by Lopez, Rob
“And where was his father?”
“Illinois. Or maybe he moved on to someplace else, I don’t know. Daniel doesn’t remember him.”
“And your boy’s never had a special Christmas?”
“No … well, yeah … I mean, I tried my best. He had presents to open on Christmas morning.”
“Well, that ain’t no good,” said Scott.
Slightly offended, April said, “Are you telling me that you had great memories of Christmas? Because from what you’ve told me, yours can’t have been any better.”
“Hell, no. They sucked. All the more reason to improve on it, don’t you think?”
“I guess,” said April, unsure whether he was serious. “Why does it matter to you whether Daniel has a good Christmas or not?”
Scott looked away, setting saw to wood. “He’s a good boy,” he said, simply.
*
When Rick and Lauren returned from their patrol, they set about making the clubhouse more livable. Mattresses were brought over from the hotel and pillowcases were gathered and filled with sand from the bunkers on the course to make the first outpost on the cafe gallery. Doors were jammed or blocked to limit the number of entry points into the building, and chain-link was nailed over the bottom-floor windows. Finally, a heavy woodstove was salvaged from a nearby house and manhandled over to the club, where it was installed in a hearth. By the time night fell, everyone was exhausted and weak from hunger. Josh had only managed to bag one squirrel, and they combined that with the soup and ramen for their supper.
“When we get more meat, we can trade it with Chuck and Janice for some vegetables,” said Rick. “We need to safeguard their operation. That’s going to be a valuable source of nutrients for us all.”
“And you seriously want to move them into here?” said Scott.
“When I can persuade them to, yeah. We’ve got plenty of rooms. You’ve all got one each and there’s still more to spare. If they want more privacy than that, there’s another building on the lot they can move into. We can dig a connecting trench between the two and add it to the fortifications.”
“And what about that other group that’s supposed to be out there? You going to ask them too?”
“Depends how friendly they are.”
“Friendly enough to try and put a bullet in us.”
“We don’t know if it was them or somebody else. We don’t even know if it’s a group or just one person. I do think we need to find them fast to see if they’re a threat or not. Chuck gave us a possible lead, and I think you and I should go out one night and track them down.”
“If they’re dumb enough to be running a generator, it can’t be too hard.”
“Maybe not. Making contact, though, could be tricky.”
“Why don’t we leave them a note? Hey guys, we’re your neighbors, how about you come over for dinner sometime? Bring a bottle. But not a Molotov.”
“In spite of the sarcasm, that’s a good idea.”
“Can we get a vote on whether to invite people in here?” asked April, a little annoyed. “We’ve got children, and I’ve got concerns.”
“No one’s been invited yet,” said Rick. “When the time comes, it’ll be a group decision. In the meantime, all I’m interested in is gathering intel.”
“You’re giving food to some of these people. Our food. Where’s the group decision in that?”
Rick, put his spoon down. “Okay, that’s a fair point. What do you suggest we do?”
April shifted uncomfortably as everyone waited for her to reply. “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem right telling everyone we meet where we are.”
“I haven’t disclosed our location to anyone,” said Rick quietly.
“Fine,” said April hastily. “Forget I said anything.”
“You’re entitled to your opinion.”
“I know. I just don’t want to say any more.”
Rick sighed. “April, I get your point, and I wouldn’t condone anything that compromises our position, either. But we’ve got to reach out, and sometimes we’ve got to take a risk. Those people we found today know how to grow their own food, and we don’t. And there’s a nurse at the hospital with valuable medical skills that we might need one day.”
“And those nuts who shot at us? What are they good for?”
“I don’t know yet. The fact is, none of us will know until we meet them. This is our base, and we vet everyone before we let them in. I’m not going to risk our security. But I don’t see the point of cutting ourselves off, either. We need to find people before they find us. That’s how we keep the initiative. That’s how we get to choose. And assess.”
