by Kip Nelson
“We'll figure out a way. It'll be fine. They're just trying to scare us. They need our expertise more than anything else, so they're not going to kill us. We'll give them a little extra next time, and it should be fine.”
“It's not fine, though, is it Pop? You know how this is going to go. They're going to take and take until we're giving them everything we've got. I'd rather put up a fight and take some of them out with us than just bend over--”
Willie cut him off immediately, letting go of the wheelbarrow and rounding on his son. “Don't let me hear you talk like that again. This ain't the time to be fools. We've got to know our place. I don't like it any more than you, but the most important thing we can do is go on living, to see another day. I'm not going to throw that away just for some stupid fight against people we can't hope to beat. This is the way things are, and they're not going to change any time soon. So keep your head down and do what I tell you.
“If these men want more then we're going to have to give them more, that's just the way it has to be, and don't even think about telling these new people. The best thing for them is to stay out of this whole situation. They can get on their way and our lives will continue. Now, get on to bed and get some rest. We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, and we'll put those people through their paces.”
Luke looked at his father, but did not say anything further. Willie stayed up a little while longer and got a drink of water from the house. In truth, he wished he could put up a fight, but he knew what kind of people they were. If it was just him he had to worry about then he would consider it, but he had to think of his wife and children, and he wasn't prepared to put their lives at risk.
Chapter Seventeen
While Grace was getting ready in the morning. Mack pulled Luis aside. The younger man sighed as he had a feeling he knew what was coming. The situation was a little embarrassing for the both of them as Mack didn't need reminding that he was a lot older than Luis and Grace, but also because they hadn't known each other for very long and speaking of these matters was a little...delicate. Although Mack had a great deal of experience with negotiation and interrogation, this wasn't his strong suit.
“So you and Margaret are getting along pretty well,” he said. Luis smiled and his cheeks flushed a little.
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Look, I know we're all adults here, but I just wanted to have a word with you about whatever you two are doing and remind you we are guests here. I'm sure you've noticed Willie is quite protective of his family. So just try being discreet about it.” Mack winked at Luis and patted him on the shoulder.
“Don't worry, Mack. It's all fine,” he said, and then Grace returned to the room and the two men suddenly became quiet.
Grace knew she was interrupting something, but didn't ask what it was. A bell rang and Elaine's voice called out for them. It was a little after dawn and Grace already was suffering with the early morning.
“I think the bell tolls for us,” Mack said, and led the three of them downstairs where breakfast already had been laid out for them.
“We let you sleep in since it's your first full day here, but from now on you're going to have to get up a little earlier than this,” Elaine said. Grace groaned.
“I know it's not what you're used to, but we're all in the same situation, and there's lots to do. The sooner we get to it the sooner we can relax, so eat up and then go to your tasks. Luis, Margaret has offered to help you learn how to tend to the animals. Mack, you're going to be with Luke and Willie doing all the heavy lifting, and Grace you're with me.” Grace looked at Mack, for she didn't like the idea of being separated, but Mack nodded and showed a great deal of enthusiasm for the day ahead.
After eating breakfast, they cleared the table and all went their separate ways. Margaret and Luis looked the happiest of the bunch. Mack was a little surprised her parents were so willing to let her spend time alone with Luis. As they ran across the farm they linked hands, and disappeared into a building. Willie and Luke then called for Mack, and the three of them walked in the opposite direction.
As they walked it was clear to Mack there was some underlying tension between Luke and Willie. Yet when he asked whether there was anything wrong Willie said he was fine, and then asked about Luis.
“How much do you know about him?” he asked.
“Not that much, to be honest, but he strikes me as a good kid. And your daughter seems like she can handle herself.”
“Yes, well, we'll see about that,” Willie said. “How long do you think you'll be staying here for?”
“I don't know. As long as you'll have us, really. It's a nice change to have a warm bed to sleep in rather than being on the road, but eventually we'll be heading off. Is us being here a problem for you?”
Willie and Luke glanced at each other again. “No, not at all, just thinking about what I can get you to do,” Willie said. They made their way down to a shed where they collected some tools.
“We've been working on making sure everything doesn't fall apart,” Willie said, and directed Mack to gather a few items from the counter.
As he walked through the shed Mack looked at all the tools and thought of the ones he could use as weapons. It wasn't just the food and animals that Willie was lucky to have, but this hand-to-hand arsenal as well. Granted, they wouldn't do much against bullets, but in other forms of combat they would be entirely useful.
“You ever use any of them?” Willie asked as he caught Mack admiring them.
“No, not really, I was just impressed with how many you have. Do you actually use them all?”
“Some more than others, but it's always better to have them in case you need them. A lot of them won't get used now because the machinery doesn't work. So we've had to go back to doing things by hand, which I haven't done since I was a kid. You ever do much in the way of this type of work?”
“My father took me camping, but no. I mean, I had a lot of survival training in the military, but nothing like this.”
