Bernie and Margaret safe and sound. Marge cooked for us and fed us well, and Bernie and I sat around sharing a bit of whiskey he’d stocked away for a special occasion. He thanked me for the ammo and reloading tools, but declined my offer of safe passage and a place to stay at the Facility.
The old man shook his head as I tried for what seemed like the hundredth time to convince him to come with us when we pulled back through. “Naw, Scratch, we’re doing fine where we are. Marge and I are still holding out hope that one of the kids will make it back to us, and I don’t think we could live with ourselves if we gave up on them.”
I simply nodded and shook his hand, and then gave Marge a hug. Gabby followed suit, while Bobby just stood off to the side looking uncomfortable. Marge walked over and pelted him with a hug just the same, and I could see a combination of happiness and regret cross his face as he awkwardly patted her shoulder in return. I wondered how many years it had been since he’d been hugged like that, and felt a little sad for him because of it.
I turned back to Bernie and shook his hand once more. “Well, the offer still stands if you decide to change your mind. We could always use a good Marine to help us rebuild.”
“I appreciate it, Scratch. Now, you make sure to look after yourselves. I don’t have to tell you that you’re walking into the devil’s backyard by heading into Austin. Not many people come back from making runs up that way. Watch your backs.”
Gabby squinted and nodded. “We will, Mr. Bernie, and I promise to look after him.” She punched me on the shoulder and walked off to untether Donkey. Bernie and I shared a look that said a lot about teens and hubris, but inside, I was proud of the kid. She’d fought to come with us, and in the end I knew if I’d left her she’d just follow along anyway. Short of locking her up back at the Facility, I had no choice but to bring her.
As we were leaving, Bobby got caught by Margaret and ended up with some dried fish jerky and a new jacket besides. “That t-shirt you’re wearing isn’t near enough to keep you warm at night,” she said, scolding and cajoling him into taking the gifts. He simply blushed and obliged her, obviously uncomfortable with being mothered. He said a quiet thank you and then scurried off to wait for us at the gate.
I turned and waved at them as we left the peninsula, and they waved back from atop the settlement wall. I hoped it wouldn’t be the last we saw of them, and said a silent prayer that they’d both be safe when I returned.
· · ·
6
RAVENS AND KITES
Bobby and Gabby took turns scouting ahead as we continued north along the back roads, but except for the odd deader we avoided trouble all day. That evening we spent an uneventful night in an old metal barn, locked safely away from whatever terrors and dangers lurked in the night. We holed up way back in the sticks southwest of the city, not far from where one of my favorite barbecue joints used to be back before the War. I regaled Gabby and Bobby with tales of huge slabs of brisket, BBQ ribs the size of stout tree limbs, and sausage links as long as your forearm as we shared a humble dinner of Margaret’s fish jerky and some dehydrated fruit I’d taken from the mess back at the Facility.
Bobby remembered what it was like back in the days of all-you-can-eat buffets and grocery stores that were restocked by just-in-time tractor trailer shipments every night, but Gabby was skeptical that there could be so much food all in one place. I promised her that when we got back we’d kill a wild pig and have a barbecue of our own to celebrate. She seemed to like that idea, but Bobby opined that ruining a perfectly good hog by cooking it over a fire was a waste of meat. Despite the circumstances, I slept well that night, dreams of brisket and ribs dancing through my head.
We woke up early, and once we got the all clear from Bobby that the area was free from
The old man shook his head as I tried for what seemed like the hundredth time to convince him to come with us when we pulled back through. “Naw, Scratch, we’re doing fine where we are. Marge and I are still holding out hope that one of the kids will make it back to us, and I don’t think we could live with ourselves if we gave up on them.”
I simply nodded and shook his hand, and then gave Marge a hug. Gabby followed suit, while Bobby just stood off to the side looking uncomfortable. Marge walked over and pelted him with a hug just the same, and I could see a combination of happiness and regret cross his face as he awkwardly patted her shoulder in return. I wondered how many years it had been since he’d been hugged like that, and felt a little sad for him because of it.
I turned back to Bernie and shook his hand once more. “Well, the offer still stands if you decide to change your mind. We could always use a good Marine to help us rebuild.”
“I appreciate it, Scratch. Now, you make sure to look after yourselves. I don’t have to tell you that you’re walking into the devil’s backyard by heading into Austin. Not many people come back from making runs up that way. Watch your backs.”
Gabby squinted and nodded. “We will, Mr. Bernie, and I promise to look after him.” She punched me on the shoulder and walked off to untether Donkey. Bernie and I shared a look that said a lot about teens and hubris, but inside, I was proud of the kid. She’d fought to come with us, and in the end I knew if I’d left her she’d just follow along anyway. Short of locking her up back at the Facility, I had no choice but to bring her.
As we were leaving, Bobby got caught by Margaret and ended up with some dried fish jerky and a new jacket besides. “That t-shirt you’re wearing isn’t near enough to keep you warm at night,” she said, scolding and cajoling him into taking the gifts. He simply blushed and obliged her, obviously uncomfortable with being mothered. He said a quiet thank you and then scurried off to wait for us at the gate.
I turned and waved at them as we left the peninsula, and they waved back from atop the settlement wall. I hoped it wouldn’t be the last we saw of them, and said a silent prayer that they’d both be safe when I returned.
· · ·
6
RAVENS AND KITES
Bobby and Gabby took turns scouting ahead as we continued north along the back roads, but except for the odd deader we avoided trouble all day. That evening we spent an uneventful night in an old metal barn, locked safely away from whatever terrors and dangers lurked in the night. We holed up way back in the sticks southwest of the city, not far from where one of my favorite barbecue joints used to be back before the War. I regaled Gabby and Bobby with tales of huge slabs of brisket, BBQ ribs the size of stout tree limbs, and sausage links as long as your forearm as we shared a humble dinner of Margaret’s fish jerky and some dehydrated fruit I’d taken from the mess back at the Facility.
Bobby remembered what it was like back in the days of all-you-can-eat buffets and grocery stores that were restocked by just-in-time tractor trailer shipments every night, but Gabby was skeptical that there could be so much food all in one place. I promised her that when we got back we’d kill a wild pig and have a barbecue of our own to celebrate. She seemed to like that idea, but Bobby opined that ruining a perfectly good hog by cooking it over a fire was a waste of meat. Despite the circumstances, I slept well that night, dreams of brisket and ribs dancing through my head.
We woke up early, and once we got the all clear from Bobby that the area was free from
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