Shelter

by C A Bird

  “You guys need to get me to the doctor. I could have a concussion,” he told them.

  “Shut up or you’ll have more than that,” Walter said.

  “We are taking you to the doctor,” Mark told him. “We’ll page your father from there and see…”

  They had almost reached the stairwell when the door burst open and Aaron, along with several others, all carrying flashlights, barreled out and turned toward the farm cave. Two of the men carried stretchers.

  “Whoa, what’s up?” Mark yelled at Aaron.

  “There’s been a cave-in. Some of the kids may be hurt. Come on.”

  Mark instructed the men holding Clay to take him to the infirmary and then to his quarters. “We’ll deal with him later. There’s no place for him to go.” He ran off after the other group.

  Garrett told them which cave the children were in and Aaron insisted someone take the boy to Dr. Jim rather than allow him to accompany them. He was scratched and bleeding although it didn’t look serious.

  They ran through the caves and passed through the door Aaron indicated. Mark flipped the light on.

  “Garrett said to follow the arrows,” Aaron said, his flashlight shining ahead of him as he turned left and slowed down to enter the tunnel. The air was filled with thick dust making it difficult to see ahead.

  They hadn’t gone far when it became hard to climb over the debris. Mark was disturbed at the extent of the cave-ins, remembering the rock falls in the reservoir and power caves he’d seen recently during his runs. He thought he’d felt minor tremors but assumed they were vibrations from the power plant.

  They became aware of soft crying up ahead and soon came upon the children; the lights showing filthy tear streaked faces. The rescuers carefully approached Darian to avoid causing shifting of the rocks. Mark slid by to check out the other children, all of whom were in the tunnel beyond Darian with the exception of Jeremy and Sean. None of them appeared to be seriously injured so he handed each of them to men standing beyond Darian. Ashley, the last one, held tightly to his neck not wanting to let him go.

  “Come on sweetheart, it’s alright. You’ll all be fine now.”

  “We tried to help him,” she said, sniffling and wiping dirty tears on his neck. “We moved all the rocks we could but we were afraid we’d crush him. Is he okay?”

  “He’ll be fine. You guys did great.” He handed her to Brian.

  Aaron was examining the boy. He moved a large rock lying partially against Darian’s leg and he cried out in pain. The dirt and rocks around his legs were soaked in blood.

  “I think his leg’s broken.” Aaron said. He handed Mark some rocks and Mark put them further back in the cave, not throwing them for fear of causing additional cave-ins. As they moved the weight from his chest he wailed more loudly creating a din in the confined tunnel. Once they had him clear, Aaron stabilized his leg by tying it to one of the larger flashlights and he examined him as best he could for other injuries, especially his neck. When satisfied he wouldn’t hurt him further he slipped a stretcher alongside and he and Mark lifted the injured boy on to it. The dust made it hard for any of them to breathe.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Mark said.

  ***

  Once again, Mark paced the waiting room while someone underwent surgery, this time with Darien’s parents. Everything had been going so well, he thought. Now it seemed like one crisis after another. He hated it when children were hurt, but he could understand why they had wanted some excitement. They were just kids and the shelter was beginning to seem very confining.

  For the first time he began to seriously consider leaving the shelter and wondering what they would do on the outside, where they would go or whether they would all stick together. He glanced up quickly as the door opened.

  Unlike the last time, when Aaron exited the surgical suite, he had a big smile on his face. “The surgery went well and I think his leg is going to heal up just fine,” he told Albert and Janet Spears. “He’s a lucky kid. Initially we thought the leg had been crushed but it turned out to be an uncomplicated compound fracture. He should have a full recovery and use of his leg.”

  Mark listened to the good news and left to spread the word to the rest of the shelter’s residents.

  January 23, 5:40 p.m.

  “Sandi, why didn’t you just tell me? Did you think we needed to keep secrets from each other?” Pete and Sandi were in her room sitting on the sofa. He held her hands in his.

