‘Not yet,’ I replied, running a cloth through the barrel of my Magnum. ‘Still got another one to do after this.’ It was late evening and we were sitting cross-legged on the floor of one of Pa’s underground storerooms cleaning our weapons and sorting out ammunition supplies. Although faced with an impendingly dire situation, I had never felt happier. Since this afternoon, everything had taken on a brighter hue, a less sinister aspect. The rations were low, but we would manage. The weather was harsh, but spring would return. An army was coming, but Luc loved me. Luc loved me. And I loved him. And nothing else mattered. With Luc I could face a hundred FJs. Throughout the perimeter, work continued at a fevered, panicked pace. Everyone pitched in no matter what their age – children, adults, the elderly. No rest, no sleep. With only the briefest breaks to eat. We had sent two copters out that evening to see if they could spot FJ’s army. We knew they marched by night and so it would be almost impossible to spot them, but we had to try.
