JOURNAL ENTRY: May 17
The storms haven’t subsided. The lightning strikes shake the ground; the thunder is so loud it hurts my ears; and the rain pounding the ground never lets up – it would make a good torture method.
We walked further back into the mine to see if the distance and depth would block out some of the noise. It didn’t work. The sound followed us and echoed off the walls, giving it an eerie tone. We did try a bit further, however, my claustrophobia kicked into high gear and I couldn’t breathe.
We’ll just have to wait it out. At least we have plenty of food, drink, and companionship. Jim now owes me almost a million dollars in cribbage losses.
~~~
May 18
It was mid-afternoon and the storms had finally stopped. There was only a mild foggy drizzle now, though a much heavier, dense fog hung just below the tops of the trees.
“We’re less than an hour from home, Allex, I say we go for it,” Jim said while he folded up his sleeping bag in preparation for taking down the tent.
“Yeah, let’s do it. The rest of the route is all paved, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
*
The first mudslide we encountered was ten minutes after we left the mine. We skirted most of it and continued on. The next one was worse.
Jim stood by the front bumper and stared at the eighteen inches of wet mud and sand that covered more than two-thirds of the pavement and stretched for ten feet.
“The Hummer might make it, I doubt the trailer will.”
“Then we shovel,” I said, getting the small collapsible shovel that was part of the camping gear.
Jim paced out the dimensions and marked where to dig. “We don’t have to remove all of it, just enough to reduce the depth by half and wide enough for the left tires of the Hummer and the trailer,” he concluded. I started digging. Jim spelled me, however he couldn’t do much with the injured hand. He banged it once with the shovel and the pain took him to his knees, though he stoically said nothing.
We dug for an hour. Wet sand is heavy and my back ached so much I fantasized about the hot tub and the steaming, bubbling hot water. It was the only thing that kept me going, that and seeing my sons again.
“I think we can try it now, Allex,” Jim said after he walked the length of the digging, kicking at the dirt occasionally.
“Good, because I don’t think I could lift another shovel full.” I got behind the wheel and drove right through, never hesitating, never stopping. Once I cleared the slide I sped up to a reasonable speed and within twenty minutes we pulled up to the stop sign at county road 695. I turned right, heading for my home.
“I’m just going to let them know we’re back, Jim, then we can take the trailer to the lake house.”I pulled into my horseshoe shaped driveway and spotted Eric out in the garden working in the late afternoon sunlight. Chivas came running to greet us.
Eric dropped the hoe he was using and followed the dog. “Mom!” He swept me up in his arms for a hug. I winced silently from the pain in my ribs. “It’s so good to see you! We have all been really worried! Rayn! Mom’s back!” His new wife stepped out of the house and came to us for hugs. Eric stepped over to the large metal triangle I’ve had for years and banged away on it.
“You’re looking well, Rayn, how are you feeling?” I asked. I know it’s only been six weeks but I was thinking she would be showing her pregnancy more.
“I’m doing great. Dr. James let us listen to the heartbeat a few days ago!” she answered.
The gonging alerted Jason, and soon everyone was gathered around. I almost wept with joy at seeing my family. They would never know that I had doubted this reunion at one point.
“I guess you will be wanting your house back, eh?” Eric said sadly. His arm was around Rayn’s shoulders and she had taken on a blank look. Something was going on here, I could feel it.
Was this that moment when my decision would play out on its own as I told Jim it would? Many things ran through my mind in a space of a second or two.
“Actually, Eric, I’ve been considering moving into town with Jim and Tom. There’s still so much work to be done,” I said, like it was the plan all along. I saw Jim’s head turn toward the conversation and he smiled. “Would you mind if you and Rayn stayed here?” I could almost see the relief slide off my son. “I’ll come back for the rest of my clothes, but I need a few things now. I haven’t been able to do laundry in days!” I slipped past everyone and let myself into the house, where I was greeted by Tufts. I picked him up and snuggled him, knowing I would have to leave him behind with Eric. I grabbed a few things from my closet, noting new items hanging there that must be Rayn’s.
Eric had followed me in.
