Worth Saving

by G. L. Snodgrass

  Seeing me standing there watching them, Ellen disentangled herself from Claire and gave me a quick hug. “Thank you,” she said, looking up at me before burying her face in my side to hide the tears.

  .o0o.

  The two remaining raiders left after four days. They must really have wanted to get us to spend so much time trying to find us. They’d buried their friend in the park and spent the next three days searching for us. On the fourth morning they hitched up the wagons and drove out of town. A deep anger burned beneath my skin. Good riddance and don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

  They’d never really come close to finding us, I think the fact that we weren’t moving around really made a difference. I was also pretty sure we’d see them again.

  We spent the next few days getting the girl’s stuff from their apartment. Claire had tried to talk me into moving into their building. I held out for the library and she reluctantly gave in. Toys, books, and some of their favorite cloths were all they needed. Claire said that they didn’t really collect many things. When you could get whatever you wanted any time, there wasn’t much point. I noticed that Claire pulled out a small suitcase from the back of a closet but didn’t open it. She made sure to include it in the first load back to library.

  We set up a place in the office space next to mine, hauling a queen size bed and a small dresser up all four flights of stairs. The girls spent an entire day decorating. Running across the street to a department store to find the perfect pictures, a pretty vase and a duvet with ruffle. At least that’s what I think they told me it was called.

  After one day, their room looked more like a home and better than mine after three weeks.

  It was strange living with people, especially girls, they seemed to wash all the time, once when it was raining, Claire took Ellen to the roof and both of them stood in the rain and washed their hair, telling me to stay away. When they finished and came back down, they hinted that I do the same, when the hints didn’t work Claire became blunt about the subject and told me point blank that I needed to take a shower while I could.

  I couldn’t believe they were so hung up about the whole subject. I borrowed their shampoo and grabbed a towel and stood on the roof, naked as a hairless cat and took a shower. The rain was kind of warm, and pretty intense. I lathered all over and let the rain rinse me off. I’d left the clothes in my room so I wrapped the towel around me and headed back down.

  Claire stepped out of her room as I walked by. She froze in her doorway when she saw me, her hand on the knob and eyes on my chest. She started to say something, but couldn’t say the words for some reason. Turning beet red, she went back into her room and slammed the door.

  Like I said, girls were weird.

  Chapter Seven

  I was hot, sweaty, and felt great. My muscles were loose and lubricated. Working smoothly in the hot sun. My leg was heeling fast and didn’t seem to be slowing me down. I’d found some tin snips and spent the day wrestling chain link fences from an elementary school onto three little red wagons that I’d hooked together and dragged home.

  Arriving back at the library, I’d removed my shirt and tossed it onto the stairway railing outside the front door. Picking up the heavy fence material, I threw a roll over each shoulder. Ellen was in place in the middle of the intersection and focused, holding my bow and quiver; she was on the lookout for any trouble, scanning each of the four streets in turn,

  Starting to whistle I dropped off the fence at the appropriate spots and returned for more only to find Claire standing next to my discarded shirt holding a tray that looked like lunch. Her face had a strange look as she stared at my shirtless chest. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I quickly retrieved the missing garment and threw it back on, pausing to wipe the sweat from my eyes.

  “I thought you guys might want a break,” she said as she watched Ellen running to join us. “That girl never slows down.” She added, shaking her head and turning back to hand me a water bottle.

  Thanking her, I instantly scarfed down the bottle and asked for another.

  “Did you see all the fence Kris got,” Ellen said. “He says it’ll keep the dogs out and that I can ride a bike inside the fence line. Isn’t that right Kris?”

  Raising a skeptical eyebrow, Claire looked at me, “So can you really make it safe?” she asked.

  “Yes I’m sure,” I said, annoyed that Claire didn’t believe in me. “We’ll block off the four intersection and create a square roadway around the entire block. I’ll string fence across each street, from lamp post to lamp post and rig up some kind of gates. I’ve already confirmed that all of the outside buildings are secure with exception of some broken window that I’ll board up. Ellen will be able to ride around the entire city block, as safe as can be,” I said with calm confidence. I’d already decided to build the cathedral intersection back a few yards to give me easy access to the building and its bell tower. I didn’t want them to know about my secret spot up amongst the gargoyles, not yet. A man had to have some place to be alone.

  We sat on the stone steps and ate the lunch Claire had prepared. The silence of the group started to grow awkward with Claire and me stealing glances at each other, trying to figure out what the other was thinking about and Ellen sitting between us openly looking back and forth. She couldn’t seem to keep from smiling but kept her thoughts to herself.

  Remembering my manners, I thanked Claire for the sandwiches and stood up. “Come on squirt,” I said, cupping the back of Ellen’s head, “Back to work.”

  Running and getting my bow and arrows where she’d carefully put them, Ellen gave Claire the biggest smile, as if she was going to burst out of her skin and light the world with her happiness.

  .o0o.

  It’d taken three days of hard work to get to this point; I beckoned Ellen inside the fence line so she could twist the last tie wraps connecting the fence and lamp post. “Here, use both hands and twist this wire, and then we’re done,” I said.

  “Really, Me?”

