Bonnie found them; I got them.
The other children were spread throughout the community to parents more than willing to love and raise them.
This morning the kids were dallying and fooling around in getting ready. Having a few days off from their routine did that to them.
I inspected them to make sure they were dressed appropriately and made sure each one’s hair was semi neat, ==then I fed them each a bowl of Patty’s granola before lining them up at the door.
It was the first day back to classes after the Sleeper attacks, and I was ready to get them out of the cell block. I could feel there wasn’t a chill in the air and that told me it was one of those Indian summer days of October.
My plan was take them to school, drop off Jessie, Phoenix, and Keller with Ed for their specialized education, then return to clean up and catch a nap.
Much to my surprise, when I opened the door Ed was standing there. Ed was a newcomer that had joined up with the convoy on the way from Grace. He was a teacher in the world before the Event and it was evident. He was really good with the children. He was a young man, mid to late twenties. Reminded me a lot of Danny. Even though he was young, there was a maturity about him.
“Am I that late?” I asked. “I was getting them off.”
Ed smiled. “No. Not at all.”
His curly hair danced above his eyes, and the mother in me reached up and brushed it back. “You should have Patty trim that, she’s very good.”
“I will, thanks.”
“So, did you come for the trio?”
“Actually…”He scratched the bridge of his nose in a nervous gesture.
“I came to teach them here,” he said, his voice rising on the last word like a question.
“Why?”
“I thought it would be best,” he said. “It’s a really warm day out there, and I can take them out too. You go ahead and take the others... I have this.”
“Ed? We have a school.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I was there and then the thought hit me to teach them here where it’s more contained.”
Contained.
I exhaled. “Is this Alex’s idea?”
“No,” Ed answered in a rush. “Not at all.”
“Then why did you use the word ‘contained’?”
“Mera,” Ed softened his voice, “people talk.”
“So it’s out of fear you want to keep them here?”
“No. Don’t get defensive with me. I’m not keeping them away from others, I’m… I’m keeping them away because of others.”
“I don’t understand.”
“People can be ignorant of things. They... they can be cruel, and the kids’ best interest is my top priority. Okay? I want to watch out for them.”
“It’s ridiculous.”
“I know,” he said. “Trust me, I know. And I am sure it will pass.”
I didn’t say anything in response to that. I opened the door and allowed the children to walk out, leaving Phoenix, Keller, and Jessie behind. Before I followed the other kids, I looked back at Ed. “Is it that bad, Ed? We’ve been isolated here. Is there a lot of attitude toward my babies?”
He shook his head. “No. No. I’m erring on the side of caution, that’s all.”
“All right. I’m gonna stop by the cafeteria to see if there’s any distribution for lunch... or do you think we can go there and eat?”
Ed pressed his lips together tightly, flashed a smile and said, “Let’s do a picnic today.”
“This sucks.”
“It will pass.”
I left the cell block, taking the kids to the education area in the main building. We had been isolated in our cell block since the start of the Three Days of Death. That was five days without seeing anyone other than Bonnie and Michael.
Rumors flew wildly in Grace about anything and everything and I could only imagine what was being said. It couldn’t have been mild if it caused Ed to be concerned enough to teach the children at home.... or rather, the cell block.
The school was across the yard and my suspicions that something was up were confirmed. People were lukewarm to me. Not that I was ever Miss Popularity, however, people generally said a good hello. Today I received not a single nod, just a shift of the eyes.
Err on the side of caution my ass,
I headed over to the main cafeteria. Since the lockdown, no one had used it. Household distributions were given and the cafeteria was normally used by the single men who didn’t want to cook.
I hoped that Bonnie would be there, but she wasn’t. She was tending to the two new horses, trying to break them. Patty gave me a pleasant ‘hello’. Well, as pleasant as meek Patty got.
“I’m making carrot cookies for you, Mera,” she said. “I told Greg you needed more vegetables on our distribution.”
“Thank you, I’m sure they will be delicious.”
Renee was there, a new woman that Michael had picked up on the pilgrimage to Ohio. A taller woman with a big boned structure, she exuded rough and tough, yet I don’t think she was. She and Bonnie kind of hit it off. Renee was cooking something and it smelled wonderful.
“Is that lunch?” I asked.
“No, it’s a treat for all. When they were doing cleanup of those things, your son bagged a wild hog.”
“Danny caught a hog?” I asked with shock.
“Yep, he didn’t want to tell you. He said you’d be scared he’d catch swine flu.”
I laughed. “I can see me doing that. What are you doing now?”
“Dumplings. The germ doc checked out the hog, said he was safe to eat, and we’re having a really tasty stew. Everyone will get a jar, I hope.”
“I can’t wait. Hey… uh, is lunch done and packed for the kids, or should I come back later?”
“Why?”
“We’re gonna have a picnic with the little ones. Ed is teaching them in the block.”
She tilted her head with curiosity. “Why is that? I’d think you’d want to get them babies out.”
