C.J. Anderson's Blog: Beyond Ruinland , page 2
March 5, 2015
Son
"What will you name him?" said Anise.
"Who?"
"Your son."
Lauren never gave the boy's name much thought. Logan was his father's name but she would not dare to call him that. Her son could never know the true nature of the man responsible for his birth. She would tell him his father was a soldier that died in the war. Nothing more.
"I don't know," said Lauren. "We can think of a name together."
Anise smiled.
Lauren studied the girl's blue eyes. "I know I want him to have eyes like yours."
Anise's eyes were suddenly filled with terror. Lauren turned to see what was scaring the girl and then she saw black. Something struck her head. When she woke, the girl was gone.
"Who?"
"Your son."
Lauren never gave the boy's name much thought. Logan was his father's name but she would not dare to call him that. Her son could never know the true nature of the man responsible for his birth. She would tell him his father was a soldier that died in the war. Nothing more.
"I don't know," said Lauren. "We can think of a name together."
Anise smiled.
Lauren studied the girl's blue eyes. "I know I want him to have eyes like yours."
Anise's eyes were suddenly filled with terror. Lauren turned to see what was scaring the girl and then she saw black. Something struck her head. When she woke, the girl was gone.
Quick Shooter
The wolves growled and revealed their fangs. They spread out their numbers and surrounded the deer carcass. Lauren watched them carefully. Anise did not move and kept an arm wrapped around Lauren's leg.
"Let go of me sweetheart. Stay behind me."
Anise did as she instructed and hid herself between Lauren and the riverbank. The girl was crying. "Don't make a sound." Anise became quiet. The sound of the wolves' rage vibrated into Lauren's body. They were hungry and ready to kill her and the girl. The animals would devour the deer and then have their first taste of human flesh. Lauren focused on the calm of the flowing water. She relaxed her mind and then fired the pistol. Six quick shots. Six dead wolves.
The pack leader was put down among the rest of them. A female remained alive and she did not want to meet the same fate. Unknown to the wolf was that Lauren was out of bullets. She was prepared to tear the wolf apart with her fingers. Lauren lowered the gun and pulled out her boot knife. The female gave them a final look of anger and then she disappeared into the forest.
Lauren took Anise by the hand and led her away from the slaughter. A strong scent of blood was in the air. The deer and wolf carcasses were sure to attract more predators. They left the river and followed a trail toward the mountains. Snow began to fall and covered the dead animals.
"Let go of me sweetheart. Stay behind me."
Anise did as she instructed and hid herself between Lauren and the riverbank. The girl was crying. "Don't make a sound." Anise became quiet. The sound of the wolves' rage vibrated into Lauren's body. They were hungry and ready to kill her and the girl. The animals would devour the deer and then have their first taste of human flesh. Lauren focused on the calm of the flowing water. She relaxed her mind and then fired the pistol. Six quick shots. Six dead wolves.
The pack leader was put down among the rest of them. A female remained alive and she did not want to meet the same fate. Unknown to the wolf was that Lauren was out of bullets. She was prepared to tear the wolf apart with her fingers. Lauren lowered the gun and pulled out her boot knife. The female gave them a final look of anger and then she disappeared into the forest.
Lauren took Anise by the hand and led her away from the slaughter. A strong scent of blood was in the air. The deer and wolf carcasses were sure to attract more predators. They left the river and followed a trail toward the mountains. Snow began to fall and covered the dead animals.
Way of the Gun
She'd learned to memorize the probabilities of movement. In her countless weapons training simulations she'd practiced until perfection. What she mastered in the military to terminate human lives could be applied to animal predators. She imagined the wolves as enemy soldiers. They would move faster than any man or woman but she could adapt. For the safety of her children she would become a goddess of war of death.
Wolves
The pack of timber wolves killed a caribou a few days earlier. The hunt was difficult and the deer fought viciously for its life. This time someone already killed their meal for them. All they had to do was come and claim it.
The wolves approached the camp site where Lauren and Anise sat curled together. The family of porcupines they were admiring suddenly fled into the nearby forest. Lauren was alarmed and scanned the area. Then she saw them. Seven wolves, all with blood and death in their eyes.
"Don't move," said Lauren. She had six bullets in the pistol. One round for each wolf but that meant one of them would survive. If she shot the pack leader maybe the others would flee. Lauren was trained to kill multiple targets in combat situations. In her life as a soldier she terminated hundreds of enemies. As a mother she would kill millions if necessary. For the love of her child and the girl she would burn entire worlds.
The wolves approached the camp site where Lauren and Anise sat curled together. The family of porcupines they were admiring suddenly fled into the nearby forest. Lauren was alarmed and scanned the area. Then she saw them. Seven wolves, all with blood and death in their eyes.
"Don't move," said Lauren. She had six bullets in the pistol. One round for each wolf but that meant one of them would survive. If she shot the pack leader maybe the others would flee. Lauren was trained to kill multiple targets in combat situations. In her life as a soldier she terminated hundreds of enemies. As a mother she would kill millions if necessary. For the love of her child and the girl she would burn entire worlds.
