****
Rich, Dennis, and Jose finally identified some of the men they believed to be leaders by the number of people gathered around them. As they drew near, they could hear plainly the men talking about how good it was for their people to have a party like this and enjoy their time together on the road. Dennis led his friends to the front, where he introduced himself and his companions.
“We are glad to meet you, gentlemen,” said a middle-aged man dressed in a green flannel shirt and jeans. “I'm Mike Stroud, the captain of this handcart company. I'll let the others introduce themselves, otherwise I'll be introducing all night long.”
After a few quick introductions, Dennis said, “What's happening in Phoenix? We've heard radio reports from overseas, but have no idea what is going on in the Valley.”
The travelers from the city told of how the police, firefighters, hospitals, and National Guard tried to provide aid and protect the citizens, but that effort quickly ended. They simply had no resources for themselves, much less to hand out. Panic and collapse of the government was followed by a wave of lawlessness that was suppressed only by neighbors banding together for protection. Fresh water and food became precious commodities. Sanitation had all but been abandoned by many people. Disease and illness were already taking their toll on the weakened populace.
“We knew we needed to leave after a few days, get somewhere that had water and fertile ground for crops. Like the church has always done in the past, we are now going to places of refuge,” said Brother Stroud. “Now, let's put all of this doom and gloom behind us, gentlemen. I believe we have a party to attend.”
****
Lynn ran back to the wagon to get the violin. She was out of breath when she reached the cart, grabbed the instrument, then twirled about in one fluid motion, her hair making a complete circle around her head, and she bolted back to the band near the fire. As she took out Rich's violin, the band leader, seeing the newcomer, took out his pitch pipe and gave her a “C.” She tuned her instrument momentarily then began to play, letting the spirit of the music overtake her. Joy filled her heart. It was a relief to finally feel happiness surging through her veins.
Jess had been looking for Lynn when he noticed her playing with the others. He stood in the crowd, admiring her. Lynn was so hot. Jess felt that he could stand there and watch her all night. After three or four songs the band switched to a square dance tune that Lynn didn't know and she stepped back into the shadows, excusing herself from the group. Jess appeared at her side, handing her a cup of water.
“Wow, that was beautiful. I didn't know you could play like that.”
“Yeah, I love it.” She took the cup from him and drank it all in one gulp. “Thanks for the water, I'm thirsty.”
A strand of hair was plastered to Lynn's face where the sweat had trickled from her temple to her jaw. Jess reached up and brushed it aside. She immediately leaned back and looked down, breaking the uncomfortable eye contact. Jess hooked her chin with his index finger and raised it.
“I think I'd like to be more than just friends,” Jess announced to Lynn. “You know, boyfriend and girlfriend. How about you?”
She looked like a doe caught in headlights. “All of this is new,” she stammered nervously. “You'll have to give me some time. I like you and all, but what would our fathers say?”
“I hadn't really thought about it. Do you think they would be angry? I mean we are sixteen and old enough to date.”
“And what about that fact that I'm a practicing Jew, and you're not? That's been drilled into my head since I was little.”
“That doesn't matter to me,” said Jess.
“Well, it does to my Dad, and me too, I think.”
“It's just with the attack and things, life is complicated already.”
“It's not that I don't like you, because I do, I really do, but we need to think about this. Let's dance,” Lynn changed the subject.
Jess couldn't think of anything to say to that. “Let's go dance then. Your dad won't care about that, will he?”
“Probably not.”
Jess led Lynn back to the bonfire and put his hands around her waist, tentatively, and she put her hands around his neck, not too close. “This is nice,” Jess said. “This is nice.”
****
Kelly and Jared fled the throng of dancers. They were breathless and sweaty from all of the frivolity. Jared led Kelly by the hand into the trees, just out of reach of the fire's glow. The night air was cool and refreshing.
“I had to get you alone, Miss Wise.” Jared leaned in toward Kelly and she met him with a kiss. After a few moments, Kelly pulled away and wiped a tear from her cheek.
