Free The Rising Dead by Stella Green Page A

walking behind them, the Stranger was silent. Whatever he was thinking, it was likely to be gloomy, and Matt was relieved he wasn’t sharing it with them. Maria was scared enough already.
    After ten miles of trudging, they came across a mesquite tree decorated with women’s panties. From a distance it appeared festive, but as they got closer and saw the panties, the hair on Matt’s arms rose. There were fifteen or sixteen pairs, mostly white, with a pink, a blue, and a couple of striped ones scattered throughout. Whatever this was, it wasn’t good. Matt turned towards the others and saw Maria staring with jagged anger. She said something in Mayan and spat on the ground. The Stranger quietly asked her a question. She started to answer in Mayan as if she was too upset to remember the English words, but she stopped and started over in English for Matt.
    “It’s a rape tree.” Then she explained that the panties were souvenirs of rape. The smugglers compete to see who can get the most panties in their tree. “It’s a game to them. They bet with each other. Before we crossed the border, an old woman selling condoms told us we must buy some so we would not end up both raped and pregnant. I thought she was trying to scare us into giving her the little bit of money we had for food, but she was telling the truth. What kind of people know about this and instead of trying to stop it, they make money?” Maria took out her matches and started for the tree.
    “No. Too much smoke.” The Stranger blocked her way. “It’s green. Probably won’t burn, but if you manage to catch it on fire, the smoke will be seen and smelled for miles.”
    Maria repeated her curse and spat when they passed a second and third tree hung with sick trophies. Matt thought about what kind of evil cowards would prey on these women and girls and how desperate the women must have been to cross the border, knowing there was no one to help them out on the other side. How terrifying would that be? If Janey had been attacked like that.…Matt glanced at the Stranger, and from the man’s dark face he could only assume the Stranger was just as horrified. There were levels of suffering here he could barely comprehend.
    Miles away from the rape trees, they found a large paloverde with enough branches to give them shade. They rested there and hid from the noon sun. A breeze blew through their sweaty clothes, making them feel cooler. Maria was quiet, but her expressive face revealed a struggle. Matt assumed she was growing more afraid as they neared the coyotes.
    After twenty minutes of rest, Maria stood up. “We should go.”
    Matt realized she wasn’t growing more frightened. She was angry. He looked at the Stranger, who shrugged and picked up his walking stick. It was almost dark when they stood on a small hill as Maria pointed and said, “Down there.”

CHAPTER TEN
    The coyotes had taken over an abandoned house. Once it had been a humble working ranch, but now the corral’s fencing lay on the ground and the barn was missing half its roof. There were four vehicles: a banged-up old Ford F-150, two jeeps, and the moving truck from the gas station. Matt could see at least ten men outside the house. The setting sun glinted off steel pistols. He got a look at the closest man’s face in profile. It was Ant Man from the gas station.
    “We can’t attack the house.” The Stranger was studying, too.
    Matt nodded. At least the Stranger was still planning on helping.
    “We have to draw them out.” The Stranger came up with a plan. He wanted to wait until the smugglers were asleep because stealth and confusion were their only hope. Yesterday’s waning crescent moon meant tonight would bring a new moon and darkness. “First we have to incapacitate the moving truck. Then you’ll hide in one of the jeeps. I’ll start a fire in the barn, and while I’m running for the second jeep, I’ll yell, ‘
La migra.
’ At that point the smugglers will be trying to get