Tornado Warning (18 page)

Chapter Twenty

Ryan woke up to his leg throbbing. Lifting his head off of the tree, it took a second to remember what happened, but when he tried to stand, his memory came back to him, and he groaned out in pain. He looked around for Steve, not finding him. The humid air was thick on top of his chest and he had to tell himself to breathe slowly, even though the pain in his leg was unbearable.

“Steve?” It didn’t come out as loud as he anticipated. “Steve?” Had he left? Did a coyote get him? Ryan tried to stand up again, but a shadow blocked the sun bearing down on him, and he saw the silhouette of his travel buddy towering over him.

“I wouldn’t get up, Ryan. Wouldn’t want to bust those stitches.” Steve moved to where Ryan got a better view of him, and he was holding two catfish on the end of Mrs. McElroy’s thread. “Dinner tonight. They aren’t big, but they’ll feed us.”

“Want me to clean them?”

Steve shook his head and laid them out on a flat rock. One of the fish’s fins moved, but it was its last bit of life before it came to a rest next to the other.

“I want you to rest, Ryan. I can clean a fish. I’ll even get the fire going. If you take it easy the rest of the day and tonight, we probably will be able to go again tomorrow. The weather has held up for now, but we are about due for something big soon. I don’t think I can carry you, and if I could, we still wouldn’t move fast enough.”

Ryan tried to move his leg to keep the blood flow going. It felt numb like when his foot would fall asleep, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good sign. When he was running from the coyote, his adrenaline was going, and he didn’t even feel the brunt of the injury when he fell, but now that it was wearing off, the ache was strong. Steve offered him two ibuprofen and the canteen and he downed the pills with a large gulp of water. It was refreshing and tasted good, so he took a few more pulls before giving it back to him.

“I know I already said it, but thank you, Steve. I’d have been that coyote’s dinner if it wasn’t for you.”

“He almost got you, but you’re fine. It’s no problem. Besides, I need you alive. I’d be lost out here. Probably already dead.”

Ryan lifted his injured leg a few inches off of the ground and cringed, but he had to keep moving it. His dad had gotten a knee replacement a year ago and the first thing they did was make him get up and walk. He assumed it was the same in this instance to ensure he wouldn’t stiffen up and make his body unable to do anything. Stiffness was also a symptom of tetanus, and he had to make sure he wasn’t showing any signs of it.

“How far would you say we are from Harper Springs?” Steve asked as he cut one of the fish from tail to head.

Ryan looked around, trying to get a good vantage point. With the bend in the river and the bridge, it helped him in figuring out how far down the highway they had gotten. “Rattlesnake Bridge is about three miles out from town. Back when things were normal, you’d hit houses and businesses before that. I even think there was a ranch house just over there, across the river.” He pointed to the west, but there was nothing there. It was like life never even existed where Ryan had grown up.

“You think you can do three miles on that leg tomorrow?”

“I’m going to have to. Ty is in bad shape and so am I. I’m hoping we run into someone in town, but I’m thinking it’s going to be the same story. Ghost towns with leveled houses and businesses with nothing to show for it except the foundations that the damn weather left behind. But I can at least go to where my business was and see if there’s anything I can gather. With a car, we could hightail it out of here and get out of the storm zone. I could find a hospital for Ty and me.”

“And your wife?” Steve asked, glancing up from the fish.

Ryan took another sip from the canteen and screwed the lid back on. The question was a simple one, but complex in his mind. “She’s dead, Steve.” He choked on his words, his voice cracking. He had to look away to prevent Steve from seeing the tears gather in the corners of his eyes.

“How do you know that?”

“Look around us.” He spread his hands wide. “Houses gone. Horses and cattle, gone. Human existence, almost gone. The chances of her surviving all of this are slim to none.”

“We did.”

“I was lucky enough to be right by my cellar when it hit. My wife was in her car on the way to town.”

