by C. A. Henry
“Nah,” Massey assured her. “Think how lonely it would be up here with nobody to talk to. He may have been alone for months. I know I’d be going bonkers if I had to be alone for even a week.”
“We need to decide. I have no problem going over to have coffee. I’m not so sure about staying in his lodge,” Helen stated flatly. “My recent encounter with strange men has made me paranoid, I guess, but I’m not sold.”
Ross cleared his throat. “I think we’d be fine staying there. He seems nice, and we could stay together, like you gals in one room, and us guys in another. Or maybe all of us in one room. We could even take turns staying awake, if you think we should.”
“I think he’s a decent sort. A little odd, but aren’t we all?” Massey insisted. “If he’s really alone, it’s five against one, but only when and if he starts any trouble. We need rest, and the mosquitos are getting bad lately. I say we go have a visit, maybe see the layout of this lodge, and decide then.”
“I’m concerned for another reason: he said he has been around since this morning, and we never saw him. I had no idea he was around, did you?” Jeff warned.
“That means he’s good at moving in the woods. He might have something to teach us, if we had time to stick around for lessons,” Ross smirked.
“It means we’re too focused on covering some ground, and not paying enough attention to our surroundings,” Helen corrected. “I thought I was alert, after…after what happened. I was wrong. We’ve come too far to let our guards down now. We have to stay aware!”
“Okay, so let’s go have some coffee,” Massey urged. “We can communicate like this: if anyone gets a really bad feeling and thinks we need to make a quick exit, say something nice about ‘good ol’ Sid,’ and if you are convinced we can safely stay overnight at the lodge, mention the studio. Anyone who agrees with either remark is voting that same way.”
With nods all around, they carried their belongings over the hill and down to the lodge.
~~~~
They piled their packs and the tent against the back wall of the lodge and took seats at a wrought iron table on a huge, covered patio. The lodge looked like a one-story ranch-style house on the outside. Isaac opened the sliding glass door and carried out a tray with six cups and set it on the table. The tray also held two pots.
“The big pot is coffee, and the smaller one is green tea. Would one of you ladies like to pour?” he offered, gesturing toward the cups.
Helen poured coffee for everyone except herself, then poured tea in her cup. Isaac was obviously a socially adept person; he remembered each of their names correctly, and deftly got a conversation going about the experiences each had at the beginning of the Collapse. He waited to be the last to tell his story.
“I was at home in Hot Springs when I realized that the embargo was just the beginning. I had a ham radio there, and I heard about bridges being blown up and then about a sickness that was spreading. I loaded my SUV and came here. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a panic and forgot some things. I should have brought the radio, more candles, and more oil for my lamps. I stopped at a sporting goods store, but it was already looted. I’ve kicked myself several times for not knowing that this was really the end of the world as we know it.”
“My husband thought it was temporary, too. He wanted to hunker down in our home in Florida, and we waited almost too late to leave,” Helen agreed. “Lewis died just a few days after we started out.”
“I’m sorry,” Isaac said softly. “I didn’t have anyone to bring with me. Some of my friends were smarter than I was and had already gotten out of town. Others died trying to fight off looters. I had a lady friend, but we decided to go our separate ways before all this started. My brother was in Afghanistan, and I haven’t heard from him since the attack on Bagram. I left that little rent house and haven’t thought much about it since.
“This place has all the household stuff we needed if some of us had to stay here, like pots and pans, dishes, towels, sheets, pillows. We always had to bring our own food, but I had this idea in my head that when I got here, someone from the company would already be here, or would arrive soon. I thought my coworkers would consider this a good bugout location, but I’m the only one who showed up. I have no idea why. We never talked about it, so I guess they had other options.”
“How do you heat this place in the winter?” Jeff asked.
“Oh, there’s a wood stove, and a fan to send hot air around. Hot air rises, and that’s what turns the fan blades. The company planned to put solar panels on the roof, but didn’t get it done. I get water from a spring. It’s piped into the house. There’s no good way to heat it, though, for baths or washing clothes. The place isn’t perfect, but I’ve learned to manage.”
