darkness led to the basement. A rechargeable flashlight found on the kitchen counter didn’t work, so Lecti felt her way down slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the gloom.
A ping-pong table stacked with dusty laundry sat centered in a large, open room. A smaller room to one side held the laundry machines. Next, a room of similar size held shelves. A storage room. The family camping gear stuffed one shelf. Two adult sleeping bags, good ones, were appropriated. A covered plastic tub of freeze-dried meals in sealed bags gave Lecti some joy. They were not as tasty as anything fresh, but they were an adequate and welcome alternative to anything else they could carry while on the road. Very satisfactory.
Deo was still asleep as Lecti lay the sleeping bags and tub full of food on the floor beside him.
She gazed lightly on him as she mulled over her thoughts. Lecti had plenty to think about besides her search, and she still had no solutions that didn’t leave her apprehensive. She decided to go outside.
It was cool and damp, foggy and grey.
The carport housed the hulk of a gas hog. Lecti’s father had always called them that. Sport utility vehicle was a term that he didn’t use. SUV was a term she was familiar with, but it was not used often enough to become a word that she immediately associated with large, personal vehicles. Besides, gas hog pretty much covered all vehicles built ten years before the plagues. This particular gas hog lay crippled by four weather-rotten, flat tires.
At the back of the carport a storage closet held a portable barbecue and various garden and yard care tools. Nothing Lecti needed.
The fenced back yard had a small doghouse, a picnic table, and a playhouse with an attached swing. Lecti tested the swing and sat in it, gently rocking back and forth. It was a good place to think.
The carpeted floor made a comfortable sleeping surface. Gradually becoming aware and tossing occasionally, Deo woke. He lay with his eyes closed, willing sleep to return. It didn’t work.
Deo noted the sleeping bags and food. He knew Lecti would have already searched the house, and he trusted her to find the only things of use. His sleeping bag was starting to smell, so the new bags were timely.
The air in the house was cool, and after climbing out of his old bag and tossing it aside, Deo put on some fresh socks and the previous day’s pants. He had slept in his shirt and now lifted his arm to sniff. He wrinkled his nose and decided he could use a bath.
The kitchen window in the back of the house looked out on Lecti twisting slowly back and forth on a child’s swing. She saw him looking out at her, smiled big, and motioned him outside.
The dust clouded about his feet as he padded over to his shoes. More dust rose as he sat in a well-worn recliner to put them on. He sneezed.
The late morning was staying cool, and the moist overcast was creating a subdued light.
Lecti rose and, rising on her tiptoes, hugged her little brother. He hugged back but broke off before Lecti.
“I’m going back you know,” said Deo, softly, looking at the ground.
“Yeah,” Lecti tried to search his face. “I know.”
They discussed the situation, sharing thoughts as they had not for a long time. Different scenarios, the weapons situation, expectations of what Toshi would do, they spoke to each other as brother and sister and as partners. Surprisingly Deo never got upset. His calm told Lecti volumes.
Naked without weapons, they decided to find some armament before going back.
Chapter 8
L ecti had not searched the bedroom with the bodies. She and Deo already knew this was a house unlikely to produce weapons that would suit. Stuffing the camcorder in a pack and collecting their belongings, they went outside. Leaving the packs and the sleeping bags on the hood of the truck on the carport, they moved east, searching for the right kind of house.
Moving at a brisk walk they wasted little time. They were looking
A ping-pong table stacked with dusty laundry sat centered in a large, open room. A smaller room to one side held the laundry machines. Next, a room of similar size held shelves. A storage room. The family camping gear stuffed one shelf. Two adult sleeping bags, good ones, were appropriated. A covered plastic tub of freeze-dried meals in sealed bags gave Lecti some joy. They were not as tasty as anything fresh, but they were an adequate and welcome alternative to anything else they could carry while on the road. Very satisfactory.
Deo was still asleep as Lecti lay the sleeping bags and tub full of food on the floor beside him.
She gazed lightly on him as she mulled over her thoughts. Lecti had plenty to think about besides her search, and she still had no solutions that didn’t leave her apprehensive. She decided to go outside.
It was cool and damp, foggy and grey.
The carport housed the hulk of a gas hog. Lecti’s father had always called them that. Sport utility vehicle was a term that he didn’t use. SUV was a term she was familiar with, but it was not used often enough to become a word that she immediately associated with large, personal vehicles. Besides, gas hog pretty much covered all vehicles built ten years before the plagues. This particular gas hog lay crippled by four weather-rotten, flat tires.
At the back of the carport a storage closet held a portable barbecue and various garden and yard care tools. Nothing Lecti needed.
The fenced back yard had a small doghouse, a picnic table, and a playhouse with an attached swing. Lecti tested the swing and sat in it, gently rocking back and forth. It was a good place to think.
The carpeted floor made a comfortable sleeping surface. Gradually becoming aware and tossing occasionally, Deo woke. He lay with his eyes closed, willing sleep to return. It didn’t work.
Deo noted the sleeping bags and food. He knew Lecti would have already searched the house, and he trusted her to find the only things of use. His sleeping bag was starting to smell, so the new bags were timely.
The air in the house was cool, and after climbing out of his old bag and tossing it aside, Deo put on some fresh socks and the previous day’s pants. He had slept in his shirt and now lifted his arm to sniff. He wrinkled his nose and decided he could use a bath.
The kitchen window in the back of the house looked out on Lecti twisting slowly back and forth on a child’s swing. She saw him looking out at her, smiled big, and motioned him outside.
The dust clouded about his feet as he padded over to his shoes. More dust rose as he sat in a well-worn recliner to put them on. He sneezed.
The late morning was staying cool, and the moist overcast was creating a subdued light.
Lecti rose and, rising on her tiptoes, hugged her little brother. He hugged back but broke off before Lecti.
“I’m going back you know,” said Deo, softly, looking at the ground.
“Yeah,” Lecti tried to search his face. “I know.”
They discussed the situation, sharing thoughts as they had not for a long time. Different scenarios, the weapons situation, expectations of what Toshi would do, they spoke to each other as brother and sister and as partners. Surprisingly Deo never got upset. His calm told Lecti volumes.
Naked without weapons, they decided to find some armament before going back.
Chapter 8
L ecti had not searched the bedroom with the bodies. She and Deo already knew this was a house unlikely to produce weapons that would suit. Stuffing the camcorder in a pack and collecting their belongings, they went outside. Leaving the packs and the sleeping bags on the hood of the truck on the carport, they moved east, searching for the right kind of house.
Moving at a brisk walk they wasted little time. They were looking
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