The Second Intelligent Species: The Cyclical Earth (28 page)

Marcos, the newly designated scout, ran faster, farther and longer than anyone else in the group. He marked the road with stones for us to follow. When he found a good place to camp, he’d gather wood and look for food. The rest of us would catch up. Sometimes he’d have food, most times not. Occasionally cans of food or headless turtles were left in the middle of the road instead of stone markers.

“As much as I hate riding on this thing, I do like the idea of holding your hand while we walk. Do you know we haven’t held hands since before we were married? Why did we stop?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Just kind of grew out of it I guess.”

“You did. I didn’t.” Beth squeezed harder on my hand. “You know I really love you.”

“I love you too, babe.”

“Do you know what I love most about you?” she asked.

“My good looks?” To tell the truth, I hadn’t looked at myself in a mirror since this started. I wasn’t even sure what I looked like anymore. I rubbed my beard and tried to imagine.

“Not even close,” she joked. “I’ve always felt safe with you. Even when everything shit to bed, you saved me. You saved me the day I met you. You changed my life. Now I’m having your baby. I couldn’t be prouder to be your wife. I want to have a family again, Nick. I miss my babies.” She started to cry. “I don’t want to lose this one too. I can’t take another loss.” She continued to sob.

Sarah brought Tara and Eve up to walk along Beth’s other side.

Beth let go of my hand to hold Tara’s.

“Mommy, ride?” Tara asked.

“No, you can walk. You’re a big girl now.” She held her hand on Tara’s head.

“Everything’s going to be fine. Sarah and Maria won’t let anything happen.” Trying to change the subject I asked, “Do you think I can be a good dad?”

“I know you will.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Just watch Jorge. He’s a great dad.”

“Thank you.” Smiling as he turned, Jorge’s inattention caused a wheel to run over one of Marco’s stone markers.

Beth yelled out in pain. The cart had no shock absorbers. “You just keep walking straight up there, and try not to hit all the bumps please.”

“I didn’t do much with your kids. I was always afraid to cross boundaries. I felt they didn’t respect me and kept my distance. I’m scared about raising this one.”

“You’ll do fine. Marcos loves you. He shadows you like a dog.”

“I don’t know what I did to cause that. I always felt Marcos didn’t like me because I was always telling him what to do.”

“You were teaching him, hon, that’s what dads do.”

“I’m not his dad. Never wanted to be.”

“It’ll be ok.” She held her stomach. “I’ll help you.”

Jorge stopped in mid stride. “You’re going to have to get off.” He slipped out from underneath the straps leaving me holding Beth. She hadn’t time to dismount.

“What are you doing?” She asked as her feet hit the pavement.

Jorge ran up the road. We missed what he obviously saw from a distance. Once again he stomped on something with a killing force. “Got another one,” he yelled.

Pete and I walked up to see what he found. Another snake, but this one didn’t have a rattle.
The peculiar thing was that the serpent had been held down by two flat rocks. One blow from either stone could have killed it, but it was left there for Jorge, alive and easily found.

“Looks like we’re on the right path.” Pete laughed. “Maybe Marcos will have a fire started so we can cook George’s trophy.

Beth climbed back on, I hitched Jorge up and we were on our way again.

Chapter 43

Splitting Up

“Nick, we’ve got to find her some place dry and clean for her to have this baby.” According to Sarah’s calculations Beth was in her eighth month. “I’m not going to let her drop this kid beside the road.”

Our goal to find shelter and food to last a month or two seemed unreachable. Long distances between towns or houses, not to mention rivers or swamps made travelling long distances imperative. Sitting out the rain and only moving during dry days would cause our supplies to run out. We were eating food as fast as we found it.

“We’re wasting time going down roads leading us nowhere,” Sarah said. “Send the guys up ahead to find shelter.”

“I can’t do it. I have to stay with Beth.” In reality I couldn’t walk far without sitting down to take a break. I would lose my wind within the first half mile, and I couldn’t take Jorge’s place pulling Beth, I just didn’t have it in me.

Marcos took off in one direction, Pete in another. The rest of us huddled under the beaver-skin
tarp for one of them to return. Rain was an obstacle the scouts had to ignore.

While waiting, Beth’s water broke.

About halfway through the day, Pete came running back. “I found a granary. The building is still standing, and there should be plenty of rats and grain. I didn’t check it out or build a fire. As soon as I saw it I came back to get you.” He struggled to catch his breath.

“We can’t wait any longer. Take us to it,” Sarah ordered.

“We can’t leave Marcos behind,” I said as I threw pots and pans next to Beth on the gurney. “Pete did you mark the way?”

“Some of the way, but I forgot in a few places. But I can recognize it when I see it,” Pete said, ruling him out as the one who would stay and wait for Marcos.

I looked around. “Maria, do you mind waiting for him? He shouldn’t be too long.

Sarah never gave Maria time to speak. “No, Nick. I’m going to need her. You wait for him. There’s nothing you can do now. Wait here and get some sleep. You’re going to need it.

Maria spoke up. “Let’s not forget about Manny. And what if Jorge has to pee? Do you want to help him Nick?”

“Jorge, drive slow. You’re carrying my family with you. Watch out for traffic.” I smiled at Beth.
“I shouldn’t be far behind you. Wait for me if you can.”

All three nurses laughed in reflex.

“Yes, dear. I’ll hold it in until you get there. Give me a kiss. I’m sure you have a few hours.”

