Chapter 12 TWS 3

Hayley, Megan, Esther, Raven, and Claire explore the garden and discuss the possibility of growing perennial vegetables. Meanwhile, Able, Sid, Haley, and Megan go hunting and Megan lends her sweater to Haley. They discuss their experiences and compare the current situation to historical events. Jesse discovers a freshwater stream and considers it a valuable resource. Able and Sid shoot pheasants and the women are asked to retrieve them. Chapter 11 Hayley's NYC Story Part 1 Chapter 12 The Different Parties Sid and Abel Abbott grabbed their guns and went out the front door, followed by Hayley from NYC and Megan the local. They decided that Esther, Raven, and Claire would go check the garden, leaving the rest inside with the kids. It might not be safe out here, so let's keep an eye out, said Esther. Her graying dark hair swished to the sides as she swiveled her head. The young cousins, Raven and Claire, followed close behind her. The man inside said the garden is out here with a small fence around it. They walked toward the left side of the house, and down what looked like a gravel path lined with stones. It only took a few minutes before they arrived at a small, fenced-in garden area. Bed four raised garden beds and a wire trellis. There were remnants of cucumber plants, zucchini, and tomatoes. The grass was growing all along the outer fence. Weeds had taken root inside. I used to garden. I wouldn't say I have a green thumb, but I recognize a few things here. Esther found the break in the fence and entered. Do either of you know about gardening? Raven shook her head and replied in her alto voice, A little. My mom and I tried to grow zucchini because we heard it was easy, but never got one zucchini out of it. They are supposed to be prolific. Not me. I want to learn, though, replied Claire. Offhand, I know there are some perennial vegetables. Perennial means they come back year after year. Now did Abel or one of those men plant perennials? We don't know, said Esther. They don't seem like the gardening type to me. If this is such a great resource, why did they let it go like this? Raven knelt down and picked up some of the soil in her hand. She rubbed it and let it fall back into the garden bed. Asparagus. I just remembered that is a perennial vegetable. I think rhubarb is another, said Esther. So plant either of those and they will come back year after year. How about fries or chicken strips? Claire said jokingly. Esther grinned and shook her head. Well, fries come from potatoes, and I believe they can grow year after year. That doesn't mean we are going to have fries, though, and I'm sure you know chicken strips come from chickens, and so do chicken nuggets, but it takes several steps to get to that point. I used to tell my kids that food comes from a farm, not a grocery store. Claire smirked. So you're saying not that dish? How about pizza? Esther looked confused. Raven intervened. She's just kidding. She knows you can't grow pizza. Okay, good, Esther said, and chuckled briefly, because I was starting to get concerned. Pizza sauce is made with tomatoes, but we're still a long way away. Even if we can grow something, it wouldn't be a full meal. It might be more like a side dish. Well, anyway, why don't we start by weeding? We'll get things cleaned up and see what we have to work with. Meanwhile, the hunting party was walking away from the back of the farmhouse. Able and Sid were ten feet in the lead, each with their guns and stomping toward the forest area. Haley was the first behind them, wearing her throw blanket on top. Megan followed close behind. They felt like they were being pulled along for the ride. One minute they are captives, the next they are escaping through the night, then they are inside the farmhouse, and now they are outside with strangers. They saw the need to hunt, but they didn't know how or if this was even a good situation. It seemed dicey. Megan walked over to Haley. Do you want my sweater? I'm sorry, I didn't think to offer before. Really? If you're okay with that, yes. Oh yes, I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner. Megan crisscrossed her arms and grabbed the bottom of her sweater. She pulled it over her head, sending her hair into a static frenzy. Here you go. Thanks. I'll give it back to you when the men give us those clothes they promised us. Haley pulled off the blanket while still walking. She stuffed it between her knees and she pulled over the sweater and adjusted her hair. You're welcome. Megan grinned. My hair is so tangled. Tell me about it. Mine too. We were going to brush out all those knots with Reese. I'm pretty sure that's her name. The British girl? She must be back at the farmhouse. Maybe we can do that once we get back. A minute later, Megan continued. It almost feels like a nice day, weather-wise. Spring is here. We survived winter. How come we never see that on a greeting card? Hey, how about that? You made it through winter. Here's a congratulatory card. Yeah, Merry Christmas. Here's a card and a hatchet. Good luck. Maybe see you next year. Or maybe not. Who the heck knows? Ooh, grim. Yeah, sorry. I