Second Chances (6 page)

“I'm just thinking what an omelet one of those eggs would make,” Eric said. That got a laugh from everyone in hearing distance.

“Back to the question about feathers...didn't I read somewhere that large animals don't need it? Something about their being warm blooded and big hearts?” Eric asked thoughtfully.

“Obviously someone got it wrong,” John said. He snorted. “You've got to love people who get too attached to their preconceptions,” he said.

“Uh huh...but elephants and rhinos...”

“Have hair. A little of it but not a lot. But they also live in an arid climate. Remember the woolly rhino? Or mammoth? I bet they adapt to the climate.”

“True,” Eric admitted.

“What has me going is the mix of species. Some are obviously not from Earth. And did you notice some are from the different time periods?” Carlene asked.

John frowned.

“Seriously, you didn't notice it? I talked with Trisha and Ginger. That app Trisha has, by the way honey, I downloaded it,” she said, waving her cell phone. “Copied it I mean. You need to too.”

“We all do,” Eric said.

“Right, anyway, I noticed the animals. We looked them up and found that some came from one time period, others from later on or from a different continent.”

“Well, that last part I get easy. We've got an Asian couple here, the Saitos. They are from Japan,” Eric said. The others nodded. “The rest...”

“Maybe they didn't just move them across space,” John mused.

“Terra Nova
again? Another dimension?”

“No, more like moving them across space and time,” John said, then shook himself. He looked at the others who were staring at him. “What?” he demanded.

“Interesting theory,” Carlene drawled, studying him. He shrugged her look off.

“Just an idle thought. Chalk it up to a lack of caffeine,” John said as way of dismissal. “Not that any of it matters now. We're here; they are obviously here. What we do to make the best of it from here on...”

The others nodded grimly.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

They spent the day running water into the base. John was reluctant to set up his mining pump; he knew it was only a temporary fix. He'd run out of fuel fast, and besides, if they sucked up any mud or debris, that was it, the pump would chew itself up.

Gather teams watched over by Ross went out to get materials, mostly food. They climbed into the back of a yellow pickup and went off to find what plants and other material they could. John wasn't so sure about the idea, and it was silly to pile ten people in a truck and not have any room for anything they found. And even stupider to leave people behind to run loads back. He shook his head, not his problem.

“We can um, I dunno, make a well? Archimedes screw?”

“The problem with my pump is it's too powerful,” John said.

“And dirty,” Eric said.

“Well, yeah, it's not made to run...wait,” he said thoughtfully, remembering something. He felt like Bull, ready to smack himself upside the head. He turned and then went off.

“Something I said?” Eric called after him. John waved a hand. He dug through his gear until he found a water container and a small electric pump. He pulled it out with an aha.

“I know that sound,” Eric said, coming up behind him. John turned in surprise; the dogs hadn't sounded off. Eric snorted. “Sorry, didn't mean to surprise you. I gave Hanuk a treat and he let me pass,” he said.

“Okay,” John said, nettled. He needed to work the dogs; they were getting soft and fat. But there was too much to do around the base getting it set up. He frowned.

“This is a bit small. But we've got some garden hose too,” Eric said. John pulled out a fire hose. “Ah, or that,” Eric said with a nod. “Why didn't you suggest that in the first place?” he asked.

“Cause I forgot it. I ran water down from a creek. The pump is just to keep pressure so I can take a good shower and stuff.”

“Oh.”

“I think it will work. But only for a small amount, not a big community.”

“It's a start,” Eric said. “Come on, I'll help you get it set up,” he said.

A dozen people had solar panels; some had set them up. Electricity wasn't quite in short supply, but it wasn't abundant either. John noted the panels as well as the various equipment people had. Electric drills yes but also trimmers and other things. One couple was using a small electric sawzall to cut down branches for fire material. He nodded to them and went to work.

“Water?” a guy asked. Eric turned to a brown haired fellow with a weathered skin. They nodded. “Come on then, I'll lend a hand. Names Earl. Earl Basset,” he said, grabbing a tool kit. “This is Hector, Hector Rodriguez; he's a handyman too. He's got three kids. If you don't mind, we'll lend a hand,” he said.

“The more the merrier,” John agreed with a nod.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

Just after lunch and Carlene's rather pointed hints to drop what they were doing and come eat, they got the stubborn pump set up and running right. She smiled indulgently to them as people cheered. The water tank they had rigged was up on an improvised tower so gravity would help feed the pressure. They planned to replace it with a larger tank when they had time and material.

Each person took a turn at the spout, either washing their hands or taking a sip. “Now you don't have to go to the creek to wash up or get a drink,” Eric said to Carlene, smiling.

“A nice hot shower is next?” she asked, raising an arched eyebrow as she crossed her arms in front of her.

He froze then rolled his eyes. “Honey, you know I'm not much of a plumber,” he admitted. Carlene giggled at him. “But for you...”

“I'd be eternally grateful,” she murmured to him as he took her in his arms.

“How grateful?” he teased softly. She kissed him tantalizingly and whispered something in his ear. He looked into her eyes and then grinned. “Well!” he said, whirling her about as she grinned mischievously. “If that's the way...” he started to lead her off.

“Hang on there, mister handyman, you haven't delivered yet,” she mocked, holding her ground. He pouted. “You better not develop a case of plumber's crack either,” she said, jerking his belt up a few times mockingly. He snorted. “But, if you're a good boy I'll give you a down payment...later,” she said, eyes twinkling.

“Then I think we'll both need to keep our strength up,” he said. She chuckled as they went off to lunch.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

Near dinner time the gatherers returned. One woman, Henisy was sick. Her husband Rick helped her down while her kids hovered. A few people murmured about it, but the assumption was it was their business.

