by Mark Church
“What Amy did today was really nice,” Cole mumbles.
“Uh, yeah,” agrees Jake, again caught off guard. “It was a sweet gesture.”
“I really like her,” Cole adds.
“Yeah,” again Jake agrees. “She’s a really nice person.”
“She’s a good cook too.” Cole grins slowly.
“That she is,” Jake says before redirecting the topic, “What do you think about Kayla?”
“She’s really nice too. I like her a lot.”
“A lot?” Jake questions, feigning surprise.
Jake has known, almost from the first time Cole and Kayla met, that there was chemistry between them. In more traditional times, Jake would have considered them to be a bit young for romance, however the current state of the world has forced them to operate by a new set of rules. They’ve all learned to focus on the moment because the next is not guaranteed.
“Are you kind of smitten with her?” Jake probes cautiously.
“Maybe,” replies Cole blushing.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Jake reassures him. “She’s a fine, capable young lady.”
“I think so.” But something else is on Cole’s mind. “How do you think Amy would feel about it?”
“That I can’t answer. Maybe you should talk to her.”
Cole thinks for a moment and then says, “Maybe I should.”
“Before you run off pestering Amy, does Kayla know how you feel?”
“Yeah, she likes me too.”
“Then I’d say the ball’s in your court,” Jake points out.
“Huh?”
“You and Kayla need to let Amy in on it.”
“Oh, right.”
The pair refocuses their efforts on the task at hand. Continuing their work in silence, Jake thinks about how happy Kay would have been about Cole and Kayla. One of the main reasons that Kay wanted to leave their farm, the only home that Cole had ever known, was to give him a chance to be with people his own age. While they were self-sufficient and comfortable on their farm, she knew that the deserted countryside surrounding their family home offered no hope and no future for Cole. Their only two options were to find another Bohemian community or move to the RZ. The RZ was never really an option so that left finding a new community. Unfortunately, Kay’s sickness coupled with the encroaching soldiers forced them to move up their plans; and thankfully the arrival of Mike and Gena made those plans possible.
A few bloodied knuckles and expletive-laden tirades later, the work is done. They now have an intact plow that will be ready for spring.
On the way out of the barn, Cole says, “Pop, it seems that I’m not the only one that has a crush.”
A bit taken aback, Jake turns to look at Cole, “What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen the way that you and Amy look at each other,” Cole continues. “It’s pretty obvious.”
“I, uh, we, we’re just friends.” Jake stumbles though his explanation.
“I know. But I want you to know, if you want to be more than friends, I’m alright with that.”
For the second time today, Jake feels his heart squeeze tight. He fights back tears and smiles at his son.
“Thank you, Cole – thank you for understanding.”
“Sure, Pop. Because of the way I feel about Kayla, I get it now. Life’s better if you have a special person by your side. I’m as sad as you that mom’s not here anymore but I know she would want you to be happy.”
Like an old movie reel, fast-forwarded memories of his life with Kay flood Jake’s thoughts. The scenes play out in chronological order. The day he asked Kay out on their first date, their first kiss, Kay walking down the aisle at their wedding, and Cole’s birth, are just a few of the happy memories that visit him. While these emotional replays are welcome, a subtle sadness plays around their edges as the reality of losing Kay means there will be no new memories that include her. Jake would give anything to turn back the clock, but he knows life goes on and it waits for no one.
Tears catch Jake off-guard, bubbling up from some sorrowful well deep inside. His attempts to suppress his pent-up emotions are futile, the protective dam holding them back breaches, allowing his pain and anguish to flow freely.
Cole hugs his father tightly, each seeking solace in the other. They hang on to one another like drowning men hang onto life preservers. Until this moment, they haven’t grieved for Kay as father and son. This may be the final act that allows them to heal. They both need the release; they need to let go of her together. Not to forget but to go on.
The tide of emotions finally subsides to the point that they’re able to break their hold and step back from one another. Neither is embarrassed about succumbing to their emotions. They subconsciously know that, in some primitive way, it was a necessary act; the closure that they needed.
Jake is sure that Kay, at this very moment, is smiling down on him and Cole, happy that they have finally come to terms with their guilt and sorrow. He makes her a promise to keep living for them both and to keep Cole safe, no matter the cost.
The two men finish collecting themselves before continuing their walk to the main house. The others have already begun to gather there, sharing stories of their day's adventures. This is the best time of the day, a time to relax and reaffirm the bonds that hold together their diverse little group.
As Jake and Cole enter the living room, John jumps up from his chair, “Hey, I’m anxious to show you that ranger station Kate and I found yesterday, how about we hoof it up there tomorrow?”
“Sounds good to me,” replies Jake. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“Why don’t we take the shortwave and other equipment up there while we’re making the trip,” suggests Cole.
“We may as well,” agrees Kate. “It doesn’t work down here in this valley.”
“Aren’t you worried about leaving equipment up there unattended?” Jake wonders.
“I’m pretty confident that no one will find the compound,” explains John. “We have traipsed all over that mountain for weeks and haven’t seen or heard anyone.”
