After dealing with Emily and making the plan for the rising waters, Hope turned toward the road.
One of the six vehicles that had arrived in the night was still parked just outside the gate.
The other five were lined up behind it, the occupants had taken shelter inside the barn while the fight had taken place.
Hope had almost forgotten about them.
They had made their way into the barn with the others.
The sight of twenty-three infected attacking a fortified property probably wasn’t something anyone wanted to watch from the front row.
She found them gathered together deep in conversation and approached the first vehicle’s driver she had spoken to last night.
The man stepped forward slowly.
He was probably in his forties, broad-shouldered, with gray beginning to show at his temples.
He raised both hands where Hope could see them.
“We’re not infected.”
Hope looked at him.
“I know.”
The man stopped.
“You know?”
“I checked.”
He glanced out toward their vehicles.
“Right.”
“Who are you?”
The man hesitated.
“David Miller.”
“Who else is with you?”
“That’s my family there are others in the vehicle.”
He pointed toward the vehicles.
“My wife, two sons, my brother and his wife.”
Hope looked at the six vehicles again.
People were still hiding in the vehicles, only the drivers had come through the gates.
There were more then six people?
She counted carefully.
There were more.
“You left them hiding in the vehicles.”
“We thought it was safer.”
The first car contained David, his wife and one of his sons.
The second contained his brother and his wife.
The third had another young man.
The remaining three vehicles were packed with supplies.
Hope frowned.
“How many people?”
“Sixteen.”
Hope’s eyes widened.
Sixteen people.
She looked toward the farmhouse.
Her settlement had just gone from ten people to potentially twenty-six.
That changed things.
The System appeared.
[Human group detected.]
[Total individuals: 16]
Hope stared.
“Sixteen.”
David nodded.
“Some of us are family.
The rest are friends and neighbors.”
“Why did you hide them when you arrived?”
David looked down.
“We didn’t know who you were and we didn’t want to put our families in more danger.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Riverton.”
Hope’s expression tightened.
“How long have you been on the road?”
“Most of the day.”
“Why here?”
David gave a tired laugh.
“We didn’t exactly choose this place.”
Hope raised an eyebrow.
“You were being chased.”
“Yes.”
“By the infected.”
“Yes.”
“And you decided to drive toward my property.”
David looked embarrassed.
“As we drove we saw the fence.”
Hope almost smiled.
“That’s your reason?”
“It looked better than the alternatives.”
That answer was honest enough that Hope liked him immediately.
She walked to the gate.
“How did you hear about this place?”
David looked at the vehicles.
“People were talking.”
“About what?”
“A girl building a farm with a big fence along the river.
We didn’t know if it was real or if you were still here.”
Hope glanced toward Daniel.
He gave her a small shrug.
The rumors had spread faster than she realized.
Hope looked at the sixteen people inside the vehicles.
She could see fear in their faces.
Some were watching her.
Others were looking at the bodies lying along the road.
None appeared eager to cause trouble.
Hope opened the gate.
“Bring the vehicles inside.”
David stared at her.
“All of them?”
“Yes.”
The vehicles began moving.
One by one, they passed through the gate.
Hope stepped aside as the first truck rolled past.
She noticed something immediately.
The beds and trailers were loaded with supplies.
Food and Water.
Tools.
Fuel containers.
Camping equipment.
Construction materials.
Even several pieces of agricultural equipment.
Hope’s eyes widened.
“You brought all this?”
David nodded.
“We figured if we found somewhere safe, we’d need it.”
Hope looked at him.
“Good thinking.”
Once everyone was inside, Hope gathered them near the farmhouse.
Sixteen people stood together.
Some looked exhausted, others looked frightened.
A few appeared suspicious.
Hope understood that, they didn’t know her.
She didn’t know them.
Trust wasn’t something she could demand.
It had to be earned.
“My name is Hope.”
David nodded.
“We know.”
Hope looked around.
“This property is called Blackwater.
Right now, it’s a settlement.
It’s small, but we’re trying to make it something permanent.”
A woman stepped forward.
She looked to be about David’s age.
“I’m Susan.
David’s wife.”
Hope nodded.
“How many of you are sick?”
Nobody answered.
Hope waited.
Finally, an older man raised his hand.
“I’ve got a cough.”
Hope immediately focused on him.
“How long?”
“Three days.”
“Fever?”
“No.”
