Forager (9781771275606) Read Online Free PDF Page A

They’re desperate, hungry people.
Most of ’em aren’t much different than you. Got themselves into a
fix, and now they’re forced to survive by ganging up and robbing
the towns they come across.”
    I’d never thought much about Scavengers. Only that they were a
threat to us. If what Sawyer said was true, these people were as
much victims as we were. What would it be like, not knowing where
the next meal was coming from? Being unwelcome everywhere? I
shuddered. Not a life I wanted.
    Old Bill shouted from the window. “Be ready! Here they
come!”
    From what I saw of the attackers, they were dirty and wore
old, ragged, threadbare clothes that fit too loose on thin bodies.
A few were only armed with sharpened sticks and rocks, but most
carried guns and bows.
    None of them were close enough yet to make good targets.
Good—I didn’t want to shoot them. Yes, they were dangerous and
threatening, but Sawyer’s words made me think. If I were forced
into being a Scavenger, I’d have to do the same.
    And then they were on us.
    The rifles began their noisy chatter, accented by the roaring
boom of the shotguns. Screams pierced the cornfield. Dark shapes
darted like shadows through the stalks. I jumped to get a better
look at what might be coming my way. “Keep your head down,” the
Forager said. It didn’t matter. My brief jump only showed me
running bodies. It was impossible to tell who was who.
    The whine of a bullet passed close by. A grunt sounded from
behind me, and I saw the Forager bend over in his saddle. A moment
later he was back up and firing his rifle. He rode like a man born
to it. With a nudge, the horse sidestepped left or right as
needed.
    As high as he sat atop his horse, I was sure that at least one
of the Scavengers would take special interest in him, but he
continued to sit the saddle and fire his rifle. Bullet casings
littered the ground around him. How many Scavengers fell to his
steady rain of fire?
    The smell of gunpowder filled the air. Shots came from
everywhere, and I cursed the corn. I couldn’t tell who was who as
bodies darted through the stalks. More screams, more whizzing
bullets. Shouts and cries of pain filled the air. Arrows sliced
through the corn. Blood pounded in my ears. My heart raced. Terror
gushed through my veins like poison. Pulling the bowstring back to half draw, fear gripped me so
tightly that I wasn’t sure if I wanted an enemy to show himself or
not.
    I wasn’t sure how long I stood there with the bow half-drawn,
but suddenly there was someone moving toward me through the corn.
The figure was big, and he pushed the cornstalks aside as if
walking through heavy brush. He must have been a Scavenger;
everyone in town would have been careful not to damage the corn.
Pulling the arrow back to full draw, I waited. The figure stalked
closer and closer. He was only four rows away when the butt of
Sawyer’s rifle knocked into my forearm. The arrow jigged and jagged
a short distance before it fell to the earth like a lifeless
bird.
    I didn’t realize Sawyer’s deflection was intentional until
Josh stood before me. “What are you doing, Orphan Boy—trying to
kill me?” I’d never seen that much fear in his eyes.
    Briefly, my heart went out to him. If Sawyer hadn’t
intervened, He’d be dead. I gave a heartfelt, “Sorry
Josh.”
    I don’t think he even heard me. Instead he asked, “Who gave
you a bow?” As if I was the last person in town who should be
armed. Maybe that was true after what just happened, but he didn’t
need to make it sound that way.
    “ I gave him the bow, so if you have a problem with that you’ll
have to take it up with me,” the Forager said.
    Josh started to take a step backwards. He must have thought
better of it, because he stayed where he was. “You should know, the
Scavengers are fleeing. We’ve beaten them back, for
now.”
    A heavy sigh escaped my lips and I felt about fifty pounds
lighter. I wanted to jump up and down and scream in