by Dave Bowman
“I understand,” Nick said. Jessa, Liz and Charlie were disappointed but they nodded in understanding as well.
Daniel stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Are you ready?”
“Oh, now?” Nick said, surprised.
Daniel nodded. “They’re waiting for us.”
Nick stood up and watched as Daniel shook everyone’s hand and said goodbye. Soon, Nick was once again on the gravel road to Los Gatos, following behind Daniel in his truck.
Daniel led Nick through a back way to Los Gatos, which turned out to be much faster than the one Nick had known. Daniel parked his car in front of a modest adobe home, and Nick did the same. A middle-aged woman with a kind face that resembled Daniel’s emerged and greeted them.
“You must be Nick,” she said. “You saved my son’s life.”
She looked nervously at her son, who gave her a nod. She timidly reached out to shake Nick’s hand. He reached his hand out toward hers, but at the last moment she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. “Thank you so much.”
“This is my mom, Anne,” Daniel said. “And here comes my dad, Raymond.”
A man emerged from the home next. He grinned and shook Nick’s hand heartily. “Welcome to our home,” he said.
A handful of older children and teenagers filed out, looking shyly at Nick. Daniel introduced them all.
“You’ll have to forgive us,” Anne said. “We’re still not used to anyone from outside the village. We got so scared of the virus.”
Nick followed them inside, where a bountiful meal of pheasant with vegetables awaited them. Nick’s mouth watered, and then his eyes went large when he saw Daniel’s brother bring a plate of bread to the table.
“You know the bread from Los Gatos, don’t you?” Anne asked, smiling.
Nick nodded, unable to take his eyes off the spread. He hadn’t had food like this in ages. They enjoyed the meal in relative silence, for which Nick was grateful. He wanted to concentrate on the exquisite flavors of the fresh, homegrown food that he had missed so much.
Daniel laughed as Nick finished his meal and leaned back in his chair with a contented look on his face. “Have you just been eating canned food all this time?”
Nick nodded. “Yes, and I had forgotten how good food like this tasted. Just delicious.”
“What kind of crops are you growing at your place?” Raymond asked.
“Not much just yet,” Nick said. “We just planted a small fall garden, and we have a lot of seeds for the spring. But mostly we’re eating packaged foods we could scavenge from a grocery store in Santa Fe. Plus, I had some food stored in the lodge from before. We have four adults and one child, and it’s enough for the winter. But it’s not very tasty.”
“Are you having much luck hunting?” Raymond asked, using his last piece of bread to soak up the pheasant juices.
“A little. We got some ducks the other day when we found Daniel, and we’ve caught some trout here and there. But no large game. Have you seen any?”
Raymond shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid the dying time took a lot of animals, too. No one in Los Gatos has seen any deer or elk lately.”
“Yeah, there’s nothing out there,” Daniel said, sighing. “Just birds.”
“And we’ve seen some rabbits and squirrels,” Anne said. “The virus never stopped the rabbits from sneaking into the garden to eat my peas.”
Raymond set his napkin on the table and stood up. “Let’s go for a walk, Nick. I’d like to show you around a little.”
The family led Daniel out of the home and through the unpaved road. Children came out to whisper to each other and giggle while a few adults watched nervously from the front steps of their homes. Nick waved to them, and they returned the greeting. They were friendly, but kept a distance.
It would be a difficult transition to open up the village after being in seclusion from the outside world for weeks. Fear of the virus had been great.
They saw the world fall apart and everyone die on the news, he thought to himself. It must be hard for them to trust outsiders after that. But Nick saw they were clearly making an effort.
It had to be more than just the first aid Nick had given to Daniel that had caused the tribe to open up their village to him. They must have known that it would be safer for all of them to stick together. The world had become a lawless, cruel place. Even a significant community like Los Gatos could be vulnerable against enough people and enough firepower.
And as Nick walked through the village, he saw what kind of operation they had. Compared to the rest of the world, the community was thriving.
Now Nick understood why they were so sensitive about outsiders. Besides the risk of contamination they had feared, there was also the risk of thieves trying to come in and take what they had.
And Los Gatos had a lot. They had been working hard, and they had never totally left their traditional Native ways. Now that modern society had collapsed, those traditions and knowledge would serve them well.
“Those are the sheep my cousin’s family keeps,” Anne said. “They give us wool and meat. And the goats give us milk and meat.”
“The goats are good work animals,” Daniel added. “You can pack them down, or train them to pull a cart. And they’ll keep weeds and brush down. Plus they make good pets. They’re as friendly as dogs.”
Nick thought of how overgrown the trail to the vehicles back at the lodge had gotten. And carting gear out to the trucks would certainly be a lot easier with a pack animal. Not to mention how much he’d love to have fresh milk and cheese on a daily basis.
“A lot of families keep chickens too,” Raymond said, pointing to a chicken coop nearby.
They came to some small adobe domes near a stack of cedar logs.
“These are the wood-fired ovens we use to bake the bread,” Anne said. “Daniel tells me you used to come here to buy from my sister Sylvia.”
