Page 29 of Tower
“Do you feel all right, for real? It must have been a rough job, and I doubt you slept much away from home.”
“I didn’t, but I’m okay. I feel better now.”
“Will you have to make a lot of trips like that?”
“Hopefully not. We did pretty good with what we scavenged. We’ll be set for a while. Might send a smaller group back that way at some point, but I don’t think I’ll need to go with them every time.”
“Oh. Good.” I run my fingers up and down his arm, stroking the intricate tattoos on his skin. Trees. I always wondered about them, but I’ve never asked.
“Got to get back on the road tomorrow though,” Levi adds in a tired voice. “Shit.”
“What?” I lift my head, immediately upset.
“Just for the day,” he explains. “We ran into some folks from a farm in that direction, down south of us, and they’ve got a good thing goin’, I guess. Might be able to trade with ’em. So I’m gonna go pay ’em a visit and see if we can get another tradin’ partner.”
“Oh that would be great. But I hate that you have to go so soon after you’ve just gotten back. How far away is the farm?”
“Not sure. Around four hours, I think.”
I let out a long sigh and droop slightly. “Oh.”
“What’s the matter?” He cups my cheek, lifting my head so he can see my face better.
“Nothing. Only that you just got back, and now you’re going to be gone again all tomorrow.”
He frowns as he gazes up at me.
“I wasn’t whining or anything,” I add hurriedly. “I know it’s not like we ever get a vacation or a break anymore.”
“I know you weren’t whinin’. You can prob’ly come with me.” He adds in a mumble, “Only if you wanna.”
“Really!” I perk up shamelessly. “You mean it?”
“Sure. We’ll take your daddy’s truck if you’re comin’ with me. Be safer that way. But no reason you can’t ride along. Seemedmostly quiet in that region. Shouldn’t be too big a risk.” He peers at me, looking slightly surprised. “What? That make you happy?”
“Yeah.” I can’t seem to stop smiling. “That will make me happy.”
9
I’mon a high the following morning.
I do an abbreviated yoga session first thing since Levi and I want to get an early start. Then I hum an old pop song as I make Levi’s eggs and toast, having to explain to three different people why I’m in a good mood.
After we eat a quick breakfast, we hit the road in my dad’s old truck, which still has a full tank of gas because he always kept it topped off. It still has a working CD player installed, so I dig out a case of ancient CDs my dad kept behind the seats. After picking out my favorite of the limited selection—a laid-back female country singer I’ve liked since I was a child—I put it in and sing along to all the songs as we drive.
Levi doesn’t say much, but I catch him looking over at me more than once with a smile in his eyes, so I don’t think my exuberance is annoying him too much.
I have a really good time.
I haven’t been outside the walls they built around our town after Impact for more than three years. When things started getting chaotic after the asteroid’s approach was announced, myparents kept me in the house, and that never changed even as everything else did.
Levi’s been doing the same thing. Keeping me sheltered. Keeping me safe. Keeping me away from a dangerous world. A princess locked in a tower. I understand and appreciate the reasoning, but it genuinely feels like I’ve been freed from a prison cell this morning.
Everything outside looks different than it used to. The climate damage from the asteroid impact has decimated a landscape that used to be fully green. Green grass. Green foliage. Green crops growing in the fields. Green leaves on every tree. Along with the blue sky, the greenness always used to define my understanding of nature in this region.
Almost nothing is green anymore.
Most of the trees are struggling without as much sunlight because of the layer of dust in the atmosphere, so the leaves are at best a greenish, gray brown. The grass keeps trying, but it’s brown or yellow as often as it’s green. Ugly weeds are the only growing thing that’s thriving lately. Most of the nearby farms were decimated by the weather changes. Only the Nelsons have had much luck, and even their crops fail as often as they succeed.
