Bamboo Gardens

7/9/2024

"Pass me the skin," were the last words my father ever spoke to me. The waterskin wouldn't have saved him anyway. Red-rot had set in long back.

I buried him deep, up on the hill that overlooks the town, in the cemetery where granddad and the rest lay. At least no buzzards came to pick his meat while I dug, though there wasn't much to be had.

I gave Casper a call, but he was already waiting at the truck, sleeping under the open tailgate. He sure is a good old pup, been with me since before the sickness hit, though his age is starting to show. It's been coming up on three years now, but his eyes still have a young shine. Looking back at my family for a bit, at least I still had Casper to keep me company; the last living connection I had to the old world.

Casper jumped up into the truck easy enough, and I cleaned myself the best I could before throwing my shirt back on. These damned hot days sure made me wish for winter, but then again, I had gotten a nice tan. I don't think anyone would be commenting on my complexion any time soon though. Haven't seen a living soul now for about two months, save for the occasional jet high up in the sky.

I don't know if the Good Lord set me aside to test my resolve or just to have a good long laugh. Everyone I know got the rot, but no matter what I do, it seems to skip me outright, as if I'm immune. I've sure handled enough of the frail bright-red bodies to have caught it by now.

We made our way down the hill and took the Old Grove Road back to the house. The heat hasn't quite dried up all the countryside yet, so we were able to stop and fill the water jugs in the creek by the Swanson farm and picked some apples off their trees. I checked the meager herd of cattle I've been grazing in the field to the back of the farm and noticed one head was missing, but it's been a long and hot day. There's a lot on my mind and I might have just miscounted.

Getting ready to turn in for the night. Think I'll play some guitar out on the porch and sip on a drink for a while. Wish pops was still here, but like he said, "I'll be up in a better place, don't you worry. Take your time meeting back up with us." If it wasn't for Casper, I'd probably have met up today.

7/11/2024

It's the damndest thing! I heard a loud motor this morning while I was out watering the garden. Casper stopped chasing birds and stood on point, staring off towards the way of town while the engine noise slowly drifted away. I ran to the house, grabbed my gun belt, and hopped in the truck, letting the pup ride up front for a change. If this was another living person and not just my imagination, I needed to know.

When I say we flew down the road, that's an understatement - We barreled down that road like the wind of death was chasing us. Windows down, we stopped a few times to listen. I asked Casper if he heard anything and I saw his ears cock up a bit. He's a smart mutt, I swear he knows more English than he lets on. Anyway, he pointed his nose off to the northeast, and I drove into town going that way.

Hitting Main Street, I slowed a bit, but I was keeping my eyes peeled ahead of us for another vehicle on the road. We drove about 9 blocks, weaving between the strewn vehicles when Casper started barking. I slowed down to see what Casper was so excited about and that's when I saw her.

She had her rig pulled into the empty parking lot of the 'Bamboo Gardens' Chinese Buffet, and was walking out the front doors with a heavy box. She stopped right there, frozen and with a look of panic on her face. I sat there too shocked to do anything, just staring. Casper barked again, and it's like the spell was over. She took a step backward towards the restaurant's doors, eyes big in alarm. I stopped the truck and held both hands up, showing my empty hands through the windshield, and gave her my best "I'm innocent, you can trust me" smile. She stood there for a long while, studying Casper and me and deciding if we were a threat or not, I guess. I slowly waved a hand like one of those ladies used to do in the pageants, raising my eyebrows a bit and giving her another innocent smile. It must have worked.

Slowly putting the box into the back of her pickup, she started walking across the parking lot towards us, pointing a gun at us the whole while. To be honest, I didn't suspect she'd shoot us, but after not seeing someone else for so long, let alone someone who wasn't sick, it was like looking on a miracle and I wouldn't have minded if she had.

As she got closer, I had a chance to look her over, and boy was she a sight for sore eyes! She's maybe a few years younger than me, and very easy on the eyes. You could tell she takes care of herself.

Walking up on our truck from Casper's side, gun drawn, she asked me what I wanted. I told her some Chinese food sounded good, but she didn't laugh. Leaving my hands in the air, I said "look, I haven't seen anyone else for months, and thought I was the last one left. That was at least until this morning when I heard your truck from my farm."

