Voices called to him in the fading light, he turned to the sound and saw two children running toward him. They were breathless when they were close enough to be heard without shouting. His daughter spoke, while her cousin gasped for air.
There’s a call- it’s for you.
He stood and saw his wife on the porch of the main house, waving the glowing green phone to guide him in the twilight. She set it on top of the wooden box by the door and disappeared inside. His father’s threadbare voice on the other end.
Hey. It’s me. Listen.
Yeah I’m here.
Listen, it’s time. I need to see you, can you come?
He stammered trying to speak.
Just get here. I can’t remember her face. I’m… I’m… I dunno, I feel diluted.
I’ll bring her picture, you’ll remember.
Head to the bridges, I’m under the north bridge about a mile east.
Is that the pretty one or the other one?
The other one. The fences will be a problem.
I’ll manage.
I know you will.
It’ll take me two days.
Sounds right. Be quick.
I will.
Standing in the silent darkness he stared up at the full moon through the trees. It beckoned him to bite a few miles tonight, he could make it to that small cave in the rocks in two hours.
On his way to the shed he found his wife and daughter. Five days starting tomorrow he told them, reminding them of the coming heat but also that the water levels were good, just be prudent. His daughter started to fret, he pointed up at the moon and noted that it would still be more than half lit by his return. That’s not so bad, she whispered and promised to help her mother with his supplies.
In the shed he felt his way along until he came to his work bench and opened the bottom drawer. He lifted the crude false bottom and felt for the bible. The leather cover and the substance of the book felt comforting in his hands. He considered the bible’s burden and whispered to himself all the items he would carry, imagining their weights, and decided he could afford it.