“I am. I have you and Katie.”
“Putting us aside for a minute, are you happy?”
“It’s impossible to put the two of you aside, but I know what you’re asking. Do I wish the world was the way it used to be? Sometimes. Sometimes it’s so exhausting to just survive that I think back to a time when life was easy. Baseball, movies, music … you name it. But I only think like that in times of exhaustion. In other ways, I’m living life in a way that would have been unthinkable to me before all this happened. And I truly believe the world has been given a do-over. It might take centuries for some sort of global society to emerge, but it will. We have so many books of history that future generations can learn from—books that our ancestors didn’t have.”
He thought for a minute.
“But then, it comes back to you and Katie. It’s the two of you who make me happy, and I can’t separate you from everything else. And now I’ll ask you the same thing: Are you happy?”
“I am. Like you, it’s the three of us together that makes me happy. Oddly enough, I don’t miss our old world. I wasn’t particularly comfortable in it. It wasn’t just my disinterested parents, it was everything. I felt like a visitor, not a participant. When this all happened I felt somehow free. It’s been a struggle, certainly, but I still feel free.” She touched her eye patch. “I wish that hadn’t happened. If it wasn’t for you and Katie, I might have been like Mary and just taken that last walk. I guess I felt it took away some of my freedom—and it did to an extent. But I’m over that now. I look forward to the rest of my life and the challenges in store.” She lowered her voice. “Once we get out of here. I’m anxious to see what Yellowstone holds.”
That night they made love for hours, their earlier conversation sparking a deep desire for the physical closeness that was sometimes forgotten in the sheer enormity of work they each had on a daily basis, and that caused them to be exhausted by nightfall.
About mid-March, according to their less-than-accurate calculations based on a lunar chart Brian had found, the snow stopped. As had happened before, it was a sudden shift from winter to spring. The wind direction shifted and warm air began to flow in, slowly melting the mountains of snow. That caused a sudden onset of flood season, creating a different set of problems.
Ben and Lila were itching to get on the move, despite Brian’s attempts to convince them to stay. In the end, he understood. The rules of the new world had changed, or more accurately, there were no rules, and everyone had to find the place that would bring them the greatest amount of comfort. It was obvious from the beginning that Monett wasn’t the place for Ben and Lila.
The goodbyes were tearful, but finally they were on their way. The plains were very different from much of their trip to Monett. It was a strange combination of the wild and unfamiliar mixed with their childhood images of the plains. Where the ground wasn’t cracked, nothing had changed other than roads being overgrown. There were miles and miles of gently waving grasses and grains. But where the cracks appeared, wild growth emanated, sometimes soaring twenty feet into the air. However, with the horses, finding the ending point of a crevasse was accomplished a lot quicker. Working their way around a particularly large ravine could now take hours instead of days.
Cities and towns were further apart, but they were amazed at the few they did run across. The weather had taken an even greater toll on them than it had on the towns to the east. Those that weren’t burned were beginning to crumble, caused in part by the rapid growth of the plants, and in part by the extremes in the weather.
“I think the transformation of the landscape is going to happen a lot sooner than we thought,” said Lila, as they looked out at a particularly devastated town.
“I’m glad,” responded Ben. “The sooner the old world is gone, the better for everyone, I think.”
They tried to keep their days in the saddle fairly short, mostly for Katie’s benefit. Despite her riding expertise, she was still just a little girl. Although the lack of an accurate calendar kept them from pinpointing her birthday, they figured she was rapidly approaching her seventh birthday. At seven—even in the new world—rest was required. In truth, Ben and Lila appreciated the stops as well. They were coping well with the transition to horseback, but it was still a relatively recent addition in their life.
It was late spring when they rounded a bend and saw the sign that they had been waiting for.
Yellowstone National Park.
Chapter 23
They got off their horses and hugged. Even Ralph wanted to be part of the celebration, although he had little idea why. Lila walked over to the sign and hugged it as well.
Under the Yellowstone National Park sign was a second sign, a crude board with the words Rock Creek Settlement, approx. 20 miles painted in black. There was an arrow pointing up the dirt road. As they had run across many times in their travels, the road had most likely once been concrete, and somewhere under the many layers of dirt and rock it likely still was.
“It really exists,” said Lila quietly, almost in relief. She took out a small towel from her saddlebag and wiped the sweat from her face. She took off the patch and carefully dried it, then wiped around her damaged eye. She put the patch back in place, looked at her husband and daughter, and said, “Are we ready?”
“We are,” answered Ben.
“Then let’s go,” said Katie, anxious to meet some more children her age.
Ben noted to himself that she had long since graduated from her shyness.
They took their time. They had made it this far. There was no reason to rush the last twenty miles. They walked the horses, Ralph—as was his habit—sometimes sauntered behind, sometimes ahead of the group, and at times would take off for a little while and explore.
Once, they smelled wood smoke, and knew that a home was somewhere nearby. A mile or so beyond that they passed a house that had been built within view of the road. There was no one to be seen, but it was a lived-in house with a huge garden being prepared for the summer season.
