“For now I think we are still safe, but the problem is sooner or later they are gonna cross our tracks and follow them.” I added.
Charlene thought for a moment and said, “Should we find them first?”
Teckla turned to her, “And what do we do when we find them?”
“Good point, I think that is dependent on the numbers” injected Henry.
“If I may,” piped up the Major, “I am not part of the council, but I think we should do nothing beyond being aware that they, whoever they are, exist and are out there.”
“I agree, and I hold no vote either, but we are still not discovered yet and I think trying to find them with the snow on the ground would be like leaving bread crumbs, they will find us for sure. I suggest we just be very vigilant and for a while stay close to home.” I said.
Ron, always the hawk, “We could track them down using the Helo and if they start shooting, clean house on them.”
Charlene looked at him with a little distain, “No, that is not what we are, and I think that the passive approach of vigilance is best in this case. But I think that The Three needs to talk about this and make the decision.”
We were all dismissed and The Three closed the doors to talk. Ultimately the idea of passive surveillance and vigilance won out. Ron mumbled and rumbled a little but I think that the overall consensus was that it was the right thing to do.
Another storm is rolling in I think, it is getting very grey and the feel of snow is in the air.
Dec 18th
It was another rough night for Asuna, with the dreams, and restlessness. I wish I could help.
We found another 6 inches of snow this morning, so it brought the total up to about 29 inches by the flagpole. That is where we decided that it would be good to do the measuring.
We are back to the all-day soup pot. I do think it is a great idea.
I had a talk with Margo today.
“Ah, Margo, how do you feel about Heather and Stephen, you know, the baby?” I was clearly out of my element.
“I think it is great for them, but Dad, I am not thinking about that right now, I am almost 15 years old, and although I could, I have plenty of time, and besides we don’t know how this will all work out.”
As I walked back to my cabin I thought, “Wow, she has grown so over the last year, I didn’t even think about how old she really is. Anne would be so proud of her.”
A voice in my heart said, “Yes Tom, I am, proud of you both.”
I stopped, and teared up.
The fire started about an hour before dinner time. It was going pretty well by the time we discovered it. We were kind of used to the smell of smoke from the wood stoves. Cyril’s cabin was burning, and he was still in it. It was Biter that alerted us, he was running around the cabin barking.
We could not get to him, the Major tried. But Cyril was laying by the stove and there was just no way……
It was a struggle to contain the fire, we knew quickly we could not save him, or the cabin, but we had to prevent the fire from spreading. We were able to get a pump working and took water from a hole we chain sawed into the lake ice. We could only wet down the cabins nearest to his.
We really could not save the cabin, or its contents. It looked like what had happened was that Cyril had been putting logs into the woodstove and collapsed, maybe a heart attack, and fell into the stove. He started to burn and well…..we will never know……he is with Arcelia now. Fuck!
No one slept; we just kind of hung together and mourned the loss of another family member.
Margo was devastated. It was her last true family member, and she felt some guilt because she and Delaney had moved out to be with their guys. She and I have had that talk too many times about losing people, and pain.
Cyril was the father-in-law I never really had. I am gonna miss him.
Dec 19th
Quiet day as we cleaned up and put Cyril to rest, Matt did a great job with the service. I hope he does not have to do another anytime soon.
In the for what it is worth department, I had the Major do a little post mortem on Cyril, we found no soot in his nose or lungs so he was not breathing during the fire which means he was dead before it started. It helps a little.
Dec 20th
The pall still hangs over the camp.
“Asuna, grab your coat, we’re taking a ride.” I said. I had to get out of the camp for a while.
“Where to?”
“Anywhere, Hinsdale, Dalton, Peru, I don’t know, I just need to get out of camp for a little bit.”
“The skiers? The Three may not like that idea.”
“Probably won’t, but I need to do something other than sit around and mope. What are they going to do, ground me?”
“Ah, good point.” She smiled.
We were gone and after we were about five miles out I got a call on the radio asking where we were going.
“Ah, just a little recon?” was my response.
To my surprise all I got was a “Well, be careful and watch yourselves.”
Asuna looked at me for a minute and then said, “Actually Tom, some Christmas shopping is not a bad idea, and it could lift some spirits.”
I thought about it, it was a good idea.
We decided to head into Pittsfield, better selection and less picked over. We have really been pretty much clear of Zoms for a while due to the cold and snow.
We spent hours going through the mall and shopping plazas in the area. We found some really fitting gifts. But I will hold off on that until Christmas as to who got what. In a back store room of a Macy’s I did find a Santa Suit, the Tumpta Guber would rise again.
