by A. R. Shaw
Starting the snowmobile in near darkness, Bishop soon pulled up to the storage unit. With his night vision on, his heart pounded the closer he came. There was no mistaking something had taken place by the marks in the snow and blood splatters on the walls near his unit.
“Maeve?” he yelled. “Maeve?”
Seeing the lock obliterated, he held an AR-15 out and ready, having no idea what he might find on the other side. He slowly lifted the door.
Inside, he found her glowing eyes watching him, and her hands trembled around her Glock that aimed at him.
“Maeve, it’s me, Bishop.” He lifted off his helmet as she rushed into his arms. His voice alone confirmed his identity.
“Oh thank God, it’s you.”
He held her tight. She couldn’t stop shaking. “It’s me, it’s going to be OK now.”
Taking her in his arms, he realized soon the cold temperatures would be too much. He had to get them to safety now. Having cleared one menace, he now needed to get them somewhere warm.
“Let’s go,” he said and loaded them onto Jake.
As the snow fell, he found himself retracing his previous tracks back to the hotel. With Maeve and the both children mounted on the back of his horse, he led them down the familiar road. But this time, it was different. In the houses lining the streets, people didn’t shy from the windows now. They opened their doors and yelled out to him.
“Hey, mister!”
He waved to them. “Follow me,” he said.
By the time he could see the hotel, a bright warming light glowed from within. Streams of dark figures were filing into the building.
Soon they were surrounded by people in dark rags on either side. The crowd of townspeople who’d watched from their silent houses made way for him between them, and then someone began to clap. Another took up the cheer, and Bishop stopped and looked up to Maeve as if to ask, “What’s going on?”
“You saved the town, Bishop. You saved us all.”
46
Bishop stopped near the entrance and helped Maeve and the children down from the horse. As he went inside, the first thing he saw was Austin’s smiling face.
Already a banquet table was set up, and warm food was in preparation. People lined the inside of the enormous lobby where the cheery fireplaces blazed.
“Who are these people?” Bishop asked Austin as he gazed at the many workers passing out plates of food and warm blankets.
“Some of them are the guests who were hiding out here. Others are staff who stayed away when Roman took over. I sent out word to get them to come back and help. Word travels fast.”
Austin was in his element. He shouted orders to several people. “Someone take this man’s horse to the office at the end of the hall and give him whatever he wants.”
Bishop laughed and handed the reins to an older gentleman who took Jake away. Then he led Maeve and the children to a seat near the fireplace to get them warm. Austin stopped by and said, “I’ve got a room for you and your family upstairs.”
Before Bishop could correct him, he handed him the keys. Maeve put her hand over his and said, “You’re not getting out of my sight again, mister. We can share.”
His eyes found hers. He wasn’t sure if he could share the same space with anyone for long, but for her, he would try.
They sat down on a cushioned bench. Ben at his right and Maeve, with Louna on her lap, on his left. Their rifles by their sides. People were still filing in with only the rags on their backs covered in snow, looking like the ghosts they nearly were, when suddenly Louna screamed out.
Bishop jumped and held his rifle out. The blond hair of the woman running toward them was an unmistakable match for the girl’s.
Maeve cried, “You’re alive!” but that was all that was needed to be said. It was clear the woman clutching Louna, both of them sobbing, was a relative. Maeve clung to Bishop’s side after giving the girl up freely to her mother.
Bishop took a blanket and wrapped it around them, enclosing them in safety together. There was no separating the two.
Like a scene from a medieval past, people huddled in groups eating from plates handed to them while candle and firelight fought off the darkness from outside.
Austin’s helpers passed out hotel room keys to those that had no place to stay, washed dishes, and gave directions, and everyone pitched in where needed.
After they’d eaten, Bishop held a sleeping Ben to his shoulder and led Maeve through the crowds and up the elevator. When the doors were shut, Maeve said, “How did you do this?”
He lifted his shoulder as if he had nothing to say.
“Man of few words.”
47
With dim light cascading into the room, Bishop woke. At first, he had no idea where he was, but as he stared up at the white ceiling adorned with metal sprinkler heads instead of the cave ceiling of his typical surroundings, the reality of what had taken place a week ago rushed back to him. Maeve…Ben?
He launched himself from the couch and found them both lying motionless on the queen bed, still sound asleep. Nearing the side of the bed, Maeve’s hair cascaded out over the pillow like a radiating flame. Softly snoring, she had one hand clutched around her son’s wrist; even in sleep she was a good mother.
Without resisting the urge, Bishop nudged a strand of hair out of Maeve’s face, exposing her slender neck, and then he wished he hadn’t because the bruising there in shades of purple and green caused the muscles in his arms to flex with malicious intent against those who had hurt her.
Despite that, Maeve was every bit as beautiful, possibly more so, in her peaceful sleeping state. Tearing his eyes away from her was difficult, but then he heard a distant noise. A familiar noise. When he walked over to the window and looked out over the ice, he recognized the man on the snowmobile from before. There were two of them this time, and they were heavily armed.
