Cho looked at Sarah and in a heartbeat, drew her gun, pointing it at Sarah. "If John not live, you not live."
Chapter 39 - An Accident
Sarah took two steps backward. "I didn't do it. Iris had the bow. It was an accident. We were practicing. Her hand slipped. I swear. I saw it. She didn't mean to hit him."
"Four inches and you kill him."
"She's right, Cho. When I arrived, Iris was holding the bow," said Charles.
Iris had been staring at the ground. "I didn't mean to hit him. Really. I swear. It was an accident. I was just learning. I guess I flinched. I closed my eyes and I flinched. Sarah was just helping me. Trying to teach me how to shoot."
Charles decided someone needed to break the tension. That was a job John normally took care of, but John was not available. "OK, everybody. It's all over. John will be fine. Go back to what you were doing. Cho, put down that gun. Nobody is going to be shot."
George had his arm around Iris. He removed it and, looking at Sarah and Iris, said, "Sarah, how about you and Iris gathering us some salad greens for dinner. It would help. Our stomachs have been empty a lot lately. A big salad would be nice. Look in the back yard or in the forest. Wherever you want. You can show Iris how to tell the good ones from the bad."
"Sure, glad to help." Sarah looked over at Cho, who was still holding her gun, tears in her eyes. "I really am sorry. Iris didn't mean to do it. It was just an accident."
"Come on, Hun. We need to be out of here. We'll put the bow away and look for some salad fixin's, like George said." Iris winked at George and pulled Sarah back to her cabin.
Sarah and Iris spent an hour in the lawn behind the lodge gathering greens. Dinner was better than usual that night simply because it was more than usual. The vinaigrette dressing Marceau made from some herbs and wild onions added zest to the salad and the sauce she made from some red berries spiced up the turkey.
John ate in his room with Cho. At first, everyone was upset with Iris and with Sarah, but George decided to believe Iris's story that she had made the errant shot.
"So, how did you learn so much about plants, Sarah?" said George, scraping a thick piece of homemade bread around his plate to gather up the last bits of the turkey sauce. No telling how long it would be before a meal this filling would pass through his lips again.
"My grandfather was," she paused for a second, her expression changing from serious to humorous, "a mountain man, among other things. That's what he called himself, anyway. His idea of fun was to just walk off into the forest and stay for weeks. My father learned from him. We all used to go camping. My father taught me how to tell the poisonous plants from the safe ones." She closed her eyes and a fleeting memory of her father, dying from the virus, filled her mind. She shook away the memory as she savored the bite she had taken from her last small piece of turkey.
"So, you'll never go hungry out in the wild. Is that it?"
"Absolutely, George." Sarah sat up straight and spoke with confidence. Before these people would allow her to stay, if they didn't hold the errant shot against her, she would have to prove she had a skill they needed. Living here might be better than living in the woods. "Many common plants are safe and nutritious. Problem is that many edible plants look only a little different from some poisonous plants. The dandelion and the plantain and the clover are plentiful and no poisonous varieties look similar. You're safe with them, but you're better off cooking them."
From the size of the dinner, food appeared to be the group's main problem. John had said he spent his time planning their survival. She would have to make the most of everything she was, maybe even do some flirting with the men. She hated that, but she was determined to be a survivor and take back what the virus had stolen from her. She would make it in this new world and she would do what she must to survive.
"You don't get much practice with the bow if you're mostly lookin' for plants," said George.
"No. I used to have a small rifle. Ran out of bullets. It was just dead weight, so I left it behind. I should practice more with the bow. I'm still upset with myself for missing that turkey." Her grip tightened around her fork and she hit the table lightly with the handle. She then relaxed a little, remembering that she hadn't thanked the chef for the delicious meal. Something for which her father would never have forgiven her and something which might buy her another vote to stay with the group. "But George was right, Marceau. You did do magic with the turkey. And with everything. Dinner was great. I don't think I've ever had a better meal."
