Carved In Stone, page 43
In the other corner of the snow-covered yard, a small tunnel under the fence glared in unnoticed danger as furious animals studied the laboring man hungrily.
4
Inside the cool house, Jeff hurried toward the kitchen without reacting to the cuffed woman’s flinch or Dog’s low growl. He could smell the steaks burning and chose to leave the window cracked to vent the harsh odor.
Sally stuck out a foot as the intimidating man went by and he tripped, falling into the wide coffee table with a loud crash.
Jeff groaned as his head struck the corner and he slid to the floor.
Dog leapt to his feet, startled, and Sally rose, going to the prone man. She slid his gun and knife free, then dug for the keys to the cuffs.
In the front of the house, the black bear returned, coming straight for the front window where the rifle was still laying. The smells and sounds of people were not supposed to be here.
Sally rushed to the garage door with the knife in her teeth and the gun in her cuffed hands, struggling to open the door and not drop either weapon. She stumbled into the garage and shut the door to protect her pets, then quickly went to the ATV. She hadn’t found anything in the man’s pockets, but she’d brought her own cuffs and, her own keys.
She was loose a minute later and the smell of smoke drew her notice. Something was burning. She remembered the cooking food and reluctantly went back to the door. She didn’t want her pets to burn.
Sally saw the man was still on the floor and hurried to shut the propane off. As she spun around, she realized she could hear the other one screaming from the backyard. Guilt slapped her and then terror followed as she saw the huge bear in the open window. The gigantic head was inside the window, lips drawn back as it scented the room.
Dog was in front of the bear, as were her pets. All three of them were growling but not barking, and Sally hesitated. The Winchester was on the ledge under the window, but she didn’t think she could get to it without being bitten or clawed, and if the bear chose to climb–
The bear began to heft itself through the window.
Dog growled harshly and the two small dogs yapped furiously.
Close the window! a voice shouted in her mind.
Sally rushed forward and slammed both palms into it, hitting the bear in the nose with the glass.
The bear flinched in confusion and Sally quickly snapped the lock in place, lungs burning from the air she’d forgotten to take in through her terror.
The bear roared angrily, rattling the pane as it pressed against the cold glass.
Sally stumbled backward, panting in fear.
A hand wrapped around her ankle...
Sally screamed.
Jeff jerked the woman down as the vulture swooped. It had come in the window while Sally was in the garage. Jeff hadn’t been able to see anything for a minute due to the head bump, but he’d heard every noise–including the bear trying to enter their den.
Dog lunged as the vulture dove again.
Jeff covered the woman as the two animals fought for dominance, and he awkwardly got to his sidearm. There wasn’t a clear shot, however, and he finally had to roll them out of the way and under the protection of the kitchen table.
The two small dogs joined the wolf, snapping and growling, biting where they could reach. The two main rooms were heavily damaged with splintering bookshelves and chairs.
A piercing cry echoed and then silence fell.
Jeff scanned the chaos and found Dog’s teeth clamped around the vulture’s face. He hurried over to put his gun against its head and signaled Dog back.
Used to laboring with the Eagles, Dog responded immediately and Jeff pulled the trigger.
The vulture slumped to the floor as blood pooled and Jeff dragged the carcass to the window.
He picked up the rifle. “Get over here. When I tell you to, open the window and swing it easy. I need all the time you can give me.”
Sally didn’t think of arguing and she took a place nervously, flinching as the screams from the backyard increased in volume.
“Now.”
Sally flipped the lock and gave a firm push.
The window swung open, a bit too quickly, and Jeff tried to narrow his aim as the bear immediately crowded into the opening. He ducked in and shoved the gun under the bear’s thick neck.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Jeff kept firing even after the animal stopped advancing to make sure it was dead. A 30-30 was light for a bear this size.
Sally retreated from the bloody, damaged room, shocked and angry. My house!
Jeff spun toward the backyard, aware that Kevin’s screams had stopped.
5
Kevin kicked at the vulture when it tried to follow him under the picnic table. He’d been swarmed with the birds before he could even draw his weapon.
The big bird lunged forward again, snapping violently.
Kevin kicked, aiming this time, and caught it across the face. He heard a crack and a whine, but he had to spin around in the snow to kick at the other side as a second vulture tried to bite his arm.
Finally able to get his gun out, Kevin scrambled toward the shed that was next to the table and rolled free. He gained his feet as the two vultures gave chase, cawing loudly.
Kevin fled into the shed and slammed the door on the aggressive bird, cracking another part of the hard beak. He didn’t want to open fire and bring anything else to his location. He wasn’t sure why Jeff wasn’t helping him after all the screaming, but he assumed there was a problem inside too.
Kevin put his back to the door, needing to know he was safe here for the moment.
“What...?” He ducked as spiders threw themselves from the ceiling.
Kevin slapped at the arachnids and yanked the door open as two loud shots rang out. He looked down at the gun he hadn’t fired and then at the dead vultures Jeff had handled. “Nice!”
He holstered and began pulling his shirt off as the spiders that had landed on him started biting.
