Paradise (Aftershock Series Book 1)

by Michael R. Watson

  “I’m glad to hear it. Come on in the house,” I invited.

  We gathered around the rustic, plank-type table. It seemed Samuel was having a hard time saying whatever it was he had come here to say. “What’s this all about?” I asked.

  “It’s about Daniel and his family.” He paused. “A group of concerned citizens came to me first thing this morning and informed me they don’t want Daniel living here.”

  “I’m not surprised, with the things he’s done,” I responded.

  “I don’t know what things you’re referring to, so I’m not going to judge, but I’ve known Daniel for many years and I know him to be a good man.”

  “Maybe he’s changed since then,” I said.

  “Perhaps, but I don’t think so. In talking to him yesterday and this morning, I believe him to be the same man I knew before. Perhaps he was forced to adapt to his circumstances. But that’s not what I’m here to talk about. I’m afraid if he’s allowed to stay, it could tear this community apart.”

  “You’re going to make them leave?” asked Sarah, confused.

  “I don’t see any other option.”

  “But where will they go?” asked Sarah. “They can’t go back.”

  “There’s a place, another valley, similar to this one, only smaller, where they can go. I’ve already told them about it. No one else lives there. And they can have the fresh start they want.”

  “I don’t understand. What does this have to do with us?” I asked suspiciously.

  “I was wondering if you’d consider going with them?” asked Samuel.

  “What?!” I exclaimed, smiling at the absurd joke. Then I noticed Samuel wasn’t laughing. “You can’t be serious. Why us? Did we do something wrong?”

  “No, nothing like that. I just thought since both of your families are new, you’re about the same ages, and since you both have children it might be a good match. And it would be much easier to start off with friends.”

  “Friends? Where do you get that? I don’t even like the man. Why would I go off with him?” I asked in frustration.

  “Well, since Sarah and Donna are getting along so well, maybe in time, you and Daniel could do the same.”

  I was feeling pressured and I didn’t like it. Not that I could do anything about it. Samuel had the last word here about everything. “Do we have a choice?” I asked.

  “Of course you do. You’re our friends. We don’t want to see you go, so it’s completely up to you. I just hate the idea of Daniel, Donna, and the boys going it alone. I just want you to think about it.”

  “If it’s our choice, I don’t need to think about it. I choose to stay here where we’ve already put down roots,” I declared.

  “Wait a second, John,” stated Sarah. “Maybe we shouldn’t be so hasty. Let’s do what Samuel suggested and think about it.”

  I looked at her as though she had lost her mind. “Are you seriously considering this?”

  “I think their boys are kind of cute,” said Cindy.

  I could only shake my head.

  Samuel slid his chair back from the table and stood up. “Well, I can see you folks need time to talk about it privately, so I’ll check back with you later.” He went to the door and let himself out. The four of us were already in deep discussion, unaware he had left.

  * * *

  That afternoon I had a hard time concentrating on my work, helping out with Christopher at the mill. We were grinding the wheat from the harvest and placing the flour in small sacks to be distributed to the households. Several times Christopher had to nudge me to get my attention, catching me daydreaming, which was a switch. Mid-afternoon Gant showed up in the doorway, standing there until I noticed him. Gant motioned me over. What did he want now? Reluctantly, I sat down the sack I’d been filling and slowly walked over. We went outside where it was quieter.

  “Samuel thought we should talk,” explained Gant.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to go off together,” I stated matter-of-factly.

  “We’d really like for you and your family to go with us. I don’t think we can do it alone. Our wives are becoming friends and our kids are about the same age. And I have to confess, I don’t know anything about farming or construction.”

  “So, you just need us for your labor force? Is that it?” I blurted.

  “No, just your guidance. We’ll be right beside you all the way.”

  “I don’t know if I can trust you, after seeing what the Guard has done over the last five years.”

  “I can’t change any of that. All I can do is promise you things will be different, a fresh start for both our families.”

  Gant extended his hand. I had no intention of shaking his hand and just looked at it for several seconds. Gant didn’t withdraw it. Finally, without knowing why, I took it. Perhaps it was because he was making an effort or maybe it was just a reflex action to get rid of him. Gant smiled.

  “This doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to go, just that I’m willing to think about it,” I explained.

  “I understand,” said Gant. “If you’d like to talk, you know where we’ll be.”

  I nodded and Gant left. I stared at my palm and then wiped it off on my pants. How could we ever be friends?

