Surviving The End (Book 3): New World

by Hamilton, Grace

  Shane, Jodi, and Mike all tried to respond at the same time, but Beth gave them each a sharp look and signaled them to silence. Sudden panic on the part of her family would only confirm Nora’s claim.

  “Nora, you’re being silly,” Beth replied. “I have told you over and over again, all I’ve got are the vegetables I’ve canned from my own garden. Anyone can do what I’ve done.”

  “You think I’m stupid,” Nora replied, wild-eyed, “but I know what’s going on. I know what you’re hiding, Beth. Your family already confessed!”

  Mayor Frank raised his megaphone then and made a loud barking sound to draw the attention of the crowd. Nora kept talking, but Frank spoke over her, his booming voice, intensified by the megaphone, drowning out even her shrill sound.

  “Folks, folks, can we maintain a little order here, please?” he said. Beth assumed he was coming to her defense, but then, to her surprise, he rounded on her and said, “Nora has a point, though, Beth. Let’s be fair. If you’re storing a bunch of food on your property, you really should share it.”

  James started to rise from his seat, but then he met Beth’s gaze and sat back down. Beth could feel the precarious nature of the conversation. She had to be very careful how she responded.

  “This whole thing is, quite frankly, ridiculous,” she said. “I gave Nora a few cans of vegetables, and she has developed this crazy notion that my house is a secret food warehouse. There’s no truth to it. Ask your sheriff there.”

  “We only have food for our family,” Shane said, as if he thought it helped. Beth was sorely tempted to smack him on the back of the head.

  The room was becoming restless and noisy, conversations breaking out all over the place. Finally, desperate to turn the conversation in a different direction, Beth moved into the aisle and approached the stage. As she stepped up, she reached into the pocket on the front of her skirt and produced two dozen small seed packets.

  “Look, I brought seeds with me,” she said. She tossed the packets onto the stage, and they scattered like a deck of cards. “Feel free to help yourselves, friends. I don’t have a lot of them, but this’ll help a few families get started.”

  Instead of coming for the seeds, the crowd only became more agitated, talking turning into shouting. Beth saw a surprising number of hostile faces looking at her, speaking at her, fists shaking.

  They can tell I’m lying, she thought. They believe Nora.

  She felt a sinking dread, and she turned to her family. Shane and Jodi stared back at her with helpless expressions. Mike seemed poised on the edge of his seat, as if looking for a quick escape. Beth was glad the youngsters weren’t there. Corbin and Owen were keeping an eye on the house.

  “Okay, let’s calm down,” Mayor Frank said. “Ladies and gentlemen, shouting at each other won’t solve anything. We need to have a rational discussion about this. Come on, folks.”

  Beth gestured again at the seed packets, but no one was coming for them. Finally, James rose and approached the mayor, gently but insistently taking the megaphone out of his hand. He leaned in and whispered something in the mayor’s ear, and Frank, frowning, stepped back.

  “I want everyone to settle down right now,” James said. He had a deep quality to his voice that broke through the rising tide. “We’re going to discuss things civilly. Come on now, people. This is your sheriff speaking.”

  He stomped the stage a few times for good measure, and finally the crowd began to settle. Still, no one came for the seeds. When the crowd finally got quiet, Beth saw Jodi frantically waving her over, so Beth took her seat again. Her heart felt like it was pounding in her throat.

  Stupid Nora is going to turn this whole town against us, she thought, and, not for the first time, she imagined giving her nosy neighbor a good smack in the face.

  “If we’re just going to shout at each other, then we’re wasting our time here,” Sheriff Cooley said, with a concerned look in Beth’s direction. She gave him a forced smile and a thumbs up. “I know there are a lot of emotions, but if we can’t have an orderly meeting then we’re not going to get anything accomplished, so please, I’m asking you nicely, take turns speaking and be nice.”

  He gave the crowd a tight-lipped stare, as if daring someone to defy him. Except for a few lingering whispers, the people stayed quiet. Mayor Frank hovered at his shoulder and seemed like he wanted to say something, but James pressed on.