I found it interesting the living situations that brought people comfort. Just based on the two hints of civilization we had run across in Yellowstone so far—the wood smoke house and the home we were now passing—people had very different ways of adapting to the new world. The wood smoke people obviously wanted complete privacy, because their home was nowhere to be seen. The people living in the one we were passing were most likely more social, wanting the occasional company of other humans. We were definitely more like the former, and would seek out some private spot off the beaten path.
They rode into Rock Creek in the late afternoon. The relief Ben and Lila each felt was palpable. It was the realization that the journey they started ten months earlier—by Ben’s calculations—was finally over. But there was also the relief that the fabled settlement in Yellowstone really did exist.
The town itself was small, but Ben noticed a fair amount of new construction going on. They had heard that most of the residents of the settlement lived in the hills, but it was clear that the town itself was attracting people as well.
The hard-packed dirt main street consisted of a small school, a larger building that housed the church and community center, a building with a handmade sign that read Town Exchange, a doctor’s office, veterinarian’s office, a dentist, a barber/hairdresser, and a blacksmith. There was even a small restaurant. Other buildings were under construction along the main street, but most of the building activity were houses on the outskirts.
“Does this bring you back to stories of the old west?” asked Lila. “I mean, a blacksmith?”
“I guess now that horses and plows are back in style, someone needs to take care of the shoeing and fixing the equipment. I’m just wondering how people get paid for their services. Bartering, I suppose?”
The Town Exchange seemed to be the busiest place, so they pulled up. There was actually a hitching post in front of the store. They dismounted and tied their horses to the post. Ben helped Katie off he
r horse and they all stretched. They had been on horses for a long time and it took a moment to regain their footing.
“I’ll forever be bow-legged,” said Lila, looking down.
Their appearance had roused interest among the townspeople, several of whom came over to welcome them.
“Thank you,” said Ben, in response. “We’ve been riding a long time, and we didn’t know if the town even really existed. It was mostly rumor up until now. Who would we talk to about settling here?”
“Best bet is in The Exchange,” answered a white-haired man with a slight stoop. “Not sure who’s in there right now, but they can direct you. Welcome again.”
“Thanks so much,” said Lila. Ben noticed that she hadn’t stopped smiling from the moment they arrived.
They walked into the store and were struck by the size of the building, much larger than it appeared from the front. Every conceivable nook and cranny was crammed with useful items—knives, shovels, canned goods, kitchen utensils, paint … the list went on. It seemed like a mini department store. Four people were wandering the aisles picking out items and placing them in baskets. Behind the counter was a bear of a man—tall and clean-cut, but imposing. He had a smile on his face and held out his hand. “Sean.”
Ben shook his hand. “I’m Ben, this is my wife Lila, and our daughter Katie.”
The man’s eyes grew wide. “Holy shit!” he exclaimed. He looked at Katie. “Sorry.”
“That’s okay. I know that word.”
Ben, of course, assumed it was related to the stories about them, so his head spun when the man uttered his next words.
“Ben Jordan, nice to finally meet you. Do you know that you didn’t clean up your dinner dishes when you left your house almost eight years ago?”
Ben was at a loss. All he managed was a “huh?”
Sean burst out laughing. “Believe it or not, I was in your house in Newton.”
Ben looked at Lila, thoroughly confused.
“Let me explain.”
Lila’s left eye crinkled as a smile spread across her face. “Please do,” she said, her interest now piqued.
“Rumor was that you might be dead, but your brother didn’t believe it. Knew he’d run across you someday.”
“My brother is here?”
Sean’s face clouded over. “No. I wish he was though. Long story. Let me close up here and you can come to my house. I’ll explain it all then.”
He waited for the browsers to finish. Meanwhile, Ben and Lila walked around the shop. It was a microcosm of the world they left behind—everything from books to knickknacks, food, clothes, gadgets, even drugstore reading glasses.
Lila held up an antique meat grinder, just like the one they had to leave behind at Fontana Lake. “Ben, look,” she said.
“Just like home,” he answered.
The only thing missing was anything electronic. Ben was amazed at how much Sean had crammed into his shop.
“Where did you get all this?” he asked.
“Forays into towns. Not so easy anymore. So many towns were destroyed by the earthquake or by fire that any place still standing has long since been cleaned out. So my trips have become a lot longer as I have to travel further.”
“Why?” asked Ben. “I guess I mean why do you do it?”
“Why do I have a business when there’s no longer any money?”
Ben nodded.
“We still have a society. We all have an obligation to help others. We have a doctor, a vet, a teacher, a minister. Hell, we even have a lawyer to help mediate disputes. If I hurt myself, I go to the doctor. He might not have the drugs he once had, but he’s still a doctor. He still has the skills. He can do more than I can. Same goes for things. People need things, but not everyone can get them themselves. Not everyone can go far and wide to collect the items they need. That’s where I come in. I can do that when others can’t.”
Only two shoppers were left in the store, and they were aware that Sean wanted to close up, so they were hurrying.
