{"id":2113,"date":"2020-12-12T19:18:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T02:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/?p=2113"},"modified":"2020-12-12T19:18:29","modified_gmt":"2020-12-13T02:18:29","slug":"2113","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/2020\/12\/12\/2113\/","title":{"rendered":"North Dakota Grannies Knitting Circle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

prompt: \u00a0Write a story about a meeting of a secret society….<\/em><\/em>
available at Reedsy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six elderly women, all carrying large knitting bags, five walking and wearing pink parkas, the last in line pushing a wheelchair with the sixth in a blue parka, filed out of the Senior Center restaurant. They passed by the tax preparer\u2019s office and turned into the closed quilting store beside it. The store was closed, but open for them every other Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they entered they removed their parkas and hung them on hooks by the door. Alinta went first, revealing a shock of white hair, and rich, red-brown skin, heavily creased by years and sun. Cho was next, revealing long, straight, dark grey hair, and warm, tawny skin, criss-crossed with wrinkles and lines, most notable being the deep creases on her forehead from from years of concentration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berta followed, her medium-length, yellow-grey hair and ivory skin showing beneath the blush of her wrinkled cheeks already bared before she entered the door. Behind her, Djeneba entered, removing her parka to reveal light grey dreads above a weathered, mahogany face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Carmela entered, pushing Madeline in the wheelchair. Carmela removed her parka first, her wavy, dark grey hair still showing hints of black at the root, above a heavily lined medium beige face. She helped Madeline out of her parka, short white hair haloing the palest, most heavily aged face there. After wheeling Madeline to the large table in the center of the room, Carmela sat, pulling out her current project to knit among the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quiet sounds of knitting were only interrupted for the occasional comment. \u201cWhoops! Dropped a stitch on the last row.\u201d \u201cNow that I\u2019ve got it memorized this cable pattern is fast.\u201d \u201cDjen, you think this sleeve is long enough for a seven-year-old, or should I add a few more rows just to be safe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This continued until Alinta cleared her throat. \u201cKeep knitting ladies,\u201d she said, \u201cit\u2019s time to start the meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four others who had been wearing pink all replied with \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta smiled. \u201cWe\u2019ve been looking for a new member for a while. I know we talked knitting over brunch, now let\u2019s see if Madeline is right for the group, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m just an old granny trying to hang on,\u201d Madeline said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know your hundredth birthday was just last week,\u201d Cho said, \u201cbut don\u2019t count yourself out yet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCorrect.\u201d Berta looked over her knitting at Madeline. \u201cI\u2019m interested in what you did before you were a granny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d Madeline said, \u201cI guess it can\u2019t hurt at my age. My last job was as an analyst with the CIA, until they forced me to retire. Morocco is so wonderful, have any of you ever been?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOooh, sounds like a juicy job,\u201d Carmela said. \u201cWhat languages do you speak?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Pashto, a little German, some Korean, and I understand Icelandic, just can\u2019t wrap my tongue around it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Djeneba asked, \u201cWhy did you join the CIA?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline thought for a moment. \u201cI really thought I\u2019d be helping people, making things safer, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta reached the end of a row and flipped her work around. \u201cHow would you feel about doing something that really helps people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline chuckled. \u201cAt my age? Not sure there\u2019s much I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta looked over her knitting, her hands never slowing down. \u201cHow old do you think I am?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, well,\u201d Madeline looked uneasy. \u201cI don\u2019t know, you seem young to me. Couldn\u2019t be over 70.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta smiled. \u201cI\u2019m 396, no\u2026 397 tomorrow. Cho is 284, Djeneba is 312, Carmela is 197, and Berta is the current youngster at 154.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow you\u2019re pulling my leg.\u201d Madeline laughed it off. \u201cBut if there was a way I could make a difference, I\u2019d do it until I fall dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta rapped on the table once, and the other four all answered \u201cAye.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMadeline, welcome to the club.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carmela pulled a small flask from her bag. \u201cTime for tea?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Alinta looked around the table. \u201cDjeneba, when you finish that row could you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou stay put, Djen, I\u2019ll get it.\u201d Cho said. \u201cI\u2019m working in the round so I can set it down whenever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cho returned with tea service and set about making tea for everyone present. She accepted the flask from Carmela and poured a measured amount in each cup, which got a naughty giggle from Madeline. \u201cDon\u2019t tell my doctor!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They continued knitting, sipping their tea, and watching Madeline as her posture straightened, her eyes brightened, and color flowed to her smoothing cheeks. \u201cI\u2019ve never felt so much energy! And the pain from my spine, it\u2019s gone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just the beginning. You\u2019ll stay with Carmela for a couple weeks, as your body heals and adjusts.