by Nathan Jones
“I figured I'd be getting a visit,” the former soldier said. He stepped aside. “Come on in.”
Trev ducked through the doorway. Gutierrez's cabin was small with a low roof, half buried and well bermed with dirt. It had been built for efficiency, not comfort, which fit the man's nature. Although two people could live here without crowding if needed. The bed was a scavenged full mattress on a board laid across five carefully leveled stumps, a few odds and ends stuffed underneath.
Raul himself didn't look fantastic. He was disheveled, dark circles under his eyes, and even indoors he wore his pistol and had his rifle leaning next to the door.
“Mary was a bit worried,” Trev admitted. “I heard she invited you to her party.”
“Yeah.” Gutierrez looked away. “I had a deal with Brandon to keep an eye on each other's houses when we had to leave. I've been a bit paranoid going anywhere without him watching the place.”
That was a valid excuse, although since the man had been making his shifts on patrol duty he must have some other arrangement going. Not to mention he stored all his food in the town storehouse for free thanks to his service with the defenders, so there wasn't much here worth stealing.
Trev decided to just bite the bullet. “Are you okay, man?”
Gutierrez snorted. “I must not be, since it's the first thing everyone keeps asking me.” Trev decided to wait instead of answering, and his friend sighed and sank down onto his bed. After an uncomfortably long period of awkward silence he spoke in a low voice. “I'm sorting through things, that's all. It's taking me a while.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“No.” The former soldier snapped out his answer almost before Trev finished the question.
“Okay.” Trev tried not to fidget. “Can I do anything for you?”
“Just keep me working defending the town.” Gutierrez glanced up at him, then back down to the floor. “I'm glad I have you as a friend. Although I could do without the constant digging into my business.”
“Sure.” It was hard to keep going, but he felt obligated to as reluctant go-between. “Anything I should tell Mary?”
His friend flinched and didn't look up this time. “Sure. Tell her she'd be better off with someone else.”
“BS,” Trev snapped, almost reflexively. It sort of pissed him off that his friend was tearing himself down like this. “You're one of the best men I know, whatever issues you're dealing with.”
The former soldier sighed. “A relationship's not happening right now, man. I don't want to lock her down until I can make it work, if I ever could. Let me do her a favor by not wasting any more of her time.”
“Don't you think you should at least talk this through with her and give her a chance to say her piece?” Trev asked.
“No I don't, actually. It's selfish to let someone do something that's bad for them, even if it's what they want. I don't want to be her De-” Gutierrez abruptly cut off, shooting Trev an almost guilty look, and continued stubbornly. “Just tell her.”
Had the guy seriously been about to say what Trev thought he was? Fighting down genuine anger, he nodded. “I'm around if you need me.” He opened the door and started to leave, then couldn't help himself and turned back. “You know, you can depend on someone, accept their help, without being a burden on them.”
Gutierrez laughed softly. “No you can't. If the other person's willing to bear that burden that's their own business, and there are definitely things that make it worth the sacrifice. But don't pretend it doesn't take its toll. Haven't you noticed that you've been bungling your duties while dealing with all your personal issues? Never seriously, but consistently.”
Trev sucked in a breath. That hit a bit too close to the mark, because it wasn't completely wrong. “We're all a bit messed up, Raul. That doesn't change the fact that you're one of the most honorable and dependable people I know. Don't beat yourself up over something that isn't true about you, or let it keep you from being with someone who makes you happy. Remember you can make her happy, too.”
His friend's lack of response held an unmistakeable tinge of disbelief. After a short wait Trev left and closed the door behind him.
The party was breaking up when he got back, people offering Mary their final farewells and birthday wishes. The evening was turning cold, the fierce winds that had been blowing all day gusting even wilder, and everyone seemed eager to get indoors. Mary looked a bit disappointed that Gutierrez wasn't with him, and Trev guessed her invitation to the former soldier had extended to the family's movie and game time as well.
He felt bad for her, and couldn't bring himself to repeat the man's message on her birthday. Although there wouldn't really be any good time for it. Still, it was something that could be saved for morning. So he tried to deflect her questions as Lewis set up the projector and they all settled in to watch.
Chapter Seventeen
Storm
Yesterday's wind was still going strong when Matt ducked outside to start his morning chores.
This early in the morning it was more than just unpleasant, the windchill making the already cold temperature truly bitter. Matt tucked up his collar and pulled his stocking cap down a bit lower, wondering if he should go back inside for a scarf or balaclava. Then he glanced up at the dark gray sky and decided he should get as much work as he could done before the snows flew, which he was certain would be soon.
Before he could get started he spied an elderly but spry gentleman entering the Larson family's crudely staked out yard, and he switched directions to go greet the man. “Jack! What brings you around to this part of town?” he asked, offering his hand.
Jack Dawson returned his handshake with a grin. “Oh, just stopping by to see if the girls are still being productive.”
By “the girls” the old man meant the laying hens he'd sold to the shelter group, before the blockheads arrived to besiege the military and the civilians in the Utah Rockies. Jack had offered a generous price for the layers, but that wasn't the beginning of his generosity.
