by V. L. Dreyer
Despite her youth, Maddy was a quick study and knew what to look for. While I was yanking open dresser drawers and digging out salvageable clothing, she went over to search the wardrobe. We worked in silence for a couple of minutes, expertly sorting what was useful from what was past its prime.
Suddenly, Madeline called my name. "Miss Sandy?"
Something about her tone of voice set me on edge, and the look on her face didn't help. The little girl wrinkled up her nose and held something out to me; by torchlight, I couldn't make out much of it besides the fact that it was a wooden case.
"We need to give this to Mister Michael," she said softly, in that odd, dreamy tone she sometimes got when her head wasn't entirely in our world.
"What is it?" I asked.
"He'll know," she said. Without asking permission, she took the case and walked out into the hall.
I hurried to catch up with her, leaving my findings to be dealt with at a later time. I’d learned to listen when Madeline got that kind of look on her face, even if she didn't make any sense. The other girls stuck their heads out as we walked past their doors, then fell into step behind us. I heard them whispering to one another, but I said nothing. Madeline's movements were stiff and robotic, like a sleepwalker; something about them had me in what felt almost felt like a trance. I was aware enough that I could have broken it if I'd wanted to, but I didn't want to.
We followed the little girl down the stairs and into the living room. She didn't even pause to look around, just walked right up to where Michael was sitting and put the case in his lap.
Michael stared at it blankly for a second, then suddenly understanding dawned in his eyes. "Is that what I think it is?"
Maddy just smiled and sat down on the ground at his feet without a word. A hushed silence fell over the group, and we all watched as Michael opened the case to reveal a violin nestled upon black velvet. He ran his hands reverently across the polished wood, and then lifted the instrument out of the case.
"I haven't held one of these since high school," he whispered, his voice barely audible. He glanced up and looked at me. I stared back at him, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. Something told me to follow Madeline’s lead, so I did. I heard movement around me as the others sat down, waiting. A flicker of unreadable emotion passed through Michael's eyes as he ran his fingertips softly along the length of the strings, then picked up the bow and touched it to them.
That first note sent a chill right through me and left me shivering with anticipation. His touch was tentative and uncertain as he tuned the strings, but it didn't matter. I wanted to hear the notes, I wanted it so badly that I couldn’t have expressed it in words even if I’d tried. When the music began, it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard. It was unsteady, imperfect, even a little hesitant, but that didn't matter. My soul cried out for it, and Michael gave it to us.
I felt tears running down my cheeks and made no attempt to brush them away. Music was something we'd taken for granted before the plague, but afterwards our world had become a silent place. Hearing the notes now took my awareness into another place, a place where only my imagination and the music existed. When the piece finally ended, it left me feeling wrung out and exhausted, but satisfied beyond belief.
A hand touched my cheek, stroking away the tears that had fallen upon them. I opened my eyes and found Michael watching me with the kind of tenderness that he reserved just for me.
"Are you all right?" he asked softly, trailing his thumb across my skin. I just nodded dumbly and smiled at him, though I couldn't find the words to express how I felt.
I didn't need to, though. Michael understood me – and for once, everyone else did as well.
Chapter Three
I awoke the next morning in pre-dawn gloom, hemmed in on all sides by sleeping bodies. Michael stirred but didn't wake as I gently extracted myself from the circle of his arms. Priya didn't even open her eyes, though she did snuggle a bit closer to Alfred for warmth. It was freezing cold despite our best efforts to keep warm overnight, but at least my clothing had managed to dry on the lines we'd strung across the kitchen.
I plucked my clothing off the line and headed into the bathroom to go through my usual morning ablutions. A thorough scrub with a washcloth was the best I was going to have in terms of bathing; it was far too cold for a full shower without the luxury of hot water. Once I was dressed, dried, and groomed, I opened the door – and almost fell over Tigger, who had chosen to ambush me by sitting right on the threshold.
