Gleanings

by Alice Sabo

  She gave him a curious look.

  “We’ve been working hard to grow a real village here. We’ve got all the layers and checks and balances that you need. Washburn just takes what he wants. He strong-arms people into doing what he wants. But people nowadays don’t trust. They can’t. Those of us that knew the world before are so damaged we can barely function. He tries to take advantage of that. It can’t last. At some point, you get tired of being afraid, and you walk away from it.”

  “Like I did,” she said thoughtfully.

  “If he can’t feed his men, they’ll try to leave. He can’t lock them all up. Next flu season he might lose his prison guards. That’s what finally shut down the train food factories. Too many guards died to keep the slaves working.”

  “Slaves?”

  “That’s what the press gangs were for. Where all the parents went. To keep the factories running to feed the guards and their superiors.”

  “So you think things will fall apart for him?”

  There was a fragile hope in her eyes that he hated to dash. So he lied. “Bound to happen.”

  Chapter 50

  The shifting population of that summer made it difficult to have solid numbers for planning.

  History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss

  TILLY TOOK HER EARLY morning cup of tea to a table at the back of the nearly empty cafeteria. It was barely past dawn, and not many people were haunting the room yet. The latest arrivals had lost some of their urgency and weren’t camping out near the food anymore. She took it as a sign that they were fitting in, trusting the powers that be.

  The crew in the kitchen was joking as pans clattered and plates clicked. In the cafeteria, The Grower’s Committee was having a good-natured chat around a table. They were usually the first ones in, fed and out to the garden. A few other early-risers were seated singly around the room.

  She purposefully did not have any lists to look at this morning. Things had gotten so hectic that she needed to start her day with a little peace and quiet. But her concerns still had her mind churning. Late last night, she managed to talk Angus out of taking the trip to meet another general. Considering what had happened to Nick when he met Washburn, she didn’t think Angus should put himself in jeopardy like that. Martin was important enough. And he was due for a little down time. The trip up to the seed depository would do him good, especially if he knew some people there.

  Martin had sent out the Ready Team again the night before last. He told her it had gone successfully, but gave her no more information. In a way, she preferred it that way. She didn’t want details about who had been killed. It saddened her that their only choice was a fight to the death, but it had come down to that. If they wanted to be safe, to live life as they wished, they must be willing to protect themselves with violence.

  On a happier note, Ted had brought in a whole crowd of kids. Nearly half of them had made connections with people, if not family. Eunice wanted to have a party to celebrate, but Tilly worried that those who were still waiting for loved ones might find that callous. She hoped that when word got out, a few more of the children might find family.

  She wondered if Ted’s ploy would work. If the hostages were gone, wouldn’t they just lock James up? She knew her mind didn’t work the way that theirs did, so maybe she’d missed something. It sounds like a well thought out plan. And she hoped that meant that Nick and Wisp would be able to stay put for awhile.

  Kyle entered the room with the new brother, moving very slowly. Nick had told them all that his name was Peter now instead of Epsilon. Even cleaned up he was a sight. His long hair and beard were still matted. She didn’t want to know how his limbs had gotten so twisted. He leaned against Kyle, taking much-needed support. Ruth had tried to keep him in bed, but he’d gotten so agitated that they let him wander. They were so unlike anyone could see that they weren’t biological brothers. Kyle with his rust-red hair and golden brown eyes was a big bear of a man compared to the smaller, darker brother, Peter.

  She could hear his constant murmur from across the room. It was very sad to her that the brother they had all bragged about as being so brilliant was the one most damaged. He really seemed to believe that he could see the future. Wisp was avoiding him. She wasn’t sure if that was out of guilt or necessity.

  The thud of the kitchen door swinging open acted like a dinner bell. People must have been waiting in the hallway because as soon as the first set of trays hit the food line, people filed in. She slipped away through the dish room. Sarah must have seen her because she met her in the back hall with a covered dish. Tilly nodded her thanks and carried the warm plate to her desk to eat in quiet.

  She was deep in reports when the first crisis of the day arrived. The storm warning siren went off. First, she checked that Eunice was prepared for extra people. Then she went down to the shelter tunnel to make sure all the doors were open. The Emergency Committee was already there counting blankets and setting up chairs. Bruno had surprised them with a shipment of board games from a toy store at the mall. He needed to know how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness, but every time she tried to thank him he shied away.

  Since the shelter was under control, she tried to go back to her tasks for the day, but the siren threw her off. She checked in on Angus, but his office was full, and they were arguing over some engineering fine points that made no sense to her. She headed down to the infirmary to make sure all was well there.

  “I can see the future.”

  Tilly jumped, she hadn’t seen Peter in the doorway to the showers. He was fully dressed, but dripping wet, and looked a smidge cleaner.

  “You do your job with great dedication. All will proceed as hoped.” His voice was gravelly as though damaged.

  “Thank you,” she said gently as she inched away.

  “There will always be sacrifices, but yours won’t be painful.”

