Days Since...: Xavier: Day 853

Chapter Three

“Lana, Lana, Lana,” Xavier softly reminded himself as he returned to the courtyard. By now, his stomach was well established in its revolt—groaning against the involuntary hunger strike. I’m here for one thing. Food. That’s it. Don’t get caught up in a conversation again. He pressed upon his stomach, assuring it that food would come, but then his thirst joined in, begging for water. He couldn’t win. It was an unfortunate start to his day that he just couldn’t seem to adjust to. Dad, you need to get back here and fix this… The S.A.’s taking our food, supplies—Sam…

He raised his eyes to the vast August sky, and sighed. The land it stretched across was simply a dream to Xavier—his life confined within the walls of River’s Edge. He held his hand across his forehead as he looked further into the distance. Not a single puff of cloud around. Not a bit of shade to relieve him from the sun’s unrelenting glare. It seemed higher than usual—hot and brutal—draping the school in a blanket of heat. A sweat began to form beneath his clothing as he stood there underneath it. What I wouldn’t do for air conditioning or some ice or… rain.

He spotted the reservoir tanks, now more empty than full, sitting along the brick wall. It hadn’t rained in more than a week—a serious concern during a long summer. He started toward the tanks, but stopped—his eyebrows puckered. Realizing that he was by himself, he began along the rows of corn, pacing, searching for someone else, but there was no one.

The rabbit hutches and chicken coops were filled, but without anyone to tend to their needs, they sat there, waiting. Only the bleating of a goat and its indiscriminate appetite picking through the grasses and dirt of its paddock gave any sign of activity within the farm.

“Hey!” A single Sentry perched in an observation post along the rooftop called out to Xavier while keeping close watch of his movements. The Sentry’s scowl pegged him as a potential thief. “Whatchu doin’ here!”

“I’m looking for Lana,” Xavier yelled back.

“Not here.” The Sentry waved his hand across the open farm below him as if he were a magician and had made them all disappear.

“I see that. Do you have any idea where she went?”

“Lunch.”

“Lunch already? What time is it?”

The Sentry pointed toward the sun. “Guessin’ bit after eleven, you know, lunchtime.”

“Thanks,” he called out and then lowered his voice, “dick.”

“Don’t be messin’ anythin’ up. Got my eyes on ya.”

The Sentry sat back down inside the observation post. He set his rifle in its slot on the rack and picked up his lunch. It was obvious he was rehashing the conversation he just had—speaking to himself and laughing between bites of his meal. Alone up there like he should be, miserable jerk.

Xavier made another pass through the empty courtyard, letting the green sanctuary flood his senses. Nature seemed foreign—a luxury. This instance within the enclosed farm was a pleasant escape. With no one on the path beside him as he searched, he felt alone. Finally, alone. He disappeared within the tall stalks in the field. One breath in, one breath out, timed perfectly. The air was muggy, but refreshing when compared to the stuffiness of the school. For a moment, he left the pungent smells of gasoline, sweat, and must behind. He felt invigorated as his nostrils filled with the unspoiled scent of his surroundings.

He rolled the sleeves of his maintenance shirt, welcoming the rays of the sun to tan his arms. How could he make this last? A long minute or two just to be—no work, no JCNs, no structure. An instant of life just to be. He closed his eyes.

“Dad, I think Mom lied. I don’t think—“

“Don’t say that about your mother.”

“Yeah, X.

“Tara, I don’t need your two cents on this.”

“Yeah, mind your own business.”

“You’re the one looking out the window all day. You should mind—“

“Stop you two! Your mother’s coming back. It’s just taking a bit longer than we thought.”

“That’s because everyone’s going to the hospital. Mr. Jones had a coughing fit out in his front yard this morning. It’s only a matter of time before he goes too.”

“Aren’t you just Mr. Wonderful today?”

“Cut it out! Can’t you both at least act like you two love each other? Or at least treat each other like family?”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

“Dad… I just—I just don’t see this getting any better. Mom’s never coming back if it stays like this.”

“She’ll be back. She didn’t lie. It’s… she didn’t have all the information. We wait and keep doing what we have been—keep away from everyone else. The news is saying this Almawt thing is all over the world, not just the U.S.”