“You can’t say she’s dead until you are certain. Don’t give up, Ryan. The fact that we’re still alive proves that this weather system didn’t clean out every living thing. The coyotes made it. They are trouble for us, but there’s more proof. And your son and dad. What about them? Didn’t your dad travel from his ranch to get to you? He’s still alive.”

Ryan ducked his head and closed his eyes. Thinking that Cecilia was dead felt like a huge person was sitting on his shoulders. “Excuse me if I’m not Mr. Optimistic at the moment, Steve. Something tells me she’s gone. Where’s her car? She was right along this highway we’ve been following this whole time.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Ryan. You gotta do what you gotta do. You’ve made it this far. No sense in stalling out now.”

“I know. Just give me a minute. Once we start making progress again, I’ll feel better.” He wasn’t one for sitting still. Even though he was injured, the time they sat around to allow him to rest was time wasted. They were only three miles away from Harper Springs. Shouldn’t they be running into more people?
Three miles!
That wasn’t far, but it was like the fates were trying to keep him away for a reason.

~~

Darryl had lost track of what day it was. With no calendar or sense of time, he didn’t know what day of the week it was. His watch’s battery had died, but he had somewhat of an idea of what time it was. When the sun would finally show through the clouds, he could estimate, but with the dusty haze and the dark skies, he spent most of his time trying to guess.

It didn’t help that Ty kept asking him questions that he didn’t have the answer to. There would come a time when he would have to make a decision to get Ty out of there and try to find someone who could help them. The food was running low, and though they had things to eat, both of them were losing weight. They were rationing what they had, only able to eat small amounts that didn’t provide near the caloric intake they needed to sustain their nutrients. With Ty injured, he needed more intake, but his appetite was gone and Darryl had to force him to eat the little that they had.

His clothing was getting baggy. He tied some willow switches together to make a belt, but it barely held his pants up enough for him to get any work done. He needed energy, and the potted meat, crackers, and canned goods weren’t good enough anymore.

He had stopped trying to gather supplies from the pasture. He used to take Ty with him to get him some fresh air, but the boy was so tired that he didn’t want to get up from the lawn chair. Darryl couldn’t blame him – he didn’t want to do much either. With the lack of sun, it also put a damper on their moods. Things were going bad to worse, and it was a bitter pill to swallow when he thought that they were just slowly dying as they waited.

Doug was still tied up, and Darryl checked on him occasionally. The wound on his shin wasn’t near as bad as Ty’s arm, just a small scrape from the bullet that had grazed him. He hadn’t said much, but continuously glared at Darryl when they made eye contact. He’d eventually have to let the thief go. He was taking some of their food and it was another worry that Darryl had to give attention to. Right now, freeing him wasn’t an option. He was still angry, and Darryl couldn’t risk retaliation against Ty or Ryan if Doug did eventually find him. For the most part, Doug was keeping to himself. It also could have been a game he was playing to manipulate Darryl.

He had spent most of the day underground with Ty. With no motivation, there was no reason in wasting more energy.

“Ty?” Darryl always made a point to talk to him and make sure he was responsive. The child opened his eyes and looked at him, but didn’t say anything. “You hungry?”

“No.”

“Thirsty?”

“No.”

The fact that his grandson wasn’t as talkative as before was also worrisome. He handed Ty a bottle of water. “Take a sip. I know you’re not thirsty, but just take a sip.”

Ty complied and handed it back to Darryl. “I feel really sick.”

Darryl ran his hand over Ty’s forehead. It was hot, his skin clammy and pale. He tried to hide his concern, but he definitely had a fever, and it wasn’t low grade.

“Let me see your arm.”

Ty didn’t put up a fight, and Darryl gently unwrapped the injured area. The punctured skin from the protruding bone was red around the edges, but didn’t look too infected. He grabbed the first aid kit and sanitized his hands before slipping rubber gloves on. Dousing a cotton ball in alcohol, he lightly pressed it against Ty’s skin.

“Does that hurt?”

Ryan nodded and closed his eyes. “Yes. Please don’t do that. Please stop!”

