by Nathan Jones
The good food was enough to have everyone's spirits as high as he'd seen them since returning home with April's family, and once Matt had finished his own portion he sat back to enjoy watching everyone else eat. Sam finished soon after and scooted her chair closer to his to hold his hand.
Once the meal was done they went out. Catherine had organized informal touch football games in the town park, and although Matt had always been more into basketball he was happy to take part. His team lost to a scrappy refugee team led by Ben, but he still considered it a victory because the game remained friendly to the end, aside from a few minor disagreements about rules and ref calls that weren't too out of place in these sorts of pick-up games.
Matt was embarrassed but pleased when Sam joined Tamara Raymond and a few others in cheering on his team, and he endured a bit of goodnatured ribbing when she ran up and kissed him as his team was coming off the field after the enemy team scored the winning point. Tam pulled him aside to teasingly ask him when the marriage proposal was coming, and when Matt took a bit too long to answer, caught off guard by the question and worried Sam might have overheard it, she gave him a delighted look and made the “these lips are sealed” gesture.
He held Sam's hand as they made their way over to a few water coolers the Mayor had set up, and was pleasantly surprised to find that she'd splurged and they were filled with various powdered drinks. Normally he didn't like the gritty taste of those drinks, but this time he very much enjoyed his cupful. He and Sam hurried over to where the rest of the family had been watching and chatting with the Watsons and a few others to make sure they got some, especially his nephews, who nearly danced in excitement at the treat.
After a few hours of socializing they returned home to enjoy each other's company, with Sam constantly urging them to have the dessert she'd helped make. They probably would have migrated back to the dining room from the living room if Matt hadn't stood and cleared his throat. Now was probably the best time for this.
“I have something important I want to talk about,” he said soberly.
Everyone paused in getting up from their seats to give him worried looks. “Is there a problem?” April asked.
“A solution, actually. I've been worried about how we'd handle winter in this house and I've come up with an idea. I think we should move to Lewis and Trev's shelter north of town.”
There was only a short silence as everyone stared at him in surprise before his mom spoke up. “You've got to be kidding. That dank underground bunker?”
“Not so dank,” Matt said with a slight smile. “Lewis carefully waterproofed it, and on top of that it has vents on the roof topped with wind-powered suction turbines to keep the air fresh, which can also be plugged with insulated caps when it gets really cold. In fact, the shelter suits our needs better than the house in just about every way.”
Sam looked doubtful but was nodding in support, while everyone else aside from his slightly bored and fidgeting nephews were exchanging glances. “We're listening,” his dad said. “Sell us.”
Matt's smile widened. “This isn't some used car in an economy where the price of gas is skyrocketing. The shelter practically sells itself. As Mom pointed out it's underground, which means it's better insulated than any house in town. It has a wood burning stove capable of heating the entire area and a gigantic woodpile a short walk away. Lewis installed a septic system with a drainage field that should work indefinitely, so we'll have a working indoor toilet. The bathroom is closed off from the rest of the room and can be well ventilated as well, and the stovepipe goes right over it to keep it heated.
“There's also a buried water tank on the hill above the shelter that gravity feeds a shower in the bathroom and a sink in the food preparation area. As I understand it's still mostly full, but it can be refilled with some effort if need be. The living area has a dozen cots which Ferris didn't bother to take, along with a lot of other stuff that was either part of the structure or wasn't immediately useful to him like the food and solar panels were. That means pretty comfortable furniture and some extra blankets and cold weather gear. If we had a source of power we'd have working lights and plenty of entertainment too, but we'll do without.”
“What about protection?” Terry asked. “It's awfully far from town.”
“It's inside the patrol area, and more importantly it's out of the way on a dirt road no one would really have a reason to travel on. It's also hidden between the two hills and is underground so it's easy to miss from a distance, and it's got the heavy door sheathed in sheet metal that you'd need a battering ram to break through. To add to all that there's an observation post on the tall hill the shelter's built against where you can see in pretty much every direction, including most of the area past the shorter hill on the far side of the flat in the direction of the mountains to the west.”
“There's only one entrance?” April said, sounding very concerned. “We could easily be trapped in there. And they can get on the roof.”
“Enemies couldn't do much from the roof aside from maybe shoot down into the vents or stovepipe, but the vents are capped by pretty sturdy turbines as well as screens to prevent anything being dropped down inside, and the stovepipe's got its own hat and screen.”
Matt hesitated before continuing, imagining Lewis scowling at him. “As for the entrance . . . you know that everything about the shelter is a secret the cousins trusted me with, but there's another secret I'm really not supposed to talk about. Just in case they're trapped in they built a hidden exit going through a secret underground tunnel that runs for a hundred yards and exits out of view of the shelter. It's cramped, but if we need to we can use it to escape. And since there's only one visible entrance and no windows it'll be much harder to break into, so we can lock up and sleep safer at night.”
His dad was nodding slowly. “Another benefit is that it'll be a lot easier to bring the food from the cache there without being noticed. And it keeps us out of town in case there's further trouble here, which is always a consideration. Close enough to help but far enough to be out of the thick of it.”