  “Look, we’re bringing together food and supplies,” the sheriff said. “We’ll make sure people are taken care of. There’s no reason to get hostile toward your neighbors. Nobody’s hiding anything from anyone. First of all, we still live in a free country, so we’re not going to start prying into people’s private homes and taking their stuff. Got it? No one has to share their personal stuff if they don’t want to.”

  At this, Mayor Frank stepped forward and pushed the megaphone down. “Now, look, sheriff, no offense intended, but I’m not sure you’re right about that. I mean, Ryan down there made a pretty good point. Some people hit the grocery stores and stocked up just so they could hoard food. We know this.” The mayor’s voice was getting sharper, harder, louder, and Beth could see a growing hostility in his gaze. “Honestly, it’s harmful to the community. I’m not suggesting we force our way into anybody’s home, but shouldn’t we strongly encourage full cooperation with the communal store?”

  James swiped the mayor’s hand aside and turned to face him. For a few seconds, they glared at each other. An anxious ripple went through the crowd. Beth could tell by the stiffness in the sheriff’s shoulders and back that he was ready for the argument to turn into a real fight. After a moment, the mayor visibly wilted and held his hands up, then he gestured for the sheriff to continue. James raised the megaphone again and turned to face the crowd.

  “I’m going to be very blunt here,” James said. “If we’re going to start gossiping about who’s got what, if we’re going to start threatening to strongly encourage people to give up their own personal possessions for the good of the community, then we’re going to create a lot of problems. A lot of problems. If this becomes the new norm, folks had better learn to fend for themselves, because the food will run out a lot faster. Is that what you want?” He stared hard at the crowd, then he turned and stared harder at the mayor. “Is that what you want?”

  The mayor’s mouth worked silently for a second, as if he were struggling to come up with a response. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “I don’t want people fighting. Come on, James. You know I would never suggest it.”

  “Good,” James said tightly. He scanned the crowd for a moment and pointed at someone near the front. “Zoe, would you stand up for me please.”

  A mousy little woman with a pinched face rose from her seat in the fourth row, anxiously fiddling with a small, felt handbag. Beth knew her. She was the head librarian at the neighborhood library.

  “The library has plenty of resources to help folks start their own garden, correct?” James said.

  “Oh, yes,” Zoe replied. “We have a whole section on gardening. Honestly, Sheriff Cooley, the library is more important than ever. With no internet, we’re your best source of information on just about anything. Everyone should have a library card these days.”

  “You hear that, folks?” James said. “Get your library card. Check out a good book on gardening and start growing your own food. The best part is, a garden never runs out. If you tend it well, it’ll just keep making food for you year after year. That’s a whole lot better than turning on one other.”

  Zoe was beaming. It was probably the biggest endorsement the local library had received in decades. James gestured at her again.

  “Zoe, would you mind setting up a gardening workshop at the library sometime later this week?” James said. “It’ll be a great opportunity to share tips and advice. People can work together and really do this right.”

  “I’d be more than happy to, Sheriff,” Zoe replied. “Give me three days. We’ll meet on the lawn in front of t
he library, let’s say right at noon. Everyone’s invited.”

  “Everyone’s invited,” James said. “You hear that, folks? Don’t sit at home listening to your belly growl while twiddling your thumbs. Take a practical step toward a long-term solution.”

  Beth discreetly scanned the crowd, many of the faces still hostile. Some continued to whisper, though she couldn’t tell if it was conspiratorial or not. Nora was folded up in her seat, arms crossed tightly over her stomach. She appeared to be smiling.

  Oh, you’re so satisfied with yourself, aren’t you? Beth thought. You ornery little rat.

  “See, we’re making progress,” James said. “There are solutions to every problem. We just have to work together. Don’t you agree, Frank?” He handed the megaphone to the mayor. “Now, why don’t you excuse everyone? I think the meeting has served its purpose.”

