Safe Zone

by Chesla, Gary

  “That doesn’t sound too exciting, but if that is what Bill wants me to do, I’m happy to do my part.” Doug replied.

  Shaun smiled. “Sounds like you are adjusting to life at the fort already.”

  “Yesterday after we first moved in, I felt a little unsure. I knew I wanted to be here, but it just felt like it was a big change from the way we had been living. The little cottage felt small and confining after our house, but after a good night sleep I really feel good about being here. Today was the first time in a long time I have felt like this. I usually wake up worrying about what is going to happen today. Today I just woke up and my mind was clear. I felt relaxed and am actually looking forward to today.” Doug said happily.

  “You’re right.” Shaun said. “I thought it would take us a few weeks to adjust, but I think a few days might be more like it.”

  “I think a few hours will do it.” Doug laughed.

  They were almost to the inner gates. Shaun looked around at the fort. The green grass inside the fort seemed to glow as the bright sun glistened off the blades of grass. The gray smoke drifting into the sky stood out against the bright blue sky. Megan and Lisa were over talking away with Lilly. He hoped Lilly liked to talk, if not Meg and Lisa would talk her ears off. Lily seemed like a normal girl, he decided she would be fine, Lilly could probably hold her own. It had been so long since the girls had another woman to talk too, he wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t out there all day. He smiled as he hoped Lilly hadn’t planned to get a lot done today.

  Bill stood and smiled as Shaun and Doug walked into the gathering building. “I hope I didn’t have Tim wake you boys up too early this morning?”

  “I was still sleeping, but Doug was already up raring to go.” Shaun replied.

  “I’m ready to start making arrows.” Doug said smiling.

  “I’m glad to see you so excited about getting started.” Bill said. “But maybe there are more important things you can help with. Shaun you said you had your own construction business before you came here?”

  “Yes sir.” Shaun answered. “I did all kind of construction jobs, but mostly I specialized in roofing and siding work. What did you have in mind?”

  “I was thinking. The fort is old. It is almost a hundred years old. It had been designed to protect against an entirely different type of threat. I thought we could take a walk around and maybe you could suggest some ways we could make our safe haven a little more secure.” Bill said.

  “I’d be happy to see what I could do.” Shaun replied.

  “Good, let’s take a walk.” Bill said.

  They walked down to the front gate. “The last time we had a large horde of the dead attack the fort, we had our archers up here on the wall. It attracted all the dead towards the front gate. We have beams that we set in these slats to keep the gate closed, but we were a little concerned. They bowed the doors back two feet.”

  “They put a lot more pressure against the gate than we thought possible. If you look here.” Bill said pointing to large cracks in some of the beams that made up the gate. “Do you have any ideas how we might make our gates more secure in case we have another wave like that come through here again?”

  Shaun studied the gate, then looked at the walls around the fort. “The walls held up OK?”

  “The walls were fine. They didn’t even budge.” Bill answered.

  “Maybe if we were to dig three holes in front of where the gates swings back into the fort. One on each side where the gate comes together, one in the middle of each door and another by the hinges for good measure. Do you have any concrete?” Shaun asked.

  “We have limestone and ash. We can make a type of concrete.” Bill answered.

  “Good. If we could cut six posts and make holes on the inside of the fort in front of the gate doors, during an attack we could slide the posts into the holes. They would act like the posts in the fort’s walls. They would support the gate and make it as solid as the walls.” Shaun said.

  “Good Idea. I think that would work.” Bill smiled.

  “I noticed yesterday when the dead attacked the fort. You had the men line up on the wall and wait for them to come up to the fort. I understand that would make it easier to shoot down on them when they were close to the walls. Did you ever think about thinning out the horde while they are still down on Route 30? It would slow them down and leave fewer of them to deal with at the walls.” Shaun asked.

  “It sounds good, but with our homemade bows, they only have a range of around ninety feet with any accuracy.” Bill replied.

  “If you could get me a couple straight branches about twenty feet long, I might be able to make you two large cross bows. If you put them on the corners of the platform overlooking the hillside by the highway, you might be able to start taking them out before they get too close to the fort.” Shaun smiled.

  “It would work like the cannon the fort originally used.” Bill said. “I like it.”

  “If you ever have any bikers come by, if you started taking them out while they are still down on the highway, they would keep their distance.” Shaun added.

  “Good ideas Shaun. Do you think you could do all of this?” Bill asked.

  “If I had the materials and a little help, I’m sure I could do it.” Shaun answered.

  “Good. You take Doug and I’ll get you three more boys and you could start on the gate. Maybe do the same for the gate at the inner fort too. I’ll have two more boys see you and you can explain what type of poles you want for the gates. They will go out and get them for you along with the wood for the large bows. That will be your job for today.” Bill said.

  A bell started ringing at the inner gate.

  “Lunch time!” Bill smiled. “I think I overheard the cooks say they were making stew for lunch. Go back and have lunch with your wives. You can get started after lunch. I like how you think Shaun. Look around and let me know anything else you think will help us. We’ll talk some more after you finish these projects. Now go have lunch.”

