Wolf and Iron
Page 51
He had faced, through the summer now gone, the fact that it was impossible to continue the search for his brother’s place with Paul so young. But he had taken it for granted, as if it was still a fixed and unchangeable element of their plans, that they would all three take up that search next summer when Paul would be older and stronger.
Now it burst on him as an entirely new thought—an understanding like that of someone who becomes suddenly aware that the world is round when he had always believed that it was flat—that they need not go next summer, either.
They need not go on at all.
Why leave here? They would be giving up all that they had made together, all that was familiar and useful, and which had now proved its ability to survive in the face of an attack by a creature that could have destroyed both them and it.
Small as it was, it was a fortress. Armed, only as they were, he and Merry could defend it. Here, Paul could grow older in safety, instead of running the risks of traveling through unknown territory, where people might shoot all of them first, and come to find out who they were later. It was even not beyond the bounds of possibility that they might actually win to the very borders of his brother’s ranch and be shot down there by men who worked for his brother, but did not give Jeebee time to explain who he was.
Why leave all they had made here, to go hunting an uncertain future? Why take on a journey in which the three of them, and particularly Paul in the helplessness of babyhood, would be at the mercy of strangers whose attitudes and reflexes they had no way of knowing in advance?
Even if they were safely welcomed at his brother’s, once there, they would be bound to whatever the ranch itself was committed to. If Martin was at war with another rancher for some reason, Jeebee and his family could end up trapped in that war whether they liked it or not. Here, Jeebee was his own master, and Merry her own mistress.
Also, here they were safely hidden. No one knew they existed. No one was likely to come searching for them or expecting to find anyone here. If anyone did stumble across them, it was not likely to be more than a single person—and any single person they need not be afraid of, with the two of them together.
Moreover, here he had his forge, and much to learn and do with it and the cave. There were problems to be solved, of course, but none he now felt he could not handle.
He must carefully get to know his nearest neighbors below and find ways to trade forge work for things he might need from them. He must learn to make black gunpowder and firearms that could use it.
There would be much to do, beginning right away.
Then, in the long run, there were many more things to be done or to make in order that this home of theirs would be more livable. He could put to use a great deal more from the ranch, like its backup, water-driven electric generator, which he had originally believed was too heavy to carry up here.
He could bring the generator up piece by piece and dam the stream to make an artificial waterfall. Here, anything was possible. Away from here, everything would be limited.
Here they were free and life was good.
Jeebee smiled, abrim with gladness, gazing up into the sunshine from the windows.
“What are you so happy about all of a sudden?” he heard Merry’s voice asking.
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Document ID: 8a6b5584-3f09-46e0-9b55-606bd0b6e8e4
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Document creation date: 28 January 2012
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