“That means no school, right?”

  “At least for the immediate future. But something will get worked out. Now let’s grab something to eat. Tomorrow’s another day. You can help Dee out at the police station and I’ll help Chief McCall. We’ve learned that this was caused by a solar flare. Once we have more information, we can make some long-term plans for ourselves. Until we know more, let’s not worry about the future.”

  “Dad,” Jaden said, lifting the loaf of bread from the counter. “The reason I stayed inside and read today was because Erin told me that my mom didn’t die. She said that mom left because she hated me.”

  Bill inhaled. He closed his eyes. When he opened them, he blew out a puff of air through pursed lips. “Erin Grant?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Honey, I don’t know what her problem is, but I will talk to her father the next time I see him.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t,” Jaden said. “It will only make Erin hate me more. But I wish I knew why she hated me.”

  “Me too, baby. Me too. If you don’t want me talking to her father, I’ll respect that, but you promise me that you’ll let me know if you change your mind.”

  “I will.”

  Chapter Six

  The police station was quite a bit busier the next day. Police officers and volunteers radioed information through the station which Dee noted and passed along to people who needed that information.

  Over fifty volunteers had joined the force. Some were tasked with perimeter security. Others went door-to-door in town alerting residents to the situation and the available resources. Somehow walkie-talkies had been procured for each volunteer, but those radios did not get the police frequency so Dee was the go-between.

  There wasn’t much voice traffic from the security details. At just over eight thousand residents, Princeton wasn’t a town with a lot to offer outsiders. Except for motorists stranded on the Interstate, there weren’t a lot of people trying to get in. Some people living outside of town did come looking for information or wanting to share information. These people were allowed entrance.

  The crews who were going door-to-door were very busy. They took a census of people residing in each house. They asked if anyone was willing to join the teams helping the town. Those that were willing to help were directed to the Walmart parking lot where they would be assigned jobs.

  These crews also made sure that each household had enough food to get by for a few days. If not, it was reported to Dee who kept a list. Another crew would be sent out late in the afternoon to deliver some canned goods and water.

  All residents were informed that the government had set up a FEMA office to handle the county’s needs. FEMA was offering to transport anyone who wanted the government’s help to a FEMA camp either near the state capital of Springfield or further south near Paducah. There were rumors that the further south one went, the less damage had been done by the flare.

  After listening to Dee talk to one of the teams, Jaden asked, “Why aren’t many people going to the FEMA camp? It sounds like it would be easier to go there than to stay here.”

  Dee nodded. “It would be easier. But most of our townspeople are independent. They are willing to work hard and take risks in order to be free to live their lives the way they want. If they went to a camp, there wouldn’t be much opportunity to do what you want, when you want or for whatever reason you wanted.

  “So many people are put together inside a camp. They have to be fed and housed. The freedom must be limited so that all of them get the same treatment. This just doesn’t sound appealing to most of our friends.”

  “But some people are going,” Jaden said. “Does that mean they don’t want to be free?”

  “Not really. I know some of the people who have elected to have FEMA move them to a camp. Many of them are elderly. Rather than be a burden on the town, they will choose to move to a FEMA camp. A couple of the families who have decided to go with FEMA are single mothers who have children they need to make sure get fed and housed. They are taking a sure deal rather than risk going hungry.”

  Jaden tilted her head. “But some of them are guys who are just normal guys. Like Junior Screed. He lives just down the street from me. He isn’t old and doesn’t have any kids. Why wouldn’t he stay here and help?”

  Dee sighed. “Not everyone cares to take care of themselves. Some people are happy having others take care of them. Junior is one of those people.”

  “So, he’d give up his freedom so he didn’t have to work?”

  “Well first, the phrase “give up his freedom” might not be the best phrase to use in this case. What I want you to understand is that in a FEMA camp there would be a lot of rules. They need those rules to be able to keep so many people in such a small space. It doesn’t mean that those people would be in jail or anything.”

  Jaden snorted. “Somehow I don’t see Junior following a lot of rules.”

  Dee laughed. “I agree. He’s not a rule follower. But at least we won’t have to deal with him.”

  The radio squawked again, pulling Dee’s attention away from the conversation.

  When Bill came to pick Jaden up that evening, he brought a box of snacks for Dee.

  “We thought you might like some choices since you are cooped up in here all day,” he said.

  Dee smiled. “I appreciate it. I certainly miss my chocolate bars. I hope you brought a couple. And Jaden deserves a treat for all the work she’s been doing. It’ll be nice to take a snack break now and then.”

  Bill coughed and looked out the door. “Uhm. That’s another thing. I’ll be taking Jaden with me from now on.”

