“So, my pretty wife. How're you holding up? Enjoying the “vacation”?
“Not exactly Paris,” her voice though soft held it's usual sarcasm.
“No,” he said, “but we're alive and we aren't sick.”
Her palm reached up to his sun weathered face. “I'm fine, Will. Might even learn to love this pioneer life.”
He captured her hand and kissed it.
“Do you think we can make it to the coast? I mean, really make it there,” she said.
“I won't lie to you, Maggie. It's still six hundred miles or more to the Texas coast. At least to the area I thought we might go to. Not only do I have no clue what we're going to face on the way, I have no idea what the conditions will be like on the coast.”
Maggie said, “Guess we'll just keep moving and take it as it comes.” A large tumbleweed rolled past them, the wind had obviously increased. First time in days there had been any wind at all. As a matter of fact, she had refrained from bitching about how warm the days had grown, magnified by the reflection from the slow moving water.
“Could be a storm coming,” said Will.
Through the night, the wind seemed to steadily grow stronger, sometimes slight and sometimes gusting hard. Even though thick clouds filled the sky, when light came they packed up their supplies and launched. The serene flow of the previous days was replaced by choppy swells. The wind came straight into their faces, blew stiff from the south, caused the flat bottom vessels to bump from one foamy wave to the next. Maggie's tension returned but she wasn't the only one who held on tight as the boats pushed along against the battering wind.
Lightening slashed through the distant dark clouds and the rain that started as just light was coming down in pelting sheets now. Shortly after noon Will pulled hard towards the shore. In both boats everyone paddled with whatever they had. The shallow floats filled up quick, soaked everybody and everything. Maggie looked at the water around her ankles, yelled over the roar of the storm, “Will!”
“It's okay, just get a pan...something...start bailing. I'll get us to the shore as quick as I can.”
After several minutes of struggle the boat banged up against the rocky shoreline. Will jumped out, found a low bush to tie the rope. Cynthia pushed Maggie forward and Will pulled her out of the boat. They both tugged on the rope, attempted to get the boat further up, out of the rampant flow. As the second boat hit the shore, Tom jumped out and pulled Airi to land. The boat rocked wildly, Tanner climbed out and helped his dad tug on the boat. A broken scream pierced the air, Cynthia had slipped while trying to help push their boat in and the now the raging river swept her away.
Tom was instantly in the water. The water's edge that was normally shallow, boiled and he was under for seconds, bobbed back up and fought towards Cynthia's up-stretched hand. Helplessly carried on the torrent neither could get their footing. Will and the other three had managed to pull the boats far enough up to stay put, he quickly untied the ropes from both, tied one end around his waist and ran along the shore.
“Tom! Tom!” he shouted, “the rope...grab the rope, Tom!” Tom hadn't been able to grab the reaching hand but had a vise grip on the neck of Cynthia's shirt and she had both arms over her head, hanging on to his arm. He reached and twice missed the rope that squirmed in the waves. Then the feet of Cynthia came up against a large rock for just long enough to give her rescuer a second to grasp the rope. Will began to back up and Tanner ran up and grabbed onto the rope.
Finally, the two were on the land. Tom splayed out on his back, his hand still grasped the rope with Cynthia awkwardly across his stomach. Will sat on the ground behind them. The downpour still pounded them all. Will shouted back to Maggie and Airi, “We've got 'em.”
Tanner bent to his father, “Okay?” he said.
“Yeah,” he said. He breathlessly lifted his head a bit, “Cynthia?”
The tall woman still rested on his stomach, she turned her face towards him. In a gurgling voice, she said, “We...are...even.” She pushed herself up to hands and knees. Tom laughed and she did too. A flash of lightening streaked nearby and deep thunder cracked.
Will stood, shouted above the deafening storm, “We've got to see if we can make some shelter. This weather isn't backing off.” He reached down for Cynthia and Tanner gave his dad a hand up.