“Look,” Sean continued. “All we have is each other. The world is very different from the one we used to have. People recognize that we’ve gotta help each other. It’s the only way we’ll survive and have something to give our kids.”
Lila joined them.
Sean said, “You guys should know that better than anyone. If the rumors are true, you were instrumental that first year in keeping people’s hopes alive.”
“So is everything based on bartering?” asked Lila.
“Pretty much. We’re always refining the system, but yeah. We all have skills that somebody can benefit from, even if it’s as simple as trading a meal for a dentist visit. It’s still pretty loose. If somebody wants something from the store, they can take it. They’ll find a way to repay me for it. You know what’s cool?” he asked. “People aren’t greedy. They don’t take things they don’t need. People value things now. It’s refreshing.”
“It’s amazing that everyone embraces it,” said Lila.
“Not everyone has,” he answered. “And if they can’t, they are asked to leave. We have very few rules here, but they are all different ways of saying the same thing: ‘You live in harmony with your community, or you are not welcome here.’ Surprisingly, those who can’t follow that rule are usually happy to leave.”
Clearly, society was starting over. But I had to wonder how long bartering was going to last as a form of payment. And yet, what else would work? Money was worthless. Gold, the monetary standard for centuries, was simply a shiny rock. What could take the place of bartering? What could possibly have value anymore? Sheep, goats, and pigs? Bottle caps? I had no idea. If it continued to be successful, bartering seemed the only option. And I couldn’t foresee it changing for many years—maybe even well beyond my lifetime.
The store was empty, so Sean put up a sign in the door that read: Closed. But if you need anything, help yourself. Just close the door after you. Thanks!
Ben and Lila looked at each other and just smiled.
Sean had one of the homes close to town, so they walked their horses, with Ralph running behind. They were silent as they walked, Ben and Lila taking in the feel of the town and Sean being aware enough to let them.
Though it was small, it had potential, thought Ben. What would it look like in ten years? Certainly there would be more building. Not everyone who had survived that long would want to live away from the center of action. While he and Lila weren’t alone in their need to be away from civilization, it was just human nature to want to congregate in a group. No, Rock Creek would someday be a bustling community with a strong core, and it would be people like Sean who would lead it.
But it came with so many questions: Would there be power? Even if other towns—like the Nebraska people—had power, Rock Creek was so remote that he wasn’t so sure they would ever get it. He didn’t know if that would hurt or help the future of the town. People were used to living without power, and as he saw in Monett, many now seemed to prefer it.
Another question was commerce. Would they continue to live in a barter society? Would some sort of money appear. Ben had trouble imagining bartering on a large scale. Would the greed that had formed much of his old world return?
All questions for another day. For now, they needed to build a life in Yellowstone … and he needed to learn about his brother.
They arrived at a large, but simple house. On the farmer’s porch along the front wall sat a young woman about Lila’s age with two children playing at her feet.
Ben and Lila tied their horses to the porch and Sean made the introductions.
“Honey, this is Ben, Lila, and Katie. This is my wife, Brittany and our children, Tiffany and Aaron. Tiff is three and Aaron is one.”
“Ben and Lila?” asked Brittany.
“The same,” answered Sean. “Alive and kicking.”
Brittany got up and gave them hugs. “You look like your brother,” she said to Ben.
“C’mon in,” said Sean. “I kn
ow you’re anxious to hear about Aaron, so we have a lot to talk about.”
Chapter 24
The inside of the house was decorated in a western motif, as befitting the location. It had two bedrooms, a kitchen with a cast-iron cook stove, and a comfortable living room with a large woodstove in one corner.
“You must be thirsty,” said Brittany. “I’ll get you some water. I’ll also put some tea and coffee on.”
“Thank you,” replied Lila. She felt an immediate kinship with Brittany. Maybe it was their closeness in age, or maybe because Lila sensed that they had shared similar experiences.
“Have a seat,” offered Sean. Katie wandered over to a corner where Tiff and Aaron were playing. She sat down with them and observed, occasionally picking up unfamiliar toys.
“The last I knew,” began Sean, “your brother was living in Paradise.”
“Paradise?” asked Ben.
“A town in Nebraska that has power.”
“The evil,” said Lila quietly.
Sean cocked his head. “The evil?”
Ben and Lila took turns telling the stories they’d heard about the town, and Lila gave her first-hand account of the skirmish in Monett.
Sean looked at Brittany. Her eyes were wide.
“Things had gone downhill when we were there, but we left more than three years ago. Things had become ominous at that point, but it blows me away to think that’s what it has become. I’ll be honest with you. It makes me a little worried about your brother, because there is no way he would put up with that shit.”
Ben felt his heart drop into his stomach.
“It wasn’t always evil, though,” said Sean. “In the beginning, ‘Paradise’ was an appropriate name for it.”
“What changed?”
“What always changes things for the worse? Greed.” He was silent, seemingly reflecting on the last few years. Finally he spoke. “But let me tell you a little bit about your brother first.”
Eden Lost (Eden Rising Trilogy Book 2) Page 16