Dex Warrior (Libertas Online)

6: Survivor

Cassandra knelt before the fire pit, poking at the gray circle of stones and the burning logs inside with a stick absentmindedly. She sighed, her thoughts dwelling on the altercation that had occurred the night before. It had been a stupid fight, over a stupid game, with even stupider people. She knew it shouldn't have bothered her so much, but she had felt the need to get out of Greir regardless.

The flickering bonfire cast shadows against the crushed cars around her, reflecting light against small parts of chrome not yet tarnished by the all-consuming rust that plagued the rest of the junkyard. An outer fence with barbed wire divided the outlying woods from the yard, and the smashed vehicles served as a hiding place. Even on moonless and black nights, no one could see the glow of the fire inside their alcove at any angle, even above. As uncomfortable as it was to have rusting metal balancing on the wreckage above her head, Cassie believed this was one of the safest places around besides Greir. The only way in or out of the camp was through an old school bus rigged with booby traps.

As the water in the black pot began to boil, her stomach growled. It had been since before their early morning departure she had eaten last and the ten miles she had put behind her made the hunger worse. As if to answer the pangs in her belly, the door to the bus groaned open and a blue heeler came padding towards her, tail wagging so hard he nearly bent his body in half. Cassie smiled, turning her attention to pet Scout and baby talk the good boy with admiration. He licked her hands in greeting, then settled down beside her, panting with his tongue out.

Behind the dog came a man in cargo pants and a long-sleeved camo jacket, cradling a small rifle in one arm, and holding out three squirrels by their bushy red tails in the other. A proud smile stretched across his face.

"Thank goodness," Cassie said, taking the squirrels eagerly and setting them on a makeshift car-hood table. "I was just about to whip up my mud pie special, and I know how much you love those."

Dan laughed, then took off his baseball cap and wiped the sweat off his brow with his arm. "Oh, yeah. What a shame. Can't remember the last time I munched down on an earthworm and enjoyed it, but I bet you could eat a whole plate full considering it's your specialty. You probably wouldn't even mind letting me have your squirrel, you love it so much."

Cassie couldn't think of a clever retort, so she let it go with nothing but a smile. Since Dan had found and brought the food back to camp, cleaning and cooking the animals was her duty, and one her stomach demanded she begin quickly. As she worked, Dan settled down into a seat made from rubber tires, leaning back with a loud groan that made him appear older, and more dad-like, than he actually was. He was in his lower thirties and not a very serious guy, especially when it came to relationships, and seemed to prefer only the occasional fling rather than being romantically attached to anyone for a time long enough to become a father.

Even so, a small part of Cassie regarded him as her own. Dan had always been there for her, helping her work through her own emotions and guiding her when she needed it most. It was Dan who had suggested that she come along with him on this supply run, and Cassie had taken the opportunity to get away from Greir and the other teens who had tried to pick on her and get her upset for their own entertainment. The trip was a welcome reprieve from that drama, to heck with the the chances of danger.

Cassie dropped the cleaned meat into the boiling water, then added salt, flour, and cayenne pepper seasoning to make something of a thick squirrel gravy and make the small amount of food a bit more filling. They had brought a few cans of old beans along with them, but they wouldn't open those until they were absolutely needed. Maybe not at all if they could help it.

"You know," Dan said, sitting upright, "you get much better at starting fights 'ol Sarge is gonna put you on tunnel duty to burn the fire out of you."