John Bernard Daley

“ Markel, working constantly, made several traps for Rocky in the area around the ledge. When he finished these there was nothing to do but wait.
Markel liked it there. Big autumn clouds shadowed the ledge; mist drifted in the green valleys in the mornings and at night the loons called through the wind in the woods. The Earth Mother grew tan in the sun and she sang to herself. Markel sat by the waterfall, cleaning and polishing the M-1. And, inevitably, one morning Rocky came. ”

“ The Earth Mother's feet blistered and swelled, her shoulders were rubbed raw by the pack straps, but Markel drove her steadily forward. On the fourth day he shot a pheasant, roasting it that evening while the Earth Mother sat with her feet in a pool. They had camped on a wide ledge backed by a cliff; a thin waterfall splashed down this cliff and pooled on the ledge before sloping down the mountain. ”

“ Before he had shut off the motor the Earth Mother was out of the convertible. Standing by the statue she called, "Hey! Is there anybody here?" Then she ran to the sidewalk.
Markel, reaching for the M-1, his eyes on the girl, suddenly stiffened. The wind blew a sound to him, a faint growling sound. He did not believe the sound, knew it to be a trick of his imagination, yet he sat stunned, unable to think. Then the Earth Mother screamed. Markel got out of the car and went after her. ”

“ The Earth Mother's cries faded to sniffles. She blew her nose, wiped her eyes, and gave him his handkerchief. "Keep it," he said, coughing.
"Thanks. Oh, it's so good to see somebody else. You don't know how lonesome it's been here with nobody around but that goofy Rocky. I been praying somebody would come. Somebody real cool-looking, like you." She leaned toward him, blinking her eyes.
He leaned away from her. "And who, may I ask, is Rocky?"
"Joe Nowhere, that's who he is. Rides around on his goofy motorcycle all the time. He's mean, and real square. Like a cube, you know?" ”

“ Markel decided later, lying on his back looking at the stars, that she was much too emotional to be the mother of the children of Phoenix. She was also stupid, illiterate, and boring. A strong, peasant body was her only asset. He would have preferred a woman closer to his own intelligence, but that, of course, was impossible. Remembering some of the women he had seen in other cities, he shuddered, and decided to make the best of the Earth Mother. ”

“ Rocky had a sheathed hunting knife in his black, rivet-studded belt, but no other weapons. His jacket, shirt, pants, and boots were black, as was the motorcycle. He glared at Markel. "What's your move, square man? Where in hell you going with my broad?"
"Don't try to stop us," said Markel, pointing the M-1 at Rocky's chest.
"Don't call me your broad," said the Earth Mother.
"Dad, nobody steals Rocky's broad. I'm gonna chop you up."
Patting the stock of the M-1, Markel said, "I think you fail to realize the situation. You're in no position to chop up anybody." ”

“ Am I to be pursued forever across a dead world by a deathless demon on a motorcycle?"
"I'm deef, I'm deef," said the Earth Mother.
When the rain stopped they took to the woods on foot. This time Markel did not try to rationalize the situation; he knew it was Rocky on the motorcycle. Markel's usual self-control was shaken and he needed time to think. He drove the convertible as far into the woods as he could and began throwing things from the back seat. ”

“ Anybody can do that." He slammed the trunk shut, and they got into the convertible. He turned it around and drove to the highway. Where the highway turned west they had a last look at the city, bleak in the sun, with sunlight in the broken windows. Dust blew in the gutters, and pigeons drifted into the streets.
Then the outskirts of the city were behind them, and then the suburbs, and they went down the long, empty highway. Dusk came soft on the fields and hills, and blue in the valleys. "The world is ours," said Markel.
"Man, this is a gone set of wheels," said the Earth Mother. ”

“ Turning, Markel threw the burning branch at the campfire and walked away angrily. Behind him Rocky said, "You losing your guts, square man?"
All that night Markel sat thinking by the campfire. Slightly before dawn he had the answer; it was so simple that he wondered why he hadn't thought of it before. The point was, if you can't kill an indestructible man you can still stop him.
When the Earth Mother came out of the lean-to she found Markel standing by both rolled packs. Answering her questioning glance he said, "We're leaving right now, for the convertible." ”

“ Markel said, "Darlene! Don't be frightened! Get the M-1 from the front seat of the car. When he moves, shoot him!"
Hesitant footsteps shuffled on cement, and the car door clicked. Rocky did not move. "She ain't got the guts," he said. Noiselessly, Markel moved toward Rocky, but quick as thought Rocky spun, the knife ready. Markel stopped, tense.
"I can't wait, square man. I just can't wait to start working on you."
"You haven't a chance, Rocky. After she shoots you I'll chop you into a hundred pieces and burn every one. Even a freak like you won't recover from that." ”

“ There were lots of vehicles still around in good working order. And, although people were scarce, it was logical enough to assume that some scarce traveler was taking the same route they were. It was logical to assume that, because Markel had put three bullets into Rocky. He explained his logical theory to the Earth Mother. Concluding, he said, "And perhaps I really heard a car, not a motorcycle. Distance can be deceiving." ”

“ It's only people you have to be afraid of."
"You think maybe there's some people in a city somewhere, with bright lights and drug stores, lots of people?"
"And movies and television and stupid music, that's what you want, isn't it?"
"Yes, yes, there's a city like that somewhere, ain't there?"
"Isn't there, not ain't there." He stared at her appraisingly. She was a clod, but even a clod, he supposed, could feel sadness and regret for all the lost, familiar things. On a low level, of course. Tossing the drumstick bone into the fire he said, "Why not face facts? There's no city like that." ”

“ You're getting red in the face."
"Will you cut me down, Dad? If I tell you?"
Markel jabbed him again with the M-1. Rocky said, "Okay, okay. When I fell over the cliff I landed in a bunch of trees and they broke my fall. Back in the city you put a bullet in a pitcher of my mother what I always carry in my chest pocket. Didn't kill me at all."
"Oh, Gad!" said Markel. Like a plumb-bob Rocky had turned slowly on the rope until his back was to them. Placing the M-1 on the ground, Markel reached up and, with some difficulty, pulled Rocky's leather jacket down so that it bunched around his shoulders. ”

“ Markel silently handed the binoculars to the Earth Mother.
She surprised him; she didn't scream. She calmly gave back the binoculars and said, "It's Rocky. He don't look like a ghost."
Markel ran, dragging her to the convertible. "You drive, and do exactly as I tell you." He got beside her, the M-1 ready, while she started the car. "Wait," he said. They waited until the noise of the motorcycle roared around the curve just below them. "Now! Pull out!" said Markel. She swung the convertible onto the road and a few minutes later the motorcycle curved up around the bend. ”

“ What for?"
"Back to the ledge, to wait for Rocky. We can't spend the rest of our lives running from him, and wasting ammunition on every man wearing black."
They went back then to the waterfall, where Markel could command a slope on three sides and where the cliff protected his back. They settled down to wait for Rocky and they both knew Rocky would find them. Markel waited grimly, because if his theory were correct Rocky was a threat to his dream.
Against the cliff Markel built a crude lean-to and the Earth Mother picked flowers, hanging them around the walls. ”

“ He had certain qualities that favored the success of his dreams: intelligence (BA, MA in English Literature) , marksmanship (sharpshooter's medal, ROTC) , and cunning (inherent) . But he had one other quality that was most important to his survival and to the realization of his dream. ”