Amitola: The Making of a Tribe

by A. Grant Richard

  He gave him a nod and picked up the basket. Charlie put his hand on the door and turned to look at Caleb. “Oh, and son, don’t tell her what I told you. It’s likely she has no idea why she was okay with letting you tag along and telling her it’s because you could wrangle her wouldn’t exactly be smart even if it is true. We understand each other?”

  He shook his head yes and climbed the structure to remove the cover from the solar panels. He needed to do something to process all that Charlie had just said, and they’d need to absorb all the rays they could get once the sun came up. As it was there was very little sun to go around these days.

  Charlie brought the remaining clothes into the shelter. He was content. It relieved him that Maia and the kids would have someone else to help look out for them. He’d tried to do it himself many times, but he knew his limitations. He couldn’t physically fight, and he wasn’t skilled with a weapon. His greatest asset was his ability to blend in with the crowds and gather information for them and help them plot out plans for survival. These guys could do what he couldn’t. Besides, at sixty-eight years old he figured he didn’t have as much time to offer as they did.

  Chapter Nine

  The weather had become more unpredictable than a two-year-old in a toy store. According to the last of the leading experts, the series of events that led to the world’s damnation had caused a flash heating of the earth’s surface and air then the cooling process began. That’s when the radically altered atmosphere created a shield blocking the sun’s rays. Most of the northwestern US and Canada were in the dark and below freezing temperatures. South Louisiana was just out of the scope of the worst the Yellowstone eruption had to offer, but there were sporadic clouds of ash and sun tampering caused by the weather’s rotation. Simply put, Mother Nature didn’t know what to do with herself.

  Since the first day, they’d dealt with lightning storms, flash floods, acid rain, entire cities burning to the ground, dry spells, and an out of character, cool summer. In Louisiana, they rarely had chilly winters. Then there were the days when it wouldn’t stop raining. It may have been a pain sometimes, but it was welcome. After the rain finally ceased there would be at least two to three days of bandana free time outdoors. It wasn’t until the ground and ash dried up again that wind and motion would cause it to stir, which consequently, polluted the air all over again.

  That night Mother Nature decided on a rerun of the night before. Around four in the morning, it became impossible for any of them to sleep. Well, except Elex. Charlie convinced himself the kid was deaf and blind. He apparently couldn’t feel vibrations either. It was that, or he was one of those babies who was put in the car seat and left on the washing machine during the spin cycle. The car seat theory would explain a lot, but Caleb denied any such thing ever took place. Charlie wasn’t buying it.

  Caleb sat up in bed trying to figure out what was going on. Charlie said, “Hey, spin cycle, put on those bobos and grab that flashlight. Go out the main door,” he pointed in the general direction, “bang a left past the side of the house, and you’ll find what looks like an old freezer. It’s not. Open it and bring me two of those 12-volt batteries.”

  “Is that your best Boston slang cause if so, we need to work on it,” he teased.

  Charlie just grinned and turned his attention to Tye, “The solar panels need covering again. This wind is gonna tear ‘em up if we don’t. Take Junior with you and tackle that for me.”

  “You need me to do anything, Charlie?” Maia asked, still attempting to sleep amidst the chaos.

  “Just rest your pretty little head, darlin’.”

  Oh, how she loved Charlie. When he was around, she didn’t want for much. He offered anything that was within his power to give. It reminded her of the times her dad was home on leave. He could pack a season of memories into only four days, and she cherished them all. Her experience with her father was one of the main reasons she had faith that she could thrive as a military wife. It never occurred to her that while her dad was creating a memorable childhood for her and her three brothers that her mom may be sacrificing her time with him. That revelation became all too clear once her second son was born.

  She drifted off into memories of Lance being home on leave and sneaking into their bedroom after he’d put the boys to bed. She’d pretend to be sleeping so he’d make an attempt to wake her. It was one of her favorite things.

  She would lie in wait while he crawled under the covers and molded his body perfectly with hers and then he’d whisper, “Good night. Sweet dreams. I love you.” Then he would caress her arms and hips and eventually when she could no longer resist...her lips. She’d turn over to greet him; they’d kick the covers off then slowly and passionately, they’d get to know one another all over again.

  Maia drifted in and out of sleep. Sometimes she would wake up and not remember where she was. Tonight was one of those nights. It was hot, and the symphony of snores was enough to drive a person mad. In between waking up and dozing off she thought about what she was going to do about her new friends. There were several empty houses near the place they were staying. Maybe they could live there? But what about Sadie’s safety? She couldn’t sacrifice that. Then she thought about how nice it would be to have some help at their place. She just didn’t know if she trusted them that much yet.

  During the short periods when she was able to sleep; her mind betrayed her. Images of Lance peeking through the gravel as they buried him. The agony of pulling the trigger and watching the life fade from someone she knew. The helplessness she experienced after Gabe's kidnapping. All were things she wanted to forget.

