“Not a lot, no,” she said. “Mostly just people who lived on the hills above Pigeon Forge.”
There was no mention of any quest for finding survivors. Before I could ask another question she beat me to it.
“You folks see a lot of people on your way in?” The shadows were growing long but I could see her watching me, eyes flicking to the side whenever I spoke.
“One couple who wouldn’t come with us because they were scared, one guy who shot in the air and yelled at us to get off his property. Otherwise, everybody we saw came with us.” I didn’t mention the Hunters. No one would ever find their bodies, literally, and I somehow wasn’t worried about anybody going all CSI on their cabin anytime soon.
“Did you lose any others?” she asked in a matter-of-fact voice.
“There were eight of us at the cabin we rented,” I said. “One of us, our friend Susan, she… she went into denial, I think.” I had been trying hard not to think about Susan. I didn’t much care for her but I was sure she was going to come to an unspeakable end. If she hadn’t already.
“What do you mean?”
“She said it was all crap,” I answered, doing a bit of light editing. “She wouldn’t do anything. And she wouldn’t come with us. I hope she’s still at the cabin. Are you sending out patrols or anything? I can tell you where she is.” Just because I didn’t like her didn’t mean I wouldn’t try to send her help. But I suspected I knew the answer to that question.
“No,” said the woman. Her voice was suddenly tired. “We don’t have the manpower. We… never mind. Tell them about her at the refugee center. If we can do anything we will.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said. “I’m James, by the way.”
“I’m Deputy Franklin,” she said. “I know I don’t look like a deputy. I’m from a different part of the county and I got stuck here without my uniform.” She rattled this off in a tone that told me she’d already said it way more times than she wanted to. “The man you saw was Sheriff Gravelle. Same problem. I promise you we’re really law enforcement officers.”
“I believe you, Deputy,” I said respectfully. “You’ve been nothing but straightforward with us.” She just nodded in reply.
We passed more and more people as we walked deeper into town. Many of them stopped to look at our odd little procession, led by a deputy on horseback and with kids in a wagon and a blood-soaked blue bundle on a stretcher. But we never stopped long enough to talk.
After several minutes the deputy turned a corner and the street opened up onto a high school campus. The football field and the large lawn surrounding the main buildings were covered with tents. Some grills were set up and smoke was rising into the air. My mouth started watering as I smelled real food cooking for the first time in two days.
The horse stopped, apparently in response to nothing more than the deputy sitting up a little straighter. “Over there is a medical area,” she said, pointing. “You can take… your friend… over there. Right next to it is a station for new arrivals. They’ll find you a place to sleep and get some food in you.”
“Thank you, Deputy,” I said.
“You’re welcome, James. Good luck to you.” She raised her voice. “Good luck to you all.” Then she rode away, not looking back.
We made it to the medical area, where some empty cots sat under a tent waiting for patients who would probably never come.
Whatever doesn’t kill you fast won’t kill you at all, I thought grimly.
A man in a doctor’s coat stood up from a chair where he’d been going over some papers as we approached.
“Hello,” he said. “I’m Doctor Melton. You folks need help?”
“I’m Doctor Brown,” said Mike, stepping forward to shake hands. He pulled out some kind of card and showed it to Doctor Melton, presumably his secret doctor ID or something. “Call me Mike. I’m at Vanderbilt in Nashville. We were here in a rental cabin when this all happened.”
“Good to meet you, Mike. I’m John.” Doctor Melton’s eyes swept our group, lingering on the stretcher. “What happened?” He apparently knew a body when he saw one, shrouded or not.
“Bear,” said Mike. He looked at Samantha, who gently pulled Sheila forward, the kids clinging to her. “This is my wife Samantha, and the woman with the children is Sheila. Bruce…” and he lowered his head toward the stretcher, “…was her husband. He died saving us.”
The other doctor’s eyes grew huge. “A bear? Where did this happen? Anybody else hurt?”
“We all almost died,” said Samantha. I didn’t feel any particular need to pipe up. My stamina was fine but I was tired. Letting someone else talk seemed like a fine idea. “But then we healed.”
“That seems to be how it works now… Oh. Here, here,” said Doctor Melton, finally realizing why we’d come. “Bring him here. I’m the county coroner, too. I’ll make sure everything’s in order.” He walked back and indicated a gurney in the far corner of the tent. To Sheila, he said, “I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am.”
“Thank you,” she said in a broken whisper.
“He died a hero,” said Joe as he and Anthony set down their burden, stretcher and all. “He used an ability to help with the fight, but it made him too slow to run. Take good care of him, Doc.”
“I will,” said the coroner, a strange light in his eyes. “He’ll stay right here until we can bury him, and he’ll go nowhere without you knowing, ma’am.” This last was to Sheila again, who nodded. She was shuddering with sobs she couldn’t let herself cry.
“What about the kids?” he said, looking over the children. I’d left Billy and Sally’s wagon just outside the tent, and they had followed me in without making a peep.
“The two youngest were alone for a day and a half or so,” said Mike. “Little dehydrated. We don’t know what happened to their mom, but we don’t think she made it. Their dad was visiting their grandmother. Hopefully he finds his way to town.”
“I’ve got their names and a photo,” I said. “We’ll see if anyone knows them. We won’t leave them alone.”
“Good,” he said. “I think we’ll have more of that before we’re through.” He shook his head. “You folks should go get something to eat. Come back and talk to me when you’re settled, Mike. We should compare notes.”
“I will,” said Mike. “Thanks. For taking care of Bruce.”
“It’s my privilege,” said the doctor, that strange light in his eyes again.
“Thank you, Doctor,” Sheila managed to choke out. Then we all nodded goodbye and moved on, stopping to put Sally and Billy back in their wagon.
Refugee Intake, Step Two. This is the boring part of the disaster movie.
I tried to get my brain to shut up and surprisingly, it did. The noise of the refugee camp helped drown out thoughts that had gotten very dark.
Ten yards or so down from Doctor Melton’s place was another large tent. Under that were more tables. There were a few beat-up chairs, probably from the high school, sitting in front of them. Behind them were two women, early middle-age maybe, watching us walk up with worried expressions.