“I do… but he’s…” I used finger quotes “erring on the side of caution. People are being a little weird about the babies.”
She nodded her head. “That will pass.”
“What did you hear?”
“That folks are scared of the little ones because one of the men heard Levi say he was calling the Sleepers. To believe that is to believe in a supernatural thing. There’s nothing supernatural, here, just a baby. When people see how silly it is, they’ll go back to normal. It’s not a lynch mob, only concerned parents, that’s all. Liken it to lice.”
I laughed out a, ‘what’ and scratched my head.
“You know, when your kids were in school and the letter came home that there was lice, and you knew the kid that was rumored to have it? You told your kid, don’t share a hat or get too close, right?”
“We all did.”
“Same thing. Only lice are worse.”
“Lice are worse?” I chuckled.
“Oh, yeah. You can kill a Sleeper. Ever try to get rid of lice? Not easy.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.” She winked. “I’ll let you know if things get stirred. I’ll even try to calm that. I promise.”
“That’s kind of you,” I said.
“That’s my nature. I always was the ‘Mama Bear’ type when my kids were young, then after the virus, I was that way in our group, and I’ll help out that way here.”
“And make a great smelling hog stew.”
“Thank your kid.”
“I will.” I started to leave and snapped my fingers. “Oh, lunch.”
“Come back at the bell. Bring them kids in here. You hear?”
“I will. Thanks, again.”
As I left the cafeteria, I felt better. Especially after Patty handed me that fresh baked cookie. Maybe I was overreacting or being too protective and defensive.
Ed was erring on the side of caution after all, and when I worried, all I had to do was think about
lice.
6. Sonny
Boy, did I feel rested. I really did want to attend Pastor Mike’s service, considering the number of Sleepers we faced not even twenty-four hours earlier. There was a lot to be grateful for, we were victorious. Admittedly, I was in a lot of pain, had some shortness of breath, and Javier ordered me to bed. He even knocked me out.
I didn’t intend to sleep until one, I guess the sedative did it. I felt good. Very little pain or stiffness and my hearing was miraculously better. I took out the amplifier.
One bad effect of the sedative was the weird dreams. I kept dreaming that Alex was standing above my bed calling me ‘gay’.
Someone had placed a basin and glass of water in my cell by the window. That was really nice of whoever did that. Typically I used the communal facilities, however, I could barely stand, so after taking the leak of a lifetime, I washed up and dressed.
To my surprise, Ed, Jessie, Phoenix, and Keller were at the family table.
“Afternoon,” Ed said when he saw me. “How are you feeling?”
“Remarkably well. I got a peek outside, everything is cleaned up completely.”
“Yep. You missed Alex.”
“I missed more than that. Where is everyone? Still at services?”
“What?” Ed laughed. “School. Mera is taking a walk with Danny.”
“Oh, yeah,” I nodded, then spotted the cookies on the table. “May I have one? I’m starved.”
“Help yourself,” Ed said.
Jessie glanced up from her book. “Sonny tired?”
“Not anymore,” I replied. “Why is Sunday school running so late?”
Phoenix’s hand slammed down.. “Sonny needs to sleep. He’s saying odd stuff.”
“Sunday school?” Ed asked. “It’s not Sunday. It’s Monday.”
“What!” I blasted. “I went to sleep Saturday evening!”
“Yeah about nine they knocked you out.”
I did my best math. “Forty hours! I slept forty hours?”
Ed nodded. “Maybe you needed it.”
“No one needs forty hours of sleep.”
“That’s true.”
“No wonder I had to pee so bad.”
“No wonder you’re hungry, too. Renee has some food left from lunch. Why don’t you grab some?”
“I will.” I headed to the door.
“Beck is looking for you too. Something about radios cutting out.”
After giving a stock, ‘Okay’ I headed out.
Beck’s office and the cafeteria were in the main building so I would kill two birds with one stone.
When I was crossing the yard, I heard Alex’s unmistakable voice from the tower.
“Hey there, sleepy head. Nice to see you walking around.”
I waved. At least he wasn’t calling me gay like he did in my dream. I entered the building and while I really wanted to eat and I could smell the food, I figured it had been forty hours of sleep since I saw him. I’d figured I should check in first to see what he needed, tell him I was up, and that I would grab some food and be right back.
I could hear voices as I headed down the hall. Beck’s was predominant.
“Yeah, roger that,” Beck said.
Static.
The other voice spoke, a man, very drab and monotone, reading off statistics. “Forty-zero five. Negative One, for seven.”
“Copy.”
“Sixteen hundred hours. Three zero five white Z’s.”
“Copy.”
“Break.”
Beck exhaled so loud I could hear him, then after a hiss of static, the other voice said something.
It was boring and since the radio was the reason he wanted to see me and obviously in my forty hour absence he got it working, I turned to get some food and that’s when I heard Beck.
“Sir, I’ll … I’ll do my best. I know my duties. I want to, but I'm not sure. I have a family. Over.”
