Everyone turned and walked over to where Thomas and Mark were and stopped, waiting for Thomas to begin.
“First, I want to thank everyone here for helping me out in trying to track Bo down. We’ve worked hard and spent weeks trying to find him. We just found a campsite several hundred feet off to the right of us. He had been there but it was days ago. I feel that it’s time for us to halt our search and head back to the village. Our people need us there. As far as Bo, he may very well get what is coming to him when the scavengers or marauders find him. Let’s hope anyway. We’ll be camping here tonight and heading back in the morning and should be back to our village within a week. Any questions?” Thomas stood there looking at everyone to see if there were any questions. No one spoke up, so he directed them to make camp for the night.
Chapter 1
Winter 2280
Snowfall blanketed the ground, and a new storm was looming on the horizon. Paulette was gingerly plowing through the deep snow heading back to her cabin, her abdomen still sore form the gunshot wound. I can’t believe it’s only been a few months since I was shot by Bo. If it hadn’t been for Thomas, the leader, Mark, his advisor, and the medic Kaden, I might be dead. This setback is keeping me from finding the City of Technology, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be heading out anytime soon. Apparently, it’s going to be a bad winter. So we can’t even head out till the snow melts from the mountains. Errg, I just...
Thomas walked up behind her. “Hey,” he said.
Startled from her thoughts, Paulette turned around, “Oh it’s just you. You scared me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted to come by and see how you were doing.”
“Physically, I’m getting along. I still have severe pain in my abdomen and have trouble bending and sitting. Mentally, I could be better. I feel like I’m stuck here forever and won’t find a way home.”
“Yeah, you look a little down. I wanted to tell you that even though this winter may be long and harsh, it will give us plenty of time to plan and gather the supplies we’ll need for the trip in the spring,” he said.
Paulette paused as she looked at Thomas before replying. “That’s fine and all, but we still have months before we can begin to head out. Then there is the possibility that we never find this city.”
“I understand your frustration. Trust me, I do. I forgot to mention that I sent a scouting team out not long after I got back from trying to track Bo down. I’m hoping that they make it back with good news by the time the snow melts,” he said.
“Oh, you didn’t tell me that. That is exciting news. I do hope they find the City of Technology, then it will be easier to get there, because we won’t be wandering around the entire Eastern half of former Washington State,” she said with a smile on her face.
“I’m glad I could cheer you up a little. I hope you can make the planning meeting tonight after dinner.”
“I should be able to. I was just heading back to my cabin to get a little rest. Walking in this deep snow is exhausting.”
“Okay, I’ll let you get back to what you were doing and will see you at the meeting tonight,” Thomas said as he turned around and headed back to his cabin.
Paulette turned and began the slow process of plodding through the snow to get to her cabin. She arrived at the front porch and stepped up and took the few steps to the front door. Opening the door, she went inside and began to shed her deer-skin jacket and hung it on a rack she had made that was on the wall next to the door. She then sat down on the small bench she had made and unlaced her boots, took them off, and slid them under the bench. Padding over to her bed, she sat, unzipped her old and tattered sleeping bag, slid her legs inside, and then lay down and zipped it up. She rolled on her left side and began to drift off to sleep.
Tossing and turning, she struggled with the dream she was having.
There she was sleeping peacefully when someone entered her cabin. She felt it more than heard the person as he snuck in. The person worked hard to remain quiet but something alerted her of his presence just in time to reach out and slap an object out of his hand and jump up and start fighting her assailant. Screaming, she punched and clawed at the person, but despite her best efforts, he was able to grab the object. She looked and saw the object was a gun, so she fought even harder, but she couldn’t get it away from him. She now saw that it was Bo trying to kill her, and she was doing everything she could to prevent it. They struggled back and forth, and, suddenly, a loud bang came from the gun. He looked stunned for a moment, before running away. She looked down to see blood coming from her abdomen. As the door to her cabin slammed shut, she suddenly woke up.
Paulette sat up in her bed, drenched with sweat from head to toe. She kept having these recurring nightmares about the shooting, and nothing she did helped. I wish I’d stop dreaming about the shooting. I need my sleep and can’t keep waking up startled by the gun going off and the door slamming. I need to figure this out. Paulette got up and walked over to her little sink she had built and pumped the lever down to siphon some water to wash up with. Splashing her face with fresh cold water helped to clear the cobwebs and wake her up. She finished cleaning up, walked over to her little wardrobe, and pulled out a new, long-sleeve shirt, and a pair of pants to change into. She wanted to make sure she was ready for the meeting.
Thomas walked out of his cabin and headed toward the meeting lodge. He had a lot to talk about and needed to update everyone about the team he sent in search of the City of Technology, as well as what they’d do to help Paulette. Slowly everyone in the village began heading over to the meeting lodge for the night’s important meeting. They were all so glad to have Thomas back in the village.
A few minutes later, Thomas entered the lodge. He sauntered up to the little podium and banged a small hand-carved gavel on the top of the podium to get everyone’s attention. The loud, ambient noise of multiple conversations among the group came to a halt and there was complete silence in the room.
“Good evening, everyone,” Thomas began. “I called you all here tonight to give you some updates on a few important topics.”
“Good evening,” the group said as one.
Everyone sat quietly in anticipation to hear what Thomas had to tell them.
Thomas drew in a deep breath and began. “First, I need to let you know, which some of you already know, that it appears our winter will be long and brutal this year. We anticipated this would happen and have stocked plenty of food up to last us through the winter. We’ll be on standard rations, and no one is to try and get extra without express permission from me or the advisors. This is to make sure we’ve got enough for everyone here, plus the animals we’ve got to feed. Are there any questions?”
