Nov 25th
It is mornings like this that a nice hot coffee and eggs over easy would be mighty tasty, but today it will be cold cereal and a juice box. Oh well, we were up early and were on the road by 8. Our goal was to make Burlington area by noon, with maybe a few short stops along the way.
The weather was not bad, it was sunny, but cold, what I would guess to be seasonably cold. The snow cover was really just enough to show tracks from anyone or thing walking in the area. We saw no tracks.
We headed back toward Bennington and then followed Vermont Route 7 north heading toward Rutland. Shortly before we got to Rutland we found another airfield. It was not in bad shape and again could be a drop in point if we needed to use it. The field was clear and the fuel situation seemed to be good. I am not sure what the shelf life is on airplane fuel, but again there was a pretty good amount. There was also some jet fuel available and that meant we would top off the Coyote.
As we crested the hill going into Rutland, we were shocked at the devastation. It had burned. It looked like the entire downtown area had been firebombed. The only buildings that were standing, and even then were only partially standing were some granite churches or municipal type designs.
We were able to make our way to the edge of the burn, and we looked at it. The fire had been a while ago and snow covered the ground and remains of the buildings. It looked like it burned for a long time and just spread from building to building, block to block. It would make sense; there was no fire department left. The only real question was how it started, and we would probably never know.
We worked our way around the town and then continued north. The stop and detour cost us about an hour or so then continued north for another couple of hours and got as far as Middlebury and decided to stop for lunch and then check things out in the town. I will say that Nick and Grace did a nice job of getting us set up for food with some pasta salad. While we were driving we had passed some apple orchards and grabbed apples that had remained on the trees but the cold weather had ruined them and we had to throw them away. I hate seeing food wasted, but in this case, we had no choice.
After Lunch and exploring, in which we found that the area had already been pretty well picked clean, we continued. We headed west and then followed the edge of Lake Champlain north toward Burlington.
The scanners were all still on but we have yet to hear any chatter, or repeating loop or for that matter anything. Perhaps it is just location; perhaps it is there is no one out there. I think there are people in the area. I am still hoping that some of my old cop buddies are around, but really what are the odds.
It was getting dark, about 4:00 PM when we were nearing Burlington. But like before we decided that it would be wiser to hole up outside of town. We have still found no signs of recent activity by the living or the dead but we did not want to drive in the dark because that would require headlights and that would be a signal flare to who knows who.
We found another little B&B Inn type place and settled in. We opted to build a small fire in the hearth, and had a hot meal. By the time we were all finished eating and getting set up it was a little after 7. We settle in to just watch the flames.
“I was abducted by aliens at a very early age,” in a matter of fact tone said Asuna.
“Huh?”
“Yea, when I was about 4 years old, I was in the back yard of my grandparents’ house in Okinawa.”
“Really? What happened?”
“Well, I was playing in the backyard, it was just about dark. I saw a light off in the distance. It was so pretty, it sparkled all different colors. At first it did not seem to move, and then it came closer, and closer. I could tell because it got bigger and bigger.”
At first I was confused, I did not know if she was telling me the truth, and she had really been taken, or if this was a story to occupy time, like my tale of Frieda. She had said that she would tell the next story.
“I ran in the house and hid in my bed. I had the covers over my head, I was so scared I was crying.”
I just listened; it sounded too vivid a memory for a four year old.
“Then it got cold in the room, and I tried to call to my Grandmother, but as hard as I tried to scream, or talk, nothing would come out of my mouth. I was so scared”
As I watched her there was really a strange look in her eye, part of me felt that she was actually reliving an event or maybe she was just really getting into the story.
“Then the covers pulled back, and I was staring at a lizard, a four foot high lizard, kind of a gecko looking thing with the big eyes. He spoke to me in Japanese, and said that he would not hurt me. But he needed me for a little while, he touched me with a little piece of metal and …..”
She was actually in tears at this point.
“I, I, don’t remember any more!” she sobbed, “then I woke up in my bed.”
I stared at her for a minute, and when I reached over to console her she laughed and shouted, “Gotcha!”
We laughed, yeah, she did get me.
Nov 27th
Yum, cold cereal and juice box again…..yeah….
We continued to the edge of Burlington this morning and that was about as far as we got. The main road was blocked by tractor trailers that had been dumped on their side to prevent passage.
Another clue that we were not passing was the spray painted sign on the side of one the trailers that said, “Use Intel, Dead inside!” Now did that mean there were dead in the trailer, or dead in the city itself? Either way I did not get a warm fuzzy feel for the situation.
“What do you think Asuna, should we explore?”
“Well we did come all this way, a little peek over the top can’t do much harm I don’t think.”
