by Hannah Ross
Ben, after some prodding from various sides, offered himself as one of the candidates. Andy Steel did as well, to the sounds of many cheers, and so did Elisa, though she was extremely reluctant at first.
"Who can vote?" Priscilla asked, amused despite herself at the contrast between the simplicity of these elections and the memory of her father's elaborate campaigns as he ran for president.
Ben frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. Anyone? Only people who've lived beyond the Boundary for some time? And from what age? Eighteen?"
Raven chuckled. "Eighteen, that's a good one. Many of the people here had families and built their own houses at fifteen and younger. Why, we were kicked out of the orphanage and left to shift for ourselves when we were twelve. We gathered and hunted and fished, tamed animals and built shelters. Soon enough, eighteen-year-olds from the Boundary were kids compared to us."
Priscilla raised an eyebrow. "You aren't suggesting we give a right of vote to twelve-year-old children?"
Raven folded her arms in challenge. "Why not?"
"I think Priscilla is right," said Elisa. "Things were different for us back then. We were sent out here and left to survive on our own, but to be honest, I don't know what would have become of us if we hadn't met the existing camps. Many of the first outcasts died, as Mac told us many times. The next generation was born here, in the free lands. They grew up with their parents in the camps. There are also the settlers who moved from the Boundary to Resurrection area. Most twelve-year-olds are still kids, even around here."
"By the way, Raven, are you going to run?" Ben asked.
She shook her head. "No way. As soon as this mess is over, we're going back to our camp. We have quite enough to be getting on with, even without meddling in everyone else's business."
"Can the newcomers vote as well?" asked one of the refugees. Ben looked around and, since nobody seemed very decided on this issue, nodded.
"Yes, if they want to be part of our new country."
"So is that's what it's going to be?" another man asked. "A new country?"
"That's the plan in the long run."
Priscilla said, "Maybe each of the candidates ought to go up on stage and tell a bit about themselves. Who they are, what they plan to achieve, how they think the current situation should be managed. You know... make something like a speech."
Ben looked at her in bewilderment. "A speech? I'm not a guy for speeches, Pris. You know that. And besides, most of the folks around here know me. I don't need to introduce myself like it's the first time we meet."
"That may be true for the Freeborn and the people who've lived in Resurrection for a while. But the newcomers don't know you. How are they supposed to know who to vote for?"
Ben took a deep breath, nodding with resignation. "Well, then, I suppose it won't hurt."
At the end of the long, action- and speech-packed day, the votes were counted, and the assistants declared the results of the elections are ready. In the Boundary, these elections would have been looked upon as a joke. Since most of the voters had no documents, it was impossible to verify their identity or make sure they didn't vote twice. The inexperienced voters, however, took the whole thing very seriously, and began to cheer as the names of the winners were announced.
To Ben's great surprise, he received the highest number of votes, closely followed by Sidney Coleridge, who had made himself indispensable among the Freeborn over the years. Elisa made it through as well, and Carl of the Spotted Cats, who was back from the west, and three residents of Resurrection Town. There was some confusion at that point, however, as many people voted for Raven and Thunder Cloud, though they had not chosen to run. Other candidates, to their chagrin, received a negligible number of votes.
"We don't need to fill all twelve places at once," suggested Priscilla. "There are some Resistance fighters and some camps scattered around the country. We might have some more candidates later on."
"The little missy's right," said Sam Buxton. "I'm sure many would say we ought to consider your ma and pa as well, Ben."
People crowded to congratulate the seven elected. Mrs. Stocking, Ben's old matron from the orphanage, came over, dabbing at her cheeks with a lacy handkerchief. "I'm not surprised at all, Benny," she said, squeezing his arm. "And I'm glad I chose to live here in Resurrection Town, where I can keep an eye on all the dear children." Mrs. Stocking, good soul, had forgotten her old charges were perfectly capable of looking after themselves now.
Suddenly, there was a noise above, and the silhouette of an airplane sailed low through the gold and orange sunset sky. It lingered for a moment and, to everyone's astonishment, dumped something that looked like a heap of dry leaves that fluttered down, dispersed by the wind. The airplane then made a sharp turn and swerved back east.
It took most folks a few moments to realize the dry leaves falling gently down, tossed around by the currents of air, are actually sheets of paper. As hundreds of them landed around the little plaza, people began to pick them up and read them.
Priscilla picked one up as well, and she and Ben bent their heads over it.
"To all the people beyond the Boundary!
We hereby declare that all lands formerly occupied by the United States, from the east coast to the west, belong to the States and are ruled by the government as represented by the White Tower. Defying government policy is a federal crime and will be harshly punished.
The people of Resurrection Town and the surrounding area are invited to display their loyalty to the government by thwarting any attempts of rebellion against the government forces that will arrive in the region shortly. Loyal citizens will be duly rewarded. Class B citizenships may be switched to Class A for those who have the merit.
