by AJ Powers
They walked outside and could hear the band warming up in the distance. Kelsey waved to Dakota who was playing hopscotch with Olesya. Kelsey’s angst about leaving Dakota with a stranger quickly subsided as she saw the two interact. She trusted Clay, and Clay trusted Vlad; therefore Kelsey trusted Vlad.
Clay and Kelsey took their time getting to the feast. Though they didn’t want to be late, they didn’t want to rush themselves either. They casually walked through the neighborhood and decided to just arrive when they arrived.
They sat down at their table around 7:05. Clay noticed dozens of other people still straggling in and no longer felt so bad about being a few minutes late himself.
The whole setup was quite nice. The gazebo in the middle of town had been converted to a 360 degree stage for the band. A sturdy, albeit crude, construction of an elevated floor was built around the pavilion allowing for diners and dancers to move about without slipping in the mud. There were candlelit lanterns hanging all over the place, providing light and adding a romantic ambience. Each table had a bouquet of wildflowers and three candles, as well as a pitcher of water and some cups.
As the tables all around filled, Clay saw Mayor Shelton stand up in the middle of the gazebo. He welcomed everyone and thanked them for partaking in the annual festivities. After a short speech, he blessed the meal and gave the band a thumbs up to begin.
Not five minutes after the music started, Clay and Kelsey were served their dinner. On the plate was a generous helping of chicken drenched in a delectable gravy. Asparagus and mashed potatoes steamed on the side. It looked incredible, smelled delicious, and tasted divine.
Clay had to force himself not to scarf the whole thing down. Neither he nor Kelsey had eaten much in the past few days, but they both fought the urge to eat like animals and took small, proper bites. Kelsey closed her eyes as she chewed on the tender piece of chicken. It was cooked to perfection.
Clay looked on with admiration. He loved seeing her smile; seeing her happy. Kelsey was embarrassed as she noticed him watching her eat and ignoring his own plate which was cooling more by the minute.
“Sorry,” Clay excused himself for his bad manners. “I can’t help it. I just get lost in your eyes.”
Kelsey swallowed her bite, “Well, when you put it all romantic like that and such,” she said before taking a sip of water.
Clay pulled himself away from her eyes and returned to his food. He savored each bite, as if he were trying to study the taste like a food critic would. He was nearly finished with his plate when they were interrupted by the mayor.
“Good evening, Clay. I am glad you could make it,” he said then turned his attention to Kelsey. “Why don’t you introduce me to your lovely guest,” he said.
Clay stood to his feet and shook Shelton’s hand. “Mr. Shelton, this is Kelsey Lambert. Kelsey, this is Barry Shelton, mayor of Liberty.”
Shelton shook Kelsey’s hand, “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lambert.”
“Likewise, sir,” Kelsey replied. “And I just want to add how wonderful this all is,” she said looking around at the party. “You are so kind to let us join you for this event.”
Shelton waved his hand, “It’s nothing. We look at Clay like an honorary citizen. He is welcome here anytime,” he said giving Clay a pat on the back. “You as well, Ms. Lambert.”
Kelsey smiled. “Thank you.”
“So, did y’all get enough to eat?” Shelton asked.
“Oh yeah!” Clay said as he absent-mindedly rested his hand on his stomach. “Don’t remember the last time I was this full.”
Shelton looked over to Kelsey. She simply nodded with a smile.
“Good! Well I’ll leave you two alone then. Y’all are welcome to stay in town as long as you need to. In the meantime,” Shelton looked towards the dance floor as a few couples were making their way there, “enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Shelton turned and walked away to socialize with some folks a couple tables over. The band started up again, and Clay saw the dance floor spark to life. It was an upbeat song that had people moving all around. Each couple had their own style of dancing, regardless of the tempo of the music. It was quite a sight to see.
Clay had never danced a day in his life—not unless he counted the 10 minutes at the Junior High Spring Formal before his date got sick, and they had to leave. Though he didn’t care about such things, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “May I have this dance?”
