Solar Flare Apocalypse

Chapter 9

Sugar asked that everyone quit working early that afternoon, and to be ready for another meeting right after dinner.

When everyone finished dinner, Jen decided to stay with Adam, who was still sleeping. 

Sugar got up from the front row and stood in front of the crowd. 

"Looks like we're all here, except a small detail of guards. I think if the kids want to stay tonight, that's fine." She went on with a grin, "But if I know you kids, you can't wait to go play. Parents, it's up to you."

Sugar waited as most of the kids stampeded out, or sat and argued with their parents. When it was again quiet, she began, "OK, let's get the big questions answered, who's on the board?" She pulled a piece of paper out and unfolded it. She read the names with a pause as she waved each person to the floor.

Matt Parker

Josie Metzger

Tim Miller

Sugar Graham

Shar Black

She paused, then read the last two names, the alternates. 

Joesph Metzger

Dan Jennar

She explained that the alternates would serve in the order their names were read. Then she asked, "Do we accept these seven people to help us run this town?"

The cavernous room was filled with a chorus of yeas and yeses.

The seven men and women moved through the crowd and sheepishly stood at the front. 

The others in the room began to clap, making some of the board more uncomfortable.

Shar stood up and held her hand up for silence. When they were mostly quiet, she raised her voice to be heard by all, "I thank you all for the honor, but Jack and I are staying on our farm, we only came in to help out. I don't think I should be on this board."

Sugar stepped up next to her and put an arm around her, and said, "I don't know about all of you, but the fact that Shar wants to help our town makes her a perfect candidate. I don't care where she lives. How about a show of hands?"

A sea of hands flashed up and a laugh went around.

Sugar stood, thanking and dismissing the crowd, and announced the first meeting of The Five. 

They moved to a smaller room with a large round table with a lantern in the middle. Five chairs, five notebooks, and five pens completed the work space.

Matt felt a sense of importance at the moment. He looked at his arm to see goosebumps there. He walked forward and broke the ice by pulling a noisy metal chair out from the table. It unfroze everyone and they all found a seat, and sat looking around at the face of their neighbors, unsure where to start.

Brave Sugar again stepped out and took the lead. "I think we need to choose a person to be in charge."

Four faces agreed, so she suggested that they each write a name on a piece of paper. There was quick scribbling, then Sugar gathered up the papers. One vote each for Matt and Sugar and Tim, and two votes for Shar. They had someone to lead them. 

Shar opened her notebook and asked The Five if anyone would mind if they started with a prayer. The other four shook their heads, so Shar bowed her white head and began. "Dear Lord, please help us to help our town, to make a good decisions, and listen to your direction." Shar waited with her head down, and Matt spoke next, continuing the prayer, "And please help us guide this town together, without fighting or disagreements. Help us keep the people of this town alive and healthy."

There was a moment of silence, then Tim said an amen, and they raised their faces and discreetly wiped a tear or two.

"Alright," Shar said in a surprising strong and unemotional voice. "I would like someone to take minutes, any volunteers?"

Josie raised her hand and Shar nodded and said,  "I think there are a few areas we need to discuss and take action on tonight. I want you to throw out your concerns and we'll get to work."

Sugar excused herself to go and get the trusty white board. She stood by it when she got back. 

Matt spoke up first, "This might not be first priority, but we need to decide, are the notes of these meetings private or public?"

Sugar wondered out loud,"Maybe the voting is kept secret, so we aren't hassled by our neighbors, but the agenda is public."

That sounded sensible to the group so Josie wrote it in the minutes, right under the date.

They began to discuss ideas and Sugar wrote them down on the board. The first thing to discuss was if they needed to assign people to a job.

"Well I wouldn't want anyone telling me what job I had to do," Josie said, her short blond hair flipping as she emphatically shook her head,  "feels communist to me."

Matt responded with frustration, "if we don't assign, then there will be jobs that won't get done! Sure, everyone pitched in for a few days, but once the feeling of an emergency wears off, some people won't want to do anything."

Tim had a solution, and his calm voice settled the emotions. "What if we have everyone, like, grade school and up, fill out two sheets of paper. One, a list of what they can do, and another, checking off jobs they would be willing to do. We can just agree not to force anyone where they don't want to be."

And Matt said , "We could  ask them to do other jobs, as long as they have the option to say no."

Shar looked at her board and asked, "Do we have our first topic to vote on?" 

There was nodding around the table so they began to craft  the first law for the town. They changed and reworded it until they ended with something they all agreed on.

1. Everyone who is approved for work by Doctor Taylor and Julie White, a paramedic, will be required to work at a job of their choosing, and approved by Tim Miller, who has been appointed by the board to oversee all work schedules and problems.

A. Children ages 5 - 8 will work no more than thirty minutes a day, with three days off a week.

B. Children aged 9 - 12 are required to work for one hour a day with two days off a week.

C. Teens aged 13 - 15 are required to work three hours a day, with two days off a week.

D. Adults 16 to 60 are required to work nine hours a day with two days a week off.

E. Adults 61 - 69 are required to work three hours a day with two days off a week.

F. Anyone seventy years old and older is not required to work any specific amount of time, but are encouraged to volunteer as advisers and teachers in their areas of expertise.

G. Anyone who refuses to work their required hours will not receive food that day. If it becomes a reoccuring issue, they can be put out of the town.

The Five stood and stretched. Sugar erased the board and they agreed to meet again in the morning. Shar and Jack decided to sleep in town, rather to walk back and forth, especially in the dark.