Post by emschld on Feb 14, 2007 19:20:47 GMT -10
I have started another story. See how you guys like this one.
Prolog
It had been three years sense the world had been changed forever with the violence of a world war. It had lasted only 2 days and in the end the world was plunged into chaos. No government had survived. The people who survived the first year and begun to gather in small bands. Some of the bands were nomadic and others were settled into small groups in valleys that were easily protected. Many of the common place things such as gasoline were no longer available in large quantities. Our group had teachers, some scientist, a few lawyers, some farmers, a group of doctors and nurses that had been with the CDC, a small regiment of Alabama National Guard, a small group of people that had lived and worked in nearby cities. We also had a group of young people who had been at MIT and had been traveling through our part of the county when WWIII happened. We had formed a small community that worked together to survive in the aftermath of the days that followed the 2 day war.
One small group had set up a school system to help teach people about things that could be adapted to their lives and replace many of the things that were no longer available to them. We had been able to set up windmills around the edge of the valley so that we had electricity to the community. We had also adapted some of the cars so that they used sun power, thanks to the MIT group.
The doctors and nurses had been able to salvage some equipment from some the hospitals from the nearby cities. We had built a small hospital to have for the time to come when we would need to mend bones and stitch people up after accidents.
We had sent small groups out to gather what could be salvaged in the surrounding cities. They had brought back some of the animals from a zoo that had been a little over 100 miles to the north of us. So we had some elephants, giraffes, ostriches, zebras and several other animals that could be managed. They had set the other animals free. The farmers had been able to save quite a few varieties of live stock. We had cattle, horses, pigs, goats, chickens, cats, dogs and a few exotic birds.
One of the groups had salvaged several libraries from the surrounding cities. So we had built a large building to house the books that had been brought back. We had set up a computer catalog system that everyone was taught to use. We made sure that everyone could read. We felt that education was important and that if we could learn from the mistakes of the past civilization just might survive.
After the second year we began to draft a constitution for the community, one that was patterned after the US Constitution. We wanted to accept any person who was willing to work for the betterment of the community. We formed a government that was ruled by the people. One of the lawyers had been a judge and a very good one. He was elected by the community to be our first leader. He had selected the colonel from the Alabama National Guard as the sheriff to keep the peace.
We had a small group of men and their families that had come into the community in the first year that had been a fire company in a larger city and they had brought two of the companies’ trucks with them. Our MIT people worked had to adapt them so that we could use them in the community.
We selected a small group of people to keep records of the community. It was in this group that I found myself assigned.
Year 3 Month 7
It was hot. The weather now seemed to be either hot or cold. We had not had a spring or fall weather in five years. I was sitting at the community record building that was part of the library. My loose fitting yellow shorts and button up green sleeveless shirt were both soaked in sweet. We did not have air conditioning. Fans had been installed in all the buildings this was because it would use less electricity. I was reviewing the first year books and realizing how many people had come to our valley and been buried on the other side of the ridge. Many were the very old. We used in Northwest side of the mountain for a cemetery it wasn’t usable for anything else.
We had been lucky that no disease had broken out among us. We seemed to be a healthy lot. We had had a number of births; there was not a whole lot to do in the way of entertainment. Of course you did need one male and one female and this female did not have the male part to create an offspring. I continued reading the chronicles of the small valley community. Of those that had come to the valley without a partner there were only a handful left unattached; myself being one of them. I went through the list of the eligible men and found that not one was what I wanted in a significant other. I closed the book and put it back on the shelf. Then I got up and started putting books back on the shelf that had been returned the previous day.
It was while I was on the ladder that helped get to the top shelves that I heard the rumbling of a vehicles pulling up out front. This was strange as most of the cars and trucks we used were now on battery power. The gasoline to power them was just not available any longer. I started climbing down the ladder when I heard the door open and footsteps of several people.
“Hello, anyone at home?” The man in front called. He stood six feet had light skin with freckles and a crop of golden red hair. He stood in the door frame as he removed his sunglasses and hung them around his neck. Light filtered in from behind him. “Eric, Calleigh check upstairs see if you can find anyone. Ryan, Tripp check out back see what there is.”
I stepped down the off the ladder and walked around the corner of the shelf. “Everyone is in the fields. We have to get the crops in before summer is gone.” It was then that I saw he held a gun and it was pointed at me. “If you intend to use that I should tell you that your group wont get very far before our law catches up with you.”
