The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  Adrian was amazed by the growth in the semi. Healthy green plants bushed out everywhere, a little crowded as they twined around each other, but clearly not suffering for it. They appeared to have been thinned and evenly spaced for maximum growth. Tomato plants with small green balls covered the first patch on the right, their weak stems tied to stakes with red yarn. Wide cabbage leaves occupied the five feet on the left, roped off with stakes and blue yarn. Corn came behind both of those, the pointed stalks almost up to Samantha’s shoulders.

  There were more plants that Adrian couldn’t identify from where he was, and laminated drawings were stapled to the wall, detailing the entire semi and its contents. The planting dates and watering schedule for each one was also listed. Neil’s tiny scrawl at the bottom confirmed who’d taken the time, probably to please Samantha.

  Adrian joined the woman who was kneeling, pulling the occasional weed and taking large, oval rocks from beneath the soil. The bean plants were two feet tall, with small sprouts. In a week or so, those would be ready.

  Adrian saw the base of the pumpkin plant that had caught his eye. The vines reached the top of the truck’s shorn sides and circled around the staked rails that were currently covered by a thick green tarp. A small number of insects were flying around the truck, one of them a bee. It landed in a yellow flower on the pumpkin plant.

  Adrian pointed. “That is a very good sign.”

  “Yeah. No bees, no crops.” Samantha stood up, wiping her dusty hand on her hips. “We weren’t sure the insects would come in, but we hoped maybe the pumpkin plant had already been pollinated. It was one of the first things we put in here. Found it in a greenhouse. Thought for sure the shock of digging it up would kill it.”

  Adrian smiled. “You’ve done well, Samantha.”

  Samantha’s face glowed. What an incredible feeling that was.

  “I’d like to return something.” She held out a familiar object. “And I’d like to make a donation.”

  Letting go of the past was hard for Samantha, but she was making progress. She hardly ever dreamed of Melvin and Henry anymore. The man she’d killed in NORAD, however, still visited her often. “Give these to the next woman who needs them. I don’t anymore.”

  Adrian took his gun, her Taser and the cartridges, and stowed them away with a small amount of pride. He’d helped another battered woman. It was a small payment made on an insurmountable debt.

  Samantha treaded lightly into the dirt to retrieve the end of the vine that was out of the truck. Bright green with thick leaves, the stem was the size of a man’s thumb. She carefully fed the vine over a wooden rail on the wall where thick circles of it were already coiled, wincing at the sharp, tiny spikes on it. She leaned the flowered tip into the corner where it would immediately start trying to regain the sunlight come dawn.

  “Have you checked the carrots or potatoes yet?” Adrian asked.

  “No. Afraid to disturb them.”

  “You use chemicals to keep the bugs away?”

  “Not directly on the plants,” Samantha explained, digging into the dirt. “Miracle Grow pellets were mixed into the soil, and we use Seven Dust on top of the trucks and around them to keep the bugs out while we’re camped.”

  Adrian was more than pleased, he was relieved. The food that would come from this garden could be canned, dehydrated, and frozen, and they would have fresh vegetables and fruit this fall.

  “What do you need to keep this going?”

  Samantha peered up with a nervous flutter in her stomach. “If I had more water, I could have three times as much growing.”

  Adrian’s mind groaned. Water was something they couldn’t spare, but they had to have the food.

  Samantha stood, eager to score points toward her goal of being chosen as Angela’s XO. “I know where we can get clean water, but it’ll be dangerous.”

  “Do you still need me?” Marc asked from the door, still thinking about Angie and a beer. Let Neil and Jeremy worry over this one.

  “No,” Adrian answered. “Sitrep at morning mess.”

  “You got it.” Marc left them alone.

  “Okay, Sam.” Adrian settled against the only clear wall of the truck. “Where’s the water, and why should I let you go along to collect it?”

