Lisa's Way

Chapter 16

Lisa had to endure more goodbyes over the next few days. She couldn’t escape the task of supervising the weapons destruction in Butler and Poplar Ridge. She also had to help her friends establish themselves in both towns. They needed buildings in each town to work from; a schedule of patrols; a simple legal system; and ways of keeping in touch. While it was work, it was also the last time Lisa spent with them. When the work was done she made sure to say goodbye to everyone. She had to struggle many times not to cry.

There was more work ahead of her to occupy her. Southwest of Richmond and Springdale was the town of Greenville. Little had been heard from the town in recent years. Lisa led a small group, including Dave and Ned, to find out what was going on and what might be needed.

She found that the town wasn’t too badly off. The area around the town wasn’t as hilly or forested as the other parts of Big Springs. It was ideal crop and pasture land. The people had enough grain, and an modest excess of beef cattle and milk cows. They had wanted to share their good fortune, but like Richmond was deterred by the feud to the north.

Lisa had word sent to Little Wolf and Allie of the situation. She asked Little Wolf to send Allie to Greenville. Helped by men from Richmond, she was to drive a few head of cattle to the former rivals. Lisa was sure that this gesture would further the effort towards peace, and build stronger ties between all the towns of this world.

With that trip completed, Lisa had nothing more to do on Big Springs. It was time to return to White Rocks and Lone Star. Lisa traveled to Springdale to say her final goodbyes.

Wayne, Dave, and their families hadn’t been idle while Lisa was wrapping things up. They had lumber brought in from Cave City. Combining that with material scrounged from the ruins of the portal city, they’d built three small cabins and stubby one-story building. Inside the building was a room of shelves; a room with a kitchen, tables, and chairs; and two rooms with cots and blankets. Someone had painted a sign over the doorway of the building that read Springdale Trade Store & Inn. On one of the doorknobs a small sign hung that said Now Open.

Lisa and Ned arrived at lunchtime. Since there was some business to conduct, Wayne decided to let Dave, Sherrie, Kathy, and the children eat at home. He and Ellen took Lisa and Ned into the store. He told them that he planned to fill the shelves with trade goods. He then had Lisa and Ned take a table in the dining area. While Lisa told them what she’d been doing over the past few days, Ellen cooked lunch.

When she was done talking Wayne shook his head. “Lisa,” he said, “you could settle down right now, and you’d still be able to say you had quite a life.”

“I guess.”

“I think as long as there’s something you want to get done,” Ned said, “you won’t settle down.”

“Speaking of settling down, when is your school going to be built?”

“A couple days,” Ellen replied over her shoulder. “We’re waiting on some more lumber to come up.”

“And more hands,” Wayne added. “Folks come up from Cave City and Cookeville to help. It becomes a real get-together. Too bad you can’t stick around and see it.”

“Maybe when you put up the actual inn,” Lisa said.

An instant later lunch was ready. Ellen doled out hot stew, filled their cups with the local mild wine, and uncovered a basket of warm rolls. The four at for a few moments before resuming the conversation.

“Dave and I have been talking about what we owe you,” Wayne said to Lisa.

“Owe me?”

“Once we get this store up and running, we’ll be making something. We don’t need all that much to live on. We are here because of you.”