Part 18 : Two Fires in The Night
Most of the survivors were standing around, chatting and complaining how their mouths were watering. McKay had skinned the boar and got it ready for cooking. With the help of four other people, he managed to get two stakes constructed and a bar-b-q pit. The smell of the roasting boar was getting most of them even more hungry.
McKay turned it the board and continued to poke it with his machine. The less it bled, the closer it was to getting done. He turned it one more time, then saw a familiar blonde standing near him. Taylor was staring at the boar then looking at McKay. The Australian just smirked. “Probably about another 15 minutes, luv.” He said.
“You . .uh . .you really going to share that with everybody?” she asked.
McKay leaned up again. He wasn’t expecting to her say that. Then it donned on him, about their little tiff in the plane yesterday. “Yeah, I plan to make sure everybody eats, Taylor, “ he smiled, “No harm, no foul as they say.”
Taylor didn’t say anything else. She scuffed her shoe in the sand a little. Then she huffed and thrust a bottle at McKay. The man blinked for a second then took it. She then stormed off, holding her fists to her side. McKay then looked at the bottle.
It was a bottle of A1 Steaksauce.
McKay chuckled to himself. It would see the beautiful young woman might be opening up to him. Perhaps this was her silent way of apologizing for snapping at him the other day. The Australian grinned as he opened the bottle and poured it all over the board, basting it to cook even better.
Elsewhere down the beach, John grunted as he hauled one of the bodies and shoved it into a pile of the other ones. Two other men had joined into help him. He didn’t know their names just yet. One was an older black man, the other a young man possibly in his twenties. Tony was standing by, gripping onto his cane. John looked at the bodies one more time and felt it was time. “We’re ready, Tony.” He said.
Tony let the bottle of Vodka drop from his underarm where he was holding it. He handed it off to his friend. John then opened the bottle and splashed it around on a few bodies. He rebottled it and stuck it in the dirt. Then he clicked up McKay’s Zippo that he borrowed and lit up a piece of paper from one of the AOL cd’s. Dropping it quickly on one of the bodies, it immediately caught fire. The fire then began to spread to the other bodies. Within minutes the pile had become a funeral pyre. The grass they had placed under them should keep them burning for a while. “Shouldn’t somebody say something?” the young man whispered.
“I am the resurrection and the light sayeth the Lord.” The black man said, “He who believeth in me, though he are dead, yet shall he live. And who so ever believeth in me shall never die. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, Amen.”
“Amen, “ the young man piped in.
“Amen, “ John repeated.
Tony said nothing. He merely raised his hand and performed the Catholic cross over his chest. John took a deep breath. “One of us should watch the fire to make sure it doesn’t lead to the forest, “ he huffed, “You guys can go on back, I’ll stay.”
“I can stay with you, John,” Tony mentioned.
“No, it’s okay, doc. You go on ahead, just save me a plate of McKay’s roasted boar.”
“I’ll lead you back, son,” the black man told Tony.
“Thank you, sir.” The blind doctor immediately took his hand.
The young man walked ahead of him as Tony stayed with the older black man. They walked in silence, leaving John behind to tend to the funeral pyre. Tony was had just met the black man but was certain he could be trusted. Anyone who could quote the bible so easily might actually live by it. “Thank you for those kind words back there.” He whispered.
“I didn’t know those people but it was all I could give them. They are with the Lord now. He’ll lead them home.” The black man smiled.
“Are you a minister, sir?”
The black man chuckled, “Oh, no. I am just . . .secure in my faith.”
“That’s always a good thing to be.”
“My wife was what led me to it. It’s funny. I wasn’t secure in my faith until we crashed. I was always a little doubtful but no more. No, sir, God was with us. I only hope my wife didn’t suffer. I hope our Heavenly father welcomed her into his embrace.”
“Your wife was on the plane?”
“Yes. She was in the middle section. I was in the back, trying to keep from crapping my pants. I always hated to fly. I made her hold my wedding ring in case I never survived the flight.”
“And now it was her who didn’t survive.”
