Sweetness in the Dark (13 page)

“Have you got your chores done, Son?” Paul asked.

“Yes, Dad. That’s why Grandpa Paul got me and put me on the radio,” Matt answered.

“Well, see if you can raise Idaho Guard Headquarters. The governor was leaving me a message there,” Paul said.

Matt turned the dial to the setting listed on the sheet taped to the front of the radio. He radioed in his call sign and the Idaho Guard came on.

“This is Dr. Kendall. Do you have any messages for me? Over.”

“
Yes, sir. You are to report tomorrow to the Capital Building. And be prepared for four days travel. There’s also a request that a Ms. Savage accompany you. Over
,” the radio man said.

Paul signed out and turned off the radio. He went and found Amanda and told her she had a new job. The message brought a smile to her face, realizing it would mean the two of them would be working together. Paul smiled back.

“Say, I bet you could use a good hot bath,” Paul said.

Amanda lit up at the suggestion. Since the river, she only had enough time and hot water for sponge baths. Everyone had been using the small black solar hot water heater bags made for outdoor trips.

“I’ll get my things. Where is this miracle bath?”

“Meet me at the back door. I’ll show you,” Paul said, as he headed to get a towel and some clean clothes.

They both headed out the back door as the sun set across the Bruneau River valley. Paul grabbed a lantern as they went by the horse barn. He opened the corral gate, let Amanda through, and then closed it again. On the opposite side of the corral he repeated the procedure to let them into the rear pasture. But as he did, he turned an old Idaho car license plate over, covering up the numbers.

Amanda watched quizzically, and then followed Paul as he led her into the pasture. Ahead lay an old shed sitting below a small hill. As they came around the back of the shed, an old claw foot bathtub was revealed. It sat on a concrete slab out in the night air.

An old 2” pipe sat beside it, running water. The pipe came out of the ground not twenty feet up the hill, and splashed onto the concrete slab as it created a small stream that flowed down the hill toward the river.

“What’s this?” Amanda asked.

“The old family hot tub,” Paul answered, as he moved the pipe into the bathtub. The flow was strong enough to quickly fill the oversized tub. The overflow splashed over the rim and hit the slab. “It’s artesian, no pumps and it runs about 106 degrees all year. The whole Bruneau Valley is sitting on hot water. It’s almost impossible to drill a well and get cold water here.”

“It looks big enough for two. Can we both fit?”

“I thought you’d never ask. Growing up we never got to partner up in it,” Paul said.

They both began to undress and hung their clothes on hooks on the side of the shed. Amanda carefully walked over and climbed into the tub.

“No one will bother us, will they?” Amanda asked.

“The tradition is to turn the license plate over if the tub is in use. We’re fine,” Paul said.

“Oh, that was what that was about. Well, I would have loved to see you as a little kid in here. How cute,” Amanda said.

“Look at those stars. Without any lights they really shine,” Paul said.

“It’s so romantic. If reality wasn’t so close, I could just stay here all night,” Amanda said. She slid under the water cascading out of the large pipe.

“You need to put all of that out of your mind. Right now is our time. Just enjoy the moment,” Paul offered. He pulled her onto his body as the two formed a spooning. Amanda laid her head back as Paul caressed her body. They hadn’t had much personal time since that night on the Middle Fork. The two made up for lost time.

Realizing that they were approaching prune status from soaking in the hot water for so long, they climbed out of the tub. Paul reached for his large towel and wrapped it around him. Amanda wrapped up in her towel.

“Oops, sorry. I didn’t know anyone was here,” Matt said as he walked around the corner of the shed holding a lantern. He had a towel in his hand ready for a bath.

“Matt,” Paul bellowed. “The occupied sign was turned. You should have seen that.” Paul knew that Matt understood the routine from many trips to visit his grandparents.

“Oh yeah. I kinda forgot. Sorry.” Matt quickly turned and left.

“I’m sorry about that. He knows better,” Paul said.

“That’s OK,” Amanda said.

“I’m afraid he’s seen us in this position too much lately,” Paul said. He thought back to what he might have seen way back on the river.

