Page 49 of Ash Fall

Jules opens his mouth and nothing comes out, because she's right and he knows it. He didn't tell her. Instead, he forced a choice that wasn't one on her, and now she's standing in a farmyard finding out the rest in front of strangers.

"It's a coal mine, not a hole," Gage tells her, and his voice does that steady thing that makes people believe him. "Yes, there will be rock over your head and stable temperature year-round when we lose the sun out here, that’s a good thing. It’ll be safe for us. There’s enough room inside to build actual rooms. We'll put walls in. Bedrooms, kitchen, washing setup, all of it. It'll be better than you're picturing."

Briar's chin trembles once before she gets it under control. "It will not."

"It might surprise you."

"Nothing about this week so far has surprised me in a good way."

Gigi loops an arm through hers before the girl can escape, ignoring the way Briar goes stiff as a fence post. "Come along, little sasshole. Stick with me and I'll make sure you get first pick of the good rooms."

"There are no good rooms. It's a MINE."

"Then first pick of the least terrible ones." Gigi steers her toward the barn without slowing down. "Now, tell me everything you know about your parents' marriage. Leave nothing out."

Kara watches them go with something close to respect. "She's going to eat that child alive."

"She's going to adopt that child," I say.

"Same thing."

Anders points toward the livestock trailer. "Elle and I already worked through most of this as worse case the night it all started. I bought every piece of hardware on the list and filled all the fuel tanks and extra drums I could get my hands on. Animal feed is stocked, and I moved the grow supplies here after we met up at the feed store." He looks toward me. "Those extra grow lights and planters are boxed in the equipment shed with the soil."

I’m overwhelmed by all of this, but I smile and thank him before he goes on.

"I figured once the eruptions started, we'd have to find somewhere else to relocate to, so I’ve been planning it out."

Jules lifts a hand. "For the record, I'm learning not to argue with her."

"Smart man."

"Fear is a powerful teacher."

Kara smirks at him with a laugh of agreement.

"I've sorted what we're taking," Anders continues, pointing at the trailer. "Two Jersey milk cows, four of my better Angus cows, and the Angus bull. That gives us milk, beef stock, and enough breeding animals to build from if we're down there long term."

Gage nods, immediately focused. "Seven head. That’s good. One to butcher when we need it and the others to breed."

"Eighteen chickens too. Sixteen hens and two roosters."

Reid, halfway back from the Jeep, stops walking. His face changes to dread. "What did you say?"

Anders looks at him. "Chickens."

"I heard you."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"Just trying to decide if the ash cloud from the sky will really be that bad. You know, the wind will probably blow it away. I could just take one of the cars back to the house, probably someone should keep an eye on things there. I wouldn’t need to take much food, just a little bit. I’m sure it will be fine…"

Reid stares toward the barn with the expression of a man hearing his own future. A very loud future. I press my lips together and send him a compassionate look. This will be brutal for him until he learns to deal with his ability.

"Seed is already packed," Anders moves on. "Wheat, barley, oats, vegetable seed, and what potatoes I can move for seed stock. Some of it may not be useful right away depending on what that ash does, but we're not leaving anything behind that could feed us later."

A chill moves over my skin despite the warmth of the afternoon. Feed us later. Breeding stock and seed for crops. Every conversation today keeps pushing my brain farther into a future I don't want to picture, and not one measured in days. Months, and maybe years. There are no grocery stores in that future, no restaurants, and no delivery trucks bringing food in. No government convoy that will show up with blankets and bottled water to tell us everything is under control. We're discussing breeding cattle because nobody standing in this yard believes help is coming.

I wrap my arms around my middle. Gage notices immediately and steps closer until his shoulder touches mine. He doesn't ask, and I'm grateful.