EMP Antediluvian Courage : Book 3 Page 4

  “We ain’t got much, mister. We can barely feed ourselves,” the older woman said.

  He could see fear in her eyes and he grinned. “Well, sorry, but that ain’t no excuse. I gotta come in and see what ya’ll got,” he said, and pushed past both women easily. He walked into the dim kitchen beyond. The only window stood over the sink. He looked around the neat home. There were pictures of the family.

  “Where’s your man?” he asked.

  “He was in Lexington when everythang went ta hell,” the older woman answered. Morty saw that she held her daughter behind her. Both were plain and had thin, hard faces.

  Morty grunted and began opening cabinets. He saw cans of soups and canned meats. He looked over his shoulders. The older woman looked angry and afraid. His eyes went to her daughter, and the woman turned and whispered something. The daughter left. His eyes followed her.

  “She kin be yours, but you can’t take none of our food,” the woman said, her mouth a flat line that slashed across her face. She folded her arms across her narrow chest.

  Morty licked his lips and turned back to the cabinet, looking at the numerous cans. Then he looked back at the woman. “She ain’t gonna scream or nothin’ is she?”

  “Naw, but don’t you rough her up none. And if you want more of her, you gotta bring food next time,” the woman said, nodding her head to the cabinet.

  “What?” Morty said, uncomprehending.

  The woman huffed, exasperated. She stared at him. When he didn’t catch on, she said, “If you want any more visits with her, you gotta bring some food with you ta pay for it. We ain’t given it fir free. You got to pay for layin’ with her. You gotta pay with food.”

  “Oh. All right,” Morty said, and left the house, going out to the truck, his feet moving faster than they had in a long time.

  He bent over the truck bed, pulled out a box of pasta, and went back into the house. He handed the box over to the surprised woman and went into the back of the house in search of the younger woman. There was a huge grin on the man’s face.

  CHAPTER THREE

  David Colman, Gideon Elliot, and Steven Stroh sat around a solitary candle, its sputtering light casting jittery shadows. Without the children, it was quiet. The sound of a woman weeping could be heard from time to time, but that was normal. At some point or other, everyone in the coal mine had wept. The cold was beginning to creep down into the cavern. David didn’t want to think what winter would be like.

  He worried for Mary and hoped she still had the baby. He’d had to leave, otherwise it would have brought the guards to the Friedhof farm and they would have taken Mary. Then she’d have lost the baby for sure. Also, then Gerhard and his family would be in this hole along with everyone else. He shuddered at the thought.

  “We’ll have to move fast once we get notice of a go. There won’t be much planning to get out of here. I’m hoping Gerhard is taking care of that. The two guards and the driver are on board as well. We may only have short notice, so keep that in mind,” David said.

  The other men had been out to the farm once or twice, but both were thin now, as was everyone else in the mine. The hostages were now thoroughly searched for food on return, so they no longer brought any back.

  “How do you think Mary’s doing?” Gideon asked.

  “Jutta has been taking good care of her since she arrived at the farm. She’s put on a good amount of weight, which is very good for her and the baby. If anyone can save the baby, it’s Jutta,” David said, hope lacing his voice.

  “I’d love to get my hands on that bastard, Yates,” Steven said, then he coughed and wiped at his mouth. They’d taken him to the farm a few times, knowing he needed the fresh air.

  David was afraid he was developing lung problems. Black lung was sometimes a byproduct of working in the mines. Many miners had died over the years from the ailment. David’s own grandfather had. He remembered, as a youth, his grandfather coming home, coated with the dust.

  His grandfather would walk into the home, dark blue overalls patched up from tears and burns. He wore a banged-up silver hardhat, and a light that sat in front like a cyclops. He had his black metal lunch bucket that fit neatly under his arm. The man had seemed like a giant to David, but now, looking back, his grandfather had shrunk to nearly nothing from the black lung.

  Each of them had masks or bandanas covering their faces, but when they ate, they felt the coal dust in their mouths, the grit a constant companion. He looked forward to the day when they could get out.

