Waning Moon

by PJ Sharon

  Chapter 3

  The sun sat just above the tree line as I made my way to the McKinley sisters’ cottage. Sam had let me off the hook for spying once he was forced to acknowledge that I was not only old enough to be clued in on some of the Network plans, but I deserved some credit for being resourceful. With their codenames and voice synthesizers, it wasn’t like I could ever identify anyone anyway.

  Once Zeph was safely back home and busy skinning a couple of rabbits, I took off to see the sisters. I couldn’t stay cooped up in the house with Zeph and Sam for one minute longer, the two of them arguing over their uses for the dead man’s vehicle. They would cannibalize the truck a little at a time and make good use of the parts, but the whole situation made me sick.

  I trudged through the trees, up the hill, and down the other side until I came out on the dirt trail that led me to Maggie and Nora’s little house in the woods. They lived even further off the beaten path than we did, the only road to their place not even wide enough for a two-wheeled cart. They lived about a mile further into the old state forest, their homestead covered in dense trees until you came right up on it. Even then, no one could see it since Sam had added security—the same solar powered holographic image around the property he’d devised for us—which made their cottage, yard, and greenhouse appear to be a patch of boulders and shrubs. The sound buffering system kept their presence completely obscured should anyone come looking to cause the ladies any trouble. Their cannabis crop alone could draw some serious unwanted company, but even locals easily got turned around in the dense woods, unable to find the sisters’ hideaway. As long as they had solar power, they had electricity to run the farm in quiet comfort and privacy. Sam had made sure of it. The only obvious sign of life in the area was that the trail ended abruptly.

  The sound of howling wolves split the air, making me jump. I’d never get used to the security system’s auditory alarm. I ignored the growling and barking and continued on. I got that weird otherworldly sensation as I stepped into the rock and the house came into view. Hardy potted plants surrounded the porch, and tulips and daffodils bloomed bright yellow and orange along the stone walkway. I knocked on the lower half of the screen door, the metal making a harsh noise against the bird song and the quiet of the day.

  Maggie came to the door, a wide smile stretched across her round face. “Lily, come in.” The smile disappeared when she saw my expression. Sam had warned me about wearing my woes for the world to see. “What’s wrong?” She asked as she dragged me into the kitchen and closed the door behind me.

  “Nothing,” I lied, unable to convince even myself. “I just came by to see if you had your list ready for the trip to Albany.” A group of locals from Stanton made the trip to Albany and back several times per year, trading and buying goods for neighbors who couldn’t make the difficult journey on their own for various reasons.

  The sisters rarely left their cottage or ventured beyond an occasional trek into town by mule. As if on cue, Max, an obstinate but friendly critter, gave a loud bray from the back yard. The door at the rear of the house was wide open and I could hear Nora coaxing a goat into its pen.

  “Sit down, Lily. I’ll make you some tea. You look like you’ve been chased by a ghost.” Maggie prodded me to sit and put hot water on to boil. She slid onto the chair across the worn oak table. “Now, tell me what’s happened.”

  She had no idea of how right on she was. I knew of all people, I could trust Maggie and Nora. They’d taken me under their wing early on, and had been training me in the way of herbs and medicinal plants since I was small. Maggie had a green thumb that could make plants bloom under the worst of conditions, and Nora’s background as a pharmacist enabled them to put the plants to good use. They accepted, understood, and even nurtured my gift, reminding me often how proud my mother would have been of my growing abilities.

  I hesitated. I didn’t want to disappoint the sisters or endanger them by revealing information that might put them in harm’s way, but I couldn’t hide my torment. I filled Maggie in on my drama.

  “Oh, shit!” she blurted, surprising even me. She added with an apologetic glance, “I’m not upset with you, Lily. You didn’t intend the man harm, but you have to know, his disappearance is going to bring a lot of attention to Stanton. I was hoping we had a few more years before government agents found some reason to swarm our hills.” Seeing the blood drain further from my face, she said, “Don’t worry. We have a bug-out plan in place. I hear Pennsylvania is nice.” Her usual good natured grin took over her face. “Let’s talk about something else. Have you met any nice boys?”

