Chapter 43

We waited while Owen looked around. “We’ll join with you.” He finally responded.

“Okay,” I said, “We’ll be glad for you to be part of us. Two of our current projects are to restore power and to learn farming. Also, we meet as a group every Friday for supper and to talk about what’s going on.”

“Where do you meet?”

I said, “Right now, we are meeting at our house which is across the street and down one from here. You probably heard the cars and trucks last night.” Owen nodded. “Sheila and I live there now. We’re making it our place though it will take awhile. We’re looking for other people.”

One young girl stood and said, “That was my house. Both my mom and dad worked in Atlanta. Owen said that they were caught in the blast and are gone. What do you know?”

Sheila said, “I’m sorry, honey. I’ve seen the crater and it’s huge. If they were inside the perimeter, they would have been caught by the bomb. No one had any warning and it was fast.”

She nodded. Sheila continued, “Would you like to return. Is there anything you want from there?”

She thought a moment and then nodded. She came up to Sheila, smiled and said, “Would you become my mother?”

“If you want me to be your mother, I would be honored. Riley then would be your father, he’s my husband.” Sheila told her. She smiled up at Sheila happily.

I left an HT with Owen as our new daughter gathered her things with the help of Sheila. We left to continue to search. Owen told us that the houses on each side of the one he was in were both empty with no animals.

We pulled in two houses over honking the horn on our Hummer to announce our presence. There was no one there and we found no animals, alive or dead. We moved on to the next house repeating our honking. Someone looked out a window. Sarah, our new daughter, whispered. “A mean man lives here. Be careful.”

Sheila nodded. I got out wearing my vest and carrying my rifle. I called out, “Hello. We come in peace, if possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m standing out here talking but am armed and will return fire.”

“I just want to be left alone.”

“As long as you leave others alone. We are a large group that is moving into the area. There will be more traffic on the road with people working and trying to improve life for all. We want to be peaceful. We are trying to get electrical power back so you might turn things off.”

“I’m disconnected from the power grid. I will safe the wires. Just leave me alone and I’ll ignore you.”

“Okay. If you want to talk, let us know. Bye.” I got in the truck and backed out of the drive. We went to the next house. It was vacant with no animals around. After that Sheila wanted us to head home.

We pulled into our driveway and Sarah got out and ran inside. We followed her as she went into a room that obviously looked like a girl’s room. I remembered looking in the room when we claimed the house and closing the door. Sarah looked at us standing in the door smiling at her. “This was my room. I’m glad to have it back.”

“We’ve been saving it for you, Honey.” Sheila offered.

Sarah came to us and hugged us both. “Thank you for making me your daughter. I’ve missed having a family.”

“Just be patient with us, Honey.” Sheila said. “We’ll have to learn but are looking forward to you being a part of us and us being part of you.” I just smiled and nodded.

I said, “You’ve also picked up an uncle and aunt. Our friends, Joe and Nancy, will be proud to claim a relation to you.”

We all hugged.

After a moment, we heard a knock on our door. Joe and Nancy were at the door. I opened the door and said, “Come in.”

I said, “Nancy, Joe, meet our new daughter, Sarah. We met her at a house across the street where she was living with a group of kids who lived in the area and lost their parents to the aliens. They seem to be a good group and want to be involved with us.

“Next, we met a man who wanted nothing to do with anyone. I did warn him that we planned to get the power restored. He said he was disconnected from the grid but would cap the wires. We headed back here for lunch and so Sarah could reclaim her room.”

Joe smiled. “He must be a prepper or just doesn’t like people.”

Sarah said, “He’s a mean man and was before the aliens came.”

Sheila said, “He doesn’t want to mess with Riley. Your new father protects people.”

Sheila and Nancy with Sarah’s help prepared lunch while Joe and I watched after setting the table. The five of us ate together and talked getting to know Sarah better. She is a clever young girl of twelve years who has become mature beyond her years probably because of the aliens.

Sarah said, “Owen kept us close to the house because of the aliens. He didn’t want us to attract attention. I think he was also afraid of bad men coming into the area and searching us out. He worried about Mom Sheila when she came up but I knew better. I made him talk to her and to Papa Riley. When they left, I went with them. I like getting my room back and Mom is a great cook. I feel safe with Dad.”

She got to know Joe and Nancy as her uncle and aunt. We enjoyed having her with us. She wanted to learn how to shoot from Joe and me. I thought about it and said that I had a twenty-two rifle in mind for her to use to start.

As we all finished our meal, Joe asked what we would do this afternoon. I told him that more house checking was my plan. He nodded. Sarah said, “I want to go with you. I don’t want to be alone and I knew most of the neighbors around here.”

Sheila said, “Sure, Honey. We will appreciate your help and understand not wanting to be alone. All of us have been there and it wasn’t fun.” A few minutes later, we all left to continue our efforts to knock on all the doors and track who might be left.

We pulled out of our drive and headed in the opposite direction. We went down the road past the house that Alex had claimed and started looking. We pulled in at the next drive. Sarah said, “My friend, Beth, lived here. She was probably at school. I haven’t seen her.”

Sheila got out of the Hummer as I honked. No one came out nor did it look like anyone had been there in a while. The front door was locked. Sarah said, “They don’t look their back door.” I went with Sheila around to the back with Sarah holding my hand. It was unlocked and there was a smell. We found their dog who had been trapped inside and starved to death. Sarah cried over him a bit. “He was a good dog. Beth and I played with him a lot.”