Just in case this meant trouble for them, Bishop quickly put on his outerwear and grabbed his recovered AR-15 and Beretta out of habit as he began to leave.
“Where are you going?” Maeve asked sleepily.
He wasn’t used to answer to anyone about his actions. He stared at her, and she reached for him, her arm outstretched for him to take.
Staring at her gesture, as if this meant more than mere words, he went to her and wrapped his rough hand beneath her slender forearm. His voice raspy, he whispered, “There’s a party of men coming over the ice. I need to go out and meet them—see what they want and where they’re from. I saw them once before. He seemed dejected. I need to make sure they’re no threat to us.”
She held on to him while she rubbed her sleepy eyes with her other hand. As he watched her, she stared up at him, and then he felt a tug as she pulled him toward her. He bent down as she led him to her lips. Pressing her own to his lightly, she kissed him, and he found himself responding before he’d even made the decision. His arm slid behind her neck, his other behind her back. When they finally pulled away, her look of shock mirrored his own. Never had such an encounter sent such a shockwave through him. “I…I won’t be long.”
She looked confused suddenly. “Please don’t. Please come right back.”
“I will,” he said and cleared the thick feeling in his throat as he left.
In the lobby, his mind wandered over the past few days while they’d stayed in the hotel. Much had been accomplished. Austin was turning out to be a great leader for the town.
Once downstairs, he found Austin peering out the big window to the south.
“What do you think they want?” Bishop asked, causing Austin to turn.
“I’m not sure. I think that’s the sheriff who left and went to Rockford Bay when Roman and Frank were taking over.”
Bishop thought about that for a moment. “Would you call the man a coward?”
Austin shook his head. “No, I think he just knew he was beaten. I know he took several people with him and tried to warn the rest. I’m sure he feels responsible, but he has a fa
mily and another community to protect there as well.”
Bishop nodded as the snowmobiles stopped on the edge of the frozen lake. The riders stepped off, removing their helmets and looking at the building with questions on their faces.
“They’re expecting Roman’s men to come out and meet them. They look confused.”
“You’re the boss here, Austin. You want to invite them inside? Ask them what they want. I’ll cover you.”
“I…I’m not sure. I think you’ll be better at negotiating with them.”
“I’m not the leader here, Austin. You are. This is your show. You’ve done a great job of rallying this town so far. I’ll back you up.”
“OK,” Austin said, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.
“I’ll go with you, but you’re the man. I’m just your backup. You can do this.”
Austin nodded. “OK,” he said, sounding more confident than before.
Neither of them was prepared for the even colder brisk air tightening their lungs the moment they set foot outside. Drifts of snow had piled up in berms as wisps of air swirled out over the flat ice. Once a winter wonderland, the lake now looked formidable. The men waiting were adorned with frozen mustaches despite the helmets they’d worn.
The temperature had dropped even further, so there was no question of remaining outside for long. Instead, Austin, followed by Bishop with his hand on his rifle, stepped outside. When the other men saw them, Austin attempted to speak, but the wind stole his words right away. Instead, he waved for the two men to follow them into the building.
He and Bishop retreated as the two men cautiously joined them. After shaking off the snow, one man extended his hand to Austin.
“Hi, I’m Carl Hanson. I was sheriff here. I think I’ve met you before. It’s my understanding that Roman has taken over here. I’d like to speak with him if I may.”
Clearing his throat, Austin said, “There’s been a change in management here. Roman is no longer with us.”
Bishop watched as the man looked from Austin to himself and back. Bishop detected fear in the man the second he stepped inside. Carl took a deep breath. “Who’s in charge now then?”
Austin stood a little taller than before and glanced at Bishop. “I am.”
A look of utter relief washed over the man. He looked to his partner, who had so far remained silent, and Bishop could see tears in his eyes too.
“Then, please, Austin, my people are dying. I need your help.”
Austin smiled and led them to a sunken sitting area. The fireplaces kept the lobby so warm that the two men began taking off layers of coats, then held their hands out to the blaze, warming them for the first time in weeks, Bishop guessed.
“Who are you?” Carl asked, referring to Bishop.
Austin answered, “This is my associate, Bishop. He helps me keep things in order.”
A smile came to Carl’s face. He stretched out his hand to shake Bishop’s. “I know a military man when I see one.”
Bishop only nodded. The other man with Carl introduced himself as Tom Maloney.
Both men looked scared, thin to the point of starvation, and lost. Whatever they were about to say, Bishop knew the subject concerned their last hopes.
Austin tapped a lady passing by who had a young child at her side. “Miss, could you have the kitchen bring some coffee and breakfast for these two gentlemen?”
She stopped and smiled, and when she did, the child caught Bishop’s attention. The little boy…he was the one who’d been flung into the snow. He could tell by the blue eyes and the fact that half of his little forehead was black and blue from the encounter. Feeling a sort of relief, Bishop took a deep breath. He hadn’t been able to help wondering about the child.
Bishop returned his attention to the men in front of him, and the surprise on their faces for the simple fare Austin had offered concerned him.