March 4, 2015
Wake Up
When Lauren woke the fire had died down but the heat still shimmered enough to keep them warm. She cocked the hammer on the pistol and almost shot at the family of porcupines that were drawn to flames. They kept a distance but remained close enough to sense the heat. Friendly faces covered with quills and Lauren was sure Anise would be thrilled to see them.
"Wake up sunshine. You have visitors." Lauren stroked the girl's golden hair. Anise opened one of her eyes.
"Who is it?"
"Look and see."
She studied the sharp-spined rodents and then looked at Lauren.
"What do they want?" said Anise.
"Just to be warm."
"They won't hurt us?"
"I don't think so."
They sat huddled together and stared at the porcupines and imagined the safety the creatures must feel. Protected by an armor of barbed needles. Most predators wouldn't even dare to touch them. She looked at Anise's bare pale skin and knew the girl only invited touch. The teeth of an animal or the hand of an abuser, Lauren would be there to break them both.
"Wake up sunshine. You have visitors." Lauren stroked the girl's golden hair. Anise opened one of her eyes.
"Who is it?"
"Look and see."
She studied the sharp-spined rodents and then looked at Lauren.
"What do they want?" said Anise.
"Just to be warm."
"They won't hurt us?"
"I don't think so."
They sat huddled together and stared at the porcupines and imagined the safety the creatures must feel. Protected by an armor of barbed needles. Most predators wouldn't even dare to touch them. She looked at Anise's bare pale skin and knew the girl only invited touch. The teeth of an animal or the hand of an abuser, Lauren would be there to break them both.
Sleep
They passed out from exhaustion next to the fire near the river's edge. With the water to their backs Lauren thought it would lessen the chance of an attack from behind. The fire kept burning and the flames provided enough comfort to allow them to sleep. She feared for the girl's dreams but Anise feared the real world far more than any nightmare.
Noon
No clock to tell the time but Lauren knew it must be around noon. A gun, a lighter, a canteen. A few extra bullets. All she had wouldn't be enough. Anise was depending on her for everything. Food, drink, and shelter from the cold. Defense from every predator, man and animal. She loved her and did not want to fail the girl. She wanted to promise that everything would alright but she kept her lips silent. Love keeps its promises and Lauren could not know what terrors the night would bring.
Fire
Anise helped to gather sticks and they piled them all together in circle. Lauren was concerned that the wood may not light because of the ice. She tried many times to ignite the fire and finally it worked.
"Is this a campfire?" said Anise.
"You could say that.
"So we are camping?"
"Yes we are." Lauren smiled at the girl.
They sat together and ate the cooked meat. Lauren filled her small metal canteen and they warmed the water by the fire before they drank it. For a moment they felt safe but Lauren knew every set of curious eyes in the woods or on the mountains could see the fire. She kept her pistol close and the girl closer.
"Is this a campfire?" said Anise.
"You could say that.
"So we are camping?"
"Yes we are." Lauren smiled at the girl.
They sat together and ate the cooked meat. Lauren filled her small metal canteen and they warmed the water by the fire before they drank it. For a moment they felt safe but Lauren knew every set of curious eyes in the woods or on the mountains could see the fire. She kept her pistol close and the girl closer.
Eat
"You understand why I did that?" said Lauren.
"So we can eat?" said Anise.
"Yes. So we can eat."
The herd of caribou disappeared into the Yukon horizon. A new male would take over as leader and the herd would survive. The meat from the deer would keep Lauren and the girl alive. One life sacrificed to save three others. The animal's flesh would also nourish the unborn child.
Lauren entered the shallow water where the deer was and tried to pull its body to the dry land. The animal was too heavy. She pulled out her boot knife and cut off small pieces of meat and washed them in the cold water. In a small pouch attached to her belt was a silver lighter. It was time to make a fire.
"So we can eat?" said Anise.
"Yes. So we can eat."
The herd of caribou disappeared into the Yukon horizon. A new male would take over as leader and the herd would survive. The meat from the deer would keep Lauren and the girl alive. One life sacrificed to save three others. The animal's flesh would also nourish the unborn child.
Lauren entered the shallow water where the deer was and tried to pull its body to the dry land. The animal was too heavy. She pulled out her boot knife and cut off small pieces of meat and washed them in the cold water. In a small pouch attached to her belt was a silver lighter. It was time to make a fire.
March 3, 2015
Arctic King
"Are those real reindeers?" said Anise.
"Yes," said Lauren.
She aimed the pistol at the herd and locked the sight on the largest deer. He was an adult bull and easily weighed five-hundred pounds. An arctic king. His fur was dark grey with a patch of white covering his neck and chest. His head was magnificent with massive branching antlers like a black oak tree. Lauren looked into his glossy brown eyes and pulled the trigger.
"Yes," said Lauren.
She aimed the pistol at the herd and locked the sight on the largest deer. He was an adult bull and easily weighed five-hundred pounds. An arctic king. His fur was dark grey with a patch of white covering his neck and chest. His head was magnificent with massive branching antlers like a black oak tree. Lauren looked into his glossy brown eyes and pulled the trigger.
