The First Twenty

by Jennifer Lavoie

  When Peyton had visited her earlier that morning, she’d forced herself to be as pleasant as possible, inviting her to sit down and offering to get her a glass of water before the guard spoke to her. “We don’t have any spare apartments to give you, but one of the residents has agreed to let you stay with him for the time being.”

  Nixie didn’t allow herself to ask how long she was expected to stay there. Instead she forced a smile and said, “How kind of him.”

  Hours later Graham came to take her to his home, and she was taken aback. She had expected someone much younger and, well, bigger. Like that guard—Julian was his name—who had carried her that first night. He would have made sure she didn’t run. Did they really trust her? As Faulkner would have said, she wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Whatever that really meant.

  “You’ll have a few days to adjust to life here. I’ll show you around, let you get your hands dirty in a few areas, and then you’ll have to start helping out. To earn your keep, of course. Everyone works here.”

  “Of course,” Nixie said. “It’s the same with my people. Everyone has a job.”

  “What did you do there?” he asked as he led the way up the stairs.

  “Forager,” she told him, just as Peyton had suggested during her interrogation.

  “Excellent! Me, too,” Graham said with a kind smile. His eyes seemed to brighten as he spoke. “If you decide to continue that path, we can go out together. You’ll be a great asset to our community.”

  Nixie had been an important asset to her people, a necessary one, even. But she couldn’t tell him that. While she was here, she had to keep her dowsing abilities a secret. Who knew what these people would do if they found out. Graham’s apartment was on the fourth floor. From the outside of the Mill, there appeared to be only four levels, but once they stepped through the door, she realized she had been wrong. The ceiling came down much lower than in the other sections she had been in. When she stepped farther into the room, closer to the windows, she realized there was another floor above them.

  “That’s where the bedrooms are,” Graham said, gesturing to the open staircase tucked into the corner of the apartment.

  “Wow. It’s much bigger than I thought it would be,” Nixie admitted. “Are they all this big?”

  “Some are a little bigger, some are smaller.”

  “But it’s just you. Why do you get one this large?”

  Graham shrugged. “I’ve lived here for many years. This is where I chose to live, and no one has asked me to leave yet.” He chuckled.

  “Were you ever with someone?” she asked, looking into what had to be the kitchen. She stopped and stared in awe at the equipment he had.

  “No, never was. There’s food in the fridge, though I’ll have to get more since there are two of us now. But don’t worry about that.”

  Nixie reached out to touch the handle of the fridge. She’d seen them in abandoned buildings and she knew their purpose, but she’d never seen one that worked.

  “Go ahead. You can open it. It won’t bite,” Graham said with a chuckle.

  She grasped the handle and pulled it open and couldn’t hold back the gasp that escaped her. The inside was a pristine white like the sheets in the medical ward, and food sat on each shelf. A burst of cool air filtered over her and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of it. Breathing in, she could smell the fresh fruits and vegetables and her mouth watered.

  “How? How does it still work?”

  “Many years ago, After Collapse, the original Settlers of the Mill found solar panels from abandoned buildings and set them up. They’re on the roof, if you’d like to see them. They harvest energy from the sun and store it. All the working appliances run on the solar energy. It’s what enables us to function off-the-grid, as they say, since…well, since there is no grid anymore.”

  “What do you do for water?” Nixie shut the door and stared at it.

  “The sinks still work. Though, you should conserve the water. Don’t let it run too long. There are tanks in the basement of the building that store water, and we collect rainwater when it falls. Pumps run on harvested energy carry it up to the apartments. There’s also a large tank off to the side of the building that was built during the first twenty years After Collapse. It helps with the water pressure. Let me show you the bathroom.”

  “All apartments have bathrooms? How is that possible?”

  “After Collapse, the public sewer system began to fail as many of the workers died. Some managed to keep it running as long as possible until those left could convert to another system. Every apartment in this building has a composting toilet. I was here when they started to install them. Believe me, it’s a wonder that they did. Before, everyone had to use a pit latrine built toward the woods, away from us. That was after the sewer system began to fail. It wasn’t pleasant.”

  “My people use them,” she admitted quietly. “I thought everyone did. I thought only Dr. Easton had one because of her patients.”

  Graham opened a door and showed her the bathroom. There had been something larger in it at one time, likely a sink and cabinet like she had seen in some buildings, but it had been ripped out.

  Nixie’s mind reeled from everything she was seeing. Why didn’t her people have a solar panel? How large were they? If they were to have one, it would solve so many problems, like keeping their food fresh for longer periods of time. They’d be able to store it until it could be used. They could change their lifestyle. None of the children would go to bed crying because they hadn’t had enough to eat. What about these toilets? There were days when even though the latrine was far from their camp, the stench reached them and caused her to gag.

  Yes, her people enjoyed living outside of solid walls. They felt more at ease not being enclosed. Some had said that the walls felt like a cage, but if they were to have one solid building to store appliances like this, with a solar panel on top, it would fix so many pressing issues.

  Why hadn’t someone thought of this before?

