Days of Love and Blood

“Are you alright?” I repeated.
    “Fine - I’m okay - thanks.”
    “Sorry about stepping on you.”
    “What the hell were ya doin’?” asked Cooper as he stomped over. “What were ya doing, seriously? Inspectin’ them?”
    “I don’t know. I was curious I guess.”
    “Curious? What the hell is wrong with you, boy? It’s a dead homicidal.”
    “Relax, Cooper,” said Tasha. “C’mon. Let’s get you inside.”
    “Oh - okay. Do you need some help, I mean cleaning up?” he asked me. His frightened eyes hadn’t left my face since I removed the helmet.
    “She d on’t need none o’ yer help,” Cooper growled. “She don’t need nutin’ from you. We’ll take care o’ this. Christ, you could’a gotten her killed.” I stared at Cooper, wondering where this sudden bout of protection - or was it possession - came from. He clenched his fists and stomped away.
    “I’m sorry - I…”
    “It’s okay,” said Solomon. “That’s Cooper. You’ll get used to him.”
    Tasha took Ben’s hand and led him to the house. For the next hour the rest of us gathered the bodies and limbs and pulled them into the field across the road. They would be burned the next day. Solomon, Johnson and Brigham eventually made their way inside. Cooper and I remained outside but didn’t talk for the rest of evening. I leaned against the maple tree to watch the road while Cooper kept watch from the porch. A few hours after sunrise, Solomon found me nodding off.
    “A bunch of us are going to scour the woods and check for any meandering homicidals. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep. Cassie’s going to stay here for the day.” I nodded in consent and went to gather Ronan.

    Ronan woke me up in the early afternoon to let me know that someone was at the door. I stumbl ed down the stairs. Whoever had been knocking now appeared to be kicking the door. It was jumping on its hinges at every thump.
    “Hold on,” I yelled. I didn’t need to ask who it was. I already knew.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked Cooper.
    “Is Ben here?”
    “No. Why would he be here? He doesn’t know where I live.”
    “Why didn’t you answer the door?” he huffed.
    “I was still sleeping. What’s wrong?”
    “Ben - took off in the Hummer - didn’t tell no one. Left his friend behind.”
    “He didn’t come here.”
    “He was askin’ about you.”
    “Asking what?” I asked. I was still confused. My mind struggled to recapture the night before and I rubbed my eyes, hiding them from the bright light. An involuntary yawn escaped. “Excuse me.”
    Cooper put his hands on his hips and cocked his head. “Do you ever take anything seriously?”
    “Everything,” I replied in a flat tone. “Contrary to what you think of me. I’m still waking, Cooper. I’m a little confused. What did he ask about me?”
    Cooper shook his head and walked off the porch, jumped into his truck and squealed out of the driveway. I decided to get dressed and head back over to Ivy’s farm. I couldn’t let this ‘ whatever it was’ continue with Cooper.

    It was a scorching hot day. I packed a cooler filled with water bottles and some snacks for Ronan and headed over to Ivy’s farm with the camper this time. The Hummer was in the driveway when I pulled up. Remnants of a funeral pyre smoldered in the field behind me.
    “Carson!” Ivy called to me. “I never got a chance to say goodbye to you. They said you were okay, but I wanted to thank you, again. For last night. And for what you said for my Dad.”
    “I’m fine.” I kissed her on the cheek. “Is everything okay here?”
    “Everything’s fine.”
    “Are you okay?” She nodded. “Cooper woke me up earlier. He said the new guy, Ben, was missing.”
    “Oh yeah, he’s fine. Just went for a drive or something.”
    “Where’s Cooper?”
    “I think he’s sleeping. In his tent.”
    “Hot enough for you?” I said, changing the subject. “Oh my God, I think I’m melting.”
    “I’m glad you brought the R.V. Stay over tonight.”
    “I can do that. Did you need me for something?”
    “Just for me. I want to have you here for a little while.”
    I put my arm around her and we w alked to the house where Brigham called me over to the porch. He showed me the long-range sets of walkie-talkies that Johnson had managed to pilfer from a popular hiking outfitter. They had already been tested. I put one of the devices and a plug-in base in the R.V. to take home. Solomon took me out into the field