“Anyone else?”
Two people shook their heads.
Hope opened the System.
Virus A: Negative.
She checked the older man again.
Negative.
She relaxed.
“You’re going to be checked regularly.”
Nobody argued.
Hope continued.
“If anyone develops symptoms, you tell me immediately.
No hiding illness.”
Several people nodded.
“Second, there are rules.”
A younger man folded his arms.
“What kind?”
Hope looked at him.
“No stealing.
No attacking anyone.
No taking supplies without permission.
Everyone contributes.”
“And if we don’t?”
Hope’s voice remained calm.
“Then you leave.”
The young man looked toward the gate.
After a moment, he nodded.
Fair enough.
Hope continued.
“This isn’t a prison.
You don’t have to stay here.
But if you do, you help build it.”
David stepped forward.
“That’s reasonable.”
Hope looked at him.
“What do you do?”
“I’m an electrician.”
Hope’s eyes lit up.
“Seriously?”
David smiled for the first time.
“Seriously.”
Hope pointed toward the farmhouse.
“We have generators, solar equipment and several systems I haven’t had time to fully install.”
David looked surprised.
“Then you might want me around.”
“I definitely do.”
Another man stepped forward.
“Michael Miller.
David’s brother.
I was a mechanic.”
Hope laughed softly.
“You’re kidding.”
“No.”
Hope looked at the vehicles.
“Those all running well?”
“Every one of them.”
“You’re staying.”
Michael smiled.
“That wasn’t exactly difficult.”
A woman beside him stepped forward.
“Lisa.
I’m a nurse.”
Hope’s expression softened.
“We need you.”
Lisa nodded.
“I figured.”
One of the younger men raised his hand.
“I worked construction.”
Another spoke.
“I did agricultural equipment repair.”
Another had experience with computers and communications.
By the time everyone had introduced themselves, Hope realized something.
This wasn’t simply sixteen frightened people.
It was sixteen people carrying useful knowledge into a collapsing world.
Electrician.
Mechanic.
Nurse.
Construction worker.
Agricultural technician.
Driver.
Teacher.
Cook.
Two people with farming experience.
Several others with general labor and maintenance skills.
Hope looked at Daniel, then back at the group.
The System appeared.
[Potential Settlement Members: 16]
[Collective Skill Contribution: High]
Hope smiled.
“Okay.”
Everyone looked at her.
“You’re welcome here.”
A few people visibly relaxed.
“But there’s something you need to understand.”
Hope looked around the group.
“Blackwater isn’t finished.”
David smiled.
“Neither are we.”
Hope nodded.
“Good, talk it over and make sure everyone wants to stay then let me know.
Until then rest up and recover.”
Later that evening, after everyone had been given somewhere to sleep, Hope stood outside with Daniel.
The property was crowded now.
Cars filled the parking area.
People moved between buildings.
Her aunt and uncle were already working with the newcomers to organize food and sleeping arrangements.
Hope opened the System.
Settlement Population: 26
She stared.
Twenty-six residents.
Only hours ago, she had been worried about reaching ten.
Now she had more than doubled the population.
Another notification appeared.
[Settlement Level 2 requirements exceeded.]
[Population capacity increased.]
Hope smiled.
Then another message appeared.
[New Settlement Roles Available.]
Hope opened it.
Logistics Coordinator
Medical Coordinator
Agricultural Coordinator
Security Coordinator
Construction Coordinator
Hope looked at Daniel.
“Looks like we’re becoming organized.”
Daniel laughed.
“That’s probably a good thing.”
Hope nodded.
“It is.”
She looked toward the farmhouse.
People were eating, talking, and helping one another.
For the first time since the collapse began, the property didn’t feel like a place Hope was defending.
It felt like a community.
Then the System displayed one final message.
[Settlement Affiliation Available.]
[16 individuals eligible.]
Hope looked at the people gathered around the farmhouse.
She didn’t accept them immediately.
Instead, she closed the System.
They had only just arrived.
They needed time.
Trust had to develop naturally.
But Hope knew something had changed.
Blackwater had crossed a threshold.
It was no longer simply a safe place where people happened to be staying.
It was becoming a settlement.
And Hope was becoming its leader.
David Miller slowly approached Hope.
“We have decided we will all like to stay with you until this has ended.
If it ends.”
And with that, Hope’s settlement had 26 residents.
She smiled to herself.