“Austin,” Carl began. “I’ve made this trip two times before.” He swallowed hard. “My people in Rockford Bay…they’re literally starving to death.” He held his hands out wide. “We don’t have much to offer you, but we were hoping we could work something out.”
Resisting the questions coming to his mind, Bishop held back. He didn’t want to step into any position that could be handled by another. Austin, in his mind, was the rightful heir of the hotel and the town, and he would back him as long as he did things right.
“How many people do you have?”
Carl swallowed again. “We were at twelve hundred before the freeze; we’re now about eight hundred. We’ve had some fighting. We had to take down looters for killing others for their food.” He wiped his forehead. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Common people…killing one another for a sack of flour. It’s the worst of mankind out there.”
“We’ve seen it too. So eight hundred. I’ll tell you we’ve just gotten things under control here, barely. We have a food shortage here as well. We can’t spare much, but we’ll put together what we can.”
Bishop watched as Carl began to speak, but then the sheriff couldn’t contain himself and broke down in tears. His companion patted him on the back and said to them, “His wife died yesterday and his daughter is dying too. It’s been really hard.”
Austin nodded. “I understand,” he said and continued to talk while Carl got a hold of himself. “We’ve had tough times too. Roman basically sponsored town looting, killed many people. Most of the food was brought here to the hotel. Now we’re using our kitchens to feed everyone two meals a day. I wanted to give everything back to the people, but it was an impossible task, so I’ve appointed the staff to make daily meals instead. Those who have nothing to eat can come here. We even have horse-drawn sleds bringing them in from old bus stops.”
Carl laughed at the statement.
“We’re back in the pioneer days it seems, and we damn well better figure out how to live through this before it’s too late. How long is this Maunder Minimum supposed to last anyway?”
Bishop spoke up then, and they weren’t going to like his answer. “This can go on for ten or more years. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…” He paused and shook his head. “We won’t survive here long term. We’re in an ice age.”
The two men looked at each other, not trusting or wanting to believe the words. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, all the food you can hunt beyond what we have in our possession will not be enough to survive here. We might as well be at the poles. We can fish the lake for what’s survived the sudden freeze there, and we can grow hydroponics in some of the buildings. We can also hunt the woods to oblivion and it will still not be enough to sustain us. We cannot live here for long; this is a temporary situation. We need to get our heads around that and soon, because we need to find a way to travel before it’s too late.”
By the time the men left, their snowmobiles were topped off with fuel and attached with trailers filled with food and medical supplies as well as radio units so that they could communicate better with their neighbors.
The people of Rockford Bay promised to share hunts when they were well enough to do so, and to attend meetings to make decisions on the inevitable evacuation Bishop alerted them to.
Again Bishop and Austin watched the men leave through the great windows, more slowly and more burdened by lifesaving supplies than Bishop thought was wise, but he wasn’t going to give Austin a hard time about it. Helping the people in Rockford Bay might pay off in future exchanges. At least he hoped so, because they were going to need it.
48
Maeve stood gazing out the frosty, sliding glass window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. With the blue light cascading onto her, highlighting the red in her hair and the crimson shade of her lips, for the first time in a year, she found herself wanting a man’s touch other than her deceased husband’s. At first, she felt guilty for the urge, a betrayal of sorts to Roger’s memory, and shocked at the realization that perhaps she was no longer grieving her dead husband. The swe
et memory of Bishop’s kiss kept flashing into her mind and began replacing the pain Roger’s death left in her heart.
This morning when he touched her hair, she couldn’t help but feel the anticipation of this quiet man kissing her again. Now she had hope, a hope for something she’d never allowed herself in the past. A hope that perhaps someday when he was ready, they might become a family.
If only life were normal. But then again, chaos was what brought them together. That, and a promise Bishop made with her husband. Somehow, she thought, Roger had made this possible. If he couldn’t be there to protect them, he put in place a man who could, one whom he trusted with his family. So in the end, it was with Roger’s blessing, that she let some of her guilt go and made room to live life with a possibility of love in the future, no matter the dire conditions of the world at hand.
Continue the Journey
Surrender the Sun
Bishop’s Honor
Sanctuary
Point of No Return
For those of you, unbound.
Foreword
In a post-apocalyptic world, Sloane Delaney struggles to keep her daughters safe. With all her neighbors gone and her abusive second husband dead, Sloane and her daughters, Mae and Wren, maintain a dangerous charade to keep looters at bay from their neighborhood. When young Nicole shows up on their doorstep, nearly dead from dehydration and starvation as a result of her father’s growing paranoia, she joins the determined group as they adjust to life without most of the luxuries they had previously taken for granted. Aided by a pack of abandoned dogs, the women are able to project an image of an occupied and active neighborhood until corrupt FEMA agents arrive on the scene, threatening their hard-won sense of security. Fleeing their now-unsafe home, Sloane and her girls head for the woods and an abandoned old house Sloane is sure will be a safe haven for at least a few days. She doesn’t count on the handsome and helpful Dr. Kent having also taken refuge there. With her girls’ lives on the line, can Sloane learn to trust again in this dangerous new world?
