by Dell Sweet
~
Jake and Lydia sat talking in low tones as the others walked back into the factory. They had rebuilt the fire, and the warmth and light spread out, glowing on the brick walls. “Jake,” Conner started.
“Listen,” Jake said. “I shouldn’t have said that... I didn’t mean to say that. And yes, it would be stupid to go chasing after a goddamn truck in the middle of the night. And no, I don’t want to kill someone over stealing a piece of shit truck,” Jake said. “But that kind of shit can’t happen. I mean, what’s next?”
“Yeah,” Conner agreed. “Yeah. I guess what’s next is locked up trucks. No keys left in them. And…” He looked over at Katie. “I guess a guard at night. Katie said… She thinks someone who would come to take a truck might come to take a woman too.”
The silence held only for a second.
“Fuckin’ A,” Lydia spat.
She looks positively rabid, Katie thought. “What I mean is,” Katie said, “a truck… Maybe one of us… Who steals a truck when everything’s just lying around free to anyone who wants to pick it up?”
Jake nodded his head.
“Well as soon as it’s light I say we follow the tracks. If we’re careful, it should be no problem at all,” Conner said.
“Goddamn right,” Lydia said.
“Should be armed. I’m sure they will be,” Katie said.
“Not you. You’re not going are you?” Conner asked.
“I’m the best shot we have,” Katie said. “It’s that simple. If we don’t go after them,” she shrugged and then shook her head. “No,” she said. “The more I think about it, they’ll probably come back. And they’ll probably come back armed as well. Hell, maybe they were this time.” She looked at Lydia. “Lydia saw two in the truck, but how many more were there? Or back where ever they went to,” she finished seriously.
“So. The idea is to take it to them before they bring it to us?” James asked.
“Got a better idea?” Jake challenged.
“No… No, but I’m no killer. It’s still just a damn truck.” James finished.
“Yeah, tonight it was a truck, tomorrow it might be me… Or Katie… Or Jan,” Lydia said.
James stayed silent, thoughtful. He sighed. “What a damn mess,” he said at last.
“It’s that,” Jake agreed.
“I got to agree, James,” Conner said. “It’s not the same world. What if they do come back? Do we decide then to do something? It might be too late.”
“Honey. I think it’s best to go get them,” Janna said quietly, her eyes on James's own. Those eyes looked frightened, Conner thought. He supposed a little of that fright was resting in everyone's eyes right now.
“I don’t like to be bullied or pressured into anything,” James said.
“Hey,” Conner said. “It’s no pressure, Man. It’s real. It really just happened.”
James nodded his head yes, but a frown remained stamped onto his mouth. Deep lines scarred his forehead. His hands twisted restlessly in his lap. He suddenly brought his hands together firmly. “Okay,” he agreed. “Okay. I see the point. I’ve done a lot of hunting. I’m a good shot with a rifle. I’d like to go too.”
