Happy St Lucia Day, everyone!

After the Birds

Chapter Thirteen

Remerton

NY, USA

2039

Andy

I walk between Miranda and Dakota. They’re heading up the soldiers, carrying their assault weapons in a seemingly relaxed grip. I stick to my bat, knowing I’m fast with my Glocks when I have to be. I spent an hour last night oiling metal bands. They will corrode if I don’t and that would end up destroying the bat itself.

We walked for about half an hour and we’re already far into the wooded area. We’re entering deeper into the Hudskills, north of the old overgrown boy scout structure, which places us about ten miles northeast of Remerton. We could use a narrow, winding road for a bit, but now we’re making our way through the dense shrubs under the trees.

It’s important to watch yourself in these parts, and above all, travel quietly. Most of it looks untouched, and uninhabited, but as I’ve learned the hard ways over the years, not everything is as it seems.

We’re going to need to walk just as far as we traveled in the truck and Jeep. They’re both camouflaged in among the trees where the road ended. I know Dakota wasn’t pleased to leave them unguarded, but Miranda was adamant that we needed all the soldiers with us. For once, I agree with her. If she’d left someone to guard the vehicles, it would have been a glaring sign that something was up. Not to mention that this person would be highly vulnerable. We literally swept away all the traces of us and the trucks, using branches.

The forest around us is beautiful year around. About as stunning as it is dangerous, you can say. I lead them along the lake until we reach the scout camp. Several of the soldiers fill up their field bottles and camel packs. They seem to enjoy the abundance of fresh water.

Miranda stands next to me and studies one of all her maps. This one shows the topography accurately as far as I can tell, and she reads it better than I ever could. Then again, I know exactly where all the hills and valleys are after all the years of exploration in these woods. First with Emma as my constant companion, then alone, and eventually with Zoya.

We continue in silence. Miranda and take the lead now, together with Zoya, and Dakota walks behind us. The other soldiers, twenty-one of them holding different ranks, walk quietly, their eyes narrow, watchful. This is alien territory for them, and they have to wonder if their colonel has lost her mind. Build a settlement deep inside a forest in rather strenuous terrain. But the idea has its merits if they can stay alive until they’ve built dwellings and established guard towers and walls.

After another four miles through forests and fields, Zoya suddenly growls. I stop and raise my fist. Placing a finger against my lips, I motion for Miranda to keep still while I move stealthily down the path, careful where I put my feet. Zoya is right behind me. Her fur is standing up where her harness doesn’t flatten it.

“Shh, Zoya,” I whisper close to inaudible. Slowly, I push two branches to the side, to find out why she’s sounding the alarm.
Two people kneel next to a downed deer and are in the process of cutting it up. It’s a woman and a man, and I squint as I have the sun partially in my eyes. I try to t see if it’s anyone I know or know of. They look unfamiliar. Both of them are dressed fully in clothes made from leather and wear long coats. Then the woman turns her back to me and I press my hand over my mouth to stop the whimper I can feel about to push past my vocal cords.

The crest on the woman’s back is etched into my brain. These two belong to the Zodiacs. They ‘re not originally from this area but arrived here about four years ago. Everyone heard them arrive, more or less, since they drove in on remodified motorcycles. It was a long time ago now since anyone of them traveled that way, but I heard they were a sight to be seen when they drove those monster bikes, two or three individuals on each, their long coats fluttering behind them.

I will never forget that spring. That’s when I sacrificed it all for Emma. Now when I see them hack up and pull at the dead deer, I feel my lips pull back in a feral grin. It would be so easy to surprise them. Let Zoya keep one in check while I beat up the other one. Only the thought that they’re outfitted with several weapons, guns and bow and arrow, judging from the deer, makes me relent.

A movement out of the corner of my eyes makes me raise my bat at a wide angle, all in a split second. Miranda. I bite down on my bottom lip and lower my bat again. That was close. Far too close. I glare at her, but she looks unperturbed. Instead, she does what I just did, push two branches aside and studies the hunters.

“Two?” she mouths.

I nod. “Zodiacs,” I whisper with my lips nearly pressed against her ear.

“No friends of yours?” Her breath tickles my ear, and I shiver.

“Hardly.” I shake my head, thinking of the scars on my back as proof of how else the Zodiacs use their knives when they’re not hunting for deer.