They were mostly in the wide open, no real trees other than the consistent scrub. They dragged the two boats as far away as they could manage from the river, fearing the continued rise of the flooding waterway. On ground that was a bit higher, against a stand of trees they leaned the boats up in a wide vee, used the paddles as support. An old worn tarp from Tanner's gear flapped across the two boats, the rope once again found a purpose.
Everything they owned was soaked, as was everything they wore. There was nothing to do but try to ride out this enduring storm. The water gushed away in rivulets from their shelter, but there would be not one dry thing for a fire. They insisted that Tom and Cynthia stretch out under the one boat. Most likely, the near drowned woman's ankle was badly sprained from the collision with the rock. Tanner and Airi huddled in one corner of the second boat, with Will and Maggie in the other end. Maggie had dug through their meds and found some aspirin for Cynthia. The fortunate thing about fear and a crisis, it totally exhausts a person, they all just slept.
Well before light, Tom whispered, “Will,” he shook the man's shoulder, “Hey, it's stopped finally. Maybe we could scrounge up something for a fire.”
Will slipped Maggie's head down on a soggy pack and moved from under the lean-to. He felt like his back would break if he stood up, but he slowly straightened. “Boy, that was some storm, huh?”
“A real som-bitch,” said Tom.
A sliver of a moon now hung in the ebony sky. Both women slept. As the eyes of the men adjusted they could see that Airi and Tanner were pretty much wrapped up together and slept like babies. Our babies, thought Will, a bit surprised at his sentimentality. “We won't be taking any chances like that again, on the river. I feel bad that I didn't bring us in sooner.”
Tom just patted him on the back, “I'm starved. Got any brilliant ideas how we can build a fire? Let's dig around here close and see what we can come up with.”
They both took out their flashlights, moved around the area not too far from the shelters. Even though the dry sands drained moisture away quickly things were still muddy and every piece of burnable material they found was wet. The light was faintly streaking the horizon when Will said, “Look, these blasted old tumbleweeds. They're caught up in every bush around here.”
It was full daylight and the two men were scratched and poked from the prickly weeds, but the fired blazed hot. Even the damp deadwood and green limbs would eventually burn and this campfire was kept going for several days.
Cynthia was the first of the sleepers to rouse. She very gingerly removed her boot and wet sock to reveal a swollen and colorfully bruised joint. “Cheez-us,” she said, her breath wheezed out between clinched teeth.
Tom walked up, saw her purple and blue foot, bent and touched it, made her flinch. “Sorry...” he said, “think it's broken?”
“Don't think so, just badly sprained. Hurts like Hades, though.”
Maggie joined them, pushed hair from across her face. Nothing was left of her usual ponytail but rooster looking sprigs, “Oo-oh crap, that looks bad. Let me find some more meds, gotta be killing you. We're going to need to wrap it somehow, you won't be wearing that boot for a while.” She turned and saw her daughter and Tanner awake.
Airi rather self consciously untangled herself from Tanner's arm. They both quickly emerged from the corner of the boat shelter. Tanner sent her a smile and moved away to where his father and Will stood, near the river. Airi lifted her still damp blouse away from her body, looked at the campfire, “How in the world did the guys find a dry piece of anything for that fire?” She took one look at Cynthia's ankle and said, “I'll see if I can get some coffee going.”
Maggie hu
rriedly gathered her hair back up in the ponytail and bent to get some first aid supplies. Airi stepped up beside her, reached for the pack with cooking gear. “Boy, that ankle looks rough, hope it's not broken. I'll make coffee, see if we have something for breakfast.”
Mother just looked at daughter and smiled sweetly, “Get any sleep, honey?”
“Sleep?...oh, sure...yes, I slept just fine. That was quite an event, I was exhausted.” As her mother's laughter followed, she hefted the big pack and moved to the fire.
They all gathered at the fire, Cynthia hopped over with the support of Tom. Maggie had wrapped her ankle and foot, found a dry sock to cover it with. Everyone of them with muddy and far from dry bodies and clothes. Some oatmeal put something in their stomachs and they all held a cup of hot, but weak coffee.
