Chapter 9 #2
“No,” he said. “You’ve been working constantly. Kyle, Troy, and Michael will help me with the others. You get some sleep. If anything happens that we can’t handle, we’ll wake you.”
Julie knew she was beaten. She went to her little house and didn’t even take her boots off; she just collapsed on her cot and soon was fast asleep.
When she woke, she found that the world hadn’t imploded while she rested. No one had died, and things in the mining camp were moving along smoothly. From that point on, the men’s health improved and soon everyone was back to normal.
As June gave way to July and the weather became even hotter, she and Kyle worked on keeping the garden alive.
Between him and Troy they had managed to build a windmill, and it pumped water from underground into a trough from which water could be carried to the plants.
That was much better, but it was still hard work.
The herbs and vegetables were growing nicely though, so it all seemed worth it.
“We even have our first batch of compost ready,” Kyle said. “We can work it into the new beds. We’ll grow the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers there.”
“That’s a good plan, if the chickens don’t eat everything before it can grow,” Julie said. “They get in everywhere.”
Despite a fence that had been built around the garden, the chickens still insisted on helping themselves to the cabbage and other vegetables.
Sometimes Julie daydreamed about turning the creatures into soup—especially when they got into her medicine patch one day and made a real mess before she could stop them.
“Yes, we’ll have to build a better fence,” Kyle said, scanning the various squawking fowls and frowning.
“What do you mean, missing?” Andrew’s voice suddenly rang out across the camp.
“We had eleven and now there are nine,” Walter responded.
Julie and Kyle exchanged a look.
“How do you know they didn’t just wander off?” Andrew asked. He sounded exasperated.
“Because they don’t do that; they might be silly, but they know where they live,” Walter said. “I’m telling you, something happened. We have to be vigilant.”
They came around the side of one of the little huts, and Julie saw that Andrew was looking tired and stressed. His blue eyes were bloodshot, and he had clearly been running his hands through his hair. It stood out at all angles.
“Please tell me the garden is fine,” Andrew said. “I can’t take any more bad news today.”
“Everything is going well here,” Julie said. “What’s going on?”
“We’ve had a setback with the elevator,” Walter said. “And two chickens were stolen during the night. Did either of you hear anything?”
Kyle and Julie shook their heads.
“Are you sure they were taken?” Kyle asked.
“There were eleven, and now there are nine,” Water said, with an emphasis on the numbers as though no more needed to be said about the situation.
“We’ll keep our eyes peeled,” Julie promised, mostly just to keep things civil and to take a load off Andrew’s shoulders. “It’s most likely a fox or a coyote.”
Walter nodded. “Yes, but if it’s that easy for the beast to take them, then soon we won’t have any left and it’ll be bye-bye eggs for breakfast.”
He was right. She nodded. “Maybe we need to secure the henhouse better. Or how is this creature taking them?”
Walter frowned and headed for the henhouse, which had been Julie’s intent. Perhaps that would help give Andrew some peace before the next problem reared its head.
Julie had come to realize that the mine was a wheel that turned.
Problems rose to the surface, the men dealt with them, and then peace reigned for a little while before a new set of problems arose again.
It was a never-ending cycle that kept them all on their toes, knowing that just as they got comfortable with one thing, another would happen to shake things up.
After Kyle went back to the garden and Andrew headed into his tent to do some of the paperwork he hated so much, Julie approached Walter. “I was thinking that we need a better fence. The one we have now is only to protect the vegetables. It won’t do much to keep a predator out.”
Walter mulled that over. “Maybe if we set up some empty cans on a string, they’ll jingle if the creature tries to get in. Then at least we’ll hear it and be able to come running.”
She nodded. “Let’s give it a try.”
Together she and Walter found some cans and planks and set to work making a fence around the chicken coop. The fowls watched them with their beady little eyes as they worked. They pecked at Julie and Walter from time to time, as though thinking the only thing humans were good for was food.
After an hour or so, the cans were in place and so was a crude fence.
It wouldn’t keep a human or a larger predator out, but it might slow a fox or coyote down.
The cans would definitely jingle, making a terrible racket if the door was opened, and that would alert them all to the problem right away.
Walter smiled at her.
“Thank you for listening and taking me seriously,” he said. “Everyone else is focused on the mine, but it’s easy for things like this to be overlooked until it’s too late to do something about them. That’s how we keep getting into trouble. We need to be a step ahead.”
Julie wasn’t certain what exactly he meant by that, but she nodded her agreement. “Being prepared never hurt anyone.”
Leaving him to go back to his budgets, she went to find Andrew. He was in his hut, reading a letter. From his expression, it didn’t say anything good.
“I’ve helped Walter,” she said. “The chickens should be all right now.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
“Is that bad news?” she asked, pointing to the letter.
Andrew looked up at her and sighed. “Well, it’s not exactly good.”