She spotted him sitting on top of the front wall just left of the slanted roof. A rope dangled down and Nora figured that was the only way up. Although in her youth she could have been considered athletic those traits had long since gone. But scaling a wall with a rope was still something she was confident in doing.
The wall was about twenty feet and if she fell off then she was in trouble, however, Nora didn’t have any trouble at all and three feet from the top, Hunters huge hand extended to help her.
Once she grasped it, Hunter pretty much hoisted her up.
“Danger,” Hunter said. “Nora breaks with ease.”
“I think you can give me a bit more credit than that.”
“Hunter does not understand.”
“Nora is not fragile,” she said. “I’m tough. Strong.”
Hunter stared.
“Okay, maybe not tough, but I’m strong and strength doesn’t just come from the physical form.”
Again, Hunter stared.
“If you’re judging me on that one outburst that’s not fair.”
“Hunter does not understand.”
“Which pretty much answers my question of how much does Hunter really get. And this wall is thin why are you not in there?” She pointed to the lookout room that was higher than the wall and above the main gate.”
“Here, can see everything. There…” Hunter pointed. “Blocked.”
With an ‘Ah’ Nora nodded. “Can I sit?” she indicated down as she lowered, Hunter helped her then sat next to her.
“So why this direction and not east or west?”
“John’s friend will come from this way. Any bad will come from this way. The water flows not far from the other side. They will not come across the water.”
“That makes sense. And I came up to talk to you and say I am sorry for my…. hatabitigan.”
Hunter nodded. “You must hatabitigan quite often.”
“Not really, no. I’m pretty calm, it’s just that I got stressed and upset. Understand?”
“Yes. People usually do not hatabitigan when they feel tense. They eat.”
“That too, but when I walked around on this earth, they hatabitigan over everything.”
“Then they must have all been fragile.”
“Emotionally. We were at times a sensitive society,” Nora said. “Maybe that is why I get so worried about survival.”
“Hunter will teach you. You will not fear what tomorrow brings. You will know of your survival.”
“That is so nice of you.” She tapped his leg. “And I can teach you.”
“Hunter would like that.”
“Oh, good. And I bring a peace offering.”
Hunter looked curiously at her.
She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out an item wrapped in a small piece of cloth. “In Rantoul they make their own chocolate bars. It’s really good.” She unwrapped it and handed it to him. After he sniffed it, Nora said. “It’s delicious. Good. You eat it.”
“Yes. And Hunter will not hatabitigan your gift of food.”
“Hunter will not…” Nora paused. “Ah… gees. Hatabitgan doesn’t mean bitch. It means waste. That’s what you were telling me when you gave me the apple. Do not waste it.”
“Hatabitgan.”
“I got it now. Boy, we do have a lot to teach each other.”
Hunter broke the candy in two and handed her a piece.
“Thank you.” She accepted it and smiled. “This is going to be a very interesting night.”
The sound of it not only woke Meredith, it caused her to jump awake. “What the hell?” she said, sitting up in her sleeping bag.
The noise rang through the silence, echoing in a booming manner.
“John,” she called him in a hard whisper. His sleeping bag was next to hers. “John.”
“What?”
“Do you hear that?’
Again it rang out.
“How can I not? Yes.” John sat up.
“What is that?”
John pointed to the wall. “Laughter. Hunter is laughing.”
“Hunter laughs?”
“Apparently so and odd too.”
“It sounds like whooping cough.”
John chuckled. “If you listen you can hear it’s actually laughter when it’s softer, but when he roars with laughter, we get…”
Hunter did the barking laugh.
“That.” John said.
Meredith squinted. “Who is that with him on the wall?”
“I believe that is Nora.” John paused. “Jealous?”
“Actually, yes.”
Shocked, John’s eyes widened. “Really.”
“Yeah. We couldn’t get him to laugh like that.”
“Well, she was supposed to be funny before we went into hyper sleep. That’s what she said.”
“Hmm.” Meredith shook her head. “I just don’t see it.”
“Me either. Perhaps her humor only appeals to a post apocalypse crowd.”
“Maybe.”
“Goodnight, Meredith.” John lay back down.
“Goodnight, John.” Just as Meredith prepared to rest back, Hunter’s laughter rang out. “It’s gonna be a long night.” She groaned and pulled the sleeping bag over her head.
SEVENTEEN – LEARNING CURVE
Day Twelve AR
Malcolm wasn’t crazy about the Salvation coffee that Maggie continuously raved about, but it served its purpose in keeping Malcolm awake. At first when he took off his heart raced and his adrenaline pumped, then he hit a wall. He pulled over because obviously he couldn’t make coffee and drive at the same time, but Malcolm didn’t remain immobile for long.
Unlike the solar buggy, even the one Malcolm amped up, the van drove at a good speed. Three and a half hours into his trip the expected happened.
Maggie called for him on the Aldervice.
“Malcolm, what are you doing?”
Malcolm didn’t respond.
“I know you hear me, I can see that. If you’re not going to say anything, then listen,” Maggie said. “You’re not in any trouble. I know you’re scared and confused. I do. But you can’t do this Malcolm. I know you think you’re helping your friends, but this is bigger than all of us. You tell me you believe you were chosen to ensure the human race survives. If you believe that, if that is your mission, then you have follow it, because some of you, I believe, are a threat to humanity.”
A pause.
“Malcolm, what about Trey? You brought him on the trip and you left him. You told me where you’re meeting them. I know where you’re going. You can’t keep running. Out there, tire tracks are like footprints in the snow. I know you’re angry about what happened. I promise you, one day you’ll see why. You will and you’ll realize the error of your thinking now. I just hope it isn’t too late.”
At the point where he was going to shut off the Aldervice, Maggie went radio silent. Malcolm didn’t want to end communication just on the outside chance Trey needed him.
He had to keep going and stay the course. If he didn’t fall asleep behind the wheel, he’d be in Champaign by mid afternoon. Getting there wouldn’t be a problem. The highways, while overgrown were completely passable. It was evident that vehicles had moved on the road, heavy vehicles, meaning Salvations Command.
Maggie was right about one thing they would leave a trail. Any course they took off of a Salcom utility road would be spotted. But she was wrong too. Wrong about how he would one day see why they had to kill the hundred people. There was no way any amount of proof out there could justify her actions.
“Were you lying to him?” Trey asked, watching Maggie place the Aldervice away.