April pursed her lips, bummed at being lectured. Rick waited for her to say something, but when nothing was forthcoming, he turned to Scott.
“The night’s still young. How about we go out for a spell and see if we can track down that generator?”
Scott looked old, the weariness deepening the lines on his face, but he nodded immediately, reaching for his rifle. “Don’t see why not.”
*
April left the room immediately after supper, carrying a candle along the dark corridors until she reached her room, the former manager’s office. The mahogany desk with its computer and photos of a family with children remained, two mattresses laid out before it. April dripped some wax onto the desk and fixed the candle onto it, massaging her brow.
She’d left Daniel with Lizzy in the other room, and she should have brought him with her rather than let him run the corridors in the darkness, but she wanted to get out quickly. Something didn’t feel right, and she wasn’t sure why she felt so sensitive. It wasn’t just Rick’s comments that annoyed her, it was his whole demeanor. Lauren’s silent acquiescence also grated on her.
April sighed. She was tired, that was all, and she needed to get away for a moment. Everything was driving her crazy.
Everything except Scott, that is.
April stared at the candle flame.
She was lying to herself. It was Scott that was doing the most to drive her crazy, and he wasn’t doing anything.
That fact alone gnawed at her.
She wasn’t sure if it was just that she was feeling lonely, or her hormones were getting the better of her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
What’s the matter with me? He’s way older than I am. And I don’t know if he’s even interested.
She wasn’t sure if that was true or not, though. He seemed to like her. But he was also indifferent. She didn’t know how to read him, and her heart was tying itself in knots.
Get a grip, girl! This is a survival situation. You don’t have time for all that crap.
It was like being a teenager all over again, an experience April didn’t particularly want to repeat, but here she was, with a crush on a guy distracting her from more pressing issues and making her all angsty.
She didn’t need this right now.
A knock on the open door caused her to whirl around. It was Scott, a dim silhouette in the doorway, in his combat gear, ready to go out.
“Where’s Daniel?” he said.
April took a deep breath, pushing her burgeoning emotions as far down as she could. “He’s, uh, with Lizzy. I was just going to get him now.”
“Uh huh,” said Scott. He paused, like he had something on his mind, and April’s heart skipped a beat. “Look, I just want to say …”
“Yes?”
“… just wanted to let you know that, well, Rick can be pretty direct, and that he didn’t mean anything by what he said.”
“Oh.”
“You know, he’s just so used to giving orders, and you kind of looked pissed with his answer, but he wasn’t getting at you in particular. It’s just the way he is.”
“Right. Yeah. I was okay really. Just tired. Wasn’t really … thinking about that.”
There was a metallic click as Scott shifted his rifle around to a more comfortable position. “We’re all pretty tired, I guess.”
There was a pause. “Well, I should be going.”
“Scott,” said April suddenly, “you shouldn’t be going out. I mean, being tired. You’ll make mistakes like that.”
With her night vision destroyed by the candle, she couldn’t tell if he smiled, but the lilt of his voice suggested it.
“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “You get some rest. I’ll catch you later.”
In the next instant, he was gone, and all she saw was the aura of the candle flame imprinted on her retina, in about the same place where his head had been.
18
Rick stifled a yawn. It was early morning, and he could have done with sleeping longer. The previous night’s attempt to locate the alleged generator had proved fruitless. With the sky overcast and the stars hidden, the streets were black chasms of silence.
With the dawn, the sky remained overcast, though it wasn’t as cold as the day before. Leading Josh along the banks of the Little Sugar Creek, Rick maintained a careful watch of the houses they passed. They were close to the neighborhood he and Scott had patrolled the night before, and Rick didn’t really want to be taking Josh so near to the area, especially since the shooter incident, but they had to get food, and Rick knew there was one place with a good chance of getting plenty: Freedom Park.
Passing under a concrete highway bridge, they entered the park proper and turned away from the creek, into the trees. Already they could hear the honking. As they reached the edge of the treeline, they saw the park lake, and on it, as Rick had hoped, a population of geese.
