Survivors of the Sun

by Kingslie, Mia

  Georgia stared at her open mouthed. Of all the things she had thought Lola would say, that was not one of them. Not even close. Clearly, this sweet naïve blonde was not someone to cross.

  Lola erupted into laughter. ‘You don’t need to look so shocked.’ Believe me he deserved it. It was so cliché, not only was he having an affair, he bought that woman a pair of diamond earrings, using my credit card. How he thought I wouldn’t notice is beyond me. Anyway, that was the last straw.’

  Georgia gave a little start. Lola’s words had just brought something to mind. Nathan had bought something on her credit card too; Lingerie and condoms. Her face suddenly flushed as the memory took on another meaning. It had been a month or so before Three-eighteen. She had seen the credit card charge and smiled at the time, thinking that Nathan had used her card by mistake and had been planning a surprise.

  They didn’t use condoms, there was no need as she could not fall pregnant, but she felt so secure in her marriage, that she had just assumed this was an attempt to spice up their sex life, perhaps the condoms had been glow in the dark or chocolate flavored and the lingerie, a French maid costume? It had seemed so unimportant at the time that she hadn’t given it another thought, life had happened and then she had forgotten all about it. Now she realized that neither the condoms, nor the lingerie had turned up in their marital bed.

  Clearly he had used her credit card by mistake, and he had been planning a surprise, but just not for her. She suddenly couldn’t breathe, then she realized Lola was

  ‘Yeah you are.’ Lola nodded her head vigorously up and down as she spoke. ‘Now you understand why I didn’t want to go anywhere near my car. I reckoned by then that the containers of chum, sitting in the heat of the trunk of my car would have exploded. It would not have been pretty.’

  Georgia nodded, hearing the words, while in her mind, she was picturing Nathan, two buckets of chum and all those sardines sliding off his head. Pity she would never get the opportunity to do that now.

  They both sat there, pondering the twists of fate, and the state of Lola’s car, and as they looked at each other, they erupted into giggles.

  ‘Oh my God,’ Georgia gasped, wiping tears from her eyes, ‘there has to be a life lesson in there somewhere, but I just can’t think of it right now.’

  ‘Yeah, it’s don’t mess with me,’ Lola said, grinning, ‘because I don’t need any help there, I can mess things up all by myself.’

  ‘I think we are all capable of that,’ Georgia said as she glanced at her watch. She leaned forward, using the light of the candle to see the dial more clearly. ‘It’s getting late, we really should wake the others and eat,’

  ‘What about the dogs?’ Lola asked as she stood up.

  ‘They will have to eat French fries as well, I haven’t salted them yet for that reason. I know it’s not the best, but this one time it should be okay.’ As Lola went upstairs, Georgia took down a large bowl, and half filled it with water for the dogs.

  Tomorrow, all being well, Deedee and Jamie would hunt for rabbits. Then, the dogs would eat well, and she would make good use of the kitchen, and cook a stew. Her mouth was positively watering at the thought. She would use the last of the carrots and potatoes, and flavor it with some of the herbs and spices they had found.

  As she heard the others come down the steps, she nodded to herself. Yes, at least tomorrow they would eat well, dining on a sumptuous rabbit stew.

  Chapter Forty

  August 11th, Day 32

  Georgia woke to the sound of wind howling around the cottage, and the grey light of overcast skies. She lay half asleep, her mind still foggy, feeling the smoothness of the cotton sheets against her cheek. Then the previous day’s events slammed into her thoughts and she sat bolt upright, her heart racing. What if one of them had fallen ill in the night? The room was empty, the other bed already made up.

  She glanced at her watch as she flung the bedding aside, it was already after eight. She quickly wound the watch, relieved that it had not stopped working. Then she was out the door and hurrying downstairs to join the others, nearly tripping over her untied bathrobe cord in her rush. Jamie and Deedee sat at the table playing cards. There was no sign of the others.

  ‘Is everyone okay?’ Georgia asked, untangling her bathrobe cord and tying it firmly in place.

  ‘Oh you’re finally awake, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever get out of bed,’ Deedee said, looking up from her cards and giving her a big smile.

  ‘Lola says we’re to go to the kitchen once you are up,’ Jamie added.

