Ninety Degrees Out

Two wagons waited, loaded and ready in front of the barn on Stargazer Ranch. Twenty horses with saddles were arranged around the corral, with another group of the mules loaded with tents and sleeping gear. Dry goods, along with other food were packed into the chuckwagon, and Blue curled in a corner of the big hayride wagon beside more supplies. Two drivers waited with them.

In the dining room, the riders stood ready to go as Hakan brief them on the route. He handed out maps to the wagon drivers, and a few of those on horse back. Chay took a map and glanced across the room to meet Alicia’s eyes. She waved and continued her conversation.

“Jett, I’m trusting you and Catherine to keep the garden in good shape.”

“Worry wart, of course we will. We’ll make sure to freeze the vegetables as they ripen too.” Jett winked at Catherine as he spoke.

“I found the blanching times for about a hundred different varieties. I saw your corn the other day. Do you want me to strip the kernels?” Catherine asked.

“Can we do a couple of dozen cobs whole? I don’t think it will be ready before we get back though. I just planted it a couple of weeks ago.”

“You’re probably right. I’m trying to figure out if we can get some strawberries going. Even if we have to dig out the wild ones from the clearing by Ursa’s den, it would be worth it.” Catherine said.

“Give it a go. See if you can make another bed for them in the front yard. We started some apple seeds; they’re sitting in cut off milk cartons in the kitchen window. I labeled them, and the oranges and lemons. We got a few fresh from Captain Whipper when she got a supply drop. Put them in the front yard too. Better sun there.”

“Go on, sis. We’ll figure it out. Arimina looks like she’s ready to burst.” Jett pointed to his niece as she ran back and forth between her grandmother and Dr. Anya.

“Sorry we can’t leave the dogs with you. Jazz doesn’t go very far from Chay’s side, and we’ve got meds for Blue. Thankfully, the chain around her neck wasn’t badly embedded.”

“Everyone’s going out to get their horses,” Catherine interrupted.

“Thanks again for taking on the house,” Alicia moved toward her mother and father.

“Mom, Dad, we’ll keep in contact. We’ve got portable solar panels to charge the radios. We’ll let you know what’s going on.” Alicia hugged her mother, kissing her cheek.

“Don’t worry about us,” her father reassured her. “Erik has a schedule for radio watch. We’ll keep up on everything.”

“Arimina, let’s go.” Alicia called to her daughter.

“Mom, Dr. Anya told me how to take care of Blue’s neck. I think I can do it myself. Will you help me?” Ari’s excited question had her smiling.

“Of course, baby.” Alicia didn’t let on that the veterinarian had given her a sheet of instructions. She wondered how long their supply of ink and paper for the printer would last. There were some signs of returns to normal in the supply chain, but the food chain was first on the world’s agenda.

“Say goodbye to Meemaw, Ari.”

She watched her daughter fling herself into her mother’s arms. This was a big step, taking a six year old child along on an arduous trail ride used to be unthinkable. Now, reality was keep your family close. She knew how lucky they were to be where they were. The latest death toll in China, was over the four hundred million mark. Between flooding in the coastal cities and freezing where they ended up spanning the new Arctic, China had taken the worst of the losses. And because of it, manufacturing of all sorts of goods was down to a trickle.

Worldwide, the death toll was heading toward two billion. And now with Yellowstone Caldera getting ready to spew millions of tons of ash into the upper atmosphere, the risk of death by starvation for an estimated two billion more was very real.

She shook her head and jogged after Arimina. Bingo and Dolly were saddled. Arimina sat in the back of the supply wagon, with Blue’s head in her lap. Watching her with Chay as they tamed the half feral husky, reminded her of what was important. Family and survival.

Dammit I need keep my head in the here and now. The big picture is only important, so we know how to protect ourselves and make sure we survive. Getting the wild horses corralled and broken for use by the community they were building, should be my only priority. Focus on the immediate goal, Alicia. Be like your baby girl.

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Anya Amudson sat down in the green camo tent. The army corps of engineers teamed up with the Coast Guard to provide a solid concrete floor for her equipment. Mike’s portable X-ray machine stood plugged into an outlet in the exam room wall, and her large table model was fastened to the floor.

She followed the wiring to the bank of batteries stored in racks in deep recesses of their new medical clinic. She knew she was obsessing as she read the sensor screens and checked the output from the twin wind turbines spinning at the top of the canyon. The project allowed storage of electricity for the clinic and provided regulated power for most of the ranch buildings.

“Are you going to trust the wind technology?” Mike’s teasing voice brought a guilty jerk of surprise.

“Eventually. It’s all pretty new for me. The army guys were pretty impressed with those wind turbines. And they’re looking at installing a small system at the waterfall from the pond.”

“Then let’s leave this to work. You can help me arrange the infirmary. At least we have a few beds for people who need a little more than a bandage and some painkillers.”

“Are you going to trust me to take care of them too?” Anya asked him.

“Sometimes I think you vets have better medical training than us human doctors. Of course, I am. I expect you to rely on me if you need help too.”

“Mutual admiration society. Yeah, I think we’ll do it that way. I’m so sorry about what happened to Catherine. I thought Erik was falling for her, but now I see it’s Jett who’s hanging around. Are you okay with them staying at Chayton’s place while they are gone?”

“I’m glad she has someone. I was hoping to see Jake settling down too, but there’s a serious lack of women in this state. Even now, after all the incentives the government put in place to get people to move up here before the flip.”

“Erik says it takes special people to survive the long night. Not a problem now, but I can’t imagine not having any sun for almost three months.”

“I’m just glad we have a strong community. I’m curious. Catherine is my baby, born long after we thought there was any chance of another child. She’s only twenty seven, but Jake is almost forty. Erik looks like he’s up there too.”

“Good guess. I had him when I was finishing my veterinarian’s degree. His father was the one guy taller than me and finished the program two years ahead of me. I’d love some grandchildren, but I’ll never hound him about it.”

“You’re a good mother. Let’s go check the rest of the equipment and supplies. I’ve set up the autoclave, but I’m not sure how we’re going to keep things sterile. No plastic packaging anymore.”

Mike extended his hand, and she let him help her up from where she sat on the exam table of the big X-ray machine. He was a pleasure to work with. His blue eyes met hers from under mostly grey eyebrows and she felt a connection snap into place. Maybe it wouldn’t be as lonely as she thought. Was sixty too old to hope for another relationship? Maybe more than just work?