by Kip Nelson
It pleased Mack that New Haven could be intimidating. It meant future fights could be over before they even had begun, and it meant that not everything was going to end in a firefight. However, he had to speak to Tash as well. He told Maggie and Saul to wait there just in case anybody returned. Then he skipped down to the ground, where people already were gathering around Tash, congratulating her for her bold move, and asking where she got the courage. She replied mysteriously, and gave Mack a coy smile, made all the more mysterious by her obsidian eyes and her exotic skin.
“That was an impressive talent, but please don't do anything like that again, at least not without consulting me first,” Mack said.
“I'm sorry, but it seemed like the only thing to do that wouldn't end up in a violent conflict.”
“How did you do that anyway? Did you used to work with animals in the old world?”
“Ah, Mack,” Tash said, placing a hand on his shoulder, “all it takes is a little bit of practice. No, I did not work with animals. I only worked on myself. But, you see, all things in this world are connected, and it is more a state of mind that allows communion with them. I really cannot explain how it works. I only can tell you that it is what it is. It is one of those things that you will understand when you experience it, but not before. All I can tell you is I had faith that it would work, and then it did. The animals, they are a part of this world, too, and it was not right that they were being used like that. I think deep down they knew it, too, but they do not have our level of consciousness to process it.”
“Well, I don't really care how you did it, just that it got done. I wasn't looking forward to another fight.”
“Me neither. There already has been too much bloodshed in this world. I am with you all the way in creating a new world of peace, and I think others are as well.”
“I'm not sure about everyone,” he said dryly.
“You are talking about Gary. Yes, well, sometimes people need to fight because that is all they know, and it's all they can do. I think he will come around, with the help of his friends. They all will, eventually. What we are building here is valuable and precious, and it will last for a long time after we are gone.”
“You sound awfully sure about that,” Mack said.
“I am. And I know you can feel it, too. I am very sensitive to the world, Mack, and I know that what we leave behind is almost as important as who we leave behind.”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, but Tash only gave him a wink, and then she walked off.
It made him think about the conversation he'd had with Anna, and how they felt about bringing a child into the world. Tash had a sense of mystique about her, but Mack shook the feeling away. Despite what he just had seen her do, he was sure she only was playing with him, and that she didn't have any real insight into the future. Yet, still there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that she meant something more.
Chapter Seventeen
After that incident, Mack resumed his efforts to prepare New Haven for the winter. He still needed to discuss with various people how to proceed, but it was time to implement some of the plans they had for New Haven. While the others were taking care of their own duties, he enlisted Anna's help in teaching a class on hunting. While a lot of people knew how to forage for food and were adept at firing a weapon, hunting was a different thing entirely. Without proper training, any attempt at hunting would end in failure. Since people were a finite resource, Mack had to gather up those who didn't have any particular skills who could be used in other areas, and that included Gary.
“Are you sure about that?” Anna asked when Mack told her he was planning to invite Gary along.
“It has to be done. If he doesn't start contributing, then he's just going to be a drain on resources. Eventually, people are going to see him as such, and aren't going to be too happy. What happened before was only the beginning. If he continues in this vein, he's going to get himself in trouble, and Maggie and Luis are going to have another crime to solve.”
The invitation had not been met with enthusiasm, but after being caught in a brawl, Gary was willing to at least try making an effort, which is all Mack needed.
He and Anna had gathered the prospects in a quiet area of New Haven, away from the center of social activities. They had brought a number of bows, arrows, and spears, and these had been handed out to each of the participants. Mack hoped that taking this class would bring the two of them closer together, and allow them to spend more time together. Now that they were in the same place again, he didn't want to let his duties as the leader of New Haven get in the way of his relationship. While he was aware that they both were independent people, he felt it important that they have shared interests again, and try to reclaim the relationship they had before the end of the world. He was also very aware that she hadn't directly confronted the issue of children. He hoped to have a resolution to that discussion soon as well.
“I've brought you all to this class because winter is coming and, quite frankly, we may have to go looking for other sources of food. The rat attack left our food stores looking bare, and while we're still looking for food, it's important we have as many alternatives as possible. We eventually may have to send some parties out into the forest to hunt. Many people in New Haven, including myself and Anna, learned these skills during our time surviving in the woods. It may seem daunting at first, but anyone can learn these skills as long as you put your mind to it.” He directed those final words at Gary.
“The reason why we have these weapons is because any gunshots will scare away any other animals in the area. We'll also be instructing you how to build your own weapons like these, although a lot of the spare wood we're going to be saving for firewood.”
At this, he picked up a spear and launched it through the crowd. It plunged into the ground beyond them, kicking up dirt.
“The things you learn here might be strange at first,” Anna said, giving Mack an approving nod regarding his throw.
