In the Aftermath

Chapter Eleven

In the Aftermath: Chapter Eleven

"This should be all that you'd need," Mark said. He tried putting an encouraging tone with the words that he said but the five people standing before him did not look any happier after hearing them. They looked worried and terrified. But only one bothered Mark more than he wanted.

Ethan's gaze was fixed on the wooden table in front of him. They were inside a large tent that was set up by Mark himself as sort of a main center of command for the survivors. Around the table, Mark and the other four scouts stood with Ethan, planning and talking about the journey that is soon to come.

A flashlight and an empty bag laid on Ethan's side of the table. "Are you sure this is enough?" he asked, aiming a confused look towards Mark.

In response, Mark produced more items from a metal container by his legs. "We are in very short supply here," he said. "We never thought of sending a group of scouts to check things out before."

He took out a single pair of walkie-talkies from the container and handed one of them to Saria. "See? We could only provide you with one of these," he said. "Because of our lack of supply, you guys would have to divide the work. Saria, you'd be responsible for keeping communications with us down here."

The girl responded with a quick nod as she started playing with the knobs and the buttons of the device.

Next, Mark brought out a single set of binoculars and a small black box which Ethan had trouble identifying at first. He handed the two items to the brothers, Marvin and Tam. The two dark-skinned boys accepted the items cautiously.

"What the hell is this supposed to be?" Tam asked, as he was handed the black box. For a moment, he played with the buttons and knobs on it just as Saria did with her walkie-talkie. A circular screen lit up on the middle of the box as Tam pressed and pressed different butttons randomly.

At once, Ethan realized what the device was. "Is that a portable radar?" he asked.

"Certainly," Mark responded, "That's a pretty old version of it but it should serve this scouting trip pretty well. It responds to heat signatures so I suggest being careful and act according to what the radar shows you. As for you two, your job is to provide the layout of the land. I think the binoculars and the radar are perfect for this task."

Feeling left out, the last man, Rony asked: "So what's my job?"

To anyone looking at the group, it would be fairly obvious to see that Rony was the oldest of them all. But there was something about his look that made Ethan felt like the man has valuable experience that would benefit the group.

"Well of course I have one just for you," Mark said with sarcastic enthusiasm. From his box of items he took out a gigantic rifle. With its size, Mark had trouble lifting the thing up but when he handed it to Rony, the man could have been holding a stick.

Ethan's face was the same as the four other members of the group: shocked.

"Wait a minute," Saria said after conquering the paralyzing surprise that she felt. "Are we really going to need that thing?"

With a soft chuckle, Mark answered, "We have no idea what in the world you guys would find up there. So, of course, there would be no such thing as overpreparation. This should help keep you safe unless something unexpected decided to bother you guys."

Still confused, it was Marvin's turn to ask a question, "Great, but does he know how to use it properly? I don't think I'd like the idea of a guy wielding a gun behind my back and has no idea of how to use it."

As if in response, Rony flipped the gun on his hands and reloaded. The metallic sound produced by the action filled the tent.

"My full name is Ronald Marcus, former Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army," he said. "I don't think you guys need to worry about me."

Mark chuckled and patted Rony on the back, as if to say that they had been friends for a long time. "Sergeant Rony here shall keep you from harm's way if ever he needed to," Mark said.

A few seconds of awkward silence followed. Ethan examined each one of his fellow group members as they tested their devices and made themselves comfortable using them. Everyone seemed to know what to do. Everyone, except one.

"Mark," Ethan said, raising his right hand. "What exactly is my job? What are these for?" he asked lifting the bag and the flashlight. His voice was obviously impatient and tinged with blatant contempt.

The remark made everyone else turn away from both Ethan and Mark; it was a feud that no one knew about and no one was interested in being a part of.

Mark cleared his throat and answered, "You'll be the forager."

"The what?" Ethan asked, his tone not losing the initial sharpness from before.

"I've given you the pack and the light so that you could collect things that you think is worth carrying back," Mark answered. "Now, I would ask if you could address myself with a better tone."

Ethan kept silent.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If Ethan was to describe the way he felt about going back up the surface in one word, it would be hopeful. There were gigantic gates that sealed off the Ark along with everyone inside but throughout the years they had turned rusty and weak. Upon opening, Ethan was sure that everyone in the cave would have heard the metallic creaking as it echoed all around him.

On the other side of the gates, there was nothing. Aside for the darkness that did nothing to make Ethan feel any better, nothing else could be seen.

In front of the opened gates, a group of about ten people stood. Mark, the five scouts and some of their families bidding good luck and goodbyes looked pale in the dark back drop of the other side of the gates.

Ethan couldn't help watching as Saria's parents held their daughter's hands as tightly as anyone could; as if not wanting her to go. The parents' eyes were watery and most of their face betray sadness but upon their lips were encouraging smiles for their daughter.

For a moment, Ethan thought about how his parents would have reacted if they were here. He wasn't even able to get past remembering their faces before admitting that he can't do it. The wound was still too fresh.

Marvin and Tam were with an older man who resembled both of their faces. Ethan knew that the man was their father and the sense of longing for his own inside of him grew worse. Ethan felt weak once again.

He felt a hand on his back. And out of all the people in the cave right now, who else could it be but Mark. The boy was about to say something but the doctor did not let him.

"You don't have to say anything else," Mark said. "Just hear me out. Before your parents died, they told me to look after you. Now I know I've made some mistakes with the short time that we've been together and I'm sorry. But, please. Watch yourself out there."

Ethan silently tried to absorb the words. It was only logical that his parents would have asked someone of power and authority, like Mark, to look after their son in case they don't make it. So he did not think that the doctor was lying.

Mark reached in his pocket and took out something. Because of the awesome lighting inside the caves, Ethan couldn't make out what the object was at first.

"Your father gave this to me and wished for me to give it to you," Mark said. "For your protection. In any case good luck and god bless." He gave Ethan a great hug and walked away towards Rony who was fiddling with his rifle all this time.

Ethan looked at the object that he was given. It was wrapped with a dirty cloth but the weight was enough to make Ethan sure that it was metal.

It took him a couple of seconds to undo the cloth and another couple of seconds to realize what Mark has done.

In Ethan's hand was his father's pistol, fully loaded and ready to fire.