Trill’s face softened for the first time since they’d met. “You couldn’t have been more than fourteen or so when this shit all started. How the hell would you know this stuff? Don’t worry. I can tell it’s a secret. I won’t say anything.”
“Won’t say anything about what?” Sara asked as she approached, the arrows clutched in her hand.
“She promised not to tell anyone that I don’t hate the deer either.” Fi thought of the lie quickly.
“That’s hardly a secret,” Sara smiled.
“I was asking Fi how she managed to kill the deer if it bothered her so much,” Trill backed up the story, and Fi shot her a grateful smile.
“I don’t know, Trill,” Fi said. “I do what has to be done. I’m good at this. It feeds people. So be it.”
Trill nodded. “You’re the Terminator, then. Calculating, precise.” She turned to Sara and drummed her index finger on her chin. “And you, I’ve seen what you’re capable of, at least in practice. But you need the emotion to drive you to kill…you’re Gabriel, smiting the wicked. From what Jack told me about the pile of bodies you all left on our borders, they should be worried.”
Sara dropped her head. Though Trill meant it respectfully, Fi knew that the analysis had hit too close to home for her friend.
“What does that make you, Trill?” Fi countered.
“Me? I’m the Chameleon. I do whatever I have to do to survive. So…who won?”
Sara brightened at the change in topic. “Well, even if we don’t count the distance strike, Fi’s bullet was in the dead center of that target, Trill. I’m sorry.” Sara’s attempt to bite her lip did nothing to suppress her grin.
“If I’d had my handgun, it would’ve been a different story. Lucky for you I didn’t bring it. And lucky for me, I’m not that big on dessert,” Trill said, and laughed. Fi and Sara joined her, the three women now completely at ease with one another. Trill turned toward the Dead Zone and waved to the girls. “Let’s go do some real hunting.”
Trill shared more of her story as they walked. She wasn’t kidding about being a chameleon. She had as many labels as Fi had fears: abandoned baby, ward of the state, foster kid, at-risk youth, troublemaker, delinquent, runaway, teen mother, teen wife, teen widow, teen prostitute, drug addict, recovered addict, beat cop, narc, detective, and now, Guardian of Lakeland.
Fi’s throat tightened as Trill’s terrible story poured from her. No matter what Fi might have thought of Trill before, it definitely fell well short of the truth. She was both scarier and more impressive than Fi could possibly have imagined. She knew without even speaking to Sara that they had both made up their minds about Trill. She was Family.
They reached the other side of the Dead Zone and Trill waved them into a small huddle. “We have to be quiet now. The deer tend to bed down in the area to our west.”
She laid out the plan and the perimeter, and Fi relaxed. Hunting always seemed to calm her, and she was looking forward to winning her bet.
“Pound for pound?” Fi reconfirmed. They’d gone double or nothing on their dessert bet, and upped the ante. Whichever woman brought back a bigger kill not only got the losers’ desserts, she had to be given a congratulatory toast at the celebration.
“Pound for pound,” Trill agreed. “Good luck felling deer with those,” she laughed at Sara’s daggers.
The girls split and melted into the forest, Fi heading south along the perimeter Trill had described. She secured her release and began the patient stalk of the hunt, feeling content.
Celebration
----------- Fi ----------
Three hours later, the women returned to Town Center. Much to Fi’s chagrin, it had been Trill who had felled the large doe. Now she would have to make a toast in her honor, which was something she really hadn’t considered when she’d made the bet. But then, she hadn’t thought she’d lose. She’d gotten a couple geese herself, which was a great addition to the celebration feast, but it hardly won a pound-for-pound bet. At least she’d beaten Sara, who had come up empty-handed.
Though it was still a few hours until everyone would arrive, some of the provisions were already laid out on the long tarps lining the ground. A thin blue smoke hung in the air, the coalescence of innumerable cooking fires. It tasted of pine and herbs, browning fish, and deer meat. Fi swallowed as her stomach growled. Beside her, Sara inhaled deeply and gave a heartfelt groan.
“I know,” Fi said. “I feel the same way. I can’t wait to eat.”
“It smells unbelievable,” Sara agreed. “Let’s go see if we can help with anything.”
