The ground remained still for one minute, two, three.
Mahrree nodded. “Thank you,” she said curtly to the west, set her new and still empty book down where the pages could dry flat, and headed to the kitchen. It wasn’t the Last Day yet, so it was time to make breakfast.
As she pushed through the kitchen door, she tried to leave behind a new thought, bearing the distinct mark of coming from her father. Try as she might she couldn’t ignore the impression.
Just know, Mahrree, that the Last Day is not thousands of years away. It’s far sooner than you think.
And Mahrree, you ARE on the right side.
For now.
Mahrree stood in stunned silence for at least a minute until she heard the early morning whimpers of her son waking up.
---
There was one good thing about Barker, Mahrree decided that afternoon as she watched the dog plod along pulling the wagon containing her two children and a stack of ten slate boards. He was exceptionally mellow. Or ridiculously exhausted, she wasn’t sure which. But each day he lounged around, as if he’d been up all night wandering the world.
Or meeting pretty little female dogs who didn’t get a good look at him in the daylight to realize he wasn’t much to pant after.
Whatever it was, Barker always seemed tired, which made him slow enough to not turn over the wagon which he dutifully pulled.
But there were times like this that Mahrree wished Barker could go just a tad faster. She had to catch up to her After School Care boys who charged ahead noisily on their way back to their schoolhouse. At least it was for now. The Administrators had already sent builders and wagons of bland block to begin construction on a new gray, dull, square building. Mahrree had refused to go see it.
She reached the school house grounds just in time. The orchard that filled the side property and surrounded Mr. Hegek’s office-shack was heavy with apples, and the boys were already snacking.
And Mr. Hegek was standing in the door of his shack, puzzled. When he saw Mahrree approach with Barker and her children, he smiled.
“Ah, thought I was being overrun at first . . .” His face paled. “I heard rumors about an incident up at the fort?”
Mahrree smiled back. “Everything’s fine, Mr. Hegek.”
“It’s only that the word was that your in-laws—”
“—are now safely on their way back to Idumea. No threat to the village,” she said confidently and tried to change the subject before she got dragged into any more rumors.
She often worried that maybe she accidentally started some in her conversations, but she was sure the village knew all about the incident last week from Hycymum and Joriana’s tour of the market.
“We’re here for one of our projects, Mr. Hegek. These apples used to be sold each Harvest Season, and the money went to improving our school house and purchasing supplies for the next year. The money from these apples will now go to you—”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said brightly. “Because all funding comes from the Administrators now!”
“And where do the Administrators get that funding?” she asked as sweetly as she could.
Hegek faltered. “Uh, I suppose they get the funding from . . . careful management of gold and silver slips—”
“Taxes,” she cut him off, but kept her tone from going nasty. Almost too late she remembered that’s how Hegek was paid, as well as her husband.
“Now,” she said kindly, “If you’ll excuse me for a moment?” She clapped her hands and the boys immediately lined up in front of her. “Take your slates from the wagon,” she directed, “set them over by Mr. Hegek’s office so we can check your estimates when you’re finished—”
She waited for them to stop shoving each other for prime placing position, while Mr. Hegek watched, amused.
“—then, when I give the word, you know what to do. Now . . . Ready . . . Start!”
The boys exploded off the line and rushed to the side of the shack, snatched up baskets that sat there neglected all year, ran to the trees, climbed them expertly, and started grabbing apples as quickly as possible.
“Remember,” Mahrree called to them, “no bruises! Apples don’t heal like boys do.”
Mr. Hegek grinned and stood next to Mahrree. “They’ll have the orchard cleared in an hour, I dare say! I was wondering what to do with these apples . . .” His voice trailed off as he likely hoped the conversation wouldn’t go back to taxes and Administrators.
But Mahrree just chuckled as she undid the ropes securing her toddlers. Barker had already plopped to the ground for a nap.
“Turn everything into a competition, Mr. Hegek—that’s the key to working with males, I’ve discovered.”