by Joel Baker
He meandered through the cavernous building, making sure the truck was still sitting undisturbed. It was covered by a brown canvas drop cloth. The large boxy truck weighed just over six tons. It had a small living area behind the cab. It allowed construction crews to stay at a work site until a job was done. It was designed to house two men comfortably, or three in a pinch.
A window connected the living area to the cab. The back third of the truck was for storage and contained a mini-shop complete with workbenches. Jesse planned to remove everything but the benches.
Once he had checked on the truck, Jesse returned to his office. He sat down at his old desk, and out of habit, picked up the telephone. Like everything else, the phone was dead. Jesse wondered what he would have done if there had been a dial tone.
He looked up and spotted the framed check hanging on the wall. It was the first check the company had received. It was for thirty two dollars and twelve cents.
He’d fixed a window for Jim Handley at his hardware store. Sarah had decided to frame the check, even though at the time, they weren’t sure how they would pay next month’s rent.
He and Sarah celebrated that night. It resulted in their baby boy. When Mark was four years old, he’d ask his mother where he came from. Sarah told him he’d come from Handley Hardware. Jesse smiled as he locked the door and headed towards home.
That evening Jesse asked Mark to help carry more of the neighbor’s house up the driveway before they lost all daylight. They used the lumber to heat the house. They threw the last of the rafters on the pile of lumber. Both sat on the edge of the front porch in the gathering darkness and rested.
“I haven’t seen Cole for a few days,’ Jesse said. “I’m starting to worry about him. Have you seen him around?”
Mark laughed.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Mark said. “I see him all the time.”
“Around here?” Jesse asked.
“Dad,” Mark said. “I see him all the time around here.”
“Yeah, sure you do,” Jesse said. “Just yell out when you see him next time.”
“He’s under those pine trees right now,” Mark said, pointing towards the front of house.
Jesse glanced towards the tall pine trees clustered in the corner of their yard. He saw a figure crouched by the trunks low beneath the limbs.
“The third tree down?” Jesse asked.
“That’s him,” Mark said.
“Why don’t you go see if you can get Cole to join us for supper?” Jesse asked. “He’s probably hungry, sitting under that tree.”
“Gees, do I have to?” Mark asked. “He gives me the creeps. He never talks. He’s always sneaking around. When he looks at you, well, it’s like nobody’s home.”
“I think he’s lonely,” Jess said. “I think he remembers when you were little. He hangs around just to be close to us. We probably remind him of his family. I’d like for you to go invite him for supper.”
Jesse got up and walked into the house. He looked out the window and saw Mark get up and walk towards the pine trees that lined the front yard.
After dinner, Jesse invited Cole and Mark outside for a talk. The sun was down and the temperature dropping fast. The moon appeared in the darkened sky and the silver light glistened off of the snow. The crunch of the snow on a bitter cold night accented the cloud of steam hanging in the still air from their breath.
“Cole,” Jesse said. “We spotted some dogs running across the alley by the hardware store yesterday. Did you see any sign of them?”
“Yeah,” Cole said. “I saw them a few days ago. I know where they’re staying too.”
“Where are they staying?” Mark asked.
“They’re living under the old pharmacy by Handley’s hardware,” Cole said. “Someone must have left the outside cellar door open.”
“Can you take care of them?” Jesse asked.
“Sure,” Cole said. “I’ve just have to figure out how best to go about it. See, the dogs are too well fed. There must be five or six adults and a litter of pups.”
“What do you mean ‘too well fed’?” Mark asked, stomping his feet against the cold.
Cole glanced at Mark.
“I snuck up on them outside the hardware store,” Cole said. “The pups were out and playing tug of war with a red flannel shirt.”
“So?” Mark asked.
“There was still an arm in one sleeve,” Cole said, looking away from Mark and Jesse.
The answer hung frozen in the brittle air.
