“Dad,” Tehya whispered and Graham nudged her and shook his head. She knew better to speak when he’d given her the cue for silence.
Then she pointed her little finger through the trees.
He crouched down and looked through the trees at her level and then knew why she disobeyed. There were dancing flames in the distance and a few not so distant, and the flames were moving up and down, coming nearer. Graham wanted nothing more than pick up his daughter and run with her but in doing so, he’d attract more attention. They were too near and with Sheriff at his side, there was no way he could get all of them safely away in time.
There was smoke in the air now…not the stale kind that wafted over from the west. This was fresh and new and the most dangerous thing he could imagine at the moment. And the terrorists were carrying torches beyond the forest and he’d had made a very grave mistake. They were coming their way and they weren’t bogged down by a child, old dog, and two packs with the need for absolute silence. There were shouts in that language that made him sweat in terror, reliving the day of Dutch’s death. The pleasure they took in causing the misery of others remained an endless question. He could not let that happen to his child. He would not let that happen to his child.
Instead of the panicked need to escape, he knelt slightly and picked Tehya up by her waist, holding her tight against his chest, and she immediately buried her head in the crook of his neck, hiding her face. They weren’t far off now. If he could just keep them quiet long enough, they’d make it to the concrete bunker, where he could lock her safely away and take up position, making sure no one came near her, ever.
Even as their shouts became closer, he kept his steady pace, knowing if he panicked, he’d screw it up and they’d be on them in no time, like a pack of hyenas.
Sheriff ambled up beside him and seemed to sense his motives as well. Then by moonlight he saw the building ahead between the trees, and still resisted the urge to bolt up there when he knew they came closer still.
With the wind picking up and fires spreading in the town below, Graham approached the door of the bunker. He sat Tehya down on her feet, opened the door to the darkened room within and whispered close in her ear, “Get inside. Lock the door, baby. Don’t let anyone in but me. No matter what you hear.”
He couldn’t see the tears, but knew they were there. “Da-ddy,” she said quietly in a ragged voice, and he gently pushed her inside and laid her pack down inside next to her and closed the door in case she lost it and began crying loud enough to hear. He waited for her to slide the lock in with a clink.
She did.
Then he ran a hand down Sheriff’s back as he listened for those coming closer. With her safely locked away, now all he had to do was make sure no one got anywhere near the building.
Graham kept crouched beside the corner as he scanned the area in the dark. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to one of the most precious things he ever brought into this life and now must protect.
He felt the cold concrete beneath his hand and pushed himself away, taking Sheriff with him, crossing the muddy trail and taking up position behind a boulder within a cluster of pines, where he’d have a clear view of the coming trail if they approached by firelight.
Graham motioned for Sheriff to take position and he crouched down with leveled breath. It was as if the dog smelled their desecrated scent and knew the bad guys were back even before Graham himself did.
Though the darkness was fleeting it still limited his view and served him well. They would not likely detect him until they were right upon him. From his vantage point, he saw the small fires in the town below, with nearly two dozen men. Already, they’d set a few small blazes but not yet to the town itself, which told him they were planning to loot and possibly to stay for a time. And why not? It had all the advantages of home. Damn.
Then the small dancing flames to the left caught his attention and grew larger still. They were coming right up upon them.
Graham eyed the bunker across the trail in the dark and snugged the rifle stock to his cheek as he braced against the boulder. Through the eye of the scope he could see that there was not one man but two coming his way, and they were talking in words he’d never understand. Had come to never care to understand. What surprised him was that they appeared to be younger men. Younger than Bang’s age, at least. Somewhere in his mind, he knew he’d have a hard time killing them. He would kill them, but he’d regret killing them if they got anywhere near Tehya…if he survived. And as the thought crossed his mind, they continued to march up the trail. Graham looked at the two young terrorists and then again, he glanced through the forest trees to the town below and watched the group of a dozen or so making camp. The sound of a gunshot would carry in an instant.
Maybe, just maybe, they would stop and turn around, Graham wished.
But then he reminded himself what Ennis once said, Wishes are for fools.