  “I’m sorry, I should have let you know, but I was so scared you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore if you knew I was pregnant and it wasn’t yours.”

  “Well you should have had more confidence in me than that. Remember me? The guy that helped you get over old whats-his name?”

  “I know, I really should have told you.” She picked up a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? If that bastard hurt you they’ll be looking for a way to punish me for murder.” He angrily rose and started pacing the room. “I’ve disliked that slimeball from the moment we arrived here.”

  “Dr. Jim said I’m alright. Please, Pete, don’t do anything to get yourself in trouble. We don’t want to make it all worse. I’m going to have a hard enough time raising a baby in the world we’ll have left.” She started to cry again and he went back to her side, taking her hands in his again.

  “What do you mean ‘I’? We’re in this together Sandi. You, me, and the baby.” He tilted her head up to look in her eyes. “Will you marry me?”

  She was completely shocked by this sudden proposal. The remnant had almost forgotten about institutions, including marriage, from their previous existence. He leaned forward and gathered her into his arms as she whispered “yes” into his ear.

  January 23, 6:30 p.m.

  Mark had never in his entire life seen Will Hargraves so angry, not over work related issues or personal matters, a cold furious anger that more than frightened Clay, it scared him to the core of his being. He had never seen his father this angry either. Clay sat in his father’s room, cowering on one of the couches, soaked in perspiration, as his father paced back and forth, his face red, unable to speak. Mark sat on the other couch with Chris while Walter Thompson was in a chair. Walter had explained exactly what he’d heard and seen, including Sandi’s confession of pregnancy.

  Then Clay made a big mistake. He opened his mouth. “Dad, I screwed up and I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to do anything. It won’t happen again.”

  Will turned on him pointing to the door. “Get out! Get out of here this minute! Confine yourself to your quarters. If you think because you’re my son you can get away with anything you please, you can think again. I’m convening a panel to consider these charges against you. I’ll decide what to do with you based on their findings. Get out!”

  Clay looked at his sister for support but she averted her eyes so he slunk out while he could.

  “Dad, what are you going to do?” she asked.

  “I have no idea. I never considered anything like this would ever happen. My God, my own son.” He sank down in the other chair. “I need to think this over. Would you all please excuse me?”

  The others left the apartment with Mark wishing Will would let him stay to discuss the situation. He was beginning to worry about him. They had always been able to talk about anything, any problem, but during the last couple of months Will had become withdrawn, didn’t participate in the social life of the remnant, and had cut himself off from Mark.

  Excusing himself from the others he went for a beer. The bottles were gone but the kegs were holding out and Johnny had the beer brewer in full operation. They may run out of food but the brewery was producing enough alcohol to last a lifetime.

  Sitting at a table, nursing his beer and thinking about the problems they’d had lately, he was completely engrossed when a voice brought him back to the present. He looked up to find Chris standing over him.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, didn’t see you come in. S
it. It’s a real bitch, huh?”

  “Yeah, I always knew my brother was self-centered and didn’t really care about anyone else’s feelings or needs, but I never expected he would do something this stupid, if only for his own self-preservation. Did he really think he could get away with this?”

  “He’s an intelligent man. He must have genuinely believed he would be believed over her, especially if his friends lied for him.”

  “Mark, I’m so worried about Dad. He was depressed enough but this is just the worst thing that could happen. I don’t understand why he’s so withdrawn lately. Has he confided anything to you?”

  “No, but I think he just feels that his job is done. After all, he’s not a young man and his whole world has ended. Maybe he feels at his age that it’s going to be too hard to start over in a new world. His entire life the last few years was tied up in providing this shelter against the possibility of nuclear war and now that it’s happened he may feel he’s accomplished what he needed to accomplish. You’re safe, after all.”

  “It sounds like you think he’s given up and doesn’t want to go on, that he’s lost interest.”

  “Maybe he has.”

