Chapter 3 Holly
Shopping List? Check!
Mittens? Check!
Emergency snacks? Check!
A shuttle-compatible mobile phone borrowed from the New Franklin library and loaded with hours of Christmas songs? Double check!
The cold bit through my thin coat as I waited by the main building, watching Burr’k approach.
He was strapped up with all his gear like he was heading into battle.
Technically, we were. But I’d hoped for a little more conversation and a little less doom.
Burr’k didn’t say hello. He didn’t say anything, actually.
He just stared at my pink backpack like it was going to explode. I guess he didn’t like pink.
Just like the last time I’d bumped into him, he was frowning.
I smiled, waved, and hoped my cheeriness would rub off. “Ready to go?”
He glanced again at my bag, then at me. “You’re under-equipped. Where is your armor, female? And your weapons?”
I raised a brow. “I’m not planning to wrestle scuttlers.
I’m there to make sure we bring everything we need back.
I have my gingerbread scented spray to confuse the scourge.
And a sonar repellent, which I’m only going to use if it’s a life-or-death situation.
As for armor, I’ve got a vest underneath in case we run into the raiders. ”
He was still frowning. “Do you not have a weapon?”
“No.”
Burr’k had enough weapons for both of us. There were two swords strapped to his back, and a blaster at his hip. At the opposite hip was a knife. I was willing to bet he had plenty more hidden weapons.
The door behind me opened, and Roger stepped out. “Ah, so glad you’re both here. I was worried I missed sending the two of you off.”
“She has no weapon. It will be easier for me to go alone.”
Roger looked at me, frowning. “What’s on the list?”
I handed him the handwritten list I had of all the children currently living at the settlement and the things they’d asked for in their letters to Santa.
Some of the requests were impossible, like a pony, or world peace, so we made suitable substitutions from things the foragers could find at toy and bookstores.
Below that was the list of decorations we hadn’t put up.
Roger, in turn, showed it to Burr’k, who took it, turned, and started stomping over to his shuttle.
“Don’t worry,” Roger said. “He’ll be back once he gets his shuttle to translate the list.”
But my Christmas cheer, already spread thin because of the raiders' attack, was starting to wane. I’d been so excited to go on this trip.
I’d seen how sweet the hunters were with their mates, and I was really hoping something romantic might come of it.
And even if it didn’t, maybe he’d have friends he could introduce me to.
But Burr’k was grumpy and surly and didn’t look like he wanted to be here one bit.
The guy looked like he was carved from stone, but it didn’t matter that he had the hottest freaking body I’d ever seen if he constantly acted like he’d been denied his morning coffee.
“Is he the only hunter available?” I asked.
“Yes. Most of them are helping out a neighboring hunter’s group. And the rest need to stay to protect the settlement, especially after the raid. We were completely caught unaware. But have some patience with Burr’k. He used to work on the mothership the scourge took over.”
“Oh. I see.” It must be hard to lose his home.
But then again, everyone here has lost their home.
Heck, everyone still alive on Earth has lost their homes, and much more, and we weren’t all grumpy asshats.
And not to mention, some of the other hunters I met had come from the lost mothership as well.
But I guessed it was still fresh in his mind, and he was not taking it as well as the others.
I could deal with that. I dealt with a lot worse.
I thought of the early days, when the space bugs we now call the scourge first came.
To say that we as a society were ready to deal with men-eating bugs was being generous.
It was wholesale destruction of everything we knew.
And the world governments’ reluctance to accept the Xarc’n warriors’ help only hastened the collapse.
Good thing the alien warriors had thick skin and stuck around.
Working hand in hand was what made places like New Franklin possible.
It was practically paradise inside the walls compared to the desolate post-apocalyptic landscape outside.
I was super grateful for everything I had now.
All my new friends. My home. Everything.
Which was why I was so adamant about making this holiday season a success. The wonderful people of New Franklin deserved it. Especially the children, some of whom, like Junior, had never seen a world before the scourge.
Burr’k returned, just as Roger said, his expression unreadable.
“I do not understand these,” Burr’k said, holding up my list. “What is leg-o? Or a super soaker? Or a laa-boo-boo?”
Roger chuckled. “I see. Well, in that case, I guess you have to take Holly. She knows exactly what’s needed and won’t pick up the wrong things.”
Burr’k’s gaze flicked to me, still skeptical.
Roger continued, “And as for weapons, Holly’s trained with a standard-issue Xarc’n blaster, just like everyone over thirteen in the settlement. If I remember right, she did really well.”
I straightened, pride blooming in my chest. “I did! I totally give credit to Big Buck Hunter. Dad loved that game, and I got real good at it.”
Roger turned to one of the foraging groups that was leaving the building for the day. ”Can anyone spare a blaster?”
One of the guys dug into his bag and handed Roger his spare, along with its holster.
“Thanks. Come to me when you get back, and I’ll get it replaced.”
As the forager ran to catch up with his group, Roger handed the weapon to me. I quickly tucked it away in my bag.
Burr’k didn’t look impressed, but he didn’t argue either.
We walked to his shuttle in silence, the snow crunching beneath our boots. From the outside, the ship looked sleek and futuristic, just like all the other shuttles.
The interior was also gray and utilitarian.
A raised platform called a sleeping nook lined one wall.
At the front was a tall screen for navigation and a single pilot seat, worn but clean.
Beneath the screen sat a ledge cluttered with a communicator, a translator, and a few tools I didn’t recognize.
A narrow counter sat beside the door, likely for prepping rations or gear.
But worse, the bathroom was tucked in the back corner, barely big enough to turn around in, and with no flipping door!
That was it. No decorations or personal touches at all. Just cold gray walls. No wonder he was grumpy all the time.
I’d been in the shuttle Evie and her mate Tarv’k shared before, and there were homey little touches that made the place feel cozy. All of that was missing here.
This wasn’t turning out to be the exciting road trip I’d imagined. But it was an important mission to save Christmas, and I was ready.