The words came out in short, tired bursts.
Jim nodded. “I understand, sir. Makes a lot of sense to me. I’m back here trying to locate my wife and daughters.”
“Where they at?”
“Over in Hollywood.”
The head turned slowly, like a world-weary lizard, staring at Carrie. “She kin of yours?”
“Friend.”
“Ways still to walk, mister… Didn’t sort of catch your name.”
“Hilton. James Hilton. Commander in the United States space-exploration mission. Out of Stevenson Air Force Base.”
“Carrie Princip. Lieutenant. Navigator. Good to meet you.”
“Likewise. Forgive me not standing to greet a lady. Legs more or less gave out yesterday.”
Jim looked at the school bus. “She fueled up, Mr. Korchik?”
Carrie touched him on the arm. “Jim,” she said warningly.
The old man gave a feeble, cackling laugh. “Difference between a man and a woman, that. You want to take Betsy, don’t you, Commander?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“You help me down to sit by the water…where I can see the grave. And you take her with my blessing.” He coughed, his whole body shaking. “Course, you can take her without my blessing, and I couldn’t do doodly to stop you. But you don’t look like that kind of feller to me.”
“It’s a deal,” said Jim.
They virtually had to carry the old man between them, setting him down gently on a patch of bare earth close to the stream. The pile of raw dirt was a few yards along to the right, vivid orange.
“Used to be long, green grass,” said Horace. “Fact is we did our necking up here. Probably conceived our boy around this place.”
“Where is your son?” asked Carrie.
“Chicago with his family. But Earthblood came. Difficult to talk on the phones. Said they had serious food problems. Last time we spoke, Karl was thinking of making a run for it. ‘Screw the government’ was his words.”
There was a stillness, with the wind sighing through the dry branches.
“That was it?” asked Jim.
The old-timer nodded. “Never a word. From what we seen and heard, it could’ve been the National Guard. They shot plenty around L. A. here. Said they were looters and rioters.”
“Were they?”
“No, lady. They was just a bunch of hungry people, doing the best they could.”
Jim wandered over and stood by the grave, his head bowed. Then bent to stare and reached down with thumb and forefinger.
“What you found, Commander?”
“Blade of grass,” he said. “Few shoots of fresh green grass.”
“Yeah. Ironic, ain’t it? I heard some talk of this. The plant cancer run its course. And old Nature’s fighting back again. Just that it’s too damn little and a whole lot too damn late.”
“We have to go,” Jim Hilton said. “Sure you don’t want to come? We got food.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. Here’s the only place I want to be. And I don’t reckon to be around here too much longer.”
“Then wait,” Carrie said suddenly, and disappeared into the bus. A minute later she emerged with a can, which she filled with water from the stream and deposited beside the old man. “No matter what, it’s not good to be thirsty,” she said gently.
“God bless… and go now.”
Jim shook his hand. “So long, and good luck,” he said quietly.
Carrie bent and kissed Horace Korchik on the cheek. He lifted a finger to touch the place, looking at the pearl of moisture. “Save your tears, little lady. Might need them later.”
The engine started with a burst of gray smoke from the exhaust.
“He’s waving to us,” said Carrie.
“Wave back to the poor old bastard.”
“No. Think he wants you to go over.”
Jim was impatient to get going, but he put it back into neutral and walked quickly to Horace Korchik. “Yeah?”
“Where was it you said you was heading for, Commander?”
“Hollywood. Tahoe Drive, up there below the big sign. You know it?”
“No. Just that I recall having met up with a guy on a trail bike.”
“When?”
He shook his head. “Time’s… We had food well hid, kept us going. Growed our own. Had plenty frozen and pickled in the cellar. Mushrooms weren’t affected by Earthblood. They… Oh, yeah. When? Around a month ago. Came from those parts.”