Free Into The Darkness by Doug Kelly

the filter.
By eliminating as much sedimentation from the process as possible, the filter
should last longer. They discussed straining the river water through shirt
fabric as an alternative to waiting for the sediment to settle, and agreed to
do what was expedient.
    The
three men sat around the fire. Dylan poked at the burning wood and brought a
pile of glowing embers closer to him. He fastened the bundle of frog legs to
the end of a stick and held them near the coals. He pushed the end of the stick
into the soft ground at an angle to keep the frog legs at the correct distance
above the red embers, and slid a piece of wood under the stick for additional
support.
    “How
do you like your steak?” asked Dylan, with a failed attempt at humor. The
others, apparently hypnotized by the fire, said nothing in reply. Fatigue was
settling in.
    Finally,
Richard asked, “Can we split this stuff up now? I’m starving.”
    They
each ate an even share of the bagels and boxed cereal taken from the hotel, and
devoured the frog legs. Then Dylan pointed to the cattails.
    “The
cattails are peeled and ready to eat,” said Dylan.
    He
was first to try a cattail. He took one gingerly from the pile and slowly
chewed. Kevin was next, and apprehensively took a bite of the cattail shoot.
    “Not
bad,” said Kevin, “but I’m still hungry.”
    “I
never thought I would eat something like this,” Richard said, as he tasted the
white and green shoot.
    The
sun began to set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains shortly after the
meal. Each man placed his raft where he chose to sleep that night. Richard stayed
near the upstream end of the little island. His raft was closest to the fire
and remained in the open. Dylan and Kevin suggested that he move to a more
concealed location, but Richard had no further energy to expend. He would sleep
right where he left the raft. Richard sprawled awkwardly in the raft, covered
himself with a tarp, and promptly went to sleep.
    Dylan
and Kevin both retreated to a thicket of shrubs and small trees farther away
from the campfire, and the seclusion gave them a sense of security in the
unfamiliar world of their new nighttime surroundings. Eager to rest, Dylan and
Kevin settled into their rafts. Dylan chose this opportunity away from Richard
to discuss long-term plans.
    “Have
you thought about what you are going to do when you get back home to your
wife?” asked Dylan.
    “Yeah,
I thought about it. I live in an urban area. It’ll be bad. My wife and I
discussed staying in a cheap apartment for a while to save enough money for a
down payment on a house. That might have been a bad idea.” Kevin paused and
thought about his wife. “I hope she’s okay. She’s there and I’m here. There’s
nothing I can do for her. It’s just us in that town, no family.”
    “Let
me tell you what I was thinking.” Dylan cleared his throat, took a deep breath,
and spoke. “From what you have told me and what I’ve concluded is going to
happen, your situation in Omaha is bleak. Consider where you live and ask
yourself how you’re going to get food and water. Your neighborhood, if not your
apartment building, is going to become a war zone. I bet your wife has already
heard gunshots. It’s only going to get worse. Think about it, Kevin. I killed
someone with a baseball bat today. Did I ever think that would happen to me? We
need to stick together. Forget about Omaha and go to Kansas City with me.”
    “I’m
not going to abandon my wife.”
    “No,
you got it wrong. We get your wife and bring her with us. There is no safe
place for you in that town.”
    “What
about Richard?”
    “We
bring him, too. I wanted to ask you first.”
    “What
you said about cutting him loose from us still stands?” asked Kevin.
    “I’ll
give him a chance. If he jeopardizes us or our ability to get back to our
families, he is gone…just like that,” Dylan said, snapping his fingers.
    “Your
place is better, right?” asked