“We’ve been camping out a lot, sleeping on the ground, carrying water from streams or ponds and running it through filters we brought. Helen is our expert at setting snares. She kept us in rabbits and squirrels until the rest of us learned how to do it, and we catch fish sometimes. We haven’t had electricity since we left the farm in Mississippi,” Massey added. “Jeff, Helen, and Stevie lived for a while in an artist’s studio. It was a neat little place, too.”
The other four looked at him, and one by one, nodded in agreement, then Stevie spoke up. “It sure was. Neat, cozy, and with a wood stove we used to stay warm. I really liked it there.”
~~~~
They expected to see separate bedrooms in the lodge, but there were only two, one of which Isaac used. The room next to his was long and filled with bunkbeds.
“All the people who used this regularly were men. Sometimes one of them would bring his family up for a weekend, which the boss encouraged, or several of the guys would come up to hunt or fish. Individual bedrooms would cut down on how many could come, so they built it like a bunkhouse. All we had to do to reserve it for a few days was tell the boss’s secretary the dates.”
“Wow. This is nice. Stevie and I can take the bunks in the corner and drape a couple of blankets to give us privacy. Thanks, Isaac. My bones are getting too old to sleep on the ground,” Helen laughed.
“Well, goodnight. The bathroom is across the hall. Sweet dreams.” Isaac left them and went to his own room, closing the door behind him.
The men let Helen and Stevie have the bathroom first. All of them were accustomed to sleeping in their clothing, and since they’d shared a tent so many times, they weren’t self-conscious about sharing a room.
Without planning, all of them gathered at the end of the room furthest from Isaac’s room. Jeff wanted to set a guard, but Stevie suggested putting one of the wooden chairs under the doorknob.
“It’s a good bet that some of us will have to get up in the night to use the bathroom,” Ross argued. “Moving a chair every time could be noisy, and while that person is out of the room, the chair wouldn’t be doing us any good. Is it worth it?”
“No, I guess not,” Stevie sighed. “I think he’s an okay guy, but what if we’re wrong?”
“Well, we have all of our stuff in this room. You and Helen are in the corner away from the door, so I think we’ll be alright,” Massey explained.
“Are you saying Helen and I are helpless females again?” Stevie challenged.
“Not at all.” Massey shook his head. “I’m saying that a man who has been here alone for months might be very interested in taking two things: supplies and females. I watched, and I didn’t see him pay any undue attention to either of you, but most men would.”
“Oh.” Stevie looked thoughtful. “Maybe he really doesn’t have much in the way of supplies, and he wants us to relax so he can rob us.”
“I don’t think so. He doesn’t look like he’s missed any meals. Not that he’s fat, but he looks like he’s getting enough to eat,” Jeff asserted. “Let’s hang something on the doorknob that will rattle or jangle if the door is opened, and try to get some sleep. Or we can stand guard. I don’t care, but let’s decide before the sun comes up, okay?”
~
~~~
Early the next morning, they awoke to the smell of coffee brewing. They got up and put their boots on, then headed for the kitchen.
“Isaac, allow us to provide breakfast this morning. We’d like to show our appreciation for your hospitality,” Helen offered.
“Well, that would be really nice. I don’t have much in the way of breakfast food. Most of what I have is soup or pasta dishes, so if you have something different, I’d welcome the change.”
Helen got packets of freeze-dried foods out of her pack and she and Massey began to prepare eggs with bacon bits, mushrooms, and peppers. She made six nice omelets and served them.
Isaac relished every bite of the delicious food. When he finished, he wiped his mouth and grinned.
“Thank you. That was a real treat,” he sighed. “So, is there anything you need help with to make the rest of your journey easier?”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a helicopter all fueled up and ready to take us to Oklahoma, would you?” Jeff joked.
