Роберт Уилсон - Days Since... - Xavier - Day 853

Xavier stopped for a moment to admire the impressive garden—organized and maintained. Only the makeshift wall of metal and wood separated the uniformity of the crops from the wildness of nature.

Women and young children sang as they worked among the neat rows of stalks and vegetation. Xavier couldn’t help but sing along to the words that he remembered from when he was younger. He looked on while the kids half-played and half-worked—running, digging; laughing, planting. They seemed so happy. Those days were over for Xavier. At fifteen, he was considered a man among the citizens of River’s Edge.

“Everything looks all right,” Xavier said out loud to himself, as he started toward the farm supervisor. He inspected the water lines that ran along the furrows while he continued in her direction—any excuse to talk to her. She had only recently joined River’s Edge but had already made a strong impression upon the settlement. She was sharp. She had to be. Her position was too important.

He watched her as he moved closer. The morning light accentuated her blonde hair that hovered lightly over her shoulders. Her arms were striped in varying shades of brown from long days in the sun. He remembered her eyes being blue but couldn’t be sure. There were only a handful of times he had been close enough to notice. Xavier knew that she was born three years before him. He had overheard some of the older teens talking about her, dwelling on her soft appearance, discussing how she was legal now. Legal? What does that even mean anymore?

Xavier stalled, briefly peering at her through the spaces between the leaves and stems. She’s so beautiful. He started again. As he neared, she faced him, breaking her conversation with a younger boy. She patted the boy on his bottom, and he ran off giggling toward the livestock pens.

“It’s good to see the water lines are still working,” Xavier said, his eyes lazily assessing the situation, wanting more than anything just to rest upon her.

“You’re not kidding. It was only a slight hiccup yesterday, but I’m afraid it’s only going to keep getting worse.” She lifted one of the water lines slightly from the dirt and let it fall back into place. “Several of the hand pumps are getting old and aren’t pushing enough out. Something needs to be done to their seals. We have their bases wrapped with tarps to catch the water as it leaks, but really, they just need to be replaced.”

Xavier paused for a moment. I don’t know if we even have any more of those. “I’ll talk to Grant, but I think the best we can do is disassemble them and rebuild.”

“If that’s what it takes, that’s fine.” She turned her gaze over to the hand pumps. “I’m just trying to look ahead. What we have still works, but it’s not ideal.” She turned back to Xavier, her face cracking a smile. “If it stays like this, that leaky pump will eventually flood the whole courtyard. We’ll probably all drown.”

“Really?” Xavier smiled. “You’re ridiculous.”

She laughed. “No joking around with you, Mr. Serious.”

Xavier politely laughed with her.

“We really do appreciate the help,” she said. “I’m just teasing with you.”

“No, I know. I don’t mind a good joke now and then… Just let me know when you have one.”

“I see what you did there.” She smirked while rolling her eyes.

“Anytime something comes up just let us know. It’s not a big deal. I’ll make sure I let Grant know about the pumps, but it’ll be up to him what we do with them.”

She nodded.

“Oh, and speaking of Grant, he was upset last time it rained. You guys have to make sure the gutters get diverted back to the interior reservoir tanks.”

“Yeah, I know. I filled out the situation report and gave it to the mayor’s office. It was an oversight on our part and won’t happen again.”

“I know you know, but that’s Grant for you. He’ll bring it up again. I’m just giving you a heads up.”

“Fair enough. You want something before you go?” She gestured toward the baskets of fresh produce.

“Maybe later.” He raised the water cooler slightly from his shoulder. “I have to fill it up before I do anything else.”

He took the cooler over to the tanks of filtered water and set it in the grass just below the spigots. He opened the valve and listened while it filled with the day’s ration. The water flowed freely, splashing as it fell until it slowed to drops as Xavier closed the valve. He lugged the cooler back toward the hallway.

“I still have to go by supply after this. Is it okay if I come back through later and grab something?” Xavier asked.

“Yeah. That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be here.”

“Can I grab something for Grant too?”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt to butter him up a bit.”

“Not at all. That’s why I asked.”

“Figured… It’s Xavier, right?”

“Yea-ah,” Xavier’s voice cracked. His demeanor soured in front of her. He tried to walk away but stumbled a bit, spilling some of the water. Xavier’s cheeks turned red.

“Do you remember mine?”

A blank expression hung upon Xavier’s face as he tried to gather himself to say something. Anything. But he didn’t. He just stood there. He set the cooler down and reached out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you…” Ugh, what is it?

“Lana… You really didn’t know?”

“I’m not sure you ever told me.”

“Fair enough.”

She smiled at him as he broke his grip from hers. He turned and slunk away from the awkward end to their conversation. Nice to meet you? Nice to meet you? What’s wrong with you? “Remember her name. Lana. Lana,” he muttered under his breath as he made his way back to the maintenance shop. “Just keep it simple when you go back for the food.”

The promise of breakfast excited him. He picked up his pace, causing the water to smack against the lid of the cooler. He had already spilled once and couldn’t afford to lose more. Slow down.

“Hey, Alex! Help me with this!” Xavier called into the shop. Seconds passed. “Come on, Alex! It’ll only take a minute!”

Alex peeked around the corner then ducked his head back in.

“I just saw you! Come on!”

Alex’s head returned, and this time his body followed it out into the hallway. He trudged over to Xavier and grabbed one of the handles. They made their way into the shop and set the cooler down on its shelf. The main room was empty except for the two of them. It was clear that Alex was hiding out. Unbelievable! Everyone else is out working while Alex does nothing. I know I shouldn’t say this, but “Thanks,” Xavier forced it through his teeth.

“I’ll do you the favor of boiling the water.”

“A favor? For me? Really?” Xavier tilted his head with disbelief. “I’m pretty sure everyone will be drinking water today.”

“I’m serious.” Alex nodded. “Seriously, I’ll get it, X.”

“Don’t try and act like that, Alex,” Grant said from the back room. “I told him to do it, so you can get to supply. Now hurry on over.”

“I guess I’ll be off to get my glasses now.”

“I heard,” Alex grumbled.

“Can I ask you something?”

“I guess so.”

“You like your glasses?”

“You get used to them. Like most things.”

Xavier walked the hall while following the lines in between the concrete blocks with his eyes—perfectly level around every bend. A row of blue lockers filled the other side of the corridor. Occasionally, he ran a finger along the grout, sliding it up and down as the opportunity presented itself. He maintained a count of ups and downs that reset at each classroom door that interrupted the game. Just a small form of escape. Something mindless to preoccupy these small journeys through the school.