Campfire

Posted on Sun Jul 7th, 2024 @ 11:37pm by Hale Stratton & Alonzo Blazevic & Timothy Reynolds & René Rouen & Vienna Quinn & Serena Reynolds M.D. & Thea Matthews
Edited on on Sat Jul 13th, 2024 @ 11:21pm

2,022 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Quinn Hunting Cabin, Augusta, Maine
Timeline: 6 September 2010 - 6:00 p.m.

A trap door in the master bedroom led to a ladder and at the bottom, a room, about ten feet long and six feet across lined with shelves on both sides. On the closer end, and using only flashlights, he found two hunting rifles and several boxes of ammunition, as well as two large buckets, one labeled emergency food supplies and the other, emergency meat supply. There was a folded camp stove and a box filled with canned fuel, as well as two hunting rifles, each with a box of ammunition, and 40 gallons of water.

But the big find to someone who grew up off-grid and knew what it took to survive, was the seed vault sitting at the far end of the shelf. Between this, the greenhouse and some hard work, they had the beginnings of a way to feed the community. Once there was a community. This was a real find.

"Get Ed," Hale said. "We can form a chain. Me down here. You halfway up and him at the top."

Tim nodded then moved up the ladder and called for Edward. The heavy footfalls of the big man could be easily heard in the basement. Hale could hear Tim talking to the big man, then he came back down the ladder. "All set."

[Upstairs In the Cabin]

Meanwhile Vienna was sitting with René, she wanted to make sure he was resting as much as possible. “Why is all the happening? One minute everything was okay, and now this...” She hung her head.

René shook his head. "I don't know." He had been wondering lately if this was God's punishment on mankind. He reached out and hugged Vienna, trying to reassure her that it was going to be okay.

[In the Store Room]

Having formed a chain, Hale starting moving everything to the foot of the ladder and then, once there, handed each item to Tim in turn. Buckets were easy enough, handles and all. The water, less so, but somehow they managed. Item after item until, Hale handed up the last of the rifles.

"That's it," Hale said as he picked up the flashlight that had been sitting on a shelf providing an awkward pool of light in which they could work. He almost missed it. Almost. Would have except he went back and checked the shelves on last time and found it lying on an upper shelf, a letter, addressed to Vienna.

After everything had been brought up, Tim told Ed to put the weapons and ammo on the table, that he would look them over. He then noticed Hale standing by an empty shelf. "Hale?" He asked as he started down the ladder. "What've you got there?"

"Looks like someone left a letter for Vienna," Hale said. "Maybe she's got more family somewhere nearby?"

"Well then, you should give her the letter." He stepped aside, to allow Hale to climb back up out of the cellar first.

"Gee," Hale said as he climbed up the ladder. "Good thing you were here, bud. Would never have thought of that on my own." When he came out of the bedroom, he saw Rene and headed that way. These days, the only place Vienna ever was, was beside him. There were things to be said, leader things, like shirking her share of the work in favor of hanging out with Rene but he left them unsaid. That was for another day. Instead, he handed her the letter. "Found this in the store room. Got your name on it."

“It does?” Vienna carefully opened the letter, pulling out the paper inside her eyes widened in surprise. “It’s from my brother Roman, he’s alive!!” Her smile said it all as she stood up to show Hale the letter.

Dear Vi,

Mom said you were on a class trip but she didn't tell me where. Or she did and I wasn't paying attention. Anyway, we were talking when the first cases started coming into the E.R. I do remember that. She said she had to get to work but that either she or Dad would be there when you got home. And then .. nothing. I fear the worst but these days, there's no way of knowing for sure.

If you make it to the cabin, if this finds you, just wanted you to know that I'm at the Maine Medical Center in Augusta. We've had a steady steam of patients coming in, some treatable, most not, but we do what we can with limited supplies.

If this finds you, just wanted you to know that I'm alive. Maybe not thriving but alive. Come find me if you can or better yet, stay here and I'll get back when I can. You know Dad, junior prepper that he is, left a lot down here, enough to keep you going for months. Long enough for me to find you, kid.

Love,
Roman

"That good," Hale said. "That's real good."

After Hale's comment, Tim smirked at him, though he had already ascended the ladder. So, instead of offering a witty reply, Tim climbed out of the cellar, then secured the trap door in place. Afterwards, he moved to the dining table, where he had told Edward to place the weapons. He sat down and got to work, breaking down each rifle in turn, checking on the state of the gun oil in each, and testing each moving piece, to ensure all was working in a dry run. Though he was satisfied that both rifles were well-maintained, he still wanted to test fire both of them, before allowing anyone else to handle them. They would have to find a safe place to do so as they continued their trek.

