Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come (12 page)

Running Buffalo looked at her, “We’ll see after I talk to her, Fair enough?” Beth nodded and headed back to the kitchen.

The men entered the bedroom. Niz was lying on the bed with her back propped up. She was holding a small mirror with her knees bent as she tried to brush her hair with her good arm. Looking up she smiled weakly, “Hi, dad.”

He smiled at her, “How’s my little warrior?”

“I’m fine, a little sore but I’m going to be okay. That young woman Beth did a good job and got the bullet out.” Niz went to move as Running Buffalo started to sit on the bed and she winced.

Running Buffalo smiled at her, “Your expression tells more truth than your words, dear. We came here to check on you, but also to speak with Alden. There are more herds of those dead souls moving in and we need to find out how many. Then plan for a defense for our tribe and his.”

Niz looked at him, “I’m ready to fight, just say the word.”

Stray Eagle chuckled as Running Buffalo shot him a look. “Like father, like daughter,” Stray Eagle said with a shrug.”

Turning back to Niz, Running Buffalo leaned in and kissed her head. “Again, your actions tell more truth than your words. We will ride back to the tribe and return with some braves to help with the defense of the ranch here. Then we’ll go out and see what we can find out. You will stay here, when the men return, you will be in charge. Until then, you do as their doctor says and rest.”

Niz started to protest and Running Buffalo put his fingers on her lips, “Simply say... yes, Father.” Niz looked down then looked back at him her eyes were soft and loving, as was the tone in her voice, “Yes, Father.”

Charlie walked out the back door, over to the fire pit. Grabbing the coffee, he walked to the table and refilled Alden’s cup, then his own and sat down placing the pot on the table. Alden was looking out to the desert as if he were searching. “So… What’s up boss?”

Alden took a sip then looked at him, “Charlie, my son, when I retired, I had said I would never fight another war again. Seems like that’s all I do now.”

Charlie took a sip of coffee and looked out across the desert. It suddenly dawned on him that the group had never fought or killed anyone till this started, but Alden had been fighting his whole life. Charlie knew how tired the group was of killing and he couldn’t imagine what Alden was feeling. “I take it we’re going to have to fight again?”

Alden nodded, “Looks like it. When the others leave, have the rest of the group come out.” Charlie rose and looked at him with a tear in his eye, “You know Sir, if it wasn’t for you, we’d all been dead long ago.”

Alden nodded and smiled as he kept looking out across the desert. “Or worse you’d all be one of those sons of bitches and that I couldn’t live with.”

Charlie touched Alden’s shoulder as he passed behind him heading to the house. Alden spoke up quickly, “You got dust in your eyes, boy. Take a minute and put a fresh pot of coffee on, with water from the hose. Oh and I’ll give you the Sir this time.” Charlie wiped his eyes with his shirt tail and made the coffee. Then splashed some water on his face and dried it off, as he headed to get the others.

Beth peeked into the room where Niz and her father were talking. She knew that Niz did not like the fact that she was out of commission for a while. When there was a break in the conversation, Beth knocked lightly on the door.

“Niz, it’s time for your medicine. I am going to give you your antibiotic to ward off any infection first. I don’t think you have one by looking at your wound and after checking your vitals. However, by just giving you this for another day or two, that will keep any infection from getting into your body. Then I will give you something for the pain.”

The Chief looked up to Beth and nodded, “Niz told us that you did a good job. We thank you for all that you have done.”

Beth smiled as she got the syringe filled with the antibiotic and prepped her arm for the injection. “It’s no problem. I wanted to do this all of my life, ever since I can remember.” As the needle went into Niz’s arm she winced. “That burns Beth.”

Beth took the needle out and put cotton over it then a band aid. “Honey, that is pure medicine and that burning sensation is because it is going directly into your vein. Now this next one will not be bad at all, I promise.”

