Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come Read Online Free Page B

it’s getting dark. I’ll leave an oil lamp on low for ya on the front porch.”
    Ceara watched him as he hobbled to the porch. He stopped and lit the lamp then turned it down low and disappeared inside.

Chapter 2 – Trading Post
    Alden had woken up from the throbbing in his ankle. When he rolled over, his foot hit the floor. The pain shot through him and brought him straight out of bed. Sitting on the edge, he looked out the window and saw the sun’s rays were just beginning to shine over the horizon. Alden grabbed his camo pants and pulled them on. Alden then put on his typical O.D. green wool socks and laced up his jump boots.
    Grabbing his cane that now replaced the crutch; he made his way to the kitchen, stopping briefly to see Colt and Beth sitting up but sound asleep on the couch. He shook his head. Months before he would have been yelling, but things had calmed down. Tonto was on guard outside, so he had no worries that an alarm would be sounded early enough.
    Alden made a pot of coffee and took it outside to the fire pit and soon had a small fire going. Walking back in, he headed to the bathroom for his morning shave. Finishing quickly, he returned to the fire and poured his first cup.
    As he sat and sipped his coffee, he watched as the sun rose. The air was cool and crisp. He could see jack rabbits skittering across the desert nibbling on plants. The sky was blue with a few large puffy white clouds. Many birds were flying back and forth including one eagle.
    As he lowered his head to take another sip of what he jokingly called his lifer’s juice, Alden saw a small dust cloud in the distance. Picking up a pair of binoculars, he looked to the cloud. A grin came on his face as he noticed two horses pulling a wagon. Next to it rode five men. Although his thought he needed to get the rest of the kids up, he decided to just let Tabitha sleep.
    Walking into the room, Alden quietly woke the first two on the couch by shaking them gently. “You two need to wake up and be quiet. The neighbors are coming but I don’t want Tabitha up yet.”
    Alden moved to Ceara and Charlie’s room. They were in there sleeping soundly. Charlie on his back with Ceara cuddled up to him. He gently shook Charlie’s toes as he had done for months. Charlie opened his eyes, “What’s up boss?” he said sleepily.
    “We got company, the neighbors are back to trade, I think. Rise and shine and keep quiet. I don’t want Tabitha to wake up.”
    Ceara raised her head, “Why not, she’s part of the group.”
    Alden looked at her, “With Tabitha’s temper? I don’t want to blow this deal. If I knew she would be polite, I would have no problem, but I’m afraid she’ll go off and that would put a wrench in the works.”
    Ceara nodded and Alden headed back down the hall. Beth and Colt were up. Colt was folding the blanket they had been wrapped up in, and Beth was now in the bathroom. Heading outside, Alden could see the Indians coming close. He figured they’d be there within fifteen minutes. From the dust cloud, it didn’t look like they were riding hard.
    When Ceara finished with her normal habits, she headed outside, Charlie and Beth were already out there, “Morning guys, how far out are they?”
    Charlie pointed with a nod of his chin, “Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”
    Ceara looked over; their new friends were just about there. “Alden, before they get here and I piss you off again… What do you want us to do?”
    Alden didn’t smile, nor look at her, but kept his eyes on the progress of the small caravan, “I expect you to trust me and let me deal with this. You help once the deal is done, and be nice.”
    Ceara sneered, “Damn, I wasn’t that bad.”
    Charlie laughed but he was the only one and he quickly tried to hide it with a cough. Ceara smirked, “Well, I wasn’t… was I?”
    Beth watched as the new men joined them, “Ceara, you weren’t that bad, just very much to the point, and well, that isn’t