The Troop Read online

  “Watch that pole,” Andrew barked in reference to the wall tent pole on Carl’s shoulder. “You’re going to clock me or someone else with that thing the way you’re waving it around behind you.”

  “Then get ahead of me,” Carl barked back.

  Andrew, Liam, and I did move to the lead and nothing more was said for about a half an hour when the creek came into view.

  “I don’t see your javelina friends down there,” Liam joked in reference to the ones we saw two nights earlier.

  “That’s because I didn’t call them out yet Liam,” I replied.

  “Wait. You can call javelina?”

  “No Liam. Quit being so gullible.”

  Everyone chuckled at Liam and we continued down the road and through the creek. From there to the gate was just as uneventful with no one really saying much of anything and none of us seeing much game other than a few darting jackrabbits. We hit the first gate just as it was getting dark.

  “Crap!” Carl suddenly complained.

  “What?” I asked before anyone else could.

  “Did anyone bring a lighter?” Carl asked. “Because by the time we hit the next gate it’s gonna be too dark to see the combination.”

  Everyone mumbled that they were lighter and match free.

  “So much for being prepared,” Liam joked mentioning the Boy Scout motto to always, “Be Prepared.”

  “Shut up Liam,” Jack shot back quickly.

  “We’ll just have to climb the next gate,” Andrew announced. “It won’t slow us down that much.”

  Carl nodded and spun the combination on the lock. He opened the gate and we all walked through it to the other side. Carl shut the gate and put the lock in the chain but didn’t close it all the way.

  “Anyone need a break?” Carl asked.

  We all replied that we didn’t, and we started once more down the road.

  The twilight slowly gave way to darkness and it was difficult to see much more than the road until the moon rose and the stars fully came out. This dropped the temperature quite a bit and got everyone to feeling better and more talkative.

  We talked about Carl’s idea to dam the creek near camp and how we all hoped the deer meat jerky would turn out to be as good as Johnny thought it would be. We talked about how fun a whole day at the waterhole would be and how cool it would be if we really could have a luau there. We pretty much talked about positive things. No one mentioned Bob’s death or speculated on what was going on back in the real world.

  We crossed the next creek and hit the gate close to the highway soon after. Andrew suggested we climb over one at a time and to be extra careful. Everyone but Liam said that was a good idea and we all made our way over the gate and onto the highway.

  Although no one said anything I could tell that setting foot on the blacktop was kind of scary for all of us. We weren’t just stepping onto a highway; we were leaving what had become our comfort zone. We were leaving the safety of our world and, in a way, entering back into civilization.

  At least that’s how I saw it.

  Carl must have felt at least similar, as his voice was a little shaky when he declared, “Let’s hurry down to the truck, get what we came for, and get back on the other side of the gate pronto.”

  Everyone nodded in the dark and we made our way in the direction of the truck.

  No one said anything as we passed by the spot where Bob died.

  32

  “Man, these things are awesome!” Carl said of Johnny’s binoculars. We stood on the small rise between the truck and the turn off to our camp as Carl scanned the road bathed in moonlight ahead. “I can see for miles.”

  “See any bandits?” Liam laughed. “Drug runners? Cartel members?”

  “Shut up Liam,” Jack moaned.

  “I don’t see anything,” Carl said dropping the binoculars from his face. “So let’s go.”

  Carl led the way and, thankfully for those of us behind him, carried the long wall tent pole across both his shoulders. Jack still carried his over just one shoulder but with him at the rear it made no difference. He couldn’t swing it into anybody back there. We hit the left side of the truck and were walking towards the flatbed trailer behind it when a dark blur sprang from the pile of bagged corn. Everyone jumped back and screamed in fright. Carl spun the pole from his shoulders to ahead of him and pointed it forward like a spear. The blur hit the ground and struck across the highway and into the darkness.

  “That scared the hell out of me!” Carl admitted on strained breath.

  “What was that?” I huffed. “A raccoon?’

  “Looked like it,” Jack said.

  “I think so,” Andrew added.

