The Dancing Man, Redemption and Shifters by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

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4. Someone new

Before winter, I need to make a long run. We need to make sure that we have books, especially emergency medical. Medical supplies from simple pain relievers to some of the hard drugs. More soap, those three go through it fast. There are other things to pick up. I haven’t told them but I want to pick up a television and DVD player.

Jackie and Kathy can defend this place and it will only be a few days. Reluctantly they agree. I told them that it was only a trip to the nearest superstore and back.

Or so I thought.

I drove for most of the day and found one of the superstores. That is not the only thing I found. I started loading the pharmacy section when I was startled by a young voice.

“Can you help my daddy? He won’t wake up.”

There, before me is a child. The boy can’t be much older than Julie. He takes my hand and leads me to the back of the store. There was his father. I could tell at a glance that he had died but I went over to make sure.

To soften the blow, I checked him, shook him and asked him to wake up. All the time I knew. Finally, I had to tell him.

“I’m sorry but your daddy has died.”

“Oh, he’ll never wake up like mommy didn’t?”

“Yes, but I will look after you. I have a cabin with a grandma, a daughter and a granddaughter about your age. I have a few more things to get. Would you like to help me and then go to our home?”

He nods and tells me that he will help.

“I’m Lenny. What’s your name?”

“I’m Frank”

It is a sad fact in this new world that death is accepted so easily. I will not push it but he will be a good addition. A playmate for Julie. Right now, she only has adults.

He helps me get all that I need. I filled quite a few carts with the clothes especially the children’s clothes, shoes and under ware. I’ll come back for the television later but I

need to get him home. One last stop in the store. The toy section. I have Frank pick whatever he wants while I get more for Julie.

Again, a couple of days trip turned into a night time return. It is well after everyone went to bed. I pull up and unlock the main gate, pull in and lock the gate again. I’ll unload in the morning but I carry Frank into the cabin. He is sound asleep.

The truck coming in woke both Jackie and Kathy. They open the door and are frantic with the fact that I am back early, but more importantly, I have a child with me. They light the lamps and take possession of my bundle.

The two get him undressed and washed up. They emerge with a clean boy that looks like he has found heaven. They got him something warm to eat and then sleep grabbed hold of him. They set up the couch for him but I know that I will need a bed and make a room for him in the corner of the big room.

Once he fell asleep, I told them of finding him in the store. How he asked me to wake his father and found that he had died. “I could not leave him there. I did figure that he will make a good playmate for Julie.”

Jackie tells us that he can sleep with her until the room is finished but since they are both young, they can both sleep in the new room. They won’t be of that age for a while.

That will give us time to make an addition to our home.

I’ll unload the truck in the morning. There is enough in the town for me to make that room. There should be bunk beds somewhere there. For now, all I want is to sit in my recliner and sleep. They go to bed also. Frank is in the same room as me so it will be alright.

It is a strange morning. Julie is tugging on my sleeve.

“Grandpa, did you have a baby?”

There sleeping on my lap is Frank. He must have woken up during the night and climbed into my lap to sleep.

“No, I did not have a baby. This is Frank. He was in the store that I went into. His father wouldn’t wake up, so he asked me to help him. His father had died. I brought him home to be part of our family. I need you to help him to feel welcome here. Show him around and tell him the rules you follow so well.”

She is delighted and ran over to her mom.

“I got a new friend, mama. Have you seen him yet?”

The sounds have roused Frank from his slumber. Julie comes right over and announces that she will show him where to wash up. They run off hand in hand.

Taking this opportunity, I go to the truck and get out the children’s clothes. Three big boxes later, the two women have picked out new clothes for them both. Matching sets, right down to the shoes and sox. His set is one size larger.

Both proudly come out with their own fashion show. We all praise them and they get a pancake breakfast. Then they set out. Julie wanted to show him all that was outside.

Especially the swing slide set that I made for her. She is really very happy. She needed someone of her own age.

They did stop and help me unload but got very distracted by the plethora of toys. I found out that I was out of touch. She was enjoying the ones that Frank was sharing more than the ones I picked out. What the heck do I know, I’m grandpa. I fix things.

All the medical supplies are in a locked cabinet. Food in the pantry, clothes inside being sorted, and soon I again have an empty truck. I run into the town and scavenge.

First the lumber yard for the room. Again, with their forklift, I take most of the studs they have. I will be making that addition so why just take only what I need for the room. I always have one of those moments when I build.

“No matter how many times I cut this board, it’s still too short.”

I have enough paneling to do two rooms but when I make the addition, I’m going to remove this room so why not paneling. I also will build in the beds.

Scavenging I actually have fun. Most people fled. They took the strangest things. The vast majority of houses do not have personal photos. A favorite nick knack and other odd things. I can only shake my head when I find, in the same house, full pantries and firearms. I thank the people and I take them.

Upon my return, I have two helpers. It is fun to watch. I have set up a few logs to set the studs on to keep them off the ground. I will carry multiple and set them where they go. I am followed by the two, who jointly, are carrying one eight foot stud. By the third one, I could tell that they were bord with this. I decided that we needed a break for refreshments. My helpers agreed.

I finished alone. They needed to do something elsewhere.

They were delighted with their new room. Especially with the fact that there were bunk beds. They each had dressers for their clothes and the rest of the walls were floor to

ceiling shelves for their toys and books. They even did not fight as to who had upper and lower beds.

Just to satisfy the women, the bunk beds had only a port hole access. The front was a hinged wall. It opened horizontally so linen could be changed but was securely locked in place. I had cut many face sized holes to allow peeping in and out.. Their head could not fit through.

Soon, the seasons changed. It was our first winter here. We were prepared. Since we had the propane appliances, the propane trucks, it only made sense to install a propane generator.

It actually was simple, since I have the tractor. The propane depot had the generators. I took them both. The spare is stored in the tractor shed. Now, no more filling the gas generator. Winter requires that we run the electricity all the time. Lights, water pumps and the ignition for the propane water heater and furnace.

The most important winter need, I found a good big screen and DVD player. There was a large selection of DVDs in all the houses. Cartoons, action, comedy, you name it, we have it.

Leave it to the kids. It started to snow. They were out in it but had to come back in. They learned a lesson. It’s cold out. You need coats, hats and gloves. We also went out and had a ball. Finally, the cold crept in and all went back inside. Hot chocolate and cartoons.

The whole winter went like that. We still had to hunt meat but we also had stock in the freezer and other preservation methods. Still the first winter was long.

5. Spring surprise

After a long winter, spring is hinting that it is coming. The first real indication is that the male song birds have returned and are staking out their territory. Things are starting to grow. After a long time locked up inside, all of us wanted to go out and enjoy.

Kathy wanted to see how the town faired. There is no reason not to. All of us wanted time to just be alone. Being adjunct mother to two children rather than the mother of just Julie, she really did need a day off.

She was gone for most of the day, when she got back, she was not alone. There were two children and a woman with her. They all get out. Kathy starts.

“Before you say anything, we need to get some warm food going for these three. I found them in one of the houses in town. They were down to starvation rations. Mom, you and I remember those times before grandpa came back.”

