Chapter 3: Home At Last

They were most of the way to Post Road when they spotted movement on one of the properties they'd just passed. Terry vanished, and was gone for several minutes. Karl kept the group moving until he heard a loud whistle. Terry was returning with three new people in tow.

A middle aged man walked up first and waved to the group. “Hello everyone. I'm Mitch Waller. This is my wife Julie and our daughter Cindy. Terry here says you've got a Safe Zone set up?”

Karl held out his hand and shook Mitch's. “We do indeed. Welcome. I'm Karl Hausman, from Sycamore Street. Most of us are from the neighborhood, a few were passing through when the System hit. We've done the most searching for people on Walnut Street but we haven't had the chance to check every house end to end yet. How have you been holding out?”

“Well, we managed to beat the goblins in our house, but I didn't like the look of those marsh warriors who keep coming around. I'm a second level fighter class—”

“—and I'm a second level healer. We've mostly stayed holed up in the house, but the lack of running water has been getting serious. We've kept Cindy out of the fighting so far,” Julie finished. “If I read the help right, she can't get a class for another couple of years.”

“I've been studying the help files as much as possible,” Cindy said. “I don't want to be useless.”

“Do you have water in the Safe Zone?”

Jo nodded. “We even have power!”

Julie's mouth worked for a moment, then said, “How? Our solar panels gave out almost immediately.”

Jo grinned. “A little bit of luck and one hell of a lot of hard work, with Terry and Sir Karl at the head of the pack.”

“Are you a fighter, Sir Karl?”

“A paladin. I have a little healing magic but mostly I fight sword and shield.”

“What level are you, if I may ask?”

“I'm seventh level, as is Terry. We are the highest level people in our community so far.”

Christine spoke up. “I'm a fourth level ranger. Several people here are higher level than I.”

“I think we're very lucky you came by,” Mitch said, obviously impressed.

“We've been trying to rescue and gather as many people as possible at Endurance. We're close to a hundred people by now.”

They continued telling their stories as they walked. There was so much to cover that they had barely gone over the basics by the time Endurance came into view.

“Good God.” The Wallers stared at the stone edifice.

“I do believe he helped,” Karl replied with a smile.

They explained about the gargoyle. Jake was by the gate still, or again, when they walked up. “Just press your hand here, and you'll be marked as a resident of Endurance.”

“Marked?” Cindy asked warily.

“In the town records,” Jake clarified.

“What are our obligations if we sign in?” she pressed.

“None as yet,” Karl said. “But since we are in a struggle for survival of the human race, we expect everyone to pitch in in one form or another. Whatever way suits you, so long as it helps the community. There's certainly plenty to do.”

“That sounds fair,” Mitch said.

Once everyone was registered, Jake signaled and a couple of people pushed the gates closed and barred them. Karl raised an eyebrow.

“What if someone shows up?” he asked Jake. Jake pointed upwards. Karl looked and saw two people up on the wall, keeping watch. He nodded understanding.

“Karl, you've barely set foot in the Safe Zone since it was created. You should go visit your apartment and check out the community center. It's almost sunset. There's no point in going out again today.”

Karl nodded again. “It would be good to get cleaned up.” Then his eyes widened. “Oh right. I have some meat that someone might be able to turn into food.”

“Cafeteria's in the center.”

“Thanks.” Karl gestured to Terry and they headed in.

It looked like the apartment building and the community center together had replaced the main building from the mill that had existed previously. The smaller secondary building was farther away than the others and now looked like an extra large chicken coop. Right, I'll have to check on Letisha later. I think I need to write up a to do list.

Stolen novel; please report.

They went inside and found the cafeteria taking up a large fraction of the ground floor. They started walking between the tables where dozens of people were eating or just sitting and talking. Karl was startled though, when everyone there started applauding. Several shouted out their thanks: some to Terry, some to himself.

Terry elbowed him in the ribs. “You're supposed to smile when they do that,” she prompted him quietly. Karl smiled obediently and waved and nodded to a few, but kept making his way quickly towards the kitchen. Wasn't expecting that.Terry coughed and muttered, “You might want to sink a couple of stat points into personality next level.” Karl scowled at her. “See?”

Karl realized that he had simply lost track of everyone once the group size got past thirty or so. He wasn't sure he'd even been introduced to everyone yet. When they stepped through the doors into the kitchen, he saw three people at work: one stirring a large pot, another washing vegetables, and a third sorting piles of food and putting them onto shelves...or rather, holding them up to a wall, where they vanished, Karl realized. The building has its own inventory space?

“Hello?”

“Dropping off canned or boxed goods?” the woman stirring asked.

“Yes.”

“On that table, please. Ryan will sort it.”