  We all caught our breath then laughed at how skittish we were and how the raccoon was probably more scared of us then we were of it.

  “He was just sitting there enjoying a free meal of corn,” Andrew laughed. “And along we come to scare the daylights out of him.”

  “You can’t scare the daylights out of anyone when it’s dark outside,” Liam chided.

  “Hey, Liam,” I called.

  “What?” he answered.

  “Shut up,” I laughed.

  “Ha. Ha,” Liam scoffed.

  Carl beat the toppled bags of corn with his tent pole and announced, “I’m going to make sure that coon didn’t have a date or kids hiding in there.”

  “Good cause I don’t think I could take another scare like that,” Andrew admitted.

  “You guys are too jumpy,” Liam chuckled. “I wasn’t scared. Not at all.”

  “Liam,” Jack called. “You may not be able to see me rolling my eyes at you because it’s too dark but trust me, I’m rolling my eyes at you.”

  “Whatever dude,” Liam groaned. “Like I care.”

  Carl climbed onto the trailer and said, “Let’s do this: y’all walk up to the trailer with your packs open and I’ll pour the corn in. Just tell me when to stop.”

  “And be honest,” Jack said. “Don’t overload yourself. We still have to hike back.”

  Carl took off his backpack and pulled the string along the top of the first bag of corn to open it. Andrew walked to the trailer’s edge and faced away from it. Carl opened Andrew’s pack then lifted the 50-pound bag from the trailer floor. “Crap,” Carl said. “His pack won’t stay open. Jack. Taylor.”

  Jack and I walked to either side of Andrew and held his pack open. Carl hoisted the bag of corn up and started pouring it into the pack. Even in the dark, clouds of corn dust that came from the bag were visible.

  “Enough. I think,” Andrew said.

  Carl pulled the bag back and did some math, “A 50-pound bag…Maybe 14 or 15 pounds…I think that’s about what you got there.”

  Andrew walked from the trailer and squatted down and then popped back up again.

  “Maybe add a little bit more,” Andrew said.

  “You sure?” Jack asked. “Don’t get overloaded.”

  “Yeah I’m sure,” Andrew said as he backed against the trailer.

  Carl poured some more corn in Andrew’s pack and Andrew said, “That’s it. That’s enough.”

  Jack pulled the flap closed on Andrew’s pack and cinched it closed.

  “You OK?”

  “All good,” Andrew said.

  We filled Liam’s pack next then mine. Carl took a break from the corn poring and went to the rolls of chicken wire. He lifted one roll and said, “It’s heavier than I thought. I was thinking we might be able to strap it to our packs but…what do you think Jack?”

  Jack climbed up into the trailer and lifted the roll. “Yeah. We’re going to have to carry it on her shoulders with the poles.”

  Carl shoved his tent pole through the center of the rolled tube of chicken wire then called Liam and me to the rear of the trailer.

  “Try it on,” Carl instructed.

  Liam and I hoisted the pole on our shoulders and let the wire hang between us.

  “Too heavy?” Carl asked.

 
“It’s doable,” I said. “A bit heavy but if we take turns, I think it’ll be OK.”

  Carl took the other pole from Jack and fed it through the other roll of chicken wire. He then returned to the corn and called Jack over and filled his pack with the dried kernels. When Jack’s pack was full, they switched places and Jack filled Carl’s pack.

  Carl then pulled the knife from his pack shoulder strap and said, “I got an idea” and opened the door to the truck’s backseat. A minute or two later he came back out with foam from the truck seat. He cut it into four strips and said, “This outta make carrying that wire a little easier.”

  I took a piece of foam and placed it on my shoulder and under the pole. Liam did the same while joking, “Carl’s a car vandal. Gonna go to jail when all this is over for sure.”

  “Hey Liam,” Jack called out. “Guess what my eyes are doing?”

  “Whatever Jack,” Liam complained.

