She smiled to herself at her memories, and Mac listened to her intently and patiently. She knew there was more she wanted to say.
“He had many offers of scholarships, even invitations to perform, but they all involved crowds of people. Eventually we had a studio built in the basement of our home and he composed, performed, recorded, and after some business advisement and research, he began selling his music. Even being sought out for it! We were extremely proud of him. We later found out he had what has now been coined Aspergers Syndrome. No one would give him a chance or even just a moment of their time. But I saw a very capable man, who just needed people to understand that it was not about them, and to not take it personally, but to give chances and understand.
“Our whole experience had me thinking a lot about children like him, and their families. So, when my husband and Benson had gone, I had a lot of money. Well, my son’s money, and I wanted to honor him. That is how the Academy came to be. It would be a place for children who excelled in something, had to be challenged past a school’s guidelines, or needed to be understood beyond behavior. I wanted these children to have a chance to live as they needed to, and to thrive like they were meant.
“My realtor found me this place. The bones were already laid out; the foundation poured, but we could work with it. I hired an architect and contractor who did what he could to make the inside more dormitory and classrooms than offices and waiting rooms. And here we are. The fourth floor was set to be completed by the end of winter break, but obviously that was not meant to be.”
Magda took a long breath in, and collected her thoughts. “I was so surprised by and grateful for the immense interest and turnout during enrollment, even without being completed. Which is why we decided to open so quickly. We had such a beautiful spectrum of students: many ages, many talents, ready to start the year. But honestly, every day we are still here in this place, at this time, I am so grateful it happened before they all showed up.” She looked right up at Mac who looked back at her. “We could not have done it when it all happened. It would’ve failed miserably, and I would’ve had to watch all of those children die. I was ready to give them opportunities to survive by succeeding. Thriving in the ways they were meant to. But I was not ready to literally help them survive, to guarantee they live, promise them they wouldn’t die. Which is where everyone is now. We had a few more children at first, but the parents who realized what was happening, and were able to come back and get them, did. The families who didn’t know or just simply couldn’t, well, we mourned for them for quite a while in the beginning, but the children were and are resilient. And I am proud of how we’ve taken care of them, and how we’ve still allowed them to grow and learn as they need to. And I feel lucky to have them, but I need to tell you it is pure luck and circumstance we are all alive here.”
Mac looked over at her, surprised by her candidness.
“Our good fortune started with an order mistake. Upon doing some meal plans and figuring out ingredients Mrs. Hahn, Anna’s mother, estimated the food supplies we would need to get us through the first semester. Dry goods, frozen and canned goods, beverages and the like. Up until recently she owned a little cafe a few towns over, but she had to close down when her husband left her. She was used to getting most of her ingredients from wholesale clubs and local farms. She had never done large orders through restaurant suppliers. When she did the first one for us, she simply did not realize the quantities she was ordering. A simple mistake allowed us to have been left with things like one hundred pounds of flour when she meant for a single ten pound bag. The orders went by tens, and not single products. There was supposed to be fifty students in our first year, ten teachers, and a handful of other staff. So we were basically left with ten times the amount of food we needed and then we were left with roughly only twenty people, once this had all started. We had also set up a little vegetable garden in the courtyard over the summer for something the children could tend to and prepare for their following year once harvested. Then there was the complete coincidence of having Mr. Grant on the premise, and what was once thought of as an inconvenience, the ongoing construction of the fourth floor. The stock and eventual installation of the solar panels. Like I said Ms. Mac, we were lucky. Twists of fate had left us with a large cache of food, and the ability to preserve it.”
That wasn't just a twist of fate, that was go out and buy a lottery ticket, stupid luck, Mac thought to herself. She knew there was something enabling them to have gotten this far without being affected by the outside, but now she understood why they were the way they were. None of them ever had to go hungry. They never had to fight for anything.
“Now it seems though, our luck is running out,” and for the first time, Mac could see Magda’s well versed professionalism, and skilled poker face start to crumble.
And here it comes.
“It seems, no matter how much unintentional stocking up that occurred for us, there is an end to it, and we estimate that to be mid-summer. We also did not respect the gift that was our garden the first time around either. We ate greedily with barely any thought to our plan for the following spring. We assumed whatever was going on out there would be corrected shortly. Thankfully, there were at least some leftover usable seeds in the little bags to plant again, but even with us collecting seeds from last season’s harvest, there is absolutely no possibility of quantities large enough to sustain us through another winter here. We had scavenged about a two mile radius before winter came, and found some things that are still tiding us through a bit. We decided to start hunting game once the thaw began. Going out a bit further than before, and well, I believe you saw how that has gone for us. And frankly, there is only so much supplementing our apple trees can do,” she chuckled to herself weakly, then came right out with it. “We need your help.”
The last statement hung in the air like heavy fog. Mac took the last bite of muffin, chewing slowly. She took the time to think, but Magda took it as hesitation and began an attempt to convince her.