“Then maybe we should do something about it,” Amanda said.

“What did you mean by that?” Paul asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Oh, we’ll see what will happen, Dr. Kendall,” Amanda replied.

Now Paul was really confused. He had gotten very attached to this woman, but he still didn’t understand why he was so lucky. To have a very attractive, smart, accomplished woman fifteen years his junior interested in him baffled Paul.

They dressed quickly and Paul lit their kerosene lantern. Returning to the house they found John sitting at the kitchen table. Amanda took her leave and headed for their bedroom upstairs.

“Paul, you look like a prune. In the tub, eh?” John asked. Then, looking concerned at his brother asked, “You have a minute?”

Paul blushed slightly at his older brother’s comment. “What’s up?”

“I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about what I did to Mary. What if she ends up like your ex? She’s stuck back there in Eugene. We both know that a liberal city is the last place you wanted to be in a time like this,” John said.

“Look, brother of mine. Your wife and my wife were both sentient beings. Each was capable of reasoned decisions all on their own. We put up with their women’s liberation crap all those years. Then when the going gets tough, they want their big strong men to protect them. It doesn’t work both ways,” Paul said. They’d had this discussion before. Mary had resisted preparing and John had worked hard over the years getting things ready without her.

“But what if she’s in trouble?” John asked.

“You gave her every opportunity to join us here and she chose her sister and father over you and the kids. As far as I’m concerned, she can live with her decision now. The world has entered a point in history where personal decisions mean life or death,” Paul said. “And there’s no guarantee that we’ll remain safe here. We need to work hard to reestablish a civil society. Lord knows there’s plenty of uncivil elements out there.”

John had the look of a beaten dog. He sat in the kitchen with his head in his hands, contemplating what he had done. Paul stared at his big brother and got madder as he stared. Finally he could hold it back no longer.

“Look, John. If it’s that bad, take the Chevy and head back to check on her. But don’t tell the kids, because they’ll want to go with you. And you aren’t willing to risk them, are you?” Paul asked. “Your wife was willing and did risk your kid’s lives. From what Julie told me, Brittany would have stayed with her mother if Isaac hadn’t tricked her into coming.”

“What’s Julie got to do with this?” John asked.

“From the way she walks around following you, I think she has a lot to do with it. She is looking for family right now like a lot of people. You seem to be the one that has drawn her interest,” Paul said.

“I couldn’t become involved with her. She’s just a kid. She was my student,” John said.

“And Amanda was my student. And Julie isn’t a kid anymore. She’s an adult that is alone in a world that has been shattered. She needs someone right now, and dear brother, I think you’re it. You certainly could do worse,” Paul said.

“Well, you’re different than me, you and Amanda. I could never…” John said.

“Men and women are the same everywhere. The emotions are what get in the way. And the world we are entering is going to be one of more simple lives and relationships. And children. I have a feeling that the world is going to need a lot more children. Especially ones raised with a good understanding of hard work and the value of family,” Paul said.

Paul got up to leave. His brother needed to focus on the future, not on the past. He walked by his brother and placed his hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it to reassure him that he was there for him. As he walked up the stairs to his bedroom, he passed Julie coming down in her pajamas.

“Have you seen Dr. Ewing? He wasn’t in his room when I checked just now. I’m worried. He’s seemed very distant since you came back from Boise, Dr. Kendall,” Julie said.

“Please call me Paul. And call my brother John. You’re not in class anymore,” Paul said. “He’s in the kitchen. He needs you, but he can’t let the past go right now. Be patient with him.”

“Thank you, Paul,” Julie said as she headed toward the kitchen. Paul said a little prayer that his brother could find solace with this woman and move into the new world that the sun had created.

* * *

Morning arrived with the family sitting around the kitchen table. Fresh eggs gathered that morning were being cooked along with bacon taken from the pantry. The older children had been up at dawn to milk the cows and gather eggs. The animals were all fed and put out to pasture when the adults got things going in the kitchen.