Freedom Park was notorious for the Canada geese that chose to stay there all year round, pestering the tourists for food. Crawling into a shooting position twenty yards from the edge of the water, Rick and Josh waited. About six or seven geese swam in the middle of the lake, out of range of the air rifle.
“A goose is going to be too big for an air gun pellet,” whispered Rick. “Feathers and muscle will get in the way of an easy kill. The only way to be sure is with a head shot, and that’s going to be difficult, so wait for one to get real close.”
Josh simply nodded and set up the rifle, peering down the scope. Rick noted how much better he was getting at this. He’d contemplated taking the shot himself to guarantee a clean kill: a goose right now was too good a chance to miss. Josh’s gun handling skills, however, had improved 100%, and he looked confident and comfortable with the weapon. He’d learned quickly, and seemed to relish his role as meat provider for the group.
Rick lay still and kept watch, occasionally scanning the park with his binoculars. Besides the geese, there were plenty of ducks on the water. On the far bank he caught sight of a beaver nosing around a nature trail, and rabbits hopped on the grass near a children’s play area. The rich array of wildlife looked promising.
Two geese on the lake began pecking at each other. Soon they spread their wings in a display of aggression, fighting for dominance in their little patch of water. After a flurry of beak stabbing, one gave up and flapped his way across the surface to take off. Wheeling briefly in the sky, the losing goose came down to land next to a garbage can. The contents of the can had already been plundered, and wrappers lay on the ground around it. The goose picked disconsolately at the meager offerings in the hope of finding something to ease its wounded pride.
The garbage can was less than fifteen yards away, and Rick held his breath as Josh sighted the rifle. Calmly lining the weapon up, Josh waited until the goose paused for a moment, its head up. The air rifle thudded, and the goose’s head kicked over with the impact, the bird collapsing. It didn’t move again.
Rick nodded his approval. “Good kill,” he said.
Josh smiled back at him and Rick ruffled his hair.
*
Scott clung to the side of the great oak as he sawed at the bottom branch. “Stay clear, guys,” he called to Lizzy and Daniel picking twigs nearby. With a final crunch, he sawed through the last part to send the branch crashing to the ground. Sliding down the trunk, he caught his breath at the bottom, flexing his aching arm.
Lauren and April were foraging in the grand houses farther down the street, and April returned carrying a bag and a chainsaw.
“Do you think you can use this?” she asked.
Scott looked at the chainsaw. “That’ll be noisy,” he said.
“Yeah, but it’ll be quicker and easier. You look beat.”
Scott thought about it. “We’ll see if it works, first.”
Taking the chainsaw and keeping his finger ready over the kill switch, he tugged at the cord. Nothing happened, and several efforts later, he abandoned the pursuit.
“Guess it was damaged in the storm too,” said April ruefully. “Is there any way you can fix it?”
“Never been any good with motors,” said Scott.
“Are you kidding?” said April. “You seem to be able to do everything.”
Scott chuckled. “Not by a long shot.” He pressed his fists into the small of his back and arched himself. “Not as limber as I used to be, that’s for sure.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” said April offhandedly
“And why wouldn’t you?” said Scott, looking at her.
Under his gaze, April struggled for an innocuous answer and was saved by Lauren’s arrival.
Lauren was carrying two large bags. “We’ve hit pay dirt,” she said. “Rice and pasta, sugar and laundry detergent.”
“Cool,” said April, composing herself. “But the laundry detergent?”
“We’ve got to start washing underwear sometime. I can’t keep throwing them out. But look, I also found two portable stoves with full gas cartridges. What did you find?”
“Some cans of fruit, a jar of pickles, some soap, and, uh, the chainsaw. Which doesn’t work.”
Lauren looked at the pile of branches Scott had sawed. “I do believe we’re building up a bit of surplus. Hell, at this rate, we might be able to take a day off. Jeez, Scott, you look beat.”
