by Vance Huxley
“But everyone has been eating. They must have.” Harold racked his brains but no, everyone looked fed. Leaner, but fed.
“But now the last of the scavenged freezer food is more or less gone. Half our people at least are nipping round to share someone else’s and handing over their coupons, the ones for food, and the people they visit sometimes aren’t all that good at cooking. Now we want to make an official arrangement to fix that.” Liz pointed over to the girl club. “We already do it in there.”
“What, exactly? I do mean about cooking.” Harold got the second bit in as Patty’s, Liz’s and June’s eyes lit up.
“They pool all the food and cook one lot, then either eat in the dining room or collect their share and take it off to eat in private. Now everyone is eating home-grown and trapped we should extend that. The house next to the dance house would be a great canteen.” A big smile spread over Pippa’s face. “Finn and Trev have been working on fixing and repairing the kitchen because it’s a real, de-luxe, to-die-for setup. They’ve replaced what couldn’t be rescued and it’ll feed everyone in shifts.”
“I used to work in a restaurant, in the kitchens so I can help. I’ll be better at that than gardening.” Elizabeth shrugged. “I won’t poison you, honest. I’m over all that.” Elizabeth had gone from blaming the Hot Rods for Will dying to Harold for a little while, but was now firmly back to hating Hot Rods. Except occasionally, when she blamed herself.
“If that’s all sorted, why do you want me?” Harold frowned, puzzled.
“To look like that, only more grim and determined than puzzled, when some people object. They can take their food ration home and cook it if they want, and buy extra bits with coupons, but the daily food ration for us all will come from one place.” Faith scowled. “It’ll stop the rumours.”
“What rumours? Harold looked back at the small huddle of houses that comprised Orchard Close. “We’re big enough for rumours?”
“There’s nearly a hundred residents now which is plenty for rumours. Some, the worrying suggestions, are because recent arrivals expect nothing else. Rumours keep cropping up about the fighters and Soldier Boy eating better than others.” Liz shrugged. “Bad experiences rather than nastiness but that sort of things needs stopping, and this will do it and also be more efficient.”
“Especially since those TV pictures of flooded fields weren’t the usual mushroom food. Those fields were really flooded and that means there’ll be more food shortages.” Patty grimaced. “Pooling the food means conserving food, though actually running the damn thing will be a bloody shambles.”
“Not really. At least this way everyone will eat enough spam to give them the fat intake to compensate for rabbit.” That had been a shock, finding an article stating that rabbit meat didn’t supply enough fat if that was the only meat. “We just have to work out the calories and portions, and shifts to prepare and eat. I sort of know the theory, and we’ve got books.” Elizabeth smiled. “We’ll be putting tater peeling on the chores list.”
“Right, Soldier Boy stuff, very urgent.”
“The forge beckons.”
“I hear the click of knitting needles.”
“There’s some books need cataloguing.”
“I’ve got dough proving.”
“Cripes, what did I say?” Elizabeth looked at all the retreating backs. “We’re in this for the long run now, we’ve got to plan these things.”
This ends Book Two of
The Fall of the Cities.
Find out what happens next!
Book 3 will be available soon!
CHARACTERS IN PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Harold (Harry) Miller – 21 – Corporal pay clerk with CGC Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. Civilian marksman even at sixteen but not comfortable with shooting live targets so won’t take sniper training, or qualify as a marksman.
The flats: (27 remaining)
Alicia - 22 - Small dumpy woman who retreats into herself.
Billy - 17 - Newly arrived resident.
Casper - 21 - Big well-muscled gay man who becomes Harry’s friend.
Celine - 26 - Slight skinny redheaded typist. Rape victim.
Daisy - 5 - Harold’s niece.
Emmy - 21 - Jamaican - tall, well-built woman who lost a boyfriend.
Faith - 36 - Short stout woman - light brown hair. Probably a widow - son Toby killed.
Finn - 49 – Electrician.
Hazel - 15 year old orphan - parents were killed by looters.
Holly - 18 - Tall, slim after fanatical exercise. Blonde with pale blue-grey eyes.
Isiah - 35 - Reclusive - ex-telephone engineer - redundant.
Kerry - 33 - Shy -Isiah’s wife and sold embroidered patches on the internet.
Liam - 28 - Reclusive ex-office worker from the flats.
Liz - 22 - Tall strong wiry woman who works in iron and bronze. Incapable of violence.
Louise - 30 - Quiet - small time graphic designer on internet.
Patricia Elliot - 27 - Trainee nurse. First refugee from looters.
Rob - 37 - Divorced - Plumber.
Sharyn - 26 - Harold’s sister - Army widow.
Stewart - Mr. Baumber - 57 - ex-caretaker for flats.
Susan - 32 - Divorcee.
Veronica - 14 - Quiet - daughter of Isiah and Kerry.
Wills - 3 - Harold’s nephew.
Original Orchard Close residents: (12 remaining)
Alfie - 16 - Probable orphan living with Betty. Absolutely hero-worships Harold.
Bernie - 27 - Slim and now fit. Wants to work out with girl club.
