Evangeline, Alone. (Book 1): Evangeline, Alone

by Styles, M. A.

  “Especially Ryan, he’s extremely into animals. Well, all living things. I can plan a whole week’s worth of lessons around those little guys. He is going to be incredibly happy.” Jack realized that’s where he found most of his joy. In a world like the one they were now in, it of course felt nice to have that quiet, loving moment with the animals back when they took their break. But knowing how the kids were going to react, how happy they were going to be, was what Jack was getting excited about. The thought of their joy was actually filling him, and he felt like it was brimming over. He was trying to contain it in himself. It was all from this gift Mac had procured for them and he had to fight badly not to turn and hug her.

  “Mac,” he said, a more reserved seriousness washing over his elation. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able to rightfully thank you for what you’re doing for all of us. And I know you don’t want us to or even think we need to, but I’m going to personally try to make sure we do.”

  They took a few more silent steps together before she responded with a simple, “Okay.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Hope

  Upon their return after their three days absence, the fear of facing Magda was waiting for them in the entry hall. The look she gave Charlie would’ve turned anyone to stone, and it certainly sent a wave of anxiety through him. His shoulders almost immediately sunk down and forward. His head followed suit, curving his body towards his stomach. It took her finally speaking to get his gaze back up and set on her.

  “Well, I’m happy to see your safe return,” she said to Mac with a kind smile that immediately faded to a look of disdain as she finished with: “All of your safe returns.”

  Jack and Cara gave her an apologetic look, but didn’t shrink away from the role they played in it.

  “I am very anxious to hear about your travels, as well as any successful ventures you may have had.” She cocked an eyebrow and craned her neck slightly to the side to see around Mac. The different, larger and full pack she now had on her back with no sign of the little one she had been loaned and left with was very obvious to her. “But I understand if you’d like to postpone that until tomorrow and recoup a bit.”

  Charlie’s posture immediately relaxed at this temporary reprieve, only to fall back in defeat again with Mac’s response.

  “No, it’d be best to get you briefed and get started right away. I’d like to get things moving forward as soon as possible. It’d be in all of our best interests.”

  “Well, alright then,” Magda said with a surprised expression. “Shall we take this to my office then, Ms. Mac?” she asked as she took a step towards the large staircase.

  Mac nodded her agreement and began to follow her, while a mix of relief, confusion, and awkwardness was left behind with the remaining three still standing trail-worn at the bottom. As the two women reached the middle of the steps Magda stopped, and turned back towards them.

  “Silly me, I just assumed you would join us unrequested, without invitation, as seems your preference, Charles, but let me assure you, your attendance is needed for this meeting,” she finished and turned right back, starting up the rest of the staircase.

  Charlie noticeably gulped and started off with shuffling feet towards the steps. Jack and Cara both gave each other looks of relief and took a deep breath. They turned to make their way to the back steps leading to the downstairs cafeteria with plans to unwind and share their stories with whomever was already down there.

  “You too, Mr. Reed, Ms. Pierre,” Magda added as she reached the top landing in front of the common room and waited.

  Mac gave a little look back at them over her shoulder, but kept moving forward until she was waiting next to Magda. The voices of the kids could be heard coming from behind the double doors of their make shift mess hall. They must be finishing up their dinner with Mrs. Tate. As Cara and Jack climbed up to join them, Mac carefully slid off her pack, and placed it gently on the floor. She began to unzip the top opening and pulled out the large shoe box stored on top. Immediately the familiar chirps from before started to sound.

  Magda looked over at Mac in confusion as she was crouched down in a squat over the box. Jack and Cara were just making it to the top to join them when she finally said something.

  “Ms. Mac, is that box making noise?” she asked with a look of pleased curiosity.

  Mac plucked the lid off the box and revealed to her the five chicks inside, now hungry again for some dinner. She reached back into her pack like before when they were in the woods, pulled out the old battered coffee can and placed it next to them on the ground.

