Scavengers {#Wattys2016}

Chapter Nineteen

Jordan awoke sometime as the sun was just barely rising over the horizon and glazing the landscape. The desert was still , other than the little breeze that came and went lifting the sand off the dunes. I looked at Jordan who was sitting up watching carefully. His eyes scanning the horizon.

He looked around. Sammy and Anna were gone. I was sharpening my knife on a smaller stone. I stared at the dunes. Jordan got a sudden bad feeling as his gut churned with instinct of danger.

"Relax, the guy can't outrun Sammy", I assured.

I stared as Sammy dragged back a flailing guy with Anna helping along. Jordan stood grabbing his gun. I looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"There won't be any need for that", I said.

"Why didn't you go?", asked Jordan.

"Because I can only dream of running as fast as Sammy. Sammy said he could handle it with Anna...so I trusted them", I replied.

"Why didn't you wake me?", asked Jordan stunned.

"You were sleeping, and you probably would have shot the guy", I stated.

My statement was true. Jordan would have shot the man most likely. Whoever he was. He was tense just looking at the scrawny thin guy. He looked Asian. Looked like a fast runner too. Sammy shoved him forward. I stood sighing.

"Time to wake up the boss", I sighed turning around.

I shook my father awake gently. He jolted up raising his hand frightened. I stared at him frowning and pointed back, "Company", I said bluntly standing.

My father stood dusting himself as if to be proper. But it didn't really matter because the other guy was all dusted up too. Formalities weren't really key here, nor were they a goal.

We walked over to the man on his knees. Sammy had his arms crossed, "He was snooping around and watching us from that dune over there", said Sammy. The man was rather simply dressed his eyes were squinted together from the sun.

He was frightened, "I'll tell you nothing Pure Scum bag!" he snapped.

My father squatted down, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Pity that people just go off accusing random strangers with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Sammy let him go, I don't want to deal with this", said my father standing.

"Let me go to just catch me again! Then I'll just stay right here!", snapped the man.

"You've got an attitude. I suggest you drop it and high tail it out of here before my sister beats the crap out of you", warned Sammy.

"He can stay, sure, but we're moving, get packing", said my father waving us off.

The stranger was confused by this. He knew we didn't look like common Pure Ones due to our attire but there was no telling who was who anymore. There was no way to build any trust. Sammy untied the handkerchief and tucked it in his back pocket. He then walked passed the man who was sitting there in the sand rather stunned.

We continued to gather what little we had and I swung my backpack onto my shoulders. We weren't mugging him which was odd. Then again we weren't even going to mug him in the first place.

The man stood, "Where are you from?", he asked.

"Not your business, now get going I don't want to cause anymore trouble", said my father going past him.

The stranger stared at my father. He stepped in his way. He tilted his head. My father crossed his arms agitated and tried to go around.

"What is it now? You want money? I don't have any sorry! You want food?", asked my father.

The man squinted then he looked back at Anna, me, then Sammy he seemed to have a recognition of some manifestation of realization. He raised a finger pointing and stepped back. His eyes widened and mouth dropped open.

"Oh boy", grumbled my father.

"YOUR-! Hmmpmm!", the man was muffled by my father's hand.

"Quiet! Your in a freaking desert! Anyone can hear you dumbass!", snapped my father.

"Or no one", replied the man as my father removed his hand.

"We're going", said my father walking passed him. We followed his lead without objection. There wasn't anything to discuss. We had to keep moving. Keep going. To maybe find another place to settle down in....maybe....just maybe...a better place than the one we left behind.

The stranger turned shouting at us, "You were the ones who started the revolution!", he yelled cupping his hands around his mouth.

My father stopped, "I did no such thing", he said.

"Your faces were broadcasted everywhere! You guys are fugitives and wanted criminals! You fought back and started a revolution! A rebellion! I wouldn't forget your faces anywhere! You fought the Pure Ones!", yelled the man.

"Then if we're fugitives we'd better keep moving...no telling who or what is after us", grumbled my father.

The man ran after us waving his arms, "Wait! Wait! Wait! I can take you to a safe place! A hidden place!", yelled the man.

My father turned, "Why? What's in it for you?", asked my father glaring he was getting suspicious, "There is nothing but sand out here!", he added gesturing.

"Come! Follow me and I'll show you!", said the stranger motioning for us to come.

My mother took my father's arm and looked at him. "We have no where else to go", she said.

My father sighed, "I just don't like this....anyone else feel this is fishy?", asked my father. Anna and me raised our hands.

"Totally", she vouched. "Smells bad", I said.

"What? This could possibly save our lives", said Jordan.

"Or kill'em", added Sammy.

"Alex...I know I am getting a bad feeling too....but....we can't get everything we wanted", said my mother. She was exhausted. My father looked at her sagging eyes she hadn't rested or eaten correctly in days.

My father made his decision, "Alright, fine. Lead the way", snapped my father.