CLAIREMBER 2022
Day 11 - TerraSave

"That's the last of it," said Claire, shoving a carton of water into the truck bed. She wiped the sweat off her forehead but was otherwise unfazed.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were stronger than you look," said Neil. "You lift?"

"Close. Grew up with an older brother."

He laughed. "That'll do it."

She smiled. He felt himself blushing and looked away, hooking the bed straps.

Get it together. She's a college kid who's just here to get credit for her major.

He yanked the straps. They didn't budge.

"Alright, let's get this back to town," he said.

He climbed behind the wheel of the pick-up while Claire called shotgun. He turned the ignition and then followed the dirt road from the base into the jungle.

"College kid" wasn't really a fair assessment of Claire Redfield. Sure, she needed to get in her volunteer hours so she could graduate, but there was something different about her, something that set her apart from the other kids who'd flown in from CU Denver that morning.

It wasn't her dedication – all those kids were dedicated. His team out here in Mosquala had gotten lucky with this crop. They were all confident, hard-working, compassionate, and mature.

But Claire? She was on another level.

She gazed out the window. She wore a red shirt, shorts, work boots, and a pair of sunglasses that she'd pushed back like a headband. Her bangs spilled under the shades in a somehow stylish mess. The rest of her fine, auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail that was currently damp with sweat.

"So what do you think so far?" he asked.

"It's beautiful," she answered, not turning away from the window. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"No?"

She shook her head and smiled again at him. "I'm a mountain girl."

He chanced returning the smile. "I'm a beach dweller myself. Ocean City."

"What brings you so far from the beach?"

He shrugged. "Change of scenery, I guess."

"What were you doing before?"

"I was a lawyer."

"Get out of here."

"William and Mary, class of '99. Passed the Virginia Bar that summer. Apprenticed in Arlington."

"What made you give it up?"

"It wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The money was good, but after a while, I couldn't use it to justify defending big companies like Dupont or Pacific Gas anymore. So, I got out of the office. Went to bat for the other side. And now I'm here, helping clean up yet another mess that yet another big company made but doesn't want to take responsibility for. Sometimes it feels like it's never enough. But whether or not it's enough, I'd rather be all the way out here than back there any day. Even during monsoon season."

"Mmm."

"How 'bout you, Mountain Girl? What's your story?"

She quieted for a moment. Then:

"I was in Raccoon City."

"Raccoon…? Wait, are you for real?"

She nodded. "I grew up on the outskirts. After my parents died, my brother and I moved into the city. He was still working there when it all hit the fan."

"Jesus Christ. I mean – pardon my French, but…how the hell did you get out?"

She shrugged. "Luck, I guess. Anyway, I spent some time afterward, waiting for things to go back to normal. But they never did. So, I decided I also needed a change of scenery and switched majors. I'm going to do my damnedest to make sure no one else goes through what I've gone through."

"This is an uphill battle we're fighting, you know. Policy is slow to change, especially since policy makers have the dirty habit of pocketing money from the people who make the problems. It's enough to make you want to fight dirty yourself. You sure you're up for that, Claire?"

"I'm used to fighting uphill battles, Mr. Fisher. I can handle it."

After the hell you've been through, I don't doubt it.

They drove in silence.

"It's Neil, by the way," he said. "Mr. Fisher is some scumbag lawyer I used to know."

"Neil. Got it," said she, smiling again.

His face got hot, so he turned his attention back to the road.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the town square. Two kids playing with a dog ran to greet them. Claire dug out a couple of water bottles and handed them to the kids. They drank greedily, one kid poured the rest of his water for the dog to lap. Laughing, they hugged Claire, who hugged them back and scratched the dog's ear.

Neil realized what it was that set her apart from the other students:

Determination. Pure, unbreakable, unrelenting determination.

I hope she doesn't have anything lined up after graduation. I want to hire her ASAP.