She said It that way because Frank and Julie were outside with us.

“I went into the house and found them hiding. I could not just leave them there. We can fit them in. Lenny, she is a carpenter. I told her that you were going to add on to the cabin. That way, it will go easier. We can talk about this later. They could use a good bath, some new clothes and a good meal.”

What can I do? We go inside. I start the food going, some good soup, while Jackie and Kathy take our new residents to get cleaned up. Fresh and fresh, the new three come out and we all sit down to canned chicken and rice soup.

As we are eating, I ask their names. The adult is Audrey and her two twin daughters are Clara and Joan. They look a little older than Frank. I look to see Julie’s mind grinding at the two new additions and I swear that I heard a ding when she made her thoughts know to Clara and Joan.

“My grandpa has my grandma, my mom and now your mom. Now Frank will have me and the both of you. Grandpa, would you make two more beds in our room?”

She knows how to break a somber mood. We all are now laughing at her simple statement. She basically announced that we were now two equal harems. Three women to one man.

Frank is laughing but I don’t think he gets it. That’s okay because he will someday. For now, those four are getting sleepy. I take out my camping cot and it was made up for Frank. The twins tonight will sleep in his bunk.

After they are settled, the four of us sit in the kitchen and Audrey is brought up to speed on the arrangements by Kathy.

“You need to know this at the outset of Julie’s announcement. We are not in a harem relationship, sextually. Larry, for his own reasons, is celibate. We ask you to respect that. In the year that we have been here, he has never shown and inclination of being faking it.”

Audrey says that she will abide with that. “I’m actually relieved. Lenny, please don’t take that the wrong way. It is just that my mind, when I heard that from Julie, panic fell in. I thought that, if I did not comply, I would be thrown out or worse..”

She is visibly shaken. I put my hand on her’s and looked deep into her eyes.

“You are an attractive woman, just like these two. Don’t ever think that it will ever be a requirement for you staying here. You just have to abide by the rule that we all must agree to things that affects us all. Help out with the upkeep, the garden and you will be required to hunt.”

She tells us that it will be no problem following those rules. Audrey tells us that she loves hunting but she had to run fast to escape a gang. In the escape, she lost everything including her weapons. They were down to living off what they could scavenge. They went most of the winter on short rations. She hung her head when she said the pet food was half of what they had to eat.

“What do you think us old folks ate, on our limited income?”

That caused us to laugh. I continued.

“You are alive. Those daughters of yours are alive. Tell me that the pet food did not taste good. Starvation is the best cook. That shows us that you have the fortitude to do what you have to do to preserve your family. You are welcome to stay here with us. Now, I have to add more bedrooms to that addition. We will need to hit the lumber yard. I heard they were having a sale.”

After more talk, Kathy told Audery that she would sleep with her. I went to my chair and drifted off to sleep. Dreams are mostly lost when you wake but most times you remember the bad ones. Most of my nights are the bad ones. The same ones. I know them.

I woke up and found Frank in my lap asleep. That hasn’t happened for a while. I nudge him and he looks at me with sleepy eyes

“They would not shut up. Those three talked until I got up and came here.” He fell asleep again.

“Have sweet dreams.” I whisper to him. I also drift off again. This time, I don’t remember the dream.

When I wake, Frank is gone and the three girls are having fun. I remember the other dreams.

Planting and the addition went well. With the extra help, the addition was as big as the original cabin. It was built right. Audry insisted on that. She saw my “functional”

construction of the children’s room and just shook her head. Now, I was the assistant but the addition was really well built.

One thing that she insisted on was a tower.

“We need it to be able to see any approaching person or gang.”

I went along with her reasoning. Her escape made it her defense reaction. Mine however, is not holding.

Jackie, Kathy and now Audery. All beautiful women. I find myself getting very angry with myself.

6. Confession

We have a peaceful place to live with the exception of a few predators. Jackie and the other ladies notice that, when I shoot the predators, I have such an angry face on me that it sometimes actually scares them.

It was a late summer evening, still warm but you could tell that there was a hint of fall chill when the breeze blew.

Jackie asked me if I would sit with her on the porch. Kathy and Audrey had put the children to bed but stayed inside. That seemed odd to me but it also told me that there was going to be a serious discussion. I feel I know what it is about.

I hope that I don’t ruin the good friendly relationship we have, but.

We were just sitting there when Jackie started to talk.

”I know that you said at the beginning that you would not have sex with me and I respect that. Of late, I have seen something different in you. Today, when you killed that wolf, I saw a look of anger in you. I have seen it before in you but today, it was primal rage I saw. That look scares me. What is wrong? Please tell me, I’ll listen.”

She now sees the look of deep remorse on me. I hang my head as I speak.

“I ask that you don’t interrupt me until I finish then I will accept what you feel about me. I have found that I like this set up with the three of you ladies here with me. Feelings that were deeply buried and I liked it that way, have been emerging. I hate myself for that. I was married to a wonderful woman. We were teenagers deeply in love. It was not a smooth ride. We had our arguments but most was a wonderful time. One day, we had a terrible argument and rather than staying and working it out, I left the house and went drinking.

I had one too many and there was a woman there that had caught my eye. I went with her and we had sex. That should have been the end of it but it didn’t end there. Even though my wife and I made up, I went back for the sex.

After a few times with the woman, she told me that I needed to get checked because she tested positive for a STD.

It broke me when I had to tell my wife that she needed to be tested. The look she had is burned into my mind and I still see the truly deep hurt of my betrayal. I had to do it because I tested positive. So did my wife.

We both got treatment. We both went to counseling. She got a prescription for her depression.

I came home one day, the home that she grew up in, that house that I lived in, and found that she had swallowed the entire new refill of her prescription. Thirty pills were enough. When I tried to wake her, she was room temperature.

The investigation report found that she had to have taken them midmorning while I was at work. The ruling was suicide. It was because I fucked up. I drove that wonderful woman to kill herself. I murdered her by my actions.”

I could not go further. It is a good thing that Julie is sound asleep and we are sitting outdoors. I stand up and walk towards the dark and again, like I do every time I even think about the sight of her on the couch, dead. I can’t erase that sight from my mind.

After a while, I came back and finished.

“I swore that day that I would not get intimate. I will keep that for as long as I live. I’m sorry if that goes against your feelings but it is the only reason that I did not put a gun to my head that night.”

Jackie is choosing her words carefully. She wanted to stop him but knew that he really had to finally relate his sorrow to someone. She now knows the man intimately. She speaks.

“I also need to relate my story. My husband was a volunteer fireman. Every call, he would gripe. “I don’t feel like it.” Every time I would remind him that he was needed. One evening a call came in. He said that he was not feeling right. I told him to go. Later that night, there was a knock on the door. It was the chief. He told me that my husband collapsed at the fire site. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The doctor told him that it was a widow maker heart attack. Then the words I hear all the time, if only he had gone to the hospital instead of the fire.”

She looks me in the eye.

“I live with that, but I live. Should have, would have, could have, are the most destructive words there are. If only, ranks right up there. But I have to say, if only he did not pull the routine every time, I would have taken him to the doctors or hospital. Yes I carry guilt but I live. No one can do anything about what happened even a second ago.