“Yeah, I agree.”
There was not much snow so we could see the area and the ground on the other side of the trailer. Burlington, or at least this part was a dead zone. You could see the decayed bodies on the ground. There were a few Zoms that were still standing, but they were “turned off” thanks to the cold.
“I guess that answers that question, I wonder if your MPD friends were here.”
“I hope not, or if they were I hope they got the heck out before they were over run. I’m going to run the radio a little to see if maybe someone is listening.”
I tried the CB radio first, working my way through the 40 channels but there was nothing. Then I tried the police radio that we had, again there was nothing. It was a dead zone. I had hoped that maybe, just maybe I would see some of the old crew again, L.J., his wife Terri, Martin, Langley, Johnson and the rest who had said they were coming this way.
I could not, did not believe that they were dead, at least not all of them. They were prepared, and had a plan, a good plan. I think that they may have had to change the where they ended up, but that group was too good to just be wiped out.
We left our mark or a message on the truck, “100 miles south, Mass SP Radio 1, monitored, call us.” If someone came through, they may find it and head our way. There were other notes already left on the trailer. There was things like “Barry, we left the city” and “Gonna Love Winter”. Some of it was weather worn, some looked fairly new. But overall, it was of little meaning. Who was Barry? And no we are not gonna love winter.
We started back, in a way, it was good to know that Burlington was not an option, but I was bummed that we did not make contact with anyone. I had thought that this was a good place. As we drive south, we really did not talk much. Asuna could tell I was not happy.
We drove straight through with only a brief stop at the cheese place. We loaded up with some wheels of Swiss, and assorted goodies. I grabbed a number of Gouda balls for Nick; he had always been a fan.
We arrived back at Camp Romaca around dinner time.
Nov 28th
Thanksgiving, I had almost forgotten. After a typical breakfast we had the first (of hopefully many) Thanksgiving annual touch football game. Oh there will be some sore folks tomorrow, because
even though we are all in much better shape that we were a year ago, running around like a bunch of kids is still going to take a toll.
The teams were divided along the lines of the Hinsdale Survivors and the Peru Patriots. Of course, there were some “traitors” among the groups, Charlene and Mark shifted their allegiance to Hinsdale.
The game itself was a muddy, dirty mess, but it was fun, it was a brief point in time when we forgot about where we have come from and what had happened to the world.
In the end, the score did not matter, although Peru crushed Hinsdale 38 to 7.
After the game it was time to clean up and we had the chance to get a hot shower, it was a holiday after all.
Nick and Grace, wow, they did a fantastic job. We had turkey (with stuffing and gravy) thanks to The Hunt Clan (Margo, Cody and Delaney), mashed potatoes and squash (Henry and the Farm Clan), fresh rolls, sorry, no butter. Asuna and I will take credit for the wine and the cranberry sauce…both kinds.
As we sat in the dining hall savoring the aromas, Matt and Tanya stood up.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, let us have a word of prayer,” Matt said bowing his head. “Lord, you have placed a heavy burden on us this last year, many of us are no longer here to enjoy this meal. But they sit at your table on this day, Your spirit and theirs are still here with us. Thank you for this bounty that you have placed before us and the skills of those who were able to collect and create this meal. In your Holy Name……..Amen”
“AMEN”
At the end of the meal or should I say the main course there was a smell, one that was rare in the dining hall. It was coffee, real friggin’ post meal coffee. I had forgotten about the Starbucks run that Asuna and I had made months ago. And then there were the pies, apple, pumpkin, and some mixed berry delight.
We ate to the point of discomfort and then for most of us it was nap time. Asuna and I took a walk down by the creek. It was a day to remember, and at the same time a day to forget the shit that we had been through.
Nov 29th
It is pretty much a standard day for all of us, well, some of us. The camp is buzzing with preparation for Jan and Fred’s wedding tomorrow. Ron is going to be the best man and Taylor, the Maid of Honor. It is not going to be a fancy, well real fancy wedding, but it should be nice.
We found out that there were talents out there that had not been used since The Event. Ethan, for example, was a music DJ who used to do social events so he would be supplying the dance music for tomorrow. Teckla baked the cake. Back in the days before all of this she would do cakes for weddings.
Heather and Chelsea put together little floral arrangements from tissue paper and did a wide range of decorations for the hall, although they would not be installed until tomorrow morning.
After dinner we had some very mild last night of freedom parties for both of them, A hen party for the girls and a stag party for the guys. I chuckled to myself thinking that if we had a stag party we could have had Michelle, well….But I am thinking that Mark might not find that so good and idea either. It was as I said very relaxed and we were all home by 10.