“What about privacy?” his mom asked, still not sold. “I'm sure I heard it was just one big room.”
“Unfortunately that's maybe the one thing the house beats the shelter for,” Matt admitted. “There are privacy screens that can be hung around the sleeping areas to make rooms, and it's a large space so it should never feel cramped, but we'll have to get used to being in each other's space a bit more than we're used to. At worst it's like an apartment complex with shared facilities and paper thin walls.”
There was a thoughtful pause. Matt was trying to think of other things he could mention, but nothing really seemed important enough to add at the moment. Finally Sam spoke up. “Well I for one like the idea. I love this house and it's come to feel like home, but I haven't felt quite as safe here since-” she cut off abruptly, and Matt felt pain stab at his heart at the expression on her face as she continued quietly, “since Razor's attack.”
Matt put his arms around her, and she leaned into his hug as he looked around. One by one the others nodded, even the boys although it was anyone's guess how much they understood.
“Well that's decided,” his mom said, standing. “And to be honest the more I think about it the more I like it, even if it'll mean moving all our things. But in all your talking you didn't mention two important questions: can we actually live there, and what do we do with this house if we're not living here?”
“Well the answer to the first question is yes and maybe,” Matt admitted. “I talked to the Mayor, and she gave me the key to the lock Ferris put on the door to keep the place secure after he took everything he wanted. I checked it out this morning and didn't see any signs that anyone had broken in, and the inside looks good. Catherine also agreed that since the place is available, as friends of the cousins we're good candidates to move in.”
He shrugged sheepishly. “As for permission from Lewis and Trev, I'll admit I never asked. But I do
know that it's going to be abandoned over the winter, and knowing what I do about those two I think they'd be happy at the thought that it would make our lives easier while they're not using it. We could also take care of it in their absence.
“And as for what to do with this house?” Matt glanced out the window towards the town storehouse down the block. “Jane and her refugees that came in yesterday refuse to be separated, which means their only other option is camping out. That's a scary thought with the days getting colder and the first real snowstorm just around the corner, so I thought maybe we could loan the house to them. Plenty of our neighbors, dozens of families in all, have generously donated their houses to the refugees and moved in with friends, and I think it would be nice to do our part.”
“All right then, I think that's that.” His dad also stood. “We'll start moving in tomorrow morning.”
Sam's arms around Matt abruptly tightened in a brief hug, then she stood up on tiptoes and pulled his head down at the same time to kiss him. “All right!” she said. “If we're done talking let's have some dessert! We've got cake from a mix with eggs donated by Henrietta, and canned peaches and goat's milk to go on top.”
Aaron and Paul cheered and bolted for the dining room, and with a grin and another quick kiss for his girlfriend Matt followed them, relieved that the decision had been made. They still had the cache to get, which meant him and probably Terry would be gone for at least a week, probably closer to two like his dad's trip. He'd feel much better about leaving his family behind if they were in the shelter.
After dessert they spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing games, eating a dinner of leftovers a few hours later as it was starting to get dark. Once Matt had cleaned his plate he asked Sam if she'd like to go out to the swinging bench on the front porch to spend some time alone together, which she happily agreed to as she rushed to get her coat. On his way out the door Matt's mom gave him a hopeful smile while Sam wasn't looking, and he felt his face flush.
He felt nervous and a bit awkward about the second announcement he was hoping to make, and he was afraid Sam would notice his mood and guess what he planned. Luckily as they sat down and began gently rocking the swing his girlfriend was intent on looking out at the yard and the view of the mountains to their right, stretching out of view into the distance to the south.
She sighed. “It's hard to believe we'll be leaving this place tomorrow. Your family has welcomed me in and made it my home, and even with everything that's happened I love it because of that.”
Matt put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I know how you feel. It's strange to think we'll be giving the place where I grew up to a bunch of strangers. But the cousins' shelter will be a much better place to stay the winter.”
She lightly dug her elbow into his side. “Easy there. You've already sold the idea and I was first to get on board.” Without waiting for an answer she leaned against him again and sighed contentedly. “Everything was looking so bad for a while there. But now Ferris and Razor are gone and the town is safe. Your dad's made it home safely and found a way we can bring the rest of the food home, where thanks to Mayor Tillman we won't have to worry about it being taken from us. And once we move to the shelter we'll be in a safe place for the winter.” She snuggled her head deeper into his shoulder. “That's almost all our worries solved. For the first time in a long time I feel like everything's going to be okay.”
Matt rested his cheek against her dark hair. “Me too. We have a lot to be thankful for today.”
They sat for a while in cozy silence as the night fully darkened and the air grew chillier around them, content to enjoy each other's company. Matt spent the time building up his courage, aware that at any moment Sam might suggest they should go back inside where it was warm. He wasn't sure what had her so thoughtful while he was busy with that, but he was afraid he was going to miss his chance if he didn't hurry.
