{"id":420,"date":"2011-07-18T00:00:11","date_gmt":"2011-07-18T04:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=420"},"modified":"2011-07-18T00:00:11","modified_gmt":"2011-07-18T04:00:11","slug":"day-7-chapter-8-marin-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=420","title":{"rendered":"Day 7 – Chapter 8 – Marin – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of plans and figuring, what\u2019ve you got, Thom?\u201d\u00a0 J.T. had finally settled down again, a mug of coffee sitting on the ground next to his knee.\u00a0 He\u2019d claimed Thom\u2019s stick for poking the fire and was keeping an eye on the flames, though he was looking at Thom now.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDefenses first,\u201d Thom said, taking out his sketchpad.\u00a0 \u201cWe at least need a wall of some kind before we start building more than one or two semi-permanent shelters.\u00a0 The tents for the moment keep the weather out and keep us pretty warm.\u00a0 It\u2019s only a matter of time before we start seeing people marauding and trying to take whatever the hell anyone else has managed to scrape together.\u00a0 I was thinking we could use the chain link fences that\u2019re coming apart all over the place and maybe some of the rebar from that construction site on south campus as a skeleton, then lay either the broken cinderblocks or pour some concrete to make our walls.\u201d\u00a0 He frowned at his sketchpad as he flipped through the pages.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe both.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re saying defenses should come before shelter, Thom?\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline frowned a little.\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t live in these tents all winter.\u00a0 What happens if it comes faster than we anticipate?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere were tribes that managed that for centuries,\u201d Tala said quietly.\u00a0 I winced, uncertain whether that was an argument for or against Thom\u2019s suggestion.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom grimaced.\u00a0 \u201cI guess I have to hope that it doesn\u2019t.\u00a0 I just\u2026I\u2019ve got a few more things I want to think about before we start putting up any\u2026well.\u00a0 Any houses.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLike digging a well?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He smiled weakly at Matt.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s one of the things on the list, yeah.\u00a0 I\u2019m guessing you figured out how deep we need to go?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My brother\u2019s gesture suggested that he had only sort of<\/em> figured out the answer to that question.\u00a0 \u201cCould be anywhere as deep as maybe fifteen or twenty feet.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be a bitch to dig, especially after we hit clay, but it\u2019s possible.\u201d\u00a0 He hesitated a moment, then said, \u201cBefore we start building anything, you and Davon and I need to set the grid.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced toward Tala.\u00a0 \u201cYou can help with that, right?\u00a0 And what\u2019s her name?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDeirdre, and yes, we can help with that,\u201d Tala said. \u00a0She looked at Thom.\u00a0 \u201cWhat were you working on for the shelters that you don\u2019t have ready yet?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I didn\u2019t often see Thom uncomfortable, but in the face of Tala\u2019s question, he looked down at his sketchbook, open to a page with a maze of what looked like pipes or ductwork, surrounded by notes scribbled in his characteristic scrawl.\u00a0 He stared at it for a few long moments, then cleared his throat quietly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d rather\u2014\u201d\u00a0 I wrapped my hand around his and squeezed.\u00a0 He took another breath.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d rather us all have a centrally heated floor when we start putting these things up, that\u2019s all,\u201d he said, sounding unsteady at first.\u00a0 \u201cI just have to figure out how to make it work, that\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0 He stared at the sketch.\u00a0 \u201cI think I might be close, but it\u2019s not ready yet.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Not ready yet because you\u2019re not sure it\u2019s going to work, or not ready yet because it\u2019s not perfect?<\/em>\u00a0 I wondered.\u00a0 I squeezed his hand again.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat makes sense,\u201d Davon said.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t envy you sorting out that<\/em> one, Thom, but good call.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom nodded. \u00a0\u201cRight now I\u2019m not envying me, either, but it seemed like the right thing to try to do.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory fed another stick into the fire as thunder began to growl in the distance.\u00a0 \u201cSounds like something we\u2019d need more supplies for.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cProbably,\u201d Thom agreed.\u00a0 \u201cAlmost definitely.\u00a0 But that\u2019s not something we can do until whatever weather\u2019s coming has passed and I have to sort out a list of what we\u2019ll need anyway.\u201d\u00a0 He rubbed his hand over his eyes.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAbout that,\u201d I said.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good idea that we have so many people away from here during the day.\u00a0 We should probably limit that number, keep a set number of people here at any given time.\u00a0 Maybe keep a dozen or ten people here at all times, not counting Thom or Dr. Doyle.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t count why?\u201d\u00a0 Greg asked.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom laughed.\u00a0 \u201cBecause if you put you and I together, you might<\/em> get a whole, functioning human being.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At least he can laugh about that.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The others laughed, too.\u00a0 Thom squeezed my hand and smiled at me.\u00a0 I smiled back.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh,\u201d Greg said.\u00a0 \u201cWell, when you put it that way, I guess it\u2019ll make sense.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u201d\u00a0 I smiled and leaned toward the fire a little.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s about us being prepared for\u2014\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lightning lit the world and thunder shook everything, right down to the marrow of our bones.\u00a0 The strike had been close, too close.\u00a0 Someone screamed.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My world suddenly went dark.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of plans and figuring, what\u2019ve you got, Thom?\u201d\u00a0 J.T. had finally settled down again, a mug of coffee sitting on the ground next to his knee.\u00a0 He\u2019d claimed Thom\u2019s stick for poking the fire and was keeping an … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-8","category-day-7"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-6M","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}