The months flew by swiftly for the survivors at the Hive. The shock of losing two of the keepers had been felt for weeks with everyone frightened for their own safety, slowing down their plans to build by months. Then a miracle happened.
One morning, Cobby, Johno and Clyde returned early from their daily surreptitious explorations above ground.
The survivors were sitting around Netty’s kitchen gossiping after a light lunch of green rolled apple and walnut fritters when the men burst into the room.
“Quick, everyone. Come outside. You have to see this.”
Netty and Wil stood together. “What’s the matter, gentlemen? Is everything okay?” Netty moved toward the gathering crowd, concern wrinkling her brow. The men wore grins that split from ear to ear.
“Come on, see for yourself.”
The survivors raced through the Hive; Caesar, Echo, Baby, Barney and doggy posse in tow.
As soon as they hit the fresh air, sounds met their ears; musical, wonderful, alive sounds. They ran down the pathway to the edge of the woods. Looking down the hill they saw magic in the making.
A small herd of plum-colored deer were grazing near a stand of young trees covered with dangling red ornaments that had attracted the attentions of bird-like creatures, graceful in their improbable box-like figures, their bodies glinting in the sunlight like square diamond rings.
Giant butterflies flitted from one spot to another, angling to show their electric colors to their best advantage.
An odd gingerbread figure, all spongy and featureless, jumped from a high branch to float to the ground surprising a blue, mouse-like creature, popping it into a mouth that flashed with needle-like teeth.
“Oh my.” The survivors stared and listened, the sounds joyful and overwhelming. Life had come back and life was good.
Wil breathed a sigh of relief. “I think we can move forward with our plans.” He turned and held up a hand for slaps from the other men.
“I don’t know what’s just happened, but I’m sure we’ll figure it out in time.”
And so the survivors moved on. They lugged wood, cleared land, set boundaries, planted crops, and nurtured saplings. And at night they returned to the Hive to care for the animals, eat, laugh and make love.
It was a heady time. They felt safe.
From time to time, Father Garcia and Maddy even brought the babies to visit. Little Maya liked dancing alongside as if she were the supervisor in charge, her tiny wings uncontrolled and her tail wrapped tightly to her waist so it couldn’t be pulled; a favorite pastime of the jokesters in the group.
As the first dwellings began to go up, some of the men transported the bones of Netty’s kitchen to the first completed building. It was a painstaking job to remake the fireplace, having dismantled it stone by stone.
Johno turned out to be a master at knowing something about all the phases of construction, having built his mother and father’s house in Africa. It had been a home to rival the neighbors with his first earnings as a keeper when he was a young man.
Luckily, the new red dirt under their feet made superb bricks, just as it did in Africa. Mixed with chopped weeds for binding, and loose gravel where they found it, the fresh bricks piled up, drying quickly in the hot sun. It was a simple matter to preserve their limited lumber for bracing and roof joists.
The roofs presented another problem. They had no shingles. Clyde suggested they tear all of the doors and paneling out of the library. Most of the paneling was buckled and split from the rough conditions during the underground journey to the Hive. But no one saw that as a problem. They decided to fit doors and pieces of walnut paneling over the roof joists as underlayment. On top, they laid mats of woven reeds held together with saplings. The reed mats were then plastered with elephant dung.
When dried in the sun, the dung became a weatherproof barrier, keeping out rain and hot sun. Altogether, a very satisfactory solution.
*
Kenya and Chloe rested under an acacia tree near a rock outcrop to get a respite from the heat of the noon time sun. Caesar, Echo and Barney lay panting under a deciduous tree that trickled leaves from its branches, signs the weather might soon start to cool. Scotty and Kane hauled lunch and containers of water from Netty’s new kitchen.
Only now it was called Dezi’s. He cooked, cleaned and lived there along with Father Garcia and Maddy, who had eased up on their responsibilities for the infants as the parents had taken over, bringing them in at breakfast for nursery care only.
Chloe reached into the box. “I see something good. You want some, Kenya?” She pulled out a huge wedge of berry tasset, a rich mixture of greens from Oolaha that Dezi ground into a paste before adding all kinds of berries and roasts. The paste puffed up, encasing the fruits inside a hard, crusty, spicy shell.
