by Stan Morris
Eric looked at him with contempt.
“You don’t get it do you?” Eric said. “Your crowd hasn’t survived. Almost all of you are dead. We’re kicking you out of our village, because we want to survive, and we can’t survive with dumb asses like you around. Our way is not just one way to live. It’s the only way to keep living. The girls in our community aren’t weak. They aren’t stupid. Every one of them has contributed something to our survival. They protect us as much as we protect them.”
Before dawn, they marched again. At noon, the guards from Petersburg stopped, and they told the trio to continue until they were out of sight. Then the guards went back to Petersburg.
A week later, the younger brother, starving and haggard, stumbled into the Logging Road junction guard post, begging to be allowed back into Petersburg.
“My Mom went crazy,” he said.
One night, she decided that the three of them would go through the fog the next day, and his older brother agreed.
“I waited until my brother and Mom were asleep, then I sneaked away.”
From deep in the trees, he watched them walk into the fog. When they started screaming, he covered his eyes and ran away.
Howard was asked by Kennedy to consult Diana, who agreed that the boy should be allowed back into Petersburg. By that time, Mike was gone.
Chapter Sixteen
MIKE
Mike had wanted to leave Petersburg quietly, but that was not to be. As he was explaining his plan to Howard, Gabby’s startled face appeared over the edge of the loft.
“You’re leaving, Petersburg, Ch… uh, Mike?” she asked.
Howard winced. “Sorry, Mike. I forgot she was up there. She’s been feeling a little ill, and Diana didn’t want her to give something to the whole village.” He looked up at Gabby. “You keep this to yourself, young lady.”
“Of course,” she replied solemnly, innocently.
By nightfall, the whole village knew of Mike’s plan. Howard confirmed it at Meeting, which Mike did not attend.
“He’s leaving in the morning. He’s going for a visit to the Army post. He’s going to see Erin. If he wants to say goodbye to you, he will. Otherwise, leave him alone.”
Mike wanted to make this trip alone, but Howard had no intention of letting Mike do that. He made his own plans. He did let Mike sleep in the cabin loft that night, so Mike wasn’t pestered all night with questions. When morning came, Mike went to see Desi. She was in her room alone with Michael. Mike was used to the sight of Desi breast feeding, by now. He hardly noticed it.
“So you’re off,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“Mike, thanks, for everything,” she said, which discomforted the young man.
“Everybody helped,” he protested. “It took all of us to make Petersburg.”
“I don’t mean that,” she said. “I mean thanks for John and me. And for Michael. You could have kept me for yourself, you know.”
Mike couldn’t help himself, he started laughing. “No, Desi,” he said. “No way, I could have kept you.” She laughed, too, as she threw a pillow at him.
“See you, Chief.”
“See you, Desi.”
Mike gathered his gear, left the Lodge, and walked out to the graveyard. Someone had recently changed the flowers on the three graves. Hector found him there.
“So,” Hector said.
“Yes.”
Hector wrapped his arms around the boy and squeezed him tightly, and Mike felt tear drops on the top of his head.
“Vaya con Dios, mi amigo,” he heard Hector whisper.
“See ya, Hector.”
Mike went to the dining hall and ate breakfast. Some of the villagers just waved at him, others said “good-bye, Chief.” Tyler came in and sat down at the table and waited, while Mike finished eating. Gabby passed by, and Mike noticed that she was wearing the earrings and pendant Tyler had given her.
“You two behave yourselves,” he said. They laughed.
“We will,” Tyler said.
“We know the rules,” Gabby added.
“Don’t get Gabby pregnant, Tyler,” Mike instructed the younger boy.
“Chief!”
“Don’t worry, Mike,” said Tyler. “Diana found those plastic penises the girls were supposed to use for practicing putting a condom on.”
“Tyler!”
Mike chuckled. He got up, took his bowl and his utensils to the kitchen window, and left the dining hall. At the bridge, he met Lieutenant Kennedy and Yuie.
