by A. L. White
“Everyone needs to pull their weight, or they need to try it on their own out there,” Boo added nodding his head in agreement.
“I understand that, and I am not saying that I don’t agree with both of you. Couldn’t we just ask them to do more as part of the team?”
“We will, Charlie. We will post jobs on the bulletin board at the entrance after the council selects and offers the lead positions to people,” Doc replied.
“I guess you didn’t really need Boo to bring this up to you, Doc?” Charlie asked.
Doc walked over to the edge on the other side of the roof and looked off to the east for a few seconds, then he turned back towards Boo and Charlie. “I have been watching the creatures coming closer to Rivers Crossing as well, and watching how things are going down stairs. Most of the survivors down there are about as dead as the creatures are out there. They don’t seem to have anything left to live for really. Like us, they have lost most of their loved ones. Like us, they don’t believe deep down that there is anything left out there to come and save them. I said earlier that I was talking to Tressa and her uncle when Charlie came to get me. They had taken it upon themselves to unpack and put up supplies. They weren’t just going through the motions because I asked them to do it. They were doing a job; feeling like they were part of the team even though they had only just come to Rivers Crossing this morning. We need that type of feeling to become contagious. We need people to wake up in the morning feeling like they are making a difference; like they are sharing in making this place a lasting home for all of us.”
Charlie smiled at both, “Ok, I am onboard with your plot; you have convinced me. How do we get started?”
“Doc, you see the people more than Charlie and I do, and you have been working with the survivors. Who would you suggest for the first council?” Boo asked.
Doc looked up at that the sky, as if he thought the answer would be written somewhere among the clouds, “I think we should limit the council to six people, and the mayor would be the deciding vote if anything came down to a tie. I know she is not a local, but I would like that Tressa be a council member, along with you, Charlie, myself, Elisabeth Windsor and the church secretary.”
“The church secretary? Really, Doc? She doesn’t even speak as far as we know!” Charlie questioned. “And as far as I am concerned… I don’t think that is something I would be very good at-or something that I want to do!”
“No, Charlie. Doc is right. For now, we need the three of us on that council to make sure things go in the right direction,” Boo replied.
“Then I hope it is a short term. I have told you both more than once that come spring…”
“We know, Charlie. As soon as the weather breaks, you’re finding a Harley and riding off into the sunset,” Boo interrupted him. “You know, you might just decide to stay if things go as planned.”
“You keep telling yourself that, Boo. Just remember that just because you keep saying it, doesn’t mean that that’s how it is going to happen!”
“I am just having fun with you, Charlie,” Boo said clapping Charlie on the back.
“We can decide the term length when the full council meets,” Doc stated. “I think we should try to do that today,; then announce tonight, in the cafeteria.”
“I agree, the sooner we get this going, the better off we will be. In fact, if what is here of the new Rivers Crossing Council will agree, I am going to start picking people for the new guard unit,” Boo replied.
“I think that is a good idea, Beau. Furthermore, I think we should appoint you to be a head of it,” Doc replied.
“I would be honored,” Boo replied. “Now if you two can set up the first council meeting; I am going to rustle up a few people that look like they can shoot straight.”
“OK, let’s meet back here around four o’ clock then. Agreed?”
All agreed to return to the roof at four with the other three council members. No one knew if the church secretary would be able to join them, but Charlie suspected there was a reason that Doc had picked her. Maybe he was trying to make it look like the moral side of things would be selected. If you didn’t have a preacher, you could at the very least have his secretary. That was the most sense Charlie could make of it at the moment; for now he decided to go with the flow.
CHAPTER 12
Virginia studied Jermaine for the next three hours of the ride in an attempt to understand what he was going through. The world seemed to be a simple place in her own mind, so when someone else seemed to be confused it left her bewildered. Losing a wife in that way would have to leave a deep scar on a person. In the end, did it matter how they went? Virginia wondered. Everyone in this little caravan has lost people. Al and Zoe had just lost a son and great nephew, yet they were still functioning. Jermaine seemed to be lost in his own world. For the last few hours he had stared blankly out the window at the passing countryside. The rest of the group observed and commented as to how the herds seemed to be growing larger. Jermaine just stared out his window. Not even Zeus, laying his head down on Jermaine’s knee, got any sort of reaction. In Virginia’s mind it was all so easy to understand. The weak died, only the strongest and smartest were still alive. The pandemic cleaned out or changed the weak into those creatures who, in turn, ate the surviving weak. She killed them because they were weaker and dumber than she was. There was no doubt in Virginia’s mind that most of the people traveling with her and Lori would not make it. In fact, they were probably on borrowed time because they were with them. Maybe she herself was on borrowed time thanks to Zeus and Perseus. There were numerous times that the lads had saved her, or led her away from things that would have caused her harm. It occurred to Virginia that it was possible she and the lads weren’t strong by themselves. Maybe it was the group that made them strong, and failing to be a part of the group was what made people like Taquisha weak and vulnerable. It was safer with Lori and the rest of the group around.