Tom said, “Well, it could've been worse.” He and Cynthia exchanged a glance, they both knew that was a fact.
“Yes,” said Will. He looked towards the river that viciously chewed away at it's normal banks and tumbled south. “The river is going to have to settle a lot before we can navigate it again. And, we can't take off walking. Cynthia is going to need some time for that ankle to heal.”
Maggie said, “Everything we have is wet. We need to dry out things. Thank goodness, we all keep some things in plastic bags, like fire starters. You're right, Cynthia has to stay off that foot for a few days.” She looked out at the river, “Going to take me a bit to work up my courage to get back out there.”
“Think we agree, just need to settle in here for a while and re-group,” said Will.
That's exactly what they did. It would be nearly two weeks after the big storm until they were on the river and moving again. Not a lot of shelter in their resting place but they managed to rearrange the boats and tarp and at least have a place to sleep for them all or take some shade in the hottest part of the days. The dry climate had most of their sparse clothing and supplies dried out in less than a day. However, the river took several days to calm down into a more normal flow. It finally dropped lower in the washed away banks, only an occasional piece of debris or dead animal floated by.
Cynthia's ankle improved slowly. The rock had jammed her joint hard and actually her whole leg remained sore for many days. She stubbornly hobbled around the campsite and insisted on helping. The river provided a good amount of fish and small game populated the area.
Will and Tom walked back across the dry ground, a rabbit and one bird in a bag from their hunt. They had all settled into a fairly pleasant routine. “You know, I think those kids of ours are a bit stuck on each other,” said Will.
“I think you're right. Got any objections?”
“Me?...no, I think it's fine. Tanner's a good man. You know I love Airi like my own. She deserves to be happy.”
“Well, I had to just do my best after we lost Tanner's mother. Got to be honest. My job wasn't real good for a marriage, she and I weren't always on the best of terms. Didn't realize until she was gone what a good job she did with our son and how much I counted on her,” said Tom.
“I forgot...she came to Far View with you?”
“Yes, she and Tanner were on the family list to be re-located. I didn't even know that she was ill, cancer. She only lived about another year, Tanner was twelve.”
Will thought Tom seemed to want a change in conversation. “I've had a lot of time to think this last week or so. Looks as if we're about ready to get on the move again. But, I'm pretty concerned.”
“About?”
“I realize we're out in what was always some sparsely populated country. Other than those old timers in Santa Fe, we've not crossed paths with any people, good or bad. I really expected to find at least some signs of restoration. Humans always survive, there has to be some pockets of rebuilding somewhere in this country.”
Tom said, “No doubt, the government built the sanctuaries as far as possible from the big cities. Can you imagine, friend? Think about DC. All those thousands of people, just going about their everyday hustle and bustle. Back and forth to work, stop at the fast food for breakfast, dine out for dinner. When everything came to a sudden stop, no transportation, no utilities...I promise you, most didn't have two cans of beans on their shelf. In just a few days, everything they were accustomed to, gone, not there. Desperation, hunger, panic would've ruled.”
Will hadn't really thought about the fate of the outside world for years. The truth was, he still had the work he enjoyed and he had Maggie. The reality of the dystopian existence away from the sanctuary was something he purposefully let fade away. “That's true. No Burger Shacks or Waffle Houses. No cell phones. Wouldn't have taken long for society to crumble, would it? The strongest and meanest would survive,” he said.
The two men walked a few more feet, Tom stopped and placed a hand on Will's shoulder. “Good God, I loved those burgers and fries. Probably would've been the death of me but if I had one in front of me right now....” he shook away the memory. “I haven't completely given up, sometimes the smart survive. Those that have some good ole American ingenuity, have some determination. They're out there, Will. I just know it.”
They walked again, “I sure hope so. For the sake of Airi and Tanner, if not for us,” said Will.
