Preparing

Carol was doing the breakfast dishes when her cousin Emily came in with Lizzie and Mika. Carol dried her hands and offered Emily a cinnamon bun. The girls went back to the horses. Emily declined the bun but said she would love a cup of coffee. Carol and Emily sat across from one another at the kitchen table and Carol could see that Emily had something on her mind. Emily could easily be her sister. They both had graying hair, thin builds, and their eyes were the same color blue. They both looked like their grandmother had when they were little kids running around like wild Indians on the mountain.

Emily took a deep breath, "Carol, I apologize for not visiting you. I have been working twelve hours a day shifts at the dam for over a year. My daughter is being raised by Jo and I put everything and everybody on hold until the dam in operational. We can't do anything at the dam until Glenn comes back with the equipment that we need. I decided to take a vacation and mend some fences."

Carol looked at Emily and remembered the studious little girl who wanted microscopes and telescopes for Christmas and who spent her days reading science books and conducting experiments. "I am glad that you are here now. I lost a part of myself when my mother took me away and being back here with my cousins has given it back to me. "

Emily started, "Grandma had the "sight" and as a student of science I didn't really believe it when I was growing up. She would tell me that I would have it too because it ran down from the Coulter side to the females. I would roll my eyes, but as I got older I noticed that things just didn't add up. Grandpa had been killed by a log truck on the highway and Grandma got a settlement. Anytime she spent money she would just say it was from the settlement".

Carol drank some coffee and eyed Emily curiously. Emily was taking a long walk down Memory Lane for some reason. "Grandma never wasted money, as far as I can remember".

Emily gave a wry grin. "Grandma took the settlement money and played the stock market using her sight to make good investments. She evaded the IRS with shady accountants and off shore accounts. She would make bets on sporting events using a proxy. She lived the life of a quiet widow but bought politicians like someone else would buy a new winter coat. Grandma was like Robin Hood, she gave most of it away."

Emily seemed lost in thought for a second and then refocused. "She never gave up on finding you, but your mother and her boyfriend were in a witness protection program and we never found you. Grandma said that you were coming back. About ten years ago Grandma began to have visions about something terrible happening. She began to build houses for all of us. Ashton and I have always been close and she built our houses together. She bought another farm for Paddy and built a home for him. Jesse's house was built for his mother and father. She bought the farm beside of that house for Jesse and built him a house there. I designed all the houses even this one. Grandma built this for you and all the people that were coming with you. There are things in this house that no one knows about because we planned it that way. Grandma ran out of time, but the hydroelectric dam was her last project. She made certain that the politicians came up with the money before she died. That is why I work twelve hours a day and seven days a week. I want to see her vision fulfilled. The dam will provide enough electricity for Adair and surrounding communities if we learn to live simply."

Carol said, "How does the sight work?" She was mindful of the vision she had had of her home being attacked.

Emily answered, "I started having glimpses after Grandma died. Just like flashes at first and sometimes something more. I started seeing you before all this happened but I never could find where you were. You were always just in a house, and it could have been anywhere. "

Carol thought about her life and she had stayed in the house all the time. That was what Ed wanted and she had been too afraid of him to defy him. "How much do you know about my marriage to Ed?

Emily answered honestly, "More than I want to know, and I am glad that Daryl is the kind one that Grandma said you would find. I know that you are upset that he is off on this run, but Glenn chose them and I know that they are going to make it back."

Carol felt an enormous relief. Emily was too honest to say that if she didn't believe that to be true. "I think I had a glimpse last night, and it has been worrying me all morning. I saw this house being attacked by marauders."

Emily nodded, "I had a flash like that last night too, that is why I am here, I know this sounds like the X Files but I saw it and I came to warn you. Have you had any flashes before? Carol, you will learn to trust it. Don't be afraid to stand up and say what needs to be said. Now let's get your friends together and make plans to keep this homestead safe".

The four women drank coffee and decided on watch schedules. Emily suggested that they use some cameras to keep watch over more of the property. She had installed a system like that at her house and it covered their compound. She had the leftover equipment and would put it in today. It used very little electricity so they should have enough. Michonne volunteered to clean all weapons today and Andrea was going to check the fences. Later, they would go over the plan with Carl and the girls.

Carol and Emily walked over to Jesse and Michonne's and found Tyreese and Sasha working in their greenhouse. They sat outside on the deck and drank iced tea and discussed the situation. Carol said that they were welcome to stay at the homestead but Tyreese was worried that if they left that this house would be robbed. They would stay there but would take turns keeping watch at night.

Brian McKenzie was surprised to see Carol and her cousin at his door but welcomed them into the house. Maggie, Beth, Brendan, and Brian were living here until Glenn came home. Brian listened to Carol and Emily warn them that they were afraid that the mountain might be robbed. Brian took it seriously because he had been worried about it too.

Carol was relieved that Brian was well prepared. Maggie and Beth had brought over their weapons and valuables. Brendan had taken over the truck and loaded all their food and put it in the basement here. They would set up watches for the night and keep alert. Maggie thought that they should move the vehicles inside the garage at night. Brian was worried about his horses and said that he would sleep in the barn if he had to.

Brian found himself watching Emily. Ashton had told him that she was brilliant and worked at the dam in town. She had a daughter because he had met her when he visited Ashton, but she was always at work and he had never really met her. Brian thought that she was an attractive woman but she way out of his league.

Brian showed Emily and Carol some of the things he was creating in his blacksmith shop. Carol looked at his work and knew that Brian was an artist. He was making an iron door with an intricate design. He had created bars for windows and doors that looked ornamental but were strong and sturdy enough to provide security. Her favorite was a horse made of differing lengths of iron welded together and setting on a little stand. Brian held it up to the light and Carol saw that it became a thing of magic. It was designed to be in a window so that the horse would always have light behind it. It was a gift for Lizzie's birthday and he and Daryl had worked together to design it.

Carol and Emily walked back to her house talking about Brian's work. Carol had noticed that Brian seemed interested in Emily but Emily didn't seem to notice. She had liked his artwork though and was hoping to commission a barred door for the front and back of her house.

Carol saw Carl outside and him over to walk with her to Ashton's compound. She was a little worried about Emily walking by herself. Carl didn't mind and they talked with him as they walked about keeping the place safe. Carl thought it was a great idea and Carol had visions of Carl on the roof with a 50 caliber rifle ready to blow marauders into bits. They said goodbye to Emily at the gate and she and Carl walked and talked on the way back. Something wicked was coming their way but her family would be ready to protect themselves and their property.

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