Sgt. Major Floyd smiled. “How are you doing? Any injuries?”
Katrina sighed and then sat in the chair. “I’m fine. It’s just…” her voice trailed off as she looked to the wall and back to her father. “Does it get any easier? The fear and the worry?”
Her dad shook his head. “No. It doesn’t,” he said softly. “You just learn how to cope.” They looked at each other silently for a few moments and then Katrina rose to leave.
“Hey Dad,” she said pausing at the door. “Would you still be proud of me if I didn’t go on the missions with you?”
A light came into the Sgt. Major’s eyes, but he tactfully didn’t acknowledge it. “I’m always proud of you, no matter what.” She nodded and turned to leave. “And thank you sweetheart, for not listening to me.” Katrina smiled as she closed the door.
*
After breakfast the next morning, Rose and Leroy took dishwashing duty while Katrina left with the rest of her friends to go check on the dandelion kids. Cots were lined up in the housing community center and the kids mulled about the room anxiously.
Dreya laughed when she saw Becca pacing. “We couldn’t get you out of bed in the shelter. Why do you look so bored now?”
Becca sat down dramatically onto the cot. “I don’t know what to do with myself here.”
Katrina took a seat beside her. “What do you want to do?”’
“Find my family.” Becca looked around the room and some of the other kids nodded. “I mean find out if there is anyone left.”
Katrina looked to the floor as Dreya responded. “From what it looks like, the only survivors were those that had some sort of plan. A fall out shelter or were able to survive off the grid. Even some of those didn’t make it. The new government was rounding up survivors left and right.”
“We know this,” Becca sighed. “But isn’t the military fixing it?”
Dreya wrung her hands as she looked to the teens. “The Resistance, Katrina’s dad and all the other military members that tried to stop this global cleansing, have taken back most of the military bases here in North America. They’ve been pushing forward to save the surrounding areas from the government and help anyone who survived. It’s all tactical and slow moving. They are advancing though. But the communication sucks and is limited to radio. The odds of you safely finding whoever is left in your family aren’t really in your favor right now.”
She paused as she sat down on the other side of Becca. “Your safest bet is to wait this out and help to rebuild. Maybe in the future we can find some of our old connections.”
“What are we trying to build though?” Willow asked as she walked closer to the girls. “Another world run by the military. You think that’s a great idea?”
Katrina put her head in her hands. “Hi Willow. We missed you too.”
Mia glared at the girl. “Are we supposed to peacefully protest this government into leaving us alone? You know, the same government that wiped out the world’s population and killed our parents.”
Willow leaned against the wall. “That’s not what I mean. I’m asking if this government will be any better than the old one, or new one, or I guess any one of them.”
“I don’t know.” Dreya shrugged. “But it’s the best option we have.”
“Is it though?” Willow looked over to Laura.
“My family has 100 acres in Central California,” Laura said as she sat up from her cot. “You said we don’t have to stay here if we don’t want to, right? Well I’m going back to my land.” She looked at the kids around the room. “Anyone who wants to come is welcome to join me.”
“You don’t have to leave,” Dreya told the group. “We can find things for you to do here and you’ll be safe.”
Peter and Juan whispered to each other before standing up. “We will stay here,” Peter said to James. “We want to fight.” James nodded and a few of the other kids agreed to stay too.
Katrina turned to Ethan, waiting to see what he would decide, but he shifted his gaze to Willow. “Where she goes, I go.”
“I want to go,” she smiled at Ethan as she held his hand. “There is not enough room for us here and I don’t want to fight.”
Anna nodded. “It wouldn’t be right to stay here and ask for protection if we don’t agree with what is happening. I’m going to Laura’s.”
“Becca,” Dreya whispered, trying to conceal her heartache.
She already knows the answer, Katrina sighed to herself as she stood up and began to walk away.
“Where are you going?” Willow asked when Katrina pushed the bar against the heavy door.
