Exodus

by Michael R. Watson

  Damon dismounted and handed his reins to one of the guards. He circled the two men, smiling the entire time.

  “This is your rescue party?” he asked, looking up at Ryder. “I’m surprised. I thought you would have more friends.”

  “Are there any more of you hiding nearby?” Damon asked the two men.

  Cole stared back with rage in his eyes, and then spat on the ground.

  Ryder had an idea of how this was going to end. He couldn’t pull his eyes from the bloody bodies of the other fallen Raiders, collected and thrown into a pile. His outrage was growing.

  “What are you going to do with these men?” asked Ryder, referring to the prisoners.

  “We don’t have the time to waste on them,” replied Damon. Without the slightest hesitation, he pulled his revolver and shot the two men one after the other in the back of the head. Johnson had stopped long enough to witness the executions.

  Ryder attempted to leap off his horse to get at Damon, but was held fast by one of the other Guard. He knew what Damon was capable of doing, but seeing him actually commit cold-blooded murder was unexpected. He now had a new and deeper hatred for the man. “I’m going to kill you for that!” vowed Ryder.

  Damon mounted back into his saddle. “Too bad you’ll never get the opportunity. Master Peck, let’s move out!”

  “Aren’t you going to bury them?” asked Ryder. “You can’t just leave them like this,” he pleaded.

  “Why not? They won’t mind.”

  ***

  Ryder rode in silence the rest of the day, only able to think about the images of the pile of bodies and of Damon murdering those two men. Men he assumed had been attempting to help him. Ultimately, again, he was to blame for senseless deaths. Why had so few come to his aid? It couldn’t have been Darby’s doing. He would have been with them and there would have been more men with him. Something didn’t seem right. Then he wondered if that was going to be the one and only attempt. He couldn’t believe that it was. Whether it was or not, he couldn’t afford to waste time worrying about it, he still had to do everything in his power to prevent or at least delay Damon and the Guard from reaching Paradise. He needed to stay alert and be ready if given a second opportunity to escape.

  Damon, sensing Ryder’s dark mood, had his bindings checked frequently. He couldn’t afford to lose the only bargaining chip he had with him.

  As the sun began to set, Damon gave the word to stop and make camp for the night, having Master Peck assign lookouts around the camp.

  Ryder recognized the place. This was where he and the Raiders, with a little help from his dad, had stopped the Guards previously.

  ***

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Samuel pulled back on the reins after they passed through the narrow hidden entrance to the valley. Hard to locate, only a few knew how to find the valley. He and Eli took in the beautiful panoramic view with smiles of pleasure.

  “It’s so peaceful coming here,” commented Samuel. “It’s still like the first time I saw it with my father.”

  “It’s never going to be the same again now that Daniel, John, and their families are here,” reminded Eli.

  “I know. It’s a little bittersweet, but they deserve a fresh start. They’re good people.”

  “I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. There is a lot of satisfaction in making something with your own hands.” He paused. “But, I’m too old to go through all that work they’ll be doing.”

  Samuel looked at him and smiled. “You’re not any older than I am.”

  “I know.” He returned the smile.

  Samuel flicked the reins and they began to move again.

  “You know, Daniel would be crazy to leave this place to go fight against the Guard,” said Eli.

  “A little crazy may be just what we need.”

  Samuel guided the horse toward a smoke column rising from a grove of trees. They had to cross a shallow meandering stream with clear, inviting, and slow-moving water. As they neared the trees, a small lake with a mirror-like surface appeared off to their left. It was a beautiful setting for a new homestead.

  Paradise had been acquired during the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889. This valley had been purchased in the late 1930s by Samuel’s great grandfather at a foreclosure sale. Many properties had been auctioned off as a result of the Dust Bowl. The land had been cheap at the time with many of the landowners abandoning their properties, some to move back east to be with family, and others to go west where they’d been told there were jobs. The farmland surrounding the valley became useless after losing most of its topsoil and gaining deposits of sand up to six feet thick. The annual rainfall had been less than ten inches per year, less than half of what was necessary to raise crops of any kind. Those were the dust bowl days, also known as the dirty thirties. Black Sunday had occurred on April 14, 1935 with dust clouds up to a mile high. There hadn’t been any relief from the drought until 1939. Land prices had been driven down to almost nothing. Samuel was amazed at his great-grandfather’s optimism and foresight to acquire the property, seeing past the conditions of the day.

  As they approached, they saw one cabin at the edge of the trees, not too far from the lake. A corral and a lean-to had also been constructed with a small garden plot close to the cabin. Now, they could clearly see the families at work. Samuel was happy to see them working together, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. He was glad that John and Daniel had put their past differences aside to make a fresh start. The two men were busy constructing a second cabin while Adam, Aaron, and Christopher were at the edge of the clearing, chopping down more trees and trimming off the limbs. It appeared Donna and Sarah were preparing a mid-day meal as Cindy tended the fire.

