by Eric Vall
It wasn’t long before we pulled into Betty’s driveway. It was a little ways up the windy dirt road before I could see anybody, but when we were about halfway, some figures out in the field came into view, along with the old farmhouse.
A loud bark came from beside me, and I turned to see Winchester next to the truck. He ran alongside us, then pushed ahead and went to stand by the other trucks that were parked near the house.
I followed his lead and parked our truck where he had directed us, then I shut it off, opened the door, and stepped out.
The black headed dog was immediately right there with his front paws placed lightly on my hips as I rubbed his ears and kissed his nose.
“Good boy,” I cooed.
“I think he missed you this morning,” Bailey chuckled, and as soon as the dog heard her voice he turned his attention to the blonde.
“Even so, I still don’t compare to the favorite,” I joked, and the blonde turned slightly red, but continued to pet the large pooch.
“Hey, Tav!” Dan called down from the attic window of Betty’s old farmhouse.
“Hey,” I greeted the young man. Betty’s grandson was usually the one on watch, and I’d gotten used to seeing him up in the attic window. “How’s watch?”
“Quiet as usual,” the black haired boy said with a smile.
“That’s what I like to hear,” I laughed.
I started to head out to the field where everyone was, but I realized the girls weren’t behind me so I stopped and turned around to see them taking off their sweaters.
Paige pulled her gray hoodie over her head to reveal a red tank top underneath that showed off her slender figure.
Tara unzipped her hoodie and tossed it into the truck, then she bounded over to me, and her cleavage bounced with each step.
Anna followed the platinum blonde since she already had on a tank top, but Bailey pulled her long sleeve shirt over her head to show off a light gray spaghetti strap tank top. I could tell that she had no bra on, as usual, and her small, perky breasts bounced slightly as she and Paige made their way over to us.
The field was separated into different foods, and each section had a designated few people in charge of tending to it. I scanned the area quickly and found Kimmy. She had baby Anthony in a handmade carrier on her back while she crouched down and tended to some of the peas we’d planted. The plants themselves had begun to sprout and they grew more each day. Where there once had been only new soil, now we had green leaves popping up everywhere, it was quite exciting the more I thought about it.
“Hey, stranger,” I heard Rolly’s voice say just before I felt his hand clap my shoulder.
“Hey, yourself,” I said as I turned toward the old man. I had been so enthralled watching Kimmy that I hadn’t heard him approach.
“You get some good sleep?” he asked with a smile.
“I did,” I agreed. “Thanks for taking charge here while I slacked off.”
“Hardly,” Rolly said with a wave of his hand. “You’re no slacker. You deserve some extra sleep. Besides, I’m sure you’re still feeling sore from that fight.”
“You have no idea,” I chuckled. While my face was still bruised up, the worst of it was my abs and ribs. They’d taken a generous beating and the soreness made my whole body ache and feel more sluggish than usual, not that I’d let anybody know that.
“Feel free to sit today out,” Rolly said. “We’ve got plenty of hands on deck.”
“Thanks, old-timer,” I told him with a smile. “But I’d rather put some work in.”
“I figured as much,” the old man laughed, then he pointed to an area that appeared to be empty of people. “Carrots are over there, you can go ahead and tend to them. Just give them a bit of a spray with the pesticide and make sure they get plenty of water.”
“Will do,” I told him, then the girls and I headed over to the faucet and grabbed some water jugs and a couple of spray containers of pesticide.
The day was hot, and I felt sweat bead on my forehead as we worked, but it was still pleasant out, and I couldn’t help but enjoy everything that surrounded me right then. The younger kids ran around in the front yard of the farm house with Winchester. They threw the ball for him and ran back and forth chasing the black headed dog.
I watched as Marla, our resident nurse’s kids played with Henry’s grandchildren. Henry had only recently joined us after he’d taken quite a beating at the hands of Brody, but his grandchildren clearly got along with the other kids, which was no surprise, they were all quite sweet.
Even the children from the women’s compound we’d found and made a deal with played with the others. As the kids laughed and squealed I thought that this must have been what it was like for people so long ago when they had no television or modern technology to distract them from the great outdoors and the company of one another.
Parents worked outside to make a living for themselves and their children, and the children played until they were old enough to help out their parents. It was strange to think that was the way life was once again, but with the way things were, this was how it had to be. We had more modern luxuries than those who were in this situation before, and I knew that would contribute to making things easier for us, but either way, I didn’t mind this new world order. It was nice to get back to basics.
I remember when I got out of the service and decided to go for my trip into the woods. I’d been in a bar one night to grab some bourbon when I looked around and noticed that every single person was on their cell phone. They were either texting, or taking a picture, or scrolling through something as they sipped their drinks, but I remember thinking to myself how odd it was that nobody was communicating with each other. Granted, I was never the most social of creatures, but I’d been known to strike up a conversation after a drink or two. It was that night that I reached into my pocket and turned my phone off. It stayed off for the next year while I was in the woods, and I hadn’t bothered to try to turn it on since then. I didn’t see a point, after all, I knew it wouldn’t work.
