Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

nothin’ to trade, but you can work, you eat my beef. But you try to steal my beef? You get killed. No questions asked. And I bury you out by the road so everyone can see what happens to people who get stupid and greedy at the Triple Bar D.”
    I nodded. “I guess that’s diplomatic. But are you saying you feed canners?”
    “What’s that?”
    “Cannibals. Do you feed the kids who eat other kids?”
    He shrugged. “Maybe I do. I dunno. It ain’t like I ask ‘em when they show up what they ate before. Besides, as far as I’m concerned, if they’re eatin’ beef for a change, that’s a good thing, right?”
    “You’re so matter-of-fact about it.” I was concerned he wasn’t getting more upset about the idea.
    “It’s a strange, cruel world we’re livin’ in. Like the wild, wild West or the animal kingdom. Can’t say as it’s all that different than the one I was in before, personally speaking, but I aim to make a new life for myself and my sister however I can. Adapt and overcome, that’s what my daddy used to say, that sonofabitch.” His expression went from bland to angry.
    “No love lost there?”
    “Nah. He drank a lot. You ain’t the first person’s broke my nose. Maybe you knocked it straight for me.” He lifted his head and grinned, giving me a profile view from one side and then the other. “Whattya think? Is it straight now?”
    “No, but I could straighten it for you if you want.” It did look like it was going to be a little crooked. I hadn’t noticed before I hit him whether it was straight or not. I’d been too busy thinking I was going to have to kill him.
    He held up a hand. “No thanks, doc. I’ll just leave it be if it’s all the same to you.”
    All this talk about fixing noses was fine, but it was time to get down to business. I didn’t know how to broach the subject in a casual way, so I just went for it. “So what’s the deal? Can we take some of your cattle or what?”
    He laughed. “Where you gonna take ‘em?”
    “We’ve formed a new community down south, at the Everglades Correctional Institution, as you know. We’ve got about fifty kids there now, but we plan to have hundreds. And eventually we’ll grow to city-size. But we need livestock. Lots of other things, too.”
    He crossed his arms and rubbed his chin while he thought about it. “Normally, I’d just say no right outta hand. Them cattle’s about all that’s keepin’ us alive. But maybe this is worth some thinkin’.” He stopped with the chin-rubbing and grinned. “Let’s go eat and talk it over. Maybe we can strike a bargain.” A twinkle came to his eye which told me he liked to wheel and deal. Hope trickled into my heart.
    I glanced at Bodo in time to see him smiling too, but when he caught me looking, he stopped, going back to having his little tantrum.
    I had about another hour of patience left in me before I was going to blow my top at Bodo. Hopefully he’d get his head out of his butt before then so I wouldn’t have to.
    We followed Jackson up to his porch where Katy was already ladling out stew to anyone who could hold a bowl.
    A few of the dogs milled around, probably hoping for something to fall. “Scoot!” Katy yelled, gesturing at them fiercely with her ladle. Three of the four took off, but the little one stayed. “You too, Tater,” she said, nudging him with her foot.
    But Tater wasn’t hearing any of it. He went right back to his begging and was rewarded a few seconds later with a chunk of potato that I was pretty sure Katy had dropped on purpose. He reminded me of Buster, a dog who was impossible to dislike or send away.
    Two kids had fallen asleep on their backs before they could get any stew, mouths hanging open and slack. Their color didn’t look very good either. I had a feeling Jackson was going to be digging some more graves soon.
    “This is the best stew I’ve ever eaten,” said Chantal, some of it dripping down her chin. Seeing it made me realize how hungry I was. My salivary glands started working overtime and my stomach growled loudly. I felt a little guilty that Winky and the others wouldn’t be getting any of this, but that wasn’t going to stop me from taking my share.
    I took a bowl from Katy and dug in.
    “Holy crap,” I said around a chunk of carrot a few seconds later. I never thought carrots could taste so good. “This is … heaven.” I couldn’t believe it. It was like being transported back to the school cafeteria. I’d always