  Why hadn’t Faulkner?

  *

  Peyton stared out the window and watched Graham and Nixie as they made their way around the complex. She stood just far enough back in the shadows that she wouldn’t be seen if either of them looked up, but she knew that Graham had to be aware of her watching. She had to watch, in order to make sure the girl didn’t try anything. It had nothing to do with the way Nixie moved, or the shine of her skin after she’d been cleaned up. She looked so fresh and young. Graham must have said something funny because her lips quirked up in a faint smile. At least she thought it was a smile. From this distance, it could well have been a grimace. Was her knee really healed? “Why do you care?” she whispered bitterly to herself.

  Jasper approached her position and lounged against the wall. “How’s it going with the Scavenger?” he asked, yawning into his hand.

  “I haven’t been able to talk to Graham yet, but it seems to be going well. He was a perfect choice for this.”

  “Really he was the only choice. Who else would you have stuck her with? Ryan?” Jasper snorted. “One of them would be dead by now, and my bet is actually on Ryan.”

  “Why’s that?” Peyton asked, moving to another window as the pair below them moved out of sight.

  “Well, I’ve been thinking about how she came to be here.”

  “You were thinking? Shocking.” A tiny smile pulled at her lips.

  “Ha-ha. But seriously, don’t you think it’s odd that one of them fell behind and got left? That she fell into the river? I mean come on. She had to have known it was there.”

  “She said she misjudged it.”

  “And you believe her? All I’m saying is, it’s strange. Just think about it, okay? I could be wrong, but what if she’s here to scope out the place? What if they have other plans and she’s just a plant?”

  Peyton turned to Jasper. The thought had crossed her mind, but there was something about Nixie that she couldn’t shake. Something different
. She was tough and headstrong, yes, but she didn’t fit that role. Maybe her size was lulling Peyton into a false sense of security, but she really didn’t think that was the case. “I’ll keep what you’ve said in mind, thanks.”

  “Just trying to look out for you, boss.” Jasper grinned and gave her a weak salute, then slunk off, presumably to find someone else to bother, like Willow.

  *

  As Graham showed Nixie the beehives they kept, Peyton approached. She wanted to talk to the two of them and see how things were going, but she had to maintain her composure. She didn’t want Nixie to feel like she was being checked up on for security purposes. Just a friendly chat. At least that’s what Peyton hoped for.

  “Don’t get too close, or the bees will come out and swarm,” Peyton warned.

  Nixie turned, her eyes narrowing briefly before she flashed a quick smile. Closer to her, Peyton could see how the smile transformed her face and made her look relaxed and even younger than before. “I’ve been stung before. Don’t worry, I’ll never get too close again.”

  “You’ve been stung?”

  Nixie nodded. “I was telling Graham about it. When I was little, I’d heard that honey was sweet, and I wanted to try it. My mother had warned me about bee stings, but I was hungry and wanted something to eat. So I found a hive with some of the other children from my group. We couldn’t climb the tree, so we thought we’d knock it down with rocks. The first one hit and the bees came out.” She chuckled. “It hurt then, and I was scared, but now that I think about it, we must have looked funny running away, screaming, arms swinging wildly.”

  Graham laughed with her. “It’s a good thing you weren’t allergic to the venom.”

  “Yeah, I was really lucky.”

  “Did you ever get to taste the honey?” Peyton asked.

  She shook her head. “Not then, no. But a few years later a Traveler came through with honey and we traded for some. We each got a little, to use as we pleased. Most people put a dollop at a time in their tea to save it, but I ate my spoonful straight.”

  “Worth it?”

  “So worth it.” If the flash of a smile before had transformed her, this one made her radiant. Peyton had to turn her head to look away before she was drawn in. Her pulse sped up and she struggled to slow it down. Her cheeks tingled with the beginning of a blush. What the hell? She coughed and turned away, pretending to survey the building. “I spoke to Old Joe about increasing your allotment,” she told Graham. “He said to go down and take what you needed.”

  “Thank you, but I could have done that myself.”

  “I know. Just helping out.”

  “Very thoughtful of you,” Graham said. “I know you must be incredibly busy with other more pressing matters.”

  She shrugged and kicked at the ground. “Did you show her the recreation rooms?”

  “We were headed there next,” he admitted.

  “Good. When you’re done, I also spoke to Avery. She said she’d be happy to lend Nixie some clothing for the time being since she won’t be wearing it anytime soon.”

  “Why’s that?” Nixie asked.

  “She’s pregnant and she doesn’t fit into her old clothing. She’s a little taller than you, so they might be a bit big, but they should work.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

  Peyton hesitated. She had no idea how old Nixie even was. For all she knew, she could be fourteen. Based on her size, she looked even younger. “We could try to get you some smaller clothing, from the children,” she started but trailed off when Nixie crossed her arms.

  “I’m not a child,” Nixie said, hotly.

  “Easy,” Graham said, resting a hand on her arm. “She doesn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that you look young.” He grinned. “Take it as a compliment. It was a compliment, Before Collapse.”

