by Wade Adrian
Ross was sitting up, despite Rawlins’ protests. “I don’t like this.”
Baron nodded. “Something is up.”
“Formation?” Ross lifted an eyebrow.
Baron shook his head. “We’d look suspicious. Even to our own. Walking in armed for bear isn’t friendly. Least of all if nothing is wrong and we’re just paranoid.”
Smith scoffed. “Paranoid?”
Ross shrugged a bit, then winced. “Time out here is hard on the best of us. We start jumping at shadows and see unfriendly eyes in friendly faces. Why we have different kinds of defenders, and rotate people around. Local guards don’t venture out because we don’t think they could take it for long.”
Smith frowned. It had been a hard trip, and there had definitely been some low points that might have painted his thoughts for awhile… but right now they were standing outside, in the dark, exposed. It was a bad idea.
And yet, that thought itself did sound kind of paranoid…
Timms leaned in close. “This is unusual?”
Baron’s eyes swept to him. “Quite. We should be inside by now, especially with wounded.”
Ross looked rather miserable. “I’m not that bad off. Another few days, I’d have been walking.”
Rawlins scoffed.
A loud screech sounded from the gate. It drew their eyes, but no one moved.
Baron pitched his voice low. “Eyes sharp.” He drew his sidearm and handed it to Ross. “The word is ‘Sasquatch.’ “
Smith tilted his head. “Sasquatch?”
Ross tucked the gun away under his legs on the litter. “It’s a word that won’t come up in conversation. If he says it, or I do, it means find cover and draw that silly gun of yours.”
Rawlins nodded.
Timms gulped.
Smith patted the librarian on the shoulder. “Stick close to me, until I say otherwise, okay?”
The little man nodded.
Baron moved away, starting for the gate. He wandered past the gathered scouts and hunters, his head bobbing towards them as he moved, no doubt telling them the same thing. They’d know what it meant, and what to do. They were professionals.
Morei appeared beside Smith. “So, I’d like to see this workshop of yours.”
Smith nodded a few times. “Capital idea. Timms, you interested?”
“Yes.” The answer came out as a squeak.
Smith was glad the scout intended to stick with them. A few skirmishes to the contrary, Smith really wasn’t much of a fighter. Then again, all things being relative he was practically Rambo compared to Timms.
The gate opened slightly revealing lights just inside, Cooper hauled at it while Miles stood at the opening, his eyes wary. His sunken eyes gave him the look of someone that hadn’t slept in days.
Mary shoved him aside and waved them in.
Baron held up a hand. “Alright, lets get inside. Get Ross to the infirmary, the rest of the stuff can just be wheeled into the square for now.”
People moved to fulfill his commands, aside from Timms and Smith, who let out another relieved breath. He had feared the worst for a minute there… maybe he really was getting paranoid. It just added to his belief that he wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing.
He stopped just inside, beside Mary. “Hey.” He pulled the notebook out of his pocket. “I did as you asked, and-”
She hugged him so tight he could barely breathe. She didn’t seem interested in the notebook at all.
He smiled and tucked it back into his pocket for now. “Nice to see you, too.” He returned the embrace for a few moments.
Timms stayed close, but his attention was on what the others were doing, and scanning the town. It was his first time seeing it. His feet were shifting about nervously, and he cleared his throat after a few seconds. “Less people than I expected.”
Smith blinked a few times and looked up. He was right. The place was practically a ghost town. Yeah, it was dark, but it was probably only just after supper time, and some of them must have been waiting for everyone to get back. “Uhh… yeah.”
Mary frowned up at him.
Miles tossed Cooper the padlock for the gate before wandering over. His limp was nearly gone. “Some traders came by. Everything seemed fine; some new stuff for some extra food. Pretty standard. Except after they left people started getting sick. Nothing major, just a bad cold going around, but at this point its knocked everyone down at least once.”
Rawlins held up a hand to halt the scouts carrying Ross. “Cold?”
Miles nodded. “Bishop was taking notes for when you got back. He’s probably still up, day spent puking out his shoelaces or not.”
Rawlins frowned, but nodded. “Right. I’ll head over after I get Ross set up.”
“What happened to him?”
“Green eyes.”
Miles’ eyebrows crept up a bit. “Damn. I’ll take some sneezing and a fever over that any day.”
Rawlins ignored his comment. “Make sure everyone is staying hydrated, and keep them resting as best you can.”
“That second part takes care of itself.” He shrugged. “But yeah, we know enough to handle a few colds.”
Rawlins shook his head. “Cold wouldn’t wipe a place out like this. I’ll get started on it in a minute. You’re lucky we found a pharmacy, though it may not amount to much when all this is done.”
Baron scratched at his beard. “Saving half the town seems like adequate use.”
“If I had been here this wouldn’t have spread so far.” Rawlins grumbled as he followed the litter toward his infirmary.
Baron lowered his head and his voice. “Not sure that would be worth risking Ross.” He turned and gave Mary and Miles a nod. “Anything else to report?”
Miles shook his head. “Not really. We finished up harvest a few days before the snow started. We’ve had the kitchen staff that aren’t sick preserving everything they can while the rest of us just try to keep this place running.”