  * * *

  That night, lying wide awake in bed, I asked Sarah, “You really want to do this, don’t you?”

  “Just think of it,” answered Sarah, “starting from scratch, from the ground up. The freedom to do it however we want.”

  “You do realize it’ll be a lot of work. We’ll have to clear the fields, plant the crops, harvest the crops, build our houses, and we’d have to do it with people we don’t even know.”

  “Wouldn’t it be wonderful?” she said, excitement in her voice.

  I turned to look at her. There was a twinkle in her eyes. She was actually looking forward to going, treating it as though it would be some sort of a great adventure.

  I was just about to doze off when I felt the bed shake slightly, almost imperceptible. But then it began to get stronger. I instantly came wide awake, sitting up, looking at Sarah. Her eyes were wide open, fear on her face. “Oh, John, not again!” I knew we were both remembering how it had begun just like this at our home five years earlier. Sarah sprang from the bed and ran to check on our children.

  It was the first noticeable quake we’d felt in four years. According to a talk with Samuel, I was surprised to learn that they’d never experienced one in the valley. His explanation centered on the faith of the community, but I speculated it had something more to do with the distance from any major fault lines or past disposal wells. After feeling the tremor, it was obvious the valley was not immune. If the pattern from before repeated itself, it would only get worse.

  Sarah brought Christopher and Cindy to our bed. Even though the tremor had been weak and had only lasted a short while, we all had a hard time going back to sleep, until exhaustion finally took over.

  * * *

  The next morning when I got up, Sarah was already at the stove preparing my breakfast, singing cheerfully out loud to herself.

  “How’d you sleep?” she asked.

  “Not so good. What are you so happy about?” I asked, still waking up from the restless night.

  “Oh, nothing,” she said, smiling.

  “How about you? Did you sleep okay?” I asked.

  “Once I finally nodded off. The quake rattled me a little.”

  “I hope it was just a fluke.” I sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I smell?” I asked with disbelief. Coffee had been one of those items not found at Tent City, but according to Paul had been plentiful within the compound walls for the privileged.

  “I borrowed a small amount from Samuel. I thought you might like it.”

  I had a pretty good idea it had at one time been a part of the governor’s stockpile of items. I breathed in deeply.

  “And biscuits and sausage gravy? Okay, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing, Dear. Sit down
and eat your breakfast.”

  I sat at my place at the head of the table. “Where are Christopher and Cindy?”

  “They ate already and left for work.” She let him start on his breakfast. She could tell he was enjoying it. “So, have you given any more thought to Samuel’s idea yesterday?”

  “It’s all I’ve been thinking about.” He set his fork down next to his plate, sat back, and let out a sigh. “That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”

  “John, what do you mean?” she asked innocently.

  “You know exactly what I mean. You’re trying to bribe me into agreeing to go.” I paused. “What do the kids think about leaving here?”

  “They didn’t have much to say until this morning. The quake scared them last night. They asked me this morning if it’d be safer at the other place. I think they’d like to go now, but they’ll go along with whatever you decide.”

  “So, I guess I can’t use them as an excuse then, can I?”

  “No.” She could sense he was about to break. She cracked a smile.

  I would do anything for Sarah. It looked like we were going on an adventure.

  “I guess we should inform Samuel and the Gants and start making plans. I just have one more question for Samuel. If things don’t work out, I want to know if we can come back here?”

  Sarah threw her arms around my neck and gave me a kiss. “Thank you. It’s going to be amazing. You’ll see.” She kissed me again. “I’m going to tell Donna right now,” she said as she ran out of the house, the screen door slamming shut.

  I took a deep breath. After saying no, I had given in, and without a proper fight. And I was going somewhere I didn’t want to go and with a person I couldn’t stand. But it made Sarah happy and if she was happy, I was happy. I went back to eating my special breakfast and enjoying my coffee. It could be a while before I had something like this again. What have I agreed to?

  * * *

  Both families met with Samuel. It was decided they would leave in two days, plenty of time to prepare and stock up for the trip and soon enough to appease any of the community’s concerns about Gant. The sooner they were gone the better.

  Ryder came to his father’s house after watching the others leave. He was still angry with John, not yet ready for a face to face. He greeted his dad without any of the usual pleasantries.

  “I thought you’d left by the way you stormed off yesterday. Feeling better?” asked Samuel.

  “Fine. I couldn’t leave until I knew what you were going to do about the Gant situation,” said Ryder. “Now, I hear you want to take them to one of the valleys. I think it’s a mistake. John, I trust, but Gant… I think it could be trouble.”