We made no contact with anyone living, nor did we see any tracks that showed signs that there were others in the city.
We were back just at sundown, and we joined the rest of the group in the dining room. Our trip did generate some interest and there was at least a little buzz that night. Some were glad that we found no tracks, some were a little concerned that we may have advertised our presence.
Dec 21st
We waited until early morning, like 3:00 a.m. to quietly unload the truck of the treasures we had found. While we were doing so the Aurora was in full bloom and just beautiful, I can only imagine what it must be like further north.
I am not sure if it was that we were awake early, or if it was something else but Asuna slept well last night. It was so good to see that.
The weather today was good, it was sunny and in the 30’s. The radiation numbers were in the safe zone, they have been for a while so that is a good thing. I can only guess that the snow has scrubbed the air a little bit.
Lance has been keeping an eye on the surveillance equipment and we have had no issues of anyone or anything setting off the motion detectors.
Margo, Cody and Delaney have found no further tracks in the area.
As it is Saturday night we have the game night agenda going. There are the Trivia games going and a Texas Hold’em tournament. I took a bad beat in that one. My full house (999QQ) was beaten by a better one (QQQ99). Matt’s only comment as he raked in the chips was “God works in mysterious ways”.
Dec 22nd
Church Services for some this morning, I could hear the singing from our cabin. I did my meditation and listened to an old podcast that I had stored on the computer. It was on the topic of “Right Speech”, part of the eight fold path.
Asuna and I spent the day wrapping gifts for each of the members of our group. They were all addressed as having been from “Santa” with a personalized note of thanks for all that each individual had done to help us survive.
Sundays are a real cooked meal day, so the evening meal is Deer ribs and brisket, corn and baked beans. Nick and Grace do such a great job.
Dec 23rd
Frank, Henry and Mark have talked to The Three, they are going to raid the Firehouse in Hinsdale and get a pumper truck and some other equipment to make it easier and more effective if we have another incident of f
ire. With all that we had experienced the fire in Cyril’s cabin was one that wasn’t really thought of. In retrospect, we have been very lucky. The vast majority of us are still alive and living fairly comfortable considering the things that have happened.
A stir this afternoon when Margo and Delaney came back from a hunting trip, they found more ski tracks, and another gut pile. They are getting a little closer and the hunting grounds are being shared. I think it is only a matter of time before our paths cross. I wonder who they are and what they are like.
“Tom, you remember that story I told you?” began Asuna.
“Which one?”
“The one about the aliens taking me away?”
“Yeah, you had me there, it was a good story.”
“I think it really happened?”
“What?”
“The dreams, they keep coming back to that story, I know it sounds bizarre, but…”
“But that was a long time ago”
“I know, but there is something, I just don’t know.”
She said she really had not put it all together yet, and didn’t want to talk about it anymore; she needed to let some of it out, to see if it would help.
Dec 24th
It must have helped, letting it out that is, and she slept well last night.
Christmas Eve day, After Breakfast we were told that we would get some soup for lunch but that after about 3 PM the dining hall was going to be closed until 7, to prepare for Christmas Eve Dinner.
After lunch everyone was kind of off to themselves. Asuna and I were putting final preparation on the gifts. I was kind of watching her, wondering about that dream stuff. I guess I must have been obvious, or too obvious…
“What!” she glared at me.
“Ah, I, I am just worried about you.”
She softened, “Thanks, I am worried about me too, this dream thing is freaking me out.”
“You seemed to be sleeping okay the last few nights.”
“I know, that is weird too, I have the dream, but it is not so disturbing.”
I told her about my dreams and Brandon, about how it finally led me to deal with a problem that was sitting in the back of my mind. I think it helped her a little.
We shuffled into the Dining hall a little after 7:00. Chelsea, Teckla and Taylor had transformed it into a winter wonderland with streamers, snowflakes and snow-covered fake trees. Ethan had worked out a means by which Christmas music was playing in the background.
Chef Nick and Grace did a meal like you would not believe, considering. We had turkey and ham, real smoked ham from our own smokehouse. There were root vegetables, and corn pudding and some kind of apple dessert. There were cheese platters with some kind of smoked sausage. Wow, all I could think was “WOW!”
Henry and Frank added to the festivities by creating a spiced wine and some hard cider. It was not a drunk fest, but there were those who had a few, and in some cases a few too many.