  She thought he sounded like he was reading fortune cookies. Perhaps that was how he’d survived in a world that no longer needed economic forecasts. He’d become a fortune teller. “You don’t need to do anything until you’ve recuperated,” she said.

  “I can see the future.”

  She nodded patiently, glancing around the hall to see who could help her get him into bed.

  “If Angus isn’t able to field a strong enough fighting force, High Meadow will fall.”

  Her head whipped back around to stare at him, but he was creeping down the hall, clinging to the wall.

  He looked back over his misshapen shoulder. “I can see the future.”

  Chills ran down her back.

  Chapter 51

  We turned a blind eye to the rest of the country. Establishing the Survivor’s Alliance was all we could manage.

  History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss

  BRIDGET FELT LIKE SHE was living someone else’s life. She’d arrived home like a hero with food and vehicles and news of the greater world. Dunham had called a full meeting. She wasn’t the only one with tears in their eyes when they saw what the kitchen had done with the new supplies. Martin had given them the lowdown on the world as it was while they ate grilled cheese sandwiches and drank coffee. Dunham made sure that anyone walking guard duty got their share at the same time. It was the sort of thing that reminded her of what a good man he was.

  She worried that there would be a confrontation, but Martin was a whole lot smarter than that. He knew how isolated they’d been here. He stood up before them as a fellow soldier and spoke to their hearts.

  “I want to bring you the thanks of every living person in this country for guarding this precious commodity,” he began in a somber voice. “You have protected the key to the survival of the human race. And I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to keep this place safe.”

  A murmur passed through the room. They were getting appreciation for years of loyalty and hard work, and it felt good, but he was also asking them to stay put. She could see the questions forming along the ranks.

>   “Train food is gone, and it isn’t coming back. I know that for a fact. The factories have shut down. To survive, we need to start growing our own food. And you can’t just go to the store and buy a packet of seeds. We need good quality seed to ensure the survival of mankind.”

  He paused long enough for his words to sink in. Bridget could see a couple of soldiers sit a little straighter. After all, this time, it was finally making sense.

  “But I need more than that. I won’t beat around the bush. Bridget asked if we could negotiate a manpower for food contract. I need trained men to help me whip my civilians into shape.”

  That got him some chuckles, and the tension in the room eased back a bit.

  “So I’ll ask General Dunham if we can put together a rotation of men out of here and through my militias.”

  “You have more than one?” Dunham asked.

  “I’ve got a home guard we call the Watch, the Sentinels are border patrol, and the Rovers cover anything in between and a little scouting.”

  “What are you guarding?” Gary asked.

  “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Martin said. But his audience remained silent holding judgment on his blithe words. “I mean it. We guard the farms to bring in the food. We guard the people who harvest and process and cook it. We’ve got little kids and a school and pregnant women and doctors. Puppies and kittens and a herd of horses. It’s a little piece of the world that’s as close to normal as you can get. And that needs protecting. And I’m asking you to help me.”

  There was a long tense moment of building emotion before the cheering started. And then there was the planning and the lists and the sudden high spirits. Dunham decided he needed to take a good look at this place himself. They put together an honor guard of fifteen, including Bridget and Jace and were back on the train by mid-afternoon. Martin had a team of people come in to start surveying the area around the Depository. They brought more food and much-needed supplies, so the ones left behind didn’t feel left out.

  As they settled on the train, she watched Martin where he sat speaking quietly with Dunham. Two men that she trusted implicitly, and she prayed that nothing went awry. This might be the solution to both their problems. Martin needed trained men, and Dunham needed a way for his soldiers to work off their boredom. High Meadow was offering a lot more than just a steady supply of food. They were giving them back a job that they had all signed up for years ago. They would be soldiers again.

  Chapter 52

  With every step we take toward reclaiming our society we must be doubly alert to avoid repeating previous mistakes.

  History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss

  WISP SAT ON THE DAMP boulder under a lowering gray sky hoping that he would get a chance to be alone. There had been one problem after another since they’d gotten back with Epsilon. Angus and Tilly had been running him ragged. And it only now occurred to him that they might have seen that as a kindness. Sending him off on errands so that he had a reason not to be around Ep.

  A flicker of familiar emotions warned him that someone was on the road. He saw Ted too late to slip away, because he’d been seen, too. He returned Ted’s wave and waited for him to climb up to join him.

  “I know you want to be alone, but I need to talk to you,” Ted puffed as he scrambled around the boulders.

  “Tall Joe told me what you did,” Wisp said.

  Ted gave him a proud grin. “Now James can escape.”

  Wisp didn’t say that he thought the maneuver might have endangered their brother even more. “I hope so.”

  “Can you tell anything?”

  Wisp closed his eyes to concentrate on James. The knot of emotions that represented High Meadow was too close for him to sense someone as far away as James. “I need to get further away to try.”

  Ted nodded. “Maybe later.”

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, but Wisp knew what Ted wanted to talk about, and he dreaded it. He cast his gaze up to the sky which was a blanket of clouds. It was a gray damp day after the recent storm. The last one hadn’t been as bad. The relays had worked, and everyone had come under cover before it hit. Angus was quite pleased with the results.