“I don’t care about that. I just want her back.”

“Xavier! Damn it, she said she’d be back in a month, okay? Quit being so selfish all the time. This virus is bigger than us. Your mother’s trying to make a difference, and once she’s done, she’ll be back. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll try and give her another call today.”

“Promise?”

“Do you two promise to get along?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“We’re family. We’ve been lucky so far, so act like it. Act like we can get through this together.”

“Together with Mom maybe…”

“Xavier!”

“Yes, sir.”

“Tara, quit with that look.”

“I’m the only one left…” Xavier opened his eyes and sighed. He kicked at the dirt and watched as a few loose rocks collided with a fence post. Abandoned. Where are you guys? He moved back and forth along the path while he continued to strike the ground with his foot. A barrage of small rocks hurtled through the grass, bending the blades as they tumbled through. I’m still waiting.

An unlucky dandelion along the paddock’s fence became the target of his frustration. His aim was off, but the amusement began to build. He continued to kick, driving more and more rocks toward his target, but it wasn’t long before the goat interrupted Xavier’s game by snatching the weed from among the grasses. She bleated—satisfied with her find.

A half-smile raised Xavier’s cheek as he made his way toward her. “Hey girl, you’re not going to leave me, right?” She moved her head between the rails and nuzzled it along the post. He scratched the thin goat along the ridge of her back. “That feels good, huh? I almost feel bad doing this, but you’re actually cleaning the dirt from under my nails.” He laughed lightly to himself while continuing to scratch at the wiry hair of her back. The goat’s tongue drooped from the right side of her mouth. “You’re a funny girl. I like you,” he said in a high-pitched voice one would use to talk to a baby. He looked around. I sound like a nutcase. I’d better cut it out.

He rubbed the goat along her sides and began to feel a tugging at his pants. “Hey! You can’t have that. These pants are in bad enough shape.” He tried to peel her jaw open, but it wouldn’t budge. He pushed her head away from him, yelling, “Quit! Quit biting that!” He hoped that it would scare the goat into obliging his request, but the goat persisted.

As he continued to try and forcefully remove her from his leg, she bucked back at him, cracking a portion of the rail. This goat is strong as hell! Xavier pulled back hard and fell backwards to the dirt. Rip! He groaned as he watched the fibers of his cargo pants appear and disappear from the goat’s mouth. “Aww, Come on!”

A loud fit of laughter came from the rooftop—the Sentry doubled over, halfway falling out of his seat. “Nice work!”

Ass! Xavier slapped at his pants then picked himself up from the ground. You know what? Screw that guy. He did his best to ignore the laughter. He couldn’t resist the goat’s dopey grin. At least you didn’t laugh at me…

Cautiously, he extended his arm forward, keeping his distance while he rubbed her muzzle. “You’re not getting me again.” He laughed at her. “You don’t know any better though, huh?” The goat kept chewing. “I still like you.”

“Do you now?”

Xavier flinched then turned to see who got the better of him. Lana. Did she see me fall? Xavier’s cheeks flushed, and his heart skipped. He couldn’t prevent it. Her beauty was disruptive. His words escaped him. Thought shifted to her. Emotion shifted to her. Get it together. She can’t possibly like you. She’s older than you. Stop! She’s just a girl. It didn’t matter. Xavier was stung.

“Uh, yeah!” he finally blurted out. “You snuck up on me there.”

“It wasn’t too hard. You’re here schmoozing your girlfriend.” She laughed out loud while resting her hand on the fence. “What’s going on with those glasses?”

“That bad, huh?” He forced a weak smile. These stupid things.

“No, not at all. They just—they make you look old.” She shook her head. “No, I didn’t mean that.” Her hand moved a few stray hairs from her face. “They make you look older, not old. You look good.”

Xavier couldn’t help but smile. Don’t get ahead of yourself. She said ‘they’ look good, not you. Or did she…? Say something! “Thanks,” he forced it out and then calmed himself, “but I don’t really have a choice. Grant seems to think my eyes could start affecting my work. I couldn’t deal with listening to him if that ever happened. Besides, now that I have them, I kind of wish I would’ve gotten them sooner.”

“Are they that big of a difference?”

