Нора Робертс - Year One

“Go home, Kurt,” Manning advised, and gently drew Lana back. “Go home and cool off.”

Rove turned on his heel, strode toward the back. Of the fourteen who’d raised a hand with him for the nay vote, only nine walked out with him.

“You got balls,” Manning told Lana. “If you don’t mind me saying so.”

“I don’t mind, since I haven’t had them very long.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

For a week, then two, as May blended into June, New Hope built.

A greenhouse, a smokehouse, a picnic area behind the gardens. Twice people wandered in—a group of three, another of five.

With power restored, Chuck combined his brand of magic with Max’s to bring the Internet on line. It was slow and spotty dial-up, supported only a handful of what they’d designated as priority locations, but it added another layer of hope.

Many with missing loved ones lined up daily at the new town library to send e-mails and check religiously for any response.

Even though none came, hope lived.

Though Chuck continued his quest, communication with the outside world remained a void. Arlys might not have been able to surf the Web, but she had the software to publish the Bulletin without hammering at the old Underwood.

And Max wrote.

Jonah quietly moved into Rachel’s bedroom.

The gardens flourished, and if they benefited from a little magickal help, no one complained.

“It feels like we found balance.” Lana sat on her front porch—in a chair painted a cheerful red—and enjoyed sun tea and a sugar cookie from the batch she’d made with her share of supplies.

Arlys sat with her, as she often did at the end of the day.

“It’s like an idyll,” she continued. “And this is from the lifelong city dweller. We’ve got fresh cherries, grapes—”

“Which makes you think yeast.”

“I also think tarts and jams and jellies. We’re already getting some tomatoes, some vegetables, lovely fresh lettuce and greens. Bill hauled two cases of Mason jars and lids to the kitchen. I’m watching corn grow, which is amazing to this lifelong urbanite. Rachel said the baby is perfect—and over a pound now. I swear she feels a lot heavier, then I imagine swallowing a pound of sugar, and see the correlation.”

On a contented sigh, she stroked her belly. “Speaking of yeast, we made and dried some. And thanks to Chuck I don’t have to write recipes out until my hand cramps. Plus, Rove and the Mercers and that pissy Sharon Beamer haven’t caused any trouble since the public meeting.”

“Give them time.”

“Oh, no spoiling my happy mood. There’s Will.” Lana waved a hand, signaling him over. “How are things going there?”

“Going where?”

“With you and Will?” Deliberately Lana wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ve felt some definite vibes.”

“Your vibes are off. We’re just friends, with a shared childhood history.” Arlys took a sip of her wine, watched Will cross the street. “But he is nice to look at.”

“Ladies.”

“We’re out of beer,” Lana told him. “But we’ve got wine.”

“I wouldn’t mind some. We’re just back—hunting party.”

“Don’t tell me I’m going to be making more venison sausage.”

“It’s good stuff.”

“Oh well. I’ll get you a glass.”

“Sit,” Arlys ordered. “I’ll get it. Pound of sugar,” she added as she got up, went inside.

“Pound of sugar?”

Lana tapped her baby mound. “Have a cookie.”

“Wouldn’t mind that, either.” He took one, bit in. Shut his eyes. “Oh man, that’s really good. You could make a living.”

“Those were the days.”

Arlys came out with the glass, poured him one. Will leaned back against the fence post. He glanced back as three deer trotted down Main Street.

“It’s a good thing Fred thought of putting that invisible fence around the gardens,” he commented. “We don’t have to go more than half a mile to bag a deer.”

“Also good we approved the town ordinance against deploying a firearm within town limits,” Arlys added. “Or we’d end up with more windows being shot out by accident.”

“You got that. We’re thinking of invading Rachel’s place tonight for some DVD roulette. Are you in?”

Arlys raised her brows. “Who are ‘we’?”

“Dad and me—and Chuck if we can pull him out of the basement—a few others. They’ve got that big screen and the player. Entry fee’s a snack or beverage.”

“I could be in,” Arlys said, smiling at him. He really was nice to look at, she thought as Lana got up and walked to the other side of the steps. “What about you, Lana? An evening of DVD roulette sound appealing?”

“Something’s coming. It all changes. Something’s coming. It always was. Something’s coming. It ends. It begins.”

Will stepped toward her, then rushed to her as she swayed.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He shoved his glass at Arlys and steadied Lana.

“I’m all right. Just got dizzy.”

“I’ll get Rachel. I’ll find Max.”

“No, no, I just got dizzy. I’m fine.”

“I’m getting Rachel,” Arlys insisted, and bolted across the street.

“Here.” Will carried her to the chair, set her down. “What’s this?”

“Ah, sun tea.”

“Okay, that’s probably good. Drink a little. You really went pale. What’s coming?”

“I don’t know.” She laid a hand on the baby. “It was just this feeling of inevitability. And sorrow. I practice, but not as much as I should. I don’t know how to control or interpret as much as I should.”

Rachel, in a T-shirt and cargo shorts, crossed the street at a fast clip. “What’s all this?”

“I just had a moment,” Lana said as Rachel took her pulse. “It came and went. I feel fine.”

“Your pulse is rapid.”

“It scared me. It was one of the feelings I get. They just cover me. I don’t know how to explain. They pour out of me and saturate me. It’s not physical. Not in the usual way.”

“I’ll find Max.”

“Oh, don’t.” As he stepped back, Lana pleaded with Will. “Don’t worry him. I’m fine.”

“He’d kick my ass—and I’d have to help him do it—if I didn’t go get him.”

“All right, all right. I can’t be responsible for you and Max both kicking your ass. Rachel, really, you just examined me and the baby this morning. I know what it was—it’s not medical, and it passed.”

She took Rachel’s hand, then Arlys’s. “Something’s coming, and soon. That’s all I know for certain.”

“‘It all changes,’” Arlys repeated. “‘It ends. It begins.’”

“Did I say that? It’s a little like being outside myself. Or inside. I’m not a seer.” She looked down at her belly. “But she might be. I can’t see what she sees. I just feel it.”

She heard the sound of running feet, but saw Chuck not Max rushing along the sidewalk.

“I got something!” He waved the paper he held, jogging onto the porch. “Contact. Sort of.”

“Internet contact?” Arlys snatched the paper out of his hand before he’d caught his breath.

ATTENTION ALL GOD-FEARING HUMANS

If you are reading this, you are one of the chosen. No doubt you have lost those dear to you and have felt, may still know, despair. No doubt you have witnessed firsthand the abominations that have desecrated the world Our Lord created. You may believe the End Times are upon us.

But take heart!

You are not alone!

Have Faith!

Have Courage!

We who survived this demonic plague wrought by Satan’s Children face A Great Test! Only we can defend our world, our lives, our very souls. Arm yourselves and join The Holy Crusade. Will you stand by while our women are raped, our children mutilated, while the very survival of humanity is threatened by the ungodly, by The Uncanny? The future of the Human Race is in our hands. To save it we must soak them in the blood of the demon.