Tent City (2 page)

“Here, take it,” she says when he hesitates.

“Get…inside…now,” Dad says to Mom.

The man scurries away, but Mom has not moved.

“What were you thinking, Claire? How could you? He’ll just be back and then what do we do with him? These drifters…it’s like feeding stray animals. They always come back for more.”

“He was hungry. What else could we do?” She doesn’t say any more. She just walks inside and leaves him to worry alone.

I’ve lost almost an hour thinking about the old man. I spend the rest of the night making a decision, and then changing my mind and making another.

I have devised about eight alternative schemes of other things Brody and I could do, none of which make any sense, but I’m only 17. What do I know?

I have imagined myself as the hero saving the day and then the coward who can’t pull it off. In the end, I choose the last thing I want to do. I know what I’ve gotta do. She’d never survive losing another son.

I come downstairs to the kitchen where Mom’s already got coffee on and bacon sizzling in the pan. Brody is playing at her feet and tearing off the loose strings to her slippers. The gravity of the situation hits me as hard as the aroma of the bacon. Mom only cooks bacon on special occasions, like funerals.

I am groggy from lack of sleep and finally as the day is about to begin, all I feel like doing is crawling back into bed. I pour a cup of coffee, which usually Mom would frown upon, but given the situation we’re in now, it would be almost comical if she objected. I lace it with cream, masking the bitter taste and the fact that I don’t like coffee.

We sit in silence as I listen to the hum of the space heater and the distant sound of Dad’s shower. There is a storm brewing outside and it’s bringing in a windy chill. Thunder is introducing itself outside, followed by short bursts of lightening. It’s chillier than it usually is for June.

A wave of sadness washes over me as I wonder if I’ll ever see this place again. This is where all my memories are.

I wish I could take back all the time I wasted longing to get out of here, and instead, spent it enjoying what I had.

Would I ever again be able to go on early morning hunts with Dad, or sit out on the porch with Mom, sipping on ice tea that spent the day soaking in the sun?

I look over at Mom who, despite all that is going on, is kind of holding it together. How could I be feeling sorry for myself when she is about to lose everything? How could I be so selfish?
 

Dad whips his wet hair off his face as he comes strolling in with an expectant look on his face.

“Well?” he asks.

“First things first,” I say. “Let’s just eat our breakfast. I kinda want to enjoy this just for what it is.” Mom smiles at me and I take a couple of seconds to memorize her face just the way it is. I find myself fantasizing about the days before The Council existed.

Although I’m sure breakfast tasted awesome, I don’t remember eating it. My mind was spinning, trying to figure out how I was going to say all the things I was going to say, and if they would agree to it. I know I don’t have a lot of choices, but I do feel for the first time, I am being looked at as an adult and I hope that will count for something.

I helped Mom clean up and then we all went into the sunken living room and Dad started a fire. It cracked and popped, which Dad always said was because the wood was a little wet, or was it because it was cedar?  I can’t remember.  Brody is playing with his train set on the floor, making choo-choo sounds as the trains exchanged cargo on the track. Dad sits patiently waiting for me to start.

“Well, I have made a decision, but I also have a few requirements,” I start, as they both stare at me.

“I will go to our old cabin and take Brody with me, unless a new idea has sprung into your heads. Mom, Dad?”

Silence.

“Okay, so I think there really is only one option. We need to go. I don’t think I can live in the cellar, and I know Brody can’t. But I have one condition.”

“Yes?” Mom asks.

“Kit comes with us.”

“Now honey,” Dad starts.

“No, she comes too, or I don’t go. It’s not fair to her, Dad. What is she supposed to do? Go off and make 100 babies for The Council?”

“Sweetheart, your uncle Randy is taking a big risk doing what he is for us. I just don’t know if he could swing making another fake document. It would look too suspicious. Our priority is keeping you and Brody safe. That has to come first.”

“Like I said, I have conditions.”

I’m really flexing my new independence muscle now. I try to hold a brave face. I don’t know if he knows deep down, I will do what he says, but I’m hoping he goes for it. Kit has been my best friend since we were preschoolers. I don’t think I could live with myself if I just took off and left her with no warning. Besides, I’m too scared to do this by myself.

“Your mother thought you might say that, and I have to say, I’m totally against it. I think it brings along a whole lot more risk and I would feel better if you guys were able to stay more under the radar. But your mom thinks having two of you look after Brody would be better than one…maybe it would help you cope a little better.”

I give her a little smile and think in my head,
Thanks Mom
.

“Any more conditions?” Dad asks.

Now, why didn’t I think of that? What else could I have gotten away with?

Just then there’s a knock at the door. For a split second, Mom looks frightened, like any second the floor will buckle beneath her, which is probably how she actually feels. Dad opens the door to reveal a grinning Kit. When I see her, I already feel more confident. Mom really does know me.

“So, ya ready to do this?” Kit asks, popping her homemade gum.

“You’re… okay with this?”

“Totally, I think it’s rad and it beats being sent off to a baby factory. Thanks for the invite by the way Mrs. C. “

She has a backpack with her, but nothing else.

