Page 30 of Tower
Wildlife has been equally depleted. Animals who rely on vegetation have found very little to live on lately, and carnivores that rely on those other animals for prey have had just as hard a time. The only farm animals it’s been semi-easy to keep alive are pigs and chickens.
Scavengers have fared the best. There are always plenty of dead bodies around.
When the news was still broadcasting, the scientists all said that eventually the dust will clear and the planet will come back to life. But it’s been over three years, and the natural world is still suffering.
So are all of us who’ve survived this long.
But even driving through a bleak, unfamiliar landscape on back roads with crumbling pavement is better than being forever stuck in a tower.
So I have a good time on the drive, and Levi seems to too.
We’ve been heading south. After about two hours, Levi points to a broken road sign so faded it’s almost unreadable now. “Passin’ into Kentucky now.”
It’s funny. I haven’t really thought about different states for a long time. But I’ve always lived in southern Indiana, and I guess I still do. Now we’re in Kentucky, and it’s entirely meaningless.
We drive for another hour and a half at a decent speed, considering the condition of the roads and the fact that we stop several times to check out abandoned houses and cars to see if there’s any gas to siphon or food and supplies to scavenge.
When we turn off the road we’ve been following, however, Levi slows down. He’s going only by verbal directions from the folks he and the guys ran across a few days ago, so he doesn’t know exactly where the farm is.
We find it forty minutes later. It’s surrounded by a makeshift wall, like every other inhabited community nowadays. Before we get to the front gate, one of the guards fires a shot.
I’m not expecting it, so I overreact. I gasp and duck my head into my lap.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Levi says, reaching over to stroke my hair down my back. “That was just a warnin’. Shoulda told you most folks do that now. I’m gonna park and get out to talk to ’em so they know we’re harmless.”
“What if they shoot you?” I wasn’t expecting to be this scared, but I am.
“Don’t think they will. Leavin’ my weapons here. But take this.” He hands me the small pistol he keeps in an ankle holster when he’s on the road. “Just in case.”
I nod and handle the gun. My dad taught me how to use them, so at least I’m not totally clueless.
He nods at me and reaches for the door handle. Then he turns back, like he’s had second thoughts. He leans over and gives me a quick kiss just to the side of the mouth before he gets out of the truck for real.
I raise my fingers to the spot where he kissed me.
He’s never done that before.
He keeps his hands raised as he approaches the gate. Then he has a short conversation with the guards there. I don’t know what is said because I can only hear muffled voices, but soon Levi starts back toward the pickup truck.
With him comes another man after he climbed down from the guard perch.
He’s a lot younger than Levi. Maybe even around my age. He’s tall with good shoulders and strong arms. His wavy hair is dark—too long and wildly disarrayed. He’s got tanned skin and a brisk, competent manner.
He gives me only a quick nod as he opens the driver’s side door and studies the interior of the cab.
Levi has come around to my side. “It’s all good,” he tells me. “Jack’s one of the guys I met a few days ago. He’s just searchin’ to make sure we are who we say we are before he lets us drive in.”
“Okay. Do you want me to get out?” I look from Levi to Jack, asking both or either of them.
“You’re good,” Jack says. “As long as you don’t mind me leaning over you to check under your seat.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” I lift my legs, wishing I’d worn pants today instead of my shorts. There’s a lot of my bare legs inches from Jack’s face as he leans over.
But he doesn’t leer or even take an extra look at them. In just a minute, he’s okayed the cab and moved to check the truck bed.
“Okay,” he calls to Levi when he’s done. “We’ll open the gate, and you can pull in.”
The farm is surprisingly pleasant and productive. I’m really impressed with the planted fields, animals, and equipment. The man in charge is older, and he has a daughter named Faith with pretty red-gold hair and a no-nonsense confidence I can’t help but envy.