  “Can you do anything for him?” Ted asked, finally broaching the subject that had brought him out.

  “No.”

  “But you helped me,” Ted said in a small voice.

  “You were hiding from a painful experience. You only needed a guide to help you return when you were ready. Ep is something else.”

  “What?” Ted asked softly. “What’s happened to him?”

  “I think he’s been tortured. His mind is wrong. Broken. I can’t even get near him without feeling dizzy.” Wisp was relieved to finally say out loud how hard it was to be around him, but it didn’t help his guilt. “I didn’t realize how badly he needed me.”

  Ted squeezed his wrist. “You can’t be everywhere. None of us expect you to watch over us constantly. Even though I know you do.”

  “I never felt any fear. Pain, yes. But this kind of damage takes a long time. I didn’t have a hint as to what was going on.”

  “Maybe he knew it was coming.”

  “He doesn’t have any extra-senses,” Wisp countered firmly. “If Ep had even an ounce of that in him, I’d know.” Although, he couldn’t be sure. Would he really know if his brother suddenly developed clairvoyance? Was that even possible?

  “It doesn’t take a preternatural gift to have foresight,” Ted said thoughtfully. “He was a planner. He’s been out in the world. Who knows what he’s seen. Or what he’s been told. Maybe he sees where things are headed, but in his head, it feels like that’s already happened.”

  Wisp shrugged. “I don’t know what to do for him.”

  “Rest. Food. Safety. Those three things can be a stronger tonic than you realize. You have the skills to take care of yourself in almost any circumstance. For those of us who are weaker, the stress of acquiring them can be debilitating.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “He’s here with us now. We can do all in our powers to care for him. There isn’t anything more to be done,” Ted said firmly. “I wanted you to know that.”

  Wisp patted Ted’s shoulder. “Thank you.” He’d expected Ted to ask him to try helping Ep, and instead, he was out here to cheer him up.

  “Kyle’s got him in hand. They were the closest anyway.”

  “How does Ruth feel about that?”

  “She’s fascinated with his injuries. That’ll do for now.”

  Wisp chuckled at Ted’s understanding of the dynamics of dealing with Kyle’s woman. He felt a thread of unease and realized the source at once. “Want a hand getting down?”

  THE CLOUDS DELIVERED a soft rain on their way back to the school. It was nearing dinner time, and there was a restlessness to the population. Wisp had given up his home in the field house. The Housing Committee had turned the space into suites for families. He’d be happiest with a tent in the woods right now.

  Wisp followed Ted into the building. Nixie was waiting for him by the cafeteria door. Her relationship with Ted was complicated by who and what they were. Although the laws restricting biobots were no longer enforced, they had all been drilled in the repercussion of breaking them. There was no leniency for biobots. Termination was the answer to every infraction. And she was still recuperating from her own traumas. The scar down her face must remind her every time that she looked in a mirror.

  He was contemplating what might come of their friendship when Kyle beckoned to him from down the hallway. Wisp didn’t need his senses to read the electricity in Kyle’s stance.

  “Is there a problem?” Wisp asked.

  Kyle glanced around the corridor, filled with people strolling down to dinner. Then he grabbed Wisp’s arm to steer him to a corner of the atrium. When Kyle touched him, he felt a tumble of emotions with surprise and dread fighting for top notes.

  “Ruth has made a discovery.” Kyle let go of Wisp’s arm to
fling himself into the nearest chair. There was an unaccustomed restless air about his brother.

  “About what?”

  “Ep’s injuries. Wisp, he wasn’t tortured. It’s his bones. They’re deteriorating.”

  “Why?”

  Kyle shifted in the chair, twitched a shoulder. “She thinks it might be a fault in his design.”

  An arrow of fear shot through Wisp’s stomach. “But we’re all of the same design.”

  “Generation, not design” Kyle corrected. “Otherwise we would look identical. Each of us has a slightly different design. There are similarities which dictate our generation, but we are different enough.”

  “Can she fix his bones?” Wisp asked, knowing his question sounded like a child asking for comfort.

  “Identifying the problem is the first step.”

  Chapter 53

  It looked like we might have a small surplus of grain. I was approached by a couple who wanted to start a bakery. Should we eat cake when surviving the winter is so uncertain?

  History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss

  NICK’S PERSONAL QUARTERS had gotten smaller. He’d been reassigned to a closet-sized space since the refugees started flooding in. He had just enough room for a bed and a cabinet for the few clothes and things that he owned. Although he looked forward to sleeping in his own bed, it didn’t feel the same as it had when he’d come in off the road as just a trader.

  He came back from the showers in a thick cotton bathrobe that he’d found on his bed last night. Apparently, Bruno had found a boutique hotel, and a few people got very nice robes out of it. Tilly had been delighted at the stash of linens and towels. Nick imagined that she got a nice bathrobe, too. He slumped down on the bed thinking about Tilly and Angus and Bruno and how hard all of them worked. Success was its own reward, but sometimes it felt good to find a fluffy bathrobe.