These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

46.

Maddie, Nick and I hesitantly followed the older man, who had introduced himself as Jeremiah Otto, around the ranch as he explained how the ranch came about.

"People bought in here before the world ended. They prepared for the fall of the democracy. Banked on that. But the rise of the dead, now that caught us by surprise."

"You seem to be managing." Maddie said quietly

"Oh yeah," he nodded in agreement, "We're fairly self-sustaining."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "And heavily armed."

"No sense in having all of these resources if you can't protect them. Self defence is the cornerstone."

"Is that what Troy was doing back there?" Nick snapped, "Self defence?"

"Troy, was out there harvesting fuel, protecting his men. I heard his side of it."

"Want to hear ours?" Nick asked furiously and I put my hand on his arm, silently willing him to calm down.

"We're building a new nation here," Otto said, a peculiar look in his eye, "It's not perfect. I'll sort out what happened at the border when Jake gets back. Meanwhile, this is the safest place to live in a world gone mad. Most folks would be damn grateful for being here. I had the idea you might be too."

"We are grateful." I said, ignoring the harsh glare Nick pinned on me, following the older man into what looked like a small cabin, where he opened a door.

"It ain't much," he said, gesturing to the small room which contained four sets of bunk beds, "But it is clean. Latrines and showers are in the back. I'd shake the mattresses and sweep the floor for scorpions and such."

"Thank you." Maddie called as he closed the door behind him while he was leaving, looking at her son, "Please don't start."

"You're thanking him?"

"Nick," I murmured, glancing at the closed door, "Please lower your voice."

"His son's a murderer!" he yelled, ignoring our pleas to hush.

"Nick!" Maddie hissed, "You want to go to war with them, huh? All of them? You want to start that fight? Then you'll see murder."

Nick took a seat on one of the bottom bunks and I could feel his eyes on me as I moved to look out of the small window, out onto the ranch to see Jeremiah walking away from the building and when I looked at him again, I could see the guilt flooding his features.

"This is our fault," he said quietly and my eyes found the floor, "We led Luciana and her people to that place and you came there looking for me."

"That's not on you, son." Maddie said and I crossed the room, taking a seat beside him.

"It's not," I agreed, "Nick, we couldn't have known."

"I gotta do something."

She shook her head, "No you don't. I don't know what our play's going to be but right now, we're gonna smile, eat shit and bide our time."

"It's how we save Luci," I whisper.

"It's how we save all of us. That's all I want; for Travis, Alicia and all of us to be safe but son, I need you to help me."

Nick sighed and pulled a cigarette from seemingly nowhere, lighting it before laying down on the bed behind me. That lasted all of two minutes before he sprung up again and headed for the door, "I'm gonna go see how many of these assholes are sharpening their knives."

I sighed, running my hands over my tired face before laying down myself while Madison paced back and forth in front of me, "He has a point Maddie."