Surviving Day By Day (Book 1): So it Begins (54 page)

The girl had tears in her eyes as he turned and walked away. Charlie was beside him, “You really think she could talk me or C
olt into letting her go?”

Alden looked at, “No, but I ain’t taking any chances.”

Back by the horses he looked at them. “I want you all to grab some ground and try to catch a nap. Tonto, Max and I will keep watch. Don’t kid yourself about the drugs and shit
,
t
hey won’t be as alert as us…. but if they’re all hopped up on speed and coke
. That means
they’ll be strong as hell and even crazier. This is not going to be a cakewalk trust me. Everyone will need to be responsible for one other person
.”

Alden looked to each one, “I know I said we have to be careful sticking with the ones we are closest too but this is different.
In this if the one we care the most about, like Charlie with Ceara...” He looked to both of them, “If either is in trouble come hell or high water the other will help.” Each one looked to the one they cared most about and knew Alden spoke the truth, they you die for each other.

As if reading their minds Alden spoke again, “B
eth with Colt, Tabitha with me and Ceara and Charlie
…” He looked once more to Charlie and Ceara
, “
If
we lose, you two need to get the hell out of
here. Don’t give me any of this
hero,
‘
they’re our friends
’
shit. If this doesn’t work you high tail it back to the cabins
,
get what you can
. You
set everything else on fire and drive away.”

Not even pausing for either Ceara or Charlie to speak
Alden looked at Tabitha, “Go get some sleep with the rest.”

He turned and reached down petting Max, “C’mon boy
let’s see what you’ve learned.”

Ceara walked to Charlie and he led her to a spot far away from Stephanie, he thought that Ceara didn’t trust him with the girl. He sat in the grass and pulled her down beside him, waiting for her to either speak or just go to
sleep.

Ceara laid back and folded one arm behind her head, “I don’t care what he says, we aren’t leaving them behind. I don’t care if just one is alive
,
I ain’t going nowhere.”

Charlie laid down beside her, “I figured you would say that, but Ceara I am not letting anything happen to you, if that means we fall back and wait for a better chance we do it.”

Ceara looked over confused, “What does that mean?”

Charlie pulled her close hugging her, “It means we do what Alden says, and just how we interpret it is up to us, which is why I didn’t ask any questions.” Ceara snuggled
into his chest and smiled, “Oh ok I gotcha…
that was
pretty smart.”

Beth walked over and found her a nice big oak and
sat down
right underneath it. She made sure that she noticed everything going on around her
. S
he paid particular attention to the smells and noises from way off in the distance.

Tabitha was a little tired and knew that she better do as Alden suggested and grab at least a cat nap because shit was going to get real and she damn well knew it. She noticed that Beth had found her a nice place and she decided to do the same thing. Tabitha found another oak that was close by to the prisoner and she thought it would be best to just camp out right there in case that Stephanie got a little rambunctious. As soon
as she got comfortable Tabitha
, closed her eyes and bef
ore anyone knew it she was out.

Beth didn’t feel like sleeping at all for she wanted to make sure that Charlie didn’t fall asleep. His eye was still pretty dilated and the last thing that she wanted was to have Charlie passed out when all hell broke loose. Seeing Ceara and Charlie together was so sweet and somewhere in the back of Beth’s mind she too had hoped that one day she too would find someone that special. But the question was
n’t
would that day ever come? The answer was how the hell would she know?!! Smiling at the sight of Ceara curling up in a ball next to Charlie actually gave Beth a little glimmer
of hope.

Then there was Alden, h
e knew exactly what was going on and he was in pure survival mode. Hopefully that mode would get them out of this situation and back to camp.

Then Beth looked over at Colt and felt so sorry for him. He had been through so much but
then again,
they all had.

Colt walked around for a few minutes looking around as if lost, he wasn’t sure just what was expected of him. Alden looked over at him, “Boy, you are making me nervous, find a spot and sit your ass down.”

Colt went by Beth and laid down by her feet, he laid on his side with his head propped on his hand. He watched where her eyes went, he glanced over to Charlie and Ceara then back to Beth, “She won’t let him go to sleep, but we need to get some or we may be in a world of hurt tonight.” Rolling over on his back he let his eyes close wondering if he
would really be able to sleep.

Alden watched as one by one they dropped off.
H
e took his time with Max teaching him slowly how to think like he did.
T
he simple snap of a finger as Alden first pointed to a stick
,
Max just looked at him. Tonto started for the stick and Alden let him get it and bring it back. Max watched with interest and Alden rubbed Tonto’s fur, “Good boy Good Boy.”

Alden walked over and set the stick down again. Coming back he rubbed Max’s neck, “Your turn boy. You can do this.” He knelt down between the two the dogs. Snapping his finger once he stared at the stick. Tonto stood and Alden grabbed his collar. Max stood and looked at Tonto then at Alden, he sat back down and Alden sighed he was about ready to let go of Tonto’s collar when Max was suddenly
got back up and trotted
to get the stick. As he brought back Alden rubbed him down, “Good boy Good Boy,” Max rubbed his head against Alden’s shoulder.

Charlie was sitting nearby and had watched the whole scene, speaking quietly, “really Alden that’s all it takes.” Alden smiled, “Yeah kid just a little piece of wood and some patience, and time… a lot of time. Now you get some rest.
”

Alden worked with the dogs till the sun started to set. He quit and walked
back where he and Tabitha had first watched Stephanie and her friends
. Looking off in the distance he could see smoke from a fire. He looked back at his small army then back towards the smoke as Tonto and Max walked up standing on either side of him. He reached down and petted both dogs, “You guys watch out for our kids. I’m counting on you.”