  “Yeah, use two hands….” A scream down the street interrupted us. A boy was running down the middle of the street his feet barely touching the asphalt. A pack of dogs rounded the corner, giving chase. The boy’s pumping arms moved like pistons as he ran flat out, his big saucer eyes grew bigger when he saw the fence.

  “Quick, open the gate,” I yelled to Ellen and grabbed my bow and pulled an arrow from the quiver. “This way, over here,” I yelled.

  “It’s Hector,” Ellen whispered. Her eyes glued to the scene as her white knuckled hand griping the gate.

  The boy changed direction without breaking stride and turned towards the only escape option. I recognized the red Irish setter from the deer hunt in the park, followed closely by the German shepherd and the rest of their pack. A vision of the dogs tearing into that doe flashed through my mind as I smoothly pulled the bow string back to my ear and took aim through the chain link fence. I tried to breathe normally, knowing I’d only get one chance. As I prepared to let fly, the lead dog shifted course and the shot was blocked.

  Cursing under my breath, I adjusted my aim, waiting for an opening. He’s not going to make it, I thought. “Come on. Faster,” I yelled, encouraging him the last thirty yards.

  With twenty yards to go, the setter shifted again, trying to hamstring Hector. Her white canine teeth inches from the boy’s heels. The dog lunged and brought her muzzle in for the tripping bite when she was knocked sideways, a silver arrow piercing her side.

  My hands shook as I tried to grasp another arrow from the quiver. Before I could complete the rearm, the boy was through the gate and Ellen had slammed it closed and thrown the locking latch.

  Hector had come to a halt, gasping a huge lungful of air, looking around to see if he was safe, obviously surprised to be alive.

  The dogs had stopped and gathered around the red setter, nosing her, trying to get her up. As I watched the dog tried to raise her head, looked at her mate the German shepherd before col
lapsing for the last time.

  The shepherd sniffed her, repeatedly going over her entire body as if trying to find some sign of life. Sitting next to her he lifted his head and let loose a mournful cry of pure anguish that tore off a little bit of my soul. The big dog turned and locked eyes with me, as if memorizing every detail of his mortal enemy. I stared back, refusing to break the moment as my spine shivered with trepidation. This was now a battle to the death. Some time, somewhere, the shepherd would try to kill his mate’s murderer. And what they had done to that deer in the park would be merciful compared to what the pack would do to me if they caught me outside the wire.

  Raising the bow to take another shot, I watched as the dogs bolted and fled back around the corner. My eyes drifted to the dead dog. She looked so alone laying there in the middle of the street like a pile of carpet. My heart broke a little. I’d always dreamt about having a dog, a friend full of unconditional love. Someone to hike the forest trails with, to know my deepest secrets and love me anyway. I knew we could have been the best of friends in another world and another time.

  Gathering myself, I tore my gaze away from the dog and looked at the young boy, bent at the waist with his hands on his knees trying to grab enough air. Ellen was rubbing his back like Claire did to her, telling him he was safe now, they were all safe now.

  I stuck out my hand, “Hi, I’m Kris Robertson.” The strange sound of my last name shocked me a little. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d used it.

  Slowly standing up, the boy appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen, average height with bronze skin and short black hair that looked like he’d cut it himself with a sharp rock. He was wearing an unbuttoned flannel shirt over an AC/DC T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. Those shoes may have saved his life, I thought. Heavy boots would have slowed him down just enough.

  The boy eyed the hand skeptically, and looked at me with trepidation. I continued to hold it out watching him evaluate his options before he reached out and shook the offered hand. “Hector Wolowitz, your average Jewish Mexican, and thank you, nice shot. Who said you could put up a fence?” He asked, rattling the chain links to see how strong they were.

  “We’re making a sanctuary,” Ellen volunteered, having problems with the last word.

  “Hmm, lot of work, but it could be a good idea, definite potential here,” he said to himself, obviously forgetting everyone around him. He looked at the three observable intersections, then back to the dead dog lying in the street. “Yes it should work.”

  “Ignore Hector, he talks to himself,” Claire said, walking up to join the small group. “Hi Hector, how’re you doing?” Claire added stretching out and giving him a quick hug.

  “Chiquita, I am muy beuno, mucho muy beuno,” Hector answered, reaching out and returning the hug.

  “You guys know each other I take it.” I said, watching them closely. Why hadn’t she said anything about him before? Was she keeping other secrets, I wondered.

  “Sure, out territories sort of over lapped,” Claire said.

  “Chiquita here is my favorite shiksa,” Hector added.

  Gently holding his arm, Claire began to steer him towards the library. “Are you hungry?” She asked Hector, “It’s almost dinner time.”

  “I could eat.” Hector said, sounding like a New York Yiddish diamond merchant.

  Shaking my head, I followed the group into the library. Another day in the big city, I thought. Wondering how a fourteen year old boy on his own in a mid-western town came to have a Spanish/Yiddish accent.

  Hectors eyes lit up when he saw all of the library books. “I didn’t know this was here,” he said, stopping to gaze lovingly at the treasure. He only agreed to move on when Claire pulled him towards the stairs and promised he could explore to hearts contents after dinner.

