against the elements if Mother Nature decided to throw a fit. The image of
baseball sized hail denting my skull while I slept was still too powerful to
ignore. Besides, I had thrown away my tent. It was as good a place as any to
settle for the night.
Impressed by the amount of room in the cabin, I climbed
inside and removed my pack. The driver’s seat was huge and built for comfort during
a long day of work behind the wheel. I swiveled it to the side, which allowed
me to stretch my legs away from the pedals. Pulling the lever, I reclined the
seat.
Oh, yes. This is going to work well.
“Isn’t this cozy,” said Sam.
“It is,” I replied.
“I’m sorry I had to show you those things,” said Sam. “I
didn’t know what else to do. I thought you were going to leave them.”
“It was my fault, baby,” I said. “I made you do it, and I’m
so sorry. I was going to leave them. You did the right thing. You never
have to apologize to me. Never.”
“I know you can’t save them all,” said Sam, climbing up on
the seat with me. “I have to learn that. I just couldn’t learn it today. That
little girl; the things that they were going to do to her.”
“Earl told me,” I said. “And by the way, nice work ganging
up on me. Now I’ve got both of you in my ear. I don’t have a chance, do I,
princess?”
“He really is a good man,” said Sam, laughing. “He can help
you with things I can’t. He likes you a lot, too. He enjoys the conversations
with you.”
“He was a good choice,” I said. “I enjoy his company as
well. He’s a bit on the religious side, but he tells me things in a way that make
sense. I think those kind of talks are going to be harder to find as the days
pass. Yeah, he was a good choice.”
“That makes me happy,” said Sam, reaching around my neck,
squeezing me tight.
After a moment of bliss she relaxed her grip around me,
turning to look out the window of the cabin. “Do you think more are coming?”
“I know more are coming,” I said.
“Tonight?”
“I hope not.”
“Look at me,” said Sam, taking my face in her hands. “You
are the best man I know. I’m so proud of you. You didn’t need me or Earl for
this one. I love you.”
“I’ll never get tired of hearing that,” I said.
“Okay, sir. You need to get back to work. If you need me, I
won’t be far.”
“Sounds good, angel.”
She crawled out of my lap, leaving me in the still cabin.
The silence was broken by the sound of distant thunder. A green hue on the
horizon showed a light storm was approaching. It looked as if it was going to
be a big one. Behind the thick glass of the tractor, I felt safe.
Reaching down by my side, I pulled up the Remington. By the
light of a small candle, I adjusted the scope to compensate for the distance.
When it was zeroed in, I blew out the candle, raising the powerful rifle to my
shoulder.
I started at the oak tree, scanning the yard from side to
side. From my vantage point above the house, I could cover three sides, and
part of the backyard. If more cowards showed up to hurt Hope and the girls,
they’d get a hot surprise in the back of their heads as soon as they stepped on
the lawn.
Chapter 14
(Day 7)
Miss Sassy
My theory about the light storms being more intense over the
city was wrong. I was still awake as the sunrise revealed several shattered
windows along the front of the house. Seeing movement inside let me know they
didn’t get much sleep either, if any.
Jumping down from the tractor, I stretched, sliding the pack
over my shoulders. I took my time walking down the hill. I wanted to have my
thoughts together before I spoke with Hope. She needed to know that I’d be
staying for only one day. After knocking on the door I moved to the side and
yelled through the broken window. I wanted everyone to know I wasn’t one of them .
Hope opened the door, put her hand up to her mouth and
started crying.
“If you’ll allow me, there are some things I can
baseball sized hail denting my skull while I slept was still too powerful to
ignore. Besides, I had thrown away my tent. It was as good a place as any to
settle for the night.
Impressed by the amount of room in the cabin, I climbed
inside and removed my pack. The driver’s seat was huge and built for comfort during
a long day of work behind the wheel. I swiveled it to the side, which allowed
me to stretch my legs away from the pedals. Pulling the lever, I reclined the
seat.
Oh, yes. This is going to work well.
“Isn’t this cozy,” said Sam.
“It is,” I replied.
“I’m sorry I had to show you those things,” said Sam. “I
didn’t know what else to do. I thought you were going to leave them.”
“It was my fault, baby,” I said. “I made you do it, and I’m
so sorry. I was going to leave them. You did the right thing. You never
have to apologize to me. Never.”
“I know you can’t save them all,” said Sam, climbing up on
the seat with me. “I have to learn that. I just couldn’t learn it today. That
little girl; the things that they were going to do to her.”
“Earl told me,” I said. “And by the way, nice work ganging
up on me. Now I’ve got both of you in my ear. I don’t have a chance, do I,
princess?”
“He really is a good man,” said Sam, laughing. “He can help
you with things I can’t. He likes you a lot, too. He enjoys the conversations
with you.”
“He was a good choice,” I said. “I enjoy his company as
well. He’s a bit on the religious side, but he tells me things in a way that make
sense. I think those kind of talks are going to be harder to find as the days
pass. Yeah, he was a good choice.”
“That makes me happy,” said Sam, reaching around my neck,
squeezing me tight.
After a moment of bliss she relaxed her grip around me,
turning to look out the window of the cabin. “Do you think more are coming?”
“I know more are coming,” I said.
“Tonight?”
“I hope not.”
“Look at me,” said Sam, taking my face in her hands. “You
are the best man I know. I’m so proud of you. You didn’t need me or Earl for
this one. I love you.”
“I’ll never get tired of hearing that,” I said.
“Okay, sir. You need to get back to work. If you need me, I
won’t be far.”
“Sounds good, angel.”
She crawled out of my lap, leaving me in the still cabin.
The silence was broken by the sound of distant thunder. A green hue on the
horizon showed a light storm was approaching. It looked as if it was going to
be a big one. Behind the thick glass of the tractor, I felt safe.
Reaching down by my side, I pulled up the Remington. By the
light of a small candle, I adjusted the scope to compensate for the distance.
When it was zeroed in, I blew out the candle, raising the powerful rifle to my
shoulder.
I started at the oak tree, scanning the yard from side to
side. From my vantage point above the house, I could cover three sides, and
part of the backyard. If more cowards showed up to hurt Hope and the girls,
they’d get a hot surprise in the back of their heads as soon as they stepped on
the lawn.
Chapter 14
(Day 7)
Miss Sassy
My theory about the light storms being more intense over the
city was wrong. I was still awake as the sunrise revealed several shattered
windows along the front of the house. Seeing movement inside let me know they
didn’t get much sleep either, if any.
Jumping down from the tractor, I stretched, sliding the pack
over my shoulders. I took my time walking down the hill. I wanted to have my
thoughts together before I spoke with Hope. She needed to know that I’d be
staying for only one day. After knocking on the door I moved to the side and
yelled through the broken window. I wanted everyone to know I wasn’t one of them .
Hope opened the door, put her hand up to her mouth and
started crying.
“If you’ll allow me, there are some things I can
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