New Eden

by Michael Watson

  “Well, I’m sure that’s all changed by now, don’t you?”

  Amy hadn’t thought about it before, slowly nodding.

  Uncle Don smiled. They had seen him do it on numerous occasions, but this time it was different and it scared them both. He saw the fear in their faces.

  “Don’t worry. It was expected. Anything else you’d like to share?”

  It took Chris a moment to realize they weren’t in trouble. “Besides finding Ryder, they have a large stockpile of supplies inside the prison, as well as grain, vegetable gardens, cattle, horses, and about two hundred people.”

  Uncle Don’s eyes became large, sitting back in his chair, his elbows on the arm rests with his fingers forming a steeple. He was looking directly at them but at the same time looking through them, deep in thought. Suddenly, he pushed his chair back from the desk and stood, extending his hand. “Thank you both. You did a great job. I’ll send for you later so we can discuss the layout.”

  Chris and Amy stood and shook his hand. They knew they were being excused. They walked to the door and looked back. Uncle Don was already seated again with pencil in hand, writing frantically onto a pad of paper. Quietly they closed the door behind them.

  ***

  Early the next morning, Jenny went to Ryder’s camp. He was sitting facing his campfire sipping a cup of coffee.

  “Did you find those two?” she asked.

  Ryder motioned for her to have a seat on the log opposite him. “Care for a cup?”

  “No thanks.”

  “No, I didn’t see them and no one else did yesterday afternoon. I don’t think we’ll see them again until they come back with their people.”

  “So, you do think they were up to no good.”

  “Maybe I’m wrong, but since they were here for only a short time and in that time they saw pretty much everything we have, I have to assume they were here to scout us out. I’m sure they’ll be back, now it’s just a matter of when and with how many people.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “The same things we’ve been doing – train and prepare. I’ll let the Council know about our visitors. And to prevent rumors and hearsay we should have a community meeting to let everyone know what’s actually happened and ask them to pay special attention to any strangers over the next couple of weeks.”

  “Do you think it was more of Morgan’s people?” asked Jenny.

  “It’s possible, but I don’t think so. Word about us has begun to spread out into the surrounding wasteland. There are some desperate and ruthless people out there who, like Morgan, would rather take what they want instead of asking. It was just a matter of time before they came. I think they’ll be surprised when they come though. We’re better prepared and we won’t be nearly the pushover we were last time.”

  ***

  It was nearing time for the evening meal. Samuel was getting ready to go out the door to see Eli. Emma suggested he invite Eli over to join them for supper and then ask for his help.

  He smiled. “When I ask him to supper and tell him I need to talk to him, you know he’s going to know something’s up.”

  She just smiled back. She knew. “He’s a smart man.”

  Samuel found Eli sitting alone on his front porch. His wife had passed a few years earlier. Samuel smiled and waved as he approached. He sat next to him.

  “How would you like to come over for one of Emma’s home-cooked meals tonight?” he asked.

  Eli chuckled and began to slowly shake his head back and forth.

  “What?” asked Samuel. “Emma’s the best cook around.”

  “Oh, I know. I’m not laughing at that, I’m laughing at you. As long as we’ve known each other, why would you think you had to bribe me with a meal.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Did you forget? You already told me you were going back to New Eden to help them build a new granary. I was wondering when you’d get around to asking for my help. I’d be glad to go with you, even without using Emma’s cooking as an enticement.”

  Samuel looked at Eli and returned the smile. “You know me so well. Before you agree so quickly, you should know the road to New Eden can be dangerous.”

  “And did that ever stop us from going out to look for survivors from Sector 4?”

  “No.” He paused. “So, are you coming over for supper or not?”

  “Of course. I’ve never turned down a meal in my life. When would you like to leave?”

  “Can you be ready to leave in the morning?”

  “I’m already packed.”

  ***

  CHAPTER FOUR

  After Chris and Amy returned, word spread quickly. In a matter of hours everyone in Camp Liberty knew where they had been sent. Since it had been months since their last raid, the community was alive with anticipation. The people were aware of the primary reason behind the reconnaissance, Uncle Don’s revenge. But they also knew that when they did go, their reward would be everything they could get their hands on, from supplies to livestock and people.

  No one saw Uncle Don for three hours while he planned in his headquarter shack. Torches lined the main lane. When he finally emerged late in the evening, his people, who’d been waiting quietly and patiently outside, began to clap and cheer. At first, he was surprised at the reception, but then realized what had happened. Chris and Amy must have let everyone know where they had been and why. He couldn’t be mad. He hadn’t told them to keep quiet. From the reaction of the crowd, the news had been well received. Don raised his hands to ask for quiet.

  “Is it true?” someone shouted out.

  The crowd’s excitement brought a smile to his face. He owed them for the Gant and John fiasco. They’d been cheated out of their hunt and their reward. “I’m not sure what you’ve heard, so I’ll tell you what I’ve planned. We’re going to New Eden, the old prison to the east. Chris and Amy have confirmed that the man who killed my nephew is there and I intend to kill him. But that’s not the only reason we’re going. They also saw a huge stockpile of supplies along with livestock, horses, grain, and vegetable gardens. There is one other commodity there that I’m sure you won’t care anything about, there are approximately two hundred people there.”