“Especially to those of you who have been used to consuming food rather than catching it yourself. You're going to learn how to skin animals and prepare the meat, but don't worry. It's important to remember that our ancestors lived like this. It's in our DNA to survive, we just have to relearn it.”
Over the course of the class Mack and Anna showed the students how to track prey along the paths it had made, and stalk it, while moving through the terrain as quietly as possible. It was difficult to do, since that they didn't have any actual examples to use. So, they had to make do with Mack and Anna digging their heels into the mud and creating different patterns. If they had had more time, they would have taken the group out into the forest for an actual hunt. That simply wasn't feasible, and this large number of people would have made it impossible for them to move stealthily through the forest anyway.
“The most important thing to remember when you're hunting an animal is that you are in control,” Mack said.
“As far as they're aware, you don't even exist, and it's not a matter of if they're going to die, but when. You already know that they're going to die, and it's up to you to choose the right moment and the precise angle of attack. You need to think about not only where they are, but where they're going to go next, and adjust your attack accordingly. You don't want to wait too long, but you don't want to be too hasty either. It's all about the timing.
“It’s important to practice enough with these weapons so you're comfortable with them in your hands. Feel the weight of the spear in your palm as you grasp your hands around it. Make it so that it's an extension of yourself, and then mentally picture how it's going to fly from your hand before you've even thrown it. And don't just concentrate on your hand. Be aware of your entire body, of the way you're standing, of how your hips are going to twist and the strength is going to surge through you. Then hurl the spear out of your hand as you launch your weight forward. All the momentum is with the spear, and then it's over.”
“A similar thing w
ill happen for those of you who prefer the bow and arrow,” Anna said, “and, yes, I know that a gun would be simpler. However, this is also good preparation for the future in case anything happens, and you find yourself having to survive in the wilderness. Take the bow and, instead of pulling the string, push the bow out. Make sure the tip of the arrow is resting against your hand, with no fingers over the top of it. Take aim, and breathe calmly. As you have more practice, you'll be able to judge the wind more, but for now just aim as best you can and let the arrow fly. Unlike the spear, the bow and arrow is an elegant weapon, one that doesn't rely on brute strength for its success,” she said, teasing Mack.
Then she took her stance, raised the bow and arrow, pointed out a target, and hit it expertly. She and Mack made it look so easy that their students were left despondent when they didn't show the same level of skill. However, Mack and Anna reassured them it all would come with practice.
After demonstrating how to use the weapons, Mack and Anna gave a quick lesson in how to care for them. At one point, Mack stopped to look at his wife and knew she was in her element. She always had been a people person. It was good to see her back to her best, talking and laughing with people, even Gary, who was showing signs of being quite capable with the bow and arrow. Mack walked up to him, and Gary looked down at the ground, feeling awkward in the presence of the man he so often had derided, both publicly and privately. Mack nodded to him as Gary took another shot, and despite the pressure of being observed by Mack, Gary still could hit the designated target.
“Looks like you're doing pretty well at this,” Mack said. Gary smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
“I guess it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be,” he said. Mack smiled at him.
“You know, sometimes we lash out because we're scared, but embracing something new actually can allow us to discover new skills we never would have realized in our old lives. Things have changed for everyone here, but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing. I'm sure some people would love to put the world back to the way it was, while others are enjoying a new lease on life. Either way, all we can do is accept the world as it is and make the best of the situation. I'm sure you'll agree that learning something new is much more productive than complaining.”
“Yeah, although I'm not sure how good I'll be when I'm confronted with an actual animal out there,” he said.
When he wasn't complaining, Gary was actually a good sport about things. Mack was glad to see him involved in something to help the settlement, rather than just moaning about things that weren't doing anyone any good. Mack slapped Gary on the back. Then he tossed his head to the side, indicating for Anna to have a moment in private.
“How do you think it's going?” he asked.
“Pretty well. Some are better than others, but that's to be expected. There's real potential here, though. If we do have to send people out to the forest, they'll be able to bring back some food, as long as they have a bit more training before it happens,” she said.
“That's good. Listen,” he said after a brief pause, “I know this isn't the right time to talk about it, but I don't think there's ever going to be a good time. I'd really like to return to our discussion about kids,” he said.
Anna's posture changed. She folded her arms and her head hung to the side, a few strands of hair falling over her face.
“Mack, I don't know how to talk about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I've told you before how I lost all sense of what it meant to be a part of civilization. I was out there for a long time with only one other person for company, and then I was alone. When I came back, I didn't know how to function, didn't even know if I wanted to function. I thought I could just close myself off to all my feelings and be done with that, but now I'm here, and this all seems wonderful and amazing--”
“And it could be exactly the type of place to raise a child,” Mack said, his voice filled with hope, but in Anna's eyes he only saw despondency.