Doc, their local medic went over and took a look. She helped the groaning woman and her husband off to their shelter.

John looked over to them, but then went to feed his animals and check things over. Nothing was amiss so he went to dinner and then bed.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

After breakfast John saw Rick playing with a gun while he sat on the bumper of his black SUV. He frowned, seeing the man's hands shake; his expression said something was very wrong. The guy kept looking at his kids who were also upset. Finally it came to him, and before he knew it he was across the center of the base and next to Rick. “His wife died,” Ginger stage whispered to John. He looked at her. She nodded, face torn with her own grief.

He quietly approached and pushed the gun down as the guy lifted it towards his own kids. The guy looked up to him, eyes totally lost, face stained with tears. “Let us help you,” John said gently, finger flicking the safety back on the colt. John looked over and nodded to Ginger and then took the gun from the man. Ginger took the gun then quietly went for help.

“I don't know what I'm going to do!” Rick wailed, hands covering his face. “Oh my god! There was nothing...I am so helpless,” he sobbed. John patted his shoulders and murmured quietly to him.

Patty, Doc Brown and Ginger showed up at a trot. Patty took one look as Doc hunkered down next to Rick. The woman took the kids by the hands off a little further away to play. She sat down and taught the youngest patty cake. Occasionally, she'd look over to them.

Carlene and Eric showed up at a run. Ross came over, and John realized the community was rallying around the man to help him with his loss. “She's in a better place now,” he murmured to Rick. “You know that,” he said. Rick nodded, still crying.

“What we've got to do now is take care of those kids so something of her will survive here,” he said firmly. Rick shook as Ginger wrapped her arms around him from behind. John and the others talked the depressed man out of committing suicide.

“How did it happen?” Ross asked. “I knew she was sick, but I mean, I thought it was her period or something,” she said.

Doc Brown sighed. “She...ate something.”

“Berries,” Rick muttered. “Blue ones with yellow and green spots. She thought they were blueberries,” he said. “She wouldn't let the kids eat them though.”

“See? She was looking out for them,” Ginger said softly. “And you. She was protecting them and you. Now she wants you to protect them,” she said, indicating the kids.

Rick looked over to his two kids. Rick’s eyes were lost. He cried, sobbing into his hands. But then a little hand in his field of view made his breath catch. He looked up to see the troubled eyes of his daughter Denise. She smiled a wan smile, face clouded in fear and confusion. She held out her little hand. She had a flower in it. “For mommy,” she said softly. That brought fresh tears from everyone as Rick hugged her.

Word spread through the community like wildfire at the news of the death. Henisy had been a good woman, a loving mother. She would be missed, John thought.

John pointed out over and over to Rick that she wouldn't want him to end it this way. He had been close to killing his own two kids in anguish but was talked down by John, Eric, Doc, Trisha, and Ginger. They made some headway, but it was the two kids who got through to him. Seeing the girl Denise and how much she looked like her mom made something in his tortured soul ease just a little bit, bring him back from the edge of the dark abyss, the madness of grief.

They took turns watching him for a while. John was quietly congratulated by Eric. He shrugged it off.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

That evening they had a funeral for Henisy. Her children took either side of Rick, who held their hands. Patty and others were nearby. At Rick's insistence they burned the body in a bonfire. “That way the damn animals won't eat her,” he said.

The kids were too young to understand, but they knew mommy had “gone away.” They cried, so Jim picked them up. He grunted about how heavy they were getting, but otherwise didn't complain.

Their resident religious couple read from the Bible, then used a torch to light the bonfire. They watched as her body crackled in the fire. Everyone took turns giving the sad trio their condolences.

~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~

The next morning was foggy, cold and wet. The bonfire had burned itself out in the wet. Eric and others thought it was a great time to learn how to start a fire the old fashioned way. The first attempts at starting a fire without matches and lighters went poorly until John showed them the friction method. Rick came out of his funk that morning to feed his kids. He watched, then noted in a surprised flash of amusement his two kids imitating the adults with sticks they had found.

He looked thoughtful for a moment as if he remembered something. After a moment the big guy held up a thick finger and then rushed off to his gear. He went through his pile of stuff, tossing things aside in his haste. Eventually he pulled out an old battered trunk. He dug out an old dog-eared Scout manual and flipped through it. They talked about the various images. “You're right; we need to save the lighters. Let's start with these,” he said, holding up images for the others to see.”

“The best thing we can do is keep a fire lit in camp. That way we'll be able to start others. Or at least have hot embers,” Eric said, joining them. John nodded.

Once they had a fire going, people either dug out their own food or went about their business. Many sat or talked; a few did things to improve their shelters, moved stuff around or did chores. No one was willing to leave the base without Burt, Eric or John leading the way.

Together they tried to get organized, but people were hard to lead. No one wanted to leave or they said they'd do it “later.” “It's like herding cats,” Eric complained to John in disgust. “Everyone wants to be independent, do their own thing. Sight see!” he said, shaking his head in disgust. “Talk, talk, talk about what needs to be done, but no one has a plan, no one wants to stick their head out and actually get their hands dirty. It's always why someone else hasn't done X, or they'll do it 'later.' Eventually. Don't they realize we're on the clock here?” he demanded.

“Spring is right around the corner,” Carlene said. “You're worried about that honey?”

“Hell yes!” Eric said. John nodded. “But it's not just that, it's also the animals. We've been lucky with just one attack so far. It's why people are so reluctant to go out. I can't blame them. The same for what happened to...he paused and then nodded his chin to Rick. “...You know,” he said, voice going quiet.