“Mom, thank you,” he gave me another hug. “Please don’t move into town unless it’s really what you want to do.” He hesitated before continuing, “I want you to know that I really love my brother and Amanda, but living with family in such tight quarters was getting on everyone’s nerves. We’ve gotten along so much better in the last month with us here and them over there.”
I was wondering if that was the tension I felt from them.
“Yes, Eric, this is what I want to do,” I assured him. “We’ll discuss the details another time. Right now all I want to do is get a hot shower and into some clean clothes. It’s been a rough couple of days.” I kissed his cheek and went back outside.
With assurances that we would all get together tomorrow in the afternoon at the lake house in town, Jim and I drove into Moose Creek.
“Pull over,” Jim demanded. After I stopped, he reached across the console and pulled me into a quick kiss. “Couldn’t you have given me some warning?”
“No, I couldn’t, Jim, I didn’t know until that moment. Remember when I said we needed to let the issue of us play out on its own? It just did.” I put the Hummer back in gear and said, “Let’s go home.”
*
I drove down the long sweeping driveway slowly and carefully, parking nose in next to Tom’s dark blue sedan. Jim would have to back the trailer up later.
Tom came out on the small cement stoop, shotgun in hand until he saw us emerge.
“I’ll be damned! I figured if you two ever came back at all it wouldn’t be for a couple more months!” Tom said, giving me a hug tight enough to crack another rib, and then shaking Jim’s hand repeatedly. He gave up on that and delivered a quick, one-armed hug to Jim. I think he missed us.
“Hey, what did you do to your hand?” Tom asked with true concern when he noticed the bandages.
“Trailer slipped while I was changing a tire. No biggie,” Jim said. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to back the trailer into the barn and get it out of sight. Then we can empty the Hummer. Give me a hand?” Tom walked up to the barn and opened the big doors while Jim expertly backed the Hummer up and they disconnected the trailer from the vehicle. They unloaded the chainsaw and the camping gear into the barn to be dealt with later.
When we began removing our personal stuff from the Hummer, Tom noticed the cases of wine.
“Wow, what did you do, find a liquor store?”
“We’ll tell you all about it when we’re done, Tom, and after I get a shower and some clean clothes.” I said.
*
I stuffed my soiled clothes into the washing machine and headed to the basement with what I brought from my house to shower and change. After days hunkered down in the cold, damp mine, hot water never felt so good. I had to stop myself from using it all and saved some for Jim.
I emerged from the lower level wearing a long sleeved ankle length dress of deep red. I ran my fingers through my short wet hair with a sigh. “Oh that felt good!” Both men were staring at me. For the last month, Jim had seen me only in jeans or BDUs, and I suddenly felt very feminine.
“Jim was telling me that you’re moving in with us, Allex,” Tom said. “I think that’s a great idea.” He handed me a drink, the ice cubes floating around in the amber rum.
I glanced at Jim. “Yes, I thought I would take that second bedroom downstairs. I know you use this spare room as an office, and besides, I’ve always preferred the lower level.”
“Excellent! Jim was also telling me you got the EOC in the Soo up and running in only a few days. You’ll have to tell me all about that.”
“All in good time, Tom. Right now I’m sure Jim wants his shower, and I should put together some dinner for us.” I stood. “Oh, and we’re having a small get-together here tomorrow afternoon, just family.”
*
Dinner was a simple pasta dish. I certainly did not feel like being inventive just to satisfy our hunger and the three of us were more anxious to discuss the road trip. We were all sitting on the upper deck enjoying the mild breezes off Lake Meade and the rest of the second bottle of wine we opened for dinner.
“First, tell me what’s in that trailer,” Tom said, his curiosity bubbling over. “It looks full.”
“It is full,” Jim answered. “Over half of it is booze and wine, which by the way, we’re keeping.”
“Jim, I’ve been mulling over what you said about that, how we’ve earned it,” I said cautiously.
“We have, Allex, especially you,” Jim stated emphatically.
“Oh, I don’t disagree, quite the opposite, actually.” I paused, trying to form my thoughts. “I think we should keep all of it. I know that sounds selfish of me, however we are the ones who risked our lives, literally, to get those supplies. Besides, that food will keep us from needing to tap into the town food pantry, which will mean more for everyone else.” I turned to Tom. “How are the supplies holding up, Tom? I know it’s only been six weeks, but I was pretty much out of touch long before we left.”
