Jebidiah story chap 1

ChapterOne-Jebidiah
Northern Territories (formerly Indiana)


          The rising sun cast shadows over the lone horseman, as it dispelled the dark amongst the ruined buildings of the dead city. The forest had reclaimed most of the streets and houses, but the shells of skyscrapers still rose impossibly high above the canopy of trees. Jebidiah Clinton, sun warming his weathered face, couldn't stop the chill he always got when he viewed the remnants of the former empire. Sitting on a hill overlooking the ruins, astride his horse and only companion, Jeb was lost in thoughts of the past.
         A loud squawk broke his revere, as a blue jay flew past him. He looked down at his hand, carefully lowering the hammer of his .357, unaware of when he drew it. Chastising himself for letting his mind wander, he took a moment to check his gear and reposition his rifle. His long black and olive green coat whipped around his legs and tugged at his brown baseball cap. He removed his cap to wipe the sweat from his slightly balding head. After taking a swig from a canteen, he poured some over his face, water dripping from his beard.
          "I must be getting old Jessica, daydreaming like that," Jeb said with a chuckle, patting her neck."Kinda thing could get us killed. I didn't see any signs of anyone around here lately, but did find some large cat tracks, so you keep your eyes open."
          More alert, they picked their way through the underbrush and down the hill, toward the outskirts of the city. The streets, though overgrown with grass, weeds and bushes, were still passable through the collapsed houses and vine-covered cars. Jessica snorted and shook her head, causing Jeb to pause and scan his surroundings, listening for noises. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and let his senses take over. He had a knack for sensing trouble before it happened. Once he was sure they were alone, he clucked to get Jessica moving again.
          "Don't worry girl, we're alone here. We still gotta ways to go. This area's been picked clean long ago, so we're going to the heart of this here city and do some big time scavenging."
          The sound of Jessica's hooves on the thin layer of soil, crunching over the asphalt, mixed in with the songs of birds and insects. A rustle in the bushes betrayed the presence of small animals, as they skittered underfoot. Crumbling buildings rose far above the foliage around them, as they made their way downtown. The journey was uneventful, except for a small pack of wild dogs trailing them for a while. After he took one down with his crossbow, the rest lost interest. The sun was at its peak by the time they stopped to make camp.
          Jeb chose what used to be a park to make his camp, giving him plenty of open space to keep watch while he ate. A small pond had formed around a dilapidated fountain, providing water for him and Jessica. After lunch, he hid his gear and supplies in a tree, unsaddled Jessica letting her roam free knowing she wouldn't wander far, but still be able to escape if predators approached. Well armed, backpack full of equipment and empty duffle bag strapped across his back, Jeb walked out of the park, crossed the street and headed downtown.
          He walked in the middle of the road to avoid any falling debris from the decrepit buildings, as the occasional loud crack or loose crumble could be heard. Also, the dark alleys and doorways could hide a potential animal or human ambushers. He quickly passed the buildings he'd already searched and looted. He saw a strange shape poking up from some rubble and went over to investigate. It was two arches on top of a pole that had fallen over. He saw the outline of letters underneath the arches. Wiping away the grime he read the word McDonalds. Jeb thought it funny that he knew a McDonalds family. He wondered if they were related to this famous McDonalds fella.
          Moving on, he found a promising building, examining the structure for stability before entering. It was what was called an apartment building in the old days. It was hard to believe that so many people lived here, as in a small village now. He worked his way through the first few floors, navigating the rooms and stairwells. He didn't find a lot, as people took most of their valuables with them when they fled the city. He did gather some jewelry and mechanical parts. Deciding he was wasting time here for such a small gain, he went out on a fourth floor balcony to get a good view of the area. He saw some stores that looked interesting. As he turned to re-enter the apartment, the balcony shook, and with a loud crack, the balcony broke away from the wall. Jeb fought to keep his balance, as he stumbled against the rail. Pushing off it, he jumped at the opening in the wall, as the balcony fell out from under him. Landing chest high in the hole, Jeb scrambled to grab something, as he slid back out. With a desperate lunge, he caught hold of the broken ledge with a hand, as he tumbled over the edge. Cursing his luck, he dangled fifty feet over the street. After getting his breath back, Jeb began to swing his body gently, arms already burning. On the fourth rotation he reached up with his other hand, catching the lip. Slowly and painfully, he pulled himself up and into the room.
          He lay sprawled out on the floor, sweating and breathing heavily. Fuck that was close, he thought. He felt at his left shoulder, checking for damage, but it was hard to tell when he always felt tired and sore. He stayed there another five minutes, settling his nerves, before leaving the apartment. For the rest of the day, he moved store to store, filling his duffle bag with trinkets, tools, materials and other small items valuable for trade. He wandered the heart of the city marking possible locations for a future expedition he was planning with some local communities. He targeted banks, supply stores and other areas ripe with precious materials. With enough manpower and vehicles, they could gather enough resources to sell to keep him supplied for years.
