Beauty and Dread

by Nicki Huntsman Smith

  “Just the most beautiful woman in the world, Angel Girl.”

  She paused between bites to give him one of her breathtaking smiles that felt like sunshine breaking through the clouds.

  “You’re not so bad yourself, my dear. So what’s on the agenda for today?”

  “Bed rest for you and work for me at the greenhouse. I also want to break ground on our own garden in the backyard. With winter approaching, it won’t be much, but I can get some cabbage and spinach in and rig up a tent with plastic sheeting. Steven gave me some seeds from his seed bank. You’d think they were made of gold. Anyway, your job is to get well.”

  Jessie snickered at Pablo from across the table.

  “What? What’s so funny?”

  “I’m not staying in that bed another minute. Jessie and I have a deal. We’re going to get some things done together today. We’ll keep an eye on each other, right, Jessie? She’ll make sure I don’t overdo, and I’ll make sure she doesn’t have to be alone again. Like in that place where we found her.” She gave him a pointed look.

  When he began to protest, she raised her hand to cut him off.

  “No arguing. I feel good, and I think it would do wonders for my mental and emotional well-being if I got out today. As much as I love you, you’re not the boss of me just because you have a p-e-n-i-s.”

  “I know I’m not the boss of you, but please be sensible. You’ve had a devastating head injury. It’s a miracle that you’re even alive. Who knows what that bullet did in there?”

  “You mean besides give me mad clairvoyant skills?”

  Pablo frowned. The vision Maddie had seen in Oklahoma was the reason they were in Kansas, but witnessing her in the throes of it had been a disturbing experience – one he hoped not to have again.

  “You haven’t seen anything else have you?”

  “You worry too much. If I told you every time I had one, you’d freak out.”

  “Damn it, Maddie. When did they happen? What did you see? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “For precisely this reason,” she replied with a grin. “You’re a worrier and a fretter, Pablo. It’s cute, but it can be exhausting.” She took an enormous bite of canned peaches. They had brought all their food with them, but it wouldn’t last long. And the town was a picked-clean Thanksgiving turkey carcass; once their personal provisions were exhausted, he would have to go scavenging or beg food from Steven, a notion he did not relish.

  “It’s my job. I won’t lose you again.”

  “You won’t. Please just back off a little. I’m a big girl and did manage to survive much of this past year without you.”

  “I’m painfully aware of that.”

  “Don’t read too much into that. I’m just making a point. I know my body better than you do, and at this moment it’s telling me to gobble up everything in sight and get some exercise.”

  He couldn’t deny the evidence of her renewed health; he had never seen her eat with such enthusiasm.

  “Fine. I’ll back off, but not too far. Now tell me about the visions.”

  “Alfred is dead. I saw him in a dream the night we arrived here.”

  He nodded. It wasn’t an earth-shattering revelation. The old man with whom they had shared an evening in Arizona had been in his eighties or nineties. His food and water had been running low and when they ran out, he wouldn’t replace them. ‘That will be the end of Alfred,’ were the old man’s words.

  “Did he tell you he was dead in the vision?”

  “No, I just knew. I saw him on the motel bed. He wasn’t breathing.”

  “That’s not too bad, right? We expected that.”

  She shook her head. “No, but it was sad. There’s more though.” Her face turned dreamy and the fork paused in mid-air, a dangling peach slice impaled on its tines. “He was dead, but his spirit wasn’t gone. I could hear his voice in my head saying there was someone to fear. ‘Malicious, malevolent, malignant, this one.’ That’s what he said.”

  “He didn’t say who it was?”

  She blinked rapidly a few times, then continued the peach slice’s journey to her mouth. “No, I don’t think so,” she said between bites. “I got the impression the bad guy was far away but not that far, you know?”

  “That’s pretty vague.”

  “I don’t think psychic visions are inherently specific.”

  “Sorry. What else?”

  “He said the man would rule the world or see it burn.”

  Pablo gave a low whistle. “That sounds ominous.”

  She shrugged. “Yes, but Alfred said I would know him when I saw him, so let’s just tuck this away for now. Maybe I’ll be able to feel his presence if he gets close. We can’t fret about every little thing, especially if we can’t control it.”

  He nodded, but his stomach churned. Now in addition to everything else, he would have to worry about some new-age Hitler wreaking havoc in their would-be ordered society.

  “Anything else?”

  She didn’t meet his eyes when she shook her head. He knew dissembling when he saw it. There was something else, but she would not tell him when until she was ready. That was her way.

  Jessie had been staring at Maddie with those huge green eyes. “Do you hear voices during the day when you’re awake?” she asked.

  “No, sweetheart. Just the voices in my visions, and mostly those happen at night when I’m asleep. Except for that first time.”

  The dark head nodded slowly.

  “Are you worried about the monsters?” Maddie put her fork down and reached for the small hands.

  “Yes, but not as much as when I was in the store.”

  “That’s good. I bet over time those monsters will get quieter and quieter.”

  “Maybe,” the child said after a long moment.

  “I’m sure of it. Now let’s not talk about scary stuff. It’s a beautiful morning and we have errands to run.” She winked. Jessie grinned and returned the wink with a cartoonish version. Pablo rolled his eyes in exasperation.