  ‘It’s your turn,’ Deedee exclaimed, looking at Jamie. ‘I already picked up.’

  ‘So is everyone okay?’ Georgia asked again.

  ‘Yeah, we are all fine, no one is sick,’ Jamie said without looking up. ‘Do you have any eights?’

  Deedee checked her hand then said, ‘go fish.’

  ‘They were so calm,’ Georgia thought. Not the least bit concerned. ‘Where are the others?’ She asked, running her fingers through her tangled hair. A comb would be nice, but that was still in the kitchen, along with everything else.

  ‘Making breakfast,’ Deedee said. ‘Can we just finish our hand? I am winning.’

  ‘Sure,’ Georgia said, heading for the front door, ‘I just have to attend to nature and I will be right back.’

  Jamie called after her, ‘you don’t need to go outside, you can use the bathroom, Ruby had me fetch two buckets of water so we can flush. The water is not boiled though, so you can’t use it to brush your teeth.’

  Ruby organized that?

  Once she was ready, the three of them walked over to the kitchen. The dogs greeted her enthusiastically. She picked Ant up and gave her a kiss. ‘How’s my little princess?’ she murmured before putting her back down.

  It was a hive of activity in the kitchen. Lola was frying fish and Ruby was bustling around with an oversized teapot humming happily to herself. At the far end of the kitchen, Rebecca was clearing the washing line, taking down t-shirts and jeans, shaking them out and folding them neatly into separate piles.

  ‘Hey, you are up,’ Lola greeted her cheerfully as she came to stand next to her. ‘Ruby’s making tea, but there are sachets of coffee if you prefer.’ She chatted away as she expertly turned the fish, waiting till they were crisp and golden brown before sliding them onto a nearby platter. Lola it seemed had been up at dawn, and taking the fishing gear from the kitchen had gone down to the river to get breakfast. ‘Can’t believe how many I caught, I reckon it’s because no one has been here in a while, that the fish are not quite so shy.’

  ‘You didn’t go alone I hope?’ Georgia couldn’t help asking.

  ‘No,’ Lola said, ‘Ruby and the dogs came with me. I don’t plan to break any more rules, ever again.’

  ‘Nearly ready dears,’ Ruby interjected, ‘perhaps the kiddies would like to lay the table,’ she continued, looking over at Deedee and Jamie. Deedee grimaced, probably at being called a kiddie, but even so, she did as asked, taking a basket of silverware with her, as she and Jamie pushed through the swing door and went in to the dining room.

  Lola turned off the gas, and dumped the frying pan into one of the large sinks, then indicated the dogs sitting hopefully by her feet, ‘Oh, and they have already been fed. I boiled up several of the larger fish for them, and soon as they were cool enough, Rebecca carefully removed all the bones. So do not believe a word they say, they are not starving.’

  As they ate, Georgia constantly asked everyone if they felt okay, were they sure they weren’t feeling unwell, no unusual pains, how about headache?

  Lola finally snapped. ‘Heavens to Betsy, Georgia, if any of us feel sick we will tell you.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jamie said.

  ‘Promise,’ Deedee said as she helped herself to another piece of fish.

  ‘Because you have asked me so many times now, that I am beginning to wonder if perhaps I am unwell,’ Lola continued.

  Georgia was listening as th
ey spoke, watching Rebecca closely. Rebecca sat silently, pushing a piece of fish around on her plate with her fork. Was she looking flushed? She leaned forward, putting her palm across Rebecca’s forehead. It felt normal to her touch.

  Lola spluttered into her coffee. ‘There, you are doing it again.’

  ‘Oh,’ Georgia said feeling just a little contrite, ‘sorry, just, well you know…,’ her words tapered off.

  ‘Yes we do know,’ Lola and Deedee chorused.

  So she stopped asking, but still kept a hawk like eye upon them all.

  After breakfast, the dishes washed, they set about finishing the task of folding up all their clothes and sorting through the gear. Aside from a faint smell of bleach, everything seemed to have survived. One of Deedee’s t-shirts had shrunk, but that was a good thing as it had been far too big for her anyway. Ant’s bag was so clean it was almost pink again. Georgia fluffed up the little pillow and as she put the bag down, Ant leapt into it, almost falling out the other side in her haste. She rolled about inside, making happy little yips, and the look on her face was reminiscent of a toddler that had finally got its favorite blankey back from the wash.