“Hey, Ch… Mike,” Yuie said, giving him a quick hug.
“Hey, Yuie,” Mike replied. “Lieutenant, please, take care of her.”
“Roger that, Mike,” said Kennedy. He and Mike bumped fists.
In the parking lot, Mike found Howard, Jacob, Eric, Ahmad, Rasul, and John. They were carrying their spears.
“We thought that we would take a walk with you,” Howard said, grinning.
“Yeah, the old lady said I could go,” John added.
Mike shook his head in disgust, but secretly he was pleased.
“You don’t want to wait for the motorcycle?” Mike asked Ahmad and Rasul, who were scheduled to begin guard duty at the RV guard post.
“Motorcycles are for pussies,” Rasul sneered. “Real men march.”
The Spears marched up the rise, and at the top, Mike turned and waved once to Yuie. Then they marched away and passed out of the sight of Petersburg. They marched down the road until they came to the Hanging Tree, where Mike stopped. He looked at the graves. He looked at the noose still hanging from the branch. He turned to Howard.
“If I had it to do all over again, I would do the same thing,” he said fiercely.
“So would I, Chief,” said Howard. “So would I.”
Howard shook hands with Mike, and then he started back to the village. When he was still within hailing distance, Howard stopped.
“Hey, don’t forget, Mike,” he called. “You’re still a resident of Petersburg. Behave yourself.”
Mike laughed. “I know the rules,” he called back. “Hell, I wrote most of them.”
At nightfall, they arrived at the Logging Road junction guard post. They spent the night around a campfire, laughing and telling old lies. In the morning, they waved goodbye to Ahmad and Rasul. The other four trudged up Logging Camp Road, until they came to the junction of Davis Brown Farm Road. They ate their supper around Mary’s table. The next morning, John informed Mike that they would ride the bikes when they left the farm. Mike was surprised and gratified to hear that. Mike said “good-bye” to the girls and boys living at the farm. He said “good-bye” to Mary and her kids. Finally, he turned to Ralph.
“You know, it might be a good idea to figure out some way to paint that barn,” he said.
“Yeah,” Ralph said as he chuckled. “I’ll get right on that.”
“And the chicken coop really should be expanded.”
“Good idea,” Ralph said with a smile.
“And the trout pond needs to be weeded around the edges.”
“Alright,” Ralph said.
“And the horse stalls could be mucked out a little better.”
“Chief.”
“And the solar walls need cleaning.”
“Get lost, Chief,” Ralph growled.
Mike started laughing. He climbed on his bike, and the four boys pedaled away, down the road.
“Get a haircut, Chief,” Ralph yelled.
Mike laughed and flipped him the finger.
The four boys bicycled past the teenagers at the guard post with a wave, as they began the difficult journey through the towering mountains. Sometimes, they were forced to get off and push their bikes uphill. Sometimes, they coasted downhill for a long way. Two days later, as the autumn sun was going down, they arrived at the old campsite beside the clear blue lake. White lilies had taken up residence among the fireweed and lady ferns. They spent the day fishing, relaxing, and giving John a hard time about Desi.
; “Big talk from guys that aren’t getting any,” John replied.
That shut up Mike and Eric. John noticed that Jacob had not harassed him, and he had a good idea that Lily was the reason why. A dirt road led north from the lake. Jacob told them that he was going to ride his bike north for a day and then explore the terrain. He agreed to meet John and Eric in three days at their camp by the lake. Mike rode alongside Jacob to where the turnoff of the north road began. They got off their bikes and looked awkwardly at each other.
“Um… Jacob,” Mike said. “I was wondering why you didn’t want to come and get me, so I could help you guys with those people from the Retreat. Did you really think I had led you guys long enough, and that you guys needed to prove yourselves to me? Or did you think that all of the time I spent in Chief’s Headquarters meant that I was getting, like, soft or something? Or did you think there was not enough time to come get me?” He paused and looked expectantly at Jacob.