Darryl did as Ty had asked. For days, Ty had claimed that he couldn’t feel his arm. He had finally learned what numb meant, and that’s how he described how it felt. And today, it was a different story. Tears fell down his cheeks and against the dark circles under his eyes. He was as pale as a sheet, his lips dry and cracked from not getting enough water.

Shaking out two ibuprofen, Ty knew exactly what to do. He was becoming a pro at taking pills, and it left an unsettling feeling in the pit of Darryl’s stomach. Over the counter pain medications were designed for short term care of discomfort. Anything taken more often meant liver damage. And Ty was just a kid, so taking it meant even more issues erupting. What was he supposed to do? Let the kid lay there in pain? The ibuprofen would also help get the fever down, but if his arm was infected, it wouldn’t go away until they treated the underlying problem, which probably meant amputation. And Darryl certainly wasn’t comfortable doing that on his own. He’d end up killing Ty.

“I’m going up for a minute, Ty. I’ll be right back.”

Ty didn’t open his eyes, but he nodded. Darryl had to make a decision. Ryan was probably dead. There was no way a man could survive on his own out there with the type of weather they had gotten. Darryl making it to his son’s ranch was a fluke and he had gotten lucky. He hoped the story was the same with Ryan. Harper Springs was only about ten miles, but walking it on a normal day was treacherous. In these conditions, it was damn near impossible.

If he hauled Ty toward town, death was inevitable. If they continued to wait around for help that wasn’t coming, death was inevitable. Darryl sat down and contemplated his options, weighing the pros and cons of either decision.

If they stayed at the cellar, they had constant shelter for when the weather changed. They still had some food supply, but it was running out, and their rations were getting smaller each day. He could hunt, but his ammunition was low. The river wasn’t too far, but that would mean leaving Ty unattended. He was so exhausted, he’d probably never realize that Darryl had left him. If it came down to it, he’d go fish at the river. Staying there was a slow, miserable death. Darryl couldn’t keep him alive forever.

If they left to find help, it meant no shelter, even more limited food, and they’d be exposed to looters, wild animals, and lord knew what else. But it also meant that they were trying. And if the weather turned bad, the only saving grace would mean that they’d die fast and all suffering would be over.

But what if Ryan was closing in on help for them? His son had always been stubborn and resourceful. If there was anyone he could trust to do what he promised, it was Ryan. And he’d do anything for his family. Him going off to get help proved the type of man he was. It’d be horrible if he made the decision to take Ty and get help, and they narrowly missed Ryan on his way back.

If only he had a way of getting hold of him. He glanced over at Doug who had his head leaned back against the tree. If another storm threatened, he couldn’t leave him there. That would be cruel and inhumane, and even though Doug would probably leave him to die like that, Darryl didn’t have it in him.

“You got something to say to me?” Doug asked. “You look like someone just ran over your dog.”

“You sure are bold for a man who is tied up to a tree with a storm coming.” Darryl pointed west toward the dark, swirling clouds.

“I’d prefer you leave me here. Why are you so set on surviving? We’re all going to die eventually. Might as well make it quick.”

“We’ve had a shift in attitude, haven’t we?” Darryl smiled and handed him an apple. “Found it on a tree down the road. I forgot Ryan had a few of them on his place. There weren’t many apples left, but I harvested a few. Not quite ripe, but a change from all of the processed crap we’ve been eating.”

“Why are you being nice to me?” Doug asked as he bit into it. Juices flowed around his mouth. It must have been a better one than Darryl had just eaten.

“Being nice and being tolerant are two different things, Doug. I believe that if people come together in times like this, we can get a lot of stuff done.” He adjusted the bandana around his neck and looked at the sky. “Guys like you take advantage of situations like this, and look where it landed you.”

“And you’re better off? That kid over there is worse off than me, and you shot me! All you two are doing is dying slow, old man. Take that gun of yours, put three bullets in the chamber, do us all a favor and kill us now! It’ll be quick and painless.”