  “Except now, young means weak,” Nixie said, her tone biting. “I’m eighteen.”

  Well, that’s definitely not what I thought. “I thought you were—” Peyton cut herself off and nodded, trying to smooth things over. No need to ruin any progress they might have made with a jab at her looks and age. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “Young does not mean weak here. Not to us,” Graham explained as if Peyton hadn’t even spoken. “We have several young members of the Mill who hold very important jobs. Like Peyton. She’s also eighteen.”

  Nixie jerked her head back to stare at Peyton, who nodded.

  “Oh,” was all she managed. Her demeanor shifted as she looked down at the ground, her face coloring.

  Was she embarrassed, too, for the misunderstanding? How old did she think I was? Peyton didn’t want to ask.

  “Come along, Nixie. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what I have to show you next,” Graham said, gently touching her elbow and guiding her away. “We’ll stop by and speak to Avery after and get you something more comfortable to wear.”

  Nixie threw her one last look over her shoulder.

  Peyton stayed and watched them as they wandered along the path back to the Mill, wishing she could be there to see Nixie’s face when the recreation rooms were revealed to her. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to see Nixie’s reaction. Peyton’s imagination supplied her again with the image of Nixie’s bright smile, and that only confused her further, especially when it made her chest warm and tight and sent tingles to her palms.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Graham opened the recreation room door and ushered Nixie inside. Like the main building, the ceiling was tall, with the original beams and exposed brick walls. Equipment sat behind a low partition that barely cleared her head, and tall mirrors hung from all of the walls.

  “What’s this for?” she asked, walking into the center of the space and staring at everything.

  “This is the gym. Everyone comes here to exercise. It helps us maintain our health, even if we aren’t going out to work every day. Some use it to relieve stress. It makes us stronger.”

  Nixie leaned down and saw a row of weighted bars. She picked one up with a soft oof and read the side. “Ten pounds.”

  “Those are weights. There are many things you can do with them.”

  She nodded and put it back, spinning to take in the rest of the equipment. One looked like a bicycle, but where it would go, she had no idea. Some looked like they would be better for torture than relieving stress.

  “There’s one more area I think you’ll enjoy. Come with me.”

  Nixie followed him as he walked down the narrow path to the door on the opposite side of the building. She blinked into the bright sun as he opened the door and stepped through, gasping in surprise. Her skin tingled as it sensed the clear water before her.

  “There’s so much water!” she cried in disbelief.

  Around the water people lounged in chairs. Children laughed, tossing a ball back and forth. One approached the water, let out a yell, and jumped in.

  “He’ll pollute it!” she said in horror, reaching forward to snatch him out of the water. Graham stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

  “No, it’s all right. This is a pool. It’s meant to be used like this.”

  “But what about drinking? How can you use this much water!”

  Graham chuckled and shook his head. “This water isn’t meant for drinking. It has a solution in it to keep it clean. It’s been here since Before Collapse and the original founders of the Mill decided to keep it. Not only does it provide relief on a scorching day, but it enables us to teach the children how to swim.”

  “There’s hardly any water left to swim in. It needs to be preserved for drinking,” Nixie protested.

  “Maybe,” Graham nodded, “but it’s an important skill to have. What if a child was out and found a water source, fell in, and couldn’t get out because it was too deep? It could happen. The child would drown. By instructing them, we’re teaching them how to survive in an unknown situation.”

  Nixie could see the logic, but her mind reeled at the though
t of so much water being used for pleasure rather than utility. The children were laughing, though, and it was a rare sight for her. The children from her group smiled only on rare occasions, and Faulkner didn’t like laughter. It meant laziness, he said. “How much water do you put in each day?”

  “Oh, none. We only add water when the levels start to drop. Look,” he said, pointing up toward a canopy. “This used to be military camo netting. We salvaged it at the barracks After Collapse and put it up. You’ll notice it above some of the more heat-sensitive crops that thrive in shade. Putting it over the pool has several functions. It keeps the heat of the sun off the people to let them enjoy time outside, it keeps too much water from evaporating, and it keeps pests out of the pool.”

  Nixie looked around the large outdoor area. Not only were people lounging around the space under the nets, but plants were growing, too. She walked over to one and cupped the leaves. “Blueberries.”

  “Yes, we managed to grow them around the property. They seem to thrive the best here.”

  Above the pool on a ledge, just inside fencing but outside of the netting, four stately apple trees threw their shade over the pool.

  “This is incredible.”

  “It took a long time, but we got it there. All of the ornamental plants were ripped up shortly After Collapse and were replaced with fruit- or nut-bearing species. The original Settlers wanted this place to be as efficient as possible.”

  Nixie stared at the tableau in awe. Nothing she could say would adequately describe how she felt, so she merely nodded. There’s so much going on here. So many right things are happening. How did I not know this? What else had Faulkner been keeping from everyone all these years? He painted the Settlers as these terrible people, but so far she saw nothing but order and discipline, without the screaming and threats. Nixie stepped back into the recreation room and passed through. Graham hurried after her.