Road to Arcadia: the Path East

Chapter Twenty-two: Cafegymatorium

The elementary school they pulled up on had an unshakable familiarity.

Kai tried to push the thought from his mind, trying to keep focused on the task at hand. But it was hard to ignore the single-level building with the cream-colored exterior. It wasn't much different from the community center back in Purkans either, but combined with the sidewalk leading up to it, the pavilion at the front entrance, a faded sign that greeted them with a tone deaf message of have a great summer!--it kept trying to reel him in and take him back to days that didn't serve him much purpose out here.

He staved off the familiarity long enough to carry out his duties. They were able to get everyone offloaded and safely inside the building. Someone, presumably those who were able to escape the storm in time, had already opened the elementary school for intake. The few cars in the parking lot suggested that number was precious but few.

The school appeared untouched by the storm--no missing pieces of roof, no leaks in the ceiling. Whoever had informed Baz knew what they were saying. This was the place to be.

One of the rescued took the lead, already familiar with the space and its purpose--a middle-aged man, muted by shock but still with a head on his shoulders. He led them down the hall and into the school's cafeteria.

Or was it a gym? There was also a stage at the front of the room. Kai had almost forgotten what it was like. The loud, echoing space divided by moving walls, simultaneously a place for eating, socializing, assemblies, and raucous physical activity.

The nostalgia only pulled him in for a split moment before it catapulted him back into work, taking tallies and assessing situations.

The strangeness of the foreigners was not lost on the dozen people already in the room.

"Who're you?" asked a man with a leathery face and a baseball cap.

Kai didn't know why he was picked out of the lineup as someone worth talking to--or, well, he could have guessed. "We're from Arcadia."

"Missouri?"

He shook his head. "No, like the urban legend."

The man exhaled sharply. "Alright, alright, you don't have to get smart with me."

"Oh, no, I mean actually. Like the actual urban legend of Arcadia. You know, last thriving settlement of the West? We're with the Recon and Rescue division."

His expression soured. "Yeah, and I'm from Atlantis. Listen, I don't care where you're from, but if you're supposed to be rescuing, you got anything to help us out? We've been holed up in here all day and odds are everything we got's destroyed."

Kai turned to the de facto leader.

Deon was already opening his mouth. "That's a good point. Let's get to distributing some supplies. Garver, Gilling?"

Irene and Kai left the cafegymatorium and headed back to the buses. They gathered boxes of basics--blankets for both shock and comfort, food rations, water--and brought them back for distribution.

Life in the room returned once the people had their hands on supplies. Some eagerly chowed down on protein bars while others were happy cocooning themselves in warm blankets. Any thanks that was muttered out was quiet, rescuees expending energy only on their own basic survival needs.

That was fine. Kai didn't need the platitudes.

There wasn't much else to do besides keep an eye on the townsfolk settling in. No decisions could be made until the rest of the squad was back, or Baz at the very least. As long as everyone in the building was safe and content, their jobs were accounted for.