After dinner, Seth stood up in front of the crowd and introduced the visitor, Stan “the Yeti” Goldstein who would be speaking shortly on a number of important topics. There were a handful more attending than the usual inhabitants, young men who looked to be adjusted to rustic living. All of them were carrying guns, and a few had an extra pistol on their belt. Jay explained that they were from some of the other compounds in the area, sent over as representatives, and that there was a formation of alliance between them with the ranch.
“Ya’ah’tee, my brothers and sisters,” the Yeti began. His simple Navajo greeting was received and returned, grunts of approval and whispers of welcome. “I stand before you now in the new time, the changing of the world. We are in transition from one manifestation for the next. Many of you have long heard the tales and prophecies, yet none of us knew the truth of our destiny. Even now, we struggle to find meaning and understanding in the cataclysmic destruction of our home.” He paused, trying to make eye contact with as many of those in the group as he could.
“Ya’ah’tee, my brothers and sisters,” the Yeti began. His simple Navajo greeting was received and returned, grunts of approval and whispers of welcome. “I stand before you now in the new time, the changing of the world. We are in transition from one manifestation for the next. Many of you have long heard the tales and prophecies, yet none of us knew the truth of our destiny. Even now, we struggle to find meaning and understanding in the cataclysmic destruction of our home.” He paused, trying to make eye contact with as many of those in the group as he could.
“Gaia was once our benevolent mother and now our lady scorned. I will not try to trick you with platitudes of judgment, or begin to rationalize why events have turned as they have. Instead, I come to you as a brother who loves our mother. A brother who extends his hand in peace to his neighbors.” Cheers came up from the crowd. Stan was one of those speakers who could enrapture any audience, and thankfully had headed down the path of good. Rumor had it that he had formerly been a Wall Street banker, years before. No one knew if he had left with nothing or had managed to stash a sizeable fortune.
“There are now handful of organized communities that have arisen from the ashes of our society who are seeking to recreate the old ways and benefit from new knowledge and technology. As many of you know, I have had such a home for almost 20 years now not far from here. I have learned the rhythms of the seasons, both the small rhythms of the years and the larger rhythms of the epochs.” He put his hands together in front of him, as if in prayer, and turned to walk back and forth a little.
“There are now handful of organized communities that have arisen from the ashes of our society who are seeking to recreate the old ways and benefit from new knowledge and technology. As many of you know, I have had such a home for almost 20 years now not far from here. I have learned the rhythms of the seasons, both the small rhythms of the years and the larger rhythms of the epochs.” He put his hands together in front of him, as if in prayer, and turned to walk back and forth a little.
“We have seen a huge environmental shift that is now settling out, and likely will establish a new age of human civilization. Our methods of agriculture will have to adapt to a changing climate, and we must plan ahead for the times unforeseen, when we may be unable to fend well for ourselves.” He paused for effect. “Gaia may not be done with us yet.” A gasp or two escaped, but he continued, “ Still, we are here, survivors and brothers and sisters in God.” Jay rolled his eyes, as did a few others in the audience. “I do not suggest we create or impose a new religion, as we have seen the damage they have done before us. Yet I ask that we all honor each other as sacred and to be protected. We are each other’s best resource and only chance of survival.” Whispers of Amen could be heard in the audience. Ian suckled his pacifier and nodded off. Felicia was grateful that he seemed to be such an easy baby.
“I will be here two days to help share some of the wisdom I have learned these past years. The goal of Seth and Leo, as well as leaders from some other communities, is to recapture some of the lost skills of homesteading and self reliance. Each of you has skills that will be useful, some you may not yet know you have. You will be asked to share your knowledge with your neighbors, and they in turn with you.” Felicia whispered to Jay, asking if he knew what kind of people were at the other communities. He shook his head.
“Currently, we are in the process of building a greenhouse so that we may learn to grow food and cultivate a sustainable farm here.” Stan paused a moment and drank some water, and then a rather dark looked passed over his face.