“Good.” Baron nodded. “Stick to that. We’ll lend a hand with defense, at least.” He pointed at his hunters and Ross’ scouts. “Get this stuff inside, the pharmacy cart to the infirmary, and get those walls manned. First shift will change out in four hours. If you’ve been moving something, get what rest you can, you’re in shift two.”
Nods and salutes followed.
Cooper joined them. “Well, glad someone with authority is up and about.”
“Two of us.” He nodded to Smith. “I’m sure we can handle things for a few days. Rawlins should have this cleared up by then.”
Cooper stared at Smith for a few moments, his expression blank before he nodded a bit. “Good to hear it.” He shouldered his baseball bat as he turned and started for the guard station over the gate. Morei was already up there with a few other scouts.
A tug on his arm got Smith’s attention. Mary was looking up at him with a note. “The workshop is done.”
He smiled. “Really? Great. Guess we can store the hardware store stuff in there for now.”
She nodded.
Baron pointed at Smith. “Before you turn in, show Timms where he can rest up, yeah?”
Smith hooked a thumb over his shoulder as he turned to Timms. “This is the inn, common house, whatever they call it. Beds, locks on the door, and hot water for bathing in the mornings.”
Timms stared at the place for a moment. “Hot water?”
“It’s almost like civilization around here.” Smith nodded. “You’ll get used to it… and then you won’t want to go outside again.”
“That is a given.”
Smith and Mary walked Timms inside. The young lady Smith had encountered so long before was behind the counter. She waved. “Good evening. Afraid father is feeling out of sorts.”
Smith patted Timms on the back. “Got a guest, if you’ve got space.”
“Certainly.” She nodded and spun around in the stool behind the counter before pulling a key down from the wall. “I believe the kitchens are still
running, if you’d like me to fetch you something.”
Timms looked at the key in his hands. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
The young lady smiled a bit. “Manners? Well, that’s a pleasant surprise.”
Smith couldn’t help but feel that was aimed at him, somehow. He tapped Timms on the shoulder. The little man almost jumped. “Think you can find your way down the hall? I need to get that cart moved before it snows again.”
Timms nodded a few times. “I’m sure, although…” He leaned in close, his voice quiet. “Is this safe?”
Smith smiled a bit, lowering his own voice. “Safe as can be. If you think it will help, move some furniture in front of the door. I’ll be by in the morning. And I’m serious about the hot water. Worth the trouble.” He pulled the heavy knife from the scabbard at his hip and held it out to Timms. “Don’t cut yourself in a panic.”
“Mmm.” Timms nodded as he took hold of the knife. It was practically a sword to him. “Moving the bed is probably wise, too.”
Smith chuckled. “Alright, you do that. I’ve got a room to, though I might just crash in my shop if it’s comfy enough.”
Mary nodded a few times.
“Either way,” Smith continued, “I’ll be by in the morning. Don’t fret alarm clocks or the like, roosters have that handled.”
Timms tilted his head. “There are chickens?”
“There’s a farm and a bit of a ranch. And with your help, both could expand.”
“Huh.” Timms turned the key over a few times. “Are these my permanent accommodations?”
“That’s not for me to say. You can probably live somewhere else if you like. We’ll have to find a place for the library.”
Mary tilted her head slightly.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “We brought lots of books.”
Timms frowned at the key. “Only a small portion, sadly.”
Smith shrugged. “Plenty of time to remedy that. You get some food, then some rest. Try not to hang out with sick people. If you need anything, you can come find me, or bug Morei.” Smith pointed up at the platform over the gate, visible from the inn’s lobby. “He’s right there, and you know him. Baron and Rawlins are around, too.”
“Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Smith.”
He bowed his head and started back outside.
Mary followed close behind. She tugged at his arm and pointed at the workshop as soon as the door shut.
He chuckled. “Okay, okay. We need to move the cart, though.” He started toward it. She frowned, but laid her hands on it when he did. “It’s… kind of heavy.”
She raised an eyebrow at him, shoved against it, and then scrunched her face up with irritation.
He chuckled. “Told you.”
She stuck her tongue out at him.
He just smiled. “Nice to be back among friends.”
She blinked at him a few times. He didn’t know what she saw… he probably looked terrible. Weeks in the wild without so much as a comb. Just as he started to feel uncomfortable under that stare, she let go of the cart and hugged him.
37
It took a few rather considerable minutes to get the tool bearing cart rolled up to the shop. The snow didn’t help. There were ruts in the road from melted snow and all the rain that had come before. And he would swear it hadn’t been an uphill tip before… But none of that mattered, Mary was there to help, even if she wasn’t exactly a weight lifter.
The bits of the outside he could see from the lights they carried didn’t look all that different, aside from a few boards replaced here and there, and one section sawed off and replaced completely. The new boards looked to be bare wood. It had probably started raining before they had a chance to paint… if they had any paint. Eh, he could think about fixing or replacing them later.
He stopped the cart at the large side doors. “I will be so glad to be through with this cart.” He stood up straight, his back popping as he stretched… before slumping back over. “Think I’ll melt it down and make… I dunno. A lump of metal I hate, but I’ll feel better.” He reached for the handle, but Mary stopped him.
