Surviving Day By Day (Book 1): So it Begins (49 page)

He
looked at Colt and Charlie, “You boys need to take the fish guts to the stream. Toss them in it so the blood doesn’t attract any wanderers and be sure to wash your hands down there. We don’t need them following you back.”

Ceara got up and helped Beth put the fish in the pan. “Wait a second, I got something for these.” She ran into her cabin and came back with a plastic bag filled with spices. Setting them up she went through and found what she wanted. “A pinch of salt, a little pepper and to top it off, some thyme and lemon extract.”

Tabitha looked at her, “Don’t tell me you found that in your cupboard?” “Nope I got these when we went shopping.” Ceara said as the word
s
hopping c
ame out in a high pitched tone.

Alden sm
iled and walked into the shed, h
e came back with a heavy cardboard box. Taking his knife he cut a piece to fit the top of the pan then wrapped the pan
with foil, then the cardboard.

Beth looked at him, “What’s the cardboard for?”

He picked up the pan, “Well
,
when we place this in the hole with fire and rocks were going to cover the hole with this large piece of cardboard then throw dirt on it
.
I just don’t want dirt in my food.” Placing the pan on the rocks he covered
it with the cardboard and
then began to push dirt on the top
,
filling in the edges first, with a
l
ight layer across the top. He took a stick and poke
d
two small holes, one on opposite ends to allow a small wisp of smoke out. “There that should do it.”

He looked at his watch and went to sit in one of the lawn chairs. Pushing some buttons on his watch, he laid his feet out and crossed his arms. “Now, I’m taking a nap, kiddies. Please don’t let me get bit.” His eyes closed and wit
hin minutes he was fast asleep.

Tabitha looked over at Alden and for the first time she really started to feel like she was part of a family. Then she looked over and looked at the others. Everyone was working together and it was not like it was a chore or anything like that. It was like a family; the family that she always wanted but never had. She was watching Ceara and Charlie work together and Tabitha knew that Red had something for him. However
,
there was something about Charlie that she found interesting and she just wondered more and more what kind of past that he had. Tabitha noticed that everything that he had learned
was
either from Alden or from him watching tv shows as he put it
. Tabitha thought the kid
was learning or acting it out
many things
for the very first time. Maybe he too
,
had a sheltered life like she had
.

So from that
Moment
on Tabitha made herself a promise that she would try to look at things through his eyes and enjoy the small things instead of trying to push her ways onto him. But there was one thing that she would never stop and that was teasing him and Ceara. There was jus
t too much fun to be had there.

Ceara leaned over to Charlie whispering, “He just totally ignored what we said about the wanderers.”

Charlie looked to Alden then back to Ceara, “No, not really, he told us not to let him get bit.”

Ceara’s lip twisted in the smirk, “Does that mean he trusts us?”

Charlie stood up and pulled her to her feet, “Not so sure about that
,
but I think it’s getting there. Come on, let’s go check the clothes. Plus we have
maid service for our
cabin; we wouldn’t want
Tabitha
to forget that.”

Ceara
smiled and lit up
her eyes, “Yeah, I know but hang on a second.” She started to call over to Beth but thought twice when Alden started snoring. She moved beside Beth, “I was thinking that we could have some of those fresh canned potatoes and maybe some green beans with the fish. If you will get Colt to get the fire going in
your
cabin
,
I’ll come over and help you once our chores are done.”

She glanced to the fire pit, “How long do you think it tak
es to cook the fish like that?”

Speaking very low Beth answered, “Probably about an hour or so to do all
those fish
. So I guess that some potatoes and green beans would be a nice addition.” A low rumble came from inside of her stomach. Giggling Beth said, “Just talking about food must
have
woke
up my belly.”

Beth knew that Ceara still wasn’t up to making chit chat with Colt so Beth smiled and waved Colt
over
, “Hey Colt, do you think that we have enough wood to start a smaller fire so that we could cook up some side dishes? Ceara suggested
some potatoes and green beans.”

Colt looked over to Ceara and received a rolled eye look from her as she turned to go do something else. Not wanting to show his ass Colt nodded his hea
d, “I could do that for ya’ll.” Without another word he head to his cabin.

Standing there alone, now Beth kinda felt like the odd man out and all she could do was smile and shake her head. Tabitha noticed everything that was going on which caused her to stand up. “Beth, Ceara will come around in her own time. You and I know this, just so happens she doesn’t know it
,
but she will.
”

Tabitha jumped up dusting off her jeans,
“
I will help you get the pots.” As Tabitha and Beth went inside
,
Colt began getting kindling together to start the fire.

“Let’s just use one pot and put the potatoes and beans together. That way we don’t have to dirty more dishes, plus when I was a kid
Mom
would always cook
them
together
,
she
always
said they would have more flavor
when cooked like that,” said Beth.

Tabitha looked over to Beth and smiled, “Must have been nice ha
ving a family that cared
about what you do and who you hang with huh?”

While holding the pot in her hand Beth looked down and felt bad for saying
anything,
she didn’t want to hurt Tabitha. So instead of pushing her question aside
,
Beth chose to answer it head on
,
but in her own honest way.

