The No Where Apocalypse (Book 2): Surviving No Where (19 page)

Standing by the front window, back on guard duty, Lettie stopped next to me.

“I hate to mention this, Bob,” she began quietly, “but you’re going to need to make at least one trip back to old smoky today for food. Two if possible. You can grab some 45 ammo too. But we’re going to be mighty hungry by breakfast tomorrow if you don’t get down there today.”

I nodded my agreement, still focused on the snow-covered road. “I’ll get on that right away. Should I take someone with me, you think?”

I heard her sigh. “You’ll travel faster by yourself. Trip back is gonna suck, weighted down by food. And you can’t use a cart in this snow.”

I checked our cabin mates. Daisy, Libby, and Marge were busy inspecting the cold storage bedroom. From the looks of things, it was still mighty chilly. Nate and Violet had dug out a deck of cards and were embattled in a noisy game of ‘Go Fish.’ None hung their heads any longer. All seemed to be ready to give their best effort to make this work.

I reached for my coat. I was going to make this work.

Year 4 - Spring - WOP

By the time I made a single trip back and forth to our old place, the trees hid the sun. Soon another night would be upon us. My insides rolled, worrying of another attack.

It was almost dark when I made my final trip to the woodpile. Deciding it was easier to stack what I thought we’d need for the evening inside, meant I wouldn’t have to venture into the cold night air at all.

Not so far away, a wolf howled at the moonless sky. I studied the stars, wondering where Dizzy had found a new home amongst them. Sadness filled my soul.

My first real friend in No Where was gone; taken from the others and me by a group of cold-blooded murderers. Not a day had gone by since I made the man’s acquaintance had I not thought of him, or at least seen him. He was one of a kind. A friend you could always count on, even at the end of the world.

Dizzy wouldn’t be one for tears and carrying on. Still, I couldn’t help but shed a few of my own, surveying the Milky Way Galaxy, so prominent in this place. Even when the power was still on, so many years back, the lack of ambient light made it a nightly feature in our sky.

Now my friend was amongst the stars. Gone from his earthly bonds forever. Lucky bastard.

Turning for the door, I notice movement in the woods. Instinctively, I raised the rifle and pointed at the brush. For a number of tense moments I stared and listened as whatever was out there moved through the woods.

When it stepped into the open, some thirty yards from me, I lowered the rifle.

“Nice to see you again, Chester,” I called to the wolf. “Sorry I haven’t been around much lately. Been kind of busy.”

He seemed to take no offense to my prior absence. I watched as he stopped and twisted his massive head my way. If it hadn’t have been so dark, I’m sure we would have made eye contact.

Slowly, he lumbered back in the brush, his ‘hi, how are you’ completed. Rubbing my chin, I sighed, tears filling my eyes.

“Maybe I’ll change your name,” I whispered mostly to myself. “I think I’m going to call you Dizzy from now on. If that’s all right with you?”

Any sign of him had vanished in the brush. I decided Chester didn’t care what I called him, not so long as I shared the occasional kill with his family.

Inside, after dinner, Marge tucked Violet, Libby, and Nate into the bed in the back room. Though it was chilly, they complained, the extra wool blankets seemed to calm their gripes.

Marge and Daisy would share the couch. Lettie insisted on sleeping in a chair. She was old, she claimed; didn’t really need a bed to sleep any more.

I took my spot by the window, settling into a hard chair. Staying awake would be easier that way, though my body begged for rest.

Marge would take my place sometime in the middle of the night. Either when she woke up, or Lettie caught me sleeping on the job. I would take her resting spot and snuggle in next to Daisy for some much needed sleep.

My thoughts returned to the prior day, mostly the night. Attackers sprang when we were most vulnerable. I was gone, along with Daisy and Libby. If I had been there, perhaps it would have turned out differently. Maybe we would have stood a fighting chance.

Dizzy was dead because of me. I couldn’t shake the feeling.

A plan began to form in my weary mind. Something I could do; something I had to do. If for no other reason, for Dizzy.

Later, still lost in my thoughts, I heard sounds behind me. Blankets rustled, a creak from a piece of furniture, and an exhausted yawn. My relief was coming to the rescue.

When I turned, I noticed it was Lettie.

“Wanna talked about it?” she asked, pulling a chair beside me.

“Nothing to talk about,” I replied, knowing she wouldn’t agree with any of my ideas.

“You know why a bear is a bear?”

I gazed at her, too tired to understand. I shrugged.

“Because he knows he’s a bear,” she added. “Human nature is really easy once you see the seedy side of things. And I’ve seen plenty of that in my life.”
 

Shaking my head, I stared back at the empty wilderness. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about, Lettie.”

I heard her chuckle softly. “I see it in your face. I know what you’re thinking,” she paused, laying a cold hand on mine. “Revenge ain’t gonna bring Dizzy back. Nothing will. So if you’re set on something, and it’s all because of him, don’t do it. You’ll just get yourself killed.”

Maybe she was a mind reader, or perhaps someone who’d seen enough, as she had said.

“It’s not just Dizzy,” I admitted, my eyes still fixed outward. “It’s us. We’re not safe. Not as long as they’re out there.”

I noticed her head nodding in her reflection.

“Now is not a good time,” she added. “Not good at all.”

I turned, angry with her. “Now is the only time, Lettie. Strike while the iron is hot.”

She grinned. “Revenge is a dish best served cold. Put that cliché in your pipe and smoke it.”

“What would you have me do?” I demanded. “Just sit around and wait for the next attack? One where they kill every last one of us?”

“Patience, Bob, patience. In the winter, with all this snow, they’ll see you coming from two miles away. Wait until spring, when the leaves are out…” She nodded several times. “…At least you’ll have that advantage.”

I tossed a hand at her idea. “I’m not waiting. Not another six to eight weeks.”

“And that’s exactly what they’re expecting,” she countered. “You go now, and they’ll be ready.”

“I can follow their tracks in the snow,” I countered. “It’ll lead me right to them. By spring, I won’t have any idea where they are.”

Raising a hand to her face, she rubbed away the remainder of her sleep. “But old man Wilson will. He knows everything that goes on up here. He knows everyone…even this Clyde fellow. He’ll point you right to him.”

I wanted to strike now, tomorrow if possible. But deep inside I knew Lettie was right.

“So you don’t have a problem with me going after them?” I asked, watching her eyes for any sign of disagreement.

“It’s a fool’s errand,” she whispered. “But one that must be done. And you’re probably the best person for it.”

“Then its set,” I said, returning my focus to the winter scene outside my front window. “Come spring, I’m going after them. And I’m going to stay on them until I kill every last one of them.”

Lettie squeezed my hands one last time. “May God have mercy on their souls,” she added quietly, “every last one of them.”

I peeked at her again. “I hope God has mercy on my soul as well, Lettie.”

She nodded and I mirrored her gesture. And we sat quietly, watching as the snow began to fall.

                          
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