Before the Gulf burned Jack had owned a sizable chunk of land southwest of Aspen Hill. A longtime widower in his 70s, he'd lived alone on his property watching after it, largely sustained by the flock of chickens and other fowl he kept. From what Matt could tell, the nation running out of fuel hadn't changed much about the old man's situation, aside from depriving him of electricity, internet, and television.
During Ferris and his FETF soldiers' occupation of the town last fall, Matt had been foraging near Jack's property when the old man confronted him as a potential trespasser. But once Jack recognized Matt he warmed up considerably, since Matt's mom had been regularly bringing him meals for years. Partly in gratitude for that, and partly out of sympathy for the Larson family's plight, Jack had given Matt one of his layers, which Sam had affectionately named Henrietta.
A single egg a day among eight people didn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but over the winter it had added up to a lot of needed protein, and had likely literally been a lifesaver. Which was why once the family had started to do well, with the aid of the Smiths, Halssons, and the rest of the shelter group, one of the first things they'd decided to do was buy more layers from Jack, who was only too happy to sell.
In a suffering town there'd been a few families that had managed to squeak through without too much suffering. Jack was probably the most prosperous of those, with spare food in the form of eggs and poultry to trade for any necessities he didn't have. When the town founded new Aspen Hill in the valley his cabin had been one of the first built, men eagerly lining up for the opportunity to work for food. Matt knew the man had also made some solid purchases from Ned when the trader came around.
“Very productive,” Matt said. “Mrs. Halsson used some of the eggs to bake a cake yesterday.” He felt a sudden surge of guilt. “We should've invited you.”
Jack waved that off. “Bah, never was much for parties.” He was momentarily interrupted by a particularly harsh bla
st of wind, and shivered slightly as he glanced up at the sky. “I've been in this area a long time,” he said grimly. “I'll admit, I'm not as familiar with things up here in the mountains, but even so this weather feels off. I'm afraid the storm that's blowing in is going to be a bad one.”
“I think you're probably right,” Matt agreed. “Speaking of which, I should probably get my chores done. Why don't you head inside and warm up a bit? Mom usually makes a pot of herb tea or hot chocolate these mornings.”
“I might just do that.” Jack shook his hand again, then headed towards the distinctively shaped Larson cabin. Matt hurried on to the town barn to deal with his livestock and check on things.
By the time he came out snow had started falling.
It was already a thick flurry, and getting thicker by the second. For a moment Matt stood staring up at the mountains to the west, which were mostly obscured by the storm that had finally arrived. Cold wisps lightly touched his face as the flakes swirled around him, soon becoming trails of chilly water trickling down his cheeks.
He wasn't the only one out in the storm. In spite of the howling wind and swirling flakes falling thicker by the second, the streets of the town were soon flooded as the people of new Aspen Hill emerged to watch the first snow of the year. In the middle of October.
Among the crowd Matt was surprised to see Sam trudging his way against the wind, already building up quite a layer of snow on her clothes. As close to childbirth as she was, combined with her petite height and the coat, hat, and scarves she'd bundled up in, she was so round that with every step she looked like she'd fall over from sheer awkwardness. But beneath all the layers wrapped around her mouth and nose, he could see her cheeks were rosy and her eyes sparkled.
It constantly amazed him how cute she was. He just wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go. So he did, reaching her with long strides to hug that bundle of warm clothing and very pregnant wife.
“Should you be out in this?” he asked.
“Probably not,” she admitted cheerfully. “But it's crowded in the cabin and it stinks. Besides, Dr. Maggy wanted me to get fresh air.”
“Maybe not when it's below freezing in the middle of a snowstorm.” He kissed the scarf about where her mouth should be. “Where were you headed? I'll walk with you.”
She shrugged. “Just wanted to be here with you to see this.” She fumbled at her waist and produced a canteen. “Also I figured I'd make sure you were getting enough water.” To suit her words she popped the top and tugged her scarf down to take several gulps, then offered it to him.
Matt waved it away. “Thanks, I'm good.”
“You sure?” she asked. “I've heard in the cold you don't always know you're thirsty, so it's important to drink even when you don't think you need to.”
“Okay, Mom,” he said wryly. But he accepted the canteen and took a few gulps himself. His throat had been a bit dry.
Together they ambled back towards their house, the ground already sporting a thin layer of white underfoot. With so many people out in force he almost would've thought it was a celebration, but the mood was anything but celebratory. Even the young children, who normally would've been happily waiting for the snow to get deep enough to play in, sensed the mood of their parents and huddled close to them in wide-eyed silence. The adults were equally quiet, the only sound the howling wind carrying the beginning of nuclear winter to their town.
Matt shivered, and from more than just the cold.
Sam, huddled against his side, felt it and shivered as well, burying her face in his chest against the bitter wind. “Is it too late to go south?” she asked in a small voice, trying to sound flippant and failing.
Before he could answer a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, making him jump. He turned to see his dad beckoning. “Come on,” he said gravely. “There's a few last things we should do to prepare to ride out this storm before it gets too bad.”