  “What!” demanded Jaden. “No! I love helping Dee. I’m fine here.”

  Dee nodded. “She’s fine here and she is a great help. I like having her.”

  Bill looked at the floor. When he raised his eyes to Dee, there was sadness in them. “I understand that she is happy here. I want her to be happy. But, do you know James Walters?”

  Dee nodded. “Everybody knows James. My son works for him. Why?”

  “Well, his wife was in town today. They are planning a community out at their farm. Their plan is to bring people from town to live in a bunkhouse. Those people would work together to grow crops that they would share for trade with the town. Other members of the group would provide security and labor. I guess his wife is some sort of herbalist and she wants to teach people how to use herbs and stuff.”

  Dee nodded again. “Allison. I don’t know her very well, but I’ve heard she’s smart as a whip. Are you planning on becoming a gardener or a herbalist?”

  Bill laughed. “I’m going to be helping to build the bunkhouse. They have a big barn that’s very well insulated. I looked at it today. It will be easy to use the shop area they have and build enough small rooms to house thirty or forty people. It can be heated with one big wood stove. If I decide to move out there, I’ll probably become a woodcutter or something. I haven’t decided for sure yet, but while I am working out there, I want Jaden with me.

  “We’ve heard of some of the bad stuff happening in the big cities. I’d just feel better if Jaden were close to me.”

  “I agree,” Dee said. “I’ll miss you, Jaden, but your dad has a good plan here and he’ll be helping some amazing people.”

  “But I could stay with you.” Jaden felt her eyes start to burn. She swallowed hard to keep from crying. “I like working with you.”

  “I love having you here. You do great work. But your dad is right. You will be safest with him. You can always stop and see me occasionally. I’ll be here.”

  She stood up and held her arms out. “Give me a hug and promise that you’ll come see me as soon as you get a chance.”

  “I promise.” Jaden didn’t even try to stop the sobs that shook her body.

  Chapter Seven

  The farm was not that far from town. It took less than ten minutes to reach it. Jaden sat in the front seat with her father. Four men that Jaden didn’t know sat on the floor of the bed between - and on top of - stacks of lumber and boxes of nails.

  The barn wasn’t one of those old red barns with the tall sloping roof. It was a modern metal building. It was big. Jaden thought that you could probably fit three houses inside. Her dad took her around the building before he started work.

  The front part of the building, Bill called ‘the shop’ had a cement floor and the walls were finished on the inside. Workbenches along the back wall were covered in tools. In the back corner was another room. It turned out to be the bathroom. There was a sink and a porta-potty.

  The stable area was on the other side of the far wall. It had cement floors in the alley and two horses nickered at her when she stopped to look at them. The yellow horse put his nose against the bars of his stall so that she could pet his silky nose. The brown horse licked her hand through the bars. Jaden giggled.

  Bill walked to the end of the alley and pulled open a big sliding door.

  Jaden’s eyes grew large. It was one huge room. The floor was sand. Around the room brightly colored barrels were spaced apart. Tall stands sat in a line on one side of the room. The top two feet of wall were translucent panels making it just as bright inside as it was outside.

  “What is this?” Jaden asked.

  “This is called a riding arena. This is where Allison rides her horses. I’m sure that she will let us use it for other things too. I bet it’s big enough for playing frisbee or kickball or a lot of games.”

  “Yeah,” said Jaden. “Even if it’s raining.”

  They walked back through the stable to reach the shop. Men were laying out lumber and measuring. Other men were moving the benches away from the back wall.

  “I need to get to work. I’ll introduce you to Allison when she gets here. For now, do you want to explore the arena or maybe I can find some work for you to do?”

  “I’d like to help.”

  Bill looked around the room, then moved to the big box truck parked out front. He opened the front door and reached behind the seat. When he returned, he had a dozen carpenter’s aprons.

  He turned to one of the men. “Hey, Steve, where did you put the boxes of nails?”

  Steve pointed in the back corner near the bathroom.

  “Thanks,” said Bill. “Is everyone going to be working on framing? I’m going to have Jaden fill the nail aprons. Do we need anything besides framing nails?”

  “I’m using screws, so fill my pouch with number 9 screws. The rest can be 16 penny nails.”

  Bill sorted through the stacks of boxes. He pulled out three boxes of nails and two boxes of screws.

  “These are what we’ll be using, honey. Fill each apron a little over half full. We don’t want them full because every time we bend over, we’ll be losing nails. There should be enough aprons here that once everyone gets to work, you’ll have some empty ones. Just go ahead and put nails in them so they are ready when someone runs out. They will bring back an empty one and grab a full one. Then you can fill the empty one. Got it?”

