Brushfire Plague: Reckoning

by R. P. Ruggiero

  A large man who Cooper didn’t know raised and then threw his arms down in dismissal, “C’mon, Frank. That’s a bunch of hogwash. The government wanted to kill Osama bin Laden. You sayin’ that means it was a bad idea?”

  “The military wanted and got bin Laden, not the government. Why are you changing subjects, anyway,” Frank shot back, undeterred.

  That brought the house down in another furious and chaotic round of shouting, insults, recriminations, and near fistfights. Cooper wanted to drop off of the hood of the pickup. He really wanted to drop off the edge of the world. Why the hell did I tell the world what I learned? What good has come of it?

  The rapping of a wooden cane against a metal car body roused him from his thoughts. He knew before looking that Lily Stott was going to make a speech.

  “Listen here,” the group quickly fell silent. “You listenin’?” Lily’s playful question, delivered coyly, caused a ripple of laughter.

  She made a deliberately pained effort to climb onto the hood of a Buick sedan parked in the yard. People next to her reached out to help her, but she rebuffed them. Her progress was painstakingly slow as she crawled onto the hood, before slowly standing awkwardly upon it. Talk about garnering sympathy, Cooper thought and almost started laughing.

  “First, you know what I said about Cooper already. I won’t repeat it. Second, you got it all wrong.” She drew out the word ‘all’ in an elongated Southern drawl. “This ain’t about Cooper. It’s about us.” She paused and took a deep breath. Cooper suspected on purpose.

  “What do you mean?” Someone asked.

  “We need to be honest with ourselves. You all been living under a King. Hodges has been doing what he wants and how he wants since this whole thing started, right?”

  A strong murmur of assent was her response. “And, it’s kept getting worse. And, harder. Until, a few days ago, his son felt such disdain for us that he come and took one of our women. And, ain’t she dead now?” Lily surveyed the group, taking time to look everyone in the eye.

  “Then, what happened? When confronted, Junior shoots down, in cold blood, that woman’s husband.” Cooper felt the crowd shift underneath his feet. She has them now.

  “But, get to the point,” Rusty called impatiently.

  She gave him a long, hard stare before continuing. “Yes, Hodges has agreed to our deal. But, just like the shining moon on a lake’s surface doesn’t tell you what’s in that lake, you gotta look deeper. His demand for Cooper is really about him reestablishing his power over us all. You’ve broken free. That is what this is really about. Are you ready to give him that power back? Are you ready to go back to where Hodges’ son or his men feel like they can take what they want? No, take who they want? When they want?”

  The group was stunned. The silence, complete.

  Then, Miles’ voice cut through, quiet, somber, and strong, “No. I’m not.” The effect was like an avalanche of rocks coming down a mountain as one “No” after another came roiling up from hearty throats.

  “I guess it’s revolution,” Frank said with a grin plastered across his face.

  “I want a vote,” Rusty challenged. When he saw the number of angry looks his words invoked, he hastily added, “If we’re going to war, we should vote it. That’s all I’m saying.”

  Frank started to shout him down, but Miles stomped his foot on the hood to stop it. “Rusty’s right. Let’s vote.”

  “All in favor of standing up to Hodges and keeping our freedom, say ‘Aye’,” Cooper never thought the word “Aye” would make him feel so good, as the word washed over him now, shouted out in a full-throated roar.

  “All in favor of bowing down again to Hodges, say ‘No’.” Miles’ face beamed and his words were sure as he said them. Cooper was surprised when Rusty and a handful of others were brave enough to say “No.”

  “Alright, it’s decided. I will convey our answer to Hodges.” Cooper almost didn’t recognize the man who was standing next to him. He was smiling from ear to ear and it seemed like he was a foot taller. My father once told him that circumstances could elevate an ordinary man to do extraordinary things. I guess they just did.

  “And, he certainly comes from solid stock,” Cooper muttered without realizing it.

  Miles leaned in, “What’d you say?”