  Bill walked back towards the inner gate. Shaun and Doug were going to follow until Shaun saw Megan jumping and waving at him from there cottage. She had her one arm full, carrying two of the containers that held their lunch.

  Lisa stood beside her holding her and Doug’s lunch.

  “The girls went and picked up our lunch.” Shaun looked at Doug. “Looks like they are setting up at our cottage. Did you eat your ham last night?”

  “We ate it before we went to bed.” Doug answered. “That was the sweetest ham I ever ate. It was good, but is was different than any ham I’ve ever eaten before.”

  “It must be because of what they are feeding the pigs.” Shaun said. “Whatever that would be?”

  “They did burn those dead freaks they killed yesterday?” Doug asked.

  “Don’t even go there.” Shaun laughed. “Especially before we eat. That’s gross as hell. You’re getting as bad as Meg!”

  They walked up to Shaun’s cottage. Megan and Lisa were carrying chairs out of the cabin and sitting then in the shade next to the cabin.

  “We went and got our lunch. We’re having stew. It looks good!” Megan said as she handed Shaun the container and a spoon as they went over and sat down on their chairs.

  “It didn’t look like you two were working very hard today.”

  We’ll be working hard after lunch!” Doug said as he took a large bite of his stew.

  “Bill asked us to help secure the gates. We’re going to put in some support posts.” Shaun said.

  “Then we’re going to make some large bow and arrow cannons.” Doug added.

  “You’re going to make a cannon?” Lisa asked.

  “Bill asked Shaun for some suggestion on how to make the fort more secure. He is going to give us some guys to help us after lunch.” Doug said sounding excited.

  “I saw you talking to Lilly. Did you make a new friend?” Shaun asked.

  “She seems nice, but she said she is a little afraid to ma
ke friends.” Megan said.

  “Why is she afraid to make friends?” Shaun asked. “I would think she would be thrilled to have a friend now days?”

  “She said she made friends here a few times, but that everyone left.” Megan said.

  “They were relocated into Ligonier. Didn’t they ever come back and visit her?” Shaun asked.

  “Lilly said once they left, she never saw them again.” Megan answered. “She said she was told they were moved out to the farm. Once someone leaves, they never see them again.”

  “That’s strange.” Shaun said. “Maybe she’ll get to see them after the town is cleared out a little more and everyone can safely move around more.”

  “You know what else is strange?” Megan asked.

  “What?” Shaun said as he took another bite of his stew.

  “Most of these cottages are empty. Even the ones with campfires out in front of them.” Megan said.

  “Maybe the people that live in them are out clearing the town of the dead.” Shaun replied.

  “Maybe, but why would someone build a fire in front of an empty cottage?” Megan said.

  “I don’t know. Maybe to light up the inside of the fort at night. I’m sure there is a good reason.” Shaun said. “Everything around here seems very well organized.”

  “Maybe.” Megan said as she ate her stew.

  “You should have invited Lilly and her mother over to eat lunch with us.” Shaun said.

  “We did.” Lisa added. “But she said something about having to get her things together. She was told they might be relocating her soon.”

  “That should make her happy, to be getting her own house, or is she moving to the farm? Maybe she will get to be with some of the people she had made friends with.” Shaun said.

  “She seemed nervous.” Megan answered. “I don’t know why. I think I would be excited.”

  “Maybe she likes it here at the fort?” Shaun answered. “Maybe she could just tell Bill she would rather stay here instead of moving?”

  “The fort is growing on me and I have only been here for a day.” Lisa said.

  “If you talk to her later today, just tell her to tell Bill she would rather stay at the fort a little longer.” Shaun said.

  “I’m sure that would be fine with Bill. He seems like a nice guy.”

  “Maybe I’ll go over and talk to her while you guys are working this afternoon.” Megan replied.

  “This ham stew wasn’t bad.” Doug said.

  “Lilly told me yesterday they eat a lot of ham here at the fort. She said she heard they have a big farm outside of town.” Shaun said.

  “The ham is really sweet. We were wondering what they feed the pigs.” Doug said.

  Megan looked at Shaun as she ate her last bite of stew. The smile left her face. “Don’t you say a word! I’m sure whatever you were going to say would be gross and I don’t want to hear it.” She started to laugh.

  Shaun laughed as he stood and handed Megan his food container. “Come on Doug. Let’s go back to work before we gross out the girls.”

  They were getting ready to leave when three guys came running up to Shaun’s cabin.

  “Hi, Shaun. Bill sent us to help you.”

  Shaun looked at Megan. “I’ll be at one of the gates or up at the carpenter shed if you need me. Go talk to Lilly if you have a chance. I’ll talk to Bill and see what he has to say.”

  “You boys have fun.” Lisa smiled.

  Shaun started to walk off with the boys that had come to his cottage. They appeared to be in their late teens.

  “What kind of tools do we have here at the fort? Do we have any picks or shovels? A post hole digger would be great.”

  “We have a post hole digger and a shovel.” The tallest of the boys answered.

  “Good, go bring them down to the front gate and we can get started.” Shaun said.

  The boys turned and started to run back up to the center fort and the tool shed.

