Broderick and Ally stand at the head of the driveway waving their own arms in the gesture of good-bye, watching the tail lights from the trucks disappear in the distance. “I hope we see them again soon” Ally says as the tail lights slip out of sight leaving her and Brick alone to turn and head back into the house. “Ray said they would be back out this way in about three months” Brick offers to Ally as they climb the steps to the front porch. “Three months can seem like a lifetime with the way the world is now” Ally responds slightly shivering as she does and adding, “it feels like it’s getting colder already too.” Looking around and taking in their surroundings Broderick, with a slight scowl, is nodding his head “I was thinking the same thing. Come on, let’s get inside and next to a nice warm roaring fire” Brick says as he places he tree trunk of an arm around her shoulders and pulls her in for a friendly embrace, “how does that sound?” “I think that sounds amazing” Ally answers, as she returns the much needed hug. “Sooooo what did you think of Grant?” Ally asks as they reach the top of the stairs and cross the porch. “What? Oh Lord help us all” Brick says laughing as he opens the door and they walk inside. “What?! I was just asking. I thought he seemed nice” Ally responds her cheeks blushing bright red as she does. “And it begins” Brick says as he closes and locks the door behind them then throwing his hands up in the air in a show of surrender. “What begins?” Xander asks from his spot next to Benny and Larry in front of the fireplace. “Well it seems like at least one bug has survived through all this mess the world has thrown at us” Brick says wearing a serious look on his face as he addresses the Xander and his boys. “Oh no please tell me some one hasn’t been bitten by a spider!” Xander exclaims visibly shaken up by Bricks statement. “No I’m afraid a much more serious bug than that” Brick says sitting down and stoking the fire. “What bug dad?” Benny asks now more curious than ever. “The…..LOVE BUG!” Brick shouts as he grabs Ally and tosses her down in her normal spot on the couch next to her dad bursting out with laughter as he does. “What? Oh, OH! haha” is all Xander can get out before bursting into his own bout of laughter as he realizes what Brick is talking about. Both ten year old Benny and eight year old Larry sit confused and anxiously waiting to hear what the joke was all about and exactly what kind of bug had bitten Ally. Still holding his side from laughing, Ally sitting next to him twenty shades of red Xander asks “I wonder what Mrs. Jackie would think about this love interest we have blossoming between the beautiful young Mrs. Ally and the handsome young Mr. Grant.” He strokes his daughters’ hair has he answers his own question, “I’ll tell you what she’d think. She would be absolutely thrilled for you.” He leans over and kisses the top of her head. Brick nodding in response adds, “Yes she would, she would indeed.”
As the day drags on the group, one by one, begins sharing their most cherished memory of the recently lost dear Mrs. Jackie. The stories continue into the night as no one is able to recount just one memory of how their lives were changed because of Jackie Thomas. As the fire dies and the darkness settles in it is broken only by the dying embers of a once raging house fire and far away in the distance the red fading tail lights of a mini convoy longing for home, warmth, and family.
”Fireflies are natures’ truest symbol of beauty, hope, and inspiration; for what other creature in all of nature better symbolizes that true beauty comes from within than the firefly? And without that inner beauty shining through showing everyone just how beautiful you really are; you’re just another bug flying around aimlessly in the dark.”
