Homeland by Nathan Jones

Author:Nathan Jones [Jones, Nathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic
Published: 2018-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Getting Started

Tom slept like a rock for the rest of the day and through the night. He was barely aware of the others eating dinner in the other room that evening, or of Kristy joining him for bed and snuggling against his back a little while later.

Thanks to going to bed in the early afternoon, and finally letting himself catch up on sleep, he was up a few hours before dawn. He slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his wife, and made his way over to lean down and kiss Molly in her crib, regretting that he'd had so few chances to see his daughter lately.

Then he pulled on his boots and coat, grabbed his gear, and made his way outside. He wanted to see if Mitchells was awake and coordinate a few things with him, then find a good spot to use as a shooting range and begin getting ready for the volunteers to arrive. But first, he figured he should remember his responsibilities and check the livestock.

Tom wasn't sure why he was surprised when a dark figure slipped out of the retreat to join him before he'd gone ten feet. “Oh, so now you're eager to get up early?” he asked Skyler dryly.

His adopted son sounded irritated when he replied. “I want to volunteer. You didn't give me a chance to talk to you about it yesterday.” Something in the teenager's tone made it clear he was leaving unsaid, “and you didn't let me go after Bradshaw with you, either.”

He bit back a sigh. “How's the head?”

“Fine. Mom checked me yesterday morning and last night, and I still have no signs of a concussion or anything.”

“Good.” Tom started for the corrals, the teenager quickly falling into step beside him. “Let's take care of the livestock first, and then we can go talk to the Sheriff. After that you can help me find a good spot for a shooting range.”

In spite of the darkness, he could see Skyler's surprise in how his posture changed. “Really? That easy?”

Tom smiled grimly. “I was thinking our people out on patrol could be doing something useful with their time along with searching for Sangue, like setting and checking snares, and foraging. And they'll need to learn to shoot and stalk unseen on these slopes. How'd you like to help me with training?”

His adopted son's shoulders straightened with pride. “Sure! And you'll let me fight Sangue if they come sniffing around?”

Not in a thousand years. “We'll see. That's a conversation we'll have to have with your mother.” Which was as good as a “no”, since she'd be even less eager to send her fourteen year old son into danger than he was.

The teenager seemed to realize that, although to Tom's surprise he didn't make an issue of it right then. Probably just happy he was allowed to take part at all. “So . . . what are we doing first?”

“Like I just said, chores.” His adopted son made an impatient sound, and Tom smiled.

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