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“We lost touch with the making of things. We bought food neatly packaged and ready for our consumption. There were stores full of clothing and shoes. After the world changed, those things were no longer available. Shops and warehouses were looted and burned. It was still possible to find some intact and to rummage through piles of moldering fabric to find useful items, but it was always a gamble.”
History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss
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TED’S EYES TEARED AT the sight of all his kids with real beds of their own, clean sheets and even pillow cases. Nixie tried to settle them down, but all the newness had them worked up. Some of the kids were sharing beds, even though there was plenty of room. Sootie and Missy were giggling together in a lower bunk. Whatever they needed to adjust was all right with him. He would sleep here, with them, because he couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping alone. Ted had to admit that Wisp was right. This was a good place for the children.
Nixie joined him where he stood at the opening between lockers. She barely limped now, but he still felt a twinge of guilt. “Did you hear about the rescue party?”
Ted wasn’t surprised that Nixie had already hooked into the local gossip. “To rescue who?”
“Nick.”
“Of course. Wisp will lead it.”
“Yeah. And everybody wants to go. There’s going to be a meeting tomorrow about it. First thing in the amphitheatre.”
Ted’s ears perked up at the sound of a four-syllable word. Nixie said it as though she used words like that every day, but in their entire time together, he doubted he’d heard her use anything like it. “Amphitheatre?”
“It’s got a stage and chairs. I guess they have meetings there.”
“A good place for meetings.” Ted looked at the light in Nixie’s eyes and guessed the next words as they came out of her mouth.
“I want to join them.”
“Why?”
Nixie looked away.
He never questioned her. He never made her do anything. But right now, after she’d been reunited with her parents, she wanted to leave. He needed to understand why, that meant waiting. It took a few minutes of watching the kids whispering and giggling before she spoke.
“I can’t stay,” she said, keeping her eyes on the children. She brought up one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Not...yet.”
Ted felt the same unsettled emotions. The journey had ended too abruptly. He was unprepared to stay put. “I understand.”
She turned back to him, eyes wide. “You really do.”
“The children are safe here. They don’t need me to provide food or a camp for the night. They don’t need me at all.” This time when Ted said the words, they didn’t feel quite as dire.
Nixie leaned against the wall of lockers with a sigh. “We’re free to do anything,” she said in a wistful tone.
“What would you like to do?”
The same shoulder rose again, but she kept her eyes lowered. “Don’t know yet. You?”
A smile twitched at his lips. “I don’t know either.”
She pushed away from the lockers, shooting him a smile in return before making a round of the chattering children, shushing and soothing. Ted claimed a lower bunk. He sat for a few minutes listening to the sounds around him. There were people walking by in the halls, speaking in low voices. The children were still whispering. A woman came into the room, chose a bed and sat with a long, low groan. She sounded worn out, but not bereft. A reassuring sound of someone who’d worked a long day and was glad for the rest.
He closed his eyes listening harder for sounds he feared to find. But no one was crying from hunger, moaning from pain or keening from loss, just the constant reassuring buzz of life being lived. Then a shout, rushed footsteps. His hackles rose. He automatically looked for Nixie. She jumped to her feet, alert and wary. The voice came louder, the words clearer. A man’s voice raised in alarm: “The baby’s coming!”
More footsteps, more voices, but gentle and soothing now. The parade passed. Ted let himself relax. Nixie went back to the child she’d been arguing with. He looked around at the clean room, the wonderful scent of dinner still faintly in the air. Beds and blankets, safety and food for his children, this was very good place, indeed.