Posted: 5/19/2012 5:38:18 AM EDT
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After reading several excellent selections of fiction on this board over the years, I thought I would give it a try. Let me know what you think.
Neighbors Chapter 1: The meeting The night was still as Tyler eased into the family room couch. The windows were open in an attempt to draw in the cool air that had so quickly replaced the dry heat of a long August day. He sat in darkness waiting briefly for his senses to acclimate, first to the interior of his home, then his yard, and finally the surrounding woods and meadows. As he lounged, his concentration morphed from a state of high alertness, to that of deep meditation. Then a sound entered requiring the effort of analysis. Yes, something is walking in the woods, he thought. He closed his eyes and focused completely. When he opened them, it was morning. “Oh shit,” he exclaimed realizing more than a few seconds had passed. The blinking clock on the microwave told him they had power this morning. Today was going to be a good day. As Tyler scrambled the eggs, he suddenly realized that he should be filling up the catchment tank behind the barn. It then hit him that he better start the dishwasher and the washing machine. It would be a good idea for everyone to take a hot shower too. “Power’s on,” he shouted while he booted up the laptop. “Are you sure?” groaned Mellissa from their bedroom in a voice not yet ready to commit to the start of a new day. “Of course I’m sure,” he replied. “There’s hot water.” Before he poured the eggs into the heated pan, he could hear the rush of water flowing to their shower. As they were clearing off the table after breakfast, Mellissa asked, “Ty, was this the last of the eggs?” “Yup, we’ll have to go over to Gus’s house later and see if he has any more.” “Any luck with the internet?” Mellissa asked as she set the kid’s empty plates on the counter by the sink. “No, nothing at all,” he said hiding neither his disappointment nor his worry. The sudden seriousness of the moment was quickly broken with Katie’s shouting from upstairs, “Mom, Dad can me and Abe go outside to play?” “Sure, for just a bit, then I want you both in for a shower while the water’s hot” replied Mellissa. Mellissa started the dishwasher and headed down to the basement to run the first of many loads of laundry. Tyler just stared blankly at the computer. Three weeks was a long time to be without the internet. Although he could remember a day when an internet connection was nothing more than a novelty and quite certainly a luxury, Tyler had come to depend upon various news websites and internet forums as his primary source of intelligence. With so many competing views and interests, the truth could rarely be hidden if one were only to search. But now there was nothing. And, with the sporadic reliability of the Mail and later its complete failure a little over a month ago, now the only source for news was neighbors and meetings. With this thought in mind, Tyler yelled down to the basement, “Actually, we can get the eggs from Gus tonight at the meeting.” As he walked outside to turn on the garden sprinkler, Tyler past his Camry and tried to shake the overwhelming feeling that he should be at work. By now he knew that he had more than exhausted his vacation and personal leave—not that he had officially requested either the former or the latter. Quite simply, he could no longer afford the 60 mile round-trip commute to his office in Spokane. A steady, but drastic, increase in the price of oil coupled with a more rapid decrease in the dollar’s buying power had been at work for almost a year. He had known for quite a while that the day would come when it was no longer affordable to go to work. I guess that’s what happened with the mail and the internet, thought Tyler, as he turned on the water to the garden. Before it was time to gather the kids and head over to Augustus’s place, Tyler carefully walked the perimeter of their thirty acres. He didn’t really expect to find anything, and he didn’t know what he would do if he did. But, it seemed like the right thing to do. Hell, it’s not like I have a real job, Tyler said to himself. “Mom, can we drive instead. It’s so hot outside, and my feet feel sweaty.” “Sure Katie, if you want to pay for the gas. Why don’t you two go grab your bikes and ride? It’s only two miles.” “Awesome,” said Abe already running for his bike, “I’ll race you.” “No, let’s stay together,” said Tyler. As they approached Agustus’s driveway, they could already see quite a few people gathered under the barn. “My name is Augustus McPherson. I’ve been here long as any. Most of you probably know me, and I probably know you. Being as I see some more visitors, I will ask that you introduce yourself and your family before sharing what news you may have.” Tyler, Mellissa, Abe, and Katie found a place to sit on a stack of two-by-twelves. The open barn that provided ample protection against the rain offered no reprieve from the sun. Tyler shielded his eyes as he watched each family take their turn. Tyler and Mellissa’s neighbor across the street stood first, “I’m Marv and this is Zelda. We made a trip into town a couple of days ago. Yoke’s grocery store seemed like they must have just gotten