“Patrick is the Horseman of Death,” Jimmy said.
Everyone stopped eating breakfast, including Molly, who halted the fork full of eggs right before it reached her mouth. The egg rolled off and landed on the floor missing her lap altogether. She didn’t even notice. A sudden image of Hunter standing before that giant monster filled her mind and it was all she could do to keep from jumping out of the chair and running for Denver. This wasn’t what she expected. Patrick had been killed, a hatchet in his back, by the little boy next to her at the table.
Billy sat quiet and withdrawn, having somehow traveled all the way through the Big Bad to deliver this news. He had made the trip alone, and Molly thought that was courageous, considering the many hazards that could have befallen him on the long journey.
Vanessa recovered from the initial shock first. “He was the big one that came here with Chase. I thought he was dead.”
Jimmy leaned back in his chair. Ginger, by his side, wrestled with their son, who refused to sit in his highchair and settled for squawking in his mother’s lap for more scrambled eggs. The news of Death didn’t deter his appetite.
“Sorry, Billy,” Vanessa said to break the silence. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
Billy shrugged like it was no big deal, but he didn’t offer a response. Of course it was a big deal to him.
Molly already asked to speak with him after breakfast. She knew he needed to unburden his troubled mind, even if Billy didn’t know it yet himself.
Molly’s twin, Mark, sat next to his wife, Vanessa, busy caring after their son, little David, who didn’t mind sitting in his highchair. His food was smeared all over the tray as he grabbed and squished and shoved the combination of eggs and bread that filled his cheeks. Mark kept telling him to take smaller bites and dodged the response of thrown egg pitched his direction with a shriek and a giggle.
“We have to get word to the others that Billy’s home,” Mark said. “They need to leave Denver now, before they run into Patrick.”
“Done,” Catherine said from the other side of Billy. “Michael flew off as soon as he saw Billy, and we told him about Patrick. He’s probably there now.”
Molly sighed with relief. She placed her fork down on the table and pushed her breakfast away. Her appetite had fled despite the fact that meals were precious in the apocalypse. At the moment, Hunter’s safety was more precious than starving. Michael would protect him unless Hunter had gone and done something reckless. Molly knew the odds as she gripped the small golden cross. The necklace belonged to Saint Margaret, who had almost ruined her life. Molly kept the cross for the comfort it brought and the connection it gave her with the Holy Saint that she had forgiven. A calming affect filled her when she closed the silent prayer with amen. She didn’t know if the prayer was being answered or if the act of asking for God’s attention in this matter brought her a measure of peace.
Jimmy laid his hands flat out on the table. “It’s only a matter of time before Patrick makes his way here. We’ll need to assign more patrols during the day and night watches.”
“I’ll set up a new curfew,” Mark said. The town sheriff wiped a gob of breakfast off his forehead and placed it on the tray in front of little David who squealed, picked up the gob and threw it across the cafeteria. Mark watched it fly. “We also need to use Scout’s buddy system so no one wanders around alone. I’ll see about getting more volunteers for patrols.”
Jimmy nodded. “No one under thirteen on those night watches.”
“Yeah, I know. There are lots of kids willing to stay up all night. What we need is light. Something in place so kids on patrol can see if anything is sneaking around in the dark.”
“Good idea. Do you want me to find somebody to do that?”
“No, I can. You have enough on your plate to worry about.”
“I’ll do it,” Ginger said. “I’ve got some ideas.”
“And I will help,” Molly said, grateful to have the opportunity to do something meaningful while she waited for Hunter’s return. Hopefully the task would keep her mind busy.
Ginger smiled at her. “Thank you. I’d love the help. As long as you realize that I’m in charge, then we’ll get along fine.”
Molly stuck her tongue out at her best friend. “I knew you were the power-hungry type.”
“I learned from the best. What are your plans for the day?”
Molly looked at Billy, still shrunk in his chair, eyes rimmed with dark splotches from lack of sleep. She reached out and touched his shoulder. The boy flinched and Molly felt sorry, but then he smiled shyly at her and shrugged.
He said, “I’m a little jumpy, sorry.”
“Don’t ever apologize to me, Billy. Do you want to help us with the light problem?”
Billy looked over at Jimmy for permission. And Jimmy smiled. “Go ahead, Billy. You’ll have more fun with them. I have to shovel manure all day. You probably want to be far away from that on your first day back.”
“And you can help watch James for me,” Ginger said.
Billy smiled at that and little James padded his chubby hands together, probably excited because his mother said his name. “I’d like that.”
“James would too.” Ginger fended off a flurry of happy hands from little James. She wiped the goo from her son’s face and began packing up his gear that consisted of a soiled towel and a Sippy cup. “We need to change that diaper first, though, don’t we Mr. Stinky Pants.”
“Isn’t that what you call Jimmy?” Vanessa said.
Molly laughed along with the others at the breakfast table, producing smiles as the tension about Patrick broke into a more manageable distraction. Molly felt thankful for that. Laughter was a medicine that she would prescribe to all her patients, and what better way was there to fight the apocalypse than with sounds of joy.
Jimmy appeared hurt. “Hey, that’s not nice.” The light in his eyes showed otherwise.
“Sorry, Jimmy. I guess I’m missing Samuel.”
“I’ll remember to tell him that when he gets back.”
