"Becka put your shoes on!" I was sitting on the floor putting on Theodore's shoes, trying to get the children ready for the gathering today. The whole town was required to go. I was becoming impatient because Graham had promised to come over beforehand and give me word in advance about the new laws. Since he left the army he had been working for the new Ghundi government and so he was always first to know about the new laws and decrees.
I tossed Becka's boots in her direction for Damien to help her put on. I finished tieing Theodore's shoes then I packed my backpack. Most everything that was important to us fit in backpacks these days. Since the wars and the money inflation life has been a battle to survive. When the inflation started all the prices for everything went up, no one could afford food anymore. We sold everything in our house that we didn't need just to afford the bare minimum for food. Now all we have is the clothes on our backs, and a few belongings. We rented out all the rooms in our house and our family all slept in the living room, we did laundry for the block because we were the only ones with running water still, and we cooked big dinners for all the people around. Every weekend we had produce come in from my friend Rowen in the outskirts of town. Rowen was a wild child, so much more so than me. She knew how to farm and hunt, she knew how to survive, and I only knew how to take care of others. In a way, Rowen and I were a perfect team. She had what I lacked, and it seemed like she knew everything I didn't.
I remember the day I had to go through my possessions and decide what to keep and what to or throw out to make room. I was 16 and I had been collecting things to move out one day, I had a TV, a desk, a lap top, a rocking chair, a sewing machine, book shelves stocked with books, my own pans and dishes, basically all I was missing was a couch and dining table. All that is left now is needles and thread, dishes and pans. Everything sold for less than it was worth to me.
I opened my back pack to double check the contents. I carried most of my belongings with me these days because I never knew when the house would be broken into. I had my blue dress that I made, my brush, a couple needles, eight spools of thread that I traded all my shoes but my boots for, I had four pencils and a journal, a water bottle, my frying pan, two metal plates, and a wooden spoon. Then I patted my belt, and my knife was still there tucked neatly under my shirt. I slung my back pack on my shoulder and gave myself a quick glance over in the mirror in the hall. My hair was its usual mess, my baggy T-shirt had faded from black to grey, my baggy jeans were getting holes at the knees, and my combat boots were about the only thing that were still holding up. My face looked tired and just looking at myself and how far my appearance had fallen made me that much more tired. I gently touched my back pack, wishing I had the time to brush my hair and wear my nice blue dress. I had made it when we first ran out of money to buy things and used it only on special occasions. Since the church had been burned down I hadn't worn it and my mother kept suggesting I sell it but it was the one beautiful thing I owned and I couldn't part with it. I had no time now though, there were only a few minutes left before I had to have the children to the town center.
"Come on everybody! Front yard now!" I yelled. I stepped out the door onto the porch and counted as the children walked past. "One, two, three, four... No pushing! Five, six, seven, ..." Last came my mother holding Theodore’s hand. She had dark circles under her eyes from all the worry and lack of sleep. She gave me a weak smile. I reached out and squeezed her hand. "Come on, mom."
"I'm coming honey."
Everyone was buddied up. We developed this system when things started going bad, every older child had a younger child as their buddy to watch over to help keep some of the stress off my mother and I. The streets were crowded with people heading to the gathering. I knew as soon as we merged with that crowd we would be swept off. I took a deep breath as I watched all the people moving as a mob. It was time to go.