  We all loaded our packs and headed back up the hill toward the gate. There, all of us but Liam dropped our packs. Carl and Jack climbed over the gate and we took turns passing our packs and the wire over the gate. Liam said, “This is stupid” and climbed the gate with this pack on.

  “Get down Liam!” Jack barked.

  Liam ignored the instruction and climbed to the top of the gate. He swung his leg over the top rail and his body twisted and the extra weight of the pack threw him off balance and dropped him to the ground with a heavy, heavy thud.

  33

  Everyone’s laughing at Liam’s falling changed to concern and worry super quickly once Liam started gasping for air.

  Carl immediately leaned over to help him and unbuckled his pack. Liam rolled out of his pack and onto his side and into a ball and fought for breath.

  “Liam!” Carl screamed. “Look at me! Look at me!”

  Liam turned his head and locked eyes with Carl.

  “Are you OK?”

  “Just...got...the wind...knocked outta me,” Liam stammered on shallow breath.

  “You’re OK?” I asked.

  Liam put out his hand for Carl to help him and the two stood slowly. Liam let go of Carl then guarded his right side with his arm.

  “I think I smashed my ribs pretty good.”

  “You think you broke any?” I needed to check he was okay.

  “I don’t know,” Liam answered. “I never broke any bones before. I don’t think so.”

  “I’m so trying not to say that I told you not to climb the gate with that heavy pack on right now,” Jack whispered.

  “Shut up Jack,” Liam groaned.

  “You heard me?” Jack acted surprised.

  Andrew tapped Jack on his shoulder then led him to the ground to help right Liam’s pack. The top pocket had burst open on impact and corn blew out everywhere. They scooped up scattered kernels along with dirt and grit and poured it back into the bag.

  “I think I just got the wind knocked out of me,” Liam repeated again. “I’m OK.”

  “Do you want to take a rest?” I asked.

  “No. I’m good,” Liam said. “Help me with my pack.”

  Andrew and Jack lifted the restocked pack and Liam put his arms through. He pulled the pack on his shoulders and cinched the waist strap then tighten the shoulder straps. He grimaced in pain and again held the ribs on his right side.

  “You sure you’re OK?” I asked unsure of what to do if he wasn’t.

  “I’m fine. Let’s go!” Liam grumbled. “I don’t want to be out here all night.”

  We all put on our packs and Carl and I took our roll of chicken wire between us while Andrew and Jack took the other. We let Liam take the lead and we headed down the road toward camp.

  The extra weight of the corn and getting used to carrying a long weight of a roll of chicken wire in tandem with another person made for a pretty difficult start but after about 20 minutes or so we all seemed to get into the groove of things. The foam pads Carl cut from the truck helped a lot, but the pole still felt like it was driving a wedge into my shoulder. By the time we reached the first creek crossing my shoulder was numb. We stopped there for a break and all of us chugged water from our Camelbacks and scarfed our protein bars. I knelt at the creek and cupped hands of water over my head until my hair was dripping wet and my face and neck grime and sweat free.

  “Man, that feels better,” I promised as I pushed the wet mop of hair back off of my face.

  Carl and Jack took my advice and they knelt by the creek to do the same. Andrew followed.

  “Hurry up!” Liam complained. “This ain’t no swimming party. Let’s get going.”

  “How’s the ribs?” I asked.

  Liam put his hand to his side once more and griped, “Feels like I got hit by a truck...”

  “Or fell off a five-foot-tall gate onto the ground with an extra 20 pounds on your back,” Jack said coming up from the creek.

  “Shut up Jack!” Liam barked before asking me to help him get his pack on. I did and again Liam winced in pain as he tightened all the straps.

  “You don’t need to take a turn with the chicken wire,” I said.

  “Good,” Liam chuckled. “Cuz I wasn’t going too. Actually, I don’t think I can.”

  We loaded up my packs and wire once more and continued down the star lit road. We didn’t talk much but did see deer crossing the road at a distance and probably a dozen or more rabbits scatter into the side brush. By the time we hit the next creek crossing I felt like both my shoulders - because I kept switching sides - had four-inch deep grooves in them. By the time we hit the gate we were all pretty much just zombies on autopilot. We weren’t talking or even acknowledging one another. We were just walking, carrying our goods back to camp.