“Please don’t. That will only encourage him. That boy does not need further encouragement to act out.” Vanessa rubbed Mark’s back. “Are we ready to go? I have to run home before school starts. I forgot my lesson plan with all of the excitement of Billy’s return.”
Mark brushed a splotch of egg off his shirt. Little David laughed from his highchair. Mark reached over and stopped the next barrage and cleaned up the last of his son’s breakfast from the tray. “I think he’s eaten all he’s going to eat. Now it’s just playtime. Right, partner?”
Little David banged the tray top to his highchair and squealed. Another joyous sound, except this one pierced Molly’s eardrums.
“Billy, will you be joining us at school today?” Vanessa asked. “We’re doing half days during the summer. I know your friends are excited about having you back.”
Billy sat up straight, breaking out of his shell a little with the prospect of seeing all his friends again. Molly knew that falling back into routine would be the best thing for him right now.
He looked at Ginger, who nodded his way.
She said, “Go ahead and enjoy yourself. James needs a nap and I have to plan some before we begin work on lighting up the town. We’ll start after lunch.”
Vanessa scooted her chair back and brushed her hands together, the picture of a dedicated teacher ready to instill knowledge to her students. “Well, come on then. You can help me get my things.”
Mark brought David around the table and leaned him over to his aunt. Molly kissed his forehead and David supplied her with open mouth slobber on her cheek. She wiped it away with a grin. Mark kissed her on the forehead. “Hunter will be back soon,” he said, and then acknowledged Jimmy.
Jimmy forced a hard smile. “I’m sure he will.” Then he stood, kissed his wife on the lips, took his son and gave him a gentle squeeze before returning him to Ginger’s loving arms. “I’ll see you at lunch. I got poop to shovel.”
Ginger grinned. “I always wanted to live the glamorous life of a farmer’s wife.”
“Wish granted.” He chuckled as he sauntered out, stopping at a couple tables to say hello to the townspeople before finding his way to the door.
Molly noticed those that watched him pass, awe shining in their innocent eyes. Jimmy was a leader, and a hero, as well as a farmer. Ginger did have a glamorous life, and she knew it.
She cleared her place with James on her hip. “Will you be ready to start after lunch?”
Molly saluted. “Yours to command.”
“Thank you for offering. By the way, I swung by the pothole on the way here. You did a great job. I knew you would.”
Molly felt a glow start in the middle of her chest and rise to her face where it transformed into a smile. “I had some help.”
“It was nothing,” Catherine said. The little girl had been so quiet during breakfast that Molly had almost forgotten she was there. That was un-Catherine-like.
Molly coughed. “I meant Ginger because she told me what I had to do. Catherine was there to supervise.”
“Somebody has to do it.” Catherine stared at her plate, which had been wiped clean, as if food had never touched its surface.
Ginger and Molly shared raised eyebrows and concern.
Ginger pinched her nose. “I really need to take care of this diaper.” She nudged her head towards the quiet saint.
Molly nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll see you at lunch.”
Ginger left with worry showing on her face as the need for her departure drifted in the air. Molly was glad she wasn’t on diaper duty.
The rest of the kids had finished eating and were shuffling off to school or work depending on their age and responsibilities. The young ones didn’t complain about school in the summertime because they never knew how it was back before the plague. They all thought having half days was pretty cool, and the older kids knew better than to say different. Some structure in their young lives was better than a whole three months of running around Independents driving all the older kids crazy.
The four Brittanys were left cleaning up the mess and preparing for lunch in a short four hours. Molly removed her plate and reached over, taking Catherine’s to the youngest Brittany at the washing station. Brittany wore her hair braided in thick brown ropes that made her look younger than her fourteen years.
Molly said, “I like your pigtails.”
Brittany smiled, wiped her hands on her apron and gripped the left pigtail. “Thank you. Emma did it for me this morning. She’s getting really good at styling hair. I almost forgive her for the haircut she gave me last year.”
“I haven’t gone to her yet. I’m still not sure I trust her with scissors.”
Brittany laughed and went back to scrubbing plates in water that had seen a lot of them so far. “You really should give her a try. She’s quite serious about it now.”
“I promise to consider it. Have a good day.” Molly turned to leave, and then turned back. “What’s for lunch?”
“Ham and goat cheese sandwiches.”
“Thanks,” Molly said, and hoped she would one day grow to like goat cheese, since it was more plentiful than cheese made from cow’s milk.
Catherine still sat immobile in her chair, eyes on the space where her plate had occupied. Molly worried about the reason for the little girl’s quiet demeanor rather than for the girl herself. Catherine was a rock, the one steady constant in Independents who, despite her size and apparent age, was the true protector of Independents.
Molly pulled out the chair beside her and fell upon it with a squeak that freaked her out for a moment, since it was a chair like this that broke and allowed Molly to come back into herself after spending time locked away as Saint Margaret. Not an experience she wanted to repeat.
Catherine read her mind. “Don’t go bonking your head again.”
“I will try not to. We need to find new chairs for this place before someone gets seriously hurt.”
“Hmm,” Catherine said.
Molly inspected the little girl, and found that she was never going to know what the problem was if she didn’t ask. “What—”
“Is wrong with me?” Catherine finished the question for her. “It’s Hunter. He’s gone and done something stupid.”
Fear raked its icy claws down Molly’s spine. “How do you know that?”
Catherine looked at her, sadness welling in her little blue eyes, and tapped the side of her head.