Day After Disaster, The Changing Earth Series, Uncut Edition

by Sara F. Hathaway

  Erika talked with her mom while they were working. Her mom had always been in touch with all the local drama and was a wealth of knowledge about the goings on in the community. Erika found out that one man she had met at the Auburn River camp, Jim Harlow, was heading up an electricity team, and they were able to get power to the kitchen and a couple of other buildings. Erika informed her that they had brought a bunch of equipment for power production and Nancy agreed that it would be put to good use. Richard, who had been watching over the children in his wife’s stead, was now putting together a school so the kids would have some structure. Dexter and Star would be attending as soon as Richard had it all set up.

  Nancy was ecstatic that Greg had made it back with them but saddened by the loss of his father. Greg had helped her in the past with landscaping and carpentry needs around her property, and Nancy told Erika, time and time again, how highly she respected his skills. Erika explained his current situation and Nancy assured her that she would help him get back on his feet.

  Nancy went on telling Erika about folks Erika would know. Ryan Crest, the nurse who had been thrust into life as a doctor, found a few volunteer firemen who were also EMTs and greatly improved their medical area. No one had really given it structure before him, and the community was very happy to have someone to treat everyday issues, not just trauma. Erika told Nancy that another doctor and tons of medical supplies had come with them. Nancy assured Erika that Ryan would welcome him with open arms.

  “Margie Cassavoy and her partner, Bob Hawthorne,” Nancy continued, “were very welcomed for their moonshining skills. Some local men helped them set up a series of stills and they have not only been making alcohol out of everything possible, but they were purifying water as well.”

  “Sounds like you are well informed,” Erika said sarcastically. In reality, she was thrilled about the normality of the conversation. It was just like when she used to sit on the counter as a kid and listen to her mother talk about this and that. “Where’s Brett?” Brett had been her mother’s best friend before the quake, and she knew from Vince that he had survived the quake and headed this way.

  “Oh, he’s around here somewhere,” Nancy replied whimsically. “You know him. He’s probably out getting firewood or building housing or fences or something.”

  Finally, she saw Vince with Greg hobbling along beside him in the line. They were the very last ones. They didn’t need to get in the second line because they would be staying with Nancy, so once they had their supplies checked in they came over to join Erika.

  “Vince! Get over here and give me a hug. You too, Greg,” Nancy demanded. “You son of a gun, you told me she was alive… that she would come home. I didn’t believe it. I wanted to… but I just couldn’t. But thank the good Lord above, here she is. You son of a gun; you were right. Then you idiots go tramping off toward death and send your kids here alone. I should kill you both right here where you stand for even thinking it, but here you are all safe and almost sound. Now, no more forays seeking victory over one group or another.”

  “Mom, knock it off. We had to go.” Erika had to stop the scolding. They had already been through so much.

  “I know the story and I understand why you all had to go. That’s why I am not going to say anything else except this, you all better stay safe, or I’ll kill you myself.” Nancy winked and everyone laughed. “Now let’s finish getting this stuff put away so we can get you all settled.”

  “Nancy”—Greg was looking puzzled—“I thought that Dakota would be here. I sent him with the caravan.”

  “Didn’t Steve tell you, Greg? Dakota didn’t make it. The trip over here was just too much for his old body and he died along the way. I’m sorry,” Nancy said solemnly.

  “I knew he was on his way out, bummer,” Greg said sadly.

  “They took the time to bury him under a tree. Steve felt really bad so it’s no wonder he didn’t say anything.” Nancy tried to console him.

  “It’s okay, I just wish I could have been there to see him off.” Greg had known for a while that Dakota was living on borrowed time so the pain didn’t bite too hard.

  Nancy gave Greg a big hug. "Come on and help me with these boxes; it will take your mind off it.”

  Everyone pitched in and, soon, the boxes were put away. By the time they were finished and walking outside, the lines of people were all gone. All that was left was a buzz of voices coming from all around the camp.

