Chapter Six

With their bodies exhausted and their nerves frayed from the drama and tension of the last few days, they ate a cold, light meal of jerky and raw carrots that they washed down with pine needle tea before they called it a day alongside the setting sun.

Since the only protection they had was their make-shift lean-to, it was decided that they would take turns keeping watch for predators or zombies during the night.  The fire was reduced to glowing embers to prevent attracting attention, should there be someone or something in the vicinity, but it was warm enough in the season for them not to need a fire for comfort.

Because Kendra was rejuvenated by her extended nap, she offered to take the first watch. Her aunt and cousin were asleep before she’d managed to settle into position for her task. She watched their chests move up and down to the rhythm of their steady breathing and sighed. Regret for not dealing with Rupert in a different way consumed her. She’d grown up in that cave. It may have been small, but it was home. It provided an anchor. It was a sanctuary that offered love and gave them a sense of safety and well-being. Now, because of her, they were homeless and wandering the border of zombie land. They were at the mercy of not only the elements, but whatever predators may be about.

There was also the matter of Ari. The more she thought about it, the stranger her encounter with the young beauty seemed.  What was she doing wandering alone on the edge of zombie land? Where did she come from? Her clothes indicated that she lived a privileged life. Didn’t she also claim to have transportation?  Why was she there?  Why was she so friendly to her, having just met her? It wasn’t making sense.

Suspicions about Ari’s motives and who she really was occupied her mind right up to the time that she heard movement in the distance.  She stilled her breathing to help her hear a bit better.  Was it two legs or four approaching?  She just couldn’t tell.

After debating whether to venture out to investigate or stay where she was and wait to see if whoever or whatever was out there approached their camp, she settled on the latter.  She did, however, climb the ancient tree -that managed to continue to eke life from the depleted soil it was rooted in- that she’d been sitting beneath to hide herself. Its foliage was sparse, but, if the intruder didn’t look too closely, she figured it provided sufficient camouflage.  Since she had no idea who, what, or how many she might have to battle to protect her sleeping loved ones, the element of surprise would come in handy.

It was a warm night, but she knew that the sweat that trickled down her neck wasn’t from the heat. She’d never encountered a zombie before and she had no idea how she’d do battling it. If that’s what was making its way toward them, she hoped that her arrows would do the trick. 

She closed her eyes and reenacted her practice sessions in shooting an arrow through a dummy head in her mind. Her mouth and throat were hot and dry from nervous anticipation.

Past conversations with her aunt about zombies surfaced in her mind.  Panic threatened to consume all reason as the movement grew closer.  She did her best to focus on what she’d learned from those conversations. Her aunt had encountered a few mutants in the early years of the apocalypse. She said little about it, but Kendra could tell that whatever her aunt was forced to do had an unpleasant impact on her aunt’s soul.

She wasn’t sure what time it was, but by the position of the moon, she guessed it to be around midnight.  Looking at the moon made her realize, for the first time, how full and bright it was.  She’d been so consumed with her own thoughts that she didn’t really notice its brilliance.  How could she not?  It was so bright that it acted like a flashlight in the sky. 

It was because of its brightness that she was able to see the handsome silhouette of a man as he stealthily approached their camp.  He wore a worn out safari hat. His ears were covered by smooth, dark hair that was pulled back at the base of his neck into a long ponytail that stopped just between his shoulder blades. The look only added to his sexiness. 

Wisps of dust fell from his lightweight overcoat that came to just above his booted feet with each movement.  It hung open to expose his form fitting tee shirt and faded jeans.  Even though his clothes looked worn and slightly ragged, they hung on him as if they were tailor made for his lean muscled physique.  He looked to have the body of a runner or a swimmer. 

Her first thought was that he was a wanderer.  Someone who was constantly walking from place to place would develop the lean muscled body of an athlete.  The constant hunting for food for her family had certainly contributed to her athletic attributes.

The big question was… Was he dangerous? She just couldn’t tell.

With the patience of a skilled hunter, she raised her bow and carefully aimed the arrow at his thigh.  She’d never killed another human and she wasn’t about to start now.  She pulled the bow taught, but didn’t shoot.  Instead, she waited to see what he was going to do. 

It took considerable willpower to keep an aim on his thigh instead of focusing on his handsomely rugged face. If it was this striking in the moonlight, she could only imagine what it would be like in the light of day.

The sound of Felix coughing caught both her and the stranger’s attention. He froze in place as he waited for Felix to rise.  When he didn’t, the man cautiously picked his way across the open area to the wagon and quietly rummaged through it. She thought that he’d disturb their crated chickens, but no sound of panic from the birds could be heard.

Kendra should have shot that arrow into his thigh, but something stopped her from doing it.  Instead, she lowered her bow and watched as he reached into their food sack and pulled out a few pieces of jerky.  The way he attacked the jerky confirmed what she’d suspected.  The man was starving.  She scowled when she saw him put their water jug to his lips and practically inhale the refreshing liquid.  How long had he gone without water?

