Chapter six
Camila woke up with a jerk. She regretted the jerk soon after due to the pain that echoed through her body. Letting out a small whimper she did her best not to scream from pain. She was alive and on top of a moving cart.
"Morning miss." an older man smiled down from the handle of the cart. Camila's eyes went wide as she glanced around at her surroundings.
"Take it easy. You have been out for days. We almost lost you." The old man chuckled.
"Where are we? Who are you" she asked
"I'm Dale and that ugly fool is Russell." The toothless old man laughed.
"Don't worry, Russell was an old combat medic and he stitched up nice," Dale explained.
"Russell! She is awake." Dale stopped pushing the cart and waved for the other man to come over. Russell was also another elderly man. The two were dressed in old dirty clothes with scraggly beards. The basic hobo outfits you would see on homeless people. Russell walked over and smiled down at Camila.
"May I look at your wound?" He asked for permission before reaching out to lift up her shirt a little. The shirt she wore was not hers. It was two sizes too big. Camila allowed Russel to inspect her side.
"That girl you were with almost killed you. It took a lot of stitching. Also, you are lucky we were close to the hospital. I was able to give you the last of the blood they had on hand." Russell explained.
"Yeah, that hospital had been almost picked clean, but thank God they had the stuff you needed, especially these." Dale handed Camila a bottle of antibiotics. Camila took the bottle in her hands and glanced at the label. Russell handed her a water bottle.
"Tonight we will need to change your bandages. Take two of those pills twice a day, ok?" He explained.
"Thank you." Camila was grateful for the help, but still a bit unsure of the men. She didn't know them and the last time she trusted someone, they almost killed her.
"We can make camp here. Dale, cook or find us something to eat." Russel turned to speak to Dale.
"Why me?" He griped.
"Cause you are the better cook." Russell laughed.
"That is true! You couldn't cook a can of beans!" The two men laugh loudly and Camila couldn't help but crack a small smile. Russell wobbled off towards his grocery cart and began sorting through it as Dale came up beside the long Cart that Camila was on. It looked like one of those carts from a home department store that added on too.
"We are on the way to Houston. Heard there is a shelter there for people. We should be there in a few more days. Hey, I never got your name?" Dale asked.
"Camila."
"Where are you from Camila?" Dale asked.
"Oklahoma,"
"Oh really, what were you doing in Lake Charles?"
"Long story."
"I see, if you don't wanna tell me it is fine. Russell and I Have been living on the streets of Lake Charles for a few years. We had a spot in the homeless shelter but that one hurricane tore it down." Dale spoke as he began to build a fire.
"Who did you end up homeless? I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."
"No, it's fine. As I said, Russel was a combat medic in Vietnam. I had a problem with drinking and gambling. My wife left me and I lost my house back in the late 1990s. Russell and I met in the homeless shelter and ever since have been friends." The old man sat on the ground and began to put sticks on the fire. Camila felt a little better about the men after hearing their story. She then began to tell Dale her story. Her journey from New York to the current situation she was in. Dale listened intently as she spoke.
"How did you guys survive the blast? or, Did they even have a bomb go off in that town?" Camila asked.
"There were a few bombs, but not many. Not like in New Orleans. That one was Nuclear. Really bad I heard."
"We can survive if we lived this way before the blast," Russell added. Camila tried to understand what he was talking about.
"Russel means we were on the streets and surviving this kind of life way before the country went to hell. This is just a normal Tuesday for us. Most folks panicked and went crazy. They were too comfortable with the easy lifestyle. The money, cars, and their normal way of the world. They didn't know how it felt to struggle and scavenge." Dale explained.
"They also don't know how it is in war zones," Russell added.
"So, we are at war?" Camila asked.
"Of course we are. You don't bomb a city or cities like that and get away with it. No doubt our military is fighting off whoever did this. I just wish I was younger so I could join them." Russel said in a gruff voice.
"Do you know who did this?" Camila asked.
"No, everything went down before. Like some kind of energy blast as well as a bomb. Hopefully, we can find out when we make it to Houston." Russel handed Camila an apple and smiled.
"Don't worry. You are safe with us missy."
The three made their way from the Texas border to the town of Beaumont. Once they reached the outskirts of the city, the men stopped so Camila could rest. The journey was rough for her. Healing was slow but the constant bumps in the road from the rough ride of the cart were painful. The two men had discussed possibly confiscating a vehicle, but that would just draw attention to them. Who knew what kind of people were on the streets looking for something to steal? Russell and Dale had quite the horror stories about living on the streets before all this happened, so no doubt the danger increased by one hundred percent. There were no rules, no laws, and no one to enforce them. It was everyone for themselves and most people were selfish. Some however ever like these two and the other woman Camila had run into were decent people. Camila just needed to learn who to trust and who to steer clear of. She wasn't the best at reading people but she knew she needed to learn quickly. Russell left Dale and Camila to make his way into the city to see if there were people still living there. He also went for supplies and to also find out if there really was a community in Houston for them to join. While Russell was away, Dale began to teach Camila a few tricks they learned over the years of being on the streets.