“Even in the unlikely event that someone managed to stumble upon the place,” adds Kate, “they’d have a hard time taking anything without horses to carry it.”
“I guess at some point we’re going to have to risk it,” Jake agrees. “To Kate’s point, we have to get the radio setup where it’ll work.”
They hear Amy call from the other room, “Soups on!”
As they make their way into the dining room, Mike comments, “Smells good, what’s on the menu?”
“Roasted venison with cactus, carrots and onions,” answers Kayla.
The group oohs and aahs over the savory smells as they take their seats. Amy places a large pot in the center of the table. As she removes the lid, fragrant steam rushes to escape.
As usual, Jake leads grace prior to eating. When he finishes his invocation, Kayla reaches for the serving utensils and with a telling smile, hands them to Cole. Much to Kayla and Cole’s surprise, good-natured razzing follows her sweet gesture. It’s obvious that the group is in on their ‘secret’. Slightly embarrassed, the two youngsters blush while smiling sheepishly.
Not wanting to torment them any further, Jake breaks the tension, “Okay, son, dig in, we’re all hungry.”
The gestures and comments dissipate as Cole digs into the pot, everyone turning their attention to the wonderful meal before them.
As usual, the dinner conversation is light and enjoyable. Beside the trip to the ranger station, other plans for tomorrow are being discussed.
Amy and Kayla are planning a prickly pear cactus and dandelion harvest. The open space in the surrounding valley floor is home to both of these species and they are available year-round. They use the flesh of the cactus as a tasty replacement for potatoes; they’re packed with vitamins and proteins and they have a therapeutic effect on the digestive system, while the fruit may be preserved to provide variety and much needed vitamin C in the wint
er. The dandelions have many health benefits in addition to being an excellent catalyst for wine making.
Amy asks Mike and Gena if they can take their children, Luke and Emily, on the harvest. Mike and Gena are happy to oblige. The mini adventure will help the kids burn off some excess energy while allowing Mike and Gena to focus their energy on finishing the new hen house. The chickens are currently bunking in the barn, which is less than optimal for egg production.
After dinner, everyone moves back to the living room for more conversation, chess and card games. Kayla and Cole entertain the little ones with a game of hide and seek.
Their routine has been repeated just about every day since Jake and his group arrived at the farm. At least for now, everyone seems happy. Fatigue and a laundry list of chores balanced by plenty to eat and camaraderie are a good prescription for boredom and discontent.
It has been quoted “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” Based on the projects the group has planned, the devil won’t get much traction around here for a very long time.
3 ranger station
After breakfast, Jake, John, Kate, and Cole begin loading their equipment onto the horses. They are fortunate to have these animals; while the distance to the ranger station is relatively short – less than two thousand feet – it’s all uphill and very steep in places.
“I can’t believe that I’ve never run across this place. I must have explored every road on this mountain.” Cole observes with some surprise.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Kate offers. “If John and I weren’t tracking a gut shot deer through some pretty rough terrain, we likely would have never stumbled on it.”
“The compound is built at the end of a remote ridge,” John points out, “and the road that originally led to it has blended into the landscape. It doesn’t look like anyone has been there since they abandoned the place years ago. Hell, the beds in the cabin were still made.”
“It sounds like the perfect place for a communications outpost,” Jake observes.
“Without a doubt,” agrees John. “It’s highly unlikely that anyone would come upon it by accident. It was a fluke that we found it.”
The ranger station was quite a find. Sufficiently obscured by towering oak and pine trees, the long-ago abandoned compound is well hidden by the surrounding forest. Even its tall communication antenna and lookout tower blends in with the surrounding trees. It has two structures, a cabin that will accommodate overnight stays, and an outbuilding that houses a battery bank that apparently stored power generated by the now broken wind turbine. Like the refuge, it also has a thousand-gallon propane tank that is more than half full.
“I sure hope the batteries you found up there will still hold a charge,” Jake looks at John.
“My guess is that they won’t perform like new batteries, but they should still have some life in them. At a minimum, they should still be able to transfer power from the turbine to the radio, lights, and well pump.”
John adds, “If necessary, I can rebuild them if I can find the right parts.”
“How did the controller and power inverter look?”
“They looked okay,” replies John, “but we won’t know for sure until we get the system hooked up.”
“Should we pack the antenna that we brought from my farm?”
“I’m pretty sure the antenna up there is still functional,” John responds. “Other than wild grapevines that have been using it as a trellis, it looks to be in good shape.”
“We’ll need to bring the wind turbine though,” Kate points out. “The one that’s up there is broken.”
“No problem,” Jake agrees. “It won’t do us much good down here in the valley anyway.”
The group finishes packing, says their goodbyes and begins their trek up the mountain. John and Kate have estimated the trip to take about two hours, which doesn’t seem long until the rugged, uphill terrain and the loaded down horses are factored in. After reaching the ranger station, they estimate that they’ll have five hours to do their work. That will leave them with an hour to get back down the mountain before it gets dark.