A small moan escaped his throat as he chugged away.

The moan was soft and low, but it was loud enough to reach Olga’s ever alert ears; even in slumber.  Although she sat up with a start, her movements were smooth and silent. That, combined with the fact that the man was reveling in the bliss of finally getting food and drink for his deprived body, gave her the advantage. Before he realized what was happening, she was behind him with the tip of her knife jabbed against his back.

“Get your filthy lips off our water jug,” she said in a low, but threatening tone as she pressed the blade against his flesh hard enough that, if he made a sudden move, it would slice between his rib cage.

He slowly lowered the water jug and put the cap back on.  “I don’t mean you harm, ma’am.  I’m sorry.”

Kendra practically swooned when she heard his smooth southern drawl as he voiced an apology that sounded genuine and sincere.  This wasn’t the case for Olga, who was shouting for Felix to wake up and help her.

Her cousin wasn’t as swift and silent about getting up and coming to Olga’s aid.  It took him a few seconds to get his bearings and clear his head.  Once he did, his eyes went wide at the sight of his aunt with her knife taught against a strange man’s back.

“Get the rope and tie him up,” Olga barked.

“Where’s Kendra?” Felix asked with concern as his head whirled left and right in search of her.

“The rope, Felix,” Olga said with greater force. “Now.”

Felix hurriedly limped to the wagon and pulled out the rope.  He angrily yanked the stranger’s hands behind his back.  When he was finished, he and Olga forced him to the ground so that they could also tie his ankles together before tethering him by connecting the ankle binding and the wrist binding with another rope.

“You’d better not have hurt her or you’re dead, buddy,” Felix warned as he finished tethering the man.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” the man said in a calm and almost peaceful tone. “I was wrong to eat your food without asking, but that’s all I did.  I have no idea who she is.”

Kendra took advantage of the fact that her aunt and cousin were focused on the camp’s intruder and climbed out of the tree as quietly as she could. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to keep the fact that she’d been watching the entire time a secret.  Maybe it was because she felt guilty for letting it get that far?  She couldn’t say.  It was just a strong feeling inside of her that she followed.

“Where were you?” Felix asked with concern.

“Who’s this?” Kendra asked, ignoring her cousin’s question.

“A thief,” Olga spat. “I caught him raiding our food stores.”

“Did he hurt anyone?” she asked, knowing full well that he didn’t. 

She took the opportunity to move closer to him.  He had sky blue eyes that reflected the moonlight; reminding her of a starry night sky.  His jaw was square and freshly shaven, which made her question her theory of him being a wanderer.  Did wanderers practice such meticulous toiletries?

His eyes captured hers in a deadlock as he said, “I apologize.  I should have introduced myself and waited for an invitation, but y’all were sound asleep and I was ravenous.  That’s no excuse, I know, but it’s the truth.” His voice was smooth and surprisingly calm, considering his circumstances.

A rush of unfamiliar excitement flooded her body from neck to groin as she struggled to gain release from the grasp of his mesmerizing orbs. She did her best to camouflage her surprise by grabbing his chin and roughly turning his face from side to side. “Are you a mutant?”

“Is he?” Felix gasped.

“I’m not sure,” Olga replied.

“What should we be looking for?” Felix mused as he stepped closer to the helpless man.

“You have a mighty strong grip, miss,” the stranger drawled. “I fear for my jaw.”

Realizing that she’d been far more aggressive than she’d intended to be, Kendra released his jaw and stepped back. “Are you a mutant?”

 “If you’re asking if I was affected by nuclear radiation, the answer is, “yes”.

Kendra sucked in air. “You look so normal.”

“Don’t mutants eat each other?” Felix asked with concern.

“You’re thinking of zombies,” Olga offered. “This man’s no zombie. I can assure you of that.”

The stranger smiled. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“So, how were you affected?” Kendra boldly asked. “I see no arm band on you.”

The stranger looked at her and smiled. “Before we make introductions?”

She scowled. “What?”

“My name is Rex Henderson. I’m twenty-six years old. I’m a widower and a wanderer.”

“I knew it,” Kendra blurted out.  “I knew you were a wanderer.”

After a moment of silence, Rex said, “Now it’s your turn to tell me your names.”

“What it is, is time for us to return to our the much needed slumber that you interrupted,” Olga said with an authorative gruffness. “I’ll take the next watch.”  She looked, accusingly, at Kendra and added, “Go finish your sleep.  That’s what you were doing when he entered the camp, right?”

Kendra looked to the ground before slinking off to the lean-to.  She could have told her aunt the truth instead of letting her think that she’d fallen asleep while on watch, but that something that stopped her before was stopping her again.

Felix was quick to follow her into the lean-to.

“Where were you?” he whispered as he lay next to her. “I couldn’t see you anywhere.”

“Go to sleep,” she said in a soft voice as she closed her eyes.