Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

¢σℓℓє¢тιиg тнє ριє¢єѕ | ρяιи¢є ¢αѕριαи & тαℓιи

Joined
May 10, 2011
Location
Canada
The story had been passed down from generation to generation. In many ways there was no way of knowing it was the truth, but for all the disbelief there was so much evidence of what life was like before the meteor that there was no way to refute it.

The meteor fell to earth 900 years ago. People were worried about what was going to happen when it hit. Most of those people never had to worry about a thing when it did. Most of the life on the planet was incinerated. Most of the land south of the 55th parallel, in fact, was cleaned right down to the soil. Small pockets of civilization were suddenly the only pockets of civilization. The only population bases that were still strong enough to survive were in Alaska, Northern Russia, Finland, Norway and the remotest parts of Canada. At first the communities could talk, preserve some of their knowledge in books and journals. After the last satellite fell 30 years after the meteor, communication between the communities fell. Now no-one knew if the other communities existed. All they had were memories and legends.

Fairbanks Alaska was one of the largest remaining communities. When the meteor struck they were far enough in-land to be protected from the tsunamis that rocked the remaining coastal cities. During the dust storms that wracked the earth after they were protected by the cold weather, the dust being trapped to water particles and coming down to the earth in the form of snow. This made the land fertile, good for growing all forms of vegetation. The Chena river provided fresh water year-round and the land was bountiful enough with Caribou, Musk Ox and various other game.

Even though Fairbanks was one of the more successful communities, it had also underwent it's own catastrophe. It's population was hovered around 3000 after the meteor. Those who were lucky and were in concrete buildings or in basements and out of the direct blast were luckiest. Those lucky 600-700 people were the founders of the community that was formed just outside Fairbanks. As years went by, Fairbanks became the graveyard in which "the collectors" would scavenge.

As the society grew, more people began salvaging in the surrounding communities. They would salvage things like turbine motors that could be rewound for electricity and run off of coal. The occasional motor or generator that could be run from biodiesel, and books. The collectors grew of increasing importance. They became responsible for linking the technologies and information of the past to the present. As the need developed, the scavenging collectors would go farther abroad. In the summers they would travel down streams and lakes to camps based in various towns. The latest gold rush was to Anchorage. A major city that had been untapped for centuries.

Sean had been a collector for 8 years. He trained in his youth with his father and became an official collector when he turned 18. After 8 years he had seen plenty of scores. Solar panels, a seed-washing facility full of barley and wheat. He even found a couple stills for brewing moonshine. But his favorite find was a music player. It was something called a cassette player. Part of the reason he loved scavenging was finding the elusive D-cell batteries needed to play the cassette called "Rubber Soul." He hoped to find more. He could listen to music and read books about the past, music and books were his escape.

Sean was part of a crew of 8 other collectors under the command of Terrence, the son of one of the Township Committee. They called themselves "The Timberwolves". When they got news that they were being sent to Anchorage there was a buzz among his and every other collector crew. Anchorage was a 3 week travel away, and salvages could take months to transport. Sometimes they had to wait for winter and use the ice. Sean was second in command and second oldest on the crew. He hated being under Terrence's command, but knew that they would not get the prime jobs if it weren't for Terrence's father.

There was another group assigned to their scavenging territory. Terrence was livid, but he was not the only one that had connections in the Township Committee. Preparations were underway for the Timberwolves. New leathers, gloves, body armour, and new full-faced helmets. Three members were given high-powered rifles in case of bears or mountain lions, the rest were given a pistol and a hunting knife. In his entire 8 years no member of any collector team had to fire a shot, but having the extra protection while in the forests never seemed like a bad idea.

Sean was tall, just over 6 feet and had an athletic frame. His long hair hung down to his shoulders in brown waves. His green eyes were the only feature he inherited from his mother. His high cheekbones, deep-set eyes and heavy brow were all features inherited from his father. A scar from his childhood ran over his right eyebrow. He was excited to be going to Anchorage. He had never seen the ocean and had only heard of the city through whispered rumors or read in the odd book about Anchorage.
 
Sadie blinked back the shock, “The Screeching Eagles are going to Anchorage!!” She sat amongst her crew as the announcement was made. Hoping they would get to stick around and go to a lesser job. Being one of the newer members of the team she had no say in it. Renee, the team leader was notorious for rubbing elbows with the higher ups and Sadie just knew she had something to do with it. Crystalline blue eyes flitted around the room to her crewmates a mix of both sexes and a hodgepodge of characters. She was shier and younger than the other, most felt she didn’t earn the spot and it’d been given to her. She’d earned it fair and square, just as they had. Only difference was she was younger when she earned her spot on a respectable team.

The screechers, as they were known had worked at getting the town a lot of BIG ticket items. Sadie couldn’t name them all, but was certain there was a list somewhere. The few things she’d found had been with her grandfather, she had no fear of digging in and getting dirty. The lithe female had scored everything from solar panels and small motors to a helicopter engine. It was the helicopter engine that won her place on the team. She had reworked the thing to accept biodiesel and for that she was named a genius. At 24 she didn’t feel the part; her favorite score was still her first, a small wood carved music box. The song it played wasn’t one she knew before it, but you could wind it and the little pings and metallic clings set her heart in a merrier mood.

Everything was in place now, her measurements were taken and new equipment ordered. Heavy duty armor, thicker gloves and brand new full-faced helmets each piece emblazoned with the eagle screeching on it. Sadie smiled running her thumb over the beak. Auburn locks of hair fell forward over her shoulder as she bent to add the items to her gear. Pushing the locks back she looked up to find Renee looking her over. She smiled timidly and Renee turned away. The avoidance and awkwardness brought a red tint to her freckled cheeks, but she brushed it off as pre-moment jitters. She was ready for this. Everything in her training had made her capable to run with the big dogs. If proving herself was easy she’d have made this sort of team long ago.

Getting there would take three weeks and with the melting and shifting of the snow now was the ideal time, though things would be slow and possibly dangerous. Boots with removable cleats were detrimental to their adventure and her keen eye made her the one carrying a rifle. She had a steady hand and was calm under pressure, even if she was a redhead. The pressure was on, each team wanting the best. Could she be one of those elite? Pushing nerves aside she slid on her uniform, pinning her hair up and out of the way before settling in for a last meeting. All that was left was donning her helmet and heading out with her team. The fears and concerns she thought she might have would wait, she was certain others had them as well.
 
