After Days

by Salina Anderson

  The deer must have decided that they weren’t a threat because he began grazing again on the budding grass and slowly ambled away as he went from bud to bud.

  Maya rushed back to the cabin as quickly as she could and found Matt and Dennis both in the hummer. As she opened the passenger side door, Matt and Dennis both swung around startled as she breathed heavily and laughed while trying to relay to them what she just saw.

  Matt and Dennis both were delighted as well for they hadn’t seen many animals that had survived in the wild and had been taking what they did find back to their compound to allow for breeding and testing.

  There were some things on this earth that wouldn’t be wiped out no matter what was thrown at them.

  Dennis was happy that Matt had returned but he knew that he should give them their space to reconnect so he spent a few evenings at home with Buddy eating their canned soup in front of the wood burning stove. He had been so excited when he could finally take all of the coverings off of his windows and start a huge, roaring wood fire. He and Buddy sat contently that first night just watching the flames dance over the logs and enjoying the warmth of a real fire. He made it a point to have a fire every evening now no matter what time he returned. Luckily for him, this area of the state got cold at night nearly year round so he could use his wood burning stove to his heart’s content.

  It was on these nights when he left Matt and Maya to themselves and trudged back through the woods with Buddy to his empty house that he missed his lovely wife the most. He still didn’t understand why he had been spared from the sickness, but he knew that it had meant something so he took comfort in knowing that he had saved Mayas life by keeping an eye on her and getting the others out there when she was in need. He couldn’t imagine his life without Maya and Cade as a part of it. Her contagious laugh and brilliant smile never failed to warm his heart and Cades giggles and love for Buddy amazed him beyond words.

  He had never seen two kids more in love than Matt and Maya and he was so incredibly happy that she had returned and Matt hadn’t been disappointed. The time that Matt had spent waiting to see if she had survived the facility and made it back home alive was agonizing. Dennis had prayed every night that the young lovers would be reunited.

  He and Matt had talked briefly about returning to the compound soon and introducing Maya and Cade to the others. The group had grown since Dennis had taken up in these woods and he was interested in meeting their growing family. He also knew that Matt was anxious to start finding some answers about the fertility issues plaguing the women in their group. He felt that Maya would be helpful in that regard with her background in genetics and Dennis was hopeful as well that they could find a solution soon.

  Matt had told him of the growing freak population and the threat it was becoming. The trip into town to wipe out some of the freaks had to be abruptly cut short but Matt hadn’t divulged why that was so. He knew there was something more to the story but he knew that Matt would tell him when he was ready. For now, he was content to let things be and to just enjoy the wonderful thing they had going here. Maya had coerced the men into helping her build a garden and Dennis found himself looking forward to the crops that were slowly blooming. He had been tasked with getting her setup with another vehicle and he spent several days searching for the perfect jeep cherokee that he could get running again. Her old jeep had sat on the roadside for too long drained of oil but he had been able to use several parts from it to get the new one running.

  During his time out looking for a jeep, he had spent some time checking out the town. He hadn’t been able to go out like this before so he luxuriated in the new freedom now. He especially loved the town library and frequently went there to find new books and replace the ones he had completed. He had searched the coffee joint from top to bottom before he had found some coffee beans hidden away in a bottom cupboard and then of course he had to pick up a coffee maker from the local general store so he could make a fresh pot of coffee to start his morning off right. Life really wasn’t that different for him these days than it was before the sickness except now he had some wonderful people to share his days and stories with. He felt guilty to admit it, but he really enjoyed how quiet the world was. There was no traffic to contend with, or rude people to deal with when he was out in public. These were the things that had kept him mostly house bound after his wife had passed. He was sad that so many had lost their lives but was thankful that some had survived and they had been given the chance to start over. He only hoped that the human race could get it right this time and learn from their past mistakes.

  Chapter 25 – Identify the new threat

  After crossing paths with the people at the hospital and being met with open hostility, Matt knew that he would have to spend some time tracking these people to assess how big the group was and if it posed a threat to his communities. He didn’t understand the outward show of aggression and couldn’t understand how any surviving human wouldn’t be excited to meet others. He had always seen it as a chance to grow their community and to flourish that much more.

  He and Levi decided to do a night recon to find where the people were staying and to get a better feel for the group. They were both the stealthiest of the group and could get a lot of recon work done with their ability to mentally communicate.

  Matt decided to send his men back home for now as he didn’t want to chance another daytime outing in the city and run into those people again. Max or Levi could drive him back when he was done in the city and had gathered what information he needed.

  Matt and Levi set out at dusk and headed into the city, quietly listening for sounds from the freaks indicating they had been woken up. When a few hours of driving through the city turned up no clues, they returned to the hospital and begin the slow work of tracking the men back to their encampment.

  The found them in a suburb not more than an hour outside of the city holed up in a few neighboring houses. The group seemed well organized and we’re taking pains to be as quiet as possible but that was pretty complicated with the number of people they had. Several men dressed in military gear patrolled around the houses, constantly communicating their status on walkie talkies.

