It seemed like a lot of unnecessary extra work to me. I wanted to help, but I had concerns and fears as a new leader.
“We can make it work,” Amos assured me.
I paused in deep thought while I continued to watch the newcomers. This was a big move to make and if I made the wrong call on my first day on the job, it would set the tone for the rest of my reign that I jumped to rash decisions that hurt my people.
Our food supplies would last my people another four months, with the new mouths we’d be lucky to get three months. Building new shelters would cost energy, which means more food and more water needed.
Noon was approaching quickly and I knew I needed an answer before long. Either way, I knew that I would at least let them stay for the night.
I watched as young children seemed to enjoy what scraps of food we took for granted. It was as if they were in heaven, eating food for the first time.
How could I turn them away?
I turned and began to return to my home and paused just a few feet away from my mother and Amos, “Make it happen,” I yelled back before continuing my walk.
I instantly felt the relief from Amos and my mother, it was the right move, the children made the choice easy.
I crossed just past the fire pit in the center of camp when I noticed Karline walking in my general direction. She wore a dress of her own making and had her hair up in a tail. The dress was big horn sheep skin and laid against every curve of her body the right way, stopping just above her knees.
She noticed me and said, “I’m glad to see you back safe.”
We both stopped and she continued, “Did they have more than it appeared, as I saw?” she asked.
No doubt she wanted to know if her vision was right.
“They had a small scouting party of raiders following them,” I began. “Thanks to you, we were on the look-out and were able to take care of them before they became a problem.”
“That’s good,” she said with great relief in her voice.
“The raiders will eventually notice that the scouts are missing and will come looking for them. They will find us if they keep in the same direction, so we all need to be vigilant.”
“Are they going to be our guests?” she asked as she motioned to the large group at the other end of the camp.
I turned to them, “I told Amos to make sure they have a place to live and food in their bellies,” I turned back to Karline. “It’s gonna be hard for a while, but they are a part of us now, for as long as they want.”
She placed her hand on my shoulder, “I’m gonna introduce myself to them and see if I can be helpful,” she said.
As she walked away, I caught myself watching her for a moment, I blame the perfect fitting dress for my distraction. Once I realized what I was doing, I turned back around and continued to my home.
After nearly meeting the ancestors, I needed to be alone for a while to rethink my actions. If I was a drinker, I would’ve needed a drink or maybe two or three.
Once in my home I closed the door behind me and plopped down on a chair against the far wall. I was alone and was finally able to react to the death I almost met with out there. I just let loose and let the tears flow.
I knew I had other work to do, like figuring out the logistics of bringing in fifty-seven more people, but I had to take a moment to regain my thoughts.
Coming that close to nearly losing my life made me see things in a new light.
I thanked the ancestors for Luke and his insanely fast reflexes and true aim.
“Ancestors, protect me from myself, if it is your will to save a fool such as me,” I prayed. “If you would, let me lead my people to great lands and to great deeds.”
I removed my revolver from its holster and unscrewed the scope. After setting the scope on a small table that sat next to my chair I held tight to my weapon and fell to my knees, weak with shame and fear.
“How am I to lead my people if I get myself killed?” I thought to myself.
Chapter Four
After a much-needed break and a lot of praying to the ancestors, I made my way to the supply house to check on the food storage. That’s where I ran into Mable, she was in charge of all supplies.
Mable knew exactly what we had and where it was. Secretly, I used to call her ‘Able Mable’ because she was able to tell my father exactly what we had in the supply house without even really thinking about it.
“Somethin’ I can help you find?” she asked in a high-pitched and raspy voice.
Mable was in her late forties and stood about four and a half feet tall, she was nearly as wide as she was tall. She kept her grey hair up in a loose bun and her glasses always rested on the tip of her up-turned nose. She had a habit of putting her pencils in her bun to hold them and would often lose them there. She told me once, that when she went home at the end of the day and let her hair down, she would find all the pencils she had lost that day.
She was stern, but kind and always made time for others, as long as it didn’t interfere with her duties as the keeper of the supplies, which was most important to her. Her sweetness always reminded me of a grandmother, but she was lonely and loved to sweet talk the men in camp. When she did that, she was far from a grandmother and her words would often make me blush.
Her bright blue eyes looked up at me from behind her glasses as she waited for my response.
“We’ve got work to do, you and I,” I said in a sweet tone.
I’d learned, over the years, that if I wanted something from Able Mable, all I had to do was talk sweet and give her attention.
She removed her glasses and placed them on top of her head, just before the bun. “Yep, I seen dem new people out dere,” she said before putting her glasses back on the tip of her nose.
“Is it possible?” I asked her.
“Possible?” she questioned loudly. “Might of asked that before you let em through em gates.”
“If you saw what I saw, Mable dear, you would have done the same.”
“I would, yes. But den, I know what’s here and what aint.”
“So, can we make it work?” I questioned in a hopeful tone.