  Chapter 31

  Nancy's tent was located clear on the other side of the gated area known as the Lotus camp. They had to go back past the old hotel, which was now a clutter of people moving from one sleeping area to another. The current residents were consolidating so that there was room for the new residents. At the old hotel, they turned left along what used to be a road but was now a broken landscape next to the river. It appeared that every flat spot had a tent or lean-to erected on it, except along the trail they were following. They walked past an area that used to be a pristine park on the river but was now filled with tents, temporary structures, and people. Finally, they neared another gate where the road to get to her mom’s old house had been. There was a rafting company located on that corner just inside where the new gate was, and the remnants of the building had been rebuilt into tented sleeping areas.

  “Well, this is it, guys,” Nancy said as she pulled back the curtain on a wooden makeshift structure. The structure had a fireplace built in the main room and three little curtained coverings in the back that were tents with their openings connected to the main area.

  “Nice, Mom.” Erika was impressed. She had been sleeping in balls of humanity and it would be nice to have some privacy.

  “Brett added on the extra sleeping areas after we saw Big John and heard you were alive and headed this way. He figured we could use the tent on the left, you and Vince can have the middle, and we’ll put Greg on the end. The kids can crash here by the fire or wherever they fall down. There are even mattresses in the sleeping areas,” Nancy boasted.

  “Are you serious? A real mattress?” Erika was thrilled. She had hated camping in the past just because she could never get comfortable on the ground. She hadn’t slept on a mattress since the quake; it would be like heaven.

  “Oh yeah, where is Big John now?” Vince questioned. He was impressed with the sleeping arrangement as well, but he was more concerned with the safety of his friend.

  “Big John went back up through Georgetown to scout a way out of California. It’s kind of a touchy subject; he and Brett got in a big argument. Big John doesn’t think this is over and he says the worst is still to come,” Nancy said in a hushed voice.

  “Well, neither do I,” Erika said loudly.

  “Shhh…” Nancy commanded quickly. “Let’s not worry about that now. Let’s get you settled in and cleaned up. There’s going to be lots to eat tonight, and everyone will be there. There will be music and dancing.” Nancy was strategically changing the subject.

  Erika noticed the quick change of subject and decided to leave it alone for now. Besides, they had cheated death again and reunited as a family: it was time to celebrate. The horrible world they faced would be there tomorrow, so why not enjoy the evening.

  “Mom, why camp all the way out here if you are helping with the kitchen all the way over there?” Erika wondered.

  “I just help stock the kitchen and I used to cook sometimes. Now that Clay and Laurie have arrived, they have things in perfect order. I mostly hike out toward the old property where the farms are,” she replied.

  “Wow, farms. You guys really are rebuilding here,” said Erika, truly impressed with their level of organization.

  “Well, people have to eat and Andrew runs this place like clockwork. He has set up military training, food production, the blacksmith shop, carpentry shops, and now the school, so folks can survive and be useful. The soldiers repair the roads, get wood, make weapons, hunt, and, most of all, protect our supplies. It’s really coming along,” Nancy said with p
ride.

  “Sounds like it.” Erika gave Vince a sideways look. She wasn’t sure how she should feel about this. On one hand, she wanted to believe the disaster was over and they could just rebuild and live, but on the other hand, she had this sickening feeling that Mother Nature wasn’t finished. There was more to this changing Earth than anyone could guess.

  Vince could feel her dilemma and tried to get her mind off it. “Look, babe, here’s all your stuff that we sent back with the kids.”

  “Well… almost all your stuff. I found a pack of Marlboro Light 100s in your first aid kit and I have to admit that I took it,” Nancy said honestly.

  “That’s fine, Mom, I had been saving it for you.” The pack had instantly reminded Erika of her mom, and she knew it would be cherished.

