The Long Road Home

Chapter Thirty-Five

She could only sit and stare in wide-eyed wonder as Sara moved around the islander's little camp. The woman had set up a make shift emergency triage enlisting those who were in decent shape as nurses. Page had been told to sit back and relax off to the side. Her presents was making the islanders nervous.

Page frowned as she looked around the small group of fifteen. They were all emaciated and not one of them was unwounded. She looked around the forest and spotted more than one edible plant. Floyd was right; the soil here was dark and looked perfect for farming. Why were these people so starved?

'Hi.' She looked to find Owen standing before her holding a cup. 'We don't have much, but we do have good clean water.' Page smiled and motioned him to sit with her and Kidd. Once the man was comfortable, Page motioned to the woods.

'Owen, why haven't you and your group taken advantage of the wild vegetables in the woods here?' He frowned and looked to the trees.

'What do you mean?' He asked looking back to her. 'What vegetables?' Page flinched surprised. Kidd tugged her arm to get her attention. She looked to him.

'I don't think they have ever been in the woods.' He signed and then motioned to Owen's shoes. Page looked and saw the man was wearing tattered business loafers.

'You know Kidd, I think you may be right.' She sighed and looked up to Owen. 'Come with me. I want to show you something.' The three stood and Page led him to the edge of the woods.

For the next hour, she walked him through the woods on the little island and pointed out several edible plants before she gathered them up. Kidd had vanished from their side a few times on the walk and returned each time with a rabbit or squirrel for Page to tie to her pack.

'All of this food.' Owen sighed as they were returning to the camp. 'We were surrounded by stuff to eat and the whole camp was starving to death.' He shook his head and looked to Page. 'Before the fall, I was an investment banker in LA. I never even saw forest like this, until my company sent me and the others here for a retreat.' He frowned shaking his head. 'I don't think any of us had any survival experience. We only made it this far because of the cement and chain link wall that surrounded the resort we were staying in. There was enough food to last us a couple of more years.' He sighed. 'When that ran out, I think we would have all died.'

'I think your selling yourself short.' Page assured him. 'Before the fall, I was an overweight housekeeper.' He flinched looking to her wide-eyed. Page just shrugged and they continued in silence.

By the time they returned to the camp, their arms and bags were full. Page gave everything to Colton and his second in command Maggie. As they went to work making the food for their people, Page step back to where she had been watching over Sara. The woman was still working at fixing everyone one, but she looked close to finished. Page glanced to Kidd to see him watching her close.

'What's on your mind little man?' She asked moving out of hearing range.

'When you freed me,' he said in a whisper, 'I was afraid all the time. Even after we left the post office. I would watch the side of the road waiting for Jeric or a ripper to pop out and hurt us.' The statement ripped at Page's heart. The boy smiled however. 'Then you showed me that I wasn't helpless anymore. You made me strong and I'm not afraid anymore. Jimbo shouldn't of said whatever he said to make you mad.' Page sighed and sat on a log. Kidd took a seat beside her.

'Those people back at Redridge, Stan's people, and even some of the people here at Treetop; are different from us Kidd.' Page said frowning at the woods. 'Have you noticed that no one we ran into on the road had a problem with you learning to fight and defend yourself?' She looked to him to see the boy frowning in thought.