Hope (13 page)

“Pearce,” Damon said.

She turned to look at him. He nodded his head in her
direction.

“Sorry for the language, Miss. It’s been a while since I’ve
had any company.” Pearce patted her leg. He didn’t linger, and the touch didn’t
seem to have an effect on him.

“No problem.”

Penny sat back and listened to the two men talk. They both
appeared to know what was going on in the world. They had a lot of knowledge
about the other area leaders.

“I think we should watch out for Tristan Kendrick. That man’s
a loose
cannon,” Pearce said.

“I’ve not heard from him. Don doesn’t talk about him at all.
Seeing the bodies of your loved ones would send the best person insane.” Damon
flicked his knife between his fingers.

They passed the last full structured building. The rest were
caved in or in a state of collapse.

“I can’t believe this was once a fine city,” Pearce said.

“It would be nice to see it put back to its original glory.
Too many people are still depressed.”

“That’s why I’m happy being away from it all. I’m alone
inside the factory, and I don’t have to deal with the negativity. I’m working
for something better. When I find my woman, I want her to walk the streets
safely. If we get pregnant I don’t want to be stressing about her dying. I have
my reasons for doing this. They may be selfish reasons, but at least I’m doing
something,” Pearce said.

Penny saw a different kind of man inside Pearce. He wasn’t
the one to fight. She knew he’d fight if he had to. He was working for
something more than walking the streets in safety.

****

Damon smiled at Pearce. He’d missed talking to the guy. A
year had passed since they last spoke. Pearce was the only guy who made sense
of the world and why they fought another day. From the look in Penny’s eyes, Pearce
was having a big impact on her thoughts as well. She would finally see that it
wasn’t right to give up. While there were people like Pearce fighting for a
better world they had a bigger chance of succeeding.

Pearce was also one of the most intelligent people left in
the world.

They passed several fields of grass. “Don hasn’t gotten the
farming over here?” he asked.

Pearce shook his head. “Last I heard on the farming front
was that it was getting too damn dangerous to do anything about it. The men who
are farming are getting attacked. I think he’s going to need to put tighter
security out here. Some people are still not happy with the rations and are
trying to steal every little thing they can get their hands on.
Stupid bastards.”

Damon nodded in agreement.
 

“The ground will have plenty of nutrients inside,” Penny
said.

“What?”

“It hasn’t been farmed on. The grass is a good source of
nutrients, and when it dies back it all goes back into the soil. It would be a
good place to farm.”

Damon stared down at the woman by his side. “You know a lot
about farming?”

“What part of working on a farm don’t you get?” she asked.

Pearce burst out laughing. “The lady has you there, Mad Dog.
I like her. You should keep her.”

He intended to keep her. Damon didn’t voice his thoughts.
There was no way he was letting her go. He hadn’t figured out what he was going
to do with her. The only thing he did know was he wasn’t letting another guy
get her.

Squeezing her hand, he looked out at the main road. They
were coming up to several houses. He saw the man waiting for him. Pearce pulled
the car up next to the guy. He saw a woman with several children around her
ankles on the porch.

“It took you guys long enough to get here,” the man said.

“Are you owner of this farm?” Damon asked.

“Do you work for Don?”

“I’m Damon Wright, and this here is Pearce.”

The man looked at Penny.

“She’s with me,” Damon added.

“I’ve got a woman of my own, Damon. I just think it is
mighty dangerous bringing another woman here.”

“You know my name, so tell me yours.”

The man paused staring among the three men. “The name’s George.
I don’t have a last name.”

Damon shook the man’s hand.

“That there is my wife, Laura, and my three kids.”

“I didn’t know you had a wife.”

“I protect her so no one has to. She’s my responsibility.”

He nodded his head. Damon saw the protectiveness in the
other man’s eyes. He felt the same way about Penny. “Can my woman go inside?”

“Sure. Laura, take care of this woman.” George yelled behind
him.

Damon helped her out of the jeep. The sooner she was inside
away from sight the safer she’d be. She walked up the steps to the woman. Penny
glanced back to look at him. He shooed her inside with a hand movement.

“Don didn’t say anything about bringing a woman.”

“I’ll protect her, and she’ll be sharing with me.”

“Good. It’s getting pretty nasty out here.”

“Yes, Don told me that a farmer had been killed.”

George shook his head. “I can’t believe it. I’ve known Tony
for years. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. I went to see him about some seeds and found
him gutted on the porch. I wish it was the worst shit I’d ever seen, but it’s
not. I hate this world.”

“You and me both.”

Damon ran a hand over his face.

“I gave the man a proper burial. I did it right. Several of
the farmers were present. We look after our own in this shit world.” George
took out a handkerchief and rubbed his forehead. The sun was blisteringly hot.

“What else happened?” Pearce asked.

“They took everything. The season is early, but we keep
account books on what is growing and what isn’t. I checked over
Tony’s
books. He had a great harvest of potatoes, carrots,
and summer vegetables. From his records he’d have enough to preserve and send
off all over the city. It would have been a huge success,” George said.

Damon didn’t have the first clue about farming. He’d always
worked with his hands. Being a fighter was in his blood.

“Well, every year we have to send enough stock to get
preserved at the preserving station that Don set up a few years back. Then
whatever is left over we send out to Don, who then does what he does with it.
We were all in talks about having a market day for bartering. I know they have
some for the preserved food, but could you imagine having fresh produce on the
shelves? It would be life-changing.”