  “I trust him,” stated Samuel. “And that should be enough.”

  “Okay, Dad.” Ryder didn’t want to argue with him anymore and he knew he’d never change his dad’s mind anyway. “Who’s going to take them? You?”

  “No. I was hoping you would.”

  “And why would I do that? I don’t want them to go there at all,” said Ryder.

  “Because I’m asking you to, Son. Would you please take them or would you rather they stayed here?” asked Samuel.

  Ryder didn’t like either option. He believed most of the people in Paradise disliked Gant as much as he did, if not from personal experience, from what they’d heard. If Gant stayed, there could be a revolt against his dad, which he couldn’t have.

  “No, I don’t want him to stay either. But, do they have to be taken to the valley. Can’t you just provide them with some food, water, and a map and let them fend for themselves in the wasteland?”

  Samuel smiled.

  Ryder knew his dad would never agree to it. It went against everything his father had taught him. It didn’t show any form of compassion. To let Gant fend for himself alone was one thing, but when his entire family was involved, it was different.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll take them.”

  “Thank you, Son.”

  “Just curious, but why couldn’t Levi take them?” asked Ryder.

  “Because I think you need to do this as much as they need you to.”

  “Still trying to teach me a lesson? You know I’m too old for that?”

  Samuel continued to smile. “You think so?”

  * * *

  Gant and I had assumed Samuel would be taking us to the new valley. When he informed us Ryder would be taking us, there was obvious concern on Gant’s face.

  “Don’t worry,” said Samuel, in an attempt to put his mind at ease.

  “I don’t want to sound ungrateful,” said Gant, “but I don’t want to get waylaid on the way there. Your son hasn’t been exactly discreet in hiding his feelings about me.”

  “I’m sure we’ll be fine,” I said, fairly certain I was right. “Ryder will do what he says he’ll do. It’s you I’m not so sure about.” I was half-joking, with a trace of distrust still on my mind. During the two days of preparation Gant and I had talked frequently, each discovering we were more alike than I would have ever believed. Our common link was that our families were our primary concern. In time, perhaps I would learn to trust him, but first he’d have to earn it.

  Several people from the community donated items to both families to help us get started. Gant doubted if they would have been so generous if they had been going alone.

  With help, we loaded a wagon with food, water, tools, and seed. Ryder would personally lead us on the half-day journey to our new home. As final preparations were being made and we were almost ready to leave, Samuel approached, carrying a crate of laying hens followed by Levi leading a goat for milk.

  When we were ready to leave, the community came together to send us off. Gant mentioned he found it humorous how everyone, now that they were leaving, treated him and his family as best of friends. Samuel caught me off guard when he asked everyone to gather together and join hands to offer a prayer for us to have a safe journey and for the quakes to stop. It reminded me of the Sundays when we would go to church as a family. It was another thing moving into Tent City had taken away.

  Sarah had taken Christopher and Cindy to the Paradise church on Sundays, but I’d kept my distance, not sure how I felt about God after all the crap we’d been through. I watched Sarah and Donna during the prayer, and they appeared to be sincere in their belief. Perhaps, in time, my faith would return.

  After saying our goodbyes, we loaded into the wagon and buggy. The earth began to shake again, at first as a mild tremor, but then the intensity grew and panic appeared on the faces in the crowd. People in the crowd reached out for each other, fighting to maintain their balance and stay on their feet. We held onto each other and the sides of the wagon and buggy for protection as Gant and I fought to keep the frightened and skittish horses under control.

  As quickly as it had begun, the quake weakened and then stopped. Afterward, an audible sigh of relief came from the gathered people. There were nervous laughs, some from joy, some from fear. Several had dropped to their knees and were praying their thanks for being spared from damage and injuries. I overheard one prayer where the person was asking God to send Master Gant far, far away, before another quake came. I couldn’t believe they thought the quakes were a result of Daniel coming here?

  As soon as Ryder found out his mom and dad were alright he came to us. “Dad said we should go ahead and go as planned.” We nodded agreement. No one had been hurt and there was no reason to delay.

  The two recent quakes hadn’t caused any damage, but if their frequency and magnitude increased as they had five years earlier, no place would be safe, not even a half-day’s ride away.

  * * *

  Thank you for reading Paradise, the first book in the Aftershock Series. I hope it provided a great reading experience. I think you’ll be as delighted with the second book, Exodus. Please check on the status at adventurewithmike.com.

  bsp;