Running Buffalo reached over, held onto Niz’s hand and gave her the loving look that a father gives to his child when they are in pain. It was the same look that Beth had seen several times from her dad when she was either hurt or when Mary was recovering from one of her diabetic attacks. Seeing this made Beth smile, and for a moment the beautiful memory of her family had run through her mind. Beth thought it was funny how a simple act such as that made her feel like she was making a difference.

Beth got the second injection of morphine ready, “Now Niz, I need you to look over at your father and I am going to inject this above the wound, so it will take effect quickly. So take a deep breath and let it out slowly for me.”

Niz had done exactly what Beth had asked and as she looked up to her father she spoke softly, “I love you, Dad.”

Right after Niz spoke, Beth injected the morphine, and just as she had promised Niz, it was less than seven seconds and a smile came across her face. The pain left her eyes and she blinked softly.

Beth then looked over to Running Buffalo, “Pretty fast, huh?”

Running Buffalo gave Niz’s hand a squeeze as he looked at Beth, “Young lady when this is over I would like it if you came with Alden to look at our young ones. Give them a once over and if you have any of the vaccines that would be a great help too. We have a medicine man, but he’s up in age. So between him and the young ones, it goes one of two ways. He acts like them, or he doesn’t have the patience for them.”

Beth smiled once more, giggles slightly and nodded, “I would absolutely love to except I wouldn’t want to offend him in anyway.”

Running Buffalo smiled, “I will introduce you first and you ask him to teach you. Then in return you will share, not teach, him your medicines. First things first though, we need to make things safe.”

Running Buffalo rose and looked to Stray Eagle, “We need to leave.” He turned and gave Niz a kiss on her forehead and walked out.

Beth cleaned up after herself and neatly placed everything back where it belonged then picked up the remaining glass of water, “Niz, would you like some more to drink.”

From how Niz was now acting, she was half in and out, but managed to shake her head, “Yesssss, pleasseeee.”

Beth held the glass up to Niz’s lips and she managed to take a few more sips. Once she was finished, Beth then placed the glass on the nightstand and helped Niz get comfortable. Once Beth got Niz situated she softly spoke, “Niz, I am going to get you something, I will be right back.”

Beth walked over to the other side of the room and grabbed a small pillow off the chair that was over in the corner, and then walked back over to Niz.

Gently Beth lifted Niz’s arm and placed the pillow underneath which elevated her arm so that it would be in align with her shoulder. “Niz, this will keep the blood running steadily through your veins, that way the circulation won’t get cut off or cause you more discomfort when you wake up.”

Once more Niz nodded her head, then shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Beth covered her up and made her way out of the room with the door left cracked open. That way if she heard anything, she would be right there instantly.

In the kitchen, Tabitha was getting a couple of coffee mugs from the cabinet when she heard Beth entering the room. With both cups in her hand, she turned around handing one of them to Beth, “Alden has called a meeting and I don’t think it’s good at all.”

With her cup in hand, Beth walked with Tabitha over to the door which she held open so that Tabitha could go first, “I overheard Running Buffalo tell Stray Eagle that they have to make sure that everything is ‘safe first’, which leads me to believe you are right on your observation, Tabitha.”

Both ladies then made their way out to the patio where Tabitha filled Beth’s cup first then filled hers as they took their seats.

Seeing Alden sitting with his foot propped up, Beth smiled, took a sip of her coffee then spoke, “How’s the pain this morning, Alden?”

Alden gave her a puzzled look then raised one of his bushy eyebrows, “Well to quote a line from famous actor Henry Fonda, Oh pretty good as pain goes.”

Running Buffalo and Stray Eagle walked out of the house stopping at the table.

Running Buffalo looked at Alden, “Don’t bother getting up, we’re leaving. I told Niz I’m sending a few braves back to help your people out.”

Alden nodded, “Good, cause right now our numbers are depleted with me and Tonto out of action. We need all the help we can get.”

