Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-One: Taking a Break to Live

"What happened to her?" Colt asked Comanche a short time after the Indian had returned. Jedidiah and Rachel were preparing the prairie dogs that Comanche had managed to get and Evangeline was busy trying to comfort Ox and Susette the best she could.

"She was alone with no one to watch her back. She was bitten and already changed when I found her. There was a cow nearby. I tried to catch it but it ran off and I did not want to waste time taking chase."

Colt cursed under his breath and paced a few steps away only to pace back again. "Did you take care of it—Katherine I mean?"

"Yes."

Colt slumped down on a rock and stared out over the lake. Damn this! They were all going to die. That fact settled down on Colt like a dark cloud. Quickly he shoved himself to his feet and strode back to camp. He grabbed Jedidiah's arm, ignoring the shocked gasps from Rachel and dragged the old man over to the lake where Comanche still stood.

"Well, Colt, if you wanted ya some alone time with me all ya had to do was ask." Jedidiah said, forcing a smile.

"Now is not the time for your jokes, old man." Colt warned. Jedidiah's mouth slammed closed. "Now, you have some serious explaining to do. Why the hell are my people dropping like flies without a warning from my great prophet? I mean, shit, I got two brain-addled crazies who claim to see visions and none of you saw a suicide, a head beneath a cart wheel or Katherine leaving... what good are you?"

"No damn good." Jedidiah offered in response. Colt felt his fist twitch and barely controlled the urge to rearrange the man's crooked and broken teeth.

"Jedidiah, I'm serious. You told me Rachel was going to die but you never said nothing about all these other people—and Rachel is still alive!"

Jedidiah sighed sadly as he sat down on the rock. Colt noticed that Comanche seemed surprised by the revelation but Colt was damn tired of being saddled with the load himself and he damn sure couldn't share this one with Evangeline. He trusted Comanche.

"Colt, I wish I could give you a clear idea of what your journey will hold but I can't. That has always been the greatest curse of my gift. I have no control over what I see or when. Perhaps Rachel was supposed to die back in the town when she and I were attacked and I saved her life. There will be more death, Colt. I don't know who and I don't know when and I don't know where but the rabid have not taken their last victim."

Colt swallowed hard and looked up at the sun. "Are any of us going to make it, Jedidiah? Is there some great promised land or was this all some damn joke from the Big Man upstairs to keep us running?"

Colt wanted Jedidiah to assure him there was a purpose to all of this—that there was some great cure or sickness free land waiting on them. Colt wanted to hear that he wasn't leading what was left of their dwindling group on a pointless quest to nowhere—the old man did none of that.

"I don't know." Was Jedidiah's only response. "I thought I was sure before but now—I don't know."

"I have heard it said that the destination is not the thing," Comanche spoke up. "The thing is the journey; the trip you take."

"So enjoy what life is left and quit racing to get somewhere that is really nowhere, is that what you're saying?" Colt asked, a dull ache beginning to build behind his temple.

"You're the leader, Colt." Jedidiah informed him as if he didn't already know. "We'll do whatever you say."

"What about Susette's vision? The whole reason we're heading to where we're heading?" Colt added with a frown.