Born 01 - Born

stokes the fire and puts the pot on it. I am glad I don't have to tell her how to do it. She is capable. I like her for a moment. I close my heart and turn away from her. She still has to leave when all of this is over.
    I grab the whiskey from the cupboard and crack the bottle. I've never opened it. I pour some on my hands, it stings a little. I scrub my hands and pour more on. I dry my hands with a towel from my fresh laundry pile. I don’t know what else to do.
    I drink a swig of the whiskey and carry it to my couch. My throat is burning. I grab a thick blanket and put it under his leg. He moans slightly. He is falling asleep. I take the scissors and will my hands to be steady. I cut the fabric away quickly, trying to stay along the seam to make it easier to sew back. I pull the pants off completely and pass them to Anna. "The sewing kit is in the bathroom."
    I turn back and look around his leg at the stick. It is about half an inch thick and looks to be flaking slightly. This might be a problem. It has gone in and broken off. It's gone in deep. I grimace as I touch the opening of the cut.
    I walk to my tool bag and grab a wrench. I pour the whiskey over it and my hands again. I drink another swig. The fire is inside my belly now.
    Anna returns with the sewing kit and looks at his leg.
    "At least the stick went in to the side."
    I nod and pass her the whiskey. "He's going to scream when I do this. You need to put a pillow over his face and hold him down. I will need that boiled water the minute it's ready."
    She takes a drink of the whiskey and nods. "Okay."
    I drop to my knees and place the old wrench around the nub of the stick. I tighten it so the bark makes a very slight crunching noise. I look at the blanket I have ready and take a deep breath. Anna goes around to the back of the couch holding a pillow and wraps her arms around her brother.
    I try not to think about what I'm about to do.
    "One, two, three." I pull the stick hard and fast, ripping it from his leg. He jerks as hard as he can, kicking me in the face with his other foot. I am suddenly on my back on the floor.
    He screams but his sister and the pillow muffle it.
    I see stars for a moment but find my way back to him. I pick the whiskey back up and pour it all over his wound. He screams again, ripping the pillow off his face and shoving his sister off of him.
    "FUCK! FUCK! WARN ME NEXT TIME!"
    He looks at me like he could rip my head off. He scares me.
    I nod. "I'm going to do it again."
    A tear slips from his left eye but he nods. His jaw trembles slightly from the pain.
    I look at the wound as blood rushes out. The flow is lazy; I don’t think it’s the artery. I sigh. At least that won't kill him.
    I pour more alcohol and mop up the blood and liquor. I push a towel against the wound and wait for his body's natural clotting to at least make an attempt.
    As I look down at the wound, I see blood dripping onto my hands. I touch my fingers to my face. My nose is bleeding heavily. I grab the other towel beside me and push it against my face. Leo nudges me to check. I rub my elbow against his fur to try to soothe him. He never attacked them, even when Jake kicked me in the face. He leaves me and nestles into Anna’s embrace.

Chapter Three

    "Where did you learn to stitch someone?"
    I look back over at my guest and frown. "My dad was a survivalist. He made me go to survivor camp every summer and took me hunting and camping all the time. When it all started, he planned for us to come here. The book shelves are lined with his survival books and manuals."
    “Survivor camp?”
    I nod, snuggled up my gun. “He was a single dad, so I went to day camp a few weeks every summer, and Girl Guides and all that while he was working. I learned a lot of stuff and the rest I read in the books.”
    She frowns. "Did he come with you, or did you come here alone?"
    It flashes in the dark behind my closed eyes. My father is pinned by the truck. He reaches for me and whispers his love. I can see them coming as I feel his fingers pushing me away. My feet listen to him and start running. They move against my wishes.
    I shake it off and look at her. "Where are your parents?"
    Her eyes blank like mine. "Mom died of sicknesses in the beginning. She went to work and never came home. She was part of the first quarantined. Dad, well he's gone. He's gone too." Her voice quivers a little. I know that feeling.
    "They're all gone, Anna. All that’s left is us and them." I almost