It was a good suggestion. Fi felt a deep contentment as she knelt beside the tarps; helping the Lakelanders to set out steaming bowls of nut mash, pine soup, mixed berries, roasted roots, and grilled mushrooms. Still sizzling in the background, the deer, geese, ducks, squirrels, and fish added a delicious fattiness to the smoky air. Jack said they’d been hunting and gathering like mad, but this bounty was a real demonstration of the productivity of the Lakeland.
As the sun began to set, an astonishing torrent of Lakelanders flowed into Town Center. The men returned from their survey of the region, and joined the women in laying out preparations. The air buzzed with the joy of celebration.
As the final pieces were laid upon the tarp, Jack invited everyone to begin taking their seats. Fi was shocked at the sheer number of people who had come. It seemed like all of Lakeland had shown up. She hoped that Jack didn’t expect any speeches out of her. Her toast to Trill would be embarrassing enough. Though there didn’t appear to be any specific seating arrangements, Jack motioned for Fi to sit beside him. Asher, Sean, and Sara took their seats on Fi’s other side and began reaching excitedly for the food, when Jack stood and spoke.
“Please, everyone,” he began. His interruption was met with a gentle, but amused moan from the gathered attendees. “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Seeders to Lakeland.” A loud cheer rose from the gathering and Fi jumped, startled.
Jack shot her an amused look before continuing. “Please, do take the time to make them welcome. Now, let’s have a moment of silence in thanks for this wonderful feast. Though none of us eats like we used to eat…” he patted his stomach, eliciting laughter from the crowd, “…we’re thankful to have enough.”
With that, Jack bowed his head and heads around them fell in thanks. Fi felt warmed by this gesture, an acknowledgement of blessings worth counting. She said her personal thanks to God. Her stomach gurgled and she suppressed an excited giggle. Her stomach was thankful as well.
“All right, everyone, let’s eat!” Jack broke the silence, and another cheer went up as hundreds of hands reached out. Platters and bowls were grabbed and passed as excited chatter filled the night air.
“So, Fi,” Jack said, settling in. “Trill tells me that you are a talented markswoman.” His face broadened into a warm, admiring smile. “It’s not easy to impress Trill, but from what she tells me, your skill is rather extraordinary.”
“Trill’s just being nice,” she protested.
Jack burst out laughing. “She also mentioned that you don’t take a compliment well.” He shook his head and turned to Asher. “Did she tell you about her target practice today?” Asher frowned and shook his head. “Well, from what Trill says, she caught the middle target dead center with her .22, and the farthest target dead center with her bow. Each in just one shot. That means her bow is accurate to the length of a football field.”
A platter cruised by, afloat on a sea of hands, and Jack ripped off a piece of goose meat and popped it in his mouth with a grin. Fi wanted to melt through the forest floor. Target practice had been fun, but all this praise was definitely not. Asher’s eyes narrowed, and she felt her embarrassment shift into confusion. That’s right, she thought. She’d forgotten that something had been bothering him. She still hadn’t had a chance to ask him about it.
He rested his hand on her thigh. “I’m well aware of my wife’s capabilities.”
The two men glowered at one another until Fi broke the silence. “Jack, please tell Trill that I appreciate her vote of confidence. I’m certain that it’s not easy to earn.”
The tension wavered, and Jack exhaled. “That’s the truth.” He frowned at Asher. “I’m sorry if I gave offense in some way.”
“S’alright,” Asher muttered. “I didn’t mean anything either.” He seemed genuinely chagrined, but he kept his free hand planted firmly on her thigh.
Jack’s eyes flitted to Asher’s hand, and he burst out into an unexpected laugh. “Yes, I see. I suppose she does draw a lot of attention.”
Asher’s grip tightened for just a second, and then to Fi’s relief, she could feel him relax.
“Yes, she does.”
The men exchanged a genuine smile, and Fi’s embarrassment deepened. “Jeez, can we talk about something else please?”
“Ok,” Jack said. “What about this? Tell me how you two met. Did you meet in Eden?”
This time it was Fi’s turn to laugh. She turned to Asher and raised an eyebrow. “Honey, would you like to share the story of how we met and fell in love, or shall I?”