  They drank a few beers and listened to the conversation of the clientele as they discussed the current problem. Will had never considered a brig would be necessary so one wasn’t included in the plans when the shelter was built. There were as many different opinions about what they should do about Clay as there were people in the bar. Needing to relieve his bladder, Mark excused himself and walked through the door into the multipurpose room toward the men’s room located in the rear corner. Several young people sat on the edge of the stage while others danced to loud music. Clay’s name was mentioned and he knew the young people were as concerned about the recent events as the adults. They nodded to him as he walked by.

  Mark opened the door and froze, then leaped forward, screaming for help, as he grabbed Karl Dohner’s legs and tried to relieve the rope around his neck of the weight. “Oh God, somebody get the doctor!” he yelled at the youths that jammed into the room. Karl’s complexion was ashen, his lips tinged with blue and Mark prayed they weren’t too late. The rope was knotted around the bar over the stall door. He must have jumped off the toilet. His feet barely cleared the floor, but it was enough.

  “How long since he came in here?”

  “Just a few minutes ago,” someone replied.

  “Hold his legs so I can untie him!” Two of the boys wrapped their arms around Karl’s legs and lifted.

  Mark fumbled with the tightened knot, finally worrying it loose and they lowered him to the floor as Mark immediately began resuscitation efforts. He instructed one of the adolescents in the proper technique for compressing the chest while he cleared the airway, tilted the head back and breathed into Karl’s mouth. Several people from the pub tried to push into the restroom.

  “Everybody get back and give us some room!” Mark yelled.

  They continued their efforts until Dr. Jim shoved his way through the mob with a small portable defibrillator and a medical kit.

  “Keep doing what you’re doing until I’m ready,” he instructed them. He felt for a pulse, then tore open Karl’s shirt and placed the paddles. The monitor indicated chaotic heart activity. “Ok, clear.” When they moved back he hit the button and the body jerked off the floor.

  They continued their efforts to resuscitate him, Jim using drugs injected into his heart and repeated attempts with the defibrillator, but they were unsuccessful. Although his neck hadn’t broken in the fall, he’d tied the rope tightly and sufficient time had passed to finish the job before he was discovered.

  “Oh hell,” Mark said dejectedly. “Another damn funeral. What else can go wrong?”

  February 2

  “He didn’t actually rape her. It’s only attempted rape.” Vernon reasoned.

  “That’s bullshit and you know it! If Walter hadn’t been there he certainly would have raped her.” Jean answered.

  “But he didn’t. You can’t punish him for rape, only attempted rape.”

  She sneered at him. “That may have worked on the outside but we don’t have any of that legal ambiguity here and we’re not going to screw around with technicalities. We know an immoral act when we see one and this guy is an evil man who deserves to be punished!” Several voices were raised in agreement.

  Will held up his hand, “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s have some order.” Jean Barnes was acting as prosecutor and Vernon Richenour was the only person willing to serve in Clay’s defense. There were no lawyers among the remnant.

  Most of the shelter’s residents were in attendance at the hearing being conducted in the auditorium. Chairs were brought in and arranged to face the permanent seats. Clay, facing the audience, had regained some of his composure but was careful not to exhibit any arrogance. He was a skilled actor, used to manipulating people, and was acutely aware that he needed to be very careful if he wanted to avoid being alone in his room for the remainder of his time in this hellhole. There was no place else to put him.

  This was an unusual hearing. Anyone with something to say had been allowed to state their opinion after Sandi, Walter and Clay each told their side of the story.

  Clay’s version shocked Sandi and infuriated Walter and Pete. She broke down in tears and Lori took her into the “green” room alongside the stage. Clay claimed Sandi had been coming on to him for weeks, that she’d led him to the dragon door, teased him, invited sex in the cavern and then changed her mind.

  “I’m really sorry. She had me so hot I just got carried away and couldn’t stop. I’ll be more careful and not allow myself to be put in that position again. I swear,” he innocently told the assemblage.