She looked up at me over the rim of her glasses with a toothy grin - blue eyes bright and wide, “It were the ancestors what brung em here. You know dat, don’t ya?” she said in a soft voice, almost like it was someone else talking through her. “Can’t go upsetting dem. Dat would be bad.”
I shot her a grin of approval, knowing that she had already figured out how to make it work.
“You’re the best,” I said as I bent down and gave her a big hug.
“Not done wid it yet,” she mumbled.
I stood up straight and looked down at her, “Now Mable,” I argued playfully. “Don’t tell me you can’t do it.”
“You know me better dan dat. It’s jus gonna take some time, and maybe a little help.”
“What do you need from me?” I asked eager to get the situation resolved.
Mable reached around and patted me on my rear, which always made me uncomfortable. She laughed and held up her clipboard with a list of everything.
“If we moved our daily allotments from blah to blah, blah, blah,” she rambled on.
I tuned her out after a moment, I had no idea what she was talking about. Luckily, I was able to follow her chubby finger as she pointed to the list and was able to understand the moving of foods and supplies that way.
“Den,” she continued. “Once we make da changes and rearranges, we will be able to last another tree monts, five days and two meals.”
That part I understood, three months, five days and two meals.
“Our water supply will hold up for a bit longer den dat,” she added.
“Looks like you got it all under control,” I said. “I’ll send you some help.”
“Make sure it’s someone young, wit big arms,” she said in a dreaming kind of voice. She caught herself and continued. “Ya-you know, for moving heavy stuff.”
She turned away
and began looking over her list. I laughed and made my exit.
As I made my way to the group of newcomers, I ran into an old friend, Frank.
Frank was born to roamers and had no stability in his youth. After his parents were killed by a pack of hungry wolves when he was twelve, he lived alone and started wandering south.
Frank wandered on his own for many years, fending for himself. Eventually he wandered close to our camp while tracking a herd of sheep. By coincidence, Amos was out hunting and tracking the same herd. When they met, they took an instant liking to each other and Amos convinced Frank to return to the camp with him. Frank and I became fast friends, we were near the same age and height, but he was pure muscle, unlike me. He was beginning to bald early and wore a thick beard. Next to Amos, I trusted nobody more.
“I need a favor,” I told him.
“Anything for you, Chief,” he said almost too eager.
“To support the extra mouths, Mabel has to rearrange a few things in the supply house and she said she needs help.”
“Oh, man,” he began. “She’s always trying to grab my butt. Anything else, I’m glad to do for you.”
He looked scared and really wanted out of this favor.
“Sorry, but I really need someone I can count on.”
“Fine, but I want in on your hunting party, you owe me that much.”
“Done,” I told him.
I needed someone like him out there anyway, his strength and hunting skill would no doubt be an asset.
He turned and walked toward the supply house with his head hung low. I felt bad for him, being stuck in that place with Mable and her grabby hands, but I needed him there.
I made my way across the camp to Dallas who was sitting next to a middle-aged woman. He had his arm around her and was trying to comfort her after the recent loss of her husband and teenaged sons to the raiders. I stood off to the side, giving them the space they so desperately needed. It was good to see a leader care for his people in that way.
I noticed that he was the only person with food still on his plate, which told me that he was most likely the last to get something to eat, allowing his people the chance to eat first. If this guy was genuine, he was somebody I wanted in my corner, for sure.
After a moment, I turned and began to walk away.
“Jacob,” he said loudly.
I stopped and turned around.
“Please, stay with us. We are grateful to you and your kind people,” he continued.
We began to walk amongst the newcomers, they all looked at me like I was a savior, like maybe I was one of the great ancestors. It humbled me to see their relief and their comfort.
“I’ve made all the necessary arrangements to allow you and your people to stay here with us, if you’d like,” I said as we walked.
“Thank you so much. This will make my people very happy,” he said.
“We do what we can to help others, but there are some rules here and they must be followed to the letter,” I was hoping to sound firm, but not too demanding.
“Of course, I would expect that,” he said.
“First thing, they are no longer your people. I am Chief Leader of the Valley People.”
Dallas nodded his head in agreeance.
“What I say, goes. No second guessing me, no undermining me. You have to give up all notions of being in charge.”
Dallas looked a bit weary of this, so I decided to clarify, “I understand you have led your people for a long time. I know they look up to you, and I don’t want to change that, but we must unite as one people.”
“I understand, I will make sure that my people understand.”
“We have survived as a people for hundreds of years by following the rules set forth by the great leaders of the past. Your people, if they so choose, are now Valley People and will answer to our leadership.”
I paused briefly to read the reaction of Dallas. He seemed to be taking it well, so I continued, “Every person pulls their own weight. We have shops they can work in, we have guard duty around the clock. We have people to tend to the livestock, we have carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, bakers, cooks. There is building repair and maintenance, and once the rain returns, we need farmers. And of course, hunters.”
