Grant Us Mercy 7 Read online

  GRANT

  US

  MERCY

  A Post-Apocalyptic Serial Novel:

  I n s t a l l m e n t S E V E N

  D. C. L I T T L E

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imaginations or are used fictitiously.

  Copyright © 2020 DC Little, Carson River Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  DEDICATION

  To my Mountain MacGyver who inspires me every day and my special boy who sees things others only wish they could, and those unexpected miracles.

  Contents

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ~1~

  ~2~

  ~3~

  ~4~

  ~5~

  ~6~

  ~7~

  ~8~

  ~9~

  ~10~

  ~11~

  ~12~

  ~13~

  ~14~

  ~15~

  ~16~

  ~17~

  Free Book!

  Next in Grant Us Mercy

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Wow! What a journey this has been! I have to say my first thank you to the wonderful lady, talented author, fierce mama, and supportive friend, Heather Yates, for encouraging me to go forth with my dream of writing Post-Apocalyptic even though it is so different from the genre I found my success in.

  Of course, I need to thank my writer’s group, Women Writers of the Well. Without all of your support and encouragement I still would be writing stories for my eyes only. It’s been fun sharing this series with you every step along the way!

  A heart-felt thank you to my fantastic editors, Dianne McCleery, Karen Krieger, and Joan Simpson. Without your guidance and keen eye, my books wouldn’t be near as clean and consistent! And I can’t forget my ARC readers whose encouragement feeds me during those dry spells.

  Thanks to my mom for her unwavering support and encouragement. And a special thanks for my Sis, whose namesake makes a special star appearance.

  And of course, where would I be without the two main men in my life! Thank you, My Love, for helping me with all the nuances of natural disasters and survival thinking. Your support in this project keeps me going strong. Thank you, My Little Love, and inspiration, for understanding how important Mommy’s writing time is and being excited whenever I receive one of my books in the mail.

  ~1~

  DATE: March 23 07:56

  What was that?

  Blake spun as movement to his right caught his attention. He squatted into the snow, pulled out his pistol, and aimed at...a now empty branch swaying above a large pile of snow. He willed his heart to slow, his muscles to release their tension, and his mind to relax.

  Well, that certainly broke the monotony that had taken over his life.

  He looked up into the gray sky as if he could see the Big Guy himself. He must have a reason to make this the harshest winter he had seen in decades. If Blake didn’t believe that, he might start to think he was being tricked.

  The land settled peacefully around him. All wildlife hid in their burrows and dens. His traps were bare. Maybe if the snow stopped today, something would venture out and give him some much needed fresh meat. In truth, as much as he desired the meat, he used coming out here as a reason to escape the confines of their dwelling.

  Some days he brought Tucker with him, but on days like today, he needed time alone in peace with space and no need to respond for a few minutes. Glancing back toward the quiet camp, he wondered how Kris did it. The demands the two kids put on her, on top of everything else she did, were constant and yet, she always seemed calm and peaceful.

  Maybe that mindfulness thing really worked.

  He blew out a breath and looked out across the expanse of forest in front of him. For a moment, he thought he glimpsed a wisp of smoke curling through the trees miles in the distance. After he shifted to get a better vantage point, he couldn’t find it again.

  Using his mental map, he thought about what the terrain was like out there and remembered the lone cabin that stood in the middle of a field that he used to take Tucker sledding near.

  Could someone be staying there?

  He thought the cabin too exposed himself, but not everyone thought like him. Maybe he should check it out? He stamped his feet, creating a packed area to keep watch in that area.

  Twenty minutes later, he still seen any more signs of smoke and his fingers ached from the cold. Maybe it had been his imagination.

  As he followed his steps back to camp, he looked toward Arland’s dwelling. He hesitated, wondering if he should stop in and say hello.

  As if Arland had heard his thoughts, he peeked out the door. When he saw Blake standing at the tree line, he waved him over before ducking out all the way. They met halfway and shook hands.

  “Anything?” Arland asked, nodding toward the woods.

  “Nah, maybe tomorrow,” Blake looked up, “if the snow lets up tonight.”

  “Remember when we used to wish for more snow?” Arland chuckled lightly.

  “That was a time when we had houses and wood stoves.”

  “And hot showers and tri-tip.”

  “Oh, that was mean, man. I am missing beef.” His head cocked as a memory stopped him. “I wonder what happened to all the cattle that were out here.”

  “Well, I doubt they would stay here in this weather if they had the choice.”

  “You’re right. They probably broke down a fence and went down-country when winter came.” It made sense, but something nagged at him. He wanted to find those cows.

  “Do you think we came too high up the mountain?” Arland pulled at his beard, a sure sign he had misgivings.

  “There was no other choice. The other direction would have meant closer to the cities and the coalitions. The land to the south was burnt and populated beyond that.”

  “Yeah, guess you’re right.”

