Deeds and Greed by Connor Mccoy

Author:Connor Mccoy [McCoy, Connor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mahogany Publications

Chapter Eleven

It took two months after the incident in the Carrols’ home in which Sam Briggs had been killed before things began getting back to normal. There was little discussion of the event, but the fights between Tabitha and John gradually lessened as both the physical and emotional wounds healed. Tabitha watched Ian play the peacemaker and felt sorry for him. A son should not have to referee his parents’ arguments.

As the winter turned to spring, Tabitha spent more and more time outside, leaving John and Ian to feed members of the community who had run out of supplies. They made oatmeal for breakfast and soup and bread for dinner, and for the children, they handed out fruit cups or granola bars at lunchtime. Tabitha knew John worried about food supplies. But so far, their supplies were holding up, and it would be time for planting soon. Given an adequate growing season, they should be able to support the community.

And this was Tabitha’s newly found passion. They would keep the community fed if it was the last thing she ever did. She began scouting the surrounding areas for a suitable community garden plot. She and the boys roamed the land surrounding the town in which she lived, but the problem was proximity. How could they guard the water tower and a garden plot? They would be spreading themselves too thin. And if they invited neighboring blocks to join them, they would have to grow so much more. It was a manpower problem.

She started visiting the green belt where John and Ian had camped during the standoff with the homicidal farmers. It would take a lot of work, but it was close to home and fenced on three sides. Plus, it was the size of at least two house lots. Maybe three. If they built raised beds, they should be able to grow enough if everyone also converted their backyards into vegetable and fruit gardens. She knew Kevin wanted to devote his yard to berries. They had a short fruit growing season, but with different varieties, there should be enough for most people for most of the season.

Tabitha didn’t know if that was the best use of the land. But they had to let people make their own decisions, or they would begin to revolt. But before they could do anything, they would have to clear the land, and that was going to take a lot of effort.

Another problem was the packs of dogs that had begun forming in the town. People could hear them howling at night and stories were circulating of the dogs attacking children at dusk. You would think people would do the humane thing and put their pets down when they no longer could feed them. But she supposed they felt they were doing them a favor, letting them roam in search of food. She took the precaution of not permitting the boys out of the house on their own as evening set in.

Early one morning, as

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