Kelsey smiled, “Absolutely!”
They moved in and out of the staggered tables and made their way to the dance floor. Clay knew, as the man, he was supposed to lead, but he didn’t have a clue how. Before he made a suggestion, Kelsey put her arm around his back and rested the other over his shoulder.
She winced when her wrist bumped against his arm, but quickly suppressed the pain. She knew that with time it would heal, and she wasn’t going to let it spoil the moment.
Careless of the type of music playing, Clay and Kelsey danced as if a sappy love song was filling the air. As their eyes locked, they became isolated in their own little world. There were no longer other people dancing around them. There were no Screamers preparing to terrorize the night. Buildings and other structures were not crumbling from years of neglect. There were no food shortages to worry about, or preparations for the long, harsh winters. None of those things existed right now. Just two souls, deeply in love, living in the moment.
Kelsey stood on her toes and kissed Clay passionately. She stroked his cheek with her hand, “I love you, Clayton Whitaker.”
Life is good.
Back at Vlad’s, Clay found himself sitting in an oversized recliner in the living room. Directly in front of him was a wall which once had a flat screen TV hanging from it—the mounting brackets were still securely in place. He closed his eyes and pressed into the back of the chair as it fully reclined.
He heard Kelsey coming down the stairs. She had traded in her dress for a pair of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt courtesy of Vlad’s department store.
“Koty’s fast asleep,” Kelsey said as she came across the room to Clay.
She walked around behind the chair and began to rub one of Clay’s shoulders. He thought nothing could have been more relaxing than the bath he had taken earlier, but he was wrong. After a few minutes, she moved her hand to the top of his head, running her fingers through his hair, and gently scratching his scalp. Clay’s eyes became heavy.
Much to his disappointment, Kelsey removed her hand from his head. She walked around to the front of the chair and sat in his lap. Clay’s disappointment was short-lived as she hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder. He felt complete, like the last piece of a puzzle being snapped into place.
They sat in silence, just listening to each other’s breathing. It was soothing, and further prompted sleep for Clay. He felt the slightest of trembles go through Kelsey’s body. He turned his head and looked at her. Her mouth was open like she wanted to say something.
“I was scared I would never see you again,” she finally spoke with a wavering voice. “When Silas shot Jeremy, I,” she paused, her bottom lip began to quiver as she replayed the horrible event in her head. She started to cry softly.
Clay pulled her in closer and gave her a gentle squeeze. He wasn’t sure what to say to make things better. He wasn’t sure there was anything that could be said. A traumatic event like that wasn’t going to be washed away with a few positive sentiments. He, of all people, knew that. But still, he wished he had some magic solution to make all the nightmares disappear. There were few things harder for Clay than watching someone he loved be in such great pain and know there was nothing he could do to help.
“All I really remember is his eyes. His hollow, lifeless eyes that stared up at me from the floor.” Her tears had stopped and her voice had calmed. “Jeremy wasn’t the greatest guy in the world, but he saved my life that night,” she said with reverence. It’s how she decided she would remember him.
Clay had not been all that fond of Jeremy, but he agreed with Kelsey. Even though he had, in essence, been the catalyst for the whole mess, he didn’t deserve to die because of it. Jeremy had not been the one that had ordered Silas and his men to attack. And if he was being truthful with Kelsey, he had no idea Watson was even considering such a thing. If Jeremy was guilty of something, it was a lack of sound judgment, not malicious intent. Believing that made Clay feel a little better.
Kelsey sighed, but then smiled as her mind snapped back to the present. She was in an upscale house protected from external threats. Her daughter was asleep upstairs, she was in a cozy chair holding the man she loved, and they were well on their way to the start of a new life. These warm thoughts were able to melt away the chill from the haunting images of her final days at Watson’s ranch.
