It was almos' time for school ta start up. Daddy said, "Things being as they are, school this year is delayed, maybe even cancelled. B'sides we need all the help we can get from you kids."

"But what about the little kids who can't be of much use in the cleanup?" I wanted to know.

"You may've noticed an open air school is startin'. Teachers are settin' things up in the east pavilion. Your old teacher Mrs. Appleton is in charge. She chose that location because it's closest to the playground with swings, monkey bars, and slippery slides. It's better to teach them rather than just babysit, right?"

The city park became the the kitchen for the whole community. Folks decided to pool all their food resources. Plus it's a convenient place ta meet and report on the progress of the day.

Two days after the Great Crash the mayor called for a community meetin'. We all gathered by the crumbly steps of town hall. The mayor and the town council stood on the steps so's they could be heard. "Attention! Attention ever'one! Mister Jamison boomed 'bove the crowd. He had his arms in the air and was motionin' for quiet. When the chatter stopped he said, "It's my privilege to present ta ya the honorable Mayor Lewis."

The formality seemed a little silly, but we politely applauded anyways. The mayor moved forward. He began by loudly sayin', "Thank you John Jamison for the introduction.

"And thank you all for comin' to the first meeting for the restoration of Burns. I don't need to tell you about the challenges facing each and every blessed one of us. We want to commend and applaud each and every one of you for your sacrifices. Give yourselves and neighbors a well deserved pat on the back for your heroism in the face of catastrophe."

The mayor paused as the crowd erupted in a rumble of back slappin', thank ya's, and hugs.

When the racket subsided, the Mayor continued, "Going forward requires a coordinated effort. The council and I agree that the best way to deal with our challenges is to organize, and divide labor. Every able bodied Burnsite man and woman are needed. Our young people, especially those twelve and older, are invited to pitch in too. As we organize, we realize the need for teams with specialized skills. We've posted signup sheets and ask you to add your names.

"We invite each team choose a foreman from their ranks. They will report daily progress, concerns, and needs to the city council daily.

"The specialty service groups we've identified are as follows:
1. Carpenters, and handymen
2. Plumbers, and electricians
3. Hunters, and fishers
4. Farmers, and dairymen
5. Chefs, and cooks
6. Resource gatherers
7. Homemakers
8. Medical people
9. Teachers, and Clergy
10. Safety inspectors
11. Manual laborers
12. Peacekeepers

"The most urgent need is for safety inspectors. Inspectors will enter every home and building to determine if they are safe for use. The weather is nice now, but in couple of months the nights will get colder. So the first priority is returnin' people to their homes. Churches are the second priority. We need all the help we can get from the Man above."

I think he meant that to be funny, but nobody was in the mood for laughin'.

He got a little red on his cheeks, but went on anyways. "Third prioritizes are schools, government buildings, and businesses. None of this is set in stone. If any of you have suggestions we would love to hear from you. Are there any questions?"

The questions was rapid fire. "Where's them sign up sheets?"

"Who decides priorities? I mean if I disagree which house is next, whatta we do?"

"I'm a fisherman with my own boat. I want ta help, but my son was badly hurt and needs constant lookin' after. I cain't be in two places at once."

"I own a body shop. Cars ain't goin' any place soon. What group should I join?"

"Will council members be workin' too?"

"What if strangers show up, will they be asked ta help out?"

"Let me assure all of you," declared Mayor Lewis, "your concerns will be fully addressed. If none of the categories fit you, pick one that you would like to learn. You don't have to be a brick layer to carry hod. You don't have to be a cook to wash pots. Every specialty needs help. If you finish the day's assignment, check with another group to see if you can lend a helpin' hand. Council members will be workin' right beside you. Everyone is needed, including friends we haven't met yet."

◽️◽️◽️

Freck and I were assigned gatherers. It was our job ta go inta houses ta find and deliver canned foods and other non-perishables ta the park. We warn't allowed ta go inta any place that warn't cleared by the inspection teams. Freck commented, "Ain't it strange goin' uninvited inta houses and takin' stuff out that don't b'long ta us? It's like bein' a burglar except instead of stealin' money and jewels, we're takin' food."

"Maybe we can call ourselves cats, like in cat burglar." I joked.

"Or how about zee Pink Panzers?" She mimicked Peter Seller's Inspector  Clouseau's voice. That was so funny I almost choked when she said it.

"I like it" I said. "We'll be the Pink Panthers. It fits. It's slicker than snot on a doorknob." There warn't much ta laugh 'bout nowadays. For a brief minute ever'thin' felt a tiny bit lighter.

Almos' all the teenage boys, and those without skills, was given jobs makin' pathways for people ta move safer through town. I came to really 'preciate what they was doin'. It's like what the Keepers say, ever'one has a job ta do and they are all equal in importance. Just because one person works with a shovel, and another with a scalpel don't make one better than the other. Everyone is doin' their part. Pullin' wagons over smoothed paths was much easier than goin' over broken streets and sidewalks.

Freck's daddy was a plumber. He became the plumber's crew leader. My daddy works at a garage. There warn't much call for automobile mechanics, but he understood machinery. He helped the electricians set up generators at the pavilion so's we could have lights aft'a sundown.

We bumped into a happy crew of fishermen. They were cleanin' their catch in Spencer's, Creek by the North Pavilion. "Wow!" I said, "There's more fish there than you can shake a stick at."

