“I thought you were a big-wig,” said Jerome to Kat.
“Just a hunter,” she said, a smirk sliding across her face.
“You need approval to come up here?” Tye said.
“Unless you’re a guard, leadership, or approved by leadership, nobody’s allowed above the first bowl without permission.”
“Protecting the water and food supply?” Tye asked.
“Something like that,” Grady said.
They passed a bathroom and someone came out, wiping his face with a rag. “They work,” Tye said, pointing at the bathroom sign.
“We re-routed the pipes, and the supply comes from rain catchers mounted on the lighting supports, but most of the fresh water is rationed. We use gray water for the toilets. The waste pipes were re-routed and run out onto a leeching field where we grow berries and potatoes. The zombies hate the smell of those,” Kat said.
“So if it’s yellow, let it mellow,” Grady said.
Tye laughed. “I haven’t heard that one in…” How long had it been? “May we clean ourselves up? Drain the main vein.”
Grady laughed. “Touché.” He looked at Kat, who nodded. “Sure. Why not? Hurry it up, though.”
Tye took Jerome and Peter into the men’s room, and Milly and Robin headed for the ladies’ room. The interior was dark, but he still caught the sign of the turtle etched into a tile low on the wall.
Tye chuckled as he watched Jerome and Peter gaze about in awe. They’d been relieving themselves in an outhouse poised over a crack in the cliffs their entire lives, and a functioning toilet was like a spaceship. Tye showed them how everything worked, and when they were done, Peter and Jerome were awestruck by the porcelain goddess.
Milly and Robin both looked like they’d just been to Disney World when they emerged from their side. Tye smiled. He liked thinking about those frivolous things the gone world had provided. He remembered riding Space Mountain as a boy, and It’s A Small World. But it wasn’t a small world after all, it was a huge world once again. Did people live in the houses on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? Did they hide in the Haunted House and sleep with the beauty? What was her name?
Gerral waited for them like a king, his audience chamber filled with people. One wall was all glass and overlooked most of Stadium. Conversation fell to a whisper as Tye and company were perp-walked to Stadium’s leader. He was huge; fat rippled over his belt, and a mound of black and gray hair surged from the lapel of his old Army officer’s jacket. He wore a red beret and pulled apart a cooked bird. He didn’t look up, and as they were padded down, Tye scanned the room.
To the right of Gerral stood a man Tye figured to be the famous Tester. He wore Army fatigues, black combat boots, a sidearm on his hip, a rifle over one shoulder, and several knives in sheathes on his legs and arms. He watched Tye, letting his gaze stray to the others with quick flicks of his dark eyes. Black hair hung in greasy strands around a rat-like face.
They stood before the Jabba the Hut, and Tye laughed out loud at the image. He’d been amazed by Star Wars as a boy, and his current situation reminded him a little too much of when Luke came to rescue Han from Jabba’s lair.
A man stepped forward and raised his hand to strike Tye, but Kat stepped between them. “Easy, Cruncher. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
Cruncher reached out to push her aside but Gerral spoke. “Leave him.” Cruncher stepped aside. “Something funny?” Gerral asked.
“Just a memory of the gone world,” Tye said.
“Have you eaten?” Gerral said.
“No, sir,” Tye said.
“Sir,” Gerral laughed, low and melodious. “Cruncher, bring out the guest table and fetch refreshments for our new friends. This here is Tester, my advisor.”
The hawkish man nodded.
Cruncher complied, and soon they were all sitting and eating charred beef and vegetables. Tye hadn’t eaten so good since before The Day. There were cakes, carrots, broccoli, and wine. Real wine made from wine grapes, not the grape juice garbage they made on Respite. They ate like they’d never eaten before; Cruncher, Tester and the boss watching along with the crowd.
“So,” Gerral said. “What do you think of our little place here?”
Tye looked at his companions, who appeared more than happy to let him be the spokesperson. “Very impressive. Are you ex-military?”
Gerral laughed. “Not hardly. I worked at the U, and thanks to some medical students we self-quarantined early. It was testy when everyone died outside, though.”
“I can imagine, especially since not everyone died,” Tye said. People trying to help their children before they died, denial as to the disease’s strength, and belief in a cure made every decision impossibly difficult as the old world fell apart.
“Tester, can you tell us about the turtle?” Milly said.
The room went silent. Every conversation stopped.
Tester bailed her out. “Eat. Be refreshed. Do not speak of such things.”
“But I…”
Peter almost yelled, “Milly. Not now.”
So the sign of the turtle was controversial. “How did you get here, sir?” Tye said. He didn’t know if Tester had been an officer, but what harm was there in saying a prayer?
“Talking about shit I shouldn’t have.” He looked sidelong at Milly. “And don’t call me sir. I work for a living.”
That awkward silence again.
“Are we free to go?” Tye said.
“You may leave in good time,” Gerall said. “It’s a right hard fought and fairly won that any citizen may leave and return as long as they adhere to the appropriate protocols and possess their proof of citizenship. At first we wanted to maintain the quarantine, but as the years slid by, it made less