  Again, the people began to shout and cheer. Those near the couple slapped both on their backs.

  Any captives they brought back would be used for their hunts, their favorite pastime.

  “So, I need volunteers to go with me.”

  Hands shot into the air. It appeared to be unanimous, including the children. He smiled at their enthusiasm and motioned for them to lower their hands.

  “I can see that you all want to go, but some are going to need to stay behind with the children. They are not going.” He saw a look of dejection on several of the older children’s faces.

  A few hands went up.

  “Okay. That’s settled. We’ll need horses, wagons, weapons, food, and water. Get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow is going to be a busy day. We’ll leave the following morning.”

  The people gave another round of cheers and applause as Uncle Don headed for his tiny home.

  ***

  Ryder asked the Council to call for a town meeting. Early that evening everyone came together in front of the prison inside the fence. The three members of the Council and Ryder stood together on the freight dock, serving as an elevated platform where everyone could see them. Ryder took center stage.

  “For those of you who haven’t heard, we had two strangers here yesterday who have since disappeared. It appears they were here to check us out.” Many in the crowd looked at each other and a low rumble of murmuring began to rise into a roar. Ryder raised his hands for silence. “We don’t know who sent them, but we need to assume their intentions are hostile. So, before long, you may be glad we worked so hard on those drills to get inside the compound walls. Since we don’t know when they’re coming or how many there will be, we all need to stay alert. Watch for any strangers and if
you see any, report them at once. Not every stranger will be a threat, but until we know for sure, we’ll need to be very cautious.” He took a deep breath. “We don’t know positively that a hostile group is coming to attack us, but we felt it was important to warn you and let you know that it is a distinct possibility. Tomorrow, sometime, we’ll sound the alarm to run the drill again. So, be ready. We’ll let everyone know if and when we learn more. For now, go back to your normal routines. Good evening.”

  Ryder began to leave the dock, but remembered something he intended to say and quickly returned. “There’s one more thing for you to think about. Whether others come will depend on how successful we are with the first intruders. If we fail to repel them, there’s no hope in building a successful community.”

  He stepped away and the crowd began to slowly disperse and walk away, many forming small groups to discuss the news. There was good reason for concern. Of the Tent City residents and Guard that remained, most were not fighters, but they would have to be. Some also had doubts as to how well the prison walls would keep attackers out if there was an extended siege. No one wanted to be trapped inside the walls, even though it did mean safety. However, while inside, everything outside, including the livestock, would be vulnerable and free for the taking, which would be a huge blow to the community. Everyone was placing their faith in Ryder to prepare and protect them.

  Ryder said his goodnight to the Council and headed back to his camp. He received many comments of both concern and encouragement as he passed by those who still lingered outside the gate. His response was limited to a nod, not up for a discussion. As he entered the woods a close friend joined him.

  “We’ve got our work cut out for us, don’t we Darby?”

  “I’d say that’s an understatement.”

  ***

  Samuel kissed Emma on the cheek before going out the door. “I’ll see you in about one and a half to two weeks,” he said.

  “You be careful,” she emphasized.

  Outside, he found Eli waiting with a buggy. They exchanged smiles, eager for the trip.

  “Where’s Gary?” asked Samuel.

  “He had a change of heart. I think the others convinced him to stay.”

  “Okay. It’s up to him. So, I guess Jill and Paul aren’t going either?”

  “Not this trip. They’re all going to wait to hear from us when we get back.

  “Sounds like a reasonable plan,” said Samuel.

  “I brought the tools we’ll need,” said Eli.

  Samuel looked in back to find ropes, pulleys, and wooden boxes loaded with tools. He raised a basket Emma had prepared. “And I brought the food. So, I guess we’re all set.” He set the basket on the back seat and climbed up beside Eli. Emma waved from behind the screen door as Eli flicked the reins and got the buggy moving, heading for the trail up and out of the valley.

  “How long do you figure, a couple of days to get there?” asked Eli.

  “That’s about right if we take our good time.”

  “And a week to build the new granary?”

  “Depends on how much help we get and the materials they’ve collected.”

  Neither was the talkative type, just content to be in good company. Much of their trip would be in silence, the men enjoying the ride and scenery. Even in the wasteland there was still plenty of beauty to be seen and appreciated if one was looking for it.

  ***

  Jeremy had become Ryder’s right-hand man, someone other than Darby that he could confide in and trust. Ryder wasn’t there to give orders, only to make suggestions. Right after the community learned about the spies and began to take their preparations seriously, Ryder had Jeremy send out riders to locate their collection squads and have them return home. With the very real possibility of a threat looming over them, they needed all their people present. They hadn’t been gone long, so they shouldn’t be too far out or too hard to find. Within a day or two, all crews would be back with the desperately needed manpower to help defend the community.