“It’s the best bread I’ve ever eaten,” he said enthusiastically.
Anne laughed. “We do love our bread in Los Gatos.”
As they neared the end of the tour of the tiny town, Nick was impressed. “You folks have a great system here,” he said, looking at the multitude of small gardens and livestock contained inside well-maintained fences.
“This is what we’re working toward having one day back at my place. We’ve got a long way to go, though.”
Nick noticed an ancient-looking man who stood on the front steps of a tidy adobe house nearby, watching them. The man raised his hand in a greeting as Nick and his hosts approached him. Then he stepped off the stoop.
Judging from the man’s age, Nick expected him to walk with difficulty. But he was surprised when the man moved with poise and strength toward the group.
“This is my grandfather, Edward,” Anne told Nick. “He is a village elder.”
The man smiled at Nick and said a few words in Kiwa. “He says welcome. He is happy you are here,” Anne said.
Nick studied his lined face as the man continued to speak. His eyes were clear and steady.
“He thanks you for saving Daniel in the forest. He knows that you took a risk in helping him, especially in these dangerous times.”
Anne paused as she listened to her grandfather speak again. A confused look appeared on her face as she relayed the next message.
“He says how deeply sorry he is that our young men shot at your truck, and he asked that you understand we never wanted to hurt you, we only wanted to protect ourselves from the virus.”
Anne frowned and spoke directly to Nick. “I didn’t know about this. Daniel must have told him, but not me. I’m so sorry, Nick. I had no idea that happened.”
“It was all a misunderstanding,” Nick said. “I know your men didn’t mean any harm. It’s all forgotten.”
Anne smiled at him, relayed Nick’s message to her grandfather, then listened to his response.
“He says that you are a good man. He is glad that you and your people are living in the vall
ey. If you are willing, he would like our village to form an alliance with you and your people.”
The man paused, waiting for Nick to respond. “I would like that very much,” Nick said, smiling. The man began to speak again.
“We can help each other to thrive with trade,” Anne said, continuing to translate. “He says there are many dangers in the mountains. Even more since the dying time. We can work together to keep each other safe.”
Nick smiled and nodded. “That sounds like an excellent idea. I agree.” Nick looked at Raymond and Daniel, who were quietly watching the scene.
Anne nodded at her grandfather, and the old man took Nick’s hand in his own, shaking it firmly.
“Friends,” Edward said in English, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Nick.
“Friends,” Nick repeated, smiling.
Finally, the old man let go of Nick’s hand and smiled. He turned and walked slowly back to his home, disappearing inside.
The family led Nick back through the town once more. This time, even more people emerged from the safety of their homes to watch the procession.
“Wait here,” Anne said to Nick once they were back at the front porch of the family’s home. She pointed to a chair and he sat down, wondering what they were up to.
Nick watched as Daniel’s parents and several other people brought gifts to his truck: bags of fresh vegetables, eggs, goat cheese, and honey. He grinned as Sylvia brought him a basket heaping with freshly baked bread. Many more families had emerged from their homes to watch the happy scene, and everyone said their goodbyes.
“You and your people are welcome anytime,” Raymond said. Anne nodded, giving him one last hug.
“The same goes for you all,” Nick said, grinning. “Come out and see us. Don’t be strangers.”
He waved and started his pickup, pulling out onto the dusty gravel road. Looking down at all the delicious new foods he had to bring back, his spirits were high. It was no longer Nick and the four others against the world. Now they had friendly neighbors who wanted to cooperate. His situation was finally getting better.
11
Jessa got out of bed before dawn. She packed a few belongings, then emerged from her room.
She moved quietly through the dark house, not wanting to wake anyone else. She grabbed a couple of granola bars. It wasn’t much, but she could find more food on the road. She then went around the corner to the living room. She was startled to see Mia standing there, as if waiting for her.
“Where are you going?” the little girl asked. Her big brown eyes stared up at Jessa.
“Nowhere,” Jessa said. “Go back to sleep, Mia.”
“Tell me the truth,” Mia said, her hand on her hip.
Jessa smiled. She couldn’t pull the wool over Mia’s eyes. She sat down on the couch and motioned for Mia to do the same. Mia sat, looking up at her with frightened eyes.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Her voice trembled.
“Not for good. Just for one or two days. Three at the most.”
Jessa took Mia’s little hand in hers and squeezed it. “Don’t worry. I promise I’ll be back, okay?”
“But why do you have to leave? Where are you going?”
“I have to go check on a friend. He went up to Colorado–”
“Where in Colorado?” Mia interrupted.
“Denver. And I need to see if he survived the virus. If he did, I’ll bring him back here. He’s a good guy, and he can help us work in the garden. Plus, he can hunt and fish. And help defend us.”
“He’s not a bad guy?”
“No, not at all. I promise, he’s a really good guy. You’ll like him.” Jessa smiled.
“Then why are you sneaking out of here? How come you didn’t tell anyone you were leaving?”
Jessa laughed a little to herself. Man, she was good.