Asher patted her leg and slid his hand away, intent on his food once more. “You go ahead, Fi. You’re good with all the gory details.”
Fi snorted at the pun and turned her attention back to Jack. “Well, Jack, Asher and I met in my most favorite of places prior to the Famine: New York City. It was just like the movies. Except, of course, for how we actually met. That’s what made our love truly special.” She ripped off a big bite of venison and chewed, her smile mischievous. Jack rolled his eyes and waited while she enjoyed her build-up. She swallowed and cleared her throat. “We met in the middle of a gang-fight.”
Jack choked on his food and Asher burst out laughing. Sadik had to pound on his leader’s back to help him breathe. Fi smiled sweetly while Jack recovered himself.
“A gang-fight,” he repeated. “That’s very, uh, romantic.”
“Complete with psychopaths,” Asher said. “It’s true. The first time I met her, she had her .22 pointed at my head. She shot one of my guys before I even had a chance to think. Though to be fair, the guy was a total dick. He was lucky she only shot him in the hand. Which she was kind enough to point out.”
Jack’s mouth hung open slightly. “I take it that it was love at first sight?”
“Could you blame me?” Asher chuckled, and Fi shoved him with her shoulder.
“So is there more to this story? I have to admit, it sounds like a good one,” Jack prompted.
Fi nodded and began to launch into the full story, when a man interrupted them. He held out a large, hollow gourd. “Would our guests like to enjoy some of our homemade spirits?”
Jack turned to Fi. “I’ve been wanting to ask this since we met and now I have an excuse. So, are any of you Seeders old enough to drink?” Asher tapped Sean, who was in conversation with Sara and their neighbors. They turned and Jack repeated his question.
“Remember when we joked about moonshine at your wedding, Fi?” Sean laughed.
“C’mon, whoever is of age, raise your hands,” Jack said, and Asher raised a tentative hand. “Seriously?” Jack gaped. “Asher is the only one? I mean I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, because you all do look like babies…”
“Babies!” Fi retorted. “How old are you, Father Time?”
“Thirty-one,” he said defensively. “Now tell me, Fi, how much older than you does that make me?”
She bit her lip with remorse. This was the second time in one day that she’d made this mistake. She hadn’t realized that Jack was so old when she’d picked her words. She’d thought he was only a few years older than Asher. Maybe she should stop trying to guess people’s age. She sighed and did the math.
“Fourteen years,” she said. “I’m seventeen.” Jack gasped, but remained silent as she nodded in turn to Sean and Sara. “Sixteen and seventeen as well. And Asher…”
“Asher’s of age,” Jack finished. “Ok, to be honest, I was really just being nosy. I’m not going to card anyone if you want a drink.” He took the gourd from the man who’d offered it. “I’m warning you though, that this is some serious stuff. It’ll burn like fire, and a little goes a long way.”
“I’m in,” Sean offered his cup.
Sara joined him. “Aren’t you going to try it, Fi?”
Shit. Fi’s heart sped up. She hadn’t even thought of the next step…actually drinking. Of course Sean and Sara would expect her to drink; she was adventurous, reckless, fearless, Fi. But she couldn’t! Her mind raced as she struggled to think of something to say.
Asher pushed his cup forward. “Fill me up. Fi and I will share.”
He gave her a knowing look and she exhaled and mouthed “thank you” as he took the cup back from Jack. Asher helped her pretend to take a sip and she made the same faces and noises she’d observed from Sean and Sara when they’d taken a sip. It must have tasted truly awful, because both of them choked and cried when they drank.
Even Asher seemed overwhelmed. “Whew!” he cried. “That’s some strong stuff, Jack. You weren’t kidding.”
For a split second Fi felt left out. She hadn’t expected to ever go to a party, but it kind of sucked now that she couldn’t enjoy it with everyone else. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Trill’s grinning face. Her heart sank.
“A bet’s a bet, Fi. C’mon, who cares now? Everyone is too drunk to do anything but laugh,” Trill said.