  We crossed through the gate and Carl slammed the lock closed this time and we attacked the upward angle of the last part of the road with everything we had. We just put one foot in front of the other. Took one step at a time, up the hill, over the plateau, and then down into our valley.

  And then we saw camp.

  The cook fire was burning bright and the sight of it got all of us to feeling better and put a little more spring in our steps. Dad was the first to greet us and he was soon followed by Johnny.

  “Look at y’all!” Dad said with great pride. “Everyone’s back and with two rolls of wire.”

  “Y’all did real good!” Johnny said, “Real proud of all of ya’.”

  34

  After Johnny asked Liam a ton of questions and checked out his side, he determined that Liam had simply bruised his ribs.

  “I don’t think they’re cracked or anything,” Johnny offered. “Just bruised. You’re real lucky. Really lucky.”

  Johnny gave Liam some Advil then lectured him a little more about being stupid and not thinking ahead. Liam listened about as well as he normally does to advice - not at all - then followed me back to my tent. We both fell asleep almost immediately.

  We awoke to shouts of, “Beach party! Beach party!” by Johnny. I sat up just as he made it to our tent.

  “Up and at’em kiddos!” Johnny commanded. “Time for the beach party we promised you.”

  I nodded and stood up from my cot.

  Liam sat and winced and grabbed his side.

  “How’s them ribs Liam?” Johnny asked. “They ready for some barbecue sauce?”

  “Ha. Ha,” Liam replied. “I’m good. Just a little sore.”

  “It’ll be better once you’re up and moving around,” Johnny said before leaving us to the sound of almost his almost singing, “Beach party! Beach party! We gonna have a beach party.”

  “How are you doing?” I asked Liam.

  “Like I told Johnny, just a little sore.”

  I stretched upwards and moaned, “I think I’m a little sore too. My shoulders feel like they’ve been pounded down an inch or two.”

  Liam and I got dressed and made our way out to the fire area to find Dad skinning a small javelina hanging from the rack where the deer had been earlier.

&nb
sp; “Where’d you get that?” I asked.

  “Johnny got it with his bow early this morning down there by the creek.”

  “That creek?” I said pointing across the valley and down the hill to the water source Carl wanted to dam.

  “Yep. That one and only,” Dad said. “That very spot.”

  Jack, Carl, and Matt walked to the fire and were soon joined by Luke and Andrew with Johnny pulling up the rear.

  Johnny looked at the javelina and said, “Couldn’t get you a pig Andrew but I got you the next best thing.”

  “Javelina?” Andrew asked. “I guess will have a Texas luau then.”

  “Guess so,” Johnny joyfully agreed.

  “I’ve never had javelina,” Jack said on the tail end of a yawn.

  “Well, you’re in for a treat,” Johnny said. “I hope…I mean, I’ve never had it either!”

  “I’ve never had it like the way we’re going to cook it,” Dad said as he finished pulling the hide from the small pig looking animal. “But I know it’s going to be good.”

  “Oh yeah,” Johnny said all excited. “We’re gonna rub it down with some salt and pepper and then cook it real slow on a spit up there by the water hole. Going to have a real beach party.”

  “I think we could all use a fun day,” Dad said wiping his hands on his shorts. He looked at the grime and blood on his shorts then added and, ‘Maybe do a little laundry too.”

  “I got an idea!” Johnny suddenly burst out. “Why don’t we rub some on my ghost pepper sauce on this bad boy too. That’ll liven things up!”

  We all screamed “No” and Carl said, “If we wanted to drink gas then we should just drain some outta the trucks.”

  “Come on man,” Johnny laughed. ‘My sauce ain’t that bad.”

  “If it’s half as bad as it smells,” Carl continued. “I’d rather drink the gasoline.”

  “Drinking gas will kill you,” Luke said.

  Jack looked at Luke in disbelief and shook his head.