BUZZARD FOOD

Blood dripped down from the open wound on his forehead but he kept walking.

His shoulder burned in hot white pain with the bullet lodged into it but he kept walking.

His ribs felt like they were going to snap like a chicken bone but he kept walking.

His shirt now stained crimson red with but he kept walking.

Lazarus Boone was as good as dead but death was yet to claim him; he always had been a stubborn man so if death was going to take him it wasn't going to be without a fight.

Those fucking bastards

Those fucking bastards

Those fucking bastards

The men he once called his brothers betrayed him

The men he once called his brothers left him for dead

The men he once called his brothers were that no more.

Where the fuck was he anyway?

If death was going to claim him Lazarus at least wanted to be in a comfortable place.

Not bleeding his insides out in the middle of the fucking woods; if he were to drop dead right now he would picked clean by any of the animals that were close by.

Then again it's not like he should care since he'd be dead anyway. He had to care though he had to at least try. Faye was going to give birth soon. She was going to have his baby boy. His son. He wasn't going to let his son a future Boone man grow up as a bastard.

Lazarus had to keep going

He had to

He had

He......

Darkness fell over him.

"Oh fuck!"

"Holt yes!"

"You're so fucking good Faye! You're going to squeeze my cock off!"

The heavy eight month pregnant red head bounced up and down on the penis of the man beneath her. It felt so good to be fucked even if it wasn't by her boyfriend. Faye Daniels had needs and she was going to have those needs met; she was sure Lazarus wouldn't mind.

What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Besides Faye found it hard quite literally and figuratively to think straight with Holt Steele's cock deep inside her.

"I keep fucking you like this you might be having my son real soon" Holt chuckled

Faye stiffened and had guilt written all over her face.

"This is Lazarus's son," she said firmly as if trying to convince herself otherwise

"You really think that darling?" he chuckled kissing her neck now "I've dipped my spoon in your honey pot too many times to count for this to be Boone's boy"

Faye knew this was true but she wasn't willing to admit it

"When is Lazarus coming back?" she asked now sitting up "what did y'all do to him Holt?"

"He knows the rules of the club" Holt replied "he knows the punishment he'll be back if the wolves and mountain lions haven't picked him clean"

"Lazarus could be dead?" Faye said worried "but my baby---"

"Will have a daddy," Holt said cutting her off as he slid his cock back inside her and continued fucking her worries away.

As if Lazarus Boone was a distant memory.

Heaven sure was dimly light.

Or maybe this was hell but would hell be this warm and inviting? Probably not.

Lazarus was sure if he was in hell he would be lying on this soft bed.

Obviously he wasn't dead but he sure as wasn't a clean bill of health either.

Lazarus sat up and immediately his head stung and it felt heavy. He placed his palm on his head and noted that it was clean of the blood and the wound was patched up.

The shoulder that had the bullet in it had been patched up to and looking at the bedside table he saw a pair of bloody tweezers and the bullet. Somebody obviously pulled the bullet out of him.

His whole torso was bound and patched in an attempt to help his ribs close together.

Like his biblical namesake he had literally been spared from death. But who spared him?

Clunk!

Lazarus looked up to see a little boy no more than three years old attempt to hide behind the end of the bed. It was a black boy but judging by light skin and dusty brown cotton hair Lazarus was willing to bet he was mixed heritage.

"Hey kid" Lazarus attempted to talk to the child.

The little boy jumped back now and Lazarus assumed he must have been watching him sleep. Deep voice probably startled him plus being a former Klan biker didn't help either; Lazarus was covered from head to toe in tattoos.

Judging by the kid's reaction Lazarus was probably the first white man he ever saw.

"You got a name kid?" Lazarus tried to humor him "or are you just speechless?"

Lazarus took note of the bloodhound next to the boy and tried again who gave a low growl.

"Your dog got a name?"

"Moose"

"Moose?"

"Yeah"

"Weird name for a dog but okay" Lazarus replied "but what's your name?"

"S---"

"Simeon! You leave that man alone!"

Assuming that that was the boy's name Lazarus noticed he quickly obeyed and toddled over to the doorway.

"You stay by me!" the voice gently scolded him

"....yes Momma"

With the room only being lit by a one small candle Lazarus had to wait until the boy's mother fully walked into the room to see her and that first look was all it took for him to be blown away.

Simeon's mother was a petite milk chocolate goddess. She had almond shaped eyes with thick lashes that rested on her cheekbones. Her thick hair was pulled up in a bun on her head.

Lazarus found himself curious to know what her hair looked liked when it was out and crowning her face. Or even how bouncy it would be if he was balls deep inside her beautiful body---no he couldn't.

Lazarus was raised not to find black women beautiful let alone have sexual urges for them. Even if he did have sexual urges towards a black woman Lazarus was always taught to suppress them. 

What kind of white man was he anyway to be thinking about fucking a black woman when his white girlfriend was pregnant with his white son?

He had to get the fuck out of here.

"If you get up all fast like that you're just going to end up opening your wounds"

Lazarus stiffened even her voice sounded like music to his cock.

"Simeon you go in your room okay?"