“Chickey, if you think I’m gunna apply any of that rich temptation to my new beautiful thighs, you have got to have your brain examined.” Kenya preened on her back, posing with her lovely, svelte legs high in the sky.
“Okay, we get it. You have the best legs on the planet.” Chloe laughed.
“Oh, chickey, thank you. Them words are music to my ears after decades of lugging—”
Kane crashed down near her, grabbing her by the waist to sling her over his lap. “Lugging what . . . your watermelon?”
Kenya pealed with laughter. “No, you gorgeous hunk of old man. My darling baby girl. Our baby girl.”
Kane turned to Chloe. “Did I tell you how beautiful she looked this morning? Those big eyes of hers, just like her smart-ass beautiful momma.” Kane turned back to crush his lips down on Kenya’s.
Chloe looked out over the field. She was happy for her friends, although she had trouble admitting to the twinges of jealousy. It was long past the time she had first hungered for a child for her and Scotty. It wasn’t easy accepting it would never happen. She fought off the tears that threatened to spill over.
“Hey, hon. Got some more of that in there for me?”
Chloe reached in to get a hunk of tasset for Scotty, who reached out with his foot to give Kane a kick. “Get a room, you two.”
Kane snorted and sheepishly reached into the food box.
“Sorry, gang. It’s just like we’re on a honeymoon after being cooped up for so long in the Hive. And now that Kenya’s not pregnant . . .”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We get it Kane. You don’t need to spell it out.” She ripped off a piece of tasset.
“Here, Barney. Want a piece?” Barney scrambled up and stepped toward the tidbit. He stopped and looked longingly back at Echo. Eyeing the goody, he licked his lips, but, with another look back at Echo, returned to her side to curl up. He nestled in closer to the creature without taking his eye off the treat. Echo slipped her arm around the little white dog’s neck then sat up to wobble over to retrieve the goody and offer it to a grateful Barney.
“They really love one another, don’t they?” Kenya asked.
Scotty watched his two favorite buddies as he chewed his lunch, nodding his head. “Never seen anything like it before. It’s an odd pairing, but I’m happy for them both.”
Kane changed the subject. “Looks like the weather might give us a turn. The leaves are falling from some of the trees.”
“Don’t worry, Johno said these acacia trees only grow in dry, warm climates. I don’t imagine it gets too cold around here at any time of the year. I sure hope he’s right. I don’t relish what six inches of snow would do to our crops.”
Kane leaned back, scanning their hard work that now covered five acres. Five acres of shimmering fruit trees and long rows of healthy vegetables and mystery plants supplied from Oolaha. They estimated they would lose 15 percent of all crops to hungry wildlife. That number would rise sharply when they released the Hive wildlife. Their biggest concern was keeping the elephant herd out of the field. They hoped to rely on Echo to communicate the need for them to find their own food sources. Hardly a chore in their new environment, which supported such a wild variety of conifers and deciduous trees.
Most of the edible fruit, vegetables, and nuts had been harvested from the Hive. The survivors had banded together three months ago to help Netty can everything and move it to a root cellar behind Dezi’s kitchen. It had only taken four men a week to dig the vital storage and install a door. Most of the survivors marveled at Netty’s forethought to keep the canned supplies hidden until just this moment.
“Do you guys have any idea why the wildlife was missing when we first surfaced? When we lost the keepers?” Chloe asked.
Scotty wrapped up the covering of his tasset, tossing it toward the box. “I don’t know, babe. But I guess it had something to do with whatever took the keepers.” No one mentioned the fact that the body of the second keeper had vanished while Abby had gone for help.
“I think the native wildlife is just as afraid of the thing as we are.”
A golden aura stabbed at Scotty’s mind. “You will learn to cope with danger just as other life has learned, Brother. We are watched.”
That got Scotty’s attention. He grinned at Echo. “I know, the Womb watches us all.”
“Yes, but the Womb is not the only watcher.”
“Exactly what do you mean, Echo?”
But Echo would say no more, tucking herself and Barney closer to Caesar.
Kane yawned and wrinkled his nose. “Now that Echo says it, I’ve had that weird feeling now and then. The last few days, I think. Just a prickle on my neck as if someone’s standing behind me and watching.”