  Matt and Levi split up and quietly made their way around the occupied houses, peaking in windows and listening when they heard talking.

  Matt stopped abruptly when he heard the man’s voice that he recognized as Cade’s father. He was talking to a woman and using quite a different tone than he had with his men the other day. The woman had brought him some food and was obviously searching for compliments for how well she took care of him. Using a soft, sultry tone, she said his name quietly and then asked if she could sleep in his room with him for the night. Derek replied in a tight, contained voice that he had a lot of work to do and would be up very late and couldn’t be disturbed. Matt could sense the disappointment and frustration in the woman’s voice at his rebuttal and he heard the door slam as she left. Obviously Derek hadn’t taken up with another woman after Maya’s departure and he wondered why that was so. He couldn’t possibly be thinking that he and Maya would be reunited.

  Matt heard the door squeak open and Derek asked John to come in and sit down. The sound of two chairs squeaked as the men sat down and John started by telling Derek that they hadn’t located any people today while out scouting.

  So they had been looking for Matt and his men. He wasn’t really surprised by this knowledge but it was concerning nonetheless.

  Derek laughed “Well I guess we should have seen this coming. Of course we’re not the only survivors and we were foolish to act as if we were. But, we have more pressing matters to attend to. We need to begin the building of the community and get stronger so we can address this threat when the time comes.”

  “yes sir” came Johns reply. “What’s our next step sir?” asked John.

  “Tomorrow we will get the group moving and head deeper into the mountains. We’ve learned the hard way that these creatures are a threat and we can�
��t build a community anywhere near where they can find us.”

  “Affirmative sir” came Johns reply.

  Matt heard a chair squeak as John stood up to leave. “Oh John” said Derek, “Did you look into that matter we discussed today?”

  “Yes sir, but nothing yet.” Replied John.

  Derek grunted and Matt heard the door shut to the bedroom. Matt heard Levi sneak up behind him and turned at the last second, startling Levi before he could get the jump on him. Levi grinned, Matt was a sharp one.

  They made their way back quietly to their vehicle both in quiet thought.

  On the way home Levi was the first to speak up. “There was some unsettling talk in that group”

  Matt waited for him to continue.

  “Mostly the women were talking quietly amongst themselves about the cruelty of their leader, Derek.” Levi looked over at Matt and could see the disturbed look on his face. “Do you know who this fellow is?” Levi asked.

  “Not personally” was Matts reply, “What were the women saying?”

  “One spoke of some children he had killed and others were talking about members of their group they had lost when Derek showed at their compounds.”

  “I have a feeling this man and his group are going to be a threat in the future. We will need to keep an eye on their movements and decide how to deal with them when the time comes.”

  Levi nodded in understanding and they continued their ride in silence. The men were both so good now at blocking their thoughts that they were left just listening to their own concerns.

  Chapter 26 – Summer bliss in the mountains – Present

  Their crop was proving to be a success and Maya was taking items out of it as they ripened and had started preparing meals that could be frozen for later consumption. Her life felt complete. Days were filled with working around the house, playing with her son and talking quietly with Matt. After Cade went to sleep, they would sit on the porch in their rocking chairs, holding hands and talking about what they had done during their years apart. Matt told her a little bit more each day about his community of people and she told him a little more each day about her time in the compound. One night Matt turned to her with a serious look in his eyes and for a second, her heart fell. Then he smiled as he clasped both of her hands in his “Maya, I would like to take you and Cade to the compound soon and introduce you to the group. Would you be okay with that?”

  “Yes” Maya answered in quiet astonishment. She hadn’t expected that but was relieved when he said it.

  “There’s something else” Matt said. Maya looked at him questioningly. “Would you be willing to pick up your genetic research work and look for an answer to the infertility problems the women are having?”

  Maya sat in quiet thought for a minute. “Yes, I think I would like that. As much as I love my life here, I have missed my work and wouldn’t mind spending some time in a lab again.”

  Matt smiled at her. “Ok then”

  And that was the end of the conversation but Maya was still excited to know that she would finally see firsthand what Matt’s life consisted of when they were apart.

  Summer was nearly over when Matt sat her down to tell her that he needed to return to the compound. They had spent several blissful months together rebuilding their relationship and becoming a family and Maya was sad to see it end.

  “Will Cade and I be going with you?” She asked Matt hopefully, already knowing from the look on his face what the answer was.

  He pulled her into his arms and held her quietly for a few.

  “There are some things I need to attend to before you and Cade come to the compound to stay.”

  Maya didn’t bother arguing with Matt. She understood that there were many things going on that he had chosen to keep from her. Sometimes she felt angry that he didn’t trust her with the information, but other times she was relieved to be kept in the dark so she could continue to live her quiet, sheltered life.

