The Bone of Contention

a challenge submission

 

The warm Nevada breeze drifted lazily along the Las Vegas strip. Grains of sand fluttered weightlessly within its grasp, picked easily from the tops of the sand dunes scattered between the mass of neglected buildings. The summer sun beamed down brightly, creating long, forlorn shadows to reach out across the dwindling remains of this once iconic city. Windows had all but vanished from the buildings, replaced now by dark openings inside the skeletal structures which held nothing more than shadows and memories. Much of the desert’s sand had gusted inside the openings and caused severe structural damage as the decades had passed. Floors had given way due to the excessive weight of the element which had increased over time, causing buildings to buckle and in some instances to collapse. Grand hotels had crumbled in to rubble and ruin. A once neon cowboy stood redundant and weathered. The abundant casinos had reduced to nothing more than a memory of prosperity and success. Sand had replaced concrete, hiding the busy roads and sidewalks that once served a meaningful purpose.

  

   In the recesses of a parking lot a small community of survivors had banded together. Their borders were created of corrugated metal and barbed wire. Gatling guns were mounted on scaffolding structures which looked out across the broken world. Men watched on from behind their scopes for any signs of life. This compound was for human’s only, born of a pure breed in the years since the worlds demise. Out there in No-Man’s-Land, within the city and the surrounding deserts, existed mutants from all species, born from the fallout of the bomb’s which fell from the heavens and effortlessly destroyed the American Dream. This compound was relatively safe. The gun’s had shredded many would be intruders in the past, a threat which now tended to keep them at a safe distance. The humans dwelling there often scavenged for metals and resources within the city from an early age. Attacks upon them were incredibly rare, and usually the conflicts that needed to be diffused were those from within the camp itself.

 

     Within the compound sat John, a man in his fifties, born of this New World. He was inside a simple shelter made of scrap metals, separated from the outside world by a tattered red blanket that gusted gently in the breeze. On both sides lay two mattresses where two boys rested wearily. They were both his sons, aged fourteen and twelve, born to a mother who left their world nearly five years ago. John locked his hands together and placed them against his mouth. Both boys were shuddering underneath their simple blankets. Their dark hair was matted with sweat. Leon, his youngest, let out a simple whimper, of pain or exhaustion he couldn’t tell.

     Riley, his oldest, coughed out and groaned with despair. “Dad?” he asked feebly.

     John felt tears well at the back of his eyes. “Yeah?” he whispered, gently taking hold of his hand.

     “We didn’t see it,” Riley whispered.

     John nodded, safe in the knowledge that the darkness would not allow his son to see the tear that trickled down his cheek. He doubted Riley would even notice in his current state.

     “It’s not your fault, either of you,” John replied softly, attempting to comfort his child. “You weren’t to know it was there.”

     Riley moved his head to the side slowly. “Was the scrap that we found useful?”

     Another tear flooded from John’s eyes. The scrap metal they had been searching for and found was all but useless. “It’s been very important, Riley, very important. They’re out there now reinforcing the perimeter walls with what you found.”

     “Dad?” Leon whispered wearily.

     “Yes?” he replied, shifting his gaze from one son to the other.

     “Will I be seeing Mom again soon?”

     John’s lips trembled. “Don’t speak of such things. You’ll both get through this.”

     “Ha,” Riley croaked with mild amusement, “you’re so full of s**t, Dad. No one survives a rattlesnake bite without anti-venom, not even in the Old World.”

     “You two will,” John replied quietly, “Eli and Tobin are out there now finding you some. You just both fight it until they arrive, got it?”

     At that moment daylight cascaded in to the shelter and a bearded man stood within its entrance. “John?” he asked quietly. John turned to face him. The man gestured for him to leave.

     “Alright, I’ll be back soon,” he told his sons, gently rubbing their hands as he stood.

  

     The bright sunlight hurt John’s eyes for a moment as he stepped in to its glare. Drake, the bearded man, placed an arm around him and led him in to the compound. “They have returned.”

     “Oh, thank God,” John sighed. He instantly felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

     Drake grimaced slightly. “Just, wait a moment.”

     Eli and Tobin emerged in to view, both wearing tattered, warn clothes. It was clear from the amount of sand that nestled upon them that they had been outside the compound for a period of time. Tobin clutched a simple satchel.

     “What is it?” John asked nervously. Drake had not given him much confidence.

     Drake exhaled loudly and gently bobbed his head from side to side. “It’s this,” Tobin interrupted, fumbling inside the bag. He withdrew his hand in which John saw a syringe and needle, still within its packaging. Tobin then displayed a small bottle that harboured a clear liquid.

     “You found it?” John asked, his jubilation lifting once more.

     “Yes, they did,” Drake began. He closed his eyes and drew in deeply before explaining the situation. “But they only found one.”

     “That’s okay, one bottle has been enough to save a good number of our people,” John reminded them. In the past, one bottle had saved many a life of those who had been bitten by the rogue rattlesnakes that had migrated over the decades in to the city.

     Eli shook his head. “John, we exhausted every pharmacy we could. Out there on the strip, those inside the hotels and buildings that still stand, and that was the last one.”

     “We’ve existed out here on the supplies left to us from the Old World, John. That world ended a century ago. Sooner or later we were going to run dry of the supplies we needed,” Drake explained. “I’ve seen many a person leave this world for something so minor by the standards of those who existed before us. Lacerations turning to tetanus or gangrene, appendicitis, conditions that were minor back then. Snake bite, too.”

     John frowned. Now he knew that something was wrong. “What is it? What’s up?”

     Eli and Tobin looked to each other. Drake placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, John, I truly am. The bottle that they found is just a single dose.”

     Emotion cascaded through his body. His eyes widened. His heart pounded. The legs holding him upright felt weak and collapsed, dropping him to the sandy ground on which he had stood. Tobin and Eli rushed over. Drake squatted beside him.

     “What about…what about half each?” John asked. The voice with which he spoke quivered erratically.

     Drake’s eyes welled with tears. He smiled with sympathy and shook his head. “It won’t be enough,” he sighed.

     John placed his hands over his face. “Then what?” he asked, sobbing in to his palms. His body shook as his cry drew louder.

     “There’s only one thing you can do in this situation,” Drake whispered quietly, “and it will not be simple. I am so sorry John, I truly, truly am. The only option you have now is to choose.” Drake wiped a tear from his eye. “You have to choose.” 

Author's Note

facts may be wrong

Reviews

[Allan W]

I really liked this. A post apocalyptic story of the worse choice a father could be made to make! A great choice for the title given. What I like about this is it could be just the start of a bigger story. This works as a short story and as an opening for soemthing more! Like John I love the first paragraph too! Thanks for this, I enjoyed this alot!

Allan

[mikerich]

Beautifully described, vividly drawn and, like John, I guessed what was coming. But that makes no difference. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. I could have done without apostrophes inserted into plural nouns, though.

[Alan]

Hi, thanks for reading! I have to admit i was in the lowest class for English at school, and have no idea what plural nouns, adjectives etc are. Thankfully i have someone to correct all those for me. Hope to see you next week!

[Neville]

Some facts may well be wrong Alan but the main fact undoubtedly is that this, is a realy good read. All Good Things, your Friend, Neville

[Alan]

Thanks for reading, Neville, and your kind words :)

[Neville]

my pleasure, N

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hi Alan, A great fluid write. Loved the opening paragraph so very descriptive. I sort of guessed the dilemma but never the less it was dramatic and well told!

[Alan]

Hi John, thanks for the review! I'll have to work on hiding my dilemma's better. I was more focused on placing my main character in the ultimate of situations. Thanks for the advice, i will remember this for future!