People sat there and looked at one another, shaking their heads. No one seemed to have any questions, so Thomas continued.
“Second, as you know, I sent a small team out to look for the mythical City of Technology. I did this because I made a promise to Paulette that I’d help her find this city so she could find a way to get back home. You’ve all been very nice and supportive of her, and I thank you all for this. I hope to hear back from the team in the early to middle of spring next year. If they have found the city, then Paulette, I, and several handpicked people will trek across the Cascade Mountains and through the wasteland to where this city is located. I’ll be appointing someone to take my place here while I’m gone. I promise, if I can find this city that I’ll see if we can set up some sort of trade agreement with them, so that we can do a few upgrades here to make our lives a little easier. Keep in mind, we won’t go against our values of taking care of Mother Earth. Are there any questions about what I’ve just said,” he asked?
A person in the group spoke up. “Thomas, I understand your need to help her, but this is a dangerous trip. What will we do if something happens to you and you don’t come back?”
Thomas looked over in the direction of the speaker and responded, “If that happens, which I hope it doe
sn’t, the person I’ve put in charge temporarily will be the permanent leader of our village. Trust me, this person will have the same qualities and values that I’ve got, so you all should be fine,” he replied.
The person shook his head in acknowledgment. There were no more questions for Thomas so he called the meeting to an end.
People began filing out of the lodge and heading back to their respective cabins or assignments. Thomas saw Paulette as she was wading through the crowd, and he squeezed between people to make his way to her. Tapping her on the left shoulder, she spun around. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Thomas apologized.
“It’s okay. I wish I could quit feeling this way. Anyway, what did you want?” she asked.
“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind coming over to my cabin for dessert and a drink,” he asked.
“Ummm, I guess that would be okay,” she replied.
Thomas looked at Paulette and they walked side by side over to his cabin. He opened the door and allowed her to walk in first, then he followed, closed the door, and headed to his little kitchen.
“What would you like? I’ve got chocolate cake or apple pie.”
“I’d love some apple pie, please,” she replied.
Thomas picked up the apple pie from the shelf, set it on his little counter, and sliced two pieces. He reached up and pulled down two wooden plates, placed a slice on each plate, grabbed some wooden forks, picked up the plates, and drinks and headed back into his living area. Walking up to Paulette, he handed her the plate and a cup of hot cider, then turned and walked over and sat down in his chair across from her. He smiled as he began to eat his pie.
Paulette cut her first piece and placed it in her mouth. “Wow, this is really good. Did you make it?”
“Yes, I made it the other day. I’m glad you like it.”
“Indeed, I do. Thanks for inviting me over.”
“My pleasure,” he replied with a wide smile on his face.
They both sat their awkwardly as they ate the rest of their pie.
Paulette was feeling a little nervous, or was it something else? She wasn’t quite sure. Meanwhile, Thomas was sitting there hoping that Paulette wouldn’t mind a formal date night sometime soon. They each avoided looking into each other’s eyes.
It was getting late so Paulette rose from her chair to say good night. As she got up, so did Thomas. He stepped over to her and asked, “May I give you a kiss good night?”
With her mind racing and feelings raging inside, she nervously nodded her head in the affirmative. Thomas came closer, wrapped his arms around her, leaned in, and gently kissed her on the lips. She blushed but pressed in for another kiss before breaking away from him.
“Thank you for the wonderful night,” she said short-breathed.
“You’re welcome; it was my pleasure.”
Paulette, still blushing, turned and headed for the door. Thomas ran past her and opened the door for her. She walked through and turned and said, “Good night, Thomas.”
“Good night, Paulette.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barbara J. Gilbert was born a military brat at Ft Jackson SC. Her early years were spent between there, and Ft Hood TX, Bonner Montana, and Kennewick WA.
Along the way, she moved from being a wild child in the streets to being adopted, making her the oldest of three siblings. In Washington she got handed a fourth sibling, a little brother, who she cared for till her graduation from Kennewick High School and entry into the USAF.
Her USAF career started as an Administrator, then Information Manager, to Aerospace Systems Warning Operator (tracking missiles and other threats)
After a medical retirement, she worked for the RadioShack, moved to an IT position at a Marketing company supplying condiments to the US Commissary Service Worldwide, and finally opening up a computer consulting, sales, and service company with her husband. As a spare-time project while running an IT department and family consulting firm she had two boys.
While still running the family business she was offered a teaching position at a charter high school. Changing career tracks yet again, she became a teacher of English, Computer Apps, Computer Repair, Consumer Math, Principles of Business, Physics, and Earth Science. In the public-school system, she taught Computer Apps, Business, E-commerce, and Web Design.
Moving back to her spiritual home in Montana, she again taught Earth Science and Computer Applications (MAC).
A second medical disability ended her teaching career and moved her back into a fulltime domestic engineering position.
Her hobbies in (prize winning) photography, painting, Ham Radio, SCUBA Diving, and a host of other interests keep her busy on good days, and she manages to get by on the bad ones.
Writing got started with a NaNoWriMo challenge to her sons and seems to have led her to yet another success.
An amazing person, she just keeps adding to her list of accomplishments.
– Ted C Hall (AKA The Ex)
You can visit Barbara online at:
www.bjgilbert815.wixsite.com/syfyauthor
Follow Barbara on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Author-Barbara-GIlbert-437430910129464/
Future Books in the Works
A time Travel Series Book 2
Future Apocalapsye
Journey to the
city Technology
A time Travel Series Book 3
Future Apocalapsye
Homeward Bound
Beginnings (Book 1): Future Apocalypse Page 20
