by Tom Larcombe
Gerry shook her head and made a tiny, high-pitched clucking noise.
“You should learn to speak with your friend. I'm sure he and his kin could prove useful to you in defending your lands.”
“You're right, and I'll make it a priority to do that just as soon as we fend off the raiders that are coming this way. A wizard has joined them and we think he's controlling the group, pushing them this way. I'm sure they intend us harm, or at least they intend to harm me. This wizard has a connection to the last one who tried to kill me.”
“All the more reason to gather all of your allies. Speak with Calvin, he can help.”
Gerry fluttered away, back towards the strawberry patch she'd claimed as her territory.
Michael stared after her.
She's right in that I haven't been paying much attention to Calvin. He deserves better than that. I've got a little time until I need to head into town, I'll see if he's anywhere nearby.
Michael scanned the area.
There, on the roof of the mine office.
He lifted his arm and whistled softly, then called Calvin's name. The crow took off from the roof and flew towards the extended arm. He came in for a landing, less gently than usual, stared at Michael's face and cawed harshly, although softly.
“Yes, I'm sorry Calvin. There's been so much going on around here that I haven't been paying you much attention, have I? Gerry thinks we can communicate better than we do, maybe speak mind to mind in some fashion. Would you like that?”
The answering caw was significantly less harsh than the original greeting.
“So, we need to figure out how to do this. Gerry said she'd help, but she wanted me to do something for her first. Are you willing to help me with that?”
Calvin cocked his head at an angle and let out a short rattle followed by a click.
“I'm guessing that means you do want to learn to talk with me and you do want to help.”
The crow dipped his head once before returning it to its normal position.
“In that case, do you remember the field I planted in wild grains for you and the other crows?”
Another dip.
“We need to take some of the small nightlights that have been partially prepared—“
Calvin ducked his head into the ruffle of feathers around his neck.
“Yes, the ones you've been stealing. We need to take some of those and put them every thirty feet or so along the grain field. Well, just half of it for now. Let's do the half farther from the house. Are you willing to help?”
Calvin took flight from Michael's arm. He flew to the porch rail where the nightlights were normally set to charge after being finished and landed there. Michael nodded to himself.
I'd say that's a yes. So we can spend a little bit of time preparing that field for the Fae. After we do, Gerry will help us learn to communicate with each other. I think that's a good use for this little bit of free time.
Michael went over and grabbed a couple handfuls of the partially finished crystal nightlights from the covered bucket they'd started storing them in when Calvin was stealing them. He set a handful on the porch rail, separating them so the crow could easily pick them up. The other handful he dropped in his pocket as he headed out to the wild grain field.
Calvin flew overhead, a crystal in his beak. The crow made several trips while Michael walked down to the field. When he got there he watched where Calvin was dropping the crystals and tried to fill in around them to ensure that half the field was within forty or fifty feet of a crystal.
I wish I knew exactly how thickly to seed these, but Gerry can tell me if they need them thicker or not later on, he thought.
Michael finished with his crystals while Calvin was still flying back and forth, but by the time he got back to the porch the crow was waiting for him and the railing was emptied of the crystals he'd placed on it earlier.
“Thank you Calvin, you and I will talk to Gerry later in the day. Right now I need to go visit Dan and Father Anderson.”
“Caw!” Calvin replied, before taking off from the porch rail and landing on the fence surrounding Jeff's garden area.
“Yes, Jeff will probably be out soon to work on his garden and I'm sure he'd love your company.”
The crow let out a series of clicks that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.
“I'm sure he'd love to try to catch you again also, not that I think he'll be able to unless you let him.”
Calvin launched himself from the fence and flew over to one of his common perches on the roof of the mine office. He started preening, while keeping an eye on the back door of the house.
Michael shook his head and laughed.
I don't know why Gerry thinks it's so important to learn to communicate with Calvin better. I think we do a pretty good job of it already, considering we're different species.
* * *
Michael went back in the house. Anne was making breakfast for Liz and Bobby. Jeff was already eating while pointedly trying to ignore the flirting, and slightly more, that was going on between his mother and Michael's uncle.
I bet I can cheer him up, Michael thought.
“Calvin's waiting for you outside Jeff. I think he wants to play.”
Jeff's face brightened and he focused on eating more quickly. Even before Michael was out of the kitchen, Jeff finished.
“Mom, can I go out now?” he asked.
“Go ahead,” Anne said. “You were telling me some of your vegetables were ready, weren't you? See if there's some radishes. Bobby told me he knows a wonderful recipe for radish top soup. We can try it for lunch if you have some ready to pick.”
She quickly moved out of the way as Bobby reached for her. Jeff rolled his eyes, but stood and went out the back door.
“He knows better than that,” Anne said. “He should have at least put his dishes in the sink.”
She went and got them from the table.
“I think the idea of you and I together makes him a little uncomfortable,” Bobby replied.