The red head smiled and lowered his gun. “We’re just looking for a place to begin our lives again. Do you think that your small valley could support about 40 more people?” He put his gun in its holster. Just then there was a shout from the second floor.
“H, there doesn’t seem to be anyone at home.” The one he had called Eric was leaning over the banister. “This is a nice library and has got a whole section on forensic science.”
Just then a young blond woman came up beside him and smiling at the book she had in her hand she added. “Yeah, I think you might know the author of this one. Horatio Caine.” She held the book up for him to see.
He got a huge grin on his face licked his lips and raised his eye brows as he looked at me. “I must say the librarian has good taste when it comes to selecting books to save.”
I bowed my head to him. “Thank you. I wasn’t the only one selecting what books to bring back. I did choose that one. As a matter of fact that whole section is one that I put together. As to your question of adding 40 more people to our community there shouldn’t be any problem as long as you are willing to work. I can get you started by getting your information for our records.” I pointed to the central desk. “I’m one the people assigned to be record keeper. So if you would have your people come in and give me the information I will record it. Some of the questions may sound a bit strange. But I assure you that there is a reason for them. My name is Catherine O’Malley.”
He fallowed me to the central desk and waited for me to start the questionnaire. It was loaded on the computer. I pushed a few keys and the form came up. I turned to him and realized how close he was standing to me. It was then that I noticed how blue his eyes were. I cleared my throat and with a smile I said. “When you finish just hit F3 and it will file your information and pull the form back up for the next person to fill out.” I took a step to the side so that he could get to the terminal and he read over the question and then he began to answer them.
As he typed he spoke to me. “My name is Horatio Caine and you are correct about some of the questions. Type of blood if known, profession, and how will you contribute to the community? They would seem to be strange if you had not seen what we have as we traveled up from Miami.” He finished filling out the form and hit F3. By that time the other four people were standing behind him. He looked at them then to me and back to them. “Step up and sign in, I think we may have found a place to put down roots.”
He started back out the front door and I followed. What I saw was amazing. There were 5 half tons, several vans and 2 hummers being pulled by a half ton. I looked at him and then back at his little wagon train of refugees. I was amazed at what I saw. “Did you leave Miami right after the war?” He shook his head no as he got a grim look on his face. “No. We were with the Miami Dade Police. It was our job to try to keep peace during those days of hell.” The pain in his voice and his face could only mean that it had been as bad as or worse than anything I had saw. I put my hand on his sleeveless arm. “You’re here now and we need good people. You’re welcome to stay.” I smiled up at him and he gifted me with a smile showing a row of pearly white teeth. He then called to the others in the train. They started to get out. It was then that I noticed that there were children included with his group. “How many children under 15?” I asked him. He thought about the question and replied with one word. “Ten.”
It took the rest of the afternoon for them to fill out the forms for everyone. I found that many of them were attached. Some even had been together before the war. But there were a few who had not chosen a partner. As the evening began to fall some of the woman began to return from the fields. They were assigned to make the supper meal for everyone. I explained to Horatio that the community was still very fragile as far as food and the crops needed to be in before the winter weather hit. The community would eat supper together for the next few days as everyone worked in the fields.
That evening our elected leader Brian James had a talk with Horatio Caine and then he made an announcement to all. “We seem to have grown today by 40 souls. And most of them are former police officers. They will be assigned to help in the fields for the next few days until the crop is in. There are children in the group so we will assign another teacher to the school. One or two of the women will help with the evening meals. After we get the crops in we will turn to getting quarters made for their group. And as always, after supper there is one hour of music song and dance before we retire.”
Over the next few days I saw Horatio only in the evenings. But somehow we managed to sit together when we were at supper. After the first day I told him he need to wear long sleeves to protect his light skin. “We don’t have any sunscreen.” I told him and he laughed. The music hour began and he took my hand and we went to the dance floor. When the hour ended and the rest period started he ask why the strict rules. I explained that due to weather patterns we had to get as much grown and stored away before winter started. I explained that for those that were not family groups we had dorms that could be used. Most of them were empty now.
On the third night as we walked back to the dorm he took my hand. “Kate, with what has happened to the world would you be offended if I asked to share your bed?” I stopped and looked at him in disbelief. Since I first saw him I knew that he was the one I wanted to be with. He had kept walking and stopped after two steps and turned back to me. I took the two steps to his arms and we sealed our bond with a kiss. After that night we both knew that we would need to have a place built for us.