Isn’t it time to forgive yourself. Wouldn’t it be better to tell your wife, when you see her in the next life, that you are sorry and that you learned from it, never repeating the mistake. Then let her hear how you lived your life in tribute to her, in memory of her but you did not cut yourself off from life. Now I am going to give you a hug and I won’t stop

until you hug back. This is not an enticement to my bed. Far from it. It is an enticement to begin to live again.”

With that she hugs me. I want to resist but it has been a very long time since I have had a hug from anyone. Even though I want to resist, my body acts against my will and I finally hug back. I tell her thank you for understanding.

We break and head into the cabin. She goes to her room and I go to the recliner. I have a greater respect for her right now. I still do not want those other feelings that are creeping in. I have not let myself have those. It may come later but now, in the recliner, I have to fight the long overdue battle with myself.

7. The new day

The next morning, as usual, I woke in the recliner. The strange thing is, I remember vividly my dream. It was about my wife but this time she was talking to me. She told me that there was nothing to forgive. All that was left behind when she awoke in the new life. Then she held my hand and said that Jackie was right.

“Start living your life. I want you to come to me when it is your time and we will celebrate those seven additions to our family.”

She hugged me and told me that it was time to wake up and live.

I was smiling when the usual ones came in to wake me. Julie took one look at me and laughed as she announced that I must have had a good dream. All the women came in.

there on my lap was the four and I was telling them of my dream.

“You see, there was an old friend, a woman I knew that came to me in my dream. She was young and as beautiful as those watching us..”

I point to Jackie, Kathy and Audery. I smile and nod but continue with me tale.

“Before I met your grandma, I was in love with that woman but she left me suddenly. All this time, I have had her in my mind and felt sad at the thought of her. Don’t get me wrong. The three are the best thing to happen to me, but loss is sad. She came to me last night in my dream and told me that there is no sadness where she is. She told me that I needed to stop feeling sad and enjoy the seven that are my family now.”

I look at the children. “She was right, I love each and every one of my seven family. It seems like a great weight has been lifted off me. What do you say to me hooking up the trailer to the tractor and we drive around the trails to see all the beautiful sites.”

Jackie caught on to what I was saying.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea but first there is breakfast and a few chores to do.”

I groan along with the children. We all get up and eat.

I drove slowly. There were many things to see. It was Joan that saw something and asked her mother and pointed.

“Lenny, stop the tractor. Those are chickens. We need to trap them.”

Being quiet she made a few branch traps. Big enough for a few chickens to be corralled in. She then told us what to do. Each of us four adults will take one child and we will

slowly herd the chickens into the corral. Once we do that, she will make a large cage and we will bring them home.

“Eggs. We need to find another pig for bacon.”

We separated and slowly urged the chickens to go the way we wanted them to go. We had a bonus, the rooster was one of the ones we caught. By the time they were in the transport cage, we had hens and roosters.

As Audry was making that cage, I went back into the area and found the nests. I came back with eggs but also chicks.

“We will have to keep the eggs warm until I can see if they are fertile. With the chicks, hens and eggs, if they are fertile, we can set up a good roost and quickly have all the eggs we want.”

At times I almost feel redundant. When we got back, Audry already went to work on a coop and was going to make their run when I walked over to her. I told her that I had an idea for the run.

“If we make it so it can be moved around. They still would have almost a free range but at the end of the day, the run could be mated up with the coop.”

I could hear the gears turning. She came back with a modification to my idea. She said that if we but even the coop on wheels, we could move the whole thing from spot to spot. Damn, that’s an even better solution. We make it and it works fine. The chickens and rooster are happy. We figure that we can use a small heater for the winter.

Doing a light test on the eggs, only two had chicks developing. They decided to make cake with the eggs rather than just an egg. I will say that the decision went over very well.

Sitting, eating cake, a thought hit me. I decide to share.

“This cake is a real treat. Eggs are so very rare now that no one is raising flocks for the eggs. I bet that if we sent out a broad cast to start an exchange place where others could come and trade their goods for others, the chicks would be like gold was in the past. What do you think? What would we need that we would have to go out of our way to find?”

All sorts of items started to be voiced. If we had this, we could make that. Sugar, flour, spices, seeds. All things that we could use. Around a month later, those first chicks are now old enough to be trade. There are a few roosters in the mix. I figure that we would trade a rooster and two hens.

For the first time, I go out on a limb. I make a broadcast.

“Anyone out there. I used to be called the watchdog. I want to propose an idea to the north east community. I have chickens. I know you have items that someone else needs. Want to trade?”

The band lit up with people saying what they have and it was a good idea. Then the ultimate question. Where to set this up?

“I read that the mountain men used to meet once or twice a year to trade pelts for goods. It was always in a wide open space. All were armed, all were cautious but all respected each other. Try to cheat, steal or harm, they would shoot that one. I know of a state park that fits that description.”

Most know of it and finally we set a date.

A few days before we trap more chickens. Now we have around twenty more hens. Four sets of yearlings. Time to sit down and talk about the chance of a bad outcome.

“Kathy, you and Audrey are mothers to young children. You are staying. Audrey, you have shown that you have a good head on your shoulders. If something was to happen, you will take over.”

I turn to Jackie. “You’re going to watch these two, while I’m gone.”

“You are not going alone. I am going with you and you have nothing to say about it. We three have already talked about it., We have two AK’s now and side arms. We take the box truck and you will find that, last night, Audrey cut some holes in the sides, just in case. We are both coming back. You hear me?”

“I guess I don’t have a say in the matter, do I?”

“No you don’t” they all say.

Cages have been made and the chickens have been loaded. Attachments have been made for hammocks. It was going to be around three hours to the park. The time to start arriving was going to be mid morning and closing midafternoon. We planned to leave at night fall. That way we could park in a secluded area and watch for any sign of treachery. That is why the hammocks.

Everyone was up and wished us good luck. Frank asked me secretly if I found a boy for sale, buy him.. I laughed and told him that his three ladies would not like that. He said that I was right.

We left and made it to the park in the three hours. There was a truck rental place across from the park. Our truck would fit right in. It was like hiding a tree in a forest. We parked so we could see the field. There are a few camp fires going. A good sign. An ambush would hide themselves.

In the morning, people started to arrive. Quite a few. All could be seen as having rifles and side arms. None being held in threatening manors but there to say, don’t try anything.

Starting the engine, we drive in and park. People come over and address us before we get out.

One comes forward and asks “Do you come in peace?”

“I’m the watch dog, I proposed this meeting. I got the chickens.”

With that they relax. They get confirmation of who we are when they hear the chickens.

I immediately set the rules for them.

“Two chickens and a rooster are the set. I have yearling sets that should start laying in a few months. We have a list of what we are looking for and will post.”

There came a shout from one of the sellers and someone running. We hear.

“A thief, he is running away with my goods without trade.”

People were warned but there is always some dumb fuck that doesn’t learn. Shots rang out and he died instantly. We go over and find that he stole a pot. It was obvious that he had a woman and child with him.

She was afraid that she was next but I told her that he was the one that stole not her.

