Seeking Sanctuary (Walkers) (15 page)

             
You saw him too, didn't you sis? 
Lacy, asked.

             
Yeah and before you ask I have no idea why.  I'm processing it now so after I give it some more thought I'll let you know what I come up with.
I smiled at her then proceeded to eat my lunch.  We had a fort to inspect and I was looking forward to it.  I was ready to settle down in one forever spot.  I was sure everyone else was too. 

             
Lunch was an unsettled affair.  Everyone was concerned about the corner of the room and although I peeked once in that direction, it was just an empty corner again.  I'd felt ghosts before but I'd never seen an apparition.  He wasn't menacing or gross looking although after seeing a lot of gross walkers I wouldn't have been too surprised.  He appeared to me and Sally as just a man and I'm so appreciative that I can't begin to express it.  I'll talk to Sally when we get back from the fort.

             
I was standing on the steps, waiting for everyone to decide who was going to the fort when Baby came stampeding towards me.  I could actually feel the ground vibrate as he ran at me.  I backed up the steps and around the corner by the time he hit the bottom step and braced myself in case he wanted to jump up on me.  He slid to a stop but not before colliding with the door leaving gobs of slobber on the glass.  While he was shaking some sense back into himself, Mason opened the door and barely got out of the way as the dog threw himself into the room, stepping on Masons foot in the process.  He yelped, Mason not the dog, and jumped around on one foot while Baby disappeared into the main hall.  I heard a loud crash and thundering steps as he made his way to the kitchen.  Duke stepped out and stared at us as I laughed and Mason sat on the top step, rubbing his aching foot.

             
“I'd say put that animal on a leash but I don't think they make them that big.  Man, I could ride him like a horse he's so big.”

             
“Tell me about it, old man.  I think he broke my toe.”

             
“Well, then I guess you'll have to stay here while me and JD check out the fort.”

             
“Don't you worry about me, old man.  I've been stepped on by a horse before, I'll survive.  Where's Randy and Riley?”  Mason was standing and trying out his foot.  We all jumped when we heard another loud crash from inside. 

             
“I think I'll just wait in the truck.”  I said, as I headed that direction.  “That monster might get thrown out of the house soon and I don't want to be in his path.”

             
I had company in the truck while we waited for Randy and Riley.  We made a good decision when Hazel threw open the door and with a broom, swept the monster out the door.  Baby sighed big, walked in three big circles and settled down for a nap.  When Randy came out, he nearly tripped over Baby who didn't move an inch.  Riley walked wide around him and both men piled into the four wheeler and we proceeded to the fort.

             
The drive to the fort was a short one as well as gorgeous.  Mountains climbed into the sky all around us, some still topped with snow.  The sky was pale blue, with fluffy clouds moving slowly around the mountains and down the valleys.  Birds floated on the wind stream, their wings outspread.  We followed a stream that we never crossed and when we came around the last bend, there the fort was in all its glory.  I see what Hazel meant when she said the owner had more money than sense.  It was huge and sat in a clearing surrounded on all sides by mountains and trees. I think is was bigger than a super Walmart and parking lot combined.

             
We pulled into the parking lot outside the gates.  Log everything prevailed...rails, signs, parking lot outlines and benches.  I don't know how many trees that guy killed to make things look 'rustic' when only a few would've worked.  Randy jumped out of the four wheeler and opened one of the gates for us to drive through.  Riley followed us into the enclosure where I sat dumbfounded at what I saw.

             
“Wow,”  Duke muttered.

             
“Yeah,”  I answered.

             
The office I saw when I piggybacked Mason was to our left, the gift shop to the right.  Log buildings and corrals continued down the front of the fort to just corrals down each side.  A catwalk ran around the inside of the walls with a enclosed guard tower on each corner.  Trees abounded which surprised me, along with a spring on the right side, a large building sat lonely in the center near the back.  I would later find out it was a school house.  All along the back of the fort were cabins with two large ones on each side of the fort.  I could barely see the tops of three wind turbines sitting idle outside the walls.  

             
“The walkers bodies are in a ravine at the end of the valley.  The animals too.”  Mason said, seeing me look for the bodies of the walkers.   “Gotta thank God for those ravines.  I'll see if I can find some lime to throw on top of them since they're to the west of us.  Wind direction is going to play a big part in where the animals are corralled.”  I couldn't agree more.

             
I'd already seen the area in the front of the front when I piggybacked so I was more interested in the other structures.  I walked up the three steps to the school house and found the door opened easily.  I walked back in time when I entered.  Old school desks sat in front of a black board with the teachers desk just in front of it.  Pictures children had drawn were tacked to the wall while a pot bellied stove sat to the rear near a small pile of firewood.  Pegs for coats and stocking caps lined the other wall above a small table with a pitcher and basin made of enamel.  It was just one room, and I had no clue what we could use it for. Maybe storage. 

             
I glanced out the window and saw the many benches situated under the trees in park like area between the school house and cabins.  A small pond boasted a few fish and rocks were situated in various places so you could sit and admire your surroundings. Informational signs about living in the fort 150 years ago were situated all over the place.

             
I walked out the back door and visited the chicken coop.  I finally approached the large building on the corner near the back.  The sign above the door said it was the 'Officers Mess Hall' and inside there were tables set up around a huge fireplace.  It had been used for a cafe' because behind a moveable wall was a kitchen with fridge, stove and sink.  The pantry was full which made me feel a lot better.  There was no back door which didn't make me feel better.  I was all for an alternate escape route especially since the walkers.  There were hardly any windows either.  The big picture window at the end of the room looked out on the parade grounds as did the one near the door.  That was all the natural light there was.  Nope didn't like this place at all.  Too much like a cave or underground research facility.  I left rather quickly to investigate the remaining cabins.

