Beyond the New Horizon

by Christine Conaway

  She stood breathing deeply, taking in the cold morning air. Gina crossed her arms, putting a hand under each armpit. The temperature had dropped, with a skim of snow covering everything.

  She wondered how Sailor was making out and wondered where he was. She hadn’t seen Gus either, and he usually didn’t stray far from camp.

  “Glad you’re up. I was just going to start a fire,” Sam said, startling her.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know anyone else was awake.”

  “I never was one for sleeping in.”

  Gina smiled, knowing that Sam couldn’t see her, “Me either. Never have.”

  In minutes, Sam had the fire blazing. The pop and crackle as the wood burned was comforting. The heat, welcome. The sky had begun to lighten with the rising sun, accenting the white all around them.

  Standing with her back to the fire, Gina stared out over the landscape. She couldn’t see all of the changes around her, but knew from listening that there were many. She tried to imagine what their house looked like after the quakes, or if the quakes were as far reaching as Spokane.

  “It doesn’t do any good to dwell on it.”

  “I’m not dwelling,” she said and turned around to warm her front side. “I’m angry when I think of all the people who have died, and the destruction…and for what?”

  Sam shrugged, “I guess we should be happy it wasn’t a nuclear bomb that started all of this.”

  “And why are we happy about that?” John asked as he put his coat on one handed. He transferred the coffee pot to his other hand and slid his arm into the other sleeve. He set the coffee pot on the metal grate that Sam had just placed on the rocks around the fire ring.

  Sam carried out three chairs from inside the tent and set them at intervals around the fire. He sat in the last one he had placed, and waited for Gina and John to sit.

  Elbows resting on his knees he looked at John, “Okay, before the kids get up, tell us what happened and why the horses are here but no tractor.”

  By the time, John finished his story, his hands were shaking. He looked like he had aged years with the telling.

  “Aw geez…Well, I am sorry to say that I think this is only the beginning. Let me tell you about our trip.”

  One by one, the others joined them at the fire until only the two girls and Nathan remained oblivious to the conversation.

  Exhausted mentally they sat without speaking for several long minutes when Sam finished his story. Occasionally he had asked for confirmation from either Lucas or Gina, but the story was his. He didn’t gloss over or stretch the truth. Gina thought if anything he had tried to soften the impact his words would have.

  “So, we really don’t know how isolated we are here. At this point, we know nothing about what lies east of us. If like you say, the roads are impassible to the west and with the coming of winter, we can feel pretty secure in the knowledge that we won’t be attacked or preyed upon until the snow is gone and it warms up.”

  Sam nodded, his face solemn. “That’s what I think and hope I’m right.”

  By then, everyone had heard about the loss of the tractor and trailer, as well as whatever Andy hadn’t managed to pull out.

  “The first order of business today is to bury Carlos,” John pointed to a small rise just behind the trailer. “There’s a little plateau up there, and it is the perfect spot for our cemetery. We will pray it doesn’t get used often, but we must be realistic. At some point, we will all die, I only hope it’s in the distant future.”

  “I’m going to help you, Dad,” Lucas said, holding one of the two shovels toward his father.

  “Fine Son, let’s get started. Mary, can you find us something…”

  He didn’t need to finish his statement before Mary was up headed toward the trailer. “I’ve got it.”

  “What about a box? We can’t just put his body in the ground.”

  “Sam, Carlos is gone. That body is just an empty vessel, and if we give it the proper respect, it doesn’t matter if it’s in a box or not. If you look around, you’ll see there is nothing to build one out of either.”

  Carlos was laid to rest just after noon time. John said a prayer and Lucas played a hymn on the harmonica that Carlos had given him, and taught him to play. With the haunting melody drifting off on the breeze, Andy shoveled the last bit of dirt over the mound and patted it down. Sam rolled a newly exposed boulder, to rest at the head of the grave.

  The simplicity of the burial made Gina wonder how many times they would have to perform the service, and who would bury the last person when they died.

  “Stop it!” Sam hissed. When she looked at him in surprise, he said, “I already told you. Every thought you have is written across your face. If anyone ever took the time to look, your thoughts are an open book.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know Carlos, and I barely know you guys. Hell, sometimes it feels like I don’t even know Journey and Lucy let alone myself. I thought that I did, but right now it seems like there’s a void, and I am in this bubble looking out, but not really a participant.”

  “Believe it’s got a name. In battle, we called it - being shell-shocked, but the idea can be applied to any situation that’s stressful.”

  “Sam? Gina? You two get on down here. We’ve got plans to make, and we need you here.”

  Sam looked up and turned to look over the valley. He studied the landscape for several minutes and pointed toward the mountains. “See there? Those hills? Someday, we’re going to go out there and see what’s beyond the new horizon.”

  “New horizon? That? That’s all new?” The idea that Sam had never seen the mountains on the south side of their valley before then, momentarily made her knees weak and she grabbed his arm for balance. She couldn’t hide her fear or disbelief from her face.

  He slid his arm around her shoulder and led her down the slope. “Some of it was there, but not all of it. That’s why I called it the new horizon, and we have no idea what’s on the other side of it.”

