Jumping down the last three steps, the kids joined the adults around the table where Rosie had placed the cake alongside a few gifts wrapped in an assortment of newspaper.
Caitlin beamed.
A couple candles sat in a small jar next to the cake. Rosie had learned the hard way that the large candles they used for light destroyed the cake and made a huge waxy mess.
Megan started to sing Happy Birthday and the others joined in.
“Blow out the candles and make a wish,” Megan instructed her daughter.
Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut, made a silent wish and blew. When Ryland asked her what she wished for, she looked at him as if he was crazy.
“I can't tell you or it won't come true!”
Everyone laughed. Megan loved that they could still have these moments. They were very fortunate. Most people didn't even know what day it was let alone have the luxury of being able to celebrate anything. Every birthday they celebrated meant so much more than it had before the collapse. Every year they survived was a huge feat and it wasn't to be taken for granted. Wyatt had been insistent that they keep track of the days, partly as a means to track the time of year for plantings but also to give them a certain level of normalcy in a world gone dark.
When the solar flares came causing the electromagnetic pulse to take out the power, chaos had instantly ensued; dividing the world into us and them. Those who were prepared or had the means to take care of themselves, survived. Those who didn’t quickly became fodder for those willing to take what they wanted in order to survive at any cost.
Megan had done the best she could with her daughter but she wasn’t sure they would have survived the last six months if it wasn’t for the love and generosity of the Morris family. Sadly, it had come at a cost, but things were turning around and they’d happily welcomed the two of them into their home and their lives.
“Who wants cake?” Rosie asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Everyone raised their hand and Caitlin jumped up and down waving her hand shouting, “Me, me, me.”
Megan wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of eating what Rosie referred to as her spin on a cake from a scratch recipe without eggs or sugar. But Willow and Rosie were convinced that with a few tweaks, they could make it into a sweet treat that would satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.
Instead of using traditional cornmeal, they used one and three-quarters cup of whole-wheat flour and while they still had some brown sugar left, instead of the typical one cup, they only added enough to sweeten the dough. Two teaspoons baking powder gave the cake some fluffiness and a splash of vanilla, one-half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of cinnamon added to the flavor.
They had to use powdered milk for the binder instead of eggs, which would leave the cake a little flat, but it was all they had. They had used an additional cup of applesauce in place of a stick of butter and added some chopped hazelnuts they’d been able to forage to round out the treat. It wasn't a traditional cake by any means, but more of a sticky sweet-bread.
Rosie quickly cut the cake and handed out the plates. While everyone ate, Caitlin unwrapped her gifts.
She whooped with glee when she opened the gift from Albert. It was a .22 caliber Crickett youth rifle. Albert had found the gun some months back and had carefully restored it. Wyatt had personalized the gun by carving a stylized, “C.W.” in the stock.
The rifle was a typical beginner rifle for a child. Megan remembered her own dad giving her a Crickett when she was Caitlin's age. She was so grateful that the tradition could be handed down, even in these difficult times.
Caitlin ran her hands over the carved lettering before hugging it like a doll.
“Can we go hunting?” she piped up as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.
Megan laughed, “Not at this very moment, but we can go first thing in the morning.”
Caitlin clapped her hands, excitedly.
The group had already decided it would be only Caitlin and Megan going. They needed some mother-daughter time. Living in such close quarters meant they were rarely alone. Jack and Willow would often take Ryland out hunting or scouting. It was a way for them to maintain their family unit and get a little privacy.
Wyatt and Megan had made it a point to spend time together both with Caitlin and without her. Starting a new relationship was never easy, but trying to do so under the watchful eyes of seven other people was difficult to say the least.
Megan watched as Caitlin took a bite of her cake. Her daughter swallowed without even chewing. The cake wasn't so bad Megan thought as she took a bite. Maybe a little too sticky. She wondered if it might taste better having been toasted a bit on the stove. Caitlin's hand kept disappearing under the table. Megan watched as she slowly tore off pieces of the cake and fed Duke who was patiently waiting below. Duke certainly liked the cake.
