The Family Members assembled themselves into a circle around Sarge, Lydia, and Charlie.
“Don’t be alarmed,” Fi said, seeing Sarge’s expression. “This is just how we do it, so we can all see each other and be heard. Please everyone have a seat.” All of the Family sat. Fi stood in the center beside the seated Sarge and Lydia. “Family,” she said, “this is Mitchell Barnes, known as Sarge to his friends, and his granddaughter Lydia and great-grandson Charlie. I’d like you to Consider them for addition to our Family.” She walked to the circle’s edge and sat down with the rest of them. “Aliyah?”
“Family, do we agree to this Consideration?” Aliyah intoned. From around the circle came a chorus of “Ayes”.
She turned to Sarge and Lydia. “Newcomers, do you agree to this Consideration, knowing that our judgment is final?” Sarge seemed startled by the formality of the proceeding but he composed himself.
“Aye,” he responded.
Aliyah turned to Lydia. “All adults must answer for themselves in the Family.”
“Aye,” Lydia responded in her sweet little voice.
“Then let’s begin. Newcomers, tell us about yourselves. What skills or vocation can you bring to our Family?” Aliyah requested.
“I’ll start,” Sarge said. “As I told your Leader, Fi,” he gestured toward her. “I’m called Sarge because I was a Sergeant in the Army.
“First Sargent!” Lydia interrupted. Sarge looked chagrined, but the Members in the circle appeared amused at her correction. “It’s true Grandpa,” she nodded, her blonde ponytail bobbing and her green eyes wide. “You were in charge of a lot of men!” The pride in her voice was unmistakable.
He grunted in acknowledgement. “It’s true that I finished with a rank of First Sargent, a career military-man like my father before me. I am 72 years old, which I’m aware is not of benefit to your Family. It frankly makes me a burden, but I’m versed in combat including hand-to-hand and street combat. I can teach fighting techniques, if desired. I also am familiar and comfortable with weaponry and am a pretty good shot, if I do say so myself. Those are my main ‘claims to fame’ if you will.” He cleared his throat. “I also do bring two new weapons and quite a bit of ammunition to the table.”
At this, the Family murmured. Everyone knew that ammunition was getting very scarce these days. Fi smiled. What Sarge didn’t know that she did was that his rifle was a .22. It meant that they could actually share ammunition, making his rifle very valuable to the Family.
“Good,” Aliyah said. “Thank you for that Mitchell.” She turned, “Lydia?” Lydia bounced Charlie on her lap.
“Umm, well I’m twenty-six years old and I used to be a third grade teacher before, well before all this.” Her words came in a rushed tumble. “I’m not a fighter or a hunter, but I will do whatever I can to contribute. Fi said that you might be interested in setting up a school for the children here,” she nodded toward the children in the circle. “That would be a joyful job for me, if you found it worthwhile.” She dropped her head as her lovely voice softened. “And of course there is Charlie.” She held him up a bit, no doubt hoping that his beauty would impact those gathered in the circle. Obligingly, he gurgled and cooed. “He’s three months old and not weaned yet. I know that this makes us a burden as well, but he’s healthy and can contribute as he grows.”
“Very good,” Aliyah said. “Let’s have our first deliberation then. Family,” she addressed the circle. “Think about what has been shared. If you believe the newcomers’ skills to be of value to the Family, please say ‘Aye’”, she instructed. Sarge held his breath while each member of the circle said, “Aye,” even the children.
Zoe smiled at Lydia and said, “I’d like you to be my teacher” and then turned her head into Lucy’s lap in sudden shyness. Sarge and Lydia breathed out in temporary relief. Aliyah spoke again.
“Newcomers, the next item is critical and you must answer honestly. Does any one of you have the Sickness?” Sarge sucked in through his teeth, but nodded.
“I can answer for all of us,” he said. “To the best of our knowledge, none of us has the Sickness. Lydia lost her husband to it just weeks after Charlie was born, so we know what it’s like. I feel healthy and strong, as does Lydia. She’s been weathering having a newborn, losing her husband, and dealing with all this,” he gestured around them, “like a good soldier. The baby also seems to be healthy. We can’t guarantee that one of us won’t become Sick, but for now, the answer is ‘No’.”
