Who We Are! by Dorgans

I watch him as he enters, filling the entire doorway. He's enormous, and moves slowly towards me. When he gets close he crouches beside the bed to talk quietly to me

"I had to come, after last night"

"Why? You start a fight after just arriving and now you come to me wanting to talk! Couldn't we have talked without the fight?"

"I have heard your name spoken by many people, always with affection and endearment! I had to see who you were and I was jealous of what you have! I have travelled for a long time and crossed our country many times since the great light! I couldn't believe someone would have the courage to bring our people together and start anew"

"But why the fight?"

"I had to see if you were worth following. I have come across many small settlements and their 'politicians' before", saying the word almost like it was a curse and blight. "I wish to stay and work with you and what you're rebuilding here. My name is George" he says as he offers me his hand.

Sighing, I feel the relief coursing through him as I take it. Such a small gesture that can mean so much.

"Ok sure, would love to have you on board. Can we talk more later I would just love to get some rest and recuperate a bit"

"Um mm yeah of course! Sorry I just had to let you know. Just call for me and I'll be there"

"Ok" I close my eyes and listen to him move his bulk slowly from the room.

I could feel the aches and pains throughout my whole body. Surprised I had even woken from the battle royale of last night. I was sure I would die when facing up to him. He was enormous and fast. Someone to be wary of and not fight. Yet I had to. He issued a challenge I couldn't ignore or I would have lost everything we have all worked so hard for here. With these thoughts I slowly drifted back into slumber to speed up the regeneration my body so desperately required
Christie shook me awake gently.

"You have to wake and get ready to go see the meeting. there's talk of imprisoning your new found friend! If that happens there is going to be a lot of trouble!"
"How about we ignore everything and you get in here with me and we just let the world continue without us for a bit"
Laughing she slaps away my questing hands and steps back. Sternly watching me as I get up and get ready to leave.
"Take care my love and see you afterwards" I whisper in her ear as I head towards the door
Opening the door I look outside with the usual depression the sight brings upon me
The city is in chaos, building crumbling and nature is taking back her land. Vines and plants slowly reducing the decimated buildings to even further states of disrepair. Streets clogged with rubble, I see further along a cleaning crew moving around clearing buildings and streets and checking for habitable buildings for our growing community. Sighing I head off towards our allocated meeting hall.

Several corners on, a young lass steps in front of me, distressed and upset.
"Good Afternoon Ms Jefferson, what's wrong?"
"It's Billy, he's done something stupid and I do not know how to get him down!" she says pointing up at the building beside us.
Looking up I see a young boy clinging desperately to a small window sill two stories up and obviously scared.
"I'll see what I can do" I smile at her
Turning towards the building I tense preparing to jump. I smoothly clear the bannister of the verandah near Billy, reflecting how I have always had a slightly better ability to jump high and have excellent balance. I look at the lad and recognise he is scared and breathing heavily.

Keeping my tone light I ask

"What are you doing there?"
"I was trying to prove to Mum I am old enough to help, but she won't let me!"
"And now your stuck?"
"I was fine until I looked down!"
"Ah. Well as far as I can tell I could either help you or you could do it yourself? I think you doing it would make a better impression don't you?"
"I'm scared!"
"Ok first thing is to relax and look at me, and only at me. It is a short distance between us, do you think you could jump this far, I'll catch you if you slip!"
"I can try!"
Slowly he starts to relax and ignores the height he is at. I keep talking to him telling him how well he is doing, and that he is fine
I watch him tense and prepare to jump. I wait expectantly in case he slips and I have to move fast to catch him.
Easily he covers the distance and lands heavily beside me.
"See, easily done. I would suggest you go down via the stairs so you do not upset your mother any further. I will talk to her later and see if we can find something for you to do that would help us, would that be enough to reduce your endeavours to scare her?"
"Oh gee... That would be great", hugging me and running quickly through the verandah door.
Chuckling, I launch myself and land lightly back on the footpath. Mrs Jefferson has disappeared inside. Now to get to that meeting.