Kenya fluffed her hair. “Are you sure it wasn’t me, babe? You know I love to watch you. Even with your clothes on.” Kane’s face turned color as Chloe and Scotty burst out laughing.
“Come on. I’m not telling you guys anything anymore.” Kane stood up. “Let’s get back to work. Isn’t the Kreyven going to make our irrigation trench today?”
“Yeah, Wil said it’ll come from the Hive’s water supply. The Kreyven will tunnel through the hill, giving a natural path to the well we dug. Thank heavens we won’t need to lug water anymore. I think we’re close to being self-sufficient.”
Scotty stood, flexed his tail, and stretched his wings to their full, glorious span. “Ahh, it’s so good to be out in the open. I feel like I can breathe. And the stars. I forgot how awesome they look at night.”
Chloe linked her arm through his as he folded his wings tight to his body. “Tonight will be our first night under the stars. Dezi has a cookout planned.”
“I can’t wait to get our housing assignments tonight,” Kenya said.
“This will be the last night we sleep in the Hive. Tomorrow begins the release of our animals.” Scotty shook his head. “I don’t know how we’re going to make this work. Wil better have some good ideas to share.”
“Come on, Scotty. We need to get back to the fields. Why don’t you and Kane go check to see if the Kreyven has shown up? Kenya and I will clean up here and catch up with you.”
Scotty and Kane hurried off to leave the girls to return the remains of their lunch to Dezi’s kitchen. Echo and Barney strolled after them, leaving Caesar behind with the girls. Gathering the remains, Kenya chatted merrily about her plans to decorate the baby’s room. “Do you think it matters what colors I use? I just can’t find much pink cloth in the store room.”
Kenya turned to Chloe and watched her sit under the acacia tree. “What’s wrong, chickey?”
Chloe rested her head on her knees then raised her head, wiping at a tear. “Don’t mind me, Kenya. It just gets the best of me sometimes. We’re very happy for you and Kane. It just that . . .”
Kenya’s face fell. “Oh, chickey, I’m so sorry. Sometimes I’m just plain thoughtless.” She moved toward the acacia tree and immediately froze.
“Chloe?”
Her head rested back on her knees.
“Chloe. I’m going to ask you to not move a muscle.”
Caesar padded closer, a wicked growl announcing his presence.
Chloe took that moment to raise her head and change her position, frightening the timber rattlesnake that had surfaced from its den while they ate. It struck hard and lightning fast.
“Oh my God.” Kenya screamed as Caesar lunged to Chloe. In one breath, the rattlesnake went back to its den, leaving Caesar hissing and sputtering at Chloe’s side.
Kenya ran to her and dragged her away.
“Chloe, doll. Are you okay?” She frantically tore at Chloe’s shirt, exposing the spot on her chest where the snake had bitten her.
“Kenya, Kenya . . . stop. I’m fine . . . I think.” Chloe felt around, breathing heavily.
“Easy . . . breathe slower.” The girls hung tight to one another, Caesar pacing in agitation.
When Chloe had her breathing under control, she held up Scotty’s gold coin that still hung around her neck. She examined it closely.
“I think this is what saved me. I don’t have a scratch on me.” She glanced up at Kenya. “Let’s keep this to ourselves. I don’t want to upset Scotty. He hates to let me out of his sight as it is. I forgot Scotty told me this area used to be called Snake Hill.”
She picked up the box from lunch. “Let’s get out of here. We’d better tell the others that we spotted a rattlesnake. But promise me you won’t say any more. I’m just starting to feel comfortable with this new confidence. I can come and go as I please, yet Scotty is always afraid something might get me. We still don’t have a full handle on the new wildlife here.” She turned to point to Caesar.
“What actual harm will come to us, anyway, with that huge beauty around?” She wrinkled her brow; her short, dark hair swinging with her words as she admired Caesar’s vibrant colors, the sun making his coat gleam. “Hmm, shouldn’t he be with Scotty?”
Kenya rubbed her arms. “Let’s just get out of here, chickey. That snake gave me the creeps. It figures that the creepy crawlers would survive the bombings.” Throwing one last look back to the rocks near the acacia tree, they headed to Dezi’s kitchen, Caesar following, silent and calm.