Now, though, the world had completely changed, and I wondered if anybody else was out there making their way the same way that we were. Were the other communities of people who’d managed to figure out how to make things work for them, how to make a living and survive the day to day and the harsh times?
I had to think that there were, otherwise what was the point of doing it ourselves? We couldn’t all live here forever, the lineage would end after one generation, or worse, it wouldn’t, and then we’d end up like those hillbillies we’d fought out in the woods a few months before. That was not something I wanted to see happen, and I shuddered at the thought.
“Do you all need any help over here?” Kimmy asked, and I looked up to see the beautiful dark skinned woman in front of me. Her long, curly hair was pulled back into a bun and she wore a black tank top and a pair of light denim shorts along with a pair of hiking boots. Baby Anthony was still on her back, and he let out a little squeal, so she smiled and reached back to grab his foot and squeeze it a couple of times.
“I think we’re pretty good over here,” Paige told her. “Are you all done?”
“Yeah,” Kimmy answered. “We just finished our plot, but we’ve also been here since early this morning.”
“I guess it doesn’t take as long right now,” Bailey said. “But once it’s time to harvest we’ll be out here all day.”
“I look forward to it,” Kimmy said with a smile. “This is how we feed ourselves during winter, right?”
“Right,” Anna agreed.
“We should start being able to harvest in the next couple weeks,” Bailey said. “At least some of the plants anyways, and most of them we should be able to harvest about once a week or so until they quit producing.”
“I can’t wait for fresh cabbage,” Paige said.
“Really?” Tara scoffed. “You’re excited about cabbage?”
“Well, yeah,” the brunette said. “Cabbage is delicious.”
“I like cabbage, too,” Kimmy said with a shrug.
“Yeah, but is cabbage better than strawberries?” the platinum blonde asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You’re right,” Kimmy said with a nod, then she turned toward Paige. “Sorry, I’m on team strawberry here.”
“More cabbage for me,” Paige chuckled. “I dream of some sauerkraut with our venison sausages.”
“I dreamt about the taste of pineapple this morning,” I said, not mentioning that it had been how Kimmy tasted in my dream.
“Oh man, I miss pineapple,” Anna sighed. “I used to cut up a whole one and just eat all of it in one sitting.”
“Me, too,” Kimmy agreed, and she looked off as if she were remembering the fruit fondly. “I think it’s my favorite fruit.”
“Paige,” Anna said with a curious look, “you wanna see if you can figure out how to grow us some pineapple?”
“In Vermont?” the brunette laughed and shook her head. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“You can totally do it,” Tara encouraged. “You’re, like, super smart, right?”
“You’re only saying that because you want pineapple, too,” Paige said.
“You know me so well,” Tara said, and she flashed the brunette an innocent smile.
Kimmy sat down near our plot and continued to chat with the girls about fruit while she pulled baby Anthony off her back and played with him in the dirt. As a kid, I’d loved getting out in the dirt and making a mess of myself, and I’d always vowed to allow my kids to do the same if I ever had them. Watching baby Anthony scoop dirt into his hands and laugh as it fell through his fingers only made me think about my own children and how they would contribute to the future of the world. I didn’t have any yet, but I planned to someday, and my kids would grow up being better equipped for this world than anyone else.
Each generation would be better at providing for themselves than the last. Part of me hoped it would stay that way; that full power would never be restored, that cell phones wouldn’t make a comeback, and that I’d get to experience the joy of seeing my own kids play in the dirt and till the fields with me.
The girls continued to chat as we worked, and I continued to wipe beads of sweat from my forehead every few minutes. It really was sweltering out, and I desperately wanted to take my shirt off, but I tried to not walk around half naked as often as possible. Still, my underarms were soaked, and I was going to need some water soon.
We were almost finished when Rolly walked up, and the girls all greeted him.
“What are you up to?” Bailey asked with a smile as she poured some water on one of the carrot plants in the row.
“I was actually hoping to talk to Tav,” the old man said, and I stood up and brushed the dirt from my hands.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Well, uh,” Rolly said, and he glanced over my shoulder. I knew the girls were probably all staring at him. “Maybe it’s better if we do this in private.”
Rolly looked nervous. He had sweat on his forehead the same as I did, but he wrung his hands together and bounced back and forth on his feet, which wasn’t typical behavior for the old man.
“Of course,” I said, and I turned back to the girls who all quickly looked away as if they’d been working the whole time. “You all okay to finish up without me?”
“Sure,” Anna agreed. “Take your time.”
“Get some water when you’re done,” I instructed, then I put my hand on Rolly’s back and led him toward the old farmhouse.
The old man looked down to the ground as we walked, and I felt my eyebrows pull together with concern.
“What’s this about?” I asked as we stopped in some shade that came off the house. “Is everything alright?”
“Oh, yes, everything’s fine,” Rolly assured me with a shake of his head, but that only made me more confused.
“Are you out of your heart meds?” I asked with a frown. “I thought we had a large supply now.”