“Cole,” Jesse said. “Some scavengers are camped west of town. Don’t take those dogs out or do anything to attract attention until they leave
“They’re gone, Mr. Colter,” Cole said. “I watched them leave late this afternoon, heading west. Sorry looking bunch too. There must have been seven or eight or them. They had a rattletrap pickup truck.”
“Something else you should know,” Cole said. “The scavengers left some stuff that makes me think they’ll be back. It looked like a stash to me.”
Jesse looked at the moon and watched the clouds skitter across the face thinking that they might have to move up the time table for the move.
“Did you go through the stuff they left?” Jesse asked.
“Not yet,” Cole said. “I’ll take a run out there tomorrow.”
“Good,” Jesse said. “Make sure everything we can’t use is destroyed. In fact, burn the place to the ground. No reason to leave anything for them to use.”
He and Sarah were still uncertain if they should tell Cole about their plans to leave.
“Do you have a warm place to sleep tonight?” Jesse asked. “You’re welcome to stay with us.”
Mark glanced quickly at his dad, and then looked away.
“I’m fine, Mr. Colter,” Cole replied.
“Do you need help with the dogs?” Jesse asked.
“No,” Cole said. “I got it covered. Thanks for the meal, Mr. Colter. See you later Mark.”
Cole turned and smiled as he headed down the driveway. Jesse stood for a few moments thinking about Cole’s smile as he watched him disappear around the corner. He thought there was something unnatural about the smile. Then it hit him. It was his eyes. They were the eyes of an old man. They were the eyes of Jacob Warner.
Chapter 4
Jesse stood on the front porch watching the weather rapidly deteriorate. The first week of February had brought with it a false spring thaw. Breezes had softened and warmed. It had melted most of the snow. Winter was now returning with a vengeance. The temperature had dropped twenty degrees in the past two hours, and the snow was beginning to spit again.
Everyone was anxious to get on the road. Jesse and the boys had made another pass through town to check all the empty buildings for canned goods, guns, ammunition, or anything else they could use. They’d found nothing. Jesse glanced over and saw Sarah had joined him on the porch.
“How goes the sorting?” Jesse asked.
Sarah and Lily were sifting through the family’s possessions for what would be loaded into the truck for the trip and what stayed. Sarah did not appear happy.
“We’ve got a system,” Sarah said. “But this is just impossible.”
“What system?” Jesse asked.
“Well, we made three stacks,” Sarah said. “One is the ‘Goes’ pile, the second’s the ‘Stays’ pile, and the third’s the ‘Shouldn’t Go, but I just can’t bear to Leave It’ pile.”
“What’s the problem?” Jesse asked.
“Everything is ending up in the third pile,” Sarah said.
“The truck’s about finished,” Jesse said, laughing. “Why don’t you come and take a look at it?”
“I don’t know,” Sarah said. “Just not enough hours in the day, I guess. Maybe I’ll try to later. Are you coming in?”
Jesse looked up at the snow as the wind picked up.
“Not just yet,” Jesse said. “I think I’ll go for a walk around town. Is Mark inside?”
�
�I’ll send him out,” Sarah said. “Do you have anything Paul can do? He’s driving Lily and me crazy.”
“Sure,” Jesse said. “Have him start cutting wood to length for the stoves. We’re really low.”
By the time Jesse and Mark returned from their walk the snow had really picked up. Paul seemed upset about being left at the house. Jesse and Mark spent the rest of the afternoon helping Paul stack wood next to the house.
That night the kids fell asleep in front of the stove in the living room. Outside it continued to snow. The bitter wind howled as the snow whirled and cascaded into drifts. Sarah and Jesse stood with an arm around each other’s waist and gazed out of the window at the deepening snow.
“This is some storm isn’t it?” Sarah asked.
“I just hope it’s one of the last,” Jesse said. “I’m really concerned about getting out of here. I’m worried about Cole too. What’s going to happen to him when we leave?”
“I think we should ask him to go with us,” Sarah said.
“Me too,” Jesse said. “I hate the thought of leaving him here all alone. I think he’s getting better too.”