“Lead us in a detour. No use starting a war already.” I feel Miranda’s breath against me again.
I understand what she means, but it makes me worried that she’s so convinced that there will be war between different factions in the Hudskills. I tell myself that there’s be those in the Hudskills that welcome a proper society with law and order. Even healthcare.

We cautiously make our way back and I choose another, somewhat longer, route. It’s a little too close to my hut to feel entirely comfortable. Constantly checking Zoya’s body language, I hurry along now, eager to put as much distance between us and the two Zodiacs. If the Loxi gang causes havoc in downtown Remerton, the Zodiacs are even worse out here. They’re behind the worst assaults, and no sane person living in the Hudskills would ever get tangled up with them. Especially not when they move in packs.

I have to reconsider my own, secret plan. It would never occur to me to risk any of the ones I do know in these woods. They are the closet I have to family and friends, and the only place I can escape to if something goes wrong for me, or Zoya. Now I have to decide once and for all if I trust in Miranda’s and Dakota’s good intentions. My heart races at the thought of how I might be making a unreversible mistake.

But…perhaps I instead am about to create an opportunity for those who fight for a decent living in the Hudskills, to finally enjoy some security and be able to sleep a full night without living in constant fear. Fear that someone will set their humble dwellings on fire, break in, steal food, hurt a loved one, or worst of all—take any of the few children living here.

If Miranda, Dokota, and all of their entourage, like Tall Dude and Short Guy, Alf and Rebecca, and miracles of miracles, Doctor Apple, add their knowledge and presence…who am I to deny the people of the Hudskills that?

I feel as if my heart moves up into my throat, and it doesn’t matter how hard I try to swallow. My entire body is one reverberating heartbeat now that I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to bring Miranda and her soldiers with me home. I shiver and pray that I won’t regret this.

Without a word, I guide them on increasingly familiar paths and after another hour, when we haven’t seen another soul, I see the smoke from the log cabin I’ve led them to. “We’ll reach the first family soon.” I point as I keep my voice low as I can tell it’s trembling.

“I assume their friendly.”

“Absolutely. But—I suggest that you, Dakota, and I walk over there first. Perhaps your people can make sure we haven’t attracted the attention of the wrong people?

Miranda signals with prices hand movements and her soldiers sort themselves in a wide semi-circle. I motion for Mianda and Dakota to accompany me. Zoya wags her tail now. She knows what to expect.

I know that ‘log cabin’ isn’t the correct term when you spot the large building. Half buried into the ground, and safely tucked in among the trees, it sits there, at least 3,000 square feet, built in an angle. A large kitchen garden takes up a lot of space to the southwest of it. There is also a greenhouse on the west side, and I know they’re busy there this time of year.

The door opens and a young woman steps outside. She’s dressed in jeans, a long, knitted sweater and thick boots.

“Andy. You come bringing visitors, I see.” Her voice is calm, and the grip of her large shotgun is steady. The safety is off. Good girl. She does as I’ve shown her.

“Hi, Emma. Take a look at Zoya and you will see that all is well.” I can see how Emma mellows a little when she sees my dog. “I have more people with me, they’re in a semicircle fifty yards behind me. They’re friendlies. We’ve been helping each other. Can we talk? I think you and the other should listen to what the colonel has to say.”

Emma studies Miranda and Dakota carefully. “Where did you find this bunch? I don’t recognize them at all.”

“We’re from the northwest. We’ve set up a temporary camp by an old church ruin north of Remerton, but we have plans that would benefit all of the Hudskills in the long run. Can we talk?” Miranda has calmly tucked her assault rifle into her harness on her back.

Emma notices this and then turns to Dakota. “What about you? Do you want to just talk too?”

“Absolutely,” Dakota says, his accent even more pronounced. “This is Colonel Miranda Priestly and she’s the leader of our unit. Together with me and our officers, and our physician, she has come up with this plan.”

“Emma? Who the hell is—Andy?” And older man supports his weight by leaning against a homemade walker. “Andy, you’re a sight for sore eyes, child.” Ogden’s voice is frail compared to what it used to be, but he’s still the shrewdest, smartest man I know. “I see you come in a special errand. It’s wonderful to see you, nonetheless. It’s been too long.”

