Finding Hope Read online

  Looking up from his pile of receipts, Mr. Begich smiled at Hope and sat up in his beautiful leather chair. “Not a problem, Hope. By the way, I wanted to tell you how well you’re doing here. I always hear so many good things about your work. Joy was just telling me the other day how well you’re fitting in. Take two days if you need. We’ll manage. Just make sure we get it in the books so I can let our customers know,” he continued as Joy, standing close by, blushed at his comments.

  The door opened as the bell jangled. “Mika! How’ve ya been? It’s been some time since you’ve come around. How’ve ya been?” Mr. Begich asked looking surprised and happy to see the tall man.

  Mika stood tall and proud, secure in his role in the community. He had perfected the methods needed to shape steel in a post collapsed world. His ability to envision form and structure helped him mold fire into practical metal goods. He became one of the few blacksmiths practicing in Missouri.

  “Good afternoon, Steve,” Mika said to Mr. Begich. “How’s business?”

  “Things are going very well. The town keeps growing and the demand for infrastructure never goes away,” Mr. Begich said leaning in to shake the hand of the sooty man.

  “And Joy, I assume you’re doing fantastic as always,” Mika said to Joy becoming distracted by Hope standing nearby. “Hello, my name is Mika Amir,” he said reaching to shake Hope’s hand.

  “I work down at the forge,” Hope smiled recognizing the handsome man and said, “Yeah, I noticed you the day we came into town. My name is Hope Brennan, how are you today?”

  “I’m doing well, but my apron has seen better days. Not sure if you guys fix things like this, but I sure would be grateful to get this repaired,” Mika said lifting his heavy, supple leather farrier apron onto the counter.

  Hope looked at the high-quality, leather apron Mika used and inspected the seams along the shoulder straps that were fraying away. “I’m not sure if I have the material needed to fix this, but I can give it a shot,” Hope said turning the material over and bending the fine stitching to inspect the thread.

  “Well anything you can do will be better than what I have now. How much time do you need?” Mika asked as he noticed Hope’s bright green eyes.

  “I’m thinking a week, maybe more. I’ve never done something like this before. I’ll need to figure out how to get through this thick leather with a needle. I’ll give it a shot though,” Hope said as she caught Mika inspecting her hair and neck. Hope took the item from Mika and put the garment behind the counter. “I’ll bring it by when I have it done if I can do it at all,” Hope said with a smile pretending to be annoyed.

  Sheets of rain pounded the town as the farm workers scrambled to protect the gardens. Gabe was again away working with the planners. They asked him for ideas on an irrigation system they were developing for the following year. Gabe knew the other workers would be upset as tensions had continued to mount. He felt badly about the situation, but also knew he was more valuable to the town working with the planners. The foreman supported Gabe and understood the best way to utilize his strengths, but that didn’t change the way Samael and his men felt.

  “Hey Gabe, where were you today? We all got poured on, and you were gone again. Do you even work here anymore?” Samael said as the other men laughed. Gabe sat on the small stool, changing his clothes to head home for the day. “What are you doing? Do you think you’re done?” Samael asked, clearly angry at Gabe. “Your plots are getting flooded out there. I told you we weren’t gonna do your job.”

  Gabe looked up at the men who had surrounded him in a loose circle. “Ya better get out there, and bring an umbrella. You’ll need it tonight,” Samael said poking Gabe in the chest.

  “Sam, I’m not going back out there. I’ve had a long day too… I’ll take care of it in the morning. I need to get home. Faith is expecting me,” Gabe said trying not to make the situation worse.

  “You’ll do as I say, or you can find work somewhere else. Don’t worry about that pretty wife of yours. I’ll take care of your bitch for you,” Samael said stroking his thick black beard.

  Without thinking Gabe reacted in rage. He swung as hard as he could landing a solid blow right below Samael’s left eye.