  “In a few months they will start to yield you eggs. For now though, they need to be cared for very well, and a coop needs to be built. Thanks to your walls most predators won’t be too much of a problem, but some kind of fencing will have to be put over top of their space to ensure no hawks or other birds come down for them.” Magda looked at them with an expression of disbelief. “You have a bit longer before they should be let out to roam the grounds outside, but your people need to get to work. On more than just this.”

  “Well, I’d say so. Couldn’t we just keep them in the courtyard?” she asked, bending over so she could softly run a finger over one of the chick’s fluffy backs.

  “They’ll pull up and eat all of your seedlings in the garden. Scratch all your seeds out of the dirt. For now they just need a warm place.”

  Magda stood up straight as she thought. Her brow furrowed as she searched her mind for an appropriate spot for the future little saviors.

  Mac continued, saving her the trouble. “I heard that little boy, Ryan, is really good with animals. Do you think he could take on their care for the most part?” Mac asked Magda, though she was looking up at Jack who got wide eyed and smiled.

  “I believe that is definitely a possibility. Jack, do you think you can find some books on chickens in the library, and come up with some lessons for Ryan?” she asked.

  “Sure!” he said, a look of joy spreading over his face.

  “I have a written list of instructions, and facts written down for him already,” Mac said, reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out a piece of wrinkled paper Jack was pretty sure he saw her passing around when they were at the Ranch between farmers and the brothers. She reached up for him to take it. He grabbed it from her, and his expression changed. She had already known Ryan would love these chickens and that he was best suited for it before he even mentioned it to her. “I’m sure there’s plenty of other things for the rest of the kids to take part in with these guys too.” Mac started to zip up her pack again and slung it over one of her shoulders. She reached back down and picked up the canister and box carefully handing them off to Jack. “I’m going to need you to get all of that started now so they have a place to settle for the night. They can stay in the box for now, no problem. You remember how to feed them, and how much right?” she asked Jack, who was still staring at her, lips parted.

  He snapped himself out of his thoughts and answered, “Yeah, sure. Like you did in the woods.”

  “Good. Make sure they get water too.” She started to head for Magda’s office ahead of them all.

  “Jack, I guess you will be the hero for the night,” Magda said as she slowly swung her arm towards the double doors of the common room. “Go show the kids and explain their new duties.”

  He chuckled a bit to himself, and shook his head yes. Jack slowly made his way to the doors, carefully balancing the box with the little cheepers inside.

  “Alright,” Magda said a bit sternly, and Jack turned around to see Cara, with big puppy dog eyes looking back and forth between Jack and her. ”Go with him and help.” A smile immediately spread across Cara’s face as she hopped after Jack. “But you’re both on cleaning duty for the week. Laundry, sweeping, dishes, bathrooms, plus all of your normal work, and now the chickens. Enjoy,” she said as she left to head to her office where Mac was standing outside leaning against the wall by the door.

  “Deal!” C
ara shouted after her and gave Jack a look of relief. She gave his arm a slap, “Let’s go introduce the newest kids to the originals.” They both smiled and pushed open the doors. The little voices could be heard shouting exclamations of wonder and delight even after the doors clicked closed.

  Charlie, who had stayed against the banister looking over the entryway, stood frozen, and waiting, but nothing. Magda was just making her way to her office without looking back at him. So he gingerly took a few steps towards the doors, figuring his son was probably in there too, maybe even Laila, but he was stopped immediately.

  “Mr. Miller! Let’s go,” he heard Magda fiercely order, and turned to see her standing holding her door open and waiting. Mac was already inside. He hung his head again, and walked to his scolding, though it did not come right away.