Caitlin noticed her mom watching her and quickly stopped feeding the dog under the table. Megan knew trips into town for supplies would probably stop as soon as the snow started to fall. It was unlikely they would find chocolate, sugar, or any of the other treats they were longing for. They were going to have to make do with what they had. Caitlin would learn to adjust.
The rest of the evening was spent playing Caitlin’s favorite game, Twister. Each scouting trip had yielded another deck of cards or some new board game. Chase had come across an empty Twister box, so they decided to make their own using a patched tarp, some paint, and markers for the circles and they made the roulette using the box lid and an electric clock hand.
The group’s matriarch, Rosie, along with Albert, declared themselves too old to play so they took turns spinning the dial and cheering everyone on while the rest of the group broke up into teams of four with Caitlin playing on both teams since it was her birthday.
“Left foot, red,” Rosie called out.
“Hey, you aren’t supposed to slide under me, Caitlin. What happens if I fall?” Chase demanded but Caitlin only giggled.
“You better not crush my daughter,” Megan warned, as she laughed.
“Damn, my legs are shaking. Rosie, hurry up and call the next one,” Chase called out.
“Right hand green,” Rosie called out again, coughing to mask her laugh.
“Now, you did that on purpose! How am I supposed to reach that with Jack in my way?” Chase demanded.
“Well, considering you’re the Jolly Green Giant, well..., not so jolly, I believe you can manage just fine,” Jack laughingly told him as he shifted into a position to make it harder for Chase to reach a green circle.
There was significant jostling and declarations of cheating if anyone shifted position. When Chase finally settled, his feet slipped out from under him and he went crashing down on top of Jack to a chorus of “Owws” from both men and much laughter.
Megan wiped her eyes, she’d been laughing so hard before finally declaring it was time for bed, which Willow quickly seconded. Both kids grumbled about wanting to stay up later, until Megan reminded Caitlin about tomorrow.
“I can’t wait to try out my new rifle,” Caitlin said excitedly as the kids ran up the stairs to get ready for bed.
Kissing her daughter good night, Megan headed to the bedroom she shared with Wyatt. Crawling into bed, she nestled against Wyatt as he pulled her in close.
“You sure you don't want me to go with you guys tomorrow? I can hang back. You won't even know I'm there,” Wyatt asked in the dark.
Megan sighed, “I would actually like you to go, but I think I need to spend some time with her.”
He was silent for a while before answering, “She’s been doing well with everything that’s happened but there is a lot to adjust to. She is sharing her mom, inherited a brother, and a pretty big family all at once. Then, of course, all the other crap she’s had to deal with at the hands of that terrorist who poisoned her.”
The thought of what her life would have been like had Kyle Grice actually killed Caitlin six months back still gave Megan nightmares. They had
managed to live through the EMP and the aftermath only to be nearly killed by a fanatic intent on becoming some new world leader. If it hadn't been for Wyatt and his family, they would have been killed.
“She adores Ryland and I haven’t figured out if it’s part crush or mostly that he’s the big brother, she never knew she wanted.”
“Maybe a bit of both.”
“There must be something wrong with me because, sometimes I miss the days when it was only the two of us. Don’t get me wrong. I love it here. We both do but there are times where it all seems so overwhelming.”
“You forget, I lived alone,” Wyatt offered, squeezing her in a hug. “It can be overwhelming for me too because unless we’re out hunting or scavenging, it doesn’t seem like we’re ever alone around here.”
“Thank you for understanding.” Megan kissed him before rolling over and closing her eyes.
3
Megan heard the annoying sound of her alarm clock and thought about smashing it against the floor. Why did they think it was a good idea to bring those horrible, vintage style, clocks home? Between the overly loud ticking and that hammer on the two bells…no, a hammer would be a better choice.