  Maggie loved gossip, and since there wasn’t much happening in the tiny town of Stanton, apparently my love life was up for discussion. I shook my head, glad for the change of topic but wishing it was anything but boys.

  My cheeks warmed and reddened as I let my bangs fall over my eyes. “Considering there aren’t many boys around here to choose from, the only way I’ll find a boy I like is if one suddenly falls out of the sky.” I shrugged and smiled, unwilling to ponder the thought too hard. The last thing I needed was a boyfriend.

  “Well, that’s a terrible shame. You’re a lovely young lady and deserve to have some fun at your age. When I was sixteen…” The whistle of the tea kettle interrupted her reflection. Pouring the water into a pot of aromatic herbs, she eyed me and then sat to let it steep. “Is Josh Johnson still giving you trouble?”

  My face went hotter. Josh Johnson, one of three of the local constable’s sons, had been pretty much stalking me since the eighth grade. I’d sensed something was off about him, and knew we shared some strange connection that he was eager to explore. After class one day, he had followed me into the girls’ bathroom and cornered me. Him being considerably larger than me even then, he had pinned me hard against the wall, his eyes boring into me like he was trying to crush my brain or attach his soul to mine. He’d scared me enough to make me scream for help.

  Only intervention from a teacher stopped the assault. After that, Josh’s following and watching creeped me out so badly, I’d finally quit going to the county school. Home schooling seemed like a better fit for me and Zeph anyway, considering the public school had little to offer that Sam couldn’t teach us.

  Sam put a stop to the worst of Josh’s threats by confronting Mr. Johnson with a startling piece of information we’d found in mother’s medical journals, and that seemed to be keeping Josh at bay. Finding out that his mother had also been a part of the genetic experiments made me wonder just what the dark skinned boy was capable of.

  “Josh and his brother Luke are both nothing but bullies,” I said finally. “Tyler is the only one who seems to have any manners.” The youngest of the brothers, Tyler, was shy and a little strange, but he seemed harmless and was about Zeph’s age—the only real friend my little brother had. For that reason alone, I cut Josh some slack.

  Maggie nodded. “Josh and Luke came by a few weeks ago, hunting with their bows.” Her face split into a grin. “Nora took care of them. She sent Bo and Pappy after them. Chased the poaching little bastards right back down off the mountain.”

  Maggie’s foul mouth aside, I had to laugh at the image. Bo and Pappy, a pair of huge grey wolves the sisters had raised from pups, roamed free, but they knew where to get some love, attention, and an easy meal. The two were as tame as dogs, but their size and ferocity were quite intimidating. Pappy was smart and Bo was sneaky. I could only imagine them stalking and chasing Josh and Luke down before either of them could get off an arrow.

  “As long as they don’t come back armed with more than bows,” I said, my concern being for Maggie and Nora as much as for the wolves. Most hunters didn’t own guns since ammunition was scarce and guns were outlawed for private use. Only law enforcement agents and a few rebels like my uncle owned firearms. Unfortunately, that meant Mr. Johnson not only carried openly, but he had legal access to a small arsenal.

  Before Maggie could respond, the two wolves trot
ted in the back door, their paws clicking happily across the wood floor. Bo attacked me with kisses, his massive head just at the right height with me sitting. He’d recovered nicely from a recent encounter with a wild boar, who’d managed to puncture Bo’s lung with its razor sharp tusk during a tussle.

  “Off, boy!” I laughed and turned my face away, avoiding most of the slobbering assault. I patted his big furry head, happy I’d been able to save him. He moved to the side and made room for his brother, who was anxious to have his turn for a scratch. The only characteristic that distinguished them was the ragged scar across Bo’s eye and broad snout. Pappy was only slightly smaller than his brother, but still imposing in his own right.

