Then the tower shuddered one last time as the steel legs failed and finally buckled. For the briefest of moments, Juan had the awkward sensation of swinging as the rope and the tower it was connected too began to lean sharply. The boy looked up at the massive tower looming over him and watched as the old tank began to deform and then finally rupture as it fell, the town’s precious water released in a violent wave. Then Juan turned and looked out over the town, now bathed in the first rays of sunlight. He nodded his head slowly and then looking down at the earth, he let go of the rope.
A moment later the tower came crashing down behind him.
In Search of Answers
As the light began to creep back in between the ruined building and the narrow alleyways Anna tried to remain as quiet as she could. Just a few blocks east of the tower, she peered around a corner and found two more bodies. Just like the previous half dozen she had already come across, the man and the woman appeared to have been stabbed multiple times and then had their throats cut for good measure. She shook her head in disbelief, it seemed like the young warriors were killing anyone they came across. Taking a deep breath, Anna was about to risk heading down the alleyway when the sound of running feet sent her scurrying for cover. Dropping back behind the corner she found a ruined doorway and ducking inside she did her best to hide in the shadows. The sound of running feet grew louder, and a moment later a pair of Indian boys went running past. She didn’t dare to move or even breath terrified that the young killers would somehow hear her and come running back.
Anna sat curled in the darkness listening to the sound fade away, her hands were shaking, and she took a series of quick breathes trying to calm herself.
“Come on, come on, come on,” she whispered to herself. “Juan, think about Juan.”
Since the moment the boy had dropped her over the wall and ran back towards the tower, Anna’s only thought was how to get Juan back out and to safety. At first, she had tried to circle the compound and sneak back in through the main gate. But when she arrived, she found a pair of Indian boys guarding the entrance, just as Juan had predicted. Seeing no other option, Anna had then tried to make her way back towards the Black Jacket’s clubhouse, intent on bringing back reinforcements to help the boy. However that idea was proving nearly impossible, it seemed the warriors had set up a loose perimeter around the tower and were killing anyone that tried to enter, or leave, for that matter. Anna was now reduced to playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the roving packs of warriors as she desperately tried to find a way out.
Once the shaking in her hands subsided a bit, Anna forced herself to take another deep breath.
“Go, go now!” she said.
With that Anna got to her feet and turning she ran from the ruin and back into the alley. She risked a glance over her shoulder terrified that the patrol had doubled back and by the time she turned the corner she was running at a full sprint. She had already mentally prepared herself to see the pair of bodies again and had already decided that she wouldn’t stop to check their vitals. What she hadn’t prepared herself for was to find another young Brave knelling over the corpses and casually rummaging through their pockets. Anna gasped and immediately froze in her tracks, her momentum nearly causing her to stumble and fall onto her face. At the same time, the boy looked up and met her eyes. He was perhaps 14, with dark hair and eyes, and his face still held the look of youth that even in that moment reminded Anna of Juan. At first, the boy’s face held a look of surprise, very similar to Anna’s own, but then the corners of his mouth turned upward into a terrifying smile.
Anna was stunned, she opened her mouth ready to threaten or reason or even plead, not for her own life as much for the life of her baby. Then the young warrior stood, and Anna found herself suddenly unable to speak but only scream. The boy’s arms were caked in drying blood from the tips of his fingers all the way to his elbows. Around his neck, hanging from a blood-soaked strip of rawhide, were four human ears. The brave hadn’t been robbing the dead, he had been collecting trophies. The young warrior drew a knife from his belt and with a grin opened his mouth and let out a terrifying battle cry, mocking Anna’s scream. The doctor had just enough time to take one halting step backward before the young Brave exploded into motion running directly at her.
Anna tried to turn and flee but at that moment a shaking sensation ran through her body, and she nearly fell. She couldn’t believe it, how could her own nerves fail when she needed them the most? Glancing back Anna saw that her attacker’s charge had faltered and he was suddenly reeling as if he felt the same strange sensation that she did. At that moment a huge rumbling sound seemed to fill the air, it was a cacophony of falling metal and twisting steel. Anna’s heart leaped inside her chest and right away part of her knew what had just happened. Without a second thought, she turned and looked towards the west, to where the tower had always stood, to where she had last seen Juan. The tower was gone, and in ‘its place a large cloud of dust was rising into the morning light. A moment later Anna heard a chorus of voices in the distance as a dozen Indian war cries rose up and echoed across the town.
“Oh God, oh God, Juan! Please God no!” she shouted.
As her pleas died away Anna could now hear laughing behind her, she turned and found the young warrior was back on his feet and slowly stalking towards her.
“Well, that’s the signal. Looks like we’re all done here.”
Then the blood splattered boy raised his knife and smiled, “But before I go, how about a little something to…”
The boy was cut off as the sudden and deafening roar filled the air. Before Anna could even comprehend what was happening a tidal wave of water nearly five feet high came crashing down the narrow alleyway. It moved with incredible speed, a white and brown mix of dirty water and white foam. It carried with it a wave of garbage, bits of wood and debris that it had collected in its escape from the fallen tower. Anna had time to scream and curl herself into a protective ball as the young warrior turned and tried to flee, but both were caught up in the swirling nightmarish tide and washed away.
