Aftermath

By C. Edward Sutton

In 2010, a nuclear bomb was detonated in front of the Capital building in Washington D.C., during the State of the Union address. The ensuing global conflict and resulting domestic chaos lead to the collapse of our modern utilities and communications infrastructure.
Aftermath chronicles the journey of two men as they make their way home to suburban North Atlanta from the conflict zone surrounding Savannah, and the decisions they have to make in order to adapt and survive in an increasingly unpredictable and brutally dangerous world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503547254

C. Edward Sutton

I currently live in Panama City Beach. I moved here after college and spent some time wondering what I wanted to do with my life. After writing the beginning of the story that eventually became Aftermath I focused on it more and more over time until I became so invested in it that I felt I needed to continue and finish it regardless of whether it would result in success of any kind. During this process I realized how much writing could really be the career I've been looking for. I want to be able to travel the world and write while I do it. That's my kind of life, and that's what I want to work towards. I'm not qualified to write a book by any means, I'm not even sure I would agree that it takes qualifications to do so. I simply had a story rattling around in my brain and I needed to get it out. Writing a book if you ask me has more to do with desire and determination than anything else, its a process, a long one, especially your first time and you will become frustrated along the way, I did. But what I learned is that just as I can direct the course of my character's lives, I can also do the same in my own life. So I decided that I was going to pursue writing on my own terms for my own reasons and that's what's led me here.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by C. Edward Sutton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 03/25/2015

Xlibris

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Contents

Introduction: End War

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Dedicated to my father,

Charles Franklin Sutton.

He would be proud.

Special Thanks To:

Mom & Dad

Andy Sutton

Chelsea Sellars

Amy Warren

Brittne Washington

Emily Hunt

Dustin Moree

Ron Taylor

And everyone else who indulged me along the way.

Introduction: End War

The twentieth century was a testament to the true potential of man. We have the potential to bring wonderful things to this world, and at the same time we have the power to destroy it. As a child my father taught me to understand and respect the balance of the universe. Everything around us exists within this balance. Love is paired with loss, happiness with despair, and life with death. All actions result in consequences, without fail. This is what the people of the twenty-first century, that tried to push their own ambition and progress to new heights, had forgotten. A concept they had rejected. The developed world marveled at their own untouchable superiority as they continued to move farther away from the mindset of a being that shared this world with others. They lost any respect they once had for things greater than themselves. This attitude led to what became known as, the End War.

The End War was a series of catastrophic destruction so immense that it consumed all, not just the physical; it destroyed our souls as well. Some would argue the violence was a testament to the fact that we’d given up our souls long before. America, after the 1950’s, competed for superiority of this material world with the United Soviet Socialist Republic. The tension between the two nations that became the Cold War fizzled out in the early 1990’s amid the collapse of the USSR. America’s superiority was unquestioned in the ensuing decade and they were determined to not become another statistic. Sadly all great empires in the history of man have fallen. The United States was no different; it could not help but follow in the footsteps of the empires of old. Their achievements slowly became burdens. They were forced to watch as their strength shifted to other parts of the world. Ironically, few were actually watching. Most were blissfully blind to the power shift occurring. We had more than we needed; we wasted too much and saved too little. When the power of the world started to shift America went on the offensive. Their foreign interests became more aggressive and in turn the other nations of the world started to back away. The spiral started notably in 2010 when North and South Korea reignited the flame of war over a sunken South Korean warship. America saw the conflict as a chance to secure their interests in the region and apply pressure to China, their main economic rival. Military might was still favored in America’s direction and they thrived on conflict. Their wars in Afghanistan and Iraq during the previous decade proved to the world that they were not afraid to act on their own. They were fighting in the Middle East as a part of a coalition of forces, but it had been solely the ambition of America that drove the conflict. When South Korea, an American ally since the Korean War in the 1950’s, called on them for help they jumped at the chance to float across the Pacific and show their strength. The undefeatable superpower was stretching itself too thin. It had made many enemies all around the world, even in it’s own back yard. A great many of which had adjusted their tactics in order to bypass the vast might of the American military. Terrorism had become the tactic of choice for the disenfranchised and under supplied. Muslim fundamentalists had become the terrorists of the day, despite the fact that terrorism had been utilized for centuries by groups all over the world fighting against superior forces, particularly occupying ones. All of these factors made up the landscape of the developed world at the time of the End War.

What we truly know is very little. We know Washington D.C., the former capitol of the United States, was destroyed with what experts called a dirty bomb thought to be smuggled into the country through the Canadian border. It was detonated outside the Capitol building during President Obama’s State of the Union address in January of 2011. The bomb shocked the world. It obliterated the capitol building and a lot of the city killing nearly every member of Congress including the President, his family, and the Vice President. Every precaution to prevent such an attack had been taken, but when the news reports started coming in and the video of the destroyed city hit every television in the world there was no stopping the coming tide. The culprits behind this attack were never identified; there was no time. The ensuing chaos that followed took everyone by storm and affected all people around the world. America, in its anger, demanded action. The chain of command landed to a member of Congress that had been safely tucked away in a bunker, standard procedure during the State of the Union in case of just such an attack. Two days later a bomb of similar size was detonated in Time’s Square of New York City. America blamed everyone. It targeted all the enemies it had accumulated over the previous century. Anyone who hesitated to support its campaign of destruction was then targeted themselves in response. Missions were activated, missiles launched, and bombs dropped on four different continents. America was fighting most of the world with more and more countries turning against them every day. Pockets of their own people began to demand a stop to the violence. Rioting and open rebellion erupted. Domestic terrorism ran rampant. Utility hubs and power plants were attacked daily. Communications dwindled and eventually were lost all together. More bombs erupted in major cities across the world. In this terrible chaos a risky invasion of America’s east coast was launched by what was left of the Russian, French, and Italian Navies, in conjunction with many others, in an apparent attempt to sequester the chaos to within the borders of North America. There were rumors of a similar invasion on the west coast but never confirmed, not by us. I was one of the men sent to the coast to fend off the invading forces. The invasion accomplished one thing; it united the Americans again against an outside foe. The chaos within our own borders slowed and what was left of our resolve was focused on keeping our borders secure. We were too late. The world as we knew it had been changed forever.