  2

  Moving through the camp members, Marc couldn’t stop the grin that drew the attention of every woman in sight. He’d played in Angela’s thick tresses for long, erotic moments last night while tasting her, keeping them right there, doing only that, for almost an hour. He’d left her with swollen lips and the sound of her own ragged breathing ringing in her ears. He was looking forward to doing it again, only this time, he would hold her afterwards and sleep. She was in their new tent now, resting and going over the plans they’d made, and Marc willed his body back to sleep. He was going slowly, making sure she was more than willing, and he didn’t think he’d ever stayed so horny in his life. He’d been a clumsy kid the first time he’d slid between those long legs, and only managed to control himself long enough to please her because of his guilt over her age. Now, he was a man, sharing every bit of sexual ecstasy that he knew how to, including anticipation. By the time he finally took her, the pleasure might kill them both.

  “How does it help to make them wait?”

  Marc jumped, and then snorted out laughter. In his daydreaming, he hadn’t heard Charlie and Dog come up behind him.

  Dog’s auburn coat had begun to show a bit of gray near his mouth and ears, and Marc wasn’t surprised when the filthy animal curled up near them and laid his head down. Even wolves grew weary.

  “Well?” Charlie encouraged, mind still spinning from the new friendship that he’d found today. It had been a shock to discover that Jennifer’s gifts were like his, but it was even more of a surprise to find out that Becky had known about him all along.

  “Anticipation makes it better when you…” Marc stopped himself, changed it around. “You know how you look forward to your training sessions, but the gun classes are your favorite?”

  Charlie did. Being taught by his mom while she also worked with the female rookies was great. He was learning all sorts of things about women.

  “It’s like that. If you got to go straight there before you did any work, it wouldn’t mean as much to you, wouldn’t give as much pleasure.”

  “I’m glad you came now. I’ve never seen mom this happy. Thank you for making her stronger, and…for loving her,” Charlie answered.

  Marc’s heart melted, and he swung an arm around his son’s shoulders. “Love you, too, boy. Just as much.”

  Charlie leaned against him, hugging back. He didn’t say the same, but he felt it, and that was enough. Matt was right to envy him a little. He had a great life now.

  The two males moved toward the tent area in peace, both sending out those good vibes that made most people want to be closer to them. It also made some people long to be them.

  3

  “When are you gonna sign up?”

  “I d-don’t know.”

  “I’m tellin’ you, boy. That’s the only place you need. Become an Eagle and we’re set here.”

  Matt didn’t answer, too busy worrying over the fragile sheet of paper in his father’s clumsy hands.

  “What the hell is this?”

  “Just s-something I drew,” Matt muttered. He’d been sketching happily until Mitch grabbed the book.

  “Haven’t I told you not to waste your time on this garbage?”

  “Yes.”

  Mitch glared with bloodshot eyes. “Then quit doing it!”

  The radioman crumpled up the drawing and tossed it out of the com truck window.

  “That w-was mine!” Matt got out and slammed the truck door, drawing attention from the guards over the area. “Why can’t you l-leave me alone? You and Adrian have tak-taken everything else!”

  Mitch got out of the truck, stumbling after his son. “Don’t talks to me that way!”

  “You’re d-drunk on duty again, aft
er he t-told you no more!” Matt sneered. “You need to be guarded too.”

  “I’m a grown man.” Mitch glowered, holding onto the door for support. “I’ve earned the right.”

  The pimply teenager bent down and grabbed his paper before the wind could blow it away. He shoved it into his pocket and scowled at his father.

  “I only came around b-b-because Charlie thought it was a good idea. Now, all I can think about is t-taking your bottle when you pass out!” The teenager stomped around Mitch. “And that means I shouldn’t be here.”

  Too drunk for parenting, Mitch staggered back to the com truck. He’d been drowning his sorrows for most of the day, and he was beat. He climbed into the truck, squinting at shadowy shapes in the distance. Was that the vet, alone in the dark, carrying a body over his shoulder?

  Mitch snickered at his crazy thoughts. Damn good Wild Turkey. He’d have to hit the next bottle a little slower next time, though, and make it last. He shouldn’t be seeing things already. That usually came at the finish of the nightly bottle, not midway through.