Life now revolved around the daylight hours, just as humankind had done for thousands of years. When the sun went down, people went to bed. The light provided by kerosene lighting was adequate for some things, but for detailed things like reading or needlework, it was hard on the eyes.

So either you played cards or knit at night, or went to bed. Morning came early in the summer, and the days were long. Things were being done to get the farm ready for the winter. With no mechanical assistance, cutting wood or preserving food was very labor intensive.

Not that there was much wood to cut in Bruneau. The valley was next to the desert, with few trees. Luckily, the same hot water that heated the bath water had been piped through the house to provide warmth in the winter.

But two people were noticeably missing that morning. John and Julie were among the late risers.

“Julie never returned to her bed last night,” Meredith said. She shared a bunk room with the young girls that included Julie, Meredith, Brittany and Ed’s granddaughter. The four boys had a similar bunk room.

Paul gave his daughter the ‘don’t ask’ look and Meredith returned to her breakfast. As Paul ate his food, his brother finally walked into the kitchen. He walked over for a cup of coffee and sat down at the crowded table.

“Boy, I haven’t slept like that for ages. I forgot how good a night’s sleep makes you feel,” John said. Two of the boys started to snicker at John’s comment. Paul shot them a glance that stopped it flat.

Julie walked in sheepishly and sat down on a stool in the corner. Paul slid his chair to the side to make room and motioned Julie to join the family at the table.

“John,” Paul said. “Amanda and I need to head into Boise today. We’ll take Dad’s old Ford pickup. It seems to be running well now since Isaac worked on it. It will be safe at the secure lot while I’m away,”

“I’ll keep the batteries charged up, so we’ll be on the air each evening if you need to reach us,” John said. “I’ll make sure everyone keeps up on their chores around here.”

“And Julie, you double-check those batteries for John. Don’t let him overlook anything. They’re critical,” Amanda said.

Paul saw the small smile on Amanda’s face as she said it. Then he felt a small tap on his leg under the table from Julie sitting next to him. He knew things would work out.

Eugene, Oregon (3 months after P-Day)

The months since P-Day had been a mean, viscous time in Eugene. Those that weren’t starting to die from the famine that was in full bloom were subject to death by violence. A new threat had arisen in the area led by a thug who called himself Chairman Z.

Chairman Z had suddenly shown up in the area two months ago and through guile and assassination had co-opted the ‘Occupy Eugene’ gang. His organizational skills had turned the mob into a semi-disciplined army.

The local biker gang had been the first victim of Chairman Z. The bikers were cornered in Creswell and sought a truce to discuss terms of an alliance. Assuming that one criminal gang could find common ground to work with a rival gang, the bikers felt that they could reach a compromise.

Chairman Z compromised right up to the point of machine gunning them to death as they emerged from their strongpoint. Other gangs soon fell under Chairman Z’s control. Regular people still surviving in pockets were soon overwhelmed. Chairman Z’s forces cleaned out all the nearby holdouts and absorbed any food and weapons into their organization. Warlordism had arrived in the Willamette Valley.

As the winter approached, Chairman Z realized that the Eugene area had been picked clean. What crops had been growing had been harvested, but unfortunately the main crop in the valley had been grass seed. Edible crops had been a minority.

One of the strengths of Chairman Z’s command was his working shortwave radio. He had shown up pulling a farm cart with an antique radio stowed in it. Now he was in contact with other areas, keeping these contacts secret so only he knew any vital information, except for one person who was his confidant. She only went by the name ‘the chairwoman’. No one knew her by any other name. After one person who had asked a personal question met a quick death, no one ever asked again.

But Chairman Z and ‘the chairwoman’ were obviously close. And that closeness people soon learned could be dangerous, as ‘the chairwoman’ was especially to be avoided. Her bursts of violence were even more savage than Chairman Z’s. Between the two of them, there was an ongoing argument among their followers as to which one was more dangerous.

“I’ve gotten word of supplies to the north of us. We need to gather up as much gear and food as we can. We’ll take the vehicles we have running. Tomorrow we will head toward Salem. We’ll see if there’s anything left in between,” Chairman Z announced.