Silver Gardens

Camden

"STAY INSIDE. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS." 

Ben didn't have to tell me twice. I had no desire to meet with Andrew Good again. Or the company that he brought with him this time. Pressing the shotgun into my hands, Ben hooked his handgun into a holster strapped to his leg and strode outside as the truck stopped in front of our trailer. Mr. Arnold and Mr. Choi weren't far behind.

"Well, hey. New faces today," Andrew hollered out amiably as he hopped out of the passenger side. 

A few armed young people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, stood up in the truck bed to announce their presence. I watched from the corner of the screen door, holding my breath. Andrew took off his sunglasses and scanned our trailer. I slipped back into the shadows.

"Where is the young lady I met yesterday?"

Ben's shoulders stiffened. "I'm Ben. This is our home. What do you want?"

Andrew held a hand out towards him. "Andrew Good. You the law around here, Ben?"

Ben took a firm step towards him, eyes not leaving Andrew's face. "In a way."

"I think I've heard about some kind of renegade in these parts. Lone wolf on a motorcycle, like that one." Andrew motioned to the bike by the shed, still being repaired. "I've heard about some pretty nasty encounters with this character."

"Just tell us why you're here, Mr. Good," Mr. Arnold called out, his normally tepid voice laced with warning.

Andrew sniffed, perching his hands on his hips. "Now, don't get me wrong. I respect survivors. If you are the motorcycle avenger, then more power to you." He gave a rueful laugh and cast an unimpressed glare towards the bike. "I only wanted to introduce myself formally. I'm guessing that was your woman that I met yesterday."

"She doesn't belong to anyone."

"Of course, she doesn't belong to anyone. I'm not that medieval. You're awfully literal, aren't you?" Andrew's gaze trailed towards the screen door once again where I was peeking out. He winked in my direction. "Whatever she is to you, she's a good one. Loyal. A trait hard to come by these days."  

"I think you and your armed friends should cut to the chase, Mr. Good," Mr. Choi called out.

"Of course. I'm sorry to drop in like this uninvited. I am here in sincere good faith. Since there are only a few of you, I wanted to offer you a place among us. Especially you, Ben. If you're the kind of person that I think you are."

Ben relaxed his stance in the following silence and took out a cigarette. He held the pack towards Andrew. "Smoke?"

"Thanks. Marlboros, huh?"

Nodding, Ben lit his cigarette and tossed the lighter towards Andrew. Despite his casual demeanor, there was an edge to him that I had never seen. Maybe it was the toss of his head or one leg propped away from his body. A latent, deadly energy hummed in his presence.

"Where have your people set up camp?"

"We're on the coast, a little south of Acadia. Hope to be ready to go by winter."

"For your sake, I hope you will be too."

"So what do you say, Ben? You and your people want to enter into the fold?" Andrew blew out a cloud of smoke, meeting Ben's eyes as he had done with me the previous day. 

Ben tapped ash into puddle by his foot and inhaled sharply through his nose. "Though I appreciate the invitation, I think we're good here for now."

Andrew smirked. "The place is kind of falling apart."

"But we like it that way. So we never forget that we're living in the end times."