{"id":480,"date":"2011-08-05T00:00:28","date_gmt":"2011-08-05T04:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=480"},"modified":"2011-08-05T00:00:28","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T04:00:28","slug":"day-10-chapter-9-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=480","title":{"rendered":"Day 10 – Chapter 9 – 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt looked up from tending the fire at the sound of Thom\u2019s limping footsteps, then reached for one of the ceramic mugs stacked on a cutting board.\u00a0 \u201cMade coffee this morning.\u00a0 You want some?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom nodded, slowly sitting down in the grass nearby, wincing a little.\u00a0 \u201cPlease.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat book helping?\u201d\u00a0 Matt filled the mug from the pot sitting next to the pile of mugs and passed it over to the other man, who had stretched his bad ankle out toward the fire and started to take out his sketchpad and pencil.\u00a0 He\u2019d found a book on Roman architecture and engineering among Marin\u2019s books and passed it along to Thom.\u00a0 Something told him that maybe the other man could use any possible inspiration he could get.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt might be, actually.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been reading some of the sections on the baths and it\u2019s been helping sort a few things out.\u201d\u00a0 Thom took the mug, cradling it in one hand as he balanced his sketchbook with the other.\u00a0 \u201cWe might be able to pull that off.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPull what off?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBaths,\u201d Thom said, taking a sip of the coffee.\u00a0 \u201cAmong other things.\u00a0 I think I have the heating situation figured out, it\u2019s just going to require some trenching and pipework, but you guys brought pipes and ductwork and stuff back on the flatbed.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced toward the fallen dorms.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026and we might find more stuff in the rubble.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably.\u00a0 Hopefully not caked in asbestos, but I don\u2019t think most of the buildings are quite old enough to worry too much about that.<\/em>\u00a0 Matt nodded, getting up to add a few more sticks to the fire.\u00a0 \u201cYou really think that you can build baths, Thom?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNot by myself.\u00a0 I can design them, though.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI hope you\u2019re going to engineer a way to pipe water into them, too, and aren\u2019t going to be relying on whatever well we manage to dig.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s going to be a beast, but we need it.\u00a0 I just hope it doesn\u2019t take as long as I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s going to.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He shook his head, frowning a little.\u00a0 \u201cI was thinking a rain and snow-fed cistern for most of the year.\u201d\u00a0 He took another swallow of coffee before he glanced at Matt again.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust not looking forward to digging wells, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 I\u2019m not quite sure I know what I\u2019m doing, going out to do it.\u201d\u00a0 Matt sat back again, looking at Thom.\u00a0 \u201cBut none of us are really sure what the hell we\u2019re doing in that, so it might as well be me.\u00a0 Tala knows what to do after<\/em> we hit water.\u201d\u00a0 We just have to hit the damn water first.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBetter than rain barrels and hiking to the river.\u201d\u00a0 Thom shivered, then winced.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt stared at him for a moment, frowning.\u00a0 \u201cAre your ribs still<\/em> bugging you?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t tell your sister,\u201d Thom mumbled, hunching over his mug and his sketchpad with another wince.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll worry, decide it\u2019s been too long and that I\u2019m doing too much and she\u2019ll make J.T. sit on me or some shit so I stay put.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She loves you, dumbass.<\/em>\u00a0 Matt shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll only tell her if you piss her off again.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom opened his mouth, then snapped it shut again and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Picking battles, Thomas?\u00a0 That\u2019d be something new.<\/em>\u00a0 Matt felt his annoyance ebb.\u00a0 \u201cIs she okay?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 No\u2026more nightmares or anything.\u201d\u00a0 Thom rubbed his face.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a relief, really.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt gave him the hairy eyeball for a moment more, then nodded.\u00a0 Maybe the end of the world <\/em>did teach you something.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t quite believe her all the time, either, y\u2019know.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom flinched like he\u2019d been hit.\u00a0 He stared down into the mug cradled between his hands, expression tightening and lips thinning.\u00a0 \u201cI do<\/em> believe her, Matt.\u00a0 I just don\u2019t want to sometimes.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to believe her most of the time.<\/em>\u00a0 Matt felt a pang of regret for all the fights he\u2019d picked, though only momentarily.\u00a0 Maybe he and Thom were a little more alike than he\u2019d thought.\u00a0 He suppressed a shiver at that and grabbed a bag of bread, starting to make toast.\u00a0 \u201cIs she staying here today, or is she riding out with the others to that sheep place?\u201d\u00a0 Damn, we\u2019re going to run out of bread pretty fast here.\u00a0 Have to start baking it in those dutch ovens until we can put together some brick ovens and crap.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s staying here, I think.\u201d\u00a0 Thom took a long swallow from his mug and started to thumb through his sketches, making notes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not sure what she\u2019s going to do, though.\u00a0 Probably help Professor Doyle with the planters or something.\u00a0 She was making noises about taking a couple sets of hands and trying to get as much stuff out of the library as we can, though.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI guess that\u2019s not a terrible idea,\u201d Matt said, briefly frowning.\u00a0 \u201cDangerous, maybe.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t afford to lose those books, I guess.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt didn\u2019t argue the point.\u00a0 Who knows what we\u2019ll find in those books, anyhow?\u00a0 Maybe help surviving, beyond all the academics.\u00a0 There\u2019s got to be <\/em>some stuff in there that\u2019s practical applications, right?<\/em>\u00a0 He thought briefly of the book he\u2019d given Thom.\u00a0 Then again, even histories have their uses.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s still playing for the long game, huh?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re all playing for the long game, Matt.\u00a0 Otherwise you wouldn\u2019t be digging a well and I wouldn\u2019t be designing a bathhouse.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Choking on a laugh, Matt nodded. \u201cI guess you\u2019re right.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFirst time for everything,\u201d Thom mumbled, eyes returning to his sketches.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tala appeared with two buckets of water.\u00a0 \u201cToast again, Matt?\u00a0 When\u2019re we going to get some eggs around here?\u201d\u00a0 She grinned at him, teasing as she set the buckets down near the fire.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He snorted a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cAround the same time Stasia\u2019s chickens start laying them again.\u00a0 She keeps saying that shouldn\u2019t be much longer.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, at least we\u2019ve got milk\u2026which I have to go help her take care of.\u201d\u00a0 Tala sighed, grinning helplessly.\u00a0 \u201cAnd everyone said that my historical reconstruction background wasn\u2019t going to help me do a damn thing.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSounds like they were wrong,\u201d \u00a0\u00a0Thom offered her a weak smile.\u00a0 \u201cHave a cup of coffee before you go.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cAfter, with my toast.\u201d\u00a0 She grinned at Matt.\u00a0 \u201cSave me a couple slices?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He nodded and waved her off, getting up to start readying the buckets of water for skimming and boiling clean.\u00a0 Thom watched him for a minute and shook his head.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd all that Eagle Scout training is paying off for you, too.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt snorted.\u00a0 \u201cThank god for small favors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt looked up from tending the fire at the sound of Thom\u2019s limping footsteps, then reached for one of the ceramic mugs stacked on a cutting board.\u00a0 \u201cMade coffee this morning.\u00a0 You want some?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thom nodded, slowly sitting … 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":[25,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-9","category-day-10"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-7K","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480","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=480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}