Jeff covered Kevin from the two new vultures that had flown to the fence and the men hurried inside the house through the rear patio. As they locked the door, the sound of wood splintering echoed.
“Was that the side gate?” Kevin asked, still trying to remove his clothes in between slaps, swipes, and itches.
“Yep,” Jeff confirmed, watching a slightly smaller bear charge into the yard. “But he’s got a meal waiting, so we’re good for the moment.”
“Uh,” Kevin cleared his throat, fighting the need to scratch. “Maybe not.”
Jeff rotated to find Sally holding a 9mm and the handcuffs.
“Your turn.”
“No,” Jeff grunted in annoyance. I’ve about had enough of this chick already. “Shoot me.”
Sally blinked. “What?”
“You’re not cuffing me, lady. Shoot me or put that gun up and work on the mess,” Jeff instructed. “It’ll take the three of us hours to straighten things up.”
Sally examined the mess at her feet and then the two angry men. Reluctantly, slowly, she holstered.
Kevin let out the breath he’d been holding and allowed himself to itch until he had skin under his fingernails.
Jeff got the medical kit and spent a few uncomfortable moments helping Kevin apply ointment. The arachnids weren’t poisonous, but the wolf spider venom often caused an allergic reaction. To be sure they were covered, Jeff insisted Kevin swallow a capsule of Benadryl. He wasn’t in the mood to perform a tracheotomy.
“I’m gonna fall out,” Kevin warned as he swallowed it. “Been up all night for my shift and now this? You won’t be able to wake me if things go crazy again.”
Jeff shrugged, grinning. “So? You just won’t feel them eating you.”
“Oh, man!” Kevin groaned, snickering. Jeff was forever popping off with something like that.
“Grab something to eat and go to bed. The woman and I have it covered.”
“Sally!” she snapped from her lost stance in the middle of the destruction. “Before he goes, we have to shove this body outside.”
“Work around it,” Jeff ordered, gathering what he needed. “I want that hide and a big chunk of the meat. We’ll store some of the rest for dog food.”
“Uh...maybe we should change plans,” Kevin stated suddenly, staring through the cracks in the boards they had nailed over all the entrances. “The yard is filling up. We should shut that window and get some cover on it.”
Jeff took a moment to judge it for himself. He was astounded by how many creatures were roaming the property. “Yeah, we’ll shove it out now. I’ll carve it later.”
The three of them heaved the cooling corpse out the window, glad the big bear had only made it half inside. They never would have been able to do this otherwise. Jeff kept track of the shadows moving through the light snow as they tossed out the biggest part of the gory mess. Deer and wolves were mingling, along with goats, a moose, a whole line of ducks, and a list of other animals. All of them could be a threat or a meal, and Jeff tried to judge the situation from a survival aspect. Unless the moose charged their door, none of the other animals out there could get through to the rear room of the home where he had chosen to make a stand if it was needed. However, they had to eat, and the food and the outhouse were in the back.
“We have to repair that side gate,” Jeff stated, scanning for what they needed.
Kevin shook his head, scratching at his neck. “I’ll fall asleep on you. Take the...Sally. I’ll stay at this window with Dog until I can’t stay awake.”
“Okay,” Jeff agreed. “Coffee’s on the stove.”
“Good idea,” Kevin agreed, taking the rifle along.
Sally gawked at them. “You’re doing what?”
She wasn’t as upset over the two men being here anymore. If she’d been alone, the vultures in the yard would have attacked her the first time she stumbled to the bathroom. Sally hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten with nature and the vendetta against mankind, but the growing tension said she was about to witness it.
“I have to get my things,” she stated, leaning down to comfort her two shivering pets. They’d stayed in the bedroom during the ruckus and only come out a moment ago.
Dog took a seat near the bloody window, observing the front yard.
Jeff watched her from the door, partly out of caution of a stranger and partly because of the feeling that things weren’t finished yet.
Sally hefted her bags and kits over her shoulders and wrists, wanting it all in one trip, and she let him hold the door open for her, but said nothing-not even thank you.
Sally awkwardly strode to the second small bedroom in the dusty hall, glad to discover that the men hadn’t been in here. She dropped her gear and went to the oil lamp on the mantle without using her flashlight. She knew her way around blindfolded.
“Can you use that gun?” Jeff asked from the doorway.
Sally pulled on her gloves with the tips missing, loving the mobility. “And that 30-30 you’ve got.”
“Good. The gate on the house next door might fit. I have to measure ours, then go over and take the new one off the hinges. You’re covering me.”
Sally didn’t argue. The sooner he got the gate replaced, the sooner she could use the outhouse. She’d needed to since she woke.
6
Jeff eased through the front door with his toolkit in hand, hoping the woman really could use the Winchester. Despite her height, Jeff doubted she was strong enough to carry the gate.
Sally stayed close, scanning for threats. Jeff had decided that only the small pack of wolves was actually dangerous and told her to watch them more than the other creatures. The tracks in the ankle-deep snow said bigger animals were nearby too, and he tried not to make much noise as they hurried to the side of the house.
