by Kip Nelson
“I always hated that photo,” she said.
“I've been looking at this every night before I slept,” he said.
“You old romantic,” she replied, then took the picture from his hands and looked at it properly, tracing the creases with her slender finger, regretting that she hadn't had a picture of Mack with her.
“I wish I still was so beautiful,” she said, almost not recognizing the person she saw in the picture, the girl who had been elated and filled with happiness. Mack took the picture back.
“You've never been more beautiful than you are now,” he said, cupping his hand against her cheek, leaning in for another kiss.
“I've been thinking a lot lately about my place in the world. While I was helping the people here I knew what I had to do, and my plan after this place was settled was to get back out there and look for you. Since you've shown up I've been trying to think about what it means to live in this world, and I've figured it out. I want to build a home for us, a place where we can be safe and have all that we've ever wanted. We've spent enough time on the run, trying to find each other. Here we can settle down and this place can be the beginning of a new world.”
“You always were a dreamer,” Anna said, smiling widely.
“What do you say? You want to go on this adventure with me?” he asked.
“Hell, yeah,” she said, and they kissed again.
When Mack rose Anna yawned, and Mack did, too. They both laughed at each other and found it difficult to break contact.
“I'll leave you to rest,” Mack said, but it still was a while before he could bring himself to leave her side.
They had spent so long apart he wanted to be with her as much as possible, especially since now he was sure they were going to be together for the rest of their lives. He watched as she fell asleep, her chest rising and falling with every breath, and he was astounded at how fortunate he was to have found her again. He felt himself beginning to get overwhelmed with emotion once more, so he rose, cleared this throat, and composed himself before he left.
“How was it?” Mindy said softly, walking across from the other side of the room to speak with Mack. She took away Anna's water and glass to rinse them out, and checked the dressings on Anna's wounds.
“Good, but draining. She's been through a hell of a lot,” Mack said.
“I'm sure it's all been worth it to get back to you.”
“I hope I can live up to that.”
“I'm sure you'll be able to,” she said.
“Mack, you should really get at least an hour of sleep. You look like you're dead on your feet.”
“I know, I want to, but there are so many things to do.”
“Mack,” Mindy said, this time with a sterner tone in her voice, “as the closest thing to a doctor around here I'm insisting that you get some sleep. I know you feel like you must do everything, but you've done enough, and nobody is going to think you're slacking off. You deserve to rest. And if you're going to take care of us, then you're going to have to take care of yourself, too. Do you really think a sleep-deprived leader is going to make the best decisions?”
“You're tougher than some drill sergeants I've known.”
“Damn straight, so go and sleep for an hour or two. It'll do you a world of good.”
Mack yawned again and found it difficult to argue with Mindy. He took one last look at Anna before he left the infirmary and returned to his apartment, where he laid his head on the bed. In the few moments before he went to sleep Mack thought about everything that had happened in his life since the plane had gone down. This hadn't been how it was supposed to be, but looking back now he wasn't sure that he would have changed it even if he could. He'd met so many wonderful people, and so many lives had touched his own that he couldn't turn his back on them.
Now that he had Anna back, things seemed to be looking up. They had faced many challenges and there surely would be more in the future, but for now everything was as it should be. He could rest without anything worrying his mind. Sleep came easily to his exhausted body and the community allowed him to rest, knowing that they needed him fresh if he was to lead them in whatever was to come.
Chapter Nine
Dusk settled on the settlement like a warm blanket. The sun gave way to the darkness. It came more suddenly than anyone expected, and soon they were lighting fires to provide additional light by which they could see. When Mack rose, he thought he had been sleeping for much longer than he actually had been. He pulled out a clean shirt and liked the feeling of something fresh upon his skin. He took a few moments to compose himself, already feeling better from just the short rest, then ventured outside.
People still were working hard to finish off cleaning up the fallen bits of debris. It had taken a huge effort, but finally the settlement was looking clean and tidy again, like a real and proper place to live. Mack was surprised that people still were working this late, but he shouldn't have been since everyone in the settlement had a good work ethic and gave their all to each other. He couldn't have asked for a better group of people, and only hoped he was going to be able to be the leader they deserved.
As he walked to the main park, turning over words in his mind for his speech, the smell of cooked meat greeted him. Treats like this were few and far between and his stomach grumbled and roared, and his mouth watered at the thought of a succulent piece of meat that his wife had killed. There were plenty of vegetables, too, and while some people may have thought this was a waste of resources, Mack knew that coming together as a community was worth sparing this amount of food.
People slowly were making their way to the park, drawn in by the smell of meat and the lure of other people's company. Soon the area was alive with the chatter of people sharing thoughts and opinions, and simply talking about their day. It was pleasant, Mack thought, and he smiled as he looked around at them. They all had been through a lot, but if they could build this settlement then it will all have been worth it.
