“I know. I just don’t want to close us off like that, fearing everybody that comes into town. I think that’s one of the reasons the world was so messed up before. I was hoping we were making a better place.”
“I’m with you on that. But it isn’t going to change overnight. We’re still in survival mode here. I’d give these kids the shirt off my back if I knew they needed it. I just want to make sure they’re not going to try and take it without asking, that’s all. ”
Samuel removed his stocking cap and scratched his head. “All right, I’ll go babysit Catherine while you interrogate…I mean, meet the new kids.” Samuel smiled.
Jimmy managed to smile back. “At least you keep me honest.”
“Somebody has to or you’d be eating up all the eggplant.”
A vein throbbed in Jimmy’s forehead and he thought for a second it might be the plague rather than his rising irritation. “Would you stop with the eggplant? I won’t grow so much next year if that will make you happy.”
“Sure. What about the broccoli?”
Jimmy punched Samuel’s shoulder. They called them “love taps.” Sometimes Jimmy tapped harder than he really should.
“Tell Ginger what’s going on,” Jimmy said, “Keep them inside until I get there. I don’t want Catherine running off to introduce herself.”
Samuel rubbed his arm. “I’ll be sure and tell Ginger how much you
Jimmy staggered as his shoulder went numb. By the time he regained feeling, Samuel had bolted halfway down the road, laughing at him. Jimmy massaged his shoulder, suddenly fearing Samuel
The kids of Independents were packed in front of Brittany’s when Jimmy walked up, their collective breaths raising a tiny cloud of excitement in the cold. They were in rows from smallest to tallest, all pressed near the large windows. A muffled discussion quivered through the mass huddle and their voices reverberated off the glass.
“What do you think they want?”
“Where did you hear they came from?”
“I wonder if they have pizza.”
“I think the red-haired boy is kind of cute.”
“Ooh, gross!”
Jimmy stood behind the group until somebody noticed his reflection in the window and his name was passed along from kid to kid. They turned as a unit.
“Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“It’s Saturday!” they said, using the voice reserved for stupid grownups. Jimmy guessed he’d graduated early.
“Is it?” he smiled. “Is it really? Well, what do you normally do on Saturday?”
“Play.”
“All right then, you guys go play. As soon as I’ve talked with the visitors I’ll let you know all about them.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to—uh, I mean yeah, I promise.” Jimmy moved sideways, allowing the group to pass. They scattered in ten different directions. He watched them leave and was about to take a step when he realized Emma remained and was looking up at him. Jimmy couldn’t recall the definition of precocious, but thought the word probably applied to Emma.
“Yes, Emma?”
Emma glanced around and then, on her tiptoes, cupped her hands over her mouth. Jimmy leaned in close as she whispered, “Will you find out if the red-haired boy has a girlfriend?”
Jimmy scanned the area before giving Emma the thumbs up. She smiled, patted his hand, and ran off after her friends.
Jimmy stepped through the doors and tipped his hat to the youngest Brittany who was busy rolling silverware inside clean napkins. Her return smile appeared a little nervous. She directed him to the action by pointing a rolled napkin toward Jimmy’s usual table. Mark and Vanessa were entertaining the visitors. A steaming cup of something sat before everyone at the table and Jimmy hoped it wasn’t the last of the hot cocoa.
Chef Brittany could be heard giving orders to the other two Brittanys in the kitchen, preparing for the next meal from the sounds of the rattling pots and pans. Jimmy poured himself a glass of water, partly because he was thirsty, but mostly to calm his mounting tension before entering the mix.
“This is Jimmy,” Vanessa introduced him as he approached. “He’s also on the town council. Jimmy, this is Chase, Patrick and Kessie.”
Chase had black, piercing eyes; made creepier by the dark circles around them. Beyond that, his face was as pale as a white pillowcase and sweat beaded his brow. His manner appeared older than a kid. Something about those eyes though, caused Jimmy to immediately raise his guard. When Jimmy said hello, Chase seemed more interested in his drink and refrained from shaking hands, claiming he was suffering from a cold. He sure didn’t look well.
Jimmy held out a hand to the red-haired kid, Patrick. Jimmy thought if he could hook Patrick up to a plow then they’d have the fields ready in no time. Patrick crushed Jimmy’s hand when they shook; smiling, as though they were having fun together.
When he shook hands with Kessie, she held on longer than necessary. She smiled, her green eyes twinkling, and she shooed a strand of auburn hair from her face, guiding it back in place. Jimmy wouldn’t call her sexy, but then he was attracted to different qualities. Mainly the ones Ginger possessed.
“What happened to Samuel?” Kessie asked.
Somebody had made an impression. Jimmy knew Samuel would be pleased if someone ever told him. He found a chair next to Vanessa, across from the visitors. “He offered to finish up the work I was doing out in the fields. He told me you guys drove here from Iowa.”
Patrick and Kessie both looked at Chase. Chase sipped his drink, holding the cup in both hands before resting it back on the table slowly.
“We’re from a small town in central Iowa,” he finally said. “After two of the older kids died last month from the plague, we decided to drive out and see if anyone had discovered the cure yet.”
Vanessa hissed and Mark laid a comforting arm around her shoulders. The gaze they shared made it clear that the plague had been on their minds more than they cared to mention. Vanessa would never want to leave little David. Jimmy was sure Mark felt the same way. They all hoped the plague was over while silently worrying every day about its impending approach.
Jimmy squeezed the back of his neck, concerned about how sore it felt. He did a lot of work that made him sore, but still he wondered and that led to the worry.
“We haven’t heard of a cure yet,” he said. It wasn’t really a lie. Catherine might be a cure. Might. And yeah, he wasn’t ready to share her. He reasoned if Samuel thought he was selfish, he could live with that. All he wanted to do was live.
Chase stared at Jimmy for a time before glancing away with a shrug. “I figured as much, but we decided to go find out instead of sitting around waiting to die. We headed west on I-80 and never saw a soul. With winter coming on, I knew we’d better turn back soon. Patrick found some fresh motorcycle tracks leading south so we followed those here. Is this Kansas?”
“Kansas is a couple miles south of here. You’re in southern Nebraska. Samuel’s brother gathered us together and brought us here after all the adults died.”
“Where’s he now?” Patrick asked with a gravelly bass that reminded Jimmy of his dad.
“He passed away two years ago.”
“The plague,” Patrick said.
Jimmy spread his hands. “When he turned eighteen. We were hoping he was the last.”
“Don’t count on it,” Patrick said. The big kid frowned and dropped his gaze to the floor. Jimmy pegged Patrick at being about the same age. Now he was pretty sure of it.