  “Nothing, Miles. Nothing at all,” he said as he clapped him on the back and jumped down.

  Cooper was greeted by introductions and handshakes and was forced to wade through the crowd. Before he knew it, he was looming over Lily.

  “You have a way with words, Ms. Stott,” he said.

  “I’m just like you, Cooper. Just tell the damned truth and the rest takes care of itself.”

  “Well said,” he responded, before pulling her into a warm embrace. It finally hit him. This group of strangers had stood by him. While he worried about what was to come with Hodges, he was overcome with relief that he wasn’t going to have to flee into the unknown, with Jake in tow. It struck him how different this felt than the night his neighbors in Portland had turned against him. Tears stung his eyes as he whispered, “Thank you,” over and over into Lily’s ear. She patted him on the back to soothe him.

  **********

  A while later, he found Dranko waiting for him by the Jeep. He wasn’t one for crowds, so Cooper suspected he’d been waiting since the meeting ended.

  “What happened to your big speech?” Cooper jested.

  “Did you need it?” Dranko’s response was flat.

  “No, I guess not,” he responded, his attack deflated.

  “Unlike you, brother, I learned a valuable lesson a long time ago.”

  Cooper bit, “Yeah, what’s that?”

  “It’s as important to know when to shut the hell up as it is when to talk,” Dranko said, satisfied.

  Cooper pantomimed turning a key and locking his lips shut in dramatic fashion. Dranko grinned and then they both got into the Jeep, with Jake climbing into the backseat.

  Cooper dozed off as Dranko drove them back to the cabin. The day’s events had caught up to him. A day’s worth of stress and adrenaline made him crash immediately, until the screech of the emergency brake startled him awake. Like him, Jake had fallen asleep, but he slept the child’s deep slumber and did not wake when the Jeep stopped. He opened the back door and scooped his son into his arms. A contented feeling struck him to his core. This mere act reconnected him back to when Jake had been allowed to be a child. It was only a few weeks ago, but the absence of it felt like it had been years. He stopped himself, closed his eyes, and breathed it in.

  Dranko opened the door to the cabin for him and whispered to him as he passed, “I’ll take care of our weapons.”

  Cooper nodded and carried Jake to his bed, laying him into it gently. His son breathed peacefully, a slight grin on his face. Cooper watched him sleep for a few minutes, enjoying every second. He looked up. Elena, this is when I miss you the most. I need your help keeping our boy a boy. Cooper suspected his plea was futile, that it was far too late for that, but he knew he had to make it.

  He found his own bed and was asleep very quickly.

  Chapter Eleven

  Over a dull breakfast of plain oatmeal and dehydrated apples, Cooper and Dranko informed everyone else on what had happened. It took a while to get through everything, as there were a lot of questions. When they had finished, the table fell silent.

  Suddenly, Calvin struck his hand to his forehead with a loud smack, “Oh my!”

  “What?” They collectively asked.

  “The decision you all made last night is going to leak back to Hodges. Do you think he is going to wait for the forty-eight hours for Miles to come and formally tell him the answer?”

  Cooper and Dranko looked at each other in stunned silence. Dranko’s mouth drifted agape.

  “What?” Julianne broke the quiet.

  Cooper shook his head to clear it, “I can’t believe we hadn’t thought of that. Calvin’s right, that’s the question.�
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  Dranko chuckled in disbelief, “I’m still in shock here. I’m the king of paranoid thinking. How’d I miss that?”

  “The only question that matters now is, what will Hodges do?” Buck joined the conversation.

  Cooper rubbed his chin and thought, “He could come for me now.”

  “Or, it could be more about what Lily said and he’ll crush his insolent subjects as part of it,” Dranko added.

  “Or, he might just wait ‘til tomorrow. He might need the time to regroup after his losses,” Angela said, thinking aloud.

  “Could be any of the three,” Julianne summarized.

  “I’m not sure we have much choice but to sit and wait,” Dranko intoned.

  “What makes you say that?” Calvin asked.