  With the noise the boys were making and the clatter and chatter around the fire, no one heard or noticed the buggy until it had come to a stop. The sudden appearance of the wagon and its occupants startled the women momentarily until they recognized the visitors. Then broad smiles spread across their faces as they dropped what they were doing and ran to greet them. Samuel and Eli barely had a chance to step off the buggy before they were overrun.

  “Samuel! It’s so good to see you,” said Sarah, running up and wrapping her arms around him. He was completely caught off guard. Cindy also gave him a hug. Their family had become good friends with Samuel and Emma at Paradise. “Hello, Eli,” Sarah said, shaking his hand.

  The men and boys came running too, the entire group surrounding their guests.

  “Welcome, Samuel, Eli!” said Daniel, shaking the hand of each vigorously. “It’s good to see you both.”

  The children threw out a barrage of questions, with neither Samuel nor Eli being given a chance to answer. It had been more than a month since the families had left Paradise valley and hadn’t seen anyone from there since then. They had been so busy since their arrival they hadn’t had time to miss them. Not until now.

  “It looks like you folks have matters well in hand,” observed Samuel. “Everything going all right?”

  “Couldn’t be better,” said John. Nods of agreement came from the others.

  “I’m awfully happy to hear it. Glad you came?”

  Smiles and exchanged looks were followed by more nods. John and Daniel had found that they had more in common than either would have guessed, and they worked well together. Sarah and Donna had hit it off from the very beginning and so had their children. Christopher, Cindy, Aaron, and Adam had become immediate friends with Aaron and Adam beginning to compete for Cindy’s attention at every opportunity. Christopher couldn’t understand it. The match of the two families had been a good one.

  “I see you’ve been busy. One cabin completed and another one started. It’ll probably be a while before your garden produces anything, so how about a little extra grub to help you along?” said Samuel, pointing at a few boxes in the back of the buggy. “Can you boys grab those?”

  “We’ve just about got lunch ready,” said Sarah. “You must be hungry. Why don’t we go
over and sit by the fire?”

  The boys each grabbed a box and followed the others. They all took seats around the fire on rough hewn benches the boys had made. There was a brief awkward moment of silence.

  “It’s really good to see you both,” began John, “and we really appreciate the supplies, but what’s the real reason you’re here?” He had a feeling there was more to their visit.

  Samuel and Eli exchanged glances, waiting for the other one to begin to explain. Samuel took a deep breath. “We need your help.”

  “You need help from us?” asked Daniel with surprise. His face transformed slowly to a serious look when a realization came to him. “What’s happened?”

  “The governor has taken Levi and Ryder prisoner and he’s holding them inside his compound.”

  “How did that happen?” John asked with disbelief.

  “Levi went to collect supplies at the facility just like we’ve been doing since Ryder was there. It seems they’ve had a change of manpower.”

  “They probably did that after the Guard let me and my family go,” assumed Daniel.

  “And when Ryder tried to rescue him, they caught him too,” continued Samuel.

  Eli added, “We think Governor Davis is going to try to use them as leverage to take over Paradise valley.”

  “I’m so sorry, Samuel,” offered Sarah.

  “We’re all sorry, Samuel, but what can we do?” asked John.

  Samuel looked directly at Daniel. “We were hoping you could help us. You know the governor, his counselor, and the Guard.”

  Donna grabbed hold of Daniel’s arm, looking up at him with a sadness and anxiety, but remained silent. She didn’t want him to go, but didn’t want to influence his decision. It would have to be his choice whether or not to help.

  Everyone around the fire was now looking at Daniel, curious of how he would respond.

  “I put all that behind me, we all did, to have a new beginning.”

  Donna’s expression relaxed.

  “I know. That’s why it was so hard to come here,” said Samuel. “I understand. I’m not going to try to talk you into anything.” He paused. “We should probably head back so we can get there before dark.”

  “Not before you’ve had something to eat,” said Sarah, standing and walking to the fire, followed by Donna and Cindy. They could be heard whispering back and forth.

  Donna brought over a couple of bowls of a stew to Samuel and Eli. The others helped themselves and then they all fell silent as they ate. Samuel and Eli quickly finished, setting their bowls down.

  “Thank you, ladies,” said Samuel. “That was very fine rabbit stew. But we really need to be going.”

  “It was good to see all of you again,” replied Eli. “We’ll continue to pray for your success here.”

  As Samuel braced himself to stand, Daniel spoke up, “Wait!”

  Samuel relaxed back onto his seat.

  “We wouldn’t have this second chance if it hadn’t been for you,” acknowledged Daniel.

  “It was the least I could do after inviting you there and then the others demanding you leave. You don’t owe us a thing,” said Samuel.

  “I think I do.” Daniel turned to Donna. “They need my help,” he said, more as a question than a statement, looking for her approval.

  She was silent for a moment, staring into his eyes, then smiled and nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

  “What do you think about this, John?” Daniel asked.

  They had become friends in a short amount of time and he was looking forward to their families building a new life there together. John didn’t want to appear selfish, but this could disrupt all their plans if something happened to Daniel. But he understood Daniel’s need to repay a debt.

  “Daniel, do whatever you need to do,” he said.