It has. I haven’t visited Ogden and his collective for months. All my time has gone to looking for usable equipment and gathering information about the farmers further north and their methods of kidnapping people to work for them. Now I wish I had taken the time to stop by at least once. I know that Emma is safe here and fully capable of handling herself these days. She’s no longer a little frightened, seven-year-old girl who only could sleep if I was right next to her.

“May we come in?” Miranda asks. I can sense her impatience and have to admire her patient expression.

“By all means. Andy’s friends are our friends,” Ogden says. “Come in.” The speaks lightly and has a very fake old-geezer way about him that doesn’t fool me for a second. I know that inside the course brown leather vest, he carries two 22-millimeter sidearms in specially fashioned pockets. He can reach them faster than anyone would ever guess. Old or not, Ogden can be lethal enough if his collective is endangered.

We follow Ogden into the log cabin. Three steps made from thick boards lead down to the stomped dirt floor. Oil lamps light up the large room and a fire is crackling in the open fireplace. Inside, a pot hangs from a hook and the scent from it is amazing. I can swear that it’s rabbit stew.

Obviously intrigued, Miranda looks around her. “Have you built all this after the bird virus?” She sounds appreciative and I can tell it pleases Ogden.

“We sure did. My wife and I had a summer cottage here, a little further up the path, and that’s where we started out. However, it was too exposed and soon became too small, the more people found their way to us. That’s when we started cutting down trees. I had more energy back then,” Ogden says and grins. “Now it’s mostly the younger folks that run this place. I’m mostly in the way if I try to help.”

“Don’t even try,” Emma says and set the shotgun aside by Ogden’s chair.

He sits down with a heavy thud and asks us to pull up chair around the fireplace. “You have been waking a while, I can imagine. How did you cross the river, all of you? You been rowing?”

“Pontoon bridge. We use them as rafts.” Miranda sits down and so does Dakota. I stand next to Emma and finally get a chance to hug her. Twenty-two years old, she’s blindingly beautiful, even despite the scar that runs from her left temple to the corner of her mouth. The memory of how she got it flutters in my mind, and I swat it away.

“I’m sorry for taking so long to visit. I have—”

“Been looking for new clues.” Emma sounds understanding, but there is a weary undertone in her voice. I don’t blame her. She’s heard me say the same things over and over through the years. I have let her down more times than I have been there for her. It’s as if this is the first time that I truly can sense how it makes her feel. I pull her closer.

“Yes. As usual,” I say thickly, “but I’m here now.”

“Together with all these strangers, whom you’re helping.” Emma sounds sad when she would be justified sounding resentful at how I take the time to help people I don’t know—but not her and Ogden.

“I know. But this might be good in the long run. I mean, they can help you. Us. With protection. And expanding the settlement up here in a way that keeps the Zodiacs and others like them away. It would mean a sense of safety that we haven’t felt in a long time.

“And you know this after having known them for how long?” Emma smiles cynically now. There are so many reasons for such cynicism in a young person. I have noticed that most of the really young possess this trait. They have seen too much of people’s cruelty toward each other, and much too little of humane generosity. Those who remember the time before the birds can talk about how it was like to live in an organized society, those who were little kids then are unaware of such an existence.

“I know this has happened fast, but the alternative, living like we do, always on guard, never a moment of true peace, isn’t how we’re supposed to live our lives. You’ve paid the price for leaving here in Hudskills, Emma, more than ones. I caress her scarred cheek, and she leans into my hand. “You always tell me that my instinct is practically infallible. These people are the most credible I’ve met in a long time.”

“We’ll see. Ogden has to weigh in,” Emma says and takes my hand. We turned toward the group by the fire. Miranda and Dakota speak calmly and methodically with Ogden who is beginning to relax a bit, if only marginally. He asks follow-up questions, and Miranda answers them in her matter-of-fact way. Her entire figure radiates trustworthiness and competence, and I realize she is a seasoned negotiator. So is Ogden, and he’s also a good judge of character. If I’ve been fooled, he’ll quickly figure it out. He may be old and not as strong as he was, physically, but he won’t let anyone fool him—of this I would bet my life.