Chapter 1

Down the middle of an unassuming road surrounded by trees and thick wilderness two battle-worn soldiers walk. Bruised, scraped, scared, and exhausted they are strangely aware of their surroundings, keeping an open eye on the areas between the trees, preparing for what they cannot see. They walk as a single unit. Charlie walks out front with Danny back and to his left. Charlie carries a pack, military style rifle bag large enough to carry two rifles, some clothes, and extra supplies. Danny carries a slimmer backpack filled mostly with miscellaneous supplies, ammo, and extra clothes. Charlie has a Desert Eagle 1911 .45 ACP strapped to his right hip. He wears tactical khaki pants, boots, and a charcoal t-shirt. He wears a black armor plated vest with MOLLE webbing over his t-shirt. The vest has a Baconmaker Ka-Bar strapped to his chest on the left side. The Baconmaker is a knife made of 1095 Cro-Van steel with a seven-inch recurve blade. Around his back is strapped a rifle sling that connects over his chest, attached to the sling is a Colt 6920 AR-15 assault rifle that he carries in his hands as he walks. His AR has a red dot sight and fore-grip.

Danny has on worn jeans, boots, and a long sleeve tactical shirt. He’s wearing an over the shoulder pistol holster that contains a black Smith & Wesson .44 magnum with a 4" barrel and a wood grain handle. He also has on an armor plated vest. He too is carrying an assault rifle strapped to a sling around his back; he carries an FN SCAR-H with dual clips taped together, and flip-up front and rear iron sights. The vest has a few extra magazines for his SCAR secured to the front. On his right hip is strapped an eight-inch Ka-Bar with a tanto blade.

As they reach a path coming up on their right Charlie stops suddenly, as soon as he does so does Danny. Waiting for a signal, Danny checks his surroundings. Charlie listens intently to the forest. As he stands still, feeling the heat rising from the asphalt, he takes a moment to calm his breathing. He focuses all his senses for anything out of the ordinary. He thought he heard something out of place. All of a sudden they both hear struggling, it comes and goes but they know they both heard it. The fainted sounds of muffled screams could have easily be mistaken for wind, had there been any. Charlie glances back at Danny and signals toward a trail off to his right that leads into the Georgia forest. Danny nods and proceeds to take the wide angle to the left swinging around behind Charlie. Charlie steps cautiously to the trail’s entrance. The forest is thick and difficult to see through. The path leads up a small hill into the trees. As Charlie approaches he hears the rustling more clearly. Before he enters the path he glances back at Danny who has a good view up the small hill and down the path from the other side of the road, Danny nods to indicate its safe to proceed. As Charlie turns around a tree and enters the path Danny follows behind at about twenty paces. Charlie moves quickly but does not rush, rifle at the ready, he reaches the crest of the small hill and sees legs struggling from behind a tree about fifteen feet in front of him. He walks towards them not sure what he’ll find. He’s careful to check his flank before proceeding around the tree. The legs are shapely, that of a women. As he reaches the tree and turns around it he witnesses a man on top of a young woman forcing himself on her. He has one hand over her mouth, has ripped her shirt and is working on ripping her bra off. Her brown hair is matted with leaves and pine straw, her legs scratched and bleeding from struggling. Her arms flailing and hands grasping for anything and everything.

Hey. Charlie says, just loud enough for the man to hear, as he shifts his weight and prepares to kick forward. The man turns his head and Charlie kicks him hard in the face with the sole of his boot knocking him off the girl and back a few feet. The man struggles to his knees and stops as Charlie takes a step forward and aims the AR directly at him. The girl scrambles away a foot or so, clinging to a nearby tree. Charlie kicks away the Beretta 9mm that had been in the man’s waistband. The man is noticeably shaken; Charlie is steady. As Charlie is about to say something the girl speaks.

There’s another one. She mutters. Her frightened, weak voice struggles to find some strength. Charlie turns his head slightly toward her, never taking his eyes off the man.

Where? He asks.

I don’t know. He went that way. She points deeper into the forest.

Get behind the tree. Charlie tells her as he moves to the side of the tree himself. The girl does as she’s told. He takes his pack off and places it on the ground, keeping his eye on the man. He then takes a step forward, grabs the man by his hair and pulls him next to the tree, in front of Charlie, facing the direction the missing man supposedly went.

Oww, oww, oww, FUCK. The man says as he’s being dragged.

Shut up! Charlie says in a loud whisper. Don’t move.

Danny walks slowly through the trees on the other side of the path looking for any evidence of someone else in the area. He looks over at Charlie before moving away too far. Charlie sees him and motions in the direction the other man went. He holds up one finger to indicate one man unaccounted for. Danny nods and proceeds to circle around that direction.

Where is he? Charlie asks the man coldly holding his AR to his back, Where did he go? The man just smiles a crooked smile, blood running down from his nose. The sweat and grease from the man’s hair oozes between Charlie’s fingers. Charlie lets go of his rifle and lets it hang, he pulls the Ka-Bar from its sheathe, leans down, and puts it to the man’s throat.

Jesus. The man winces, he’s shocked at what’s happening. You want the girl, just take her!

Charlie pulls harder on the man’s hair and pushes the blade of his knife hard against his throat.

She’s not yours to give away. Charlie says plainly. The girl glances up at Charlie, in the midst of what’s happening, she sees good in him.

