Love You Always

Dust blew across a blacktop road though you would barely recognize it as such. Its lines faded and sporadically seen. Cracks and crevice’s bigger than a man’s hand marred the once smooth surface. Mother nature had begun taking back the land she had once held purchase before man’s development reached out and stole it. She was trying to heal the wounds humanity had made, but only time would tell if it was all in vain.

A lone figure sat resting on the hood of a broken-down car along-side the once well-traveled road. He was dressed for the chill that permeated the air, a thick leather jacket that was wool lined, blue jeans, and heavy leather work boots. Atop his head he wore a battered old ball cap and about his face a bandanna to keep the dust away. He was holding a picture in his hand, a small wallet sized picture that had a pretty, young, brunette woman on it. His longing after the young woman in the photo was apparent. He turned it over and read the inscription for the thousandth time, “Love you always Ren.” It was signed from Jessica.

Slowly and reluctantly, he tucked the photo back into the inner pocket of his coat. He was weary from his travels and so was his horse, Cherry, that was looking for some grass just a little way off from her owner. She was a white and brown quarter horse, a little on the older side and not built for speed, but she had a way about her to know when trouble was near, and that had saved their necks a few times.

Water and food were getting harder and harder to find, and on more than one occasion he had tried to release her where she would have a better chance of finding both on her own. Only, each time she wouldn’t leave him, so they were stuck together for better or worse. It was all the better for him as it was though, running vehicles were a rare commodity now. Either they couldn’t run or there was no fuel for them to run, so it was either hoof it on your own or find yourself an animal. Luckily, he had lived on a small farm all his life and had his pick of horses when he needed it.

He had been born and raised in a small town just south of Yellowstone and was about to get married. His life was on track with everything he had hoped for, but then all hell broke loose. Nationwide petty disagreements turned to bitter arguments which turned to rioting. The rioting forced people to form militias and gangs. One faction attacking another while, yet another retaliated against both. Alliances were made and broken depending on what could benefit one group better. Corruption was the currency that ran the country.

Political officials sat and watched from their ivory tower at the discord and chimed in whenever it was to their benefit, seemingly agreeing with one group while simultaneously giving aid to the other. Chaos had found its foothold and was running rampant like a juggernaut. Peace was called for on all sides, but its real definition was treated like a piece of tissue paper in a tornado.

It was during this period that things got rough in Ren’s area and so the decision was made to send Jessica farther north to be with family. It had been a hard goodbye and at their parting he hung to the widow of the train she sat at. He refused to waste a second of their last moments together. The last exchange they had was just as the train was pulling away from the station, she pulled off her heart shaped locket and put it into his shirt pocket, telling him he could give it back to her when they saw each other again. With that he was forced to let go and watch her train slip past the horizon. In the coming time they were apart Ren never once opened the locket. He knew that in it resided a separate picture of them both, but he couldn’t bare to open it. He knew it was silly, but opening it meant that the two pictures would be separated, and he somehow just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

As the days passed things went from bad to worse. Once it was apparent the country was at war with itself it was ripe for the picking from long past enemies. It wasn’t hard to place themselves at the heads of different factions and gently push things the way they wanted. A few well-manicured words and messaged actions and people will do whatever you tell them.

Eventually, the powers that be finally took notice and saw the very thrones they sat on in grave danger, and so took decisive action. War had once again come to American soil, but it was a war on multiple fronts. It was a civil war and an invasion. Russia, China, North Korea, Mexico, and South America, it was another world war with everyone’s sights set squarely on the U.S. It had been the land of the free, and now it was the land free for the picking.

The war went on for three years. Entire states and regions fell to our enemies, but the fight went on. Again, and again, America lost ground until finally a decision was made. A decision made in haste and anger, and one that would forever change our world.

The bluff of letting loose what was left of America’s nuclear arsenal was put forth, but the bluff was called, and the idle threat was forced into a very real option. Before anyone knew what was happening the sky was full of canistered death around the globe. Of course, retaliation was issued in like fashion and just like that everything changed.

