Safe Arrival

Posted on Tue Sep 24th, 2024 @ 1:42am by Hale Stratton & Carmen Harris & Myles Harris & Jack Harris

3,102 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: The Road Ahead
Location: Blaine Homestead
Timeline: September 15, 2010 - 6:34 a.m.

As the sun started to break over the horizon, Jack was awake, standing watch outside the car, while Carmen, Myles and Daisy continued to sleep. After he took back over the watch from Carmen, he had gotten out of the car, afraid he'd nod off again in the warmth of the station wagon.

Thankfully, the night had been a quiet one. Now that the sun was rising, he woke everyone up to answer nature's call. "After everyone is relieved, we'll get going, eat on the way."

Carmen nodded sleepily but she didn't complain as she rolled up her sleeping bag and blanket and stored it in the back of the car before heading to the treeline for some privacy.

Blane Homestead

Noah Blane stood at the pasture fence, one long carrot dangling from his gloved hand, and watched the draft horses grazing in the field. He didn't call them over and wasn't in a particular hurry either. He was, truth be told, working out a plan for the day. What needed doing. What was urgent and what less so.

One of the horses noticed him and nickered softly, trotting over to the fence, which got his partner-in-crime's attention and soon they were both there leaning over the fence as he broke the carrot into pieces, setting a piece on the flat of his hand and extending it outward.

He heard Molly's warm chuckle as she approached, a basket filled with eggs and some cut herbs from the green house. Once the horse had taken his piece so that Noah could offer up the second piece, he turned toward his wife. His gray gaze taking in the contents of the basket. Chives. Basil.

She nodded her approval as she stood beside him, reaching out with her free hand to stroke the velvety muzzles in search of an additional treat. "Now, now," she said, "don't be greedy. Came to tell you that breakfast will be ready shortly."

"That's good," Noah said. "Got all the animals fed and I separated the hog so's I can do the butchering after I eat. You got that list of what gets smoked and what I give to you to do your magic?"

"In the house," Molly said. Her gaze turned toward the wheat field, ripening in the sunlight, and thought of what it would take to turn all of that into flour so there would be bread. "When do you start harvesting?"

"Couple of weeks still," Noah said. The horses moved off, grazing, and he turned toward his wife, his childhood sweetheart, leaning past her to pick up the basket. "Come on, wife," he said, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll bring in the firewood if you make some coffee? Good deal."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and they both pretended that this wasn't something he did regularly whether she asked or not. "The best," she said softly and together, they walked toward the house with Noah veering off at the wood pile to gather an armload while she went on ahead to set check on the coffee, move it closer to the fire so that it could finish cooking.

[Two hours later and 50 miles away]

The drive had been easier than they hoped. So far, no hordes of the zombies, and no sign of the black eighteen,wheeler either. Jack was starting to think that they just might make it. "What's the exit number again, Car? I can remember the surface streets, just not the exit from the highway."

Carmen checked the directions. "It should becoming up." She replied and looked ahead. "There that one." She pointed.

[Back at the Cabin - 8:45 a.m.]

While Noah butchered the pig, Molly set up for pressure canning. One of the two ways that they preserved meat without refrigeration or electricity. Between that and dehydration, they made sure that there was enough meat to get them through when the deep snows came and it was harder to hunt. Going hungry their first year on the homestead had taught them many lessons including keeping multiple large propane tanks on hand. One was hooked up to the outdoor stove right now. The canning jars were clean and ready to go and the pressure canner was sitting on one of the two burners waiting for the first batch while the other burner held a good-size frying pan. She would brown the meat on all four sides, though not cooked all the way through, and add the meat to the jars along with water mixed with with the drippings.

With the setup ready, she poured two cups of coffee and was just bringing them outside when Noah showed up with a large tray of cubed pork. "Trade you," she said, smiling at his enthusiastic acceptance.

"Coffee in the middle of the day," Noah murmured as he sat on the top most back step. "You buttering me up for something, woman?"

"I was hoping we could take a trip over to see Mary and Ed tomorrow," Molly said as she filled the frying pan with meat, to begin the browning process. "Ed moved everything out of the store in town but doesn't want it all to just sit in his barn either. So, we made a deal. Two chickens and a dozen jars of my jam will get us enough coffee to last two winters."

Noah slanted a look at his wife. "Twelve jars? Isn't that a steep price?

"Not when we have so much ready to be picked and canned." Molly reached over and patted the top of his lean thigh. "Don't you worry. There will be plenty for us. I know how you like a bit of jam on your bread."

"Alright then," Noah said as he took a sip of coffee. "We can go right after I finished taking care of the animals. How about that?"

[On The Road - 11:00 a.m.]

Carmen gave directions as they cautiously drove down the last road that lead to the rough driveway that would take them to their grandparents home. She frowned at the road as Jake pulled up at the head of the driveway. She climbed out of the car saying "Hold on Jack."