“Yes, my family was a nice one
,
but we too had our battles like all families do in their own ways. Ours just were never shown because of the health problems that my sister Mary had. All of my parent’s attention was mainly on her and
as I got older
so was mine.”

The look on Tabitha’s face was
of true
concerned and she wanted to ask several questions but Tabitha decided to take what Beth had to offer. “I had to grow up quick and there was no
option given to me
. Sure it was
a little
easier
than for others
because I
did have the idea of
a family
.” Tabitha shrugged, “
but
sometimes it’s harder to be in a family that doesn’t really want you. You have
to grow up because
there is no other choice.”

Then Beth really started to think about something and spoke while she thought, “Sometimes you don’t get the chance to choose your family, sometimes you have to make a good situation out of a bad one. Then there are times when a situation just drops itself right in your damn lap and you have to pick up the broken pieces so that you can try to make something out of it. I guess, Tabitha; that is what we have here.
Not one of us
want
ed
this to happen and
each one of us in one way or another
lost everything. That is the common denominator that lies between us all.
”

Beth smiled just a little,
“
However
,
each one of us brought what we have to our
proverbial
table here and this family is the one that we must form now. Because what else is there Tabitha?”

Both girls just stood there in silence looking at one another until the noises of the fire crackling in the stove intruded on the silence. Tabitha smiled and continued, “Ya know Beth, you got a point there and it looks like Colt got the fire going so we
best get these veggies going.”

Beth shook her head and made her way around Tabitha to get set the pot on the top of the stove. Colt stepped back letting the girls do their thing, “Do you guys need me for anything else?”

Tabitha shook her head, “Nah, we got it from here, you could take the dishes out and set the table if you want.”

Colt looked at the stack of dishes then to the door, “Is Ceara going to have a fit if I take these out there?”

Beth laughed, “Not is you don’t drop them.”

Colt picked up the silverware and stacked on the top of the plates, he carried them through the kitchen, “You guys know if I do drop these I am blaming you!” With
that he headed out the door.

Ceara saw him with the plates and ran over, “You want me to set the table?” Colt shook his head, “I got it, Ceara. I promise I won’t drop them.” Ceara walked right beside him till he got to the table and set them down. “See, safe and sound.”

Ceara started helping set the table, “It’s just that there are so few nice things that I don’t want lose the few we have.”

Colt was surprised she even spoke but he didn’t let the chance go, “I get that, and I made sure to take care with these. I know you really like them.”

Thirty minutes later
Charlie came
out and joined everyone at
the table, “You guys think we should wake Alden, he’s been out about an hour and I bet the fish are done.”

As if on cue,
Alden’s alarm went off on his wrist and he stretched and yawned. Sitting up he looked around. Tonto’s head popped up from behind the chair. Rising he walked to the fish oven and began to pull the dirt back with his feet. Then reached down and dragged the cardboard off. The smell of the baked fish filled the air. He turned and smiled, “Yeah
it’s
done.
”

H
e looked around and saw a pair of oven mitts sitting on the table. Alden looked to Tabitha, “So you decided to look around the kitchen.”

She smiled, “Damn straight,” she said with a laugh. Alden put the mittens on and soon the pan was on the table. He looked at the good plates and then saw the potatoes and the beans. “Damn I haven’t seen a spread like this forever. You cupcakes did real good, makes an old man proud.” He took his seat an
d watched as the rest sat down.

Tonto jumped up and went to the trees. His ear perked and tail straight. Alden had taken one bit and saw what was happening. “Damn it to hell.” He got up, “What is it boy?” Tonto turned and looked
at him then back to the woods.

Charlie looked at Ceara, “It ain’t wanderers, Tonto would be growling.”

Alden spoke without turning around, “No it’s not a wanderer.” Tonto moved a few steps into the woods and Alden followed and motioned to Colt. They disappeared behind the trees. The rest of the group sat looking at each other when they heard footsteps, heavy plodding ones. Colt came into view first smiling nervously. “Look what we found.”

In his hand he held the reins to two horses. Behind him came Alden with two more. “Now this is a good thing, if only we can rustle up some saddles.” Ceara ran over startling one of the horses that Colt ha
d, she slid to a stop, “Sorry!”

Colt wasn’t use to horses and wasn’t sure how to calm him, all he kept saying was “Shhhhhh”

Ceara quickly grabbed the reins, stroking the horse’s nose and neck, “You’re a pretty….” She did a quick look under the horse, “…boy, aren’t you. You even look healthy. Where did you come from and how did you avoid all the wanderers?”

Looking back to everyone, “I
know
horses
and
these look like they have been taken care of.” She looked over the horse’s back to Alden, “What are you thinking?”

Alden smiled, “Well contrary to popular belief they don’t taste all that good. So I would suggest we try and keep them healthy. It will save on gas.”

He tied up the two horses to a tree by the shed and went back to the table. Sitting down he began to finish his dinner.

Tabitha walked up to the one horse that was with Ceara. With her eyes as big as saucers she was in total amazement at his beauty. “I have never seen or tou
ched a horse in all of my life!”

Slowly she reached her hand over to his main and gently began to run her hand across it. Never had she felt that kind of hair and the horse whinnied which caused Tabitha to jerk her hand back.