“What, this thing?” Gabe drew it from its sheath and kneeled down, holding the blade up where Brian could see it. “You ever seen one of these before?” He asked. Brian looked up at him with wide eyes and shook his head.

 

“It’s called a Falcata. It’s a very old type of sword used by the Spanish, Greeks, and even the Romans a couple of thousand years ago.”

 

“Can I hold it?” The boy asked.

 

“Brian, you most certainly may not.” Sarah snapped, glaring at her son. Gabriel laughed.

 

“Oh it’s okay, ma’am. I don’t mind.” He handed t he weapon to the boy hilt first. Sarah frowned, but didn’t say anything.

 

Brian grinned from ear to ear. He hefted the blade clumsily, took a few steps back, and made a few half-hearted swings with it.

 

“Careful.” Tom warned. “That thing ain’t no toy, son.”

 

Brian sobered up a bit, and handed the sword back to Gabriel. “Thanks.” He said.

 

Gabe acknowledged him with a nod, then stood back up and sheathed the blade.

 

“I have a few pounds of smoked meat, and a case of pinto beans that I found not far from here.” Tom said. “I don’t suppose you fellas have anything for trade, do you?”

 

“We’re actually running a little low on food.” I replied. “What will you trade for?”

 

Tom and Sarah exchanged another look. Sarah seemed to deflate a bit, and finally lowered her weapon.

 

“We’re pretty low on ammunition.” Tom said. “Got any to spare?”

 

Gabe pointed at Tom’s hunting rifle. “Is that a .308 you got there?”

 

“Yeah, it is.”

 

Gabe took off his pack and fished out a couple of twenty round boxes of 7.62 cartridges. They are not exactly the same as .308 rounds, but any rifle chambered for that caliber can fire them. Tom’s eyes widened as Gabriel held the cartridges out to him.

 

“How much do you want for that?” He asked

 

“How about a pound of meat and three cans of beans?” Gabe replied.

 

Sarah still looked dubious, but Tom appeared to be considering the offer.  After a few moments, he nodded and reached out to take the ammunition.

 

“I guess that’s fair enough. Brian, go get these fellas a pound of venison and three cans of beans.”

 

The boy nodded and walked over to a blue tarp that covered a small cache of supplies next to the makeshift grill.

 

“So you guys live close by?” Sarah asked, stepping closer and looking us over.

 

I nodded and pointed to the northeast.