Jack slowed to a stop, shutting off the engine. He could see what Carmen was trying to do. He looked down the road both ways, leading to their grandparent's driveway. He didn't see anything.

She listened. Nothing. No sounds, no vehicle sounds. Which was a positive. Climbing back in she said. "No sound. Only animal sounds," she told her older brother.

Nodding in agreement, Jack fired up the engine again, and turned onto the drive fully. He didn't need any further directions on where to go, he had spent so much of his childhood on this property, he could walk to the house blindfolded.

A pair of Anatolian Shepherds, stirred to alertness at the sound of someone on the road, took up their warning cry that there were people nearby. The property had been fenced, to ward off hunters, and the gate was closed; as the pair took off running, Noah, who wore a pistol on his hip at all times, started after them.

Daisy heard the barking first. She stiffened up at the sound and growled softly. Jack had stopped the car at the closed gate and was standing at it wondering when a fence and gate, a locked gate at that, had been installed. He hoped that it had been put up by rheur grandparents. While in their early sixties, both of them had always seemed so very strong and full of life and love in his eyes.

Myles reacted to Daisy growling. "Jack! Daisy's growling!"

As Jack heard his little brother shout the warning, he started to hear the approach of at least two dogs, barking loudly. When he saw them, he smiled brightly. They were their grandparent's dogs, Chewie and Hooch, whom they had named after some old movies.

"Hey, guys!" Jack knelt down on his side of the fence and waited for them to get closer and recognize his scent.

Hooch, a year older and vastly more protective than Chewie, approached cautiously but relaxed his stance once he caught their scent. Wagging his tail he approached the fence and after a moment, Chewie joined him.

Noah, who had heard the dogs quiet, came more slowly with his pistol holstered. He smiled when he caught sight of the vehicle. Worry about his daughter, her husband and the grandkids had kept both him and Molly up at night of late. He opened the gate and pushed it back, giving him and the dogs access to Jack. "Hey, Jack," he said, "come here and give your grandpa a hug. "Been forever since we saw you."

Carmen got out of the car and then opened the backdoor to help Myles and Daisy get out. She snagged their dog's leash and held her close. She kept looking around, nervous, but seeing her grandfather made her bite her lip.

"GRAMPY!!!" Myles called out excitedly, as he ran full speed into his grandfather's arms.

Jack stepped forward and embraced his grandfather as his young brother hit Noah with a solid hit to his midsection that would make any professional football player proud. Both boys wrapped their arms around their grandfather.

Noah mock-grunted under the impact but hugged them both with a loving fierceness. "Oh my," Noah said. "Your grandmother is going to be so happy to see you both. I know I am." He looked over the top of Myles' head to where Carmen stood apart. "Don't get a hug any more?"

Carmen gave a smile and walked over to him, Daisy beside her. She waited until Myles and Jack pulled back before giving their grandfather a hug, letting herself relax as she did so.

No one could say that Noah couldn't read a room and so, as he pulled Carmen in for a hug, he said, "Jack, if you don't mind, why don't you take Myles and ... Daffodil ... Delphinium ... Dogswood ...." His eyes twinkled as he pretended confusion. "... Dandelion ... yeah, take Dandelion up to the house. I think your grandmother is baking cookies. You might be able to get some fresh out of the oven."

Myles laughed, despite the stress of the past few days. "Grampy! You know her name is Daisy!"

Jack smiled, recognizing what their grandfather was doing. "I'm glad you both are safe. We went through some dangers to get here." He moved back to the car, getting in and starting the engine. He then waited for the gate to be opened enough for him to pull through.

Carmen was silent as she hugged her grandfather tightly.

"Park over by my pickup, will you, Jack," Noah said as he held onto his granddaughter. There was a story here and a sad one. Grief washed over him though he kept it tightly contained. "Your rooms are just like you left 'em, though your grandmother cleaned up the dirty dishes under the bed. I'll help you bring your things in directly."

Jack nodded as he started to bring their car through the gate. "Yes, Sir." He then continued on up the drive, keeping an eye in his rearview mirror, in case they needed help behind him.

As Jack moved the car, Noah gently urged Carmen to walk with him through the gate and onto his property. Once Jack was through he closed and locked the gate again. That old gate, updated and repaired in recent years, had stood open for nearly as long as they'd lived here but these days, best to err on the side of caution.

"Come on," he said to Carmen, "let's go up to the house so's you can get in on those cookies." His voice was deep, strong enough to carry a distance if needed, but rough too. Too many long hours working the homestead alone; to hear Molly tell it, sometimes he just forgot how to talk and maybe there was some truth in that. He found his peace in the work, always had. "And I've a strong need for a cup of coffee."