Now I’m not gonna ask you again. Charlie tells the man as he starts to drag the knife across his neck.

Ahhhh!! He screams in pain, I don’t know where he went! Probably to the truck for something, I didn’t bother to ask him. He said he’d be right back! The man yells in anger. Charlie stops dragging the blade but keeps it secure at the man’s throat.

-

At the top of the hill that marks the entrance to the inner forest, the missing man comes walking with what’s left of a six-pack of beer. He stops in his tracks when he sees his friend apparently on his knees. He thought he’d heard a scream but figured it was his buddy having a good ’ole time. He steps quickly behind a tree and grabs his binoculars. Through the binoculars he gets a better look at his friend, with a knife to his throat. He wipes the sweat from his eyes and looks again. His friend has already been cut and is bleeding from his throat and nose. The man lets go of the binoculars and lets them hang. After a few deep breaths he holds his Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun at the ready and proceeds stealthily down the hill.

-

As Charlie scans the forest for any signs of another man one loud shot rings out; his prisoner and the young woman are startled. Charlie looks in the direction of the shot. He pulls his prisoner to the right and positions himself with the man in between himself and the direction the shot came from. He sees a man struggling on the ground about fifty yards up the hill to his right, he’s gurgling blood and trying to yell. The man slides slowly down the hill on the dry leaves as if the forest was pushing him out.

D?! Charlie yells into the forest. Danny comes walking slowly up the hill from the other side of the bleeding man, his SCAR trained on him.

Yeah. I got em! Danny yells back. Charlie turns back to his right, connecting eyes with the young woman as he does, and focuses his attention again on the man on his knees before him. The man’s attention is focused on Danny and his friend. Despair envelopes his face, his friend is dying and he knows it, and soon he’ll be alone.

-

Danny continues to walk closer to the man he just shot. As he sees he’s no threat he lowers his rifle and lets it hang from his chest as he walks. He looks around at the trees, scanning for unwelcome eyes. He walks up to the man, who’s still spitting up blood and reaching for the shotgun he dropped. Tears drip from his eyes. As Danny watches the man struggle for his life, suddenly and without warning the image of his brother Derek flashes in his mind. After looking at the man for a moment, Danny leans down and covers the man’s mouth and nose with a bandana he took from his pocket. He looks the man in the eye as he struggles to breathe. After a few moments, the man dies.

-

The man on the ground in front of Charlie can’t believe his eyes.

How can he be so cold?

He looks down and starts to pray under his breath. This world has become a more dangerous place in the last year but understanding that fact didn’t make it any easier to watch your best friend struggle for his last breath.

Are there anymore? Charlie asks the man still under his knife. The man looks back at Charlie.

No. The man says softly, red cracks spreading across his eyes as they fill with tears. Charlie glances to the girl who shakes her head. He turns back to the man, still holding him by his hair, and wipes his blade on his shirt before putting it away. He leads him back up onto level ground, turns him around and puts him back on his knees.

Please. The man says, staring at the ground. Charlie stands casually with his right hand resting on his .45 at his hip. He unsnaps the holster with a flick of his thumb.

Please what? Charlie asks.

Please don’t kill me. The man replies, having a hard time looking Charlie in the eye. He takes a deep breath and holds his throat. The cut isn’t deep; it’s already stopped bleeding.

Do you not think you deserve it? Charlie asks. The man begins to cry.

-

Danny looks over at Charlie as he stands over the other man. Charlie looks like he’s got it handled. Danny resumes kneeling next to the man he just killed, going through his pockets and checking out the shotgun he dropped. He’s already taken the binoculars and hung them around his neck and over his chest. This will come in handy.

-

I used to be a good man. The man says crying, he looks at the ground again, and then up at Charlie. I’ll never do it again. The man says still crying. Tears streaming down his face. I just, I couldn’t help myself.

Charlie glances at the young woman, she looks at him silently with fire in her eyes. He knows what she wants him to do. This man doesn’t deserve a second chance, if Charlie lets him go there’s no telling whether or not he’ll try to hurt them again. In this new brutal world trust is an ever precious commodity and this man has none to give.

Everything’s just been so crazy, please, let me go. He says, Please! The man pleads. He starts to move away, still on his knees, still crying. He moves backwards inch by inch.

I promise! I promise I’ll never do it again. I’ll give you whatever you want, you’ll never see me again! Charlie looks to the ground. He lets out a sigh and pulls his pistol from its holster, releases the safety, and pulls back the hammer. He lets it hang at his side for a moment while he decides what to do. This isn’t what he wanted. He only wanted to protect his home, but it seems that the war has left a fog of despair lingering over the world. Without the safety net of law enforcement it has been left up to all people to protect their own. A responsibility many are unable or unwilling to accept. Charlie looks back at the girl. He looks into her eyes, and then at the man.

You’re promises ain’t worth shit. Charlie says to the man as he takes a step toward him, raises the pistol and fires once in a single fluid motion. The bullet hits the man in the face before he can get up, just as he starts to scream. A short scream, and then nothing but silence falls over the forest as the shot reverberates through the trees.

-

Danny looks up again for a second and sees what happened. He shows no emotion one way or the other. He’s gotten everything he can from this man and decides to make a quick check of their surroundings before going to meet Charlie.

