Scavengers {#Wattys2016}

Chapter Five

At dinner the introductions had been finalized. Sammy and Anna had made it home safely again. But they made their usual startling exit by climbing up the side of the old run down apartment building and unlocked the window diving in with a roll into the small room. As usual my father would jolt and reach for his gun. 

He'd groan right after and roll his eyes. "I'm glad you all made it back safely", said my father.

 He split the loaf again and we had the same thing as from the night before. We were about to eat when, Jordan sat in silence and then asked in his harsh accent, "I don't know if you would comply but would anyone mind saying grace with me?".

All of us looked at each other in a bit of silence.

"Of course", replied my mother extending her hand out to him. 

He took it slowly then she extended her hand to my father and we interlocked in our small circle of six.

Michael closed his eyes and cleared his throat.

Sammy looked at me who was holding Jordan's other hand. I shrugged and then compiled to close my eyes.

"Dear Lord, we gather here today to give thanks for the meal and that you've guided me personally to this wonderful family. Bless them Lord for better days to come. We thank you for your kindness and forgiveness. Please allow those who are not under your light feel your light and be guided to your mercy. Thank you. Amen", said Michael.

"Amen", said Sammy.

"Amen", I said.

"Amen", said Anna.

"Amen", said my father.

"Amen", said my mother.

Now we nibbled away at our bread trying to start up conversation but there wasn't much to talk about. We didn't have school to discuss. Grades did not have to monitored since we were no longer offered an education. And now, it was all I wanted. 

I wanted something to talk about. Something besides violence, fear, and the loss. I wanted to talk about what I learned in school. What my friends were doing, or funny and awkward scenarios with teachers making jokes to get the class laughing.

But I didn't have anything like that now.

Sammy glanced around and nibbled. He was cold but hid it well. 

"Do you guys remember when we used to play with plastic light sabers?", asked Sammy. We looked up.

"You know when we were kids, we'd go into the biggest room clear everything to the side and pretend we were Jedi?", he asked putting in more detail.

"And someone broke my favorite candle holder while doing it", chuckled my mother.

"It was an accident!", said Anna getting under pressure.

"I'm just teasing", said my mother.

"I remember Sammy always wanted to be the villain. He'd love to say 'I'm force choking you!' ", I laughed.

"You never even pretended though, you would come up with this whole force field idea saying you could block it", said Sammy wagging a finger at me.

"And the young adults are still arguing over the past", chuckled my father.

"Hey it got you to laugh! Laughter is a good thing", said Anna.

"Your right", said my father smiling through the dim candle light. 

His heavy grey eyes were old and antique, but they could still hit their mark. His pale vomit colored jacket weighed heavily on his shoulders as each of his pockets were filled with frequently reused bullets. His jeans were ripped at the bottom and slowly got shorter with each year.

His white socks by now had non removable stains on them. His large palms were coarse and rough, but they were always warm unlike my hands, which were always cold when someone else touched them.

We had finished and cleaned up the food stashing it away in the empty cabinets. "Lisa see if you can get some of the extra blankets for Jordan", said my father. 

I nodded and began to lift boxes and open the cabinet under the sink. But it was empty. I frowned looking in the others. Nothing.

 I stood, "We only have two and they are being used", I said pointing at the sleeping Anna and my mother. It was a chilly night.

"Its alright", said Jordan.

"I'll take the first watch, he can use my sleeping bag", I said sternly.

"No, that won't be necessary", objected Jordan not liking the idea of me taking the lookout.

"Your injured a good rest will help you", said my father. I pointed to my sleeping bag next to the couch and Michael glanced at us both. Jordan realized there was no arguing.

Jordan crawled into the sleeping bag and I slipped down against the wall and he watched me slip back on my brass knuckles. I sat for many long hours and breath of sleep took over. I took out the necklace and held it my palm. I brushed the cross with my thumb and listened.

It was all silent. I tucked the necklace back into my coat and I leaned my head back against the wall closing my eyes slightly. 

"Go to sleep", I said referring to the starring Jordan. He seemed a bit stunned that I had felt his look. But he rolled over turning his back towards me ignoring my existence.

His mind was filled with the image of the brass knuckles. Their pounding against the faces of those who had attacked him. The world was filled with violence everywhere he went. The many cities and sectors that he had seen. It was all the same.

Fear crippled everyone, no one would stand up. It's as if the fight of the Americans had just reduced to mere rubble and dust. The spirit was no longer present in anyone. He had tried to get a group together within the multiple cities but it all said no. If he had managed to get a group together of old veterans their spirit would only last for a day or two and then get shattered by an unknown consumed fear. In truth he was afraid too. 

He looked up at the table and saw the folded triangular flag laying there still and silent. It was as if it slept quietly and just dreaming about the future. 

The possible future.