Prolog
It had been three years sense the world had been changed forever with the violence of a world war. It had lasted only 2 days and in the end the world was plunged into chaos. No government had survived. The people who survived the first year and begun to gather in small bands. Some of the bands were nomadic and others were settled into small groups in valleys that were easily protected. Many of the common place things such as gasoline were no longer available in large quantities. Our group had teachers, some scientist, a few lawyers, some farmers, a group of doctors and nurses that had been with the CDC, a small regiment of Alabama National Guard, a small group of people that had lived and worked in nearby cities. We also had a group of young people who had been at MIT and had been traveling through our part of the county when WWIII happened. We had formed a small community that worked together to survive in the aftermath of the days that followed the 2 day war.
One small group had set up a school system to help teach people about things that could be adapted to their lives and replace many of the things that were no longer available to them. We had been able to set up windmills around the edge of the valley so that we had electricity to the community. We had also adapted some of the cars so that they used sun power, thanks to the MIT group.
The doctors and nurses had been able to salvage some equipment from some the hospitals from the nearby cities. We had built a small hospital to have for the time to come when we would need to mend bones and stitch people up after accidents.
We had sent small groups out to gather what could be salvaged in the surrounding cities. They had brought back some of the animals from a zoo that had been a little over 100 miles to the north of us. So we had some elephants, giraffes, ostriches, zebras and several other animals that could be managed. They had set the other animals free. The farmers had been able to save quite a few varieties of live stock. We had cattle, horses, pigs, goats, chickens, cats, dogs and a few exotic birds.
One of the groups had salvaged several libraries from the surrounding cities. So we had built a large building to house the books that had been brought back. We had set up a computer catalog system that everyone was taught to use. We made sure that everyone could read. We felt that education was important and that if we could learn from the mistakes of the past civilization just might survive.
After the second year we began to draft a constitution for the community, one that was patterned after the US Constitution. We wanted to accept any person who was willing to work for the betterment of the community. We formed a government that was ruled by the people. One of the lawyers had been a judge and a very good one. He was elected by the community to be our first leader. He had selected the colonel from the Alabama National Guard as the sheriff to keep the peace.
We had a small group of men and their families that had come into the community in the first year that had been a fire company in a larger city and they had brought two of the companies’ trucks with them. Our MIT people worked had to adapt them so that we could use them in the community.
We selected a small group of people to keep records of the community. It was in this group that I found myself assigned.
Year 3 Month 7
It was hot. The weather now seemed to be either hot or cold. We had not had a spring or fall weather in five years. I was sitting at the community record building that was part of the library. My loose fitting yellow shorts and button up green sleeveless shirt were both soaked in sweet. We did not have air conditioning. Fans had been installed in all the buildings this was because it would use less electricity. I was reviewing the first year books and realizing how many people had come to our valley and been buried on the other side of the ridge. Many were the very old. We used in Northwest side of the mountain for a cemetery it wasn’t usable for anything else.
We had been lucky that no disease had broken out among us. We seemed to be a healthy lot. We had had a number of births; there was not a whole lot to do in the way of entertainment. Of course you did need one male and one female and this female did not have the male part to create an offspring. I continued reading the chronicles of the small valley community. Of those that had come to the valley without a partner there were only a handful left unattached; myself being one of them. I went through the list of the eligible men and found that not one was what I wanted in a significant other. I closed the book and put it back on the shelf. Then I got up and started putting books back on the shelf that had been returned the previous day.
It was while I was on the ladder that helped get to the top shelves that I heard the rumbling of a vehicles pulling up out front. This was strange as most of the cars and trucks we used were now on battery power. The gasoline to power them was just not available any longer. I started climbing down the ladder when I heard the door open and footsteps of several people.
“Hello, anyone at home?” The man in front called. He stood six feet had light skin with freckles and a crop of golden red hair. He stood in the door frame as he removed his sunglasses and hung them around his neck. Light filtered in from behind him. “Eric, Calleigh check upstairs see if you can find anyone. Ryan, Tripp check out back see what there is.”
I stepped down the off the ladder and walked around the corner of the shelf. “Everyone is in the fields. We have to get the crops in before summer is gone.” It was then that I saw he held a gun and it was pointed at me. “If you intend to use that I should tell you that your group wont get very far before our law catches up with you.”