Alden sat for hours watching and listening to the party that was going on. He couldn’t make out what they were saying only hear the voices and an occasional whoop or holler. As time passed the noise settled down. He looked at his watch and touched a button that lit up the dial, three a.m. getting up he walked back to the others. Charlie was nestled up against the tree with Ceara’s arms wrapped around his waist. He saw Alden who was circling his finger in the air to signal for him to get up.

Beth and Colt had ended up holding each other to stay warm in the cool night. Tabitha was
lying
between Max and Tonto. Tonto jumped up as soon as he heard Alden’s steps which woke Tabitha and Max. Max jumped and growled at first till he realized who was there. Tabitha looked up at Alden, “Damn and I was warm”, she said as she started to get up. Alden reached his hand down to help her, “Take it slow we got ti
me, the others still stirring.”

Charlie brushed Ceara’s hair lightly, “psst, honey c’mon it’s time to rise and shine, as the sisters used to say.” He kissed her forehead as she snuggled in closer and moaned, “No.” Charlie chuckled, “I know but c’mon we got things to do and Alden’s waiting.”

He shook her a little harder as she yawned and looked up at him. “I was hoping they’d all go away but they didn’t, did they?” Charlie shook his head, standing up he stretched and looked at Stephanie still tied to the tree. Her jeans were wet where she had pissed herself.

Charlie reached down and pulled Ceara up, “What the hell is that smell?” she asked. Charlie simply pointed to Stephanie, “Alden’s a real prick didn’t even give her a piss break.” Ceara looked over at the woman
,
Max walk up to her
for his good morning petting
, as knelt and petted him she looked to Charlie, “Fuck her
,
they tried to kill my dog.” The two walked over to where Al
den was standing by the horses.

Colt slowly lifted his eyes and saw that Beth was curled up next to him and his arm was around her waist. He slowly pulled away wondering how he got up next to her, last he remembered he was laying at her feet. If they had been back at the cabins
safe and sound,
he would have smiled
,
she did the sleepy whine when he moved. He shook her shoulder and she was awake, “Is it time?” Colt nodded, “Yeah, everyone is getting ready.”

Beth began rubbing the sleep from her eyes and when she heard that everyone was getting up and moving she rose to her feet and stretched her legs. After brushing herself off she then wa
lked over and checked on Charlie
. “Let me just
take a quick
look
at you
.”
She
saw that the eye still was dilated but had changed a little in appearance which was a very good sign. Smiling as Beth gently checked the bandages on his head, “You’re not out of the woods yet….pardon the pun”, as she chuckled slightly, “but I say let’s go get this matter taken care of so we can get you back home where you belong.”

Charlie looked over at Ceara and the look of anger that she had
with Stephanie
was no longer there. The look that replaced it was that of sweetness and hope. Beth realized right there what she had said. The word
‘home’
was something that the group had needed to hear and just for a brief
m
oment
there was a p
ea
ce among the six survivors.

The noise of Tabitha cocking her gun and making sure it was loaded made everyone look at her and she looked up at them all with a serious look on her face, “Then I say let’s fucking do this thing and get our boy home where we all fucking belong!”

Beth looked at Tabitha then to Colt whom had been with her since the beginning and finally ended back by looking directly into the eyes of Alden. “What say you
,
boss?”

The look in Alden’s eyes was stone black and the mission was set. They all knew from the look that this may be the last
thing
they ever
attempt;
that
this was a do or die situation.

Colt led the horses over but Alden shook his head, “We ain’t quite ready for them yet.” Colt tied them back up and everyone went to join around Alden. He had knelt in the dirt and cleared and decent size area and pulled the black bag close to him. Alden silently drew “V’s” in the dirt along with what Colt thought was cars, there were a couple of straight lines that Colt had no idea what they were for and X’s Colt thought were the fires. Alden took a break and sat back looking at the drawing, then leaned forward adding three rectangles and a mid-size square then added a few trees.

Once he was done everyone looked at the picture, Colt finally asked, “Ok, what are the V’s and lines?” Alden sat directly across from him, “Well, from your view I guess they would be V’s but from mine they’re tents, and the lines are clotheslines. I don’t need any of you strangling yourselves.” Colt nodded and looked back at the dirt, “They got a bigger spread than I was hoping for
. How are we going to do this?”

Alden looked at the group then at the horses. He stood and paced back and forth for a few minutes as everyone watched. Charlie knew he was thinking and thinking hard. Suddenly a small grin came on his face and he knelt down and raised an eyebrow when he spoke. “We’re going to
do this the old fashioned way.

Tabitha looked at him,
“what the hell does that mean?”

“In the old days, the Indians would send braves straight into an enemy camp on horseback to show their courage. Two or three would ride straight through and kill
as many braves as they could.”

Colt
winked
at Beth, “The original drive-bys.”

“Exactly” as Alden went on, “Tonto, and I will take out any guards on this end of the camp.” He pointed with a stick to a side of the drawing that had more tents than cars. “This will be their weak point and they’ll know it, or they should. Colt will bring up the horses and
he
and I will ride through the camp.” Alden looked at Colt, “You don’t need to try and shoot, just ride and ride hard anyone gets in your way run them over. Trust me they’ll move. I’m going to drop a couple of surprises to start with and then shoot my way out, I’ll be right behind you Colt, so don’t stop and don’t look back just ride, son.”