Rosie's Society Reengagement Camp

piece one of the puzzle: lynn

Lynn tossed her hair over her shoulder and swiped a hand over her face. Beads of sweat had appeared on her forehead from the heat of the village. She carried the buckets of water, one in each hand, back to her home a couple blocks away. Although throughout Lynn's lifetime things had changed and become more modern, some things had not. She still lived in a small village outside of town and although they had certain things like electricity in businesses and refrigeration systems, traditions still stuck. If you wanted water, you went and got your weekly rations at the medical supplies facility where they had a well.
Lynn was beginning to grow light headed as her family had just run out of water a couple days ago and she'd not had much for drinking since then. But, she could see that she was nearing the house as it was becoming closer and closer, less and less of a silhouette. Mirages formed on the sandy streets before her, but she didn't mind. Instead of reminding her of her ever present thirst like most days, it instead reminded her that she indeed did have water. Sam would be pleased.
She soon reached the door of her small lean-to of a home, and kicked the door three times with the toe of her worn boot.
Her 14-year-old daughter threw open the door and looked at her mother with wide eyes.
"Thank the lord," she muttered. "You were gone for forever."
Lynn chuckled. "Thought something awful happened, huh?"
"Something like that. Now let's get this precious cargo inside," Sam replied, grabbing one of the nearly full buckets and setting it on the table.
Lynn busied herself, rushing to the cellar to get some of the pasta noodles from the large sack she kept.
She then ran back up the stairs and grabbed the large pot she kept in the cupboard. She placed it on the counter and steadily filled it with water while Sam plugged in the electric burner. Lynn set the pot on it and went to the cupboard to get some spices. She pulled out the usual, black pepper and Cajun seasoning and poured it into the pan.
"Hey, would you fetch me some margarine, Sam?"
"Alright, ma. One sec," Sam's voice came from behind the curtain that separated their bedroom from the kitchen.
"Now!" Lynn called as she placed the noodles in the boiling water.
"Finnnne." Sam appeared from behind the kitchen and came up to her mother to help her with supper.
She took the container of margarine from the icebox and took a spoon from a drawer.
They'd soon finished making dinner and, after safely stashing the water in the icebox with the margarine, they began to eat.
Only a few minutes into the meal, though, shouts from outside could be heard.
"Mom..." Sam began.
"Shhh." Lynn stood abruptly and closed the curtains of the few windows in the house. When the curtains were drawn, she told Sam to get down.
"Beneath the table," she ordered.
Sam didn't question Lynn because she knew she was sharp as a tack and that she'd take care of everything.
But, Lynn wasn't so sure of that herself. She dimmed the battery powered lanterns and placed the bowls of pasta on the floor below the table. "We eat here, I suppose," she said.
Just then, the door flew open, banging against the wall and nearly coming off its rickety hinges.
"Mom," Sam whispered.
Lynn ignored her, praying the girl would hush and be quiet while it counted. Instead, of answering her, she focused on the man in the doorway.
He was an older man, in his late 50's at the least. He was tan with salt and pepper hair and wore a blue sweater that was a bit dirty with the collar of a plaid shirt peeking from beneath. His jeans were large and baggy, almost hiding his work boots.
"What's the meaning of this?" Lynn demanded.
"I've been watching you for awhile actually. and now you're my prisoners, you and your filthy little daughter."
"Excuse me?" Sam yells, sticking her head out from beneath the table.
"What?" The man asked, eyes scanning the room.
Lynn quickly went over and kicked the chair in that had been pushed out from the table. A small yelp could be heard.
The man walked over and tried roughly to pull the chair back out. It didn't work. He tried another. It still don't work. And again with no such look.
Finally, he angrily tore a chair out and found Sam hanging onto it for dear life.
"Stand up!" He yelled. "I'm leaving and you're both coming with me. Better not make a fuss either or I'll make you regret it."
"How?"
Both Lynn and the man's head snap towards Sam.
"What?" He demands.
"How you gonna make us regret it?" Sam asks. "Cause, to be honest, you like you should be busy grading papers for your college class or some."
"Shut up," Lynn hisses, poking her in the ribs.
"Ow, no stabbing, woman."
"I said shut up," she hisses again.
"Fine," Sam snaps, grumbling under her breath. "But don't act like you weren't thinking it."
"Let's go!" The man yells. And he drags them both out, kicking and screaming.

[{( Alright. Needless to say it starts slow. But... if you wanna solve a good puzzle and meet some interesting characters, then continue reading and pretty please hit up the damn comments (I love feedback and no ordinary shit is gonna do it). Oh... and that star there would be kewl too. Y'know what they say, "If ya like it, prove it." What? No one says that? Ok... )}]

© ~N.~

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That's me. And no one else.