***

Geram noticed Jake before Kate did.  His face seemed more resolute than it had in the past several days.  He had something slung over his shoulder as he walked towards them. Upon reaching the front, passenger door, he handed Geram the Kevlar vest and said, “There’re a few more things I need your help with before we go.”

Geram examined the vest, before replying, “If there’s any more of these, I don’t mind at all.”

“Oh, you wouldn’t believe.”

Jake walked over to Kate and leaned in the Bronco. Sasha leaned forward and licked his forehead.  He put his hands on Kate’s shoulders and rested his head against hers as he whispered, “I think we’re going to be alright.  I love you.”

She smiled, kissed his lips and replied, “I love you to, I’m glad you’re back.”

“I was only gone a few minutes.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He kissed her forehead and then shoved Geram as he made gagging sounds in the front seat.

“I’m going to be sick if the whole trip is you two making out.”

“Fine then, I’ll take that vest back.”

“You know, it’s okay if I get a little queasy after all.”

Jake laughed, “Just shut up and follow me.”

***

As Jake drove away, they stared through the darkness at the fields and farms that passed by them.  They knew that they would probably never return.  It saddened Kate to leave the home she loved so much.  She could name the families on every farm for miles.  She appreciated how the community had taken her in when they had first moved here.  Looking back, she remembered how young she was.  She could barely bake a cake, but the old ladies took her in and taught her everything they knew.  She embraced their generosity and eagerly absorbed their sage wisdom, hard earned from years of first-hand experiences.  She knew she would miss the people that had helped make her who she was. Kate hoped against hope that one day they could come back.

As they passed the last farm heading east, the road became much darker.  The open fields and pastures from before were replaced by thick walls of trees and vegetation on both sides of the road.  Much of the forest was stands of timber that had not received their prescribed burning as needed.  The undergrowth had become impossibly dense.  The road felt much safer when they were surrounded by the open fields.  Now, it seemed danger could be lurking just off of the shoulder of the road.

As they topped the final hill before the bridge, they saw the orange tractor that had been used to cut the trench across the highway.  They also noticed an old four-wheel drive truck parked beside it.  Several figures stood in the center of the road with lanterns and rifles.

Geram clenched the FN FAL and said, “I thought they weren’t coming out until in the morning?”

“I guess they changed their minds.  Easy with the rifle, I know all of these men.  When I stop you can open your door and steady the rifle, but don’t get out where they can see it. I want to talk to them first.  If any of them make a move on me, though, kill ‘em.”

“Be careful, Jake.”  Kate pleaded.

“Yeah Jake, listen to Kate.  This whole town is spooked ever since, well, you know.”

“Believe me, I know.  I’ll be careful.”  Jake eased the Bronco to a stop about a hundred yards from the men and slowly climbed out. He shoved the long-barreled revolver in his pants at the small of his back and clipped one of the hand-held radios to his back pocket.  Before he stepped forward, he shined his flashlight on himself and shouted, “It’s Jake Sellers, don’t shoot fellas.”

“We know who it is, Jake,” the first man replied, “Come a little closer so we don’t have to shout.”

Jake walked towards the men as casually as possible.  When he was a dozen yards away, he spoke again, “We’ve decided to leave.  We can’t stand to live next to the old Thames’ house, especially with the way that they died.  Do you mind helping me get across, Hank?”

“Did Levi Richardson tell you?”

“Levi? No, haven’t seen him all day.”

“Don’t lie to me Jake; I’ve known you for far too long.  We’ve decided to prohibit anyone from crossing the bridge.  No one in or out unless it’s an emergency, and Levi told you about our decision.  Old man Richardson sent word that the boy didn’t come home after church.  We all know where he went.”

“Okay, so I lied.  You’re right – I admit it.  You’re right on two points though, you’ve known me for far too long; far too long to treat a friend this way, Hank.”

“It’s nothing personal.  It is what it is.  We have to protect our own. We can’t let someone like you, someone that knows this place so well, leave and compromise everyone else’s safety.”

“You have my word, my oath. I will never return and will never mention this place to anyone, ever.”

“That’s just not good enough Jake. I can’t let you leave.  It’s been decided.  Now please, just go home.”

Jake exhaled deeply and moved his right foot into position, slightly ahead of his shoulders.  He leaned forward and put his weight on the front foot.  He rested both hands on his hips before speaking again, this time much more forcefully.

“How long have you known me, all of you?”

“It doesn’t matter, Jake it-”

Jake cut the man off as he raised his voice to a shout, “I said - how long have you known me?”

“Umm, maybe eight years?”

“Ten years, Hank.  Ten years.  How many times have we shot together behind your barn?”

“I don’t know; a lot.”

“That’s right a lot.  Tell everybody here how fast my draw is.”

“It’s pre-”

Before Hank could finish the sentence, Jake had drawn and leveled the revolver even with his head.  The man began stammer.  Jake snarled once again, now in complete control of the encounter.

“Damn it, Hank!  Is this what it is now?  Do I kill you in front of our friends?  Do not, nobody, do not move, or I will kill Hank McCaskill right where he stands.  Understand?”

The three men nodded.

Jake continued, “I know what you’re thinking, because I’m thinking it too. I can’t kill all three of you.”  Jake grasped the radio with his other hand and pressed the button.  “Geram, if I shoot, I want you to kill everyone left standing.  Except me, don’t kill me.”

“Wilco.”

He could hear Kate screaming in the background of the broadcast.

With his point well made, Jake exhaled deeply and spoke in a more reserved voice.  “I’m going to ask each of you to, one at a time, put all of your weapons on the ground in front of you.  Then, you’re going to take ten steps back.  After that, I’ll have Geram pull ahead.  We’ll pat you down and then Hank will get on the tractor and lay those cross ties across the gap.  Then, we leave.  Once we’re over the gap, you’ll remove the cross ties.  We’ll leave your weapons on the bridge and you can come get them after we’re gone.  Understood?”

The men quietly nodded and did as was ordered.

Jake radioed Geram and he pulled the Bronco forward.  Hank climbed onto the tractor and pushed the creosote railroad ties over the trench.  Geram gathered up the men’s weapons and placed them on the front passenger seat of the SUV.  Jake followed behind on foot as Geram pulled the Bronco across the trench and onto the bridge beyond.

Jake paused for a moment and turned to face the men.  “I’ll always remember this night, Hank.  This is the night this town went mad.  Not when Sam Coleman murdered Frank and Margaret, it was tonight. You probably hate me right now.  You probably want me dead.  I want you to know something, I couldn’t’ve pulled that trigger.  Geram would’ve killed you, no doubt in my mind, but I couldn’t have done it.”

Jake cleared his throat and continued, “We’re living in a time that’ll be remembered for ages, believe me.  How we live, how we treat our neighbors, it’ll all be remembered.  We’ve been shoved into a forge, but we’ve a choice; we can melt into something that has no resemblance of who we were, or we can rise up and allow our imperfections to burn off and leave men of substance in its place.  It’s our choice.”