  They spent a couple hours going over the alliance now between them and the Ranch. The supplies promised and given. The place and the people itself, actual location withheld. Mac had given Magda a very long list of tasks that must be completed and completed quickly if they were to expand their crops, raise chickens, and begin to successfully hunt and gather. These things would allow them a more fortified and safe building. The side of the grounds opposite the entrance to Benson Academy had to be turned, ready for corn and potatoes. An area and building had to be made and designated for the chickens once they were ready. The part of the outside wall damaged by the falling tree must be repaired immediately among other tasks for the block to do that frankly Magda didn’t understand the purpose of yet, but had no problem agreeing to. Mac finished with the information that Wyatt, Nico, and Rae would most likely be arriving within a week to help them get things planted the right way, share all the information they had about growing each plant, and that they would be there to pick up more supplies promised to them. All of the jugs were to be filled with water and given to the Ranch, along with the promise of sacks of apples when the time came. More medical supplies would be offered, and rooms would be available to those in need at any time. There was also the possibility that more could be asked of them if it ever was needed and they were capable.

  Magda shook her head, completely overwhelmed but extremely pleased. Her eyes glistened with tears she would not allow to fall.“I just- I can’t believe it. How will we ever repay you? Them?” she asked as her hopes were raised to actually having a fighting chance now to survive with this whole list laid out for them.

  “I told you what they’ve asked for and there may be more. Don’t get comfortable. You still need to find as much as you can to fill your pantries, grounds, and stomachs. As for me,” she said, standing up and putting her pack on to leave. “We’re settled.” She headed for the door. “Well, maybe make sure he never comes with me again unless I ask,” she said, looking at Charlie, then walked out.

  Charlie looked at Magda as she got up out of her nice chair behind her desk and walked to her office’s open door. His eyes widened with the fear of his coming punishment and much deserved berating. He gulped again, but sighed, and settled into the chair at the front of her desk.

  “For that, you have my word,” Magda said, more for Charlie’s ears than for Mac’s and she closed the door.

  Mac made her way towards the stairs and paused at the second floor landing. She hesitated with her next step, inching towards the next flight, but her body turned to go down the hall to the rooms. The one she was looking for faced the courtyard, but which one?

  She took a deep breath and tried to rub away her headache through her forehead. She was too tired, which leant itself to the fact that she knew she didn’t have the patience the situation would most likely need. Or did it even need to involve patience? Drop off the goods. Walk away. You did your part, she thought, now walk away. There really was nothing else to do. She exhaled loudly, and started up the steps. I’ll deal with it tomorrow, she said to herself, and made her way to her room.

  It was absolutely silent on the third floor, which normally would make a space that large creepy, but now was more common place than anything. Only a handful of people lived on this floor anyway and they all seemed to either be done for the night or somewhere else entirely.

  When she got to her room she opened it, and looked right out to the courtyard. It was late enough that it was pretty dark out, so the kids at least were likely asleep for the night. She stepped in and her foot slid on something in the darkness, right inside her door. She flicked on the light-switch that controlled the single light in the kitchen area and it lit a piece of paper laying three feet into her room. She closed the door behind her, slid her pack off her shoulders to the ground with a thud, then bent down warily to pick it up. It was only folded over once, right at its middle. She lifted it open to see what was left for her and a brilliant mix of waxy colors covered it all. The top half read:

  Bonjour, Evie. Quel cadeau!

  Thanks for the chicks!

  We’ll name them tomorrow!

  I’ll build them the best house.

  Then in colors that each corresponded to one of the lines written were the names of Susie, Ryan, Timmy, and Sunny. The bottom half was bright yellow drawings of chicks, closer to the version you’d have seen on store windows around Easter time. One was more of a realistic attempt with lightly stroked lines fanning out from its little body in an act to capture its fluff.

  She couldn’t help herself, she let a small smile pull at her lips. The thought of them coming up there and sliding it under her door while she was in Magda’s office made her chuckle a bit too. Her shoulders relaxed and the familiar ache in her neck and back had her mind flashing to so many other treks she had taken in her life.

