Blake handed out basic orders to everyone else. "Fix what you can. Gather up everything that could be useful." They spread from him down the town streets. Some fixing their own houses that collapsed from the major storm. Gathering chunks of metal buried partly in the mud. Barbwire taken down wherever it remained tied.
He went out to find the farmers followed by Marta. They were working on gathering what they could. Hanging the cobs looking mostly dark. A few rotten tomatoes on a table having its seeds plucked out. A few sacks of potatoes covered in fresh roots set aside. Approaching James to check in. "How are things going?"
"Better than first expected. Scoured the fields and found all of that left in the dirt." waving the knife he was using toward the collected stuff. Using the blade to scrape out more seeds from mushy tomatoes. "The potatoes were at the back of the barn regrowin' on their own. We can plant them right away if you want?"
"Uh. … What do you use to water all of this? The lake and river?"
"River only, why?"
"I don't know if it's poisoned or not. There were a lot of dead fish when I crossed the lake."
"Yeah, we worried about that. Many of us noticed it depends on which part you were at. Down round the main river the mines leached out to it. Spreading further into the lake. Anybody who drank from there suffered some serious illness. Us, meanwhile on the split river creek did fine. Long as you didn't eat the fish jumping up and down river rapids in between."
"So the creeks fine, but fish aren't?"
"We can strictly take northern river water and be safe. Otherwise there ain't much more we can do. Canned food we can live off of a little while longer. Have to mention though that our pantries are gettin' tight. Something Knoth always made a point of not mattering." James repeatedly side eyed Marta for a reaction. faking the priest's voice next. " "Ignore your empty bellies for soon we'll be feasting off God's harvest in heaven.". " Dropping the act. "I think he sang a different tune in private."
"True. Can't live strictly off hunting for forever. Sounds like you didn't have the same faith."
"Hard to after a while." Watching Marta. "Faith works like food. Can be good for ya or bad. With Knoth we had a black moldy loaf of bread. Starved, we ate in the hopes it'd kill the pains. Deep down I think we all knew it only made things worse. Made us sick from the inside out. Might take some longer than others to see it. This place used to be better, not so rotten, although I admit it still had its dark spots that we ignored. I pray from here we can get better."
Blake breathed out a "Yeah." Telling James to plant the potatoes despite the concern about their water. Asking next. "What's with all the tall fences and barbed wire?" Didn't know you could put corn in a max security prison.
"Couple reasons, Thieves or escapees. Certain people ate first and the rest got desperate for scraps."
"Mm, I don't think it's necessary anymore. Break them down If you have some free time." Finishing his check in. Passing through town to try and find the group of hunters. Wanting to learn himself how to trap and forage. Marta limping beside him had him think of what she should be doing. Can't be an enforcer anymore, shouldn't have been in the first place. I guess every town needs a sheriff to break up disputes though. Won't have to kill anyone, she's intimidating enough to stop people from fighting. But her limp could drag her down if things get serious. Feeling bad that she was limping to follow him everywhere. "You don't have to come. You can rest at home if that's better for you."
"No." she stated then spoke out what sounded like an excuse. "I won't miss the word of a visiting Angel."
"I'm not- … What if the angel tells you to go home?"
She let out a rough hum. "... Then I'll go home."
"Then go home." He stopped and so did she.
An annoyed bible verse mumbled before she asked. "What will you be doing?"
"Learn how to trap and forage until the day ends. I'll come back and maybe we'll all get to eat something that's not canned. Go home and rest your ankle."
"It's fine, I can still move."
"You shouldn't be walking on it. I'm ordering you to go rest." Smiling at her mumbled along verses when turning to leave. Splitting with one heading up the mountain and the other down. Traveling around the forest while keeping Temple Gate insight he found the group of hunters. Gathering around a cluster of berry bushes. Listening to John explain trapping while they worked. Blake was greeted as he joined in. Caught up to where they were in the lesson. Reported to on where rabbit wires were set in the hopes they'd snag something. Based on how many baskets of berries they collected he hoped everyone would get at least a small bowl's worth. Having some luck with the rabbit wires. Not enough for everyone between the small numbers caught. It turned into a topic of who would get some.
John stated what felt like the obvious. "You should take one."
"No, there are a lot worse than me." Wish I could feed everyone with a single rabbit. "Think we'll find anything else today?" taking in the sun approaching the horizon.
"Maybe, up on the mountain side we used to find a ton of edible plants. Wild onions to carrots were up there. Don't know how much we'll find now. Since heretics were running rampant all through these woods."
Blake nearly choked on his spit at the mention. "You think we'll see any?"
"I'm sure we won't. This is considered a bit far from where they normally spread out. Long as we keep heading west toward the sun set."
"Mm. … If we do find anything we could try and make a soup. Boil everything in a big pot, if we have one. Keep starvation back for a day."
"Sounds good. I know a lot of leafy greens that should be up there. Not as filling as actual vegetables, but good for now. … What will you do about the heretics?"