  I watched his face closely when we entered the fourth floor former office space. We had removed all of the cubicles and turned the outer office area into a formal dining room, with a huge oak table and eight winged back chairs. Beautiful landscape paintings were liberated from the local bank and hotels to adorn the walls.

  “Wow, this is nice. You guys do all this?”

  Claire smiled, obviously pleased. “Yes, were making it our own. We may be using other peoples stuff but it’s our place, or at least will be when we’re done,” She said, going to a small table in the corner to finish preparing dinner.

  Ellen took him into the other offices across the hall and showed him the ‘Pantry’ as Claire called it. Three walls where lined with shelves from the floor to the ceiling, straining under the weight of the food supplies. Can goods, dozens of cereal boxes, two cases of large plastic bottles of canola oil and several shelves of spices.

  “You guys must have scrounged everything within blocks,” Hector said.

  “Claire say’s it’s harder and harder to find stuff.” I said, coming up behind him. “Dinner’s ready”

  Jumping a little at the unexpected intrusion, Hector followed me and Ellen back into the dining room where Claire was serving china plates of pickles, olives, Ham slices, and some fried pita bread type things she’d made on the rooftop barbecue earlier that morning. And some sliced granola bars for desert.

  Digging in like he was born there, Hectors asked about the Sanctuary and what our plans were.

  Without thinking, I sort of looked off into the distance as I described how we hoped to set up a place where people could live without fear. A safe haven where kids didn’t have to worry about being hassled by predators, both the four and two legged kind. How anyone would be welcome as long as they helped with the work and didn’t cause problems. Warming to the subject, I got more and more passionate as I talked about some of my plans for growing our food instead of having to scavenge all the time. Rambling, I kept on about how we could better look out for each other, sharing and helping each other. I know I sounded sort of idealistic, but it’s how I felt at the time.

  Hector kept quiet, listening as he cleaned his plate and reached for seconds. When I was done with my long winded speech, Hector looked at the group, putting down his fork he looked directly at me, “Are you meshugenah? Loco? Or just plain nuts? You’re setting yourself up to attract every weirdo and crazy out there, they won’t have to even look for you.”

  “What does meshugah mean?” Ellen asked.

  “Crazy, swimming in a sewer and thinking it’s Jell-O type crazy, Eating acorns and tasting M&M’s crazy, walking up to the evil witch in the forest and asking her to show you her special kids size oven, crazy,” Hector said.

  “How’s your way working for you?” I asked, his face getting red. “Those dogs would be falling into a deep sleep after their Hector feast if we hadn’t been there.”

  Hanging his head, Hector slowly shook it from side to side. “Wait, you’re not thinking I should join your little paradise, are you?” he said, looking at each of us in disbelief pushing his chair slightly back and looking at the door. ‘You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “You’d have time to work on that pump thingy you were talking about the last time we saw you.” Claire said to him. Turning to me she said “He has this idea that he could use some type of a windmill to pump water up from the river.”

  “Really, that’d be great. Wow, could you do that, how? What can we do to help?” I said, my contagious excitement prompting both Ellen and Claire to start talking about all the things they could do with running water.

  Hector sat there and listened as they tried to talk him into it until he finally gave up just to get them off his back.

  “Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be permanent, if you don’t like it, you can always leave,” I said.

  “Yeah, right” Hector mumbled under his breath.

  Chapter Eight

  I stood and stretched, rubbing my lower back as I looked at the three inch double braided nylon rope faked down on top of the roof, mentally confirming I had more than enough to build a rope bridge to the apartment building next door.

 
; Smiling to myself, I thought about how the group was growing, there was eight of us now, Two thirteen year old boys, Tim Schick, and Paul Shuck, or as everyone referred to them (Schick/shuck) because they were always together.

  I couldn’t task one without the other helping. I’d learned to assign them two jobs knowing they’d be done one after the other, never at the same time. The young boys had found each other shortly after the illness and never been separated since.

  Claire and Hector had known about the duo and found them living in a huge mansion by the City Hall area. Claire had easily talked them into joining. But then, what young boy wouldn’t do whatever Claire asked of him. They’d been living in a huge, decked out mansion, with the most boy perfect game room ever. Sporting a pool table, foosball, and an indoor basketball hoop. In the back yard the boys had turned the dry swimming pool into a rad skateboard park. All the things a thirteen year old boy would love. They’d willingly left a carefree life to join the little community. I figured that they were bored with their former life and were looking for something new.

  The young boys had taken up residence in the apartment building next door, moving into a place on the top floor. Hector and I’d donned full body hazmat suits and spent a trying day removing the bodies. My skin itched with unknown germs until I was able to get down to the river and wash it all off.

  Margaret Woods, always Margaret, never Maggie we’d been informed, had shown up at the fence by the empty grocery store, catty corner from the next door warehouse.

  The brown haired fifteen year old had calmly asked to join the group as if she were asking to play in a pickup volleyball game. A thin, quite girl who looked as if she’d blow away in a stiff wind.

  She spent her free time exploring the library or reading in her room. She would do her chores and help when asked, but she didn’t go out of her way to help the others.