  Hopefully, they wouldn’t be attacked before then. Levi had been sent out as part of a special two-man team to recon the surrounding area museums for horse-drawn equipment they might be able to use. Of special interest was the old Hwy 66 museum at Clinton. Someone had remembered it as having quite a collection of antique farm equipment.

  ***

  Ryder sat by his campfire enjoying the quiet solitude and a cup of coffee on a beautiful morning. The eastern sky was just beginning to lighten. Soon, the community would be waking up and it would be time to head for the compound.

  Ryder jumped up at the sound of three rapid shots in succession, the signal from one of the outposts that one or more strangers were approaching New Eden. He dropped his coffee cup and raced toward the compound. He had to make sure the people got inside to safety. Hopefully, the drills they’d been going through had done some good and they were taking the warning seriously. The siren from the guard tower began to wail. He caught up to Jenny as she was running in the same direction.

  “Jenny! Hurry!” he yelled as he ran past her.

  “I’m right behind you,” she gasped, out of breath.

  As Ryder came out of the woods, people were running from the small camps and Tent City to the compound gate. He was surprised and pleased to see that there didn’t seem to be a panic. There was no screaming and they were helping each other. If one fell, others were stopping immediately to help them up. It was satisfying to see that the drills had helped. Ryder stood at the gate, directing everyone inside. He shouted encouragement to the last stragglers and then, joined by Jeremy, closed and locked the gate. They followed the others inside the prison walls, closing and locking the front doors.

  Ryder made his way through the crowd of people that filled the foyer and headed directly to the guard tower to watch for the intruders. Jeremy had stayed by his side. After several minutes both were becoming impatient, not seeing anything. Enough time had passed that they should have seen or at least heard someone.

  “Look! There!” shouted Jeremy, pointing along the south road.

  Ryder grabbed the rifle that always rested in the corner of the tower. In the distance, Ryder recognized the outline of a buggy, and it seemed to be the only one. There were two people in it. If this was an assault, it was a poor one. Maybe more were behind them. He raised the rifle and looked through the scope. His forehead became furrowed with wrinkles, puzzled by what he saw. “Dad?”

  “What was that?” asked Jeremy.

  “I think it’s my dad.” He rushed downstairs telling everyone he passed to relax, it was a false alarm. The buggy was reaching the gate as he came out the main entrance doors. He recognized his dad. There was no doubt. His dad waved with a huge smile on his face. Ryder looked up at Jeremy, still in the southwest tower, waving to him that everything was alright. He did the same to the guard in the southeast tower. The front doors were both wide open with as many faces looking out that could fit. There was still a question of safety in their minds. Many had never seen Samuel before, so, to them, he was a stranger.

  Samuel stepped down from the buggy and met Ryder at the gate. “What kind of welcome is this, Son? Where is everyone?”

  “Dad, what are you doing here?”

  “It’s been three weeks. I told Roy I’d be back to help rebuild the granary.”

  “Three weeks? Already?”

  “I’m afraid so, and I brought some help with me.” He stepped aside so Ryder could see who else was in the buggy. Eli smiled and waved. “Now, do you suppose you can open the gate?”

  “Samuel!” yelled Roy, as he ran to greet them. The people began to file out after Roy had confirmed that he was a friend. “I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for coming.”

  “I promised you I would.”

  Ryder unlocked and slid the gate open, shaking hands with his dad and then welcoming Eli.

  “No one else wanted to come?” Ryder asked.

  “Not this trip.” Samuel paused. “You may
be seeing one or two of them one day though.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I told them how the people here are starting over. Eli and I are supposed to report back to Paul, Gary, and Jill before they decide. Dan’s already decided he’s going to stay in Paradise.”

  “It would be good to see them all again.”

  “I hope you don’t mind me telling them,” said Samuel. “I thought they should be told about the plans for a new community and be given a choice of whether or not to come.”

  “That’s fine. We can use all the help we can get. But won’t you miss them if they come here?”

  “We were doing alright before they came and we’ll do alright if they decide to leave.”

  “Come on in,” invited Roy. “We’ll get you something to eat and then you can decide where you want to stay.”

  ***

  Uncle Don gave instructions to all those who were going with him after spending a good part of the day with Chris and Amy going over the layout and details of the compound. They explained to him what they had seen while sketching out the site. They referred to the notes they’d taken while conducting their self-guided tour, including distances they’d paced off. By the time they finished, Uncle Don had a very good understanding of where things were and what to expect when they arrived.

  The next morning he came out of his house to find his people ready and eager to go, cheering him. Four wagons were already lined up at the gate, one with enough provisions to get them there, two empty and ready to haul away as many supplies as possible from New Eden, and one for their special treat, to carry away prisoners for their hunts.

  Uncle Don noticed that Chris and Amy were there too. He was pleased. He went straight to them, placing a hand on Chris’s shoulder. “I appreciate that you want to go along, but I think you and Amy should stay here and help with the children. You’ve already done your part, and I’m grateful.”