✽✽✽
The climb is challenging but manageable for four healthy adults. Eventually, the steep incline of the mountain gives way to a more gradual ascent before finally leveling off. John leads the way as he pushes through honeysuckle and other shrubby undergrowth. Finally breaking free of the mass of tangles, the abandoned ranger station comes into view. Structures, completely hidden just moments ago, seem to appear out of thin air.
Pausing to take in the topography of the area, Jake now understands why John and Kate are so excited about its location. “Wow – I see what you guys mean; this place is well-hidden.”
“It’s seriously secluded,” adds Cole. “Look, there’s even a small pond over there.”
John and Kate, happy that Jake and Cole share their excitement, are anxious to show off their find.
“Come on,” Kate gestures enthusiastically. “We’ll show you the cabin first.”
Kate leads them to a large prefab log cabin. In simpler times, these types of structures were very popular in rural areas. They were made from high quality building material and were generally well insulated.
A covered porch greets them at the top of the cabin’s front steps. It’s deep and wide, stretching the entire width of the cabin.
“Not a bad place to spend nice summer evenings,” Jake says appreciatively.
“For sure,” agrees Cole.
“Wait until you see the inside.” Kate leads them through the front door. The others follow close behind.
At Kate’s urging, Jake and Cole explore the interior of the cabin. The primary living space’s twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling displays the rough-cut timbers that support the roof. The room has a huge fireplace and hearth as well as a wood burning heat stove. Towards the back of the living space is an open kitchen with a loft built above it. A small hallway near the kitchen leads to two bedrooms accessed by adjacent doors.
The cabin’s prior inhabitant must have left with the intention of returning because all of the furnishings are in good shape and tidy. Other than dust, it’s move-in ready.
“Well, what do you guys think?” Kate grins as she sweeps her hand toward the rooms.
“It’s everything you said and then some,” Jake nods.
“I can’t wait to show, Kayla!” slips Cole before he can stop himself.
Kate and John grin at each other as Cole tries to backtrack, “Uh, I mean, uh, show, you know, everyone.”
Stepping in to save Cole, Jake asks, “What’s next on the tour?”
“The garage,” says John. “And hopefully, our future power center.”
“Let’s check it out.” Jake follows John out the door.
All four proceed to the garage where Jake and Cole inspect the battery bank and related equipment. All of the components required to capture electricity and convert it to usable power are here. If it’s still serviceable, or at least fixable, they’ll be in business.
“Come on back outside,” John urges. “I want to show you the turbine.”
Once outside, John points to a fan like device mounted onto the top of the lookout tower, and says, “It looks like a commercial turbine, but it has been damaged.” The main hub is still intact, but two of the three blades are broken.”
“I might be able to fix those blades,” muses Jake, “but I won’t know until I see it up close.”
As they walk towards the tower, Jake notices that the tower’s base and supporting structure is constructed of exposed, steel beams. The base is wider at the bottom and narrows as it rises to the enclosure on top of the structure. The enclosure appears to be accessed by switchback stairs that zigzag back and forth through the middle of the towers base.
Reaching the base of the tower, Cole looks up and notes with some trepidation, “That’s a long way up there.”
“I’d guess just shy of eighty feet assuming each flight of stairs is ten feet high,�
�� estimates Jake.
“Pretty close.” John confirms. “According to the plaque screwed to that support beam over there, it’s seventy-two feet.”
“What’s at the top?” asks Cole.
Kate remarks, “It called a ‘crow's nest’.’’
“A crow’s nest?” questions Cole with a pinched face.
“A crow’s nest is a platform or enclosure at the top of a tower that has a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the surrounding area,” Kate explains. “The one up there is enclosed and, lucky for us, all of the windows are intact.”
“Let’s go up!” Cole is clearly excited by the potential for adventure.
“Have you guys been up there yet?” Jake asks.
“Yeah, it’s safe,” John assures him.
Cole races to the stairs, his exuberance and youth on full display, “Last one up’s a rotten egg!”
Cole takes the stairs two at a time with Jake hot on his heels. The see-through metal stairs aren’t an issue at first but as the pair climbs higher and higher, a mild case of vertigo begins settling in on Jake, causing him to slow his ascent.
Unperturbed by the height, Cole doesn’t slow down until he reaches the top. Climbing through the crow’s nest trapdoor, Cole rises to find himself standing in a tree house to end all tree houses.
Moments later Jake’s head pops up through the trapdoor, “Wow! That was some climb.”
“This is so cool, Pop!” exclaims Cole. “Check out the view.”
Jake joins Cole at the northward facing windows, “I bet we can see for fifty miles!”
“At least!” Cole’s gaze sweeps the scenery.
John and Kate finally reach the enclosure. “Higher than you thought, huh?” laughs John.
With his eyes wide and brows raised, Jake nods his head slowly while saying, “A hell of a lot higher!”
“It’s those see-through stairs,” observes Kate. “They’re going to take a little getting used to.”
“Yes, they are,” Jake admits, “but now that I’m up here, I’m fine.”
Changing the subject, Cole asks, “Why was the tower built?”