"Merci, we have not had turkey for many weeks. George shot two a few weeks ago and then no more. C'est dommage."
"And," Sarah said, raising her glass as she began to feel comfortable and in control, "I haven't had wine since all this started, either. This is great. Do you make your own wine here?"
Fred answered, "Not yet. By the way, are you old enough to drink wine?"
"I'm old enough to drink it. I'm just not old enough to buy it." Sarah's heart seemed to skip a beat. Had she made a mistake with such a catty remark? Probably. The alcohol was having its effect on her. She decided to be casual about it. "My father used to make his own. We always had wine at dinner. But, you aren't selling it. So, no problem. Right? You're not afraid the booze police are going to show up and bust you, are you?" The alcohol was affecting her thin body more than the others. Two glasses of wine had a big effect on her ninety-eight pounds.
Fred thought about his question and then about her answer. These hard times hadn't changed some of his old thinking. These days, people, especially Sarah, had to grow up quickly. "You're lucky. They went on vacation a few months ago. Haven't come back. That reminds me. John said earlier that the grapes at the local vineyards are almost ripe." Fred looked at George and said, "You know, I think he takes off on that motorcycle of his and goes exploring almost every day. We were talking about a trip to that winery to gather grapes. Another month and it will be time for a harvest. You know anything about making wine, Sarah? You said your father made some."
"A little. My father mainly made shine, but he switched to wine whenever the ATF guys or the sheriff was sniffing around."
"You can make moonshine?" said Elspeth.
"Come on, Elspeth. Let the girl talk."
"Quiet, Tom. This is important," she said, putting her hand on his. "Exactly, what do you need to make this shine?"
"You need sugar or some kind of starch and you need a still, made from copper, I think."
"We've planted a whole field of corn."
"That would work."
"Now we have a plan I can live with," said Elspeth, as Masako and Iris smiled at each other. Harry just smiled at Sarah."
"Let's get back to the wine," said Fred, frowning at Elspeth.
"Yes, pass the bottle, Charles" said Elspeth.
Charles refilled his glass and passed the nearly empty bottle to Elspeth.
"Wine works better with a special yeast."
"It works best with a full glass," Elspeth said, giving Charles her version of the evil eye and mumbling something nobody else could hear.
"We have the yeast. The day after the panic, we went to a winery and picked up a van load of wine and also packages of yeast and chemicals and an acid test kit and even a book. If we can find enough fruit, we'll be able to make wine."
"Just make sure everything is sanitary. Clean and sterilize your equipment. You guys were well prepared for this. Almost like you knew it was coming. Are you preppers?" She studied each face as she gazed around the table.
"We were all John's friends," Fred said. "At one time or another. Back in the good old days. He found a reason to move every few years. Met quite a few people. Remembered and gathered the best," he said with an upturned corner of his mouth.
"So, he is the key to all this. I thought so," she said, turning to Fred. "I really am sorry he was shot. I almost feel responsible. Iris suggested we practice and I was showing her how to shoot."
Cho and Masako glanced at each other. Their b
ody language signaling some additional worry about Sarah. Fred noticed it and wondered if they were worried about giving Sarah too much information or worried about another mouth to feed, if the group decided to bring Sarah in. Before that could happen, Sarah would have to show she could contribute her share.
"The truth is, as you suspect, we did have a little advance notice. John used to say his business was other people's business. But he was a spy, working for the government, and he overheard some information which made him think this was coming."
"And he didn't tell anybody? That's horrible. How could he do that? He could have prevented all this."
The inflection of her words and the high pitch in her voice definitely told the group that Sarah was angry, blaming John for the whole virus apocalypse.
Masako, her eyes narrowing on Sarah, jumped up and said "John did tell many people in the government. His government and others. They chose not to listen. John was, and is, a big hero. Without him, we would all be dead now."
Masako's voice had become squeaky and her eyes were glossy by the time she stopped speaking. She used her napkin to wipe her eyes.
