Only You Know How Too

Awake suddenly she could hear children giggling. The sound spread so easily through the single level 4-bedroom bungalow That had been split and divided to accommodate the several extra residents. The state of housing in the country making the somewhat crowded arrangement very normal. Several families often inhabited one domicile in a communal living arrangement. She was lucky to have her own space in what was once a walk-in closet but was now her own little bedroom. Reaching over without lifting her head she lifted her phone, charging on its frayed cord. 8 am, 2 hours before her alarm, but not really too early for fun when it came to a house full of people. She sighed, picking up the device. It had no sim service, hadn't for years, but it still played music and connected to WiFi and that's all she really used it for. She sat up opening a browser and scrolled through the “ news” articles with one hand as the other reached for the white tank she'd tossed off the night before. Pulling it over her otherwise nude torso as she swung her legs over the mattresses side and tucked her feet into the denim shorts that had been shimmied off there the night before, letting go of the phone on her left side as she stood and wiggled into them. Unsure why she even bothered to look at the articles anymore. Habit, she supposed. If only she could recall where that habit had originated. The articles on the internet had long stopped being news, and had rapidly turned into a hotbed of conspiracy and loud-mouthed nut jobs expressing their racist/ homophobic bible thumping rhetoric. The world was rapidly going to s**t. At least Canada was. Since martial law had been declared shortly before her 17th birthday 6 years ago, they hadn't heard much about the lands beyond the borders. Even any sources that would allow one to glean that sort of information, like the internet, were censored by the heavily militarized powers that be. It had started slowly, rights fairly fought for and earned steadily being removed from marginalized groups in neighboring countries and old school religion growing more and more prevalent. A few nut jobs preaching about the Messiah's return and those who had received his blessing. Strange tales of nearly immortal super soldiers backing the world's elite. The changes were subtle at first, changes in laws to allow for arguments that had once been deemed inadmissible, leading to similar loss of rights as the southern states. By the time the people really revolted and put a government party that was really for the people in place. It was too late. The cancer had spread, and when the government relinquished power to the military for what was supposed to be a temporary term, that corruption had already seeped into the armed forces. Generals that used to fight for the people now ruled over the regions that they controlled like kings, the soldiers at their command harming those they were once tasked to protect, under a guise of being for the 'greater good' for all. The countries boarders were closed and all trade stopped. Certain career paths disappeared overnight. The majority of people doing whatever they needed to to survive. The country all but plunged back into the dark ages as cities steadily became more and mor abandoned in spite of the housing available because there was no work and rental rates skyrocketed. Natural disaster after natural disaster wiping out whole coasts while water and fuel became scarcer as you moved further inland. It wasn't quite an apocalyptic wasteland, the government power hadn't completely collapsed. It could all return to what it once was, and that was the hope that the majority of people clung too. While simultaneously none of them having the courage or ability to make real change. Still, every morning she scrolled through the nonsense and the adds designed to sell her things she would never be able to afford, Even if she could find paying work off the farm where she resided. Slipping the phone into one pocket, wireless earbuds into another and taking the time to unplug both her chargers and put them in her bag she left the tiny room. The bungalow was located in rural Ontario, the closest neighbor easily more then 10 kilometers in any direction. There were 4 families living with her in the house, of once different backgrounds and economical means. Now though they were all farmers, trying desperately just to grow and produce enough to feed themselves and their families. A dozen children then her running around, and her, a sort of unwanted guest that had joined them just under six years ago. After the event that had wiped most of her memory. “ You think if it wasn't for Stella, they would have kicked us out by now?” Her elder sister Jess , A short skinny redhead with gorgeous green eyes asked siding up to her in the hallway. She shushed her as they approached the majority of the house's residents in the dining area. Smiling as she entered