The Fourth Law

By Clayton Barnett

23-year-old apprentice nurse Lily Barrett lives in a shattered time. Following its economic collapse, the US has devolved into a group of a few barely-functional smaller states, and vast swathes of barbarian badlands. Her sister has been missing for years, and her father, after earning the opprobrium of most of the world for running a state terror organization, presumed dead.

Two things keep her going: her live-in job at a small, Catholic orphanage in the city of Waxahachie, Republic of Texas, and Ai, her odd, but dear friend, whom she met online: a young woman who only shows herself to Lily as a rendered CG image.

Troubled by her past, haunted by her name, and facing an uncertain future, Lily seeks only a quiet, normal life. But, that past and her present conspire against her. A new Morning has come, and with it, delights and terrors, happiness and adversity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clayton Barnett
• Release date: Apr 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223171102

Book preview

Chapter 1

Lily paused in her walk to survey the sky again.  No change:  cloudless, with a color that went from washed-out ochre to gray.  She returned her eyes to the ground and resumed walking.  The smaller, shale-like rocks crunched under her shoes, but there were too many that were just the right size for twisting – if not outright breaking – an ankle. 

Nothing, not a thing growing, she muttered.  I’d think that someone kidnapped me and left me in Big Bend National Park, but there aren’t any mountains, and even Big Bend has some scrub growth in it!... whoa!

She steadied herself against what felt like a slight tremor.  Looking about again, she noticed something to her left that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Power line poles?  No, too thick for that.  May as well go see.  She changed direction, trying to keep an eye both on the odd poles in the distance and the rocks before her. 

Something’s wrong with the perspective, she thought.  Why do they just, well... feel big?

Getting nearer, they seemed to be emitting a hum of some kind.  Just as she drew close enough to start doubting her sanity, she also encountered the first break in the seemingly endless, boring terrain:  a drop of some distance.  One hundred feet was too small, but a hundred yards seemed too large.  Perspective, again.  She stared at the poles, but the longer she looked, the more perplexed she became.

No... they’re... how can something like this even exist? 

Seemingly made of a dark metal, she saw that the poles were spinning and that each pole was made up of layers of gears, themselves all spinning at different rates. 

Don’t get it... she murmured.  They must be hundreds of yards high... but they are at least several city blocks in diameter... 

There was another shudder, and, to her horror, the poles started weaving slowly.

They’re going to fall!  On me!  The humming became louder and mixed in with it were what sounded like cries of pain and terror.  Not knowing why, she started crawling on her hands and knees toward the cliff edge.

Scared... I’m scared! she cried.

...lily...

As close to the edge as she could take, she sat up and peered over.  The odd perspective made her eyes water, but around the base of some of the poles are... sticks, trees?  Wait... what’s on those trees...?  A wave of nausea built as she remembered the events of the last five years that she’d tried so hard to forget.

...lily...wake...!

Daddy!  Nooo!!! With tears in her eyes and bile at the back of her throat, she recalled the forests of crucified men and women along the borders of the new Republic.  Crucifixions ordered by her father. 

Stop!  Make it stop...!

Lily!  Wake up!

Her head came up off her desk too quickly and the wave of nausea broke.  She almost made it to the trashcan in time.  Almost.  Coughing slightly, she wiped her mouth on her right sleeve.

Hey!  Lily!  Are you okay?  You were yelling and crying.

Lily Barrett looked at the right most of the three screens on her desk.  The head of her friend, Ai, very large and a field of concern.  She must be close to her camera, Lily thought.  But, looking at the CG-rendered face of her friend, her aquamarine hair in an ostentatious ponytail and short, white dress which was more a part of her than on her, Lily wondered for the nth time, why do you do that?  Why won’t you show me the real you?  Arguments on that line had almost cost their friendship, and it was Lily that backed down, but it never not hurt her to know that Ai thought she had to deceive her for some reason.

Yeah, I’ll be okay.  Ugh.  She glanced at her desk.  But this keyboard is toast.  Coffee is one thing, but I don’t think it’s going to survive getting puked on.

Ai’s image pulled back as she did a spin about in her chair.  Lily surmised some months ago that Ai might be a student of some kind, as the room behind her looked like an efficiency apartment.

Yeayifications!  I’m glad you’re going to be fine!  Ai cried happily.  Then her face fell.  Was it... that dream again?  The one with the cylinders?

Lily nodded.  Yeah.  But this was worse.  At the end...  Her eyes started to get wet again.

In a panic, Ai waved across the screen.  No, no!  Forget I asked!  Please don’t cry!

Lily blinked the tears away.  She glanced at the time displayed in the corner of the screen.  Crap.

Well, it’s about five in the morning; may as well get up and get myself cleaned off.  See you, Ai, Lily said, standing.  She paused a moment. 

