Rubies Under the Sun

Name and Identification Number, Please?

The radio broadcast was right about the perils of the nation, and that's why the remaining survivors were relieved when the new leader emerged. People needed leadership and the order that came with it. It wasn't long after the broadcast that the U.S. military–some were prior military and others were just people with guns–swept through the country. 

They rode through in a caravan of large military humvees equipped with loads of arsenal–enough to take out several towns if they needed–and semi-trucks, taking count of the survivors and establishing a presence throughout each state by setting up base camps near every major city. The nearest base to Steeleville was about 40 miles northeast in the warehouse district of St. Clair. They were heavily guarded and outfitted with makeshift medical centers, artillery, and other supplies. They moved quickly and were fully operational within weeks. 

There were more survivors than initially believed, even in the surrounding areas of Steeleville. The installation of the base camp brought out other survivors, too, women and children. It'd been since the initial outbreak that they'd seen any females, at least ones that weren't infected. Pops thought maybe men were less likely to catch the infection, but that wasn't the case. 

There was a large bunker on the north side of I-44 that a local built before the explosion. He was one of those "preparing for the apocalypse" type of people, and that's where many locals were hiding out. Pops never thought to seek out such a place. He didn't know it existed and truly believed they were all alone. 

For a while, the base camps offered massive amounts of support, rationing out weapons and food for little to nothing in return, and this gave people hope that one day the country could return to its former glory. Though many were skeptical, saying people don't just give things away for free–and indeed not the U.S. government. 

Only a few months after the camps' arrival in St. Clair, Pops, Emery, and the Pattons had to drive the 40 miles to the base after Isaac caught a lousy cough they thought was developing into pneumonia. They were keeping him there for a few nights treating him with an IV and antibiotics, using an old warehouse as the treatment facility. 

Emery was surprised by the 10-foot walls built around the camp, keeping them safe from the infected. It seemed impossible to think of how quickly they built the wall, but it didn't matter. The camp was the one place they felt safe. It was a place Pops could relax, let his guard down, even a little. When Pops asked about living in the camps, they told him the living quarters were limited and only available to the base employees. 

Pops and Emery left the medical facility so Mr. Patton and Isaac could rest as Isaac recovered. It was late afternoon in June, and the sun still stretched across the sky. The campgrounds reminded Emery of the carnivals from his earlier years. Only this one was bleaker and lacked rides and smiling, yipping children. Emery trailed Pops around the camp, passing several structures set up as shops. These tent structures weren't housing games with prizes either.

 The shop owners were survivors just like he and Pops trying to rebuild their lives–some selling things they gathered during their travels and others building new art out of goods left behind. 

There wasn't much of an economy anymore, but people still had money left from before. Of course, some likely stole it when the world was dark, with no one to hold them accountable. None of that mattered anymore, they needed to rebuild, and that meant a fresh start for everyone.

They stopped at a vendor selling roasted turkey legs and cups of red wine. Pops preferred beer, but the wine didn't expire the way beer did. The man wore a tattered and dirty apron, using it to clean his hands between handling the food and people's money. No one cared, though; they still waited in line for food slightly better than the free stuff. Pops paid for their food and a cup of the wine, before turning to the next vendor.