“Is this all ya got with you?” I ask, lifting the pack and finding it suspiciously light.

“Yeah, your mom said to pack light, so here it is. I’m still not sure where we’re going, so I didn’t know what to pack. I hope the string bikini and sun block are enough.”

“Kit, this is no time for jokes. This is serious stuff here,” Dad says. “I hope this is a good idea,” he adds.

“Sure, it is Mr. C. Dani can’t live without me. You wouldn’t want it any other way.” She winks and gives her gum another snap.

“Your parents didn’t come to see you off?” I ask Kit.

“Been there, done that. My mom’s been crying all morning. She’ll get over it,” she says. I can only guess at the argument that they had over Kit leaving, but if my parents think it’s a good idea, it must be.

Mom has come down the stairs and I can see she has a bag for Brody. Her eyes well up with fat tears. This is going to be the hardest part. I don’t even know how it’s going to work. Mom and Brody are inseparable. She is continually clearing her throat. The last thing she wants is for Brody to catch on to what’s happening.

“Mom,” I say, “this is only temporary. Chill. I can do this. Trust me. Before you know it, we’ll be back, or maybe you’ll even come visit us. I can do this.”

I don’t know if she’s holding it together for my sake or Brody’s, but I’m grateful either way. All night, this was the part I dreaded the most. The cryfest.

It’s going to be hard enough figuring this all out and I really don’t want my last memory of home to be of her crying. Not to mention if she starts crying, then Brody starts crying, and all things come undone.

Mom leans down to Brody who seems to know something is up.

“Hey, Buddy. Do you know what you are doing today? You, and big sis, and Kit are going for a ride on the four-wheeler and then you get to go camping. You’ve never been to the cabin before, but you’re going to love it.”

“You’re not coming?” His bottom lip is trembling and he clamps onto her leg.

“Not this time. This is a special time for just you and your sister,” she says, as she slowly peals his fingers from her skirt and picks him up, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek, lingering a half second longer than usual.

“And Kit?”

“And Kit. They are both going to take real good care of you, but I need you to be a big, brave boy and do everything your sister tells you to do. I love you very much…”

This is the part where I check out. I go into the other room. I can hear Brody whimpering and whining for her to come with us. It’s no surprise. I’d have been shocked if he didn’t beg her to go with him.

I don’t know if it’s because I came from my mother’s body, and we share some kind of DNA maternal bond, but I feel like I can feel her heart breaking. I’m trying my best to ignore the voice that tells me I can’t do it. I’m considering backing out.

“Dad, why are we taking the four-wheelers?” I ask. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before, but I just assumed we would be taking my mom’s minivan. The idea of traveling for hours on a four-wheeler with Brody is a little unsettling.

 “If you take the van, it will get flagged by The Council cops. It’s a little suspicious. Missing kids, missing van… Also, you need to stay off the main roads. I’ve put a map in your bag for you. Follow it. It will get you where you need to go. Don’t stop for anyone. The only thing you need to worry about is getting to the cabin. There should be some supplies still in the cabin to get you by for a little while, but you’re going to need to hunt.”

He stops to look at me and pauses before adding, “Also, no contact with anyone! The Council has got bugs on everyone’s phones, and they are monitoring the mail too. They have been for a long time. I just haven’t seen the need to tell you until now. I will find a way to reach you when the time is right. Oh, and one more thing, you need to make it there by Tuesday. By then, all of the children will have been relocated. They’ll catch you for sure if they see Brody on the wheeler.”

Dad packs up the four-wheelers; almost overloads them. Probably Mom’s idea. I can see from one of the bags she has packed enough food to last a month.

By this time, Brody has calmed down a little, but is still clinging to Mom’s leg. I feel a bit offended that a ride on the four-wheeler with his sister isn’t enough to get him excited to go with me.

I put myself on autopilot for the good-byes. I just don’t have the energy to process all of this, especially after zero hours of sleep. My mind only focuses on the first stop on Dad’s map. We just need to make it there, and then I can think about all the rest. I’ve never been good with maps and I find myself wishing I had tried harder to understand them. It would come in handy now. After turning the maps sideways and around, Kit snatches it from me.

“It’s upside down, dummy. We go this way.”

I’m too tired to argue. I nod and rev the engine. I’ve got Brody in the front and he’s already messing with the buttons. This is going to be a long trip. I take one last look in the rearview mirror and follow after Kit. The last thing I see is Mom crumpled on the ground and Dad trying to console her. I should have had one more cup of coffee.

The storm has let up and the sun is peeking out from angry clouds. Kit’s pace is a little faster than I would like, but I still manage to keep up. She seems to know what she’s doing and I’m more than a little relieved.

I can’t imagine how this would be going if it were just me and Brody. I know we have traveled for at least an hour when I pull up beside her and motion for her to stop.

Although Brody grinned and squealed with delight for the first 20 minutes or so, he seems to have gone still. I want to check on him to see if he is okay and go over Dad’s instructions one more time.