17. Jacob
Chapter 17 of the ELA series...
The barn stood half-repaired under a sky that couldn’t decide whether to rain or shine, beams of light flickering through broken slats like an unfinished thought. Somewhere inside, a hammer still lay where it had fallen—quiet, untouched. No one rushed to finish the job. In the days that followed, people moved around it like something cursed, as if the barn itself had swallowed a secret and might give it back if left alone long enough. But life in the community meant chores to do, animals to tend to, and crops to plant. The barn could not be avoided.
Everyone had lost someone. Some before they found the community, others after, inside the walls. Accidents happened. Illness took its toll. People died. When Jacob died, three people left. It was an accident, everyone agreed, but to David, Grant, and Seth, it was a failure they couldn't face—especially when they saw it reflected in the eyes of every community member who had known him.
Jacob had always been good with his hands. Whether carving, crafting, mending, or building, he was skilled. From the start, he and Grant hit it off, their bond formed quickly. So when Grant and two of his brothers offered to help retrofit the old barn, it seemed like a natural fit. Josh was too busy learning what it meant to be a Finder, ever since he’d found Lily; they were inseparable.
That day, Jacob had been working on the roof, filled with confidence and the satisfaction of a job well done. He’d even felt a warm sense of joy in the camaraderie of the task. But then Seth made a scathing joke, and in the distraction, Jacob lost his footing, plunging twenty feet to the ground.
In the world before, such a fall would have called for an ambulance and a hospital. In this new reality, however, even a relatively minor fall could cause broken bones, internal injuries, or head trauma that would prove fatal without proper care. Jacob didn’t die immediately—it took several hours. Dr. Brown, the best they had, could only administer laudanum to ease the pain. Internal bleeding was clear, but they simply didn’t have the means to operate or offer any real hope of survival.
Justine had sat by his side, crying quietly. Jacob remained conscious but heavily sedated, either smiling or wincing as she squeezed his hand, she wasn’t sure which. She’d stayed with him until the end, holding his hand and waiting for that bitter, gasping silence.
Though no one blamed the brothers, only Josh put up any resistance when they decided to leave. Lisbeth had tried to reassure them. She said they were a welcome part of the community, that they had a home here if they wanted it. Ultimately, though, it was their choice.
Josh knew this was home. He knew Lily was his future. He wanted his brothers here, with him, for that. He needed their support. But in the end, guilt outweighed family ties. David, Grant, and Seth packed their bags—heavy with tents, food, and as much water as they could carry—and stayed only long enough to pay their respects at Jacob’s funeral.
Jacob hadn’t been one of the original Founders, but he had been with the community for many years. His hand had touched nearly every building on the farm—whether building, repairing, or outfitting them with the latest ideas from the council. He had been kind to the children, teaching his craft to anyone interested. His budding relationship with Justine had been three years in the making, with plans for marriage already forming.
To say Jacob was integral to the community was an understatement.
Josh understood why his brothers, new to the community, would want to leave. But he suspected Lily hadn’t told him everything—she hadn’t wanted to cloud his decision. He was pretty sure there was a new family on the horizon. Not that he was certain, but he hadn’t said anything to his brothers. He didn’t want them to stay out of guilt; he wanted them to stay because they belonged here, with him. But that was not to be..
Eight months later, Rebecca was born. The resemblance to Seth’s delicate features brought tears to Josh’s eyes for reasons he couldn’t easily put into words.
Tonight, twelve years on, Lily wished, not for the first time, that Josh’s brothers were still here. They would have believed her. They would have gone searching for Josh, for Lionel and George. She understood why they’d left, why they couldn’t forgive themselves. She and Josh had told them time and time again that it wasn’t their fault. It was tragic, yes, but not their fault. Still, in this moment, she could have used some of their stubborn resolve.
She stood outside the hub, watching the late spring wind ruffle the trees at the edge of the fields. A larger group had begun to gather inside as runners returned with more community members. She could hear the low hum of whispers, a few glances cast her way. Word had gotten around: they were going to find Lionel and George.
The decision hadn’t been made lightly. They’d already lost too many, and every person sent beyond the walls carried not just risk, but hope. Hope they might bring back someone alive. Hope that what Lisbeth had built still meant something. That no one would be left behind. Her absence now made the air heavier somehow, her voice not there to cut through the noise with clarity and resolve. Still, it was her memory that stirred the urgency. Lily knew that if Lisbeth had been alive, she would’ve encouraged many to pack a bag and lend a hand.
Inside, maps were unfurled across the table—hand-drawn, lovingly detailed sketches of the surrounding terrain, annotated by Finders over the years. They had a general idea of where the two men had disappeared, but little else. That was the problem with vanishing without a word. The silence made everything uncertain.
Lily stepped through the doorway as the murmur fell quiet. Archie, who had taken on more and more of the organizing since his return from the previous journey, looked up from the map and gave her a nod. "We’ll need at least four," he said. "Two to track, two to carry supplies. Maybe a fifth if anyone else steps up."
"I’ll go," said Leslie, stepping forward. Her voice was firm, her eyes bloodshot. She’d been close to both Lionel and George. She was a good choice, in case they needed an negotiator. Her roles as community Freud and a Friction volunteer put her in good standing for this trip.
Lily felt her voice caught in her throat. She wanted to go, her blood was running hot, she needed to do something after Josh’s death. But the girls needed her here more.
Gavin and Quinton both volunteered next, making Lily feel a little better, knowing good people were willing to risk so much to save their own.
Others began shifting in their seats, not quite volunteering, but not dismissing it either. They all knew the stakes. Every name added to the list of the missing carved another crack in what they’d rebuilt. This mission was more than a rescue. It was a stand, not just against the unknown, but against apathy. Against letting loss become routine.
Outside, the wind picked up, the leaves shivering like they knew what was coming.