Having been so deep in thought, Virginia failed to notice that Jermaine was smiling at her as he petted Zeus.
“This big guy hasn’t so much as given me the time of day other than to growl at me before today. He sure came through when I needed him though, didn’t he? So, did you, little one, and I will never forget what you have done for me for as long as I live,” Jermaine added with tears slowly traveling down his face.
Virginia smiled back at Jermaine, glad to see that he was coming back from wherever it was that his mind had been. “I think the lads have grown used to you being in their way all of the time,” Virginia replied as she began to laugh.
“I don’t care what their reasons or yours, thank you,” Jermaine added.
“I was wondering about something, and I am not sure how to ask it,” Virginia said just low enough for Jermaine to hear.
“You can ask me anything you want after today.”
Virginia thought for a moment how she could put it into words, and then took a sly look around at the others in the RV to make sure that no one was paying attention to her or Jermaine. Satisfied that the others were more worried about the herd size outside the windows, she continued, “Do you think that people have a destiny?”
Jermaine leaned forward toward Virginia and whispered loud enough for her to hear, “We all make our own destiny. There is nothing for certain in life.”
“Then we decide if we live or die?”
“The Lord may have a large hand in that, but for the most part, whether you do or don’t do something stupid enough to get yourself killed is up to you and only you.” Jermain reached out and picked up Virginia’s hand, holding it gently in his massive hand. “So if your next question is if today was Taquisha’s destiny, the answer is no. Taquisha picked this end for herself, and, in a way, I can respect her for that. She wasn’t made for the world we live in now. I don’t know for sure if any of us are made for it. What I do know is that you have become too made for this. You are letting a lot of what makes us who we are go past you, and replacing it with hate.
When you kill one of them creatures, do it well. But always remember once they are no more that at one time it was someone’s mom or dad, brother, sister or friend that had dreams and aspirations.”
“I don’t know that world anymore most of the time. I can barely remember what my mother and father looked like, Jermaine.”
Jermaine smiled warmly at her and said, “Looking at you and your sister, I think you could be safe to look in the mirror and see the face of your mother, and shades of your father mixed in.”
“Sometimes Lori used to talk about them, but I couldn’t remember the things she would talk about. I remember the creature that the men dragged out of our house as both.”
“Didn’t you have a brother too? What about him?”
“I mostly remember seeing the blood soaked ground when I first started killing the creatures, and Bob rescuing us.”
“This Bob you describe, he sounds like a standup guy,” Jermaine replied.
Virginia seemed to lose herself in memories of Bob for a few minutes and was only brought out by the RV slowing.
“Looks like Lori wants to talk,” Al called out from the driver’s seat.
Virginia could see the headlights of the truck heading back toward them on the other side of the road, going past the RV, and then returning alongside it. Jermaine opened the window nearest the truck and stuck his head out into the cold breeze, squinting at Lori.
“We can see lights on in a building that I think is Rivers Crossing,” Lori stated with a smile.
“Lights? You really see lights on?” Al asked from his window.
Lori tried to contain her own joy at the prospect of being at a place that still had electricity and running water. “Not only that, but it looks like there is a set of head lights up ahead of us as well.”
“It would be good to get out and stretch our legs in safety. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have been cooped up with you guys for a little longer than I am comfortable with,” Pam said from in the RV.
“What about all of this?” Jermaine asked, motioning at the herd that surrounded them.
“Not sure what we will find when we get there. For electricity, I think we could take the building if the creatures have it.”
Jermaine nodded in agreement with Lori. He was certain that they could take it if needed.
“Ok, I wanted to let everyone know that we are almost there. Looks like the herd is getting larger, so we will need to keep together and keep moving. I am not sure if we stop, that we could get moving again. There are a lot down there, and I mean a lot,” Lori said as she pressed down on the gas pedal, sending the truck lurching forward in the snow.
CHAPTER 13
The first official meeting of the new Rivers Crossing Council was held in the cafeteria with all of the survivor’s present. Doc gave a speech that explained why the first council had been selected, including why each person on the council had been chosen. He made it painstakingly clear to all present that there would be elections to replace half of the appointed council members in six months’ time, and then in twelve months, to replace the other half. That way, Doc explained, the business of running the town wouldn’t come to a standstill because all six members were running for reelection. Only half would be up per election that would be held every six months afterward. There were no complaints made known during or after the speech as far as Charlie could tell.
Their first meeting held votes on positions that Doc felt were needed to keep the survivors going. They voted on having maintenance, housekeeping, defense, resource acquisition and education; all things that Charlie believed were important. Judging by the reactions from the nearly one hundred survivors, they thought so too. Doc and Boo had hit this nail on the head. The survivors were more alive tonight than Charlie had seen them since before the world went to pieces. The most time was spent on defense, with Boo taking over the podium from Doc. By the time he was finished, there were twenty volunteers for the newly formed Rivers Crossing Guard Corps; twenty-two if you counted Boo and himself in the final tally. Deep down Charlie was okay with helping keep the place safe from the creatures, not putting up too much of an argument when Boo asked him to help with it by being his second in command.