Wyatt poked her in the side, “Better get up. She'll never forgive you.”
She groaned, “Ugh, I want to stay right here.”
She had grown accustomed to waking up next to Wyatt's big, warm body every morning. She couldn't wait until winter when they could sleep in and cuddle under the warm blankets. It seemed like they never got enough time to lie in bed doing nothing.
Wyatt was always up early, which got Megan up long before she wanted to. The days were getting shorter and Megan was secretly very thankful for that. The time in their room together was something she relished. She loved having him all to herself. She didn't have to be Caitlin's mom and he didn't have to be the leader of their group. It was just the two of them. They could let down their guards and simply be.
“Mom,” Caitlin whispered through the door.
Megan knew there was no going back to sleep. She was surprised Caitlin was up. Usually she had to drag her out of bed. Clearly, the girl was excited to go hunting with her own gun.
“I'm coming, Cait. Give me a minute.”
Wyatt rolled back to the other side, “Have fun. I'll be here all warm and toasty.”
Megan stood, grabbed her pillow, and threw it at him.
Dressing quickly in her cargo pants with multiple pockets and a long-sleeved, green, thermal shirt, she pulled a brush through her hair before sweeping it up into a ponytail. They had scored an entire wardrobe for everyone when they happened upon a warehouse. She would never forget that day.
She and Wyatt had gone on an extended scouting excursion. They happened upon an industrial part of the city of Spokane. There were warehouses that looked uninviting and unappealing but they went in anyway. She wasn't sure which stores the warehouses supplied but they were all very well-dressed now.
The warm boot socks felt good on her feet. It was the one thing they didn't skimp on. They didn't completely wipe out the warehouse, not wanting to horde it all, but they did grab more than one hundred pairs of socks in various weights and sizes. Their feet had to be taken care of. It was the one rule Wyatt enforced. They did far too much walking to let their feet be ignored.
Megan leaned over and gave Wyatt another kiss before heading out to join her daughter whom she found sitting on one of the bar stools, swinging her legs back and forth impatiently.
“Finally! Mom, you said we had to go early.”
Megan laughed, “It is early. We can't see when it is this dark anyway. Do you want some oatmeal or something before we go?”
Caitlin rolled her eyes, “I'm not hungry. I'm ready to go, now.”
Megan looked wistfully at the coffee pot. She wasn't going to get a cup this morning. Hopefully, Caitlin would grow tired and they would be back home by nine or ten.
“Okay, got your boots on?”
Waving her feet in front of the stool, “Yep, see?” Caitlin then jumped off the chair, “I'll grab my coat and gun.”
Megan had been working with Caitlin all summer. She knew gun safety and was comfortable holding a gun and even firing one. She had been out with the others when they were hunting for birds and she’d become quite deft at setting both snare traps and with some difficulty, deadfall traps, but this would be her first time hunting for larger game. With the fall rut season about to happen, she was ready.
They bundled up and put on the fanny packs they had packed the night before. The fanny packs were great for keeping things like their flashlights, knives, and whistle at hand. Each of the packs had twelve pockets, which allowed them to keep their gear organized and easy to find.
A small pouch on the side held their plastic water bottles. Metal canteens were a huge no no in the hunting world. The water jostling against the metal sides was too loud and would alert the game they were hunting to their presence.
Megan planned to stick close to the cabin so she’d opted to leave her heavy pack behind since they had the basic survival gear in their fanny packs. Megan knew it wasn't the safest idea but she didn't plan to leave the property. The fifty acres Wyatt's family owned meant they rarely had to venture into other territories.
“Okay, you ready?” Megan asked already knowing the answer. Caitlin was getting frustrated with Megan checking and rechecking gear.
“Yes, mom. Can we go now?”
“I'm good. Let's go!”
They left out the back door. Today's goal was more about teaching Caitlin some of the basic skills needed to hunt successfully. She doubted they would find any game; much less do any actual hunting or shooting.