Running Buffalo reached down and shook Alden’s hand, “You just take it easy, I don’t want to have to hunt you down.” He turned and walked to his horse and soon everyone at the table watched them ride away.

Alden looked at Ceara and held his cup up, “Cupcake would mind getting an old war horse a cup of lifers blood?” Ceara jumped up and quickly came back with a refill for Alden, then sat down next to Charlie.

Taking a sip Alden looked out across the desert for a few minutes then turned to the group, “They say there are more wanderers coming.”

He told them all the story of the town and what the Indians found. Then went on to relate what Running Buffalo had seen on his way to the ranch.

“All things considered I have to agree with them, we have a storm brewing and without their help, I don’t think we’ll last through it. So let’s hear it. Who's got suggestions?”

Colt sat back listening and the more Alden spoke the more nervous he got. He absently reached for Beth’s hand, holding it tight. “Alden, how far away are we talking?”

Alden shook his head, “Hard to say right now, but I gave Running Buffalo one of the radios and once his men get back, we will have a better idea.”

Colt looked around at the others wondering if any were thinking what he was. He cleared his throat, “I will probably be shot down here but should we stay and fight or should we leave while we have the chance?”

Ceara signed, “I am so sick of running, but I am sick of fighting too.” She lowered her head and pet her new puppy, speaking very low, “I don’t want anyone to die, I can’t do that again...”

Charlie put his arm around her shoulder, “Honey, running just means we fight another day.” Charlie looked to the others, “I say we stand and fight, but fight on the open ground. I don’t want to give them the chance to get here.”

Colt nodded, “If we do fight, I agree to do it away from here. We could at least have a chance of redirecting any that survive.”

Ceara looked up to Alden, “Could we go to Running Buffalo’s camp, you always said there is more strength in numbers?”

Tabitha looked at Red, then everyone else. They all had the same expression of worry and confusion on their faces. Even the look on Alden’s face caused her to feel uneasy.

“I say we fight! Charlie is right! If we keep running, then we have to regroup, just like we did the last time and the time before that. We have all of those supplies that we can’t lose. If we decide to leave; do any of you think we will be able to run into a gold mine like that again?”

All that could be heard was the slight wind blowing through the trees when Tabitha finished asking her question.

“Well”, she said breaking the silence, “There is your answer! We got a damn good thing going here. Yes, we are down with Alden being hurt, along with Tonto, but with our new found friends, I believe everyone will do what needs to be done. Just as Beth did what she had to do last night. I am so sick and tired of fucking running. If we continue to run then we will be running forever... then how do we manage to start a life for us? Huh?”

Tabitha was getting very dramatic but everything that she ever loved had belonged to this group. With all that had happened since she lost Heath, she was tired of losing things that meant the world to her.

“Point is, we stay, we fight, and we do what needs to be done. Those zombies out there are going to keep coming until they die off, and we don’t know when the hell that is going to be. But I sure as hell know this..... I am alive as well as you all are, and that is worth fighting for.”

Tabitha sat back on the seat and waited for someone to talk. This was the first time Tabitha had broken down, and stood up to proudly claim what she had wanted her whole life. Now all she could do is wait for others to chime in.

Charlie and Ceara sat in silence, wondering if Alden would talk. When he kept silent, Ceara set Tiger down, “Go play, the grown-ups are talking.” Charlie smiled at her, and she continued, “I do understand standing and fighting... but on open ground? I don’t know about that. The barn, the house, and corrals could really help us for cover. Those things are stupid and we know it, we could set some traps. You guys remember how Alden did that at his cabin? We could do that again. I think cover is a better idea.”

Colt leaned forward, “What about a compromise, we set traps in their way here. Some of us go out to take some out...”

Ceara jumped up, cutting him off, “NO! NO ONE LEAVES!!” She turned to Alden, “TELL THEM!!!”

Charlie grabbed her hand, “Ceara, honey... this isn’t the plan. Colt is just throwing ideas out. Let’s just hear everyone out and then we can all decide then, ok.”