Serena moved quickly around the small cabin, she lugged a fair sized metal tub into a small bedroom and put water onto the grate next to the stew to boil. She then went out the back to the outside shower to check and found that it would suit.

As the stew began to cook and scents wafted in the cabin, the first pot of water boiled and she took it to the room and poured it into the tub. "Alonzo". she stated as she poured the second into the tub and added a half bucket of cold. "You first."

Alonzo kindly gave a nod, and a gaze of appreciation. "I'm definitely not going yo turn down a good spa day" he replied.

"Sorry not a full bath but you can at least get clean." Serena told him.

The journalist smiled. "Enough to get this filth and grime off me" he replied. "That's more than enough. It will be nice to feel somewhat human again" he added.

Her enthusiasm back Vienna moved to pick up her bow. “There are good hunting grounds out here, we had hide aways in a few places in this forest. That, and there are a couple of tree platforms my dad set up. I can go hunt us more fresh meat?” She offered Serena a smile. “After dinner of course, I’m not going to let hard work go to waste.”

"Not after dark," Hale said at once. "And as good as that sounds, I've got plans for tomorrow. You, me, and Tim. We're going to take a ride over to the medical center. Serena, you up for the trip too? It could be risky but I figure while we're checking on her brother, we can scrounge for medical supplies."

Serena nodded. "If Thea can watch PJ then I can do it."

René didn't want to leave Vienna alone. He looked at Hale. "I'd like to come too Monsieur, s'il te plaît. I could drive if you like. I won't even get out of the vehicle unless told to."

Hale studied the young man for a moment, weighing benefits against risk. "I'd rather you stayed here," he said finally. "Things don't always go as planned and, well, you wouldn't be able to run if it came to that. You can trust Tim and me to take care of her."

René opened his mouth as if to say something. He finally closed his mouth with a sigh and nodded. "Je comprends." He immediately translated his words to English. "I understand."

Hale placed one hand on the teen's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Stay off the leg. The sooner you're healed, the sooner you're back on the team."

René nodded. He hated feeling useless. Worse, he felt as if he was a burden to the group.

Serena out a bag by the door where the bath was. "Dirty clothes in here if you want them washed." She stated.

When Alonzo was finished she took more hot water in and then sent in "Thea. You are next. Vienna then you."

Hours later... their bathing was done, clothes were washed and hung on a makeshift clothes line in the kitchen and the stew was being eaten. Serena was cooking the bundles of meat and vegetables at the fire as they ate.

Clean from head to toe for the first time in what felt like forever, Hale found a spot on the floor and sat down to eat. There were a lot of thoughts running through his mind and he tried to put them into some semblance of order. This cabin was too small for the size of the group and they would need to move on. Plan a route with stops for fuel and food along the way. But for now, it was going to be all about shopping. Serena's list, medical supplies and gas. And they'd all crowd in here the best they could and be happy for shelter and safety.

As everyone sat and ate, Timothy stood guard at the window to the left of the main door. While it seemed to be quiet outside, he doubted that it would stay like that forever. The longer they stayed, the higher the chances got that they would be discovered. And it was a fifty/fifty chance as to whom the discoverers would be.

René moved over to the window Timothy stood guard at. He leaned on his crutches and gave a single nod. "Go eat. I'll keep watch for a while."

Both Vienna and Thea were feeling better for the wash and a fresh set of clothing. Vienna was sat enjoying her food, for the first time since losing her parents she was eating properly. She looked towards Hale and the others. “I err...I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. You’ve looked after me and René too. I haven’t been doing as much as I should have, from now on I’ll chip in and do more of my share.”

Thea offered a smile from where she was enjoying her food. “I’m happy for you, that you’ve found signs of your brother and he’s alive. I don’t know about everyone else, but I understand what it’s like to lose those you love. It devastates you in ways you can’t imagine. Hold on to what you have, I know I will.” She smiled warmly.

Hale nodded, both inwardly pleased that Vienna had spoken up without him having to make an issue of it and inwardly awkward because he didn't see as how thanks were warranted. And so, he remained silent. It wasn't lost on him that much of what they'd been doing was tracking down Quinn family members of late and that brought back his conversation with Alonzo who had sacrificed seeing his family for the good of the group and who knew if they were even alive now. He had half expected to be dragged into private conversations where there would be requests to track down everyone's family members.

Serena had put PJ into his baby sling and was moving around, after barely eating herself, making a list of the items the men had pulled from the cellar. She was doing it to keep busy while she made sure they had food for the coming days.

 

RSS Feed