Sean spend three hours in his shed. It was one of the original homestead buildings that went as far back as time itself. The original stone foundation still stood, while the rest of the house had been built and rebuilt over it over 10 times. Sean made sure all his artifacts were still in place: his books, his cassettes, his images - photographs that had sat for nearly a millenia, and of course his cassette player. He asked his friend, Torq - a mechanic, to ensure his belongings were all watched and preserved. The ideology of preserving one's items became of great importance, knowing future generations may need these items. He gathered up his travel gear and made his way to the rendezvous point on the western edge of town.

They met up, the group of 10. They were all expected to travel on-foot, but they also had a converted quad that they drove in shifts. The quad had a small trailer used for transport and for hauling fuel. They had one wrench on their team. He was good, in fact he was probably the secret of the Timberwolves success, but he was responsible for the maintenance of any mechanical gear. In addition to the quad, the team had two dog-sleds and two fresh teams of huskies. They carried the food and any additional equipment the team might have needed: flashlights, ammunition for their rifles and medical supplies. Everyone could perform a little medical treatment, a result of on-the-job experience usually. Even so, every year at least 3 or 4 collectors would not come home.

The travel through to Anchorage was going to be a long, long three weeks. The first two days was simply making sure they weren't being followed by rival groups. Claimjumping wasn't uncommon and although there hasn't been a claimjump in nearly 10 years, Terrence did not forget losing one of his crew in the bloody fight. The Township Committee banished three citizens of the town after that. Terrence was nearly one of them, had it not been for his father.

They doubled back on their trail routinely and once they were certain they had not been tracked they made their way through the narrow Valley on the eastern slopes of the mountains. Sean had never been this far west or south, though they had some experienced members on their team, one of which had actually been to Anchorage. He had been on one of the first scouting parties to go to Anchorage. The town was desolated and vacant, no-one had survived - which meant that there were many opportunities for scavenging.

On the fourth night they set up camp in a ring of trees near to the river. It was early fall, which meant bears were lurking, but they were content to look for Salmon spawning. After nearly 800 years of no commercial fisheries the salmon ran in abundance. The bears would virtually walk on fish trying to get across a river. Food was in abundance for the wildlife of Alaska. Terrence brought out the map and called over Sean and Flynn, who were curious as to their claim.

"What have we got Terrence? What is our claim, and why are we sharing it?"

Terrence chewed on a piece of Caribou Jerky, he stopped mid-chew and grinned. "We have the best score that the Timberwolves will ever see." He unrolled the map and circled a small area on the ocean in the middle of the town. The words "Container Port" jumped up off of the sheet. Terrence was practically drooling with excitement.

"I'm not familiar with what this is Terrence. What is it?" Sean asked, intrigued.

"Well, back before the meteor people used to travel across the ocean and they used to transport goods across the sea in the summer. They'd be transported in containers bigger than your house and they'd pull them off of massive vehicles. That's what our claim is. The claim we have to share with whoever the other group is. We have to mark our finds and once we've claimed them we have to prioritize what we take back. Anything we find and mark is ours and the competition is going to be quick. I've heard the other group is a good team, even my father couldn't tell me who they were though."

Sean was excited at the prospect of finding supply containers bigger than his house. "What do you think we'll find?"

Terrence shook his head. "No idea, let's just hope we find it first."

Night came quickly and they built the fire and threw out feed to the huskies. As the moon came up the Huskies barked and whined and Sean tried to sleep through the excitement of yet-unseen horizons.
 
Their lead scout, Josiah, walked up to her and knocked on her helmet, “You don’t have to wear your gear just yet Greenie, just your winter gear.” the man shook his head and laughed. “Go change before the others get here.” Sadie was thankful for his advice and did as she was told. Coming back a few minutes later he smiled at her and took her pack, “Feel better?” Sadie nodded and blushed. Renee approached and asked what was going on the man shrugged and said nothing about what had happened. Sadie moved away. Her snow gear was lighter and made movements easier. Light layers of fleece under a few layers of waterproofing and the boots with cleats, on her head was a fur lined toboggan and a thick pair of fog proof goggles. She had the gun loaded and on her back, the safety engaged and extra bullets in the cargo pocket on her pants, she was ready.

The screechers met up, a total of nine. Charlotte, another member of the team, was staying behind. She was too far along in her pregnancy to be of much help. The group had two snowmobiles, a sniper and a scout rode together at either the front or the back of the group. One duo made sure there were no dangers and the other duo made sure no one got left behind. A small trailer was hooked to a quad, outfitted for the job, and a dog sled team. The driver was Renee, she’d raised the dogs from pups, and the team took turns driving the quad, all but the sharp shooters. They were always on the lookout. Sadie, wouldn’t have to drive and she was glad for that. She and Rally, the resident Mr. Fix it, were bringing up the rear. Josiah and another sniper were leading while the rest of the crew were rotating and taking all the supplies.

They left at dawn each morning and after a few days Sadie had a routine down and was feeling part of the team. Each night before bed Renee and a few others poured over a map. She knew the team would be informed when things were needed. The tents helped keep out the wind, but it was still bitterly cold. After a week she knew the plan, they would rush through and get to their claim as soon as possible. The supply containers sounded huge, Sadie could barely imagine the things were under water, she’d never been near water that went higher than her waist. She’d informed her team she couldn’t swim, they had ideas; something called a kick board and a tag team system so she would never be without help while they were underwater. She found the closer they got the harder it was to sleep. She traded spots with another sniper to walk and try to wear herself out, but even that didn’t work.

Her dreams were filled with treasures like she’d never seen before coming from large buildings underwater. Though she woke up screaming one night, she’d dreamed she was drowning and it was terribly frightening. Renee rolled over and covered her ears after a complaint that the Greenie had woken up. She curled into a ball and slept on her side. The next morning she walked the first half to work out the kinks in her body and after a lunch of soup and cold sandwiches she hopped on the back of the snowmobile and kept her eyes peeled. Unbeknownst to the group less than 10 miles to the east the timberwolves were making the same sort of path to Anchorage,
 
The Timberwolves rolled up camp and packed their gear. The mornings were getting cold and team was waking up stiff in the mornings, getting sluggish. Soon they would require a regular shelter and heating, something they wouldn't find unless they stopped in the towns. They knew that the rivers and lakes all had towns on or nearby to them, so they kept their eyes open for former signs of civilization. There were even one or two active towns out here in the wilderness, but they were rare and hard to find. One of these towns was made up of a splinter group from the Fairbanks settlement after a major disagreement 100 years ago between the township committee and one of it's members. They never came across the town, but they were ever cautious. Bad blood doesn't wash as easily...