Clay felt a pang of guilt settle into his stomach. Kelsey and Dakota had nearly lost their lives; Jeremy did lose his—all of which might have been avoided if Clay hadn’t been so harsh with Kelsey after Charlie’s wake. He couldn’t fathom what life would be like without her, and yet, because his emotions had controlled him like a puppet, he sent her back into the lion’s den. He would have never forgiven himself if…He shuddered at the thought.
“Kelsey… Please forgive me.”
Kelsey leaned back from his shoulder so she could look at him. “Forgive you for what?” she asked.
“The things I said to you…after Charlie’s funeral…I didn’t mean any of it.”
She leaned towards him and kissed him. “I know that, Clay,” she said with a smile as she returned to his shoulder. “Believing that you still loved me is what kept me going while sitting in that godforsaken cell.” She put her hand in his and stroked his palm. “I believe everything happens for a reason, Clay. I may never know why, but I do know nothing is by accident.”
Clay’s mom had told him that very thing when he was younger. There was no such thing as a random event. Every experience had a purpose; every action had an impact. He believed it—for a while—until he watched his family die one by one while he sat on the sidelines, powerless to save them. He asked God many nights why He would allow such devastation, why He would allow him to carry such burdens. The idea that everything happened for a reason didn’t quite sit well with Clay after that.
But, as he sat there holding Kelsey in his arms, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was some truth to it after all. Though the past was chocked full of pain and sorrow, without those events, he knew he would not be where he was at that very moment: content, in love, and excited for the future.
And with that realization, Clay would never be the same. He never wanted to be the same.
It was love at first sight with Kelsey. He had never felt that way about anyone, and he knew that despite all the wrong in the world, with Kelsey by his side, things would be right. He felt completed when they were together, and the thought of being apart from her made him depressed.
Kelsey was starting to drift to sleep. Her eyes were closed, and Clay didn’t want to wake her, but he needed to tell her what was on his mind. “Kelsey?” he asked while rubbing her back.
“Hmm?” she said with a vanishing voice.
Clay’s heart was pounding—more so than he could recall even in the most intense of battles. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, yet he was unable to speak. He was crippled with fear, yet bouncing with excitement.
Kelsey was drifting fast. His voice and his thoughts finally reconciled. “Marry me, Kelsey,” his voice barely above a whisper.
He sat in silence as he watched for a reaction. Her eyes were still closed; her expression remained unchanged. Clay could feel his pulse throbbing in his neck. Had she fallen asleep before he spoke? Was he going to have to find the courage to go through this moment all over again?
Then, he noticed a single tear collecting at the corner of her eyelid. After a moment, it grew large enough and slid down her cheek. Her lips slowly curled up, and her eyes fluttered open. She sat up and stared into his eyes.
“Yes,” she said with a heartfelt look on her face. “A million times over… Yes!” her expression was elated.
With one hand, she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him close. They kissed passionately. “I love you, Clay, with all of my heart, all of my soul. Today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Clay was up before dawn, packing for the rest of their journey to Northfield. Vlad, Shelton, and a few others from town had donated several goods to help with the second leg of the voyage. Both Clay and Kelsey were astonished with the continual generosity the community demonstrated. He would miss his frequent trips to the little town, but he vowed to visit at least once or twice a year in the future.
He zipped up his pack and checked a smaller backpack Vlad had given to him to help with some of the overflow of supplies. Everything was in order. His shotgun and pistol were fully loaded. His clothes were not only dry, but clean, compliments of Olesya. He felt utterly spoiled by the last two days; he would never be able to repay everyone for what they had done. He knew with certainty, though, that they didn’t do it because they expected something in return. In mankind’s darkest hour, their acts of humanity stood out all the more.
Clay and Kelsey had agreed they would leave around 8:00. It was 5:45, and Clay was finished with his pre-trip checks, so he decided to head out and take a stroll around town.