-

Charlie sighs again, releases the hammer of his pistol and puts it back in its holster. He snaps it in, and turns to the young woman; she’s scared, but steady. She’s staring at the dead man, his face now unrecognizable. The bullet entered through the bridge of his nose collapsing his face in onto itself. She watches as his blood pours out the back of his head. The .45 caliber Desert Eagle leaves a large exit wound, almost large enough to look as if a small explosion went off in the back of the man’s skull, blowing open a door to his brain. The blood starts to soak into the dirt and flows ever so slowly toward her as if a part of him was still coming after her. The leaves move and dance along the ground as a breeze pushes through the forest. She doesn’t notice Charlie walk around her to get his pack, but he startles her when he puts it down next to her. She’s awoken out of her daze and looks up at him. She’s not sure what to make of him just yet, but she’s encouraged. The sweat from his brow captures her attention and it’s in this moment, as she studies his face, that she first realizes how attractive he is. He pulls a t-shirt from the pack and offers it to her. She hesitates for a moment then takes the t-shirt and stands up. She turns around and takes the torn button down off and puts the t-shirt on. It’s an old black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. It once depicted a band but the lettering is so worn its hard to make out. All that’s legible now are the letters S—LIM-. It’s big on her but it’ll do for now. She takes a deep breath while Charlie zips up the pack and stands up behind her. He wanders over and picks the Beretta up off the ground. She turns to him and says,

Can you help me? A bit confused Charlie replies,

I thought I just did. She smiles, embarrassed.

Yes you did. She glances toward the now dead man. Charlie releases the clip of the Beretta to check for ammo, he’s not surprised to find it empty. Ammunition is another rare commodity these days, and getting rarer.

But it’s my sister. She’s hurt and I was headed back to our house to get help when I was attacked, she’s still out there. She gestures with her head farther down the path into the woods. If you could just help me get her back home, please. She notices Danny coming up behind Charlie. Charlie turns to see him.

Nice. He says seeing the shotgun.

Yeah. Danny replies taking it off his shoulder. It’s not bad, got ammo too. He shows it to Charlie. He pulls the pump a few times to illustrate how easily it moves before handing it over. Charlie looks at the young woman and considers whether or not to help her further. His first inclination is to help her without question but the world is no longer the one he grew up in. He knows he must be careful.

Please? We’ve got food. Back at the house that is, we’d be happy to feed and water yah, for helping us out. She speaks to him in a soft voice. It’s the kind of tone that a man learns to recognize and be weary of. Charlie looks sympathetic.

Give us a minute. He says to her. She nods and walks up the path past them. Danny looks to Charlie.

What’s up? Danny asks.

She says her sister is hurt and up the path a ways. She wants us to come with her and help get them both back home safely. Charlie puts the shotgun in his rifle bag. Danny glances at her, then back to Charlie. He’s not sure whether or not helping her is the right thing to do. He discovered a while back that Charlie’s instincts about people were better than his own. But every once in a while Danny has seen Charlie trust a women that he shouldn’t have, they seem to be the only ones that can get to him, and this one is beautiful.

Yeah ok. Danny says finally. But you keep you’re mind on what were doin’. He says with a concerned but serious look.

Of course. Charlie says as he lifts his pack off the ground and puts it on. Danny looks suspiciously at Charlie. They both turn toward the girl.

Lead the way. Charlie tells her. After a sigh of relief she replies,

Thank you, she’s this way. And marches off into the forest.

Chapter 2

Every step he takes Danny keeps thinking about the man he just killed. He doesn’t regret what he’s done but he finds himself wondering what kind of a man he may have been. Given the situation he didn’t have a choice, and he knew that. Simply being associated with a man capable of forcing himself on a girl like the other had done spoke volumes to his own character, or lack there of in his case. People like that can’t be trusted, but there’s often a lingering voice in his head whispering endless possibilities to him.

Maybe he was a father.

Maybe the other man was family, they may not have gotten along but protected each other anyway.

Maybe he didn’t approve of what he’d done, maybe that’s why he forced himself on her after the other had left.

Maybe he would have stopped him.

Maybe he was a good man.

Danny has an overactive mind. He’s often haunted in his dreams and within his own thoughts of the seemingly endless possibilities surrounding anything, and the whispers are especially loud when concerning someone that he has killed.

How much farther is it? Charlie asks the girl. Danny snaps back to reality.

It’s a ways. She replies. Charlie stops and so does Danny.

You need to do better than that. Charlie tells her. She stops and turns to look at him.

I don’t know exactly. She’s a little uneasy around Charlie, she still doesn’t know what to make of him; Danny definitely scares her. I think it’s about a mile.

Ok. Charlie says and he starts to walk again, Danny follows suit. As they walk the girl starts to tell them what happened to her sister but Charlie and Danny seem pre-occupied with their surroundings. Charlie pretends to be listening, giving a nod every time she looks back at them. Danny doesn’t bother.

We were coming back from the river with some fresh water when she slipped on some rocks or a tree root or something, I’m not sure, but she may have broken her ankle. I tried to move her, I didn’t want to leave her there but she screamed in pain. She’s on the verge of tears thinking about her sister in the woods, hurt, and alone. While she’s talking and walking Danny taps Charlie on the shoulder to get his attention. He signals to him that he’s going off to cover the right flank. Without speaking, Charlie nods in agreement and Danny moves off the path into the forest.

As they reach a clearing the girl turns to look at Charlie and realizes for the first time that Danny is gone. She’s startled, and a little scared. She stops immediately and so does Charlie, they stare at each other for a moment. It’s obvious what she’s just realized but Charlie offers no comfort.

Where’s your friend? She asks.

He’ll be along.

You don’t trust me.

Can’t afford to. Charlie replies. She takes a few suspicious steps backwards and continues on. Charlie takes a cautious look around and then follows. He notices that she shows no concern for where she steps or for how loud she does. He takes notice of every step he takes and purposefully avoids clumps of dried leaves and sticks, anything to announce his presence prematurely. After entering the clearing ahead the girl slows to a very cautious pace. She looks around.

Katie? She asks quietly.

Amy? Katie asks as she limps around a tree and into the clearing. Out of the corner of her eye she spots Charlie. She’s startled and starts to raise the hunting rifle she’s carrying. In return Charlie quickly raises his AR. Charlie is much faster than Katie. Amy jumps between them and puts her hands up towards Katie.

