Page 14

Chapter fourteen

Nora

N ora looked at the ruined building speculatively as she held Tilly’s hand. She kept a close eye on the little girl’s feet while walking. Uneven footing like this was the hardest for Tilly to walk through with her bad foot.

Ironically, though, it was her that stumbled, and Simon reached out a steadying hand to keep her upright. Nora flushed as she regained her footing. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Simon moved ahead as he sifted through the rubble. He’d gone from being almost an invalid to being able to move large pieces of concrete in just a few days.

The strength he had took her breath away. She watched, lips parted. Wish I could be that strong after just charging a battery.

Just ahead, he stopped and waved her forward. “This used to be a department store.”

Nora wrinkled her nose. “What’s that?” She never would have thought anything special lay under this heap of cement. The entire thing was almost caved in. “Department is a funny name. It sounds like a compartment, which doesn’t make sense for having anything we could use.”

Simon answered, absently, as he walked through the jagged rubble, “It is exactly like compartments. The humans had large stores like this that divided goods they used in everyday life into different areas. I visited this one frequently with the human who owned me before. She liked to . . . decorate. Home goods were more toward the back.”

Human who owned me? Nora frowned as she held Tilly’s hand tight. That doesn’t sound right. Her conscience pricked at her. That’s sort of why I woke him up though, too, huh. I guess. For help. She would need to think about that. But Nora didn’t really think of Simon as a possession, just that they might help each other out. A leaden feeling hung in her gut as she watched him walk, her own step faltering. It’s not like that though. Not between us.

“Here,” Simon said, pointing ahead.

Twisted metal rose in the sky, concrete precariously balanced. Nora swallowed, thickly. “Here?”

“Yes.” Simon’s voice was steady.

Her heartbeat picked up as she peered from the side. “Is it stable enough to go in? I don’t want any of us to get hurt.”

Simon peered into the rubble as Nora climbed carefully closer to see, his tone measured, “I do not know how stable it is, but if the building is this destroyed then there might be some things others have overlooked simply for the same concerns you have.”

She grabbed Tilly, who kept walking forward. “Stay back with me, Tilly. Not steady enough with your foot.”

Simon continued walking a few steps around the perimeter. He picked up segments of concrete, large and heavy.

Again, moving that like it’s nothing. She audibly swallowed, watching him move fluidly across areas she knew she would have to crouch low to move through. He’s so powerful .

Her wonder turned to anxiety, watching him balance on the debris. He could fall in any second. How could I get him back out then?

She yelled over the increasing distance, “There might be, but . . . be careful Simon. We can find different spots. No need to be reckless.”

“I’m fine, Nora.”

Nora watched as Simon gave a calculating look across the distance before he walked over the wasted concrete, more sure-footed than she was. Guess he is fine. She stood on the sidelines, not wanting to go farther and have Tilly follow, anxiously twining her hands as he lifted things she would never be able to. The metal components he was made of clearly made him stronger than any human.

“Is he going to go inside?” Tilly asked as she stood next to her, watching, still holding her doll.

Nora held her hand and said softly as they both watched Simon, “I don’t know if there’s any spot to actually go in. It all looks like collapsed rubble from here.”

But Simon did find a way, and his form disappeared into the mess of concrete and iron below.

“Oh, he’s in,” Nora whispered in shock. Her palms were sweaty and she kept her gaze on the ruined concrete and rebar, constantly scanning for him despite the sun’s reflection making her eyes hurt.

Time passed, and Tilly fidgeted beside her. She walked her back to get some water from the hover and then they returned to the same spot to wait. Still not out yet. Sweat dripped down her back from the heat of the sun while she shifted her feet on the uneven ground.

“What if he doesn’t come out?” Tilly asked softly.

“I don’t know, Tilly girl. Let’s start walking around the side of this thing closer to where he went in. Maybe I can call out to him then.” Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly began to move. “C’mon Tilly.”

Tilly grabbed her hand as they walked carefully over the rubble. She put her doll over her eyes. “It’s so hot.”

“I know. Let’s find a place to wait in the shade by where he went in, huh.”

They walked around the perimeter until they got as close as Nora dared. She stood, toeing the rubble where the building precariously stood in some places, making haphazard openings where Simon must have been able to squeeze inside. A pillar still standing tall in the midday sun offered a cool slice of shade.

Nora wet her lips and called out, “Simon?” Her voice quickly disappeared over the ruined building. Silence followed, and she felt her heartbeat pound in her chest. She tried again, louder, “Simon? Are you alright?”

An echo came, faintly. Nora put her hand over her ear to listen. Did he say something or was that my imagination?

“I heard him,” Tilly said excitedly, pulling on Nora’s arm.

Nora strained her ears. Nothing for me. She looked down at Tilly. “You did? Glad you got better ears than me, Tilly. You sure?”

“Yes, he said ‘just a moment.’”

Nora breathed out, relieved. Sweat beaded down her back as she sat down on a piece of concrete that jutted out, bringing Tilly close to lean against her legs. “Alright. Good. Good. Just a moment then.” She shook her head, her voice strained. “This was so reckless though. The metal isn’t worth this. There are other places we can still go through to get wiring and stuff.”

Tilly tugged on her arm. “He just wanted to help. I like him, Mama. He’s nice. I’m glad he’s with us.”

Nora exhaled heavily, her nerves getting the best of her as she snapped back, “I like him too, but he is no help to us if he gets himself stuck!”

“He’s gonna come out.”

“He better.”

“Mama . . .” Tilly shook her arm.

After a sigh, Nora pat her back. “Alright, you’re right. I’m being a sourpuss.”

They waited together in the sliver of shade, Nora sitting behind Tilly, who squirmed against Nora’s legs instead of the hard rock.

“Oh, there he is. See?” Tilly pointed, yelling from where she sat.

Simon’s form was coming from the rubble. In his arms he was clearly carrying something.

Nora stood up and ran her hand through her hair. What does he have? She squinted to see better. Wiring? Maybe something sealed in plastic?

He stepped across the rubble and held out the wrapped items to Nora. Two books. “Not much was left, but these were in plastic that kept the seal and appeared intact. Do they count for artifacts? They are books from my time.”

Looped around his arm was a long rope of copper wiring, aged green. It was more than Nora had been able to collect in years. She gave him an eager smile a second later. “This is amazing, Simon! I can ask around about the books, but that amount of wiring will sell for so much!”

She looked back to see that Simon was staring a bit longer at her face, a pleased expression on his as well from her excitement. A bigger grin flashed on her face. “You did good!”

Simon shook the wiring. “There is more as well; should I go back?”

“Yes!” squealed Tilly, arms in the air.

The wind whistled over the rubble as Nora looked down at the books and debated. “Was it safe? You were gone for so long.”

“I was searching for more than just scavenge. It was safe enough.”

She bit her lip. “Okay. I want to get back before dark though. Is there a lot that’s easy to grab?”

In the afternoon sunlight, Simon stretched his arms out. “No, it will require some work.”

Rubbing the packaging, she turned the items over in her hands. With this much we can get so many things in town the next time we go in. Her hope from this morning was not misplaced. Nora eyed the books, examining them, before smiling up at Simon.

He was watching her again, closely. “They are what is needed?”

Nora shifted her feet on the rubble. She squinted back up to him, hands too full to shade her eyes from the sun. “Absolutely. If you can do it safely, then maybe just a few minutes more. Are you sure you’re okay going down there, Simon?”

He patted her hand before turning back toward the rubble. “I’m fine, Nora.”