As they made their way through the new settlement, Caesar stopped, the girls unaware. He padded to the edge of the settlement to stare unblinkingly at a distant band of trees and wild hedges. From deep in his throat came a mashed growling. A sapling moved and all was silent. Caesar slowly turned away, the hair along his marvelous withers still raised and bristling.
*
“Pass me the tapod.” Clyde held out his hand to accept the survivors’ favorite spice that Dezi had managed to improve with the addition of a new fuzzy nub he had found growing on the east side of a strange tree near the newly-dug well.
Whenever anything needed to be tested for safety before consuming, Dezi presented it to Baby. The survivors would often see Dezi and Baby roaming through the woods and the fields picking all manner of edible surprises.
“Clyde, aren’t you full yet? I need to clear the tables and get ready for Cobby and Wil’s announcements.” Salina nudged Jennifer, prompting the quiet woman to help.
“Bring me back some tea, Salina,” directed Clyde, his tired bones resting heavily from a difficult job on the last roof. “I hope this is a short talk tonight. I’m beat.”
Salina bent down to give him a hug. “I’ll hurry everyone along and we can sneak away early. I’ll just let Bonnie and Peter know. I want to give my grandbaby a hug.”
As Salina cleared the tables with help from Jennifer and Karen, Crystal poured tea for all. It wasn’t long before Cobby rose, handing their baby over to Karen.
Salina watched as Cobby approached Wil and leaned down for a discussion. Wil stretched, taking his place at the head of the first table. All eyes rested on his golden glow, undimmed by the setting sun.
When the conversations and joking had finally stopped, Wil began.
“Before I turn this meeting over to Cobby, I need to inform you all that Netty, Baby, Jose, and Abby and I will be leaving.”
There was no reaction from the survivors.
“Where you planning to go, Wil?” Clyde’s natural curiosity carried to the front of the room. “You headed to the city?”
Wil scanned the faces around the tables. “I’m sure you all realize that you’ve become self-sufficient.” He turned to Cobby and nodded. “I was going to leave it to Cobby to announce, but the dwellings are now finished. You’ve only to decide who wants to live where.”
Clapping broke out among the survivors.
“So it’s time that I need to let you know—within one week we’ll be leaving for Oolaha.”
“When you coming back?” shouted Johno.
Wil looked down, his radiant eyes closed. “We won’t be coming back,” he whispered softly.
Salina looked over to Netty, who had her arms around a frightened Abby. She walked up to Wil as if a trance. “Is this what you want?”
Startled by Salina’s challenge, Wil countered. “It’s not about what we want, Salina. It’s about our duty. We’re needed elsewhere. You no longer need us.”
Salina faced Cobby. His face drooped, drained of color. “Did you know about this, Cobby?”
His eyes watering, he looked back at Netty and Abby. She heard him whisper, “No.”
Johno stumbled from his table, overcome with surprise. “You can’t leave us, man. We need you.”
Slowly, the survivors turned their attention to where Hud and Ginger Mae sat with Daisy. It took a few minutes before they realized they were the center of attention. Ginger Mae flew to her feet, pulling her daughter with her. “No! I will not allow it. My daughter is not going with you.”
Daisy squirmed in her mother’s grip.
“Hud. Tell them. They can’t have her.”
Hud stood, his sympathetic face telling all he had been waiting for this to happen. Wrapping his arms around his wife, he held her close as Daisy slipped away to join Netty and Abby at their table, her new physical changes looking normal in their presence.
“I’m a grown woman, mother. We’ve been over this before. This is my destiny. You and Hud need to lead your lives without me.”
“Now calm down, everyone.” Wil tried to silence the crowd. “You’ll have time to get used to the idea. Now let me turn this over to Cobby.”
The crowd erupted with questions. Cobby swiped at his own eyes as he shook off the deluge of demands. “Hold on. Hold on. One at a time. First let me say, everyone needs to bring anything they want to salvage from the Hive down here in the next few days. We’ll draw numbers to assign shelters to each family unit. I assume you men want to stay together?”
The remaining keepers all nodded in agreement.