We also urge the Illegals of unauthorized birth to stop resisting the Registry program. We assure you it is for your own good. When the government forces arrive, you will be conveyed to Registry camps where you will receive medical care, basic education and training in productive, civilized work. We offer you to quit your savage lives to become subjects of the greatest country in the world.
May there be peace and prosperity for all!"
As Ben and Priscilla shook their heads, a few people around them swore.
"This means that the government isn't about to just leave us alone and let us get on quietly," a woman said.
"They're going to hit us in full force," said the man next to her. "And I wonder how many people will dare resist them."
Tom White, who stood close by and had overheard this, clapped the man on the shoulder. "They will, mate. This isn't just about the Freeborn. People want to live their lives without someone trying to trample them the whole time."
Ben drew Priscilla aside. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. "I need you to go back, Pris. Look after Ian and my folks. Keep an eye out for the signal fires. And once you get to the farm, don't use the car unless you absolutely have to. Fuel is going to become very scarce from now on, so we better get used to managing with horses again."
Choked with tears, Priscilla only nodded. "You just take care of yourself and of the others," she finally said. "Don't do anything reckless."
"I won't. I promise. I'll try to come down and see you as soon as I can."
Hours later, blinded by tears, Priscilla poised her hands on the steering wheel. She blinked rapidly to clear her field of vision, pressed down the gas pedal, and steered the car out of town.
22
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The seven elected leaders were left with quite a bit of work. Being cut off from the Boundary, with no steady source of supplies but with so many refugees to house and feed, would have been a tough hurdle even without an ongoing existential threat. As it was, nobody knew how soon they might all have to fight for their lives.
To avoid confusion, it was decided they should divide the responsibilities between them. Thus, Carl of the Spotted Cats became responsible for leading hunting, fishing, and f
oraging parties to supplement the dwindling food stores. Elisa was responsible for operating the hospitals and organizing the volunteer nurses and doctors, of which, to everyone's relief, there were several among the refugees. Sidney Coleridge took it upon himself to arrange temporary housing for the refugees in empty warehouses and barns, while the townspeople representatives said they would work on fixing up the old bomb shelters to make them more useful. None of them were especially well-suited for tasks of such magnitude, but as there was no one better equipped, they were determined to do their best.
Ben, aided by Raven, Thunder Cloud, and Darren, had the job of strengthening the town's defenses and distributing weapons. They still had good stores of ammo from the old days, but even as Ben looked at the neatly stacked contents of the weapon storage rooms, he knew it was nothing compared to the ammunition of the government troops.
"We must fortify the town," he said, "but we don't want them to get that close to begin with. They're almost certainly going to come from the east, so let's go east and take a look."
The area stretching east from Resurrection Town was primarily flat wide meadows bordering an old pre-War road that had undergone minimal repairs since the beginning of the new settlement. "We could place sentries here," Ben said, "and be prepared to move our forces at the first signal. We should practice that."
He tried not to stop and think about how ridiculous it was to attempt resisting the large and well-trained government forces. Sidney Coleridge, however, was more optimistic. "Don't forget that there hasn't been a war for a good long time. The government army has mostly been used to protect borders and take care of some minor squabbles. And they most certainly would not expect to face hidden archers. Maybe even some on horseback if they attack from the side. We can have folks create bulwarks. Reinforce them with trees. We certainly have plenty of those around. There's a lot we can do. I think we stand a pretty good chance."
"I hope you're right. I'm concerned about archers on horseback, though. Even if the horses don't get spooked, a man on a horse is a big target. Moving, yes, but not moving faster than bullets."
"How many horses do we have?"
"Several hundred who will carry a rider fast," said Raven. "Not all horses are created equal, of course. Maybe we ought to give them some training.”
"Will there be time?"
"I don't know," Raven shrugged. "We can try."
"I’m not sure about this. Archers riding head on into a wall of armed soldiers seems like suicide to me. Maybe if they could dart in from the side or rear. Then again, if they were fired from behind a bulwark, a hundred arrows raining down on a bunch of soldiers could do some damage. We should talk to Thunder Cloud."
With every day and every hour that passed, the tension at the improvised military camp increased. "We weren't made for this," Andy Steel said, voicing what many others felt. "We were born as Illegals, made into outcasts and turned into survivors. Nobody ever prepared us to be soldiers."
"I wish we had some surer way to communicate with the more distant camps," Ben said. They lit signal fires last night, making an emergency combination of lights, and he earnestly hoped more men and horses would soon arrive. But what he really longed for was to be able to know Priscilla and Ian were alright, and his parents, and all the members of the Eagles' camp. He thought of Mac and Gabby, and all the children, and Jill, who remained with Thunder Cloud's people.
They had placed watchmen in strategic points, in particular on top of a water tower just outside the town, and one night Ben was shaken awake by someone who strode into his tent and frantically cried in his ear, "They are coming! Hundreds of jeeps all around. We're done for!"
Cat-quick, Ben sprang up and rushed out, not bothering to lace up his boots. He climbed the water tower, clutching his prized binoculars, which also gave him splendid night vision. Sure enough, at the edge of the meadows, just as the old road curved around two hills, he could see a procession of military vehicles, moving slowly. "Assume positions, everyone!" he commanded, his heart beating violently in his throat. He was acutely aware that he might not live to see the light of another day.