She mewed at me, then hefted her tail and pranced off towards the back door, leaving no mistake about what she wanted. I rolled my eyes and followed her. Gavin was on watch by the door, wrapped in a couple of blankets. He nodded a greeting when he saw me and unlocked the door to let us outside. While Tigger was busy fussing around on the wet, frosty grass, I sat down on the stoop to put my shoes on and admire the sunrise.
"Red sky in the morning," Gavin said quietly. He stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind him. "Looks like we're in for another cracker of a day."
"If by 'cracker' you mean 'terrible', then yes," I replied with some amusement. The cold made the scar on my foot ache, but as soon as I put my shoes and socks on, it felt a bit better.
"Yep," he said, with a long, deep sigh. "It's going to be a harsh winter this year, I think. I can feel it in my bones."
"We had a long, hot summer, so I guess we're about due for it," I replied. "We just have to find ways to stay warm until spring or Avalon, whichever comes first."
Gavin chuckled softly. He leaned against one of the posts supporting the porch roof and gave me a thoughtful look. "Your group seems to be good at that."
"Our group, Gav," I scolded gently. "It's been over a month now, mate. You can start thinking of us as friends – or even family, if you like."
"I know," he said, his gaze drifting away to study the horizon. "I'll get there eventually. You know how I am."
"Better than most," I said, reaching up to pat his hand. Then I hesitated for a second, considering my options. I had to be careful who I told about my situation, but Gavin was one of the few people I felt I could trust to help me without giving things away before I was ready. "Gav, I need your help with something, but it has to stay just between us. Can you keep a secret?"
He glanced down at me again, his expression shifting to one of open curiosity. "Of course, Sandy. Anything."
I took a deep breath and a moment to organise my thoughts, then I looked up at him again. "I told you what happened to my sister, right? And her baby?"
He nodded silently, encouraging me to continue. I glanced away and shifted on my seat. Even though I knew it was far too small to actually feel yet, I imagined I could feel the baby inside me with every movement and it distracted me in ways I wasn't used to yet.
While I was still trying to figure out the right thing to say, Gavin chuckled and his voice took on a note of genuine amusement. "Oh, I know that look. My wife used to do that when she was pregnant with our daughter – sit there looking uncomfortable, hugging her belly. How far along are you?"
"About six weeks," I said, relieved that he'd guessed what I was trying to tell him. "I don't want to tell Michael just yet, not after what happened to Skye's baby."
"Your husband is a smart man,” Gavin said. “He'll figure it out sooner rather than later – particularly if you keep doing that." He pointed at my hands, which were still wrapped protectively around my middle.
"I know," I said, hugging myself a little tighter. "And I'll tell him once we get to Avalon. I just can't deal with it right now. Michael's very protective, and he desperately wants a family. As soon as he finds out that I'm pregnant, he's going to try and wrap me up in cotton wool and pamper me like a princess."
"I think you're the only person I know who would put this much effort into not being treated like royalty," Gavin answered dryly. "Would it really be such a bad thing?"
"Under normal circumstances, it would just cramp m
y style," I replied. "But right now, I don't have time for it and neither does anyone else. We don't have the luxury of letting me indulging myself. There’s just too much that needs to be done. I need to stay strong and put on a determined face, to keep the group together and travelling in the right direction."
"That makes sense, but... I’m not sure I’m comfortable lying to him," he said. “If I were in his position, I’d want to know. Aren’t you concerned that he’s going to be annoyed when he finds out?”
“A little,” I admitted. “I have no intention of lying to him, though. If he asks me outright, I’ll tell him the truth. But if he doesn’t ask, then I’ll just keep it to myself a little while longer. Just until Avalon. Just until everyone is safe and settled.”
“All right,” he replied, nodding slowly. "Just until Avalon. What do you need from me, then?"
"At this stage?" I glanced around, then shrugged. "Just keep an eye on Michael and let me know if you see any sign that he's on to me. He seems to like you, and we're used to you being weird and secretive. You're Mister Mysterious. That's your whole schtick. I swear, in a past life you were an international super-spy or something."
Gavin laughed at that and offered me a hand to get up. "Right, right, whatever you say, funny lady. Shouldn't you go have breakfast now that you're eating for two?"