  The swelling was immediate, as Samael wobbled and swayed a bit. To Gabe’s surprise the impact of his blow did not faze Samael in the least. He simply took a step back, absorbed the blast and pounced on Gabe like a ton of bricks. Gabe fell to the ground smothered by the enormous man. The following fifteen seconds seemed to last for days as Gabe was quickly pummeled. Several heavy hits to the face and head with countless shots to the body left Gabe gasping for air and unable to think straight. Next thing Gabe knew was that he was being dragged across the mud as water poured from the heavens.

  “Now that you got that out of your system, you better get to work. You don’t want to be out here all night. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow,” Samael scoffed as he tossed Gabe down into the fields. Grasping his side and spilling blood from his nose, Gabe worked his plot late into the night.

  “I met someone today,” Hope said as she sliced several large carrots. “…The blacksmith. Remember him? He works over by the plaza.” Faith continued to knead the bread preoccupied with something else on her mind. “He came into the store today needing his apron repaired. I told him I don’t normally work on leather, but you know what, I think I can fix it,” Hope continued.

  “I’m sorry Hope. What was that?” Faith asked as she shook her head to clear her mind.

  “I met the blacksmith today. He came into the store needing his farrier apron repaired. I’m not sure if I can fix it, but I’m going to give it a shot,” Hope repeated her statement annoyed by Faith’s day dreaming. “What’s up with you tonight Faith? You seem a million miles away. Are you OK?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking about work that’s all,” Faith explained as she formed the dough into a tight, white ball. “I’ve been learning more about this ‘Law’ they’re always talking about. It’s been bugging me lately. These kids are being taught strange things. Did you know that next month is what they call ‘Reverence Month’, and each afternoon the people in this town pray for peace to the City Hall? They literally pray to that building as if it’s some sort of god. No matter what they’re doing or where they are, come 3:15 they stop, kneel, and pray to the center of town. It’s actually in the Law.”

  Hope paused and distinguished the concern in her dear friend. “Yeah, they do things differently, but just look what they’ve accomplished. A little reverence seems appropriate once in a while. I’m sure it’s just symbolic to unify the people in town. We all have our traditions,” Hope replied trying to downplay Faith’s distrust.

  “But Hope…today I found myself teaching a beautiful little girl that she is just as valuable as the little boys but in a different way. I told her we all have our roles in society, but boys and girls were created with different strengths. According to the Law, women control the home and the family whereas men control the town. As long as women submit themselves to their husbands, order and structure remains strong. I don’t believe these things Hope,” Faith said appealing to Hope’s sense of history and freedom.

  “Faith, it’s just second grade curriculum. You don’t think the entire town feels that way. They’re just trying to keep peace in a chaotic country right now. This works for them and it’s working for us too,” Hope said as she poured the vegetables she’d been cutting into the frying pan. “Plus, men and women are different if you ask me. I guess I don’t see the harm.”

  At that moment Gabe stumbled through the door of the tiny apartment. Startled by the commotion and unable to recognize Gabe due to the swelling in his face, Hope and Faith screamed. Moments later, the both realized it was Gabe bleeding, wheezing, and covered with mud.

  “My god, what happened to you?” Hope shouted as Faith rushed to her man’s side.

  “A couple of the boys worked me over pretty good since I was away from the fields again toda
y,” Gabe said trying to calm the women down. “It looks much worse than it is.”

  “That’s it! Tomorrow you need to talk to the foreman and demand he does something with that Samael!” Faith said noticing the large gash in Gabe’s forehead. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I just need to get cleaned up. I’ll talk to him and we’ll get it taken care of in the morning,” Gabe said knowing the situation ran much deeper than Faith would ever know.

  The following day Gabe went into work at the usual time. When he arrived in the foreman’s office, Samael was already there. Three other men accompanied Samael as witnesses saying that Gabe was first to throw a punch. They concocted a story where Samael’s actions were simply self-defense. Samael was even credited by the foreman for understanding the importance of saving the gardens by making Gabe return to the fields. Gabe was given a written warning for his behavior. Gabe’s spirit was crushed as he quickly realized Samael’s power among the men.