“Definitely.” He took the glasses from his nose, moving them back and forth from his eyes while focusing on the rabbit hutches. The difference was obvious. “I really didn’t know how bad it was until I got them.”

“Well, good.” She paused for a bit, her eyes searching for something to talk about.

“How was lunch?” Xavier spared her from the awkward silence. “Good?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t bad at all. A nice stew made from venison and potatoes. They butchered the deer early this morning. I heard the Sentry that shot it bragging that he only used one round, but I’m not sure I believe that.”

“I thought I heard a shot this morning, but wasn’t sure. Used to be a normal thing. It’s been awhile now.”

Lana nodded in agreement. “Oh!” Her eyes lit up. “And they had some chips at lunch. Actual chips! They were expired, but the flavor was still good, not too stale either.”

“I haven’t had chips in a long time.” His mouth began to water. “Were there a lot?”

“No. Sorry.” She grimaced. “I doubt any are left. I really shouldn’t have said anything.”

Xavier’s head drooped.

“I know it’s not chips, but you’re still welcome to pick something out from here.”

“Yeah.” Xavier raised his head. A slightly relieved look upon his face. “I’ll definitely do that before I go. Hopefully, that will hold me over until lunch.”

“Aren’t you going now?”

“I’ll have to wait for Grant.”

“Is he up to something?”

“No, he had to go to the infirmary this morning to get a cut looked at. He’s probably going to need some stitches.”

Lana frowned. “You going to check on him?”

“No, he’d be more upset if I let anything go wrong with our work. I need to check on that first. I was try—”

“Then what are you doing here joking around with this goat?” Lana asked.

“I was actually looking to see if you needed us to run the pumps, but no one was here. That early lunch is going to take some getting used to.”

“We would’ve been here if that Sentry hadn’t reminded us about the meal change.”

“That one?” He pointed toward the observation post, and Lana turned to look. “Do you know him?”

“No. Why?”

“Nothing…”

The Sentry was now walking the perimeter of the school’s roof. A rifle slung across his shoulder as he moved toward a second outpost. He stopped and removed a pair of binoculars, glassing over the tree-filled hills. His head shook, seemingly disappointed there wasn’t anything more to do than harass the residents and shift about along the roof. I could do that job. Doesn’t seem like it’s that difficult.

“Xavier?” She waved her hand in front of his face.

“I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

“I didn’t say anything other than your name.” Lana gave him a look, indicating that their conversation was over. “Let me check on the wat—”

“Are you in charge of all of this?” Xavier asked, even though he already knew the answer. “I mean like the food, animals, everything?”

“Yeah. It can be quite a lot.”

“I bet.”

“Hey, why don’t you go ahead and grab a couple of tomatoes for you and Grant? I’m going to go check on the water levels and see what we need done.”

Xavier worked his eyes over the massive growth of green foliage punctuated with red tomatoes. Their vines crawled all along the monkey bars, swing sets, and jungle gym. The playground equipment had originally been planned for deconstruction, but Grant’s deceased wife thought better of it. Her concept of growing up instead of out had proved more efficient and led to an expansive scaffolding project that had yet to be completed. Soon, the entire interior wall would be lined with tomatoes.

He found a tomato he liked and twisted it from its truss. This treat—the whole thing just for him—was a rare occasion. Most produce was used in stews, sauces, and soups to spread the servings, but not this one. This one would be enjoyed on an individual basis.

It gave, just slightly, between his thumb and fingers as he squeezed. His mouth opened, and his teeth pierced through its red skin. Xavier continued to chew through its flesh while searching for another one just for Grant. He unrolled his shirt sleeves and wiped the trickle of tomato juice from his face. This one looks good. He tucked the tomato for Grant into his cargo pants pocket and looked back to his, but unfortunately it was finished.

“That was delicious,” he said, as he joined Lana by the reservoir tanks. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She pointed to his chin. “You still have a bit on your face.”

Xavier wiped his mouth again.

“There you go. Looking good.”

“What’s the plan for these?” He pointed to the water tanks.

Lana put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “I really wanted to hold off, but it’s been too long. We still have several days’ worth, but some of the general use tanks are looking much worse.”