  Blake slapped him on the back. “Cheer up, man. Winter won’t last forever, and we’ll be more prepared next year. Besides, this is an unusually cold and wet year.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so.”

  Arland nodded. “Let’s get the council together, huh? We need to figure out something for long-term food rationing and something to stop the insanity. You going out of your mind with boredom, too?”

  “Who isn’t?”

  “I’ll send Hannah over with Ethan to watch your two.”

  “Thanks. I’ll go let them know.”

  Arland slapped his arm and then squeezed it before he turned to break through the snow to his dwelling. The man had aged the last few months. Blake didn’t like it. The idea of the camp without Arland sent a shiver down his spine.

  He shook out his arms and cleared a trail to his shelter where his family waited for him in the warmth of their home. They were safe, and when it all came down to it, that was all that mattered to him. The rest he could deal with.

  ****

  The council talked around Kris, okay, it was more like complaining. Everyone seemed to be on a rant. She understood. Being cooped up in their dwellings with feet of snow and freezing temperatures outside wore on her, too. This type of confinement, if not resolved, would result in fights, drama, and lots of issues for their small community.

  The last week she had been meeting with Laurie and Lexi, devising a plan for school. In the back of her mind, other ideas had been popping up. Her ideas had gone over well with the cou
ncil before, and since the council members hadn’t changed after voting day, she hoped they would like them again, but she didn’t want to seem arrogant or superior.

  She had asked Blake if he would offer the suggestion for her, but he was adamant about it coming from her.

  “The credit needs to be left where it belongs,” he had told her. “Besides, I wouldn’t have the foggiest notion on how to make that all work. I believe you do.”

  His confidence in her fueled her forward, but every time she tried to interject into the complaint pit, her voice was lost in the noise. She almost gave up, hanging her head before rising to leave.

  As she started to push up to a stand, Laurie reached out and pulled her into a whisper. “Don’t you dare give up. Use that voice of yours to change our world.”

  For a second, Kris looked at her, wondering why Laurie didn’t rise up to the occasion. She noticed the others had quieted as she stood, looking at her peculiarly. With Laurie nudging her and Blake’s smile of encouragement, Kris took a deep breath and called upon God to give her words of wisdom.

  “Times are rough when we are confined indoors with nothing to do and only the same faces to see every hour of the day. It’s making us a bit crazy, right? We are starting to find faults in those we love and competing with each other for how bad we have it.”

  A few of the guys chuckled in that nervous, caught kind of way.

  “I have a couple of suggestions and I would like to see what you all think.”

  The group eased back as they nodded for her to continue.

  “Your ideas have saved us before. We’re all ears.” Arland held out his hand as an invitation to take the floor.

  She stayed where she stood, but she nodded at Laurie. “As you know, Laurie, Lexi, and I have been meeting to discuss how to go about schooling our youngsters.”

  “They need something to keep them busy all day,” David whined.

  “They do, and so do we. Each one of us have skills that we could teach others, not only our children, but adults as well.”

  Everyone assented.

  “In school, we would use centers where the kids would work at one station or activity for a set period of time, and then we would switch until everyone had a chance at every center.”

  “So, you want us to play school?” Mitchel watched her, raising an eyebrow and jesting at the others.

  “No, think of it as work. We need more bows, right? One group led by Frank can make several bows in the time it takes him to make one. With those bows we need arrowheads. Several men, or women, working on those will produce more. We could also have a place for people to play games or hang out.”

  “The meeting shelter is almost done. It would house everyone, in close quarters, of course.” Arland added.

  “I bet we could finish that today if the storms continue to give us a break,” Blake said.

  Kris gratefully sat down as the conversation shifted off of her.

  “And...” Laurie looked around. “I had been thinking of what the Native Americans did during long winters like this to stay sane. They definitely visited a lot, but they also had storytellers, people to entertain them at night, review their history, teach moral lessons, and share current events.”

  “Who do you propose to tell these stories? It sure isn’t going to be me...” David said with a laugh. “Even my kids can’t stand mine.”

  The room laughed, but no one else stood up to volunteer.

  “How about we have a competition?” Kris asked.

  “A storyteller competition...” Arland scratched his beard.

  “I like it,” Blake said. “It will preoccupy the community for a while, stopping any drama before it gets out of hand.”

  “Okay. So, today we finish the gathering place. Tonight we light the ceremonial fire as a community. Announce the competition, the school, the community centers, and...anything else?”

  “I think that covers everything,” Laurie said.

  “What about organizing a hunt for when the weather clears? I don’t know about you, but I am dying for some fresh meat.” Blake rubbed his belly.

  “Can we find game in feet of snow?” Mitchel asked.

  “We can trap game, but not hunt. We would have to travel down to where there is less snow.”

  “You’re talking a trek.” David sat forward, rubbing his hands together. “I’m in!”