No! Don’t! He’s with me, its ok, he saved me. It’s ok. Amy says. At this moment Amy sees Danny coming over the hill back to Katie’s left. Amy focuses her attention and hands towards Danny,

Wait!

Put it down. Danny orders Katie without an ounce of warmth in his voice. Katie slowly turns her head to the left till she sees Danny and his SCAR in the corner of her eye. She has a menacing look to her. She’s very suspicious of them both.

Katie! Look at me damnit! Its ok, they’re here to help, put it down! Amy yells.

Katie doesn’t want to budge. She doesn’t trust them but she knows she’s outnumbered and doesn’t have much of a choice. Still, she doesn’t budge. Charlie lowers his rifle and steps closer behind Amy.

D, put it down. Charlie says in a calm voice. Amy’s a bit startled as she realizes how close Charlie is to her, but she’s strangely comfortable with him. She can feel him behind her, though they are not quite touching. Her heart beats faster. Sometimes he scares her and sometimes he calms her.

Her first. Danny says coldly. Katie glances back at Danny.

C’mon Katie, we need to get you help and we need to get home. Dad’s probably worried. Give me the gun. Amy says while taking several steps toward Katie and reaching out her hand.

Danny, its alright. Charlie says again as he motions with his right hand for him to put it down while never taking his left hand from the around the clip of his AR. Danny reluctantly lowers his SCAR. Katie lets out a sigh of relief. She hands the rifle to Amy, and leans up against the tree to take pressure off her ankle. Danny starts looking around the forest suspiciously. He lets go of his rifle, takes two cigarettes from a pack, a Zippo out of his pocket and lights them both. Charlie walks up to the girls, as he does they’re exchanging some quiet words. Amy’s strokes Katie’s hair as she again tries to reassure her that the guys are ok. At least she’s hopeful.

May I take a look at your foot? Charlie asks Katie as he unhooks his AR. He puts the safety on, and hands it to Danny as he walks toward them. Katie nods to Charlie. Danny takes the rifle and hands Charlie one of the lit cigarettes. Charlie takes a drag and breathes it out through his nose changing the fingers he uses to hold the cigarette with every puff. He takes another and says,

You should take a seat. He puts the cigarette into his mouth and takes off his pack. He puts it on the ground in front of Katie. Amy helps Katie sit down.

Put it up here. Charlie says and taps the top of the pack as he unhooks the small medic-kit from the side.

Danny meanwhile, wanders away to the top of the hill, and leans up against a tree where he has a wide view of the area; he takes a long drag of his cigarette and relaxes for a moment, keeping an eye on not only the forest but the girls as well. Another small breeze wisps its way through the forest and helps to calm Danny’s nerves. As he takes another long drag of his cigarette his mind begins to wander. Dark thoughts plague his mind, its only when he’s distracted and busy that he’s able to focus. He must remain occupied. It’s been this way as long as he can remember. This was the reason he knows many innocuous facts that he’ll never be able to forget. Like how many different kinds of trees there were in his back yard growing up or the amount of ceiling tiles in the classrooms of his middle and high schools. How many different flowers there were in the wallpaper of the waiting area outside the principal’s office, or how many light bulbs they used at the deli where he had his first job. These were things no one needed to know. As Danny got older he started to put his condition to good use, no more counting. He had a friend named Jacob that taught him about cars. He found that he liked working with his hands; taking things apart and putting them back together. It was a tedious job, but it gave him the peace he’d long been without. Since the beginning of the war less than a year ago Danny hasn’t been able to find peace for longer than an hour or so. Now he’s back to counting trees.

Amy hangs the hunting rifle on her shoulder as she watches Charlie take Katie’s boot off. He holds Katie’s ankle for a few seconds, bends her foot up and down and back and forth.

Tell me when it hurts. He says. Katie wretches a little and when Charlie turns her foot sideways she yelps.

Owww!! Fuck. She says. Charlie puts her foot back down on the pack.

Alright well its not broken, probably just rolled it. It’ll heal on its own but we need to wrap it. He tells her. Charlie takes out the wrap and sets it aside. He takes a long drag of his cigarette before taking off her sock. Katie looks anxious.

Can I have a drag? She asks. Charlie looks up at her. Please? Charlie takes another drag of the cigarette before handing it to her.

Thanks. She replies as she takes it. Charlie doesn’t say anything and proceeds to wrap her foot. As she takes her first drag she lets out a long exhale and slowly says,

Oh my God. Katie glances up at Amy to offer her a drag and Amy glances at Charlie for permission.

Do you mind? Amy asks, half reaching for the cigarette.

Nah, go ahead, y’all finish that. He replies.

Thanks. Amy says and smiles. Charlie looks up, and after connecting eyes with her, smiles as well.

No worries. He says. As he finishes wrapping Katie’s ankle Amy sits down next to her sister. Charlie puts her sock back on and then her boot as Katie and Amy finish the cigarette. Amy looks up into the trees as she releases a long exhale. She’s always liked the trees in this area, the color and the smell. Her grandmother used to tell her that all the wisdom in the world was in the trees, and if you listened to them, they would guide you. Amy looks back down at Charlie. As he’s finishing Katie catches Amy stealing glances at Charlie. The two of them trade some subtle looks expressing…

Katie: What are you looking at?

Amy: (With a shrug of the shoulders) He’s definitely cute.

There you go. Charlie says as he ties Katie’s boot. You gotta stay off it as much as you can but you should be fine. It’s swelling, ideally you should ice it.

Thanks, but where the fuck am I going to get ice? Katie asks with a harsh tone. Charlie shrugs at her and starts to put his things away.

