by Nikki Lewen
Clara’s hands tremble lightly as they rest crossed over her chest. The news is horrifying and hard for her to grasp. Thinking about the destruction, she turns her attention back to Sadie.
“You were smart to act so fast…it’s a good thing you listened to your instincts. If not…we wouldn’t be talkin’ today.” Clara leans over and squeezes Sadie’s hand.
Sadie appreciates the validation, but it doesn’t help to make the story any easier to tell. “When I got home…to the safety of higher elevations…my dad and Markus weren’t there…I feared they might’ve left the area...or gotten trapped someplace…or…worse, but…thankfully, they hiked in…unaware of what was happening. For as long as we could, the three of us kept up with the news as it developed.”
Sadie pauses as Clara sits—staring into the flames—slowly rocking her chair. When Sadie doesn’t continue the old woman turns to her.
“Go on child…what else?” the elder encourages.
Sadie swallows, and reveals more. “All around the world…complete annihilation…the Tri-nami’s wave’s…nicknamed Enders, lived up to their names…instantly ending lives, cities…even entire countries. In the wake of the massive deaths, the water never retreated…in fact…it continued to rise, even faster. The planet…swallowed…us…and…humankind suffered.”
Sadie feels drained from sharing such exhausting circumstances, but there’s more Clara needs to know, so she continues. “Over a billion people lived in low-lying coastal regions…and…on initial impacts, the tsunamis instantly killed most of ’em…tides full of bodies…all over…washed ashore. It was the largest recorded death toll in history…” Sadie, feeling ill, hesitates, trying to regain her composure.
“Casualties were re-calculated daily and continued to rise…it seemed the world was truly at its end. People…fortunate enough to survive the worse-hit regions were forced to migrate inland and upward. Massive refugee camps sprung up, but…there wasn’t enough space, food, water…or sanitation to keep up with the influx. By the time the water finally stopped rising, almost twenty-five percent of the world’s population was gone. All the coastlines…shifted…the entire planet was…re-shaped.”
Clara, hearing the fate of mankind and all she’s missed, is in shock, and she struggles with formulating a question.
“So…the…world…as...I…know it…is no longer?”
Sadie can only nod. When Clara looks ready for more, Sadie continues.
“The Tri-nami created massive power outages but…for a short while, some news was available. The footage and stories were horrific and…the images of the disaster were repeatedly exploited…and burned into…our minds and souls. Massive, floating piles of debris and dead bodies…San Francisco, completely submerged. Entire states vanished under the water…the East Coast was…lost, along with most of the Midwest. Out here, we held up a little better, and parts of Northern Cal, Oregon, and Washington survived...” Sadie pauses, struggling with being the bearer of such ugly news.
Knowing Clara wants to hear it all, Sadie doesn’t stop. “People were exposed to starvation, disease...and crime. As supplies diminished, brutality rose. The desperate…seeking anything to survive…destroyed homes and businesses. Martial law was attempted, but…there wasn’t enough resources and corruption ran rampant. And…it only only got worse. The first winter set new extremes and killed off the majority of people livin’ in camps. They were too weak, too sick, and too hungry to fight death.” Sadie remembers feeling helpless, yet fortunate, during those times. She survived simply because their land was spared and her father was so prepared.
“When spring arrived, the county was in a complete state of turmoil. Valuable agricultural land was lost…most crops didn’t get planted and…the ones that did…struggled, as a major drought set in. What food was grown didn’t supply the masses…riots erupted, until…they were no longer riots, but…small wars in just about every surviving city.”
Clara’s hand moves over her heart and she closes her eyes. Sadie knows this is hard on the woman and that, sometimes, knowledge comes with a hefty price. When Clara opens her eyes, Sadie goes back to divulging more of the devastating truths.
“Not much remained of our government…but...a small faction…lead by a former, top-leading official…spilt-off and created a new regime. The first thing they did was expose a huge underground facility in Colorado where…remaining government agents had secretly relocated. They stockpiled enough supplies for tens of thousands of people, but…kept it to themselves. Only the elite members of our government and society…along with their families…and a small force of armed soldiers protecting them, had access. Our surviving troops served as their private protection and the group…that split-off…exposed their corruption and brutalities.”
