carcass. We’re happy to leave most of it here and just pack out what we can comfortably carry. Ideally, though, I think we’d pack it into your rig and get it all back to our place, smoke it to preserve it. We could take scouting trips as weather permits, stock up on supplies for the island. Hopefully find a boat and trailer. Fuel. Tools. More guns.”
“I like how it’s sounding,” said Gus. “Well planned.”
“Thank you,” said Bill humbly. “I’m hoping so. I know lives will depend on it.”
“One worry I’ve had about relocating is infrastructure. It’s bound to be collapsing already. Soon roads might be impassable.” Gus sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
“Right,” agreed Bill.
“We could maybe reinforce the van and the Suburban,” suggested Emilie.
“Good thinking, as always, Red,” said Gus as he winked at her. “We also need to plan a trip for medical supplies.”
“What kind?” asked Nathan.
Gus shifted in his seat. “Antibiotics, first aid, some basics. I also need to get a hold of some medical reference books. If we could hit up a library, some homesteading books might prove invaluable.”
“We should start a list,” I said. “Take it with to Bill and Nathan’s, discuss it with the others.”
“Do you suppose this will ever end?” whispered Emilie.
“I don’t know, sweet thing. I just don’t know,” answered Gus.
“Is it still raining?” I asked.
“Yeah,” this time Nathan answered. “I just checked. Snow’s melting fast. Our place is a couple hundred feet lower in elevation than here. We should think about moving out if we’re going to do this.”
“Can we re-hang the deer in the van?” I asked. “I’d hate for it to go to waste.” It was the only thing I could think of to say. I was suddenly very nervous about leaving our home.
“Uh, probably,” said Nathan. “As long as we secure it on both ends so it doesn’t whack anyone while we’re on the road.”
“What’s most important here to take with?” asked Bill. “Think about what might be needed for relocating, starting over.”
“The beds,” said Emilie. “At least the mattresses.”
“The food,” Susan added.
“Tools, weapons, candles, blankets.”
“Bottled water.”
Everyone seemed to have suggestions.
“How about if Nathan and I step outside, and you can all talk it over. You don’t even have to decide right now, but I suspect if the weather stays mild our group will be heading out within the week. We’d love to have you join us. Not just for the help of the van, but safety in numbers and all.”
“No,” said Gus. “Stay. I think we should just vote on it now. Susan, you’ve already said you want to go.”
“Yes,” she answered. She was even closer to Nathan now, and he had an arm around her waist.
“Em?” asked Gus.
“Yes.”
“Boggs?”
“Brother, I think we haven’t much of a choice. We have to think about our future,” said Boggs. “Zoe, do you feel the same?”
I nodded yes.
“Ok then,” said Gus. “Let’s do it.”
The rest of breakfast was spent discussing fuel levels in the van, condition of the motor, and making a list of what to pack up for the initial trek to the other house. Bill and Nathan assured us that there was room for all five of us in their boarded up home should the snow return before we could start our trek to the shores of Puget Sound.
“We should go ahead and get the van ready, I suppose,” said Boggs. “Leaving here is a little sad. So, here’s to new beginnings…” He raised his glass of water, mimicking a toast.
We all stood. I wrapped my arms around myself and felt the chill of the morning deep within.
“We’ll load the mattress in first. They can double as seats in the back of the van. We can fit three people up front if we set a kitchen chair between the driver and passenger seats. There’s only heat in the very front, so whoever is in back should use the blankets,” suggested Gus.
“We
“I like how it’s sounding,” said Gus. “Well planned.”
“Thank you,” said Bill humbly. “I’m hoping so. I know lives will depend on it.”
“One worry I’ve had about relocating is infrastructure. It’s bound to be collapsing already. Soon roads might be impassable.” Gus sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
“Right,” agreed Bill.
“We could maybe reinforce the van and the Suburban,” suggested Emilie.
“Good thinking, as always, Red,” said Gus as he winked at her. “We also need to plan a trip for medical supplies.”
“What kind?” asked Nathan.
Gus shifted in his seat. “Antibiotics, first aid, some basics. I also need to get a hold of some medical reference books. If we could hit up a library, some homesteading books might prove invaluable.”
“We should start a list,” I said. “Take it with to Bill and Nathan’s, discuss it with the others.”
“Do you suppose this will ever end?” whispered Emilie.
“I don’t know, sweet thing. I just don’t know,” answered Gus.
“Is it still raining?” I asked.
“Yeah,” this time Nathan answered. “I just checked. Snow’s melting fast. Our place is a couple hundred feet lower in elevation than here. We should think about moving out if we’re going to do this.”
“Can we re-hang the deer in the van?” I asked. “I’d hate for it to go to waste.” It was the only thing I could think of to say. I was suddenly very nervous about leaving our home.
“Uh, probably,” said Nathan. “As long as we secure it on both ends so it doesn’t whack anyone while we’re on the road.”
“What’s most important here to take with?” asked Bill. “Think about what might be needed for relocating, starting over.”
“The beds,” said Emilie. “At least the mattresses.”
“The food,” Susan added.
“Tools, weapons, candles, blankets.”
“Bottled water.”
Everyone seemed to have suggestions.
“How about if Nathan and I step outside, and you can all talk it over. You don’t even have to decide right now, but I suspect if the weather stays mild our group will be heading out within the week. We’d love to have you join us. Not just for the help of the van, but safety in numbers and all.”
“No,” said Gus. “Stay. I think we should just vote on it now. Susan, you’ve already said you want to go.”
“Yes,” she answered. She was even closer to Nathan now, and he had an arm around her waist.
“Em?” asked Gus.
“Yes.”
“Boggs?”
“Brother, I think we haven’t much of a choice. We have to think about our future,” said Boggs. “Zoe, do you feel the same?”
I nodded yes.
“Ok then,” said Gus. “Let’s do it.”
The rest of breakfast was spent discussing fuel levels in the van, condition of the motor, and making a list of what to pack up for the initial trek to the other house. Bill and Nathan assured us that there was room for all five of us in their boarded up home should the snow return before we could start our trek to the shores of Puget Sound.
“We should go ahead and get the van ready, I suppose,” said Boggs. “Leaving here is a little sad. So, here’s to new beginnings…” He raised his glass of water, mimicking a toast.
We all stood. I wrapped my arms around myself and felt the chill of the morning deep within.
“We’ll load the mattress in first. They can double as seats in the back of the van. We can fit three people up front if we set a kitchen chair between the driver and passenger seats. There’s only heat in the very front, so whoever is in back should use the blankets,” suggested Gus.
“We
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