  She knew she should sleep, but she knew that she couldn’t. So she took off her boots and let them fall over on their side by the door. The thud echoed a bit in the quiet. When she pulled her shirt over her head, a faint soreness strummed down her side where the old yellow bruise had all but faded away. She sat on the end of her bed and stripped off her filthy pants. Dried flecks of mud fell to the floor and little clouds of dust puffed up as she dropped them in a pile. She looked at the rest of herself and realized she’d be dumb to pass up a shower right now.

  CHAPTER 17

  Moving Forward

  “All I know is, when I saw her in that tree, I almost pissed my pants,” Cara said as she pointed at Nate and he laughed.

  “As I’m sure any of us would have,” he said to her over the table in the downstairs cafeteria, still laughing a bit to himself.

  “I still don’t know how Charlie didn’t, honestly,” Jack said as he took a drink of water from one of the Block’s large plastic cups.

  “He probably did! Did you check?” Nate asked breaking into a laugh again, and slapping his thighs.

  Cara chuckled. “That is a valid point,” she said to him holding out her own glass of water. “I have to ask though,” and she turned to Jack who looked at her a bit taken aback. “Did you piss your pants at all when you were climbing that damn cliff?”

  Jack sighed with a big grin on his face. “Somehow no. It seems to have the opposite effect on me.” They looked at him confused. “It seemed to suck everything back into my body.” He made a sweeping motion towards his stomach. “I’m going to try my best to never have to do that again.”

  “Hear, hear!” Cara said, raising her drink to all of them, which they returned.

  Will and Gabe, the gate guards just off shift, sat on the floor next to them, each holding a chick and looking at the other ones still snuggling in the box. Gabe, the one at the lookout for the gate when they had left, was the one to open it on their mutual return. He looked up at them as he cupped the baby chicken in his hands.

  “So, she got us these, and what else?” It wasn’t asked in a that’s all tone, but more of a how way.

  “She has a group, at least it seems to be her base for the majority of this,” Jack answered as he looked down at the two grown men who delightedly played with the teeny, baby animals.

  Will looked up.
“That crazy, huge cabin place?” he said, mainly for clarification.

  “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll meet some of them. They’re supposed to be coming here with whatever else she got for us, and to help us get our garden sorted.”

  They all sat for a moment quietly, thinking things over in their heads. Help. Crops. Strangers. Eggs. It was all a lot of different things, with different hopes, and different concerns.

  “Really, though, they’re good people,” Cara looked at both Will and Gabe. “Much more than we deserve for what our dumbasses did to her.”

  Just then the door whooshed open and Joe started to make his way over to them.

  Nate lowered his voice a bit. “Well, Mac couldn’t have minded too much, or she would’ve flipped one of your asses.” He sat back smirking, his long, skinny legs stretched out from the bench he was sitting on. Cara bit her lip and the gate guys stifled their chuckling by the time Joe made it over to them.

  “Five baby chickens, huh?” he said, his tone and face unreadable. “How long till they give us eggs, or are we just suppose to eat them as is?” This question was easier to place, though at a much lower level of sarcasm then Joe usually delivered.

  “They said they’ll each lay about two hundred to three hundred eggs a year if they’re cared for right. They’ll start at about six months old,” Jack answered without looking up from the floor as Joe stood over them.

  “They, huh…” Joe stood there silent and hunched, staring unblinkingly at the little creatures for an unsettlingly long amount of time.

  Cara slowly slid her gaze to Nate and Jack, both of whom were still watching Joe who continued standing there, unreadable. Gabe and Will’s eyes were flicking back and forth at each other and the chicks uncomfortably, and it looked like they were beginning to gather up the chicks in case they needed to protect them. They each got two in their laps, Gabe reaching out for the last one who had hopped a little closer to Joe when the man suddenly gave a little hop in place, his feet never actually leaving the ground, and loudly clapped his hands together. Every one of them jumped or flinched in some way or another at the sudden noise and movement. He rubbed his hands together as he faced them.