Free Courage Dares by Nancy Radke

child?" he asked. "I'd like to avoid that again." He glanced around. “We all would.”
    She looked at Wes, Judd, and Ramone, all standing within hearing distance, intent upon her answer.
    That day. The doctors always made her talk about it, saying it helped to bring it out. The images remained vivid, but each time she described it, the impact lessened.
    "We were... in the Middle East. My Dad worked there. Some soldiers came, late in the afternoon. Drunk."
    She paused, gathering strength from Connor's arms wrapped so securely around her. That day remained burned on her mind, as vivid as the day it happened. The one event she’d like to forget refused to fade into the past.
    "They broke down the door. Mom hid me in a large wicker basket— my toy box. Threw some clothes over me. But I could see, through the cracks, and hear it all. Everything that happened. They trapped her in my room." She shuddered, feeling again the terror of that day. "Just a few feet away."
    She raised her eyes to stare woodenly at Ira. "They carved her up with their knives. Ones like yours."
    He wore two, one in his boot and another in a webbed shoulder sheath. He held up the knife he had used to kill her neighbor and rolled it over slowly in his hand.
    She trembled at the sight of the double-edged blade which came to a spear-like point at the tip. A knife made for death.
    "I don't use my knives on women," he said, his voice solemn. "You have my word on that." He turned away, leaving Mary hanging onto her sole support. Connor.
    "It's okay, Mary," Connor said again. "Everything's okay now." She wished it were true.
    She felt like throwing up, and fought against the urge. Courage. She squeezed the dragon harder.
    "After they killed my mother, they started ransacking the place. When they went into another room, I jumped out the window and ran.
    “I didn't trust anyone. I hid in abandoned houses— like this one—" She shuddered and stopped, staring at the far wall, with its torn and dirty wallpaper.
    "Why don't you make up that supply list?" Judd said.
    "Now?" Mary shook her head slowly. It was the last thing she wanted to do. "It's after nine. Why not in the morning? You'll have to wait for the stores to open up, anyway."
    "I thought it might take your mind off—"
    "Maybe. But right now I’d probably forget something vital. Tomorrow's better."
     
    Connor let Mary step away from him, and immediately felt the loss. He wanted to pull her back into his arms. He didn’t know who posed more of a threat to him and Mary— Ira with his knives or Ramone. Or Wes. None of them could be trusted. Ira sounded sincere, but Connor couldn’t believe the word of a killer.
    He watched as Judd walked around the dirty room. Going over to a large cardboard box, Judd peered into it, then kicked it against the wall. Empty, it flipped upside down.
    "Where's the food, Wes? I'm hungry."
    "Don' ask me, Boss. Ramone had the van. You told him to git some while we did the phone calls."
    "That's right. Ramone?"
    "What?" The predator, still seething, snapped a reply.
    "Where's the groceries?"
    Casting a surly look at Judd, Ramone swore loudly. "I didn't buy any. I told you, I'm not paying for you. If you want food, get it yourself."
    "I suppose you ate already."
    "So sue me."
    "Easier to shoot yuh," Wes declared. "I'm hungry."
    "And I'm broke," Ramone claimed. "Send out for pizza."
    "There's plenty of money at the end of this. You'd get it back," Judd reminded him.
    "I said I was broke."
    "Why don't I believe you?" Judd stepped threateningly toward the smaller man.
    "You'd better." Ramone fumbled at the gun in his shoulder holster and Judd slapped his hand down, then shook him hard.
    "Next time I send for supplies, bring some back. Understood?" He slammed Ramone against the wall, making the boards crack in protest.
    "Sure." The answer, although grudgingly given, seemed to satisfy Judd.
    Bad blood ran among the men, Connor decided. They were like dogs, surly and snapping at each