It would allow Charlie to keep to himself for a while, either on watch in the eagles’ nest, or on the proposed rounds through the town. That was okay with him; he was still having a lot of issues in his head that he was trying to sort out since that last day with Annie in the house. There were times when he woke up and started to speak to her, only to realize that she wasn’t lying on the right side of the bed. Doc told him that was all part of the grieving process and not to worry too much on it.
When the meeting had finally ended, Charlie looked over at Boo and said, “I think I will take the first eight-hour watch in the eagles’ nest.”
“I wasn’t starting that until tomorrow, after we meet with all of the new members, Charlie.”
“No time like the present; I can use some time alone, Boo,” Charlie stated as he rose from the table.
“Charlie, there is an open barrel and some firewood up there in the center of the roof. Light that so you have someplace to get some warmth when you need it,” Boo said. “Also, grab that old hunting rifle of yours, and some shells. Might as well do some good if the need arises and you see something that needs to be dropped.”
Charlie shook his head in agreement and made his way through the crowd of survivors. People that had known him his whole life, and a few that had not, reached out and shook his hand vigorously. Doc was right, he said to himself again. This is exactly what this place needed to get on its feet again.
The hallway and the narrow stairs leading up to the roof were a welcome respite from it all. It was empty and Charlie welcomed the loneliness of it. At the top of the stairs he could hear a set of footsteps coming up behind him. One was heavier than the other and moving fast while the quieter set was slow and steady. Ignoring them, he went out into the heavy wind, straight over to the barrel. Boo had left everything he needed to get the fire going, which made Charlie wonder if Boo had planned on being up there tonight. That was fine by him, he liked being around Boo. The door behind him swung back open and the largest man Charlie had ever seen burst forward, running to the edge, barely even noticing the fire or Charlie. Instinctively, Charlie reached for the rifle that he had left just inside the doorway. Noticing that he didn’t have it, Charlie moved toward the door quietly when the second person came through. It was Tressa, from the council meeting. Giving a quick embarrassed wave she moved on to the large man at the edge.
“Not so fast, Todd! It is slippery up here,” Tressa stated.
“It’s not so bad, Tressa. I have on those good running shoes that you gave me, and they don’t slide at all!”
“Ok, Todd, just be careful or we will have to go back downstairs where it is a little safer.”
“I will behave, Tressa, you don’t have to worry. We can see more up here than we can downstairs,” the large man replied.
Tressa turned back toward a completely bewildered Charlie and said, “Sorry about barging in on you. Todd can see patterns like no one I have ever met before. His favorite is the stars, so we have been coming up here just to look up at the night sky when it has been clear enough. To be honest, even on the overcast nights we come up here. He can find patterns to amaze himself in just about anything.”
“That’s fine, I just didn’t expect anyone else to come up here,” Charlie replied. “I am afraid you’re not going to see very many stars tonight with this snow storm coming in.”
Tressa shrugged her shoulders, “Then we will just end up looking at the zombies again. Yay us.”
“Why does he look at the creatures?” Charlie asked.
Again, Tressa shrugged her shoulders and patted Todd on the back, “Todd, why do we look at the zombies?”
“I don’t look at the nasty creatures, Tressa!” Todd replied with a snort as he rolled his eyes and did a little eye shift towa
rd Tressa so that Charlie could see. It was as if he was saying to Charlie, Can you believe this? Charlie thought.
“What do you look at then, err… uh, Todd is it?” Charlie asked.
Todd pointed out toward the old Miller farm and said, “They are all in patterns or groups, you see? They always stay together no matter where they are. Some move in, to the bigger group, making a larger pattern, but they always stay together. Except that group, you see them in the middle? They are the biggest group here; they go all over without the others.”
“So you think that this mass of creatures is a bunch of smaller masses?” Charlie asked.
Todd whirled around on him excitedly causing Charlie to jump back, almost losing his footing in the snow. “Careful there or Tressa will not let us come up here, Mister,” Todd stated as a matter of fact with a frown on his face. “Maybe we need someone to shovel all this snow off so it would be safe? Maybe that someone could be me, Mister?”
“Sure, you can shovel all you want up here, if it is ok with Tressa. First, tell me about the big group,” Charlie replied.
“Okay, it’s like this Mister,” Todd stated as he got down on his hands and knees and started drawing a large shape with smaller ones inside of it surrounding another large shape in the middle. Then he put an “X” in all of the shapes except the one in the middle and said, “All of these move in tight every night with the others. The group is always larger at night than day, you follow me Mister? But this group moves around at night instead of during the day. They come right outside of this building every night and look at the fence down there.”
“You’re saying that a large group comes here to the school?”
Todd rolled his eyes yet again, only this time at Charlie, “Not all of them Mister. Only a few come here by us, the rest wait just at the end of the streets.”
“Have you seen them Todd?” Charlie asked impatiently.