“Family?” Aliyah intoned. “If you believe the Newcomer to be telling the truth, please say ‘Aye ,’” she said. Sarge closed his eyes as he heard the chorus of “Ayes” around him once again. They had passed the second test. His eyes flew open and Aliyah was staring back at him.
“What now?” he murmured.
“Now,” she said, “you both decide if you want to be with us. We have some strict rules about conduct, food rations, and contributions. We also feel we must introduce ourselves to you so that you can feel you know the Family you will be joining.”
“You want us to judge you all? Would anyone say No?” he asked, only half-joking.
“We value full disclosure,” she responded with a chuckle. “Family, please make your introductions.”
One by one each one of the people in the circle introduced themselves in the same way that Sarge and Lydia had done, starting, of course with Fi. She began by making it clear that she was the Leader and that what she said goes, period. Any adult joining the Family had to understand this from the start. Fi smiled at Sarge.
“You should know that I’m fourteen years old,” she began and Sarge almost choked. Fi ignored him. “And that this woman,” she gestured, “is my mother, Maggie. As you can see she has the Sickness.” This was said as a matter-of-fact. Fi gave her mother a loving smile. “She was grandfathered in,” Fi chuckled and the others laughed, startling Sarge. This was not a surprise to Fi, the Family’s comfort level with discussing death was higher than the average group, she supposed.
She continued, “And the little carbon copy of my mother is my sister Kiara who is six. We lost my father Michael just before the Famine began. We lost our little brother, Luke years ago, when he was two. Both died of variations of the Sickness.” Fi saw Sarge close his eyes slowly in understanding.
Fi finished and the introductions moved on to Maggie. What she made clear to Sarge and Lydia was that she followed the Family Food Laws. Fi smiled at the pride in her mother’s voice, though it pained her as well. Sarge and Lydia both appeared concerned, but they had to know the truth, Fi thought. We have Rules and we follow them. The Family commitment to the collective good was very serious.
John explained that he was a veterinarian in his former life and Lucy that she was a marketing executive. John joked that Doc Ron had taken his job because he was a ‘stupid legitimate doctor’. Everyone chuckled at that and Sarge again appeared confused. Probably wasn’t used to laughter, Fi thought with a frown. One by one, they continued their introductions. They were up front about Maggie and Rachel’s Sickness, though there was no concealing the truth anyway. All of them listed their skills: hunting, gathering, standing sentry, cooking, medicine, fighting, raiding. They were clear on what was needed to survive and all laid claim to some usefulness.
“Alright,” Aliyah said when they all finished. “So that is who we are. Now you have to understand the Rules by which we agree to live. Aldy, would you like to read the Rules to our Newcomer friends?”
“Oh yes!” he nodded with enthusiasm. Aliyah handed him a paper that he unfolded carefully. Clearing his throat, he began. “Rule One – The Family Food Laws must be obeyed. Only through deliberation and a “yes” vote by all Family Members may an exception be made.” His face was serious.
“Rule Two,” he continued. “We fight to the death for the Family. If a Family Member is threatened by others, it’s our duty to protect one another, no matter what.” He read faster as he grew more comfortable. The entire Family
had these Rules memorized anyway. “Rule Three – We all contribute. No matter how small, you must do something to contribute to the Family each day, completing chores and meeting expectations. Laziness is never acceptable. Rule Four,” he raised his voice slightly, emphasizing the importance of this rule. “No Family Member may hurt another Family Member. Under no circumstances may violence or harm be perp, be perp…” he stopped.
Aliyah prompted him, “Perpetrated.” He nodded.
“Perpetrated,” he said carefully, “against a Family Member by another Member, ever.” He stopped and took a breath. “Rule Five – Any violation of the above rules may result in permanent expulsion from the Family. You will be given no ration and will be taken far from our border under blindfold so that you may not return.” Aldy finished and handed the paper back to his mother.