Scott waved away her concerns. “I’m fine.”
“I found another saw back at the garage there. I’ll give you a hand getting all this wood ready.”
“Mommy, Daddy’s back,” called Lizzy, pointing. “And he’s got a bird.”
Rick and Josh strolled down the road, carrying their prize goose, both smiling.
“Wow,” said Lauren. “Looks like we’ll be celebrating tonight.”
April sneaked a look at Scott, and he gave her a wan smile, holding his gaze for several heartbeats
*
Rick had traded a shot rabbit with Chuck for a small bag of carrots, and they consumed that with the goose and rice, sitting around a grand table, with a fire in the hearth and candles reflecting in their faces as they laughed, with Rick honoring Josh with the tale of his kill, and Lauren looking proudly at her son. April exchanged shy glances with Scott, but neither were able to converse in depth, and Rick brought the proceedings to a close by proposing another night patrol. Which Scott accepted.
After three hours of fruitless searching through the dark streets, watching constantly for danger, Scott returned to the silent clubhouse building utterly exhausted. Bidding Rick goodnight, Scott tramped slowly up the stairs, feeling his way along the walls until he reached his room. Letting his equipment clatter to the floor, he groped around the table for the candle and matches. Behind the table was a mirror, and as the flame caught, he saw the reflection of a bearded old man who, in spite of a passing similarity to a much wilder, younger man, he didn’t recognize. He rubbed his features in the hope that he might be able to transform them, but the same wizened, tired face stared back at him.
Movement caught his eye, and he turned to see April in his doorway, wrapped in a blanket. He glanced at his equipment lying on the floor. “Guess I woke you, huh?”
April shook her head, her long hair swaying. “I couldn’t sleep, and I’m on watch later.”
“You need to rest.”
“You do, too.”
Scott chuckled. “Okay, we bo
th need to rest.”
April stepped forward, an uncertain look on her face. “Can we rest together?”
Scott turned serious. “I’ve got a mind to do more than that, but I don’t know what you’d want with an old guy like me.”
“You’re not old,” said April, taking another step forward.
“Nah, I just feel it sometimes.”
April took a third step and let the blanket fall from her shoulders. Taking his hand she placed it between her breasts. “What do you feel now?” she said.
Sensing her pounding heart, Scott didn’t bother to answer the question, instead pulling her to him and kissing her lips.
19
“I think it’s sweet,” said Lauren, trudging up the hospital steps.
“Uh huh,” grunted Rick, leading the way.
“Under the surface, I think they’re kind of similar. I think they’ll be happy.”
“Uh huh.”
“He’s your friend. I thought you’d be pleased.”
Rick stopped and turned. “I’m ecstatic,” he said, looking anything but. “Can we stop talking and stay focused now?”
Lauren frowned and resumed a tactical posture, keeping an eye on the way they had come. Rick trod silently, peering around every corner as they ascended. He’d come here often enough to get complacent, which is why he was determined not to get complacent. Every location had to be treated as if he was exploring it for the first time. He had, of course, noticed the change in Scott this morning. The weariness had gone, and the years had fallen from his face. He might have put it down to him simply having slept well, but Lauren was adamant that April was all aglow, and that could only mean one thing.
To Rick that could have meant a lot of things, but he wasn’t one to quibble. As long as everyone on the team was functioning, he was okay with that.
Reaching the top floor, Rick flattened himself against the wall and called out his usual greeting to avoid getting shot. “Harvey!”
There was no reply. Rick peered around the corner and saw the barricade bed had been flipped over. There was a smear of blood on the floor.
Snapping his fingers to get Lauren’s attention, he mutely indicated that he wanted her to cover him from this position. As soon as she nodded, slipping the safety off her rifle, Rick moved into the corridor, looking warily for more signs. When he got to the ward entrance, he peered inside.