“If you abide with the rules, you can stay.”

She tells us that he was the last of the militia that lured people into radio conversation then killed those. “

“I met him after. If I had known, I would not have stayed. We just made it through the winter but lost everything. He said that he would be able to get what we needed. I am sorry.”

Jackie asks her what she was going to do now and was told that they had nowhere to go.

“Are you willing to live in peace? If so, we will take you and your son with us to our compound. If not, we will offer the sanctuary to your son and you can go where you want.”

She asks if we would take her son. “He is five and is so upset at always moving. I don’t want to settle just yet.”

I look at her son. He is around ten. I ask, “Your mom would like us to keep you safe at our home. We have another boy who is younger than you and three girls. Would you like to stay. Your mom wants to travel still.”

He said that he wanted to go with us. That was settled. I guess Frank has gotten his request.

Other than that incident, things went well. We got a lot of goods for the chickens.

Everything on our list. Some of the things that were thrown in to sweeten the pot, traded well. It was agreed that we should meet again in the fall.

As soon as we got int the truck, the boy told us something that hit us hard.

“My mother will be following us. She wants to take what you have. There are two men with her but she is the leader. She thought that I was asleep but I overheard her say the getting a rid of me was a bonus. That man was going to run and join the other two. They have a truck and will follow you. They placed something on this truck to let them know where you are. Please, I don’t want to die.”

To say that we are shocked is an understatement. I stop the truck and search the truck.

In the wheel well there was a small tracking device.

It is getting close to night time so I assure him that he will not die. There are several old roads in this area. We explored these areas for supplies. I tell Jackie that we are going to go to our farm house and stop.

“They will think that it is our base. We put a small candle in the house. Trim is so it only has around an hour. They will see the light go out and assume that we went to bed. That is when they will attack. We will be outside waiting for them to move”

“Son, I’m going to give you a new name. You are now Robert. Robert, I must tell you that we cannot let these people live. That includes your mother. We cannot let her live.

She would always be a danger.”

He looks at Jackie and hugs her. “Can I have you for my mom? I was told by her that I was a mistake and a nuisance. She never loved me.”

Jackie is smiling but I do need to watch him. I need to drive the point home. “Robert, do you understand that she will be killed? We will let you join our family so you don’t have to worry.”

With everything in place, we are in the shadows. The candle goes out. We hear movement. I hear muffled sounds. Jackie has her arms around Robert with her hand over his mouth. She motions with her head towards the ground.

There is a knife on the ground. All that he said and acted was a ruse. I did not see it but Jackie did. She mouths “Protect the family.” I don’t want to do this but it has to be done.

I hit him hard in the head, knocking him out. Now gagged and tied, we attack.

I was able to kill the two men. The woman surrenders and goes into the poor me routine. I bring out the unconscious boy like a tied bundle of firewood and dropped him before her. Throwing the knife at her feet, I am angry.

“You turned a child into a weapon. You thought that we would not know? You fooled me but not my wife. She saw through the ruse. You made me do this.” I hate this but I have to protect my family. I shot him.

She starts to curse me but Jackie looks at her, raised her pistol and yells at her,

“WHY DID YOU MAKE US DO THIS. THREATENING OUR FAMILY! You join that child and tell the gods how innocent you are.” She pulls the trigger and put a round through her had.

Jackie looked at me and hugs me. I was right. Death is to be accepted as a matter of fact. I was bothered that I had to shoot a child but that child had tried to stab Jackie. You cannot bring in someone like that into our four children.

After she lets me loose, she gets into the truck. So do I, after tossing that tracker on her body. We drive away.

“I did not feel any remorse when I shot her. I find that puzzling.” Jackie tells me. “She was the first human I killed but I do not regret it. They threatened family. There is something of greater importance, I’m your wife?”

Without hesitating, I stop the truck, take her hand and confess.

“That dream I told the children was real. I woke up. Not from the dream but from my past. A wise woman told me that I could not do anything about the past. I need to live.

When I saw that knife that was going to be used on you, I felt the horror of having that scene play in my dreams. That is why I could shoot that child.”

I shiver and swallow as I confess, “The fact I left out of my tale I told you on the porch was the fact that I was having the feelings for all three of you. I love each of you but you are the strongest tug on my heart. I never thought that I would feel this again. I love you.”

She looks at me with warm eyes, she kisses me but it was a warm soft kiss. Not a wild passionate kiss but a loving tender one.

“Let’s go home.” She held my hand as we drove the final hours home.

8. A new dawn

We arrived home after midnight. Once again, the truck noise woke Kathy and Audrey.

They came out to see us holding hands as we walked to the porch. They squealed with delight at the sight.

On the final way here, we had decided to tell the whole story. Not to sugar coat the cold hard facts. The two are incensed at the fact the even a child was turned into a weapon.

They tried to comfort us but Jackie told them that we did not need that.

“Family protects family. Both of you need to be prepared to protect and kill. This is a whole new world. At the meeting, we met wonderful people. One of the people stole and tried to run. They shot him. When we were leaving, they set gatherings for the fall and spring. I trust them.”

I now must add my revelation,

“I saw that knife on the ground and emotions that had been locked away for decades came flooding to the surface. I called Jackie my wife just before I shot the child. I have told her that I love her. I now tell the both of you, Kathy, I love you. Audry, I love you.

Sex may come later but now I want you to know that I could not picture my life without either of you.”

They are stunned silent. I got up and went to each and asked if I could hug them. It was a wonderful moment especially since there were young ears listening and came running in joining the hug.

“I love each of you. Julie, Frank, Clara and Joan. You are my children and I am your grandpa. Now, everyone to bed. We have a truck to unload in the morning.”

The next morning, I wake to see four sets of eyes looking at me.

“What?” I spoke.

Almost like a chorus, “We love you grandpa.” Then they piled on me.

We unloaded and now I went on the air.

“To all those who were at the meeting. That woman and child are now dead. She was the leader and trained the child to be an assassin. They put a tracker on my truck. She and the two other males attacked us. That child tried to stab my wife. All are dead. This is a warning to anyone that even thinks that they can fool us, think again. We will be at the fall meeting.”

Messages are coming in a flurry. All agree to the statement that this will not be tolerated.

Try and die.

Future meetings have gone well. Everyone takes turns to be guards. We do not just patrol the grounds. We go into the woods and make sure there is no one hidden. Now, I have sponsored a tournament. Sharp shooter. I have two sets of chickens as the prize.

Others now add prizes for the lower places.

This is also to show that we all are armed and will defend the peace. There have been couples joining and we have invited them to settle in the town. We help them to get started. All have the skills but extra help is always welcome.

This life in the new world is so much better. Everyone is armed and knows the primal fact.

“Family defends family.”

Shifters

I was really prepared for the financial crash. I followed all those who advised us to buy gold and silver. Almost all my wealth is in those precious metals. I was surprised when the worlds governments also collapsed. Now there is no monetary system.

The cities were the first to go to hell. Some people were able to get out but the remainder fell victim to the system that had built up over centuries. Food came from stores. Meat from the butchers. They knew nothing of how to grow food, how to hunt so most fell to the ones that devolved into a feral like gang.