“Marsha has done some deep rationing, so it’s still okay. Plus, with fewer people to feed it will go further.” Tom stopped himself from saying more, knowing my husband was one of those fewer mouths. “How much is out there?”
“We filled six tubs with loose cans and there were several cases of things like tomatoes and vegetables that were still shrink-wrapped,” Jim said. “There’s a lot of food out there.”
“My rough estimate is that what we brought back would feed the three of us for six months,” I said.
“Wow,” Tom said.
“Much of it is gourmet stuff, which is logical considering where we found it. There are cans of white meat chicken, albacore tuna, clams, olives, capers and artichoke hearts, things of that nature,” I added. “Some of it I would like to share with my family and maybe our clergy. For the most part though, it’s ours, and I think we should be the ones who decide who gets it, rather than turn it over.”
“I think Allex has a good point, Tom, and as she pointed out, we won’t be taking anything from the community this way.” Jim leaned back, took a sip of wine while leveling his gaze at me.
“Okay you two, what went on out there?” Tom burst out. “How is it you risked your lives?”
Jim and I exchanged glances.
“I don’t even know where to start…” I said.
“I know you didn’t want it discussed, Allex, however, I think Tom should know,” Jim said softly.
“Perhaps,” I said, turning to Tom, our close friend, “on the condition you never say a word to anyone. My sons must never know.”
“What happened?” he asked gravely, concern etched deeply on his face.
“Promise me first, Tom,” I said.
“Of course I promise, Allex.” He looked from me to Jim and back to me. I looked at Jim and gave the slightest nod for him to start.
“To keep it as brief as possible, the second week out Allex was abducted by a gang of escaped cons and I was left for dead,” Jim began.
“When they told me Jim was dead, I felt a grief second only to what I did when Mark died. After that, I didn’t care what they did to me,” I said.
“After I came to, I followed their trail only to find I was outnumbered twenty to one. I hated leaving her there.” Jim stood. “I need something stronger than wine for this.” He came back out with a tray, three glasses filled with ice, and our preferred liquor.
“Jim had traveled half the night with a severe concussion to bring back a troop of soldiers from the Soo,” I continued the story.
“During that one day, though, she was beaten and tortured. Her toes were broken and dislocated, the soles of her feet were beaten with a belt buckle, and she suffered a cracked rib. She couldn’t even walk,” Jim said angrily.
“I still think that cracked rib came from hitting the tree,” I said to Jim.
Tom was listening intently, stunned, looking from me to Jim as we spoke.
“When Jim showed up to rescue me, I felt more than relief. I feel that’s when things changed for me. I was completely liberated from my past.”
“Wait, back up. What tree?”
“I fell in the new river and almost drowned. The current, and something else, slammed me into a fallen tree where I held on until Jim pulled me out.”
“She bounced off rocks, slammed her chest into a tree, and suffered severe hypothermia. This is one tough lady we have here, Tom,” Jim said, smiling warmly at me.
“This was before the kidnapping?” Tom asked, still stunned.
“Yes, so she suffered bruises on her bruises.” Jim took another swallow.
Tom turned to me. “Allex, were you…?”
“No, I was not sexually assaulted, but the rest of it was just as bad.”
Tom leaned back in his chair. It rocked on the heavy duty springs as he thought. “You two certainly have been to hell and back. My vote – if I get one – would be for keeping what you’ve found. You’ve more than earned that right.”
Jim and I silently nodded.
“What happened to those convicts?” Tom asked.
Jim snickered. “That is my favorite part! When I handed Allex her gun back, she walked up to the guy without a word, put the barrel to his forehead, and pulled the trigger. Then I had my next in command execute the rest of them.”
Tom stared at me for a long moment. “I understand why you don’t want the family to know about this.”
“I’m exhausted, and we have a lot to do tomorrow. I’m going to bed,” I said, standing.
“Can I ask one last question?” Tom stood also. “Are you two …?”
“Yes,” I said and went inside.