  Cynthia was having trouble sleeping. It happened so often since the rest stop that she’d developed the habit of finding something useful to do during those hours. Tonight, she’d been close enough to overhear Mitch and Matt.

  Off-duty and restless, Cynthia trailed after the teenager, but sent a quick hand signal to Kyle as they went by his post. Mitch is drunk.

  I got it, Kyle answered with curt gestures, stomping toward the com truck.

  Cynthia didn’t envy Mitch the chewing out he now had on the way. Kyle hated to be apart from Jennifer, and these shifts on third were hard on him. They gave the mobster a stiff, no-nonsense attitude that Safe Haven’s radioman was about to be beaten with.

  “He’s too far gone for thinking or regret,” Matt stated.

  Matt sounded much too bitter for only being fourteen, and Cynthia studied him as they walked. Matt was a good kid but for the drinking. “Adrian will handle it.”

  “Tell him to handle this, while he’s at it,” Matt ordered snottily, holding out the crumpled paper from his pocket. “If my dad takes that away, I’m leaving. It’s the only thing I care about.”

  Great at ferreting out details, Cynthia noticed the boy’s stutter hadn’t shown up in his conversation with her. Maybe it only happened when he was upset?

  The boy split off toward the supply trucks as Cynthia stared at the picture. Hand-drawn in meticulous detail, the reporter didn’t think she’d ever had such a vivid view of cicadas. Feasting on slaver corpses, it was gruesome, but so well drawn that it was also a bit frightening. Those bugs were realistic enough to fly off the paper and attack. Had Mitch even looked at it?

  “Too damn drunk to recognize his son’s talent,” Cynthia muttered. Matt wouldn’t trust anyone right now. How could she help?

  “Things okay?” Samantha hadn’t wanted to ask, but that was another part of being an Eagle that would help boost her self-confidence. Interactions with people were rough for her.

  Cynthia had paused at the question, having one of those introspective moments that said she, too, needed to act more like what she was now–an Eagle in Adrian’s army.

  “Not really,” Cynthia admitted reluctantly. “Maybe you can give me some advice?”

  Also off-duty and roaming, Samantha stopped in surprise. “Uh, sure. About what?”

  Cynthia quickly filled her in on the situation, and Samantha fell into it as if she’d been hoping for something to do other than to search for bad weather and ignore her men each time they passed on their rounds.

  Twenty minutes later, the two women were still talking, but not about Matt.

  “I wondered if it was something like that. You don’t seem the type to play two ends against the middle,” Cynthia stated.

  “I’m not, but this damn heat! It’s in the food here, or something. I’ve never…” Samantha stopped, staring at the lone camp member now climbing the stairs to the shower camper.

  Cynthia followed her line of sight, but neither of them acknowledged the woman, even though she flashed longing their way. Lexa was one of them, Sam and Cyn knew it, but until the gun shop owner accepted the rules and asked to be signed up, they couldn’t treat her like it.

  Lexa vanished into the shower camper, and the two females returned to their conversation, one that now included thoughts and comparisons on multiple areas of camp life. Both of them still wanted the XO slot, but it was put aside for the moment, and magic took its place as the women began to communicate like team members need to.

  “No, I never would have expected that either.”

  “And it’s so simple, the way he controls them all.”

  “And they ask him for it.”

  “Exactly. You can’t have leadership...” Samantha trailed off, distracted again.

  Cynthia watched the storm tracker’s face tighten in the light from the burnt-down can fire. “Are you okay?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Samantha stated as if in a daze.

  She moved toward the tent area and Cynthia didn’t hesitate to follow.

  4

  On Point over the camp, Kyle was occupied with finding a replacement for Mitch and tracking down Zack’s youngest boy, whom he suspected was the one now stealing bottles for Matt. He missed the sight of the two rookie females heading for camp at a fast pace.

  Kyle’s mood was ugly. He’d gotten used to being with Jennifer at night, to watching her sleep after she drifted off against her will, and he was loathing the time away. It made for a surly Point man that only his right hand was able to approach without fear. Since he’d given Kyle a possible solution, Daryl and his team leader had gotten closer.