Betty - 60 - Older woman on the ‘committee’.
Curtis - 25 - Short and stout, amateur gardener.
Hilda - 42 - Ex-clerical worker. Loves collating lists.
Matthew - 25 - Red haired ex Traffic Warden.
Sal - 27 - Blonde woman who tones up in the girl club.
Seth - 23 - Likes chips, beer.
Brewers: (2)
Nigel - 41 - Brewer, widower.
Berry - 17 - Daughter of Nigel. Taller, stronger, and also a brewer.
New Refugees pre-Armageddon: (23 remaining)
Bess - 20 - Ex-girlfriend of gangster.
Conn - 23 - Short slim man, prematurely bald.
Gayle - 19 - Dental trainee.
Georgina - 8 - Zach and Olive’s daughter.
Janine - 35 - Laundry assistant.
Joey - 7 - Pippa and Robert’s son.
Jon - 18 - Single youth.
Lillian - 20 - Tall overweight woman who moves in with Conn.
Olive - 30 - Part-time cleaner - Zach’s wife, Georgina’s Mum.
Pippa - 26 - Genius baker.
Robert - 27 - Pippa’s husband.
Sandy - 57 - Carpenter but retired with bad arthritis.
Sukie - 5 - Suzie’s daughter.
Suzie - 22 - Sukie’s single Mum - Suzie’s sister died in fighting.
Tim - 23 - Refugee with fiancée, Toyah.
Toyah - 20 - Refugee with Tim.
Zach - 33 - Ex-office manager.
After Armageddon: (39)
Abigail - 23 - Pregnant - young son Rory.
Barry - 62 - Ex-firefighter - refugee from Geeks.
Doll - Dolly - 20 - Barry’s eldest granddaughter.
Elise - 13 - Turns up half crazed and starving.
Elizabeth - 36 - Mum to Willtoo and Pricilla - running from north.
Jeremy - 19 - Running from north.
Jilli - 13 - Jilli taken in trade, for food instead of guns.
John’s Pat - 37 - Philip’s mum - running from north.
June - 38 - Looks early twenties - trophy wife - runs from Hot Rods.
Lemmy - 17 - Loner running from a gang deep in the city.
Lenny - 26 - Nearly qualified paramedic.
Luke - 34 - Refugee from deep in city.
Matti - Matracia - 18 - Barry’s granddaughter - almost raped.
Mohammad - 21 - Running from city.
Pat’s John - 31 - Running
from north.
Patty - 25 - Demon knitter who wants to have a crossbow.
Philip - 18 - Running from north.
Pricilla - 13 - Elizabeth’s daughter - running from north.
Rory - 2 - Abigail’s son.
Umeko - 17 - Asian girl rescued from Geeks brothel.
Violet - Abigail’s baby girl.
Willtoo - 17 - Running from north.
TOTAL - 101- Less 7 dead
Hot Rods - Gang to the south:
Cadillac - Gang boss.
Big Mac - 7 foot bodyguard - named after trucks.
Bugatti - Full gang member.
Charger - Full gang member.
Chevy - Full gang member.
Cooper - Short for Mini Cooper - second in command.
E-Type -Kev - youth trying to get a gang (car) name.
Samuel - Man with shotgun loses a finger.
GOFS - Gods of Fire and Steel - Gang to the west:
Gofannon - Gang boss.
Ogou - Kabir - Gang member.
Vulcan - Full gang member.
Wayland - Gang blacksmith.
Geek Freeks - Gang to the north.
Hawkins - Gang boss - senior manager.
Darwin - Manager (senior gang member).
Einstein - Manager.
Galileo - Manager.
Marconi - Manager.
Tell - aka William Tell - Gang bowyer and archer.
Barbie Girls - Based in Shopping Centre beyond GOFS.
Chandra - a senior Barbie (blonde wig).
The Bunker
Gerard - Youngest of the dozen cabal leaders - transport incl. distribution of food.
Grace - Tall spare grey-haired woman dealing with work camps.
Henry - Portly man with thick black hair and beard in charge of farms.
Ivy - Stout middle-aged redhead in charge of food storage and supplying marts.
Joshua - Army commander.
Maurice - Bland, unassuming, mousy-haired and medium size and build. Spymaster.
Nate - Large black man in charge of propaganda.
Owen - Chairman.
Vanna - Tall Asian woman dealing with special facilities and private military contractors.
VANCE HUXLEY
Vance Huxley lives out in the countryside in Lincolnshire, England. He has spent a busy life working in many different fields – including the building and rail industries, as a workshop manager, trouble-shooter for an engineering firm, accountancy, cafe proprietor, and graphic artist. He also spent time in other jobs, and is proud of never being dismissed, and only once made redundant.
Eventually he found his Noeline, but unfortunately she died much too young. To help with the aftermath, Vance tried writing though without any real structure. As an editor and beta readers explained the difference between words and books, he tried again.
Now he tries to type as often as possible in spite of the assistance of his cats, since his legs no longer work well enough to allow anything more strenuous. An avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy and adventure novels, his writing tends towards those genres.
