Chapter 2

Eventually I set down my book, having read a few chapters and having finished my modest lunch. The rest of the day I spent doing various chores, weeding the garden, bringing water up from the nearby stream, and anything else that needed to be done while the sun shone. The water was always an annoyance, since the stream was just downhill from our clearing, and we had to carry it by bucket. None of us knew how to dig a well, and our few attempts to repair the existing one on the property had yielded little to no results. We had simple rain catchers set up on most of the roofs, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for drinking, hygiene, and crops all. So in the meantime, we used the tried and true bucket, though it was definitely one of the least favorite tasks, everyone took up enough that nobody spent an entire day doing it or anything.

Fairly soon the sun hung low on the treetops, capping them in a gold crown for only a fleeting few minutes before the sky turned dark. Already the central firepit was ablaze, and our community had begun to gather around. Marcus and his wife Loretta were stooped over a large pot we had salvaged from a rustic restaurant that used to use it as decor. The weight of it seemed almost too much for the tree branch tripod from which it hung, but the construction held firm. The pot was an enormous cast-iron cauldron that looked as though it ought to be used for a witch’s brew. The soup which was now cooking inside of it was no love potion, though its aromas were enchanting in their own right. A freshly-made vegetable soup with potatoes, leeks, and carrots from our garden (curated by Loretta) made a wonderful base to which Marcus added chunks of the rabbit we had skinned earlier today.

While the soup sat over the fire, people began to socialize and to take on those tasks which were better suited for low light. Some people patched small holes in their clothing, running to and from the storehouse to grab scraps of fabric and other materials we’ve scavenged over time. Others made plans for further improvements to the camp. Chris seemed to be working on a plan for some kind of water pump, he was a junior in high school when everything happened, but he was interested in engineering and was always had ideas for how to make our lives out here easier.

“Hey Chris, whatcha working on there?”

The young man looked up from his notebook, the dusting of facial hair on his upper lip emphasized his youth. “Water pump. For the garden. Until we can make a well at least.”

“Anything I can help with?”

He shrugged his shoulders, held for a second, and said, “Yeah, actually. I’ve got the plan all laid out here,” he moved his hand over a crudely drawn map of our neck of the woods, with our camp up on the hill and the stream to the north. From the stream he had drawn a dotted line all the way to the garden, ending in a scribble which signified a water pump “I just need some supplies. We have just about all the piping in the workshop to start it off, but I need joints, plumbing tape, and the pump itself.”

I nodded my head and agreed to help. It would require that I go into the city for a scavenging run, but I felt it was about time I go again anyway. Mentally I began to prep for the journey. Not only would I need to get the materials for Chris’ project, but there were many other bits and bobs needed to restock our workshop and any small electronics Christie could use to get us some power. Needless to say, I’d also want to make room for any working guns and ammunition I found, though you don’t find much of that in the city proper these days. I stood up and announced to the group my intentions to leave tomorrow on a scavenging trip, and to let me know if there was anything for which I could keep an eye out for them. Most everyone was set for now, aside from things which I already had on my list.