“To get ropes to tie you up and keep you here like you tried to do to us.” Katrina turned back to see the embarrassed faces of some of the kids as they looked to their feet. “I’m just kidding,” she laughed. “I’ll go ask my dad if I can get you some vehicles. That’s a long way to walk from here.”
Chapter 11
The next week, Dreya stood beside Katrina as they waved goodbye to the dandelions that didn’t want to stay with the Resistance.
“Think they’ll be okay?” Mia asked as she put her arm around her sister.
“I sure hope so.” Dreya dropped her hand.
“Becca will be there. She will take care of them,” Katrina said to the girls.
“I don’t understand why she went with them.” Mia watched the vehicles leave the base before she followed her sister into the community room. “I thought she’d stay and fight.”
Dreya began to fold up the cots. “Why do you think she left?” She paused to smile at her little sister. “Becca didn’t have a choice. They formed bonds during their time in the shelter just like we formed bonds when we ran. When you don’t have anyone else, well those bonds become as strong as family. They need each other and she never would have left them.”
Mia sighed as she threw pillows into the laundry cart. “People are so weird.”
We sure are, Katrina thought as she looked out the open door at the empty street.
*
“Can we walk to dinner together?” Katrina stood at the foot of the bench press as James finished his last set and put the bar back on the mount.
Sweat streaked his face and glistened across his chest. His shorts clung to his body as he sat up. Katrina forced herself to stare only at his eyes which shined with a playful adrenaline induced spark. The hair on her arms raised in excitement but she kept her voice calm. Down girl, she told herself. Spies are everywhere.
“Sure. Let me go rinse off first.” He grabbed her hand as he pulled himself to his feet. Katrina waited for him outside so that the cooling autumn desert breeze would extinguish the heat in her face.
James came out in sweatpants and a black hoodie. He put his arm around her and dramatically checked every direction before leaning down to give her a quick kiss. “You haven’t been at training lately,” he said as they began the long hike up the hill to the cafeteria. “If you are going to be a fighter, I want to feel like you are at least prepared.”
“About that.” Katrina looked up at him. “I’m not sure if I want to go on the missions anymore.”
A smile spread across his face, but he quickly bit his lip and lowered his eyes when he saw her watching. Katrina stopped walking and stared at him.
“What?” he asked trying to contain his grin.
She shook her head. “Nothing. I mean you could at least pretend you aren’t happy.”
“Okay,” James coughed as he lowered his voice to a more serious tone. “Why don’t you want to go on the missions anymore?”
“It was hard.” Katrina started walking again.
“For a tough girl like you?” James caught up to her.
“Not the work.” Katrina rolled her eyes. “I mean yeah that was hard, but that’s not it. It was hard to make a decision between the two of you. I didn’t even make a real decision, I guess. When I found out it was a trap, I ran straight to my dad to warn him. I think it was because he was closer. But what if thin
gs had been different? What if you had been hurt and I didn’t get there first?”
James wrapped Katrina’s hand in his own. “You know you did exactly what you were supposed to do.”
“I know,” Katrina sighed as she walked faster up the hill. “It’s just that I never want to be in a situation where I could have saved you and I didn’t, again. I worry too much about you and my dad. It’s just hard. I guess this is what you were trying to say to me, wasn’t it?”
James smiled at her. “It is. But you have a thick skull, so I guess you had to see it for yourself. I’m glad you made this choice. Now I don’t have to worry about you as much.” Katrina squeezed his hand. “What are you going to do now?” he asked.
Katrina shrugged as she held the door to the cafeteria open for him. “I guess I’ll have to learn to bake cookies.”
*
Fifteen kids from the kindergarten through second grade classes sat in a circle as Dreya read a book about a red hen. Katrina washed out the paint supplies in the back sink. She’d been suckered into helping Dreya fill in for Mrs. Hyatt who was out sick for the day.
