I found him outside the perimeter fence. He was working with a crew planting steel posts for another fence to expand the perimeter. He didn’t mind taking a break to listen to me.
“So, if I understand what you are implying, you’re worried you may have a lust for killing as a means to avoid thinking about things, killing simply to have something to occupy your mind. Is it just evil people you want to kill?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, I don’t think about killing just anybody I come across.”
“Ralph, I’m not a psychologist and as I told you, my faith is on shaky grounds right now. I do know this. I don’t care why you killed those men who held me and my people prisoners. I’m glad you killed them all. I’m glad you blew them up and I only wish they could have suffered more.”
I could see he was speaking from his heart. “Maybe you’re beyond shaky ground, Pastor Watts.”
“Yes, I am. You want affirmation for your actions, go ask any of my people if they would rather you didn’t kill those bastards who caged us like animals. Go ask a few of the girls the Bradfords were using as whores if they’d like you to pull back the bullets that killed them.
“In the past, I would say the Lord is guiding you, but now I’ll say, to hell with why. Don’t question your motives. Keep doing what you’re doing. This messed up world needs men like you, and Carl, and Salvo. Go find people in need of a safe haven and kill anyone who tries to stop you from bringing them here.”
I nodded and clasped his shoulder with my hand. “We all have a rough road to ride. I hope along the way you find a way back to faith.”
He took my hand from his shoulder and held it in his. “Be careful out in the wild. Evil stalks the world outside this fence.”
I located William in the mess hall. He was at a table with Salvo having coffee. Salvo saw me enter and waved me over.
“Sit Señor Ralph. Many days have gone and we have yet to speak.”
I slid onto a chair. “I’m sorry about your loss… About Mercedes.”
“Si. My little heart misses his mama and my heart still cries for her. It is sad, but in her bed to die, my Mercedes say she gladly give her life so José can live. I have pain from her words, but if I was the one to die, the same would be my words.”
“I hear you and Carl have been collecting more than a few new citizens. Carl is quite a soldier.”
“Si, and now he trains me. Him and the new marine sergeant work Salvo to turn into a strong soldier for New Hope. I have the new hope in my blood now.”
I cast a quizzical look toward William. “New Hope won the vote?”
“Overwhelmingly. Carl was depressed for all of ten seconds.”
“I like the name… William, I’m here to let you know Dr. Van says I’m fit to travel. My stomach muscles are still weak, but he said only exercise can fix that.”
“Are you still intent on going back to the Smokies?”
“Yeah. I need to see if any of Bradford’s scum is still skulking around in the hills. Another thing is, I figure a lot of people headed for the mountains thinking they could live off the land and avoid people. By now most of those city slickers will have figured out it’s hard to survive without at least the rudiments of civilization. Some of those will be in trouble. I hope to find them and send them to you.”
“It’s just as likely some of them have turned into criminals preying on others,” William said.
“Then I’ll have to take out the trash, won’t I?”
I shook hands with them and left to pack my gear. I got permission from William to allow PFC Jones to open the Armory so I could resupply with new weapons, ammo, and explosives. If I left early in the morning, I could be back in the Smoky Mountains by 1:00 or 2:00 p.m.
*****
That’s how I come to be resting here by Santeetlah Lake. I spotted a gang of Hispanics working a bridge on highway 28 that crossed a branch of Lake Fontana called Fingerlake.
Traffic on the road was light, but the few cars or trucks travelling on it made it no farther than the bangers ambush site. I guess it was happening all across the nation. Ambushed; men and old women killed, oft times children, too. The younger women and girls raped and then either killed afterward, or kept as merchandise to share or trade.
With so much in the way of supplies still available, the only things of value are gasoline, food, dope, and always women. Women are more valuable than gold in this post-apocalyptic world.
I put away my thrice-cleaned Enfield rifle, snapping the clasps on the metal case that holds it. I tracked the bangers from their ambush site at the bridge to a campground called Turkey Creek. I spent the day before yesterday observing them. I have a positive count of fourteen men and as many women plus a couple more. Three of the women have children in their care, one an infant. As far as I can tell, none of the women are with the bangers because they want to be.
These men aren’t ignorant elitists like the Bradford Clan. Every night, guards are posted, never in the same spots. During the day, no member of the gang goes out without a partner. These are hard men and they won’t be easy to take down. I still plan to snipe away at them, but I know they’ll find a way to evade my vision and leave the camp to hunt for me. It won’t pay to be too close to them. I find a spot to shoot from, but it’s a long distance to my targets. That’s why I traveled far from their camp. I need practice shooting at a thousand yards.
I wipe sweat from my brow, slip out of my jeans, strip to my skivvies, and wade into the cool water of the lake. Today is made to enjoy. Tomorrow the Trashman will take out the garbage.
**********************
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Terry McDonald
THE TRASHMAN Page 26