“Obviously, you can say no, and we would still hold a spot for you here whenever you may need it. But this place will be a lot less hospitable without provisions. I fear the inevitable addition of us becoming what we fear most, inside of our own walls, will add to that as well. We are not asking for anything that would put you in harm’s way. Even if you just know of something that would help us, we would appreciate any information or suggestions you could offer. We may even have some things you would like in exchange for your services. We’re willing to give you anything you’d like in exchange…” Panic began to set in the edges of her voice as she took no comfort in Mac’s silence or far off look. “Clothing. A vehicle… Weapons.”
Mac turned sharply to Magda, “Stop it. Never give away weapons unless it is absolutely necessary. Trade them only when you will benefit more. You will never be able to care for this place or get food to care for these kids without weapons. Don’t forget that.”
“Alright, duly noted,” Magda cleared her throat a bit, trying to hide the shame that rose up in her from her desperation. She took a deep breath and collected herself. “Please, Ms. Mac, this is not a place I like to be in, and not one I want to get used to. I have a feeling you feel the same way. It is not in our nature to beg or be begged at, but this is where we are. I have a responsibility to these children. And a responsibility to the rest of the people who live within these walls. What do we need to do for you to help us?”
Mac shifted herself, straightening her back up, and wiped her hands together to brush any stray crumbs away.
“There’s nothing,” she answered, staring off towards the school. She noted Jack had just lowered his head, and looked away from them. She figured he was close enough to hear, plus he knew why Magda came to her.
A quivering breath escaped Magda’s mouth, and her shoulders slowly slumped
“I understand.” She pushed herself up, for the first time showing her age as her joints looked stiff and tired. You could see her body
felt heavy on her knees. “Thank you for your consideration, and we wish you luck on-“
“I’m going to need about twelve of those academy shirts, various sizes. Some of your dried apples, and if you have any large containers of apple sauce, those too. A container of dried oats if there’s a full one left. A bottle of Tylenol. Gather any gallon jugs you can find, glass, plastic, whatever. I’d like to take a count. I’d also like to see what seeds and plants you have available.”
Magda was looking at her with great confusion. “I’m sorry?”
“If I’m going to get you supplies, I’m going to need things to trade. People don’t want more of what they already have, they want what they need or can’t get now. I need to know what you have so I can see what they’d want.”
“You’re going to help us? I thought you said there was nothing we could-“
“I said there was nothing you had to do to get me to help you.”
Magda cocked her head in realization, a slight smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “Well, alright. I will have Ted give you our garden inventory,” and she turned to head back inside the school.
“I do want you to know one thing though, Magda,” Mac said, still sitting atop the picnic table. “Asking anyone to go outside the safety of walls or any safe place is putting them in harm’s way. It is inevitable. It is a constant at this point in our world. Never take for granted the people who do that for you, because they are giving you everything. You are asking them for everything.”
Magda gave her a respectful nod of her head, acknowledging the severity of what she had asked of Mac, and what some of her people do for the school, whether they realized it or not.
Before Magda had turned back to make her way inside, Mac said, “And thank you. For giving me a choice in the matter, while still opening your home to me, regardless of my answer. That is rare. I know because in this world, what you’ve asked of me is what I do, and I don’t do it for everyone who asks.” She let that sit between them for a moment, looking her in the eyes. Magda stiffened respectfully.
“Understood,” she said with great magnitude, and she made her way back in through the garage door. Jack following right behind her.
A moment later as she still sat on the table, Jack reemerged from the garage and joined her. He stayed standing, the bow slung over his shoulder with a new quiver made from a worn tote bag. His gun still on his hip, he leaned next to her against the trunk of the tree.
“Magda said when you’re ready, she and Ted will be waiting for you by the door to the courtyard,” Jack informed her, both looking out towards the building.
“Ok.”
There was a short pause where Mac thought he was going to return back to the school, but he spoke again.
“I have to tell you, Charlie’s not happy about what you did to his nose,” he said to her dryly. Mac let out a bored sigh in response to that. “But he said it was worth it to see you put Joe in his place.” Jack turned to her and for the first time, he smiled at her.
She smirked, “Glad to hear it… I am sorry. I didn’t need to do that to him. And I didn’t need to aim my gun at you either. It’s just kind of a muscle memory thing.”
“We get it.” He turned back to staring out at the building again. “I just don’t understand one thing,” he trailed off.
Mac turned to him puzzled, and waited for him to explain.
“I mean, you are obviously completely capable of defending yourself, and knowing what other people are capable of in that department as well.” He paused again. She sat still looking at him, waiting for the clarification of what he meant. “So why the hell did you even bothering taking my bow from me? You’re aware I’m absolutely terrible with the thing.” He turned to her with a big grin on his face, and she actually laughed. “I mean, I would have a better chance grabbing one of the arrows, and poking you with it, than using the thing, and shooting one at you,” he joked, raising his shoulder up to bring the bow out in front more.
Mac collected herself, and then looked at him still smiling.