“What's wrong?”
“This might be the last dancing and socializing we'll do for some time. I guess I'm not used to being so secluded and I don't see us leaving Sunflower for... maybe years.”
“I know it's hard. Every one of us has been holding up way too well in my opinion. We're all facing our own demons. Besides, I'll be here with you.”
“I know you will, but it's not the same.”
Jared took Kelly by both shoulders and peered directly into her eyes. “No, it's not the same and never will be. It's up to you and me to make a new life in this new world. I try to think of it as a 'grand adventure.' If you'll let me, I'll try to make you happy.”
Kelly cut him off, her breath catching in her throat and tears welling in her eyes. “I know you will and I'll try to be stronger. Maybe it was all of the dancing.” She collapsed onto his chest and he held her there as tightly as he could.
“Stronger? What do you mean stronger? I've never seen you be weak, Miss Wise.”
“I don't know if I can do this, Jared.”
“Do what? Live?” Jared felt Kelly shiver and repositioned himself to cover more of her bare arms. “I want to work with you to make whatever future we can together. Don't think I'm not scared, because I am. I think everyone is in a precarious situation right now, especially with food and medical care being in such short supply. Remember, I love you.”
Kelly looked up into Jared's eyes and saw the love that he proclaimed, and crushed his lips with hers.
“Kelly,” Jared said. Still holding her right hand, he bent down on one knee in front of her. “I know this is sudden, and if you want me to talk to your mom first I'll understand, but…”
Tears again welled again in Kelly's eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. “No, go ahead,” Kelly said softly.
“Miss Kelly Wise, will you marry me?”
Kelly's head spun. She knew what she wanted. She had never been more sure. “Yes. Yes, I'll marry you, Mr. Jared Malloy,” she replied fervently, and flew into his arms. “Yes, yes, yes!”
“You have made me the happiest man on earth, Kel.”
“And you have made me the happiest girl in the world, Jared.”
“Do you know when I first knew I loved you?”
“No, when?”
“When we first met and you stuck your finger in my bullet wound on the side of the road.”
“You're kidding. That had to hurt like hell.”
“No, I'm not. I said to myself, right then and there, if I live I'm gonna marry this girl.”
Kelly smiled and glanced away for a second, thinking about that fateful day. Turning back, she said, “Kelly Malloy—it has a nice ring to it, don't you think? It will take some getting used to.”
“It won't take long, I promise,” Jared said, taking Kelly in his arms and kissing her deeply.
“Let's get back to the party,” he said finally. “We'll have plenty of time to be alone together. Let's enjoy this while we can.” He stepped back an arm's length from Kelly and tugged lightly. She resisted weakly at first, but then smiled and followed him back to the dance.
Different dances were announced and the music went on for several hours until, one by one, the families started to leave, heading back to their camps. The Wise clan finally said goodbye and loaded onto the cart for the
trip home, exhausted in body but renewed in spirit.
Jared assisted Kelly up onto the donkey cart. Jess watched with newfound interest at how he attended to Kelly. “Here, let me help you,” Jess said, extending his arm to Lynn.
Jared sat with Kelly in his lap and Jess sat next to Lynn as closely as he could manage. Dennis and Jose both took a second look at the seating arrangements, then looked directly at each other. Things had changed.
Kelly nudged Jared and nodded her head, first toward him, and then toward her mother. Jared nodded back, cleared his throat and began to speak. “Can I have everyone's attention?”
“That's kind of formal, Jared. What's up?” asked Dennis.
“Kelly and I have some news we would like to share.”
Emma partially turned in her seat, looking at the couple until the horses began to veer to the left. She turned back around, brought the team to a complete stop and then gave the couple her full attention.
“Of course, this would have to be alright with you too, Mrs. Wise, but Kelly has said yes to my proposal of marriage.”
