Charlie was having so much fun playing soccer, he almost forgot the world wasn't normal anymore. The laughs, the shouts, and the thrill of chasing the ball made everything else fade away. It had been so long since he'd just played with other kids, and for a little while, he felt like a regular eight-year-old.
Looking back, he understood what his parents had been trying to give him: stability, even in a world where stability was slipping away. But now, years later, he knew the truth. The law of the jungle would always prevail.
Eventually, his parents reappeared, calling him and his sisters over. Charlie groaned loudly, dragging his feet in protest as he left the game. The older boys waved at him, some laughing, and Charlie puffed up his chest, flashing a grin that said, I'll be back.
His parents explained that the Amish were establishing a settlement, a place where people with good character—like his dad—were being invited. It wasn't just about survival; it was about preparing for what was to come. The tremors hadn't gone unnoticed, and the Amish had people who believed, like Amber, that a larger earthquake was on the horizon.
But there was more. Animals were becoming more dangerous, but the real threat, his dad said, was people.
Charlie overheard just enough to know the Amish's goodwill had been exploited in the past. Some people had used their kindness as an opportunity to steal, kill, and worse. Charlie hadn't understood fully at the time, but now he realized his family had been trying to shield him and Amber from those grim realities. He didn't grasp what it meant when his dad mentioned that some women had been hurt—violated and exploited—but he could see the hard lines on his father's face whenever it came up.
When laws and rules no longer held power, some people's true nature turned monstrous.
Two Amish men accompanied them as they left the settlement, a horse and wagon carrying the industrial crates they had come for. The family began the trek home, the quiet clip-clop of the horse's hooves filling the air.
Charlie sat near the front of the wagon, his legs swinging as he fired off questions.
"Dad," he started, tilting his head, "are you going to grow an Amish beard?"
David glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "An Amish beard?"
"Yeah," Charlie said with a smirk. "You know, no mustache, just the chin part. Like this!" He cupped his hands around his chin for emphasis.
His dad chuckled. "What do you think, Renee? Would it suit me?"
His mom laughed softly. "Absolutely not."
"Do we have to dress like them?" Charlie asked, leaning forward with mock seriousness. "Because I am not wearing suspenders. Nope. No way."
His mom shook her head. "Don't worry, Charlie. You'll keep your jeans."
Amber chimed in from the back, closing her book. "What about our names? Do we have to change them to Amish names? Like Jacob or Jeremiah?"
Gretchin snorted. "Or Ruth or Esther?"
Charlie gasped in mock horror. "No way! I'm keeping my name. But if I had to…" He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "I'd pick Obadiah. Obadiah Green."
Amber burst into laughter. "Obadiah Green! That's it. That's your new name!"
"Fine," Charlie said with a sly grin. "Then your name is Esther Green."
Amber groaned, "Noooo!"
Gretchin, grinning, joined in. "Guess that makes me Ruth. Ruth Green."
The teasing spiraled, and Charlie leaned into it harder. "Do we have to make our own hats? Because I could rock a giant hat. Or—what if I get a horse? Can I ride a horse everywhere?"
Amber rolled her eyes. "You'd fall off in five minutes, Charlie."
"I would not!" Charlie shot back, puffing out his chest. "I'd be the best horse rider ever. I'd be faster than Dad!"
David glanced back, smirking. "Oh, you think so? Maybe when your legs can reach the stirrups."
Even Gretchin laughed at that one, and Charlie made a face, crossing his arms. "I'm almost there!"
The laughter spilled from the wagon, light and carefree, a rare moment of joy in an uncertain world. Even the two Amish men walking beside them smiled, their faces softening as they listened to the playful banter. For a moment, it was easy to forget how much the world had changed.
For Charlie, this moment became a precious memory—one of the last times his family felt whole. Eventually, their world would shatter, and with it, his family.