"... I don't know. … Feels weird calling them heretics still. They were just people who wanted to escape Knoth." Stomach churning on the topic. "I rather not get involved unless I have to." Ending the topic there to press forward up the mountain. Collecting various edible plants that satisfied Blake's needs for a soup. No carrots, but they found onions along with a collection of mushrooms on a tree. Their group took a break at the mountain's top to eat a small collection of edible flowers. Some weren't flavorful while some were a bit sour like lemons. Blake winced at his shoved down handful making him drool excessively. Unsure if chewing them of flavor felt better compared to harshly swallowing early. At least he caused others to chuckle at his ridiculous eating. Happy to have a little something in his stomach after so long. "Think we'll make it back by nightfall?"
"Just about." John partly covered his eyes to see how low the sun was set. "Dinners gonna be late by the time we finish cooking it." Carving bits out of a branch making the rough shape of a fox.
"Heh, I used to carve stuff like that. Haven't since I left scho-" His happy memory ruined by another. Jessica. ... I should have carved a rock for her too. Even if it's been years. By the change in Blake's expression John offered him the small carving knife.
"You can have it if you want. They're easy to make."
"You sure?" He perked up at the small gift.
"Yeah, got five more at home. I lose them constantly."
"Thanks." He glanced around him for something to carve. I could make something to place at the graves. Locking onto a dead looking sapling sticking straight from the ground. Its measly branches bare of any leaves with its bark sun bleached white. Tall yet thin enough to fully grasp with a hand. Should be easy enough to take a chunk off. Grabbing onto the whole thing to yank back. Discovering it to be far sturdier than it looked. Shoving it back and forth to yank its roots free.
"Uh, I could find you some wood?" John offered. Watching Blake continue to struggle against the dead sapling.
"No, I'm not letting this tree win." Blake joked through his fight. Ripping it enough to pop it free of the earth. Coming out with it was a smooth rock the sapling grew around. "Wow." he turned it over for a closer look. No wonder it was so sturdy. Dirt brushed away from the roots thick as its own branches. Taking in the whole thing he was excited to start carving. Wanting to spare a lot of it with only a few extra twigs shaved off its branched top. Woodworking was one of the few classes he loved and was exceptionally well at. He cleaned the sapling of any sprouting branches down to a long straight shape. Smaller stringy roots snipped away for a cleaner look. Preserving the smooth rock it had attached itself to. Carving the rough shape of a snake winding down its long length. The head of it coiled just under the rock in a winded back position. Threatening to strike out from under the rock. That was as far as he got before they started to head back. Blake worked hard to carefully carve out the criss crossing scales down the serpent.
Forced to stop when it got too dark to work. Pausing for the moment when they returned to the dining hall. Setting up a whole makeshift process to cook dinner for a mass of starving people. Huge pots gathered to cook chunks of prepared rabbit followed by the various veg. Collected baskets of berry's delicately spread out by the cupful. If there were any extras they'd be put aside for tomorrow. The town was gathered in to be lined up for their dinner. Pots brought out to a bar top outside the kitchen doors for soup to be poured into bowls. Given a cup of berries as a strange side of sorts, but nobody was complaining.
Blake skipped eating for now to finish his carving in the kitchen. Off to the side was a small carved out dove. A fake banner around its neck donning the name Jessica. He planned to place it soon on the stone graves. Smoothing out the last few angles of the rattlesnake currently. Smiling over his finished staff of white turned black surrounding the stone still attached. Its shape resembled a bulky hammer that would surely kill someone if slammed down hard enough. various open areas between the snake lightly carved to show imprints of leafy ground litter. Satisfied that no more needed to be done he left the kitchen to find Marta. Asking around he found out she finished eating a while ago and was back on patrol. He ignored any offerings of food to take before going back out. Wanting to give the walking staff to her soon as possible. Running around in the dark for her going by vague memories of her patrol. Eventually she found him first, leaning against a building to catch his breath.
"Come to find me, Angel?"
"Yes, and you don't have to call me that. Blake's fine." Wheezing for more air. "Made you this." Offering her the walking staff. She inspected it up and down without a move to take it. In fact she leaned away from it. Realizing he'd have to do some convincing. "I thought you would need it to walk. It's lighter than the … Last thing. ... Pretty sure with the rock you could still crack a skull." Based on her negative reaction he was quick to follow up with. "But I saw it more of a defense thing. Better to have and not need than the other way. Everything's fine now, but if anybody needed saving I'm sure you can do it. I promise that I'll never ask you to kill anyone."
Given an honest promise she took the staff from him. A soft spoken. "Thank you." given back.
"Welcome." Turning to visit the child's graves next.
"You want me to watch the streets tonight?" Using the staff to walk more smoothly by his side.
"Well, you don't have to. If people want to run they can."
"What about the heretics?"
"... Yeah. Keep an eye out. Just scare them away, you don't have to hurt them. … Should stop calling them heretics too." Delicately placing Jessica's white dove between some stones across the grave site.
"Then what are they?"
He walked silent as he thought of a new term. Can't call them outsiders. I didn't like that when Knoth used it against me. Strangers? But they're not really. Could call them survivors, but isn't everyone? Just use them or people, but if we need to talk about them it could get confusing. Them just seems rude and ostracizing. Developing a headache from the running in circles he was doing. Settled on a label he himself thought was stupid, but felt right. "Goats."