  “We need these two days to get seeds in the ground. Otherwise, it won’t matter because we’ll be starving come the winter.”

  His words sobered the group instantly.

  “We should at least get word to Miles and then keep our weapons handy here while we are working,” Cooper declared.

  The others nodded.

  “We need to save our fuel,” Dranko said.

  “I will take the motorcycle over to the Stott’s. It won’t take much time,” Cooper offered.

  Dranko nodded and then launched into giving directions to everyone on what tasks had to be completed over the next two days, to get crops planted and expand their food supply. When he had finished, Angela patted him on the shoulder.

  “Can I just say again, how lucky we are that you stored seeds! I mean, who thinks about that?”

  “People like me,” he deadpanned, but Cooper saw the trace of a smile that he was trying to hide creep onto the corner of his mouth.

  Cooper decided to exploit the moment, “Let’s give Dranko a round of applause for saving our asses, now and tomorrow!” The room broke into hearty applause and Dranko lost his fight. A wide smile lit up his face for several moments before he managed to bring it back under control. He waved his arms to quiet them, which had the effect of making them redouble their efforts. Cooper stood and the others followed. Dranko turned red-faced at the ovation and hustled himself out of the room as quickly as he could.

  When the front door had shut, the group looked at one another, smiling.

  “Mission accomplished!” Cooper shouted and then everyone started laughing again. I embarrassed him and thanked him for his wise sacrifices and preparation. A self-satisfied smile lit up his face.

  **********

  The high whine of the motorcycle’s engine pierced the otherwise peaceful forest walls as Cooper sped toward Miles’ place. Cooper was paying close attention to operating the bike, as he was not an expert. He enjoyed the thrill of riding in the crisp early morning air, as the wind buffeted past him. He had to fight the temptation to push his speed past what he could safely handle.

  When he arrived at Miles’ house, he found him sitting alone outside. He barely looked up as Cooper drove the bike up to the house. He looked like he hadn’t slept all night.

  Cooper dismounted, “What’s wrong?”

  He looked up, haggard, “Bethany’s gone. She took my kids, too.”

  Cooper’s stomach dropped to the ground. No question that Hodges knows our plan.

  “I’m sorry, man.”

  He shook his head, his lips tight, “It ain’t about me. She ain’t loved me in quite a while. I know that.” Miles paused, gazing intently at the ground. “It means something worse than all that.

  “What do you mean,” Cooper asked.

  “That woman is a survivor. War is coming. She went to the side she thinks is going to win.”

  Cooper chuckled, “We’ll have to see about that. I guess the news I came over here to tell you isn’t news anymore.”

  “What was that?”

  “Calvin realized that the decision made last night was going to leak to Hodges well before tomorrow.”

  Miles nodded slowly, “Yeah, I figured that out as soon as Bethany flew the coop. I’m not sure it matters all that much.”

  “How so?”

  “Hodges is a methodical man. He won’t do anything crazy until our meeting. The reason for that is he’s also a bit arrogant. He’s most likely to think we are going to get cold feet or that he can talk me into giving you up when we meet.”

  Cooper thought for a moment, “I hope you’re right. We’ll be doing some work at Dranko’s to get seeds planted and the like, but we’ll be keeping a lookout too, just in case.”

  Miles pursed his lips, “Makes sense.” He stood up slowly and reached out to shake Cooper’s hand, “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Sure thing. And, I’m sorry about Bethany.”

  He grimaced, “Yeah, it’s a damned thing. But, what are you gonna do?” He turned and went back inside his house, the door coming to a quiet close. Cooper remounted the motorcycle and rode back to Dranko’s place.

  **********

  They spent the day at a furious pace. Clearing. Weeding. Digging. Planting. They needed to make use of every square inch of Dranko’s land for food. And, they did so. Dranko’s seeds came out of cans so that they would last for many, many years and displayed an amazing variety of plants.

  “These are Heirloom seeds. None of that Monsanto Frankenseed,” Dranko had informed them when they were getting started with the seeds.

