Rise From the Ashes: Lena's Story (15 page)

Lena was warming her front, holding out a marshmallow on a long branch.

Mick teased her because she liked to ‘burn’ one each night. Tonight the gentle wind was coming in off the lake, so it was radiating the heat of the fire into her face. Her bum felt cold so she turned around to heat up her other side. She blinked the heat off her eyelashes as her eyes adjusted to the darker world which had been behind her.

Her eyes were now making out some dark forms zipping down the street toward Echo Park and the swings and the bonfire area. Now she blinked to clear her eyes. She was used to reality not matching her dreams exactly. She started laughing out loud because she would never have imagined her dream priest heading toward her on a bicycle!

She laughed and laughed and he got closer. She never thought she would be so thrilled at the sight of tattered robes whipping out behind a strange man on a bike.

Steve saw the bonfire, he saw young people milling around laughing and drinking beer and just being relaxed and happy. Relaxed and happy and obviously feeling safe in this new and dangerous world.

Then one laugh was raised up above the others. It was a blonde athletic girl with a joyous expression. She was looking right at him and laughing with undeniable happiness. He could tell, but he had no idea why, this was his personal welcome committee.

Steve jumped off his bike, letting it clatter to the ground. As he moved toward the fire, keeping his eyes locked on the jovial green ones, he was stopped by a tall Marine in full uniform.

“Oh no! Let him go. Father! I’ve been waiting for you!”

Lena ran forward and threw herself into the priest’s arms. Giving him a swinging from side-to-side and a tight hug.

By now all the soldiers knew that Lena was the unofficial mayor of the city. She had helped organized the supplies, and set up how they were going to be used and given out over the winter. She was the person that others were coming to when they ran into some kind of disagreement. So really, she was also kind of like their local judge too.

At this point, while the Marine would step in if he thought Lena was in danger, there was no way he was going to challenge her and be on the bad side of some powerful emerald eyes.

“Father. What’s your name?”

In the old world that question would have come long before a bear hug.

“Father Steve Polus. And you?”

“Lena Buckner, nice to meet you. Are you guys hungry? Sit down along the logs and enjoy the fire.”

“Oh we surely will. God was guiding me here. Would you believe that I have dreamed of this very lake, this very bonfire and even seen your face in my dreams?” Steve thought he would see some looks of disbelief, but found he was looking out at many grins and lots of nods.

Lena was now holding hands with Mick. She and Mick had decided that they would start to live together right away and though it was a new world, Lena liked the idea of having the same last name if you were a family. Her last name had been long and more a pain than anything, so she was glad to take up Mick’s.

Lena had one more surprise for Steve.

“Father Polus, I’ll help your group find a place to live tomorrow. Tonight they can bunk here in Echo Aquarium; there are bunk beds in the basement. But I have a place for you. I have a house half way up the hill that’s on Pearl Street. Just a block further up and a block from the city green is the First Baptist Church. I hope you don’t find it insulting, because I don’t know what religion you are and I, personally, don’t think it is important. But I have fixed the church up for you and I have also prepared the attached parsonage home for you.”

Steve was astounded that this really was his welcome wagon, all wrapped up in a cute package. He had no words. He just smiled humbly at her.

“Folks I hate to break this up, but it’s almost midnight and I’m going to call a strategy meeting early tomorrow. I just got some fresh incoming news. We are not in any kind of immediate danger, but news has been relayed up here and it seems that next year or the year after we are going to have to deal with some Mexican and Columbian drug lords who have stated that they want to own America. Let’s hope that they kill each other before they even cross into Texas.” Morna paused with a strange look on his face.

“Come to think of it, Texas is not going to be a welcome mat for them. Anyway, it is a good excuse for us to start some long term planning. Everyone will be welcome to give their thoughts, and this will just be the first meeting. We do have all winter.

“For now, go on to your new homes, enjoy the night. Looks like snow tomorrow, so get your woodstoves ready to crank. Now that we have a priest here, I think we should also have Father Polus and Lena and whoever else wants to help, plan an awesome AB Christmas Party.”

Lena, Mick and Steve made their way up the hill. They walked in companionable silence until they were at the front of the church.

It rose up in the night, even in the moonlight you could see the white wood trim that surrounded the red bricks. You could see the steeple pointing high into the sky. This was built to command a view and to be seen from all around. It was simply majestic.

They gave Steve a tour of his new church and of his new home attached to the church. The inside smelled of well-oiled and well-loved wood. Their steps echoed softly in the high-ceiling room. Steve trailed his hands over the top of the pews as they walked towards a door leading to the attached building, the building that was going to be his new home.

They helped him get the woodstove in his new living room cranked up for the night. Still they were working in silence. They were happy, content; yet they knew what they were facing over the next few months was only a respite.

They would get to know each other over the winter season. They would grow their relationships and trust, they would share their theories on their feelings and dreams. They would search for meanings and symbols.

They also knew they were going to have to work on the city’s defenses, to practice military drills, to keep all their weapons in good working order.

But now it was time to sleep. There is a time for everything under heaven.

Time . . .

A time to rest and a time to prepare.