I stopped and turned to Dallas, and he stopped as well.
“Everyone works for what they have. If you don’t work, you get nothing and will be forced to leave the camp.”
Dallas almost grinned as he said, “After we were forced to leave our homes behind, along with more than half our people dead, we sought you out. We know the reputation of the Valley People and the vision that your father had, Ancestors bless him,”
“Ancestors bless him,” I repeated.
“I have been a strong supporter of your father and his ideas of a united society. I have spoken to him at length about everyone working together to reach his goals.”
“I have a lot of work to do if I want to make my father’s dreams a reality and with the addition of your group we are one step closer. As long as they are willing to join us and become one great people.”
“You took us in, we owe you and your people everything. We will do what is expected of us,” he assured me.
I knew that with the addition of his people, I was closer to my father’s goal. Soon I will make my way on a journey to find fertile grounds for my people, that’s another step. I thought that maybe while out hunting, I would find more people, and that would put me even closer. The more people we had, the more fighters we had. With more fighters, less people would try to take what we had, and maybe we could convince even more people to join us.
“Talk to your people,” I began. “Put them at ease and get them settled. We’ll talk again later.”
As he walked away to tend to his people, my people, I couldn’t help but think that he was almost too agreeable. It might have been my paranoia, or it might have been just me knowing better.
I watched a moment to try to get a better view of him, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He really did seem genuine.
Chapter Five
I joined Amos at the shop of the blacksmith, Harold. The coals in his forge burned bright white and shot heat in every direction. It was nearly too hot for me to bear, I couldn’t imagine how Harold could do it all day, but we each have our own strengths, our own talents. Harold continued to work as he spoke with Amos, pounding out a new piece for a hinge. As he pounded on the red-hot steel, sparks flew and looked like the exploding stars of my vision. This made me remember the vision clearly, as if it had just happened.
“I’ll make sure it’s not too much hassle and they won’t be in your hair for too long,” Amos explained to Harold.
“Not worried about that, they are welcome as long as needed,” Harold said as he struck the steel again, shooting sparks in all directions.
Again, I saw the exploding stars all around the brilliant flag from my vision.
“That’s forty-three of the fifty-seven placed in homes,” Amos said to me as he and I walked away from the heat of the blacksmith’s shop. “Harold has agreed to take in a family.”
“That’s good. It might do him some good. He’s been alone for far too long, maybe company will help him.”
“We still might need new housing for a few.”
“We’ll get to that when needed,” I began as we continued across the camp. “I would prefer to wait until after the hunt for any building. If we need to move, I don’t want any extra work.”
“What if we can’t find shelter for the remaining six?” Amos asked.
“If needed, we’ll build them something.”
“Two adults, four children. One of the children is an orphan,” Amos said sadly.
“Dam the raiders.” I said under my breath.
I could never understand the concept of killing families, innocents, young children, and parents. I never understood the drive to kill at all, unless it was in defense of family, or the camp. Raiders made me so mad. When I thoug
ht of them I went to a dark place where I just wanted to rid the earth of them. I thought that one day, I might just have to rid the world of them, and it wouldn’t even bother me to kill them all. They were not human, they had no soul, no heart, and most of them, no brain.
“I’ll find the others a place to live,” Amos said.
Everything was running smooth, and it seemed that I had nothing left to do within the camp or with the newcomers. It was time for me to start thinking about the upcoming trip. There were paths to map out, supplies to gather, and people to choose. My people were counting on me and failure was not an option, I would be cast out, taunted, forced to fend for myself. Well, maybe not, but I couldn’t let them down anyway.
With my maps spread out on the table, tea boiling on the stove, and paper to jot down my notes, I got to work trying to save my people, and their future.
The maps were not finished. They were hand-drawn by many people over the years and constituted the combined knowledge of the Valley People’s explorers. The southern part of the maps were the most complete, since that’s where we came from. They stopped at the mountain range to the east and only about ten miles to the north and to the west. They had spent many years rolled up and I used various objects to hold down the edges to keep them from rolling themselves back up.
Based on the information I got from the crude drawings, it looked like north was our best option. The weather kept pushing my people north over the years. It only made sense to look to the north for hunting and possibly a new home.
We came from the south, we know what’s back there. The high mountains to the east made it a bad choice for a migration. Trying to move an entire camp, people and supplies, just wouldn’t work.
My teapot screamed at me for attention and just as I stood, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” I yelled as I made my way to the kitchen.
It was my mother with Karline and Amos. They entered and closed the door behind them. I noticed them showing interest in the maps on the table, “Tea anyone,” I asked, trying to be a good host.
It was a tea that we have been making here for as long as I could remember. It came from the root of the mullen bush. The mullen bush was only good for their roots, bitter until boiled down. It made a good tea, and with a bit of fresh honey from our hives, you couldn’t beat it. My mother used the oil from the roots in many of her potions.
Jacob's Reign_The Reign Begins Page 4