Carmen nodded with a smile. "Cookies sounds great' she said leaning into him as they followed the car up to the cabin. "Are you both okay?" Carmen asked hesitantly. "Nothing bad happened here?"

Myles, ever the animal magnet, had all three dogs walking happily by his side, each one leaning in for attention from the youngest Harris. He looked up at his grandfather, when he heard his sister's question.

"No, nothing," Noah said. "There was some trouble in town but that's been taken care of." He saw the worried looks on their faces, thinking about what they probably went through, and added, "in a good year, we might see one hiker that got lost. And with the fence I put in a few years back, to make sure the dogs stayed on our property, well, we haven't had a bit of trouble. You're safe here."

Myles sighed and smiled happily. If Grampy said that they were safe there, then he knew it was true. As the cabin came into view, he saw their Grandmother step out onto the front porch. He took off towards her. Calling out excitedly, "Granny!!" As he ran full speed towards her, the three dogs stayed right with him, barking happily.

Jack finished parking the station wagon as instructed and shut off the engine. As he got out, he saw their Grandmother step outside. Moving over to embrace her, he heard Myles call out to her. "Granny," he said as well, as the pair reached one another and he wrapped his arms around her.

Molly, who had been wiping her hands off on the apron tied around her waist, misted up as she saw her grandchildren. She wrapped her arms around her youngest, hugging him tightly. "Myles," she said. She just held on and when Jack reached her, she pulled him into a hug as well. Some moments were beyond words and to know they were safe, well, that was like an answered prayer.

After a moment, Molly saw Carmen and Noah come around the corner and smiled. All three safe, she thought. She exchanged a worried glance with Noah and saw his barely perceptible shake and understood. That would come out in time thought probably not good news.

While Molly saw to ushering the grand kids inside, Noah, who was more comfortable with work, began unloading their vehicle. Chewie and Hooch returned to him, sniffing at everything. The youngest of his three dogs, at a year old, came out of the house and walked over to Daisy, checking her out.

Daisy sniffed the young pup, and within a few beats, both had accepted the other.

Inside the cabin, Myles stayed glued to their Grandmother. While he felt safe with his siblings, there was just something even more protective about one's grandmother. "Granny, did the bombs fall around here," he asked quietly, remembering how their house had shaken when the two large bombs were dropped nearby.

"Nothing here," Molly said softly. "No bombs. No creepy people. Just the usual stuff." She set out a plate of cookies and pulled a pitcher of milk out of the fridge. "Got to say, we've been lucky. Your grandfather made us self sufficient long before there was a need for it."

"We encountered a small group of the zombies while we were trying to get clear of the cities," Jack stated. "Then again, at a small station a few hundred miles away. Also, we were chased by someone in a jet black semi, but got away, when we crossed a bridge that they didn't fit on."

"Now that's not good," Molly said as she paused in pouring out the milk. "How far back was this truck? And you haven't seen it since?"

Jack shook his head. "We lost them yesterday afternoon. Haven't seen them since." He gave her a reassuring grin. "We only ran from them because of how they accelerated towards us when we left the service station. We were a little concerned that they might try to find another way around the bridge we took to escape them, but, haven't seen them or any other vehicle moving today."

Carmen moved to get a hug from her grandmother and then sat down at the table. She looked at her hands. "We do not know what happened to our parents either," she admitted softly. "They didn't answer the phone for days before we left."

Molly busied herself for a moment, making sure that everyone had milk and access to the cookies, while she took in the news. "No news doesn't mean they're gone. And until we know different, let's just pray that they're safe and that they're on their way here. Coz' this is home. For all of us."

Noah, who had been carrying in some of their gear, added, "And don't you worry about strangers. No truck is ever going to make it up here and Chewie and Hooch are the best there is when it comes to guarding the property."

Carmen looked up. "Oh I can help with that," she said noticing him carrying stuff, it was her organisational side coming out. She needed to move. To keep her mind busy.

"Why don't you head on up to your room and see about putting stuff away. Settling in," Noah said. "The boys can help me with the outside chores and later, you can help Molly get dinner going."

Carmen nodded, milk and cookies left on the table, as she grabbed bags and began to head up to the room they kept aside for the grandchildren.

Molly watched her go, a worried expression on her face, as Noah walked up to her, looping his arm around her waist. "She turned down cookies. First time I ever remember her doing that."

"They been through a lot," Noah said quietly. "I expect they'll need some time to adjust." His gaze drifted to the wood box and said, "I'll get one of the boys to bring you in some more wood. Bread day if I remember correctly."

"You know darn well it is," Molly said. "Maybe we'll have chicken tonight. You can arrange that?"

"I think so," Noah said. He saw her expression fade and his arm around her waist tightened. "Our Julie was always resourceful and she grew up out here. She won't be taken that easily."

Molly nodded and turned into her husband's shoulder. "At least they're safe."

 

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