guess retelling some of that NYC stuff just puts me right back there, you know? What about you? What's your story? I was at work, at the theme park. That's right. Megan pondered. You know, what I feel this is like, I feel like we have these flashbulb memories now. Like with 9-11, and where you were when the towers fell. That moment became frozen in people's minds, and you could ask anyone where they were, and they could tell you where they were and when they saw or heard the news. It sounded like an awful moment in history. I wasn't born yet, but I feel like it's like that. Now we can ask, where were you when the first nuclear bomb hit your city? I never thought of that. It is like that. Both shocking, stomach-churning days. So we remember the big event. The flashbulb memory. But did we miss the run-up to it? Megan asked. What do you mean? I mean there must have been signals leading up to it, right? We're talking about the major moments where our lives changed forever. I'm asking if there were moments leading up to it that should have warned us that the bigger things were coming. It may have been years or events leading up to it. If you remember, before the big bombs were dropped, smaller wars seemed to be breaking out all over the globe, and everyone just went about their business like it was normal. Megan listened and scanned the approaching tree line. I can't say I noticed. Haley suspected Megan didn't notice because she was younger, and her focus must have been elsewhere. At the time, Haley couldn't say she knew how bad things were and that it was approaching a nuclear war level. She was preoccupied with life also. It was also in hindsight that she could see the signals. To her, it seemed like a similar pattern to what she remembered from historic wars. She sighed. This time, however, the weapons were even more powerful and destructive. The group ducked into the forest canopy. Shortly after being inside, they started to hear the gentle roar of a stream of water. A few more minutes and a small stream was at their toes. It stretched several feet wide and gushed over smooth rocks. The water was so smooth and carefree, Haley wanted to leap in and float down the stream as though it were a lazy river. Is it safe to go in? Able turned around and took off his hat. Sure, it is safe to go in, but we're out here hunting, not practicing our backstrokes. Haley looked incredulously at Megan and put her hands out. Able's charm and patience were wearing out rather quickly. Just cross over and keep up with us, Able commanded as he stepped into the water. Inside the farmhouse, Brady ran down the stairs. He bent over and set up a number of toys on the floor. There was a stuffed bear, a set of cars, and a Spider-Man action figure. Here's something for the younger ones. We help you, you help us. Get it? he said. Nora walked over and looked at the toys. Thanks for these. She picked them up and walked over to the group. Brady had an off-putting way about him. He stayed and watched from where he was, at the bottom of the stairs, with his hand on the rail post. So, what is it that you want help with? Nora asked while looking at him. No, I can't right now. He pulled his hand off the post and walked away. Nora watched him begin pacing back and forth in the hallway. She turned and walked back to the group. Is everyone here? She suspected she knew who went where. Several were out in the garden, others went hunting, and the rest should be here. She sighed, feeling uneasy. Listen, everyone, stay close, alright? Outside Jesse had his hand on a rock wall. He stepped cautiously over the mossy stones under his feet. The water rumbled steadily, filling his ears with a relaxing white noise. He explored the area some more and liked what he saw. He even spotted a few fish swimming, with clean water from the well and backup water from this creek. This place was promising. They may not want to stay with Abel, Sid, and Brady for long. As an alternative, they could come over here or keep traveling down the stream and see where that would take them. Having a source of fresh water was so valuable, more than he ever thought about when he used to fill a glass from the sink back home. You still wouldn't just put a glass in the water and drink it right away. It needed to be purified, but for that, they could manage. So far, he didn't see any dead animals floating in it. The water wasn't cloudy or green, and it didn't have any strong odors, and the stream was moving, not stagnant. They could pour it into a shirt or cloth to strain out the big particles. They could build fires, boil the water, and catch fish. It seemed like a viable plan. He nodded. Feels like a blessing. I'll head back and tell the others, he thought. He still hoped Cade would show up soon. If he did, he could show him what he found and how he'd thought of a survival strategy. After what felt like hours, Able Abbott and Cid found and shot several pheasants. They stalked a bevy of them and blasted into the air as a handful plopped down to the ground. The women stood around, bored until the gunfire. Each shot jarred their bones. The sight of the birds