Casper was still leaning out the window, wagging his tail wildly. I told him to lay down, and he did, head still leaning out the side of the window. Once he lay down, she took a few steps closer, inspecting my truck and myself. She asked if I lived by myself. I told her it was just Casper and I since I buried dad a few days back. I explained that I had food, water and a comfortable place not too far, out in the countryside.

Exchanging names, I learned her name was Zoe. Zoe asked if Casper was friendly and I told her all Goldendoodles are. She reached in and a small smile broke on her face while she petted Casper, Casper reaching his head up to lick her. She still had her gun drawn on me the whole time and noticed my gun belt. I looked down when I saw her gaze and told her that I live out in the country and that it was just for protection since the wildlife had started moving back down from the mountains (which was true - I always wear it these days). "I'll give it to you if it makes you feel better," I offered. She said it wasn't necessary, and put her gun down. "Casper is a pretty good judge of character and seems to like you, so I have no reason not to trust you either," I said.

Come to find out, Zoe had driven here from Seattle, making the trip East with her younger sister who was sick. There were still some people living in the big city she told me, but life was lawless and brutal since the first month of the sickness, and they'd lived through hell. I invited her and her sister back to the house for a steak dinner. She couldn't believe I would be so generous and inviting, even after she told me her sister was sick. I told her what I thought about the idea of being immune to the rot, and that seemed a fine enough answer.

We ate on grandma's old dishes and Zoe helped clean them after I lugged water in from the jug. We both split what was left of her sister Jessica's dish, as she didn't have much of an appetite (and I gave Casper a decent portion since he loves steak).

I showed them to their rooms upstairs and said goodnight, then I went downstairs and out on the porch with my guitar and another sip of whiskey. Zoe came down after I started playing, and sat on the porch swing while I played, looking over the moonlit fields. I asked if I was too loud, and she told me I wasn't and asked me to keep playing.

While I write this now in my room, I feel like there is still some hope left in this world and can't help but look forward to tomorrow.

8/21/2024

Zoe, Casper and I got back to the house early this morning after feeding the cattle and working in the garden. Normally her sister was there to greet us, and sometimes help with what she could in the garden, but she's been getting sicker lately, and I can see the red coloration coming on stronger. I haven't spoken to Zoe about it, as it's not something we need to even vocalize. It's the new reality we live in, and I am trying to respectfully give as much space as I can.

That night, Zoe broke down in tears while we sat around the campfire. I put my arm around her and just held her while she cried silently, staring at the fire. "Life sure isn't fair, I know that, but I'll do anything I can to help keep Jessica comfortable," I said. Noting that Zoe's sister was looking tired, I walk over and picked her up. It felt like I was just carrying a bundle of blankets with hardly any weight. I knew it would be soon, but I told Jessica a cheesy joke while I brought her upstairs and put her to bed, trying to keep the mood light, and held her hand while she was drifting off to sleep. I called Casper up to the room, and let him sleep curled up next to her.

"My sister is so lucky to have found you. Thank you for everything," Jessica said weakly.

I held her hand until she fell asleep and headed back down to the fire.

That night, Zoe slept with me in my room for the first time, and it just felt comfortable and right.

9/9/2024

"I love you," were the last words that Jessica spoke to Zoe, passing yesterday evening. It's a bittersweet thing when you see someone enduring so much pain, getting to grasp the release of death in such a peaceful way. I comforted Zoe the best I could, though she mostly held Casper and cried.

We drove up the hill to the cemetery, a late-season rain looking like it would be coming on soon. I had already prepared the grave early that morning and filled it with soft fir boughs and dollar-store plastic flowers. Gently placing Jessica's body into the grave, I prayed over her, holding Zoe for a long time. I started to go for the shovel when Zoe told me to wait and took a necklace off her neck. It was a heart-shaped locket she said that used to belong to her mother (I'd seen it up close many times). Placing it around Jessica's neck, Zoe nodded at me, and I finished the burial.

We drove home in silence. I cooked and did the dishes tonight. I gave Zoe a nice massage and tucked her into bed while Casper and I went to the porch with a whiskey and guitar.

9/27/2024

Zoe woke me up this morning, beaming with tears. She was holding a pregnancy test.

"You're going to have to wait quite a bit longer pops," I said in my mind, smiling.