Chapter 57
“I reckon I could help you look fer 'em, if you could stake me and my Ma to a few groceries,” Don said, “Ma hadn't had nothing to eat for a few days either.”
“Where is your mother,” asked Ann, Can you take us to her?”
“We's staying in a big culvert over by the highway,” said the boy, “bandits burned our house down and kilt my Pa.”
“Take us to her now,” Terry said in a no nonsense voice, “We can finish our search later, but right now, we need to take care of your Mom.”
“Now look her, Mister. I appreciate you feeding me and Ma, but I am taking care of her. I'm all she has.”
“Of course you are Don, I just meant we can help,” said Terry, trying to repair the damage to the young boy's ego.
“Let's go then, y'all can foller me in your truck. It'll make it just fine.”
Max and Ann went inside the culvert and found the woman severely dehydrated and in poor condition. They immediately gave her some water and Terry started a fire to make some lunch for the woman.
“Nothing heavy,” said Ann, “maybe some soup or broth if you can make some. She doesn't need anything heavy in her stomach at first.”
The woman was wary of the newcomers, afraid they were of the same ilk that killed her husband and burned her house, but her hunger was stronger than her fear, and after being assured Don had eaten, she quickly set upon the bowl of chicken broth that Terry had prepared from bullion cubes.
“You might not want to eat that too fast,” suggested Ann, “It might not settle on an empty stomach.”
“You're right,” said the woman, “I just can't remember the last time I ate anything. I always make sure Don eats before I do and if there is anything left, I eat. Don, has been doing all he can do to find food for us, but that gang that came through here took just about everything. What they didn't take, they burned. Just hateful people. They killed Don's father when he tried to protect us. They wanted to take me with them, but Don and I managed to escape. We have been hiding ever since.”
“I am going to set up the portable shower so you and Don can get cleaned up, then you two are coming with us. We have a farm not to far from here and there is plenty to eat. Plenty of work too, when you are back up to speed. If it is not to your liking, we will take wherever you want to go, within reason,” said Max.
“Don, you get in the shower first and scrub up good. While you are in there we will try to get your clothes a little cleaner. We will get you some new ones as soon as we can.”
Don's mother, whose name was Melody, started washing the boys clothes as soon as he took them off. They were little more than rags and started coming apart as she washed them. The tired mother broke down and started crying, both from the anguish of her son having nothing to wear and from the relief that finally, there was hope.
“Honey,” said Ann, “We have all been there. These people that live where we are taking you are the kindest people I have ever met. They took us in when we had nothing and now they are providing us with a vehicle and provisions, so I can see if any of my family made it. Your life will be very different from now on.”
Terry provided Don with a towel and a Tee shirt, promising to get him some clothes as soon as they could. Melody took her turn in the shower and the group broke camp and repacked the truck ready to hit the road as soon as Melody was dressed in the clothes that Ann shared with her.