Conflicted Home (The Survivalist Book 9), A American [top android ebook reader TXT] 📗

Bit’s forehead and replied, “At least we have it.” She’d been crying. She and Bobbie had known one another their entire lives. Bobbie’s loss would affect Mel for years. I gripped her hand and smiled at her. She tried to smile back, but it wasn’t in her.

Sarge walked up with Kay. He’d taken her to the clinic to have her wounds treated. She was on crutches. A piece of shrapnel had hit her foot. Jess got to her feet and went to assist the older woman, but Kay shooed her away.

“I’m fine, Jess. There are plenty more hurt a lot worse than I am,” Kay said.

“I tried to get her to stay at the truck,” Sarge said. “But she wouldn’t hear of it.”

Kay held her hand out and Sarge steadied her as she took a seat. “Like I said, I’m fine.”

“Is anything broken?” Doc asked.

Kay shook her head. “No, just a laceration.”

“Where are the prisoners?” I asked Sarge.

“On their way back to the ranch. The boys will keep them comfortable till we get there.”

“Good,” I replied. I wanted a word with Micha. “Has anyone seen Shane or Shawn?”

Sarge stabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “They’re at the clinic. Had to kill that ole boy you sent ‘em after. He worked ‘em over pretty good from what they said, until Shane shot his ass.”

I looked at Aric. He was lying on the ground with his head in Fred’s lap. “Looks like you were right, buddy.”

“I only wish I’d seen him sooner. We may have been able to prevent this,” he replied.

“We did the best we could, man.”

Mel squeezed my hand, saying, “I want to go home.”

“That’s a good idea,” Sarge said.

I helped Mel and Little Bit back to the armory where all the trucks were. As we walked, I saw Thad coming from the clinic. I hadn’t seen him since watching him carrying the dead. His clothes were covered with blood. He looked like someone in a zombie movie. We stopped and waited for him and Mary.

“How you doing?” I asked, looking him up and down.

“I’m fine,” he replied. “Not a scratch on me.”

I looked at Mary, “How about you? You alright?”

She nodded meekly. “I’m fine. We took a couple of the wounded to the clinic.” She clenched her eyes closed and shook her head. “There are so many people hurt so bad.”

I patted her back. “I Know. I’m just glad we’re alright.”

She went over to Mel and hugged her. “I’m so sorry about Bobbie.”

Mel held her for a moment, taking comfort in the embrace. After a pause, she replied, “Thank you. I’m just glad no one else was really hurt.”

As we walked back to the armory, I talked with Thad. He looked down at himself and said, “I can’t believe nothing happened to me. One shell exploded right in front of me. I mean, right in front of me.”

“You’ve got an angel watching over you,” I replied. I put my hands over my ears. “I thought my ear drums ruptured. But my hearing is coming back.”

Thad half smiled, “I’m really surprised you didn’t get hit. You know, you seem to have a knack for it.”

He made me laugh and I slapped his back, “It’s because you were there. I was collaterally protected.” I cocked my head to the side and looked up at him, “It was purely by accident, mind you.”

As we walked, Alex, the man Aric and I had met at the abandoned Publix, walked up. “What the hell was all that?”

“I believe it was a mortar attack by some Cuban soldiers,” I replied.

“But why?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Target-rich environment maybe. But we’ve got a couple of them and we’ll find out.”

He looked at the ground as he walked and asked, “I don’t mean to sound like an asshole. But you said you’d bring me some shoes. I was headed to the park when it started. I’m guessing the shoes were in the truck that burned?”

I nodded. “All the shoes were in the truck. But not yours.” I pointed at the fuel truck sitting in front of the armory. “Yours are in there.”

We walked over to the truck and I took out the boots and handed them to him. Then I took out the bag of food I’d set aside for him as well. “I had your stuff in here.”

He looked at it all and said, “Wow. This is more than I expected. Thank you is not enough, but thank you.”

“No worries. I hope they help you.”

He sat down on the ground and pulled off his tattered shoes and put the boots on. Mel and the girls were getting into the truck. It would be a little crowded, but we’d manage for the short ride home.

Standing up, Alex looked at the boots and announced, “These feel amazing. Again, thank you.”

I looked over my shoulder as I helped Mel into the truck. “No problem. Good luck to you.”

Aric walked up as I was getting into the truck, “I’m going to go find Shane. I want to see the body, to see if it is him.”

I nodded. “Alright. Let me know.”

We convoyed back home. There was a lot of work to do. Many graves needed to be dug. But in today’s world, you buried your own. Bobbie’s body was in a body bag in the bed of the little red truck. Danny sat in the back with her as Thad drove. I was really worried about him. They’d been together for better than twenty years. It was going to be hard on him.

I parked the truck and we walked home together in silence. As we came through the gate, Little Bit said she wanted to watch a movie. I imagine she needed to distract her mind. Can’t blame her, I’d like to as well. Inside, Lee Ann and Taylor piled onto the couch with Little Bit to distract themselves.

“Are you ok, babe?” I asked Mel.

She was sitting on the foot of the bed and nodded. I sat down beside her,