After we ate and sat around chatting. Asuna and I excused ourselves to go and check on Biter, he had taken up living with us, and although he was certainly invited to the dinner we used him as the reason we had to leave for a few minutes.
Shortly after we left there was a tap, tap, tap on the window, and it moved to the door. Teckla joked that it was the Tumpta Guber. Frank opened the door and.....
“HO, HO, HO”
Everyone figured out what was going on quite quickly, Santa, an Asian Elf and a white German Shepard with antlers and red nose dragging a bag full of wrapped packages.
I sat by the fire and did my best to be what Santa had been all those years ago. I joked and had fun with it using my best fake Santa voice.
“So, I have my list of who has been naughty and who has been nice, so who wants their just rewards?”
Laughter and “I do’s” filled the room.
“Asuna, I mean, ah, Elf, hand me the first reward please.”
I looked at it, and then asked, “Is there a Nick here?”
“Yes Santa.”
“Well, I have seen that you have been a very good boy this year. You have cooked for all these people and they have not gotten sick once. I will overlook that incident in the kitchen with Grace.”
That brought roars of laughter and a lot of red to the faces of them both.
“Seriously, Nick, thanks. Now open it up.” I said
“Should I be afraid?” he asked as he unwrapped the gift.
We had found a cooking store and collected a bunch of spices, and cooking tools along with a chef’s hat and a “Kiss the Cook” apron.
A smile and a “Thanks Santa”.
I continued, “How about Grace?”
“Here Santa!”
“I see you were good also….but did you two…..ah really? I just made that up about the kitchen!”
She turned beet red…..”No comment”
“Grace, I name you Queen of the Kitchen, rule well!”
We had found a bunch of hairstyling items that seemed she would use and like.
“Thank you Santa”
“Who is next Elf Commander?”
And so it went through the rest of the group. Asuna and I had tried to find items that fit each of the group. Steven for example was given a remote control Helicopter to play with. Ron was giving a Colt 6 shooter (Pearl Handle) and cowboy type holster. Heather received some baby stuff.
“Margo, you’re up, and you have been a good girl, you made your mother and me, I mean Tom very proud.”
She opened her gift; it was a heart locket with a picture of the three of us in it.
The room was very quiet; it was one of those moments that is what life and children are all about.
“Thank you Dad, love you,” she said quietly
“Love you too kid and so did Mom.”
We emptied the sack and Biter got the last gift in it, it was a bone and a new collar.
“Well, my work here is done”, I said as I stood up. “Oh wait, I have one more, as I reached into my pocket and brought out a small box and dropped to one knee.
“Asuna, will you.” but before I could finish
“You sir are an idiot and I have changed my mind, yes, yes I will!”
Wild applause followed.
As we were all walking back toward our cabins it was Henry how pointed out the bright star in the eastern sky. In a lot of ways it reminded many of us of the story of the Nativity. It was kind of cool that one of the planets would align like that just on this very evening.
Dec 25th
It is Christmas. I am sure that many “gifts” were exchanged among the campers last night and this morning.
At about noon time the emergency bell rang. As we raced out of the cabins, we saw them. At our front gate were four people. They were dressed in white, with their skis already stuck in the snow at the side of the road. It appeared they were unarmed.
Teckla walked forward, “Hi”
The tallest one, a scruffy looking guy about 40 smiled and said, “Merry Christmas, We were in the area and figured this was a good day to stop by and introduce ourselves. I am Terry.”
“I’m Teckla, come on in, would you and your friends like some coffee?”
“Real coffee?”
“Fresh from the pot!” smiled Teckla.
“YES!”
Introductions were made and we moved to the dining room and sat down. The entire camp did not join in, but overall about half of us were there with the outsiders.
“How long have you known we were here?” I asked.
“We figured it out the night of the fire. We did not know exactly where you were but had a direction and a rough estimate of distance.” Said Terry.
Andrea, a short kind of stocky women in her 40s spoke up, “I hope you did not lose anyone in the fire.”
Teckla looked down, “Yes, we lost one, he apparently had a heart attack and fell starting the fire.”
“I’m sorry” she replied.
We chatted for a while and found that th
e group (Terry, Andrea, Jill and Karen) had been in the area since early December. Jill and Karen were both women around 30. They group had been on a bus that tried to escape from Brattleboro going west. Their bus died a little east of Bennington and they had continued on foot. Their plan had been to cross over into Albany and then head south west through Pennsylvania but the snows came and the found travel more difficult.
The Event Series (Book 1): Life After the Meteor Page 43