“I can tell you have thought out a plan that might work in the long run, not just the upcoming months.” Ogden scratches his salt-and-pepper beard. “It’s ambitious. Staring up a society from the ground up with laws, rules, and regulations. It won’t be easy. There are many individuals who quite enjoy the lawlessness and chaos. It suits their personality and lifestyle. You want to apply policiary measures, a military governed society, even if it’s just for starters, and they won’t take that sitting down.”

“We saw some of these individuals on the way here,” Dakota says seriously. He leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “They chopped away, rather than butchering a deer properly. Something tells me that they wouldn’t think twice about doing that to a person.”

“Think twice?” Ogden huffs. “They can’t even think once. We’re a midsize group living here around my place, and we’ve managed through rigorous safety routines to keep these gangs out. We’re a diverse group. A mix of ethnicities, sexual orientation, ages, cultures…we even have a baby here. We guard her like hawks, all of us. Barn are commodities to be bargained with today, and we’ll have none of that.” Ogden’s voice turns into gravel, and his hands into fists.

“We have a pregnant woman over by the church,” Miranda says. “She’s due any day. I would like to see here, in this environment, rather than in a tent around the church. Sure, she’s safe there, but it’s no place for a baby, or any of her other children.”

“Are there more children among your followers?” Ogden’s tone has softened again.

“Yes, there is. The woman who’s due to give birth brought three more of different ages. Our soldiers and civilian followers have perhaps fifteen or so between the ages eight and fifteen. Once they turn sixteen, they’re considered adults when it comes to pulling their weight.”

“I see.” Ogden turns to me. “Andy? You’re not saying much.”

“This is their show. I’m just a guide, and to testify to their good intentions. Ultimately, it’s your decision, Ogden. I’ve been well taken care of, and well fed—even Zoya has eaten better than she has since I was here last. At first, I had a guard.” I point to Dakota.

“They were afraid I’d slit their throats in the night.” I smiled crookedly for a moment, but then grow serious again. “It was more to ensure I wouldn’t bail on them, I think. I help them, and when that’s done, they’ve promised to help me.”

“Ah. Theo.” Ogden says s my brother’s name so softly. He always has. He’s also tried to persuade me that my search is futile, a pipe dream with the possibility of a happy ending. Once he even said that it was dangerous for my peace of mind to carry on these endless searches. His words hurt me so badly that time, and I refused to think they had any merit whatsoever, I stayed away for six months. When I eventually returned, Emma had made Ogden swear on his life that he would never talk to me like that again. She had feared I’d never return again. It was damn close.

It was when I eventually returned that time that Ogden gave me Zoya. He had found her mother on one of his scavenge hunts, and as that dog reminded him of another German Shepherd we’d found when I was a lot younger, he’d taken her in. She turned out to be pregnant and had six puppies and he gave me her firstborn when I came home. I understood that it was Ogden’s way to show remorse at the way he spoke, and I accepted it. We never spoke of it again, and considering how much Ogden had done for Emma and me, it was better to just let it go.

“Yeah. They’re going to help me with those farmers up north of the Hudskills,” I tell him now, and try to sound casual.
Ogden looks worried. “A good clue, going even farther north than you’ve been able to before, but…dangerous places up there. Will you have enough backup?”

“She will,” Miranda says. “I’ll accompany her personally and I’ll bring four of my best soldiers, armed to the teeth.”
I stare at Miranda and feel my jaw drop. That’s news to me. Is she truly coming with me? She said nothing about that when she reluctantly agreed to our deal. She meets my gaze calmly and raises one eyebrow as if challenging me to contradict her.

“Bring some from here too. Four sounds far too few,” Ogden says.

“We’ll see. It won’t happen right away. We have to establish a base here first.” Miranda looks out through the window. “It’s already starting to get dark. We have to make camp before it’s pitch black. Where can my soldiers erect the tents?” She gets to her feet.

“They can set them in a semicircle just inside the tree line, which will help them stay safe when they keep guard. You two can sleep in here.” Ogden points to Miranda and Dakota. “The house isn’t as large as it seems, when you think of the square footage. Most of the space is used for storage and goats.” He chuckles when Miranda blinks at that last part. “Andy, you and Colonel Priestly can share your space under the stairs. Major Dakota, you can take the couch in here. I can vouch for how comfortable it is. I’ve slept through a hangover or two over the years.