          By the time Jeb had a full bag and finished his scouting, the sun was low in the sky and shadows began to fill the city. He hurried to get back to camp before dark. By the time the sun set, beans were cooking over the fire, his hammock was hanging in the tree and Jessica was munching on some oats.
          "Well girl, I think I got us some nice goodies today. We should have enough to resupply, buy you some apples and hopefully procure us some ammunition. You know my motto-You can never have too many bullets, "Jeb was silent for a while as he stirred the beans and added some salted pork. "I think we'll try south a bit. The towns up here haven't had anything interesting lately. I know what you're thinking, that closer to the river the more dangerous it is."
          He put some beans in a metal cup and sat back down. He continued his conversation with Jessica while he ate. "Well, you're right. It would be dangerous. Should be safe as long as we're quick about it. We need the funds. We earn enough to arrange this expedition with Stan, and we'll be set for years. I gotta find the workers and trucks. It'll be a big enough score to set us up for years. Maybe we travel west, join a community that never heard of Jebidiah Clinton."
          After adding some wood to the fire to keep the chill at bay, Jeb settled against a log and took a few sips from his flask, also to keep the chill at bay. Though he would never get drunk out in the wild, a little whiskey at night really took the edge off. Staring up at the stars, he let the sounds of the forest fill him, making him one with the night. This awareness probably saved his life as he noticed a slight change in the park surrounding him. A change in the insect's noise, a branch moving opposite the wind, a twig snapping, were all subtle signs only an experienced woodsman would note.
          As soon as he heard the growl out in the darkness, he scrambled on all fours to the fire and pulled out a thick branch, ablaze at one end. He backed toward his saddlebags hanging over the hammock, where he carelessly left his guns. Acting on instinct, Jeb swung the log at a hint of movement, striking a wild dog leaping for his throat. Sparks showered him, as the dog yipped and tumbled into the brush. More growls were heard around him, just outside the light. Prowling around the edge, several medium sized dogs, drooling and snarling, almost mad from hunger, surrounded him.
          A large yellow dog charged from the front, snapping at his legs and dodging back, before Jeb could connect with his burning club. As he tried to recover from his wild swing, another dog slammed into the back of his legs, biting for his hamstring. Though his thick pants and boots kept him from suffering more than superficial lacerations, he was knocked off his feet and lost his grip on the branch. Two of the beasts rushed in, teeth flashing. Putting his boot into the closer one's open jaws, Jeb drew his hunting knife, slashing at the other. Jaws clamped down on his wrist, as well as his ankle, both dogs tossing their heads fiercely. As the knife dropped from his hand and he struggled to free himself, the big one moved in for the kill. Jeb couldn't help but be amazed at the stregth and speed of the beast as its slavering mouth full of sharp teeth filled his view. He screamed, unable to avoid the one hundred and fifty pound missile hurtling at him, until a black flash and crunching noise replaced the yellow fur and growling maw, as Jessica's kick sent it rolling limp. Jessica, still struggling against the rope tying her to the tree, stomped until she crushed the skull of the dog attached to his wrist.
          Dragging himself across the ground, the other dog teeth still clamped on his ankle, Jeb crawled until he could reach his holster. Jerking it down off the hammock, scrambled to draw the gun. Once he had the pistol firmly in his grip, Jeb relaxed, carefully moving the gun to press against the dog's head and pulling the trigger. A few more shots chased away the rest of the pack, returning the camp to silence. After lying still a few minutes to catch his breath and listen for any retuning canine attackers, Jeb crawled back to his saddlebags and took out his meager medical supplies. He looked over his wounds, making sure nothing serious got severed or any tendon damage in his wrist. Satisfying himeslf with his limited first-aid training that nothing was crippling or life-threatening, Jeb used the last of his homemade dysinfectant and wrapped his wounds in clean, but stained bandages. Nothing to worry about now, except infection or rabies, and he couldn't do anything about that until he got to a town.
          He checked Jessica carefully, looking over each leg. Limping around the camp, he packed everything and got things ready to leave at first light. Once everything was set and the fire fed, he took the time to brush Jessica and gave her a dried apple.
          "I guess we ain't getting no sleep tonight, but all things considered, we got lucky. I gotta thank ya, Little Lady. You saved me again. I tell ya, we gotta find us a place to live before our luck runs out."
          Later that morning, tired from losing a night's sleep, Jeb rode drowsily through the forest. He was keeping off the main roads, riding parallel to one, staying far enough into the trees to avoid being easily seen. He realized he was feeling a bit feverish and shaky and should probably get some medicine or see a doctor. The closest town that was safe for him to visit was about fifty miles to the northwest, and the short cut, would take him through the heart of the woods. Though a more dangerous route, time might be against him, as he was getting weaker. He guided Jessica away from the road and kicked her into a trot.