  “What will you do once you’re free of this place?” Stroh asked both men, wiping his face with a filthy handkerchief. It simply moved the grime from one side of his face to the other.

  “Take a damn bath in the river. I don’t care if it is freezing. I want this grit off me.” Gideon laughed, and the other men joined in. Then he sighed heavily, shaking his head. “I’ll see if our house is still standing, but even if it is, it won’t be fit to live in. I’ll see what I can take from that. Head into the mountains. Then start huntin’. I gotta get my boys fed, keep my family whole,”

  “Same here. I’m glad Jutta and Gerhard are giving us some food. That will help us a lot until we can plant next year,” Steven added.

  “I live in an apartment, but I might just look for an abandoned house. That way, I’ll have a bit of land to plant a garden on, come next spring,” David said. He didn’t add that he hoped that Mary and her child would eventually come live with him. That was his secret dream.

  “Do you suppose there are many people left out there?” Gideon asked.

  “Don’t know. Might not be, with the mayor and sheriff stealing everything. I think maybe the folks farther out of town are faring better. Anyone in town is a target for their thievery,” Steven said. His mouth turned down, grooves biting deep into his skin.

  “Yeah, I’d say that’s about right. Those in the hills and mountains stand a better chance of staying out of their crosshairs,” David agreed.

  “My grandparents had land up in the mountains. After all this is over, I think, after we go home and see what is what, I might just take my family there. It isn’t far from here, and it has a wood stove to cook and heat the old homestead, and it has a good well on it. My folks were going to renovate it, and even started on some of it. But after a couple of winters, they decided to head down to Florida. I think I’ll get what I can from our home and head there,” Gideon said thoughtfully.

  “That sounds really nice. I wish me and Ginna could take Robert to some place like that,” Stroh said wistfully.

  David smiled, Robert had been one of the first children to leave the coal mine, the four-year-old going with Jack, a five-year-old. He couldn’t blame them; he wanted away from this place.

  “Steven, you and Ginna would be more than welcome to come with us. There’s plenty of room, and I’d feel better having another man around to help guard it. Plus, you’re a damn fine shot, and that’ll come in handy hunting,” Gideon offered softly.

  Stroh’s eyes grew enormous, and then the sheen of tears filled his eyes. He and his wife lived in a small apartment with their son. Going back to that small place wasn’t an option, as there was no land to grow a garden, nothing for food preparation, and no water source. He’d told them how the little apartment fit them well, but like most places, it wasn’t suited for off-grid living, as David knew very well.

  “You sure, Gideon? You’d better ask Julie. She might have something to say about that,” he said, though hope burned bright in his eyes, David could see.

  “Heck yeah. Julie and I’ve been talking about when we get out of here. As I said, we’d thought to go back to our house, but she pointed out we had no running water, so no toilets. She’d reminded me, in fact, about the old homestead. It has an outhouse, hand pump, well, and sits high in the mountains with a good view of the valley. It will take some fixing up, but if you don’t mind working hard, you and your family are welcome,” Gideon said.

  Steven stood up and stepped over to
Gideon. Though Steve was the smaller man, he damned near picked Gideon up in a bear hug.

  David felt his eyes prickle with tears. It made his heart swell. People were trying to help one another, just as it should be. He was glad for both men. He’d have to see about his own home, but that was fine. It was important to get it right.

  ֍

  Morty Greer was looking through the pantry of a modest little home. The family stood by, their faces pointing down to the ground in fear. Morty was a big man and had big appetites. Both Yates and Audrey had given him and his comrades free reign to forage for supplies. After all, the brotherhood needed food and supplies to ensure their continuance.

  Audrey had impressed upon Morty the fact that their group had important work to do. It was every citizen’s duty to supply the government with food and supplies. How else could it run the town? Morty didn’t know about all that, but when he was told to do something, he did it. He was good that way.

  “Now ya’ll ain’t holdin’ out on me, is you?” he asked over his shoulder as he was digging around. There wasn’t a whole hell of a lot here.