“It’s nothing to do with that,” the old man said, and he took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. “I want to propose to Betty.”
Chapter 2
I stared at the man and felt my jaw part as I took in his words.
“You think it’s a stupid idea, don’t you?” Rolly asked, and he kicked at the dirt at his feet. “I knew it, I knew it.”
“No,” I laughed and put my hand on his shoulder. “I think it’s a great idea! The best idea! Yeah!”
“Really?” he asked in a small voice, and he looked up at me.
“Really,” I told him with a wide grin. “So, how can I help?”
This was the last thing I’d anticipated Rolly saying to me when he’d asked to speak privately, but I was happy that this was what it had been about. Rolly and Betty had been together for about a year now, and they’d loved each other right away. If he wanted to propose to her, then I saw no reason why he shouldn’t.
“Well, that’s actually what I needed to talk to you about,” Rolly said. “I don’t have a ring.”
“You want me to see what I can find?” I asked.
“Not exactly,” he said, and he pursed his lips. “I know it’s been a while since I’ve been on a run with y’all, but I’m still capable, and I’d like to tag along and pick out a ring myself.”
The old man grew more confident with each word, and I had to smile at his determination. The only reason he’d stopped going with us was because we had so many people now, and I liked for him to be in charge while we were gone. Rolly had always been a good shot and a good team player. It had never been a matter of him being capable or not, though I did think that he worked hard enough as it was and he didn’t need to go running around all of Vermont if he didn’t have to. I figured that was better left to us younger folks, and particularly now since he had Betty. I knew he liked to stay home and be with her, but I never wanted him to feel like he couldn’t ask to go out on a run, or like it was a burden to bring him along.
“No need to tell me how capable you are old-timer,” I told him with a grin. “I’d be honored to help you find Betty a ring.”
“Thanks,” Rolly said, and he let out a shaky breath. “I don’t know why, but I’m damn nervous.”
“It’s because you love her,” I told him.
“That I do,” he agreed.
“Congratulations,” I said.
“Well, she hasn’t exactly said yes yet,” Rolly chuckled.
“Rolly,” I said with a raised eyebrow. “Come on, she’s going to say yes.”
“I sure hope so,” the old man said with a smile.
“We’ll go on a run here in the next few days or so,” I told him. “Whenever the next one comes up I’ll let you know so you can plan ahead.”
“Thanks,” he said, and he clapped me on the shoulder. “For everything.”
“Always,” I told him with a smile, then I thought for a second. “You might want to get with Paige and have her look into jewelry stores around here. I bet she can find you something.”
“Actually,” Rolly said. “I’d prefer not to tell the girls.”
“Oh, okay,” I said, but my eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
“It’s nothing against them,” the old man assured me. “Well, just Tara I guess. I love that girl of yours, but you know how she is with sensitive infor—”
“Say no more,” I chuckled and held my hand up to let him know that I understood.
All the girls were sweet, and they all loved Rolly, but Tara was not the greatest at keeping secrets, and if she got a couple of drinks of vodka in her I wasn’t sure that she could contain herself, either. I didn’t blame the old man for not trusting her. Hell, just this morning she had been trying to figure out if I’d had sex with anyone last night, and she hadn’t been afraid to shout that from the rooftops. She’d be far more excited about Rolly getting married, and I just didn’t think she could contain that excitement for long.
“Right,” Rolly laughed.
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br /> “I’m sure you can find somewhere on the map,” I told him. “I’ll let you know where the next trip will be. Just do some digging and we can make it as inconspicuous as possible.”
“That’s a deal,” the old man said, and he held his hand out for me to shake.
“You all over here makin’ deals without me?” Betty called out, and I turned to see her walking up toward us. She wore blue jeans and a black tank top, and her long, salt and pepper curls were pulled back into a bun. The closer she got, the more I could see the sheen of sweat that coated her from being out in the field all day. She really was a strong woman, and I was happy for Rolly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Rolly told her as she walked up and kissed him on the cheek.
“Good,” she chuckled, then she turned to me. “Unfortunately, you’re just the guy I was looking for.”
“Unfortunately?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I think we might have a problem,” the old woman said with a frown.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“The water pressure is low,” she informed me. “We filled up jugs for everyone this morning so they could water more easily.”
“That was helpful,” I said with a nod.
“The pressure seemed a bit low then,” Betty said. “But I just tried to turn it on again, and it’s really low now.”
“There could be a leak in the line,” I said.
“I was thinking that as well,” she agreed.
“I’ll get the girls, and we’ll walk the line and see what we can find,” I said.
“I’d appreciate that,” Betty told me, and she used the back of her hand to wipe some sweat from her brow.
“You go get some water,” I told her with a frown, then I looked out to everyone in the field. “Actually, why don’t you call everyone over for a water break, it’s hot as hell out here.”
“Not a bad idea,” Betty said.
While Betty and Rolly gathered up the rest of the group, I found the girls on their way over to the house and stopped them.
“What’s going on?” Anna asked.