Jacob said, “Yes.”
Mike waited one moment more, and then he started laughing. “Bye, Jacob. Be careful,” he said.
“Thanks, Chief,” said Jacob. He got on his bike and rode away.
After watching until Jacob disappeared, Mike mounted his bike and rode back to where Eric and John were packing. Together, they rode northeast that day, until they came to a steep slope. The road climbed the slope by way of some switchbacks, and then it disappeared around the north side of the rocky mountain. At the bottom of the slope, they made their camp. In the morning, Mike said “good-bye” to John and Eric. He started the long climb up the slope, pushing his bike.
As Eric watched Mike, he asked John, “Why did you want me to come with you guys? I would have thought that you would have liked to be alone with Mike for this trip. You’re his best friend.”
“Are you kidding, dude?” said John. “You had to come and see him off. Shit, man, you’re the guy that started all this.”
“Me?” Eric said, surprised at John’s words. “What did I do?”
“You told us that we should be hearing someone on the radio phone, remember? After that is when Mike got serious,” John explained. “After that is when he started thinking about how we could survive on our own. A bunch of kids on our own. Hell, Mike was only thirteen.”
“Yeah, that’s right,” said Eric, remembering. “I always wondered why all of you older kids did whatever he told you to do.”
“We were scared, and he was the only one taking charge,” John answered. “Someone had to.”
John shaded his eyes from the early morning sun as he watched Mike reach the top of the slope.
“You know,” he remarked. “If Pete hadn’t gotten himself killed, we’d probably be living in Geek City. Yeeoowww!” John yelped when Eric used his spear to goose John between his legs.
“Geeks rule! Jocks drool!” cried Eric, laughing as he jumped on his bike and quickly rode away.
“Come back here, you little shit,” John yelled as he jumped on his own bike.
High above, on the slope where the road bent around the mountain, Mike was laughing as he watched the antics of his friends. He watched John chase Eric for a few minutes, and then he turned his bike, and he continued his journey around the mountain and down the other side.
That night, Mike made his camp in a green grassy vale, and then he turned in, early. The sky was clear, the moon was a thin crescent, and the stars were brilliant. He lay in his sleeping bag with his hands behind his head watching the skies. Occasionally a shooting star flashed by from the east. He was truly alone for the first time in years. There was no one within miles of him.
He thought about his lost family, and he dripped tears for a while. But inevitably, his thoughts wandered back to Petersburg. He hoped that his friends were happy. He hoped that his community was safe. He hoped that they would all survive and grow, and that one day when the fog was gone, and when someone from outside made contact with them, those who found them would find a thriving vibrant town.
The next day he pedaled hard, only stopping for a few minutes. At dusk, he was hailed and told to stop.
“Who are you?” a man in a uniform asked.
“I’m Mike,” he said. “I’m from Petersburg.”
“Hold on.”
One of the soldiers was sent to the rear. He came back, and then Mike was allowed into the post. He was escorted to another soldier.
“You say your name is ‘Mike?’ And you’re from Petersburg? And you made your way here alone?” she asked skeptically. Later, he learned that she was Sergeant Annie Jenkins.
“Yes, and I have a letter from the Mayor of Petersburg that’s addressed to Major Collins,” Mike replied.
“I’ll take that,” she said brusquely.
“I’ll give it to the Major personally,” Mike replied.
She scowled. “Fine,” she said. They found Mike a billet and even offered him a meal, which he accepted.
Mike had planned to leave the following morning, but when daylight arrived, he was told that he would have to wait until the following day, when Sergeant Jenkins was leaving for the main Army post. His bike was confiscated for use by the Army.
So he cooled his heels for a day, and then he was allowed to accompany Sergeant Jenkins. The bike was returned to him and Jenkins rode another, so they made the trip in two days. When they arrived at the palisade, she led Mike to the building that housed Major Collins’ office, and then Sergeant Jenkins told Mike to take a seat outside the inner office while she went in to see the Major.
