Lyndy & Jackson

Chapter 10 - 27

He noticed a nasty & deep gash on her finger, he spit on it, wiped the dirt off with his shirt, pulled out a little bear of Costco honey and applied four drops & wrapped it in gauze, from his pants pocket.

Lyndy & Jackson
Chapter 10-27
By; mike Hurley

Amy was cold, she was tied up so tight, & had no coat, they took it from her and gave it to a teenager. This was night 2 she was held captive in a rebel camp. After the long fires decimated North America she had been walking north for months, trying to get back to her people in what was left of Alberta and see if anyone or anything was still alive at Heartland. She shivered and tried to slide under some pine branches for protection from the wind. They had caught her in a net trap, deep in the woods on the Wyoming Trail, that followed the old Interstate 25 out of Cheyenne. She had hidden and evaded the roving rebels gangs for weeks; but little missed their heat seeking sensors. An elderess had brought her a small meal of venison, blackberries and mushrooms in the morning. She had watched the moon travel across the night sky and figured it was between midnight and 2:00 am.

She had been walking for 3 months after leaving Texas, or what used to be Texas. It had to be below zero, she could see her breath in the moonlight and the cup of dirty water they gave her after her capture was froze solid. She had become a tough & resilient woman the last 3 months; the sole survivor of a Horse Behavior Conference near Houston; she looked nothing like a cowgirl now, she wore tennis shoes and a rope for a belt. All she carried was a backpack with a few first aid supplies she took from an abandoned aid station outside the conference center. A tiny stuffed horse was all she had from her old life.

But now she was property of the Rebels. The elderess said she would be awarded to a young man at noon and expected to produce children.
She wanted to cry, but Amy knew the tears would evaporate on her face and further lower her core body temperature. She had been shivering for hours, and had asked for help earlier and got a piece of firewood thrown at her in reply. Her feet were tied under her and her hands behind. She tried to sleep, but forced herself to stay awake. She was hungry and thirsty.

Suddenly, she heard something that she recognized. She heard the spring release on a Bowie switch blade. Her grandfather used to have one when she was a girl. Now she really wanted to cry, she so missed her grandpa Jack. She knew, If he were here the entire group of Rebel's would be terrified. She tried to turn and look behind her, she sensed someone was there. She heard a man's voice; a whisper; hey!! I'm here to help, how many are there??

40 or 50 she replied. Who are you?? She heard no reply, but felt a man's hand grab hers and start cutting her ropes. In a minute her hands were free; she stretched her fingers and arms, she felt a man's warm hands quickly massage and warm her frozen fingers. She turned and looked into the eyes of a tall handsome man; he had smeared dirt onto his face and wore a hat of pine twigs and leaves. If he stood still, he blended into the forest and was invisible.

He noticed a nasty & deep gash on her finger, he spit on it, wiped the dirt off with his shirt, pulled out a little bear of Costco honey and applied four drops & wrapped it in gauze, from his pants pocket.

You're cold. He took off his coat and wrapped her in it, he knew how cold & stiff her fingers were and zipped it up for her, then pulled the hood up and tied the neck string snug. His hands wore calluses, they were strong, but so gentle with her. As he untied her feet, he saw her left ankle was swollen. What's up with this?? I think it's broken she said, her face just inches from his as he fought to cut 2 thick tie wraps around her ankles. She heard two snaps as they finally broke free. He pulled off her tennis shoes and sock on her left foot. He felt the swollen area and pressed different places and asked if it hurt. Yup, it's broke, he said. We're going to need to snap it and set it. Can't walk on It for 2 weeks, at least. He saw abrasion burns on her jeans and said, plus no tree climbing for a month.

There's food in the front pocket, water in the side. She felt into his coat pocket and pulled out a bag of jerky and 5 expired Snickers bars. She pulled out a piece of jerky and bit off a chunk, then shoved a piece into his mouth.  Amy reached in and found an old plastic water bottle, she took a swig, then held it while he sipped some too. She opened and bit off half of a snickers bar. It was old, and tough, but tasted incredible. She pushed the other half into his mouth, his lips briefly closed on her fingers. They both were quiet for a minute while they chewed and shared the first of what would become a lifetime of meals together.

All he wore was an old tattered shirt, with a dirty and faded small US flag sewn on the pocket; beat up Levi's, and, she noticed his military boots that had a small Canadian flag on the uppers. His right shoulder had blood stains.

He grabbed the honey bear and applied a smear to each of her cheeks and her forehead. Are you going to eat me now, she asked. He didn't reply but had a cute smile. Close your eyes, she felt him applying dirt to her face. Ok that should do; its not Estée Lauder, and don't worry, you're still pretty. She smiled, ........the first time in weeks, and looked into his eyes and saw wisdom, but a fair bit of sadness too. She saw his wedding band, and sighed with a moment of sadness. You married; she asked. He pushed the yellow cap onto the bear and said; used to be.
Jennifer; .......she was killed in the fires, small town. We had been married 3 months, 4 days and 17 hours.  She was expecting our first. There's nothing left there for me now.

Amy had only known this man for minutes, but she felt very calm and safe with him. She noticed how they worked well together. She had not known the kiss or caress of a man in months. She saw his broad shoulders and strong arms.

Amy peeked into his open backpack sitting next to her and saw a stethoscope and several knives and small tools, GPS device with a cracked screen, some topo maps neatly folded inside Zip Lock bags, satellite phone with folded solar battery, and a Colt revolver. She saw the compass on a shoe string dangling around his neck. She watched as he massaged her feet, and pulled a piece of burlap and string out of his pack and wrapped her foot. We need to hurry, I hear voices; he said. You seem experienced around injuries; she commented. He smiled and said, Veterinarian and a degree in emergency medicine, but my career before the fires was a vet. All animals, large and small, I suppose horses are my specialty, and a fair amount of complex surgeries. She saw him look into the distance as he stared into the past. Now, I'm a long range scout looking for survivors. I'm in the military; never thought I would be doing this!! She sensed a gentle confidence in him, and said I'm Amy, what's your name??

He zipped up his backpack, tied it to hers and slid them onto her shoulders. We need to get the hell out of here!! He picked up the cut tie wraps, ropes, and any sign that they had ever been there. She felt his arms wrap under and around her, as he quickly but gently lifted her up. He held her in his arms and just for a second, looked into her eyes and said; my names Ty; ......Dr Tyler Borden. Certified Long Range Scout and Paramedic in the joint US and Canadian Royal Marines. I rescue survivors. He grinned with a confident, yet mischievous expression that made her chuckle. At your service Ma'am!! he said.

To be continued.......