  Gina let Sam lead her, and took some comfort in his willingness to have included her. She thought that maybe they would be alright. They just had to survive the winter.

  THE END

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you have enjoyed Beyond the New Horizon half as much as I had while writing it. I have four things I love in life, horses, sailing, reading and writing. To incorporate two of them in the same book is magic for me.

  I have decided to include the first chapter of book two; Beyond the New Horizon; Desperate times.

  Just a tiny glimpse to see if you would like to pursue the adventure further. I hope you do, and like every author, our main source of advertising is by word of mouth or from reviews. If you enjoyed Beyond a New Horizon, please take the time to write a short review.

  I appreciate you spending some of your time with my words and imagination. Sincerely, Christine Conaway

  Beyond the New Horizon; Desperate Times

  Chapter One…………A new game plan

  “What are we going to do to ensure our survival?” John asked as he looked at the faces lined up on each side of the long table.

  “John, do we have to do this right now?” Mary’s eyes were rimmed in red to match her nose. She had a tissue wadded up in her closed hand, ready for the next breakdown.

  Gina looked at Mary and realized that she wasn’t the only one who wasn’t fully prepared to think about their future. They had buried Carlos just hours before, and while Gina hadn’t known him well, in fact, not at all, other than the kindness he had shown her on her first visit, she knew the family had to be feeling the loss.

  “If not right now, then when? When do you think is an appropriate time to discuss how we are going to get through this disaster? When we have three feet of snow on the ground or when we’ve run out of food? When Mary? When do you think is the correct time?”

  Sam reached out and laid his hand on John’s arm, “John, take it easy. I think what Mary is trying to say is do we need to discuss
it in front of the kids.”

  John looked thoroughly chastised. His flushed face said he knew he had over-reacted and he slumped back into his chair.

  Mary sank back in her seat, obviously relieved to hear Sam voice her opinion. She smiled and nodded, her face fell when Sam continued.

  Sam looked at Mary, “What you need to understand Mary, is that other than Nathan, we no longer have kids, at least not in the way you think of them being. We don’t have the time to wait until they grow up. The past few weeks should have told you that.”

  John nodded, “I will try to assign age-appropriate chores to Abby and Sherry, but Lucas, for all intents and purposes will be doing a man’s share.”

  Gina saw Lucas sit up straighter and caught the gleam in his eye, that said he was ready for anything they threw his way, or at least thought he was. She hoped he was right and would feel the same way, come the first real snowfall.

  She wondered how ready any of them were for the trials that lay ahead. She wondered if she was. Watching the roadway fall apart and disappear in front of them, had been almost more than she could handle. Gina had never been more afraid in her life. Sam’s quick thinking had been all that stood between them and certain death. With the quake the evening before, she wondered if any of the highways had survived.

  Gina felt Sam nudge her foot under the table and looked up. Everyone seemed to be looking at her as if waiting for her to say something.

  “John was just asking if you would be willing to go with Ben, Lucy and me, to bring the rest of our belongings down.”

  “Sorry…Yes, of course.” She looked at Lucy, “Do you think you should be riding?”

  Lucy flushed as if she didn’t like Gina pointing out her handicap. “I’m going to do my share, and it’s not like I can’t do it.”

  “I know Lucy. I was just…”

  “Looking after me. I know, but I’m fine. Don’t try to coddle me or feel like you have to watch over me every second, please.”

  Gina nodded, “Once again, I’m sorry. I’ll try and keep my opinions and thoughts to myself.”

  “Okay then. First thing tomorrow you guys can get started. Now, what else?” John again looked down the table for suggestions. When none were forthcoming from the other adults, Lucas raised his hand.

  First John and then everyone burst into laughter. Lucas slowly realized everyone, but Abby and Sherry, were laughing at him, and from the way, he glared around the table, he didn’t like it, and didn’t see what was so funny to them.

  Finally, John managed, “Son, this isn’t school, and you don’t have to raise your hand. If you have something to say, just spit it out. Hell son, the way Sam put it, you saved those goats all by yourself.”

  His face flushed with pleasure, “I just did what I was told,” he admitted.

  “Good first step. You followed orders. Now, what were you going to say?”

  “I think we should close off the open shed and build a pen for the goats. That way, Mom doesn’t have to chase them down every day when she goes to milk the nanny.”

  “Me? I’m going to milk her?”

  “As far as I know you’re the only one who knows how to milk,” John said, “but I think you need to teach both girls. They can take turns.”

  “Alright Lucas, you’re in charge of getting the goats situated. If you feel you need guidance, ask Matt, and the girls can help you. Andy, you and I are going to the hayshed and see if we can’t find a way to begin moving hay this direction.”

  They sat in silence for a few seconds, until Journey started to put her hand up, but at a look from Gina, dropped it with a laugh. “What am I going to be doing? You’ve assigned everyone something to do, but Nathan and me.”

  “I haven’t forgotten about you. Once we get all the supplies and food here, we’re going to need to figure out what each of us needs in the way of calories and nourishment, to remain healthy. That is a big responsibility because at some point, whatever we have in the way of provisions is going to run out. Until spring, when we can get a garden in, we have no way of replacing them. Carlos has a root cellar built into the hillside back behind the shed. I’m sure he has some things in there. We need to inventory it, so that would be a good place to start.”