  Mayor Frank seemed thoroughly chastened. He raised the megaphone and stepped up beside the sheriff. “Noon at the library in three days. That’s Friday. Come and learn about starting your garden. Don’t forget to pick up some seeds right here.” He waved a hand at the seed packets on the stage. “We’ll have another town meeting next week, okay? Same day, same time, same place. Got it? Thanks. Let’s conclude this thing in an orderly fashion. Good night.”

  And with that, he stooped down, set the megaphone on the stage, and walked away from the sheriff without another word. James met Beth’s gaze and gave her an encouraging wink. The crowd filed out of the auditorium in relative quiet. Beth saw Ryan pushing his way through the crowd. Things appeared calm, but she didn’t buy it. The air was thick with tension, and a crawling unease had settled in her belly.

  “Is this going to be a problem?” Shane asked.

  “I don’t know,” Beth replied, “but the next time I see Nora peeking over the fence, she’s going to feel my wrath.”

  5

  The Horton kids were playing some kind of card game at the dining room table. Shane kept hearing references to land cards and mana, but he couldn’t make sense of it. Finally, whatever was happening, David seemed to get the upper hand, and Amelia flung her cards on the table in disgust. Shane had busied himself in the kitchen replacing a broken hinge on a cabinet. Kaylee had hung off the door trying to reach a bowl inside and stripped out the screws. Fortunately, Beth had some suitable replacement screws in the garage. Still, the constant game chatter made it hard to concentrate, and it didn’t help that he was feeling anxious about the town meeting.

  Finally, thankfully, the game wound down. Through means Shane didn’t comprehend, one of the kids won, and the whole thing ended with groans and sighs. Then Libby gathered up the cards and placed them in two stacks inside a nondescript cardboard box.

  “I guess we’re going to head over to our house,” she said, as David and Amelia pushed their chairs back and rose.

  “Do you need anyone to walk with you?” Beth asked from the living room.

  “No, we’re fine,” Libby said.

  “If we run into trouble, we’ll shout really loud,” David said.

  Shane had just finished with the last screw when he heard the back door slide open and then slide shut. Soon, the voices of the Horton kids were moving across the backyard and down the driveway. Shane glanced out the kitchen window. Though the fence was in the way, he could just make out the front door of Mrs. Eddies’s house through the slats. He watched the Horton kids unlock the door, step inside, and shut it behind them. Soon, candlelight flickered in the window. Safely home.

  He closed the cabinet and turned to find that Jodi, Beth, and Mike had taken the place of the Horton kids at the dining room table. Shane grabbed a jug of freshly-made tea that was sitting on the counter and brought it to the table along with some cups. He doled out the drink, first to Jodi, then to Beth, and finally to Mike.

  “Where are the other kids?” Shane asked.

  “Violet and Kaylee are asleep,” Jodi said. “Owen and Corbin are both reading, but they’ll be asleep soon, too, I imagine.”

  “Okay, good,” Shane said, pouring himself a cup of tea. “I guess we should talk about it.”

  “Talk about what?” Mike asked. “The price of tea in China?”

  His lame attempt at a joke got no response whatsoever, so he disappeared into his teacup, taking a long, slow sip. Everyone at the table looked the way Shane felt: tense and restless. He reached over and grabbed Jodi’s hand, and she latched on tight. The meeting had taken a lot out of her, and he was tempted to encourage her to go to bed. But they needed to talk, and he wanted to hear her opinion.

  “James seems to think he brought things back around by the end of the meeting,” Shane said. “What do you guys think?”

  “I think the locals didn’t want to piss off the sheriff,” Mike said, “because they still need his help with their various and sundry problems. Otherwise, he didn’t bring anything anywhere. People were agitated when they walked out of that auditorium.”

  “Mike is right,” Beth said, idly swirling the tea in her cup. Shane’s mother-in-law had rarely looked more world-weary than she did at that moment. Her silver hair was all in disarray. “It’s all that darn Nora’s fault. I should have known she would eventually say something to other people. I didn’t expect the town meeting to become her public forum for outing me as a prepper.”

