Page 62 of Demon Shock

Everyone was preparing for the major harvests we had planned in the upcoming weeks. The residents in Unity were working hard in the fields. The fey were stockpiling canning supplies, dehydrators, and freeze dryers in Tenacity. Tolerance prepared the prep space and work schedules to preserve everything quickly and efficiently after harvest.

The amount of planning and calculations that had gone into our efforts was staggering. How many people did we need to feed? How much would they need per serving? What did that equate to for plants per field? Did we have enough space? How would we water it all? Did we have room for cattle crops?

The list was endless, but it felt like we had a solid working plan.

Despite staggered plantings, we knew late summer and early fall would be non-stop work. We had corn, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and peas, just to name a few that were growing well. The peas had already seen several harvests. Same with the lettuce.

Fresh produce had never tasted so good. Well, to the humans, anyway. But that didn’t stop the fey from pitching in.

I looked at the row of tomatoes and caught Allison waving at me. With a smile, I waved back and watched her pluck a ripe tomato off the vine and bite into it. She gave me a thumbs-up. The small cherry tomatoes were the first things I’d planted in the greenhouse the day after I’d arrived. Pops had saved the seeds, noting they were the sweetest, most tender baby tomatoes he’d ever tasted.

I thought of my family often but hadn’t given up hope they were out there.

The groups who searched for survivors were slowly establishing supply drop locations for the people they’d already contacted. We were building better relations with each delivery. However, not everyone was welcoming. People attempted toambush the supply locations a few times, but they quickly learned that the New Unity trucks weren’t easy to overtake.

Allison was still chewing as she pulled her water wagon forward to give the next plant a drink.

Ryan joined me while I was still watching her work.

“It’s weird seeing her without Hanno,” I said.

“He’s never far away.” Ryan nodded to a field over where Hanno was following Courtney and Kennedy. Courtney was the first one pregnant in their trio.

“What do you think he’d do if all three were pregnant at once?” I asked.

“Test their patience with his enthusiasm and overprotectiveness.”

I grinned and looked at Ryan. “You’re pretty smart for eighteen.”

“It’s not about the years; it’s about the experience. And I’ve had more than my share.”

“So, Mr. Experience…what brings you out to the fields?”

“Just got news from Mya that I thought you’d like to hear first instead of through the grapevine.”

“Oh?”

“Repeat is a papa, six times over.”

“No way.”

“Yep. Three girls and three boys. She wants to know if you want to keep any.”

I shook my head. “Nah, with all this food we’re putting away, we’ll want to keep a few for the fields and our food storage.”

He nodded.

“Any word from the latest outpost?” I asked.

His happy expression immediately shifted. “Sorry. They showed the picture. No one’s seen your family, but it turns out someone recognized a nephew in Tolerance.”

Rather than feeling dejected by the news, I felt hopeful. Sharing pictures of the people here in the communities could work. Maybe someday, I would see my family again.

“That’s really cool.”

“Yep, he’s thinking of flying out there to join them. Having a fey-friendly face there for future deliveries will be good.

“In other news, Cassie asked for an update on the home remedy plants.”

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