“Where is your place? Where are you staying.” Brian shouted at the man.
“Please, don’t hurt me. Don’t kill me.” The man cried.
Brian pressed his foot down and the man’s shrilled scream hurt BJ’s ears.
“Where were you living? Tell me or I’ll really make you hurt.” Brian snarled.
“Over behind the mattress store, about a block and a half behind it. There’s a liquor store. We were there.” The man cried, blood now splattering out from his mouth. BJ watched as Brian lifted his leg high and stomped it down hard on the man’s bloody gut. The man’s mouth flew open, but no sound came out. Blood rushed like a river out of his gaping mouth. Brian walked back to BJ and gave him a hand up.
“We need to go look for that child. He can’t be far from that store. I’ll not leave a baby out in this world if I can help it.”
BJ had nodded and they’d closed up the trailer and went out and found the liquor store. They’d spent three hours looking in every building and under every bush. They finally found the child, asleep underneath a dumpster. BJ had seen a tiny naked foot sticking out from it. It was filthy. He’d pulled the child out, who’d woken, his eyes fluttering. They were dark blue eyes, the color of an angry ocean. He was filthy and stank badly. His nose was crusted with green and his eyes swollen.
“Hey buddy. I’m BJ. Our Father, in heaven, sent me to get you. I’m going to take you home. Okay.” He’d told the child softly, feeling his heart shatter into a million pieces. He’d found Brian and both men headed back to the park, another child in tow. BJ knew that this would be his child. His son. He’d held tightly to the boy all the way back to the park and Emma had had to pry the boy from him, to clean him up, feed him and check him out.
“He’s fine, BJ, just malnourished and dehydrated. No abuse. He’s had a cold and I’ll keep an eye on that, but otherwise, he should be fine.” She’d said, much to his relief. They’d told the women that they’d found the boy under a dumpster. They’d not told them about Brian’s actions, killing the men. Nor of the torture of toothless, thought well deserved. It had taken time, but they got the child’s name, Dillan. Dillan lived with BJ now. He looked over to the child, who was holding a chick, a tiny grin on his thin features. Amanda standing guard over the little ones. He smiled. The children were starting to outnumber the adults. Dillan and Cooper had become fast friends.
“You okay BJ? I lost you for a second.” Brian asked, waving his hand in front of BJ’s face. BJ laughed, embarrassed.
“Sorry, was thinking about Dillan. He seems to be doing better.” BJ said, his eye still on the child.
Brian smacked him on the back. “He’ll be fine. He has a dad now, a home, food and lots of love and other siblings.”
“I’m not a violent man. But I’m really glad you stomped the hell out of that bastard. I don’t think we would have found Dillan if you hadn’t.”
“Yeah, I kinda figured the bastard wouldn’t tell me otherwise.” Brian grunted.
“Are the girls still having nightmares?” BJ asked, still watching the children.
“Yeah, but it isn’t all night now, just once or twice a night. I think it scares Cooper, he comes and gets in my bed. How about Dillan?”
“He didn’t wet the bed last night. So that’s a good thing. I hear him whimpering at times, but no more screaming.” BJ said softly. Yes, he wasn’t a violent man, but he couldn’t help but wish that Brian had just kept stomping that bastard. Something had awoken after the death of his children. Upon finding Dillan, something dangerous had grown within him. Something protective, more protective than in his old life. He was becoming more deadly with deadly intent.
NINE
Flynn turned down another road. Xandra was navigating. They were in farming country now as they drove on Highway 23. The trees had started disappearing and the land was flattening out. Homes and suburbs were also becoming fewer and farther between. It had taken them four days, driving and stopping, to gather more supplies. Because they’d both nearly starved to death, both had a sense of urgency to keep hording food. When they came across a store, they’d stop, go in and pull out all the canned food items. They’d not seen anyone in four days. It was eerie, the lack of humans.
“I think the virus killed almost everyone.” Xandra had whispered.
“Yeah, I thought there’d be more people. Either that, or they’re hiding in their homes. Or, maybe, they went someplace else, like us. It’s hard to live in the city or suburbs.”
He looked out over the vast expanse of the fields, they were green and lush. But he’d not seen anyone. They kept driving, both agreeing not to stop until they found the Amish. They were now getting closer to Lancaster; they were passing through New Holland. Flynn pulled the truck over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. Xandra looked over at him in question.
“I just want to look around, you know, stand up high in the back of the truck. Can you hand me the binoculars?”
“Sure, what are you looking for?” She asked, handing him the pair she wore around her neck.
“Signs of life. I also have to take a leak.” He grinned, causing her to snort. They were getting to know each other better, better than he