They made their way down the banks of a lake. An old highway stretched down the western banks of the lake, allowing the team to make good time. In three days they covered nearly 80 miles, a pace that they would be hard-pressed to make in either the summer or the winter. Terrence had hinted to Sean that they may stay the entire winter in Fairbanks if they could manage to find the supplies they needed. There were plenty of canned goods in the city, but finding them would be a challenge.

The set up camp, fed the dogs and fed themselves. They broke out some bread, the last of the fresh stuff they would get until they returned to Fairbanks. Sure, there was mix for bannock, but that was about as good as it was going to get for the trip now. They ate the bread, some cheese and some powdered milk before heading to sleep. Sean was one of the last to head to bed. He noticed the scent of campfire being carried on the wind. At first he thought it was their own, but realized the wind was coming from the west. He climbed a knoll and noticed a thin trail of smoke coming from a dense patch of trees off to the southwest.

In the morning he told Terrence that he had seen the smoke. There was no explanation other than a town or another group of people. Terrence nodded. We can check it out. We'll meet em on the way if they are going in the opposite direction. Otherwise they are ahead of us by about a half a day. Perhaps we'll learn who's out there, or we might be able to learn who we're up against on our claim if those are our rivals.
 
Each day was long, early mornings and long days of travelling. Keeping her eyes and ears open for anything she never knew of the other team, didn’t know they even existed. Renee had only told a select few and Sadie wasn’t one of them. The way Renee talked they were behind, when in fact they were actually doing better than they were led to believe. The days were flowing past like water. There were whispers of towns along the way and warnings to keep her eyes peeled so as not to be surprised. When they got up each morning before the sun it was still ridiculously cold. Sadie shivered drinking down some of the strong coffee. Thankfully the beans were abundant and kept for a long time.

Renee gathered them and spoke up, “Once we get to Anchorage we can erect some cabins, provide more of a permanent feel. We plan on staying as long as it takes, there is strong competition out there we have to be in top form, we ARE making good time and at this rate can get there and rest. We push now and reap the rewards later. Tonight we will put the tents close together and try to get in close to the trees. Block as much wind as possible and keep us warmer. Guns, we are coming into more travelled areas, eyes open at all times.”

Sadie blushed as the leaders eyes bore into hers, she knew it was meant for her, she was the youngest ad least experienced, but she was strong and smart. Running a small freckled hand through her auburn locks she sighed and prepared for that day. She wasn’t close to any members of her team, she was too young, and the closest in age to her was 8 years older, Rally, her partner. But he was a man that barely talked anyway his silence was comforting and allowed her to be alone with her thoughts instead of having to force out a conversation that felt just that, forced. Climbing on the bike she slung the gun over her back and wrapped her head in her scarf for more protection. Later in the blaze of the sun she loosened the scarf to allow the wind to come in and cool her heated skin.

Being the last to pull into camp she and Rally got to work helping set up. They were in charge of unpacking their snowmobile and refueling. Rally sent her for fuel while he checked everything else. The smell of beans hit her nose. Dried beans were something their cook would start the day before and then cook once at camp the next day. Her stomach growled as she moved the container of fuel back to Rally. The others were lining up to eat. She refueled and walked around camp once on patrol before grabbing her own food. Left overs would be smashed and served the next day and they were just as good. Everyone turned in early and rose taking off much like they always had. Sadie was ready to get there, much like the rest of the team. Secretly she wondered who would be their competition. She hated the idea of meeting new people but perhaps more her age would be about, she doubted it.
 
They came up and over the last pass that evening. The sun was just beginning to set on the coast and they had an hour to set up camp. They could feel the days getting shorter quickly getting closer and closer to winter. They set up camp in a flat clearing and with the last half-hour of sunset they walked to a precipice and watched the sun creep over the edge of the water into a bath of orange, red and yellow light. They marveled at the sunset, reflected off of the waters in twice as many colours.

They could see Anchorage from the hills. Since the campfire they had not seen any members of the other team and they had seen no signs. They came across the camp the day after and saw the fire pit and the places they had set up camp and they had guessed that the size of the crew was about the same as their own. The team breathed a collective sigh of relief. This meant they couldn't be bullied off of the site by a team twice their size. At least they would come back with something, securing enough swag for everyone. Terrence twisted a cigarette using long, stringy bits of tobacco. 1000 years ago, this would have been smoked in a pipe. The strong, sweet scent of smoke ran through the camp and Terrence decided it was time to celebrate. They reached their destination safely, and with a little luck there would be more hooch available in the town.

Terrence reached into the bag and pulled out two bottle ofs... something. The problem with salvaged liquor was you never knew what you were getting: the labels had been worn, soaked, torn or faded off. He ensured the paper seal was still intact and opened the first bottle. A sweet, caramel odor crept out of the bottle. The crew offered their tin mugs and Terrence poured each of them a healthy couple of ounces of whatever it was that they were drinking. They all looked at each other, it was the typical test of manhood. Who would drink first and who would identify it?

Sean was never one to back away. He tipped the pitted and dented mug back with a wince. He turned pink and sputtered looking desperately for water. He could only get out "Sk... Sk..." He choked "Scotch! Guaah!" He gasped for air. Scotch was always the nasty surprise. It was always stronger than everything else and it always burned like hellfire. He slammed his mug down on the table and cleared his throat, coughing into the crook of his arm. Terrence laughed and filled the mug with a little more - always the reward/punishment for being the first to drink.

The other bottle was a little tamer, being a rye whiskey in a short and stout bottle. The crew went to bed that night full of good cheer and a warmth they hadn't felt in days. The next morning was cold and far too bright for some of the team, especially a couple of the older men. Sean was in the middle in age, but he was too excited to see Anchorage to think about his hangover. The sun finally appeared over the mountain to the East and they broke camp, heading towards the salvage job.
 
Sadie was shocked when they reached the ocean mid-day; it was unlike anything she had ever seen. First on the scene mean they would get the best of supplies. Renee smiled widely at her group, “There are some rundown homes just up there,” her hand lifted and a finger to point at a hill not too far away. “The trees block the homes from the elements but allow us a view of what is happening down there.” She smiled and led them up the ridge to the houses. There were several. They chose the best two and began the patch work. As they worked Sadie stripped from her layers. She wore her one piece jumpsuit, arms tied around her waist and a thin tank covering her body, thick gloves on her hand as she nailed boards into place.

