Eden's Root (17 page)

“Aldy,” the boy offered as she shook his hand.

“Aldy,” Fi repeated and nodded. She smiled and his smile grew into a genuine grin. “Here,” she rummaged through her pack and grabbed an instant icepack. She popped it and rubbed until she could feel the deep, chemical cold seep through. She handed it to Doc who touched it to his sore head.

“Ooof!” he winced. “That really smarts.” His wife patted his hand and thanked Fi.

“So, quickly now,” Fi said with newfound urgency, feeling unsure of the safety of their situation. “Tell me who you are and what you’re doing here.”

Doc Ron summarized for Fi as fast as he could. This town was their home and they had lived here for Aldy’s whole life. Doc Ron was an oncologist who had a private practice and who also volunteered at the hospital clinic, a point that Aliyah added to the story. Fi could tell Aliyah was proud of her kind, gentle husband by the way she straightened up whenever she spoke about him. Aliyah took over the telling of their past twenty-four hours.

“When the first gunshots fired we were terrified,” she began. “We all hid in this upstairs closet because the doors are sort of hidden. We thought they were looking for food so they might not come upstairs. But two men came up and were searching the bedroom when one noticed the closet and opened the door. Ronald jumped out, rushing them,” her eyes glistened at the memory. “And the bigger one hit him on the head with the butt of his rifle and he just…fell.” Her tears welled over, but she kept her expression calm. Fi bit her lip as she felt tears well in her own eyes. She could feel the pain Aliyah felt at the memory.

“I screamed and pulled Aldy behind me,” Aliyah continued, her voice shaking. “And I thought we were really done when the bigger one turned to me and smiled. But then there was a shout outside. Not the screams,” she explained, referring to the sounds of their dying neighbors. “I don’t know what it was, but they both looked out the window and cursed and just…left.” Her face twisted with confusion and relief. “They never came back. Once it was quiet outside, we took the risk of having Ronald lie in the bed here until nightfall. We aren’t really sure what to do now.”

Fi considered the entire situation as quickly as she could. She wasn’t sure they had much time. It was quiet outside, but if these folks were alive then Others may be too, she thought. Others, she repeated to herself. That is what people have become. There is Family, and there are Others, and she knew which side she was on.

“So, now what Fi?” Aliyah asked, her gaze level. Somehow Aliyah knew not to treat her like a child. The consideration was over from Fi’s perspective. If there was Family and there were Others, then these people were Family. Plus, they could really use a doctor, even if he needed one himself at the moment. She smiled. Poor thing. He was definitely concussed and in pain. Imagine attacking armed men with no weapons and no training! It was terribly brave. He loved them enough to risk his life for them, she thought. Everything about the Coopers said ‘Family’.

“Well, I have a Family of eight right now,” she began and saw the look of surprise on Doc Ron’s face. “I’m their Leader.” The Coopers all nodded. Aldy got up and sat on the bed next to his father and touched his hand. “I’ve been,” she paused and squished her lips to the side in thought, “…uniquely prepared for current events.”

Fi got to her feet and stretched her limbs, peering out the window. Nothing was stirring. It would have been a beautiful spring day, she thought with sarcasm, if there weren’t bodies all over the place. It might be a sick thought but by now she’d figured out that she would have to divide the part of her that felt things from the part of her that did things in order to survive. Humor, however dark, would help.

“We’re headed north to a place that I heard we’d be safe,” she cocked an eyebrow. “Even from the Sickfood.” Fi leveled a serious gaze at him with this statement. She was testing him. Was he the kind of doctor who paid attention? Who thought for himself? He nodded in acknowledgement. Of course, she thought. He was an oncologist…he would have had an idea with all he’d seen. Good.

“It will be hard going,” she warned. “We have some among us that are Sick.” Another test that elicited another nod from the good Doctor. Excellent, she thought. “Our Family could use a doctor and you all seem honest and devoted to each other. That goes a long way in my opinion. There are Rules that we follow and you would have to as well. The most important one is that you would have to obey my decisions.” Aliyah’s brows knitted, but Fi’s face and voice were firm.

