Chapter 28
*~* Jamie *~*
Salem came over early this morning to take Mateo for his first day of training in woodcraft.
She was keen to see what he could do, and he was keen to show off.
I think that spark could become a flame if they both play their cards right.
They appear a good match in temperaments and attitudes, plus Spectre seems to have taken to Mateo, which I’m sure has put Salem at ease around him.
I wasn’t going to go traipsing through the woods as a gooseberry, so I’m enjoying some alone time.
It’s a pity it’s in the bunker, but better to be safe than sorry.
Salem said they wouldn’t be more than an hour for their first field trip, so I’m just kicking back and reading one of the many prepper books I found in the library down here.
It’s not at the top of my priority, I admit, but it never hurts to know a little about a subject.
I must have dozed a while because I’m woken by Salem and Mateo laughing as they come into the bunker.
Seeing my choice of book, Mateo raises his eyebrows while Salem gives me a look I’m not sure of, but says, “I approve of your reading material. That was one of my pa’s go-to books for most things prepper.
It was more like a bible to him. I used to joke that it was the Gutenberg edition. ”
I rush to put it away carefully, but Salem stops me when she says, “No, please read it and enjoy it. I can tell you what word is on what page, I’ve read it so many times. It would be nice to know that someone else has shown an interest in it and maybe learned something, too.”
“Well, even if I never progress to having a bunker like this, I’ve already learned a lot about gardening and food production. Some of it is fascinating, but it’s all been interesting. How did your trip through the woods go? See anything fascinating out there?”
“This baby elephant made so much noise that he scared all the wildlife away. They could have heard him in the next state the volume of noise he made.” Salem looks at Mateo as she says this, and I don’t miss all that the look portrays.
Mateo feigns hurt and places his hand over his heart. “Oh, Spirit. These cutting words that you utter strike my heart so deeply, I fear I shall never recover.”
“Oh…my…God. Will you stop with the Robin Hood, Shakespeare, or whatever the hell you’re supposed to be.
” Salem, or Spirit, I’m not sure what to call her now, says then shakes her head and laughs.
“We’re supposed to be getting a drink and then you’re going to show me some of this wonderful knife skill that you possess. ”
“Oh good. I can come up and watch. I’ll grab some bottles of water to take up with us.
” If there is ever a reason to use a bunker like this, I think I want to die in the first wave of whatever it is.
As long as it’s not zombies. I don’t want to wander the earth as a zombie, eating people and leaving bits of my slowly decomposing body all over the place.
Sitting on the grass, I soak up the sun and space around me. I’ve never thought I was bothered by small spaces, but the confinement of the bunker has certainly affected me somehow.
Watching as Mateo asks Spirit to take a stance with her knife as though she were being attacked, I see how focused he is on the training.
He’s obviously taken in a lot more from Vortex than just knife skills.
Noting how he explains that her stance is good for hand-to-hand combat but how it can be improved for a knife fight, he tells her to swap her leading leg.
When she queries it, he asks me to help, so I do.
He takes the knife from Spirit and tells her to use her thumb as the knife blade.
He stands me in front of her as the assailant and gets me in a position where the end of her knife would be against my chest. Getting her to change legs, both Spirit and I see how much this improves her reach while still giving her a solid stance.
Being dismissed I go back to my spot on the grass and watch even more intently. I can learn some of this stuff, too, I think to myself. It never hurts to have a little more knowledge. Mateo shows her how to hold a knife in different ways and what benefits and drawbacks each hold may have.
Suddenly Spectre is on his feet and staring into the woods where the path from the road leads.
Bruno is also on his feet but immediately stands next to Spirit.
The hackles are up on both dogs, and they look impressive and ready for anything.
Spirit looks over at me and nods to the bunker.
Before I get up Spectre begins to move toward the woods, and I feel sorry for whoever steps out from the trees.
Ghost and Fury step into the open, and Ghost stops immediately, placing a hand on Fury’s chest to stop him in his tracks.
Spirit says something to the dogs, and they visibly relax, although Spectre doesn’t stop staring at Fury.