If they came across a flock of turkeys, that would be a good test of Caitlin's new rifle. Ryland had been out several times in the past couple months and had managed to harvest four turkeys on his own plus what the guys were able to kill. They had been eating turkey regularly for the past three months or so and while it was nice to have fresh meat, it was getting a little boring.
The wild turkeys were prolific in the area, which meant they had a reliable source of food and they were careful not to over hunt the population. Although they were a little tired of turkey soup, turkey pie or turkey-anything, it was food. They’d discussed possibly raising turkeys for both eggs and meat but they’d yet been able to spare the materials needed to build the coop much less produce the crops needed to feed them.
As they walked towards the north mountain ridge, Megan kept her eyes open for any signs of Big Horned Sheep. She suspected they would be in the area, but she had yet to see one but both deer and moose would likely be seen in the area within the next month or so. Megan loved to watch the magnificent creatures and she knew that bringing down a bull moose could possibly feed everyone for up to a year if they only had the means to store it. There would be only so much jerky they could handle.
Megan thought back to when she had decided to run away and leave Wyatt. Although it was a mistake to leave, she was glad she had. They would have never known Kyle was on his way to ambush them if she hadn't gotten cold feet and bolted. This was the first time she had been back to the area where they had first heard Kyle's evil plan.
At the cabin, they had been working on how to lure in deer using antlers they had picked up. They didn't have the luxury of going to the outdoor store to buy an actual deer call. So they had to do it the old-fashioned way. Caitlin was pretty good at making the tell-tale grunting sound that mimicked a buck and they practiced as they walked.
It had been entertaining teaching the men how to grunt like a buck on the trail of a doe. There had been more laughter than actual grunting but they eventually got it worked out. Megan explained how important timing was. They were trying to imitate the sounds of two bucks fighting over a doe. There had to be grunting and then about twenty seconds of antler rattling.
When the full rut season was in swing, usually in early winter, the rattling would be more intense. An occasion
al snort followed by two loud exhales of breath was meant to sound like two bucks in a serious brawl. The sound would draw in another buck who was hoping to get in on the action.
Megan had stressed the importance of making the right sounds. There were plenty of black bears in the area. The bears would come running if the calls happened to sound like a wounded animal. While a bear would definitely provide a lot of meat, much like moose, Megan didn't like the risks. Wyatt and Jack were mulling over the idea but for now, they were going to stick with deer.
Caitlin had heard wolves one night and had been perfecting her wolf calls as well. The entire group marveled at how good she was mimicking the various animal sounds. She was a natural.
“You ready to try calling?” Megan asked, knowing Caitlin was dying to put her grunting sounds to the test.
“Yep.”
They found some trees to hide in, in case they did actually manage to call in a buck. Megan reminded Caitlin how to hold her gun, with her finger on the stock and not on the trigger. If a buck came into sight, she needed to be ready to take the shot.
The shot had to be perfect. Caitlin knew to aim behind the elbow. Hitting the deer in the belly or backside would destroy the meat. It was a small target, but Caitlin had been practicing over the summer and had become quite proficient. Megan knew that a .22 LR wasn’t the best choice for hunting especially if Caitlin missed the killshot but truth be told, she was really hoping that they wouldn’t find anything today. As much as she knew her daughter needed to grow up far more rapidly than she would like, she wasn’t quite ready for her baby girl to kill a deer.
Caitlin stayed alert and did an excellent job of not talking. She scanned the tree line and listened for any sign that a buck was coming into the area. After about an hour of calling and waiting and calling again, Caitlin grew bored.
“I'm hungry,” she pouted.
Megan sighed, “So am I. We should have eaten before we left.”
She checked her watch. It was almost nine, which meant they had already been out for three hours. Caitlin lasted longer than she thought she would have.
Dark Hunt (EMP Lodge Series Book 2) Page 2
