Chatter (7 page)

Chapter 16

"The end of the line," said the foreman.

"You killed her in cold blood, she did nothing to you," yelled Cade. 

The two men stood face to face, walking a circle, sizing one another up. A happenstance meeting had turned into a blood feud with no chance of both surviving.  One had lost a potential love, the other some good men. 

“Are we going to fight or dance boy," chuckled the foreman.

Cade lunged in for a stomach shot but his opponent dodged swiftly like a matador facing a bull. He stumbled and turned as the foreman sliced a deep gash across his back. Blood streamed from Cade's shirt but he kept his cool. 

Knives clanged together in a strange figure eight pattern. They moved so fast that one false dodge could end it. Cade kicked the knee out from under the foreman and dove onto him as he fell to the ground in a thud. His knife was at the man’s throat pushing closer and closer. The foreman gasped and grabbed gravel and soft dirt from the bridge and flung it into Cade's eyes. 

Cade dropped his blade to the ground as he rubbed his eyes and face to clean it. Tiny pebbles and grains of sand had lodged in his eyes. The foreman picked up a pistol from one of his dead men and walked over to Cade. He was still rubbing his eyes and squinting his vision helplessly.

"All you had to do was piss off boy," the foreman said with anger.

"Some of us are survivors and some, well, are like you."

Cade sat on his knees in a helpless position. "Kill me then, before I kill you."

"Very well," answered the foreman.

He lowered the pistol to Cades forehead, cocked the hammer, and pulled the trigger. Click, click, and click.

The gun was empty. Hearing the empty gun Cade swept his leg around cutting the foreman off at the knees and knocking him down. 

The foreman stood as Cade rushed in giving him a foot to the stomach. Both men exchanged punches' back and forth. The foreman’s left eye began to swell and Cade looked to have lost a front tooth. 

Both were exhausted from the long drawn out fight. Finally the foreman had backed Cade up to the guardrail, punching him violently. Cade was then held out over the water seconds from falling to his death. 

Bang!

Cade pulled himself back onto the bridge. The foreman had let go of him and looked at his chest instead, falling over the guardrail to the water far below.

Vick stood behind with a rifle smiling, then collapsed onto the pavement again. "Don't die on me buddy," yelled Cade. 

"Aw hell you were taking too long sissy fighting," laughed Vick. "Remember though, bury me with the belt."

The group formed around Vicks body on the ground. He was bleeding so badly, it was hard to believe he was still alive. "Had to make sure you guys made it before I kicked the bucket."

Cade grabbed his friends hand as he took his last breaths. 

Everyone cried but carried out their friend Vicks last request. They dragged him off the bridge and onto the soft ground of Canada. It took quite a while to dig a hole with no actual tools but they made due with the weapons and items that were available. 

They all helped lower Vick into the ground. Cade kneeled next to his friend and put the wrestling belt across his waist. Everyone did their best to bury him quickly, silently, and with dignity.

One by one Cade and the others said their goodbyes to their friend. Tears welled, the wind was horrible, and no one said a word.

With time expired Meg, Dwayne, Trina, Autumn, and Cade made their way in a hurry up to the checkpoint for Canada. There were guards posted everywhere. The grounds behind the border looked to be converted into a base. Tents were everywhere and in the middle was a large command center.

The border guards welcomed Cade and the others to Canada.

“You are only the third group of Americans to make it here,” said a guard.

“We made it,” exclaimed Autumn, “I never thought we would.”

Several guards walked over to the group. One said, “Please follow us to the decontamination room, it shouldn’t take very long.”

Just as they turned to follow the guards, the nukes all landed. The ground shook violently, the air turned dark, and several mushroom clouds could be seen to the West, in America.

“Holy shit,” said Cade “We did barely make it.”

All became tearful as they followed the guards. Cade and Autumn held hands, as did Dwayne and Trina. Meg walked farther behind with her head in her hands.

Led into a large tent that looked more like a locker room in high school than a government facility the guard said, “Everyone please get undressed and go into the room on the right.” He added, “We will burn your clothes but new ones await you as you exit the showers.

Everyone got undressed shyly, friends are friends but naked people still blush. Hot, what felt like water steamed down from the ceiling. They were instructed to turn in circles to get maximum clean.

Finally after several minutes the showers stopped. The group exited and found towels and clothing. After getting dressed they met a General outside.

“Welcome to Canada everyone.”

“Thank you for letting us come,” said Dwayne. “Otherwise we’d be dead.”

“I bet you guys had quite the adventure,” said the General.

“It was more like hell sir,” said Cade.

“Well there is more clothing and money for each of you in these bags, someone will give you a lift to Ontario where you can settle in or move on.”

“Good luck to you all, oh yes, the mess hall is over there if you’re hungry.”

They ate a quick meal together and hopped into a jeep for Ontario. The group chattered happily about life and remembering friends.

As they unloaded from the jeep the Officer said, “Welcome home.”

              END

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Kurt

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