Mad Swine (Book 2): Dead Winter (15 page)

There was more discussion after my words, and in the end they all realized we would have to make the journey. No matter the dangers, Randall Oaks would soon be dead. If our community was to survive we had to move. It was time to step out into the world again. But that would be up to the men, women and children of Randall Oaks.

Although after heated discussion the council eventually decided that the community needed to accept the agreement made between Brian and the Finnegans, we also knew that this was a decision in which everyone would need to decide for themselves. We agreed to hold a special meeting that evening to relay the news to the rest of our community. I was relieved when the meeting finally ended without Brian bringing up the fact that we’d been the catalyst in starting the war with Providence.

As the council members dispersed, I took the opportunity to step outside for a few moments. The air was cool, crisp, and refreshing after being cooped up in the confines of the house; it was just what I needed to help me focus. Standing outside, leaning against an awning post and smoking one of Ray’s offered cigarettes, I was glad I quit smoking a long time ago. The cancer sticks were hard to come by now and struggling to quit cold turkey was one less thing I needed in my life. As I dragged on the smoke, I watched the members of the council as they filed out past me, most of them on their way to perform their duties around the community. It was nice to have them around to deal with much of the day-to-day affairs because I could not be everywhere at once.

When Kat and Sam exited, I crushed my smoke beneath my boot and asked them both if I could speak to them for a moment; I had tasks to assign to each. I asked Kat to check in and see how Ian was doing, but also to let Ravi know about what she missed at the meeting—especially the part about the community meeting tonight. I also asked Kat to then begin spreading the word about the meeting to make sure we had everyone in the room. While Kat made her rounds, I planned to spell whoever was on guard duty at Ravi’s shortly.

Next, I asked Sam to provide me with a complete inventory of all supplies. I wanted to know to the last detail how much food, water, medical supplies, toilet paper, batteries, and any other odds and ends we’d accumulated over the last three months. I wanted her to keep her findings confidential and report only to me when she was done. After she finished her list, I asked her to work with Reverend Reggie to set up the CP for the community meeting.

“Sam it would be great if we could have coffee and some sort of snacks,” I said.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Before the two women left, I reminded them that we had guests and that I would like for those guests to be seated at the front of the room so it would be easier for introductions.

For a while I watched both women walk down Churchill Street. I smiled when Kat took Sam’s hand, and Sam leaned close into her lover. Watching their public display of affection made me think about Lara and the intimate time we’d shared. Right about now I wished I could feel her warm body snuggled up against me as I breathed in the scent of the strawberry shampoo from her hair.

Making a sound like an old man rising from a chair, I bent low and picked up my axe and bag. From my vantage point at the CP I could see all the way down Churchill. I spotted my house on the left and my eyes followed the curve of the road down to Harper’s Knoll. One of the biggest regrets I felt when I thought of leaving this place was leaving behind the men and women, my friends, who were buried there; and my wife buried under her favorite rose garden.

* * *

At Ravi’s house, I took a few moments to talk with Ravi in the upstairs rooms. Kat had already stopped by, as instructed. Ravi shared with me her concerns about moving Paul and Ray, as well as the younger children. She was concerned about how the weather would affect everyone. I assured her that all of her concerns would be under consideration, but that they had to weigh the concerns with the risk of staying put.

“I understand,” she said. “But I must insist that Paul and Raymond cannot be moved with the rest of the group. Paul is in an advanced state of renal failure and would most certainly die long before we reached your farm.”

“How long can Paul live if he stays here?”

After great consideration, Ravi said, “I think that he can survive another three months, maybe a little longer if he remains here under my care. He still has some prescription medications and there are other things I can do to help extend his life.”

“I have some major concerns about leaving you here,” I said. With Ravi, you could not beat around the bush. You just had to give it to her straight. “As shitty as this sounds, the group needs you more. I have to think about what’s best for all of us.”

Ravi was adamant. “I will stay with Paul and I will not be forced to leave.”

I sighed and decided to take a different approach. “Okay, say you stay, and Paul passes, then what? You’re stuck here at least until spring when we can come back for you.”

“I know the risks.”

“Brian found a place with lots of equipment and supplies. Maybe we can find something that you can use to help prolong Paul’s life at the farm.”

Ravi shook her head. For the first time, I saw that Ravi was losing her patience. “Paul will not survive the trip. He’ll be dead before you can move your equipment and supplies to the farm to help him. No. I am staying here and that is final.”

Finally, I relented. I hoped that if I gave her time to think about things that she would eventually realize that she was more valuable to the many than to one. I could only hope she would do the right thing. As much as I liked Paul, as much as we all owed our lives to Paul and his inventions, I could not risk the safety of the rest of the members of the community for his sake.

I left Ravi alone and headed downstairs. I was surprised to find Brian and Maureen visiting with Ian. Both brother and sister raised a hand in greeting when I entered and I raised a hand in return. Setting down my bag and axe beside the empty chair where someone should have been sitting watch, I was glad to see that Brian had stepped away from his companions so that we could speak privately.

“Hey, dude, Ian’s looking good. Whatever Ravi gave him knocked down the fever. She thinks that he caught a cold but she’s pretty sure he’s not infected by Mad Swine.”

“That’s good news.”

“Damn right it is. I didn’t know what I was going to tell his father when we got to the farm and Ian wasn’t with us.”

“Slow your roll, bud, that decision hasn’t been made yet.”