  “You two go on, now!” Nora commanded as she trailed behind them and shut the back door. Maggie explained to Nora what had happened.

  “Do you want me to fix you something stronger than tea? You must be terribly shaken up.” Nora patted my shoulder affectionately.

  “No, I’ll be all right.” I wasn’t sure how true that was, but there was nothing to do but live with the horrible knowledge of what I’d done.” My queasy stomach gave another roll.

  “Did you come for some more valerian? Still having trouble sleeping?” Nora’s dark eyes probed my face, probably assessing my dark circles and pallid skin tone.

  Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, I focused on ruffling Pappy’s thick fur as he panted happily. After one last scratch behind the ear for each of them, the wolves sauntered off to the living room and curled up on their bed, nipping at each other playfully. Nora finished fixing the tea her sister had steeping on the stove. The two women always completed each other’s tasks and ended each other’s sentences. It was as if they were two halves of the same person or acted on some kind of weird mind melding system.

  “I’m sleeping better, thanks.” Another lie, but why worry them. The trouble with my dreams was figuring out which dreams were prophetic, and which were simply a product of my overactive imagination. Some came true, and some were just dreams, but I hadn’t figured out how to interpret them or control what I remembered of them. I shook off the questions—no room for any more drama in my day. “I just came by to check and see if you had your trade goods ready for the Albany trip and if you had a list of all you needed.”

  “Of course.” She set the tea in front of me, her long braid nearly dipping into my cup. Where Maggie had cropped, completely gray hair, her younger sister hadn’t cut hers in all the time I’d known her. She usually piled it in buns all over her head or wore it in long braids on either side. Silver strands wove into the chestnut layers, giving her a look of wisdom to go with the spark in her dark eyes. Nora was a good ten years younger than her sister, about the same age as Sam. She was slimmer than Maggie and still had nearly flawless skin, despite all the time she spent outside. She swore it was the cream she’d devised to block out the sun’s rays, another of her homemade products that was a big seller at the city marketplace.

  “If you’ve added your items, sister, we should be all set.” Nora pulled the long list off the refrigerator and handed it to Maggie.

  Reviewing the items out loud in mumbled stops and starts, ending with… “wheat flour, rice, lye, coffee beans, cocoa…“Yep, that’s everything.” Maggie glanced over the list once more. She handed it to me and I checked through it to see if there were any unreasonable requests. The last time I’d shopped for her, Nora had wanted me to try to procure her some batwings, which went over really big with the vendors. I’d learned quickly that unusual requests made for getting noticed, so I checked the list over twice.

  “The caravan is leaving for the city first of next week. I can pick up your goods on Sunday afternoon if you like.”

  “Will you be traveling with the Johnsons?” Maggie asked, her tone turning chilly. “You know I don’t trust those boys to get us a fair deal.”

  “And I don’t trust them with our special blend butter.” Nora chimed in.

  I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. The sisters made cannabis butter that could knock your socks off if you ate too much of it. They could trade a year’s worth of flour, rice, and coffee for a couple of pounds of their special blend. They were one of the few year round growers in the Northeast sector, and the sisters had the best product available on the trade market in Albany. If last year’s orders didn’t take up a few crate’s worth of space on the truck going to the city, I’d be surprised.

  “I’ll keep an eye on your butter. Don’t worry,” I said. A roll of thunder vibrated through the house, followed by the sound of heavy rain pelting the roof. The storm would likely only last a few minutes, but the walk home would be muddy and I’d have to hit the traps quickly before dark came on. I was counting on the clouds clearing and the moonlight to help guide my way. I took another sip of tea, ignoring the tension that crept into my shoulders.

  “Is Zephron going too?” asked Maggie, drawing my attention back to the conversation.

