Nathan Jones - First Winter

To his surprise Lewis was already there when he arrived, smoothing the logs Trev and Matt had brought in yesterday. They’d already limbed them but the hasty job had left stubs, sometimes no more than an inch long, from the thicker branches. His cousin was shearing those off, as well as any spots where the bark protruded too far.

“Hey thanks for the help,” Trev said, grabbing an axe to start notching the logs to be fitted together.

Lewis shrugged. “It’s the least I can do after all the help you’ve given me with my own room.”

They talked a bit about the new townspeople and their thoughts on them, then eventually fell into a companionable silence as they worked. They were nearly to the point where Trev would need to go out and get more logs when his cousin cleared his throat. “So Linda tells me you’re building this room for when you get married. Or actually she tells Mary, who tells Mom, who tells me.”

Trev’s hands were full of the last log they were lifting into place on a wall, or he would’ve slapped his forehead. “Of course she did.” He set his end in place and shoved it slightly to make sure it was steady. “I’m a bit embarrassed to have you helping me, or anyone for that matter, since I’m building it for myself.”

Lewis got out his knife and began dislodging bits of bark to help the logs fit together better. “Yeah, Linda thinks you should give it to her. Or at least your parents.”

He grimaced. “I still might, depending on how things go.”

That wiped the smile from his cousin’s face. “Right. How is, um, that going?”

It was uncomfortable to have to dance around what Deb had been through, and her continuing struggles to recover from it. Especially since everyone, with typical nosiness, seemed to be waiting for her to get over a traumatic life-changing event already so she and Trev could start ringing the wedding bells.

As it stood Trev wasn’t even sure she wanted that. Their bonding was mostly emotional, and hesitant at that. She rarely so much as touched his arm, and all physical contact was from her to him; with him tiptoeing around her issues he literally avoided touching her with a ten foot pole.

Sometimes he felt frustrated at the situation, and guilty for being frustrated. He was willing to give her all the time and support she needed, however she needed it, and he didn’t complain about that. But it was fair to acknowledge that it was also hard on him, wasn’t it?

His silence seemed to have been answer enough for Lewis, who cleared his throat awkwardly. “Right. Well anyway you’re going to have to hold off on this project for now.”

Trev blinked. “I’m using my free time, little of that as I have.”

“Yeah, well even so it’s more of a luxury project when there are plenty of things we need to do just for survival.”

“Like what? I’m stocking up on food for the family as well as anyone.”

His cousin gave him a pained look, as if asking him why he was making this difficult, then got straight to the point. “I’ve been talking with Matt. All the animals in the community are going to need shelter, and since we’ll be building shelter for the town’s livestock anyway he’s agreed to make it communal. Everyone who has animals can house them there, as long as they help with the barn’s construction and gathering fodder.”

Lewis gestured idly at the shelter group’s animal pens. “We’ll be putting the rabbits and chickens in there too, since the natural heat of the animals will make it a good spot. And having all of them together will make things simpler and more comfortable for doing chores, as well as making it easier to guard them.”

Trev nodded slowly. “Okay. I still don’t see what that has to do with me, though. You guys all got your animals while I was gone.”

That drew another pained look. “Yeah. Well the thing is there aren’t actually that many people in town with livestock to house, and a barn is a big project.” Trev gave him a flat look, and Lewis hastily continued. “Which is why Matt’s promised to give anyone who helps out a lamb or kid from the next ones born.”

In spite of his slight cantankerousness that drew Trev’s attention. A dairy goat was a pretty tempting offer. Although he wasn’t sure if it was worth the labor of helping construct a barn. “A doe?”

His cousin sighed. “Everyone’s asking for does. But in this case, all things considered, Matt will probably agree. Which is lucky for you, since so far the only other person he’s thinking about guaranteeing a doe to is Robert, and the guy’s a skilled carpenter.”

“I’m getting paid as much as a skilled carpenter,” Trev repeated doubtfully.

“Well no. He’s going to promise Robert the first twins born that include a doe, which could mean two does or a doe and buck.” Lewis gave him a pleading look. “Come on, the shelter group needs that barn. We’ve got a good chunk of the town’s livestock between all of us. I promise if you end up doing more work than a goat’s worth, I’ll make it up by helping you build your hopefully-not-for-long bachelor pad.”

Trev sighed. “You’re all going to just keep assuming I’m building this so I can marry Deb, aren’t you?” His cousin just shrugged, smiling slightly, and he sighed again. “All right, let’s go build a barn.”

The 28 injured veterans Aspen Hill had agreed to take in arrived the day before Rick and Alice’s wedding, brought by Corporal Bryant in a troop transport and a medical truck.

There were 27 men and a woman, all under the age of 30. Six of them were still bedridden recovering from serious but non-crippling wounds, while the others were either amputees, had suffered injuries severe enough that they’d lost the full use of their limbs, or had other injuries rendering them unfit for combat. The woman, a young private named Carrie Grant, had been blinded in one eye by shrapnel that had also seriously scarred that side of her face. Another private named Nick Davis (no relation to Sergeant Ethan Davis), had been deafened by mortar fire close to his emplacement.

Lewis knew it was a bit cynical to think, but he was relieved to see that the veterans didn’t seem nearly as helpless and unable to care for themselves and contribute to the community as he’d expected. But at the same time it wasn’t completely cynical, because what was good for the town was good for veterans as well, and vice versa. Ultimately it meant they had the ability to provide for themselves and prosper with the rest of the town.

Most of them had brought their service rifles and sidearms with them, and still had the capacity to use them. The six seriously injured would hopefully recover fully. Only four of the veterans had some or all of a leg amputated, and of them two had already been fitted with basic prosthetics that allowed them limited mobility. Three others had lost a hand or part of an arm. Several were there because they’d lost fingers or toes, or for one man a thumb.

The town gave them a hero’s welcome. The same pavilion as before had been set up and a huge (under the circumstances) meal prepared with some of the best food available. The veterans were given their space, but also received an endless stream of townspeople who came by to introduce themselves to their new neighbors and briefly thank them for their service.

After the meal the veterans were shown to their new homes. Houses were being constructed for them, but like with the refugees for the moment they’d been welcomed in with families. Lewis’s own family had offered to take in three; Lewis and Jane would move back into the main room for now so the veterans could share the extension. And the women from Jane’s group had welcomed Carrie into their cabin, which was now quite crowded with Deb in there as well.