“I don’t suppose she did. I know we haven’t seen or found the middle section, nor the first half of the plane. We are only assuming they didn’t survive. I can only hold onto hope for so long.”
“What was her name?”
“Rose,” the black man smiled, “And she was just as beautiful as one.”
“My name is Tony, sir,” the blind doctor whispered, “what do I call you?”
“You can call me Bernard.”
Back at the funeral pyre, John squatted down observing the fire. The fire raged on and the smell was starting to get worse. But it was necessary, as Tony said. They wasted their strength and water supply by attempting to bury them. Plus this would help in sanitary regards. John thought of his friends and their amazement at his ability with a bow. Even Martin was able to recognize him as an Olympian. But what would they think of him if they knew the truth?
The moon light reflected a shadowy figured over John and the funeral pyre. The archer turned around and saw the large form of Poteet. The bald man was eyeballing the vodka bottle badly, practically smacking his lips, despite the small amount left in it. John slowly placed his hand around the neck of the bottle then stood up. Poteet squinted his eyes at the man. “You ain’t got that much left,” he muttered, “Why not give it to me?”
“Forget it,” John grunted, trying to walk away, “It wouldn’t do you any good anyway.”
“Please, man. All I need is a taste. Why not give it to me?”
“Because we are not going to waste it on some old fool’s alcoholic habit. This is going to be used to disinfect my friend’s eye.”
“You bastards!” Poteet grunted, “Who the hell are you people to make these decisions? No one asked you to lead this group of rejects!”
John then turned and got right in the man’s face. Poteet held his ground as the archer was so close he could feel his breath against him. “You want this bottle?” John hissed, “Why don’t you try and take it away from me and see what happens?”
Poteet didn’t say anything. He just stood there, returning the gaze. John stood there for a moment. When he realized Poteet wasn’t going to fight him, he began to walk away. He turned and pointed at the large man. “You say the hell away from me and you sure as hell stay away from Tony.” John ordered.
Poteet watched the man walk back to the crowd to join in the boar feast. He hated him, as he hated the blind doctor. They thought they knew best. He’ll find an opportunity to get them.
After all he had nothing but time.
McKay turned it the board and continued to poke it with his machine. The less it bled, the closer it was to getting done. He turned it one more time, then saw a familiar blonde standing near him. Taylor was staring at the boar then looking at McKay. The Australian just smirked. “Probably about another 15 minutes, luv.” He said.
“You . .uh . .you really going to share that with everybody?” she asked.
McKay leaned up again. He wasn’t expecting to her say that. Then it donned on him, about their little tiff in the plane yesterday. “Yeah, I plan to make sure everybody eats, Taylor, “ he smiled, “No harm, no foul as they say.”
Taylor didn’t say anything else. She scuffed her shoe in the sand a little. Then she huffed and thrust a bottle at McKay. The man blinked for a second then took it. She then stormed off, holding her fists to her side. McKay then looked at the bottle.
It was a bottle of A1 Steaksauce.
McKay chuckled to himself. It would see the beautiful young woman might be opening up to him. Perhaps this was her silent way of apologizing for snapping at him the other day. The Australian grinned as he opened the bottle and poured it all over the board, basting it to cook even better.
Elsewhere down the beach, John grunted as he hauled one of the bodies and shoved it into a pile of the other ones. Two other men had joined into help him. He didn’t know their names just yet. One was an older black man, the other a young man possibly in his twenties. Tony was standing by, gripping onto his cane. John looked at the bodies one more time and felt it was time. “We’re ready, Tony.” He said.
Tony let the bottle of Vodka drop from his underarm where he was holding it. He handed it off to his friend. John then opened the bottle and splashed it around on a few bodies. He rebottled it and stuck it in the dirt. Then he clicked up McKay’s Zippo that he borrowed and lit up a piece of paper from one of the AOL cd’s. Dropping it quickly on one of the bodies, it immediately caught fire. The fire then began to spread to the other bodies. Within minutes the pile had become a funeral pyre. The grass they had placed under them should keep them burning for a while. “Shouldn’t somebody say something?” the young man whispered.