falling made Haley sick. Megan was more used to being around hunters. They told the women to run and retrieve their kills. You ladies are on picker-up duty. Looks like we got a decent bag, snickered Able Abbott. Haley and Megan looked confused. Don't you understand English? Go find those pheasants and bring them back to us. Haley and Megan glanced at each other, with a thousandth question running through their heads before peeling off through the raw, tall grass, an uneven ground. There were trees in the distance. Some were bare and dead. The remaining bevy of birds had flown away. The gunshots were still ringing in the ladies' ears, and after a few minutes, they slowed to a jog. Able and Cid were somewhere in the distance behind them. What's the deal? What are we supposed to be doing right now? Haley whispered. Megan's eyes were watery. Was it stupid of us to come out here like this? She kicked a rock. Maybe. Probably. That's why it's better to decide on things ahead of time, not in the middle of a group and not on the fly. Haley brushed the hair out of her eyes. What do you mean? What I mean is, when you think about things ahead of time, you can decide how you're going to respond before it happens. When it does happen, you're quicker to react. But deciding as a group is tough, because none of us want to seem like a bossy beast telling everyone what to do. So we all just look around, and then you and I got swept into this mess we're in right now. So yes, we are stupid for being out here in the woods with two suspicious guys with guns. Haley rubbed her temples, growing more agitated. Geez, look, we still have options. We can just... take off. What if that makes them angry? asked Megan. Who cares? Let them be angry. We'll be long gone. Well, what if they go take it out on the others back at the house? A sense of melancholy suddenly hit them, with their time on the Dreadnought's compound. And even before that, they knew what people were capable of, and they knew that was a possibility. Do you remember how we got out here? Do you think we can make it back to the farmhouse on our own? I think so. Me too. We can hustle back, get to the group, and hightail it out of here. Remember how I said I should have bounced from NYC when I had the shot, but I stuck around? I'm getting the same vibe now, so let's make a run for it. What do you think? asked Haley. Megan thought for a moment. They were still walking through the field, searching for the fallen pheasants. She nodded. Let's get out of here. They heard shouting from behind them. Hurry up, will ya? Haley and Megan ducked into the tall grass. They moved quietly and stayed low to the ground, crawling on their hands and knees, and brushing the grass to the side as the hard dirt pressed into their hands. The sun signaled that evening was around the corner. Haley stopped and whispered, Let's head that way. We'll swing wide around them, then loop back to the creek. From there, head on back to the farmhouse. It's gonna be okay. We have to move fast. They kept their bodies no higher than the tall grass, and stealthily stayed low by crawling as they went. Jesse came out of the forest someplace near the garage, where he started from. He heard gunshots echo around him. It didn't seem like it came from the direction of the farm, so that was of some comfort. He felt good about what he'd discovered here so far, but he didn't feel right about the men here. He'd seen seemingly ordinary men turn into mindless tyrants when they're thrown some authority or given a little power over others. He saw people transform. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it would be best to head back out on their own again. He felt sure about that now. He knew he could be trusted, and so could Cade, if he showed up again. The women who were still here had opportunities to leave, but they stayed with him and with each other. It would be best to gather the group and head out, if only to be on the safe side. They had some water and food here. Why stay and push it? Also, once they got out and settled again, he wanted to count all the women and children and learn their names. Or maybe Nora, Reese, or someone else could do that. That way, if someone left on purpose, they would know and that would be their choice. But they would also know if someone got lost or left behind. The group had shrunk in size. Perhaps the rest were destined to be together. Focused on his thoughts, he began making his way toward the yellow front door. Or was I supposed to check the basement, wasn't I? Come to think of it, I didn't check upstairs either. Maybe it doesn't matter now if we're just going to leave. He paused for a moment. Lord, what do you think? He pivoted around and walked toward the outdoor cellar entrance. If you're going to do a job, do it right. And all the way. He remembered his father telling him that when he was growing up. He arrived at the side of the farmhouse, where a wooden door lay on top of what he assumed was the outer entrance of the basement. Jesse bent down and gripped the lock. It didn't budge. He let it go and stood up. He stepped over to the thin, narrow