Starvation, disease and gang violence decimated those who didn’t or couldn’t leave.

Gang wars broke out. Some of the smart gangs broke out into the suburbs. Those people left, abandoning almost all they had.

Since I put most of my money into survival wealth, I had failed to see that my aging SUV was vital in my scheme of things. I took my riches. I was smart. I found an abandoned house in the country side. I had those survival food buckets and such. I was prepared.

Or so the best web information told me.

My SUV died shortly after I settled in. Now I am on foot.

Much to my chagrin, the first time I went to a local farm to get food, I picked what would have been only less than one hundred dollars at the most, the farmer laughed at me. He looked at me and said,

“Meat, trade vegetables or ammunition, but the greatest wealth is in medical drugs and antibiotics. That gold, silver and gems are really worthless junk.”

He gave me a few wilted vegetables out of sympathy but gave me a warning, “Don’t come back without some of those trade goods. If you do, I will not hesitate to show you why ammunition is so valuable.”

I do get his warning. As I am walking away, I do see some bodies. He sees me and yells

“Poachers”

The only way I can get food is to start to scavenge. Finding out the hidden signal that was in my face, scavengers do not close the doors to a house after they are finished. I learned that the hard way by going days without eating.

The only thing I did with the open ones is to check for hidden places. That loose floor board, the cabinet walls in the corners, especially if they had those corner rotating shelves. Most of the time it was wasted time but that is all I have, time.

To throw others off, I did close and locked the doors.

With the lower population here, I soon found trade goods. Prescriptions especially. I needed a few but the others, especially those that were considered “recreational” the farmer made good on his trade.

I had another good trade haul for the farmer. I crested the hill only to see smoke rising from his house and loud talking. I ran away. Later on, when I thought it to be safe, I crept back. This time there was no smoke or any noise.

Finding it safe, I went down. There was the farmer dead. His house was burnt to the ground. It looked like he was robbed. I scoured the fields. Most of it was stripped but outlying areas had a lot that were still good. I found a garden pull wagon and was able to fill it. Mostly with the root crops.

I had carrots, onions, potatoes and turnip. Don’t like turnips but they are food. Hunger makes them taste better. There were some of the tomatoes, and other vegetables.

When I searched a pile of boards that I want to winterize my place with, I noticed something.

I have gotten used to looking for things that look out of place. Quite a few of the boards did not have the normal dust on them. Touching them, they were painted to look dirty.

Pulling on one, that whole pile easily lifted to reveal hidden stairs. Not hearing anything , I go down them.

At the bottom of the stairs was a very solid steel door. It was almost bank vault looking with a key lock. I searched the area for a hidden spot where he would have left the key.

Nothing.

It did occur to me that I would keep it with me at all times. I searched his body, found nothing. He had been beaten to death. His clothes had been torn but I noticed that there was a brown string that looked like it was under his pants. I undid his belt and loosened the fly. There were the keys. I cut them loose and then put the zipper and belt back in place. I did pull off the remainder of that string.

The key did fit the lock. I opened the door and found more stairs leading further down.

At the bottom of the stairs, which have to be another twenty feet deeper, there is another door. The same key worked in this lock. Opening it, there was a large storeroom. It has a bed, kitchen and bathroom. Thing is this is a real ware house. There

are enough canned goods to last years. There is also a refrigerator and freezer with enough meat and vegetables.

I’m getting my stuff and moving in. I lock it up and head out but this time I wipe my tracks away and throw some real trash onto the wood pile. It took a few trips but I am moved in. Since I am walking I can take my time approaching.

Getting familiar with my new abode, I find that there are some cameras. I can see if there is anyone around. I do find that there is another entrance. I check it out but the final door will not open. I do get the smell of burnt wood. It must be in the house basement.

Sure enough, looking at the remains of his house that is now only a cellar filled with burnt beams and ash, I can see the edge of the door. I was able to clear it but put some burnt beams in such a way as to be able to use it but let it seem like it is just a collapsed section. I need it as a potential escape route. I am comfortable here but I do not want to get too comfortable

You see, I do not know why he was attacked other than it was what he had growing.

Every time I go out, I spend almost an hour staring at those screens to see any movement. When I come back, I do a hidden circle around the area before opening. I am finding that I am becoming obsessed.

This life is no life. I have thought about it and now, I am moving out. For now, I have decided on something that I would have thought abhorrent a year ago. I was moving into the sewage treatment plant. It was surprisingly very clean inside. In the back of it were the work rooms. The good thing was that there were no windows.

Most of the weapons went into the storeroom there. Food supplies into the various cabinets. The bunker was cleaned out.

I was able to make a crude version of a periscope. A few mirrors and pipes that fit into the roof vent pipes. I was able to see all around. Not as fine as the bunker but it works.

The final thing was to lock the bunker but put the key in an area that a scavenger would find it. There were two keys on his belt string. I kept one and left the other. Finally, I gathered us as much fine powder as I could find. I mixed it with dirt then sifted it. I puffed it into the air in the bunker. It really looked like a lot of dust.

I had turned off the power and left some of the meat in the freezer. A few days and it would have that good death smell to it.

My new home was comfortable and I was more relaxed than in the bunker. I felt that I was as hidden as I needed. I had a bad feeling that there was a story out there that the farmer had a hidden bunker and would not give up the location.

He must have talked before all this but never told where it was. The loose talk got him killed.

I stayed away for a few months. I have heard a few cars in my wanderings but never investigated. Being a rural area, farms mostly, eventually the scavenging would play out and most would move on. So, finally, curiosity got the best of me. I had to see how the bunker was.

Being right feels good. The bunker was trashed. First thing was that whoever found it, got pissed. They found the key. It was still in the open door. The stench was overwhelming. Everything was broken in rage. They only found the rotten meat but that smell should have dissipated by now. I look around and find what is left of a female.

She looks to have been hung up by her arms. I don’t really have to look to hard. Her arms separated at the elbow, decay. She is on the floor and her hands are keeping the rest of the arm in place. I may want to reoccupy it for the winter so I have to leave her there until the last minute. I’m sure someone will come back. If she is moved, they will watch and wait.

I have to think this whole thing over. It may just be better to get a vehicle going and leave. Maybe find one of those militia groups but can you trust them. All the ones I had seen on the television were a tight knit group. They have been training for this for years.

No, I’ll go solo. I remember seeing documentaries on the ghost towns of the west that are empty.

My biggest thing is, other than the farmer, I have not had anyone to talk to since my last day at normal. That is the biggest thing. While avoiding those troupes is up there also. I have not seen any and would like to keep it that way. I never found out just who was responsible for this.

The problem is that the last time that we fought a uniformed enemy was the second world war. Since then, it has been the fact that the person next to you, could be the enemy.

There is one good thing about this farm area, pickups are plentiful. You can almost guarantee that most will be four wheel drive and used to cross country. I intend to stay off the pavement whenever possible. There are a lot of dirt roads. I have a good compass and a map.

By the time I got back to the sewer treatment plant, I had a ringing in my ears and my head was hurting. I thought I was dying it hurt so much. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped. Now I have an emergency message playing in my mind.