“And here is some water. It should be enough to see you the rest of the way home,” Zebadiah said, handing a bulging waterskin up to Coal.
The bounty-hunter nodded and hoisted the skin over his shoulder. The farmer had already provided them with a canvas sack stuffed full of goat jerky, which Coal had already stored in the buggy.
“Zeb, I have to ask. Don’t you ever get tired of eating goat?”
“Constantly,” the farmer replied.
At that moment Kyle and Becky stepped out of the door and into the morning sun, carrying Miles between them. Even Coal had to admit that the old man looked better. His face seemed fuller, his skin less pale and after a good night’s sleep Miles seemed to have definitely recovered his senses.
“I feel fine, this is ridicules,” Miles complained.
“If you manage to puncture your lung again or maybe next time your heart with what’s left of that arrow sticking out of your chest, we’ll see how fine you feel then,” Becky snapped.
Miles muttered something under his breath and Kyle tried not to laugh in reply. Claire came through the door last carrying a heavy quilt in her arms. The group then made the slow walk down to the canyon floor where the buggy awaited them. It took some time to load Miles into the front seat but once he was situated Claire stepped forward and held out the quilt to the old man.
“Here, I want you to take this. Wrap it around yourself and keep warm during the ride,” she said.
Miles looked down at the quilt and then up at the woman, and Kyle saw the conflict in the man’s eyes. Zebadiah’s family had shown them every kindness, a kindness they had repaid only with lies. Zebadiah seemed to sense Miles’ hesitation and misreading the moment offered, “Its Claire’s quilt to give. She made it herself, please consider it a gift.”
The old man reached out and touched the woman’s hand and then turned to look at Becky. Margaret was the only member o
f the family missing, it seemed the previous day’s transfusion had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit. Or perhaps Zebadiah simply didn’t want their guest’s departure overshadowed by the woman’s perpetual frown.
“Thank you. Thank all of you,” Miles said. “You saved my life, I’m sure of that. I don’t know if I can ever repay you.”
Claire smiled at the old man again and then with Kyle’s help she wrapped the quilt around Miles. Kyle stepped forward and shook the farmer’s hand on last time.
“Thanks, Zeb and you don’t have to worry. I’m going to forget all about that thing with the gun.”
The farmer smiled broadly, and he shook Kyle’s hand in return. “God bless you,” he said. “And if you ever come back through this way, you be sure to stop in.”
Kyle nodded, “We will,” he replied.
But as Kyle climbed behind the wheel of the buggy, he knew that the farmer was just being polite. The man and his family had spent the last 24 hours terrified of the strangers that were living under his roof. If Kyle had to guess, he imagined the farmer would be quiet content to never see them or any other members of the Protectorate again. Kyle flipped a series of switches, and the rover hummed to life, the batteries now showing a full charge.
“Remember, you head straight for the Castle now,” Becky shouted, “Miles needs to be seen by a real doctor.”
Both Coal and Kyle gave the family a wave, and the buggy pulled forward, driving deeper into the canyon. Zebadiah had told them the only path out of the main canyon wide enough for their vehicle was a place called Badger Canyon a few miles east.
“The Castle?” Miles asked.
“Hell if I know, just add it to the list of shit we don’t know about the Protectorate,” Kyle replied.
“Really, like what?”
“Like they outlawed fucking guns! Can you believe that horseshit Miles?” Coal added.
“It’s not like anyone has any ammo left anyways,” Kyle pointed out.
“Fuck you! It’s the principle of the thing!”
“We think they may also have some kind of working vehicles,” Kyle added.
“What? How? What kind of vehicles?”
“No idea, just a hunch really. The farmer didn’t seem impressed at all by our little jalopy here.”
Miles nodded his head, “And of course we couldn’t ask because….”
“Because we are supposed to be part of the Protectorate ourselves,” Kyle said.
“Kyle, the more I hear, the more I think we need to find out everything we can about this Protectorate, whatever it is.”
“Hold on there, now we’ve got a good eight hours of driving ahead of us, but thankfully most of it is flat and straight. Now Miles, I’ve agreed to stop in and check on your little roadside attraction, but that is it. After your hour is up, it’s full speed ahead all the way to Salt Lake and that fucking museum. Then, when we get those parts in hand, we’re headed straight back home. We know the road now and the dangers, we’ll drive day and night, for as long as the batteries last. Hell, I’ll even let fucking Coal drive if I need to!”
The bounty-hunter let out a quick hoot and laughed, “Oh shit Miles, you know he’s for fucking serious now!”
“I am for fucking serious! This trip has been a total cluster fuck from day one! Anna, Juan and the whole fucking town is counting on us, and they expected us back yesterday! From here on out we are all about the mission and only the mission. Everyone got that?”
Coal laughed, “You’re driving pale-face, I’m just along for the ride.”
Miles didn’t respond, instead he turned and looked out at the stark canyon walls as they slipped by.