  Georgia was surprised that everything, including the packs had dried so quickly. Only the shopping caddy was still damp around the metal framework, but as things stood, they wouldn’t have anything to put in it when they left anyway. If we leave. If no one gets sick. If no one dies. ‘If’, was a hateful little word, she decided as they finished packing everything up. But so far, no one was sick and God willing, they would stay that way. Hopefully all their efforts of the previous day would pay off. Once the last of the back pack straps were tightened they loaded up their gear and headed back to their cottage.

  Lola and Georgia changed into clean clothes and left soon afterwards, leaving the others upstairs playing cards and the dogs sleeping in a patch of watery sunlight downstairs. Together they stood out in front of the resort and discussed painting another sign, this one warning passersby of possible risk of deadly infectious disease. They had found a suitable sheet of plywood, a paint brush (that hadn’t been cleaned out too well by the last person who used it), and a couple of cans of paint. They took the one with red paint runs down the side.

  ‘So why are we doing this again?’ Lola asked, prying the lid of the paint pot and peering in. ‘Ugh, it’s separated.’

  ‘Better shake it. With the lid on,’ Georgia added hastily, as Lola picked up the can, looking ready to give it a real good shake.

  ‘Oh yes,’ she laughed. ‘Good idea,’ she said picking up the lid. ‘Well I just don’t think we should put infectious, it’s not like we really know what it is. I mean we could just be starting a panic, we could just be…,’ she hesitated, ‘what do you call that? Rumor mongering?’ The lid now on securely, she began to shake the can.

  ‘We need to warn people,’ Georgia said, ‘if we had seen a sign yesterday, we wouldn’t be in this predicament, and I think we have a moral duty to caution others.’

  ‘Yeah I guess you are right. I wonder if that is what happened to Harold’s hunting party.’

  Georgia stiffened. ‘Oh my God,’ she said, do you know with all this, I completely forgotten about him.’

  ‘Lucky you,’ Lola grimaced. ‘I didn’t and the possibility that he might turn up, kept me awake half the night.’

  ‘You know, the fact that he didn’t, makes me wonder if in fact…,’ Georgia began.

  ‘He was telling the truth?’ Lola finished.

  ‘Yes,’ Georgia said. ‘Maybe he is who he says he is, and he really is looking after all those men, women and children, and he does have a pregnant daughter in law.’

  ‘And don’t forget the missing hunting party,’ Lola reminded her. They fell silent. Had those men caught the ‘plague’? ‘Do you think we should go and tell him?’ Lola said after a moment.

  Georgia shook her head emphatically. ‘No, I don’t. We might be contagious ourselves. We don’t know for sure. We have no idea how long the incubation period is and…,’ she gave an involuntary shudder, suddenly seeing herself, all of them, as carriers of this unknown evil disease. The very thought made her want to throw up.

  ‘And what?’ Lola prompted

  ‘And,’ Georgia continued, ‘we don’t even know if he is there.’

  ‘You’re right,’ Lola nodded thoughtfully. ‘On both counts. Here,’ she handed Georgia the paint brush. ‘I can’t paint to save myself. You had better do it.’

  Once it was finished, with ‘possibly infectious’ used instead of infectious at Lola’s insistence, the two of them carried it out to the side of the road and nailed it up, underneath the Resort’s billboard. They stood back to admire their handiwork. The red wording stood out garishly, the drunken, eight inch lettering, looking for all the world like fresh blood.

  ‘I don’t reckon any one will miss that!’ Lola said with some satisfaction.

  ‘Yes, didn’t get the writing too straight, but who cares. It’s the message that counts.’

  They put the paint can back in the store room, and then took the brush down to the river to wash it out.’

  ‘You know,’ Georgie said, ‘before ‘it’, I probably would have thrown this out. There comes a time when a brush just isn’t going to paint properly ever again, especially when the bristles are permanently stuck together like this.’

  ‘True,’ Lola said, sounding a little distracted, then said, ‘I’ve been thinking, we can’t keep calling it ‘it’. It sounds stupid, we should give it a name. Disasters always get a name. Like hurricanes and things.’