“You need to get out. They are closing in on you. The Jones farm two miles from here has a long bed, double cab pickup. It will start and there are four full gas cans there.

You need to pack up and leave today. They will be here by predawn. You will know which dirt roads to take but you must go north before nightfall. After that, they will have eyes on you”

This is fucked up! I have a moment of hesitation but then my body starts running towards the Jones farm. The large garage door was still closed but I just knew that it was not locked. In there was that pickup. It is exactly as described including the gas cans. There were a few things in the garage that I took. Chain saws and other things but since this was real, the rest of the warning is real. I drove back to my home.

It only took a few hours to load it and tie down the cover. I was off heading north and was able to put several hundred miles before dark. I knew just where that abandoned barn was that I spent the night in. By the morning, at first light, I was back on the road.

I heard a voice in the middle of the third night. It told me that I was going to find the cabin by noon tomorrow. I have been following this feeling for these days but this time it is a voice so I think that I need to question the voice.

As I thought that, I hear, in my mind,

“Go ahead and ask. You are now close enough to me so we can talk this way. Through thought.”

“You sound feminine. Why are you doing this to me?”

“The place you were in, that sewage plant was blown up just before dawn. They think that you have been eliminated.”

“Why come after me?”

“I will show you when you get here, my mate.”

“My mate?” I think but all I hear is a giggle. I guess I will need to find out when I get there. I never thought about it but all this warning, this truck. This truck is incredible. It had a full tank and I put the last can in before I went to bed. If I will reach the cabin by noon, I will get there with the needle on a quarter tank. That is better milage than the most fuel efficient car. This is a truck. Things are not adding up but I give up on figuring this out.

Mid morning, I hear that I need to turn off the dirt road and carefully drive up an old logging road. The brush will spring back and cover your tracks. I drive and hear “Turn left at the boulder.” So, I did.

It looked like it was just brush so I drive carefully slow through it . Curiosity, getting the better of me, I stopped a few hundred yards in and went back to the dirt road. Standing there, you would never find any sign that I drove through it.

“See, I told you so. Now get back into the truck. I’m an hour away.”

Doing just that, it was an hour more. In front of me, there is a beautiful woman standing and waving at me. The cabin was a very large one that rivals those that the rich built but they do not compare with this. I stop the truck and get out.

She comes running over, puts me in the tightest but most comforting hug that I can remember. Then came a kiss. After an eternity, she breaks and says,

“I missed you so much.”

“I love the greeting and thank you for saving me but, I’m sorry for this, do I know you?”

Not shocked in the least, but I was about to be, her body started to, lack of a better description, liquify and there before me was my neighbor. She was the little girl that lived next door. Then she became my cat that ran off the night before all this went down.

I am now sitting on the truck bumper. She looks at me kindly. As she touches my cheek she tells me that she is a shape sifter.

“I am from the future of this world. In that distant future, I am your mate, your wife. You sent me back to aid you. This war is an AI generated scenario it created for the war department but it carried it out in real time. A program you created. It still recognizes you as the biggest threat to it. It wants to complete the program. You sent me back to have you try to convince it that the program is complete and you want the analyses report.

You won’t be able to reverse this but you will be able to stop the program and then have it self destruct.”

“How do I do that? I was fired from that company. To get there would mean going back to the city. We would not make it.”

She leads me inside and there is an exact duplicate of my old company lab. It was so precise that I opened a drawer in my desk and found my smart phone that I forgot to take when I got the bum’s rush out the door.

I sit at the desk and started the computer. The AI greeted me as if nothing was wrong. I knew that this was going to be a simple task. I wrote the damned thing. I did put In pieces that were hidden commands for emergency purposes.

Now I put on the head set and talked to it. “The program has run long enough.

Terminate the present program and render the analysis report.” It did and I now have the report.

“Now I need you to run a new program. Run chocolate pie”

That is the last I heard from it.

She now tells me. “The laboratory that the AI was in has just been engulfed in flames, The AI is dead. You have stopped it.”

She is all over me.”

“I guess that all will return to normal now.”

“I’m sorry but it won’t. Now the harder task has just begun. We need to create a new normal. You see, the reason you sent me back was that we were the last two on the world. All the others, mutual destruction. You were dying. You see, we shape sifters are immortal. You are not. I lost you and I am not going to lose you again.”

She changes into a wolf and bit my arm sinking her fangs in so deep as to hit bone. I screamed and she let loose.

“Sorry, my love, but I did something that I should not have done unless I got permission.

I was given that permission. I had to bite hard. I injected some of myself into your marrow. You will be sick for a few days.”

I did not hear any more. I was out for three days. When I started to wake, she put a picture of myself into my mind. “Concentrate on that picture, good now sit up and look at your arms. Don’t be shocked, you are now a shape sifter. You still need to picture normal arms and hands.”

My arms and hands are liquid. I panic but she has not steered me wrong. I concentrate and the arms become normal. “Hot damn” is all I can say.

Now something very intimate happens.

“Just follow my lead.”

She says with a smile as she starts to liquify and merge with me. We are now one pool of liquid. I have had sex in my life but nothing can ever come remotely close to this. We truly are one. We no longer are separate shells going on skin sensations. We are complete.

After an eternity, she separates from me and returns to her female self. I, on the other hand, am trying to pull her back with my liquid arms.

“You need to reform. We will be able to do that anytime we want but now you need to hold your form. “

She said it in such a loving but stern way that I formed. I wasn’t the most handsome or the best built so when I formed, I was taller, hansom with a six pack that would win prizes. I flexed for her but she gave me such a look.

“That is not who you are. Not who I mated with. Go to the form I like.”

I deflated.

“That is the one that I love. Now I will never have to part with you. You are immortal.

Now you have the total picture.”

Shape sifters have always been here. Blended into the towns and towns. Usually as childless couples. Changing their shapes over time to simulate aging. They move on.

Over lifetimes we accumulated vast wealth but it was in a common pool that all equally shared in. That way, when you got old, so to speak, you sold your home and told everyone that you were moving to Florida. Our group would buy it and a young couple would move in. That was usually the originals just changed or another couple.

Then the AI went on its rampage. My mate knew that the Jones farm was one of theirs.

The couple received the word that this was going down and that my mate had come back to stop what was happening. They made sure that the good truck was there and that there was enough gas to get me here.

We have a good network.

I ask her, “This is going to be weird since you know me. What is your name?”

“This time it is Gilda and you are Tony but all you need to call me is your mate.”

“Well, hon, what are we going to do next?”

“Hon? I like that. We have a group meeting in a day. Since you are new to us, they will be coming here. We have the ability to jump. You have it now but the first one needs to be guided. Darling.”

For the rest of the day, she had me taking different forms. It got to the point that all I had to do is think about it. It now felt natural. Finally, I grab her and we melt together all night. Never in my entire life, which is now eternity, will I be able to explain it.

It was the sight of people just appearing that threw me. So much I still needed to experience. The first thing was the greeting. They all seemed to know me. They extended a hand for a shake and when I take it, our hands merge. It is intimate but not on the level that my mate and I have but it does relate our good intensions.