Maybe I should rethink the not fighting thing, Katrina thought as she rinsed the paint from the handles of the brushes. It had taken thirty minutes to get the children cleaned up after the painting lesson. Dreya called it fun, but it was not fun. Fifteen kids under 8 and two tubs of paint. Live fire was less scary than that, she laughed to herself.
She finished wiping down the tables and hung the rags just as Dreya closed the book. The kids sang a goodbye song and the door opened. The parents were lining up to collect their children.
A little boy with shaggy brown hair walked up and hugged Katrina. “I love you Ms. Floyd,” he whispered. “Thank you for helping me with my picture.”
Katrina pat the boy’s head as she turned to glare at Dreya. “It’s touching me,” she mouthed to her laughing friend. “Why is it touching me? Isn’t that against the rules?”
Dreya smiled as she dropped to the floor to embrace the group of giggling girls who ran over to hug her. “That’s the best part of the apocalypse. We get to make new rules now.”
*
After the children left for the day, Katrina and Dreya walked to the administration building. Classes were being held for the troops inside the main auditorium. Mia was able to participate in those and Dreya was eager to hear about her sister’s day.
“I’m so glad she has something other to do than complain about her ankle,” Dreya joked as they waited outside the door.
“How was it?” Katrina asked once the military members had filed out of the room, leaving Mia to hobble out alone. She didn’t need the crutch anymore, but it still hurt her to put the full weight on the foot.
“Awful,” Mia groaned. “Death by PowerPoint.” Dreya smacked her hand into her face and Katrina laughed. Mia raised an eyebrow as she looked at the girls. “Plus, they are leaving again soon, and I still don’t get to go.”
Katrina watched Jayden and James walk over to them from across the room. “You’re leaving again?” she asked.
“We just found out,” Jayden said as he wrapped his arms around Dreya and kissed her deeply.
“Gross.” Mia looked away.
Katrina smiled, but she was secretly jealous how they could kiss in the open like that. James brushed his hand across her hand, bringing her back to the moment, and she was grateful for the touch.
“When do you go?” she asked him as they started walking down the hall.
“They didn’t give us an exact date, but soon.”
Katrina nodded. “Where? Did they say?”
Mia hopped over to join them, leaving her sister and Jayden behind. “Washington state,” she piped in. “There is a Navy base there facing pressure from some of the guards. I guess a ship is pulling in too. The USS Ronald Reagan. They need more man power to push back the guards and bring the ship home.”
Katrina’s jaw dropped as the girl spoke. “I have to go,” she yelled as she began to jog away.
“What’s wrong?” James called after her.
“That’s Catherine’s ship,” Katrina turned around laughing. “Cpl. Boulder is going to get his wife back!”
Chapter 12
Katrina burst into her father’s office, startling the men. She looked around quickly until she spotted Cpl. Boulder and made a beeline to him.
“I just heard,” she screeched as she threw her arms around him and jumped up and down.
Boulder pushed her head back gently with one hand and held her out at arm’s length. “I think that Dreya girl is rubbing off on you,” he said roughly but there was laughter in his eyes.
Katrina spun around to face her father. “When does it dock? When do you go?”
“Hi Dad. Nice to see you,” Sgt. Major Floyd said without raising his eyes from the report he was holding.
“Hi Dad. When do you leave?”
“Word sure does spread fast around here.” The Sgt. Major finally glanced at his daughter.
She looked around and noticed the other people in the room. “I’m sorry Sgt. Major,” she said in a much calmer voice. “I just know the families would like to be prepared if that doesn’t jeopardize mission security.”
Her dad returned her playful smile. “That’s one thing we don’t have to worry about as much since we don’t have internet or phones. We leave in two days. The tanks are coming on this mission and most of the helicopters. Plan for a month, hopefully we will be back sooner.”
Katrina’s heart dropped as she nodded her head. A month isn’t that bad, she thought. It could always be longer. She turned to go. “Thank you for the information Sgt. Major. The families will be happy to have it.”