I opened my mouth to answer him, only to be interrupted by the demanding mew of a little tabby at my feet. Tigger had one thing on her mind, and it sure as heck wasn't the contents of my belly.
***
We made good time along the road towards the next stop on our voyage: the small but pretty town called Taihape, which was famous for nothing but being a waypoint along the route between Auckland and Wellington, and a statue of a giant gumboot. Melody and I rode together in the vanguard. We hadn't seen anything that resembled a threat in quite some time, so we were both starting to let our guards drop just a little, but we knew better than to relax completely. Coming up on a new town could mean anything, or it could mean nothing. Whatever happened, we were ready for it.
Just as we were closing in on the outskirts of town, a human figure jumped into view, waving frantically. Melody shouted an alert and tensed up, but I held up a hand to keep her from taking any rash action.
"Are you carrying your gun?" I asked her. She didn't bother to reply, just shot me a scathing look. Of course, she had her gun. Stupid question. I chuckled softly to myself, and pulled my walkie-talkie out from inside my coat. "Halt the convoy; we've got someone up ahead hailing us. Watch the back and sides, this may be a trap." I put my radio away and glanced at Melody. "Ask questions first, shoot second. Got it?"
She grunted and rolled her eyes. "Fine."
"Good," I said. "If they run when we get close, we'll know it's a trap. Don't follow them, just get back to the convoy as fast as you can." This time she just nodded, her natural hostility fading in the face of potential danger. Whatever else she might think of me, she knew that I'd watch her back in a fight and that I expected her to watch mine. I gave her a quick smile, then I touched my heels to Boudicca's sides and guided the horse up to a trot.
I felt a familiar tension building up inside me as we closed the gap between us and the mysterious figure, one that made me forget all about the discomfort in my back and thighs from hours in the saddle. I found myself sitting up a little straighter, stretching my muscles in anticipation. Erica's maps said that Taihape wasn't gang territory, but it never hurt to be prepared.
I needn't have worried, though. The person made no attempt to attack us. As soon as we started moving towards him he raced out to greet us, then skidded to a halt and stared up at us wide-eyed. He looked back and forth between us, then fixated on Melody.
"Are you Sandrine McDermott?" he asked, as excited as a teenager meeting his celebrity crush. He was about the right age for it, too: maybe fifteen or sixteen at the most, with skin so black that it shone like polished onyx in the rain, and a grin like lightning in contrast.
Melody snorted a laugh and shook her head, pointing at me. The boy's gaze shifted to me and his eyes widened even more. "You? You're Sandrine McDermott? Really?"
"The one and only," I answered, struggling to keep my expression serious.
The youth yelped and jumped back. "You are! You are! I recognise your voice! Wait here, I need to go get my dad." He spun around and started to dash away, only to skid to a halt again and turn back. "I mean, please wait here? Please? I won't be long, I promise."
"Go on, then," I said. I gave up on trying to keep a straight face and just grinned at him, suddenly caught by his infectious humour. The youth grinned back, then let out a whoop and ran off as fast as his legs could carry him.
As soon as he was out of sight, Melody shot me a dubious look. "Are you sure this isn't a trap? That guy was a bit weird."
"Not weird, just excited," I replied with a shrug. "My instincts say he's not a danger to any of us. What do yours say?"
Melody paused and thought it over for a minute, then she shrugged as well. "My instincts say the same. I think he’s been waiting to join us."
I glanced in the direction the youth had gone, only to do a double take in surprise. "I… would say that you're right."
Melody followed my gaze, and then her jaw dropped. There were people coming out of the buildings nearby, watching us and whispering excitedly amongst themselves. I glanced at Melody and saw her fingering the hilt of her gun, but after a few seconds she relaxed.
"I don't see any weapons," she said quietly. "But there sure are a lot of them."
"There are," I replied, gently squeezing her arm to try and keep her calm. "There must be twenty-five people down there."
Melody gasped and pointed towards the group. "Look! That woman has a baby!"
"Well, that settles it, right?" I said. "She wouldn't bring her baby out here if they meant us any harm, would she?"
