{"id":479,"date":"2015-08-06T03:04:37","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T03:04:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/?page_id=479"},"modified":"2015-08-07T03:45:37","modified_gmt":"2015-08-07T03:45:37","slug":"chapter-111","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/story\/chapter-111\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 111"},"content":{"rendered":"

DECENNIUM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 111<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:<\/em>
\nA time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;<\/em>
\nA time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;<\/em>
\nA time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;<\/em>
\nA time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;<\/em>
\nA time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;<\/em>
\nA time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;<\/em>
\nA time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.<\/em>
\n(Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)<\/em><\/p>\n

If this were one of Nick\u2019s entries, he\u2019d tell you that these are lyrics from a song by The Byrds called \u201cTurn! Turn! Turn!\u201d\u00a0 But The Byrds were only borrowing words from the Bible.\u00a0 Still, the music lover in me couldn\u2019t help but hum as I wrote them down.\u00a0 Nick would appreciate that.<\/em><\/p>\n

I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s been almost a decade since that day, when I chose this verse to recite by my daughters\u2019 deathbeds.\u00a0 I regret that I never got the chance to give them a proper goodbye.\u00a0 Still, the words ring true.\u00a0 There is a time and a purpose for everything.\u00a0 I know that now.\u00a0 We\u2019ve faced some hard times here, but life is finally starting to get easier.\u00a0 The bad times are falling farther behind us, and the good times are only beginning.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been through a war and lived to tell the tale.\u00a0 Now, God willing, we can finally enjoy our time of peace.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Wednesday, April 13, 2022<\/strong>
\nTen years after Infernal Friday<\/em><\/p>\n

As the anniversary dawned, the former Reverend Brian Littrell stood at the fence before his field and said to himself, \u201cGod is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

The only response came from a nearby flock of birds, who chirped their gratitude as they swooped down to grab their breakfast.\u00a0 He smiled as a robin landed on the fencepost, remembering what his wife had once told him: \u00a0seeing a robin was a sign of spring.<\/p>\n

Though they didn\u2019t have much in the way of seasons in Florida, it did feel like spring.\u00a0 The sky was blue, and all the leaves were green.\u00a0 The sun was as warm as a baked potato, but the air was still cool.\u00a0 A gentle breeze fluttered over the field, creating a wavelike ripple effect that made it look more like a sea of greens.<\/p>\n

The fat robin fluttered to the ground on the other side of the fence.\u00a0 It stuck its face right into the rich soil at the edge of the field and rooted around until it emerged with the end of an earthworm clamped firmly in its beak.\u00a0 Brian watched the ensuing struggle, as the worm wriggled wildly, trying to get away.\u00a0 But in the end, the bird won, taking flight again with the worm still in its mouth.\u00a0 The circle of life goes on<\/em>, thought Brian, as the bird disappeared between the branches of a towering oak tree.\u00a0 He wondered if it was going to use the worm to feed its young.\u00a0 To every thing there is a season\u2026 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.<\/em>\u00a0 With a smile on his face and the familiar verse running through his head, he stepped into the field.<\/p>\n

The sun was still low in the sky when Brian set out to harvest his latest crops.\u00a0 The dew-soaked leaves brushed his bare ankles as he bent down to pick cucumbers and pull carrots out of the ground.\u00a0 His basket was heaping with vegetables before the sun had even risen above the bay.<\/p>\n

As he moved on to check the spinach plants, Brian became aware of a pair of footsteps behind him.\u00a0 The sound of that shuffling, uneven gait was familiar\u2026<\/p>\n