Hey. I didn’t get a chance to ask you before, but, what’s your name? Amy asks. Charlie looks up at her and with half a smile, he says, Charlie, my name’s Charlie. He reaches out his hand to shake hers, Amy right?

Yeah. She shakes his as well. And this is my sister Katie. Amy says as she motions to Katie. Charlie lingers a little shaking Amy’s hand. He can’t explain it but there’s something about her he likes. It’s in her eyes.

Its nice to meet you both. Charlie says while shaking Katie’s hand as well.

That’s Danny. Charlie says, pointing quickly to Danny. The girls glance at him and Danny lifts his head up in acknowledgment.

As Danny stomps out his cigarette his attention is quickly turned far to his right at the faint sound of footsteps. He concentrates and suddenly sees five men with guns coming through the forest.

Psstt! Danny says to Charlie in a loud whisper. He grabs Charlie’s AR-15 and tosses it to him. All in one motion Danny tosses the rifle, moves behind the tree he was leaning against and sinks to a squatting position. Charlie catches his gun and pulls the girls down behind the hill.

Down, down, down. Charlie says to Katie and Amy quietly. Katie winces in pain as she lies down. Amy turns over on her stomach and readies her rifle. She blows a few strands of hair out of her face and gathers her courage. She starts to crawl toward the top of the hill to get a look. Charlie grabs her calf gently to stop her. She looks back at him and stops moving. With a rush of adrenaline taking her over it’s hard to stay still. Charlie’s touch calms her, and excites her at the same time. He shakes his head and whispers,

Stay still, Danny’s got it. Charlie glances to Danny who keeps an eye on the group of men. Charlie and Danny have learned to trust each other, most people need to do everything for themselves. Danny looks back at him and signals five men with guns. He puts his finger to his mouth to indicate that they should be quiet and let the men pass. Amy turns back over on her back. Noticeably scared, she glances at Charlie and they connect eyes again. Charlie whispers,

Stay calm. She wonders how in the world she is supposed to do that. Amy looks at Katie who is also noticeably scared. She’s trembling. Amy takes Katie’s hand and holds it tight.

-

Hey, where the hell did Jim go? One of the men asks while helping to carry a deer.

Off with Carl somewhere. Another replies.

Probably suckin’ each other off, you know them. One of the others says. They all laugh.

Yeah well, fag or not, Jim’s my wife’s brother. Can’t be leavin’ him out in the woods, we’re gonna have to find ’em before we go back. He stops in his tracks. Hold up now, y’all smell somethin’? He asks while making a face, inquisitive of the forest, peering in the direction of Charlie, Danny, and the girls. Everyone stops and looks around.

-

Danny glances over at the cigarette butt he stomped out on the ground. He keeps a sharp eye on the group, holding his SCAR ready. He secures good footing in the ground and sets out a plan in his mind about how to engage this group, should it come to that. With Charlie and Danny’s experience they should be able to dispatch all five threats but nothing is certain and having the girls with them makes things more complicated. The men don’t have any conceivable cover, not in their immediate vicinity anyway, but they are armed. They don’t seem too concerned about stumbling upon someone they don’t know. They must be staying nearby.

Smell what? One near the back of the group says as he walks up toward the front. The first guy looks back at him and sees a cigarette hanging from his lips and says,

Never mind, let’s go. They keep on moving.

After the men pass, Danny, staying as low as he can, hurries over to Charlie and the girls and kneels down.

They’re gone. But we need to get the fuck out of here, now. If they’re hunting here, they’re staying nearby. Danny says as he takes a drink from his canteen.

Yeah. Charlie agrees, looking around, thinking.

Our house is only a few miles. Amy whispers.

Amy!? Katie proclaims, surprised. Danny and Charlie glance at one another.

Can you give us a minute please? Amy asks the guys.

Sure, but hurry. Charlie says, as both him and Danny get up and take a few steps away down to the path. Charlie takes the binoculars from Danny and puts his pack back on. Both get ready to travel. Danny looks concerned.

We can’t stay here. He says.

I know. Charlie replies.

-

We need help, you can barely walk. Amy says to Katie.

I can walk. Katie says offended.

Jesus. Pout all you want, we need them and you know it. Amy says while rolling her eyes and standing up. She looks back down at Katie and tells her, They came with me to help you, they didn’t have to do that. They’re our best chance at getting home safe. She turns her attention to Charlie and Danny.

Will you please help us get home? Amy asks them. Charlie and Danny look at each other and then Charlie says calmly,

Yeah, we can do that, but we have to go now.

Thank you. Amy goes back to Katie and helps her up.

This isn’t a good idea. Danny whispers.

I know. Charlie says without looking at him. Danny steps in front of him.

What if we get into some shit? How are they gonna run? Huh? How are they gonna defend themselves? Danny is agitated.

She’s got a rifle. Charlie tells him as if he didn’t know.

That she can barely hold. Who the fuck knows if either of them can actually shoot it, or if they even have any bullets for it? Jesus, half the people we meet nowadays don’t have any fuckin’ ammo. Was there any in that Beretta?

Nope.

Danny shakes his head. Charlie remembers that he has an extra box of 9mm bullets he’s been keeping just in case, but doesn’t mention it. Whether or not they have any of their own isn’t the point.

They’re a liability, and you know it. Danny says after a moment, looking directly at Charlie. Charlie looks at him and says.

I won’t leave ’em here to die.

Fine. If I get shot, I’m kickin’ your fuckin’ ass. Charlie smiles.

We’re ready. Amy says as they approach the guys.

Alright, Danny you help Katie, make sure she keeps pace, and Amy you come with me. Charlie starts to walk down the path back toward I-16. Danny starts to walk over to Katie. The girls look at each other.

Wait, why can’t Amy stay with me? Katie asks.

Because I need her with me, I don’t know where I’m goin’. Charlie answers.