  Blake laughed. The deep sound brought Kris’s full attention to her husband. How long had it been since she had heard him laugh? Too long. As much as she didn’t want him gone, he needed something like this.

  So, when he looked at her for approval, she smiled and intertwined her fingers in his massive ones.

  “Looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us, boys,” Blake said, turning his attention back to the group.

  Laurie stood. “Us too. We need to finalize our plans and get today’s cooking crew to fix a feast for tonight.”

  “Can we afford a feast?” Pastor Rob asked.

  “Well, a meager one.” Laurie shrugged and stood with a stretch before looking down at Kris. “Shall we?”

  Kris leaned over to kiss Blake on the cheek before standing as well. Blake was right. There was a lot to get done before the evening and all of their big announcements.

  ~2~

  Blake stood back, admiring the largest conical bark shelter they had made thus far. It would fit the entire community in very close quarters, but everyone could get in. It would be perfect for meetings like tonight, and for the storytelling and other events they had talked about today at their council meeting.

  Kris was right. Things had to change before fights broke out, marriages ended, sibling fights led to injuries, and pure drama let loose across the camp. He loved that Kris had become such an integral part of the community. Even though the war inside him still raged, and many times he wished to take his family and flee into the forest, he had to admit it had been nice having other men to commiserate with.

  “It looks great, Dad,” Tucker said as he slipped his cold hand into Blake’s.

  Blake took the smaller hand in both his own and rubbed it. “You should go in and warm up.”

  “Okay,” he said with a shrug. “I’ll go to Arland’s so I can tell Mom that the gathering dwelling is finished.”

  “That’s a great idea, Champ. I believe we are going to call it The Hub.”

  “The Hub?”

  “Yeah, a hub is the center or focal point of something.”

  “So the gathering....I mean, The Hub, is the center of our community. That’s cool. Well, I’ll tell Mom The Hub is complete.”

  “Thanks for your help.”

  “Anytime, Dad. I’m becoming a bigger help now, aren’t I?” He pushed his little chest out.

  “Yes, you are. You certainly are.” As Blake said it, he realized the truth. His son had grown over the last year, both in maturity and strength. Pride swelled his own chest as he watched his son strut through the paths in the snow to Arland’s dwelling.

  “He’s quite the kid,” Butler said as he stood beside him.

  “Yeah, I got lucky,” he said.

  “You can say that.” Butler laughed lightly, but something made it sound strained.

  Blake turned toward his friend and saw the heaviness in his shoulders. He slapped a hand on Butler’s shoulders. “We’ll figure out a way to get you back to them.”

  “Do you think the council would let me bring them back here?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Blake said, walking around The Hub to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything.

  “Right now they should be getting rations and staying warm, but come spring when things are better here...”

  “I think it’s a great idea,” Blake said, stopping to meet his friend’s eyes. “It would be too hard to think of being away from my family. We’ll make it happen.”

  “Thanks, man. I don’t know how it will work, but you keep the hope alive.”

  Blake watched Butler walk off to where he, L
exi, and Pastor Rob shared a dwelling. His chest constricted thinking about being away from his family for as long as Butler had. Then anger shot down his spine, causing him to grit his teeth. No one would keep him from his family.

  He looked toward Arland’s tent knowing they were in there. Misgivings about leaving them for a hunt twisted his gut. Maybe he should organize it but stay home. Part of him felt the stupidity of that thought. What could happen out here in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles of deep snow? No one would be out here...especially not looking for trouble.

  He shook his head. He would talk with Kris. She always seemed to make his head stop spinning enough to allow him to see the right path to follow. Thank goodness he had her and his children.

  “I heard a rumor that there is a hunt coming.” The gruff voice didn’t startle Blake. He had heard the footsteps, he just hadn’t paid attention to them.

  Now, registering that it was Brent who spoke, his spine became rigid and his fists clenched. He was the last person Blake wanted watching his back on a hunt, and yet, his family would be safer if Brent went.

  “It’s tentative, but yes, we are hoping for one,” he told the guy, doing his best to keep the scowl from his face.

  “I’m a good shot. My son, too.”

  Blake nodded, remembering the trouble his son and Tucker had gotten in. If he took his son, he might as well take Tucker. The idea actually made him nauseous. Not that Tucker wouldn’t be an asset on the hunt, but it would leave Kris and Mercy without him.

  “No children on this hunt. Maybe we can take them when the snow melts.”

  “Understood.” Brent nodded. “Would you use me and my gun?”

  Blake stopped at the mention of guns. He had been planning on a bow hunt and realized he hadn't mentioned that out loud. The sound of guns ricocheting through the silent world caused his heart to hammer. He didn’t think any encampments were close enough to hear their shots, but if they traveled lower. He shook his head.

  “You won’t let me come? Because of what happened? I told you, man, I changed. You saved my life and my son’s.”