“I am the resurrection and the light sayeth the Lord.” The black man said, “He who believeth in me, though he are dead, yet shall he live. And who so ever believeth in me shall never die. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, Amen.”
“Amen, “ the young man piped in.
“Amen, “ John repeated.
Tony said nothing. He merely raised his hand and performed the Catholic cross over his chest. John took a deep breath. “One of us should watch the fire to make sure it doesn’t lead to the forest, “ he huffed, “You guys can go on back, I’ll stay.”
“I can stay with you, John,” Tony mentioned.
“No, it’s okay, doc. You go on ahead, just save me a plate of McKay’s roasted boar.”
“I’ll lead you back, son,” the black man told Tony.
“Thank you, sir.” The blind doctor immediately took his hand.
The young man walked ahead of him as Tony stayed with the older black man. They walked in silence, leaving John behind to tend to the funeral pyre. Tony was had just met the black man but was certain he could be trusted. Anyone who could quote the bible so easily might actually live by it. “Thank you for those kind words back there.” He whispered.
“I didn’t know those people but it was all I could give them. They are with the Lord now. He’ll lead them home.” The black man smiled.
“Are you a minister, sir?”
The black man chuckled, “Oh, no. I am just . . .secure in my faith.”
“That’s always a good thing to be.”
“My wife was what led me to it. It’s funny. I wasn’t secure in my faith until we crashed. I was always a little doubtful but no more. No, sir, God was with us. I only hope my wife didn’t suffer. I hope our Heavenly father welcomed her into his embrace.”
“Your wife was on the plane?”
“Yes. She was in the middle section. I was in the back, trying to keep from crapping my pants. I always hated to fly. I made her hold my wedding ring in case I never survived the flight.”
“And now it was her who didn’t survive.”
“I don’t suppose she did. I know we haven’t seen or found the middle section, nor the first half of the plane. We are only assuming they didn’t survive. I can only hold onto hope for so long.”
“What was her name?”
“Rose,” the black man smiled, “And she was just as beautiful as one.”
“My name is Tony, sir,” the blind doctor whispered, “what do I call you?”
“You can call me Bernard.”
Back at the funeral pyre, John squatted down observing the fire. The fire raged on and the smell was starting to get worse. But it was necessary, as Tony said. They wasted their strength and water supply by attempting to bury them. Plus this would help in sanitary regards. John thought of his friends and their amazement at his ability with a bow. Even Martin was able to recognize him as an Olympian. But what would they think of him if they knew the truth?
The moon light reflected a shadowy figured over John and the funeral pyre. The archer turned around and saw the large form of Poteet. The bald man was eyeballing the vodka bottle badly, practically smacking his lips, despite the small amount left in it. John slowly placed his hand around the neck of the bottle then stood up. Poteet squinted his eyes at the man. “You ain’t got that much left,” he muttered, “Why not give it to me?”
“Forget it,” John grunted, trying to walk away, “It wouldn’t do you any good anyway.”
“Please, man. All I need is a taste. Why not give it to me?”
“Because we are not going to waste it on some old fool’s alcoholic habit. This is going to be used to disinfect my friend’s eye.”
“You bastards!” Poteet grunted, “Who the hell are you people to make these decisions? No one asked you to lead this group of rejects!”
John then turned and got right in the man’s face. Poteet held his ground as the archer was so close he could feel his breath against him. “You want this bottle?” John hissed, “Why don’t you try and take it away from me and see what happens?”
Poteet didn’t say anything. He just stood there, returning the gaze. John stood there for a moment. When he realized Poteet wasn’t going to fight him, he began to walk away. He turned and pointed at the large man. “You say the hell away from me and you sure as hell stay away from Tony.” John ordered.
Poteet watched the man walk back to the crowd to join in the boar feast. He hated him, as he hated the blind doctor. They thought they knew best. He’ll find an opportunity to get them.
After all he had nothing but time.
posted by Jason | 7:08 AM
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