He spun around, unsurprised to see AJ limping toward him.\u00a0 \u201cLook!\u201d the other man exclaimed, holding up his bucket.\u00a0 \u201cBlueberries!\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian looked inside, admiring the bounty of freshly-picked berries.\u00a0 \u201cWow\u2026 I bet there\u2019s enough for Gretch to make us some blueberry cobbler for dessert tonight.\u00a0 You did good, bro!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d\u00a0 AJ smiled, but even after all these years, he still seemed reluctant to accept a compliment.\u00a0 \u201cSo how\u2019s the spinach looking?\u201d he asked, quickly changing the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of it\u2019s starting to wilt,\u201d said Brian, rubbing a spinach leaf between his thumb and forefinger, \u201cbut I think we\u2019ll still be able to get enough for a good salad with dinner.\u00a0 We should pick the last of the strawberries to go with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ nodded.\u00a0 \u201cSounds good.\u00a0 I was thinking I might try to make some dye out of the rotten ones that we don\u2019t wanna eat.\u00a0 The blueberries, too, eventually.\u00a0 We could use it for clothes or ink or paint or whatever.\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t Evie look pretty in a new blue dress?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian smiled at the mention of his daughter.\u00a0 \u201cYou bet.\u00a0 And Asha would look beautiful in a red one.\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ\u2019s dark brown eyes brightened.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, and all the little ones would love to finger paint.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian nodded, chuckling to himself.\u00a0 Who would have thought that the tattooed former addict would turn out to be such a softie?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d AJ asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothin\u2019.\u00a0 Just thinking\u2026\u00a0 Ten years ago, would you have ever expected to be here, talking about making finger paint and pretty dresses for our little girls?\u201d\u00a0 Brian grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI think you\u2019re goin\u2019 soft on me, McLean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNever,\u201d scoffed AJ.\u00a0 \u201cDid I mention they\u2019ll be finger-painting abstract, post-apocalyptic murals, and that Asha\u2019s red dress will have a big black skull on the front?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no, you failed to mention that,\u201d Brian played along, although he was pretty sure AJ was kidding.\u00a0 Then again, he never did know what to expect from AJ.\u00a0 Sometimes, the zombie-sniper-turned-archery-enthusiast still surprised him.\u00a0 \u201cYou goin\u2019 hunting after this?\u201d he asked, noticing the arrows sticking out of AJ\u2019s back pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, thought I\u2019d try to bag us something good for the big dinner tonight.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m getting sick of chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cAt least we have fresh poultry.\u00a0 And fresh produce,\u201d he added, looking down at their harvest.\u00a0 They could never eat so many cucumbers, but Gretchen would be able to pickle some for the winter.\u00a0 With all the women getting pregnant, Lord knew they needed pickles.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, beats that canned shit we used to survive on,\u201d AJ agreed.<\/p>\n

They strolled along what had once been a runway, looking at the crops they\u2019d planted on the patches of flat land that stretched between the strips of pavement.\u00a0 Potatoes were planted in neat rows on one side, sweet corn on the other.\u00a0 They would never go hungry again, so long as they continued to take advantage of the long growing season.\u00a0 The little garden Brian had planted with Gretchen so long ago had grown into a full-fledged farm, complete with a chicken coop and dairy cows to give them eggs and milk, from which they could make butter, cheese, and everything in between.\u00a0 Finally, they were self-sufficient, no longer dependent on the dwindling supplies left behind by a civilization that was long dead.\u00a0 Brian had taken the lead in learning everything he could about farming, but everyone helped.\u00a0 The men took turns helping him harvest the fields, while the women and children tended to the animals.\u00a0 Everyone contributed something.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that over there?\u201d\u00a0 AJ suddenly stopped and pointed.\u00a0 Brian\u2019s eyes followed his finger\u2019s trajectory into the cornfield, where a familiar shape was silhouetted against the early morning sky.\u00a0 Rather than standing up straight, the humanistic form had a distinct slouch.\u00a0 Its broad shoulders slumped, and its head lolled to the side.\u00a0 Brian could see why AJ sounded worried.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy don\u2019t you go check it out?\u201d he replied, trying to hide his smile.<\/p>\n

AJ gave him an uncertain look, but shrugged and set off into the field, cutting a path through the corn.\u00a0 Brian followed a few feet behind.\u00a0 When they got to the middle of the field, he heard AJ let out a loud guffaw.\u00a0 \u201cOh my god, that\u2019s fucking great!\u00a0 Who came up with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Brian grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll give you three guesses, but you\u2019ll only need one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt had to be Nick\u2019s idea, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it was Nick.\u00a0 Riley made the clothes for it, but he stuffed the thing and painted the face.\u00a0 We just put it up yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both looked up in admiration at Nick\u2019s handiwork.\u00a0 The scarecrow wore a red suit with black trim, two diagonal black stripes forming a V shape down the front of the jacket.\u00a0 Its hair was made from curly wisps of blackened corn silk sticking out of the top of its burlap head.\u00a0 The face was painted green, with big, bulging eyes.\u00a0 Nick had even used some black around the eyes and under the cheeks to give it a gaunt, hollowed-out look.<\/p>\n

\u201cA zombie scarecrow just wasn\u2019t enough, huh?\u201d said AJ, laughing.\u00a0 \u201cIt had<\/em> to be Michael Jackson.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe thought it would really \u2018thrill\u2019 the birds,\u201d Brian joked.<\/p>\n

AJ snorted.\u00a0 \u201cIf it only had some braaaaaainsss\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

They both laughed as they walked back to the path, where they\u2019d left their produce.\u00a0 Then, with the sun on their shoulders, they picked up their baskets and headed back toward the houses, where the rest of the base was just waking up.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DECENNIUM Chapter 111 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"onecolumn-page.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/479"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=479"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":490,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/479\/revisions\/490"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}