  Over the next several weeks, Gabe struggled to find purpose as his work lost meaning and direction. Samael’s constant torment was ever present. He ridiculed Gabe and provoked him at every turn, determined to destroy the good and honest man. Gabe fell into his new role, subservient to his new tyrannical master.

  Chapter 6

  Lost and Found

  As the seasons faded in and out, two years crawled by unnoticed. New Providence continued to prosper in a country that was still struggling. Products were flowing in and out of the orderly town as the people became confident in their identity and way of life. The new solar array equipment had arrived, and construction on the new radio station had begun. Soon the surrounding areas would at last hear the sounds of KLXB New Providence.

  Hope was becoming an important person in town. Her services were in high regard as the quality of her repairs was second to none. As her demand continued to grow, so did her compensation. She was quickly becoming successful, hiring three additional apprentices to help with the work. Last spring Hope had started dating Mika the blacksmith and fell into the full throws of fresh love. The couple was well liked and played a center role in the social circles of New Providence. Then after a short six month courtship, the two became man and wife. Deeply in love, the two spent every moment together living in his apartment by the plaza. Life for Hope in the small town of New Providence was changing, and she had never felt more at home in her entire life.

  As some things change, others stay the same. Gabe was lost in his world of persecution. The unrelenting actions of Samael never ceased. The only change in his desperate life was the passing of seasons. He was broken, tired, and unsure what to do. He continued his exemplary work, but was undermined by Samael and his men every step of the way. Barely scratching out an existence, he struggled every day to find peace. Faith struggled too as she became an outcast among the teachers. She had been vocal about her concerns with the curriculum and was quickly shut down. Rather than fighting the system she feared, she taught the values she didn’t agree with. It hollowed out everything she held dear in her soul.

  “Hey guys, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Do you have a second?” Hope asked as she gathered up the items she had brought over to Faith and Gabe’s apartment to mend. “You guys mean so much to me, and I want to hear what you think.” Gabe and Faith continued to eat their cold dinner as Hope sat at the homemade table.

  “Sure Hope, what’s up?” Faith said happy the three were sitting together again.

  “Well, I hope I’m not putting you guys in a tough spot, but Mika and I have found a house. It’s right outside town on five acres. It’s beautiful. You guys would love it, but it’s also expensive. We need to pool our money to finance the loan from city hall. That also means I can’t help you guys out anymore,” Hope said with the terrible feeling she had left her dearest friends in a pinch.

  “It’s just that Mika wants us to get the loan together. I hope you guys understand.”

  “Hope, don’t even worry about it. We completely know how it is. You guys are married. We get it. I’m just thankful you could help us as long as you could,” Gabe said trying to be as upbeat as possible. “We’ll manage as we always do.”

  Noticing the fear welling up in Gabe’s eyes, Hope added, “You guys are my family. I’ll always be here for you two. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”

  The construction on the radio station was complete. High in the hills overlooking New Providence, the radio tower stood like a symbol man’s greatness. Responsible for funding a large portion of the expense, the mercantile was asked by city planners to organize an event for the grand opening of KLXB.

  “We’ve got everything ready to go,” Joy said as she reviewed her plan for the event. “Tables and chairs will arrive at 5pm sharp. Food, wine, gift bags, all ready to go.”

  Hope smiled as she completed another set of new raincoats the mercantile was producing for sale in its store. Hope had come to really respect Joy and her skills. She was single-handedly planning the event, and from what she saw, it was going to be wonderful.

  “Now, you’re still going to play the first song when we go live, right?” Joy asked Hope trying to act as professionally as possible with her best friend. “Any special requests Hope, the recording legend, for your green room? Fresh squeezed orange juice, no pulp of course, or 64 green M&Ms?”