“That may be wishful thinking by both of us,” Sarah said. “But I agree. We can’t leave him here all by himself. You talk to him. See if he wants to leave with us.”
Jesse nodded. He wondered if asking Cole to go with them was going to be something they would regret. The wind moaned through the eaves sending a shiver down his spine.
****
The rest of that week crept by with more snow and cold. Chopping wood and fetching water kept Jesse and the boys busy. Finally, the snow stopped and the sun came out with a cold glare. Jesse knew his talk with Paul was overdue. Jesse took his rifle and called Mark and Paul outside.
“Paul, would you like to go with us on our walk today?” Jesse asked.
“You bet!” Paul said.
“Go get your rifle and let’s go,” Jesse said.
Paul raced for the house and tore through the front door.
.
“Are you and mom sure about this, Dad?” Mark asked.
“Paul is getting older and wants to be a part of what we do, Jesse said. “If we look after him, he’ll be alright. We’ll go slow and stay away from the more dangerous areas.”
Paul raced back out of the house. Jesse made sure Paul understood he was carrying a loaded weapon. They’d walked about three blocks when Jesse stopped in the middle of the snowy street. He slowly scanned the empty houses.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Paul asked.
“I’m not sure Paul, maybe nothing,” Jesse said. “I want you to work on being quiet and listening. We all need to learn to be more aware of what’s going on around us. Our lives may depend on your ability to spot something out of place, not quite right. Now look around and tell me if anything appears out place.”
Paul studied the houses and street for signs.
“Well, did you spot anything?” Jesse asked.
Paul raised his hand.
“I noticed footprints in the snow from that house to the next one.” Paul said, pointing at a house across from where they stood.
“You don’t have to raise your hand, Paul.” Jesse said. “What else?”
“It looks like the tracks skipped the houses that look lived in,” Paul said, smiling proudly.
“Mark, what does that tell you?” Jesse asked.
“It tells me Cole’s been out sneaking around,” Mark said, smiling.
“You might be right,” Jesse said. “But if your mother’s or Lily’s life depended on it, and they just might, how sure are you that those prints are Cole’s?”
Mark looked a little embarrassed and nodded his head.
“Good. Now come with me,” Jesse said.
He walked over to the prints in the snow followed by the two boys. Jesse bent over and looked closely. Mark and Paul did the same.
“Okay, guys,” Jesse said. “What do you see?”
Both Mark and Paul hesitated.
“There are two different sets of footprints,” Mark said.
“What makes you think so?” Jesse asked.
“They’re different sizes,” Mark said
“What else?” Jesse asked.
“They’re headed in the same direction?” Paul ventured.
“What else?” Jesse asked.
Both boys studied the footprints intently as Jesse waited. Neither boy could find anything else.
“In order to see, you’ve got to look,” Jesse said. “Here’s what I see. Two men, one large and one small, walked this way. One was Cole, and he was tracking the big guy. The big guy came by the day before yesterday, and Cole followed his tracks yesterday. The big guy was hurt.”
“How can you tell all that?” Mark asked, with doubt in his voice.
“Well, first look closely at the two sets of prints,” Jesse said. “The bigger set is pressed deeper in the snow. We know the big guy’s a lot heavier. I know the smaller set’s Cole because I marked the bottom of his shoes. Look closely. See that little X mark where the tread shows up in the smaller print? I cut that X myself. Take a minute and look closely at the bottom of your own shoes. Do it now.”
Both boys sat, and peered at the bottom of their shoes.
“I see it. I got three little dashes up by the toe,” Mark said.
“I got four little dashes on mine,” Paul said.
“That’s right boys,” Jesse said. “Your mother has two dashes and my shoe’s marked with one dash. When I was young, my friends and I used to track each other as a game in the woods. I used to mark their shoes when they didn’t know it. That way, I could always look at a print and tell whose it was. It may be important, so remember it.”
Mark thought for a minute.
