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this one across the threshold of death’s door.
    In the kitchen, there looked to be some signs of a struggle, as the table and chairs were on their sides. I looked down the hall, and saw two more dead Trippers. Each of them had been shot in the head as well. At the end of the hall, in front of a closed bedroom door, a man lay in a pool of his own blood, his throat torn out. At his feet were two more Trippers, their skulls caved in by the butt of the shotgun that was still in the man’s hands. It seemed to me that the man killed the Trippers that killed him in an attempt to protect whatever was behind this door.
    I carefully moved the man over, then tried the door. It was locked, and when I tried the handle, I distinctly heard a couple of sharp intakes of breath. I gently knocked on the door.
    “Hello? Is anyone in there? It’s okay, the Trippers are dead now,” I said.
    A very small voice came through the door.
    “Daddy?”
    Aw, hell. “No, my name is Josh. Will you let me in to talk to you?” I asked. While I spoke, I pulled the Trippers and the man over to the side so they would be out of sight if or when the door opened.
    There was a moment’s hesitation, then the door clicked. I stepped up close and turned the knob, positioning myself to block the view of the hallway.
    The door opened and I moved into the room, closing the door behind me. Two sets of really big, tear-filled eyes looked at me with fear and trepidation. The older child, a girl of about eight years looked at me and then at the door. The other, a small boy around four, held a stuffed rabbit in his arms while he chewed on one of the ears. Both of them took me in at a glance, and I could see the girl’s eyes linger on my gun. I must have looked like something right out of a western novel, with the hat and coat and gun belt. I’d have chuckled at the look on her face but for the question she asked me.
    “Did you save my mom and dad?”
    My heart broke a little when I answered her. “No, sweetheart. I did not get here in time. But your dad saved you and your brother. And I’m going to take you away from here, to someplace safe, okay?”
    The little girl was in shock, trying to understand what I was telling her, and I could see the boy was about to cry again. I patted him on the head, then picked up a backpack that was lying in the corner. I stuffed extra clothes in it, and asked the children if there was any special toys they wanted to bring with. The boy held onto his rabbit while the girl picked up a stuffed cat. The girl also picked up another pack where she put in a few more clothes and shoes.
    They started to walk towards the door, but I stopped them.
    “Let’s start our adventure the right way,” I said. “Do you like horses?”
    The girl nodded, while the boy just looked at me like I was crazy.
    I went over to the window, and pushed it open. I whistled loudly, and smiled when my horse came trotting around the corner of the house. I picked up the girl and put her on the ground outside. After the boy was outside, I climbed out myself, not wanting to leave them alone. The girl was already petting Judy’s nose, who was busy smelling these new creatures. The boy smiled a little as Judy’s breath moved his hair.
    I put the girl up first, adjusting the stirrups so she could just reach the tops of them. The boy reached his hands up to me, and as I picked him up, he hugged me tight around the neck. I gave him a reassuring pat on his back and then peeled him off to sit him up in front of his sister.
    “You keep hold of your brother,” I said. “Don’t let him fall off.” I took the bridle and led Judy away from the house. Walking away from the building, I was struck at how this damn disease made a lot of orphans, myself included.
     

 
    Chapter 9
     
     
    We walked out the front gate, a boy not yet a man leading a horse carrying two kids who just lost everything in their world. I had no idea what to do with them outside of getting them to