*
The waiting to go is the worst part. Knowing what is coming, like the gears of a turning clock, and being powerless to stop it.
Jayden and James set up a picnic lunch the next day for the girls while Mia sulked in her room. They climbed the hill behind the administration building.
“Where he can still see us,” James grumbled.
Then they laid a blanket out on top. James pulled sandwiches and granola bars from his backpack. Jayden provided a bottle of grape juice. They toasted with paper cups.
“Well this is fancy,” Katrina laughed.
Dreya’s eyes were puffy and she teared up every time she tried to talk. Jayden coaxed her into eating half a sandwich and then she laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m trying to be happy. I really am,” Dreya sniffled. “A month just seems like such a long time.” She began to cry and laugh simultaneously.
Katrina’s heart broke for her friend, but she refused to let herself feel the sadness. After James goes, she thought. I’ll let myself feel it then.
“Look.” James pointed at the sky past the sun. In the distance, a lone black shape of a bird flew across the white clouds sitting heavy on the mountains.
“I can barely make out what it is.” Katrina squinted. “How did you notice that?”
“I’ve been looking for them for you.” James smiled at her.
“Is that a crow?” Dreya teared up again. “Isn’t that a bad omen?”
“Nope.” Jayden smoothed down her hair. “It means hope.”
*
The blinds were open in her dad’s office as they made their way back down the hill. This is getting annoying, she thought. A little over a-
“Hey,” she said aloud and grabbed James’ hand as they walked across the dirt field. “You guys will be back just in time for my birthday.”
James laughed as Katrina started to skip. “I can’t wait until we are official.” He used his fingers to make quotation signs in the air.
“Are you going to ask me out again?” Katrina winked.
“Did I ask you out the first time?”
She scrunched her face. “I don’t remember if you did or not.”
“Me either.” He smiled. “But I’ll do it right the second time.” The sun was almost set, and the streetlamps were glow
ing.
“You guys go ahead,” Jayden told them. His arms were wrapped around Dreya. “We are going to walk a while longer.” Katrina looked to her friend with a knowing smile as she and James crossed the parking lot.
Before they reached the steps leading to the entrance, James pulled Katrina to the side of the building. She gasped as he picked her up and pushed her back against the brick wall. He kissed her jaw. She wrapped her legs tightly around his hips, pulling him to her.
A low groan came from James’ throat as he leaned in. She was pinned against his chest and the rough wall. Her breath quickened as he slid his arms down to cup her bottom, holding her closer against him.
“Are you going to miss me?” he whispered in her ear.
Katrina bit her lip as she nodded her head. “More than you know.”
James traced a trail of delicate kisses along her neck and up to her lips. He paused there to stare into her eyes. His eyes reflected that beautiful clear blue and she couldn’t take the distance any longer. Katrina squeezed her legs and wrapped her arms around his back to bring herself closer to his face. She forced his lips open with hers and drank in his breath before kissing him hard, almost desperately.
“Probably should take her inside now,” Cpl. Boulder coughed as he exited the building and walked down the cement steps.
“Yes, Corporal,” James sighed.
“Seriously?” Katrina screamed in frustration. “Why do you have to be such a kill joy? You get to go find your wife tomorrow and you’ll be able to do whatever you want. Can’t we just have this one freaking moment?”
Cpl. Boulder smiled. “I’m an adult though, and my dad isn’t the Sgt. Major. Now get inside before he starts to worry.”
Katrina stormed up the steps and threw open the heavy door. “Why is it that I am the only one who still has to follow the rules during the apocalypse?” she said through clenched teeth.
*
The next morning was colder than it had been since they arrived. Katrina stood shivering next to Dreya in the parking lot as she watched the troops load their gear into buses. The helicopters would soon leave from the tarmac and the convoy of military vehicles would go when the sun came up.
Project Dandelion: Resistance Page 5