  I hesitated. “Not this time. Zeph’s getting older, bigger, and harder to pass off as a harmless little boy.” Nora nodded in understanding. I raised a brow and added, “He’s also developing a temper that seems to spark some difficulty in controlling his mouth. I don’t need that kind of trouble. Besides, I don’t want to leave Sam to fend for himself.” A pang of sadness crept into my heart and I shoved it down.

  “Don’t worry about Sam. I’ll look in on him and Zeph while you’re away.” A sad but reassuring smile lit Nora’s eyes. The sisters knew what my brother was capable of, but like me, they had hope that his better nature would prevail.

  Maggie countered. “You really shouldn’t travel with those Johnson boys alone. Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

  “I can handle them.” A niggle of doubt churned in my stomach.

  As if reading my mind, Maggie added, “I know that intuitive sense you have about people will keep you out of trouble, but why don’t you take Bo and Pappy with you?”

  “That’s a great idea,” I said, relieved. My intuitive sense as she called it, allowed me to “feel” people’s energies if I tuned into them—another byproduct of my genetic alterations that wasn’t always a plus. Considering how cruel people could be, I kept that ability under wraps most of the time too, or I would find myself drowning in toxic energy.

  Having the wolves at my side would give me a much greater sense of security. I’d known them since they were pups and they’d already proven they would protect me with their lives. They’d fought off a polar bear just last winter while I’d been out hunting with Zeph. It had nearly cost Bo his eye. The huge white bears were just one of many natural predators that lurked in the hills seeking a new habitat when the polar shift had sent most of Canada and points north into an overnight ice age. They’d mated with the local black bears and the hybrid was a fierce mix of predator and scavenging nuisance. Thankfully they retreated to higher country when the weather turned warm in the spring.

  “I’d love to have them along,” I said. “But do you think it’s wise to leave yourselves unprotected?”

  Nora laughed. “Sam’s motion-sensor alarms have worked quite well. We’ll be fine without the wolves for a few days.”

  “I just hope they don’t draw too much attention.”

  “They know enough to stay out of sight, and I think the risk is worth it. You can’t go alone and I know Sam…isn’t up to it.” Nora’s eyes grew misty and then she looked away.

  “He’s doing better since you came up with the hawthorn berry blend,” I said reassuringly. I wanted to believe that the natural remedies the women concocted for my uncle would be enough to save him and that somehow, between us three, we could heal him. So far, to my everlasting frustration, everything I’d tried was having no effect, but none of us was ready to give up. Nora’s face showed the pain of more affection for Sam than she would admit.

  “Excellent,” said Maggie, clearing her throat and changing the tone of the conversation. “We’ll send some home with you. And
Nora made a wonderful cleansing brew that should help detoxify his liver.” Nora’s plant, animal, and mineral extracts worked amazingly well as homeopathic medicines. “I’ll send some more goat cheese and yogurt with you, too,” she said as she bustled around the kitchen filling a small paper bag with items.

  “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  “Well, what are neighbors for?” said Maggie. “Besides, you are doing us a huge favor by taking care of our supply run. Are you sure you don’t mind? It’s a lot of responsibility for a girl your age on her own.”

  “Please, don’t worry about me. I can handle this. And after last year’s disaster, it’s best that you two stay out of sight.”

  Arguments over price, quality, and paying the imposed taxes had nearly caused a riot in the marketplace, Maggie being the biggest instigator. We’d barely avoided arrest. I’d accompanied them several times. I knew the people involved, how to keep my mouth shut, and how to look innocent but confident.

  “All I have to do is get the product into the hands of Joe Aaron and he’ll make sure I get a fair amount of trade coupons. I promise; I’ll be careful. Besides, you really don’t have any other choice.”

  The confidence that seeped into my words gave much more power to them than the way I felt, but I needed to do this—if only to prove to everyone else that I could handle being on my own. I didn’t want people worrying about what might happen to me and Zeph if worse came to worse with Sam.