Charles placed his hand on Masako's hand. "That's what some people would call a sequence error, Sarah. You placed your mouth in gear before switching on your brain. His last message was so blatant that the Chinese deciphered it and tried to put him in jail. Sent the police after him. He barely escaped, twice. He sent the information three times over more than a month. The US government chose not to release it, possibly because they had no confirmation, possibly because they thought it would cause a panic, possibly because they thought it wasn't as bad as he said, or possibly, it just all happened faster than the government can move."
"I buy the last one," said George. "So much red tape. Gettin' the government to do anything worthwhile is harder than pullin' your own teeth."
Charles looked at George and raised an eyebrow. "You didn't?"
"What? We lived out on the prairie."
Masako decided to continue the story. "Then, by the time we arrived here, it was too late and the only thing we could do was prepare. That's probably why the President is safe in a bunker eating steak tonight while we're eating grass from the back lawn. He used John's information and prepared, but he didn't tell anybody else." Masako shook her head before continuing. "John contacted all of us and told us what he knew. We trusted him enough to give up what we had, leave our loved ones and join him here."
Sarah sopped up the remainder of the sauce on her plate with her bread, started to put it into her mouth and then stopped, having an idea that might cinch her being voted into the group. Her voice this time was soft. "Sorry about what I said. I really am. This virus thing has me scared to death. You know, I'm not used to living on my own. Dad and Grandpa were always around, taking care of me. It hasn't been easy," she said using her napkin to wipe her eyes. She waited another minute and continued, softly. "How much time did you have to prepare? It must have been difficult."
George smiled. "Yes, it was a lot of work. But, now I wish we had worked even harder."
Tom continued, "We arrived here about two weeks before Panic Day. We had to start from nothing, except the lodge. We bought everything. Clothing, furniture, tools, cars, dishes, silverware, sheets, blankets, duct tape. Everything. John told Fred to make sure he bought enough duct tape and he bought a whole SUV full of it."
"Cleaned out the town. Told 'em my kid was doing some kind of school project, like that TV show where they made things from duct tape. Only one thing you can't do with duct tape -- tape your ducts."
"Not a problem," said Elspeth, finishing her glass of wine and looking around for a bottle that wasn't empty. "We don't have any ducts. You going to finish your wine, Marceau?"
"Oui. Of course," Marceau said, tightening her grip on her glass.
"How did you pay for it all? Must have cost a bunch," Sarah said "I was at home when my father and Grandpa became sick. I called the ambulance, but nobody came. They died quickly and I left. I didn't have any time to prep. Just grabbed what I could." She put her napkin back to her eyes.
"Surprisingly," Elspeth said, trying to lift the mood of the conversation, "The postman stopped delivering credit card bills over a month ago. John paid every bill we received. His hands are clean. Nobody has ever asked him for any more money."
"You guys used the system, didn't you." Sarah's face lit up with a smile that appeared to betray some hidden delight that the group had performed the perfect crime. "You knew you wouldn't have to pay for it. Sort of like shoplifting, but on a much bigger scale. I can respect that."
Tom's face lost it's smile. "No, it is not at all like shoplifting. We never violated any laws. They accepted the credit card as payment for all our purchases. Tens of thousands of dollars. And we paid all the bills they sent. John checked the internet daily to make sure they didn't want any more money. And they never did."
"Still, quite clever," Sarah said, looking even more delighted that they had managed to use the system so well to their advantage. "Do what you must to survive, right?"
Tom nodded, wondering about what was going through Sarah's head. Was she trustworthy or not? Was shooting John an accident or did she have a bigger hand in it than she said? She seemed to have a strange point of view, although that might not be uncommon in one of her age. Did she grow up fast because she had to or did she not grow up at all because she didn't have to? Part of her seemed old and wise and part, young and foolish.
"Earlier, you said you had more people than this."
With that question, the group threw glances at each other. Even Tom, who seemed to be especially drawn to Sarah, began to have doubts. She was asking way too many questions, he thought. As John frequently said, the best security is secrecy.