“All new Members,” she said, “must swear to follow these rules in full view of all existing Members of the Family. All new Members will also be on a probation period of one month. During this period any violation or concern by existing Members could be cause for permanent expulsion.” She stopped and took a breath. “Newcomers, do you understand and recognize these Family Rules?” she asked.
Sarge and Lydia nodded and said, “Aye.” Aliyah bowed her head in acknowledgement.
“Now you may take time to deliberate if you wish. You may also ask a question if you have any.”
Lydia spoke up, “I have one.” Sarge turned to her, curious. “What are the Family Food Laws?” Aliyah proceeded to explain the order of rations delineated in the Family Food Laws. Lydia’s brow knit together. “Grandpa,” she whispered. “You will barely get to eat,” her tone was worried. “You could die of starvation if we stay.” The others watched them carefully. Sarge touched Lydia’s cheek.
“All I wanted in the end was your safety honey, and Charlie’s safety. I’m no different than Ms. Maggie or Miss Rachel. They understand the need for the Rules and I do too. We’ll get by ok.” His tone was reassuring. “Let me make the decision for you,” he said and turned to Aliyah.
“Is this the part where we give our vote on joining you all?” he asked. “Because we vote ‘aye’!” Aliyah nodded at Lydia.
“She must vote for herself.” Lydia nodded.
“Yes,” she agreed and dropped her blonde head. “It’s a great honor to join your family. I vote Aye.” At that moment Charlie burst out with a loud giggle in the silence.
“Charlie votes Aye as well!” Sarge roared and the room erupted in gales of laughter.
“Congratulations!” their new Family Members greeted them, standing up to hug each other and to meet and hold Charlie. Sarge chatted with Doc Ron and Aliyah and then turned to Fi.
“Little lady,” he said in a gruff voice, the tears welling in his eyes, “I will never be able to repay you for this kindness. Thank you for saving my family.” She smiled and tears filled her eyes at his expression.
“You’re going to fit right in Sarge. It’s your Family now.” And then Fi did something that Sarge would later tell her convinced him that he’d follow her to the ends of the earth. She threw her arms around him and squeezed.
Surviving the Winter
Fi’s Birthday
----------- Fi -----------
Snow fell throughout New Year’s Eve and gained feet of depth at a time. The outdoor landscape transformed as winter dropped her frigid skirts. Between the icy air and the deep snow, all outdoor chores became difficult and heavy labor. Tiring in her work, Fi grunted, her breath forming nearly solid puffs as she secured the new bundle of sticks to her pack.
“I think that is all I can do on this load guys,” she called to the others. Sean, John, and Doc all approached, their breath streaming from their noses. Thank goodness Sean had found all that winter stuff on their last raid, she thought gratefully. Otherwise, they would all have been sharing two pairs of gloves and three hats.
Fi’s breath was short and she put her hands on her knees, taking deep, gasping draughts of air. It was hard work tromping through deep snow. The icy air stung her lungs and made her cough. Ugh, how she hated the cold! The only good thing about the heavy snowfall was that it had drifted against their house, which ironically created insulation from the whistling winds in the Dead Zone. And they no longer had to hike to the stream to get water. That was another positive. Other than that, she thought, flexing her numb extremities, she preferred drowning in the summer thunderstorms.
“Let’s go guys,” she said, standing up. “We can’t use any more calories. This is good.” The snorting figures nodded like horses. They turned to trudge back through the path they had created on the way out, back toward their home. When they arrived, Fi stomped up the porch stairs and happily dumped her load of firewood by the fireplace. Now she was done, she thought and smiled, taking off her wet gear to dry by the fire. Today she didn’t have to do anything else unless she wanted to because today was her fifteenth birthday. The whole Family was planning nice things for her, but the best of all was Maggie’s gift. Maggie was going to help her to take a warm bath. Now that, she thought, was really exciting.
Maggie smiled when she entered. “Are you ready to let us get you all dolled up now lovie?” Fi grinned.
