by JT Sawyer
As Travis stood in the firelight beside Todd and Katy, he glanced over the weathered but lovely appearance of the two sisters, the ever-stoic expression of Dane, and the shaggy blond mane hanging over Pete’s bronze face. He was silent, listening to their laughs as they recounted some of the more light-hearted moments from the past few months. He thought about the arduous miles they had covered, the flash floods, searing heat, bitter cold, and nights of hunger.
After a bout of silence with only the backdrop of crackling wood in the fire, his face grew serious. “I know I talked about this with each of you over the past few days, but this was my final trek. I am planning—” He paused, reaching his arms around Katy and his son. “We are planning to stay and live in this valley. The folks here agreed that those of you who want to remain are also welcome to do so and would be valued members. It will be a challenge to hunt, gather food, and provide for our needs at this elevation but it’s nothing that you haven’t already done before under more grueling conditions. I can’t guarantee that this place will be a private Shangri-La unaffected by the outside world, but for now it will be a chance to start anew without having to be on the run.”
Pete was the first to speak. He held a smoldering branch in his hand and poked it into the fire, where his meditative gaze was occupied. “I don’t think this is the last we’ll all see of each other but I’m gonna head to Idaho and see if I can locate my sister. As much as I would love to stay and badger Travis some more, it’s time for me to push on,” he said, thrusting the stick further into the flames.
Travis nodded at his friend and then turned towards Dane.
“I thank you for the offer,” said the hefty pilot, who arched his broad shoulders back, “but I’m going back to Montrose. Logan offered me a position on his flight team and, frankly, getting to zip a Blackhawk around the western US is just something I can’t pass up. It’s been an honor serving with you, Travis. You’re a brilliant leader and I will put to use all that I’ve learned.”
Rachel and Nora began to speak in unison but then Rachel deferred to her older sister. “We are going to stay on with you, if that’s alright, sir,” she said. “You have treated us like family from the beginning and this seems like an ideal place to settle in. Besides, no offense to Mr. Logan and his people, but they take much better care of their horses here than in Montrose.”
Everyone laughed, and Travis leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs, clasping his calloused hands together. As the moon rose over the snow-covered valley, the stories continued into the late hours of the night as the ancient human drama of camaraderie was replayed around the glow of the campfire.
Chapter 34
The next day, as Travis was chopping wood near the firepit, Logan came walking down the steps of a nearby cabin.
“So, how long before you’ve got your son’s belongings ready to go?” said Logan. “I’d like to pull out in a few hours.”
Travis sunk the ax into the chopping block and looked at the river as it meandered past them, inhaling a deep breath of chilled air. “For now, this is going to be our home. I don’t want to pull Todd away from here after all he’s been through just to have him start over in a stark military compound.”
“I thought you might say something along those lines,” Logan said with a tone of regret. “So that’s it—just holster your weapon, shack up with that pretty blonde, and play Little House on the Prairie?”
“Don’t look so discouraged, Logan. You got the vaccine, crushed Pallas’s western HQ, and have all the cutting-edge technology and recruits you need to turn this around.”
“Ah, Travis, you just don’t get it—you’re a Roman, or should’ve been. If a sword is put in your hand, you’ll fight. You won’t stay away for long.”
“The only battle that’s left for me now is to carve out a new life for us here and watch my son grow up. That’ll suit me just fine. My entire career I’ve always put the mission before my personal life, but those days are over now. If I return to Montrose at all, it’ll be to retrieve Becka once she’s fully recovered.”
Logan raised a leg up, resting his crusty black boot on a stump. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. Give me a shout on the ham radio they’ve got here and we’ll resume this conversation.”
Travis tilted his head up, letting out a heavy sigh. “Logan, you’d best be heading off now before those rickety gears in your head get to spinning any further.”
Logan extended his hand, while Travis reluctantly held his out as both men shook. Travis followed Logan down to the outskirts of the settlement where the others were gathered.
After hearing of the plans, Talia stepped forward and reached out to shake Travis’s hand only to be met with a hug. “Keep an eye out for that pretty top-knot of yours,” he said.
“Copy that,” she said with a smile while glancing over Travis’s shoulder to Pete, who was approaching.
“And take it easy on the new guy—he’s a brother of mine.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll be in my trusted hands up in Idaho.”
Travis shook his head while a smile crept out. “Lord help him.”
As Pete walked up with his thumbs tucked under the shoulder straps of his backpack, Travis leaned over towards his friend. “You look happier than a dog with two tails. So is one of the reasons you’re leaving due to a particular ebony-haired woman?”
“No offense, but she’s a better-looking reason than you, Travis,” he whispered, with the hint of a grin.
The two men embraced, giving each other bear hugs, then the group departed down the snow-encrusted trail that wound up through the foothills. Travis stood and watched them walk for some time, eventually straining to see their distant figures as they faded into the cover of spruce trees at the base of the mountains. Then he turned, placing his hands in his pockets, and made his way back to the cluster of cabins.
He passed by Nora and Rachel, who were leaning on a split-rail fence, talking to a young man in a cowboy hat near the horse corral. He walked towards the river, where Todd was showing Katy how to fish. Travis stood still for a few moments, taking in the sight of his son and the surrounding scenery. The sun was warm on Travis’s face and he glanced up at the indigo sky with a broad smile. He looked at a thin band of wispy cirrus clouds building overhead, signaling the approach of a winter storm a few days off. Hmm, a thick blanket of snow covering these mountains would be nice, he thought. Time to hunker down around the woodsmoke of a good fire in the cabin, out of the wind…time to rest—time to live, at last.
About the Author
JT Sawyer is the pen name for Tony Nester. Tony is a fulltime survival instructor and the author of numerous non-fiction books and DVDs on survival. His training school is the primary provider for the Military Special Operations community and he has served as a consultant for the NTSB, FAA, Travel Channel, New York Times, Outside Magazine, and the film Into the Wild. For more information, visit apathways.com.
Thank you for continuing on this journey. Indie authors depend on reviews to get the word out on our books. If you find it appropriate and wouldn’t mind posting a review, I’d be grateful.
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In Adventure,
JT Sawyer
Additional Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Titles by JT Sawyer
Hell Week: SEALs vs. Zombies
Until Morning Comes
Non-Fiction Survival eBooks by Tony Nester (aka JT Sawyer)
When the Grid Goes Down
Survival Gear You Can Live With
Bug-Out Gear for Travelers
Bushcraft Tips & Tools
A Vehicle Survival Kit You Can Live With
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