Safe Harbor - Conversation while securing it

Posted on Tue Sep 23rd, 2025 @ 10:06am by New York Survivor Briar Maddox & New York Survivor John ("Dodger") Smith

1,719 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Winter's hope
Timeline: September 19th 2010

With Amythyst and George off with the three older boys, on the supply run for the mainland, Briar found herself with her brother Rowan working on the garden. Around them the rest of the children worked on tasks and called out with delight of being in the sunlight.

Winter was a few months away but it was so different for most of these children, having spend weeks in the dark. As she and Rowan finished weeding, she sent him off to play while she raked the ground. Amy and she had discussed it. They would get the last lot of vegetables from the other patch in the coming weeks but then it would be no more fresh vegies.

Dodger had set the crab pots and even threw out some lobster traps but wasn't expecting to catch any lobsters as they usually were caught in deeper water, still noting ventured nothing gained. He returned to Briar with Fisher by his side. " Crab pots and lobster traps are set Briar. What can I do to help you?"

"The barn needs sweeping, and the hay in the boxes turned. I had the children gather sticks for firewood and leaves for the chicken boxes." Briar said. "Amy said the trees that she took down the other day could be chopped up."

Dodger listened to the list chores that still needed to be done. When Briar finished he nodded, "Okay, I'll start with the trees to be chopped up. Get us started with having a supply for winter."

He looked at Fisher, "You stay with Briar. Okay?" Fisher gave a bark of agreement. He smiled at the pup an then looked to Briar. "I'll get the axe an cut the trees up and then get the barn swept out. Then I'll get to the hay. If you need me either holler or come get me okay?"

Briar nodded. "When you are done I will need your help with something" she said as she began to rake the bed.

Dodger raised an eyebrow at the somewhat cryptic statement but just replied "Sure thing. Let me get started, then I won't keep you waiting so long."

It took Dodger a couple of hours to get the trees chopped up into manageable pieces for the fireplace. Then he swept out the barn and finally turning the hay in the boxes before he went and found Briar. "Okay, all done. What do you need my help with?"

Briar had a pile of sticks, a mallet and string. "Amy made a point the other day. We don't know how much snow we could get up here. And the animals will still need to be fed. So she suggested we make a covered walkway to the barn from the house and to the solar panels so we can clear snow from them. We have about two months to do it and we have that pile of tin at the shed over there to use as roofing. And we can use trees for the rest and anything we can scavenge and if we can get back to Crescent we can get more supplies."

Dodger nodded, "We can certainly get a roof up and may have enough tin leftover to use as walls at least part of the way and we can fill in and reinforce with wood."

Briar held up her items. "We start by staking it out, then raking it. I think we can use rocks from the beach to make the path. Will help with keeping the path clear."

"Sounds like a plan. We can get the others involved if you like. After we get it staked and raked out. We'll all go and collect rocks and bring them up here to pave the pathway." Dodger replied.

Briar nodded. She paused and looked at the fence that surrounded the house and buildings. "Dodger, if we were to strengthen the perimeter fence... we could give the cows more room to move and eat, keep the grass down around the houses...what do you think?"

Dodger followed her gaze and after a moment replied. "We have the material to strengthen the fence and giving the cows more room is a good thing and they would definitely have more to eat. "When do you want to start this?"

"The fence is probably more urgent. If the boys are correct then having a secure fence that takes in the house, buildings, the small orchard and the barn is probably best to be done first." The fence already encompassed it but it was flimsy in parts. "We can get the area marked out by the kids.."

"Alright. Have the kids mark the weak sections of the fence with ribbon or string so we'll know which sections need the work and we'll shore those up first before we do anything else." Dodger replied.

Briar nodded and went and rounded up the remaining children. She gave them string and got them to work. Soon there were children pulling and pushing on the fence in different places.

Dodger watched as the younger kids went about checking the fence with zeal as they pushed and pulled at various sections of the fence. After about a half hour the fence was parked in several places with string to indicate a section that needed to strengthen. "Briar." He asked softly, "Are we strengthening the fence to keep the cows in or something out?"

"Both" Briar replied. "There could be a wild bull out there, and..." she paused. "When we were in the city, our neighbours in the building beside us, .. they wanted to stay safe, so they made a fence that funnelled the dead to our building... I have seen it happen."

"That's sick." Dodger replied then added. "Okay, you answered my question. I can add supports to both sides of the fence. They will increase the structural strength of the fence so if there is a bull out there he can't knock it over nor will it be able to be torn down if we get two legged uninvited visitors."

Briar nodded. "We maybe safe here for now. How long until adults find us? And try and claim this for themselves?"

"True enough." Dodger agreed. "This island isn't well known and with the state of the world being like it is, we have more time than we normally would. However, if adults do come and try to claim this for themselves, I will fight them to keep this for ourselves."

"Same" She replied and then she began to lift some branches. "I get the feeling its the same for Amy and George."

Dodger nodded, "I don't think your wrong there. I'm willing to bet Amy and George feel exactly like we do and will do everything and anything to defend what we have here."

Briar nodded Then she said "She doesn't sleep much. Amy. I am not sure why. She is awake well before me and I don't know if she goes to sleep before me."

Dodger listened as Briar spoke about Amy. "When we were in the city, she was skitteriest, kept to herself. Dante got her to stay one night with the Infernals and then she was off setting up her own place. Something is bothering her, driving her. I hope she knows we're all here for her and each other. Maybe George can find out more since their off together."

Briar looked at him. "She mentioned Dante, But she does not speak much of him. You speak of him more. Why?"

Dodger shrugged his shoulders, "I can't speak for Amy. She was with us one night before she left, found and set up her own place." He paused for a moment. "Dante was my friend. He found me, took me in to the Infernals, made me his number two. He trusted me. He had rules for us, rules that bound us, rules we all followed, they kept us alive. The Infernals were his life." He finished softly. Looking at Briar he added, "We aren't the Infernals anymore but we still follow a lot of those rules and they are good rules for the most part."

"I know the rules about youngest eats first and everyone pitches in." Briar said. "Makes sense. But what are the others?"

Dodger replied instantly, "No stealing from the group. Depending on the severity it could be punishment like toilet duty to being kicked out of the group. No lying. You own up to your mistakes. The Infernals are your family and you protect the family. We're all in this together and we're stronger for being together." He paused for a moment before he said his next. "No disrespect to anyone in the group. You can disagree but leave the name calling out." He smiled at Briar, "Dante had a lot of good ideas." He finished softly.

"So why did he leave?" Briar asked.

Dodger hesitated for a moment before replying. "I can't say for sure but I can give a good guess. He always said no adults and he was the oldest in the group. I think he left because he was becoming what he didn't want and that was to be an adult and rather than hurt the group he went out on his own."

Dodger added, "I think that was the wrong decision. Short sighted on Dante's part. We need everyone we can find and count on. Dante's experience and knowledge would have helped the group but he didn't ask me for my opinion."

Briar nodded. "Do you think we would take in more children if we find them?"

Dodger studied her before answering, "I'm not going to give a broad yes or no rather we consider them if and when we find them. We look at their age their willingness to be part of a group and to work in that group to benefit everyone. That's just my opinion, you, Amy and George all have a say in this."

Briar nodded. "Sounds logical and good" she looked towards the house. "At least we are safe for now."

"Yes, we are and I hope it stays that way. We've work hard to achieve what we have and I'm not going to let anyone take it away."

Briar nodded. But deep down she wondered how long it would last.

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