  Matt packed up that evening and prepared the hummer to leave at first light the next morning. They spent one last night sharing a meal with Dennis and Buddy and the evening was jovial as ever with Dennis regaling them with tales of his recent excursions into town. Maya knew that Dennis was trying hard to keep things light and happy for he could see the sadness on her face.

  Maya heard the rumble of the hummer the following morning as it pulled from the driveway. She had faintly felt Matt’s kiss upon her forehead while she slumbered and she knew that he felt it was best for them to not exchange anymore goodbyes. He had told her many times that he wouldn’t be gone long and she believed him.

  Dennis stopped by for breakfast while on his way out to do some more exploring. He offered to take her and Cade with him and for once she decided to take him up on it.

  How different life was now. She had not thought to find a car seat for Cade so she rode in the front seat with him on her lap. Without other drivers on the road to worry about, she wasn’t as concerned about seat belts for either of them.

  This was the first time Maya had been inside of Dennis’ vehicle and she looked around with amusement at his large collected of music cds stashed in various places throughout the vehicle. Buddy sat contently in the backseat, occasionally sniffing the window as an interesting scent came his way.

  It had been a beautiful summer and she was sad to know that it would soon end. The flowers were in full bloom regaling them with bright, bold colors and the trees hung heavy with needles and leaves; occasionally hitting the vehicle with an overgrown limb.

  “Dennis, do you think I will like the others at the compound?” Maya asked with a serious look on her face.

  Dennis laughed. “Well since I haven’t been to the compound myself in quite some time, I don’t even know most of the people there! I suppose we’ll get to find that out together!”

  Maya was comforted by this information but still nervous about meeting everyone. She was sure that everyone had heard of her by now and had questions about her relationship with Matt. She also knew the biggest question would be how she had been able to carry a baby to full term and have it born alive. She didn’t know the answer to that question but did intend to find out. Everyone in Matts group had to be immune to the virus or they wouldn’t have survived this long, so why was she any different?

  Their first stop was the library where they both picked out a few books and returned some that they had previously taken. Some books she had kept at her house simply because she enjoyed them so much and would read them again.

  The next stop was the local town store to pick up a few random tools that would make gardening a little bit easier.

  After they had made their way through town, Maya got into the vehicle prepared to head home when Dennis looked over at her with a grin. “Want to go see something really cool?” he asked her, “Of course!” Maya responded.

  Dennis zipped around the neighborhoods like he had memorized them and after 20 minutes of driving deeper and deeper into the mountains, he pulled into a jungle of a driveway.

  Branches and bushes whacked the vehicle and bounced across the hood. Cade giggled as he bounced around on Mayas lap and Buddy retreated to the floor before he was tossed off the backseat. The driveway seemed really long but they finally pulled up in front of a palatial estate of a house!

  Maya had never seen a house so large in this area and simply sat gaping at it for several seconds before Dennis dragged her out of the vehicle.

  “Wow, how did you find this place?”

  “Well, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands these days now that I don’t have to look out for you so much.”

  Maya laughed and hit his arm playfully before looping her arm through his and steadying Cade on her hip. They walked up to the enormous front door arm in arm and she took in all of the detail while they walked.

  The house had a huge circular driveway that was completely paved and stained a shade of copper. A large fountain sat in the middle of the driveway, a beautiful mermaid sitting side
ways on the back of a dolphin leaping out of the center. A garage sat off on one side of the house with 4 large bay doors. She could only imagine what lay inside those doors! A covered porch stretched across the front of the house with fans hanging from the ceiling and several rocking chairs and loungers strewn about. She had never seen a house so large and more thought of this place as a hotel. Beautiful white columns were spaced across the front deck and vines had since crawled up them, sprouting white flowers.

  The front door was heavy, dark wood and very ornately carved. Dennis produced a key to unlock the door and she laughed in surprise. He was like a child in a candy shop as he pushed the front door open and led her inside.

  “I’ve been working on this place from time to time so don’t let the mess fool you. She’s going to be a beaut when I’m done with her!”

  Maya looked around her in amazement. Marble floors stretched as far as she could see, crown molding adorned every wall, intricate velvet wallpaper was on all of the walls, a huge wood staircase winded up, up, up!

  Dennis led her around the house pointing out the work he had already completed and explaining his future plans. He and Matt had been planning on starting a community in this area so Dennis had been hunting for the perfect property when he had stumbled upon this place. He had been cleaning it up and fixing various things for the last few months in preparation.

  It took them a few hours to make it through the entire property. She had lost count of the bedrooms and bathrooms ages ago and he could barely drag her out of the gourmet kitchen that contained all commercial grade stainless steel appliances. The property also held a caretakers cottage with several more bedrooms and baths as well as a large pool house sitting next to a pool that now looked more like a pond. She could barely contain her excitement at the thought of having a pool to lounge in. She was surprised that they hadn’t come across any skeletons until Dennis explained that he had cleared those out first. Only a few had been there and none of them had looked to be the owners of the property based on their outfits. Several pictures throughout the house showed a very proper family, dressed in their Sunday best and void of smiles.