***
Once again, Maggie tied the old life jacket around her and pushed down the nervous churns of her stomach. She stepped into the boat and Cynthia, fearless, plopped down beside her. The woman walked quite well now, wore her boots again, declared that she was good. It was purely aggravating, she was uncomplaining and tough as a stringy steak. That sickening rock of the boat doesn't bother her one flippin' little bit, either thought Maggie. Will looked back and gave her a wink, which she replied to with a wrinkle of her nose and sticking out her tongue.
The river, wide and still higher than usual moved the two boats along. In some areas the trees along the banks leaned into the water or showed naked roots where the rushing river robbed them of their soil. They passed what looked like new fingers of water that reached out across the desert type landscape. The summer heat would soon suck those branches dry and right back into the river but for now rare flowers and green grasses lined the edges. They took no chances, when the jumping waters were spotted ahead, dancing a jig over the rocks, they went to shore. At least once a day, sometimes two or three times, they dragged the loaded flat bottom boats as much as half a mile. Not launching again until the rapids were behind them.
It was the end of a very tiring day, Will spread out his faded map. Among the things that he kept in plastic bags, the map was always one, so it survived the soaking of the big storm. He traced his finger along the river, “I think we'll soon be near Carlsbad. Before the town I see two reservoirs on the river, that means dams. One on the river as it goes through Carlsbad. Of course, we can move across the lakes fine but will have to circumvent the dams. I want to know what you all think.”
“We've been dragging the boats a lot,” said Airi.
“I know we have, here's the thing. Once we get past Carlsbad the river will take us to this large lake on the Texas and New Mexico border. I don't know how the river will be beyond that reservoir. It may be walking from then on,” said Will.
Cynthia said, “One thing we know is that the boats have been a huge asset. Even if we give them up, doesn't mean that we can't possibly find more. The waterways seem to be a good way to travel.”
“I agree. I'm no fan of the river but we wouldn't be this far without the boats. The water makes me a nervous wreck, the walking would've been so much harder on us all. I vote that we stay with the damned old boats as long as we can,” said Maggie.
They were decided. Soon they glided across the lakes and pushed, pulled and dragged the boats around the areas of the dams. Four days later, they camped south of Carlsbad. Cynthia sat with her legs pulled up and rested her head on her arms across her knees, “Lor-dee, I think the training for the FBI was easier than these last days. Bet I lost five pounds just today.”
Maggi
e sipped water that they had taken from the river the day before, boiled and strained through a cloth. The jug hung on the side of the boat, dangled in the cool river all day. It actually tasted pretty good. A fleeting thought crossed her mind of how much she used to enjoy a cool glass of pinot grigio wine. She felt just plain beat to hell, ached in places she didn't even know had muscles and her hands were blistered. “Oh, not old Mags. Couldn't lose five pounds if you cut off one arm.” Her usual jeans felt pretty loose though. No worry, they could never get past these generous hips.
Tanner and Airi walked along the edge of the river. When they were away from the campsite, shadowed in the dusk, he bent and gave her a long kiss. It wasn't that they were ashamed or kidded themselves that no-one noticed their mutual attraction. This just didn't seem like the time to be thinking of themselves. Tanner thought it was important to keep focused on the survival of them all, Airi respected him for it.
Airi's ebony hair had grown to just above her shoulders, even freed from the sun hat that she wore everyday, it never seemed ruffled. Tanner touched the silky smooth softness of it. She said, “What do you think will be in Texas?”
“I don't have a clue. Wouldn't it be exciting to find a town, a city?” he said wistfully. “Did you watch the old movies, in the community room at the sanctuary? The cities, the towns, all of the people and stores and restaurants and cars...cars everywhere. I could hardly pay any attention to the stories for watching the life in the cities,” he laughed.
“Actually, I didn't watch the movies very much. Once Will accepted that I was going to work with him, I spent a lot of time helping him. I do have some memories of life with my grandparents in Washington, before the disaster,” she said. “It would be exciting, wouldn't it?” was nearly a whisper.
The Days After (Far View) Page 7