"Okay"

Once the little boy was out of the room Lazarus swore it got hotter or maybe it was just him but blood was definitely going down south.

"Take this," the woman said handing him a moist warm washcloth "it will help the swelling go down on your forehead"

Lazarus was so preoccupied with his growing erection he almost forgot about the huge knot on his noggin.

"Where did you find me?" Lazarus asked "pretty sure I was buzzard food"

"Don't matter" the woman replied rather straight forward "sooner you get healed up the sooner you can be on your way off my side of the mountain"

"You live out here all by yourself?" Lazarus asked "just you and your kid?"

"I aim to keep it that way not that it's any of your business" she said tightly

"It's not" Lazarus agreed with her "just think it's a little strange for a woman to be in the middle of the Appalachian mountain all alone with her child and no man around"

"I have no need for a man; men bring nothing but trouble"

"So what exactly is your son going to be when he grows up? Pretty sure he'll be a man"

The woman threw Lazarus a disgusted look and retorted

"Why do you care skinhead? My son is just a nigger as far as you're concerned" she said coldly "me too for that matter"

Normally those words wouldn't stink but Lazarus felt it and all the venom that laced it as well.

He didn't like that coming from her thick pretty lips; the sound of her moaning in pleasure would be much better.

"Why did you save me then?" Lazarus asked, "death was knocking on my door"

"I don't need any skinheads on my side of the mountain," she said now stirring a pot of chicken and rice soup "dead or alive"

Lazarus frowned watching the woman pour the soup in a bowl trying to connect all the dots of what she was saying.

"Eat" she said "can't have you dying in my cabin you should be good to leave in two days"

Lazarus gladly took the food and the first spoonful was like heaven.

Faye never cooked like this; hell it was hard to find any woman under forty who knew how to cook in this day and age.

"What's your name?"

"None of your concern just eat," she said dismissively

"I'm Lazarus"

"I don't care"

"Any other skinheads around here?" Lazarus asked, "I'm willing to bet your son's biological father isn't exactly a black man"

Apparently that struck a nerve

In that moment Jemima Walker really wished she did left this son of a bitch for dead. His name did fit him but unlike his biblical namesake she should have left him alone.

Jem had been out on her front porch plucking the feathers off the chickens she had just killed for dinner. The eggs were gathered for her to take into town on Monday to sell. The remaining chickens were resting in the hen house.

Simeon was at her feet playing with the little red truck that Jem managed to save up for and got for him at the general store. Her son didn't have a lot toys and she wanted him to have something he could call his own.

Moose stuck his nose in the air and began to bark and howl like crazy and immediately took off in the direction of the scent.

"Momma?---"

"You stay right there!" Jem instructed her son "you stay put Simeon I mean it! Momma will be right back"

The little boy's eyes grew wide as he watched his petite mother get a hold of the rifle and dash off into the woods after the bloodhound.

Jem had to agree with Lazarus's description of him being buzzard food because she honestly thought he was dead when she found him. The slight groan told her otherwise.

Why the fuck was he in her woods?

What business did he have here?

Jem didn't want to think about what happened the last time one of those bastards came across her oasis.

It wasn't just her and Moose up here anymore she had to think about her child now

She had to think about Simeon.

She had to protect him.

"Well?" Lazarus pulled Jem out of her thoughts

"Eat," she repeated, "two days and you leave and never come back"

Jem finished picking up her cooking utensils and left Lazarus alone again.

Jem had eyes on the back of her head and could sense her curious son trying to peak into the room Lazarus was in.

"Simeon" she said patiently

The little boy stopped knowing he was caught.

"Yes Momma?"

"What did I tell you?"

"....leave that man alone"

"That's right" she said "back to your room I'll be in to tuck you in soon"

"Yes Momma"

Simeon had always been a sweet and simple child and little bit naïve; but thankfully he was never much trouble.

However with that Lazarus in her cabin Jem was on full alert.

After two days were up that son of bitch better go back to whatever hellhole he crawled out of.

CRACKED EGGS

Lazarus awakened the following morning to the gentle sound of pouring water.

He remembered that he hadn't died and was in fact still with this woman and her child deep in the middle of the Appalachian mountain.

Or rather her side of the of the mountain as she put it. The child's name was Simeon but the woman's name remained a mystery. Apparently it was none of his damn business. Her words not his.

"It's bath day here and you need one" the woman said bluntly "smell like road kill"

"Thanks" Lazarus replied sarcastically getting up

"Water's still hot and there's a change of clothes waiting for you too"

Lazarus saw the big copper tin bathtub next to the fireplace with a chair next to it. On the chair was the change of clothes she mentioned. Looked like men's clothes to him.

"I thought you said there were no men around?"

"There aren't" she said firmly "those are my clothes I do my hunting and farming in"

Lazarus was about to question her again but he decided not to and instead began to unbuckle his pants.

As soon as he did that the woman immediately left the room disgusted with him. What was with that woman anyway?

Was she a man hater?

Imagine that a man hating woman raising a little boy who would be a man himself one day. 