“The animals will start leaving the Hive tomorrow. Wil, Netty and Abby will handle that. They should all be free by tomorrow night. The cats first. I’ve been told they’ll quickly disperse into the wild to look for their own territories, except for the moms with young cubs. They’ll look for cover close by until the cubs can travel. We’ll continue to offer supplemental feedings on the outskirts of our compound, as far out as practical.
“Many of the animals will choose to stay nearby. The primates, our birds, most of the dogs, Tulip and her many litters. Dezi, you keeping Chance nearby?”
“In the kitchen with me at night,” he answered.
“Then we have the goats and camels. We’ll get this all worked out. The only possible problem will be Caesar and Tobi. I doubt Caesar has any plans to leave Scotty. Tobi is another matter, right Johno?”
Johno shrugged. “Tobi will do what she wants to do.”
Unexpectedly, Jennifer spoke up. “Why is Scotty staying here? He’s an Elder.”
“Eh, Jennifer? I’m right here. If you have a question about my choices, why don’t you ask me?” Scotty stood mystified, looming large over Jennifer, his wings spread wide in the falling darkness that was lit only by lanterns.
“Well, I don’t see why you need to stay. We don’t need you here. You should leave with your own kind.”
He turned on her, aghast at her dismissive words. “My own kind? You are my own kind. You are all my own kind. I refused to leave my home, Chloe, or my friends. Where’s this coming from, Jennifer? What’s your problem?” Scotty’s voice grew louder and louder.
Clyde rushed to her side. “She doesn’t mean nothing by it, Scotty. She doesn’t understand.” He lowered his voice. “She’s just not the same since the Time of Seth.”
“And take your little creature with you.” Jennifer’s voice slithered out another attack.
“You better get a handle on her, Clyde. Echo doesn’t deserve this.”
From the spot on the ground that the dogs, Caesar, Chance, Baby and Echo had chosen to claim, Echo stood. Her aura hit them all. “Danger, my Brother, we are watched.”
Wil and Cobby beckoned for Abby and Netty, who joined them to scan the sky. Echo’s aura quickly clarified.
“Danger comes not from the sky. Danger comes from the ground.”
Peering into the gloom, they heard a twig snap. Netty and Abby stepped forward, their horns swirling with steaks of gold red and black, and prepared to open. They stepped away from each other to open their wings; long, golden hair streaming and lion tails switching high overhead.
A voice pierced the darkness. A woman’s voice. “Hello? Please don’t shoot. We come in peace.” And into the light stepped the first glimpse of humans the survivors had seen in over ninety years.
They counted half a dozen. Three women in the lead, a solitary man, then two more men in the back. They were dressed from head to toe in rags, but looked to be healthy, the men on the portly side. And, except for the two men in the rear, they were old, very old. The tallest of the women carried a rifle. She stepped forward, her eyes blazing at the sight of the Elders.
“I want to speak to your leader.” She looked around, spotting Cobby, Johno, and Clyde, who stepped forward.
“We have no leader here. All are equal,” Johno announced. The man behind the three women stepped forward.
“Can we please have a word with someone other than your token black dude?”
The strange woman recoiled, and one of the others yanked him behind them.
The tall woman spoke again. “Please forgive my brother’s rudeness. I’m looking for anyone that can tell me about a relative of ours.”
Wil stepped forward, the strangers shrinking back as his wings rippled and his tail flexed.
“Madam, I am quite sure we know nothing of your relative. Can we inquire as to how you managed to survive the bombs? Where do you hail from?”
The tall woman stood speechless, staring at Wil as her face began to crumble. She swayed on her feet, clearly overcome.
Cobby swiftly ran to support her with a chair. “Water. Karen . . . get me some water,” he shouted.
Carefully holding a cup of water to her mouth, she drank even as she tried to wave him off. “Thank you. That’s fine . . . I’m fine. It’s just . . . the disappointment.”
The members of her party gathered around on the ground. Netty approached. “May we offer you something to eat?” She turned to Dezi. “Any more of your pie out of the oven, yet?”
Dezi jumped up and ran to the kitchen shouting to Jennifer to give him a hand.
The newcomers eagerly chewed pieces of Dezi’s fruit pies. As Salina passed out mugs of tea, the tall woman remarked, “I see you have no problem growing fruit. Neither do we.”