windows. He bent down and peeked through. The basement was finished. The floor looked glossy. The walls were wood-paneled. It was dim, but it looked like a nice space. He could see a washing machine, a dryer, and a basket of clothes. There appeared to be a few rooms as well. He couldn't make out much detail through the windows. He stood and looked up at the second story and exhaled through tight lips. It was time to head inside and go. All eyes fixed on Jesse as he entered the home. Nora and several others stood up with concern sweeping across their faces. They headed over to him. Harry stomped out of the hallway, only to see it was him. With a scowl, he stood by the stairs and watched him. Nora waved him over to the living room sofa and spoke softly. I strongly suggest we leave this place. We just got out of a bad situation. No need to get into another. Jesse said, I was thinking the same thing. Esther, Raven, and Claire were outside, but they're back now. Hayley and Megan were hunting with the other two men. They're not back yet. Nora bit her lip. And then the one man is over there. She flicked her eyes toward Brady. Jesse didn't know which one Hayley was. He must have missed her introduction, but he remembered Megan. Why did he go hunting with them? He sounded confused, still whispering. Nora said, How about we talk about this later? Besides them, is anyone else missing? I don't think so. He wanted to tell her his idea about making sure everyone knew each other so no one would get left behind. But now wasn't the time. Nora brought her hands up to her mouth and thought. Both of them racked their brains for the next right move. What do you think we should do? asked Nora. Jesse looked around and licked the corner of his mouth. He shook his head. Let me think. He walked several steps and glossed over the framed photo that rested by the TV in the entertainment center. They looked similar to other family photos he'd seen over the years. They were probably very meaningful for the people in them. But he didn't recognize anyone. It might as well have been the stock photo that comes in a frame from the store. An alert tickled his mind. He scanned the pictures again. He didn't recognize anybody. He walked across the way to the fireplace mantle and examined those pictures. There was no Grandpa Sid, no Abel Abbott, and no Brady. None of them were in a single photograph. Surely they would have been in one family photo. Unsettled now and trying to understand the situation, Jesse played through the events of the day. They arrived and were outside very early in the morning. Sid had the shotgun. They decided to come inside. The scenes played like a movie in his mind. Everyone was excited for the water. Chris filled up and brought him his water bottle. He paused and scanned the group of women and children. Was she here? He stomped back over while trying not to alert Brady. Jesse sat down next to Nora on the couch and looked through the group. Where's Reese? Nora's eyes dashed around. The English girl? She was here? Jesse's stomach sank while a burning sensation climbed up in his throat. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, except that the worst-case scenario seemed to be the likely scenario these days. He slowly reached for his rifle, feeling his temperature rise, jumped up and aimed at Brady. Where is she? Jesse yelled. Instantly triggered by the yelling, the women and children dropped to the floor in a whale and took cover. Again, it was like they were being bashed in by emotion. Brady twitched his hands up and then down as if he was amused with Jesse. He was surprised, yet wore a twisted grin. Jesse stomped away from the sofa with his gun aimed on Brady. I'm serious. Where's the girl? Jesse shouted, trying to keep his voice low, but remaining intimidating and commanding. The unafraid Brady was nearly twice his width, with a fifty-pound weight advantage. I don't... I don't know what you're talking about. Everyone's right there, except the ones who went hunting, said Brady. Jesse wondered if it could be true. She might walk out of the kitchen right now. No, he had to prove it. Show me then. Show me upstairs. Show me the basement. Alright, alright. Put the gun down before you hurt yourself. Let's go upstairs. You first. Brady put his hands up and stepped away from the stairs. He was moving to Jesse's side, and he didn't like that. Jesse shouted, You go first. Brady feigned confusion and innocence. Take it easy. Alright, I'll go first. Just put the gun down. He moved toward the stairs and began to walk up. Jesse needed to control the situation. That's what Cade taught him. No. I'm making the calls. Downstairs. Let's go down in the basement first. Brady froze on the stairs for a moment. Okay. He stepped back off the stairs, glared at Jesse, and slowly walked into the hallway. Jesse followed behind him. They reached the door, moving quicker now. Brady twisted the knob. It's locked. Nobody's been down there. Open it. I want to check every square inch of the house. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. It's locked. 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