Nov 30th
Everyone was up early and the camp was a buzz of the events that would follow throughout the day, a wedding, a real live wedding. It may not sound like much but it is a big deal to a lot of us. It is reaching back to the old world and bringing it forward into the world as we know it.
The ceremony was at 10 and we were all in the meeting hall by that time. It was kind of funny because the idea of “friend of the Bride or friend of the Groom” was rather moot. Anyway, at the appointed hour the march began, I don’t know where he found it but Ethan was able to play the traditional “Here comes the Bride”.
Nick marched Jan down the aisle, it was touching, I do not think I have ever seen him as proud, or wearing a grin as wide as on that day. Jan had done a nice job on picking out a wedding dress.
Fred was waiting with Ron down at the altar. Matt was presiding.
It began, “In the beginning was the light, and in that light God created man and woman. They were created to bring life and love to each other, and to this world. This love and light has been passed down for millennia and despite the events of the world today it is still shining and is renewed today with Fred and Jan.”
I squeezed Asuna’s hand, in a way it was like we were at the altar also. Although we were not going through the vows, we were a pair, united in something very special.
“This morning Fred and Jan are here before us to make vows to each other, and yet we know that they have been as one for some time. This morning we formalize that bond before God. They have asked us all here to help with that rite, and have created their own words to make that bond meaningful not only for them, but also to all who are here.”
Almost without a gap Tanya began to sing, and did a beautiful rendition of “How great thou art.” As she sang, many of us just joined in.
At the end of the hymn Matt stepped up again and turned to Fred first, and then Jan, “You have created your vows, would you share them with us?”
In unison they answered “Yes”
Then taking each other’s hands Fred stared into Jan’s eyes and said. “Almost a year ago the world changed and it became dark, dark for us all. And then I saw a light that glowed at first and then burned brightly and lifted my world and my spirit to new heights. Jan that was you, and the love that we have come to know and share, you are the sun around which I orbit, and wish to orbit until I am no more. I love you.”
Then Jan looked into Fred’s eyes, “Fred, It was cold and dark, and then I saw a light, that glowed at first and then burned brightly and lifted my world and my spirit to new heights. Fred, that was you, and the love that we have come to know and share. You are the sun around which I orbit, and wish to orbit until I am no more. I love you.”
I thought that it was a wonderful expression of their love.
Matt again stepped in, “We have heard the vows and promises of these two, and may no one cause them to be broken. It is my joyous duty to unite this pair in the bond of Holy Matrimony, may joy and peace surround them. Amen”
“Amen”
We did not leave the hall, but did spend some time having a few cocktails and socializing before the meal. It was a little buffet that really Grace and Teckla put together, Nick had some other issues on his mind.
In the afternoon after the meal there was dancing, and Asuna and I proved that white men and Asians are not the best dancers in the world.
Despite all the joy of the day one could not help but wish that Lauren could have been at the wedding. If there was a shadow over wedding, it was that.
That night at our cabin Asuna and I talked for a while before going to sleep.
“Should we?” I asked?
“What?”
“Get Married.”
“Well, aren’t you the romantic, ‘Should we?’ Can’t you do better than that?”
“Yeah, that was pretty bad.”
“And the answer is no, we are together, it works for us, and I love you that is enough for now.”
“True, I…”
“Shut up and kiss me!”
Dec 1st
It has been a week or so since we did a scavenger run, and it was time to get back to it. It felt good to be back at it.
Overall there was not a lot of suffering on anyone’s part this morning from the wedding. Although there was an open bar we have as a group really become non-drinkers for the most part.
After the run and breakfast Asuna and I with the help of a number of the others cleaned up the dining room from the festivities of the day before. Henry was with us as was Taylor and Chelsea. As we swept or mopped or cleaned tables, we talked about our trip to Burlington. I told them about the MPD friends that had planned to head up that way, and how I felt they were still alive, but had settled close by there.
“Where else would they have gone?” asked Taylor.
“I really do not know, I would like to, but I j
ust don’t,” I answered
Henry looked thoughtful for a minute then added, “I think it is too late in the season to do a massive search, but I think you have time for one more run up that way. Maybe you could take a group with you and cover a larger area.”
“He’s right, it is getting late but we could do one more run,” offered Taylor.
“It’s a crap shoot to find them, but I would feel better if we took one more shot at it.” I mumbled.
Heather surprised us all, “Can I go?”
“Me too,” said Henry, “But we have to hit the cheese factory on the way, and no visits to Sodom.” He added with a smile.
“Thank you all, I am not sure the rest of The Three will agree this time but let’s plan on the day after tomorrow if the weather cooperates?”
The Event Trilogy (Book 1): Life After the Meteor Page 40