“The faction…or Splitters, as they were called…raided the facility, took over…and put themselves in power, calling for a new Nation. At first, people thought they’d help, but…they were even worse.”
As it gets later, Sadie wonders how much more the poor woman can handle. “Do you want to stop for tonight?” she asks, checking on Clara.
Clara looks straight at Sadie. “No, I think I need to know what else you have to share.”
Sadie takes a deep breath and shares her first experience with the Splitter Nation’s militants. She tells the entire horrific story, leaving out none of the brutal details. It’s a struggle sharing the events of those few days and Sadie’s forced to pause several times. When she gets to the part of her dad getting shot and then dying, Sadie can barely control her breathing.
Clara slowly gets up, goes into the pantry and returns with two glasses and a bottle. She pours each of them a small amount and hands one to Sadie. “I need a drink…and…it looks like you do, too. It’s scotch, aged for…decades.”
The drink soothes and warms Sadie’s throat, giving her enough of an edge to continue.
“After my dad passed…Markus and I stayed home. We were in mourning, and…the experience with the Splitters…changed us. Then…shortly after, San Andreas dealt the last blow…the quakes…took him…and…left me…alone.”
Sadie downs the rest of her scotch and to Clara’s surprise, pours them another, before telling the old woman all the grim details about her husband’s death. Then—when she’s able—Sadie continues with finding Caleb, the Splitters he killed, and the news he’s shared.
“We’re…on…an…island?” Clara says, shocked by the revelation Sadie shares.
“Yeah, surprised me too. I’m checkin’ it out for myself…that’s why I’m travelin’ now. When I smelled the smoke from your fire, I thought it might be more Splitters.”
Sadie gets up and retrieves something from her pack. She returns with her map and spreads it out on the small table between them.
“This is what I’ve got so far.” Sadie points with the end of a pencil, “Here’s my property,” she moves her pointer, “and where I found Caleb.” Then, slowly tracing her route, she continues, “I traveled along the south coast, then up your canyon…I’m planning to finish this side…then explore the entire northern territory.” Sadie taps a light rhythm with the eraser end of her pencil. “The Splitters must be up there.”
“May I?” Clara asks, motioning to Sadie’s pencil.
Sadie nods, passes it to her, and Clara fills in the details of her canyon and that of the ridges to the west and north. The east coast, Clara isn’t sure about and she leaves that area blank.
Pointing in that direction, she looks back up at Sadie. “Tomorrow…after breakfast, I’m hiking out there. Care to join me?”
“I’d love too,” Sadie replies.
“Then, let’s turn in for the night…we can get back to it in the morning.”
They stare at the map for another few moments before getting up, and then Sadie and Clara embrace in silence, comforting one another from the emotions of the evening. They’re both tired and emotionally drained. Saying their goodnights, they leave each other’s company and go to bed. Thi
s time, Sadie kneels before her bed saying a small prayer for Clara, knowing the old woman will struggle finding sleep.
NINETEEN
Clara’s up extremely early, feeling it was more of a short nap than a goodnight’s sleep, but she’s anxious to start the day. Both women eat a small breakfast, preparing for the day’s journey. With their travel bags packed, they head out with Clara in the lead, and Sadie’s surprised at the pace the old woman keeps. The elder hikes in a pair of homemade moccasins, accompanied by a twisted and gnarled walking stick worn smooth from years of use. She carries her water, food, and supplies in a leather satchel and rarely pauses.
They travel towards the northeast corner, where the route is the easiest to traverse. As they near it, the slope on each side grows steep and the canyon narrows. The women make their way among tangled masses of fallen trees that cover their path, and as the mess grows thicker, Sadie stops to offer Clara a hand while they maneuver through the branches of a monstrous fallen madrone. The old woman looks at Sadie with a glimmer in her eyes.
