Apocalypse Asunder by David Rogers Page B

persisted.
    “It just struck me that if all this chaos goes on long enough, you, me, and a lot of other survivors are probably going to turn into pioneer people.”
    “What’s a pioneer person?” Candice asked as Jessica sighed unhappily.
    “Austin means we’ll get used to doing things without stores and stuff.” Jessica answered.
    “That’s kind of hard.” Candice said solemnly.  She didn’t do a lot of helping with most of the scavenging and chores – because Jessica wouldn’t let her – but she was around for some of it, and she’d seen how hard it was for her mother to gather and carry things like food, water, wood, and anything else that might be needed.
    It wasn’t that Jessica didn’t want Candice to help; but she wanted Candice safe more than anything else.  And so far, everywhere they’d gone hadn’t been ‘secured’ behind a safe perimeter, as Austin put it.  Plus, the girl wasn’t strong enough to be a lot of help in most of the chores.  She served as an extra set of eyes sometimes, like when Jessica cooked out in the yards of the houses they stayed at; but that was about as far as Jessica was prepared to go.
    “It is.” Austin agreed.  “And the longer we do it, the better we’ll get at it.”
    “You know, if we get somewhere warm, figuring out how to keep or eat any fresh meat before it spoils is going to be an adventure in and of itself.” Jessica said, wrinkling her forehead in thought.  “There have got to be ways . . . right?”
    “I know smoke and salt are what they used before refrigeration became a thing.  But figuring it out . . . I dunno.”
    Jessica sighed.  She knew salt had something to do with preserving meat, and smoke rang a bell, but she was in the same boat as Austin about how to do it.  She had no idea what too much of either would do to something – other than too much salt would render it effectively inedible – but she knew pretty much exactly what would happen if they botched up a preservation attempt and ended up with something that was going to cause food poisoning.
    That could kill.  And even if it only sickened, that would be dangerous.
    “I don’t know either.” she said after a few moments.  “Guess we’ll have to take it slow like everything else.  Maybe that radio broadcast is for real though.” she sighed, struggling to keep the wistful longing from her tone.  “Maybe they’ll be able to clear things up so everyone can start rebuilding.”
    “Maybe.  But if they’re serious about spearheading a coordinated sweep of the entire continent, it isn’t going to happen anytime soon.  And they’re all the way up in South Dakota, so however organized they might be, clearing their way from there all the way down to us will take quite a while.” Austin said neutrally.  The look he gave her clearly indicated he wasn’t prepared to hold his breath waiting.  “But back to us, something near a lake in south central Florida.  That’s your plan?”
    “That’s my plan.” Jessica confirmed.
    “Any thoughts beyond that?”
    “Two story house, as close to the water as possible.” she said, thinking.  “A second floor balcony or deck would be nice.  Lots of clear space around it.  Maybe with a town or something no more than a few miles away for supplies.”
    “That doesn’t sound too complicated.”
    “I hope not.”
    “You know, most people don’t retire to Florida until they’re older.”
    Jessica eyed him.  “Is that an age joke?”
    “No, I’m still young.” he said innocently.
    “You’re not that young.” she retorted.
    He opened his mouth, his grin twisting a touch malevolently, and she spoke quickly.  “Don’t you dare finish that thought.”
    “I didn’t say a word.”
    “I know what you were thinking.” she told him severely.  She was five years older than Austin, something she’d let slip a few weeks ago when they were chatting idly after Candice had already been asleep.  He’d about –