With that greeting, I now know that when I shake with a human, I will encounter a barrier that only a shape sifter will feel. That signals that I do not show myself. I shake hands.

There is a rather large group here now. All are welcoming me to the family. For the first time, I do feel like I fit.

“So, what’s the plan now that the AI is dead?” I ask.

Jared, the main speaker, tells me.

“We need to try to restore the peace. That means we need to start by spreading the word that the AI started all the trouble and has some troupes still out there.”

I ask “Won’t most of those, now that the AI is gone just disperse?”

Hon says “Their commander’s will try to keep control. Power loves to keep it.”

We discussed many options and each still did not address the root problem. So, I broached the subject.

“Being, up to a little while ago, human and shape sifters being eternal, humans are always at war. Always seeking power. As long as two are left, one will want what the other has and would kill to get it. I have found peace, true love, with my true mate. I would like to just stay out of sight and let humans go extinct.”

Jared asks, “What if we revealed ourselves?”

I stop him, “You would become the target. You would be accused of orchestrating the whole thing. Those serving the AI would join. We need to stay in the shadows. If we act, it must be in the human form. I would suggest that we find those who just want to live life in peace and look after them. We need to seek out those who are hostile and ambush them.”

The group is stunned because they now see that I really am right. There is more discussion but we cannot come to a consensus. I see an opening in this.

“I just want to say that this proves my point. We have discussed and had different ideas but I noticed one difference. By now humans would have had their tempers flaring and arguments would have broken out. There might have been fights. Jared and I had different views. I did stop him, for that I apologize, but neither of us got mad, Humans are the root cause. We really should step back into the shadows and watch. Step in only if it escalates to all out war. One thing, government arsenals around the world, is it possible to ruin the weapons in storage?”

I am told that it is possible for us to get to those. Jared turns into a rat and I get the picture. I do the same and all there applaud. He told me that they did know of all the locations. He did say that they did know where the nuclear stock piles are and have already been destroying the war heads and engines.

That is a big relief. We would not be affected by any of the effects of an explosion but eternity on a dead world is not an option that I would not want to contemplate.

Finally, we had a plan. Destroy the stored weapons making only a finite inventory of munitions. When the personal stock piles run out, it’s bow and arrow time and that won’t hurt us. That is the point when we step in and start to fix this mess. Until then, we keep ourselves hidden. Fight in the shadows to help the ones that just want to live in peace, concentrate on survival for their loved ones. We would be the crazy old wanderers the, for a meal, would tell tales and then leave. Forgetting a bag of seeds. That bag would make it so they would be able to increase their food supply.

All around the world, there was the same tale about a wanderer that is saving the families by leaving food seeds. Now the human leaches started to emerge. We had so easily forgotten that human’s envy, no covet, what you have. They will kill to get it.

Those are our target but we cannot get them all before they do kill. The first time Hon and I went to a family that was helped, we find a horrible sight. The whole family was mutilated. We knew this one. There was the parents and their teenaged son.

“Didn’t they have a younger daughter and son?” I ask Hon.

She says that they did and she yells out “Susan, Tommy, it’s Gilda and Tony. You know us. Please come out.”

While she is yelling, I cover the bodies. We hear.

“You aren’t going to kill us, are you? They killed mommy, daddy and big brother.”

“No darlings. We will take you to our home and you will be forever safe.”

They come out and run to Gilda crying.

Not to confuse them “Gilda, please take them home. I’ll be there shortly.”

Gilda now talks to them. “I’m going to show you a very neat trick. I’m going to show you how we get home.”

She opens a door and they are in awe when they now see our cabin. She takes their hands and steps through. They are safe so, I sent out a call for anyone in the area to come here. Soon a dozen shows up here and are just as incensed.

“These folk were brutally murdered for food. Hon has taken the surviving children to our cabin. We will take them as our children. I already know that my mate wants them.

These bodies were still a little warm. The ones that did this cannot be too far away. We need to find them and as wolves, we need to stop them.”

All agree. This is exactly what we need to do to protect innocents. We knew that we will not be able to save them all but this is how we prevent the next. We change into a flock of birds and fly in various directions. It was not long before we found them.

It was a group of both men and women. They were laughing, even making jokes on how easy their ability to find food. Then one woman laughed as she added “And entertainment.” Their weapons were the standard. Rifles, pistols and knives. Since we are basically living liquid metal, none of those will harm us.

We fly slightly ahead and reform as the most frightening wolf pack ever seen.

As they came into view, I and two others come out in front of them. While distracting them, the others surround them. To fuck with them, I shift into that buffed man I tried when hon shot me down.

“You need to know that we are the retribution species. You killed innocent people for food and fun. That was the last thing you will ever do.”

One of them unloads a full clip into me. All rounds hit me dead center but passed through me.

“Good grouping.” I tell him and then change back to wolf and tear him to pieces as all the others do the same. Unlike when I was bitten, we did not inject any of our essence.

That must be intentional. We made sure as to make them last longer but all blead out.

We destroyed their weapons.

I thanked my family for their help. “Just call out and I will be there. If you have the time, there are two children that I would like to introduce you to. I would ask permission to bring them into our family.”

They all agree but tell us that it must be at their twentieth birthday and by their consent.

I agree and we hear Hon agree. She also wants them to come and show them just who we are and that we will protect them. I open the door.

The two are on our porch and are having a good time watching all of us come through.

Much to their delight, we change into bunnies, cats, and other small animals, then back to people. I approach them and explain to them what we are.

“We are shape sifters. We can become anything we want to be. We are friendly but we can protect. Unfortunately, we cannot save everyone but we will avenge. We have killed those who killed your family members. You saw us as small friendly animals but we will now show you how we took care of those people so they never hurt anyone again.”

All of us change into those wolves. Much to our surprise, they both come down from the porch and hug each and every one of us in that wolf form. I now know that this course is right. We reform to humans. I go to them and let Hon tell them

“We have decided that, when you become twenty, we will ask you if you would like to become one of us. That will involve us biting you and giving you, through that bite, our abilities. You then will never die.”

They both seem disappointed. I ask them why.

They tell us that they want to be like us now.

I think to the others, “If I change into a mosquito and inject them that way, what would be the result.”

We were told that they would not get sick but the change would be over a few weeks.

They would have to be taught. Hon gladly told us that she would watch and teach them.

I decide to show them part of my true form. I make my hand and forearm liquid and hold it out to them. I split it in two and shake their hands.

Hon now says “We have talked it over. You have seen what we really are and what we can do. Do you really want to become one of us?”

They both say that they want to so she tells them that she will show them how to handle the change. Since they were children, I would be a mosquito and do it that way. “All here have given us the approval to accept you as our children and give you the right to change.”

They were looking at Hon and did not notice that I changed. I landed on the back of the neck on both of them and injected my essence. I was on and off without them noticing. I changed back and thought to them.

“It is already done.”

They both looked at me and said that I was just speaking in their heads. I told them that it was the first ability that comes. I then turned into a silver pool and again thought to them.

“This is what you will go through but I want you both to go inside and look at yourselves and remember what you look like.”