We kissed. “You wait for me, okay?” I patted her tummy and gave her another kiss.

The torchlight dimmed and darkness accompanied a feeling of complete isolation. The thought of following Marcos vanished after the first quarter mile, so I sat down and decided to wait for his return. I immediately started worrying about Beth. I knew she was in good hands, but still wanted to be there.

I also didn’t want to risk losing Marcos. Although he has been out on his own for months now, I didn’t want to take that chance.

Listening to the sounds around me, I noticed nothing but insects making a noise so loud one would think he were standing next to high tension electrical equipment, a constant buzz combined with several different octaves of humming. Chirps, clicks and whistles broke the monotony in no recognizable pattern. The drone of wings filled the sky, unseen, but still felt, as much as heard.

Memories flashed of a world long gone. Imagining how life was before was like trying to remember a dream hours after waking up. Each time I thought about people from the days of sunshine,
I would forget what they looked like as soon as I opened my eyes. Their features would disappear in the darkness. The memories since were difficult to erase. Mick’s face, the children’s blood in the snow, Beth and the preacher, all burned in my mind as I tried to sleep. I lay in the middle of the road so Marcos wouldn’t walk by me. The rains had washed the soot and ash off long ago, but the road was hard as ever. I couldn’t lie flat on my back. I couldn’t breathe. I tried to lie on my side, but my arm would fall asleep. I would doze off, then wake up, fall asleep again, only to toss and turn.

Bright light blinded me through closed eyelids. I held up my hand to block the sun, first time in weeks. I looked around at my surroundings. No sign of life for miles. Then down the road, I saw smoke in the distance. It was Marcos. He was on his way back. The black smoke of his torch left a trail lingering in the air as he ran. The ribbons of carbon disappeared, to be replaced by a dim long lazy flame. The sun vanished under cloud again, making his the only light left.

Chapter 44

Labor Day

“Where is everybody?” Marcos asked.

“Beth’s having the baby. They all went to a shelter with Pete. Come on. We have to get going. I need to be with Beth.”

“But I found some great signs. I know I could catch something if I go back.”

“Marcos, I can’t leave you. Pete says there should be food where they are.”

“But Nick, I know where possums are holed up. I found tons of poop. I’m not a little boy anymore you know.”

I looked at him and smiled. Patting him on the shoulder, I said, “No, you’ve grown up a lot lately.” I realized that I was a big part of that, and smiled wider. “Okay, but don’t be too long, and be careful. Do you think you could find your way back to the rest of us if I mark the road?” I didn’t want to leave him, but Beth needed me.

“I’ll be fine. Tell Beth I’ll be praying for her.”

I turned around. “Where did you learn that?”

“Maria taught me a few prayers and said if I prayed more, I would catch more animals. I tried
it and it works. I guess it might work for the baby…kinda.”

“I’ll tell her.” I left him and hurried along, checking every intersection for signs of the others, adding to the rocks shaped like an arrow marking our direction. There was no chance of Marcos getting lost. I would stop at every culvert to inspect for sign, and to catch my breath. If I found good sign, I’d mark it for him. He had more time to look it over and set traps if he thought it was promising.

Less than a mile after the last marker, the silhouette of a tower could be made out from the dim light released by the clouds. At first glimpse, I knew it wasn’t what Pete thought it was. Still I hurried uphill to get to Beth, listening for the sound of a newborn’s cry between each labored breath, (mine, not Beth’s). The pains were back, but only another hundred yards remained till I was back with my wife. I pushed myself.

Pete met me at the entrance.

“How’s she doing?” I asked as I held my chest.

“She still hasn’t had it. Come on, I’ll bring you to her. I’m sorry, Nick. I thought it was a place that made grain. It’s just a cement plant.”

“At least she has a dry place to have it.” I was disappointed about the lack of food.

Pete led me into a room covered with dust. Beth was lying on a bed of beaver skins in the middle of the room. Two torches lit the area.

I leaned over Beth. “How you doing, babe?

She licked her dry lips. “I’m hungry.” A contraction caused her back to convulse as pain coursed through her body.

After the contraction subsided, she again asked for something to eat, but this time she addressed Sarah. “Nurse, can you get me some Jell-O, or sherbet?” The sweat was pooling on her brow, then the surface tension reached its maximum and some dripped down the side of her face.

Sarah smiled at Beth. “No… all I can let you have is some ice chips.” They both had said the same thing a thousand times before.

“Do we have anything to eat?” This time she was looking at me.

I didn’t want to tell her that in fact we had nothing. “Sarah told you, you can’t have anything. I’ll get you some water. No ice.”

“Wait,” Beth grabbed my arm. “Where’s Marcos?”

“Marcos is okay and on his way here, but he wanted to stop and look for food. He’ll be fine.”

“Oh, I know he will. You taught him well,” Beth said forcing a smile.

“He said he would pray for you.” I watched her face for some reaction, but got none. “I’ll get your water.”

When I returned with the water, Beth was talking to Maria, and both of them were crying.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Holding Maria’s hand, Beth said, “I just told Maria that if anything should happen to me she could raise Tara and the baby as Christians.”

“Nothing’s going to happen. Stop talking stupid,” I told her.

“I want them to believe that there is a reason to go on. All you have to do is believe, and be good, and you go to heaven. As long as you believe and try your best, you are at peace.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in heaven?”