“No, but I have a foam pad just the size of a sleeping bag. Helen, it rolls up pretty small. It’s lightweight and it would be a good cushion to sleep on. One of the guys left it here, and you are welcome to it.”
“Are you sure?” Helen asked uncertainly.
“Very. I have a good bed to sleep on, and I’d like for you to have that pad. Does anyone need to sharpen a knife, or clean a firearm? Some of the guys kept cleaning kits here, and I have my own, so if you need them, help yourself. There’s a long hose stretched out in a sunny spot outside, and in a couple of hours, there will be some warm water to wash up, if you want. I’ve been here long enough to have a few things figured out, and I’m happy to share.”
Chapter Thirty-four
June 5, Kanichi Springs, Oklahoma
With trouble on the wane and progress being made, Tanner and the town council only needed to meet every two weeks. They’d met in a few different places, but lately, they’d used the conference room at the school, one of the rooms that hadn’t been damaged by the tornado. Their meetings often included a light lunch provided by the cooks at the lodge, and after town business was concluded, the council members usually sat together and caught up on any local news.
Tanner had just checked off the last item on the agenda and asked if there was anything else they needed to discuss, when a knock sounded on the door. Ken got up to answer it. Ian’s face appeared and he whispered something to Ken, then hurried away.
“Tanner, I think you’re needed over at the sheriff’s office. There are some strangers in town, two young people, according to Ian, and they aren’t sure what to do with them.”
The council members stood, and Tanner gestured for them to go ahead. “If any of you want to help with this, you’re more than welcome to come with me.”
This led to the entire council trooping over to the station, where they found Vince sitting at his desk, talking to a young woman about nineteen and a boy about sixteen.
“These two came dragging in a little while ago, and they say they’re looking for Bree, Rian, and the Martin boys. Zoe, Ethan, this is the mayor, Tanner, and these other folks are our city council members.”
Tanner sat down across from the kids and asked them several questions, then asked Vince if there was somebody he could send to get any of the people the kids claimed to know.
Vince sent Shane, who located the Martin boys just coming into town on foot, hoping to find a group who would go fishing with them. It took several people to catch enough fish to feed everyone, and they wanted at least six or seven to improve the haul.
Shane waited until they got close and said, “You boys are wanted at the sheriff’s office. I don’t know what you’ve done now, but I think you’re in trouble.”
He had them going for a few minutes, then couldn’t keep a straight face any longer. Price punched him in the shoulder for playing yet another trick on them.
“Hey, that’s assaulting an officer of the law. You’re in for it now,” he teased.
“No, it’s assaulting a smart-mouth brother-in-law,” Price shot back.
He opened the door and ushered them into the crowded room. They glanced around, then both of them realized who was standing there.
“Zoe! Ethan!” they shouted, hugging the two young people.
“Well, I guess that settles that. Now we just have to figure out where they’ll stay,” Tanner shrugged.
~~~~
That evening at dinner, Zoe and Ethan told their story at the lodge. Their parents hadn’t returned, and they were out of food, almost out of ammunition, and pretty much out of hope. They’d prayed, and cried, and talked it over, coming to the conclusion that they had no choice but to leave the family’s cabin and try to locate Kanichi Springs. They mentioned knowing the Foster children from survival camp, then asked if there was any way to figure out what had happened to their parents.
“Did you remember to leave a message for your folks, just in case they do make it back at some point?” David asked.
“Yes, but we didn’t say exactly where we were going. They knew about us being friendly with Quinn and Amaya and Paul, so we just said we were going to the town where our pals from camp lived,” Zoe explained. “They’ll remember, because we talked about them all the time.”
“Good thinking,” Talako told them. “I think we can find a place for you here. I bet you learned some things at that camp that will be useful.”
“Ethan is a competitive shooter, so good he got offers to be sponsored by some big companies. Both he and Zoe have lived out in the woods by themselves for quite a while,” Price agreed.