But, I…

It’s alright. Amy tells Katie, We’ll make sure the way is safe, you just keep movin’.

Katie looks suspiciously at Danny. You’ll be alright. Amy reassures her, but Katie is not so sure. She sighs. Amy smiles and leaves her to balance on her own as she goes up to meet Charlie. Charlie attaches his AR-15 back to his sling and they start down the path. As they head back toward the road they both stop short and glance back when they hear Katie say,

Owww! Damnit. Watch where you’re stepping! She says with obvious disdain.

Sorry, Jesus. You’re a real treat aren’t yah? Danny tells Katie.

Fuck you. She replies looking right at him. Danny glances at her in astonishment, then shakes it off with a short chuckle and keeps moving. He glares at Charlie for leaving him with the bitchy one.

She gonna be alright with him? Amy asks Charlie as they walk on. Charlie looks at Amy and then back at Danny who’s trying to ignore another one of Katie’s complaints.

Yeah she’ll be fine, it’s actually not her I’m worried about. Amy glares at him with a playful look.

She’s not THAT bad. She says. She’s just pissed that she hurt herself. Charlie shrugs.

When they reach I-16 they approach cautiously but cross quickly. Charlie and Amy keep an eye on the road in both directions while they wait for Danny and Katie to catch up.

-

Sweetheart you’ve gotta pick up the pace. Danny says to Katie.

Hey…asshole. I’m injured here alright? A little compassion. She snaps back.

Oh don’t be so dramatic darlin’, you sprained your ankle. That happens to 8-year-olds playing hide-n-seek.

I have a fuckin name you know and it ain’t darlin. Its Katie. She snaps again.

Well Katie…hurry the fuck up. He replies.

Ugggghhhhhh! Are you deliberately trying to piss me off?! Katie asks. Danny chuckles and says,

Nope, just comes natural.

-

I wanna thank you for helping us. Amy says to Charlie as they wait.

Thank me when your home. He says without looking at her.

Your friend didn’t seem to think it was a good idea. They turn to look each other in the eye.

Can you blame him?

No I guess not, it’s not easy to trust people these days.

It never was. We traded honesty and trust for politeness and political correctness a long time ago. Charlie says.

They stare at each other for a moment. Quickly Amy breaks the eye contact, looking down and then back to the road.

-

After a few more steps Danny, obviously frustrated with their lack of progress, says,

Alright, fuck this. All of sudden he leans down and in one motion picks up Katie in his arms.

What the fuck are you doing? Katie asks with an attitude. She starts to struggle. Put me down you dick! I can walk! She exclaims. Danny has trouble holding on to her and as she struggles he says,

Hey, hey, HEY! She stops for a moment and looks at him. Danny looks directly into her eyes, maybe for the first time, and says, I’m not going to hurt you, relax. She starts to struggle again but he holds her tight, he’s strong, and says again, I’m NOT going to hurt you! She stops suddenly and stares at him. Now we need to get a move on, we’re runnin’ out of light. He gestures to the sun in the afternoon sky. So its either this or I throw you over my shoulder and carry you that way. Don’t think I won’t. He continues to look her dead in the eye. He starts walking again. Katie is surprised by Danny’s ability to subdue her. After a second she regains her composure and rolls her eyes but doesn’t protest.

Fine. She mutters. After a few more seconds she hesitantly wraps her arms around his neck.

-

Where are they? Amy asks.

I don’t know but it’s getting dark. Charlie tells her. After a moment he asks, So y’all live with your father?

Yeah, when the bombs started to fall Katie and I both came back here to be with him. Our mom died a few years ago when I was in college, we’re all he’s got. He’s probably worried sick right now.

I don’t blame him, I would be. Charlie says. Amy glances at him and smiles. The outline of his face in the failing light reminds her of a dream she once had, she can’t quite place it though. She then notices Danny coming out of the forest holding Katie. Amy laughs quietly to herself in amazement. Charlie sees them and looks both ways with his binoculars and signals that it’s ok to cross. As they reach the other side, Amy gives Katie a sisterly glance. A glance that sends a question her way without a word. She glances from Katie to Danny and back again. Katie shrugs and Amy tries to suppress a laugh. Charlie puts the binoculars away in his pack.

You good? Charlie asks Danny.

Yeah. He replies. She’s a handful, but I got her. Katie rolls her eyes. With a crooked smile Charlie says,

Alright, lets go. Charlie picks up the pack and puts it on, him and Amy lead the way again. Katie looks at Danny frustrated.

What? He asks, challenging her. She shakes her head in silence.

-

So where were y’all headin’ today? Amy asks Charlie as she stretches out her arm to feel the leaves of a nearby tree.

Atlanta.

Oh yeah? I went up there once when I was a girl. Couple of times actually, I had an aunt that lived there.

That’s cool, what part?

Oh I don’t know it was a long time ago. She replies. Did you grow up there?

Yeah, just north of town. Norcross. Danny’s from Marietta, we met in college.

How’d you end up down here? Amy asks.

Where is here exactly?

Near Macon.