“Well, I told Nick the other night. He didn’t want me to go because he’s worried about me traveling alone. And I didn’t want to tell you or the others because I didn’t want you to worry about me.”
But Mia looked very worried.
“Denver’s really far away. It’s a long drive. And it’s dangerous out there. Are you sure it’s okay for you to go alone?”
“Positive. Really, Mia, don’t worry about me. I’ll be back before you know it. You just take care of Liz while I’m gone. You know, make sure she stays off her leg as much as possible. The garden is ready, and now you guys have some fresh food to eat from Daniel’s family. Everything will be fine. You’ll see.”
Jessa’s words didn’t seem to reassure Mia very much.
“Don’t go, Jessa,” Mia pleaded. “Can’t you go later? I’m scared for you.”
Jessa gave the little girl a hug. “Oh, sweetie, it’s okay. I’ll be fine. Tell Liz not to worry, and I’ll probably be back tomorrow. Then we’ll start those botany classes I promised you, okay?”
Mia nodded, but she didn’t look too sure about it.
“Be careful. Please be careful.”
Jessa held up her hand like a Girl Scout.
“Scout’s honor.”
She flashed one last smile at the little girl, then she was out the door.
After the hike to the vehicles and the short drive through the small trail, Jessa drove her Forest Service truck out onto the gravel road. She picked up speed. The wind in her hair felt good. It felt even better to have a destination, to have a mission.
She had a lot of miles ahead of her, and she settled in for the ride. At this rate, she would get to Chris’s cabin by early afternoon. They would pack up all the food and supplies they could fit into their vehicles, and be back on the road to New Mexico early tomorrow morning.
She didn’t like leaving this way without telling the others goodbye, but she knew it had to be like this. They would be unnecessarily worried about her, and they would have tried to persuade her to stay. Slipping out relatively unnoticed would be easier on everyone.
She cringed thinking of the concerned look on Mia’s face. She knew Liz and the others would be worried to find her gone as well.
It would be hard on them without her for a couple of days, but she would make it up to them. Chris would be an ideal addition to the workforce – strong, smart and hard-working. In just two or three days they would all be thanking her for the risk she took.
Besides, now that Nick had made friends with Daniel's family, she felt a lot better about leaving for a couple of days. When Nick got home the night before, after visiting Los Gatos, she saw a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. They would be safer now with their new alliance.
The garden was just about ready for the fall, and they were a little less isolated now that they had friendly neighbors. There was no better time for her to leave.
Yes, it was a risk. Jessa was aware of the danger. Nick and Mia had every reason to be concerned. But she was well armed. She wore her Glock in her hip holster, and she had a new rifle as well: a Bushmaster AR-15.
About the only good thing to come out of the attack at the lodge the other night were the three new firearms they had. Using the directions given by Liz, Nick and Jessa were able to track down the shack in the woods used by the three men, where they salvaged some valuable boxes of ammo for the new guns.
Jessa had already been in a few armed confrontations, and she had done pretty well for herself so far. She was confident in her ability to defend herself, and she was ready to take on what lay ahead. The way she saw it, she didn’t have much of a choice.
They needed help if they were going to survive the winter. And, well, the morale boost she would get by reuniting with a close friend wouldn’t hurt either.
There was no doubt about it: Jessa could take care of herself. There was just one area where she was relying heavily on luck.
Chris had to still be alive.
12
Today was the day.
Matt had spent the previous two days getting used to the truck. He could maneuver it up and down the driveway, and he h
ad even mastered reverse. When he took it for a drive around his neighborhood, he was surprised to find it wasn’t as bad as he had feared all along. Driving was still intimidating to the boy, but he was starting to feel more comfortable.
Now, his biggest problem was what he might encounter on the road. It would be a long drive to New Mexico. Would he see anyone else? If there were other survivors, he would have to worry about them being hostile.
But his greatest fear was that there would be no survivors. What if he had to spend the rest of his life alone? And what if he ended up at that lodge in New Mexico without another soul anywhere around? He had already had an encounter with a mountain lion in his own hometown. In the mountains, there would be bears, wolves, and who knew what else.
He wondered what his father would say to him now, as he worried about wild animals and hid in fear behind locked doors. His dad had never called him a coward, but Matt feared that was what he thought of him. He had tried to be more like his father, but Dad always seemed so fearless. Matt didn’t know how he did it.
He had just turned thirteen, but he was still acting like a little baby.
It was time to grow up. Matt had to let go of his immature fears. There was no one to take care of him. Just himself.
He shook his hands out, as if that could release his worry. He had to keep moving, keep doing stuff. That way, he couldn’t be paralyzed by terror.
It had taken him nearly an entire day to pack up. He knew he might never return to his home, so he grabbed the possessions he couldn’t bear to part with, filling a small suitcase with them and several changes of warm clothes. The rest of the space in the truck was dedicated to food and supplies.
His body ached from lifting five-gallon buckets of grains and legumes into the cargo bed. He tried to pack a variety of food, recalling what his father had said about the importance of a balanced diet in survival situations.