  “No, sir, that’s all we got,” the slender young man said, his arm protectively around his wife and ten-year-old daughter.

  “Well shit, you ain’t got a pot ta piss in.” Morty huffed and backed out of the pantry. He looked at the little family, scrutinizing them closely. They didn’t have an ounce of fat on them, unlike himself. He scratched at his large belly, his dirty nails leaving a trail of grime on his shirt.

  “If I find out you’re holding out, I’ll burn this place down with you in it,” he growled and went to the door.

  Stepping out of the house, he saw a thin young man walking down the street. He started toward him, hitching his pants up. He walked toward the young man and began following him.

  “Hey you, stop,” he called.

  The young man looked around and then at him, his eyebrows raised in question. He stopped and waited for Morty to come abreast.

  “Where you live?” he asked the young man.

  “I live over on Cumberland Street.”

  “Why is you over here?” Morty questioned.

  “I was lookin’ fir someone ta help. I got a friend, she needs protectin’. I was tryin’ to see if I could find someone ta help her. She said she’d pay in food an’ shelter.”

  “So why don’t you help her?” Morty asked, surprised.

  “I cain’t. My grandpa is in a bad way, he needs me ta be with him and take care of him,” the young man said, his homely face sorrowful.

  “Oh, okay. Sorry fir your grandpa. So where does this gal live?”

  “She lives in Blue Jay Estates, over on Calgary Lane. Her house number is twenty-three. Her name is Bella May. She’s a nice lady.” The young man grinned a toothy grin.

  Morty grinned as well, and asked, “She got a lot of food then?”

  “I ain’t sure, no more than most, maybe, but she’s alone an old. I thank she’s juss afraid. I wished I could help her, but I cain’t, I gotta help my grandpa,” the young man said, his hands now in his back pocket.

  “Okay, move along then.” Morty jerked a fat thumb over his shoulder. He walked over to his beat-down Ford truck and climbed in. He took a last look around the neighborhood. It had been a bust here, and a colossal waste of his time. He knew where Blue Jay Estates was, and he grinned to himself. He’d just take a little drive over and see what was what.

  An old lady would be easy pickings, and he could maybe hold up for a few days before he took the rest of the food in. If there was any food left, he chuckled. He could also use some of it to go visit that sweet little gal. He sure did like her; not her mom so much, but she was nice and didn’t smell half bad.

  It only took a matter of ten minutes and he’d arrived at the Blue Jay Estates. The place was a shambles. The yards were overgrown and trash blew around in swirls in the street. Houses looked vacated, doors kicked in, windows broken.

  It reminded Morty of a ghost town and sent a shiver down his back. Some houses had the contents scattered about the yard, as though they’d vomited it out. He wondered where the people had gone. The hair rose on his arms and he shivered again. He didn’t know why this place bothered him. Maybe he’d just take what he could take from the old gal and skedaddle.

  Things sure went to shit fast, he thought.

  He found the street and then the house. It too had an overgrown yard. He saw the gnomes, and grinned. Around him, the other homes had the abandoned feel and look. I guess I’d be afraid too, if I lived here. Ain’t nobody around, he thought, and shivered. He raked his dirty nails through his hair, the uncomfortable prickle irritating him.

  He got out of his truck and slammed the door. Hitching up his pants, he walked up the sidewalk to the house. He’d have walked right in the door, but he wanted to at least act like he was here to help. Until I don’t, he laughed to himself. He lifted a hand and knocked loud and hard on Bella May’s door, a broad smile on his face.

  ֍

  Wilber had the truck today; he’d told Alan that he needed to see Gerhard Friedhof. As he drove down the deserted highway, a frisson of sadness and satisfaction went through him. He was glad there were no other vehicles on the road; he’d not have to worry about coming across someone who wanted whatever he had on him. But he was sad that it had come to this. The world had gotten a whole lot smaller.