"No, she wouldn't," Melody said quietly, her tone suddenly filled with fascination and awe. "She’s so tiny. I haven't seen a baby since the twins were little."
"I get the feeling you're going to see one up close very soon," I replied. Before we could discuss it any further, a tall man with ebony skin that matched the youth's pushed his way through the crowd and stepped out into the rain. He was dressed all in leather, much as I was, but his shaved head was uncovered and glistened with raindrops. He closed the distance between us with long, powerful strides, his son hot on his heels.
"Greetings, Sandrine McDermott and friend," he called, raising a hand to wave. "Welcome to Taihape!"
I returned the gesture and called a greeting back. "Hello there! And who might you be, mate?"
"My name is Johan Abrahms, and you've already met my son Dominic," he said as he came to a stop in front of us. "We came from the east when we heard your message, and picked up as many folks along the way as we could."
"By friendly means, I hope?" I asked, determined to get the uncomfortable questions out of the way before I let my guard down all the way.
Johan let out a deep, merry laugh and nodded. "Definitely. We just spread the word about what you were hoping to achieve, and all these people came with us willingly. There are some others who decided to travel on their own, but what you see here is most of the people left alive between here and Hastings."
I looked over the group of people watching us, and saw an odd mixture of expectation, hope, and fear written across every face.
"There are so many of them," I said quietly, frowning to myself. "And yet, so few at the same time. I had hoped more of us survived."
"I know what you mean," Johan said understandingly. He offered his hand to help me down from my horse; after a moment's hesitation, I accepted the help and dismounted. "We did what you told us, and brought as much as we could carry. We've been here for a few days, so we've already found a few sources of fuel that seem to be good."
"That's a relief," I admitted, letting out a long, deep sigh. "We're running low on petrol."
"Well,
we're not, so you're not anymore!" Johan grinned at me, the same kind of vibrant grin that I'd seen on his son's face a minute earlier. It seemed to light up the whole world, and drew a smile from me in response. "There is one teensy problem, though."
My smile faded. "What's that?"
"Well, it's the road south," he said, looking back at me with a sheepish half-smile. "It's somewhat… underwater."
"What?" I exclaimed. “Oh no, don’t tell me it’s washed out?”
"Unfortunately, it is – and the water's still rising," he said. "The news gets worse from there: the water is creeping towards the petrol reservoir we found. We were just trying to work out what to do when you arrived. If it keeps rising at this rate, then we're going to lose that reservoir overnight. I've got a couple of men down there trying to seal it up right now, but they're not having much luck. The seals are just too worn."
I swore softly under my breath and pulled my radio out of my coat. "Then introductions are going to have to wait. We need to get down there and empty that reservoir before it's too late. You rally your troops, I'll rally mine. We need as many water-tight metal barrels as we can find – metal, not plastic."
"I know where we can get some," Johan answered without hesitation. "There was a bunch in a shed near one of the truck stops."
"Good," I said with a nod. "Get as many able-bodied folks as you can down there and bring them to the reservoir." I glanced over at Melody. "Mel, I'm putting you in charge of guarding the injured and children. I presume I can rely on you to take care of that for me?"
Melody nodded sharply, guided her horse around, and then took off at a gallop back towards the convoy. Once she was out of sight, I looked at Johan and Dominic again. "Dominic, can you show me where the reservoir is?"
The youth looked at his father for approval, then beckoned for me to follow him. "Yes ma'am. It's this way."
"Ma'am? What am I, your headmistress?" I said with a laugh. "Call me Sandy."
Dominic grinned broadly and nodded, then he raced off towards the township proper. I followed after him, leading Boudicca behind me. The horse followed obediently as we made our way into the pretty little township – or at least, what was left of it. I'd passed through the town of Taihape many times in my youth; it was a pit stop along the main route south, so we'd either driven through it or stopped in it every time that we'd gone south to visit my grandparents. Like every other town, it had seen better days. The brick storefronts along the main drag of the shopping centre were marred by graffiti, and many of the windows had been broken. Storm damage was very evident, and forced me to step carefully to avoid injuring myself or my horse.