  “Thank you, Erika. I can’t tell you how bad I’ve wanted one of these.” Nancy gave her a hug. “Oh Vince, Big John even brought your stuff from your camp. I washed all the clothes you both had so you guys will be all fresh. Now each little camp has their own bathrooms so you have to take your stuff and head over there. Once you go out the tent, it’s over on the left. It’s not very nice but at least there are showers, kind of, and a place to potty. I’ll get the kids cleaned up and make sure Greg is okay, so just get going.” Nancy was always the organizer and she was in full swing again.

  Erika and Vince got their tent organized and made sure that the kids were in order. Then they grabbed their piles of clean clothes and headed out into the camp. This group looked to be about ten of the same setups that Nancy had and, at the end, was a wooden structure with a small crowd gathered around it. They headed toward the group. There was a line for the shower so they waited in it. The line moved slowly. People were saying small pleasantries, but most were focused on the night and not much for chatter right now. They recognized the couple in front of them. Dan was a gentleman with an average build, jet-black hair, and matching eyes. He had been a firefighter in Georgetown before the quake. His wife, Val, was a taller woman with a very strong build. She had blue-grey eyes and sandy blond hair. Vince knew them best so they quietly chatted. They had owned a horse farm in Georgetown that Val ran. Although they had lost most of their horses when the barn collapsed, they had saved five and were currently in charge of horse care along with another man named Drew Goddard. They were training some horses for military use, plowing, and cart pulling. Val had told Erika that Kit was out there, and she was more than welcome to stop by and see him anytime. Finally, the two couples got to the front of the line. Because of the amount of people needing to use the facilities, it was normal for couples to shower together to save time and water, so Dan and Val got in next.

  Erika noticed a man, Glen Wales, was his name. He was in charge of keeping the shower reservoir full and informed Erika that the best time to get a hot shower was at the very end of the day but before everyone else got there. That way, the sun had time to heat the water and it had not been drained and refilled. He was a talkative man, and Erika was sick of hearing about showers by the time it was their turn to step in.

  Vince and Erika gave each other the thank God he shut up look and giggled at one another. With so many people around, you didn’t want to be overheard saying something derogative, but a look could be worth a million words. As they undressed and began to wash the mud away, they looked longingly at one another, but their modesty overpowered their urges. There was soap but no shampoo and conditioner. Erika figured maybe the new supplies had not been allotted to the individual camps yet. They finished up, re-dressed, and headed out.

  There, in line, were Harold and Betsy, still all covered in mud.

  “Hey, you two,” Erika said cheerfully.

  “Hey, Erika, Vince,” Harold replied.

  “How about this place?” Betsy said enthusiastically.

  “It’s really something,” Erika agreed. “You guys staying over here too?”

  “Yes, we were assigned here because of Betsy and Carol’s farming knowledge and Kim’s horse skills. I’m going to attempt to set up a communications center with Jimmy D using some of the gear we brought back from Auburn,” Harold replied.

  “Cool, do you think it will work?” Erika questioned. She hadn’t even thought of trying to communicate with other survivors.

  “I think so, but we’ll see if the gear is still useable and who is actually out there.” Harold was trying to stay optimistic.

  “Well, good luck,” said Erika. “We’ll see you guys tonight.” “See you then,” Betsy replied.

  When they got back to the house, Brett was back from his day’s tasks. He was going to help Greg get to the showers. They said their hellos and hugged one another and then Brett and Greg left. Dexter and Star were playing with a couple of trucks that Dexter had and Vince joined in the play as Erika and her mother chatted quietly at a little table. Erika told her mother all about her ordeal of escaping Sacramento and showed her some of her scarring.

  “Good God, girl, look at you,” Nancy said as she looked over Erika’s extensive scarring. “I am damn lucky to have you back.”

  “You don’t even know,” Erika replied. She was getting used to her scarring. It was almost like they had always been there now. The old scars had healed a long time ago and new ones had formed over the top of those.

  Erika went on to tell her mom about Henry and Carol and how Star came to be in the family.

  “She watched the whole thing?” Nancy was outraged as she listened to what had happened to Star’s mother.

