Jacqueline Druga - Salvation

When Jason awoke to the smell of coffee he also panicked. Reaching out beside him to only feel an empty spot caused him to sit straight up.

Where was Nora?

He glanced down at his watch, it was after eight and it surprised him that she was awake already.

Jason made their camp in what looked like a stall. John, Meredith, and Blake slept in the courtyard and were sitting around the fire when Jason stumbled from the stall. He scratched his head not seeing Nora.

Meredith waved him over, calling out, “Did you want coffee?”

“Yes, please,” Jason said, walking toward them.

Meredith lifted the percolator from the fire and poured Jason a cup.

“Have you guys seen Nora?” he asked.

“She said she’d be right down,” Meredith answered.

“Right down? Down from where?”

Blake pointed to the wall.

Jason took a double take, nearly choking when he saw Hunter climbing down the rope. “She was up there? When did she go up there?”

“Last night,” John said. “She pulled watch with Hunter. You didn’t hear them? How could you not?”

“I was out,” Jason replied. “I hit the moonshine pretty hard last night.”

“Lucky you,” John raised his cup.

Hunter approached the circle.

“Where’s Nora?” Jason asked.

“Nora… She…” Hunter said. “Is coming. She is fine… dude.”

Jason blinked. “Dude?”

John laughed. “Seems Nora taught you a few things.”

“Yes. Hunt…. I… learned much. As did she.”

“Ugh.” John shrieked. “You can’t stop speaking third person, that’s what makes you endearing.”

“Nora said… I can not do that. I practice.”

Meredith tapped him on the arm. “And you are doing so well.”

“He is,” Nora said as she joined them. “He’ll get there.”

Jason turned to her. “You okay?”

“Yeah, thank you.” Nora kissed him on the cheek. “We had some good conversation last night. Hunter is very insightful, we can learn a lot from him.”

“Apparently,” John said.” He’s been learning from you. He called Jason, Dude.”

“That wasn’t on purpose,” Nora replied. “I was telling him about our culture and the word came up, he liked saying it.”

“And laughing,” Meredith added, looking at Hunter. “We heard you laugh for the first time.”

“Nora is funny. She tells…” He squinted. “What is that called?”

“Joke.”

“Joke, yes,” Hunter said.

“You must be a card,” John said. “Because he was howling last night.”

Nora waved out her hand. “He was easy to entertain.”

“No,” Hunter shook his head. ‘Nora is funny. Tell joke.”

“No,” Nora said. “You need to show us what you made.”

“When done. Tell. They will laugh. From gut. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

“Yes,” John said. “Tell us. We want to laugh from gut. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

Meredith backhanded John.

“Tell.” Hunter requested.

“We would love to hear,” John egged on. “So please share the jokes that had him in stitches.”

“Joke,” Nora said. “As in one. The same one. He kept making me tell it over and over and he kept laughing over and over.”

“Must be a doozy,” said Meredith.

“Not really.”

“Tell. Hunt… I want to laugh.” Hunter said.

“I don’t even know how he got it,” Nora replied. “Okay, I’ll tell it, then I want to see what you made.” She waited for agreement. “What did the woman say when the nuclear bomb hit her city.”

John lifted his hands and shook his head.

“She didn’t. She was devastated.”

John and Meredith both gave polite smiles. But Hunter, he laughed as hard as he did the night before.

Jason closed off one ear with his finger. “Wow. That’s a supportive audience.”

“Funny,” Hunter laughed again and started to walk off. “Come. I show you.”

As they turned to walk away, Blake started giggling.

Jason whispered in her ear. “You’re a hit here.”

What was he doing? John wondered. One moment their new big friend was laughing, the next he was serious as he led them across the fort to the side with the fence. He had seen Hunter working over there the day before, but left him alone.

“If trouble comes,” Hunter said as he moved an old cart. Below it was a dirty piece of cloth, he then lifted that, exposing what looked like a half door resting in the dirt. “Took door from there.” He indicated, then lifted the door.

John stepped forward, peering down. The hole was deep and square. Not big, but large enough for two or three people. In the hole was water, apples and a few MRE. “You made a secret room.”

“Hide if trouble.” Hunter looked at Meredith, then to Nora.

“And here I thought you were digging a latrine,” John said. “This is good. Very good.”

Jason asked. “You think we’ll need it?”

“Never know,” John replied.

Hunter covered everything back up. “Stay for two moons, then head to river. Safe by water. Follow the flow.” He finished covering it. “Hunter… I must rest now.”

“Yes,” John said. “You deserve it. And Hunter… very good job. Thank you.”

Hunter nodded. “Thank you. Pound it.” He held his close fist to John.

“Pound it?” John asked, shifting his eyes to Nora. “Sure.”

He hit his fist against Hunters, and after a half smile, Hunter turned and walked away.

John waited. Oddly, he didn’t move, make a sound, or say a word. He waited until Hunter was out of earshot, and then he released a soft but excruciating sounding, “Ow”, cringing as he grabbed his hand.

He traveled the last two hundred miles on pure energy reserves. More than anything, Malcolm just wanted to pull over and sleep, but he kept thinking how close he was and he had to keep going. It was a quiet trip, Maggie hadn’t even tried to contact him again.

Malcolm didn’t know if he should worry about that, or be glad.

It had been weeks since he saw the others. He would have to explain what happened to Amy, how she was killed early in their journey. He spent most of his driving time thinking how he was going to explain to everyone that Salvation was off the radar, and that they had to go and not look back. How he would tell Nora that her husband was alive and well, but she couldn’t chance going to see him.

His mind raced with plans for the future. How they would survive long term, grow food, and hide. He heard stories about The East, so that was out. Maybe they’d go south, or even back to California.

Malcolm was disheartened when he pulled into Champaign. He didn’t see any of the buggies. He didn’t have a clue if Blake had even arrived yet, it had only been a few days. He worried that the others hadn’t gotten the warning.

There was also a chance the others hadn’t gotten there. Then his tired and dejected feelings quickly turned when he saw the message loud and clear on the storefront window.

A message from Jason.

Rantoul Lives.

He recalled seeing the sign for Rantoul and Malcolm hurriedly sought the map. It wasn’t that far, eighteen miles.

It wouldn’t be long, Malcolm thought and he’d not only be reunited with the others, but he could rest, at least briefly, before heading out again.

Just on the outside chance that Blake had arrived and warned the others about Salvation, Malcolm pulled the Salcom van over about a half a mile from Rantoul. He didn’t want the others to see the Salvation vehicle and worry.

It was only a short walk, it was a warm day and the van was out of sight.

Wandering into town, it took everything not to run down the street hollering out.