“Like I said, it’s more of a muscle memory thing at this point. But you are absolutely right.” Now it was his turn to look at her, and wait for the rest of what she was going to say. “You are terrible with that thing, and I think you’d have a better chance at hitting a target with one of those arrows if you just threw it.”
Jack guffawed and looked up at the sky, letting a loud laugh escape.
“Alright, alright, I get it,” he said, waving his hand at her to stop. He started back towards the door, then stopped and turned around. “One more thing.”
She waited with a smirk on her face, and then gave him a flick of her hands to proceed.
“Did flipping that huge douchebag over your back hurt like shit on that shoulder?”
She raised her eyebrows, smiling still. “It hurt, yeah.”
Jack gave her a nod, and started walking back. “Well, make sure you go and see Chris, because she’s had to come down and check on Joe and Charlie. You know she’s coming for you next.”
“Still worth it!” she joked after him.
He turned around, walking backwards and smiled at her, “Agreed!”
Then he was gone, back down into the garage.
✽✽✽
Standing at the center of the courtyard made it easier to assess the size. It was larger than it appeared from above, out of Mac’s window, but not nearly enough to sustain a community of almost thirty people for a winter. Their seed inventory confirmed that as well.
“We have corn, tomatoes, peas, and pepper seeds we’ve collected from last season’s harvest. We still have some beet, kale, carrot, cucumber, and a few herb seeds from our original packs that are now two years old. I doubt we’ll have too much success with those,” Ted told Mac as he poked at the top of one of their dried up raised garden beds with a long stick.
Mac took a deep breath and looked around the open square. They had six large, square raised garden beds in the center, leaving some room for the playground set off to the side. Two long rectangular ones at opposite sides of the building. A compost pile was at the back wall, and the two weathered greenhouses stood on either side of that.
“We’ve done a fair job at keeping the soil rich and healthy at least. Covering it in the cold months with leaves, and mixing in compost when the thaw comes,” he said trying to add a small bit of encouragement to their situation.
“How much corn could you plant?” Mac asked, still looking at the green house.
“Well, I think we may have a hundred kernels at best, but honestly, I don’t see them all taking. We dried out every ear of corn we grew last year, just to raise up our numbers being we figured we had enough food. We only grew about fifteen. The hundred were the ones that made it through the process.”
She scanned the area again. “What herbs do you have?”
Magda and Ted looked at one another with shared looks of confusion, and he answered, “I believe it’s dill, cilantro, and basil… one of our boxes also has some flowers that’ve been coming back on their own. There’s a really nice lavender plant right in the middle.”
Mac didn’t respond, and continued standing with them in the center of the courtyard. She looked up through the open space in the center of the block. They were lucky they got enough sunlight in the courtyard to support enough growth. She did notice the greenhouses were on the side that got the most sunlight. As her gaze came back down the building, she noticed a few faces peaking out at them. By now she could put a name to most of them. All of the kids were peering out from the second floor common room windows.
“I’m going to need your basil seeds,” she said and headed back into the main floor. Magda and Ted followed her, exchanging another round of perplexed expressions.
They made their way back around to the foot of the main staircase. On the first step were seven rinsed and empty plastic gallon milk jugs. Next to that were three large ziplock bags full of dried apples, a cylinder of oats, and two mas
on jars of apple sauce, rounding out the offerings.
Laila walked over with a stack of shirts. “I got two XLs, four larges, four mediums, and two smalls.” She set them down with the rest. “Is that alright?”
“I’m going to need two pairs of those uniform pants. The smallest size you have. Some of those toothpastes, and a few toothbrushes.” Mac was still assessing the lineup, never looking over at her.
Laila looked to Magda, who gave her a nod, “Okay… I’ll be right back.” She turned and headed back to what would’ve been the school store.
“I’ll go grab that basil,” said Ted, returning to the greenhouse in the courtyard.
Jack, Charlie, and Chris walked in from the nurses office. Charlie with a fresh bandaid over the bridge of his nose, purple already forming a bit under his eyes. They stopped as they saw the collection forming at the bottom of the stairs. Chris held up her hand with a bottle of Tylenol in it, then set it next to the rest of the stuff.
Mac stared at the strange mix in front her, everyone else looking between it and her. Laila walked over and placed the uniform pants on top of the shirts, and then a small bag on top of those with what was assumed to be the toothbrushes and toothpaste. Then she slid over to stand next to Charlie. Ted came back in and handed a little packet of basil seeds to Mac.
“Well, Ms. Mac, do you think that’ll do it?” Magda asked her.
She looked at it all, taking stock in each thing. They all stood there waiting for her reply, eyes flickering back and forth between them.
“I’m going to need one of those baseball bats from down stairs,” she said finally, and walked over to start consolidating some of the items into less piles.
Charlie looked at Magda, but she just raised her shoulders. “Alright.” She looked at Ted. “Would you mind?”
Evangeline, Alone. (Book 1): Evangeline, Alone Page 11
