It Was 2052, High Haven (8 page)

He stifled a laugh as he
saw Bubba's mouth open wide to match his eyes. “Where is your
father, your family?” he looked at the cots.

The
joy drained from Lindsey's face for a flash, “Oh, they've been
gone a long time. I guess it's been about three years since my
brother died. He was the last.” Her hand reached up and
released the bouquet of curls and it sprang out around her head in
untamed auburn coils. She took the tie and secured the mane away from
her face, shook
her
head as if
to shake
her
sad
thoughts
away and said, “Hey-y, sit down---just leave the wagon there.”

An old metal bucket sat
on the counter, she pulled a glass jug from it, gathered a mug and
two glasses and brought it to the table. She plopped down on one of
the buckets with a faded red pillow on top. Kevin pulled up a chair
and Bubba, his eyes still darting around the room, sat on the stool.

“
It's clean,”
she said, poured the glasses full of clear water, “and cool.”

The lantern cast it's
fractured light across the table which had a bright cloth across the
center, “If you have no family, you're just here alone. How do
you survive out here with no help or company?” said Kevin.

“
I do fine. My
daddy taught me how to survive. I hunt, grow a few things. There's
water in the area---have to be pretty stingy with it, most of the
year it's available. I usually go into the city every few weeks, get
supplies.”

Bubba was now paying
attention, “You go into the city? That's where we're headed.”

Kevin said, “We
would like to ask you some questions about the city. I'm beat,
though. Would it be okay if we rested for a while?”

“
Sure. The bed
against the far wall is mine, just pick one of the other cots.”
The boots had already left her feet, she walked in socked feet
across to a curtain and pulled it back. An old porcelain toilet with
a plastic pail of water beside it was revealed and a dishpan on small
shelf with a clean towel hanging near. “You're welcome to use
it,” she smiled, but be careful with the water to flush and
wash up.”

“
But, how does---I
mean---where does?” stuttered Bubba.

“
Told'ja, my daddy
was a smart man. Took a heck of a lot of digging by all of us. We
made a trench way out into the open field. We had a few feet of
plastic piping, even scrounged some of that flexible hose off of old
travel trailers. When we ran out of that stuff, we cut the end out of
old cans and lined them up in the trench. Covered it all up and dug
a big hole at the end. Long as I've got water, I've got indoor
facilities.”

Kevin was really
exhausted, it had been a long and interesting day. He didn't want to
be given any more information tonight, the night which was more than
half gone. The use of the facilities was taken advantage of. Too
tired to give a care about the closeness of the quarters, he splashed
a dipper of water into the toilet and after dipped some cool water on
his face. He pushed the curtain back, all the lanterns had been shut
off, only a very faint star light brightened the windows. The cabin
felt oddly safe and secure, he picked a cot and was asleep by the
time his head hit the pillow. His last view was of Bubba, his hands
behind his head on his pillow, seemingly in deep thought and beyond
him the silhouette of a small form all curled up on the bed against
the wall.

The daylight woke him, he
had no idea what time it actually was. Appeared that Bubba and the
girl were both still sound asleep. He picked up his boots and tried
to quietly move outside. As soon as he was out the door, a salvo of
licking tongues and wagging tails assaulted him, to the tune of
varied and friendly growls. “Okay---okay, back off you mangy
mutts.”
Good lord, she's got more dogs than we have back
home.
A straight back chair was on the porch, he sat down and
pulled on his boots. In the light of day, he could see the many
repairs on the stucco cabin, a weathered porch and another small
building a few feet away. Standing in front of the cabin and turning
full circle, he spied not one sign of any other inhabitants or
structures, as far as he could see.
How is this young woman making
it in this isolated place, all alone.

He was checking out a
clay structure behind the house that had a grill over a fire pit and
what seemed to be an oven at the side when Lindsey came around the
corner, Bubba just a few steps behind.

“
Hey Kev, how'd you
sleep?” the friend rubbed his face and rusty tinted head.

“
Like a rock.
Thanks Lindsey, for the bed,” he nodded her way.

“
What's that?”
Bubba squatted down and opened the wooden door of the oven.

“
That
is
where I'm going to cook some breakfast,” said Lindsey. “Sorry,
don't have any meat, but we can have eggs and biscuits.” As if
on cue, there was cackling out in the open field. “Usually, at
least some of the chickens roost in that little building around
front, you could go check for eggs. I'll go in a mix up some
biscuits.”

After breakfast, which
the dogs didn't miss out on, they took a walk back to where the
mountain lion had stalked the previous night. Surrounded by the
canine herd they shoo-ed away the buzzards, already scavenging the
fresh kill. They didn't say much, even the sniffing dogs seemed a
bit in awe of the size of the cat. As they turned back toward the
house, Kevin said, “I appreciate you being there last night.”

Bubba said, “Yeah,
that animal could've easily killed us.”

She shrugged it off,
“Eh-h, he needed to die. He would have continued to be a
menace to me, the dogs and chickens.”

They talked about the
city. Lindsey told them a lot of the same things that Taylor had
passed along and a few things that he hadn't. She was not shy about
her warnings or descriptions. “Of course, not any of my
business...I don't even know you guys. If I was you, I'd stay as far
away as possible from the whores in town. They are nasty and they're
dangerous. From what I hear, the people that have control of them
and most other such operations are some real bad sorts.”