– Robert Bartlett
Chapter Thirty Three
Year One, Day Three Hundred and Twenty Eight
Veronica lets herself into Sophia and Ray’s bunker to check in on her friend who is still grief stricken over the horrific loss of her daughter Rose and the gruesome way that she had met her end just a few days ago. Putting on a brave face for the majority of the compound Veronica knew how devastated her friend truly was. “Oh Ronnie, I didn’t hear you come in sweetie, let me get myself together” Sophia says as she notices Veronica standing in the entranceway. Trying her best to clean her face of the tears she had been softly crying just moments before Sophia gets up pulling her jacket on as she does. “You’re quite alright dear, take your time. I just thought I’d ask you if you’d like to sit by the fire with me this morning and help me make the coffee for everyone” Veronica asks not letting on that she had heard Sophia quietly weeping as she had made her way up the tunnel that lead to the main living chamber of the shelter. “Cain gave me this bracelet he found with his dog Buddy’s name on it that he made when he was in elementary school” She says to Sophia who is still rummaging in the dark for the rest of her clothes, “I thought we could take it by and lay it on Rose’s marker as we made our way to the pavilion.” Veronica assumed that Sophia and Lily went by Rose’s grave marker first thing every morning as they made their way to the wash house and the pavilion. “That sounds wonderful sweetie. Please tell Cain thank you for me and Lily” Sophia says as she emerges from the dark of her room pulling her coat on as she does. “He doesn’t still think that was his dog that did that to Rose and attacked poor little Belle does he?” Sophia asks stopping next to Veronica and grabbing her by the arms as she does, clearly distraught at Cain feeling any type of guilt or blame over the gruesome death of Rose. “He does. He swears to it actually. He claims that the dog stopped and looked at him, actually wagging its tail for a moment after he called his name out loud.” Veronica begins again but Sophia finishes her thought for her, “That’s when it stopped attacking Belle and bounded off into the woods after snarling at Dylan. But it was already too late for my poor Rose.” “Cain and Dylan killed the two dogs responsible for what happened to Rose honey, remember?” Veronica says as she places an arm around Sophia’s neck and they begin to walk down the exit tunnel together. “That’s right! I do remember!” Sophia exclaims, “The little one tasted awfully good served over some rice with gravy and green beans.” She finishes with a sadistic grin usually reserved only for the demented and criminally insane. Veronica smiles at her friend as she agrees “Yes, it sure did.” Using any excuse she can to try to make her friend feel better.
“Good morning Jackson” Veronica says as she and Sophia walk up behind him. Jackson’s head is down but they can hear him softly crying as he is pays his morning respects to the only other occupant of the compounds newly designated cemetery, his wife Gracie. “Morning Ronnie, Sophia” Jackson responds never leaving his knees and never turning around. His eyes fixated on the grave marker in front of him. “How is Marie this morning?” Veronica asks placing a hand on Jacksons’ back as they reach the only two markers in the plot and Sophia places the bracelet Cain had sent her onto Rose’s. “She’s fine. She’s still asleep with Aubrey” Jackson says as he quickly rises from his kneeling position shrugging off Veronica’s hand as he does, detesting any touch of empathy or pity. He bends over and rubs his left hand down the right side of Gracie’s grave marker and whispers to the dark “Everyday” then he abruptly turns away from Veronica and Sophia as he says “I should really get back and check on them now.” And just like that he is gone. Veronica sighs as she watches him walk away as far as the dark will allow her to before turning around to pay her own respects to the two members of their community that had been laid to rest here. Finishing her respects to Gracie Veronica puts her attention back on Sophia. She watches as Sophia compulsively brushes away any leaves or debris that has settled on Rose’s grave marker during the night she bends over and hugs the marker as her anguished tears leave little round wet drops behind on its surface. Veronica can’t help but to shed a few tears of her own at this new morning ritual that the compound has been forced to accept for Sophia and Jackson. Finished saying her good morning to her lovely deceased daughter Sophia stands and grabbing Veronica by the hand she says “Thank you Ronnie, for coming here with me this morning.” “You are very welcome Sophia, thank you for allowing me to come” Veronica responds befo
re asking, “Where is Lily? I thought she would come here with you too.” Sophia’s eyes fill with a new round of tears as she looks off into the distance towards the water station. “No, Lily doesn’t like to come here with me. She hasn’t been here since the funeral.” “Oh I’m sorry Sophia I didn’t know” Veronica stammers not realizing that she had inadvertently stumbled upon a sensitive subject. “Hey I thought you said we needed to get the coffee started for everyone” Sophia says clearly changing the subject, “I know some people who will be awfully grumpy if we don’t.” Sophia grabs Veronica’s arm with both hands as the pair begin to leave the cemetery and make their way to the pavilion. “That we do and yes there will be” Veronica responds with a short awkward chuckle placing her own hand over the ones Sophia hand wrapped around her arm.
