the angle he wanted with another under it as a support. Once it was in good and deep, he pulled a knife out and sharpened the tip, then moved on to the next.
He stopped only when it was near dark, soaked to the bone and covered in filth from head to toe. People stared at him as he entered the base. He looked around in tired confusion until he realized everyone had been terrified about leaving the dubious safety of the walls. “Get over it people. We've got to survive. We can't turtle; we don't have the resources here. So get back on the horse and get with it,” he said wearily, then wiped his arm across his brow. He went off to wash up as they began to murmur. He felt Eric pat him on the back. As he washed up, he noted Gerald on the wall extending his electric fencing to one entire wall. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He overheard Earl and Gerald talking about how to rig more electric fencing for the other walls and left them to it.
~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~
The spring rains made for mud slides in the surrounding area. The hills were slick with mud and muck making the community concerned about being on top of a potential mudslide. Adam, Quincy and the other horse owners were more worried about their animals getting thrush or pneumonia.
When the rains stopped they took stock; then those who had put it off swung into action. They began to work on more permanent homes and better defenses. John pitched in explaining how to do it right. Those who wanted a permanent home set up foundations by first digging out the loose soil or compacting it. Then they used rocks, clay, sand and gravel to form a proper foundation.
One of the first things they did the day after burning the dead was set up solar powered spotlights. John had a few; he set his three up in a triangle around the perimeter. Each had a sensor and battery; the sensor would trip if an animal or person came near and then turn the lights on. He kicked himself for not thinking of doing it sooner. It was the lights that had kept the predators off balance; the sudden light startled and confused them.
Eric and Earl got a couple other people to reluctantly dig through their stashes to come up with a couple more. They eventually ended up with eight in a ring around the base's outer wall.
“A bit like shutting the barn door after the horses got loose and the barn is burning down...” Earl said, voice rough with emotion.
John just shook his head. “We can't do anything about the past or the dead, just learn from it and try not to make the same mistake twice,” he said. He indicated the lights and stakes in the ground. “This is a start.”
“Yeah, so?” Loni snarled. He turned to her. “Why the hell are you bothering now? Why didn't you do it earlier! You had the stuff! Why did you wait?” Loni berated him, voice rising into a shrill snarl. John just stood there, fists clenched.
“He did what he could,” Eric said softly. “We all did. You did your best,” he said softly to her. “Stop blaming him; we all feel it. There's nothing we can do about it except move on and make certain it doesn't happen ever again,” he said.
Grimly John nodded.
“That's what he's trying to do, all of us,” Trisha said. Loni looked at her, then at the others. Some nodded, some looked at her and then away. Even the kids were quiet as they stood around. Finally she turned on her heel and stormed off.
“Man, that lady has some serious attitude,” Hector said.
“She's right. I should have thought of it sooner,” John admitted.
“What's done is done. Don't blame yourself,” Bert said gruffly. “For the record, I thought of it, but even I refused to donate my lights. I should have. Heather might still be alive if I hadn't been so damn stupid and petty. She was right. I'm not going to make the same mistake again,” he said, holding out a box. John looked at it and noted it was a box of lights and other gear. “Come on,” Bert said, “Lend me a hand?”
“I'd be glad
He stopped only when it was near dark, soaked to the bone and covered in filth from head to toe. People stared at him as he entered the base. He looked around in tired confusion until he realized everyone had been terrified about leaving the dubious safety of the walls. “Get over it people. We've got to survive. We can't turtle; we don't have the resources here. So get back on the horse and get with it,” he said wearily, then wiped his arm across his brow. He went off to wash up as they began to murmur. He felt Eric pat him on the back. As he washed up, he noted Gerald on the wall extending his electric fencing to one entire wall. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He overheard Earl and Gerald talking about how to rig more electric fencing for the other walls and left them to it.
~~~~~~(@)~~~~~~
The spring rains made for mud slides in the surrounding area. The hills were slick with mud and muck making the community concerned about being on top of a potential mudslide. Adam, Quincy and the other horse owners were more worried about their animals getting thrush or pneumonia.
When the rains stopped they took stock; then those who had put it off swung into action. They began to work on more permanent homes and better defenses. John pitched in explaining how to do it right. Those who wanted a permanent home set up foundations by first digging out the loose soil or compacting it. Then they used rocks, clay, sand and gravel to form a proper foundation.
One of the first things they did the day after burning the dead was set up solar powered spotlights. John had a few; he set his three up in a triangle around the perimeter. Each had a sensor and battery; the sensor would trip if an animal or person came near and then turn the lights on. He kicked himself for not thinking of doing it sooner. It was the lights that had kept the predators off balance; the sudden light startled and confused them.
Eric and Earl got a couple other people to reluctantly dig through their stashes to come up with a couple more. They eventually ended up with eight in a ring around the base's outer wall.
“A bit like shutting the barn door after the horses got loose and the barn is burning down...” Earl said, voice rough with emotion.
John just shook his head. “We can't do anything about the past or the dead, just learn from it and try not to make the same mistake twice,” he said. He indicated the lights and stakes in the ground. “This is a start.”
“Yeah, so?” Loni snarled. He turned to her. “Why the hell are you bothering now? Why didn't you do it earlier! You had the stuff! Why did you wait?” Loni berated him, voice rising into a shrill snarl. John just stood there, fists clenched.
“He did what he could,” Eric said softly. “We all did. You did your best,” he said softly to her. “Stop blaming him; we all feel it. There's nothing we can do about it except move on and make certain it doesn't happen ever again,” he said.
Grimly John nodded.
“That's what he's trying to do, all of us,” Trisha said. Loni looked at her, then at the others. Some nodded, some looked at her and then away. Even the kids were quiet as they stood around. Finally she turned on her heel and stormed off.
“Man, that lady has some serious attitude,” Hector said.
“She's right. I should have thought of it sooner,” John admitted.
“What's done is done. Don't blame yourself,” Bert said gruffly. “For the record, I thought of it, but even I refused to donate my lights. I should have. Heather might still be alive if I hadn't been so damn stupid and petty. She was right. I'm not going to make the same mistake again,” he said, holding out a box. John looked at it and noted it was a box of lights and other gear. “Come on,” Bert said, “Lend me a hand?”
“I'd be glad
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