  “What’s Heirloom mean?” Jake asked.

  Dranko’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, “Oh, Heirloom are seeds that have been around a long, long time. So, we know they work and we know they are right for this part of the country, too!”

  “What’s a Franken-whatever you said?” Jake pressed on.

  Now, Dranko’s face grew grave, as if he was about to tell a scene from a horror movie, “Some companies have started to modify the seeds to make them better. But, they do some crazy things.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like make it so the seed won’t reproduce. That way, you have to buy the seeds every year from the company. They make more money, but it is unnatural.”

  Jake’s face drew back in surprise and he visibly shuddered, “That wouldn’t be so good now, would it?”

  “Nope.”

  There had been another round of praising Dranko’s acumen when he distributed the hand tools for work. He had stockpiled not only extra sets of every tool that would be needed to run a small farm, but the quality of the tools was striking.

  “I knew I was buying tools that needed to last a long, long time,” he responded when Calvin commented on them.

  They had to stop working when the light faded from the sky. As Cooper rested his hands and chin on the handle of the hoe he had been working with, the smell of freshly turned earth wafted all around him. Sweet. Damp. Earthy. He breathed it in deeply. Already, muscles unaccustomed to such manual labor were sore. I know I’ll be hurting tomorrow. The smell comforted him. And, a day of solid, good work, always made Cooper feel good. He lingered for a while, before grabbing the hoe and heading back to the tool shed.

  Dranko had to stop them from simply putting the tools back and calling it a day.

  “We have to clean these tools every day before putting them away. And, when they are going to sit for a week or more, we are going to have to lightly oil them. We can’t let rust consume these tools.”

  Calvin laughed, “You know, it is funny, is it not?”

  They all looked at him.

  “When you can no longer run down to the store to buy things; it changes everything.”

  “It’s not a bad thing that one lesson we’ll learn is how to take care of stuff,” Angela intoned.

  “Like our planet?” Julianne dared. Angela glared at her, but held her tongue.

  “My daddy taught me how to take care of hand tools when I was a kid. I’m pretty good at keeping them sharp, if you want,” Buck offered.

  “You are deputized as our Chief Sharpener, then,” Dranko said, smiling.

  They finished with the tools, ate din
ner, and then gathered by candlelight and kerosene lamps around the table. As expected, Dranko had his list of things they needed to discuss.

  “We made good progress today on the planting. If Cooper, Julianne, Angela, Calvin, and Jake keep working that tomorrow, we should finish before we have to leave for the meeting.”

  “What’s everyone else doing?” Cooper asked.

  “We need to expand my chicken coop. I know a farmer down the road and I can trade for some more layers from him, I hope. Also, I want to build a rabbit hutch.”

  “Rabbits, cool!” Jake sat up and exclaimed. Cooper reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Not for pets, son.”

  Jake looked up at him, “For what then?”

  “Meat,” Dranko said flatly.

  Jake leapt up, “Eww…you can’t eat a rabbit!”

  Chagrined, Cooper looked down at him, “Yes you can.”

  “Rabbits are the fastest, and best way, to create protein. You can feed them a lot of scraps and they breed like…well, rabbits,” Dranko explained.

  Jake had a patented look of disgust planted on his face and folded his arms.

  “Trust me, son, when you haven’t tasted meat in a few weeks, rabbit will taste like your favorite hamburger.”

  “So, that’s what the rest of us will work on until we have to get ready for the meeting. Any questions?”

  “Yeah, what is the news from the rest of the world?” Calvin asked the question that was on most everyone’s minds.

  Julianne sat up straight, “Well, I have learned quite a bit from digging into the connections that people have had with Brushfire Plague. Beyond Admonitus.” Her voice dragged, weighed down.

  “What’d you learn?” Cooper asked with knotted eyebrows.

  “It’s a fair mess, to be sure. But, there are numerous heavy hitters who did the same thing Van Welton did…”