the kitchen/living/dining room area. What was once likely a grand open concept space had a significant portion of it quartered off by a sturdy wall of scrap wood and recycled plastic sheeting to accommodate the sleeping space for the children, now the dining area was packed with several tables, separated from the crowded kitchen packed with goods by what was likely once a lavish marble counter top island, but had been weathered and worn so much over the years to a dull creaky tabletop. Everyone socializing, it went abruptly quiet when she entered the room, as it always did. She had never understood the way the other residents seemed weary of her but it didn't matter much. She was a hard worker and didn't meddle or ask for much of them, so they tolerated her presence and her sister's occasional appearance. She never asked her sister where she permanently resided. Sometimes the girl would lay next to her in her bed, spend the night, other times she was gone for days at a time. The girl looked healthy and always seemed much happier then she so she didn't want to pry. She missed the company when she was gone though. Even after years of this, she still felt lonely on occasion. It had been over a year since she'd left the farm, and the monotony of the day to day was getting to her. “ Hey Karl, think I could tag along on the next supply run?” “ Ummm.... Yeah, I suppose, We just re-supped though, so it'll be well into fall before we go again.” Why Kate wondered, did she get the sense he wanted to say no, but couldn't think of a good reason for his refusal. Karl's wife whispered to the woman sitting next to her nursing an infant on her breast. Kate couldn't hear all of what she said but “ Leave....Freak"was what she could make out, her sister bristled next to her and was about to engage but when Kate set her hand on top of the girl's she stayed quiet. The eerie silence returned to the room. In the silence, Stella, a tall gangly woman in her mid 40s with grey hair turned from the pot she was stirring. Oatmeal, She could smell it from where she stood. “ Morning Kate. Could you get these to the table?” Motioning a stack of bowls, She nodded as Stella continued to speak. “ And since you are here today Red, may as well put you to use. Care too butter those buns over there?” “ Sure thing Ma'am,” her sister said setting to the task. As she set the bowls in front of each and every one of the people at the tables, they all sat back in silence watching her. It wasn't new. They had all been terrified of her for six years now.Her sister too, in a different way. Nobody said anything until she sat down, and even then, it took several moments for the conversation to build again. Even when it did, she of course wasn't included in it. That was fine. Reaching in her pocket she pulled out the small pink case that held her earbuds, the Bluetooth technology was antique. But they were clearly well cared for, like the phone, relics of the life she lived before coming here, a life she couldn't recall, At least not fully. a few pictures of her and her sister with an old man and a never changing spotify playlist from the oldowner of the recycled device. Both electronics. ans the charger for them all she had still from before. Clothing having been grown out of and given away , slowly replaced with stellas hand me downs and brief trips in town. Opening the little case and placing one earpiece in her ear and selecting a kind of upbeat and uplifting tune to stop it from souring her mood. Her sister set a plate of buttered buns in the centre of the table at the same time Stella set a huge steaming pot, instantly the tables lit up with all the other occupants clamoring to fill their bowls. About to stand, she felt a hand on her shoulder. With a knowing smile Stella placed an already full bowl in front of her, chopped up pieces of apple sitting just atop on the left of the bowl, arranged decoratively, but in such a way that a quick mix could hide them, Kate quickly did so, mouthing a silent thank you to the elder woman with a soft grin. Before digging in. Where the stubborn woman had managed to get an apple, a conversation for another time. Eventually conversation started again between the other occupants in the room, punctuated by the sound of cutlery hitting ceramic dishware and chewing. Karl, the only person who ever consistently went into town, the most prominent speaker. “ When I was in town last week, heard they searched the Carthright farm, they were rough, old man Carthright was in his truck outside, beaten all to shit.| Broke his legs and everything.” Kate listened, turning the music in her single earbud down so she could hear both as she ate.