Emma's face went blank momentarily, then a huge smile filled every crevice of her wrinkled face. “Alright? I'm thrilled!”
Kelly got up onto her knees and leaned into her mother's arms.
“I'm so happy for you, baby girl,” Emma said. “I think Jared will make you a fine husband.”
“I think so too.”
On the ride home, songs and laughter reverberated off the canyon walls; celebration amidst chaos.
Chapter 16
Kelly and Jared were the last to join everyone at breakfast. “It smells wonderful in here,” Kelly announced.
“Thanks, dear. Did you two have a nice walk this morning?” asked Emma.
“Yes, and as you can imagine, we had lots to talk about with the engagement and all,” replied Kelly.
Lynn jumped in excitedly. “I just think it's so romantic! You two are just so right for each other.”
“Well thanks; I would tend to agree with you, my dear. Would you be my bridesmaid?”
Lynn just about squealed her answer. “Of course! Can I help with the planning as well? I just love weddings. When is it going to be?”
“Jared and I were talking about it this morning. Now isn't a good time because there's too much going on. We all need to focus on the harvest and firewood. If we don't get the wood chopped and stacked, we'll be cold this winter. Even if we had it all chopped right now, it might be too wet to burn.”
“I'm sure we can plan a wedding while we chop wood,” said Lynn.
Kelly shot her an exasperated look. “There are many things that need to get done to prepare all of us for winter. I think we're going to shoot for sometime between Christmas and spring.”
“I don't know if I can wait that long,” exclaimed Lynn. “I may just burst with excitement.”
“You might?” chuckled Kelly.
The table was spread with hot cereal and fried carrot fritters. The carrot fritters were Emma's answer to hash browns, since the carrots were in full harvest and potatoes would keep better in the cave.
“These fritters are good,” said Lynn, “especially with catsup.”
“It's a good thing we don't need a refrigerator for catsup,” said Jess.
“Everybody eat lots of pecans,” said Emma. “That's our protein for breakfast.”
The nuts sat, unshelled, in a bowl in the center of the table, a few nut crackers thrown in. The pecan trees were dropping their nuts and Lynn and Jess laid tarps under the trees and gathered them every day.
All through breakfast, Emma noticed that Dennis seemed distant. He sat at the head of the table, looking down at his plate, unusually quiet. He seemed to be lost in thought.
“Hey, Dennis, what's up?” Emma asked.
“What? I wasn't listening.”
“That's obvious. What's wrong?”
“I've been thinking.” He took a long breath, then let it out slowly before continuing. “I know we've been talking about happy times, but I think it's time we talked about... everything. I'm afraid it's just as bad, or worse, than we had imagined in town.” The pronouncement took Kelly aback, as it seemed to have come out of nowhere. Everyone stared at Dennis, not knowing how to reply.
It was Emma who was first to gather her thoughts. “I was hoping that things would start to get back to normal, but without leadership, electronics and supplies... well.”
“The starvation rate will skyrocket in the coming weeks. You saw how skinny some of the folks looked already,” Jose said quietly. It was a statement thrown out as fact rather than something open for discussion.
“How awful to even think about,” said Lynn. “The people we are talking about starving were our friends and neighbors, and if the blackout goes all across the country, our family members may die, too.”
“I know there's nothing we can do about it, but it has just felt like the elephant in the room to me, especially since last night at the dance and this morning's talk of weddings,” said Dennis. “Many of the travelers were fearful that they would not make it through the winter because of the cold or lack of food.”
“It is very chancy for them,” concluded Rich, “but they have many factors in their favor. Mormon teenage boys are Boy Scouts, and the church has organized camping events for its members apart from Scouting. As a group, they have basic outdoor skills and equipment which most Americans in cities lack. They are more likely to be conservative, outdoor-oriented people who hunt and fish. Church members tend to garden and preserve food more that most, although Mormons, like other Americans, are becoming more urban.”