Matt nodded. “Give me a second to swing by town hall. There's probably things I'll need to do to help prepare the town for this as well.”
His dad nodded. “We'll manage.” He offered his arm to Sam, who stood on tiptoes to give Matt a quick kiss through her scarf before taking it.
Matt watched the two trudge away for a few moments before hurrying to town hall. Chauncey was already there handling a dozen or so townspeople, who were all clamoring about help they desperately needed to survive the storm if it lasted for days.
With a sigh Matt stepped in to help organize the chaos, offering help where people needed it and being firm with those he was pretty sure didn't.
Meanwhile the tent, even made of thick canvas as it was, just wasn't up to keeping out the chill. They'd been in the process of building a more permanent town hall to house the radio equipment and provide a headquarters that would keep out the cold, but unfortunately it was only half finished and the snows had already arrived. They'd probably have to move all this into the clinic for now and be resigned to having that serve as town hall for the winter.
Just another thing to get done, although aside from protecting the sensitive radio equipment the rest probably wasn't urgent enough to warrant handling in the middle of a storm. Especially when there was already enough to do, and no telling what they'd be able to get done before conditions became bad enough to drive them inside.
Sighing, Matt got to work.
* * * * *
Trev spent most of the morning with the defenders helping Matt handle a few emergencies, as the snow piled up to a few inches with no sign of letting up.
Even with all the time everyone had been given to prepare, and the constant warnings to do so because this winter was going to be a brutal one, somehow there were still dozens of people who needed immediate help just to survive the storm. There were even more who'd be in trouble if the intense cold stuck around for more than a week, which it showed every indication of doing.
So they worked outside for hours huddled against frigid, blasting wind, snow piling on them and sneaking into collars and up sleeves. They chinked cracks in walls with cold slimy mud that constantly threatened to freeze, shored up and fireproofed fireplaces so they wouldn't burn down the house when used or vent improperly and fill the space with smoke, made hasty repairs to leaks in roofs, distributed warm clothing from the town's supply to people who would freeze to death without it, and half a dozen other vital tasks that should've been taken care of weeks ago.
When Trev finally stomped into his room he was half frozen and exhausted from constant shivering and hard work. He wanted nothing more than to heat some water to wash up, get a hot meal if his mom had one ready, then huddle under his warm blankets and sleep through the storm.
It turned out Deb was already there comfy and cozy in his bed, reading a book.
“I hope you don't mind,” she said apologetically. “Your mom invited me to spend the morning helping her make enough soup to last us a few days. She sent me next door to bring Lucas some, and by the time I got back I decided I didn't want to go out there again. If you're okay with it I think I'll wait the storm out with you.”
“I'd love the company,” Trev said sincerely. They had the ropes up between shelter group cabins so Deb could conceivably go home at any time, even in this weather. But before too long the snow would be bad enough and the snow deep enough to make it risky and impractical. Which meant she was trapped here until things cleared up.
And to be fair, Trev didn't think either of them minded the excuse to spend more time together. He could admit he was only human, and it was sometimes frustrating having his girlfriend around so much of the time when he had to walk on eggshells when it came to intimacy. But during the increasingly frequent times she did stay over for the night he found it soothing to be able to listen to her quiet breathing, if not quite so much her occasional snores.
She'd hinted she felt the same, including a share of her own frustration about not being able to enjoy the unreserved affection she wanted to with him. They both hoped the
y'd get there eventually, and sooner rather than later.
In the meantime it looked as if he'd be getting out the cot again.
As he peeled out of his wet, muddy outer clothes, still shivering, Deb disappeared into the main room and returned half a minute later with a bowl of steaming soup in hand. “I've got some water heating so you can wash up,” she said as she handed it over.
“You're the best,” Trev said with feeling. He could've married her on the spot as he lowered his face to breathe in the fragrant steam and he settled onto the room's single chair. It was definitely too hot to eat at the moment, almost too hot to touch with his chilled hands, but just holding it revived him a bit.
As he ate Deb snuggled back under the covers on his bed, keeping him engaged asking him what he'd spent the morning doing. Once he finished eating she took his bowl and returned with a cloth, a bar of soap, and a pail of water, which was almost too hot to be comfortable. Then she excused herself to the main room while he bathed.
Trev came out a few minutes later wearing clean, dry clothes, refreshed and warmed up and deciding Deb was the best roommate ever and he was seriously in love with her. She was sitting with Linda playing some game that involved clapping hands, but when he went to grab a spare cot she joined him and helped make it up with sheets and blankets.
After that they settled down in comfortable silence.
“Sooo . . .” Trev finally said after the silence had stretched on for a few minutes. Deb was burrowed beneath the blankets again, holding her book but not reading it. “Should I break out a deck of cards?”
For some reason the brown-haired woman found that funny, bursting out laughing as she sat up. “I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of pregnancies this winter.”
Trev blinked at the out of the blue change of subject. “That would be crazy. People are going to be going hungry as it is.” She only laughed harder. “Why?”