While he stood there, watching the world go by around him, eyes burning as he looked at the fire, his body enjoying its warmth, he saw the council approach him. He braced himself for bad news, as he knew they were quite stubborn in thinking that their way was the best way. In all honesty, he couldn't really blame them? It had worked for them, and who was he to judge? He hoped they could see what he was trying to do here and put their own philosophies aside. But if they chose to leave and follow their own path, then, while he would be disappointed, he would have no choice but to wish them well and see them on their way.
This time all of them were present, although Sharon was not with Deborah. They were acting mostly as Mack had come to expect them to act, with Gary scowling and the rest of them a little shifty and suspicious. It was Daisy who responded when Mack asked them what decision they had reached.
“While we weren't all agreed,” Daisy said, glancing at the other members of the council, “the majority have voted in favor of staying. We feel greater numbers means a greater chance of survival. We've also been impressed with how your people work. They share the same general ethics as us, and it's clear that you want the best for everyone here. So, for the time being at least, we are willing to stay and help you, but we will be keeping a close eye on things and making sure you stay true to your word. If we ever feel like this is turning into a dictatorship, we can't promise we'll stick around. We must do what's best for us, but for the time being we're here, and while we're here we will give you everything we have.” This last comment seemed directed toward Gary more than anyone else.
Mack smiled and said that he was glad to hear that, and that he hoped they enjoyed the feast. The council moved along and talked among themselves, and Mack's curiosity was piqued by the split decision. Given that Daisy had gone with him, and been there when he'd found Anna, he assumed she was one of the people who wanted to stay. Deborah was another likely candidate as she would not want more upheaval just as she was getting to know her daughter again. Gary clearly was against stay
ing. So, that left Alison and Hugo to figure out, and Mack couldn't tell which one of them voted for which option. Although he was glad they had decided to stay, and he was sure they would be a boon to the settlement, he was also aware that if they became dissatisfied with life they could prove to be the source of some dissension. He made a note to get to know them better, just in case he needed to know how they thought.
He saw his friends dotted about the park as more people came to join them. He spoke to them, updating them about what he had learned from Anna and how glad he was that she was back in his life. They all marveled at her story and expressed great delight that her recovery was going well. They also said they couldn't wait to meet her properly after all this time. Mack smiled as a few of the children were trailing in Saul's wake, and while the older man was gruff, Mack could tell he was enjoying the attention. Sharon and Deborah were sitting away from everyone else, and people were giving them a wide berth. From what he was seeing, it seemed as though most of the Lost Children had been forgiven, but people knew Sharon had been the one to let them in, and that was not so easily forgotten.
The lion had been set up on a spit roast. Its large body was hanging off a pole, being rotated regularly by those in charge of the food. The meat sizzled and the heavy aroma filled the air. It was a huge creature, and now that Mack was face to face with it, he realized just how impressive it was that Anna had managed to kill it. This was the world in which they lived, where mighty beasts were slain to feed those who needed fed. As the lion cooked, Mack thought back to the great beast who he had slain, the leader of the other group, and hoped the threats to this settlement would be few and far between.
However, just as he was thinking about this he remembered the remains of those other communities they had come across, where it looked as though the combined forces of men and beasts had ransacked the place. His gaze drifted toward the barriers and then to the night sky, with the stars twinkling above. It was so easy in these moments to have the illusion of peace, but as homely as this night would be, Mack knew they never could allow themselves to rest on their laurels. They had to fight every day to make it in this world, and it was going to cost them dearly. More people were going to die, and they were going to have to work their fingers to the bone, but he had faith that they could do it.
After speaking individually with people, he went over to the cooks and asked them how long it was going to take for the lion to be ready. When they told him that it was almost done he smiled and said that he'd try to keep his speech short. With that he walked up and stood in front of City Hall, taking the place of many people throughout history who had addressed the people. He wondered if any of them had been in a similar position to him. Perhaps the founders of this city would have known what it was like to have to fight every day. Yet, in more recent years a great deal of humanity had lost the knowledge of what it was like to struggle to get food on the table, of having to know how to hunt and forage for food instead of simply going to the store and buying it from a shelf. But they had adapted, and they were creating a new breed of humanity, one that was perfectly suited to this new world.
The fires around the park flickered and bathed Mack in an orange glow. He held up his hands to catch everyone's attention. Murmurs spread through the crowd as the chatter died down, and people waited for him to speak. The fires crackled, and there were small coughs from his audience, but everyone looked up at him, their attention solely on him (although as the speech went on, some of the hungrier members of the audience shifted their gaze to the food awaiting them).
“Thank you for coming tonight,” he began, “and thank you for all your efforts in clearing up the rubble and debris, and generally making the place look tidy. I know we've been through a lot, and all anyone wants to do is sleep for a week, but I think we all can agree that it's better to get the work done rather than leave it until later.”
Mack paused, and took a moment to look at the faces before him. “I've been thinking a lot about this place, and the people inside it. There are still those of you who I do not know well, and I want that to change in the coming days. I want everyone here to consider each other a friend,” he said, and people started looking at those around them.