Michael started up the stairs, not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation. He paused in front of Rynn's door and listened. Even through the solid wood door he heard her snoring up a storm.
I know she claims she doesn't need that much sleep, but even she needs it when she exerts herself. I'm just glad she's okay.
He continued to his own room where he grabbed his car keys. He'd been hoping his dad would be awake before he left so he could ask him about bringing some gasoline down to Dan, but apparently Andrew was still sleeping. At least he didn't seem to be anywhere else in the house and his bedroom door was closed.
Better to ask forgiveness than permission, but I'll only fill a couple of five gallon gas cans for now. I'm sure dad won't mind that.
He headed back downstairs and paused at the kitchen door. Liz was gone now also, Bobby and Anne were standing rather close together. Michael cleared his throat.
“Sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if my dad's awake.”
Anne pulled away from Bobby quickly. Bobby turned to Michael.
“You're not disturbing us. It's your place and we're the guests.”
Michael shrugged.
“Still, no reason to be rude.”
“Anyhow,” Bobby said. “Andrew is up and gone already. He said he was going down to do some work with that fellow, uh... Pete I think it was?”
“Oh, okay. I didn't realize they'd made solid plans. Thanks, I might try to catch up to him then.”
Bobby turned back to Anne and Michael turned towards the garage. When he saw his Jeep, he was reminded of Rynn. He'd tried to get the paint job on it the same color as she always kept her nails. It was close, but he could see that he'd missed some of the metallic undertones that were in her nail color.
The fifty-five gallon drums of gas were stored out back of the garage so he took two five gallon cans and filled them up
He hadn't started it in a few days, but his Jeep fired up fine on the first try. He put
the gas cans on the floor in back and pulled out of the garage.
It's a little out of my way, but if I can catch dad I'll offer him a ride to Pete's.
Michael drove down off the hill following the route he'd use if he were going to Pete's. About three miles away he saw his dad walking along the side of the road and pulled over.
“Need a lift dad?” he called out the window.
His father opened the door and slid into the Jeep.
“She still running well for you?” Andrew asked.
“Like a charm. I thought I could give you a ride and ask a favor at the same time.”
“Well, you picked the right time for it. I thought I could walk to Pete's without a problem, but evidently I'm not in as good a shape as I thought I was. What do you need?”
“I wanted to know if I could offer Dan some of your gas. So he can have some patrol cars that are still able to respond to problems.”
“Yeah, go ahead. He can have half of what I brought with me if he wants. If he needs me to, I'll even drive it down to him in my truck. I'm kind of wishing I had driven to Pete's instead of trying to walk it about now though. But three drums should keep us going until after Pete's and my project is finished.”
“Your project?” Michael asked.
“Yup, I had an idea about some transportation we could keep going after the gas runs out. It'll beat shank's mare by a long shot, even if it won't be quite as nice as an internal combustion engine.”
“Are you going to tell me any more about this or leave me hanging?”
“I'm gonna leave you hanging son. Sorry, but if our first plans don't work out we might have to redraft some things. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, so you'll have to wait.”
Michael drove in silence for a bit.
“Fine dad, I should have known that would be your answer. You always hated to promise things you weren't sure you could come through on.”
Andrew nodded.
“Yup,” he said.
The rest of the drive to Pete's was made in silence. Michael dropped his dad off at the foot of the driveway and waved to him before turning the Jeep around and heading for the sheriff's office.
* * *
* * *
Chapter 9
Now that his father wasn't in the car any more he slid a CD into the player, and the crystal he used to ground out any errant magic into the twelve volt socket. After making sure the wire that connected the radio to the crystal was secure, he turned the music on. The strains of Queen's album, Innuendo, piped through the speakers and Michael nodded to the music as he drove.
Michael noticed quite a few people peering out through their windows as he drove. His was the only car on the road and he wasn't sure if everyone else was out of gas already, had nowhere to drive, or were just saving the last of their gasoline for something they considered more important.
He pulled into the sheriff's office parking lot and shut the Jeep down. With a gas can in either hand he went up the walk. The outer door was open, with just a screen door keeping the insects out.
“Dan? You in there? I have a few presents for you,” Michael called.
“Huh?” came the reply.
A few seconds later the voice spoke again, the speaker sounding groggy as though woken from a nap.
“Who is it?”
“Hey Dan, it's Michael. I've got some good news and some bad news, along with some presents.”
“Give me a minute here, would you? Come on in though.”
Michael set down a gas can to open the door, then brought both of them inside with him. He wasn't trusting enough to leave the gas sitting outside, not even on the steps of the sheriff's office.
Dan looked a bit mussed, as though woken from a nap.
“Sorry to wake you. I thought you'd be up by now.”
“I am,” Dan said. “I'd be a lot more awake if I hadn't had to get up twice last night because someone was sneaking around my backyard.”
“Someone was sneaking around your place? I'd have thought they'd avoid messing with the sheriff.”