“That it may be, but I don't know how long this place is going to stand. None of us do. We don't know how many other groups are out there, waiting to attack us. We don't even know if we're going to make it through winter. At least when we were going to try before, we had a plan. We knew what we were getting ourselves into, and we knew what kind of life we were going to give our child. Do you want to bring someone into this world, even though all you can promise them is that it's going to be a struggle?”
“Yes, I do,” Mack said with utter conviction.
Until he was asked that question, until he said those words, he had not been certain about it. But now the truth revealed itself, and he was more sure about that than he had been about anything else in his entire life.
“I haven't been convinced before, but the more I think about it, the more I do want to bring a child into the world. That's what I wanted before the world ended, and it's what I want now. I want to raise a child with you, and with everyone else. I want to see them grow with New Haven. I want them to be surrounded by the best of humanity, by love and care, and the support of all the community. I want to share my love with you and create a life with you. It's so easy to get lost in the sadness and misery of this world, and you're right in that I can't promise it much, but I can promise that the child will be loved. I can promise that I will love it, and take care of it until my dying breath.
“I spoke with Tash after she went out there and did...whatever she did to those animals. She told me that who we leave behind is just as important as what we leave behind. I think I've been so focused on making New Haven into a stable settlement that I've forgotten what I really want, what I've always wanted, and that's to raise a family with you. Before all this I was leaving my career, a job I loved, so that I could be there with you and the baby.
“Now we have the chance to do that again. I know it's not going to be easy. Hell, it never was going to be easy, but the best way to get on with living life is to live life. This is the place, Anna. I'm not saying we must start trying right away, but I want to raise a family here. I want to see them grow up within these barriers and tell them our story, about how we found each other across hundreds of miles, and how you even killed a lion. I want all of that and more.”
When he finished, he took Anna's hand. She burst into tears and he took her trembling body into his, holding her tightly.
“I want that, too,” she said, although her words were muffled by sobs.
Mack kissed her on the head and looked toward the sky, feeling the cold air around him. Promising a family to the world was a commitment to hope, and to trust that they would make it through the winter. He knew it was a big promise, and perhaps it would be challenging to live up to, but New Haven never would be enough to fulfill him, not really. He needed to have a family with Anna, and he was just glad she wanted the same thing. He told her that he loved her, and she kissed him. He tasted her salty tears and tried wiping them away from her eyes. There still was so much that haunted her, that haunted them both, but they would create a better future for each other, and for all the other people of New Haven.
Chapter Eighteen
Grace and the patrol she was leading had made it through the city unscathed. There had been no encounters with anyone else, and no attacks by wild animals either. There had been little evidence that anyone was even alive in the areas through which they had passed, although they had not gone out of their way to check. Of utmost importance to them was getting to the docks and bringing back some sort of good news.
It had been quite a trek, but Grace enjoyed being out of New Haven, which she found amusing. In the old world, she practically had been a hermit, hunkered down in front of her computer. She looked down at her fingers. They were more calloused now, and used to working. Before, all they were good at was dancing over a keyboard. Now she had learned so many new skills and so much about herself that even if she was presented with a working computer, she knew she wouldn't want to go back to that old life.
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nbsp; The air of the city was stale, and venturing into it was a reminder of how lucky they were having New Haven as a place to live. The buildings of the city were rubble, and there was trash all over the place. Rats crawled underneath the skin of the city, along with other disgusting creatures, and anger filled Grace's stomach for she knew they were nothing but carriers of pestilence. Some areas of the city made their stomachs churn as they were basically mass graves. The corpses gave off a stench that seemed to creep down their throats so they could taste the death. Some people were better able to endure it than others, but many of them gagged, throwing up what was left in their stomachs.
Eventually they reached the docks and began smelling a different odor, the smell of water and dampness, of seaweed and rotting fish. It was almost worse than anything else they had smelled, and the stench of death pervaded the area. So far, New Haven was just in a small pocket of the city. Although Grace knew Mack, and knew he would want to expand and involve more people, to create another network of communities that actually would see the city rebuilt. Yet, to do so they would have to move through the city and clean up all the mess and the death, and that was a task she did not anticipate with enthusiasm.
When they approached the docks, Grace waved them into formation and told them to crouch down. Aside from the smell, this would have been a good place for people to live. Big warehouses offered shelter and, presumably, they would have been filled with food and other supplies. There were also fish around and access to boats and ships. Tactically, it was a good area in that it was easy to defend, with lots of places to hide to launch a sneak attack. Grace was all too aware that someone could have been watching them at that very moment, ready to defend themselves and their territory. So, she would have to be careful and hope anyone they encountered were the talk-first-and-shoot-later type.