He understood. Pearce stared at him with his eyes wide.

“It would be like a step in the right direction. That kind
of food and with the shops it would boost morale and bring hope to many.”

“Then what happened to it?” Damon asked, staring at the look
of shock on Pearce’s face.

“It’s all gone. The fields looked to have been dug up. There
is nothing there. The supply of food and seeds are all gone.” George ran a hand
through his hair. Damon saw the agitation on the other man’s face. “We’re all
doing our part to try to get the world right. I don’t know why someone would
try to ruin our chances of a better future.”

“A person who doesn’t want this world to
change at all.
I’ve heard that some like the way the world
is,” Pearce said.

“Then they’re fucking stupid,” George said.

“We’re going to need to get out to the farm. I want to check
it out.” Damon glanced at the sun. They needed to get to the farm and back
before the sun went down. He didn’t want to leave Penny overnight. She was his
woman, and he’d take care of her.

“One of us is going to need to stay home with the women,” George
said.

Damon looked at Pearce. “It has got to be you and George who
go out, Damon.” Pearce handed him the keys. “Drive her safely.”

He took the keys looking back at the house. Penny was not in
sight.

“Take care of her.”

“With my life.”
Pearce shook
his hand. “See you guys soon. And leave before the sun sets. If you don’t my
girl won’t get you back.”

Chapter
Twelve

“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen another woman. The other
farmers have wives, but we rarely get chance to meet up. They’re always busy
working the land.” The other woman rubbed her face.

Penny smiled. “I’m Penny.” She lifted her hand between them.

“I’m Laura. These are my three monsters. Go on, go and peel
those potatoes while mommy shows the new lady to her room.”

All three kids ran off in the direction of the kitchen.

“Lovely to meet you, Laura,” Penny said.

“Think nothing of it. I wish we were meeting for better
reasons. Killing farmers is not the best way to meet.”

Penny followed the woman up the flight of stairs. The house
was in perfect working condition. The wallpaper wasn’t peeling, and there was a
good working stove that she’d seen, not like the one that Damon had.

“It is very nice of you to open up your home to strangers,”
Penny said.

Laura stopped at the end of the hall.

“You’re not from Don’s area, are you?” Laura turned to her
and asked.

“No.”

“We’ve got a way of doing things. We don’t want to live this
way forever. You’re here to help, and because of that I’m more than happy to
have you in my home.” Laura opened the second door on the left. “This is where
you and your man will be staying. We’ve got fresh sheets, and there is a
bathroom across their. You’ll need to fill the tub. I’ve always got water boiling
if you want a bath. The kids help me fetch it from the well.”

“Thank you,” Penny said. The layout of the house reminded
her of home.

“I bet you’re in need of a drink. Come on, I’ll make you
some mint tea.” Laura closed the door making her way down to the kitchen.

Pearce sat at the kitchen table. He was separating the peas
from the pods.

“Where’s Damon?” she asked.

“He’s gone with George to check out the farm. You’re not to
be left alone.”

“Thank God. George was starting to panic when he went out to
check the fields. He makes me and the kids go with him.” Laura grabbed a
saucepan of water and placed it on the hob. Next she began to pick mint leaves
and place them in a jug.

“Have any of the other farmers struggled with it?” Pearce
asked.

“They’ve not dealt with an outright attack. They’ve said
their stocks have been pinched.” Laura poured the hot water over the mint.
“We’re all trying to make the best of what we’ve got, and then you’ve got a
bunch of assholes trying to send us back to hell.”

Penny sat down next to Pearce. She glanced out of the window
wishing Damon had at least said good bye to her.

“I can understand. Penny here is from Grimes’s area. I think
he’s one of the men who don’t want to go back or move forward,” Pearce said,
bringing her into the conversation.

“You’re a lucky girl, Penny. I’ve heard some horror stories
about that area. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I think if none of us
were afraid of hard work, this world would be a hell of a lot better. I’m tired
of all the fighting and panic.” Laura strained the mint tea into a mug then
handed Penny and Pearce a cup.

She took a sip. The liquid wasn’t strong, but it wasn’t the worst
thing she’d tasted.
 
Pierce growled in
disgust and then drank it down in one gulp. Laura chuckled at her own private
joke.

Penny glanced out of the window.

“He needed to go,” Pearce said.

“I know. I’m being silly. Ignore me.” She sipped her tea
watching the kids wash the dirt off the potatoes, dry them, and then store them
in a wooden box filled with hay.

“Do you mind if Penny and I take a look around, Laura?”
Pearce asked.

“No. Keep close to the house. I don’t want to fear for my
life.”

“Sure will.” Pearce grabbed her arm pulling her out of the
house and into the fresh air. They both stood on the front porch for several
moments. “I thought you’d appreciate getting out of there,” he said.

“Thanks.”

“Damon has never explained his actions to anyone, Penny. I
wouldn’t take it personally.” Pearce pulled a pipe out of his pocket.

“I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

“This is business. Don will always come first, and so will
the job. If you’re planning on staying around you’re going to have to realise
that. We all have a responsibility. That responsibility is what keeps us
going.”

He made sense, even if she didn’t like what he was saying.

“Come on. Let us go and explore this farm.” They walked down
the steps and began to turn left at the end of the house.