“Sir, I have a civilian in custody who says he has a letter for you from the Mayor of Petersburg,” Mike heard her say to Major Collins.
“Really? Well, show him in, Sergeant,” the Major replied.
The Sergeant came to the door and motioned Mike into the room. When he entered, the Major’s face lit up with pleasure.
“Mike!” he cried. “Mike, how are you? So you came. Wait a minute.” He looked at Sergeant Jenkins.
“Did you say that you took him into custody, Sergeant Jenkins?” he said.
The Sergeant opened her eyes wide. “Uh…” she said.
“You took our top civilian leader into custody?” he asked furiously.
“Uh…”
“Sir, I’m not a leader or anything anymore, remember?” Mike said hastily as he sat down on the sofa. “I’m just Mike. Howard is the Mayor now. He’s the one that sent the letter.”
The Major winced. “Sorry, Mike. Like everyone else, I’ve got into the habit of thinking of you as the Chief.” Mike did not reply.
“Sorry, Sergeant,” said the Major. “That will be all.”
“Yes, Sir,” the Sergeant replied as she saluted.
As she passed by the boy, she glared at Mike, and he pressed himself into the sofa.
“Annie Jenkins is a good soldier,” said Major Collins. “Even if she is a little too much by the book.”
He sat down behind his desk and read the letter. When he finished, he looked at Mike.
“Do you know what this says?” he asked. Mike said nothing.
“Stupid question,” the Major muttered. “You probably wrote it.” Mike just smiled.
“Alright, then. Fill me in, Mike. What has happened in Petersburg since I left?”
Mike and the Major talked for over an hour, and then a young woman popped into the room.
“Hi, Chief,” she said, grinning at him.
“Hi, Erin,” he said, delighted to see his old friend.
“Ah, here’s my orderly now,” said the Major. “Perhaps you could take our famous visitor and find him some quarters, Erin. Get him something to eat. Show him around. Oh, wait, I forgot. You already know where everything is. Including the way out.” The Major laughed at his joke.
“Hey, I said that I was sorry about that,” Mike complained, but he laughed too.
Erin escorted Mike from the Major’s office, and then she gave him a hug. They talked as they walked to the mess hall. Erin told Mike that her boyfriend was meeting the
m at their destination. Erin’s boyfriend was nice, and everyone in the mess hall was friendly until Sergeant Jenkins passed by. She stopped and gave him an unfriendly eye.
“So, you were the big shot in your little pond, huh,” she said. “How old are you?”
“Fifteen,” Mike replied. “Almost sixteen.”
“Almost sixteen,” she repeated with a smirk. “A real experienced guy.”
Erin stood up and faced Annie, anger flushing her face. “Yes, he is,” she said in a loud voice.
The room quieted, as the startled people in the room turned to listen to Erin. Her eyes flashed as she stared back at the Sergeant.
“His name is Mike, and when he was thirteen, he became the leader of our people. He began by organizing a bunch of kids into a fighting unit. He used that unit to compel the rest of us kids to face the reality of the Fog. He started guarding and rationing food. He made a plan for the winter, so we wouldn’t freeze to death. He made rules that protected us girls from sexual intimidation.”
“Jeez, Erin,” Mike mumbled, his face red.
Erin looked around the room to make sure that she had everyone’s attention. “When we were attacked by vicious bastards who murdered two of us, he single handedly killed one of the attackers with a homemade spear. It’s still known as ‘Mike’s Throw.’ He and his fighters chased the murderers. He was too late to stop a girl from being raped and killed, but he arrived in time to stop a man who was in the process of raping and strangling another girl. His unit killed two of the men, and they captured a third man. Not a boy like Mike and his guys. A big evil man. Mike personally put a noose around that man’s head, and with the rest of us helping, he hanged him. There are a lot of other things he did; though it’s true that he had a lot of help. We were happy to help him, because he was determined to keep us alive.”