“Lily has five dashes doesn’t she?” Mark asked.
“You got it, Mark,” Jesse said, with some satisfaction.
“Didn’t your friends think that was cheating?” Paul asked.
“I never told them and they thought I was a genius,” Jesse said. “It was a definite advantage. But Paul, I want you to take this to heart. This is no game. It’s serious business. One of us could get hurt or killed. On our trip we may meet some really bad guys, maybe some good ones too. But until we can know one way or another, we’ll have to assume they’re all bad. No exceptions.”
“How did you know that Cole was tracking the big guy, and when they came through here?” Mark asked.
“Look closely at the big print. Then look at the smaller print. Which has more snow in them?”
“The big print,” Paul said.
“You’re right. Different snow means he came through earlier. How much snow did we get last night?” Jesse asked.
“Just a dusting,” Mark answered.
“Right again. In order to have more than a dusting, the big guy must have come through before yesterday. Cole’s print has just a dusting of snow in it. So he came through yesterday. You have to use everything you know when you look.”
Dad, you said the big guy was hurt,” Mark said.
“I think so,” Jesse said. “Focus only on the big prints. Try to ignore Cole’s prints entirely. You have to focus to do it. Tell me if you notice anything.”
Both boys stared at the tracks intently. Mark said, “I see it. I see a line in the snow. Every time the big guy takes a step with his right leg, there’s a faint line, like he’s dragging his right foot when he swings it forward.”
“Very good, Mark,” Jesse said. “But there’s something else. Look at the difference in the distance between the steps he takes with his left foot and his right foot. The big guy’s definitely limping,” Jesse said.
“Do you think Cole caught up with the man?” Paul asked, deep in thought.
“He may have,” Jesse said. “I don’t know for sure. We need to talk about Cole anyway. You know that Cole has problems. There may or may not be something seriously wrong with Cole. But I don’t believe for a minute Cole would ever hurt us. Do you? “
Both Mark and Paul shook their heads no.
“Neither does your mother,” Jesse said. “We think he’s adopted our family in his own way. But I want to make this clear. If I ever think we’re in danger from anyone, even Cole, I’ll kill them like I would a mad dog.”
“I understand, Dad,” Paul said, nodding his head solemnly.
“Good,” Jesse said. “I want us to work out some ground rules. Never ever leave the house without your weapon. If you encounter trouble, hide. If you can’t hide, run. If you can’t run, fight. And Paul, this fight has no rules.”
Paul nodded his head in understanding.
“Study how Cole stays out of sight,” Jesse said. “No more wandering down the middle of the street. Lastly, never ever let your mom or sister out of the house, unless you or your brother’s with them. We have a month, maybe two, before we leave Liberty. I want everyone in that truck when we pull out of here. So be smart. Adapt. These are hard times, and by God we’re going to survive. Paul, it’s time to grow up. I’m sorry, but it’s got to be that way. Do you understand?” Jesse looked at his youngest son.
“I do,” Paul answered.
“Good,” Jesse smiled. “Now Paul, what would you like to do?”
“Follow the tracks,” Paul said.
“Are you sure you want to know where the tracks lead?” Jesse asked.
Paul stood and followed the tracks in the snow. Jesse and Mark trailed behind.
Chapter 5
The only snow that remained outside Jesse’s office was piled back under pine trees. It was a hard dirty hill encrusted with ice. Evenings in early April normally were in the forties. Tonight a warm breeze from the south remained. The fresh air smelled of the potential for spring and new growth.
Inside the shop, Jesse and Paul stood studying the truck.
“This has to be the ugliest truck I’ve ever seen,” Jesse said.
He walked up close to the truck and examined the camouflage paint job. Brown, green, and black intermixed in big blotches to simulate light and shade. The roof of the truck was a shooting blind made from sheets of re-enforced steel. The shooter would have a full circle field of vision and from ten feet in the air. Jesse knew they were not going to outrun any anybody, but the truck would give pursuers something to think about.