a delivery. Not a lot of fresh foods, but a bit of the canned stuff.” Realizing that was the extent of the news he had, Marv sat back down. “I’m Lewis and this is my wife Cathy. We were in town this morning. No gas yet at either station, but I did get some diesel for my tractor. Sure could use some gas though, no matter what it’s selling at.” Next, the veterinarian about a mile east of Tyler and Mellissa stood. “My name is Gloria Welch, and this is my husband Leo. We are very blessed to have our daughter, Susan, and her husband, Michael, and my grandbaby, Benjamin, staying with us. I’m still keeping regular hours for my practice, but I am starting to run low on supplies. Hopefully, we will be receiving deliveries again soon.” “Gloria, I beg your pardon, but if I may…,” said Augustus who had remained standing. “Benjamin, what brings your beautiful family to our neighborhood? “Sir, we had…I mean have…a home just north of Spokane in Colbert. But with all the home invasions, we just though it would be safer to get a little further out. Besides, I think Susan’s parents could use a hand with their farm,” replied Benjamin trying to add a bit of lightness to a serious situation. “Son, you call me Gus, and welcome to the neighborhood.” Tyler and his family sat and listened to about twenty other families providing similar news and making introductions for relatives and friends they had taken in. It was becoming more and more difficult for Tyler to keep his eye lids open. “Randy and Lisa Tetro,” barked one of Tyler’s least favorite neighbors. “Looks like we walked a mile n a half for nothin. I don’t hear a single piece of news worth a shit from any of ya here. We’ve been meetin since the papers stopped comin, the broadcasts stopped givin any local news, and the internet quit. And we barely even know what’s goin on seven miles away in town. Pretty soon this little vacation from work that you all seem to be enjoyin so much aint gonna look so good. One day your gonna realize, ‘I aint got no gas, and I aint got no food, and oh shit, winter’s right round the corner’. Well, maybe that day’s coming right soon, and maybe it aint. But sittin round not knowing nothing, that’s just plain ignorant as it gets.” Randy motioned for his wife and kids as he quickly turned his back and started off. “Well now, the only non-ignoramus among us can’t just part ways and leave us all here like sheep. Please be so kind as to tell us what you propose,” said Augustus. Recognizing the fair challenge beneath Augustus’s sarcasm, Randy stopped. “Well, Augustus,” Randy said while making deliberate eye contact, “if we aim to know what’s goin on and what to expect for the future, we gotta go where we can get answers…the Sheriff’s Office. And I don’t mean the Stevens County one in Colville; we gotta go to the Spokane County Sheriffs Office. I’ll certainly bet we find some real news there.” “Randy, I believe you are correct. When will you be leaving?” “Augustus, you know I aint got no fuel, but if anyone here can drive, I’ll go with.” A few uncomfortable moments passed as nearly everyone at the gathering found it quite imperative to study their shoes. It was, after all, no small matter. A round trip to Spokane and back in a truck would be well over $125 in gasoline, a resource becoming rarer by the day. Eyes were slowly drawn up to meet the elderly gentleman who slowly moved to the center of the barn. “My name is Cornelius Hawthorne, and my family once owned these seven thousand acres you refer to as your ‘neighborhood’.” On my property is the artesian well dug by my grandfather. Its water flows as strong and as clean today as it did one hundred years ago. I will grant anyone willing to provide Mr. Tetro transportation to Spokane the unlimited use of my well.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Tyler’s hand shot up in the air followed by his vocal affirmation, “I’ll take him.” “I’ll pick you up around 8:00 am,” Tyler said looking at Randy. “We’ll leave at 6:00 am. Sun’s up by then. Can’t see much good in waitin round wastin daylight,” said Randy before he turned and headed home with his family. Mellissa walked with the kids against the flow of neighbors headed out of Augustus’s ranch. “Gus,” she called, “got any eggs.” “You betcha. I always have fresh eggs for my favorite neighbors.” Gus gave Katie and Abe a dozen each and sent them off with pats on their backs. “Mellissa, you tell your husband to be careful tomorrow. I don’t trust Randy one bit…not one bit.” Augustus spoke these words with a genuine concern that sent chills down Mellissa’s back. Mellissa headed back to where Tyler was, trying to locate the children at the same time. Seeing Katie and Abe feeding the chickens blades of grass through the fence, she called, “time to go home before it gets dark.” Then, by the driveway, she saw Tyler who was stooped down low enough to be having a private word with Cornelius. By the time she reached them, Cornelius was already on his way, and Tyler knew he was in trouble. It was just after seven in the evening, and the ridge behind Augustus’s ranch had already ushered in an early sunset. A coolness that made up for the scorching day slowly washed over. It was the perfect time for a walk. Tyler looked at his wife and smiled. She didn’t smile back. |