“Honey…you don’t need to worry ’bout me. I’ve been doin’ this my whole life, and…I don’t plan on stoppin’ any time soon,” Clara says, while working her way through the tangle.
Sadie laughs, hoping to be as agile in her old age, and once beyond the downed tree, they find the former road is barely detectable. Along its side parallels a dry streambed full of boulders and decaying logs. As they hike, Clara shares details of the area, pointing out key features, the places she and her husband hiked, hunted, or just spent time enjoying a picnic. They make their way farther out of the canyon and Clara stops at a spot that offers a view.
“Over there,” she points with her walking stick, “is where you hiked in and the route you took to my cabin.” While talking, Clara traces the path Sadie described, “If you would’ve continued just a little further north, you would’ve descended here and been able to follow the route we’re takin’ now.”
“Clara, from that ridgeline,” Sadie points, “before, I hiked down…I was able to see the coast.”
The old woman nods. “I thought we might be gettin’ close.”
Deep in thought, they walk the rest of the way in silence. Recently, both women’s lives have changed in ways they never imagined. The knowledge they’ve gained has altered their existence forever and it’s still evolving in ways yet to be known. The road they’re attempting to follow deteriorates to the point where they can no longer use it, forcing them to continue in the creek bed. As the lighting ahead grows brighter and the trees open, both women anticipate the view.
“Oh…my…lord,” Clara gasps, taking in the sight.
The creek bed ends abruptly, dropping over fifty feet to the ocean below. In the sea, directly across from them, a giant, forested sea stack juts out of the ocean. Even through the marine layer, they detect more stacks to the north and south. Clara clutches her heart and bows her head. When she looks up again, she turns to Sadie.
“Child, I knew you spoke the truth…you told me what to expect, but...I had to see it with my own eyes. Now that I have…it’s…it’s…” Clara trails of, at a loss for words, and Sadie sympathizes with the poor woman.
They stand in silence, until eventually, Clara breaks it. “I’ve lived here happy...for a long time…in my canyon…away from everyone. I never missed the rest of the world. But…now that…it’s gone…I feel like…I took it for granted. I’ll never get that back. I always expected it to be there…and now…it’s too late.”
Clara, distraught with her own insights, sits down on a giant stone and gazes below. Sadie sits next to her but says nothing. What can she say? There isn’t any comfort to offer and it’s something Clara will have to come to terms with on her own. Sadie watches as her companion picks up a rock and tosses it over the ledge. It falls to the water, leaving a small ripple on the smooth surface below, and they watch the rings glide across the water, until disappearing altogether.
“Get out your map, let’s take a look.” Clara suddenly says.
Sadie, caught slightly off guard by Clara’s change of demeanor, does so quickly. The two women hover over it, studying the detailed area and what still remains unknown.
Clara puts her finger on their current location and moves it while speaking, “It’s too steep to climb here, but…if we back track, we can head up the dry ravine and get a better view from above. Depending on what we find...we can decide how much farther to explore and record. Then…we can follow this ridgeline to where another ravine descends into my canyon.”
Sadie agrees and instantly they’re up, retracing their steps. Their ascent is cautious and they help one another up the rocks and boulders in the mountain’s wash. At one point, it served as a major drainage artery and Clara talks of the days when it ran thick with water during the winter months. Now it’s dry, sandy, and full of decay. By the time they reach the top, it’s early afternoon and neither wants to stop long. They eat quickly before continuing along the ridgeline and mapping the coast until the terrain changes and a decision needs to be made.
“Wha d’yah think?” Sadie asks, curious to what Clara’s thoughts are. “ Follow the coast, or…head back along the ridgeline?”
Clara stares long and hard at the view ahead. She scans the coastline, looks towards her canyon and then below, to where the land continues north and west. She points towards the next few ridgelines. “Let’s continue, then…find a place to camp…so we can explore more tomorrow.”
Sadie’s glad to hear these words from the old woman. She wanted to continue but knew, if Clara had been set on returning home, she would have accompanied her, instead she nods, and they move on. As evening approaches, the women find a place to spend the night, and Clara begins building a fire as Sadie argues strongly against it.