“We also have some squirrel meat.”

“Okay, uh...” the woman looked around, then pointed with her free hand at a small clear space on a metal counter. “You can put it there.”

“Oh, I don't think you understand,” Terry said gleefully, pulling a huge haunch of meat from her inventory and showing it off. “This wasn't a squirrel, this was a squirrel!” The woman's eyebrows moved towards the ceiling.

“Four pieces like that,” Karl added.

“Right...Ryan!”

“Yeah?”

“Clear off the center table! Laura, can you do your magic spell yet?”

“I don't know how...”

“Just hold out your hands a couple of inches above the meat and try to sense if it's poisonous. Just think clearly, 'I want to know'.” When Laura still looked uncertain, the woman sighed. “You have to try it sometime. Trust me, it's not hard and it doesn't hurt. Now, can you try?”

“Yes, Patty,” Laura answered in a quiet voice.

The young man named Ryan was quickly moving boxes off of the table, and beckoned to Karl and Terry. They walked up and deposited their four big chunks of meat on the surface. Laura approached slowly as if on her way to the executioner, then tentatively held out her hands and closed her eyes tight. Her lips moved silently. Then she shrieked for a moment and jumped backwards, staring off into space, reading something. Karl and Terry watched, wondering what was going on.

“Well?” Patty demanded.

“Uh...there's a lot here...”

Patty frowned. “What do you mean, 'there's a lot there'? It should just say poisonous or not.”

“I guess I did it wrong.”

Parry rolled her eyes and demanded in an exasperated tone, “Well, what does it say?”

“Well...uh...oh yes, there it is at the bottom! Not poisonous.”

“What else does it say?”

“It's...uh... I guess it's nutrition information? Like on a package? And then there's a list of herbs, I think that go with it...and then there's some more stuff I don't understand, about...'buffs'?” Laura looked at Patty helplessly. Patty was sputtering.

“What...? How? What did you cast? And why don't I have that spell? I'm higher level than you!” Laura looked guilty. Patty stared. “Laura...? I am higher level than you, aren't I?”

Laura's mouth worked for a moment, then she blurted, “But...you're better at this than I am! Lots better!”

It took Patty a few moments to answer. “You're third level. You're a goddamn third level Cook and you didn't even tell me...So help me, Laura, if you don't put your next stat point into Willpower I'm going to beat you with this spoon! Now go write down everything that spell told you on paper so I can learn it!”

“Yes, Patty.” The meek girl ducked her head and trotted off.

Patty looked heavenward. “Why me, Lord?”

Karl and Terry just looked at each other and exited the kitchen without another word.

Looking around, it was obvious where the Shop pedestal was; it had a line, and a cluster of people standing around talking. Someone had taped papers to the wall near it. When Karl walked over, it turned out to be a wish list of things to buy. Some of them had many check marks next to them. That's another fun project for Jake, I suppose.

Then he frowned. That's going to be a problem. Most people aren't making any coin, but everyone wants things. I should read that economics textbook I retrieved. “I wonder what apartments are still available. Do we have enough for everyone?”

“Don't worry, old man, I got your back. Come on.” Terry skipped ahead. Karl shook his head at her exuberance and followed.

There was only a short open air space between the two buildings, and then a pair of double doors. “How did Jake and Letisha design all this so quickly?” Karl asked as Terry forged onward.

“Probably prefab stuff? I dunno. I saved you a first floor apartment. I wasn't sure if you'd want a top floor place, but I thought you might want to be able to get outside quick in case of an emergency. My parents and I are in number eight down the hall. More bedrooms, same idea. Anyway, this is you. Here's a whatsit...an alien DNA scanner thing, or whatever it uses. Put your palm on that square and it opens. See?” Terry put her own palm there and nothing happened. “I had Jake key it to you.”

Karl tried it, and the door opened. He walked inside, and was surprised to find multiple rooms. There was a living room, a bathroom, a tiny kitchen, and a bedroom, all with very basic furniture. Terry recited, “Alien fridge, alien stove, totally ordinary bathroom fixings. Some of the wall outlets look weird, but...” She flipped a switch and lights came on. “We really do have power.”

Karl turned to her. “Thank you, Terry. This was very thoughtful of you.”

“I'll let you settle in. Oh! You might want to think up what to say in a speech.”

Karl blinked. “A speech?”

“Our first dinner in our new home. You know they're going to ask you.”

Crap.

“It's easy, Karl. Just leave the technical stuff to Jake, stick to your noble principles, outline your big dreams, talk about one or two immediate things to do tomorrow, make everyone feel welcome, answer questions...oh, and keep it short! Later!” Terry smirked and left, closing the door behind her.