It is a wonderful day out here. The birds created a soft chorus of nature. The stream  flowed very calmly through the Forest, heading past me and to the mill downstream.

Victoria combed her long blond hair as she sits in the boat. Going through each fiber and undoing knots that have formed, she is a perfectionist. Bobbing up and down with the water, she is in bliss as I see it.

Greenery dominated the area and sure did by the stream. Ferns and mosses and trees so wide around that you can't even wrap your as around them.

 I tied the boat to a tree root earlier and have been doing some fishing for a couple hours now. Salmon filled a bucket I brought and it is high afternoon. Victoria put down her comb.

" Lincoln, don't you think you've caught your share for this week? I want some time to get back before people start to worry." Victoria asked me in her simple, bell like voice.

" Hey, relax. It's only been four hours. Dinner isn't until six thirty anyway. Don't worry yourself, I mean, I gotta fill my share for this week."

She shrugged and picked up a newspaper from the seat behind her.

I put a lid on the fish bucket and made my way to the side of the streambed. 

Thinking that I should gather something green to use for later, I found a couple mint plants very close to the boat.

Picking the mint, I smelled the cool scent and stored the leaves in a canvas bag. Not to long after I began, I had a small pouch full of the stuff.

" If we don't leave soon, Hobbs will give us another lecture on time and how it's finite." Victoria said from under her paper.

" Alright, we'll leave now, but I'll stop if I see some scrap, agreed?"

She put the paper down and knodded her head. I made for the boat and untied the knot around the root.

" Hold on tight!" I pushed the steel hull and the bow crashed into the stream. Victoria gave a clap and a giggle. I climbed in the boat and lit a fire under the boiler. Should take a couple minutes to heat up and build some steam.

" Anything interesting in the paper?" She put the paper down.

" Well, something really odd. It says here that a couple of messengers last seen headed east over the mountains have yet to return."

I still waited for the steam gauge to climb to a proper pressure.

"They must have been caught up in a snow storm. The Baker Mountain trading post should give them shelter."

She picks up her comb and starts to comb her hair once more. 

The pressure gauge said I could go, so I turn a valve and slowly filled the engine with steam.

The paddle wheels on either side of the small vessel began to turn, propelling us forward.

Amazing what Hobbs can put a couple of these together for our village. He found an old propane camping grill, and he used that for a heating element. He took a coil of copper tubing, normally used for ice making, and a water tank to make a water system. The steam goes through a modified two stroke lawnmower engine of all things.

His rigs make our village one of the foremost in advanced steam powered technology.

That's why we all scavenge. Anything and everything.

The puffing of the moter was very quite. I could still hear the birds and water.

After about fifteen minutes, we turned a corner and the mill came into sight.

Hobbs was on the back porch, the side closest to the water, and he looks to be enjoying a cup of coffee or somewhat. He saw us and put his cup down, stood up, and opens his arms.

" Lincoln, Victoria! Your back! How was this week's share gathering?" He said in his creaky but excited voice. We could hear him even from the water, he must be glad to see us.

I parked the boat on the dock and tied it up. Victoria took the bag of mint and I took the fish. The stairs to the porch creaked and were a little loose, but could still hold me.

" I got a bit of salmon for the share, and some fresh mint for us. The bucket is kinda heavy, here."

I placed the bucket on the porch and Hobbs gazed in and he sees the gentle moving fish. He nods his head.

" Oh most excellent, that should make Miss Halstead very pleased. Maybe it will get you two weeks off!"

I gave him a smile.  He smiled back and looked hopefull. Victoria gave me the mint and took out her comb.

" Thanks for a fine afternoon outside this ring of houses. I must go check on Crackers; he should be wanting his dinner by now."

She gave me a hug and she began to comb her hair. I watched her walk to her little cabin down the street. She waved and went inside.

I heard Hobbs go inside and I followed.

I flipped a switch and turned on the lights. I am lucky that I was taken in by an inventor and scientist, Hobbs.

He took me in after my mother and stepfather passed away about twelve years ago. He knew my mother well. I was about five when it happened.

A bolt of lightning had struck the house and burned it to the ground. Everyone tried to help, but the people in the town could not get enough water. I still know of the town, it's beyond the mountain in the desert basin.

The mill had a generator that made electricity and stored it into a battery, so we always have a supply of energy. Hobbs wants to make an electric powered carriage and other wacky oddball gadgets with this energy, but all it can do is turn on light and power magnets for all I know.

A knock at the door called for one of us. I thought it would be Victoria, but it is Miss Halstead instead.

" Hello, I am here for this week's share. Might you have it ready?"

I'm real excited about this." Yes ma'm, I sure do!"

I got the bucket of fish from the back and presented it to Miss H. She peered into the bucket and took out a pen and paper.

" This should make this share, but just barely. May I suggest bringing more substance next week?"

Well that was a bummer. All that fish and it just made it.

" Oh alright Miss Halstead. Thank you." I frowned and she turned around, I closed the door.

I went to the table and sat down. I smelled dinner and Hobbs got down some plates.

" It's a casserole tonight Lincoln, beef and noodle, very delicious if I do say so myself." 

I get my forks and Hobbs places the tin in the table. It smells very herby and beefy, like an inn on the side of the road.

"Thanks Hobbs."

I dig in and Hobbs does too.