Fi looked around at the boisterous tumble of people. Even by firelight she could see that their faces were ruddy with food, drink, and celebration. A couple fell over one another and dissolved into laughter at her left and she realized that Trill was right. She stood and pulled out her buck knife. She grabbed a metal bowl from the tarp and dumped its contents into another bowl.
“Hello?” She banged her knife on the bowl and cringed as the sound rang out over the din. Those nearby turned unsteadily.
“Shhhhhh! It’s Fi. Shhh. She’s gonna say something.”
Fi waited and felt her heart begin to climb into her throat. Dammit, she’d already been worried that Jack would want her to make a pretty speech, and here she’d walked herself right into one on her own. The crowd mostly quieted down and Fi took a deep breath. “I’m sure that you don’t want to hear a big long speech,” she began.
“Speech!” A voice shouted from the darkness, and Fi froze. The people around her started chanting, “Speech! Speech! Speech!” Fi whirled and nearly dropped her knife as the cries continued. She looked down and saw that Sean, Sara, Jack, Sadik, and Asher were all chanting “Speech!” and clapping with the rest of them.
“Traitor,” she hissed at Asher.
He laughed and patted her leg. “C’mon, Fi,” he said. “Just say something nice. You’re good at that.” His voice was warm.
“Ok,” she said, and a cheer went up, startling her. “Uh, first of all, I have to acknowledge Trill.” Another cheer went up and Fi waited, amused. Trill was right. People were drunk and happy. Trill patted herself on the back and people laughed. Fi patted Trill on the back as well, much to the crowd’s amusement. “She swore that she was a better hunter, and she was right.”
Trill joined in. “I wanna say that beating Fi was tough. She’s a great hunter.” She shot Fi a genuine grin. “Among other things.”
Another cry of appreciation from the Lakelanders left Fi feeling a wave of giggles bubbling up in her throat. This was so silly. She knew that she’d fulfilled her bet, but now she felt there was something else she needed to say. “I have one more thing,” she began, and the crowd hushed. “I just want to say thank you. Thank you for welcoming us so generously. Thank you for forming a decent society, and for working together, and for reminding us of our humanity. Thank you for being brave enough to stick together and fa
ce this terrible new world. And thank you for joining us in our efforts to rebuild…and to reconnect.” She raised her glass. “To Lakeland!”
There was a moment of silence, followed by a roar. “To Lakeland! To Lakeland! To Lakeland!”
Jack rose to stand beside her. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head as he watched his excited settlers. “Fi, are you sure you all can’t just stay here with us?”
Though the question was rhetorical, Fi was pleased. She hadn’t planned to say anything, but with the food and the excitement, she felt…well, she felt everything she’d said. These people were brave and strong and admirable.
“Sorry, Jack, but we can’t.” Fi said. “But I do have a feeling that we may be back.”
The revelers settled back into their celebrations. Fi sat beside Asher again, chit-chatting and picking at the last of the food. As the evening deepened, she felt progressively less silly, as those around her grew more so. Sean and Sara were struggling to maintain their composure, with Sara dissolving into giggles at everything that was said. Asher seemed ok, but his hands were getting a little more exploratory with each passing minute.
Sean got up, wobbled, and then took two steps and plopped beside her. “Fi,” he said, and then stopped. “Uff, my head. So, Fi. Yeah. I hadda thought. We’ve only got enough stuff left fur three stations. And Lakeland is sooooooo big.”
Fi struggled to understand him through his slurring. It was really weird seeing Sean drunk, but it was also kind of hilarious. He was usually so reserved. Of course, he was still focused on the mission, which was pretty serious thinking for a drunken person.
“Why don’t we jusss setup three stations here?” he said. “Then we don’ havta go all the way to Chi…Chicago …”
“No!” The word burst form her throat and those around them jumped. “Sorry,” she murmured, embarrassed. Still, they couldn’t skip Chicago. That was the whole end game of this trip, as far as she was concerned.
Asher grabbed her arm, suddenly animated. “Sorry, Sean…can I hav’er for a minute?” He got up and pulled her up behind him, his grip strong as he marched her away from the others. They stopped in the darkness of the forest, out of earshot. Asher’s hands jerked as he tried to gesture. “Fi, what’re you…doing? Sean’s right, we should…go home.”
Seeds of War Page 28