“ Broke both his legs" “ What about his son?” Someone else piped up. Kate was too focused on her food to see who. Not that it mattered. She knew where this was going. Carthright's son was about her age, From what she knew of the few times they had met, a few months older than her maybe. Conscription age. “ Did they...” “ Yup. Took him, Either he'll be a military man the next time we see him or we won't see him again.” “ Shit.” Another male voice said. “ Control isn't so important that we can just forget about needing farmers. Better enjoy that butter, won't be able to get any now till Carthright heals up what with his only other pair of hands gone. Bastard will probably charge us an arm and leg when he does get running again.... Wonder if he'll be looking for a hired hand or two.” That was when Kate heard it, hope, and maybe a little bit of greed, but mostly hope. She liked hearing that. If it wasn't for her shoveling the oatmeal into her mouth, she'd smile at the sound of it. “ What if they come here?” The little boy's voice piped up, causing a silence akin to that that had passed over the room when Kate had entered it and she could feel eyes on her as she kept eating. The oatmeal feeling more like concrete in her mouth as stubbornly she refused to return the gazes. “ Don't worry Kid, You are too young for training or service and your Pa's are too old.” Stella piped up from behind her. She swore the woman had bat like hearing and was always quick too her defense. Kate didn't understand why. The Army needed bodies sure, but woman typically weren't recruited unless they wanted to serve and Kate certainly wasn't keen to join the organization “ We've already got more wheat and eggs for taxes too.” “ Carthright said they weren't looking for tax goods. Says they were looking for something, or someone, torment the boy before dragging him away, like they were tryna pull something out of him, said the reason they hurt him was cause he wanted to put a stop to it.” Kate scrapped the last of the oatmeal from her bowl truly not all too interested in the corrupt actions of what now posed as the government and rule of the land, Like most people she was just concerned with making it to her next birthday. As she stood Stella wordlessly took the dish from her ,the elder woman's gaze concerned. But snapping back too the gruff kindness Kate was used too as she spoke “ I'll get started for the day.” The woman nodded. The nature of farm living was that everyone needed to pitch in, and Kate's job was the hatchlings. “ I'll stay in here Katie!” her sister called from the kitchen where she could hear running water, seemed Stella had set the other girl too washing dishes. As she was leaving, putting in the other earbud. She nearly barreled into him walking through the door. Lowering her hand with the earbud still in it she looked silently at the face of the bearded man that had probably come for his weekly food rations. “ Sorry.” She muttered skirting around him out the door. Wells didn't like her a fair bit more than the others, rightly so, considering she was responsible for the jagged scar across his cheek and many more that were hidden by his clothes. At least from what she could recall. So, she had no desire to linger around his burning gaze. She was well suited to caring for the hatchlings, a gentle touch and an inborn intuition. Meant that since she'd arrived on the farm more of the chicks had survived then not. Stella often commented that the egg and meat production on the farm had increased greatly over the last six years. Kate figured it was the only reason the others even put up with her and her sister's presence in spite of how weary they were of her. Kate wished she could understand their fear, Fix whatever it was she had done to make them so weary of her, but the truth was she didn't really know, and sometimes. They seemed almost okay with her, then there were times like this morning. Where they treated her like she was a contagious virus. Maybe if she knew more about how they came to be here. Unfortunately, she didn't remember anything before waking up on this farm six years ago. Barely recalled her own name and her sister's. It must have been something awful though. Because Wells was in really rough shape for months after they had arrived, Stella revealing that it was he that had brought her to this farm, but not much more. It was when Wells came too that he revealed she was responsible for his injuries in the first place. His violent impulse reaction to her when he came too to find her cleaning the wound on his face and what little she had been told, scraps of what must have been 17 years of a somewhat happy life prior. Jess had of course given her tidbits as well. Birthdays, happy recollections of their childhood, but Jess hadn't appeared at the farm until well after she had and seemed to have a lot more freedom to come and go then she did. After feeding the month-old's the seed and pellet mix, a cuss slipped from her lips and she rose from where she was leaning over the heated pen of week-old chicks. Moved to the corner of the hatching house to lift the mealworm paste mix, scooping a bit of it into a bucket she lamented over having forgotten to do this yesterday