Surviving the Evacuation, Book 20 by Frank Tayell

Author:Frank Tayell [Tayell, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Frank Tayell
Published: 2023-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

The trading post opposite appeared to be as busy as the bar, but only because each transaction took time. Goods being brought in for trade first went to one of four tables near the entrance, where they were valued. Behind those tables, large whiteboards recorded the nominal prices of commonly traded goods, with batteries used as a currency.

From what was listed, the most common items newcomers wished to purchase were boots, socks, underwear, soap, backpacks, portable solar panels, rechargeable power banks, unlocked phones, and tablets preloaded with music and movies. A separate board listed the price of ammunition, matches, and raw meat, all of which were far cheaper than socks.

The sellers were trading chainsaws and tools and whatever else they’d arrived with and decided they could spare. No batteries changed hands, but once a price was agreed, a piece of paper was handed to the customer who’d go to the next table to select payment.

“This is Sorcha and Tuck from Nova Scotia, and Europe before that,” Wilgus said as Tuck and Sorcha neared the rusting cargo container where the former detective was in conversation with a camo-clad trio. “This is Jethro, Lennox, and Minnie. They run the meat monopoly.”

“We’re hunters,” Minnie said.

“Is Digby much like this?” Jethro asked.

“A little,” Sorcha said. “So was New York, when we travelled through there a few weeks ago. Why is everything denominated in batteries, do you have a surplus?”

“We’ve a drought,” Jethro said. “Ain’t seen an alkaline battery in weeks.”

“We’re a swap-meet now,” Wilgus said. “I want to make sure everyone has all they need to get to the Pacific. Since none of us can take everything with us, we’ll trade away our surplus, and keep the idea of currency alive at the same time.”

“Better to sell it than have it stolen,” Minnie said.

The silent Lennox nodded.

“You’re leaving, then?” Sorcha asked.

“Alma was never a town like Digby,” Wilgus said. “And nothing like what I hear exists out in the Pacific. We were just a place where the fisherfolk from the lake could trade with the foresters up north, and the occasional entrepreneur who took a risk in going south. Having any trade at all was dependent on us having that diesel left for General Yoon’s army. That’s a finite resource we’d have exhausted in a few more months whatever we did here. Without fuel, no hunter can come south to buy bullets or supplies to keep them going through the winter.”

“You can’t live on meat alone,” Minnie said.

“Says who?” Jethro said.

Lennox nodded.

“There’s a few people who might stay in Quebec,” Wilgus said. “But most will leave.” He pointed to the maps pinned to the doors of the shipping container. “That’s every community we know of to the north of here. A white pin means they’ve already arrived. Red means they ain’t arrived yet. Black means they’re gone.”

“As in dead?” Sorcha asked.

“Some are,” Wilgus said. “Others moved on without leaving any word as to where.”

“It’s a lot of pins,” Sorcha said. “What are the blue

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