Willy walks into the circle of firelight just as the two women set the coffee pot on the tripod over the flames so that the coffee can begin brewing. “Mornin’ ladies” Willy says to them as he approaches, his voice still heavy with sleep. “Morning Willy” Veronica and Sophia respond in chorus. “We have a little of the beans left over from last night Willy, would you like me to heat some up for you this morning?” Sophia asks as Willy gets seated and comfortable. “I would indeed Sophia thank you” Willy answers while slyly turning to Veronica and asking “How come you never offer to warm me up some beans first thing in the morning Ronnie?” And as Sophia places the steaming bowl of beans if front of him Willy cheerfully adds, “A man could definitely get used to this!” Willy wears a broad smile on his face the fog of sleep clearly lifting from him. As Veronica places his coffee down next to the beans she comments “And that’s why I don’t do it Willy, we don’t want you going all soft and lazy on us around here. The only thing I want you getting used to is work.” “Hell woman I thought I left my wife and boss back in town” Willy responds good naturedly as they begin laughing at one another, all of them feeling lucky to have each other to lean on as they try to survive in these difficult dark days.
Sitting together under the pavilion enjoying the light conversation of friendship and the warmth of the fire, the trio finishes their morning meal of beans and stale bread the talk turning more serious as they begin to discuss the most recent addition of the compound, Aubrey. “So what do you ladies really think about our newest member of the club?” Willy opens the discussion up with the easiest and most obvious question. “I don’t get a good feeling about her at all” Sophia chimes in. “I don’t either. I can’t put my finger on it but something just seems……….Off” Veronica adds. “Well for starters how about the way she gained access to the compound in the first place” Willy says placing a hand over Sophia’s as he does. Sophia returns the gesture of good will and adds “Willy has a point. She was supposedly out there just wandering around for days or weeks, all alone. Just to show up on our doorstep right at the exact moment of the dog attack on the girls? Not that I mean to sound ungrateful for what she did for Lily and Belle” Sophia says, “But something about it just doesn’t add up.” “Exactly, if she was out there all that time alone how is she miraculously still lactating and what happened to her baby?” Willy states before adding, “And what’s up with that book she’s always carrying around and writing in?” “It’s supposedly a journal she claims she keeps to document her ordeals during what she calls the ‘afterlife’. And I agree, I know a woman can keep lactating for weeks, sometimes months, after a baby stops nursing but the flow slows down to a trickle. It doesn’t stay as full as hers seems to be” Veronica says. “I still would like to know what happened to her baby and why she never talks about it” Sophia exclaims comparing the feelings she has for her own children, both living and dead, to how Aubrey seemingly doesn’t care about her dead or lost child at all. “Or its father or anyone else for that matter” Willy adds, “and another thing, where did all those scars around her lips come from? And why does she sound like someone who just drank an entire bottle of whiskey and smoked a whole pack of cigarettes?” “I don’t know where the scars came from Willy or why she sounds the way she does, but I do know that the three of us sitting out here in the cover of darkness under the pavilion talking about it isn’t going to change anything or cure any ones curiosity” Veronica states. “I agree, I think we need to have a community meeting about it” Willy says nodding his head. “Yes I think getting us all together in an open forum to talk about it would help to curb these uneasy feelings that we all seem to be having about the mysterious and peculiar Mrs. Aubrey” Sophia states flatly. “I do too but we need to make sure that it doesn’t turn into an interrogation or persecution. And we must be gentle with the whole Jackson situation as well” Veronica says. “Ok, so when should we get everyone together?” Sophia asks. “The sooner the better I think” Willy says. As the three senior members of the compound absently nod their agreement to one another, they sit together and finish the rest of their coffee in silent contemplation.
