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“Yeah, poop for brains,” I respond, rolling my eyes for our audience. “I mean, you’re not her favorite child or anything, but I’m sure she might care a tiny bit that you didn’t get shot again.”
“I know, for a fact, that Iamher favorite child!” He taunts me back, getting up and leading the way to the back door.
“Yeah, you go on ahead. I’m just going to grab a little snack for the pregnant lady.” I continue to mock him, while knowing that none of the three of us will turn down a bite to eat right now.
“Oh, she’s got you there, Dylan,” Grandma says, laughing at us as I go to pick up enough bread and cheese for the three of us to munch on.
Thankfully he waits until we’re halfway to Mom’s cabin to say anything, and when he does, it’s to express his relief that I came up for a reason for him to leave the house. Considering that he shares a room with Dad, it would have been obvious if he had snuck out to talk to me.
“Hey, remember, Mom is sleeping. You have to let her wake up slowly, so start off by letting her know you’re alright and then I’ll tell her what Dad said,” I instruct him right outside her door. “When I’m done, you drop the bomb about what you’re chomping at the bit to relay.”
“Firecracker,” Russ’s voice startles us both. “Sorry, look, I’m going to backtrack down the mountain a bit, just to make sure they weren’t followed. I’m taking a walkie so I can keep in touch with Aiden.”
“You be careful,” I plead with him, torn between wanting to go and watch his back or staying with Mom and Dylan for a while, but I know that Dylan wants me to hear him out. “Tell Aiden I’ll be down in a bit.”
Dylan precedes me and does exactly what I suggested. Neither Mom nor I wake up easily, so I wanted her to digest things before we get to Dylan’s version of events.
“Dylan,” Mom says when I’m halfway through what Dad had relayed. “What’s bothering you?”
“Dad did most of what he told everyone, but both the people in the perimeter and outside of it, neither of them are hearing anything good about the military group. It’s like Dale told us.”
“Wait, how did the townspeople feel about you two being down there?” Mom asks him as she reaches for the last piece of cheese before seeing the look on Dylan’s face.
“Suspicious at first, especially the ones outside the perimeter. They call themselves the ‘outliers’. I don’t know what he told them exactly, because he made me stay back, I think some people recognized him from high school or something. I was there when he ran into someone when we were trying to get back to Dale’s house.
“That guy was adamant that the pretend military group ispillaging. That was the word he used, then he gave me a look like he didn’t want to explain things in front of me. His group fed us, which is more than the other people who wouldn’t let us past their walls. Dad was right about that part of the story. I think they’re looking for a reason to kill each other.” With that he finishes off the snacks I had brought as Mom and I exchange a look.
“Was there anything else that worried you?” I ask him, trying to get him to focus.
“Yeah, so we walked around, taking the long way back to Dale’s house and we went to sleep. I mean, I did, but when I woke up in the morning Dad left a note telling me to stay put.”
“But you didn’t,” Mom states the obvious, as anxious as I am to hear what bothered him so much.
“I did for a little while, but no.” Dylan doesn’t even pretend to look like he did something wrong. “I kind of came across them by accident, but Dad was talking to a couple of guys who had been with the Outlier group the night before. Except, around that campfire they acted like they didn’t know each other. Dad had sat with one of them when we were eating, so they must have made plans to talk.”
Holding a finger up, he looks around and goes to pour himself some water.
“I wasn’t close enough to hear everything, but they had a map and Dad was pointing things out. I know I heard them say ‘big things are going to happen for you’ twice. They were talking about towns they were rebuilding and needing someone local to run each one. One of the men, he was kind of watching everything around them while they were talking, so I got nervous he’d hear or see me. But when I was backing away, Dad shook hands with the one guy and said he’d be back to meet up with them when they got back.”
This time when Mom and I lock eyes, she doesn’t even pretend that everything is going to be alright. I can see her fear as she rubs her belly before reaching over to grasp Dylan’s hand.
“Did you hear him say anything about our farm? Or Elsbeth’s?” she asks him, and he squeezes his eyes together as if trying to replay everything that had been discussed in the early morning hours.
“No, but he was pointing out the farmland and he may have indicated the mountain. I’m sorry, I didn’t want them to find me, but I should have tried harder,” he apologizes to us, looking ashamed of himself.
“Don’t you dare think that or take any chances in the future!” My voice comes out like I’m being strangled and I know my face is turning red. “He can’t ever be happy with what he has and is going to screw everything up. Again!”
“Julia.” Mom’s voice is soft as she reaches her other hand out to me and I join them on the bed. “We’ll figure this out, baby. Dylan, why don’t you go shower, then grab your pajamas and sleep in here tonight? I wouldn’t mind the company while Aiden is on the gate; your dad will understand that, so it shouldn’t cause any suspicion. Don’t mention it to anyone in the house yet, we’ll discuss it with your grandpa when there’s a private moment.”
“Okay,” Dylan whispers, but snuggles against Mom’s side for another couple of minutes before he leaves.
“Damn, that kid stunk.” I laugh from Mom’s other side, and she giggles, leaning her face into my hair and taking a deep breath.
“He did, it was making my stomach roll!” Her confession and our light laughter help break the tension.
“What are we going to tell Grandma?”
“The truth. Trust me when I say, she can take it,” Mom assures me and I tuck her into bed before pulling on her long underwear and heading out to the gate.
