Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

39) Military Precision

The next hour is filled with preparations to roll out and depart to find what is the rest of our family, already on the road to safety. I relieve Marla up on the roof so she can go get ready with the others to leave. I scan the horizon for danger and watch the activity below. It reminds me of ants I used to watch when I was a kid. All those left have an assignment thanks to Clay who is running this departure with military precision. Grown ups and children scurry around, load vehicles, and pack like they are going on vacation. If all goes well and where we're going is a true refuge, it will be a vacation, a vacation from hell.

I watch as children chase chickens. Be careful, I say out loud to no one in particular, those chickens might be dangerous. I watch as Chloe and Millicent ingeniously outsmart two chickens with a blanket they toss. One chicken gets away, but they capture the other who is giving them a run for their money. Finally, Jamie arrives with a cage and helps them corral it. Then, the girls run after the escapee, all the time laughing so hard that Chloe has to stop and put her hands on her knees and catch her breath.

I watch a small group on the outskirts load a small pickup with what looks like camping gear and weapons. It's not lost on me that this group seems apart from the others and the pickup is pointed in the opposite direction from the other vehicles. I see Leia and Patrick and Tommy and Marla. Steven is there too helping load supplies. I can tell from here that Steven and Tommy are having a serious conversation. It looks like the beginning of a goodbye. I notice Marla does not seem too upset with Patrick and Leia when they pause long enough for a brief hand holding, then a peck on the cheek. Marla goes over to them and says something. I see her turn and walk away and wonder if maybe she is more upset than I think.

I lose sight of Marla as I quickly scan the countryside for trouble. Nothing. There is nothing. Hopefully, we can get out of here without any problems.

I catch sight of Marla again out behind the house. I see where she is going now, she is going to say goodbye. Marla stops at the gravesite of her grandmother. I see her drop to her knees to pray, and I turn away to let her say her goodbye in peace. I think about Marla's gramma who died shortly after the power went out for good. Marla said she had medical problems, but like a lot of others, sheer fear played a role too. I think about Steven's Nana, our tiny hero. I hope she wasn't afraid at the end.

I think about both these grannies, lost now. One granny went down in a blaze of glory and gunfire defending the innocent; the other prepared and canned enough of her garden to keep a small refugee camp alive for weeks. Both heroes, both gone now. I wipe tears from my eyes and say a quick prayer of thankfulness for all the grannies who saved us. I say a quick prayer for editor Ned. His wife surely has a newborn baby by now. I pray they are safe, for his sake.

I wipe my eyes on my shirt and blow my nose on my sleeve. Disgusting, but effective. I look around for my prince. There he is, talking to Clay. Even from here, I know he is letting Clay make the decisions. Torin is a leader that way. He knows how to motivate others to be the best they can be, and he knows when to let them take the lead. Torin is a born leader. I would follow him anywhere, and I don't think I'm alone.

I see Torin, and he sees me. He looks up and waves and starts in my direction. Behind him, on the horizon, I see movement. I get out the pair of binoculars and adjust them so I can see clearly. Two vehicles move slowly but are definitely headed our way. One looks like maybe, Agent Lancaster on his ATV. He didn't get far. He is kicking up so much dust that I can't tell who is with him. I adjust the binoculars and finally, the other vehicle comes into focus, and my heart skips a beat. Can it be? I stand up and point so that Torin turns to look. I fire a shot in the air because I don't know if danger is coming or not.

The other vehicle is a red jeep.