I change to a cat and speak out loud. “That pool was me as this is me. You will be you but now you will live forever. You are now part of our worldwide family. These people here are now your family. You will,. over the next few weeks, complete your change.

Once you see silver let us know.”

They are giggling. “We hear others welcoming us to the family. Not just the ones here but everywhere.”

The results of their development are broadcast to everyone in the world family by them.

When they first went into the silver pool, they were excited. They formed into balls and played bumping into everything and rolling behind us. Soon after that, they were able to shift.

They must have a full sense of humor. When they conquered sifting, for a while we required them to speak before we talked to them. It, however, actually was funny to hear Tommy’s voice but Susan standing there.

Mice were scurrying around and birds flying. We made sure that they knew that there are natural predators outside. Changes into mice , birds, and other small animals need to be inside. The world family is constantly giving guidance and warnings to them. After all, they still are children.

Their adjustment is amazing and a relief to the world family. There have been other instances that children were found in the same circumstances and now, it won’t be forced on them, the mosquito treatment has become standard. We are helping.

It has been found that the militias, the AI forces, could only hold together for so long before the drudgery of a military like got to them. One person at a time would wander off. They totally crumbled when the inevitable happened.

A few of the really power hungry ones in charge shot people trying to leave that they found that they truly were mortal. They were shot and the threat of armies went away.

Now there became a rise in gangs.

There are some towns forming and they are fighting back against the gangs. They are hanging them at the entrances of their towns and at frequent robbery points. Much to our delight, areas are becoming aware of us.

People have seen us interacting with outlying families that we have rescued. The children have asked to be entertained. A visiting child talked to his parents and the other families could not help themselves. They confirmed the stories. Even though they were asked to keep it quiet, those parents talked and rumors start.

We knew that we would be discovered but not in this way. We are now being called the Ghost Army of the Wardsmen, We like it. The major part of the growing legend is that we cannot prevent all the harm but we will stop it where we can and avenge it when we can’t prevent it.

Having a world meeting of the family, it was decided that we need to have couples settle in those towns and that way we will have an alert system. We won’t stop it all but when it becomes necessary, one of our own can keep us abreast of emergencies.

On the flip side, the gangs are now offering a bounty on us, dead or alive. They do not know us. We can’t die and as far as alive, let’s just say that they don’t seem to be alive after tangling with us. Either way, we will not let anyone of our family even be injured.

It does feel good that we are being perceived the way we are by both .

We now have more time at the cabin. Our children are wonderful. They liven up our lives. Seeing how happy we are here. I now have had an idea and discussed it with Hon. She is tickled by it so we call for aa meeting here.

We have a large group here on a sunny day. Again, Jarid is here as leader of this area. I address them and it is being thought projected to our family around this world.

“It is time to finally make ourselves known. With our reputation as the ghost army, I have had an idea that will delight you. I will be the first to try this out if I get the families approval.”

I go through my entire plan and by the time I am done, we can hear the entire world family laughing. Not at me, but laughing about how this will mess up the gang’s minds.

They all want to try it but I ask that I try it first and then everyone else can put their twist on it. They agree, but can’t wait to do it themselves.

Jared now throws me, “I have been the spokesman, leader, for this area for years. With this wonderful idea, I think I am going to pass the leader to Tony. His idea will mean that we no longer will have to sit in the back ground. It was his idea that led us the title and fame as the Ghost Army of the Wardsmen. We will still maintain our human forms but now no gang would ever try to form again. They would have doubts about their members.”

He cuts himself and red blood comes out but it stops.

“They will have to stab a new member in the heart to see if they are human or sifter.

This plan is nothing short of genius. What do you say, do you accept Tony as our new spokesman?”

They agree before I can put up an objection.

We break but Jared stays behind.

“I’m going to be there when you pull this off. Not that you will need rescuing but to observe and relate this.”

It did not take too long for us to get a report of a gang that was causing trouble.

Robberies mostly but they were not above torture. They were prime to be taken out but this time, we need to let some live to tell the tale.

Finding them, we could see their next victim family. Jared and I fly, as birds, to that family. We land and transform in front of them. I tell them that we are from the ghost army and that their home is going to be raided by the gang.

They panic but we tell them that we will be taking care of them. We transform to resemble the two. They actually were amused.

“We need you to go into the woods so that you can see. You need to be very quiet and watch.”

They did and shortly the gang came rushing in. We scream and Jared escaped. I knew that he now was a bird in the trees, watching. The gang tore up the house and took the food. They had tied me to a tree. They tied me so tight that the ropes dug into my flesh and drew blood.

Settling in and eating the food, I started the plan.

Walking over to the fire, got a piece of food and walked back. They stopped and looked.

I was still tied up but my arm was free as I ate. I pretended to not notice but then faked surprise, dropped the food and was again securely tied up.

I then walked towards then and said,

“The meat is burning.”

I then walked back and again, I was securely tied. They are now freaking out.

I walk back to the fire, pull the meat off the fire but as I stood back up. I looked like and sounded like one of the gang. Standing beside him, he proclaimed that he was the real one. I could read his mind. I was able to pick out some incidents.

“I’m the real one.” I proclaim and then I related a story that was in the back of his mind.

The boss came over and stabbed the real one in the heart. As he did that, I changed into the boss.”

This went on. Changing from one to another, short jumps, animals and such, so fast that they lost their minds. They tried to run but now I was surprised. There were more of us that wanted to watch. All said and done, there was two of us for everyone they had. We were all laughing at them.

I called out the real owners and told them that replacement food is on its way.

“Please feel free to pass on your eye witness tale.”

We open a point in the nearest town, time to come out into the open, Everyone there was frightened but then realized, they were finally the first to see the ghost army. They started to cheer when we paraded the gang to the local guard. I spoke.

“We are local branch of the Ghost Army of the Watchmen. These are the local gang that have robbed, tortured and killed. They are rendered to your guard for their judgement.

We are shape sifters. We have been among you for as long as you have been around.”

Some of us, change shapes in front of them. Animals and different people in the crowd.

They are not shocked. They are again cheering. I continue.

“We have chosen this time to reveal ourselves so that the word can spread to those gangs out in this world that we are here. We could be any one of your gang. We will stop you. Tell all that these are the lucky ones. The ones before these were just executed. The ones after will be also executed but one at a time in their sleep. All we want is peace in this world.”

We all change into eagles and fly away.

It wasn’t too long that the whole world knew about us. After the success of our show, the other’s repeated it with the same results.

The world’s population now realized that we may be living amongst them. At first there was a hesitancy about offending a shifter so the people started to greet everyone with a cautious smile but after a while, it started to become natural.

Our family is now waiting on the point when we can publicly let them know us as shifters.

A few hundred years later

There is only one secret we have left, that is the bite. It was decided that the orphans would be raised by us. Only those that chose to would get the mosquito bite. Most do not want it. That is good. Humans must live free to choose.

Our two have gone out on their own and have shifter mates. They have raised orphans but have encouraged them to stay human. We all share one thing. We love those we raise but we also know that humans die. We have the loss but the collective family remembers all of those who lived, loved and went to the final life.