The red head smiled and lowered his gun. “We’re just looking for a place to begin our lives again. Do you think that your small valley could support about 40 more people?” He put his gun in its holster. Just then there was a shout from the second floor.
“H, there doesn’t seem to be anyone at home.” The one he had called Eric was leaning over the banister. “This is a nice library and has got a whole section on forensic science.”
Just then a young blond woman came up beside him and smiling at the book she had in her hand she added. “Yeah, I think you might know the author of this one. Horatio Caine.” She held the book up for him to see.
He got a huge grin on his face licked his lips and raised his eye brows as he looked at me. “I must say the librarian has good taste when it comes to selecting books to save.”
I bowed my head to him. “Thank you. I wasn’t the only one selecting what books to bring back. I did choose that one. As a matter of fact that whole section is one that I put together. As to your question of adding 40 more people to our community there shouldn’t be any problem as long as you are willing to work. I can get you started by getting your information for our records.” I pointed to the central desk. “I’m one the people assigned to be record keeper. So if you would have your people come in and give me the information I will record it. Some of the questions may sound a bit strange. But I assure you that there is a reason for them. My name is Catherine O’Malley.”
He fallowed me to the central desk and waited for me to start the questionnaire. It was loaded on the computer. I pushed a few keys and the form came up. I turned to him and realized how close he was standing to me. It was then that I noticed how blue his eyes were. I cleared my throat and with a smile I said. “When you finish just hit F3 and it will file your information and pull the form back up for the next person to fill out.” I took a step to the side so that he could get to the terminal and he read over the question and then he began to answer them.
As he typed he spoke to me. “My name is Horatio Caine and you are correct about some of the questions. Type of blood if known, profession, and how will you contribute to the community? They would seem to be strange if you had not seen what we have as we traveled up from Miami.” He finished filling out the form and hit F3. By that time the other four people were standing behind him. He looked at them then to me and back to them. “Step up and sign in, I think we may have found a place to put down roots.”
He started back out the front door and I followed. What I saw was amazing. There were 5 half tons, several vans and 2 hummers being pulled by a half ton. I looked at him and then back at his little wagon train of refugees. I was amazed at what I saw. “Did you leave Miami right after the war?” He shook his head no as he got a grim look on his face. “No. We were with the Miami Dade Police. It was our job to try to keep peace during those days of hell.” The pain in his voice and his face could only mean that it had been as bad as or worse than anything I had saw. I put my hand on his sleeveless arm. “You’re here now and we need good people. You’re welcome to stay.” I smiled up at him and he gifted me with a smile showing a row of pearly white teeth. He then called to the others in the train. They started to get out. It was then that I noticed that there were children included with his group. “How many children under 15?” I asked him. He thought about the question and replied with one word. “Ten.”
It took the rest of the afternoon for them to fill out the forms for everyone. I found that many of them were attached. Some even had been together before the war. But there were a few who had not chosen a partner. As the evening began to fall some of the woman began to return from the fields. They were assigned to make the supper meal for everyone. I explained to Horatio that the community was still very fragile as far as food and the crops needed to be in before the winter weather hit. The community would eat supper together for the next few days as everyone worked in the fields.
That evening our elected leader Brian James had a talk with Horatio Caine and then he made an announcement to all. “We seem to have grown today by 40 souls. And most of them are former police officers. They will be assigned to help in the fields for the next few days until the crop is in. There are children in the group so we will assign another teacher to the school. One or two of the women will help with the evening meals. After we get the crops in we will turn to getting quarters made for their group. And as always, after supper there is one hour of music song and dance before we retire.”
Over the next few days I saw Horatio only in the evenings. But somehow we managed to sit together when we were at supper. After the first day I told him he need to wear long sleeves to protect his light skin. “We don’t have any sunscreen.” I told him and he laughed. The music hour began and he took my hand and we went to the dance floor. When the hour ended and the rest period started he ask why the strict rules. I explained that due to weather patterns we had to get as much grown and stored away before winter started. I explained that for those that were not family groups we had dorms that could be used. Most of them were empty now.
On the third night as we walked back to the dorm he took my hand. “Kate, with what has happened to the world would you be offended if I asked to share your bed?” I stopped and looked at him in disbelief. Since I first saw him I knew that he was the one I wanted to be with. He had kept walking and stopped after two steps and turned back to me. I took the two steps to his arms and we sealed our bond with a kiss. After that night we both knew that we would need to have a place built for us.