Dakota smiles and nods. “Thank you. We’re honored that you trust us enough to offer us a bed for the night.”
I have no idea when he slept indoors last, so it might just be a treat. I don’t dare look at Miranda, as I have no idea how she feels about sleeping under the stairs with me.

“Firstly, I trust Andy and her judge of character, but I have a good eye for people as well. You’re far to goal oriented to even think about sugarcoating anything, which is reassuring.” Ogden gets up, and groans as she stretches his back. “I’ll tell Ragnar that we’ll be an additional three for dinner. I trust you have rations for your soldiers as we cannot afford to share with quite that many without knowing well in advance.”

“We would never expect you to. Dakota will send the soldier in charge of rations with our supplies and that way we can all share." Miranda looks a bit absentminded. She looks at me with a puzzled expression in her eyes, and I don’t know why. Perhaps she loathes sharing small quarters with anyone. I have no idea. “We also brought some of the medication that Andrea helped us scavenge from a local hospital.”

“You were there again?” Ogden swivels so fast that he nearly falls. “Not alone, right?” His eyes are now mere slits.

“No! Are you crazy? Tall Dude and Short Guy were with me and Zoya inside, and Dakota kept guard. I hold up my hands, palms toward Ogden, to keep him calm. “It all went really well. No harm done.” I sure as hell isn’t going to mention my perforated upper arm.

Neither do Miranda or Dakota as they don’t say a peep about it.

“There are bandages, antibiotics, and sanitary pads,” Dakota says helpfully and grins when Ogden does a double take. “Yeah, the latter was Andy’s idea. She says it is a rare commodity.”

“She’s right,” Emma says.

“Which happens a lot,” I say, teasing Emma, who punches my arm. Thankfully my right, uninjured arm.

I turn to Miranda. “Come. I’ll show you my space. It’s not as small as Ogden makes it sound. You can leave your backpack there.

Nobody would dream of stealing in this house.”

“Sound reassuring.” Miranda walks behind me through the main room and into a small hallway with rooms on either side. There’s a staircase at the far end leading up to a crawl space. I open a door to the space underneath it.

“A bit Harry Potter’ish,” I say and hope she won’t mind.

The room really is quite small, about seventy square feet. A tall bed, placed on top of some old kitchen cabinets, take up most of the space. The rest contains mostly shelves for storage. A lot of the books that Ogden’s collective own are stored in here—sort of like a little library. In the beginning when we lived here, Ogden used to scavenge different libraries when he was on his trips into Remerton and surrounding towns. He was certain that they sooner or later would be burn3ed and he was right. I know that he has several large crates with books in storage elsewhere. He says they’re our history, our past, that we have to be careful with. As a voracious reader, I’m inclined to agree. My own collection is big and I’m always afraid to find my hut burned to the ground, as that would mean losing all my books and magazines.

“Oh, my God. A real mattress. And on top of a spring mattress.” Miranda sighs. “I’ve slept on a cot for so many years that I can’t remember what it’s like to…” She quiets and looks hesitatingly at me. “Ogden was quick to offer up your bed, or half, as it were. It’s—I mean—you don’t have to—”

“It’s totally fine with me to share a bed with you. I mean, to share.” I clear my throat as I’ve seen her eyebrows go up again. “I mean, it’s only a twin bed, but it’ll be okay, don’t you think? I think Ogden in his mind meant we were supposed to sleep head-to-foot, but that’s a terrible idea. I won’t sleep wink if I fear kicking you in the face in my sleep.” I try to smile, but only feel silly.

“You sleep that violently?” Miranda pulls off her backpack and leans it against one of the shelves.

“It happens. I dream.” I study my hands. Weathered, scarred and with calluses after practicing karate for years. That too, thanks to Ogden.

“All right. We’ll sleep next to each other, then. I wouldn’t want you to lose sleep.” Miranda nods briefly and leaves the room. I remain and think about when I slept in here the first time together with Emma. After sleeping in the old summer cottage attic, initially, getting this room had been magical. My presence here this time, after such a long time, had the potential to be the first steps toward safety and a future for a lot more than two young girls.

And—on top of everything else—tonight I was going to share a bed with the beautiful colonel.

Damn.

Continued behind door 14

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