“What was it you did exactly? Were you on the front lines? Did you ever fight in any battles?” Luke asked, his voice rising with excitement at the prospect of talking with someone who had actually faced war.
Mack didn't know it at that point, but Luke was eager to see if Mack had the skills to help him and his father deal with the bullies. He was disappointed when Mack told him the truth about how he mostly stayed behind the lines and worked with individuals rather than fighting a mass of soldiers. Willie, on the other hand, knew exactly what Luke was getting at and tried directing the flow of conversation away from this topic. It led to a few more tense stares between the father and son, but Mack decided it wasn't any of his business and declined to comment on it. The work he did was hard but it felt good to get his muscles working again. He enjoyed the challenge of securing the buildings and making repairs. The farm was old and there was a lot of history.
“I hope this place, and you and your family, make it through the apocalypse. This is the kind of place that deserves to stay standing,” he said.
“I agree,” Luke said pointedly, directing his comment to his father. Willie murmured something under his breath and walked off.
“Is he okay?” Mack asked. Luke shrugged.
The two men worked for a little while without Willie. Luke kept glancing over at Mack. It seemed to Mack there was something on Luke's mind, but it took a while before he actually decided to speak up.
“Are you a bit like Rambo? Like, could anything be a deadly weapon in your hands?”
Mack laughed a little. “I don't know about that, but I know how to handle myself. I prefer to try using words to get out of conflict, though. That was my whole focus throughout my career.”
“But surely there must have been some times when you had to use force?”
“Thankfully, there were other people who handled that kind of thing.”
“But if the situation arose then you could handle yourself?”
“Yes,” M
ack said, then stopped what he was doing and turned to Luke. “Is there something going on here?”
Luke's eyes darted away and he sighed heavily. “No, I was just curious,” he said.
Mack pursed his lips and his mind started thinking about what could be happening. It was clear Luke was asking him these questions for a reason, and from the way he and Willie were looking at each other earlier Mack surmised that Willie didn't want Luke talking about it. Mack didn't like secrets, especially when it was he who was being kept in the dark. However, Willie returned and Luke immediately resumed what he was doing and remained tight-lipped, but Mack watched the two of them carefully.
As soon as the others had left the house Grace was left alone with Elaine. First they cleared up the table and made sure everything was tidy, then Elaine took her out to tend to the animals. They collected eggs from the chicken coop and left some food for the birds, then went down to milk the cows. When Elaine first suggested it Grace blanched at the prospect, but soon enough she found herself sitting on a stool with an udder between her hands. At first it was strange but she soon found the rhythm and before too long she had a bucket of milk under her. All the while, throughout the morning, Elaine was her usual chatty self.
“I really like your hair, it's so colorful. I never would have been able to get away with that when I was your age, and I don't think Willie would approve of it now.”
“Why do you need his approval? Can't you just do it because you want to do it?”
“I'm afraid marriage doesn't work that way. It's all about compromise. Don't worry, there are things I don't let him do as well.”
“So he was the first man you ever went out with, and you married him?”
Elaine laughed softly. “I know that probably seems strange to you. Your generation is a lot different to mine, but yes, there was something when I looked into his eyes. It felt right, and I knew it would have been wrong to ignore that just because he was the only man. I've never needed anyone else and that's the way I like it.”
“That's really sweet,” Grace said.
“Have you ever had anyone like that?”
“Not really,” Grace said, and turned away from Elaine.
“You don't like talking about yourself much, do you? I've noticed that. Mack and Luis, they're happy to engage in conversation, but as soon as things get loud you seem to get reticent and you're always looking towards the door. Is there a reason for that?”
Grace shrugged.
Elaine sighed a little. “Okay, but this is going to be a long day if you're not going to talk with me. Still, Willie says I can talk the hind legs off a donkey, and it is so nice to have other people to talk to for a change. Not that I don't love my family, but sometimes there's only so much you can say to each other. And it's even better because I'm sure we never would have met otherwise. That Mack seems like a good guy. Did you only know him from the plane crash?”
“Yes, he saved my life,” Grace said in a flat tone.
“He's a real hero, isn't he? He's the kind of man who was really made to survive in this world. Me though? I just like being on the farm, and as long as this place stays standing I'll be fine. I don't think I'd like it out there, though, running through the wilderness, surrounded by the unknown, never knowing what's going to happen day after day. It's not much of a life.”
“It's what I'm used to.”
“Really? What did you do before all this?”
“I...” Grace began.
She was about to tell the lie that she worked with computers, but there was something disarming about Elaine that made her want to tell the truth. Elaine smiled at her, waiting for an answer, her eyes showing a deep earnestness. Grace always had thought people like this were simple-minded, deluding themselves into living a fantasy when in fact they just were missing out on the truth of life. But now she was sensing that her old life had been empty, and nothing she had done actually had mattered as it was all in the virtual realm. But it was more than that, she'd seen how easily Mack spoke with people and she wanted that, too. There were so many times in her old life when she simply had turned away from other people and stuck to the shadows, mostly through fear. Now she regretted she had not taken more chances like that. So she told Elaine the truth.
