Part 11 (1/2)

”I hope they didn't hurt you guys,” Nathan said with concern.

The old woman and the three men fell out laughing. ”Oh you funny, I like ya,” she said, slapping her thigh.

Seeing that reaction, Nathan liked these people. ”We'll take ten BLTs,” he told the old woman and she quit laughing.

”I ain't told you how much,” she said. Nathan pulled out a hundred and handed it to her.

”Will that cover it?” he asked.

”s.h.i.+t, I hopes so. If not, hog prices are stupid,” she said. ”I gots to finds some change and a pencil so I can be subtracting,” she said, turning around.

”Ma'am, keep the change. It's nice to see some friendly people for a change,” Nathan said and she smiled at him.

”Very kind of ya, young man,” she said, walking into the store.

Nathan turned to the three who were just rocking in their chairs. He fought to keep the sound of banjos out of his head. ”Why are the people in town so hostile?” he asked.

”Them city folk always hostile at somethin,'” the old man said and the two beside him nodded.

”No, they seemed mad at us in particular,” Nathan said. ”Has something happened lately?”

”Besides the power goin' out?” one of the younger men spoke up. The two started laughing and the old man stopped rocking his chair and swiveled his head to look at them and they froze mid-laugh.

”Be disrespectin' again, Billy, and I'll get the plow line after ya,” the old man threatened.

Billy looked down. ”Yes sir,” he said, and the other man nodded.

The old man started rocking again and looked back at Nathan. ”Word came down on the CB last night that troops shot a bunch of people trying to get inta Chattanooga.”

Nathan blinked. ”Shot?” he asked.

”Yeah, they said there was a bunch dead. One man said the people didn't even try to run when the troops opened up, just stood there to be shot,” the old man said.

”s.h.i.+t,” Nathan said to himself.

”I sayed more than that when I heard it. That's why me and the grandkids sittin' outside today. Just to let the G-men know we ain't afraid of em,” he said, smiling grimly.

”Well I've had some trouble, but none with them yet,” Nathan said. ”I hope those men in the jumping car didn't cause any damage or hurt anything.”

”They can't shoot fer s.h.i.+t,” the old man said. ”Two gots away but they left seven behind. We planted em an' said some prayers over em.” He smiled again.

”Cool,” Nathan said.

”Where you headed if ya don't mind my askin'?” the old man asked.

”Not at all. We're headed to Idaho,” Nathan said.

The old man stopped rocking and looked at Nathan. ”Young man, that's on the other side of the world, close to Laska,” he said.

”Yes sir, it is, but I'm a cop and have family that needs me,” Nathan said.

”I can see bout the family, but the government has taken over all the police stations. h.e.l.l, ever our constable round here threw his badge in when they said he reported only to them,” the old man said.

”That makes a lot of sense now,” Nathan said. ”Well sir, between me, you and your kin, I'm using the power of the badge to get home. Then I'm goin' on my farm and any son of b.i.t.c.h that tries to get me off I'll plant under next year's corn,” Nathan said. The three started laughing, slapping their legs and holding their sides.

”h.e.l.l, I really like ya now,” the old man said as the woman came out holding a paper bag.

”Here ya go, and I put some fruit in there for tha little girl. She's lookin' a little peaked,” the old woman said.

”Thank you, ma'am,” Nathan said, handing the bag to Jasmine.

”You need anything else?” she asked.

”A ride would be great. Two thousand miles is a long way to get home,” Nathan said, putting his hat on.

”We can't take ya that fur, but how fur down the road?” she asked.

Nathan froze. ”As far as you can take us,” he said finally, and the old woman looked at the man.

”They's good people,” she said.

”I knowed that, woman,” he snapped. ”I've been talkin' to em, haven't I,” he added. Then he looked at Nathan. ”Where you headin' local?” he asked, and Nathan pulled out his map and walked over to the man, showing him their trail.

The old woman came over and joined them. ”h.e.l.l, the young'uns can take em to the lake,” she said.

”Ah ma'am, that's over sixty miles away and past another Interstate. It puts the men at too much risk,” Nathan said, shaking his head.

The old woman just looked at him and smiled. ”That's what I like about ya. You thinkin' of others even when they tryin' to help ya. Come here,” she said, walking to the corner of the store and pointing behind it. Nathan could see about a dozen small houses with several kids playing and adults sitting around.

”Those be my young'uns and grand babies. Forty-one in all. Just let someone mess with us. We'll plant em,” she said, looking back at him. ”You didn't need food, you can't be foolin' me. You wanted to meet and see how we was and liked us. Then tried to help us out, so we gonna do the same,” she said.

”Ma'am, those that take us will be alone coming home,” Nathan tried to tell her.

”If I ain't worried, then you shouldn't be,” she told him.

”Yes ma'am,” Nathan said and pulled out two hundred dollars.

”No, we doin' this as a friend,” she said, trying to wave the money away.

”Even a friend pays for the gas,” Nathan said.

”Where the h.e.l.l you buy yo gas?” she asked.

”Ma'am, it would make me feel better knowing I'm accommodating you in some way,” he said, still holding out the money.

She took the money. ”You girls come with me so I can give ya an apple pie to take with ya,” the old lady said, then walked back into the store. They looked at Nathan and he nodded. As they ran after the old woman she stopped them. ”You can't take the packs in cause you'll knock stuff off the shelves,” she told them. Jasmine and Amanda looked at Nathan and he nodded again. They dropped their packs and followed the old lady inside.