He always admired the all-stone façades the houses displayed. Unlike the vast amounts of cookie cutter subdivisions littered around the city, each house in Liberty had its own unique look and feel. This, coupled with the ad-hoc renovations that occurred post collapse, gave the neighborhood a one of a kind appearance.
The town was quiet with the exception of the occasional chirping bird or barking dog. Using the light from the solar powered street lamps, Clay made his way down the road to the gated entrance. He was surprised to see Mayor Shelton on duty with another armed man.
“Good morning, Clay,” Shelton said before taking a sip of tea from his thermos.
“Morning, Mr. Shelton.”
“I think you may be the only one who calls me that. Please, call me Barry.”
“All right, Barry. What are you doing out here manning the gate?” Clay asked in such a way to imply Shelton’s status in the community would discourage him from such jobs.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Barry replied.
Clay shrugged. “I dunno. You’re a pretty important guy around town, and being gatekeeper can be a dangerous job.”
“That it is,” Shelton reaffirmed. “But there’s a saying I’ve lived by for quite some time, ‘Don’t ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself.’”
Clay nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”
“Before all this ‘mayor’ stuff, I was just another survivor, hoping to keep my family alive another day. Eventually, as our town grew and stabilized, a hierarchy of leadership was necessary. Not to cause separation between the people, but to keep the unity.” Shelton paused to take another sip of his steaming tea from the metal canister. He smacked his lips as the liquid warmed him, and then continued, “Yeah, there are a few of us who have some authority around here, but the first rule was that no abled-bodied man was exempt from certain tasks, which includes me.”
Clay had a whole newfound respect for Barry Shelton, if it were possible. It was why Liberty was the kind, generous, and prosperous town that it was. Not because of strong, defensible gates, or thriving crops and livestock. It was from a strong foundation of leadership that inspired each and every citizen to do their part. Not from the threat of force or intimidation, but from the desire to help their fellow man.
Clay looked out towards the horizon. The sky began to turn several hues of purple as the sun started its ascent. Clay thought about what Shelton said and realized good leadership is born and cultivated within an individual. It’s not a skill inherited with a position of authority, but one that is learned—usually through trials and tribulations.
Though Clay hadn’t asked for this life, it was the one he was given. Like Shelton, Clay too was just a survivor at one point. Then, over time, he became the leader of a small group of people who depended on him with their very lives—he became the leader of his family.
As the sun crept higher into the sky, Clay noticed he needed to squint a little more than usual. Had it been that long since he’d really watched a sunrise? Or was there something different? Then he noticed them. Rays of light punching through the layer of ash. He counted at least a half dozen of them casting in various directions. They were faint, but they were there. And they were magnificent.
And just like that, the rays faded to nothingness, and the sun returned to the hazy, floating orb in the sky he was used to seeing. Clay could once again glance at it briefly without hurting his eyes. He was still in awe with what he had just witnessed, and the expression on his face must have matched his thoughts.
“You saw it, too?” Shelton asked as he stood beside Clay.
Clay found that no words could appropriately capture his feelings, so he simply nodded.
“So long as there is hope, there’s a will to carry on,” Shelton said.
“Amen,” Clay replied.
Epilogue
Kelsey walked out of the house and sat down in a rocking chair. A warm breeze wafted through the field, eventually reaching her on the front porch. It was a beautiful day, the third one in the past month. More and more, the ash in the atmosphere gave way to clearer skies, allowing direct sunlight to once again strike the surface of the earth. Dakota and some of the other children gasped in awe the first time their eyes observed the twinkling stars of the heavens. The moment brought everyone to tears.
As the breeze passed through, Kelsey closed her eyes and soaked it in: the sound of leaves dancing on the branches; wind chimes colliding; and children laughing as they chased each other through the rows of corn. It was indescribably beautiful.
She looked across a small field and watched as Geoffrey pushed Wyatt on a tree swing. He laughed and screamed with glee as he soared higher and higher. Ruth sat on the porch, rocking back and forth as she cradled Elizabeth in her arms, singing lullabies to the infant.