  “Point man to the supply truck.”

  Kyle switched directions, grunting. After the fight with his dad, Kyle could guess who had just shown up wanting a bottle. The highest Eagle stormed that way with a scathing lecture ready.

  He heard them before he got there.

  “No.”

  “Just l-let me have it. No one g-g-gives a shit about me anyway.”

  Kevin frowned. I hate third shift duty. “That’s not true. Go sleep it off, Matt.”

  Matt punched the side of the truck. “I want a d-drink!”

  “You’re asking to be banished. Go to your tent, little boy!” Kyle ordered harshly.

  Matt spun around with a raised arm and the mobster gave him a solid clip to the jaw that sent him to the ground.

  Oww!” the boy groaned, holding his mouth.

  Kyle knelt down to talk some sense into Matt, whether he was ready to listen or not.

  “Ssscchhhhhh!”

  Thick static went through every radio in Safe Haven that was turned on, jarring an entire camp of refugees from sleep.

  The leaders inside its borders waited tensely for the next sound.

  “SScchhh-ssshhhccc!”

  The second wave was stronger. Electrical components began to short out.

  Kyle ripped his radio from his belt and hit the button. “Shut ‘em off! Electrical storm!”

  “Schhrr!”

  The radio sparked, and Kyle dropped it, using his feet to stomp out the small flames trying to grow. Dogs began to bark and birds fled from the trees above them in a flurry of panicked wings. There was a clear sense of danger, heavy and unavoidable, coming closer.

  Kyle looked at Kevin in horror as the squelching sound echoed through the darkness again, further upsetting their herd. The sky above them was dark and calm except for the retreating wildlife.

  Kevin’s return glance was just as terrified. This was no electrical storm.

  “Fire!” The shout echoed across camp.

  Matt slowly picked himself up as the adults ran toward the call, full of bitter, self-pitying hatred. What do I care if there’s a storm? He heard the chaos starting, but his gaze was on the now unguarded door of the supply truck. Whole camp can die. I just want a bottle.

  Matt slipped inside the rig, and no one noticed.

 
5

  Beneath the ground near the edge of the protective shield, a quarter-sized hole opened up and started to fall in on itself. An old mining shaft below provided no foundation, no brace to stop the sinking, and the hole began to grow by inches on all sides, sending ripples through the dirt that quickly fell in.

  A minute after it opened up, the hole was five feet wide and still expanding as the dirt continued to cave in on all sides.

  Crunchh...

  On guard over new arrivals in the QZ, Doug registered the newest noise with concern, but didn’t leave his post. He kept people from breaking quarantine by holding up his gun, glad the small group was being reasonable. They were all gathered at the edge of the tape, watching fearfully, but not running blindly like many in the main camp were doing.

  Thud…thud…crunnccchhh!

  Doug swung toward the tilting shower camper that he could barely distinguish through the trees. Tilting? he questioned his own sight.

  His feet shifted against his will as the ground rumbled and Doug grabbed the side of a tree as the dirt directly under his feet suddenly swayed.

  The new arrivals were thrown to the ground as the tremor grew stronger. Trees shook, sending down stiff, moldy leaves.

  Thudddd! Riiipppp! A full row of port-o-lets next to the tilting shower camper dropped into the ground.

  Doug’s mouth fell open in shock.

  Grrriiinnndddd! Craaassshhhh!

  Doug stumbled as the ground shifted again.

  The shower camper plunged into the sinkhole next, sending up a thick cloud of dirt. Behind that, a line of moldy trees followed with ear-splitting grinds and cracks. Dust showered the area, obscuring it even with the light of the fires.

  “Help at the showers!”

  Doug’s shout was swallowed by the static and he tossed his headset away as it sparked, catching his vest on fire. Slapping at it, he rushed toward the shower camper that he could no longer see any part of through the falling grit.

  Above Safe Haven, the invisible shield glowed brilliant red.

  6

  Strapping on her gun, Angela hurried from her tent to find Samantha and Cynthia rushing her way.