  “I suppose you’re right. Well, at least Mr. Sinclair will be there to watch over you,” Nora finished packing a jar of herbs into a small paper bag. Rudy Sinclair was the local butcher and a good friend of Sam’s and mine.

  “I wouldn’t be making this trip without him,” I said. The two women eyed me doubtfully for another minute.

  We all knew that my traveling to the city was becoming a dangerous occupation with the Industry closing in on us, but the sisters’ survival was contingent on the supplies they could exchange for their drugs. With the free drug trade laws the new government had enacted, citizens had a right to produce whatever product would get them the most in trade. Sam thought it was another way for the government to rid themselves of lowlifes and addicts who dealt in hard drugs, as well as to make a huge profit off the levies.

  Maggie’s cannabis butter was a prime product made with high quality organics that were touted to have many medicinal uses. Nora’s other herbal remedies also brought a high value in trade since pharmaceutical access was cut off from those who chose to live outside the cities. Outsiders routinely died of treatable diseases like Diabetes and heart disease, because they had no access to medicine. The term Outsider sat hard in my chest.

  Nora handed me back the list after adding a few more items to it. “I hope the Albany Pharmlab has these drugs available. I heard from Isaac Stone that the city hospitals are having great success with curing many kinds of cancer with Syntoxin.” Doctor Stone lived in the next county and I wondered how he knew so much about what the city hospitals were doing. I let that thought go and tucked the list in my pocket.

  “So you’re sure you don’t mind investing as much as an entire crate of your canni-butter to get Sam’s medicine?”

  Nora let a sad but easy smile curve her lips, “You use whatever you need. Getting those drugs is our first priority. We can do without cocoa and sugar if need be. Your wonderful honey is much better for us anyway.”

  I nodded, appreciative of the sisters’ help and their affection for our family. The rain stopped abruptly and I figured that was my cue to leave. “It’s getting late. I should get home before dark.” I finished my tea, a warm, fruity mix of raspberry and citrus peel.

  As I stood preparing to leave, Nora gave me a warm hug. “Tell Sam I said hello, and that if he needs anything, he knows where we are.” A knowing look flashed behind her eyes. “And remind him to come by for his treatment on Sunday.”

  “I will.” We both knew that his stubbornness was as much a help as it was a hindrance to his battle with the liver cancer that was slowly taking over his body. There was no changing him, but between the two of us, we did a good job keeping him in line and taking care of him as best we could.

  Maggie hugged me in turn. I gave her a tight squeeze and relished her softness and warmth. She pulled back and put her hands on either side of my face. “Try not to think about what happened at the ravine. What’s done is done, and you did what you thought was right. No one can expect any more from themselves these days.” She kissed my cheek and released me. “You are growing into such a beautiful young woman, Lily. You remind me so much of your mother at the same age.” She pushed a light brown curl out of my eyes. “You come by whenever you decide to cut that hair off. You know it’s going to be a scorcher in another few days. It probably won’t let up for months if it’s anything like last summer.”

  “I’ll take you up on that, Maggie. Thank you…for everything.”

  The heat of summer days wasn’t the only worry in my head. I was about to undertake some very risky business. Besides transporting valuable goods, the importance of finding the meds that could save Sam’s life or at least slow down the progression of his disease felt like an enormous weight on my shoulders. It was a responsibility I took on without hesitation, but the gravity of the situation was not lost on me—especially after what I’d done to that Industry agent. I’d have to find a way to put that incident behind me since I had more immediate problems to deal with.

  As the sisters walked me to their door, I kept thinking about riding along with Josh and Luke—a concern that was taking up far too much space in my already overcrowded brain. It wasn’t like we’d be totally alone. There would be at least a half dozen more local residents riding along, and I’d have the wolves keeping watch, but the way Josh had looked at me the last time I saw him left me wondering if my being smarter than he was would be enough to keep him at arm’s length much longer. I headed out into the damp twilight, a shiver running along my skin that had little to do with the fading sunlight or the rising moon.