“Maybe that decision is a few hours into the future,” Fi waved her hand. “The truth is, I don’t know how my Family will react to the idea of adding you to our group. It could go any way, but I figure we should at least sit down and talk about it.” Fi held out her hand to Doc. “Look, you can’t stay here. Food is running out fast. We may be your only chance. I say you at least come talk to us and we can all decide what to do together.” The doctor appeared conflicted, not that Fi was surprised. His expression showed his desire to accept and his confusion at being led by a child at the same time. Finally his face settled into a resigned smile.

“We’re honored and accept the offer,” he said. “Please, lead the way.” Though his tone still held an undercurrent of concern, Fi nodded. She and Aliyah helped him up.

“Follow my directions ok?” Fi requested. They nodded in silence, their faces serious. Good, she thought. They meant it. They were willing to follow her. She led the way with her gun drawn.

Thirty minutes later, Fi gave the secret knock on the screen door behind the garage. She poked her head in the door.

“I’m back guys,” she said and then grunted as a hurtling Kiara hit her and knocked her backward into the wall.

“Fi! You’re ok!” she said, wrapping her arms and legs around her. Her grip was like a tiny little vice around Fi’s neck and she felt her throat tighten. She gave her little sister a squeeze and kissed her hair.

“Yes, baby girl,” she said. She turned to the figures behind her. “And I brought a surprise,” she smiled. Fi’s Family gasped and murmured as the Coopers crawled through the doorway behind Fi and then huddled beside her on the concrete floor. Each carried plastic bags stuffed with cans and other items. All faces in the room appeared frightened, Fi realized, as she saw eyes dart back and forth.

“Don’t worry,” Fi reassured them. “I will handle introductions.” Nervous nods did nothing to reduce the tension and Fi turned to Sean and jumped. “Oh, for pete’s sake Sean,” she hissed. “Put the gun away! I think everyone is scared enough already.” Her hands gestured at the Glock he still had aimed at them. He nodded, startled, and the put the safety on before stowing it in his pack. With a deep shudder, Fi decided that she had to reconsider her feelings about his unwillingness to fire the weapon. Restraint could be a good thing, she thought.

“Ok,” she said. “Everyone have a seat. Firstly, it seems safe to go out at dusk and head for the woods and get out of this town.” Everyone seemed to sigh and relax a little.

“Secondly,” she smiled, “I have found us a Doctor,” she gestured toward Doc Ron. “I invited his family to join our Family, but we all realized that it would need to be a discussion. They will have to know about us and trust us, and we will have to know about them, and trust them. Does anyone have an idea for how to do this?” Because I don’t really, she thought. By now she was much better at accepting other people’s ideas. Aliyah cleared her throat.

“Well, I’m an attorney,” she began and then coughed. “Was an attorney,” she corrected herself. Everyone perked up to listen except Zoe, who squirmed in her mother’s arms. “I think I would be good at helping us to figure out a process by which we could consider the pros and cons of joining.”

“Does that make sense to you Family?” Fi asked the group. The adults nodded and John spoke up.

“We may find that there are others we want to add later,” he said, thinking ahead. Of course, Fi thought, John had realized the benefit of having a doctor in their group. He was a veterinarian, but that wasn’t much help to Maggie and Rachel, he knew. Wait until he found out that Doc Ron was an oncologist. Fi turned back to Aliyah.

“Ok,” she said. A stray curl fell into her face and she shoved it behind her ear. “It’s time to put together some more specific Family Rules and some kind of Consideration process for both sides to decide what they want.” Fi shifted over to give everyone a clear view of one another. “We have to make our decisions and get ready to go before nightfall, so let’s get started,” she urged. Aliyah nodded.

“Well,” she began. “First of all, I think introductions make the most sense in a Consideration,” she suggested and the others nodded. “So I will begin. I’m Aliyah Cooper. And I was a trial attorney, a prosecutor,” she clarified.

Fi studied her Family for a moment. They all were listening, but she was tuned out. Her introductions to the Coopers were over, and she knew what her vote would be. Her focus was already turned to the question of how they were going to leave this town and what direction she would go from there.

----------- Fi -----------

When night fell, the new, larger Family made preparations to leave. Fi insisted that they blindfold the children for the portion of the walk that went through town. Aldy had already seen the carnage outside, but he agreed to it because it made Kiara and Zoe feel better. He even put his own blindfold on first to show them it was ok. Fi was impressed with Aldy’s gentleness. Rachel asked to be allowed to see what was outside. At eleven, Rachel was practically an adult in this new world. Her parents realized that it was her choice, and they relented, though not without deep sadness.