  ‘She was right,’ Georgia thought, it never sounded right, in fact, it was kind of confusing, and every time she said it, it felt like a little hiccup in her brain. And as she repeated the word in her mind, it started to loose form and sense and become quite annoying.

  ‘I agree,’ she finally said, ‘any ideas?’ By the time they had put away the paint brush, they had exhausted girls and boys names (they always seemed to know someone, who shared the names they had come up with), and they didn’t want to call it ‘the EMP’ (because they didn’t know if it was one), and finally settled on ‘Three-eighteen.’ The time, according to Georgia, that Three-eighteen had occurred. Lola hadn’t taken note of the time, but was happy to concur with this.

  ‘So Three-eighteen it is,’ Lola said as they headed back to the cottage. They stopped in for just a moment, checking that all was well, then decided to go through every room on the property. Just to see what resources they might find. Possibly extra food, but mostly Georgia was thinking of any medicines that might have been left behind.

  They were crossing the courtyard once more, when they heard a male voice calling Georgia’s name.

  The two women froze, then Lola whispered,

  ‘That sounds like Harold.’

  Georgia already had her shotgun off her shoulder and in her hands before the owner of the voice came around the corner. Lola was right, it was Harold.

  ‘Hi there,’ he said as he caught sight of them. He seemed unperturbed by Georgia’s shot gun at the ready. She noticed that he was also armed this time, but he left his weapon slung over his shoulder.

  ‘Don’t come any closer,’ Georgia said, ‘we might be contagious.’

  ‘Don’t worry I won’t. Yes, saw the sign. I’m glad I caught you though, I wanted to warn you. He was sweating profusely, and as he spoke, he mopped at his forehead with his scrunched up cap. ‘None of our hunting party returned, so I headed to Warsaw at dawn this morning. It’s real bad.’

  ‘Did you actually go into Warsaw?’ Lola asked.

  ‘No, not a chance. It is unapproachable. Barbed wire, armed guards, the lot. They have quarantined the area, and they are taking it really seriously. There were warning notices, nailed to trees every fifty feet or so. I could see the smoke spires from where I was standing and I must have still been at least a mile from the causeway and the stench of burning flesh was terrible. So I am guessing the smokes coming from funeral pyres.�
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  Georgia and Lola paled visibly.

  Harold continued, not seeming to have noticed the effect his words were having on them. ‘I know you said you were planning to pass through there, but now there is no way in hell.’

  ‘Do they know what it is?’ Georgia asked, her voice hoarse. Her throat felt tight.

  ‘Well, they don’t rightly know exactly, but from what the notices said, they think it is some variant of cholera.

  ‘Cholera!’ Lola and Georgia gasped.

  ‘Yes… they say it takes between four hours and 24 hours to hit, symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, like rice water after a short while, with a distinct fishy odor. There was a bit about the different stages, but basically if you get it you can succumb to the disease within 24 hours after symptoms starting, with only a 30-40 percent chance of recovery.’ Georgia sunk down onto a nearby bench, her legs refusing to hold her up.

  ‘You’re kidding me.’

  Harold looked grave. ‘I wish I was. I really wish I was. The notice went on to say that proper hygiene should be followed, regular washing of hands, and all water must be boiled for at least twenty minutes. Oh, yes, and drinking lemon juice in the early stages has been proven to kill cholera, but that they don’t know if it was effective with this strain.’

  ‘Lemon juice?’ Lola asked as she sat down next to Georgia.

  ‘Yeah. Lemon juice, but if you want my advice, you ladies need to turn round and go back the way you came. There is no way you can follow the road through Warsaw now.’

  Where the hell are we going to find lemons?

  ‘So how come you ladies have quarantined this place, is one of the children sick?’

  Lola gave him the rundown of their visit to the tin hut.

  ‘I think I know the hut you mean, might be best to go back and burn it down.’ Then seeing their faces, he hastened to add, ‘no, not you, I meant that I will go and burn it. Sounds like you have been through enough.’

  He left shortly afterwards, surprising them by promising to come back later in the day with some canned goods. ‘Doesn’t seem right, having so much and not sharing it with you ladies.’