Read Online American Revenant (Book 2): Settlers and Sorrow by John L. Davis IV - Free Book Online Page B

family
for many years.  She had stayed in town after her father had died two years
previous, because of this group, and what they meant to her.  She meant just as
much to them.
                Jenny
continued on towards the school, shuffling along slowly, barely able to stay on
her feet.  Gordy looked around to the others crowding around him and said, “I
can’t let her in.  I can’t even let her get close.”  Tears were running down
his face as he said it, and he felt his heart breaking as he reached for the
hunting rifle Sam had held while on watch.
                Kneeling
down at the window, Gordy sighted through the rifle scope, and fired a shot
directly in front of Jenny’s feet.
                The
woman fell over backwards, struggling to sit back up.  Everyone could hear her
cries for help, and not one heart remained unbroken from it.  “Please go home
Jenny!  We can’t help you!  There’s nothing we can do!” 
                As
Jenny slowly stood up, Gordy blinked back tears to center the crosshairs of the
scope on her grime streaked forehead.  He held the rifle on her as she stood
there swaying, knowing that should she take even one step forward he would have
to pull the trigger.
                She
continued to stand there swaying on her feet.  Gordy never moved the rifle, the
young woman’s head moving back and forth in the crosshairs.  Without another
word she turned, heading back down the street.  Gordy kept the rifle up,
watching through the scope as she went, following her until she stumbled past
the end of the street, onto Highway 79.
                Gordy
had turned, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor.  He handed the rifle
back to his son, his head hanging.  Jan quietly asked everyone to leave,
closing the door as the last person filed out.  She then went to her husband,
wrapping her arms around him tightly, and together they wept hard, unashamed
tears.
                Jack
looked at his friends, knowing they were both thinking about Jenny and the
horrible feelings that went with it.  It was a situation he hoped he would
never have to see repeated.
                The
first driveway they came to was on the right side of the road, it ran behind
one house with several small sheds, back to a two story house at the edge of
the woods.  They agreed to leave the first house until after they had cleared
the one at the end of the long drive.  They took their time getting back to the
end of the lane, watching the house behind them the entire time.
                They
approached the house cautiously, relieved that there were none of the small
outbuildings that most of the houses in the area seemed to have.  Beginning at
the front door all three men circled the entire house, watching the surrounding
woods as well as the house itself. 
                Jack
and Mike watched behind them as Jimmy knocked at the door softly, waited a
moment and knocked again harder, while calling out to anyone inside.  When
there was no noise or response from inside he tried the doorknob.  It turned
easily in his hand and he swung the door wide.  Stepping back, he raised the
Sig 9mm he was carrying, sighting on the open space of the doorway.
                They
stood waiting for a full minute before stepping into the quiet house.  The
three men methodically cleared each downstairs room, saving the search for
supplies until they knew the house was completely safe. 
                Gathering
at the base of the stairs, they hesitated, knowing that stairways and hallways
could be death traps.  Mike stepped forward, bringing his suppressed DPMS
Oracle up into the ready position.  “I’ll go first,” he whispered. 
                Safely
at the top of the steps he waved to his friends to come up.  The first door
they opened was a bathroom, the second a small hall closet.  The next door
opened