For a few terrifying moments, Anna’s whole world consisted of the brown churning water and a seemingly endless cycle of hard pavement followed by morning sunlight. Caught in the surging waters all she could do was roll herself into a ball as the wave rolled her helplessly down the alley. In the swirling chaos, she just managed to maintain the peace of mind to wrap one arm protectively around her midsection while trying to protect her head with the other. Because of this her back, knees, elbows, and head all bore the brunt of the abuse suffering dozens of scrapes and cuts as she was washed across the pavement. Then, just when Anna believed the terrifying cycle would never end, she felt the ground beneath her change, from hard pavement to soft earth. A second later her head emerged above the wave for the first time. Anna was able to catch half a breath before the ground beneath her seemed to disappear entirely, and she went tumbling down an embankment.
When Anna opened her eyes again, she found herself sitting at the bottom of a muddy canal, which until moments ago hadn’t held water in years. Some part of Anna recognized the place, she had been carried more than a block and dumped into one of dried up river beds on the eastern edge of town. Just a dozen feet or so to her left a bridge crossed the canal before heading deeper into the desert. Anna blinked twice her head still swimming and looked down at herself, from her head to her toes she was completely caked in mud. For a moment she sat in silence watching the remainder of the flood waters drain away. As the water receded, it began revealing a layer of trash and other debris it had collected along its short but violent journey from the tower. A body came into view and then another and finally a third. Each had been twisted in unnatural ways and was covered in a layer of mud just like Anna. It took her a moment to realize that these were the same bodies she first discovered murdered in the alleyway. Then she paused, shaking her head and counted them again as if she had somehow made a mistake. At that moment one of the bodies that were lying face down shuddered and began to stir. Anna nearly screamed as the corpse arched its back, pulled its face out of the mud and gasped for air. It was the young Brave she realized, the one that just a few minutes ago had wanted to kill her, her and her baby. At the sight of the warrior fear and with it anger, suddenly flooded through Anna.
The Brave reached an arm out trying to pull himself forward through the mud. He was facing away from Anna, and for the moment at least she was sure that the boy didn’t even know that she was there. She should run Anna realized, turn and run down the canal before he even saw her. But Anna also remembered the way the boy held the knife when he looked at her and how he laughed when she begged for her baby’s life. She remembered the fear and the feeling of powerlessness as she looked up at him. It was a feeling she had felt only once before when Murphy’s men raped her. They had all tried to run away back then, Kyle, Coal, Miles and the rest. Men like Murphy, like these warriors they expected you to run, they count on it. This was her home she thought, why should she have to run? What gave people like that the right to come in here and destroy everything that they had worked so hard to build? At that moment, Anna made herself a promise that she would never run again.
Then before she realized what she was doing Anna was in motion. She climbed to her feet and began to stagger through the mud and garbage towards the boy. As she moved every part of her began to ache and burn, but for the moment she ignored the pain. Anna slipped and fell, landing awkwardly on one of the bodies before crawling back to her feet. The young warrior pulled himself forward again and then tried to turn his head and look back as if sensing the danger. He opened his mouth to speak, but before the boy could even mutter a sound, Anna was on him. She sat down heavily on the boy’s back, forcing the air from his lungs with a satisfying grunt. The young warrior opened his mouth again, but Anna couldn’t tell if he was about to plead for his life or if he was just gasping for air. But right now, neither really mattered to Anna. Grabbing the boy’s head, she pushed his face down into the mud.
“No, no, no,” she hissed.
Immediately the young warrior began to shake and squirm, trying to escape. He reached back with one arm blindly trying to fend off his attacker. It was then that Anna realized the boy’s other arm wasn’t reaching back, but instead, it flopped about uselessly. In some part of her brain, Anna the healer diagnosed the problem immediately. The boy had dislocated hi
s shoulder when he had been swept away by the wave. The treatment was simple enough, all she had to do was twist the arm to the proper angle, apply pressure, and it would easily pop back into place. Instead, she pressed his face deeper into the mud. The boy began to kick and shudder violently now, she heard him scream and watched as bubbles began to percolate up through the wet mud. A part of her was terrified of what she was doing, while another part of her cheered.
“Never again,” she heard herself whisper.
“Never again. Never again. Never again.”
Each time she said the words Anna pressed the young warrior’s face deeper into the earth. He made one last desperate attempt to escape, his arm flailing about wildly as his legs thrashed in the mud, but ultimately it was useless. Finally, the boy’s entire body shuddered one last time and then went still. Anna didn’t release her grip but continued to hold his head there, face down in the mud for some time after. At some point she realized she was crying and finally releasing the boy’s head, she began to wipe the mud and the tears from her face. At that moment she heard a rumbling, like the sound of thunder rolling across the desert. The sound was building, growing louder and louder by the moment. That old voice in her head told her that she should be afraid and that she should run, but again she ignored it.
A few seconds later two dozen horses came galloping out of town. It was the Indian raiding party she realized and as Anna watched they raced over the bridge crossing the canal not a dozen feet from her. She sat there motionless, covered in mud and still straddling the boy she had murdered. Let them come she thought, If I have to I’ll kill them all. But the warriors didn’t stop or even look in her direction for that matter. They rode out of the town and into the desert, following the highway to the east.
The Road North Page 35