Wiping her brow she smiled at Josiah as he approached, “Greenie, you excited about tomorrow?” She smiled and nodded her head, auburn locks moved with the action. “Well make sure you get plenty of sleep tonight, big day tomorrow.” She smiled again and nodded as he moved on to the next person. She had picked her room; she was alone on the first floor but had the gun so it was understandable. The days to come would be hard, at least with no roommate she’d be able to get the sleep she needed. That night she sat around the fire with the others for a bit, they had free range of the area and didn’t have to worry about anyone else. But leaving the houses was a nice gesture for other groups who would be in the area.

Sadie walked along the beach her heart was light but her mind was heavy, they had found fresh water so the bath she had taken in the fresh stream was amazing. She worried if she had bitten off more than she could chew by joining the team. She looked up at the moon, her arms wrapped around her as she stared out over the ocean. the water scared her, she wasn’t sure how this would work. She sighed and walked slowly back to her house and room. Dressing for bed was easy, the main room had a fireplace and each person kept their door open to get the heat in them. It was warm in the layers of clothing and layers of blankets. Her eyes closed and fell into a peaceful sleep.

They were left to sleep in no worries, or so they thought. The shout of visitors came when Sadie was eating breakfast. The oatmeal she was shoveling in was warm and filling. Popping up at the call her blues eyes roved around the room as everyone filtered out ahead of her. She finished and rushed outside with the rest, zipping her jumper on. She bundled up and stood at the back of her crew. The nine of them stood bundled up some in gear and some not yet. Sadie had woke up and dressed so as not to be called a slacker later by Renee or any other teammates. She stood staring at the path from which the group rode. Her heart pounded in her chest as the group approached.

Renee rushed forward and spoke, though it seemed to her a heated argument was taking place as she yelled out commands to the closest to her. She watched as her teammates shoved into action. “What are you still standing here for greenie? Move your ass; we have a job to do.” Sadie followed her crew and got moving. They had to build boats to go out over the water; Sadie shook like a leaf but was able to scavenge up some nice metal pieces to accomplish a patch on one of the preexisting boats. “I need a blowtorch and I can get you on the water in ten minutes!” She called out, Rally smiled and fired the torch for her. The whole contraption was rigged, but it still worked.
 
Terrence insisted on being the first to enter the town. He danced passed the "Welcome to Anchorage Pop: 230,909 sign. They all marveled at the idea of over 200,000 people living in tight concentration. They seldom came down here. This was the first attempt in nearly 6 years. The teams always made it here, but getting the goods back always seemed too much of a challenge. The rewards were not worth the effort. However, with the news of a container yard they decided they might be able to do some vehicle salvage and transport the goods back to Fairbanks. Perhaps they might even set up an outpost.

Sean scanned the local area. He had a good instinct for what locations had good items and what didn't. There was no logical explanation. He simply knew by looking at a building that there was good items there. As they came into the town Sean had that experience again, but it was different. He noted that a couple of the houses had been recently inhabited. Then there they were, face to face with the other crew. Terrence walked up to the front, looking to see who the competition was. "Damn, Renee. I was not expecting to see YOU here."

The group watched as Renee and Terrence courted each other in an unmoving dance. Their eyes locked and Terrence nor Renee were willing to give ground. Terrence finally broke the silence. "So it's the Screechers, huh? Looks like we're going to be working together. You know the rules. 10 marks per team. You mark your 10 containers and we mark ours. What's in em belongs to the team that marked em. I know you'll play by the rules Renee, but I better not catch your rookies making the mistake of crossing the Timberwolves."

Sean knew that tomorrow was when the real competition would start. This was just jockeying. Terence would be mad that the Screechers beat them to Anchorage, but they would get over it. There was so much to find in the valley. He knew they were going to make a couple big hauls, but first they would have to find some food. There were a few warehouses on the other side of the river, and a lot of large complexes. He looked through a pair of abused Pentax binoculars and grinned broadly. They would all hold good stuff, but from where he sat there was one that stood out. It was the most raided warehouse in Fairbanks. Sean grinned and said one word. "Costco." A grin flashed across Terence's face.

They passed through without saying anything, taking up residence in a house three houses away from the screechers. Spying was part of the game, but with so much going on all of a sudden, there were other things to worry about.
 
Her patch held and Renee patted her on the back. She was shocked at the action but smiled at their leader. Renee, Josiah and Rally were able to scout and make note of which containers they’d be going after. Each team member would be assigned one container to mark while Renee would have two. The water was cold Sadie had dipped her fingers in it when she was done welding. She stood with the other members waiting for the boat to return. The rifle she was in charge of was strapped across her slim back. Her hair was tied back and waders she wore hung off of her body. The dive suit she had for the next day was bigger on her too, but it was on purpose since it was so cold she would need to wear layers beneath it so with all the layers she would be fine.

She wasn’t sure why she was chosen to be an underwater scout with Rally. They had to make sure there weren’t any hidden containers and since she was the newest member the crap job went to her. She watched as the other crew took up residence in another house a few down from them. She was curious about the crew, but not enough to over step her bounds. Josiah tagged the boats they had fixed up and they had a stock pile of supplies they’d salvaged from the other houses. She sat down with the others for dinner, some sort of stew from a can. Renee had mentioned some warehouses but she’d also mentioned that they would share with the timberwolves on the food finds since they were here for the items and it would be in their best interest to work together on that front.

It was late, she should have been sleeping, but she was too keyed up, she was also the first on patrol. Bundled up she walked along the beach to the boats and on up to the house. As she walked her mind mulled things. The name should have rung a bell; at least she thought it should since it sounded familiar. She would see the crew around and maybe faces would jog something, but other people had shown up during the day, they were scheduled on the other side of the ridge but didn’t mind the hike for a shelter from the elements. Sadie hadn’t realized in coming here how big it was. There were a lot of things to claim. she yawned and looked up to the sky. A million stars shone back at her, smiling she made her way back toward the house. Only 3 more hours then she would wake up another gunner. She’d be on patrol the next night as well.