In the daylight, what was
unseen the night before was obvious, Lindsey was petite and fit. Her
shiny tangle of curls framed a pleasing face with fair clear skin and
a turned-up nose. The smile and giggle that came easy were hard to
not respond to. Kevin saw that his friend, who never missed a pretty
girl certainly was studying this woman, who told them she had
recently celebrated her 29
^th
birthday. Kevin had a brief
vision of the woman, her dog family and a birthday cake.

“
When's the next
time you plan to go into the city, Lindsey?” Bubba asked.

“
Oh-h, I don't
know---would you guys like some company? I could go in with you. I
think I know where that place is that your friend said was a good
place to stay. I could show you some stuff, how 'bout it?”

“
Sure, that would
be okay with me,” he looked toward Kevin.

“
Fine by me,”
he said. “What about your dogs, do you take them into town
with you?”

The giggle was more of a
laugh this time, “Hell-no. I've got ways to keep them in food
and water. I never stay gone more than three or four days. Would
tomorrow do?”

“
Alright then,”
Bubba gave her narrow shoulders a squeeze. She gave him a look that
wasn't amused. The three of them spent the rest of the day in
pleasant conversation about their past, the present and making
preparations to travel into the city.

***

“
You know, that
daughter of yours is really something,” Taylor kept banging the
nails into a weathered board on the corral. He and Jeff were back at
making repairs after a couple of days of other jobs.

Jeff picked up another
board, “You like her, huh?”

“
A little too soon
to say the word
like---
she does have a bite,” he smiled.

“
Yeah, there's that
temper. But, she's smart and she's tough. I think a lot of when we
found her, down in Texas. Most of the orphans there at the
government camp probably didn't survive. It's kept me awake many
nights, the sadness of it all. Cissy, she's my girl. Wouldn't want
to see her hurt in any way.” Jeff gave him a warning look.

A few more nails pounded
and the leather strap that latched the gate replaced, Taylor said,
“Well, she'd most likely beat me up if she knew I was talking
to you about this. She's got this plan about a trip to the
mountains. I know she's been biding her time in telling you. Just
like your son, I can't see her changing course, though. Thought you
might like a bit of a warning.”

The two walked back
toward the shed to put away the tools. The small storage building
was crowded with hand tools, tack hanging on the walls, a saddle and
various supplies. Taylor placed the hammer back in the old wooden
chest, the nails in a rusty coffee can on a shelf. Jeff was quiet, he
knew the man was chewing over what he told him. They closed up the
shed, moved around the house and sat on the front porch.

“
What exactly is
the purpose of this mountain trip?” Jeff said.

Taylor felt like he
already betrayed more than he should of Cissy's plan, he was vague,
“Hunting, looking for water sources? Maybe, since Kevin left
on his journey, she just wants to do something herself. I was
thinking that it would be a good idea if I went along.” Jeff
was looking at him hard, he hurried on, “You know, if she's
set on it. Just so she wouldn't be alone---me and the dog. I think if
we ran into trouble, Peaches would find his way back here.”

The father looked back
out at the mountains that loomed in the distance, “I'd feel
better if you went along. I wouldn't be so sure that Cissy would
agree.”

The screen door slammed
and both men turned to see Cissy, followed by her mother, “What
am I agreeing to?” she said.

He watched as Jeff looked
up at his daughter and thought there was no mistaking the affection
between them. The father said, “Planning a trip, are ya, girl?”

If eyes could fire
bullets, Taylor would've been dead that instant. Cissy broke off her
hold on his eyes, moved to the steps and kicked at him to move over.
She sat down between her father and him and took her parent's hand,
“Yes, I've been thinking about taking a trip up to the
mountains. I can't let the warm season slip by, should be heading out
real soon.”

“
True, you can't
delay, the summer goes by fast around here. Taylor said that he
would be going along, I think that would be a good idea,” said
her father.

Cissy turned her head
away from Jeff and toward Taylor, no smile and her hand shielded her
lethal eyes.

Her mother said, “Why
do you want to travel up into the mountains? You'd need to be
careful and not let the weather catch you.”

Taylor spoke up, he
didn't want Cissy to think that he had blabbed all about her treasure
stories. “We could do some hunting and search for water
sources.” Peaches ambled up and inserted himself between the
bent legs of Cissy and Taylor. “And we would take Peaches,”
he patted the big head.

“
Crap,”
mumbled Cissy.

“
What?” said
her mother.

She put on a pleased face
for her mother, “It will be a good summer break, do some
hunting,” she said to Emily. “There's elk in the high
country.”

“
Yes and there's
also bears and mountain lions,” her mother frowned.

She stood up, “I'm
packing my gear and will probably head out day after tomorrow.”
The screen door slammed again and she left them, no look or words for
Taylor.

Between the woman pushing
him over and the big dog, he caught himself just before he fell off
the edge of the steps. Jeff threw him a very slight smile and shook
his head.

It was the next evening
before there was really any conversation between her and himself.
That was when they joined Cissy's parents and she showed them an old
copy of a map. She traced out a general direction that she planned to
head.

“
That's going to be
rugged territory up there, Girl. Are you sure that's where you want
to explore?”

“
I'm sure. I've
read quite a few stories and have a book about the old mountain
trails, with some maps inside. No horses, I think we'll be better
off on foot. We'll return well before the cold weather starts moving
in.”