When We Shed Civilization

Chapter 50 - Epilogue

"So, where's Hammer now?" Starlet asked. She sat next to Beth on one of the tiers of the stadium, looking at the gardens below.

"I don't know," Beth said. "He ran. He hasn't told anyone where he was going."

"I don't want him to be back. I don't like him. And he has a bad name."

"I don't think he'll be back."

"You ran, too. But you did come back."

Beth nodded. She had come back with a gun in her hands. And she had killed once more, and this time with intent. Killed her grandfather.

That had been a month ago. But it felt like yesterday.

"It's good you came back." Starlet made a serious face and nodded. "As you said, we've gotta stick together, your people and our people. Alone, we're weak. But together, we're strong. And we've gotta be strong because this world is dangerous."

Beth chuckled at the girl's words. It was a summary of a speech she had had, at the last gathering of the Baseballers. A speech that had gone down well, with the group voting to unite with Beth's folks, with the Gaters.

And earlier, the Gaters had agreed to the same plan, too.

All that remained was to work out the details. Where, when, how?

"It's good we are friends now," Starlet said. "So we can fight the Tunnelers. They eat people."

Beth shook her head. "No, Starlet. They don't eat people. As I said in the gathering, I've met them. And I do want to meet them again. Talk to them."

"But Hammer said they eat people."

"Hammer said a lot of things that weren't true, he's—"

Beth's words were cut short by a booming male voice. "Beth, here you are!" Burt, followed by Flora, came into view.

He grinned, displaying his perfect teeth. "I've come to say goodbye. The van is leaving in a few minutes."

She got up and shook his outstretched hand.

"I..." Beth was at a loss of words. They had never officially canceled their engagement. "I'm sorry."

He winked. "It's okay, Beth. If we had met under more civilized..." He gestured at the stadium surrounding them. "... circumstances, it might have worked. At least for a while. But, I don't think we were cut out for each other." He pulled the corners of his mouth almost down to his jawline.

"No. I guess we're not meant to be bound in matrimony." Beth smiled at his mimics.

"But I'll be back. There's plenty of fine lasses here." He winked at Flora.

"Don't wiggle your wobbly dick at someone who might cut it off." She made a chopping motion with the edge of her hand. "I don't need no soft Gater."

He shrugged. "Well, if that's your final answer, I'll have to go and look elsewhere. Seaside is full of Beth's pretty cousins." He smirked.

"I've already warned them about you," Flora said. "I had enough opportunity to do that while recovering after the medbay."

Beth smiled, remembering Burt's attentions to everything female, including Flora as well as the cousins, during the weeks they all had spent at Seaside.

He laughed. "You may have warned them. But I was busy proving you wrong. And I'll be back to prove you even wronger. But now, I have to leave. Carl is waiting in the van outside." 

With that, he waved at Beth and Flora. Then he jogged off along towards the exit tunnel.

A few rows below them, Leo led Hope along one of the stands, holding her by her hand. She took slow steps, one by one, as if marveling at the miracle of her ability to strut.

He waved at them, a smile on his face. Flora waved back and descended the stairs towards her brother.

"I'm happy Flora is better," Beth said.

"Why are you sad, then?" Starlet asked.

Beth turned to face the girl, who watched her with an earnest face. "I'm not sad."

"Whitesnake said you're sad."

Beth shrugged.

"She also said you shouldn't be sad to have killed. Some of it just..." Starlet frowned. "It just happened. And some of it was necessary. But you're also our new doctor, so you heal people, too. She said it's like a swing... You can't only go up." She lifted her arms. Then she let them drop. "You also go down. Between the parts that go up."

"Whitesnake is a bit crazy. But I like her." 

One of these days, she needed to have a word with that woman.

Starlet bit a nail, then she nodded. "You're right. But I like her. And she's less crazy now that Rock is looking after her."

Beth chuckled. Starlet was right, these two were an odd couple, but they made each other smile.

"There's something else that Whitesnake said. She said you should forget about..." Starlet tilted her head, "... about your sillivization."

Beth laughed. "Civilization?"

"Yes, that. Whitesnake says you should... shed this civilization like a snake sheds its skin. You don't need it. Just do your thing, she said."

Shedding civilization? Return to being savages? Noble savages, maybe?

The girl pulled one of her pigtails. "What is it... this civi... lization?"

"Civilization? It's... social and cultural development at its finest."

"Huh?" Starlet frowned at her. "Sometimes, I don't understand you."

"Civilization is when you draw a picture, in the best colors, of something beautiful because it pleases you. It's when you tell a story, using fine words because it will make people feel. It's when you take care of others, if you love them or not, because it's the right thing to do. It's when you don't put yourself first, but all people, because you know the world deserves more than just survival."

Starlet said nothing and rubbed her chin. The heels of her dangling feet hit the concrete of the step she sat on, a soft beat to the thoughts apparently churning in her mind.

"I want civilization, too," Starlet said.

Beth took Starlet's hand and squeezed it.

Leo picked up Hope and started to ascend the stairs towards them.

"Leo likes you," Starlet said. "And now that your other man has left and is going back to where he came from, you could be Leo's wife and Hope's mom."

"Do you think... Leo likes me?"

The smile on his face looked sweeter than anything that Seaside had ever offered.

"Yes, he likes you, something fierce. And, you know what?" Starlet looked at Beth, a broad grin growing on her face.

"Hmm?"

"I've been looking for a new name for you. One that means something. And now, I've found it."

"And what would that name be?"

"I'll call you Civilization."