“I know,” Netty answered. The woman glanced up at Netty in surprise.
“You know? What do you mean, you know?” Netty remained silent. The rest of the survivors, sensing tension, began to stir.
The tall woman handed her plate to Wil and stood to face Netty. “Just exactly who are you?”
More silence from Netty.
A shout came from one of the survivors. “What the hell is going on here? Do you know these people, Netty? Do you mind clueing us in here?” Clyde’s loud and demanding voice carried to all in the clearing.
“They are just survivors like us. Nothing more,” explained Netty. “We learned decades ago that some in their starving group had developed unsavory . . . habits . . . that preyed on the vulnerable infants in their group.”
The tall woman brought her hand to her chest. “How did you know of that? It was never proven. My mother told me in confidence. I demand you tell me what is going on here. What kind of creatures do you harbor here? Are you the spawn of the Devil?” The tall woman signaled her people and all fell to their knees as she led them in a prayer.
“Dear Lord, Father our God, please deliver us from danger. I have led us blindly in my search for answers to my mother’s delusions. I pray you spare us and guide us back home through your heavenly embrace.”
“Stop.”
Those praying looked up in shock.
“You pray to a false God.” Wil towered over the newcomers, his tail snapping angrily. “We are the ones that provided you with the means to grow food.”
At a sound from the survivors at the tables, Wil turned around, guilt in the slump of his shoulders. Clyde stepped forward. “More secrets, Wil? You knew there was other people alive and didn’t think to tell us?”
“Clyde, please don’t start now. We’ll explain all of this later.”
The tall woman stood slowly, shock draining her face of color. “Clyde? Your name is Clyde? No . . . it couldn’t be. You’re too young.”
Wil and Clyde threw each other a look. Clyde stepped closer to the tall woman, emotions rippling across his bulky face, confusion and doubt reigning. “Madam, what is your name?”
The woman paused at the unexpected question. “Lorna. My name is Lorna, and this is my brother, Seth.”
A strangled gasp from the survivors pierced the air, then an eerie wail emanated from one of the tables. Everyone watched as Jennifer stood, shaking. Her eyes glazed with saliva dribbling from the corners of her mouth. “Aaaaaaaa,” she shrieked. “Nooooooooo.”
Clyde scooted behind her as she slowly made her way to the newcomers as if sleepwalking. Her hands flexed spasmodically.
“Baby, what’s the matter? It’s okay, Jennifer. It’s okay, I’m here, Grandpa’s here. Salina . . . help me.”
Jennifer approached the newcomers, her hands held in front of her as her head jerked from face to face, seeing no one. “Grandma . . . help me. Seeeeth.”
Salina ran forward, wrapping her arms around Jennifer as the tall woman backed away, eyes wild and frightened.
Clyde grabbed the woman by the shoulders.
“Who are you? Where did you get those names? What are you trying to pull on us?” Clyde was restrained as the woman began to cry, Cobby and Johno pulling him off the terrified woman. Netty pushed her way through the throng around her, guiding her back to her chair.
“Mama was right all along,” the woman sobbed. “My poor momma.” The cries were filled with deep anguish and pain.
Netty stood still as the woman’s tears fell, slowing with exhaustion and gulps of air as she brought herself under control. Quietly, the woman began to talk, her face down, her voice flat.
“My mother was the leader of our tribe. She managed to take control from the first brutal leaders who enslaved our women. Women they kidnapped from their families during the chaos of the bombing about a century ago.
“My mother is a legend. She prayed for freedom and equality. She said if her grandpa couldn’t find her, she would go to him. On Lily Pond Road. He had a sanctuary where crops were grown and afflictions were cured.” The tall woman’s face rose slowly, her brother moving forward, a look of astonishment directed at his sister.
Bitterly, the woman continued, “She died before we moved out of our shelter at the Franklin Mines. But I never forgot.” She stared at Clyde. “You ask who I am. My name is Lorna Calloway Benjamin. My mother was Suzy Calloway Benjamin.”
It was Clyde’s turn to cry as the woman’s story unfolded and Jennifer let out a scream. “Suuuuzzzy. We need to save Suuuuzzzy.” With that, she fell into a dead faint.