Weston knew May was up to something - measuring him - against Hickory, she was no longer just his gal, she was doing it slowly, carefully, and he could feel she wanted them to compete for her, that she wanted...

And if it was the Weston from before the attack?

He was surprised at first, he realized he knew she liked Hickory, perhaps before she did, but his pride hadn't allowed him to acknowledge it as a threat. May was too ambitious, though she hid it well, and therefore it had been met with mostly bemusement - what he didn't expect was for him to also like Hickory.

Hickory had saved his life three times now, and he'd returned the favor equally - and between his cows - which he didn't just put off to his workers to manage for him, fighting, improving his property - and his 'family responsibilities' he hadn't had an opportunity to over-think things.

Because the world was ending - that was perhaps incorrect, but it was the world as they knew it - mail didn't come. His family had to end the newspaper because there was nothing to write, no real news coming in except from scattered refugees, and the generators were too valuable elsewhere.

The US dollar was limping and he knew - the world was a mess, out there - not here, thanks to Hickory in part, in part thanks to themselves - his family.

It was a reason to celebrate - their success.

Which was why they were in a bar. Hickory's bar, just built - they had to stock it with alcohol themselves which meant, it probably wouldn't be a bar much longer - the way things were going but -

Weston found he didn't mind cheap beer - even the country music that emanated from stone walls, no speakers seen or understood - But most of all it was the camaraderie -

"Another beer!" Hunter belched and Weston watched as his glass was refilled from the bottom up, by magic - they all watched it, ice cold.

"Best. Idea. Ever." Chase slurred, he had on a cowboy hat, earlier - which had looked ridiculous in the 'bar' because it resembled the interior of a small stone castle. Grey stone tables, benches and chairs - Chase's hat was now on a 'young woman' mid-twenties? 10 years older? And she was on his lap -

There were several girls that had gathered to enjoy their drinks, Hickory had two fighting for his attention - his face bright red, maybe from the alcohol?

Weston watched as one woman took the shot glass of whiskey Hickory had called for after it had risen out of the table and placed it between her breasts and - power could be intoxicating.

"With at least a marble a kill, it's far better than scrappin, I'll have the Construction Skill for sure this week, especially if the market does me honest, I'm getting three marbles a roll for shit tickets! Can you believe that?"

Hunter was having less luck, having the most marbles out of anyone in the group hadn't been as effective of a pickup line he appeared to think it was, especially with his presentation - he also had so many because -

"Shut up!" Gage said, throwing a marble -

"Weston?" May's sudden voice cut through the music, and he turned -

"May!" Hunter shouted standing up on his stool, only for it to topple backwards and send him crashing in a strange, rocky, grinding tumble.

Weston was surprised that Hickory didn't look over.

"Are you all drinking?"

May wore a proper cornflower blue dress, church clothes, with two of her friends - Amy and Julie Lynn. Their hands full with plates of food, their hair done up nicely, the other two were looking away, mortified - and -

"Is this a bar?" May asked looking around, and her face was torn between disbelief and indignant superiority - she tittered.

Weston had thought Hickory didn't care that May was here, but looking again realized - he was trying to hide - in a very drunk way, only his ears were poking out of the woman's chest - who was giggling, the other one apparently knew May and was sliding over onto a chair, no she was leaving, hurrying out -

What had May expected?

And yet, she didn't seem angry - didn't toss the food and leave, nor berate them, as he watched her Weston was once more convinced - she truly was perfect, that even if he was as useless as Pierson he'd still find glory in her hand -

"We didn't bring enough food." May said simply, looking over the clustered women, "We'll have to go back to church, we didn't expect so many hungry faces here."

Julie Lynn and Amy were a half step behind her and smiling as May navigated to the table - they set down five plates and suddenly Chase had his cowboy hat back on and an empty lap, Julie Lynn was sitting next to him, a plate being unwrapped and he was swaying as he stared at it.

