didn’t appear to be the case. The base had certainly been attacked and then abandoned.
Jed did a little mental arithmetic in his head. Judging by the decayed state of the compound and its buildings the conflict had taken place over sixty years ago, maybe longer. There was no way that the original Montrose, the one with the name plaque could still be alive, let alone active. Assuming he was at least thirty years old when he arrived here that would place him at around 97 years old. There was no doubt in Jed’s mind that it was not this Montrose that the dying soldier had warned them about. Perhaps the original Montrose had been a good man but his son or even grandson had turned bad, a renegade in a land without laws, or at least a land without the ability to enforce any laws.
Jed had so many questions, but no way of finding the answers. Not at the moment at least anyway. But he figured the longer they were forced to exist in this land inside the earth the more of its secrets they would learn. He only hoped they would live long enough to tell the tale.
Chapter Six
The forest went on interminably, the trees getting bigger the deeper they went. Keeping the river just to the right of them they travelled for three days before emerging into a cleared area along the river bank. As Rex silently motioned to them to stop Jed immediately spied why. Four human bodies lay scattered on the grass of the clearing, and judging by the smell they had been dead for several days, it was with the greatest of reluctance that he walked over to investigate.
Slipping the rifle they had salvaged from the base off his shoulder and pulling back the bolt he scanned the area in imitation of his friends. “Caucasians’,” he said, glancing down at a bloated body, “but not army personal.”
Rex joined him while Jonathon kept an eye on the surrounding woods. “They’ve all been shot in the back of the head,” he noted, “execution style.”
“It’ll be Montrose, no doubt.”
“I’d say so. The trouble is I’m no longer sure whether the direction we’re travelling in is taking us away from Montrose or towards him.”
Rex was right. Montrose could just as easily be up ahead of them as behind them. It created a dilemma. Should they press on or turn back?
“There’s a canoe down by the river.” Jonathon had just spotted it. “It’d be easier and quicker than walking.”
“Put’s us out in the open,” Jed pointed out.
“Rather that than this endless forest. Our rations are low, so the sooner we can get back out in the open where we can hunt more easily the better.”
“He’s making sense,” Rex said, uncharacteristically. It was unlike him to agree with anything Jonathon said.
Jed looked down at the bodies. “What about them?”
“All we can do is pile rocks over them like we did for the soldier.” Rex glanced down at the river. “There’s plenty down there.”
Later, as they paddled down river Jed had to confess that although he hadn’t liked the idea of using the canoe they had made good time. With the current pushing them along swiftly he sensed it wouldn’t be long before they left the forest. He had no idea what was waiting for them once they did, but he was resigned to the fact that their deaths might be the ultimate outcome.
Two days later as they emerged from the cover of the forest and paddled cautiously through the open prairie land Jed felt compelled to make a suggestion. “We’re sitting ducks out here like this. I’m for pulling into the bank and checking out the lay of the land.”
Rex pulled his paddle out of the water and rested it across the canoe. “I’m okay with that,” he glanced over his shoulder at Jonathon, “how about you?”
“Sounds good to me, I’ve done enough paddling these past two days to last me a lifetime.”
Scrambling up the bank they took their first good look at the land this side of the forest. Not more than 300 yards away lay a ruined stone farmhouse with an
Jed did a little mental arithmetic in his head. Judging by the decayed state of the compound and its buildings the conflict had taken place over sixty years ago, maybe longer. There was no way that the original Montrose, the one with the name plaque could still be alive, let alone active. Assuming he was at least thirty years old when he arrived here that would place him at around 97 years old. There was no doubt in Jed’s mind that it was not this Montrose that the dying soldier had warned them about. Perhaps the original Montrose had been a good man but his son or even grandson had turned bad, a renegade in a land without laws, or at least a land without the ability to enforce any laws.
Jed had so many questions, but no way of finding the answers. Not at the moment at least anyway. But he figured the longer they were forced to exist in this land inside the earth the more of its secrets they would learn. He only hoped they would live long enough to tell the tale.
Chapter Six
The forest went on interminably, the trees getting bigger the deeper they went. Keeping the river just to the right of them they travelled for three days before emerging into a cleared area along the river bank. As Rex silently motioned to them to stop Jed immediately spied why. Four human bodies lay scattered on the grass of the clearing, and judging by the smell they had been dead for several days, it was with the greatest of reluctance that he walked over to investigate.
Slipping the rifle they had salvaged from the base off his shoulder and pulling back the bolt he scanned the area in imitation of his friends. “Caucasians’,” he said, glancing down at a bloated body, “but not army personal.”
Rex joined him while Jonathon kept an eye on the surrounding woods. “They’ve all been shot in the back of the head,” he noted, “execution style.”
“It’ll be Montrose, no doubt.”
“I’d say so. The trouble is I’m no longer sure whether the direction we’re travelling in is taking us away from Montrose or towards him.”
Rex was right. Montrose could just as easily be up ahead of them as behind them. It created a dilemma. Should they press on or turn back?
“There’s a canoe down by the river.” Jonathon had just spotted it. “It’d be easier and quicker than walking.”
“Put’s us out in the open,” Jed pointed out.
“Rather that than this endless forest. Our rations are low, so the sooner we can get back out in the open where we can hunt more easily the better.”
“He’s making sense,” Rex said, uncharacteristically. It was unlike him to agree with anything Jonathon said.
Jed looked down at the bodies. “What about them?”
“All we can do is pile rocks over them like we did for the soldier.” Rex glanced down at the river. “There’s plenty down there.”
Later, as they paddled down river Jed had to confess that although he hadn’t liked the idea of using the canoe they had made good time. With the current pushing them along swiftly he sensed it wouldn’t be long before they left the forest. He had no idea what was waiting for them once they did, but he was resigned to the fact that their deaths might be the ultimate outcome.
Two days later as they emerged from the cover of the forest and paddled cautiously through the open prairie land Jed felt compelled to make a suggestion. “We’re sitting ducks out here like this. I’m for pulling into the bank and checking out the lay of the land.”
Rex pulled his paddle out of the water and rested it across the canoe. “I’m okay with that,” he glanced over his shoulder at Jonathon, “how about you?”
“Sounds good to me, I’ve done enough paddling these past two days to last me a lifetime.”
Scrambling up the bank they took their first good look at the land this side of the forest. Not more than 300 yards away lay a ruined stone farmhouse with an
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