Ghost walks forward slowly, watched closely by the two silent dogs.
I think they are far scarier when they watch you silently than when they are growling.
When Fury takes a step forward, the silence is broken by two snarls that set my teeth on edge and every hair on my body stands up.
“Stay where you are until you’ve been okayed by me to move again.
Stay still and you won’t get hurt. A sudden move and you’re going to become puppy chow.
Got it?” Spirit looks directly at Fury as she says this, and I hope he’s going to do as she says.
I don’t feel it’s my place to interfere with her and her dogs' routine of vetting people. After all, it’s kept her safe all these years.
“I came with Ghost to get my woman. If I were any kind of threat, I’d be alone, not with someone you know.” Fury sounds impatient, and I’m not convinced that he won’t move.
“Just keep still, Fury. We’ve all been through this and we’re all safe because of it.” I smile at him and see a little of the tension ease in his shoulders.
“Spectre. Look ‘em.” Spectre walks around Fury, sniffing loudly. I don’t recall him making so much noise when he vetted me. After two circuits, Spectre appears satisfied and walks away. He doesn’t show any signs of relaxing his vigil though, which I find surprising.
“Bruno. Look ‘em.” Bruno also does two circuits of Fury before walking away and standing by Ghost. He too keeps a wary eye on Fury. “You can move now, but I suggest you do it slowly and carefully. My boys haven’t taken to you and until they do, you need to be slow and careful, especially around the Doc. They like her very much and will not hesitate if they think you’re going to cause her any distress. ”
Fury gives both dogs the evil eye, Bruno appears to take no notice as he gets petted by Ghost, but Spectre gives him the eye back, I’m sure. As Fury approaches me, Spectre reaches my side first and his hackles rise again.
Mateo asks Fury to stop and he walks over to him.
He gives Fury a man hug and they slap backs.
Seeing this, Spectre lays at my side and his tongue lolls out as he pants.
I guess Fury just passed muster if he’s a friend of Mateo’s.
Spirit looks at Spectre and then Mateo, giving them both a look that says ‘asshole’.
Mateo just smiles and shrugs, while Spectre just carries on panting in the sunshine.
Finally getting to me in one piece, Fury gives me a hug and then a not very celibate kiss. It leaves me breathless, dizzy and wanting more, I have to say.
“We’re all good, Jamie. Everything is done and dusted. It’s safe for you to go home.” Fury smiles at me and I can see the relief in his eyes.
“Are you okay, Fury? Is your father dead or just out of the picture?” I don’t know how he must feel having his father maybe dead on his conscience.
“Oh, he’s definitely dead. If he wasn’t he would have been by the time the boys at the pet crematorium finished burning his sorry ass. I’m just sorry that you had to go through all this because of me.” Fury pecks me on the lips after saying this and I turn it into something more fiery.
“I hope it’s not going to haunt you for years to come, killing your own father.”
“Hell, I didn’t kill him, though I would have without a second thought and absolutely no conscience about doing it. No. Pattie killed him. Not me, babe.”
“He got into the clubhouse?” I ask in astonishment. I would never dream that he could get in there and cause an issue.
Spirit speaks up. “We should go to the house and then we can be comfortable as we get the whole story.”
She turns and waits for Mateo to join her and then heads to her home.
I’m out of the bunker, I think to myself as I throw my arm around Fury’s waist and follow them.
As we walk, I notice Mateo take hold of Spirit's hand.
She jerks away for a moment and after giving him a look, she takes it gingerly and they continue walking.
I glance at Ghost and he gives me a chin lift that says he saw it, too.
Once we’re all sat around the kitchen table, coffee in hand, Fury begins to tell the story of how his father was drawn out.
As I’m listening, I’m getting angrier and angrier.
By the time he reaches the part where Pattie gets shot and kills his father with my shotgun, which doesn’t take long in such a short story, I think I’m going to explode.
Everyone at the table, except Fury, seems to be aware of how angry I am. Spirit suggests that Mateo and Ghost go and check the bunker for supplies that need to be restocked. I watch them leave, and as soon as the door clicks shut, I go ballistic.