  “When anyone finds themselves with time on their hands, we need to start gathering rocks, and pile them by the backside of the trailer.”

  “John, I think we should go up and retrieve whatever we can save from the trailer today. I would hate to lose it all if those clouds start dumping on us and we can’t get up there.” Andy sat, not looking up and picking at his thumbnail as if it were the most important thing on his mind right then, waiting for an answer.

  “I agree with Andy. We’ve got enough daylight to get up there, and if those clouds are any indication, we need to get started.”

  “Well, okay then. I guess I’ll let you guys decide when. With the mess we left up there, you probably won’t get back tonight, so make sure you’re prepared to spend the night. And for pete’s sake, pay attention to your surroundings. At this point, we can’t afford to lose anyone or get anyone else hurt.”

  “So, there will come the point where we can afford to lose someone?” Sam asked, but it was apparent he was teasing by the wide grin on his face.

  “Oh, don’t be an ass. You know what I meant.”

  “Yeah, I did, but you left yourself wide open for that. Any idea where Carlos would have kept his pack saddle?”

  “I know where it is,” Lucas told them. “It’s in the compartment underneath the trailer. Want me to get it?”

  “I think the one you guys had for your mule is there too.” Andy got up prepared to help Lucas, he looked at Sam, “Do you want to take my gelding? I’m assuming you’re going to use the mule and Carlos’s donkey, but my gelding is used to packing. He’d probably make the trip easier than that old jenny.”

  Sam nodded, “Thanks, Andy, we’ll do that.”

  By the time, Sam and Ben had caught the horses and begun putting their tack on, they realized they were missing saddles. They had Gina’s and Sam’s, and unless Ben and Lucy were to ride bareback, which Lucy would have a hard time with, they would have to make some adjustments.

  Sam brought out an old Hereford saddle from under the trailer. It had carried Carlos many miles, but he had taken care of it, and it was the only saddle that Carlos had ever owned. The high cantle and seat would only fit Lucy, because of her small size.

  Andy offered Ben his old roping saddle, which was accepted gratefully. He made some adjustments to the stirrups, and they were ready to go. Ben was riding the horse that had belonged to Carlos, a big buckskin by the name of Sham.

  They had decided to use four of the other horses to pack with, rather than to take the shorter legged Gus. They had no idea what the terrain would be like, or if they could even get to the cabin.

  Before their camp was out of sight, Gina turned in her saddle. She saw Mary and Journey still standing with their arms raised in farewell. Gina raised her arm in acknowledgment. At the exact moment she turned around, she saw a beam of sunlight break through the low hanging clouds bathing their camp in a golden glow.

  A shiver traveled up Gina’s spine, and she shook it off, determined not to give in to the ominous feelings filling her mind.

  “Watch your step there. Stay away from the edge,” Sam called back. “We’ll continue to the top and get the stuff we left there, then make a second trip for the rest of it.”

  Gina saw what he was talking about, but she also saw that if they didn’t at least salvage whatever was good from the trailer, they could lose it all under a blanket of snow. “Sam, wait a minute.” She edged Sailor out around Ben and rode up to Sam who was in the lead.

  “Why don’t I, or Lucy and I, try to reclaim what we can. It would be a shame to have it buried under a foot of snow.”

  “She’s right. I don’t like to stick my nose in, but at least if there’s anything that survived the fall, they could save it.” Andy agreed. />
  “I guess, but…”

  “No buts. We are going to need anything we can salvage. If it’s only one jar or whatever, it’s more than we have now.”

  Sam sighed and looked at the area around the trailer. A small stream of water already meandered through the plastic totes and barrels. “We don’t know how stable the ground is, so go slow. If you feel even the slightest tremble get to higher ground.”

  Sam held his hand out for the lead line on Bess and Ben took the line on the bay gelding. With a pack horse on each side of them, Ben and Sam continued up the trail.

  Gina turned Sailor up the ravine with Lucy following behind her. The horses picked their way around and between the rocks. When Sailor refused to go any further, Gina stepped off and dropped his reins.

  The way the trailer had smashed apart on the rocks, it was unbelievable to think anything could have survived, but she and Lucy began picking through the contents. Plastic totes had broken open, some could be salvaged, but others had been destroyed. The bags of clothing and blankets had survived and cushioned a couple of the plastic totes. Some jars had broken, but others had survived. Every jar had to be inspected before it was set aside.

  “This doesn’t make any sense. Look at this.”

  Gina turned to see what Lucy was talking about and saw her holding two jars of red cherries up in front of her.

  “All the rest of them are broken, but these two. It seems weird that all of the empty jars broke, but we keep finding full jars that didn’t.”

  “I’m not sure what to say about that, but be grateful there’s anything to salvage.”

  Lucy stood a small blue barrel back onto its bottom. It had been lying on what used to be the trailer roof, and was cracked; the contents spilling out from its mouth. She picked one of the beans up and inspected it, unsure if she should pick them up or leave them.

  “Gina, these beans are all over the place, but they still look good to me. Should I put them back in the barrel?”