“With sadness, I ask also that each and every one of you learn to handle a gun and knife safely, in order to defend yourselves and your loved ones. The new provisional government of the Northern Republic of Sonora has mostly transitioned to power in Phoenix and around the state. It was forming in place before the cataclysms began, and there is reason to believe there was knowledge of the destruction to come. They have carried out systematic elimination raids on most of the aged and disabled of the community, as well as anyone marked as political agitator. Our good friend Doug gave his life so that some of you might be spared.” Felicia thought of that morning.. god, only yesterday? It still seemed so unreal.
“There is reason to believe as well that the new government may not be so keen on the development of a separate society functioning on their borders, as we are. Their hands are full now, but many people are displaced and desperate. It is vital that you do not try to venture into the towns or strike out on your own at this time.” Stan looked at the people sitting in front of him, it was Seth, Neil, Leo and Vanessa. Felicia wondered what she was doing with them, and when Barbara would be coming up to the ranch. “Please do not test the patience or courage of our leaders here right now. We all skate on thin ice.” Seth stood up and shook Stan’s hand, and then turned to the group. People were rustling and mumbling, and he held up his palm, asking them to pipe down.
Jay put his arm around Felicia’s waist, and squeezed. He knew a little more of what was coming, and was grateful that Felicia had chosen to wear the ring and call herself his wife. Jake’s girlfriend was kicked out earlier in the week. Partly due to her lack of willing to be helpful, and partly due to her flirtation with another one of the men on the compound. He had been sacked as well. Jake was furious at her, and furious at Leo for not giving her another chance. Leo had explained that these kinds of actions boded poorly for their survival as a group, that she had persisted despite talks with Leo and Barbara the first week. Jake was free to go, but he was also free to stay. Annette and Tom were escorted into town with two days worth of food and left to their own resources.
Seth went on to discuss a few of the goals they hoped to reach the next two days with Stan’s guidance. Aside from farming and hunting concerns, building structures, and survivalist tips on exploiting the surrounding environment, there would be some meetings to lay down the foundations for the tentative governing structure of the ranch. The name of the community moving forward would be known as “Seventh Mesa”. Felicia didn’t know what that meant, but she knew that Seth liked mystical names and secret meanings. He had previously been involved with the Rosicrucians, so maybe it was something to do with them.
Jay was appointed head of technology and communication. He was glad to finally get a sense of what he would be able to contribute besides physical labor. Already he had mastered the Morse code signalling, and Seth had given him books on the Navajo code talkers of WW2. He was to coordinate and regulate communications with the other compounds, and establish a recognized signalling system. Additionally, he and Seth were working on utilizing some of the technology they had to monitor the airwaves. Seth had a collection of eleven CBs that looked like throwbacks to an ancient era when compared to the sophistication that the cellphones and PDAs had achieved. The difference now was that a CB hooked up to a car battery still worked, and cell phones were useless.
All the portable batteries and chargers he had brought were to be used to power hand held signalling devices that he and Seth were working on. They had walkie talkies, but there was a coded signaller and receiver they were hoping to create with the collection of technology piled around them. Jay’s training at technical college hadn’t taught him much past basic circuitry, but he had spent years building little robots and radios and circuit boards as a hobby. Using two coat hangers, some cookie racks, a piece of wood and a handful of hardware, he had fashioned a working HD receiver for their television. Seth was counting on him to do similar and better things here at the ranch.
Felicia was mostly going to keep up with the kitchen and farming duties she had, as well as the main childcare of Ian. Because she had learned some of the herbalism skills from Stan at the college, and had an interest, she was going to also head up the medicinary and healing center. At this point, the healing center wasn’t yet created, but the group had agreed this would be a good goal for development. Meanwhile, she was to start identifying, collecting and drying the herbs and plants that she could within a safe distance of the compound. Already Neil had made note of some of the things they would be needing for her to do this- many glass bottles, strainers, funnels, alcohol, drying rack- and some more supplies for Ian. Her knitting skills were appreciated, but not currently the most important. Maybe later they’d come in handy.