Amy was helping Hunter pick up the marbles that had fallen out of his pockets in his struggle to reseat himself and May was sitting next to Weston, the women that had been dancing close hoping to be invited to sit, now backing away - cautious and wary -

The music had stopped, the bar vibe had vanished, the lighting was brightening and what was happening?

The woman that Hickory still had a hold on was giving May an obvious Fuck You stare, and May was smiling back -"Will you join us?" May asked, pushing over Hickory's plate - without the smallest hint of animosity, just a kind, benevolent smile - "If you don't mind sharing?"

And Weston thought it was enough, May had already delivered the killing blow and absolutely destroyed any chance for another moment of fun -

Then he felt her hand in his, and he realized - she wouldn't - Gage was holding his other hand, and -

"Dear God -" May said, bowing her head -

Hickory's head popped out of that pair of tits faster then you could say -

"Jesus Christ!" The woman spat, adjusting her shirt and storming off -

"Please be with these brave young men -" holy shit "- keep them safe, nourish them with this food we've prepared as a small sign of our appreciation to what they have done so we may sleep peacefully, alone in our beds yet unafraid - thinking of them. Their willingness to fight the unknown and inspire others to be their best, how we want them to know how grateful we are, how it makes us feel -"

The audacity! Weston's mouth was open, the girls had their heads down in perfect piety as the five guys looked between each other with wide eye, panicked, or accusing expressions. Hunter eyed them with an - 'I told you so.' and Weston suddenly felt like a child -

Hickory looked like one of his fish he was always bragging about, his mouth opening and closing -

"Amen." May nodded - and then she stood up, she kissed Weston on the cheek, "I hope you like it, let me know if you need anything."

Then she left - a swirl of smooth fabric, the other two girls right behind her - the room was empty of women now, of ones worth looking at - at least.

"What were we thinking!" Hunter shouted.

"Worst. Idea. Ever." Chase said -

"I should have built that church." Hickory said, slamming his head on the table with a heavy thunk - "Ouch."

Weston thought - were they serious? Couldn't they see -

"You did the right thing." Gage said.

"What?" Weston asked, but he didn't get an answer until he'd dropped the rest of them off at home, Gage cracked a beer - taking a long sip and passing it to him. The streets were eerily dark without the intermittent lighting you'd expect - the world felt abandoned, lonely....

Once more Weston thought of the people that would soon be hungry, who were going through the last goods of their freezer - before they spoiled, hoping the power would go back on - Weston didn't think that was likely - not without a miracle -

"He built that bar cause of what you said, about May's aunt."

Weston kept his eyes on the road - because of May's aunt?

Weston thought it was a non-sequitur, until he remembered the conversation - his question, Gage added, "Not to say he don't like to drink, but he's not one to do much under eye, he don't like lookie-loos."

Hickory was painting a target on his back - saying if you were gonna start punishing people for sinning...it was such a blunt, yet - effective way - it had Weston flabbergasted. How does Hickory handle a problem?

He punches it -

Which of course caused Weston to think of Hickory, covered in those women and...

"I thought he was doing that for me, because we were friends." Which caused Gage to snort with laughter - which almost hurt his feelings, thinking they weren't friends. But they were, he knew that, so then - "He doesn't like her anymore?"

"I reckon he's tryin." Gage shook his head, "He'd not fuck her if he don't fancy her, seeing as you marked her yours, if she was..."

"What?"

Gage shrugged - pointing, and Weston turned, turned again - and then they were pulling into a trailer park -

"It's not something a man would do, go causing problems just for a bit of fun if it was something serious..."

Weston looked at Gage - he'd gotten out, was looked up at the moon, or maybe a shooting star because the sky was filled with them, without the light pollution. It laid the trailers bare, like tombstones - long dead ambitions, given up, old hopes where they lay dead and buried -

Weston realized Gage was waiting, that it had been a question.

He turned the truck off.