“Yeah, no, I get it.” Xavier nodded to her. “There’s no way to predict the weather, so I’ll take care of it. It won’t take long.”

She sighed. “I’ll feel a lot better seeing them full.”

Xavier worked his way back through the school and into the maintenance room. The shop was empty except for the stinging smell of gasoline and solvents that accosted him as he entered. He took the tomato from his pocket and set it on Grant’s plate. It wouldn’t be possible that Grant would miss the vivid red orb against the surrounding space of black and white—the color hidden by layers of grease.

A thick wooden workbench along the back wall endured the weight of unfinished projects and repairs. The shelving underneath was littered with scrap metal, screws, and whatever other grime settled there. At one point, the floors had been white, or at least close to it, but what point was there to trying anymore? A taupe floor worked just as well. A film of lubricants and dust caked the windows—shielding the room from most natural light. He pushed them open to let some fresh air into the room. Much better.

The generator best suited for the river pumps was unavailable. It sat on a side table, completely open and exposed, clearly in the middle of an in-depth tune-up. Xavier slid it toward him to examine its specifications. He needed a qualified substitute. As he read the placard, he noticed a droplet of blood on the edge of the table. Then one on its leg. And then a few on the floor. I guess Grant’s cut really wasn’t all that bad.

Xavier grabbed a hand cart and led it to the spare generators. He looked them over for what he needed and found a red and black Honda that would suffice. It was heavy. Or at least it was for a teenager without a decent meal in months. He picked up one end and then the other, shimmying it onto the bed of the cart. A few gas cans sat nearby, and Xavier picked one, swiveling the can by its handle—the gasoline inside crashed from wall to wall. “That should be enough,” he said, and he placed it next to the generator. He grabbed his tool bag and pulled the cart through the double doors—back into the heat.

From the top of the hill, just barely over the wall, he could see the Ohio River. It was calmer today than most others—still flowing through the Midwest with its usual brown color. The hills and forests of Kentucky teetered on the edge of the opposite bank, leaning over the river, observing him as he worked. Xavier had wasted hours of work over the past year imagining himself wandering the land. Someday…

He hustled the hand truck down the hill along a dirt path that sliced through the tall grasses. The cart thundered toward the riverbank as it shook over the unevenness of the ground beneath it. He parked it on a concrete slab and chocked the wheels with a nearby river stone.

The water pumps were parallel to one another, secured to a stout wooden platform constructed just beyond the sand of the bank. Large tubes of PVC fed the pumps all the water they could handle from the river.

With the ground cable connected to the generator, he unrolled the opposite end up the hill, dragging it through the overgrown lawn searching for the ground rod. A strong wind moved across the tops of the green blades, shuffling them about. The pink flagging tape marking the rod was finally visible. He wriggled the cable into the clamp. The bolt rotated, tighter and tighter as Xavier spun his wrench. He then connected the water pumps to the generator and poured the gasoline into its tank—just enough, nothing more.

The generator began to purr while Xavier monitored its gauges momentarily before allowing the pumps to do their job. The PVC pipes jolted from the initial pressure as the water began flowing up and over the rear wall of the school. A complex system of pipes invaded the rooftop like ivy, spreading to all corners, distributing the water to the town through various tanks and filters.

While waiting for the overflow basin to begin filling, he took a seat on the edge of the hand truck. He spotted an ant crawling along the concrete toward the other end.

Your life really hasn’t changed much, has it? It’s been the same as it’s always been. You have no idea how far the world has fallen. I envy you, but honestly, how could you know? You just do your job, no complaining. If you were as big as me—you’ve probably traveled miles upon miles today. I can’t do that. A hard day’s work out of you means the difference between life and death for so many others. Just one little ant. One piece of a larger machine geared for survival in this crazy world.

But still, you are just one ant. The queen wouldn’t miss just one tiny ant. Another could do your job just as well. You’re replaceable. Especially you! You aren’t following orders. Clearly, you’re off track—lost—or simply horrible at being an ant. You’re no use to the colony. Here you are goofing off. You’re not helping anything. There’s no food on this concrete slab. You can’t be relied upon to ensure the survival of the others. You don’t know how good you have it. You’re taking advantage of your good fortune.