Mac had listened, thinking of how to help these kids. He spoke softly, in his usual kind way. “We have a radio, and we can ask if anyone has any information about your parents. After the dishes are done, I need you to write down their names and a description of the vehicle they were in. We’ll check with some people we know who, uh, ‘liberated’ some records from a FEMA camp up near Stigler, too. They can check for your folks’ names.”
Zoe smiled, and Ethan said, “Thank you, sir. We’ve been thinking that they must have died, but we’d like to know for sure. Not knowing is eating at both of us.”
“I understand, and the radio crew will be happy to help,” Mac assured them.
“Well, we do have a few rules here that you should know,” Erin informed them. “Everyone works. We’ll find something for you to do to contribute. Second, everyone learns new skills. We all need to know as much as we can if we’re going to make it, although things sure are a lot better now than they were last winter.”
Zoe nodded solemnly. “Yes, we learned about that at camp, how we all need to keep learning new skills. I’ve been working on sewing since the first time I went to camp, and I know how to can, and grow things. Ethan knows a lot, too.”
Erin smiled, then added, “And two more rules, one of which is never to be broken, because some people did break it, and they got themselves into situations they almost didn’t survive. You are never, ever to go anywhere alone or unarmed. We understand that you both know gun safety, so make your rifles a part of you, and always ask someone to go with you if you leave the yard of the lodge. I hope you understand that this rule is for your safety, and to keep the rest of us from having to search for you and worry about you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both answered.
“And the last rule is that there are things here that are top secret. You don’t ever talk about them to anyone who doesn’t live here at the lodge. Our lives have depended on that secrecy more than once, and if you break that rule, the punishment is that we take you over into the forest in Arkansas and leave you.”
As she spoke, Zoe’s eyes grew huge and Ethan looked scared.
“We’ll n-never say a single w-word, to anyone, I promise,” he stammered.
“Good. We’ll tell you some of the problems we had with people breaking rules, but another time. For now, how about you get cleaned up? Frances has found you s
ome clean clothes to wear, and then, I think you could use some sleep.”
Chapter Thirty-five
June 6, the Ouachita National Forest
Isaac’s generosity and kindness were genuine. The group stayed on a couple of days to get themselves and their clothing clean, rearrange their packs, and get some rest.
Their genial host helped them in every way they would allow and showed them on the map a good way to get through the forest and into Oklahoma. He wrote down directions with landmarks, much the same way Damaris and Quincy had done for Helen. Isaac knew the forest well, having spent almost all his adult life working there.
After retiring to the bunk room on their last night, they once again had a quiet conference that Isaac couldn’t hear.
“We should ask him if he wants to join us,” Stevie insisted. “He must be so lonely here, and eventually, he’ll run out of food.”
“He showed me a garden spot he’s working on, and by this time next year, he’ll have it fenced and planted. He’s building a solar dehydrator, too, so he’ll be okay,” Ross assured them. “Not that I object to inviting him.”
“It won’t hurt to offer, will it?” Massey asked. “Unless you think arriving in Kanichi Springs with five extra people would be a bit much.”
“No, I don’t think it would,” Helen replied. “I think a man with the ingenuity to live here and think up all these creative ways to cope, would be an asset to any group. I’ll ask him, if you all approve.”
So, the next morning as they sipped coffee on the patio, Helen invited Isaac to accompany them to Oklahoma.
“We’re headed to my first husband’s parents’ home, Isaac. I’m pretty sure my three children are there, and we’re all preppers. We talked last night, and we’d like it very much if you would go with us.”
Isaac looked surprised, then thoughtful. Finally, he shook his head. “Thank you for the offer. It means a lot that you would let me join your group, but I think I’ll stay here. You see, if my brother is alive, if he makes it back home, this is where he’ll come looking for me. He’s all the family I have left. I’ve gotten used to living alone, and I have a good situation here, except for the loneliness. Thank you all, but no, I’m content where I am.”