  “If you insist on getting out, just be careful. Take your bag with the knife and stay where there are people around. Is it asking too much to expect you home before sundown?”

  Maddie stood and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Not too much at all, my good man. We’ll probably beat you home. We’re going to need more water. We have enough bottles to last,” a quick gaze up at the ceiling as the mental calculator worked the math, “six days. And only enough food to last two weeks. Less if I keep eating like a horse. Bruno and Curly Sue are almost out of Alpo. We’ll have to feed them out of our own food soon if we don’t get more. And there’s only two more cans of tuna for the kitten.”

  “Duly noted. I’ll talk to people this morning and see what the protocol is for procuring supplies. If we’re going to live here, we’ll have to adapt to their system. I think I’ll sign up for the HG Crew.”

  “The hunter gatherers? That’s cool. I think I’d like that too when I’m a little better.”

  Pablo bit his tongue. He was about to say, “No way. It’s too dangerous.” But he was learning. He would address the issue in a non-confrontational manner when the time came. In the meantime, he would encourage her to work in an area without such innate risk. Perhaps the medical or greenhouse crew.

  The thought of their safety – Maddie’s safety – was always at the forefront of his mind. Liberty seemed relatively safe considering everything. There were security measures in place that included a few strategically-placed battery-operated cameras which transmitted to a central monitoring station running off Steven’s windmill power. The security crew also performed regular perimeter checks utilizing bicycles and a few Vespa motor scooters. Of course once the gas ran out, they would be forced to concoct some kind of alternative fuel for their combustion engines, or revert to horse power – the type that ate and pooped. Almost everyone except Steven’s family had moved to homes near the cooperative greenhouse in the town square for reasons of proximity...a kind of wagon-circl
ing. It was easier to protect people if they were close together.

  Still, these measures seemed rice-paper thin when he thought about it. But would they be any safer by themselves on a farm in Oklahoma? Especially now that winter was almost upon them? In addition to the threat of ruthless, hungry people, they would need to stay warm and fed. There was safety in numbers and efficiency in distributing the labor among specialized groups rather than everyone doing all those countless mundane tasks for themselves. At the least, they would remain through the winter. Come spring, they would reassess the situation and decide where their future lay. He just wished the level-headed Amelia would be part of that process. He had resented her in the beginning, seeing her as a burden and an additional person with whom he must share his Maddie. Now he would give his last package of M&Ms to have her back.

  Chapter 5

  Central Kansas

  Many hundreds of feet below the desolate flat terrain of a decaying wheat field, a small group gathered in what the surface-dwellers would consider a type of communal dining hall. The people, sitting or reclining on the objects which adapted for the comfort of the individual, shared a similar expression of anxiety. It was the face of an emotion that had changed little over the millions of years that humanoids had lived on the earth.

  “Are you sure about this? It seems premature to be contemplating such extreme action.” The man who spoke was small in stature, as they all were, and had almond-shaped eyes. He wore a frown between the sparse black eyebrows. None of the surface dwellers would have understood his ancient language.

  A woman with gray strands woven throughout her long dark hair replied. “Yes. They chose to share with me since I had been so long among the current humans and could offer the detail they require.” In addition to worry, fatigue was also evident on the brown-skinned face. Her body had not received the sleep it craved and required to rejuvenate itself.

  “But there are many wondrous specimens amongst the survivors,” the man continued. “We haven’t had adequate time to recruit after the winnowing.”

  The woman’s eyes were as sad as they were kind. “Yes, but there is an unexpected element.”

  “The savage ones,” the man said.

  “Yes. It was...unforeseen.”

  Everyone nodded in understanding. Most had spent time on the surface during the last earth-sun cycle and had seen the savagery first hand. The alarming, violent behavior of a portion of the surviving surface-dwellers had been a source of concern.

  “But they’re not all that way. Surely we must be allowed the time to separate the wheat from the chaff.” It was an arcane term but an appropriate analogy, and it evoked another round of murmured agreement.

  “I said the same, of course. They are taking it under consideration, but I don’t think we have much time to convince them.”

  “Did they give you a date?”

  “No, but I felt it was not too far. Their scythen implied as much.” The word did not exist among the modern languages spoken above, but an approximation of its meaning could be conveyed through a combination of modern terms: collective consciousness and telepathy. Only the most ancient of all those who dwelled below had fully mastered the ability to scythen.

  The almond-shaped eyes gazed at each of those assembled. The man smiled his mysterious smile and said, “It seems we don’t have much time then. Are we in accord?”

  All heads nodded. The woman with the grey-streaked hair sighed.

  “I’d hoped to enjoy a long rest,” she said. Her grin was equal parts weariness and determination.

  Chapter 6

  “It went better than I thought it would,” Steven whispered to Dani as they stood in the courthouse, watching the security crew file in for the meeting.

  She shrugged. Steven’s earlier remark on her lack of diplomacy hadn’t bothered her. She had told him diplomacy was just another word for compromise and pussyfooting, and neither were abilities she was interested in mastering.