I spotted the man who spoke out at the meeting sayin' his son needed constant attention. He musta worked it out with the medical people, 'cuz he raised his head, smiled broadly, and said, "Fishin' was so good t'day, it would bring tears ta a glass eye."

Freck said, "There's enough fish there to feed two towns the size of Burns. What'cha doin' with the extra?"

The man wiped his hands on his jeans, smiled and replied, "Smoked fish's good as fresh."

The hunters were doin' well too. I saw them carry in three deer (a buck and two doe). On another day they had a mess of rabbits. "Freck, I asked "Have you ever had venison?"

"Do ya mean deer meat, Wishes? I ain't never tasted rabbit."

"Me neither," I said, "but I've always wanted to try 'em. Rabbit and venison ain't on the menu at Whizzy's Diner." It turned out that I liked 'em. A lot. I cain't tell if it was really all that delicious, or after a hard day's work even a mud pie would taste just as good. One night we had frog legs. I'll be danged, they tasted like chicken. I sure hoped it warn't our babies we was eatin'. That would be sorrowful, but it didn't stop me none. Them legs was de-lish-ous.

If they bagged more than we could eat, the kitchen crew smoked it. The breezes carried the pleasin' smells of smokers runnin' pert near all the time.

"Daddy," I said at supper, "I was afraid that after the Great Crash people would go hungry, but I'll bet many are eatin' better than before."

He responded, "The mayor and city council did a wise thing by organizing us. Together we have accomplished much more than if we were all left to our own devices. Burns was always a good town, but now with all of us workin' together it's gonna be better'n b'fore."

Freck spoke up and addressed the table at large, "Has anyone else noticed that Howlin' Woods has been eerily quiet?" That question started the whole table buzzin'. We were all accustomed to the scary sounds comin' from Locci Forest. We was all glad they stopped, but what did it mean?

◽️◽️◽️

Gee's been busy with the Keepers and their efforts to lend help to other in-worlds. I haven't wanted ta bother him, b'sides I've been purty busy too. Freck's question was nagging at me. "Gee?" I called out in mind-speak.

"Hello Wishes."

"You ain't too busy to talk, are ya?"

"This is a good time Wishes. What do you have on your mind?"

I was sitting on a patch of lawn, or what used to be lawn. There wasn't a blade anywhere that hadn't been trampled since the crash. Some gave up the ghost entirely. Most of the lawn was now crisscrossed with dirt pathways. I ain't seen nary a lightnin' bug in the park recently. They like to hide in thick grass durin' the day. No grass equals no fireflies.

Gee read my thoughts, "Your town is in survival mode now. Sacrifices are made by every living thing. The fireflies and lawns will return when conditions improve."

"Oops, sorry Gee, that isn't why I called out to ya. Freck mentioned at supper that we ain't heard any ruckus comin' outta the woods lately. What happened to the lair-beasts?"

"That's a good question. There are three theories under discussion in the Kingdom. The first is that since the crash happened in daytime they were all deep in their caves. It is possible the walls collapsed in on them. Perhaps all of them were killed. That does not seem likely to me. Some may have died but odds say not all. Another idea is that they shifted into an other life form, like an earthworm, and are wiggling their way out. Or possibly they changed into hibernating animals. Some postulate they found a portal, and are now on another in-world wreaking havoc.

"I worry most about the earthworm possibility. Since their lairs were so deep it would take some time to reach the surface. Worms are not speedy creatures."

Now that gave me chill bumps? "Gee, what if they come up in Burns instead of the forest?"

'I think you already know the answer to that question. You did not bury many victims from the Crash, but should even one beast surface, your carpenters would spend all their time building coffins. We would do everything we could to protect you, but even in the Kingdom we would have a fight on our hands."

"Speaking of the Kingdom," I asked, "how're yer repairs goin'?"

"Topside sustained greater damage than we did. Our engineers and architects focus primarily on safety. They do not have the difficulties and hurdles that  your contractors face. In the Kingdom the Keepers decide when a new structure is needed. There is not a public outcry because we accept the need. The goal in building is to serve a specific purpose. Since it is not about making someone a lot of money, every caution is used to build for utility."

"Oh," I said. I was thinking about the places that were most harmed, and those that warn't as much. My house was built by my great-great-grandfather. It was meant ta last. It weathered hurricanes and still stands. Yes the porch was a problem, but with a little repair it's just fine now. "I think I understand the difference. If sumpin is built purely for profit the builder would look for ways to cut costs. He might hire less skilled workers, save on cheaper materials, and build just to barely pass inspections. Who knows, sometimes they might even pay inspectors ta look the other way."

Gee responded, "Business is business, as they say Topside. No harm is meant, but profits must be made. That is the way of your world. That was also the way of the other in-world that caused all the damage to the whole in-world universe."

As I was chewin' on what Gee said I felt sumpin' strange pass under my sit down. The ground b'neath rose and fell like a small wave. Then it happened again. I jumped givin' it a good look-see. It was a bright night. The moonlight made all the crushed grass look gray. The contrast of gray and the dark brown of recently turned soil was easy to spot. In straight lines was three distinct burrows headin' away from Locci Woods. I seen this kind of thing before when a neighbor was battlin' moles.

Was it moles burrowin' or sumpin' more sinister? My skin crawled. Grandma's goose wasn't just walking over my grave, it was standing up like the hairs on my head and doin' a jig. I didn't dare even admit to myself what I really thought it was. If I was right, terrible trouble was comin'.