  “Hold on,” said Samuel. “You don’t understand. I’m not asking you to leave your new home. I’m here to ask for your advice. Give us the benefit of your experience. We’re going to have help from the Raiders. They’re gathering together right now.”

  “I can’t tell you what to do,” said Daniel. “If I agree to help, I need to be right there. I do know the governor and his counselor and what they’re willing to do to get what they want. I’m sure there are a few who will follow the governor’s orders without question, but most were good men caught in a bad situation, just looking for a way to take care of their families.”

  “Like you?” asked Samuel.

  Daniel nodded.

  “It’s going to be tricky getting your boys out of the compound,” admitted Daniel. “My biggest obstacle will be getting inside.”

  “Dad,” interjected Adam, “getting inside won’t be a problem.” Aaron nodded agreement, knowing what his brother was thinking.

  “And how’s that?” Daniel asked.

  “Remember? Before you changed the plan, we made copies of the keys so we could get out through the lower level.” Adam pulled out a ring of keys from his pocket and dangled them in the air. “With these we can gain access through the hatch outside the fence and enter into the lower level.”

  “I’d forgotten all about that,” he said. “Those keys will be a big help, boys. The next obstacle will be the guards. Since I had a pretty good relationship with them when I was there, my best chance will be if some of those same men are still there. If not, things could go south fast.”

  “You keep saying ‘I’. You should know I’m not letting you go alone,” proclaimed John.

  “I appreciate the thought, John, but I’ll have a better chance of success by doing this alone.”

  “Sorry, Daniel, no can do,” argued John. “I’m going and that’s all there is to it. You’re going to need someone to watch your back.”

  Sarah gave her husband a concerned but approving nod and Daniel smiled at his new friend, accepting his offer, not wanting to argue about it anymore.

  “We’re going, aren’t we?” asked Aaron.

  Donna let out a gasp, but remained silent, tightening her grip on Daniel’s arm and looking up at him.

  “No, you boys are not going. It’s going to be too dangerous. Your mother needs you with her.”

  “Dad, we can help,” insisted Adam. “We know the lower level probably better than anyone else there.”

  “Remember, I lived and worked there, too,” Daniel reminded them.

  “But how much time did you spend in the lower level?” challenged Aaron. “We worked down there on a daily basis. Did you know there are two secret passageways into the upper level? Or where they are?”

  Daniel was silent momentarily as he was genuinely caught off guard. They probably did know their way around better than he did. Maybe they could be of use. But, he would have to keep an eye on them constantly to keep them safe.

  “Do you boys even know what the word ‘no’ means?” he asked, with a hint of a smile slipping out.

  “Yes, sir!” they said. “We just weren’t sure you really meant it,” added Aaron, elbowing his brother.

  Daniel looked at his wife for her approval. They were almost grown, smart, and he had personally trained them to take care of themselves, but they still had a lot to learn.

  I know it’ll be dangerous, Daniel,” said Donna, “but we can’t protect them forever. I see how important this is to them, so, if they want to help, let it be their decision. Besides, you’ll be there to make sure nothing happens to them.”

  Broad smiles appeared on the boys’ faces, but quickly disappeared as they looked at their father’s serious face. They waited patiently in silence for his approval.

  “You have to do exactly what I say when I say it, no questions and no arguments. Understand?” he asked.

  The smiles returned. “Yes, sir!”

  Samuel and Eli had remained silent through the discussion, praying silently that they would have some form of help by the time they left. The longer the governor had Levi and Ryder, the more likely they could be seriously injured or worse.

  “It w
ould appear you have your help,” announced Daniel.

  “Thank you!” said Samuel, followed by a quick agreement from Eli. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me.” He took John and Daniel’s hands and shook them vigorously. “We’ll tell the others what you’re doing when we get back. On your way, please stop by Paradise, we could have more information by then.”

  “We’ll do that,” said Daniel. “We’ll put some things together and head that way. Could you have a fresh horse ready for us when we get there?”

  “Of course. And thank you again. Emma will be very happy. So, we’ll see you tomorrow,” said Samuel, “and thank you, ladies, for letting us borrow your men.”

  The women remained silent, not really wanting their men and boys to go, but understanding why they needed to. They realized there was the real possibility that one or more of them wouldn’t be coming back alive. As the men stepped up into the buggy, waves were exchanged before turning back to Paradise.

  John turned to Daniel, whispering, “Do you think we can pull this off?”

  “I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I didn’t think we could.”

  “That’s good enough for me,” said John.

  “Boys, start getting ready to leave,” instructed Daniel.

  “What about me?” asked Cindy. “I want to help, too.”

  “And me?” asked Christopher.

  “You’re both going to stay here,” said their dad. “Cindy, you can help your mother and Donna. There’s still a lot to do around here. And Christopher, you need to stay to protect our wives and your sister. Keep everyone safe. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” Pleasantly surprised, there was no argument.

  ***

  Damon bound Ryder’s hands and feet and placed him near the campfire. He couldn’t help the temptation to rub Ryder’s nose in his current situation.