“Come on child, look at the wind direction. It’ll carry any smoke directly out into the ocean, where there’s no one. On top of that, there hasn’t been a single sign of anyone in the area…and that’s since I’ve lived here. Plus, the only Splitters were on the other side of the island and…they’re dead. If others traveled this far, and…by some chance…are nearby, they would’ve set up camp and built a fire long before we did, and…we would’ve detected it.”
Clara pauses, letting Sadie absorb the information. She knows her logic and charm are winning the debate. “Besides, I’m an old woman. I hiked all day and plan to do so again tomorrow. I wanna rest and warm my old bones.”
Sadie chuckles while shaking her head. “Clara’s good,” she thinks. The woman’s points, remarks, and grandmotherly way would make it difficult for anyone to disagree. At this point, Clara is all smiles. She knows she’s getting her way and without pause, returns to starting a fire. With a warm blaze to sit by and food in their stomachs, Clara unfurls her bedroll next to Sadie’s and settles in.
“I tend to fall asleep quickly out in the fresh air, but wake me if you need to. Goodnight dear.” Clara says, rolling over.
Sadie stays awake, scanning the area and keeping watch. She adds more wood to the fire, even though she still feels uncomfortable taking the risk. The warmth and gentle crackling is soothing, though. She looks at Clara and smiles. The old woman is sound asleep, peacefully resting in the soft glow of the fire and her old bones do look warmed.
Sadie decides to lie near Clara and makes herself comfortable. She too falls deep asleep and is surprised when she wakes just before morning. She slept through the entire night and is well rested. As the darkness fades to light, both women pack up their belongings and cover the evidence of their presence. When Sadie is satisfied with the efforts, they head out with Clara once again leading.
The exertion from the day before doesn’t slow Clara down a bit and Sadie’s amazed at the old woman’s stamina and energy. She’s fit, and even pushes the pace, allowing them to explore as much as possible. The morning passes peacefully and again, they rarely pause. By midday, they need to change course in order to head back to Clara’s canyon. Before they set out to re
turn, both women stop and look at one another. They stand in silence sharing similar thoughts and concerns. As the silence lengthens, Clara knows it’ll have to be her decision.
“It’s okay.” Clara says. “I’ll head back…you should continue. I’ll see you at my place…lets say…tomorrow, before dark.”
Sadie disagrees. “Clara, I’m not going…”
Before she can finish, Clara holds up her hand and shuts her eyes. Opening them, she speaks softly. “Sadie Mae Larkin...”
Sadie feels about eight years old at the mention of her full name. How does Clara do it? This woman, whom she just met, is able to simply melt her, using a few words and subtle looks. Sadie can only acquiesce and listen to what Clara has to say.
“We both know you can cover a lot more ground alone and…”
Sadie interrupts, trying again, “Clara, we’ve been keepin’ a great pace and …”
“Sadie, let me finish,” Clara warns.
“Yes ma’am.”
“I know you can run these ridgelines…doubling our coverage…and fill in a lot more of the map. We need to know what the rest of this area has to offer…and…if the Splitters made it to this side. This is your chance to cover a new section…without having to backtrack and return later. Finish it up…then come back to my place. You can fill me in, rest overnight, and then…return to Caleb.”
“Clara, we both know it’s safer to stay together,” Sadie says, knowing Clara can’t argue with the age-old wisdom of her statement.
“True, but think how absurd that is? It doesn’t apply to us. We’ve been at this…alone…long enough, to know our limits. We know what we can handle…and this…we can handle…easily. I’ll be home by nightfall, and…if for some reason, it takes longer, I’ll camp and return first thing in the morning.”
Sadie remains quiet. She wants, and needs to continue, yet she feels responsible for Clara and could never forgive herself if something happened to the elder.
Clara steps closer to Sadie and wraps her in a giant hug. She holds her tight for a moment, and then speaks softly, “Ooh, child, your concern touches my heart. You’ve brought me such joy, but please…don’t worry. It’s okay. Now…stop wastin’ time and get this done,” she says, as they break from their embrace.