Sleep came as soon as her head hit the pillow; the sun was streaking up through the sky sending its brilliant colors out for all to see. Sadie rolled over as the bell sounded to inform all of breakfast. She groaned and put on her thin layers of fleece. She and Rally would be out over the water fishing until the sun was over head or at least at a good place where they could see well. Renee had gone to see the leader of the other crew to talk about the food situation, to explain the dire need to share and that the screechers wouldn’t be in competition with them for that. She brought up the idea of collaborating for the gathering and hunting of the food the salvaging of items was a team for team thing. She wasn’t sure how it went as Renee hadn’t come back yet. Rally patted her on the shoulder, their signal they’d worked out. The diving gear was on the boat and her fleece would be enough for now. A large wool ski mask hid her face from the wind as she travelled out behind Rally.
 
Sean watched from afar as Terence and Renee talked over the splitting of the territory and where their territory would line up. Sean hear the breakfast bell from the house down the road and realized it was his turn to be on breakfast duty. It was not going to be a good start to the day if the screechers were eating before the Timberwolves. Sean dressed quickly and ran the two blocks down to the river with a large water jug. The house had a wood-burning stove, a small blessing. At least he could get boiling water quickly. When breakfast was instant eggs, instant coffee and instant porridge, boiling water was all it took.

When he got down to the river he saw the boat with the diving gear on it and concluded that the meeting had ended and the screechers were going to make their markings right away, something the Timberwolves should have been doing. Unfortunately, the Timberwolves came in a day late and there was nothing for it. He carried the water back up the hill, taking a break every half block. Carrying 30 gallons of water was no easy chore.

He unloaded a water filtration device from the back of the sled and poured enough to get a few gallons of water boiling on the top of the stove. The water was sweet but had a bit of a mineral taste, perfect for a good cup of instant coffee. The water was boiling and he ran the bell "come and get your space-food." He called out sardonically. He hated powdered food, but it was marginally better than starving. The porridge was alright, but the eggs made his stomach gurgle in disdain.

As breakfast came to a close the team threw the paper bowls into the fire and they went in search of useable vehicles nearby, specifically a boat. Many of the boats were unusable condition, but a couple of aluminum car toppers seemed to be in good enough shape. One boat had a working outboard, which meant going would be slow. The teams would have to be towed across the river. In a couple months they would be able to walk across the river, but they needed to get started on picking their allotment of containers.

"Terence, when we get to land I am going to go to that Costco we saw from across the river. Is that within our claim?"

Terence looked over the map as their boat slugged across the river, towing two other boats and heading slightly upstream. "It's close Sean, real close. I think we can make it work." Terence replied.

"Alright then, as long as I am clear with your permission there's no way I can get in shit for it!" Sean chuckled.

Sean had a nose for supplies and a Costco was always a great place for anything a person might need. It was likely that everything on the floor would be ruined, but the upper shelves could be a great source of powdered and canned foods. He just hoped the roads that led to the costco were clear enough to get by - and that they weren't guarded.
 
Sadie plunked the line in the frigid water as the other team slept on; she had yet to see them as her team scurried about chasing the daylight into existence. Renee and the rest of the crew had already pulled some food from their assigned territory and she claimed it was good as she passed by. The cans of tuna and instant soup would store well but the other containers remained a mystery to her still. Rally laughed and patted her arm pointing to the line. She watched it bob a few times before realizing she needed to reel it in. she gave it a jerk and reeled in her first fish of the day. Rally was on number two. The rubber worms were a good choice and the fish, strange looking silver finned things where rather large. Salt was easy to come by and so the fish could be salt cured and dried.

Sadie watched as the other team loaded on their boat an hour after Renee and the crew headed back to get another load. A few containers had been tagged, but they were still looking, at least that was the word from Renee. No one said anything about sharing the food with the other team, they might have been against each other, but she refused to see another person starve. Chewing her lips as they drew closer her blue eyes flitted over the boat. The ski mask kept her skin safe from the cold wind that whipped over the water. Gaze sweeping over the members of the opposing team as they rode past. She wondered about them, where they came from, what was their story. She smiled to herself, but noticed Rally’s frown. Perhaps it was because they were much bigger than them. Being smaller wasn’t so bad, they were quick.

Once the boat had passed Rally put on the ancient heavy gear and instructed her on how to work the oxygen tank to pump fresh air through the hose. A little while later Rally was ringing to be brought up. There was nothing much below the surface of the water so the duo headed inland to store the fish and grab their gear to tag on land. Sadie was thankful she didn’t have to go under the water to get things. She changed quickly into her gear and met Rally at the boat he’d kept the fish on a chain and hung them in the water to keep them cold. Renee was screaming orders and yelling at Terence again about sharing the food finds. She pointed at Sadie and Rally , “Go find food!” Rally went and got instructions while Sadie secured her ammo from the boat.

Sadie followed Rally, the gun once again slung across her back, the cleats on her feet kept her from sliding as she trekked behind him. As they moved she saw they were following another’s foot prints. She pulled the gun around the front and secured her helmet in place as Rally signaled her, whatever Renee told him she didn’t like it. if this was spying she didn’t want a part of it. The large words printed on the side of the building would lead one to believe it was full of goodness. All she could see was darkness and an empty building. No sign of whoevers footprints they’d followed.
 
The Timberwolves followed Sean's lead to the big sign. When they arrived something was amiss. The Costco sign that had been spotted was a billboard. It wasn't going to be that easy, after all. This meant food was going to be their newest priority and everything else would have to come second, especially the spoils of the containers. Sean wanted desperately to tag one of the containers, but Terence was not listening. Not after Sean had led them astray.

"Who in their right mind would make a sign for something that is miles away?" Sean asked aloud. "If I am looking for something I want to know where it is, not whether or not it exists."

Terence ordered him back to the house. Dinner was going to be a meal of saltines and instant whatever-they-could-find. Nothing better than that it looked like, maybe worse. At least there was instant coffee, a small miracle, but apart from that there was nothing nearby. Some of the crew was going to have to go from house to house in search of food. If things got worse though, the crew would have to hunt. In the meantime, however, Terence was angry because of what he would have to do. He'd have to go over there and ask for help.

Terence winced at the prospect. They would never hear the end of this.
 
Seeing a group of their rivals had Sadie and Rally staying out of sight, retracing their steps she and Rally went back toward their crew, the food they were after wasn’t here and so far the raids on what the rest of the crew had found was canned goods and instant food. Slowing in her walking Sadie took a good look around, people once walked these same steps in a past life and now here she stood. She heard a crunch behind her. The eye shield of her mask was up; a quick flip of the wrist brought it down.

