Day 36
John stood up slowly, hands in the air. He tried smiling but failed. A child holding such a big weapon was scarier than a grown man with a weapon.
At least an adult can be reasoned with, John thought. Kids are so unpredictable. Especially if they’re armed.
“My name is John. What’s your name, buddy?”
“None of your business, sir.” The boy motioned with the rifle to start walking. It looked like he was using a lot of energy to keep the rifle in his tiny hands.
John thought he might be only eight or nine years old.
“Are your parents around?” John asked. “I’d love to chat with them. I’m no threat. Just a guy passing through, trying not to get shot by anyone…especially you.”
“You shoulda thought about it before you stepped onto my property,” the boy said. He waved the rifle again. “Either start walking or I’ll shoot you down where you stand, mister.”
“Fair enough. Where are we going?”
“To see my mom.”
John nodded. “Excellent. I’m looking forward to seeing the woman who raised such a fine young man. Hopefully she’s as friendly as you are, son.”
“I’m not your son. Start walking.”
“What about my stuff? I can’t leave it here,” John said. “It might get stolen.”
“Leave it.”
John did as he was told, the weapon pointed at him good enough reason to obey. He walked across the small field and down a natural dirt path, taking his time and seeing if the boy would screw up and get too close.
He wasn’t going to hurt the kid, but he couldn’t afford him to trip over a branch and pull the trigger, or walk up unarmed and have his mother kill him. John was walking into the unknown without a clue how this was going to play out if he didn’t get the better of a little kid with a big gun.
The kid made a mistake right as they broke from the trees into a clearing. John could see a small house a hundred feet away, shielded on all sides by the woods.
The kid got too close, eager to show his mother what he’d found in the woods.
John spun around and grabbed the rifle, yanking it from the boy’s hands.
He refused to aim a weapon at a child’s head, but it was tempting, especially when the boy tried to grab at the rifle.
“Calm down or I’ll beat your, uh, butt.” John motioned for the boy to take the lead. “Walk slowly or I will shoot you. Take me to your mama.”
The boy started to walk quickly and John told him to slow down or he’d never make it to the house.
John kept glancing around, expecting someone to pop out from behind a tree and shoot him.
They got to within fifty feet of the house and John told the boy to stop.
“Hello? Ma’am? My name is John. Just passing through. Your son, whatever his name is, threatened to shoot me if I didn’t come with him. I mean you no harm, but would like to know if you have some extra food and water?”
It was worth a shot. John had the rifle aimed at the ground but could raise it and fire easy enough. He hoped it didn’t come to that. Besides the threat of being shot, the blast would alert any Sawyer in the area.
He counted to ten before shouting again. “Ma’am? It’s hot out here. I need to be on my way. I’d hate to have to take the boy with me.”
The front door opened and a woman stepped out. She was beautiful; she wore sweatpants and a tank top, her hair pulled back and no makeup.
She had a shotgun in her hand and didn’t look happy.
“Ernie, come to me,” she said.
John laughed. “You named him Ernie? Seems fitting. Unfortunately, Ernie needs to stay with me for a few minutes until I’m sure I can leave on my own two feet. I’m John.”
She frowned. “I’m Samantha. Be on your way, John. We don’t want any trouble.”
“Good, because neither do I.” John bent down and put the rifle on the ground. He stood and put his hands out. “I’m not a bad guy. Just trying to get out of town in one piece. I’m tired and hungry.”
The woman hadn’t lowered her weapon. John wondered if he’d made a mistake. It was too late to pick his rifle back up now.
“Ernie, go to your mom,” John said.
Ernie turned to John and stuck out his tongue before rushing to the house.
“Go inside and wash up.” Samantha moved to the side and Ernie ran into the house. “Time for you to mosey on down the road, John.”
“Fair enough,” John said. “I’ll leave his rifle. The kid’s got guts. But I’d keep him from the road. There’s a lot of dangerous people burning down houses and taking stuff.”
“Like you? Is that a threat?”
John shook his head. “No ma’am. I was staying with the Brinker family. You know them? Their place was destroyed.”
Samantha lowered the shotgun a few inches. “I know Pheebz. We were in a book club together. See them in church on Sunday. Is she alive?”
“I don’t really know,” John said. “I’m trying to find her and Herbert.”
“Tell them when you find the pair they’re welcome to stay with me,” Samantha said. “Will you do that?”
“Of course.”
Samantha put the shotgun against the wall. “Be right back. Don’t move from where you stand, John.”
She disappeared back inside.
John wiped the sweat and grime from his face. He looked around at the property, hidden in the woods. If Ernie hadn’t rousted him from sleep, John would’ve kept walking down the road, oblivious to the fact a home stood in this spot.
Samantha came back out and had a small duffle bag in her hand. She put it on the bottom step and went back to the door, retrieving her shotgun.
“It’s not much, but I hope it helps. Good luck and please give my love to Pheebz.”
John smiled. “I will do that, ma’am. Hopefully we’ll meet again, under better circumstances, too.”
She hesitated at the door before finally giving a quick nod and going inside, slamming the door behind her.
John grabbed the bag and headed back the way he’d come, hoping he wasn’t going to get lost in yet another area of woods.