  Caleb woke up early. He rarely slept more than five hours, and even with all of the chaos last night he’d gotten plenty. He sat up and checked on Elex who was still asleep beside them. He grinned thinking about how difficult it had been for both of them to sleep in that tiny bunk bed. Elex’s legs and arms stretched out in every direction but vertical. Still, he couldn’t help but be thankful that his son was still with him. He couldn’t fathom what it would be like if he were gone and he never wanted to find out.

  Directly across from him on the other bottom bunk was Maia. Last night when Caleb and Charlie came in from talking she was already in bed. Tye told them that they’d talked for a while and she cried herself to sleep on the couch. Charlie seemed pleased. He said she’d barely mentioned Lance much less mourned losing him. Charlie looked over at Tye and told him she needed them more than he knew. Then he thanked them both for being there for her.

  Tye had carried her to bed and covered her up, but sometime during the night, she’d kicked the covers off. Caleb pulled them back over her and smiled. He didn’t know what it was about her, but in less than twenty-four hours she’d won him over. He was glad they were all together now, especially after talking with Charlie, and he was determined to do whatever it took to give them a new start.

  He crept along the small shelter, careful not to wake anyone up though Tye stirred. The old man was still snoozing logs on the couch, so he took a seat at the desk. He grabbed his pen and pocket notebook and began writing all of the things that were on his mind. This was his morning ritual.

  He had been an information hoarder for as long as he could remember. When he was old enough to start working for his father, he realized that by putting all of his thoughts on paper it was easier for him to prioritize and plan. He wouldn’t forget anything that way either. He was just finishing up his list of questions to ask Maia when Tye joined him.

  “How much do you know about where Maia and the kids are staying?”

  “She hasn’t said much, and I haven’t asked. It just hasn’t come up yet,” Tye replied.

  “I need to see it on a map. We find out how far it is and make sure we bring enough supplies for the trip. We need to know where they’re staying and what the positives and negatives are. Then we’ll decide if we need to relocate. I can’t plan otherwise,” Caleb said tossing his pen onto the desk.

  “I know. I just
want to get her, and the kids somewhere safe and then be able to stock up on what we need and train everyone to protect themselves and each other. Then I have to find Lanie and Gabe. I’ll keep going out until we get some good intel that leads me to them. Maybe then we can have some peace.”

  Maia had woken up earlier when she heard Tye come out of the bathroom. She didn’t move or say anything. Mornings just weren’t her thing. She had every intention of falling back asleep until she heard the two of them talking. She listened intently. She hated that she was still leery, especially now. She made a mental note of all of the things she planned to let them know today. The rest she would wait to share until it became necessary. Realizing it was impossible to fall back to sleep, she climbed out of bed.

  “Well, there’s the sunshine,” Caleb said after she stumbled out of the bathroom, still wiping the sleep from her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to have some moisturizer. Or some eye drops.

  “Good morning, gorgeous,” Tye said smiling, knowing she was about to throw some sarcastic remark back at him.

  “Dang, you two are easy to train. A couple more days and you’ll be boyfriend material,” she joked.

  “It only took a day for me,” Charlie said, never opening his eyes.

  “Haha. I’m married. Thanks anyway,” Caleb replied holding up his hand to show off his wedding band.

  She gave Tye a side hug then looked at Caleb. “Do you know where she is? Your wife?”

  He welcomed her hands on his shoulders. It warmed him that she cared.

  He hesitated before answering. “She was on a flight here from New York when Yellowstone erupted. I talked to her a couple of hours later, but the phone kept cutting out. I know for sure she said the plane made an emergency landing and my dad found someone who would bring her to Baton Rouge. She made me promise not to leave here under any circumstances.” He shuffled his notes around. “I tried to call back, but the phones finally quit. Twice she posted updates on social media telling me to stay put; she was on her way. So, no, I have no idea where she is now, but I don’t want to leave here in case she shows up. I leave signs everywhere we go hoping she’ll see them when she gets here.”

  Maia wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a tight squeeze. She kissed the top of his head where his hair was beginning to thin and pulled his chin up so he would look at her. “She’ll get here. She has to,” she said.

  “Thank you,” he replied not knowing whether or not he believed it. He’d known for some time that the chances of her surviving or escaping capture were slim. Even though it had been nearly five months, he kept holding on to the hope that she would show up. It was what drove him. It was why he continued to plan.

  He reminded himself that she made him promise not to look for her. He had to trust that his dad made proper arrangements and she would be here soon. Besides, he couldn’t drag Elex all over looking for her especially when he didn’t even know where to start looking. His son had to be his priority. None of that made him feel any better though.

  Maia put her finger on the list of questions he had written.“Do you want to talk about all of this now or do you want to wait?”

  “The sooner, the better. Once I know what we’re working with, I can start planning. I doubt we can get out of here today, but hopefully tomorrow we can be on our way.”

  The weather tormented them. The wind caused the reinforced platform above the shelter to moan. Violent clouds crowded the sky turning the day into darkness. The only semblance of light came from bolts of lightning that set fire to the charged particles in the ash-laden atmosphere. It nearly lit up the shelter by forcing its way into the small opening reserved for the air purifier.