“I understand that, Major, but this is a two week deploy. That’s it. PR Phase Three. Midwest sweep. You’re the best we have. Need you on this one. It’s too big to handle without you. Over.”
“When do you need an answer? Over.”
“Yesterday. I need to assign and get transport started. We have enough fuel for a bird. Over.”
“I’ll get back to you by zero six hundred. Over.”
“Appreciate it. Out.”
I didn’t look in the office. I was sort of frozen in my steps for a moment. The thump could only mean the radio fell from Beck’s hand or he dropped it. I turned and walked away before he knew I was there.
Did I hear correctly? I hoped that in my post Rip Van Winkle stint that I was just misinterpreting. I didn’t know what PR Phase Three was. However, it was a two week thing, and if I did hear correctly, Beck was seriously thinking of leaving again.
To me, that was a mistake.
Intersect – Keller
30 Years Post Event
Being born in a world, barren in comparison to how it once was, a world with so few people and in a world where nature has reclaimed its place, has its advantages.
I didn’t know the gadgets or conveniences. I grew up knowing simplicity and struggle. And as a child, really, what was the struggle? You only know how bad it is if you had it really good.
My life was good. I honestly can say I wanted for nothing. When I was sad, hurt or sick, someone was there to hold me. I was surrounded, no matter what the circumstances, by people that loved me.
I don’t know what the world was like before me because it was rarely talked about. What mattered most to me was my family and I had an abundance of it.
My earliest memories are faint, and I didn’t start registering events in my mind until I was five. Any age before that is like a dream. I don’t remember Sleeper attacks or moving from place to place.
I don’t remember ever being hungry or unhappy. I don’t remember my sister’s death, though I was told it could have been avoided. A lot of things could have been avoided. The entire Paler Wars that went into full force when I was eighteen could have been avoided.
There isn't or wasn’t a need for time travel. Hindsight is an amazing thing. Common sense could have erased all the errors made. However, I too would have made the same decisions.
Anything that I do from this moment on, any choices I make, are to save the past as much as it is to save the future. To protect what is important to me.
I am a man. A human being. Not some anomaly of God.
It made me laugh to think how everyone believed I was this gifted supernatural being. I was just a child. Granted, I did have the ability to communicate telepathically, though not with everyone. There had to be a connection or something to the person for them to hear me. I was never able to communicate with the Sleepers, although I could walk right through them without being noticed.
There were some people close to me that never heard me, despite their claim that they did.
I was never able to communicate fully with Michael. That should have been my first sign.
7. Alex
Who was the grown up Phoenix? I thought about it, didn’t really write down any names, though while on early afternoon watch, I gave it some deep thought.
I spoke to Randy and Levi, both advanced in the time travel shit. Plus, I drew upon my memory when it came to time travel movies. After all, they had to give it some scientific thought before writing it, right?
The number one thing I had to think of was why was Phoenix here?
It’s hard to imagine a child that you love as being some sort of bad person when they grow up, so naturally I sought out the good reasons for his return trip. Maybe he was calling the Sleepers so we could kill them in masses. That was a possibility.
We lost people though. Would he want that if his intentions were all that good?
Then the egomaniac in me believed he was coming back from the future to kill me. I did kind of yell at him pretty hard for pissing in my shoe. Mera had yelled at me, “He’s a baby, yo
u asshole.”
Why does she always call me an asshole?
“Yeah, I know he’s a baby,” I’d replied, “though sometimes I wonder.”
Process of elimination.
Phoenix was Caucasian. That ruled out Beck and the other African Americans in the community.
Calling the Sleepers was a big thing in my mind. Whoever it was, obviously was in Grace. That was when I first heard that the Sleepers were being called.
Process of elimination ruled out all the people that joined us recently, as well as those damn soldiers Beck keeps tagging along as Phoenix.
Time Cop came to mind, and the theory that Levi subscribes to that two of the same matter can’t occupy the same space. They would either cancel each other out or absorb one another.
So whoever was the grownup Phoenix didn’t hang around Baby Phoenix.
It was mind boggling and gave me a headache. I teetered between believing there was nothing to worry about, that it was all a big mistake, and that Levi and Javier had screwed up the blood work.
Even with my big process of elimination, that still left a lot of men. We didn’t know when exactly grown up Phoenix arrived.
I was about to move on to other thoughts, making mental notes to discuss with Beck later, when I heard footsteps approaching the watchtower. I thought it was my relief early, then I saw it was Sleeping Beauty.
Sonny knocked on the arch of the open door and stepped in.
“You look refreshed,” I said. “Not pale. Then again, you slept fifty hours.”
“Forty.”
“Same difference.”
Sonny laughed then the smile dropped from his face.
“What’s up?”
“While I was sleeping, did Beck talk to you about leaving?”
“Did you dream this?”
“No.” Sonny shook his head.
“Did Beck tell you something?”
“No, I heard him talking on the radio.”
The notion was silly and surely Sonny had misunderstood. “Nah, you just heard wrong. What did he say when you asked him?”
Sleepers (Book 5) Page 3