Chapter 25

[Tennessee]

It wasn't far to Henderson and it took us about three hours to make the trip. Henderson appeared to be deserted when we pulled in. Jane motioned me to stop at the middle of town. She said, "Let me get out and call for people that I knew."

"Okay, wear a vest." She grimaced but pulled it on and got out. She began to call names and walking toward a corner store. Finally, she shouted, "Is anyone here? Please." It was quiet and then the door to the corner store opened and an older man stepped out. "Uncle Billy!" She cried. "You're alive!" She ran to him and gave him a hug. "Come and meet my husband." He looked a little startled but came toward the truck. I climbed out slowly and walked over to him. As we shook hands, Jane said, "Uncle Billy, this is George Andrews, my husband, and leader of our little group."

He seemed to relax a bit and said, "It's been lonely here. There are four of us who survived. They are at a farm tending crops. I am headed out there. My truck's parked in back." He pulled out a phone and called a number, "Jamie, this is Bill. We have some company. Jane Simmons is back with a husband and friends. Come on into town with Arnold and Ed." He paused. "Yes, it looks good. See you soon. Bye."

He looked at Jane. "Are you planning to live on your old farm?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, you'll be glad to know that Nickel Abe is out there and taking care of it for you. We tried to get him to join us here in town but he kept saying you'd be back. I guess he was right."

"George, we have to go out there, now." Jane had told me about Abe and how he lived and cared for her and her family's farm. Knowing that, I nodded. I told Amos what we were doing. Judith and Bethany wanted to go but I suggested they stay and watch over things. Bethany had a cool head and talking with Judith in the truck gave me a degree of comfort in her judgment. We left alone.

We jumped in the truck and motored out to her farm. On the way, we stopped at a next-door farm. No one was there though it was neat as a pin. We drove up the drive at her place and an older man came out of the barn. Jane jumped from the truck and ran to him. When she got to him, she was hugging and crying. The old man looked happy, too, hugged her tightly.

I came up and said, "You must be Abe?" He nodded. "I am George Andrews, Jane's husband. It's good to see you alive and well." He nodded again. I sat down in a chair on the porch and waited patiently. After a while, the two separated and came to sit with me.

Abe said, "My little girl says you are a good man and took care of her and the others with you. That's good. I've been saving the farm for Miss Jane since the virus started killing people waiting for her to get here unless God called me home to join my Bess. I guess now she's not Miss Jane any more but is Missus Jane. No matter, she'll still be my little girl. I was her dad's friend and I've watched her grow from a baby."

Jane grinned, "Now, you will have to stick around and I think George will make you a grandfather." We both reacted. "Not yet, but soon, I hope. I'm ready and I think George is, too." I nodded.

Abe said, "It will be good to have children around the old place again."

I said, "We'll work on it, Abe." Jane chuckled.

Abe said, "Missus Jane, how many did you bring with you?"

I said, "How did you know we brought friends with us?"

Abe said, 'God told me you would come. He didn't tell me your name, George, but that you would come to protect the future and that there would be a future."

Jane said, "Pops, there are thirty-one including the two of us. We lost two in an ambush in Nashville but picked up some women the bad guys had enslaved. Let me tell you the story.

Abe said, "Let it wait, Honey. The others will want to hear it, too"

I said, "You mean Billy and the other three?"

"They will need you, too, though they may not know it yet. There are others that came to me for safety. You will have to take charge of them now." He looked at me. "I told them Missus Jane would bring someone to protect them."

Jane nodded slowly and then said, "Pops, we need to get back to town. Will you and those with you follow us and we can all talk?"

"Yes, Honey. It will take about an hour to get them together but we will come in and bring supper. We can meet at the church."

"Okay, Pops. Until then, be careful." I nodded and we left.

On the way back, I said, "We didn't look at the house."

"No need. Pops would be sure it was immaculate. We'll move in when we return tonight after supper and talking. You need to be ready to take charge, George. It will be up to you in this meeting to set the tone for the future."

"How about a theme of Protection. We help each other, care for each other, and support each other as we protect the best parts of our past while working toward the future."

Jane said, "That sounds great and people will like it." We pulled into town and got out of the truck. Our folk were hanging around the front of the store looking a little ill at ease. There was a sigh of relief when we drove up

Billy was in the store with three others when we walked in. He looked relieved to see us, too. He looked at Jane questioningly. She said, "I talked to Abe. He will be in shortly with some others. We'll meet at church to eat. Then, we will talk."

Billy looked like he wanted to say something but saw my look and stopped.

It was dinnertime when Abe and his people drove into town. They had, as Abe said, brought dinner. For the first time since the virus had run its course, I saw a person who was not a Caucasian. It surprised me. I had privately become concerned that the virus was racial and this appeared to be some confirmation that maybe it wasn't. The scientific side of me was delighted and wanted to look into this further. I decided that I would when the opportunity presented itself.

Abe brought twenty people with him making his contingent the second largest after the group I brought. The four in Henderson were polite but you could tell they weren't happy. They didn't know most of Abe's people nor ours, which explained it. My experience with Southerners was that they like individuals, not faceless groups. A man who was bigoted regarding blacks would care for, enjoy the company of, and be supportive of those blacks he personally knew. He would be standoffish toward any person he didn't know and really standoffish toward any group thrust upon him.

The residents of Henderson knew Abe and Jane. They cared for them. I was accepted, provisionally, because I was Jane's husband. It made for different and interesting sets of interpersonal relationships that I had learned in my trips through the south and in living in Virginia over the years.

At any rate, we all sat down to dinner after Abe gave thanks. That was another southern thing because, in the south, even those who didn't go to church and didn't practice religion were tolerant of those who did. It was considered right and proper. I had become comfortable even though my parents had not brought me up in a church atmosphere. Jane, of course, was right at home with it.

As people finished eating and were just chatting, I stood for attention. Jane had whispered to me that it was time. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the food and for the hospitality. I know I appreciate it. It's good to be here where my wife grew up. We were thrust together by events and have come to know and love each other after we decided to stay together. I'm not disappointed. I hope she isn't either." I let the polite laughter die down.

"I want to talk to you about more serious matters. First, we are survivors and there aren't many of us. Most of the people of this nation and of the world died of the virus. I believe we should do more than survive. I believe we should try to protect the good things that this country and we as individuals have been. It's going to take work and we will have to work together. Everyone brings useful skills to the group. My experience and training is in medicine and I spent a year as an emergency room doctor. That skill, such as it is, is available to you all. I don't know much about farming but want to learn. I hope Abe and some of you others will help me become a farmer. We each have skills. If we work together, I believe we can have a strong, viable community.

"Why do I think that's important? There are two reasons. First, a larger group can support one another more effectively. Second, we have found there are some bad people out there and we will need to protect ourselves from them. A group can do that better than single persons or small groups.

"Finally, to create a community takes people. People will be different but, if we unite, we can protect what we have and who we are. It gives us a focal point for civilization to be continued.

"I know that's not much of a speech but I'm not much of a speech maker. Thanks for being here and being who you are." I sat down to a nice hand and saw a number of faces look more heartened than before. Abe shook my hand and Jane gave me a hug.

Billy stood and said, "George, you brought a bunch of folk here. We need to set up temporary lodging for you and help you find permanent homes. I guess you and Jane will live on the farm?"

Abe stood and said, "Yes, they will. I have been keeping it ready for Missus Jane's return. I also knew she would bring others with her so my helpers and I have been making places ready for them to arrive. We have seven houses ready now. That may not be enough but it's a start."