Hey, Ai.  I don’t recall leaving any of my messengers on last night.  How’d you...?

Ai scrunched her eyes shut with a Cheshire Cat grin.  You’re my best friend, Lily!  Of course I’ll be there for you!  Bye-eee!

-connection lost-

Well, that’s nice, Lily thought, walking toward the bathroom.  But she didn’t answer my question.  She paused in the doorway.  How did my life get like this?

By six Lily was dressed and, if not feeling better, at least she was feeling less bad.  There was another hour before she had to attend to her duties at the orphanage, so she decided to head to the market to see if there were any deals to be had.  Grabbing an apple on her way out, she walked from her office/flat to a rack of bicycles in the parking lot.  St. Edward’s Home for Children only had one pickup truck, and given the price of gas – even in oil-rich Texas – most travel was by foot or pedal these days.  Unlocking her bike in the red tint of early morning, she set out west onto the road toward the farmers’ market of the much-reduced town of Waxahachie.

Even at the early hour, many were already out and about.  After the year when electricity was rationed, people got used to getting up with the sun rather quickly.  An evolutionary adaptation, her father would have said.  Thinking of her father – and the bad dream – made her weave slightly on her bike.  Glancing around, she wondered as she had so many times before:  when they look at me, do they know whose daughter I am?

With that thought on her mind, Lily turned into the large parking lot of the abandoned supermarket and eyed the stalls being set up.  Some farmers, the wealthy ones, actually had trucks, but most got there with wagons pulled by their horses.  The clever ones, like Billy Thornton, used biodiesel, or, as he liked to call it, lard power!  It was to his stall she went first.

Short, but stocky and powerfully muscled, he was helping his men unload.  He stopped when he saw Lily.

That’s a mighty mean look for such a cute little girl, Lil’!  You tucker yourself out staying up on those fancy computers of yours again?  As Billy spoke with a smile to take the sting out of his words, Lily relented.  She also knew that before the Breakup, Billy was one of the sharpest technicians at the nearby Owens Corning plant; he probably knew more about computers than she did.

Her face softened and she shrugged.  It was just... one of those nights, right?

He nodded back with a hard grin.  After the Breakup and Formation War, too many of us had nights like that.  It was one of the reasons that hers, and so many other orphanages, had been established.

Anything good today? she asked.

With a look of mock-horror, Billy exclaimed, Why, little missy!  My meat and produce are good every day!  Some of his helpers chuckled at that.

Rolling her eyes, Lily countered.  You know what I mean; anything on special.  We’re pretty good on rice and corn, but I was hoping to get the kids some meat this week.

Coin or paper?  Even with the new state using fractional reserve banking, everyone preferred silver to paper.  Lily patted her purse lying just over her Ka-Bar knife.

Coin, of course.  We’re always square with each other.

Indeed, indeed.  In that case, for five silvers I can get you thirty pounds of ground beef.  How about that?

That was a pretty good deal, but one never gives in to the first price.  But, she also didn’t want to haggle like some woggy rug merchant.

Sounds about right, Lily said, but I was hoping to treat the kids to some bacon this morning...?  She smiled sweetly.  That’s always worked on him!

He smiled back and called to one of his men.  Buford!  Get that meat... and five pounds of bacon!

Lily handed over her coins, embossed with the Lone Star on one side and a Crusader Cross with the current year on the other, while Buford secured the meat both in the bike’s front basket and onto the platform behind her seat.  He lent a hand for her to get onto her bike.  Always a pleasure, Miss Barrett!

She started a bit at that, and glanced at his eyes.  No, he didn’t mean anything by it; just being polite.

Th...thank you, too.  Leaning hard down onto the pedal, she started off.

Back at the orphanage, she parked her bike next to the kitchen door.  Carrying in the first box, she was pleased to see that Rob and Emily were already prepping breakfast.

’Morning, Miss Barrett, Emily said.  What did you get this time?

Meat for the week and a surprise for this morning, Lily replied.  Rob, run and get Marienne to help.

Being only twelve years old, Rob found it difficult to contain his curiosity.  What’s the surprise?!

Lily grinned.  Bacon for breakfast!  But it’s not going to cut and cook itself, so go get Marienne!

Yes, ma’am! he called as he ran out the door.

Emily looked at the door with her normal ghost of a smile.  He’s a good boy.

Yes, he is, Lily agreed.  I’m getting the other box; be right back.  Emily nodded as she continued to chop onions for the omelettes.

Returning to her bike, Lily reflected on what she knew about Emily:  sixteen, good student, family killed in the Federal raid on Texarkana...  Cute enough to be popular with some of the boys at school, but she didn’t seem to have any close friends.  We have too many like that, Lily thought, even at our small facility.  She returned to the kitchen just as Rob returned with Marienne in tow.