Xavier zeroed in on the ant and brought his foot down. Its body twitched for just a moment, and then it didn’t. He watched as another ant marched along the same path, passing the corpse, never even giving it pause.

The sloshing sound of water pouring into the overflow basin distracted Xavier from the ants. He powered down the pumps and the generator and loaded up the remaining equipment.

Gravity seemed to be toying with him as the wheels of the hand cart creaked back up the hill. Each tug and grunt inched the heavy load closer and closer to the school. Sweat beaded around his hairline, occasionally dripping along the features of his face. His entire body touched with pearls of sweat. His chest pumped vigorously as it tried to catch up from the labor. Finally, Xavier could rest and wipe his brow. Damn!

His uniform was soaked. A shower would be nice, but it wasn’t his day to do so. He would simply have to manage with a change of clothes before heading off to eat. Or did he? A quick soak in the river just to cool off couldn’t hurt anything.

He decided to go for it. His uniform lay in a heap as Xavier, eager to cleanse himself, threw it to the ground. He waded waist deep into the pool of brown water that snuck under the school’s perimeter wall. His body cooled in an instant as he lowered himself below the surface. The echoes of the water passed over his ears until, of course, he had to breathe. His head surfaced. He bounced his knees while keeping his shoulders just below the water.

Xavier pushed slightly against the bottom letting his body float for a bit before submerging again. Thoughts of Sam began to run through his mind as he tried to see how long he could stay under. Sam… You didn’t deserve that. We have every right to be pissed. I can’t believe everyone just stood there. I— well, I couldn’t have helped, but… Something has to change. His lungs tightened. He gave in. The sunlight blinded him for a moment as he emerged from the water.

“Hey boy!” Grant called out while jogging down the hill toward the riverbank, keeping careful watch over his footing. A frayed bath towel hung around his neck. “Need you to dry up now! Not surprisin’ you’re goofin’ off when we gotta be somewhere! What you doin’ out here?”

“I refilled the water tanks.” Xavier ran his fingers through his hair then motioned for the towel as he stepped out from the water. “You should hop in for a second. It feels great.”

“I’m sure it does.” Grant launched the towel into Xavier’s face, briefly covering his ridiculous grin before it fell. He snatched it from the ground, shook it off, and began drying his skin.

“Thanks?”

“I’m serious.” A strange eagerness to Grant’s voice. “Let’s get goin’.”

“I’ve never seen you in such a hurry for lunch. I got you a to—”

“It ain’t lunch, boy. Quit foolin’ around and come on!”

“Alright, just give me a chance to dry off.” Xavier rubbed the worn towel over his body. “What’s going on?”

“We gotta meet up with Mayor Haverty. Big plans are coming down the line, and he’s gonna explain it all in his office.”

“I need to eat,” Xavier said.

“You should’ve gone already. What the hell were you waitin’ for?”

“I didn’t go yet, because I was waiting for you. I thought you were hurt. If I had known tha—”

“Settle down.” Grant waved Xavier’s concern off with his hand. “Haverty’s gonna have some lunch waitin’ for us. Quit your fussin’.”

“I’m not fussing. I’m just trying to explain why I waited.”

“I hear you, just start gettin’ dried up”

“But seriously, are you all right? I saw a little bit of blood down that side table in the shop.”

“Yep. There’s a reason there’s a little bit of blood. I was a little bit of hurt.” Grant peeled the bandage slightly from his finger to show the stitches. “See. Nothin’ to it. A few stitches is all. Usually, I wouldn’t even go. You know that. This was just a little deeper than I like.”

“Let me get my stuff on.” Xavier tossed the damp towel to Grant and collected his clothing from the ground. He brushed the debris from his uniform and pulled the sleeves back through. The sweat-soaked shirt and pants gripped Xavier’s body as he slid them on. “Do I have time to get a fresh pair?”

“Nope. You made that choice now live with it.”

Xavier replaced his glasses.

“Those the ones you picked out?”

“These are the ones that work.”

“As long as you can see, they look good. Now let’s go!” Grant climbed the hill. Xavier followed. “Don’t be lookin’ so down. This is excitin’ news, boy. Gonna be great.”

“How do you know?

He turned back to Xavier, a sharp grin on his face. “Just got that feelin’.”