Holding hands, the group filed out of the garage and into the street. Fi felt her shoulders twitch at their gasps. Even in the darkness the Family could see the bloodshed and devastation. She was glad that the adults bit their tongues and kept their reactions under control for the children’s sakes. She knew exactly how hard that was as she swallowed back her own desire to retch.

Fi and Sean whispered jokes to the blindfolded children as they headed for the woods at the edge of town. Fi teased Kiara that she was leading her in circles, but she felt her voice grow strangled as they walked between piles of twisted bodies. As they passed, Fi vowed that the children would never see anything like this again. The lesson of the previous two days was unmistakable and it repeated itself with each step she took…
Stay Away from People
!

After a night of nervous trudging, the Family collapsed into a much-needed sleep behind a metal shed, on what seemed in the darkness to be farmland. When they awoke in the afternoon Fi spent an hour or so figuring out the approximate location of their camp. She’d been putting off something she’d known had to be done at some point. With eleven Family Members, it was now essential. She needed to go on a raid.

Someone had to sneak back into town and locate something large like a pharmacy, grocery store, or superstore. It would be like the marauders she had seen only two nights prior, she thought. Except I don’t plan to be a murdering, raping pig. She shuddered. The image of those bodies haunted her now. When she had envisioned going on raids during her training she had never really been able to imagine this kind of devastation. But this was no joke. The stakes were life and death. She knew she would have to watch her step very, very carefully.

“I think that we’re about two miles north of your town,” Fi said and to Doc. He looked much better now with his wound cleaned and covered. “Your information has been really helpful,” she added kindly and he nodded. The Coopers had all been pretty quiet today.

After the Family created the Consideration process with Aliyah’s help and solidified their Rules, the Coopers had slept together in a tangled pile. Fi couldn’t imagine how scared they must have been, attacked by thugs, fearing for their lives in their own home. It was absolutely sickening. She felt her stomach churn. At least the anger helped her to focus on the task at hand, she thought. Well, the two tasks, she corrected herself. First she was going to have to get herself ready to go on a raid. Second, she was going to have to convince Sean to stay here and guard the Family.

Neither was going to be easy, but this raid was going to be pretty close to their camp, so she thought he could be convinced. She was only going to be gone for a day.

Fi took a deep breath. She needed to focus and there was a clearing nearby that was perfect. She strode to it and settled in a shaft of sunlight and crossed her legs into her meditation position. A fleeting thought of Sensei Bob drifted through her brain as she worked to clear her mind. As always when she thought of him, she said a prayer of thanks and hope. If he survived this too, she knew he would be rooting for her. Smiling, she closed her eyes.

She focused her mind on her breath. In, she thought as she inhaled slowly. The air pushed its way deep inside her lungs as it filled each crack and crevice. Out. She exhaled just as slowly, controlling the air as it left her body. In. Clean air rushed in. Out. Heavy moist air flowed out. In…Out…In…Out…In…the warmth of the sun faded away…Out…the whine of mosquitoes relented…In…the sunlight beyond her eyelids dimmed…Out…she was air…In…she was energy…Out…she was time...In…her eyelids fluttered…Out…In. Fi’s eyes slowly opened and she sighed at the sight of the sunny, buzzing clearing. Every inch of her body felt alive. She was ready.

Fi rose and began practicing her poomse. After centering her mind it felt good to now center her body. The feeling of moving through the forms was reassuring. The precision, the patience, and the discipline relaxed her. It was her moving meditation. As she progressed, she played specific scenes in her mind.

When night falls, she thought, I will slip into town unnoticed
. Her stomach tightened with a right jab cross.
Stores and shops will be open to me, and filled with the things I need.
She turned and kicked, her right leg knifing the air behind her.
I will handle adversity.
Phew, she blew out with a high block and following knee. She spun.
When I am found, I will run.
When I am caught, I will fight.
She gave a high side kick and then ducked and spun. Her breathing grew louder and more forceful, her life force pressing into every move. Whirling into a back kick, Fi turned and saw Sean and stopped. His lanky frame leaned against a tree as he watched her with an amused expression.