Besides she obviously tolerated some man enough if she had gotten pregnant and had a child herself; unless she conceived the same way Mary did Jesus.

Once Lazarus was completely stripped down he carefully stepped in the tub allowing his broken tired body to sink into the hot soapy water.

He had to focus on Faye

He had to focus on his unborn child

He had to focus on getting home

Moose gave a low growl and that let Jemima know that Lazarus had entered the room. At least the man was clean now and didn't smell like a dead deer off the road anymore.

"If you're hungry breakfast is on the table" Jem said, "you can help yourself"

"You have plans for the day?"

"I've got some business to attend to yes" Jem replied

"Where are you going?"

"Into town"

"For what?"

"None of your concern"

"Momma has to sell her eggs" Simeon spoke up much to his mother's dismay

"At least I don't have to pull teeth with everyone here" Lazarus replied sitting across from the boy with his food "how much are you selling them for?"

"Three dollars a dozen"

"How many do you have?"

"Ten"

"Thirty dollars for some eggs not bad" Lazarus said "espcially if they taste like this"

"How much I make for my eggs doesn't concern you" Jem said coldly "don't forget after tomorrow you're out of here"

"What if I'm not better?"

"That's not my concern"

Lazarus chuckled a little and turned his attention back to Simeon

"Your momma sure likes the word concern doesn't she?"

"What Momma says goes" the little boy replied

Jem tried really hard not to roll her eyes and kick this damn skinhead out on his ass.

This must be what people meant when they said God has a sense of humor.

"I'm assuming we doesn't include me?" Lazarus asked

"It doesn't" Jem replied "you stay here I don't need folks in town asking questions"

The two of them stared at each other for a moment and for the first time ever the cold and disgusted stare that Lazarus used to give black people was thrown at him.

This woman couldn't stand him but he knew that she was better than him; strictly because she did not let him die.

If the tables were turned Lazarus would have let her die though.

"Simeon help me gather up the eggs we have to get going soon"

"Yes Momma"

"...damn skinhead asking too many questions" Jemima huffed as she gently dug under her chickens to gather the eggs.

"Momma you don't like that man do you?" Simeon said following her

"You don't have to worry about that Simeon" Jem said

"But why Momma?" he asked holding out the basket for the eggs

Simeon stumbled a little and much to Jem's disappointment five of the eggs fell out.

All five of the eggs hit the hen house floor and cracked with the yellow yolks seeping into the wood.

Lazarus was just putting his dish away when all of the sudden he heard a blood curdling cry. The woman was screaming as if she was being murdered. All of the chickens ran out of the hen house and were spooked running in circles.

Moose burst out barking confused by all the commotion.

Lazarus quickly ran out to catch a scared Simeon with the basket of eggs clutched to his chest. The little boy also looked like he saw a ghost and there was a look of genuine confusion on his face as well. A few tears trailed down his cheeks too

"Hey" Lazarus said kneeling down to get eye level with Simeon "you alright?"

"....I don't know" he replied honestly "Momma just started screaming"

The woman was still screaming and it was very unsettling.

"You wait here okay?"

Simeon simply nodded not wanting to cause any more trouble

Lazarus stepped in the henhouse to see the woman on her knees with her face in her hands and moving back and forth in distress. He stepped on one of egg yolks and got some on the sole of his shoe.

"Are you this upset over a few cracked eggs?"

"Get out!" she spat at him

"No" Lazarus replied  "what the hell got you so upset you scared your son"

"Why the fuck do you care skinhead! I said get out!"

Lazarus tried to move closer to her and she hissed at him like snake in the grass

"DON'T FUCKING COME NEAR ME!"

Lazarus stopped and stepped back; he knew that she very well meant it.

Jemima began to tremble violently; she remembered running probably running faster than she ever did in her life. However it wasn't fast enough she should have ran faster. She remembered all the egg yolk on the floor.

The cracked eggs would always and forever be a reminder that she should have ran faster. If only she ran faster.

Silence was present between Lazarus and the strange woman for the remainder of the day. He noticed that she had gathered a new basket of eggs and brought it into the house and went about her other chores.

Simeon either played by himself with his little red truck or with Moose seemingly over his mother's rather strange behavior from earlier.

It was long day moving about in the tiny cabin in silence. The silence was finally broken that evening when two of them were alone in front of the fire and the woman was dressing his wound again. Simeon was tucked in for the night fast asleep.

"Looks to be healing up" she said softly "you should be good to leave in the morning"

"Already?"

"Yes" the woman, replied rather coldly "I have to go about my business and you about yours wherever you happen to come from"

Lazarus studied the woman's soft brown face as she refused to give him eye contact and put all her focus on his wound. This woman saved his life yet she seemed so cold and detached from him as well.

"Are you going to tell me your name before I leave?"

"No"

"Why not?" he asked curiously "I told you mine"

"It's none of your concern"

Lazarus was surprised to hear himself chuckle at that then again he should have known that would be the answer he was going to get.

"It's not going to be any concern of mine what will happen to you after I leave?"

"No"

After what he saw today Lazarus had all of the concern in the world for this mysterious nameless woman who saved his life.