“We all have been thrown together, but I like to think that we've found each other because we are of like minds. We all want to survive and we're all willing to put in the hard work for the benefit of the whole group. And we have seen much suffering, but we have emerged stronger, and with every tragedy it only steels us more, and reminds us of what we're fighting for. Now, personally, I hope we never get into another battle with someone else again, but I think we all know that there are people out there who will see what we've got and want to take it by force. I will not let that happen, not in the coming days, weeks, months, or even years. Yes, I said years. I know, so far, it's been difficult to think anything past the current day, and if any of you are like me, you've probably even lost track of what day it is,.” which was met with a wave of laughter.
“But I really mean it. I think that together we can be here for a long time. Life, especially in this world, can be so fragile, but that doesn't mean that we can't plan for the future. And with that in mind, I have a few pieces of news to tell you, which is the main reason why I wanted to address you today.”
He stopped again to breathe and let the words sink in, wishing he had brought some water with him, but carrying on nonetheless. He also had to ignore the rumbling of his stomach as the smell of the cooking meat became stronger and more alluring.
“While there are still dangers out there, it's important to remember there are new friends as well. I'm happy to announce we have new friends joining this settlement. So, use this opportunity to mingle and get to know each other. I want us to be welcoming to new people. There are going to be others out there who are scared and tired of being alone, and they might need reminding of what it's like to live in a settlement. So, we must lead by example and treat each other with respect. And that leads me nicely to my next announcement. To ensure that you all do treat each other with respect, I'm pleased to announce that Maggie and Luis are going to be your new sheriff and deputy. So, if you have any problems, then bother them and not me,” he said, and again the crowd laughed.
“We're going to be sitting down and talking about some laws for this place, because we're going to need some kind of order. For the most part, I'd like to think you all can be trusted to act in a responsible manner, but we will work on providing a structure to help the settlement run efficiently. And that brings me to the next thing I wanted to talk to you about, which is giving a name to this place. I'm getting tired of calling it the settlement. It sounds so generic, and I want something with more meaning. I was wracking my brain trying to come up with something when my wife made a comment, and I thought it sounded perfect. With your permission, I'd like to call the place New Haven, because that's what I want to offer people who come here.”
People tried out the name, and it began to echo. Soon the crowd began cheering, and Mack was applauded.
“That's all I have to say, apart from thank you again. I know this isn't the life we chose, but we can choose to make the best of it. The end of the world does not mean the end of us. Now go and enjoy the feast!” he said.
Taking a look at the people below him, he realized for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was at home, and he knew he was where he belonged.
He watched as people made their way to the lion, ready to enjoy their portion of the inevitably delicious meat, and smiled. He wished that Anna could be by his side. It would only be a matter of time before she was walking among them as well, and with her with him, he knew anything was possible. The fires rose high into the sky and he craned his neck back, looking up at the heavens. For the first time in a long time he actually had hope for the future. However, he also noticed the change in temperature, and knew the weather was going to turn soon, but that was a problem for another day. For now, he simply walked down into the
crowd and lined up for his own piece of meat, carrying another plate for his wife. Then he left the crowd and went to the infirmary, setting the plate down, enjoying dinner with his wife.
Chapter Ten
Mack woke up with a stretch and a yawn, feeling that today was going to be unlike any other. He glanced over and saw Anna beside him, and a wide smile broadened on his face. She still was asleep, her body turned away from him, curled up in a tight ball. Her blond hair flowed across her face. Mack gently pulled it back and leaned over her, pressing his warm body against hers while he planted a soft kiss on her cheek. He held his face close to hers for a few moments, lingering against her to properly breathe in her scent and her warmth. She was so beautiful, like an angel, and waking up beside her was something he didn't think ever would happen again.
The previous night was the first night they had spent together. After almost a week in the infirmary, Anna was allowed to return home, although ordered to take it easy. Thankfully, she always had been a fast healer, and the gashes on her body were coming together. The broken leg would take longer to heal, and in the absence of crutches, Saul had carved her wooden replacements, which she was ordered to use until she could put weight on her foot without causing it damage. For Mack, it was the beginning of a return to normalcy in their lives. He looked forward to spending more days and nights such as this. His hand rubbed her shoulder and he kissed her again, nuzzling into her neck, her body so supple and beautiful.
“I don't think this is what Mindy had in mind when she told me to get some rest, Mr. Mackenzie,” Anna whispered, still with her eyes closed.
“You can't blame me,” he said, and didn't stop kissing.
Anna pretended to resist his love, but she was in need of it just as much as he was. So, as the morning sun streamed through the window, their bodies came together and they made love. It was passionate and deep, slow and tender and, when it was over, they basked in the glow for a few moments as they gazed out the window and thought about everything that had brought them to this moment. Anna ran her hand over Mack's broad chest and played with the thick bed of hair, then moved her hand up to find his, their fingers dancing together.