\u201d Alinta continued knitting. \u201cBy our next meeting you\u2019ll be ready to join in for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, this stuff is great, but how does that\u2026\u201d Madeline cut herself short. The look from Alinta made her feel like she did when getting a raised eyebrow from her grade school teachers. Maybe she really was that old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you haven\u2019t already guessed, each of us represents a continent. I represent Oceania, Cho – Asia, Berta – Europe, Djeneba – Africa, Carmela – South America, and now you, Madeline, will represent North America. Just watch for now. Ladies, report.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore refugees from Sudan,\u201d Djeneba said. \u201cWe\u2019ve made some payments to Chad to take most of them in, Eritrea still doesn\u2019t want to help. Ebola outbreak in DRC, nine cases so far, we\u2019ve got M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res on the ground already. We still need to make a decision on the coup in Kukuana. General Kanoute has seized power and cut off all outside communications. We\u2019ve got four freight containers of weapons impounded in Nigeria that he\u2019s expecting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta paused in her knitting, pursed her lips, then resumed knitting. \u201cBuy the weapons from the Nigerian government outright. Send them to our rail yard in Burkina Faso. Tell the President and his loyalist troops where to pick those up. Any dissent?\u201d When there were no responses she said \u201cThank you, Djeneba. And tell Eritrea that if they want to keep their loans they need to take the refugees. Next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cho spoke up. \u201cWe finally have an ID on the Crystal Lotus Yakuza boss. He\u2019s making moves in politics, and likely to be elected to the House of Councilors. Flooding in south Vietnam isn\u2019t easing up. We\u2019ve provided 1.3 billion dollars for recovery. Still waiting on the outcome of the trade summit in China.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta nodded. \u201cIt would be a shame if another newly elected Councilor was tied to the Yakuza. I believe the gentleman will meet a tragic end in an accident next week. The other clan you mentioned last meeting\u2026 Plum Blossom I believe, may be willing to help if the price is right. Any objections?\u201d The only response was the quiet clacking of knitting needles. \u201cThank you, Cho. Next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carmela cleared her throat before she spoke. \u201cWe finalized purchase of 9% shares of Banco Central do Brasil. We\u2019re supplying 7 million dollars worth of weapons to Polic\u00eda Nacional del Ecuador to help take down the cartels.” She paused. “Sorry, almost dropped another stitch. The revolution in Cordillera is all but complete. The last of the loyalists are pushed to the Peruvian border, out of ammo and food. The Peruvian Army is blocking their escape over the border, and they should be capitulating within the next few days. Which, of course, means the fountain and well are secure. I brought back twelve gallons with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta smiled. \u201cGood news is always welcome.\u201d She looked at Madeline and nodded toward the flask. \u201cThat\u2019s what you\u2019re drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLike, the fountain of youth or something?\u201d Madeline asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomething like that. Next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berta never looked up from her knitting but talked all the same. \u201cOur Geneva bank is set to buy out three smaller banks in the U.K.. Germany has agreed to keep their deal as it stands. Spain and Greece are both looking for help dealing with the refugee situation. That would be 52 million dollars total.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow much,\u201d Alinta asked as she turned her work again, \u201cis that per refugee?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s assuming 500 dollars each,\u201d Berta answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDouble it. Any objections?\u201d When none were forthcoming she added \u201cThank you, Berta. I guess that means I\u2019m next. The only big news for Oceania is the earthquake in New Zealand. We\u2019ve provided 72 million dollars in aid to the government, and made another 22 million available for no-interest loans for rebuilding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alinta carefully folded her knitting back into the bag and finished the last of her tea. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, Madeline. Over the next two weeks Carmela will get you up to speed with the technology, tools, and contacts, as well as your credentials to the bank. You know how analysis works, so we\u2019ll leave that to you, and only offer assistance if you ask.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline stood from her wheelchair, for the first time in years. \u201cThis is\u2026 incredible. But really, it sounds like all you\u2019re doing is moving money around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cho smirked. \u201cWe\u2019re playing politics. And these days, politics is money. Some of the previous members of the NDGKC figured out a long time ago that owning banks and having more capital on hand than the GDP of most countries was the best way to shape the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait, former members of the North Dakota Grannies Knitting Circle?