  “Yeah, Mom, she was right there in the bushes.” Erika was still horrified by the story as well. She couldn’t believe what an animal that man was, or what she herself had done. It was like she was someone else that day, but she was really thankful to have Star in her life so you have to take the good with the bad.

  As if reading her mind, Nancy said, “I really like that girl. She is such an in-charge little lady. I never would have thought… that she… she went through…”

  “I know, Mom. That’s just life now. That was the first time I killed. I was sick, but now I have killed so many more.” Erika paused for a moment to reflect. “I have killed, Mom.” Erika was trying to rationalize these feelings. Her mother knew every fiber of who Erika was. Her mother knew she was totally capable of killing if she needed to, but she saw the moral struggle clearly in her eyes.

  “Erika, you had to survive and you had to protect what’s good in this world. I am so proud of you.” Nancy squeezed Erika’s hand in her own. “It’s going to get better,” Nancy finished.

  Erika wanted to believe that so deeply. She wished it with all her heart, but she knew it was not over. It was merely the beginning of the end. Vince had been listening to their conversation while he was playing with the kids and stepped over to them. He had never heard Star’s whole story and it all made sense now. He knew that the kids had also been listening in and wanted to shield them.

  “So my lovely ladies, you all ready for a night on the town?” Vince jested.

  “Are we ever!” Nancy said lightheartedly. They were soon laughing and teasing one another.

  “So, who’s going to be the sober driver?” Erika chimed in.

  “We definitely don’t have to worry about that now.” Nancy was saying as Greg and Brett walked back in.

  “Worry about what?” Brett questioned curiously.

  “A sober driver,” Vince said winking at Greg.

  “No more DUIs!” Greg continued the game. “Hell yeah, maybe this place isn’t so bad.”

  “If you weren’t such a ding dong, you wouldn’t have had to worry about that before the quake,” Erika poked at Greg.

  “Oh yeah, Erika, I’ll still kick your butt with a bum leg and shoulder.” Greg was trying to put up his dukes like he was going to do something. “I didn’t have anyone to take turns driving with when I was at the bar like you two.”

  “Like you would have had a sober driver, even if you did have someone to trade off with,” Vince jested again.

  “Y
ou’re probably right,” Greg said and put down his fists, defeated.

  “I’m gonna get ya, Uncle G!” Dexter yelled as he ran over to hug Greg. He nearly knocked him down.

  “Well, come on then.” Greg was always romping with Dex. “Oh, darn kid. I think you grew while I was in the shower.

  Dexter tried to wrestle with him for a little while but was quickly scolded for the behavior given Greg’s current condition. Star was also excited about the evening and the air was thick with joy.

  “We better get going,” Brett said matter-of-factly.

  They all gathered up anything they would need for the evening into a couple of backpacks and headed out together, with Ripper close on their heels. Outside, they met up with the folks from their little camp that were headed for the communal space. They all walked down the trail together, and as they walked, they were joined by more and more people from all the other little camps along the way. Erika had no idea how large the Lotus camp group actually was but it was huge. Everyone from the surrounding area that had survived was here. As more and more people joined the procession, the chatter from the crowd increased. Despite the recent rain and their current situation, spirits were high.

  Tonight, there were lots of reasons to celebrate. The current group just got a ton of food and miscellaneous supplies, plus a doctor and loads of medical supplies. The Cool group found a more stable home with plenty of water. The Auburn group had found a new home free from the tyranny of a psychotic leader. Plus, many families had been reunited today. Everyone was happy and smiling.

  The procession had to file through many areas of the trail, where the quakes had completely disrupted the landscape and turned it into a walkway, only big enough for a couple people to fit through but everyone was polite and courteous. Little children were helped over the rough spots and elderly people received any assistance they needed as well. Seeing the elderly people made Erika realized there weren’t many of them around. With their limited mobility, many had died in the first quake. Many of those that survived the quake were on medication that they could no longer get and perished because of it. People were calling it the great die-off after the quake. Even though Erika had been in her own hellish situation, she was glad she had not been around to bear witness to that.