Wide blue eyes latched on to the form of a male heading in their direction, Signaling Rally silently she slid into a hiding spot. They were spying, or at least trying to. Dammit, why the hell was Renee doing this? Sadie and Rally were put into danger, if this man saw them, though they could innocently say they saw the path and then saw the prints and turned back… Sadie was a horrible liar. She followed Rally up the side of a snow bank to get out of sight. The guy behind them gaining ground fast seemed to not be really paying attention, which worked to their benefit now.

Running along the top of the snow bank, she tried keeping up with Rally but fell back and slacked off. she moved slower and more assuredly along the edge watching the male curiously. So preoccupied, was she, that when the bank curved away she missed it and went tumbling down the side. “Ahhhhh,” she yelled. When she stopped rolling, she was dizzy, Rally was nowhere to be seen and that was because she was face down in the snow. This was ridiculous. Flipping to her back, she closed her eyes; the pain in her shoulder informed her that it would be heavily bruised the next day, “Graceful…” She mumbled to herself.
 
Sean heard the thump and the rustling of a person falling ass over teakettle down a hill. Sean's immediate reaction was to chuckle, as people rolling down hills is one of the most amusing sights any human being can see. Upon the realization that he had never seen the person tumbling down the hill, however, his grin turned to an expression of concern and he ran to see who this person was.

When he arrived he could make out all the telltale equipment of a collector. Naturally this was someone from the other crew, but she was new to him. She looked familiar, like all of the residents of Fairbanks, but she didn't strike him as someone he knew. "Are you alright? That was quite the tumble you took there." Sean offered a hand, knowing it would be hard for her to accept it. Either way, he was the one who was going to be coming to beg for food later. That meant he might as well be friendly - at least until they had supplies of their own.
 
Pulling off her helmet, she lay there, her auburn locks flared out over the snow. Her eyes were closed, she heard the crunch of feet in the icy crystalline powder but she just lay there. Sadie ignored the voice and tried to convince herself she hadn’t made a fool of herself. Opening her blue eyes, she smiled at him and then laughed. She didn’t think twice, slid her hand into his, and was grateful he pulled her to her feet. “Watch that first step… it’s a doozey.” Shaking her head, she removed the snow from her hair before pulling it over one shoulder out of the way. She dusted off the snow before looking back up at him.

“I’m fine, I’m sure I’ll be sore tomorrow but other than thoroughly embarrassed I’m fine at the moment.” She checked her gear. Everything was fine, silently she thanked god, the last thing she needed was Renee all over her ass about it. Sadie didn’t see him as the enemy, sure that was something that the entire team wanted, but Sadie wasn’t like that. Staying true to herself was a better way to deal with life. “So you are what a Timberwolf looks like,” she shrugged, “not so scary.” She thought he seemed nice and never expected him to offer her his hand.

She turned and picked up her helmet. “Thanks for helping me up… “ This wasn’t exactly a social scene and any contact between them could be seen as something more and the last thing she needed was to cast suspicion on herself being the new girl. “I’ll… I will see you around.” She began moving toward where her crew was currently scouring for food. She smiled at him again. “I’m Sadie, it was nice to meet you.”
 
"Sean, and don't mention it. I mean... I wouldn't want to get you into trouble." Sean grinned back and hunkered down on his heels for a moment to simply watch her walk away. There were no females on the Timberwolves, one of the reasons they were so successful, really. No distractions and no fighting among the group to try and impress any women in the group. He watched her hip sway gently as she walked away. His expression was blank, but inside he grinned for a moment. Sean shook his head and made his way back to the camphouse.

After searching some of the nearby houses he was able to find a few packets of "Instant French Onion Soup" and a few sleeves of saltines. With any luck their air-tight packages wouldn't have been tampered with and they'd have a semi-decent meal. At least it would be hot. He'd have another chance to redeem himself with Terence. It would be alright in the end.

He made up dinner and called in the Timberwolves. Terence grumbled about having to try and partner with the Screechers, but for now they could stave off asking any favours if they didn't find food. Once the River froze they'd have lots of time to move stuff back across the ice. Sean thought about Sadie a couple times, wondering what her role with the screechers was. He also remembered the vision of those swaying hips, it took a swift backhand from Terence to bring him back to reality. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were lollygagging after some girl there Sean. If that gets us into trouble I will kill you just so I can bring you back to life so I can kill you twice. Remember that." Terence frowned at Sean.
 
She fought the urge to look over her shoulder at him, “Sean,” she repeated to herself and thought about his green eyes as she walked away. Sadie didn’t give her hips an extra swing either, though she wanted to. She secured her helmet to hide the huge smile on her face as she met up with Rally. Nothing was said about the Timberwolf and she was thankful, she hadn’t a clue what Rally saw. Making her way to the boat with Rally she went back with him to open crates it was the current job she was given. Being the new girl, she was given the odd jobs.

Her specialty was rebuilding and mechanics, so far she’d rebuilt a boat and made sure all their vehicles were in working order. She loved getting greasy and didn’t mind helping Rally cook. Renee wanted her to modify a wagon so when the lake froze over they could use one of the snowmobiles as an ice crawler she had all the parts ready to do just that when the time came. As she was tearing up crates to patch the wagon bed, she thought of Sean. She kept her eyes open for them as the Timberwolves passed; she was on top of the piece making sure she had no holes or weak spots. Satisfied with her work she headed in to wash up and help Rally.

She wondered if he was the cook, he and Rally headed back about the same time so she assumed. If Renee asked for a liaison between the two crews, she was half tempted to raise her hand and volunteer. However, when no one volunteered it was assigned to her anyway. She and Rally had all of the next day to inventory every bit of food they brought over so far and then she would put together a welcoming crate for them, a kind of peace offering. The tension between Renee and Terrence was strong and she didn’t like it and hoped he wasn’t the one she’d have to deal with. After the quick dinner, she went back outside to work in the last bit of sunshine on her wagon. Tomorrow would be interesting, but until then she would work her ass off.
 
Sean walked up the hill to take in the sunset in the West as is laid itself down to sleep again. He was far above the houses and could see his teammates scurrying about making sure everything was prepared for the next day when they would make their way to the container port. He saw the camp inhabited by the Screechers and caught himself thinking about Sadie for just a moment. She was the most welcome distraction he had ever encountered on a seeking expedition. He was surprised he hadn't seen more of her up in Fairbanks. Then again, there was no way for them to meet and they were likely on opposing missions and locations.

