Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

back in the stack. “It’s actually pretty amazing how much we do have right now. But it won’t last forever, so we need to figure out how to replace it on a permanent basis.”
    “I’ll help with that,” said Winky. “And the weaving. That’s my thing.”
    “Good,” said Peter, scratching out another note. “I’ll get to weaving in a minute. Just to finish up food … we also need a hunting group that will be willing to leave the compound and find game out in the trees and swampy areas. It’s going to be several seasons before we’re able to support ourselves with our livestock.”
    Trip came into the circle at that moment and said nothing. He took a spot next to Peter and stared out at the other kids. It wasn’t exactly a challenge, but it didn’t need to be.
    Peter’s face turned pink and he tried not to smile but failed miserably. “As I was saying … a-hem … we need hunters.”
    “I’m a hunter,” said Trip. He looked sideways at Peter and waited until Peter looked over. Then he looked away.
    Peter fanned himself with his clipboard for a few seconds before he realized what he was doing and stopped. He picked up his pen and fumbled it so badly it fell at my feet.
    I picked it up and handed it to him so he could write his very important note down.
    “Okaaay, Trip … is a hunterrrr ,” Peter said while writing. This note took him extra long to finish and included a lot of extra swirls and underlines. A lot of kids around the circle were smiling.
    Peter looked up, all prim and proper again. “Anyone else?”
    Fohi spoke up. “I’m good at killing stuff. Gators, snakes, whatever. Put me down.”
    Trip hissed some air out. “Not sure I want Fohi with a loaded gun at my back.”
    Several kids giggled.
    “Geez, Trip! Not you too, man! Come on! You know I’ve got the goods. You know I’m the man when it comes to ammo.” Fohi was struggling to sit up.
    “I know you’re the man when it comes to people getting accidentally stabbed and blown up.” Tip stared at him blandly.
    “Oh man, that hurts, you know? You guys are always giving me shit. I’m the demolitions expert, which you already know. And I’m the head of the armory, so if you want any damn guns or bullets, you have to ask me. I’ve got the key. Not you. Me.”
    Trip looked at Peter. “Put Fohi on the list. Give him a tennis racket to hunt with. He couldn’t possibly hurt anyone with a tennis racket.”
    Rob was snorting now. Fohi just laid back on the ground, mumbling about getting no respect.
    Peter bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing. “Okay, Fohi is on the hunting list too. Anyone else?”
    Rob raised his hand. “Better put me on there.”
    Fohi turned his head sideways to face his friend. “What’s that supposed to mean? You aren’t my damn babysitter, Rob .”
    Rob reached over without looking, clamping his hand over Fohi’s mouth. “Shush your buzzing, Little Bee. The grownups are talking right now.”
    Fohi struggled hard and got a few punches in on Rob’s arm and back before Rob put some distance between them by scooting over.
    “Okay,” said Peter, “enough playing around. Now we can talk about the weaving.”
    “I’m on the list,” said Winky. “And I’m taking anyone who came from the ranch who knows how to weave with me.”
    “I’m already with you on that,” said Peter. “Consider it done. And now food. We need cooks.”
    “Seems like Gretchen and Bianca are on that,” said Fohi. “They’re pretty decent.”
    “Yes, but we need people who can prepare food like the Miccosukee and Creek. They’re the best,” said Peter.
    Trip smiled briefly without showing any teeth, but went back to being serious in less than a second. He didn’t look at Peter, but he was listening carefully. My hopes for the two of them were soaring.
    “I agree,” I said. “Best food ever. I hope we can make bread here.”
    “We brought sacks of flour, but it won’t last long with this big group,” said Paci. “You need to get fields planted.”
    “Oh, man. You mean like farming?” I asked.
    “What? You thought we bought our stuff at Costco?” asked Paci, not unkindly.
    Everyone had a good laugh at that.
    “No. I just … geez-oh-petes. This is going to take so much work.” For a moment, the immense amount of the work weighed on my shoulders like a giant boulder of responsibility. How are we going to get all this done?
    “Geez-oh-petes?” asked Peter.
    I pushed into him with my