Free Home: A Stranded Novel by Theresa Shaver

the area again and finally answered.
    “He’s in the barn. He had an accident a few days ago and cut his leg very badly. I’ve tried to keep it clean but it has gotten infected. This group of guards are real hard cases and they won’t give me any medical supplies to treat it. I’m hoping when they rotate out that the next group will help me. Unfortunately that won’t be until Sunday when we go into town. I’m sorry, Alex. I don’t know if he will make it that long.”
    Alex was starting to panic and she was about to hit the doctor with a barrage of questions when Emily grabbed her arm and motioned for silence. It was only then that Alex heard the whistling. Someone was coming. The girls flattened themselves even further down on the ground and Alex prayed the doctor wouldn’t speak and give them away. Seconds later , she saw another guard step up to the fallen tree. As he looked over the doctor’s progress, Alex studied him. He was tall and rough looking. His hair and beard was long and greasy but he looked well fed with a gut hanging over his belt. Standing beside the doctor, it dawned on Alex how thin and tired the doctor looked. These bastards weren’t feeding the workers very well based on the doctor’s appearance.
    “You better speed up , Doc. You don’t make your quota, you don’t eat!” the guard said menacingly.
    Dr. Mack kept chopping at the tree as he answered. “We would be able to work faster if you guys would sharpen these axes. The blades are so dull it takes a lot longer to cut through every branch.” His tone was bland as if he didn’t want to antagonise the guard.
    With a shrug of indifference, the guard started to walk away. He called over his shoulder as he went, “Life gave you lemons. Make some lemonade…if you want your supper!” He let out a howl of laughter.
    Dr. Mack stood staring after the guard until he was out of sight before turning and looking in the direction that Alex and Emily were hiding in.
    “Are you still there?” he called softly.
    Alex lost all her caution and stood up. She couldn’t help her father until she had more information.
    “How many days is it until Sunday?” she asked him. They had lost track of the days of the week long ago.
    “Today is Wednesday ,” he said, looking into her eyes sadly.
    Alex shook her head. If her father’s leg was infected , he couldn’t wait that long for medicine. It could turn gangrenous and then he would die. She wasn’t going to let that happen.
    “Where do you all sleep at night and how many people are being kept here?”
    “They lock us into the barn at night and there are sixty of us. There are another ten who stay in the house with the guards. They are working for them for more food.”
    Emily’s breath caught at that. The idea that some of her neighbours would collaborate with these animals against their own people made her sick. She popped up beside Alex and asked her own question.
    “Do you know what other farms are being used? How do the guards rotate?”
    He gave her a sad smile and nodded. “Your family farm is being used as well as two others. The Dennison farm and another but I don’t know who the owners are. On Sunday’s they walk us into town and we get to see our families. They are being held at the school and we only get to talk to them through the fence. After a very brief visit, the guards switch out and we walk back for another week of slave labour.” He took a quick look around to make sure it was still clear before saying, “You girls need to get out of here. If they catch you…” he trailed off with a frown.
    Alex had to push down the fury at all that he had told them and focus on what she could do right now.
    “I can get you medicine and first aid supplies. Will you be working here for the rest of the day?”
    He shook his head. “No, this is the last tree for me. After it gets pulled out of here , we will all be back in the yard chopping, splitting and stacking for the rest of the day.