  “I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Dani here will be leading your crew. I know she’ll do a great job if her performance in Hays is any indication.”

  “I must have missed the voting process,” a familiar voice said. He knew the speaker; he had changed his dirty diapers in another lifetime. Jeffrey was capable of producing children of his own now – a notion even more disturbing than the recent rebelliousness.

  “It wasn’t a voting situation, Jeffrey. I’m sure you all can understand that. Chuck,” he gestured to the former grocery store manager, “feels he’s not the best person for the job.” The skinny man with the haggard expression nodded in agreement. “This young lady wanted it and provided compelling ideas and strategies for making us all safer.”

  His son shrugged, a gesture which was eerily similar to that of the girl standing beside him. The thought made him glance at his sister who had accompanied Logan to the meeting. They would need the odd young man’s firearms prowess, but nobody seemed to like him much. Steven couldn’t blame them. Those staring gold eyes and the vacant smile unsettled him.

  “Let’s get on with it then. Dani can explain the changes she wants to make. If you have a problem with anything, go to her, not me. I’ve got my hands full with too many duties as it is.”

  He sat down next to Julia and watched Dani take command of the room. Her boyfriend Sam would be a lieutenant of sorts, and nobody seemed to mind that the likeable young man would assume a role that put him in a leadership position too. Even Jeffrey didn’t squawk about a ‘vote.’ The crew consisted of six people in addition to Dani and Sam; its membership had quickly become perceived as a kind of elevated status, but Steven was adamant about not changing its name from ‘security crew’ to ‘police force.’ Participants weren’t obligated to do any other labor-intensive jobs, as were the rest of the townspeople. Their time was devoted solely to keeping everyone else safe, which required proven skills and exhaustive vigilance. Already a plundering attempt by a small group of armed thugs had been thwarted, resulting in the death of one attacker, and a knife wound to one of their own.

  As the confident young woman before him outlined her plans for improving Liberty’s fortifications, he felt a modicum of relief. She was well-suited for the role; her quick brain grappled with the logistics of offensive and defensive strategies like a four-star general. But what made her perfect for the job was her indifferent savagery. She wouldn’t hesitate to destroy anyone who threatened the people she was in charge of protecting.

  ###

  “I don’t think they like me very much, Julia. Maybe I should be on a different crew.”

  “Nonsense, Logan. You’re the best shooter of them all.”

  Julia was angry. Earlier, she had talked to Steven about Logan’s rejection issues, and he assured her he would explain them to Dani. She didn’t know if he had failed to do so, or if Dani’s arrogance precluded her from kindness. During the meeting, she actually referred to him as ‘creeper,’ a nickname soon embraced by the other members of the crew.

  “I don’t think I like the name they gave me. Why didn’t anyone else get a name?”

  “They did, remember? They’re calling the girl with the curly hair Annie Oakley. That’s not her real name. Annie Oakley was a famous sharpshooter back in the Wild West days. See? Creeper is just a fun nickname. I think it means that you’re stealthy.”

  He frowned.

  “Stealthy means you can move about quietly so people don’t see you.”

  “Oh, right. Yes, I can do that.”

  “I think it will take everyone a while to make friends. Just be patient. You proved how well you shoot the other day, didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I’m very good with my guns. I think I like Creeper better than the name the guys at the range called me. The idiot part, I mean.”

  She had heard the story on the drive to Kansas from California. Logan’s so-called friends at the gun range were probably accurate in their assessment, but ‘idiot savant’ was an archaic term and one Julia di
dn’t intend to perpetuate.

  “You’re special in your own way, just as everyone else is in their way.”

  That’s the understatement of the year, she thought as she considered Chicxulub’s survivors. She and Steven had agreed not to tell anyone about her research findings just yet. Thoozy knew, since she had told him on the journey to Liberty, but he promised he would keep it to himself until they figured out the best way to present the information to everyone.

  Logan wore his Ruger on one hip and his revolver on the other, western style. He carried his Sig Sauer tactical rifle in a harness that fit over his shoulders and down his back, keeping it out of the way but still accessible. He moved easily now that his shoulder was almost healed. The antibiotics she had given him had stopped infection from spreading, and the wound appeared surprisingly healthy – more like a month-old injury, not one that had occurred two weeks ago.

  Perhaps the ability to heal quickly was another trait the remaining humans shared. She had observed that, generally speaking, the townspeople were rather more attractive than people had been on average before the plague. She had noticed it right away and was surprised nobody else had. But then she knew more about the survivors and their genetics than any other person on the planet.

  Sometimes that knowledge threatened to overwhelm her. What would or could be done about it? How might they find a reasonable social balance between the fully cognitive gifted and the savants? What about those who had gathered in Hays? The men, and a few women too, seemed to enjoy their unspeakable acts of violence. She remembered the unfamiliar bloodlust she had felt that day after the young man, Pablo, explained the situation. She hadn’t hesitated in allowing her vehicle to be commandeered for the purpose of blowing up a handful of the offenders. And she hadn’t regretted it later when she heard the details of what had been happening in the small town. Had Hays been an isolated group, or were there more of these perverted individuals coming together in bands? The thought terrified her.