Felicia wondered what kind of job Vanessa was going to have, since it was clear she hadn’t broken a fingernail doing a dish any time recently. Vanessa was standing around the men and laughing, all of them captivated by her, and Felicia cringed a little. Stan made no effort to hide his obvious attraction to her, and Vanessa seemed to encourage his attention. They were both tall and lean and good looking, and it kind of made sense in a visual sort of way. Vanessa threw her head back, tossing her blond hair around her shoulders, and brought it forward. If that wasn’t a hypnosis trick, then what was?
Lisa came over to see Felicia and Ian, and go over some of the ideas for the meal planning. There had been good fishing the last few days, and so there would be a lot of trout for them to eat. Jake had fashioned a smoker kiva in the yard, and they had tried it on a few of the fish. So far, it seemed to work. Felicia was excited to be part of the kitchen team, as she had always dreamed of opening her own cafe some day. There were seven women at the compound, eight if you included Vanessa, and nine when Barbara returned. That put four in the kitchen, and two others in charge of gardening, thatching and twining, and also helping create a communal laundry. Felicia wasn’t sure of what Renee did.
The fourth kitchen helper, Melanie, had been mostly in her tent the past two days with something like the flu. She was rightfully banned from mixing with everyone or making the food, and Lisa had been bringing her soup and food at the tent. Felicia had seen her walking to the latrine area, she looked to be about 33 or so, closer to Felicia’s age. There was no sign of a boyfriend or husband that she could tell, though she thought that probably wouldn’t be too difficult of a problem to solve if she wanted to. There were probably eight or so unattached men around the ranch. There were two children, Timmy and Rachel, plus Ian the baby. Timmy’s mom Karen was one of the gardeners, and she seemed to also be alone. Felicia thought she might be of Japanese descent, but she wasn’t sure. Timmy appeared to be a mix of her and a black father.
The other woman, Ayesha, was partnered up with a really handsome Native American cowboy. Well, that’s what he looked like to Felicia. She hadn’t spoken to them yet either. There was another young woman, Renee, who was a plump blond freckled lass. She who wore her hair in dreadlocks and layers of clothes reminiscent of the freegans Felicia would see downtown on First Fridays. She was with the Arcosanti crowd, which was mostly designing and building structures and landscaping. Felicia only saw her at the meals, and they hadn’t crossed paths.
Soon enough, Jay and Felicia were heading back to their little casita with Ian in tow. There was only a little bit of a moon, not much to light the path, but the night sky was crystal clear and dazzling. A streak of shooting star followed another, and then another, and Felicia was caught up in the wonder of it all. Jay told her to make three wishes, since there were three shooting stars of her very own. She didn’t know what to wish for yet, right now she was just grateful to be alive and safe, and to have a man who loved her.
Soon enough, Jay and Felicia were heading back to their little casita with Ian in tow. There was only a little bit of a moon, not much to light the path, but the night sky was crystal clear and dazzling. A streak of shooting star followed another, and then another, and Felicia was caught up in the wonder of it all. Jay told her to make three wishes, since there were three shooting stars of her very own. She didn’t know what to wish for yet, right now she was just grateful to be alive and safe, and to have a man who loved her.
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Comments
You have a great talnet.
Rated with hugs
That said, this is moving along nicely. I'm fearful for their first winter, though. If food isn't plentiful, if there are conflicts from being confined, if there's jealousy--there could be violent trouble. It's all well and good to insist everyone be proficient with guns and knives. That's a necessity, I know. But when they are, there's really nothing but their higher nature to keep them from using those skills on each other.
I like The Yeti's comments and it's a high calling, indeed, to "honor each other as sacred and to be protected"--but when jealousy rears its ugly head, all bets are off.
As you can see, I'm still really enjoying this story. It has all kinds of implications for our future. Thanks, Christine. I'm ready for more........rated. D
Rated
Once again, however, more dialogue is needed....and, please, separate dialogue from narration with new paragraphs. Running them together was one of James Joyce's least successful experiments.