  “You gave her a few cans of food,” Jodi said. “She’s never been inside the house. How does she know you’re a prepper? What gave her the idea that you’ve stocked up on food?”

  Shane felt a twinge of unease. He didn’t want to be the one to tell her. Mike glanced at him, glanced at Beth, and finally cleared his throat.

  “I hate to tell you, sis,” he said, “but you’re the one who spilled the beans.”

  “What are you talking about?” Jodi let go of Shane’s hand and grabbed her tea cup. “I haven’t said two words to that weirdo across the street.”

  “The night we brought you home from the doctor’s office,” Beth said. “As we were helping you walk to the front door, Nora approached us, begging for food, and you made an offhand comment about our food supplies.”

  “What did I say?” Jodi asked her mother. “What did I say exactly?”

  “You told her I have a whole basement full of food,” Beth replied. “Enough to feed people for years.”

  “Oh, God.” Jodi bowed her head and smacked the table with her hand, spilling some tea in the process. “I have no memory of that. I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t feel bad, sis,” Mike said. “Dr. Yates had you pumped full of painkillers. You were only semi-conscious. It was the drugs talking.”

  Jodi picked up her cup, as if to take a sip, then changed her mind and set it down again. She gave Shane a helpless look.

  “So she knows. Nora knows because I told her, and now she’s let the whole town know. Drugged or not, it doesn’t change the fact that the word is out.”

  “People won’t forget what Nora said at the meeting,” Shane said. He paused to take a drink. “No matter how quiet they were exiting the building, they won’t forget. We need to beef up security inside the house. Some locals might come looking for proof of Nora’s claim.”

  “Nobody’s getting into the subbasement,” Beth said. “First of all, it’s well-hidden down there. Second, they can join Greg and Travis in Mrs. Eddies’s backyard. I’ll grow a second garden over them.”

  Her voice was shaking with anger—and possibly fear. Shane understood the feeling. His mother-in-law had spent years preparing for catastrophe so she could take care of her family, and now the wolves had smelled the food and begun to circle the camp.

  “If someone does get into the house,” Shane said, “they’ll find an almost empty pantry and an empty basement. That will confirm their suspicions. You told them you canned a bunch of vegetables, and they’ll wonder where all the cans are.”

  “What can we do about it?” Beth said.

  “I think we should move more of the cans from the subbasement into the pantry,” he
said. “Let’s keep the pantry full. That way anyone who gets in here—if they get in here—will assume they’ve found your stash.”

  “Just so they can steal it easier?” she said.

  “No, so we can throw them off the trail. After Nora’s accusation, they’ll expect to find more food in the house than most people have, so let’s give them the impression that they’ve found it. That’ll keep people from looking for the subbasement.”

  “They won’t find the subbasement,” Beth said. “It’s hidden under the carpet. They’d need a good reason to want to pull up the carpet.”

  “An empty pantry and an empty basement might give them that reason,” Shane said.

  Beth took a long sip of tea, scowling at the tabletop. Finally, she set the cup down, dabbed the corners of her mouth of her sleeve, and nodded. “Okay, fine. Maybe you’re right. We’ll move some of the canned vegetables into the pantry. But I’m telling you all right now, I don’t intend to let anyone get into this house without my express invitation. We’re going to do whatever the hell we have to do to protect our family and property.”

  “I’m with you, Mom,” Jodi said.

  “Same here,” Mike added. “I feel sorry for any poor fool who tries to sneak into this house. They’ll be coming into a war zone.”

  The mayor’s words about fuel running out gave Shane pause. The van only had about a third of a tank, but Shane still needed to speak to the sheriff. He wasn’t willing to wait until James decided to pay Beth another visit. He decided to risk the fuel use.

  When he pulled into the sheriff’s office, he found a small crowd gathered in the reception area. The sheriff was in the process of taking reports, and Shane lingered near the back to wait his turn.