Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

7) Arrivals

The shots were to be the first of several that day until Clay advises no more firing for arrivals unless we know they are hostile because, in his own words:

"We're going to run out of ammunition. Or, accidently shoot somebody."

When I finally find Steven he explains it to me. "Bob and his guys didn't go rest. They went to spread the word. They told what happened in Pilot and what happened at the stadium last night. People been coming all afternoon. Some even say they heard it on their radio. I guess Ned's message reached the people."

Ned was the editor of the newspaper in Mt. Airy. He died trying to defend truth and honor and get the word out about our prince and what the One Nation Army planned on doing with him. The editor's last message let the people know that One Nation planned to hold Torin hostage so his country would not send aid.

Ned died trying to protect Prince Torin and what was left of America.

Thoughts of Ned and how he was killed before he could see his new baby make me mad all over again. I don't want to help others. It is a waste of time and resources. I lash out at Steven.

"Do they think we can feed them all? Do they think this is some kind of refugee camp?" I'm in a foul mood, and I'm not feeling particularly generous. I have a massive headache, and it's making me hateful.

"They've come to help," says Steven.

"Steven, do they look like they can help us?" I point out the number of children, and the fact that many of the arrivals can barely walk on their own. "I saw a crowd of them at the end of the yard at that stand of fruit trees gathering up all they could carry. And eating all those wormy cherries as fast as they could. We're going to have a camp full of belly aches and diarrhea."

"Yeah, lucky that they couldn't be seen from the road or those cherries would be long gone," says Steven who, just like Steven, the ever-caring hero of my story adds, "And besides Elie, you know how hungry, real hungry feels. There was a time I would gnaw my own toenails off. And I did."

I smile at that because I do remember how real hungry feels, but I can't help my sarcasm. I am on a roll today. "Yeah, lucky we can feed all the soldiers now. We are lucky we have enough supplies for our growing army."

"Elie, they are not all soldiers, but I bet there are some fighters here for sure."

Steven points to a group of teenagers caring rifles and dressed in camouflage. "Some of them are from Mt. Airy. They just left. They say One Nation is stuck there. Trapped downtown. Some men have got them cornered there. They can't go forward or backward. We're safe for now."

"Safe? Steven we haven't been safe since the day the world ended."

"Girl, I wish you would quit saying the world ended," he sighs, "even if it did." He points to another group of three women arriving who look a little less bedraggled than the others. "See, more soldiers."

"Humph," I grunt.

"Why you in such a bad mood today? That ain't like you at all."

"Ain't, ain't a word. And quit being facetious," I say using vocabulary that teenagers do not use in the real world. It's a game we used to play, before when things were normal, and we were studying for the SAT.

He fires back. "I am flippant and yet quite gregarious and therefore and hereto, I will be magnanimous and cognizant of your feelings. What is up with yourself - my lady?"

"My lady? That's what's wrong with me. You sound just like what is wrong with me."

"Ah, the prince? His affections for you have waned?"