  He saw the farm ahead and got off the road and onto the long drive. Dirt flew up behind him and he could hear the rocks pinging beneath his truck. Alan had become adept at siphoning gas from abandoned vehicles. He knew that day would come to an end as the gas either deteriorated beyond use or ran out completely.

  He saw one of the farmhands heading to the main house and slowed down. He didn’t want to get shot at, in case they’d had trouble in the past. Pulling his truck into the dooryard, he saw Gerhard come out, Jutta behind. He smiled and raised his hand in greeting. Gerhard grinned and lifted his hand.

  “Howdi Gerhard, how ya been?”

  “Ah, fair ta middlin’, you?”

  “Fine as a frog’s hair.” Wilber laughed, reached out, and shook Gerhard’s hand. He nodded to Jutta, and she blushed prettily and went back into the house.

  “What brings you out our way, Wilber?”

  “Me an’ my friends have been talkin’. Time is runnin’ out fir them folks in the mine. I want ta pass along, we want ta set up some kinda ambush,” Wilber said, walking alongside Gerhard as they stepped into an empty field. Wilber looked around. The field had been picked clean. He looked over to a corn field, still green and lush. It filled his heart with hope.

  “The people from the mine that come here, they been talkin’ too. We need small arms ta sneak into the mine,” Gerhard said.

  “We was thinking about that and about getting them out the next time they’re here. When will that be?”

  “Week after next. They come ta help with the corn in yonder field,” he said, nodding toward the corn field.

  “My people will be at the mine on the afternoon those people head back to the coal mine. Do you know how many guards are at the coal mine?” Wilber asked.

  “David said there are normally two guards outside the mine whenever they return from here. The two guards that accompany the bus are on our side, as is the driver.”

  “That’s good. We thought that was the case. We can have our men take the guards out when the bus goes back. Then we get the folks out of the coal mine. We’ll need to find places for them to stay until we’ve taken out Yates’s men, and Audrey’s people as well. We think we know most of the gomers that need killing. Boney has a list of names and we figure once we take out the main body of the KKK, the rest will either disappear or convert,” Wilber said, taking out his pipe and lighting it.

  “Can you tell ’em when they come that morning. We’ll see about getting arms. We also need volunteers to help us fight, those who are fit and strong enough,” Wilber continued.

  “I’ll let ’em know. I can figh
t,” Gerhard said.

  “No. You have a big family and one hell of a lot of responsibilities. You’re one of the few big farmers left. Our town needs you and yours to stay here and keep doin’ what you’re doin’. But thank ya kindly. We’ll need to also figure out where ta put all the folks that come out of the mine. Put on your thinking cap and think on where they kin all go. We’ll be thinking as well,” Wilber said, heading back to his truck.

  “You think we can do this Wilber? Take back our town?”

  “Yes, I do. We have a lot of fine people who are trapped under Audrey’s thumb, who are intimidated by Yates’s goons. We need to all have a little courage, a little faith. Once we break the KKK’s back, we can take our town back. Once we take our town back, I think people will want ta work together. I’m also thinkin’ that, after living the way they have been, the good people of Beattyville will want a better life, a better way of workin’ together ta make not only their own lives better, but that of the community as well. Somethin’ honest and somethin’ everyone can live with.” He winked, his face nearly caving in from the gesture.

  “I sure do hope so. I want my children to grow up free. Free from fear and acrimony,” Gerhard said, his hands moving about him, ceaseless.

  Wilber smiled. The man rarely stayed still. “That’s what we want fir all our babies.” Wilber thought of Alan.

  ֍

  Bella May looked out the peep hole, and grinned when she saw a large man outside her door. Looking behind her, she checked that everything was ready. She opened the door, hunching her shoulders and softening her face. She didn’t want to look too strong; she needed to look helpless.

  “Yes?” she said, her voice quavering, unfocused and foggy.

  The man before her grinned broadly. She smirked to herself. He was a big one. She opened the door and let him enter.

  “I was told you need a little protection,” he said.

  She watched him as he looked around her home, his behavior reminding her of a predator. Her smile grew. “Why yes. Did that young man send you here?”