"Goats?" Marta's brows furrowed. "Why that?"
"It sounds better that the mountains are infested by goats then heretics."
"What shall goats be called then when differentiating?"
"They'll be heretics." Letting out a light chuckle. Marta let out an amused puff of air while giving him a questioning look. It was the first time he didn't see Marta so depressingly serious.
"If that's what the angel wants. I'll watch out for visits by "Goats"."
"Make sure you get some sleep."
"More plans for tomorrow?"
"Nothing like today. More rebuilding, more hunting for food." Entering the dining hall to collect his serving. Long cold by now from when it was set aside. "It takes so long to gather everyone. I don't want to interrupt things so often."
"The speaker horns still work after the storm. I can see the green light out the room's window. It was the best way for word to travel without physically doing so."
Ugh, then I have to use something Knoth touched. Finishing his small meal. "Can you show me?"
"I can." Leading him off toward a large two story house. Neighboring the compound near the helicopter crash site. Fully white with pillars lining the front with a second story balcony. The two front doors boarded over where the glass panels were broken out. A green light shown through a front lower window. Blake checked the doors and found them unlocked. Stepping through he saw the insides far more decorated then other places. Nice large rugs covering the floors. Many paintings covering walls blocked by fine carvings and vases.
Stepping to the radio room he saw Marta staying back outside. "Not coming?"
"This was Knoths home."
Of course it is. "Oh. … Well, he's not here anymore." Coaxing her to step inside. Waiting for her to duck under the doorway before moving deeper inside. Taking in the long set up radio controls. Most he figured out were to alert what was connected and what wasn't. The ones on were green, but many more were blacked out. "Do you know where "Eastern top road" is?"
"A road leading up toward goat infested forest."
"Makes sense." other unlit labels saying eastern this or that. John said the goats were spreading out around there. Pressing a button that was labeled "talk". "Testing." his voice heard loud and clear from outside. "Heh, still works." His smile dropped when he found an orange medicine bottle sitting out not far. Swiping it to read the label. Prescribed to Ethel Garrison. Penicillin G Benzathine - (100mg) to be taken twice daily for 14 days.
Hmm, still in date. Must've bought these from someone recently. Pouring himself a couple to swallow down dry. "We need to find more of these." Holding the bottle up for Marta to see.
"... Those aren't study aids, are they?"
"No, They're antibiotics for all the diseases around here. I said he could've helped the scalled at any time. These are how." Rattling the bottle before setting it in a pocket on his vest. Facing her, she had a burning glare pointed toward the floor. "Did you know?"
"None were allowed to ask, but still others spoke about- ... I was told to quiet them. …"
"How'd people know? A guess?"
"Us who are older once lived on the outside. Convinced by Knoth and rejected by others, we followed him en masse. 'till we settled here. I was far younger then."
"You've been outside? How long ago?"
"Mm." she hummed in thought. "'Bout more than 40 years past since."
"That's - that's a while." he nervously chuckled. "Has anyone been out recently?"
"Jacob has. His last visit may have been a month away now. He was sent out to lead a small group for buyin' a list. Stuff we couldn't make like gas for the generator, "study aids", to name a few. Don't remember seein' his fellow travelers around."
"We'll have to find him tomorrow. It's time for another trip." Leaving the radio room to snoop around the place. Drawers filled by many other bottles left empty. More canned food Blake noted to take back when done. Upstairs he found an office covered in drafts of his gospel. Swept away into the trash bin until it was over filled by Blake. Buried under a pile of fallen papers was a huge floor safe. "Whoa, wonder what Knoths got in here." He grabbed an iron poker by the empty fireplace. Using it as a makeshift crowbar to stab along the sides. Managing to stab it in between the door to force it up. He could wedge it enough to see the door bending up, but not enough to break it. Even with him leaning his whole weight onto the bar.
"Want me to try?"
Blake couldn't answer through his wheezing, giving a tired head nod as he stepped back. Marta set her staff to the side to grip the poker. Slamming it down firmly with a shout that cracked the safe door free. Thrown back to slam into the floor behind it. The poker itself stuck dented in a curve tossed aside by her. Both peered down into the large hidden safe.
"Guess this solves one problem." Pulling out a huge brick of cash. A quick flip told him it was indeed all hundred dollar bills. Laying down on the floor he dipped his head into the dark space. Surprised there was a ladder below buried in the pile. Counting the stacks sitting on stacks of hundreds then sitting back up to stand. "Without messing up the stacks I'm guessing there's at least 9 million on the surface alone. If this thing is six feet deep it might be closer to 27 million. When we find Jacob we'll take some of this and buy everything we can to get things running again."
"Like what?"
"A shit ton of seeds for one. Fuel to keep the generator running." Grabbing a nearby empty prescription bottle off a window sill. "And pills, a lot of them."
"You planning to help the scalled?"
"What kind of angel would I be if I didn't?" Setting the bottle back. "I don't think there's anything else here. Meet me at the hall tomorrow. Bring Jacob if you find him."