             
The cabin next to the officers mess hall had two rooms.  Big picture windows in each room allowed some light.  It had heat vents so I knew it was heated in the winter but in old times the fireplace in the mess hall would heat this room while another fireplace in the main room would heat it and the room in the next cabin.  I found that to be the case in all the cabins along with a two burner hot plates, small microwaves and tiny fridges.  The bathrooms in each cabin were basic but serviceable.  I didn't see a single cabin I  wanted to live in so I don't know what Mason was talking about.

             
Speak of the devil there he was coming out of the long narrow building at the opposite end from the Mess Hall.  It had a sign that read 'Mess Hall' and didn't have a huge picture window in it.  I didn't even want to go inside.

             
“It would make a great clinic and living quarters for Joe and Sandy.  The Officers Mess hall would be a great dining room and kitchen.  I think if I pull the Dukemobile along side that small building over there with the wind turbine batteries, I could kill two birds with one stone.”  Duke said.  I followed the point of his finger and saw the small building in question.  It was near enough the dining room that he wouldn't have much trouble in the wintertime.  “I could hook up to the electrical grid for heat and be close enough if anyone needed anything.  I love it.”  He brushed his hands together, grinned real big and sauntered off towards the wind turbine building, whistling of all things.  I've never heard him whistle. Mason walked up beside me and watched him too.  He looked at me funny and we both started to laugh.

             
“Where's this place you thought would make a great little love nest for us.  I haven't seen anything that I like so far.”  I asked.

             
“Come here,” he said and taking my hand led me off the sidewalk onto the grass then pointed up.  I looked up because I was really curious now and saw the guard house.  The door opened onto the catwalk which had stairs leading down the outside of the clinic walls.  I frowned at him and started up the stairs.   Mason was hot on my tail, excitement rolling off of him in waves.  I waited for him at the door then walked slowly inside expecting...well, I didn't know what to expect.

             
I was pleasantly surprised.  A small loveseat sat near the window to the right of the door where you could look out and see the whole fort spread out before you.  In the distance was mountains almost blue with spruce and snow sitting like whipped cream on top.  Too the left of the door sat a small fridge and microwave on top of a counter.  It was under a large picture window facing the east.  The fort was gone in this view and two valleys lay separated by a small mountain range, creeks running through both of them.  Pine and spruce trees mixed up with aspen and lodge pole pine made a tranquil setting for the small herd of deer laying in the valley on the east.  Eagles swooped and swayed in the light breezes while butteries by the hundreds fluttered all over the place.

             
Against the far wall was the bed underneath a huge picture window, facing the south.  Another beautiful view presented itself and I nearly cried it was so pretty.  Next to the bed was a large closet nestled next to the full bath designed like an old outhouse.  Next to it was an armoire.  I was in love.  The windows with no obstructive views would let in a lot of sunlight during the winter and I would be able to see the stars at night.  Yep, this was the place. 

             
I turned and found Mason standing very close so it wasn't a stretch to put my arms around his neck and hug the stuffing out of him.  He chuckled and squeezed me back, nuzzling my neck and making things down low wake up.  This may not be the time but it sure as hell was the place, still we needed to act like grownups, so with a sigh I stepped back and grinned like a crazy person at him.  He looked just as crazy back at me.

             
“You the man, jar head.  I love it.”

             
“I knew you would.  All these windows had me as soon as I walked in the door.  There were no walkers in here, so it's not going to stink.”  He said, walking to one of the windows.  Leave it to Mason to talk so pretty.  I walked up behind him, put my arms around his waist and rested my chin on his shoulder.  “I think it's a dandy place and I think the whole fort will work of us.  The kids can play freely and not have to worry about anything.  There's room for some stock and if we need more electricity we can always get another turbine.  I'd say we were home, Mace.  Finally.”

             
When we walked out on the 'terrace' I looked down and saw Randy, Duke and Riley coming up the steps.  “There you two are,” Randy said, “we thought we'd better come looking for you.  The others at the lodge are getting worried so we thought we'd start back.  That is, if you two don't mind.  Hey, it's pretty up here.  Is that a cabin?”  he said, pointing to my new place.

             
“Yes, OUR cabin has officially been claimed.  So stay out. You pick a cabin yet?”

             
“Naw, I thought I'd better let Lacy do that or she'll kill me.”

             
“Yeah,”  Riley said, “I'm gonna let George decide which one she wants too.  Mama didn't raise no fool here.  I don't care anyway.  What do you'll think of the arrangements.  Think this will work for us?”

             
“I do,”  Mason said with a nod from me.  “It has everything we need and security.  We don't even have to build any walls unless we want to expand and I don't see that happening any time soon.  We just need to find out what supplies we need and start making a run into Kalispell for them.  I'd say we could move in anytime if we had enough food and supplies.”

             
“Okay, so why don't we go back and get everyone and bring them over and let them see for themselves, then meet at the dining room to talk about it?”  It was agreed to in a hurry and in no time we found ourselves back at Hazels rounding everyone up.  The kids were excited about getting out of the building.  Since we had no fences in place they had to stay inside.  All those kids inside for three days was getting on everyone's nerves.  Even Baby had taken to hiding and with the size of that dog, that was saying something.  I managed to talk Hazel into going with us.  Flynn picked her up and gently put her in the front seat of the Dukemobile. She was smiling real big when we pulled out of the parking lot.  That smile got bigger when she saw the fort.