  She could tell by the dimness of the lights that Charlie had switched to the backup energy source. She grabbed a pan and a spoon from the cabinet and found a box of grits. She’d have to wrap the pan in foil so the water would boil but that was all she could see in the cabinet. She’d have to talk to him about it at some point.

  “All right guys let’s get some breakfast in our bellies and then we’ll talk. All we have are instant grits, so I hope that’s okay.”

  Tye was all over it. “I know you’re not asking me. It doesn’t get any better than grits for breakfast.”

  Mornings were busy in the Agosta home, so anything instant became a staple, including grits. However, on the weekends, Tye usually woke early to make breakfast for his lovely bride and their offspring. The morning of Judgement Day, the whole family sat around the table gobbling up the waffles he’d made. He smiled remembering how Troy had eaten several by himself. They were excited about their plans for the day, and Beth, she had a glow about her. He remembered thinking about how beautiful she looked that morning.

  “Earth to Tye, come in Tye,” Caleb said.

  “What?”

  “Bacon,” Caleb remarked. “Bacon is better than everything else.”

  “No, waffles are,” Tye replied with a smile.

  After breakfast, it was time for business. Maia was nearly finished rinsing grits out of the bowls when Caleb began asking questions. Running her fingers over the surface of the dish to make sure a rebellious grit hadn’t evaded her, she began articulating her response.

  “Where we are is safe. We have friendly neighbors, and it’s secluded, almost an island because of the way the water settled. It's nearly impossible to stumble upon,” she said, giving way to her thoughts for a moment. “Like I said, it’s safe. But, because of all the obstacles, it’s at least three days walk from here.”

  All eyes were on her. They were eager to hear more about this safe place.

  "Well," Caleb said.

  Maia's eyes lit up. "It’s a small town called Amitola."

  Caleb scanned his map. He found it outside of Baton Rouge.

  "Amitola," Tye repeated as he scanned the area on the map.

  “When you say safe, what does that mean exactly?” Tye asked.

  “You can only get there by boat or through the two blocks of dry land hidden by the railroad yard, but even that is nearly hidden because of all the farmland and woods. There are a couple hundred people, mostly men, who are still there and they rotate shifts every night walking the perimeter. Since this all began, we’ve only seen a handful of people even get close, and only one them wandered in. Other people have been brought in by the guys that live there though.”

  “So, you and the kids stay in a house or an apartment complex, what?” Caleb asked.

  She thought for a second, then replied, “We're in a building in the center of town.”

  Caleb shook the map to straighten it then he grimaced. “What kind of building? Dentist office? Strip club? Cat food factory? What?” He asked, sensing that she was holding something back.

  She looked back and forth between them knowing she was going to tell them, but her protective instincts kept overriding her intellect. She didn’t mean to hide anything. It was her natural response to what she’d been through. She hoped they wouldn’t take it personally.

  “Tye, you know that when Lance finally retired last year, he took a job at that private psych hospital they started building, right?”

  He put away the bowl he’d finished drying. Surprised, he focused his attention on her and asked, “That’s where you’re staying? The new Mental Health Facility? The one that was in the news?”

  “Yes, but don’t get all excited,” she said, her hand stretched out. “It wasn’t finished. It’s a shell with minimal accommodations at best. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a thousand times better than where most people are staying, but it’s not like we’re living high on the hog over there.”

  “What do you have?” Caleb asked pen in hand.

  “I’m going to tell you but please don’t write it down,” she replied.

  “Why?”

  “Because if you get caught, or somebody steals your bag and finds it, you’ve given them a roadmap to a shelter with a full list of amenities most people would kill to have.”

  He su
cked in his bottom lip and shook his head in agreement. He dropped the pen and paper and asked her to continue.

  “Obviously, because it is a secure building we have several means of protecting ourselves from outsiders. The doors are secure. Nobody is getting in.”

  Caleb rubbed his jaw. “That’s why you’re not crazy worried about leaving the girls.”

  “Exactly, I know they’re safe. Then there are more doors with locks throughout the facility. Where we sleep is one wing, with girls on one side and boys on the other. There’s plenty of rooms. We lock both sides at night. And like I said, my friends, Danny and Shelly stay with them when I’m gone.”

  “Awesome!” Tye said checking off one of his main concerns. He didn’t want to admit it, but he’d been worried about bringing his daughter into a home with a bunch of hormonal teenage boys. Locking her up at night wasn’t such a bad idea before the end of the world, but now he could do it, and she might even thank him for it.

  She picked up all of the grits wrappers and tossed them in the trash bag. “We have a reverse osmosis water filtration system, and we allow the neighbors to use it since their water went out months ago. Sometimes we have to fill the water source manually, but they help. We have solar panels too, but we don’t have anyone there that understands how it all works, and sometimes the power will go out for hours then just come back on randomly. It could be because we aren’t getting enough sunlight though.”