She shook her head and held her hands up. She wanted him to stop.
He tilted his head a bit. “Huh?”
She held up one finger and waved to shoo him back before slipping inside and closing the door again.
He rolled his eyes and stood alone… in the cold. And dark. He didn’t know what she was up to, but she better be quick about it. Patience wasn’t his strong suit today.
His fingers, deep inside his coat pockets, were starting to get numb when the door rattled and opened a bit.
Light from inside wasn’t exactly unexpected… but there was a lot more of it than he would have thought.
She helped him shove the cart inside, his eyes high and moving about the room all the while.
The workshop really was done. The bench off to the right had been built up to stretch half the length of the room, instead of just the corner it had been in before. Tools lined the wall behind it on nails and hooks, with a great deal of room for more.
Heat from the forge running hit him as he walked in. It was only burning wood, a fancy fireplace at the moment, but it provided plenty of light for the room. They had finished the chimney, the smoke working its way up and outside. The anvil was stationed beside it on a solid looking stump, a small table held all the hammers the place probably had, as well as a pair of long metal working tongs he hadn’t seen before.
And there was a second anvil. It wasn’t huge, but it was an anvil in truth. It had a horn and everything. It must have been somewhere else last time he was here.
The generator hadn’t left, and indeed looked like it was supposed to stay, arranged under the middle of the long workbench. A pair of low shelves under the bench on either side of the generator held all the power tools in the place, including the heat gun. The pile of PVC pipes had been arranged down there too, and his bow making rig had been moved and reassembled on top of it. And there was a vice. Amazing. Even if it was made out of wood. Damn sight better than nothing.
Boards lined the inside of the walls now. Previously there had simply been exposed studs and the outside wall, but it looked like the place might hold out the weather better now. He didn’t know how they would have insulated it, but it had interior walls just the same. That would help some.
The workspace being clean and beautiful was wonderful, but nothing compared to what else they had done. His offhand comments about a second floor to take up some of the high ceiling had been taken to heart. The back half of the room had a separate second level, Mary waving for him at the bottom of the stairs.
He wandered over, his eyes high all the while. “You guys really outdid yourselves.”
She smiled, took his hand, and lead him upstairs.
The top was divided in two, the stairs opening up to a second level that had only a railing separating it from the lower level, where Smith could see down into the workshop. Up top there was a table, chairs, a cabinet with some dishes, and a little brick fireplace with a cooking spit over it. Several pots hung on the wall. There was even a long bench below the railing lined with cushions.
“Yeesh.” He shook his head. “This is incredible.”
She dragged him around the table toward a set of double doors. She opened both of them at once with flair and threw her arms wide.
The second half of the top was a bedroom. The bed itself looked to be larger than those in the inn. Several folded blankets were piled up at the end. The room was darker, with a closed window that seemed to look outside, and a shutter opposite it that looked down into the workshop. A rug was under his feet, and an enclosed wood burning stove made this room almost too warm. The oven’s door was open, giving off a bit of light, but not much. That wasn’t its purpose.
Smith stared dumbfounded at the room. It was a hell of a lot more than he would have asked for. He just wanted a roof. Hell, he had been sleeping on the ground for more than a month now.
This was… luxurious.
He blinked a few times, jostled from his thoughts as Mary took his bag and pulled his coat off. Its weight seemed to surprise her as it landed on the floor with a metallic clank. She hauled it up with some effort. Being rid of it made the place more livable, that was sure.
She hung up the coat on a peg in the living room and or kitchen area, and set his bag down. She tilted her head when it made a noise and opened it. She glanced up at him, confused. One of the boxes of legos in her hand.
“Oh, right.” Smith nodded. “Forgot all about those. Uh, was thinking Christmas, for the kids in town, maybe? Bishop said that wasn’t a big deal, but I saw them, and I always liked them when I was little and…” He shrugged. He was rambling. This was all a lot to take in.
She beamed a smile at him and replaced the box, giving the bag a gentle pat and nodding. Apparently she approved.
He shook his head as he sat on the bench along the railing, looking down into the room. “This is crazy. I can’t believe I was gone long enough for all this to be done.”
She sat down, pencil already scratching against her notebook. “So you’re going to stay then?”
He scoffed out a bit of a laugh. “I was already going to stay. And stay in a shack, at that. This is nuts.”
She smiled, a few more words scribbled. “Then you’re welcome, and you don’t have to live in a shack.”
He smiled back. It felt good. “So, like I said earlier,” He took the notebook out of his pocket. “I did what you asked. Notes from nearly every day. Some didn’t leave a lot of time for it.”
She took it gingerly, flipped through the pages with a nod, and then set it down on the bench, her eyes back on him. She whipped up a note. “I’ll read it tomorrow.”
He chuckled. “If you can. I apologize in advance for my spelling, grammar, and chicken scratch. I haven’t had much practice of late.”
She shook her head with a smile and made the “Thank you” gesture she had taught him.
He held up a hand and swept a finger around, pointing at everything, before making the same gesture right back at her.
