600 Miles: A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page B

were sure, especially after old Pete died, and then Eddie, that I were destined to walk the rest of my days alone. I'm not saying there were anything funny between me and them men. I'm just saying that they was the only company I'd known since way back long. And may the old fella rest in peace and Eddie too, because surely they was good friends, but now I had found more than I ever dreamed I'd have.
    I made sure to get us a couple of good ones, them critters fast but not fast enough. Only two bullets, which was a good thing because I didn't have to waste ammo, and was also good because even one shot from my .357 was more than enough to hurt my ears for a while.
    "Gitty!" I called as I came back to camp, them big jackrabbits dangling by the ears. She came out from behind the little shelter we'd made under an old willow tree, happy to see me back.
    "Those are some real nice rabbits," she said to me, coming up and kissing my sweaty face. "Look at you, all hot and dirty. Come down to the water with me and we'll wash you up."
    She looked even prettier than before, like she had done herself up the best she could given our rough circumstances, her hair neatly combed and tied back. We sat down near the creek and she took my hands and washed them real tender, then my arms, making me uncomfortable as she stared.
    "Such a handsome man," she told me, "and kind too. I'm a lucky woman to have found you, Elgin."
    "Aw, come on, you're just saying it. Ain't nothing handsome about this ugly face unless your head's had too much sun, because ain't no woman ever call me handsome before."
    "Well they ain't had sense enough to recognize a good-looking man when they seen one."
    "Whatever. Hell, ain't my fault I was born looking like I am."
    "Ain't no shame in having black blood," she said.
    "Ain't no black blood in me, woman. Ain't no Mexican either, if that's what you's going to guess next."
    "Well, it don't make no difference to me what you are. I was just guessing."
    "Navajo. My pa was Navajo."
    "Navajo? Well that's a mighty proud thing to be."
    "And my ma, she were as white as you. But I guess once you done got a drop of any kind of blood in you other than white, you's something else. Whatever. Enough of this gabbing. Are you going to skin them rabbits for us or what? I sure am hungry after all that hunting."
    "I imagine you are, poor thing. Just you rest up and I'll get them ready."
    I watched her go about it. Weren't many women I'd seen that could handle skinning and cleaning as good as her. Most of them didn't have much stomach for it, except the tough ones, and weren't too many of those around. At least not anymore. I didn't know why it was, but it seemed like they was getting less and less. You'd have thought the hard living would have toughened them up, but instead it seemed like it just wrung the strength right out of them. But not Gitty. She skinned them rabbits quicker than even I could and gutted them out and had them roasting before I even knew she'd put them on the fire.
    "Smells like good rabbit," I said. "That was some fine work you did there, Gitty."
    "And you'd be right saying it," she said.
    Hers was a good smile and I couldn't help but notice what good teeth she had, a lot better than most. She got kind of shy when she realized I was staring at her, but I came close and we huddled up real cozy while we watched them rabbits cooking up. It was a good meal and that meat warmed me up as much as Gitty as the sun went down and the desert wind picked up.
    "It gets so chilly out here," she said. "Not like Georgia where the air stays hot and thick all night."
    "That's life in the desert," I said. "So you come from Georgia then? I never would have guessed it. I reckoned you for a Texas gal for sure."
    "How's that?"
    "Well, they always come so well-built and hearty out of Texas. The women I mean. I ain't known too many, but the ones I have was almost as long-legged and good looking as you. Must be what they feed them gals out there. Most