A Light From the Ashes by Rachel Anne Cox

Author:Rachel Anne Cox [Cox, Rachel Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Glass Spider Publishing
Published: 2019-10-13T16:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Zacharias and Gemma made their way to the cabin early in the day. Even still, the sun beat down through his white hair, burning his head. He should have worn a hat.

“You know, I haven’t seen this place since I found you and Sam here all those years ago.” But it had been longer since he’d seen it before that. Not since he’d brought Jesse here to escape the city and the drones.

The birds called to each other from their nests, and a squirrel was fussing at them for passing too close to his tree. He remembered Jesse never liked the cabin but made do. She always made things work. Zacharias started to wonder if this was a mistake. Maybe he should have let Gemma bring the children to him. Why had he asked to come with her to the cabin?

“The kids have really done a great job with it. They’ve made it their own,” Gemma replied.

Large dandelions populated the grass along the path leading to the cabin. Aged and browned with time since sprouting in the spring, the wishes still remained. As they made their way closer to the cabin, Gemma asked, “Did you ever feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility for me and Sam, and now with these kids?”

“In what way?”

“You know, it’s more than just making sure they have food, clothes, shelter . . . it’s up to us to teach them things. And how do I know I’m teaching them the right things?”

“I’m not sure you can ever really know. You try to teach them what you’ve learned, what’s been important to you, or what you wish you’d known. But you can’t know what kind of job you’ve done until they’re grown.”

The two walked into the cabin, their eyes adjusting as they left the glaring sunlight. The glass doors at the back had broken years ago and been replaced with uneven boards. The back of the cabin where the bedrooms used to be had collapsed when a bomb went off too close, leaving the building as just one great room and one falling-down bedroom.

The children were all sitting in their individual corners they’d made into their sleeping quarters.

“Who’s this?” Daisy asked with friendly curiosity.

Gemma responded, “Come here, sweetie.”

Daisy climbed in her lap in the rocking chair. The twins stayed huddled in their corner. Toby watched suspiciously. They didn’t like new people.

“This is Zacharias. We call him Z, and he’s my adopted father.”

“Hello, Z.” Daisy peered over Gemma’s shoulder.

“Hi there, young lady.”

“How would you kids like to come live in a real house near town and closer to me?” Gemma asked.

Daisy responded with a smile and a hug. The other children continued to stare. “Can we live in your house, Gemma?” Daisy asked.

“No, sweetheart. Not yet. But I’ll be really close, and we can see each other every day. Z is going to adopt you so you can get ID cards. That way, we’ll be able to get you all the clothes and food you need.

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