\u201d Madeline sat back down as her legs tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ladies laughed. \u201cNo,\u201d Alinta said. \u201cThat\u2019s just a convenient name for us right now. NDGKC stands for Nameless Dominion Global Knights Cabal. In reality, though, we aren\u2019t sure what the original name was, as it was in Phoenician, and likely changed multiple times over the course of the previous twenty-nine and a half centuries. In another hundred years, when this area is too built up and we move again, we\u2019ll have to change the name again, so I wouldn\u2019t worry overly much about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they donned their parkas and Madeline wheeled herself out the door Cho tapped her on the shoulder. \u201cI\u2019ll stop by Carmela\u2019s on Tuesday with your new parka. I peeked at the size in that one, hope that\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline winked. \u201cIt\u2019s only okay if you share the pattern for the cable on those sleeves. It\u2019s adorable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before going to Carmela\u2019s place they stopped by Madeline\u2019s apartment so she could pick up a few items. Nothing that would call attention to the fact that she was leaving, though, just things that she didn\u2019t feel she could leave behind. It amounted to two knitting pattern books, twelve skeins of merino wool yarn in various colors, and an arrowhead she\u2019d found as a young girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two weeks that followed were hectic for Madeline. As her she watched herself grow younger, healthier, more vital, she planned her funeral. There was no way around it \u2014 as long as Madeline Richmond was alive, she would generate curiosity that was bad for them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She first got a new identity, Madeline McCarthy, fifty-five years old. Several online shopping sprees outfitted her with new clothes and a whole new look. A new US passport, driver\u2019s license, Social Security number and Cordillera passport making her a dual-citizen followed. When she saw the pictures on her new documents she was shocked at how young she looked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Cordillera doctor, visiting Fargo for training, signed the death certificate. Natural causes \u2014 complications due to pneumonia. She and Carmela picked up an urn of ashes from the crematorium. There was no service, as Madeline had no living relatives, and left everything in her possession to the animal shelter in her will. She received a small entry in the local paper\u2019s obituary column, and a plaque on the wall of the animal shelter with her picture and the inscription \u201cIn Loving Memory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of those first two weeks it was time for another meeting. Rather than their regular meeting, the Knights took a charter bus to an out-of-the way cemetery outside Fargo. There, they reverently placed the urn of ashes in the niche assigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline stood before her name on the plaque in front of her. \u201cWhose ashes are those?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cho took a deep breath. \u201cOur former sister, Mary Smith.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer original name was Makkitotosimew \u2014 Algonquin for \u2018She has large breasts.\u2019\u201d Alinta smiled. \u201cShe never liked it, and was glad to change it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was true, though,\u201d Djeneba said, and the ladies shared a laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo how did she\u2026,\u201d Madeline couldn\u2019t bring herself to say the word. After being ready for death to take her at any moment, her new lease on life made it difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe got tired.\u201d Alinta placed a hand on Madeline\u2019s shoulder. \u201cSometimes one of us is killed in an accident or other misfortune, but usually a sister just grows tired and goes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I don\u2019t see how.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe stopped drinking the water,\u201d Cho said. \u201cAbout three years ago. She aged rapidly and died in her sleep last year. We\u2019ve been holding her ashes until her replacement was found.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can see your next question,\u201d Alinta said. \u201cShe was born, near as we can tell, in 1598 or 1599. She joined the Knights in 1702. She was far older than I.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCarmella told me there\u2019s never been a male Knight. Why is that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe waters don\u2019t work for men.\u201d Alinta made a small gesture and they began the walk out of the cemetery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Djeneba added \u201cWe don\u2019t know why. We\u2019ve been trying to figure it for the last two hundred years, with no answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut,\u201d Cho started. She stopped at Alinta\u2019s raised hand, and nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They piled back onto the bus and Berta said, \u201cWe\u2019re ready to go back now.\u201d As the bus pulled out to take them the three and half hours back the ladies retrieved their knitting and started working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each sat in their own seat with their knitting bag beside them. Carmela turned to Berta. \u201cHave Madeline show you what she\u2019s working on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline overheard and showed Berta the scarf she was knitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the cable that Cho was doing on those sleeves, right?\u201d Berta scooted over to get a better look. \u201cDid you double it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did.\u201d Madeline beamed with pride. \u201cI changed it up a little so they\u2019re interlinked in-between.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClever.\u201d Berta looked back at her own work. \u201cI\u2019ll have you show me that when I finish this one. It looks fun.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

prompt: \u00a0Write a story about a meeting of a secret society….available at Reedsy Six elderly women, all carrying large knitting bags, five walking and wearing pink parkas, the last in line pushing a wheelchair with …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[208],"tags":[210,209,220],"class_list":["post-2113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trunk-stories","tag-fiction","tag-short-story","tag-urban-fantasy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/sxT7i-2113","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2113"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2116,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113\/revisions\/2116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.evardsson.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}