Rebel Heart

"So you haven't tried to cross the river?"

"Why would we? For all we know, the reports we hear are false and the whole country is like this. In any case, my husband, Mike-who was voted to be the liaison with the soldiers-isn't likely to let it happen. Neither will the soldiers."

It's not like this over there, Lana thought silently. She trailed Kelli, who walked to the main street again.

"We turned those buildings into a makeshift hospital. They're the only ones with electricity. We're building a bigger battery to store the energy we generate from the river, but …" Kelli shrugged. "It's not as easy as that. No one here had the skills. For now, just the hospital has power."

"I still can't believe the PMF and army are working together," Lana said.

"PMF has transports, army has supplies. Seems logical enough," Kelli answered. "The Twelfth Army settled into Arkansas about a week ago. They were headed to Tennessee but we heard something bad happened, split the government at the top level. Someone sent them south instead of north. Good for us, though."

"Amazing."

"Where you been all this time? Under a rock? Anyway, we'll put you in temporary housing until we have a place for you," Kelli said. "This is your new home for now."

Lana looked at the building. Few people were out in the streets, but the front office area of the building held several women who had turned it into a living room. Mismatched chairs, crates, and one couch had been arranged in two circles around stacks of antique books and lanterns.

"A few of us hunt every night for meat then have a bonfire to cook it up. Not bad for the end of the world, eh?" Kelli asked with a smile.

"Only until the supplies run out," Lana said in response. "What then?"

"We planted crops in the field you walked across and a few others down the road. We'll just have to protect them from others. We have a plan," Kelli answered with confidence Lana didn't share. Kelli greeted a few of the women in the room and led Lana into what looked like a former warehouse in the back of the building. The warehouse had been divided up with hanging blankets into a maze of hallways and personal rooms. Each room held a low bed or cot and two crates.

"One for your stuff and one to sit on," Kelli explained, ducking into one such room and holding up the blanket acting as a door for Lana to enter. "You're responsible for cleaning your own clothes and linens. We have more blankets in the corner nearest the entrance. It can get chilly here at night. This is the most important thing." She held up clothing covered in mosquito netting. "The bugs are bad here, and they have diseases. We all wear them."