" Try to stay as invisible as possible, especially around rough-looking people."
"But not every right person is a bad person. When the bomb hit, I ran into three convicts. They helped me to shelter.It was the nice-looking girl who stabbed me" Camila added.
"That is true." dale agreed.
"So how do you tell if someone is bad or good?" Camila asked in frustration.
"That is a good question. You really can't tell. Some people may look one way but act differently. Some overtime who are good turn bad and others who are bad turn good. I guess we can never truly know.I suppose you can use your gut. Your intuition.or you can ask God to help you out."
"God?"
"Yeah, I pray to Jesus to guide me and help me make decisions. You ask him, he will help you out." Dale nodded as he opened a pack of tuna.
"I really don't know much about God. I never really took the time to learn I guess. I had such a busy life."
"And now you have no choice but to find out and live on faith." Dale chuckled.
"Or that is what I heard some street preacher say anyway," Dale added,
"What else did he say?"
"Something about repenting and being baptized... I can't remember everything. Much Like you, I was not too worried about God. I was just trying to survive.I did find a few bibles, but they were really messed up from being in the trash. I was only able to read some of it. Something about Jesus dying for our sins. Wait, I think I kept some of the pages." Dal dug in his pocket and took out a few folded pages.
"Want me to read them?" Dale asked. Camila smiled and nodded. She curled the blanket around her neck and listened to the old man read.
" Romans Chapter 8..." Dale cleared his throat and sat up straight.
" 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man's nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son], 4 so that the [righteous and just] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not live our lives in the ways of the flesh [guided by worldliness and our sinful nature], but [live our lives] in the ways of the Spirit [guided by His power]. 5 For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. 6 Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]; 7 the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God's law, since it cannot, 8 and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.
9 However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God]. 10 If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides]. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
12 So then, []brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— 13 for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. 14 For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God's judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, "]Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God. 17 And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.
18 For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! 19 For [even the whole] creation [all nature] waits eagerly for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration and futility, not willingly [because of some intentional fault on its part], but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will also be freed from its bondage to decay [and gain an entrance] into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been moaning together as in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only this, but we too, who have the first fruits of the Spirit [a joyful indication of the blessings to come], even we groan inwardly, as we wait eagerly for [the sign of] our adoption as sons—the redemption and transformation of our body [at the resurrection]. 24 For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.
26, In the same way, the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of []God's people in accordance with God's will.
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
31 What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? 32 He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. 34 Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. 35 Who shall ever separate us from the love of []Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 Just as it is written and forever remains written,
"For Your sake, we are put to death all day long;
We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter."
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 38 For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Camila broke away for a few moments to make her way down to the small river that ran alongside their camp. She peeled the oversized shirt off as well as her jeans. She then took her shoes and socks off and walked into the cool water. She bent down slowly, wincing as she did so. Using her hand, she cupped the water and began to clean her wound. Dried blood washed off into the river and was swept away by the small current. It was crazy how this little comfort meant so much to her. It wasn't a bath in her apartment, but it was something. She then began to wash the rest of her body from the days-old grime as well as her hair. Camila couldn't wash her hair as well as she wanted due to not having shampoo as well as her side throbbing from the pain. Oh, the pain. Just when she thought it had faded, a sharp prick reminded her of her injury. The young woman soon gave up and made her way out of the body of water. She used a towel she had snagged from one of the guy's baskets and began to slowly dry herself off.
Camila needed to hurry up and dry off so she could get dressed again. The sun was getting low and she did not want to be caught out here in the dark. She was alone and still hurt, those two factors alone made it very dangerous. As she walked back to the camp, she dug around in her backpack. To her surprise, Angel did not steal her hair conditioner. It was a small victory for Camila and this brought a smile to her face. When she had the chance, she needed to go through her bag and see what she still had and what she lost. The young woman still could not believe how cruel Angel had been. To stab her over jealousy, was ludicrous. All Camila wanted was a safe place to stay with others, she never wanted to take over someone's position or exclude them. It was insane how much the world had changed after the blast. It hadn't even been a month from what she gathered and people were already acting like the world before never existed. Camila could never just abandon her convictions or morals just because a traumatic event took place. Even if no one was around to enforce laws or correct conduct, Camil would still act like a civilized human being. She could not understand how people could just change like that or was it that they had always been so ruthless and the ability to be your true self was available now? Is the construct of society pulled away to reveal the primal thoughts and actions of one's true self possible?