  “Got it.” She opened the first box.

  “Wait!” Bill insisted. “I need to find you some gloves. Not only are those nails filthy, you could poke a hole in your hand and we can’t just hope the hospital is taking new patients.”

  He hurried to his truck and returned with a pair of leather gloves. They were a little big, but Jaden was able to move her fingers enough to pick up nails.

  She filled the aprons and set them in a neat row on the floor by the boxes. Bill and the man he’d called Steve were the first to come get aprons. They each picked up two and carried the extra to other men who were waiting. Soon the sound of pounding hammers filled the shop.

  Jaden moved to the door of the stable and peeked at the horses. There was no one in the stable so she opened the door and slipped out. She walked to the stall where the yellow horse stood and leaned against the door.

  “Hi, buddy. What’s your name?”

  He tossed his head and pushed his nose against the bars. She rubbed his nose.

  “Your nose is so soft,” she whispered. He opened his lips and stuck his top lip through the bar. Jaden jumped back.

  “Don’t be afraid of him,” a woman’s voice startled Jaden.

  She turned to find a heavyset, older woman at the door. She wore a flowered dress and a white apron. Her blue eyes were wide and they twinkled when she smiled.

  “My name is Mary,” the woman said. “And you are?”

  “I’m Jaden. My dad is working in there.” She pointed at the door to the shop.

  “Which one is your dad?”

  “His name is Bill Gordon.”

  Mary nodded. “I know Bill. I knew your mother as well. And I remember you as a little toddler, but I haven’t seen you in a long, long time.”

  She nodded at the yellow horse. “Are you making friends with Showdown?”

  “Is that his name?” Jaden asked looking over her shoulder. “He’s pretty friendly.”

  “Oh, he sure is. He loves attention. Maybe one day Allison will have time to show you how to handle him and you can spend some more time with him.”

  “Where is Allison?” Jaden asked. “I don’t know her.”

  “She went to town today to work out some things with the community. I’m sure she’ll be very happy to meet you when she gets back.”

  She looked behind her. “Well, I need to get lunch ready for this crew. Do you want to spend some more time with Showdown, or would you like to give me a hand?”

  “I’d be happy to help, but you have to tell me what to do.”

  Mary laughed. “No worries there, sweetie. I love telling people what to do.”

  Jaden proved to be an eager learner. She had the bread laid out across the counter and slathered with mayonnaise well before Mary had finished slicing the meat and cheese. Together they assembled the sandwiches and laid them out on the tables at the front of the shop.

  The workmen wandered over chatting about how far they’d been able to get in a few short hours.

  “Jaden,” Mary called. “Will you go to that shelf over there and bring down ten glasses? I’ll get a pitcher of water.”

  The men finished their lunch quickly and got right back to work, the sound of hammers drowning out the sound of dishes being washed.

  “Jaden,” one of the men called. “My nails are almost gone. Have we got another full apron?”

  Jaden jumped up and ran to the boxes of nails. She found one full apron and carried it to the man who’d called.

  “I’m almost out,” another man called.

  “I’ll fill the empty ones and bring you one in just a minute,” Jaden said.

  She was filling aprons when the hammering stopped.

  “Do I hear gunshots?” One man turned to another.

  “Where’s it coming from?” another man asked.

  “Sounds like Schmidt’s place.”

  “I’ll go check,” someone said.

  “Want me to come, James?” someone else asked.

  “No, I’ll be fine. It was just a couple shots. I’ll call on the radio if we need anything.”

  Jaden watched as the man hurried out the door and disappeared around the edge of the barn.

  She stared at the boxes of nails. Was she in danger? Nobody seemed to be very worried. They all wore holsters with guns. Even her dad was wearing a gun. But she wasn’t. What if bad guys with guns came?

  She looked around for Mary and found her drying dishes by the counter. It wasn’t really a counter. It looked like a work bench. On the top sat two plastic bins. Mary was pulling wet dishes out of one of the bins and drying them before setting them on a shelf above the workbench.

  Jaden finished filling the aprons and picked up two. She carried them to the first workers. “Does anyone need more nails?”

  “I do.” The man took the full apron from Jaden and handed her one that had only a few nails left.

  “Me too.” This from the only woman working on this crew. She had blond hair and a big smile. She took the full apron and handed Jaden an empty one.

  Jaden went back to the boxes of nails to refill the empty aprons.

  She was sitting on an upturned bucket when the door from the stable opened and the man who’d left after hearing the gunshots stepped in with a woman.

  She heard Rolly from the lumberyard call the woman Allison. Jaden sneaked a glance.