He scanned the city-line in the orange waning light of the sun. The container port was easy since it was located nearly directly across from the houses. He noted a couple shopping centers in a less-industrial area and a grocery store. Things were already looking promising. He had to make up for his error or Terence would have him doing cooking duty for a week. Something he did not relish in the least. He looked down into the camp the screechers had made and saw Sadie, just for a moment, in the orange light she almost glowed. He hoped to see more of her in the future.

Sean thought about the morning. At first light they were making for the container port. Hopefully they would beat the screechers there and find some good containers. It was sad, Sean thought, how they were both after the same things but they weren't working together. Perhaps that's something that would change, or perhaps he could talk Sadie into joining the Timberwolves. Seeker loyalty was common among all the groups and it was almost verboten to leave one group for another ... "Still, it's nice to dream and to hope." Sean said to the evening breeze.
 
Sadie’s blue eyes flipped open as a scuffling sound was heard outside her door. Quick as a flash she had her rifle in her hand and was creeping towards the door silently. Glancing at the solar clock next to her pallet, she knew it was much too early for Rally to be starting breakfast. Her door swung open and she instantly recognized his profile, relief flooded through her. “Rally you nearly scared me to death,“ She whispered behind him.

“Renee put me on watch duty… scared them Timberwolves were going to steal our food. Wanted to see if you wanted to do some inventory now and scout for more food early after fixing breakfast.”

Sadie nodded, “Give me a minute to dress properly then I’ll meet you in the basement. I think a pot of oatmeal and coffee ought to get them by in the morning so we can hit the road. I think the cook for the other team might work with us better than the leader. I figure about lunch time we can go over and introduce ourselves, if you want.” The man nodded and shifted before moving away to let her dress. Sadie watched the door close and changed quickly; silently she hoped that Sean was the cook. At least then, she’d have a reason to talk with him.

By the time the sun was up everything was counted, they had many things, nothing fresh but still everything was usable. If there were small amounts of things they were grouped with others, like odd balls of soups could be mixed and canned meats and beans could be combined to make chili or stew. Rally made her a list of what to gather for their neighbors and then went to make breakfast. Sadie set it off to the side and then joined Rally. The duo ate quickly and left. Rally had done some scouting of his own and had seen the little clusters of communities. Together they would scour the stores and homes in these little places to see what could be found.

With winter approaching, they would set up a drying station to preserve some of their catches from hunting. Sadie was excited for the build and to get out in the fresh air for hunting as well. It had been some time but she knew it wasn’t something one could truly forget. She loaded up her gear, an axe, her gun, ammunition, a map; snow spikes and flares in case they were trapped. Renee wished them well and they were off. The morning air was crisp and the rainbow of colors from the rising sun painted the sky like a masterpiece. Sadie smiled and flipped her sun shield into place. Getting away from the competition part of it all was perfect for her.
 
Sean made his way to the dock just before daybreak. The light was hovering behind the hills threatening to illuminate the waters any second from now. They had the boats out on the water, ready to make their way to identify a few of their allotted 10 containers. He had an idea of what he was looking for. Familiar logos, brands, locations and the like. He knew that they would have to find a location that had food and other goods, but the containers were today's first priority. Once they had a couple set aside marked for the Timberwolves.

They crossed the water as soon as light came pouring over the hills. He was certain that the Screechers had already left or at least were right behind them for the big push to the container port. There were many containers that were still available. Some were up on dry land. Those would be the first ones that were marked. It was easy to mark them and they did not have to find a way to get them out of the frigid waters of the river. The ones that were submerged would take some time to both mark and extract. With a little luck the crane might be able to be salvaged, but there were no guarantees. Not to mention the probability that many of the containers would be flooded with brackish water for the last several hundred years.

Sean wandered through the containers. As the boat shut off he could hear the whirring noise of another motor not far off. He knew the Screechers were nearby. It didn't matter. They'd all be fine in picking containers. It was a matter of getting the ones that no-one else was interested in. He wandered through the containers. Many were bent by the flooding of the beaches. Others had been opened and looted long, long ago. There were a few though, that he was interested in up on the hill. He wandered through, in between some of the containers. He had an almost 6th sense for the contents and knowing if they were good or not. He looked around looking for a variety of emblems when he saw it. There were decals on this container he recognized. Brand-names that he had come to know and were dear to his heart. Yamaha, Honda, Husquevarna. All of these meant motors, parts for things run by motors and perhaps even motorbikes or quads. He grinned and pulled out a canister of red paint. He sprayed the emblem of the Timberwolves - a big, red moon with the outline of a crudely drawn wolf. He put the canister back in his pack, but was surprised when he could still hear the sound of paint being sprayed. He checked his pack and noticed the lid on the spray paint. He could still hear the unmistakable rattle of a spray-can and the hiss of paint from the nozzle. He winced, walking around the side of the container, hoping to see another Timberwolf.
 
Sadie was confused when Rally turned back; they weren’t even a mile out yet when it happened. He simply pointed and showed her their boat wasn’t moving. With a groan she hopped off the back when they were close enough she pulled off the thick fleece and pulled up her jump suit and zipped it into place and got to work, it took her five minutes but Renee made her go tag with the team in case it happened again. She slid the helmet into place and waved at Rally as he headed off alone. Blue eyes watched the Timberwolves unload on shore and scrambled. She’d seen one container that held her interest. Being the mechanic, she was familiar with certain brand names.

She took the pack from Renee, can of yellow paint and a flare gun just in case. She snapped her helmet into place and began the trek. She lost her bearings and by the time, she got to the container her paint jammed midway through. She heard someone else spraying nearby and prayed it was behind her. Removing the glove, she gave it a good shake and sprayed across the front of her jumpsuit. “FUCK!” She cursed and turned the can finishing of the fancy O with a beak and claw. She tossed the can to the ground and removed her helmet.

Grabbing a handful of snow, she began rubbing it over the spritz on her shield. “Sadie! What the HELL?!?!” Renee’s voice made her cringe.

“The nozzle jammed and when I tried to fix it got me,” Sadie watched as Renee looked over the container before walking away. She heard the crunch of snow before Renee had approached. “She is gone…” Lifting her blue eyes up from her work on her helmet up to the person, she smiled up at him softly. Her hair was back in a braid and her cheek had a smudge of grease on it, not that she cared. She leaned her head back and laughed. “You seem to find me at the worst moments possible.” She shook her head and looked at her tag.