“No, but it will. There’s no alternative. They’ll have to see that. They’re not stupid people; they’re just…too comfortable.”

“You have to be prepared for the possibility that they vote to stay. Have you thought about that?”

“No. That’s not going to happen.”

“And if it does? What are you going to do?”

Brian was caught off guard by the question. He really hadn’t considered the idea that the men and women of Randall Oaks would opt to remain behind these walls even knowing that they could not survive the winter.

“I don’t know, dude. I guess I’d have to help Ian and Maureen get back home.”

“And then what?” Brian looked at me. His eyes begged not to force him to have to choose, but I was adamant. “Will you stay with the Finnegan’s?”

“You know staying here is suicide. I can’t believe that you’d let these people go out like that. You wouldn’t.”

“It’s not up to me how a man wants to spend the last days of his life. I won’t force anyone to leave and that’s a promise.”

“All right, fair enough. Every man has a right to decide his fate. But what about you? Would you stay here and choose death or come with me and live?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I said and picked up my gear. “When I figure out the answer.”

* * *

I decided to stop at Lara’s place but she wasn’t home so I took a walk to the outpost and asked the two men on duty if they’d seen Lara. They told me the last they seen her she was taking two of the new folks back to the command post.

Changing direction, I headed over to the CP and entered through the garage. I was quite surprised to find the lights on. I was even more surprised to see that Ray was not sitting at his command module. Instead, his chair was rolled beside his bed on top of which a large green canvas bag sat. Ray was wrapping a power cord around a piece of radio equipment which he placed into the bag.

When I sat down he looked up at me and said, “I don’t care what anyone says, I’m not staying here.”

Instead of responding I watched as Ray wheeled himself back to his desk and started to dismantle another piece of equipment. He unscrewed a coaxial cable and set the piece of equipment into his lap as he rolled the cable into a tight circle, returned to the bed, and shoved the items into the canvas bag.

He looked at me again and said, “You can’t stop me from coming.”

“I wouldn’t try, Ray. Like I said, everyone has to make their own choice.” I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at what he had in the bag so far.

“Damn right.”

“I will tell you that it’s not going to be a cakewalk. Wheeling that chair through snow is going to be tough. Hauling that bag of equipment is going to make it more so.”

“I can handle it.” He spun his chair around so that he was facing me. “I know what I’m getting myself into. When we get out on the road, I’m on my own. If I fall behind, I don’t expect anyone to fall back with me. But I’m not going to stay here with Paul and rot away in this fucking place. I want a chance as much as anyone else. And if I don’t make it, it won’t be for lack of trying. At least I go out on my own terms.”

I stood up from the bed and looked down at the determined man in front of me. “As long as you know the risks all I have left to say is you might want to lighten your load.” I took a few steps toward the door that would lead into the kitchen of the CP and said, “And think about what you’re going to do with Cody.”

“What does that mean? Cody’s coming with me.”

“I meant think about what will happen to him if you don’t make it.”

* * *

Sam and Reggie were in the kitchen getting things together. Sam rushed me out because she said she didn’t want to spoil the surprise. I told her that I already knew we were having a community meeting, no surprise there. She put her hands over my eyes and pulled me by my arm, leading me out of the kitchen. She said I knew what she meant.

I found Liam and Jenna in the living room watching a DVD on the television. They both stood when I entered but I told them both to sit down and don’t let me interrupt.

In his thick Irish accent Liam said, “We haven’t seen a movie in months.”

“Hey, I understand. Have you seen Lara?”

“Aye. She left about ten minutes ago. Not sure where she got off to, friend.”

I nodded my head. “Thank you, Liam. If you see her can you let her know I’m looking for her?”

“We will,” Jenna said. Unlike Liam, she spoke without accent. She smiled knowingly at me and then put her arm around her husband and put her head against his shoulder.

* * *

After leaving the CP I headed home to find something to eat and to take a quick nap before the meeting later. I entered the foyer and dropped my gear in its usual place by the front door. I paused for a moment when I heard the crackle of a fire. I’d used the last of my wood and I’d put out the fire before leaving today. Ascending the stairs to investigate, I found Lara in the kitchen washing out my cowboy coffee pot.

She saw me when I come in and she put the coffee pot down, coming to me, embracing me. She planted a quick kiss on my cheek. It had been a long time since I felt such a warm embrace. I put my arms around her and pulled her in close, kissing her more deeply on the lips.

“I hope you don’t mind me letting myself in. The door was open.”

“Not at all.”

“Oh, I brought back your coffee pot. I thought now would be a good time to give you that lesson.”

“Is that going to be our code word for hot passionate sex?”

Lara blushed, her pink cheeks turning a bright red. “Matthew!”

“What? You really want to show me how to make coffee?”

“Not now,” Lara said. She took my hands and placed them on her breasts. “I’d rather have hot passionate sex.”

I lifted her petite body and carried her to the sofa. The sex was definitely hot and passionate. We forgot about making coffee.

* * *

When Lara and I left my house it was a quarter to six. I hadn’t seen Brian since our conversation at Ravi’s place. I don’t know what he’d gotten up to the entire afternoon, but I hope he’d changed his mind about telling everyone what we’d done to Comedian. I was concerned he’d use this opportunity as his confessional.

The sky was dark and thin wisps of gray clouds hung low. At this time of year, darkness came as early as 4:30 or 5:00 in the evening. The wind picked up as the sun went down, kicking up mists of snow from the ground and pelting our faces. Lara pulled up her scarf as we walked.