Good timing!  Here, Lily said, dropping the slab of bacon onto the counter.  Cut and fry, if you’d be so kind; there should be enough for each of you to get three pieces!  And save all the lard.

Marienne, tall and strong enough to make a name for herself on the school’s girls’ basketball team, went from sleepy to motivated the moment she saw the meat.  She reached for a knife, then paused.

Will you and Mrs. Lanning be having any?  Marienne asked.

Lily shook her head.  Nope!  This is my treat for you kids; have to keep everyone growing and healthy!

In an unexpected chorus, the three kids replied, Thank you, Miss Barrett!

With a grin, Lily asked, Who is on tables this morning?

That would be Ken, Emily said quietly.

Ah.  I’ll check on him, then be over to the Office.  Let me know if you need anything!

Out in the dining hall proper, she saw Ken setting out plates and flatware.  For a ten-year-old, he had a recent growth spurt, and was still getting used to his new left leg replacement.  As with most of the children, Lily had learned to take the indirect approach.

How’s things? she called out.

Over his shoulder, Ken replied, Getting done.  Morning, Miss Barrett.  He continued around the tables, slowly.

They know to ask for help, and I know not to push, she thought.

Good.  See you!

Lily walked out of the dining hall, glancing left at the small, two-story dormitory.  The other kids were slowly making their way toward food, the youngest being shepherded by their elders.  Seeing Lily, a few waved.  She waved back as she continued straight ahead to the offices.  She noticed that the plants in the courtyard formed by the U of the three buildings were looking good.  That was little Matt’s skill:  she’d never known anyone with a greener thumb.

Just before she climbed the three steps to the offices, her phone chimed.  Pausing, she saw a text from Ai, ‘Feeling OK?’  Taking a moment, she typed back, ‘Fine, thx!’  Phone back into her pocket, she walked past the empty secretary’s desk and into Carol Lanning’s office, Administrator of St. Edward’s Home for Children.

Knock, knock, Lily said from the doorway.

Already thick into the paperwork, Carol looked up.  Although somewhere in her fifties, her sandy hair hid what little gray she had.  Her reading glasses were perched on the end of her aquiline nose, which Erik, likely the most rambunctious of her charges, called her great beak!  Carol’s figure was sparser than most (there being very little food for some years after the Breakup), and she seemed to subsist solely on the hot tea that she drank all day.

Good mornin’, Lily.  Her voice was thick with a West Texas accent, but strong enough to carry anywhere in the facility, if she needed it to.  Any issues? 

Nope.  I was... uh... up early, so I went to the market.  Was able to get a deal on some meat for the kids.

Carol just nodded.  Her smiles were for when she was genuinely happy.  Good.  I’ve been worrying about that but didn’t want to badger the Diocese about money; the economy may be getting back on its feet, but things are still tight for everyone.

Yes, ma’am.  What else was there to say?

Oh, one more thing... Carol pointed to a package on the table across from her desk.  Courier dropped it off earlier.

I thought I heard a horse neighing, Lily remarked as she picked up the box, eying the ‘Sullivan’s Electronics’ on the label.  Given the rectangular shape, Lily was suddenly suspicious.  Ai, did you...!  Opening the box, Lily held a new keyboard, to replace the one she ruined that morning.

If that’s from a boyfriend, he has an odd taste in gifts, Carol said drolly.

No, not a boyfriend... Lily replied.  But, someone special.  How did Ai do this so quickly?

Returning to her papers, Carol dismissed her saying, See y’all at chapel in a bit.

Lily walked up the stairs to her rooms.  The air was still a bit rank, so she went to open the windows wider.  Behind her, she heard sudden laughter.  Ai was waving from the monitor.

Do you like your present? the constructed image asked.

Yes, Ai, I do...  Lily desperately wanted to ask her, ‘but how did you do that?!’ but was sure that would lead to an unpleasantness. 

...in fact, I’d like to get you a present, too, someday!  Lily replied brightly.

For a moment, Ai’s face fell completely blank.  Her near constant motions stilled.  Finally, she blinked.

You... want to get me a present?  Even Ai’s voice had become flat. 

Puzzled at what should be such a small thing, Lily replied, Of course.  You’re my friend.  Do... 

She wondered how to ask without seeming pushy.  Do you not do things like that where you live?

Suddenly back to normal, Ai broke into a grin and spun in her chair, looking about her room.

Not really.  Things are different here. she replied.  But now that you’ve offered, I guess I’ll have to think of something I want!  Bye-eee!

-connection lost-

Lily ran her fingers along the edge of the new keyboard.  ‘Things are different here.’  Where is here?

Having eaten and showered and dressed, Lily joined all fifteen children, Carol, and the live-in caretaker couple,