The scream that jolts them awake from their thoughts is so loud it seems to shake the very foundation of the mountain the compound is nestled in. Veronica and Willy startled, jump to their feet spilling the rest of their coffee as they do leaving it to run off of the table and pool on the ground to be swallowed up by the earth. Sophia doesn’t move as she stays seated and begins to slowly weep into her hands as she places them over her face. Thinking to herself that there has been far too much screaming and demoralization in the compound as of late. Unable to face yet another despairing event Sophia slowly rises and makes her way back to check on Lily who had stayed with Holly last night to help take care of Belle as her foot and ankle heal. Veronica and Willy frantically make their way towards the sounds of the frenzied screaming that is still coming from inside the communities designated pantry. As soon as Willy and Veronica burst through the door of the pantry they are met immediately by the overpowering smell of burning flesh. From somewhere in the back of the room they can see the flicker of firelight and the shadows that accompanied a desperate struggle dancing over the walls. A dance broken only by the indiscernible frenzied screaming that was still booming from out of the room.
Chapter Thirty Four
Veronica and Willy charge into the back room of the pantry where they are stopped in their tracks at the sight of Jackson physically shoving Aubrey into the corner on the opposite side of the fire that had been lit in the center of the room. Jacksons screaming sobs that had been filling the room and the compound beyond it suddenly come to an eerie, abrupt halt as he collapses against the wall running his hands over his face dragging blood from the scratches he has sustained in the struggle with Aubrey through his hair as he does. Veronica covers her mouth audibly sucking in her breath as she takes in the revulsion being played out inside the room. “Oh no oh sweet Jesus no” Willy repeats over and over from where he is standing just inside the door to her left. Aubrey, who has gotten back to her feet, squats over the fire slowly turning the little spit she had mounted over it. Incoherent mumblings in her raspy smokers’ voice coming from Aubrey as she does, “Hungry, hungry, hungry, no more crying, no more hungry” is all Veronica can make out. “Hungry, hungry, hungry” Aubrey continues to mumble over the fire never bothering to wipe the blood from her face that was streaming out of her nose, an apparent result of her struggle with Jackson. “Aubrey this is Veronica, you know ‘Ronnie’, where is Marie Aubrey? Can you tell me that? Can you tell me where Marie is?” Aubrey looks up at Veronica with insane maniacal eyes almost as if she is surprised to see her standing in front of her inside the room. Evidentially Aubrey hadn’t even noticed that she and Willy had come into the room. “Baby” Aubrey rasps out in response to Veronica’s question. “No baby, hungry, hungry, hungry” Aubrey again begins to chant. “Ronnie see if you can get to those piled up blankets over there in the corner” Willy says from just behind her, thankfully coming out of his trance in time to help Veronica with this most dire of situations. “Willy, the blankets are all covered with blood Willy” Veronica stammers out barely above a whisper as she
begins to cry at the thought of baby Marie being somewhere inside that pile of bloody blankets. “Hungry, hungry, hungry” Aubrey rasps out from her hunched over position above the fire still methodically turning the spit. Up and down, up and down a slight squeak coming from the spit now caused from the heated up metal rubbing together as she turns it, up and down, up and down, squeak, squeak. Veronica slowly makes her way to the blood covered blankets as Willy takes over the hopeless efforts of trying to get through to the now clearly insane Aubrey Bryant.
Veronica reaches the pile and slowly begins to peel the blankets back layer after layer. The feelings of déjà-vu overwhelm her emotions as she remembers Jackson doing the very same thing the first time she and Holly had brought Marie out to meet him while he sat waiting under the pavilion. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Aubrey suddenly begins shrieking at Veronica as she notices her rummaging through the pile of blankets no longer paying attention to Willy’s gentle prodding. “Hurry up Ronnie!” Willy calls out from the opposite side of the room. Veronica begins throwing the layers of blankets back now no longer worried about being discreet as she hears the footsteps and struggle going on behind her as Willy tries to keep Aubrey from getting to Veronica. Finally after it seemed Veronica had searched through every blanket they had at the compound she reaches baby Marie at the bottom, unconscious from trauma and loss of blood but thankfully still alive. “Oh thank you God!” Veronica sobs finally able to breathe a sigh of relief that the child was still alive and that her worst fears hadn’t come to fruition. Clutching Marie to her chest she stands turning back towards the door as the gunshot thunders through the room deafening in its volume and magnitude.
Beneath the Ashen Veil of Darkness Page 14