and added another scoop so she would be prepped for tomorrow, or any nighttime feeding emergencies, as new-borns were wont to need on occasion. And made her way back to the house. She needed to run the mix through the mixer with some oat milk to make a liquid feed for the babies. She was just about to enter the house through the back kitchen door when she heard Stella speaking sternly to someone inside. Setting the bucket down Kate decided to let the elder woman have her conversation in private, but even through the music in her one ear and the walls of the home she could hear bits and pieces of the heated conversation. “ Don't you DARE imply I'm selfish Wells. Six years, for six years I've hidden you and that girl away here and not once have I asked for a thing in return, not once have I asked for an explanation for the weird things that happen around her. The sister?” Kate sat next to the bucket and reached for her phone to turn the volume up, not quite understanding what Stella meant and not sure she wanted to pry, even with the earbud at max volume she could still hear them. Determined to ignore them she debated moving on and returning to make the liquid feed later. “ I Know Stell... but I promised that man, I took his money, money that you have benefitted from as well, How many farmers do you know who can still afford WiFi and cable? Butter? f*****g gasoline? You've been compensated well for a sister appearing out of thin air now and then. And that's not all.” Kate wrinkled her nose. Money? Man? They were clearly talking about her and her sister but... It was odd. Like watching the previews of a film. Only bits and pieces with no real back story. No real context.” Half the farms around here have been hit with avian flu several times, ever wonder why your flock is spared? Infact with you cleverly having her care for them, your production has tripled, You could easily afford to feed half an army. Is that why you are so worried? Think they'll discover your stockpile?” “ She's gotta go, you too, if the army is searching homes now... How long do you think it'll be before they find her, and then you? You think all they did is beat Carthright and break his legs Karl said his wife and daughter were both sporting shiners, and limping, culled half his herd, and they were only hiding their son from conscription. I'm harbouring a criminal and a human w-” “DON'T call her that!” Kate was surprised the others didn't hear that , it was so loud. Whatever Stella was about to call her had Wells worked up..... Why though? Wells had tried his darnedest to stay as far away from her as possible. Refusing to live in the house and instead on a decrepit old trailer on the furthest edge of the property. “ Look.... I'm sorry, but you told me what she did before you brought her here. I've seen what she can do. It's not an illusion either, real solid people, out of thin air? There one minute then gone the moment she's not thinking about them. You know what the Army will do when they get their hands on her? Even if she's not what the old man thought she was, even if like you she's just genetically different, evolved.... ” Stella sounded apologetic as Kate felt Jess's arms circle around her. She didn't understand any of this, the blank space in her mind that was the time before she woke up here, at this farm, hindering her understanding quite a bit. She knew something was up, she knew she wasn't getting the full story of why she was here, she figured it was because of some tragedy or other, a natural disaster that wiped out their family. Something sad or devastating that would make the others that seemed willing to develop relationships and attachments with each other, avoid her. “ Look. I like the girl, and she's good with my birds, if it was safe, I'd let you and her stay indefinitely, but there's others I have to think of, children Wells. I'm surprised after what she did you didn't just take the money and run.... For a criminal you sure have a strange sense of right and wrong,” “ Why didn't you tell me Jess? What's going on? Really?” Kate asked quietly and her sister just pressed a finger to her lips shushing her. “ Believe me, If anyone knows what they would do to her its me.” Wells concession too Stella's demands sounding angry. Kate wiggled out of Jess's grasp and ran off, her foot kicking over the bucket with a clatter as she fled. She really couldn't handle many more sudden cryptic revelations about the past she couldn't remember. She ran, and kept running, when she was out of breath she kept walking, and somehow, she found herself at the edge of the property line, out front of Wells's shabby trailer. Frustrated tears tightening and reddening her cheeks as she sat in the rusted folding chair by the screen door. If she had too she'd wait here all night until she got answers. Sick to death of people keeping things from her. She had 17 years of blanks to fill in and she'd already waited long enough.