On the way I acknowledge the greetings of several people.
Staring up at the large Golden M, I step into our meeting hall. Wondering why it always felt calming to come here.
There obviously is something going on. I can feel the intense atmosphere as I walk up towards the committee up on the dais.
"What's going on?" I ask calmly as if I didn't have a care in the world.
Chris walks towards me, grinning. "Skylarking again were you? Your heroic rescue has already come along the memory grapevine and we all know about it"
"That was quick!" taking the proffered hand, realising instantly that I now had two memories of the instance. The one through my eyes and the other through Ms Jefferson's eyes. Sighing whilst I adjusted to the instant disorientation the transfer always causes. "Thanks, I didn't need that memory, I already had mine"
"Oh well thought I would just share with our resident hero" Chris says smiling and walking beside me the rest of the way to the committee

Seating myself I wait to find out what has already been discussed. The main concern seemed to be the presence of the wanderer and the fight of the night before. Slowly I stand up and make it known I wish to speak. Everyone goes silent.
"I do not see a problem. I have already talked to him, he wishes to join us and help where he can"
"Hang on" says a voice, "You fight him and almost die, and now you're saying that we should accept him into our community?"
"I am saying that he seems sincere in his offer to be a part of our community and I think we should let him. He could be of great benefit to us"
Sitting down I let the arguments continue until a vote is called for. Strangely, considering the vociferous arguments against him, it is unanimous in allowing him to stay.

The chief engineer approaches and announces. "The Hydro Station is ready to be turned on! I thought you would all like to come and watch us flick the main switch"
With amazing rapidity everyone exits the meeting hall and follow the chief engineer towards the Hydro station. Excitement and nervousness palpable in the air.

Softly I chat with him "Are the safeties on. Has everything been checked"
"It has taken a long time, we have checked and double checked everything. There has been a lot we have had to learn or relearn, or modify a lot"

This reminds me that everyone cannot seem to remember a thing before the great light. That which decimated our country and caused major catastrophic damage to everything around us. The thing we were slowly trying to rebuild from. We all start with the same memory of struggle and terror, as though dying but holding something precious. The Great light caused death and chaos everywhere and nothing was left. The feeling of love for what we hold as the last breath is taken in absolute darkness. Which seems strange as we all can see extremely well in the dark.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, we enter the Hydro Station. Nervously we watch the technicians go through their final checks and the mains is turned on
Immediately we are covered in bight light as power courses through the lines.

We look outside and see an immense number of lights turning on throughout the city. We have Power again. Now we can really start to get things done.

Slowly the days pass and the monotony of organising things and keeping things happening takes up my time. George seems to be a constant shadow whenever I do not have him doing something else. His help has been invaluable and several other wanderers have listened to him and joined our ranks. We are growing and things are beginning to look brighter. The hospital is again fully functional with the power on. We have the communications working again.

The phone rings. Answering it I hear an almost hysterical voice on the other end "There's a plane coming in. It's about an hour out and heading towards us!"
There were other survivors. This is the first inkling we have had of any other countries surviving! "Call the rest of the committee. We have to get ready to welcome them"
Quickly I call Christie and head towards the airport. Christie joins myself and George swiftly.
"This is amazing" says Christie, "Others have survived, where are they from, why have they not come before now"
Gathering before the Traffic tower, we are tense with nervous energy as we see the landing lights of the plane as it slowly makes its way across the tarmac towards the tower.
The rear ramp of the plane lowers and we can see movement and white suits.

Nervously we all move back. Who or what are these creatures, disembarking from the plane!

Looking for support, my gaze lingers on George. The biggest and strongest of us.

"George, let us go forward and find out who these visitors are"
Side by side we approach the plane.

On the plane ramp, a man in a white suit nervously thumbs his mike on.
"Sarge, there's a lot of house cats out here, and a lion! The lion's coming towards us! Orders?"
"Our orders are to find and rescue whoever turned on the power! Shoot!"

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