  Hope laughed at the silliness of the question. “Shut up Joy. I’ll be there, ready to go. Don’t worry about me,” she assured her young friend.

  The day arrived and everyone in town was there eager to see what they had accomplished. The tiny radio station sat comfortably below the red and white tower. The only functional station in the Midwest, it stood in isolation. It was a small gray building with a single studio equipped with a large picture window allowing a view of the crowd outside. Children ran around the tables full of food, and their parents laughed and told stories about their great town. Speakers were set up in key areas around the tables waiting for precious electricity to bring them to life.

  “Hey you two, I’m so glad you made it,” Hope greeted her oldest friends.

  “You know we wouldn’t miss your big day,” Faith said to Hope.

  “I saved you a spot. Come with me,” Hope said full of energy and happiness. “You’ve got to see this.” Hope led Gabe and Faith through the sea of people into the small new building. “Here, you guys can sit with me,” Hope exclaimed as she whirled Gabe and Faith down on the small table full of amazing food. “We get the best in here.”

  “Hope, two minutes and we’re on,” Joy announced barely able to contain her excitement.

  Everyone in the small radio station studio was alive with infectious anticipation. Hope sat on a small stool holding her father’s guitar as the crackle of energy pulsed within the circuits. The sound thundered out among the brand new equipment, surprising every soul in attendance.

  “Hello Missouri, this is KLXB New Providence. My name is Hope Brennan, and the song I’m about to perform is called “Surrounded” by The Mountain Goats,” Hope said, amazed at the opportunity she’d been given. Hope began to play, and the music poured out of the speakers surrounding the tables and the crowd outside. Her triumphant sound flowed in currents, out into the ether, one hundred miles in all directions. The guitar chords bounced free from the mahogany instrument as the surrounding faces shone with delight. Hope began to sing.

  Hope’s voice, firm and strong, harmonized perfectly with the pounding progression. Like an anthem, the song lyrics bellowed in victory. Hoped pulled every bit of strength from her small body to emphasize the words she truly believed. Her callused fingers beat the strings while belting out the last line one final time.

  Everyone in the small studio felt the power of her words, while bolts of satisfaction pulsed within their veins.

  “Amazing! Simply amazing, Hope,” Mr. Begich pronounced forgetting they were still on the air. “I’m blown away!”

  Turning several knobs on the production board,
Joy sent the airwaves to a prepared statement and station identification followed by a news broadcast.

  “That was so fantastic Hope! I’ve heard you practice that song for weeks now, but never like that,” Joy said looking up from the sea of controls.

  Faith and Gabe smiled at Hope, fully aware of her abilities and gift. “You truly are special Hope. I don’t know where all that comes from, but it’s so special,” Faith said wiping the tears from her eyes.

  Standing up to cross the small room, Mika walked over to Hope and gave her a huge hug as the crowd outside rejoiced in victory. “That was something else,” he said surprised at what he’d just witnessed.

  Hope grabbed the hands of her new husband and walked to the door leading outside. “This is such an amazing place. Look at what we’ve done,” she announced as she smiled and nodded at her new family.

  The festivities continued into the night. Hope’s talent was the talk of the town for the next several days.

  “I am so impressed Hope. Your father would be so proud,” Mika said when they returned to their new home.

  “That makes me feel good, thank you, hon. I was nervous it would be too over the top. I wanted people to feel the importance of this huge thing we’ve done. A radio station! Can you believe it!” Hope exclaimed pretending to dance across her living room floor.

  “Oh it was over the top alright, but in such a good way. The people needed something like that, and you sure delivered,” Mika replied joining Hope in her make believe dance. “I want to hear you play like that for me someday.” Hope noticed a subtle tone to Mika’s comment and turned to look into his dark eyes. “Your music is simply magical,” Mika said quickly turning his eyes to the sky as they danced to the imaginary music.

  “Hey Hope, how’s the musical genius today?” Faith said laughing as she walked into the mercantile. “Found some of your stuff and thought you may need it.”