“You'd think so, wouldn't you. But I've been enlarging the missus' garden. Told you I'd probably have to get my hand back in with gardening. Anyhow, her stuff's been coming on like great balls of fire and I think they were after that.”
“Yeah, it seems to be a great year for gardening here in Crystal Beach,” Michael said noncommittally.
Dan gave him a sharp look, then shook his head.
“Anyhow, I think they were trying to steal some of what was out there and almost ripe. So I ended up spending half the night on the back porch with my shotgun in hand. Thought I'd grab a bit of a nap in the office. Figured anyone that showed up could just wake me, like you did.”
“Well, I'm sorry to spoil your nap, but like I said, I have news and presents.”
“Tell me the news first why don't you. Start with the bad and work your way up to the good.”
“Alright Dan. We've got more word on the raiders' movement. It looks like they're going to skip Las Animas and come straight here.”
“Just how are they gonna do that? It's not like they can swim the river and keep their gear in good shape. The only bridge is in Las Animas.”
“You remember your former employers, the Council? Well, it looks like they sent someone beside Raymond out. This other someone has hooked up with this group of raiders. I think he's probably in control of them by now, whether they're aware of that fact or not.”
“Well, I did ask for the bad news first,” Dan said. “I hope that's all of it.”
“Pretty much. On the other hand the good news is that Dad said you could have half the gasoline he brought with him for your patrol cars. I've got ten gallons with me now, but I'll need the cans back. The rest of it is in fifty-five gallon drums. If you don't have a truck that can pick them up dad said he could drive them down for you.”
Dan perked up at the news.
“That's good. I've been trying to keep a single car fueled up from what I can scrape together. That much gas should keep us going a while longer.”
Dan turned somber.
“We've been getting a lot less reports recently. A bunch of the older folks, or ones who just couldn't deal with things as they are now, have been passing away. Lots of folks running out of their medication too. Some of them are going to go also, no matter what I do.”
“You're doing everything you can Dan,” Michael said. “When you're doing everything you can and things still go sour, there's no need to feel bad about it.”
“I know that Michael, I just feel like I'm failing those people. If my estimates are correct, we're going to lose almost fifty percent of our population within another month. That's four hundred people dead for one reason or another. Losses will probably taper off then if the gardens keep doing as well as they have been. But these raiders are just the first. If we're doing well, and word gets around, then we'll get drifters and more raiders. Sometimes we won't be able to tell which are which.”
“My other news and gift might help out on that end,” Michael said.
Dan cocked his head at Michael.
“Rynn and I found a cache in the mine. Put down by a wizard back just after the second world war. Mostly military surplus equipment. We can arm a response force for these raiders and any others that come along after. Not recent high tech equipment, but there are enough M1 Garands to arm a defensive force and enough ammo to keep them fed for a long time.”
“Are you sure that stuff is in good enough shape to be used? That's a long time you're talking about.”
“The reason we know it's a wizard that put the cache in is because they used magic to keep everything in good condition. As a matter of fact it's all like new, even the rations that were there. I'm going to go offer those to Father Anderson after I leave here.”
Dan's eyes widened with interest.
“I wonder if that's the guy that owns the property. I do remember the Council representative I originally talked to saying t
hey were just trying to protect their, and the land owner's, interests when they first approached me.”
“Wait, the Council doesn't own the mine? Do they just lease mining rights or something?” Michael asked.
“Yeah, I thought you knew. Is that important?”
“It could be, since I've met the man who put the cache in place. I wonder if he actually owns the land the mine and its buildings are on?”
“Does it matter one way or the other, really?” Dan asked.
“I don't know, but it could make a difference. If nothing else, I might be able to remove the Council's justification for trying to forcibly remove me from the land if I can talk to the actual owner.”
Michael closed his eyes for a second, lost in thought. Then he realized that he hadn't finished what he'd come here for in the first place.
“Anyhow, that's my problem, not yours. I have all the weapons that were in the cache stored up at my place. If you want to come up there later this afternoon, I'll be happy to show you what's available.”
“If you don't mind, I'll bring a couple of the veterans with me. The two I'm thinking about putting in charge of the response force if you agree.”
If I agree? Michael thought. Why should it matter what I think about that.
“Sure, just give me a couple of hours to talk to Father Anderson and maybe get the food down to the church. Then I should be home again.”
“Will do, I'll go talk to the vets now. I bet they'll be ecstatic, some of the weapons the boys were planning on using were...”
He trailed off, his hands gesturing in the air.
“Unsuitable?” Michael said.
“That's one way of putting it, a kind one. But yeah, unsuitable.”
“Good, we'll be able to get them something decent to use. Just bring the empty gas cans along when you come, alright?”
“I'll do that Michael, and thank you. Thank your father for me as well if you would.”
“You're welcome Dan. You're the one trying to hold the town together, I'm just doing what I can to help.”
Michael turned to leave, but not before seeing Dan shake his head in disbelief.