“I was a hacker. A criminal, really. I hacked into big corporations and the government. I released confidential files because I thought the people had a right to know what was going on behind the curtain. I transferred funds to charities and other organizations that actually helped people because they needed the money more than some faceless company. But then I got caught, and Mack was the one escorting me to an army base as his prisoner. I haven't told Luis yet, though. I wanted to, well, I guess I wanted a fresh start.”
“It's okay. I won't say anything to him,” Elaine said, “I must admit all this hacking talk is beyond me, but it must have been serious if you were picked up by the military.”
“It was. I caused a lot of trouble.”
“You must have been very talented.”
Grace shrugged. “I guess. I never really thought about it like that, it was just something I knew how to do. It was one of those things I had a knack for, I suppose, but I'd been doing it for so long that it just came naturally to me.”
“And what did your parents think about it?”
At this Grace stopped what she was doing and looked into the distance. Rarely did she talk about her past, and even less so her parents. Se gulped and licked her lips, then exhaled and felt the cool breath on her lips.
“I don't really remember them. I know I had them, when I was very young, but when I was about four I went into the foster care system and bounced around. I wasn't the typical kid that people liked to take home, you know. I was bratty and moody and hard work. Maybe I didn't want to be taken home because I just figured I'd be left again. If my own parents didn't want me, then why would anyone else? Kids came and went as well, so I didn't make many friends and preferred to spend my time on the computer, and reading. If I was alone then nobody could disappoint me, and things just went from there. The internet became my life. I could speak with people all across the world and they were always there for me.”
“I can't imagine what it must have been like to grow up without a family. Did you ever find your parents again? Or find out why they left you?”
Grace shook her head. “I thought about it but I didn't feel ready. The memories I have of them are so far back that they almost feel like dreams. Now I'll probably never get a chance to find out.”
“What would you say to them if you did see them again?”
“I honestly have no idea. I don't think we'd even recognize each other. I don't know how they'd feel about seeing how I'd turned out. I guess I'd just want some answers, like why did they leave me alone? Was I a disappointment to them? Did I do something wrong?”
Her voice began trembling and Grace felt her eyes filling up with tears. She tried ignoring them. This was the very reason why she usually avoided talking to people about her past. Before too long, her cheeks were stained with crystal drops of sadness. But this time Grace did not have to cry alone. Elaine had a strong maternal instinct and she instantly wrapped her arms around Grace and held the younger woman's shaking body while she wept. Elaine made soft, comforting noises and Grace fell into the embrace, for it was something she had needed for a long time.
When it was over Grace sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You're welcome,” Elaine replied.
“I kinda got the feeling you needed to talk to someone, and as kind as Mack seems there are some things you only can share with another woman.”
“Actually, you're only the second person I've ever talked to about my parents,” Grace said.
“Really? In all these years?”
Grace nodded. “It just seemed easier not to talk about it. Whenever anybody asked I just said they were normal, and faked the usual problems. It wasn't hard, and I
didn't have to deal with all that.”
“Who was the other person you told?”
“D1ABL0,” Grace said, smiling.
Elaine gave her a confused look so Grace elaborated. “That was his screen name anyway, like mine was C1PH3R. There were a group of us who used to team up and share stories and things. We had a nice little community, and at first it was all anonymous, so if we ever were caught we wouldn't be able to compromise anyone else. I mostly went after the big stuff, but other people focused on getting revenge against pedophiles, and some just liked playing pranks on people. But it was good to feel a part of something.
“One day me and D1ABL0 started talking alone and, I don't know, even though I didn't know much about him it still felt like I knew him. I could speak to him in a way that I couldn't speak to anyone else. You probably think I'm stupid. It's not like it was real or anything.”
“I don't think that at all,” Elaine said, reaching out and squeezing Grace's arm lightly, “your feelings are real, and even though it was all in cyberspace, there was another real person on the other end. It sounds like you liked him a lot. Did you ever meet?”
“No... we talked about it a little, but given what we did there were some times when we had to go days or weeks without speaking. I've thought about him since this happened. I hope he's okay. I hope they all are.”
“If they're anything like you I'm sure they will be.”
“I don't know about that, I'm only here because of Mack.”
“You're not giving yourself enough credit. You've taken to milking that cow like someone who has done it all their life.”
Grace appreciated her response and enjoyed the rest of the day. By the time everyone had grouped back together they all were in good spirits, although Mack was keeping a close eye on Willie and Luke. Before they had supper Mack took Willie aside and asked him if he could tell them a little more about the surrounding area as he pulled out their map. Willie told them about a few other landmarks, most notably a mental hospital and a prison, both of which made Mack feel uneasy. But what made him more uneasy was an area near the river. Mack watched Willie's eyes carefully, noticing how they kept drifting to one particular area. Yet he would not say what it was.