In the aftermath anarchy ruled. If you wanted something you took it. If someone stole from you, you took it back by any means necessary. It was then that Ren decided he needed to get to Jessica. He knew where she had been sent but having never been there before it was still a bit of a shot in the dark. If he’d had a car it would have been less than a days trip, but under horse power it would take closer to a month at best. And this was only if he didn’t run into any problems along the way, which was next to impossible. He loaded up his saddle bags and whatever else he could carry and headed out early one morning.

He wasn’t quite the same man he’d been before she’d left. He’d taken more than a few lives, but also spared a few. They’d been marauders trying to relieve him of his horse and supplies. He only hoped she could still see who he was when he got to her.

One night Ren made camp and was slowly drifting off. The sky was clear and filled by a full moon and a gentle breeze winding its way around. Sleep was just a stone’s throw away when something grabbed his attention. He sat up and smelled the air. There it was the smell of smoke laying heavy on the cool air. He got up and looked around, just off to the west was the unmistakable orange glow of fire. Not wasting any time, he grabbed his gear, saddled up, and headed out once again.

As he neared the fire Ren caught sight of what was happening. It was an old farm that’s barn was ablaze. Flickering lights, as if from candles, lit the windows of the house and motion could be seen behind them. Cautiously he brought Cherry up to the surrounding fence and dismounted. He could now see what seemed to be bandits riding around the yard looking for something, or someone. He didn’t want to risk losing his horse or his gear, so he shouldered his shotgun and pulled out his handgun. He barely had a full clip in his gun and his rifle only had six shells left, so he’d have to use them sparingly.

The nearer he got the more anxious he became; shots were being fired and women’s voices were screaming. Maneuvering himself to a better vantage point he saw what he had feared. The men were after the women. Some of the men were off their horses chasing and grabbing after the women while others rode around breaking things and setting fire to whatever else they could.

The women were fighting back, a couple had rifles and were firing them at their attackers and two others were keeping them at bay, one with a shovel and the other with a bowie knife, but they were losing the battle.

Ren had seen enough. He flanked the ones on horseback and fired of a couple rounds taking them out. No one seemed to notice because of all the other commotion. One of the women got a good shot in on one of the bandits dropping him like a sack of potatoes, just as Ren got a bead on the one being held at bay with a shovel. The shovel wielding woman was shocked at his sudden death but thought it had been the shot she’d heard coming from one of the other ladies, and so adjusted her sights on the next attacker.

Three bandits remained and now the women were emboldened. They had thus far not seen Ren, as he was sticking to the shadows as best he could, and so thought they were doing all of it themselves. They took two more down before Ren could get around to get a clear shot, and the last thought better of his situation and fled before he met the same fate as his friends.

Unsure if there were anymore raiders Ren kept himself from view just a little longer hidden behind a hay wagon so he could spring on them if need be. Unfortunately, this had an effect that he hadn’t counted on. In the aftermath of the bandits leaving one of the women had come around behind where Ren was hiding and mistook him for an attacker. He was crouched down by one of the wheels with his back to her, and she took full advantage of it. Grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around she thrust her dagger into his chest with the words, “You can’t have us.” dripping with venom as they left her lips.

Shock and confusion ran through Ren as he slumped to the ground. He could feel his life slipping away as he fell and there was nothing he could do. But as he fell his attackers face became lit by the barn’s fire, and he knew her face. Jessica stood before him just as beautiful as he remembered. She was alive and he’d made it to her. Nothing else mattered in his mind; he was there with her now and she was safe once again.

Finally, his body hit the ground and as it did the heart shaped locket fell from under his shirt and fell open as it hit the ground revealing the pictures inside. Jessica saw the flash of jewelry as it fell and reached down to pick it up. Only when she gazed upon the locket and its contents did horror beyond measure rock her body. Without hesitation she dropped to her knees and pulled the hat and bandanna off Ren’s head revealing her love’s face.

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no” she cried. “Ren! Ren! Nooooooo!”

With his last breaths Ren said. “It wasn’t me.” Jessica nodded her head, with tears streaming down her face, reassuring him that she knew he hadn’t been with the bandits.

He was able to give her one last smile, and then whispered, “Love you always.”