Part 10 (1/2)
”You wouldn't?” she asked curiously.
”I'd miss seeing your face, but I wouldn't go into fits,” Nathan said.
Turning her head and looking off at a distant house, she said, ”You still think of me as a burden, don't you?” It was more of a statement than a question.
”Yes,” he said truthfully.
Not able to help it, she smiled and chuckled. ”At least you're honest.”
”Hey, you asked. If you don't want to know, don't ask,” he said.
They walked for a few more minutes and she finally blurted out, ”Why did you give in and let me join you?”
Letting out a big sigh, Nathan admitted, ”Call it a moment of weakness. If we would've gotten into an argument it would've drawn more attention I didn't want. And you had drawn several admirers. You would've never made it back to that camp, at least not without being attacked,” he added.
Hearing that sent a chill up her spine. ”I saw the two on the porch across the street. I could've out run them,” she said, sure of herself.
”There were two more with them looking out the window, but you had six following you from that little store we walked by before stopping,” he said.
”No, they were just done,” she said.
”Sure, empty-handed after standing in a long line only to browse. And it was six men,” he pointed out.
A chill ran up her spine as she realized she'd missed that. ”You brought me just to protect me?” she asked.
”No, to get you out of a tight spot,” he said. ”But you listened as we left and didn't put the group at risk,” he said and she giggled.
”John started shaking when I held his hand,” she said, giggling and looking back to see him bouncing along and smiling ten steps away. When he saw Jasmine looking at him he blushed and waved at her. Turning back around, she said, ”The next morning when we started walking and Amanda grabbed your hand I tried to hold his because you said to act like yesterday.' John kept whispering at me that Amanda always held your hand to let you know when she saw something. She would squeeze your hand and he would cough. I almost had to wrestle that boy to hold his hand,” she admitted, still giggling.
Nathan laughed with her and then she became serious. ”Why don't you see me as an a.s.set?” she asked. ”I'm strong, smart, and I may not know the woods like you but I've hiked a lot,” she pointed out.
”Yes you are, but I drew the wrong first impression. I thought you would want to be catered on and we don't have the time for that,” he said. ”Next, you draw attention I really didn't want. You're a very pretty girl,” he added.
She didn't like the way he cla.s.sified her as a girl.' ”How about a pretty woman?” she corrected.
”How about a young woman?” Nathan amended. Nodding her head that she would accept that, he continued, ”Beauty is an a.s.set but also a curse, and I've seen too many marked since this has started because of it.”
”I'm sorry I'm a pretty young woman,'” Jasmine said, smiling.
”Don't be,” Nathan said. ”But don't flaunt it and draw attention we don't want.”
”I will try to look horrendous then,” she said with a smirk.
Looking over his shoulder, Nathan motioned John forward and waited till he kept pace just behind him. ”John, Jasmine wants to shave her head and pull all her teeth out to look ugly so n.o.body looks at her,” Nathan said over his shoulder.
The smile on John's face fell off, hitting the ground with a clank. ”No!” he whined.
Jasmine turned around and hugged him, ”Don't worry, I won't,” she said, and his smile jumped back on his face as Amanda came over and joined the others. Ares was a few steps in front of the group, gazing longingly into a field where some sheep were grazing. He wanted badly to chase the fluffy things.
Jasmine moved back beside Nathan. ”Okay, so I keep baggy clothes on, what else?” she demanded.
”When we talk to others, especially around groups, don't talk. Don't look down, either, because that shows submission. Keep your hair pulled back, sungla.s.ses on, and we have to find you a hat. Always appear confident even if you don't feel it. In other words, look like you're ready to fight at the drop of a hat,” he said.
”I hate hats,” she mumbled. ”Why not talk?” she added.
”Two reasons. One, I don't want people to focus on you. Second, I will probably be lying and don't want you s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g it up,” Nathan explained.
”Hey, I can stretch the truth with the best of them. I can't tell you some of the excuses I've come up with for turning in papers late at school,” Jasmine admitted.
”We might use that later, but you will have to look the part first,” he said.
She looked down at the camouflage clothes she was wearing and the gun sticking out of her waistband. ”I don't look mean enough now?” she wondered. She thought she looked like a total bada.s.s.
”Not really, but we will work on that,” Nathan said, spotting the town up ahead. ”Alright, in this village, same as always. Amanda, clip the leash on Ares and stay next to me. I've seen him eyeing some sheep here lately. John, behind Amanda, and Jasmine, behind me. If either of you see male attention directed at Jasmine, hold hands. As usual, if something happens pa.s.s by me to the rally point. I'll meet you there,” Nathan said, finished giving out instructions.
They all moved into positions and Amanda put the leash on Ares, who groaned. ”He wouldn't really chase the sheep, would he?” Amanda asked.
”Not when he's working, and he knows he's working now. But that is his weakness, chasing sheep,” Nathan said. ”He doesn't even try to catch them. Just chases them and makes them freak out.” Amanda pulled down her hat and grabbed onto Nathan's hand. She thought it would be pretty funny to watch Ares chase the sheep.
It was only mid-morning when they entered the small town but there were people scattered about and they all noticed the strangers walking down the road. Nathan didn't like it because he could see resentment and outright hostility on many of their faces. He glanced down to make sure his badge was prominently displayed and it was.
By the time they were in the center of town they had all eyes on them and very few people were talking, just staring at the group. Nathan led the group to the side twice so a truck could pa.s.s them then he moved them back away from the sidewalk. Everyone he saw was armed with some type of gun and he wanted distance from them.
No one in town made a threatening gesture, but it was very clear they weren't welcome. When they pa.s.sed the last building Nathan fought off an urge to pull down his pants and moon the a.s.sholes but it would've been too much trouble. As they left town the people walking into town moved to the side of the road, giving them harsh looks.
When they were almost to the Interstate, Jasmine asked from behind him, ”What the h.e.l.l did we do?”
”Have no idea, but we won't be staying close again,” he said.
Amanda looked at a motel off the Interstate, ”I wish we could stay there,” she said.
”It's not worth it; no air conditioner,” Nathan said.
”Speak for yourself,” Amanda popped off. ”I want to sleep on a bed. The ground sucks,” she said.
”How in the h.e.l.l would you know? You spend half the night on me or Ares and the other half on both of us,” Nathan said.
”Well, y'all move,” she said as if that explained everything. Nathan shook his head as he was learning a valuable lesson. Don't argue with a teenage girl: they are always right and love to prove it. He decided to keep his mouth shut.
They walked under the Interstate, only encountering a few people and those were all heading south. At noon they left the road and sat down in the trees just far enough away that they couldn't be seen easily but could see others on the road. As they ate a couple of trucks and a car pa.s.sed.
”Is it me, or are there more cars working here?” John asked.
”No, we've seen more vehicles moving since we entered Alabama,” Nathan confirmed for him.
”Why?” he asked.
”Don't know. The EMP might not have been as strong here, or maybe because they had more time to work on them,” Nathan offered.
They sat and ate, each going over their personal thoughts until Nathan leaned back on his elbows. ”Out of all the foods, I'm going to miss chocolate the most,” he said then added, ”and then my Dog Tag.”