          By noon, the sparse woods became deep forest, forcing Jeb to follow animal trails, gullies and streams to navigate the thick foliage. As he was crossing a small creek an intense shock of pain lanced through his brain. His body shook and convulsed as energy coursed through him. Briefly, he saw a small framed, blonde man looking at him with concern in a dark smoke filled room. In another flash of pain, the vision is gone and he slid off Jessica, barely conscious, landing in the shallow water.
          By the time he was fully aware, Jessica was nudging Jeb gently, standing over him protectively. It took him several minutes to shake off the effects of whatever that was that hit him. Sitting in the water, he tried to make sense of what just happened to him. He had a vision or a memory that wasn't from his life. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time he'd had mental problems of this sort, but they'd never knocked him out.
          Jeb used Jessica to pull himself up and out of the water. He tried to mount up, but his head was spinning so badly, he knew he couldn't continue on. Finding a good campsite, he built a fire, took off his clothes and hung them up to dry. Jeb wrapped himself in a blanket, ate a cold meal and drifted off, thinking of the first time his mind touched another.


          "Sergeant Clinton, you and your squad should be very proud or yourselves today. Your bravery and sacrifice is what keeps the State strong and free," Captain Harris stated in his firm but soft voice.
          Though this should be the high point of his military career, Jeb was having trouble paying attention to the captain. For the past week or so, he's had a buzz with no source in his head. It came and went, varied in intensity, but always was worse when there were more people around. Today, with the large crowd of his squadron, their families and other soldiers from the base behind him, it hurt. A lot.
          "Your successful completion of this mission against the insurgents has saved lives and struck a blow to those who would disrupt the order of legal government and endanger the freedoms of our people."
          Jeb tried to focus on the captains words and shake off the distortion in his brain. Strangely, as he concentrated on it, he swore he heard some words interspersed in the static in his mind. Soon, the words came in pairs, then fragments.
          "...}could get promoted..."
          "Man, I'm hungry...how long..."
          "Mom's gonna be proud..."
          "...saved me..."
          "...get laid tonight..."
          "Are you alright, soldier? Is it your injury?"
          Jeb realized he was shaking his head and growling. Pulling himself together, he took a deep breath and made a greater effort to pay attention to the ceremony, and block out the other voices.
          "Sorry, sir. Still a bit woozy."
          "No apology necessary, son. Anyone taking a bullet for the State can be forgiven for not being in top shape," the captain said with a slight grin."We'll keep it short. Jebidiah, I'm proud to present you with the Free State of Kentucky's highest honor, the Blue Grass Medal of Valor for your exceptional service."
          Thunderous applause rolled over Jeb, giving testament to his popularity among his fellow soldiers. He still felt dizzy, but managed to remain stoic as Captain Harris pinned the medal to his chest. Stepping back and nodding, the captain saluted and stuck out his hand. Saluting back crisply, Jeb took his hand in a solid grip. In a sudden shift, the electric feeling in his head flowed out of him and into Captain Harris. Jeb seemed to drift toward the captain, their minds fusing together for a second. His thoughts became confused, out of his control. He saw people he didn't know, places he'd never been, but they felt familiar. The disjointed memories faded, and were replaced by the words of Captain Harris, hollow and echoed. Though he heard the voice clearly, the captains lips didn't move, mouth frozen in a tight grin.
          "This will mean a promotion for sure. Torching that village in the outer territories will open up thousands of acres south of the river, and I'll get to claim my share. Add in the bounty for new slaves and I'll be rich in no time, maybe even get to join one of the Five Families. This squad will get me..."
          In a flash, Jeb's mind was his own again, but he knew his life was forever changed. Other secrets came to him this way, though he made no effort to discover them. Try as he might to ignore this sickness or curse, or whatever was happening to him, he couldn't as it became more pronounced. He avoided contact and crowds, isolating himself as much as possible, but whenever he let his guard down or was forced into interacting with officers or community leaders, he would hear their thoughts or see a memory. He found his whole life, and the State that he loved, was a lie. And the more he learned, the more he couldn't help but delve deeper, and the more it crushed his spirit and everything he believed in. The dark road he'd walked since then had led him to a life of solitude, where his thoughts were his own.


          With a start, Jeb awoke, looking around in alarm, not remembering falling asleep. He relaxed as he recognized the usual sounds of the forest and no obvious threats. From the position of the sun, he knew only about an hour had passed, but besides his aching ankle and wrist, he felt refreshed and energized. He washed his wounds in the spring water, applied some salve and rewrapped them. Jeb found Jessica about fifty feet away, munching contently on a bush. For some reason, he did feel better after his brief rest and visit to the past, but he also felt something drawing him to the south, to the place he swore he'd never return. Though it nagged at him, he ignored the urge to follow it. Jebidiah Clinton determined his own path. He went north.