The men moved more silently than they ever did during the training sessions. They advanced forward and took up positions behind the bulwarks. All they could do then was wait. The backup forces were hidden behind an improvised wall of sand barrels, and archers were spreading to the sides on horseback.
The White Tower forces were getting closer, almost close enough to make out the soldiers' faces if they weren't protected by helmets. Suddenly, a loud, authoritative voice magnified by a megaphone carried all the way to town.
"To all the people currently in Resurrection Town! Government forces are now moving to reinstall control and order in the area. We do not want violence. We have no wish to hurt anyone. Stand aside and comply with official instructions, and no one will come to harm."
"We are a free people," Ben called out. "We are not subject to any government but our own. We do not want violence, but we will not yield to any invaders. Soldiers, your leaders have been lying to you. They're interested only in exploiting you and us to further enrich themselves. Don't sacrifice your lives for a wealthy elite who care nothing for you or your families. Don't make us kill you to protect our homes and families. We want only peace. The choice is yours."
Silence reigned for a few minutes, which made Ben and others hopeful. But their hope was dashed when the government line began to move forward.
Raven gave a loud snort, which seemed to wake everyone from their momentary reverie. "What are you all waiting for?" called Ben. "Fire!" He hurried down the ladder to join the freedom fighters.
The dense line of riflemen took aim and fired from behind the bulwark. Lines of riders and warriors on foot readied to attack from the sides and behind. Their efforts lacked the military precision exhibited by the Tower troops, but everyone prayed it would provide an effective shield for the town.
The military vehicles sped up their pace and Ben knew they had to be stopped at any cost.
Riders charged from the front, drawing fire, while riders from the side spread out and attacked, working their way behind the troops
The first collision between the Freeborn horsemen and the government soldiers was devastating. The riders who were not picked off practically threw themselves and their mounts beneath the vehicle wheels, disabling many. Ben saw horses fall, neighing in terror and pain and trampling their riders. He wished he could run to the aid of at least some of them, but he was busy shooting back at the soldiers who continued to fire on the bulwark.
The bowmen on horseback inflicted heavy losses on the government troops until the troops realized they were being surrounded and turned to fire on the riders, many of whom turned their mounts to flee the fusillade. Ben saw rider after rider, horse after horse fall until the rest were far enough away that the troops directed their weapons forward again.
It soon became clear to the government soldiers that they would not be able to just drive through the Freeborn lines, and they abandoned the vehicles to deal with their adversaries up close. This gave the Freeborn an advantage, but it was dearly won. Men and horses were slaughtered left, right and center. There was no pretense on part of the government troops of wishing to spare lives or minimize the carnage. Everyone was a target, and they shot to kill.
"Ben, watch out!" yelled Tom White, shoving him away. A bullet nearly grazed the top of Ben's head, leaving a trail of singed hair in its wake. He swerved aside, panting, while the soldier who had meant to shoot him focused on a different target.
He saw Thunder Cloud lift his bow and shoot, and for a fleeting horrified moment wondered where his rifle was. His friend was too far from Ben to go to his aid, though. He had to focus, moment by moment, on doing that which would enable him to survive. His concentration sharpened a hundredfold and time seemed to move forward in a trickle, as if he watched everything unfold in slow motion.
He ducked behind a rock, pulling Tom with him, just in time
to prevent them both from being taken down by a sniper's bullet. With despair, he watched Jimmy Stone fall, and peeked up just enough to release another bullet at the enemy. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it made him feel strange and sad to think that he was actually shooting to kill, but he could not allow himself to think of that. First, he had to focus on getting through this alive.
Then, quite unexpectedly, he saw the figure of a large blond man behind the bulwark, rifle in hand. He pushed aside a boy of about sixteen, who clearly couldn't tell one end of a gun from another, and squinted, marking his target. He still moved clumsily, his injuries easily visible, but he knew his business when it came to shooting.
"Barry!" Ben yelled. "You're supposed to be in the infirmary!"
The Bear didn't even spare him a glance, but waved a hand in a gesture that plainly said, don't you start worrying about me now.
The next moment, Ben forgot all about Barry, as a small explosion made the earth underneath him shake. He was lucky to find himself at the fringes, though. The center was a hellhole that suddenly opened, with people dead and moaning in agony. Fortunately, the bulwark protected those behind it.
"Grenades!" Tom White shouted. "The bastards!"
Those few still on horseback galloped off to the left and right. Those on foot flooded back to the bulwark.
"You are losing this battle, and you are going to lose this war!" the voice from the megaphone called out again. "Surrender, and your lives will be spared!"
"Yes, until we die in Zone C! Freeborn, onward!" Ben shouted. The government soldiers couldn't hear him, but his own men could, and several cheered.
The Freeborn had grenades, too, but they were old, and test firings showed only about sixty percent exploded. Nevertheless, Ben cried out, "Grenade line now!"