Chapter 10 – The Edge of Quiet
Morning arrived pale and overcast. Mist curled over the fields, clinging to fence posts and grass blades. Alex stepped out of the house, boots sinking slightly into the damp soil. The barrels were full, the basement door barred, and the seed trays carefully rotated to avoid excess moisture. But he felt the lingering unease that had been growing for days.
Robert was near the east fence, hammer in hand, examining the posts. Margaret moved through the garden, tying up vines and trimming leaves that drooped under the weight of dew.
"East post still looks solid?" Alex asked, joining them.
Robert tapped it with a hammer. "Better than yesterday. But I'd like a crossbar along the top too. Adds rigidity."
Alex nodded. "We can make it tomorrow. For now, we should inspect the rest of the perimeter."
Margaret shivered slightly as she walked along the fence. "I keep expecting… I don't know… something."
Alex didn't answer. He simply followed, scanning the edge of the property. Small indentations in the dirt hinted that something had moved near the fence during the night. Too small for a person, too regular for a deer.
After breakfast, Alex returned to his basement library. He pulled down Chemistry in Daily Life along with a smaller notebook, preparing to take notes.
Knowledge Tally Update – Chemistry:
Cleaning agents and disinfectants (household) – 3 formulas
Combustion and fire basics – 2 experiments
Metal treatment / corrosion prevention – 1 experiment
Future projects: water purification, simple explosives (emergency use only), medicine preparation
He scribbled carefully, thinking about how chemistry could turn scrap materials into tools, treatments, or even simple defenses.
Robert joined him a few minutes later, holding two short boards.
"I thought we could try a small DIY project today," he said. "Simple lever system for lifting logs or barrels. Could make stacking firewood easier."
Alex's eyes lit up. "Perfect. We can use principles from the physics book too. Mechanical advantage, fulcrum placement."
They cleared some space in the backyard. Using a thick log as a fulcrum, a sturdy plank, and rope from the shed, they created a simple lever. Alex tested it, moving a small barrel of water easily.
Margaret watched, fascinated. "Look at you two. Engineering in action. Who would have thought?"
Alex grinned. "Books don't just sit on shelves. They tell us exactly how to apply what we learn."
After setting the lever aside, Alex returned to the garden. He checked the seed trays: beans were drying, tomato seeds properly separated, and small notes pinned to each tray reminded them of germination dates and planting techniques.
He imagined a future greenhouse or enclosed garden, but for now, this small project felt like a victory.
As he adjusted a tray, a sudden movement caught his eye near the road.
A faint light flickered through the mist, distant but unmistakable.
"Mom… Dad," Alex whispered.
Both looked up. Margaret's hands froze on a vine; Robert squinted toward the road.
"Could be headlights," Robert said cautiously. "Or a lantern."
Alex shook his head. "Too flickering for a car. Someone's walking."
The mist obscured details, but the movement was deliberate, slow. The figure—if that's what it was—paused at times, crouching, shifting.
Alex made a note: Road sighting: distant figure, unknown intent. No engagement. Monitor.
Margaret shivered. "Should we… do something?"
"Not yet," Alex said firmly. "We reinforce, we observe, we prepare. No risk taking unless it comes closer."
Lunch was quiet. They ate near the kitchen table, the flickering lantern casting long shadows. Alex spread his notebook open again.
DIY Projects Pending:
Tripwire alarm along east fence
Lever for moving barrels/logs (done)
Rainwater filter improvements
Small greenhouse or seed protection frame
Basic electronics experiments
Knowledge Tally:
Physics: 5 topics – levers, pulleys, mechanics, electricity basics, optics
Chemistry: 3 topics – cleaning, combustion, corrosion prevention
Biology/Herbalism: 6 topics – edible plants, medicinal herbs, wound care, simple ecology
Electronics: 5 topics – radios, batteries, circuits, small motors, simple alarm circuits
Alex paused. "One day, all these projects and knowledge pieces will work together. Shelter, food, water, protection… everything."
Robert nodded slowly. "Better we start now. Each small win counts."
After lunch, Alex began work on the tripwire alarm. Using string, tin cans, and scraps of wire, he stretched a line along the east fence. He tested it several times: a slight tug and the cans clanged, producing enough noise to alert anyone nearby.
Margaret peeked from the garden. "That's… clever."
Alex smiled faintly. "If someone or something approaches, we'll have a warning. Not perfect, but better than nothing."
Robert gave him a small nod of approval. "Clever. Keep refining it over time."
By late afternoon, the mist began to lift, revealing more of the distant road. Alex noticed another faint disturbance: a patch of flattened grass suggesting someone—or some group—had passed recently. Too wide for a single person.
Margaret spotted it too. "Do you think they saw us?"
Alex shook his head. "Hard to say. Best we do… nothing for now. Reinforce, stay alert. Observe."
Dinner was a stew of dried beans, squash, and small pieces of smoked meat from Daniels' supply. Lanterns cast dancing shadows across the walls.
"Every day," Margaret said quietly, "I think we're safe. Then something happens, and I realize… maybe not."
Alex reached across and squeezed her hand. "We can't control the outside. We control what we can inside. That's all that matters."
Robert nodded, eating silently. His eyes, however, kept drifting to the window, scanning the misty edge of their property.
Night brought quiet, except for occasional distant noises. Alex sat in the basement, lamp on, notebook and Electronics for Beginners open. He sketched circuits, imagining a small battery-powered buzzer connected to the tripwire.
Above him, the wind rattled boards, and faint scraping sounds returned from the east fence. Alex tightened his grip on the shotgun. Nothing advanced. But the sense of watching eyes lingered.
He jotted notes:
Fence east: Tripwire installed. Reinforce weak points tomorrow. Tracks suggest possible multiple intruders or animals.DIY Plans: Test battery-powered alarm, continue lever improvements, check rainwater filter, continue seed drying.Observation: Mist conceals both allies and threats. Patience is key.
He read for another hour, absorbing simple electronics principles and imagining future applications. Small DIY alarms, water pumps, even a rudimentary communication device for long distances—all depended on the knowledge accumulated slowly, page by page.
Finally, he set the book down, extinguished the lamp, and lay awake listening to the house creak. The world beyond the fence had not yet reached them, but it was creeping closer—seen in shadows, heard in distant engines, felt in faint tracks on soft earth.
Inside, they prepared.