“You guys have skills like that, but isn't it still chancy for us?” Lynn asked in her whiny, puppy voice.
“I think our little group will all make it, but it won't be easy,” said Dennis. “We have to keep our noses to the grindstone and work hard. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all of the work they have been doing around here.”
Kelly knew that their circumstances were precarious. She thought they had all known this for some time, but now there was no doubt. Their immediate survival was taking every minute of their time, and planning for the future was critical. The future had been put into an entirely new context. The past seemed so easy and distant.
“Let's get these dishes put up,” said Emma, “and get to work.”
****
Over the next few weeks, Lynn watched the group settle into a routine of canning food, gathering wood, tending to animals, and living day to day without modern conveniences.
“Hey, Lynn,” Jess said, interrupting her thoughts. “How did we get stuck with the laundry again?”
“Just lucky, I guess. If we ever get electricity back, I'll never grumble again about having to put the clothes into the dryer and then fold them.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Just tending the fire and heating the water has taken us more than an hour.” He looked up and smiled at her. “It has been a very nice hour, though.”
“Yes, it has been,” Lynn said. She smiled coyly. Kelly and Jared's engagement had made Lynn look at Jess differently.
Jess's arms flexed as he lifted a heavy log and put it on the fire. Ash and smoke puffed into the air. Lynn put the dirty clothes into the big metal basin full of steaming hot water. She added a little powdered soap. Jess took a large wooden canoe paddle and stirred the laundry around in a circle. After about fifteen minutes, Jess lifted a heavy, soaked shirt out of the basin with the paddle and placed it in a clean bucket. The pair waited for it to cool enough to touch and then lifted it, letting it drain.
“Laundry is gonna take us all day,” said Jess with a frown.
“Hey, guys, looks like you're making progress,” Dennis called as he approached the pair.
“Yes, sir,” Jess said.
“I've been thinking. I know we are pretty busy around here, but in the next few weeks I think you should both start classes.”
“Classes?” Both teens spoke simultaneous
ly.
“Yes, classes.” He smiled at their reaction. “Harvest will be over in a couple of weeks and we should have a little more time for some study.”
“But what do we need to study for now?” asked Jess.
Lynn echoed Jess's sentiments. “As soon as harvest is over, we will be right into planning the wedding and…”
Dennis cut them both off. “There will always be something to do besides study. The wedding is Kelly and Jared's, and you should have plenty of time off to help anyway. Everyone will help teach. Jose is good at math, Jared with law, Emma with medicine and I can teach some classes as well. Both of you were good students before all of this and I think you will enjoy your lessons now too. Now, back to work.” Dennis took off across the yard toward the gardens.
Jess grumbled something under his breath.
“School isn't so bad, Jess,” said Lynn, rolling her eyes at him.
“There has to be one kid in every class like you,” Jess said, mimicking and exaggerating Lynn’s famous eye roll.
****
The Wise clan passed the evenings reading one of Rich's English classics, playing and singing songs, and listening to news on the short wave broadcasts. During the night watches, the watchers did their best to find creative ways to pass the time and stay awake. Kelly relished her watch time with Jared.
Large handcart companies arrived daily in Sunflower and then moved on after camping overnight. Rich monitored their progress on the local Mormon VHF radio net. During the dance, he had talked to one of the ham radio operators at length, and he offered to relay emergency messages to and from handcart companies passing through Sunflower. He also learned of the Mormon radio nets held on HF frequencies, which were used to communicate over long distances. He began checking into the HF net covering Utah and the other states surrounding Arizona. Few radios had survived, but those that had were being put to good use.
A month or so after the first dance, Bill Johnson rode into the Wise farmstead mid-morning. He stopped his horse well away from the house and shouted up the driveway, “It's Bill and I've brought news.” He waited to be acknowledged and told to come on in by Dennis. Dennis called to Emma in the house, and the whole clan came running.
Post Grid: An Arizona EMP Adventure Page 23