Oh, well, when everything started to get bad, and even the militias were being called up a bunch of us figured we aught to help so we joined up. A friend of mine was part of one of the new ones, out of Fulton County so we joined there. Within 24 hours we were on a bus on our way to Savannah to help fight the fuckers that were invading there. I remember looking out the window of the bus at downtown Atlanta only days after the first bombs fell. The smoke and fire in the distance was nothing compared to the lines of people clogging up the roadways. It reminded me of a video I’d seen when I was younger of refugees fleeing some Middle Eastern country. There was so much talk on the bus about how excited some of the guys were to join the fight and what a good cause it was. We thought we were gonna save the world. He takes a long deep breath trying to decide how much to tell her. It didn’t take long though before it all went to shit. We’d been there a couple of weeks when the nukes fell. Nobody ever thought it would go that far. The government infrastructure seemed to collapse over night and everybody just stopped receiving orders, on both sides. Once that happened the rules seemed to go right out the window. Who was fighting and on what side seemed to get less and less important. It kinda happened without us realizing it, but some of the guys started to be more out for themselves than anything else. Slowly but surely the supplies started to dwindle and even food and water were getting low. We were forced to take risks we wouldn’t have otherwise taken just to eat. We were scavengin’ every day for whatever we could find. The cause we’d believed in turned to chaos. Frankly I think the chaos was already upon us, it just took a while for us to open our eyes. He stops walking. After a step she stops as well and looks at him without saying a word. Charlie glances back at Danny and then again at Amy. Right then in that forest sunlight broke through the trees above, shining down exactly on Amy. Charlie’s father had called them Jesus rays, when the sunlight breaks through a cloud and shines directly at one point on the ground. This was a mini Jesus ray barely breaking through the thick branches and leaves of the tall trees above. She looked so beautiful in that moment Charlie thought, but it wasn’t just her outer beauty. It was as if God was trying to show him something more. Trying to show him a goodness that only he was supposed to see, a part of her that would change his life, if only he’d let it. He would have told her anything in that moment if she’d only asked. The moment passed and he started to walk again and she along with him. One night it all came to a head when Danny’s brother Derek got into an argument with one of our own guys.

What happened? Amy asks after a moment.

Well, John tried to take some of Derek’s food, we’d been rationing it out for weeks. He claimed Derek had stolen it from him. Derek pulled a knife…John had a gun.

Jesus. Amy whispers to herself. Charlie stops and keeps talking without looking at her.

I couldn’t believe it, he shot him right in front of all of us. I just sat there frozen solid. I mean, he was one of our own guys, we were all fighting together. And while I tried to wrap my head around what had just happened Danny lost it. He must have stabbed John twenty-five times. Amy glances back at Danny. Danny and Katie are a good thirty yards behind them now.

He killed him? Amy asks. Looking at Charlie.

Yeah. Charlie mutters, turning to look at her as well. After a moment she says,

I don’t blame him. Charlie is a little surprised by that statement, but it made sense. He didn’t blame Danny either, no one did. They both start to walk again.

We buried Derek that night. And as I was sittin’ there watchin’ Danny hammer a cross into the ground, I had an epiphany. That the world we’d been fighting to save was gone, and there was no going back. We’d simply done too much damage. We had to start over. So, before the sun rose, Danny and I grabbed our shit, and we headed home. Staying there would only get us killed. A few days later we stumbled upon you.

Wow. Amy takes a moment to process everything. I’m glad you came along when you did. Charlie looks at her for a few seconds then says,

Me too.

-

Danny stops walking and has to put Katie down.

Hold on to this. He says putting her arms on a tree for balance. Danny stretches. Katie watches him.

You gonna let me walk now? She’s still got an attitude but she’s beginning to soften.

Nope. Danny says, still stretching. She rolls her eyes. Alright come here. He says while picking her up again.

Hey! Jesus, a little warning next time. Katie says as he grabs her.

Relax darlin. Danny replies. She just glares at him.

-

Amy glances back at Danny and Katie, they’re farther back than before. They’re talking.

So how do you think Danny’s handling it? Amy asks Charlie. Charlie looks a bit confused, like the question is out of nowhere. His brother’s death. She clarifies.

Oh. Charlie glances back at Danny who’s now about fifty yards behind them carrying Katie. He turns his attention back toward Amy.

It’s hard to tell with him. I’ve known him a long time but he’s always been a private person, kept his own counsel, that kinda thing. I think he’s ok. I mean, this time it was his brother so I know it’s gotta hurt, but we spent months watchin’ people die everyday. Over time I guess you just learn to deal with it the best you can, that for some isn’t very well, but I think he’ll be all right, eventually. If you can accept it as inevitable, you’ll feel a lot better about it. Is that it? Charlie asks as he points up the trail to a clearing with a house and a yard.

Yep. Amy says with a smile. Come on. She takes the lead. The sun is starting to fade beyond the horizon.

As they reach the end of the forest and come to the yard surrounding the house Amy immediately goes for the front porch. As they come out of the forest they walk down a small grass covered hill and approach the side of the house. Its white paint has been noticeably peeling for some time and it is in desperate need of repair. The front porch has an awning spanning the entire width of the house with a hanging bench swing and a couple of rocking chairs on the far side. The creaking of the porch wood must go hand and hand with the rocking of the chairs. Unlike the apparent condition of the house the yard is full and green. Flowerbeds span the side of the house but little is growing in them. The only tree in the yard is a large Beech tree standing tall in front of the house about twenty feet from the porch. The Beech casts a long shadow over the house as the sun continues to set.

As Amy heads to the porch the girls’ father looks up through the side window and sees only Charlie. Startled, he immediately grabs his twenty-gauge double barrel shotgun from the mantel and heads out the back. Charlie slowly follows Amy toward the front trying to be respectful of the house and not get too close without meeting the owner. As Amy’s father comes out the back door and down the steps of the porch, he creeps slowly around to the side yard coming up behind Charlie. This is when Amy enters the front and looks around for her father. In his old age the old man rustles some leaves. The noise gains Charlie’s attention and he immediately spins on his heel, falls to one knee, and brings the sights of his AR up to his eyes just as the old man raises his shotgun. Immediately they both hear,

No! Daddy! Which startles the old man. He looks toward the noise to his left at the tree line to see a man carrying one of his daughters out of the woods. Charlie doesn’t budge, rifle trained on the old man who has all but lowered his shotgun in the confusion. Charlie stands up still keeping the rifle steady.

He’s with us Daddy, its ok! Katie yells. Still startled