A strong fire burned behind Maggie, the water buckets for Fi’s bath tucked just inside. Before it became truly cold, the Family had avoided making fires during the day for fear that the smoke could bring trouble. But now it was so cold that they had no choice, and today Fi was thankful. She smiled as she noticed her tangerine silk ‘Birthday Dress’ draped over the back of a chair in the dining room. The washtub sat on the dining room floor and a sheet hung pinned across the doorway to create privacy. Yes, it was going to be a good day, she thought. She would refuse to worry today. Today she was just a teenaged girl.
She turned to Maggie with a smile. Now it was her turn to be warm and toasty. Leaving her jacket and gear, Fi pulled her hair free and tiptoed barefoot across the cold wooden floor to the dining room. Maggie beckoned and smiled as she passed, dropping the sheet behind her.
“I’m sorry that the room is still kind of chilly,” she apologized. That was when Fi noticed that Maggie had placed wrapped, heated bricks on the floor in an attempt to warm the air. Not only did this extra effort touch her, it also worked. The area beside the tub was a little warmer than the rest of the room.
“Thanks Mama,” Fi reached out to hug Maggie. “I know it’s going to feel awesome.” Maggie nodded and left to get the first bucket of water from the fireplace. She poured the hot water into the washtub and Fi touched it with her frigid toes. The heat made them burn. Fi smiled and Maggie went to retrieve the second bucket.
“Ok,” Maggie nodded as she poured the next round of hot water, “Don’t be shy, get in while it’s warm,” she urged. “I will keep you in hot refills, don’t worry.” Giving a little salute, Maggie slipped past the sheet and Fi shed her clothing, grabbing the soft rag her mother had left for her. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the metal washtub and the heat soaked deep into her bones. If it was possible to sigh inside your own head, then that had to be what Fi felt at that moment. It had cooled just enough, Fi thought, enjoying the luxury of warmth. She dipped her rag into the warm water and squeezed it over her shoulders, shivering as the water ran over her body.
“Knock, knock,” Maggie joked and Fi called her in. Fi had helped Maggie to bathe last week. They both talked and decided that they could get over modesty in the name of a warm bath and Maggie had gone first. Of course Maggie offered to return the favor on Fi’s birthday. Maggie added more warm water to the bath and Fi sighed. Though she wished it could last forever, she worked quickly with the rag, making sure she actually took the opportunity to cleanse herself.
Too soon, the water cooled and Fi had to step out. She dried off quickly and reached for her dress. As her fingertips grasped the tangerine silk, she marveled at its beauty. The dress had never emerged from her pack until today, and tonight she would actually wear it. The fabric
was a heavy weight for silk, which was fortunate considering the temperature. Even so, Fi would still have to wear a sweater and stay next to the fireplace if she was to wear her dress without shivering all night.
Fi opened the neckline with care and pulled the dress on over her head, sliding the bottom half over her hips. It felt phenomenal against her skin, she realized. It had been nearly a year since she had worn anything besides sport and outdoor gear. When she had grabbed this dress, she never could have imagined how much she would appreciate it in this moment. It had short cap sleeves with a v-neck. It fell close to her body beneath the bustline and hugged her body through the hip, and then flared into a fluid skirt that ended halfway down her thigh. Fi shivered and wrapped her towel around her shoulders for warmth. Pulling aside the sheet, she emerged from the temporary bathroom and found Maggie and Aliyah maneuvering buckets and pots around the fireplace.
“Let’s see it Fi,” Aliyah said with excitement. Fi dropped her towel and both Aliyah and Maggie sighed. Fi laughed and did a little twirl at their request. With all the oooohs and aaaahs there was enough noise that Lydia and the kids emerged from their ‘school’ in the kitchen.
“Oh Fi,” Rachel breathed. “You look amazing.” She walked toward Fi to hug her and touch the dress. “It’s beautiful Fi.”
“Thanks Rach, that means a lot to me.” Fi hugged her back. “I always did love your taste.” The other children and Lydia all chimed in with their compliments.
“That’s it everyone,” Lydia said gaily, “I think that in honor of Fi’s birthday we should declare a half day of school.” Her words were met with cheers despite the fact that the kids mostly enjoyed school with Lydia. It was just part of the special feeling of the day, Fi thought. It was a good day. Maggie approached Fi and held her by both hands.
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