"Ah, yes," said Tom. "We had four leave us a few weeks ago. Difference of opinion. It was a sad time. Nobody liked it. A bit rough. A sticky wicket as my grandfather used to say. Tom looked around the group and stopped on Sarah. "Made me sad. Everybody else, too, I suppose. Right George?"
"Yes it was. By the way, we're thinkin' about going huntin' again tomorrow. Back where we found you. If we found one turkey, maybe we can find another. They tend to live in groups. You want in?"
"Sure, why not? I'm on vacation, no school to attend. I don't have anywhere else to go. I can handle another turkey dinner. And a bath might be nice, too." Her mind turned to the warm thoughts of her shower. Maybe someone had a bathtub.
"By the way, for the night, you can have the cabin where you showered. Iris, find her the key and show her the way. If you need anything else, let Iris know."
"Do any of the cabins have tubs. I could use a good soak."
"I don't think so, but Iris, see what you can do. I think I saw a horse trough, out in the barn."
After Iris and Sarah left, Charles called Tom and Elspeth aside.
"Tom, I'd like you to stand guard tonight. Outside of Sarah's cabin. I'm a little worried."
"Like in the old days, when we were doing a stakeout, eh?"
"Yes, Elspeth. You could take turns. I'll help, if you want."
"Certainly," Tom said. "She seems nice enough, but I know what you mean. She asked too many questions. And, of course, she had her hand on the bow when John was shot."
"My instincts tell me that Sarah isn't dangerous to the group, possibly those innocent brown eyes have fooled me but she did ask a lot of questions. And she was hard to figure out. Like a split personality, sometimes a girl, sometimes a woman. She could be a spy or she could try to raid our pantries. It's always a good bet to go with security rather than comfort."
"I was thinking the same thing," said Tom.
* * *
As Cho was preparing for bed that night, John woke up. Not surprisingly, his mind was on Sarah. Not only because it was her bow that shot him, but she was a young girl who had no family and no one to protect her. A teen who had to defend and care for herself. This world was indeed changing and, as he glanced at Cho climbing i
nto bed, he wasn't sure he subscribed to Cho's thinking that this new world was going to be better than the old, at least not for a long time.
"What do you think, Cho?"
"John awake. John OK? Need anything? More drugs. Cho have many."
"Not now. Maybe later. I do feel sore. What do you think about Sarah."
"Cho think she shoot John. Almost in heart. You say she shoot over top of turkey. Cho check target on cabin. Sarah shoot over top of target. Cho say Sarah try to kill John. Iris say she hold bow, but Sarah had hand on bow. Not sure about Sarah."
John was about to speak, but stopped and stared at Cho. "You normally have great intuition. You can read people like I read a book. Especially, young women. This is important. Can I trust her again or not?"
"John watch back around Sarah. Watch front, too," she said looking at the bandages on John's chest.
That was something John didn't want to hear. Not from Cho, who had a sixth sense about people. He didn't want one more thing or person to worry about. Especially one who barely missed killing him. But, what was that old saying? "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
"Cho talk to Charles. He put Tom, Elspeth and Charles on night watch. George want make one more hunting trip back to same area."
"He could drop her off or bring her back."
Cho thought for a moment and then slipped into bed saying, "Harry look at Sarah with googly eyes. He want keep her. Not drop off. Harry be upset if leave Sarah behind."
"Yeah." John sat up, winced in pain and then lay back down. "She's younger than she looks. I'd be surprised if she's over seventeen. And she's another mouth to feed, although those salads could help stretch our food supply. Allow people to go to bed with a full stomach. She could make a difference. Many revolutions were started by hungry people. You know what I mean? We'll see if she's a hunter. She may know the land out that way or at least she can say where she's been. Long term, we need more people, people with skills, but right now we need food even more."
The Weak Shall Die: Complete Collection (Four Volume Set) Page 40