“Let me guess you tagged the other side?” She grimaced and lifted her helmet up. “Parts, motors, basically a mechanics dream container. I can imagine the wonderful things I can build.” her smile was dream-like as she thought about the possibilities in the container. Sighing she shook her head, “What do we do if both tag a container at the same time?” She wouldn’t mind sharing; she could be fair and thought he could be too. Involving either leader would be a bad idea. Her eyes flitted over his face as she waited for an answer.
 
Sean was dumbfounded. It was her, again. Sadie. She was there in front of him - in the flesh. It hadn't even been 24 hours since he last saw her and she was before him again. He smiled at the smudge on her pretty face and the braid of hair that sat at the back of her neck. He was happy to see her again.

Seeing her again, though, also meant trouble. How in the world did something like this happen? They didn't hear each other and neither one knew the other was there until it was too late. Shit.

"This can't be good. What are we going to do? We can't tell our leaders, but when we go to clean out the contents there will be a big fight over who gets the spoils. I can tell you right now Terence will lose it when he discovers that there are two tags on the same container." Sean sighed. He wanted to say "I sprayed it first, but thought better of it. There was no need to fight. The lot was full of containers.

They hadn't even opened the container yet. Maybe it was empty, or perhaps full of nothing but decayed metal, plastic and seawater. Then they could call it all off.

"Well, only one thing for it." Sean went back to the craft for a torch, a pry-bar and a hammer. He screwed on the burner attachment onto the propane tank and turned the dial. After applying a spark the torch glowed from orange to a narrow, blue flame. He pointed it at the lock, watching it begin to glow to orange. "That should be about right." Sean said before bringing down the maul hammer onto the lock. After three strikes the lock fell to the ground leaving a glowing, red half-ring through the latch. He brushed it aside with the hammer and slid the prybar into the door-frame. He pushed on the bar until the seal popped with a tell-tale whisper of air. It had been sealed well, whatever was in there. He pulled the door opened, revealing the contents.

There were crates that sat stacked one upon another. The same emblems on the outside of the container were on many of the crates inside the container. He could smell the musky scent of mineral oil, which must have been coating some items to ensure they didn't rust as they came over the ocean. There were several symbols that he did not recognize, like letters from another language. Some of the crates on the bottom had a minimal amount of water damage, causing the wood to rot away from the base. At least those would be easy.

"I opened the container. You pick the first thing to open." Sean said, handing over the pry-bar. "I hope this isn't going to land us in any hot water."
 
Climbing to her feet she stood, he looked better than she remembered but now was not the time to dwell on him. A soft smile graced her face as she thought back to a small snippet of a dream from the night before he had taken her up to the ridge and they watched the stars come out together. It was more than that afterwards but she attributed that to being alone for the last few years. The stars thing was a perfectly normal dream; usually she was alone yet after seeing him the day before her mind was constantly occupied with thoughts of him, those emerald orbs and that hair. Even now, she fought to keep her hands busy, fearing she would start petting him or something equally crazy.

His words mirrored her thoughts, keeping it between them was best. She watched him wander away and come back. She laughed at his torch; it was smaller than hers was, though hers she’d specially built for this job and made it to squeeze in tight spots for easier repairs. She watched him work silently observing him behind her yellow speckled helmet. As soon as the lock was off so was her helmet. Her excitement was spilling into the air, just like a kid on Christmas morning. When Sean pried it open she almost jumped into his arms and kissed him, instead she gripped the edge of the container and peered into the depths. Crates, seemingly, never-ending were loaded from floor to ceiling.

Sadie recognized some of the writing to be Chinese; they matched an old automobile manual her father had. Others seemed like symbols and cautions, the red word ‘FRAGILE’ stuck out on some of the crates and she was curious. The rotting wood didn’t bother her, she knew the things inside should be fine as tight as the seal was. Her fingers traced the words on the first crate. Nodding her head, she smiled widely up at him. “I think I want to open this one marked Husqvarna.” Secretly she hoped it was full of chainsaws, if it was a motorcycle he could have it. However, motorcycle parts could be repurposed. “I hope everything in this container can be shared.”

“You go ahead, I’ll be right back.” She moved out of the container and back to her own boat. She walked straight backed with her head held high, yellow mark across her chest and all. She grabbed her pack and headed swiftly back to his side, at least she could help open crates. She said nothing as the various parts of a motorcycle were revealed. Highly disappointed but not showing it she nodded at another. I say we open all of them and then decide, it might be easier, what are your thoughts Sean?” She looked up at all the other crates; she said his name as though it was the most normal thing. Her gloved hand wrapped around the cool metal of her own crow bar, before patting his shoulder “It’s all going to the same place they just don’t see it that way.” After a moment of thought she spoke up, “I wonder if we should find another one to split so then once we are done they will never know and I can cross out my mark and say you were first or you do that since Renee saw me here.”
 
"That sounds like a great idea. There's a container 30 yards away. It's a bust anyways, one side of it was rotted out and the interior must have been all paper. There were no contents other than a few cardboard boxes from what I could tell." Sean thought about it. "I just hope that no-one sees us splitting this. There will be hell to pay with my boss if there is. I am sure it goes both ways." Sean opened up the cracked container and threw some of the wood and packaging into it to make it look like the contents were simple scavenged already. The empty wooden crate on the floor wasn't fooling anyone though. Perhaps with a little more work they could get it looking like they were simply working on two separate finds.

"Tell you what, I'll start opening all these crates and we can split everything down the middle. There's plenty of parts and materials in here and I am sure that we'll be able to find some different things of use. We can use the two containers as storage once we get it all squared away. How about we both mark the other container as well. That way we can just say we both marked one at the same time as the other. Maybe we can just fool them... I hope."

Sean began unboarding the various crates and boxes, stealing a glance over at Sadie every once in a while. He had never traveled with a woman before. Technically he wasn't traveling with one now, but it felt like they were in such a similar predicament and had very similar goals it was hard to think of it in another way. He was glad that Sadie was going to be here for the winter as well. Perhaps he'd get to know a little bit about her. He thought the dirt smudge was a cute addition to her otherwise pretty face. He just hoped she didn't catch him looking at her as she went through the crates. Especially when she bent over the side of one of the crates to pick something up off of the bottom.

He shook his head and got back to opening crates, happily working alongside his new friend from the Screechers.
 
Back
Top Bottom