of me.
“I’m okay,” I assured her.
“That’s not what I’m asking,” she said. “I know you’re okay. You’re always okay.”
I glanced at the trio of offspring, my progeny and bit my lip.
“Did you hurt him?” Bem asked.
“Who?”
“Meroni,” said the Boy.
“No.”
“He was going to kick us out,” said Bis.
“He is kicking us out,” I corrected. “And he’s right. We led trouble to his doorstep.”
“But it’s safe here,” Bis sniffed.
“It was,” said the Boy.
“It still is,” I told them. “And we’re going to find someplace safe too.”
“But this place is now,” said Bis.
“What are you asking?” I stared at my kids.
“She doesn’t know what you can do,” said the Boy. “But we do. We know what you’ve done.”
“Don’t let him make us leave,” said Bem.
“Don’t hurt him,” Bis whispered.
They grew quiet then, and I suppose they knew that’s how I operated. Put the idea out there, let me mull it over and live with the consequences.
Don’t let Meroni make us leave. Keep us in this safe place.
I thought about the tall rancher laying in a bed inside his ranch house, the bedrooms turned into dorm rooms to house almost two dozen people.
I thought about how those people would react if the dozen of us decided to stay.
If I made us stay.
A forced occupation does not lead to easy lives, I thought.
“I’ll think about it,” I told them.
My kids nodded. They leaned in together and wrapped their arms around me for a quick hug, then disappeared toward the barn.
I watched them go and thought about what they were asking me to do.
Peg had said it once. I was a monster. My kids saw it too.