  Shaun and Doug walked down to the front gate. Shaun had George close the gates so he could judge where to put in the new support posts. After marking the spots by drawing circles on the ground, he thanked George and the gates were reopened.

  The gates had just been opened when the boys came back with the tools.

  “See where I have marked the ground. I need you to dig a hole straight down about three feet deep.” Shaun instructed.

  The guys started to dig.

  “After you finish here, I’ll have six more spots marked up at the inner gate. You can go up there next.” Shaun said.

  “Where do you want us to put the dirt?” One of the boys asked.

  Shaun looked around. “Take out the stones and take the dirt over to the flower garden. The girls could probably use the dirt in the garden. Toss the stones over by the bottom of the wall.”

  “Will do!” One of the boys smiled.

  Shaun and Doug walked up to the inner gate and marked the spots where the holes were to be dug.

  Two more guys came over to Shaun. They were carrying an axe and a big saw. “Bill asked us to go cut some poles for you. He said to ask you what size you needed.”

  “Thanks. I need twelve poles about fifteen feet long and six to eight inches in diameter. I need two poles twenty feet long. These poles should be about four inches thick. Think that will be a problem?” Shaun asked.

  “No. I know just where we can find those. Out behind the fort there is a patch of trees that should work just fine.” The one guy said.

  “After you cut them, leave six of them in the yard by the front gate, six more at the inner gate and bring me the two smaller ones up to the carpenter’s shed.” Shaun instructed. The boys nodded their heads as they smiled, then they were off to cut the trees.

  “Let’s go check out the carpenter’s shed and see what we have to work with.” Shaun said to Doug.

  “Thanks for not making me dig holes.” Doug said. “I’m willing to work but digging holes isn’t my thing.”

  Shaun smiled. “I know you’re more of an office guy, besides those boys looked excited to do the job. You can help me with the bows.”

  They walked up to the carpenter’s shed and started to look at the materials stacked in the shed.

  Shaun selected two four by fours. “Doug, how are you with a saw?”

  “I can use a saw.” Doug said. “The cut doesn’t have to be real straight does it?

  “No, but do your best.” Shaun laughed.

  Shaun took the eight foot beams and marked off six feet on each of the beams. “Cut these so I have two six foot four by four beams.”

  Shaun laughed to himself as he watched Doug use the saw. But precision cuts weren’t too important for the beams.

  Shaun walked across to the blacksmith shed.

  Tim was hammering on a small metal bar.

  “Hi Shaun.” Tim called out as he approached.

  “Hey Tim.” Shaun replied. “I was wondering if I could get you to make me a few things?”

  “Sure. What do you need?”

  Shaun explained what he was trying to do. He needed a way to attach the wooden pole to the four by four beams, a way to attached the bow string securely to the ends of the pole, a latch or peg to hold the string and a swivel to anchor the bow to the lookout’s platform that would rotate so the bow could be aimed. After putting their heads together, Tim smiled. “Give me an hour. I can make a few of those things. I can take some parts off the old horse plow we have sitting around. I’ll take them up to your shed as soon as I’m finished.”

  Shaun thanked Tim and returned to see how Doug was doing. Bill was standing talking to Doug.

  “How is everything coming along?” Bill asked.

  “Everything is moving along. I think I have everything I need. I see we have nylon rope. I could use that for the bow string, but I wish we had some wire. It would have more tension in it and give the bows a longer range.” Shaun said.

  “How about some telephone wire or some thin cable?” Bill
asked.

  “That would be great, especially thin cable. Do you have any?” Shaun asked.

  Bill laughed as he pointed down to Route 30. “Look at all those lines. There are cables holding up that old signal light. Will that do?”

  Shaun laughed. “I feel like a guy dying of thirst who is floating around on a lake in a raft.”

  “I’ll send someone down to bring some up. How much do you need?” Bill asked.

  “About forty feet.” Shaun replied. “The guys should be back with the poles soon. I’ll need that cement.”

  “I’ll have them bring a box down and mix it for you. You need anything else?”

  When the boys returned with the poles, Shaun had them shave off the bark from the bottom three feet on each pole. He had Doug work on shaving all the bark off the poles he was going to use for the bows while he worked with the others to line the holes by each gate with the lime/ash concrete.

  After the holes were lined he went back up to work with Doug. Tim had finished the parts Shaun had asked for. Shaun bolted the four inch poles to the four by four beams. He attached the thin cable wire from the traffic signal to the ends of the pole using the metal clamps Tim had made. He drilled holes in the four by four beams and tested that the metal pegs would easily fit in each of the holes.

  After a few adjustments Shaun sat back and admired his work.

  “Think it will work?” Doug asked.

  “It should.” Shaun smiled. “Of course it will take some time to get the hang of using it.”

  Bill came walking into the carpenter’s shed. “We closed the gates for the night and dropped the poles in the holes. They fit like gloves. Good job Shaun.”

  “Thanks. You sent me some good helpers today.” Shaun smiled. “Care to test the bows?”

  “Are they ready?” Bill replied sounding surprised.

  “I think so.” Shaun answered. “Get a few guys to carry them down to the wall and we can try them out.”