Free After and Again by Michael McLellan Page B

opened it and pulled out the tube-light. After shouldering his pack he cranked the handle on the back of the light illuminating the clearing. There were a couple of “OH’s” from the women, fascinated despite their fear. Zack told Emily to take the mare’s tail and he started walking the horse and its chain of women up the mountain.
      A short time later the shouted curses from their pursuers subsided, then stopped completely. Zack, who had been stealing glances down the mountain never even saw light from a lantern. He knew however that their head start was only going to be a few hours; six or seven at best, and the gang would begin the pursuit in earnest. How far and how much time they were willing to use to recapture the women was the question. He looked back at his mother, trailing along placidly behind Emily and pushed down his anger. He continued leading the mare up the mountain.
      The trees began thinning and Zack could see stars in front of him as well as above and knew they were nearly at the peak. The summit was bare rock, windy and cold; Zack had planned to let everyone rest while he asked some questions so that he could gauge how much pursuit to expect. Instead he decided to push on down the other side at least far enough to get out of the wind. He guessed that it was around one a.m. but admitted to himself that it could be as late as two.
      Another thirty minutes and they came to a small clearing where the terrain wasn’t too steep. The going downhill was damp and slippery with fallen leaves. Zack was constantly scanning the ground for a deer trail that they could use to make better time but had so far come up empty. They halted at the clearing and Zack had Emily passed around the canteen telling her to only allow a swallow each. He didn’t know how long it would be before they found more water and thought to conserve what little there was. Sitting on the damp ground and putting his arm around his mother he shined the tube-light on the group of women to see who was there.
      In addition to his mother, Emily, Lacy Sturgess and Loren Sturgess, there was Holly Sanderson, who was Jenny’s mom, Sandra Whitehall, who was in nearly the same state as Zack’s mother, Rebecca Mccarron and Eileen Deveroux who were both only eight or nine if his memory served him, and two women; one older and one younger that were not from Payne’s Station.
      “They killed my mother,” Sandra Whitehall said, looking at Zack with disbelief. “She was sick, and they murdered her,” she began crying again, softly; it was the loneliest sound that Zack had ever heard. 
      “Oh honey,” Loren Sturgess said, putting her arm around the younger woman, “your ma is well out of it now.”
      “Who are you?” Zack asked looking at the two unfamiliar women.
      “I’m Kendra Goodman and this is my daughter Cassie, we’re from Huntsville, both of our husbands were taken, probably killed, and the town was burned just like yours,” the woman said, matter-of-factly.
    “I am sorry ma’am.” Zack said, wishing he had more. He knew of Huntsville although he had never been there. It was even smaller than Payne’s Station, and maybe a hundred miles south.
      The group all started asking Zack at once about their families. He really wanted to get some information about the gang and get moving, but he thought that they had a right to know what he knew so he answered them in turn. “Emily, I haven’t seen either one of your folks, or yours, Eileen. Mrs. Sanderson I’m really sorry but Jenny is dead. She was alive when I found her, but had been trapped in the basement of the trade when the fire was set.” Holly Sanderson and Emily Hodgkins both burst into tears.
      “My Jenny,” Mrs Sanderson said, sobbing, “And Burt?” she asked hopefully.
      “I didn’t see Mr. Sanderson, ma’am,” he answered. “I did see your mom and brothers Rebecca, they’re okay but I don’t know about your dad.” I haven’t seen your dad