Resurrection by Kevin Collins Page A

his mind and then he laid his pack on the bunk.
    “Now if you should decide that you really don’t want to stay I would not make a decision to leave in the middle of the night that might be a bad idea. Why don’t you get a little rest and when you hear the bell come up for supper; okay.
    Mark nodded and Tom left him alone. He walked to the window behind his bunk and saw children playing in the woods beyond the bunkhouse. Men sat huddled around fires playing guitars and banjos and others were target practicing in the distant field.
    He eyed his truck sitting where he had left it and checked his pocket for the keys. Who are these people, do they think that I can’t shoot my way out of here? Who do think they are messing with? I fought my way out of Louisiana and I could hold my own here.
    He counted the men he saw on the grounds but stopped at twenty–five and then he realized that he would never make it out alive. Maybe it would be best to wait until morning; like Tom said.
    He lay down on the bunk and stared up at the ceiling as the voices outside the bunkhouse melded into one singular voice. He crossed his legs and reflected on all that had happened to him, everything was so nuts, so upside down and crazy and he felt that none of what he had experienced could actually be real.

 
    Chapter 19
     
     
    “Hello, hey you missed the bell for supper, hey wake up.”
    Mark awoke with a start. “What, what is it?”
    Through bleary eyes he saw a young woman sitting on his bunk. “You missed supper, I brought you something, I thought you’d be hungry, “she said.
    He sat up and put his feet on the floor, the girl did not move but handed him a plate of food. The girl was blessed with wavy and fiery red locks which reached all the way down to her waist and piercing icy–blue eyes.
    “There’s smoked pig and baked beans and potato salad, I hope you like potato salad I made it myself and some sweet tea of course.”
    He took the plate and the jar of tea and sat it them on the floor in front of him.
    “Thank you,” he said.” I’m sorry I missed supper and made you walk all the way out here.”
    “Oh that’s okay I figured you could use some sleep and lord knows I need the exercise.”
    “Well,” she said standing.” I better get back, enjoy your meal, I hope to see you around.”
    He watched the girl as she walked away and then picked up the meal and began eating. Later, he took a stroll around the camp and saw a large group of people gathered around a bonfire. He approached and saw Tom with his arms around a young woman and two children playing around his feet.
    Tom looked over at him and smiled and nodded and then kissed the woman on the cheek. Mark watched intently as the group laughed and sang songs and a sense of calm came over him. Calm he had not felt since before the Landry’s disappeared from the store in Louisiana.
     
    The next morning came early four a.m. and everyone in the bunkhouse was scrambling to get ready for the day. There were four wash basins in the restroom and four toilets and every man took their turn.
    Mark washed his face and brushed his teeth and then dressed and followed everyone up to the front of the main house where breakfast was being served. He got in line with all of the others.
    He took a seat at one of the long wooden tables placed in the yard of the main house and looked around at all of the men, women and children who were sitting there.
    Tom wandered over after filling his plate.
    “Mind if I sit here,” he said.
    “No not at all.”
    “How is breakfast?”
    “Good, really good; it’s been quite a while since I’ve had two hot meals in row.”
    “Well we try to keep everyone fed as best we can you know what they say about an army running on its stomach.”
    “An army, is that what this is?”
    “You know I really can’t get over that Cajun accent of yours, But to answer your question we happen to be part of the Texas Republic Militia, Black Springs unit. We formed