Jeff studied their damaged gate and saw he’d been right about the fit. However, the frame was severely damaged. He wasn’t going to be able to replace it quickly or easily. Jeff swept the block for something to fill the area instead.
Pocketing his toolkit, he signaled at a minivan across the street. “Come on.” Jeff knew the battery wasn’t going to have power and he was glad the driveway that housed it was atop a short, steep hill.
He busted the window with the butt of his rifle, wincing at the noise, and opened the door.
“I’ll wedge it in there,” he told Sally when nothing bad happened. “You stay back a little, but not too far. When I hit the alley, the vultures will probably be drawn.”
“I’ll do it,” Sally stated, shoving the rifle at him. “You won’t fit through that window.”
Jeff didn’t argue. He’d much rather be the one with gun anyway. He slung the rifle over his shoulder. “Hold the brake and shift it into neutral. Don’t let go until I tell you to.”
“Okay,” she agreed, sliding behind the wheel.
“Once it’s rolling, don’t use the brakes at all. Steer it straight into the street. It’ll be going fast enough to roll up the yard and make it to the alley. I may have to push from there.”
“Okay,” she repeated, getting ready. She didn’t have any concern with his theory. The animals were still all around them, but not acting aggressive. What bothered her was the way Jeff’s eyes seemed to glow at times. “I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Jeff said, bracing to push from the rear. “Let’s go.”
Sally forced the van into neutral and Jeff pushed.
7
Standing in front of the reopened window, Kevin kept a steady scan of the area going, already fighting drowsiness. He was glad the itching had faded, though. He watched the van roll toward the house.
Next to Kevin, the wolf and the two small dogs also listened.
Crash!
The house shuddered as the van slammed into the alley between the homes, sending the mall dogs back into the rear rooms to hide.
The van jammed into the space, scraping loudly. Sally barely had enough room to wiggle through the driver’s window. It wouldn’t keep all of the animals out, but it was unlikely that another bear would try to climb over the van.
She joined Jeff at the bumper. He had the rifle ready, but there was no sign of the big birds or the wolves.
Jeff glanced around and realized there wasn’t an animal in sight. That was odd. “Are you okay out here for another ten minutes?”
“Yes,” Sally answered, curling icy fingertips into warm palms.
Jeff gave her the rifle and strode determinedly toward the slowly stiffening bear carcass. The block around them was frozen in white silence, with snow coming down again. The wind had died down, but the temperature was falling fast. Jeff tried to hurry as he collected the hide and other parts. Behind him, he could hear Sally shuffling from foot to foot as she tried to keep warm.
It was bloody, stomach-churning labor for most people, but Jeff didn’t mind. What sometimes bothered him was the sound the hide made as he ripped it up or the small splash of fluids that often sprayed as it came free. He usually remembered to turn his face away in time, but sometimes, it still splashed up his arm or cheek.
Sally was impressed with how fast Jeff took the hide from the carcass. He was forced to leave the bottom half, as they couldn’t roll the animal over, but he still managed to claim a long enough piece to fashion a nice blanket or several smaller items. While she waited, Sally studied the neighborhood around them that she could view through the dark and the snow. She remembered when it had only been their house and the one further down that had belonged to her aunt. Her father had brought his sister here to start a new life and in some ways, they absolutely had.
“But the abuse came along too, right?” Jeff asked, flipping on his headlamp. He’d been scanning her thoughts since she arrived.
Sally froze for an instant, and then dismay and hatred flashed. “I can’t get away from you bastards!”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Jeff remarked, not pausing in cutting off chunks of the meat. He’d brought a garbage bag for hauling it.
“What?” Sally snarled, no longer observing their surroundings as she caressed the rifle.
“You’ve got a thing against people.”
“Descendants are not people!” she snapped. “All you do is hurt others!”
“Then why haven’t I hurt you?” Jeff glanced up at her, feeling the goose egg on his skull. “I believe you tripped me...”
Sally flushed and didn’t respond.
“If I were evil, you’d be raped and dead by now for something like that.” Jeff bagged his loot and stood up. “You’ve got a few seconds to make the choice, lady. Once I shut that door, you’re out here with the rest of the wild things that can’t be trusted.”
Sally wanted to refuse, but the cold and the sense that the man wasn’t a threat convinced her to follow him.
Around the pair, nothing moved except the snow.
Jeff held the door for her–it was ingrained–and Sally darted under his big arm to quickly get out of the way.
Kevin glanced over at them with glassy eyes. His shoulder was against the glass, window latched. “All sset?” he slurred.
Jeff gestured toward the bedroom. “Hit the rack.”
Kevin grinned and staggered that way without even a peek at Sally. He still wasn’t sure what had happened while he was outside, but it was obvious the woman had done something wrong. He expected Jeff to send her on her way.
Jeff pointed toward the dim hall. “We rigged up a temporary john for use during the storms.”
Sally disappeared down the hall without anything except a frown.
Jeff shook his head. “Some people...”
He went to the door to scan the backyard, noting she still had the rifle. The yard was empty of pests, though Jeff wasn’t sure when the bear had wandered off. The hole in the fencing was still there. Jeff quickly slipped outside to cover it.