  Walter roared to his feet. “You’re a God damned liar too! I heard you tell her that the guys in the pub would lie for you, tell everyone you were there when the rape occurred. I heard you ridicule her and Pete, calling them names. She was begging you to stop, you . . .”

  “Walter, take it easy and sit down.” Will interrupted him. You told your story already. Does anyone else have anything to say?” He paused for comments but everyone had already contributed their statements.

  Will stood and faced Clay.

  “I don’t think there’s any question of what you did. You violated another member of our community, violently. You’ve never shown any regard for the people here and it’s up to them to decide your innocence or guilt.” He turned to the crowd.

  “Raise your hand if you think he’s guilty.”

  Hands shot up indicating guilty verdicts from almost everyone in the auditorium. Only a few of Clay’s friends kept their hands down, but when Will asked for a show of hands for ‘not guilty’ they still did not raise them.

  Clay’s eyes widened and he visibly gulped. He looked at Chris but she stared straight ahead, tears in her eyes. She had not raised her hand for either verdict but in her heart she knew her brother was guilty of more than attempted rape. He would never fit in here.

  “Now we need to decide what to do with him.” Will said.

  One of Clay’s friends finally spoke up. “Put him in house arrest. Make him stay in his room.”

  “That’s not good enough!” Walter was back on his feet.

  Bob Crowder stood. “We could turn one of the rooms into a jail cell. We could take out the T.V., make it so it’s more like punishment.” A lot of people nodded their heads.

  Gregory Whitehorse stood and looked directly at Will. “Jail is modern society’s equivalent of banishment from the tribe, since there’s nowhere else to send them. In the old days when someone was judged unfit to live in our society they were sent away, to live separately from my people. We still have that option here.” He sat down and not a sound could be heard in the room.

  “Hey, Dad.” Clay murmured softly. He hadn’t even thought of that possibility. “Come on, Dad, you can’t even be thinking about that.” He stood up.

  “Come on you guys. I didn’t kill some
body!” He turned to Chris “Chris, shit, say something. Please!”

  No one moved. Clay bolted for the door but several people moved to block each of the exits.

  “Let’s get this over with.” Will walked toward Clay and Clay swung wildly at the men blocking the door. He connected with someone’s chin and the man went down but several others grabbed his arms and threw him against the wall.

  The people in the crowd all began to talk at once as they realized Will was going to put Clay outside.

  Will motioned to the door.

  “You can’t do that, Hargraves.” Vernon yelled out. “We should vote on it. You can’t put someone out there to die for attempted rape! That’s capital punishment!”

  “No it isn’t.” Will argued. “He’s being banished, having proven he can’t live peacefully in our society. The fact that it’s dangerous out there is not the issue. The radiation has lessened. He’ll probably be able to survive.” Will motioned to the door a second time and the men holding Clay pushed him through the door and turned toward the elevator.

  Clay was babbling, “Dad, please, I’ll be good. Please. Mark, stop them, please, you’re like a brother to me!”

  They went through the two airlocks and pushed him into the elevator. No one got in with him. It hadn’t been used since they lowered the supplies Darryl brought with him when he returned from Colorado Springs the first day of the war. The outside door was closed and the radiation monitor indicated there wasn’t any radiation in the large entrance cave.

  “I want you to think about what you’ve done.” Will told him coldly, no emotion, whatsoever, in his voice. “I’m not putting you outside. You can remain in the entrance cave, safe from any radiation, and we’ll send you food, water and supplies in the elevator. You’ll be completely isolated from us for an undetermined time. Dig a latrine in the floor in the far corner. If you get tired of the cave and decide to go outside, let us know. There’s an airlock located to the side of the main door that will allow you to leave without contaminating the main cave. There’s a camera in the elevator. If you stay in it we won’t be able to send you food.” He reached over and hit the button on the intercom. “Micah, send the elevator to the surface and open the door. Leave it there until he exits.”