She was just starting to stir when he finally acted, sliding off the bench to one knee next to her as she stared at him with moonlight reflecting from her wide eyes. He couldn't read her expression, which in a way made it easier and harder at the same time as he pulled the ring out of his pocket with trembling fingers. He'd asked his mom for it that morning, and gotten it after a torrent of happy congratulations and spontaneous hugs.
Sam's eyes were locked on the small twinkling stone as he raised the ring between them. “Samantha Hutchins,” he began solemnly, trying to keep his voice steady. “My life has been better from the moment you scared me half to death that night in the campus parking lot months ago.” She made a quiet sound that might have been a laugh or a sob. “And ever since then I can't imagine living without you. I love you. Whatever the future holds I want to live it with you.”
He held the ring up a bit higher, noting the way her eyes sparkled a much as the diamond itself in the moonlight. “Will you marry me?”
For a breathless moment she was silent and his heart was in his throat, and then her small hands wrapped around his. “Yes,” she said in a soft voice, then laughed. “It's about time.”
Grinning exultantly, Matt awkwardly slipped the ring onto her finger in the dark. The band was a bit big, but she didn't seem to mind as she brought it up to look at it closer. Then Matt stood and lifted her to her feet, kissing her.
When he finally broke away she put her head on his chest. “Whatever the future holds,” she murmured. “I've felt the same way for a long time. Whatever comes we'll handle it better together.” She abruptly pulled away, and in the dark he caught the white flash of her teeth as she grinned up at him. “Should we go in and tell everyone?”
* * * * *
The party had been winding down, but when Matt and Sam came in and she gave the news to the rest of the family by happily displaying her engagement ring everyone exploded into a new celebration. Aaron and Paul were overjoyed that their Aunt Sam was really going to become their aunt, and they kept randomly coming up and giving her hugs for the rest of the night. So did his mom and sister, for that matter.
When things finally wound down and everyone went up to bed Matt and Sam stayed on the couch for their usual quiet evening conversation, where they seriously talked about things like wedding dates and what their future together would hold. Both agreed that there was no reason to drag the engagement out too long, although there were things they had to consider when it came to the timing.
One thing was going to get the cache. Matt had planned to bring Terry and go for it right after they finished moving, leaving his dad, mom, April, and Sam to watch the shelter. He'd been thinking in terms of the trip delaying the wedding, but Sam insisted that she wasn't going to be left behind to worry about him this time. He tried to argue about the danger and that they didn't want to take too many people and leave the shelter unprotected, but she wouldn't budge.
“I'm going,” she insisted. “Besides, with three people we'll be able to pull the wagons faster, and if we fit everything in two of them we'll always have the third person free to stand guard.”
Matt couldn't argue with that, or the fact that Sam was better able to protect them now. While he'd been recovering from Razor's wound over the last week he'd finally got a chance to give Sam her wish, when he not only offered to teach her, Terry, and April to shoot but practically insisted they learn, and as soon as possible. He'd taken the time to do a bit more target practice himself.
There wasn't much ammo to spare for it, but thankfully learning to hit things with a rifle, especially a good heavy one with a bipod, good recoil absorption, and a scope like his dad's reclaimed .30-06, was easier than learning to shoot a pistol. He planned to leave that rifle behind for defending the shelter and see if he could borrow a lighter rifle for the trip, to go along with the shotgun he'd given Terry and his own .40, as well as the revolver Sam had claimed from the looter that he'd also helped her practice with: although she was still working to get over anticipating the recoil her aim with it wasn't terrible.
&n
bsp; He hoped to borrow an assault rifle in the .223 caliber, but even with that lighter firearm he was a bit concerned about Sam being strong enough to aim the rifle while standing, or even in a kneeling or crouched position. Out on the range just outside of town they'd practiced with his dad's large caliber rifle resting on a sturdy support, kneeling or prone. He'd have to help Sam get used to holding it in the aiming position long enough to shoot, and with any luck on the trip she could work at it and strengthen her arms enough before she really needed to use the weapon.
All of this was reasoning himself around to accepting her offer to come along. All other considerations aside, Matt honestly didn't want to leave her for any amount of time either. He knew it would be risky, and the thought of her coming to harm made his heart freeze, but the route his dad had found was a fairly safe, isolated one. And arguably nowhere was truly safe these days.
So he told her yes.
The next morning they got packing. To his surprise when he went to tell Jane's refugees that they'd soon have a home Tom Harding insisted he and his son would help them move. Matt thanked them but refused, since they couldn't pay the father and son for their help, but the two men weren't motivated by that. They wanted to get their group moved in as soon as possible, antsy staying in the town storehouse under the suspicious eyes of the men guarding the supplies in the backroom.
Matt still refused, although politely. They wouldn't be taking any furniture and what they were taking would only need a few trips with the wagons, their own plus the one they'd borrowed to go after the cache. It wasn't that he necessarily distrusted the man or his son, but he wanted to keep the location of the shelter a secret both for his family's sake and out of respect for Lewis and Trev. Instead he encouraged them to join a hunting party and find food, and that soon enough their group would be able to move into a furnished house.
