Surviving The Virus by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

“I got this”

He turns and makes his run. As he passes the car the right rear RPG launches. It did not hit the car but that’s timing.

“That’s enough. Turn around and park next to me. We will discuss how you did.”

“Becky would you drive on down.”

Rick parks and gets out but you could see some trepidation in his face as the third SUV

slows down and stops. Becky gets out but from the passenger side Cindy also gets out.

I tell him, “Rick don’t worry, Jess is watching the children. They are in good hands.”

Cindy joins Rick and Becky joins me.

“Rick, Cindy I needed to trust your words. As I put it you just had iron. This whole thing was a test. The cars around you are those of that gang. The three of us using these armored SUVs fought thirty men. Killed every last one of them. They first had a man and a women pose as survivors on their last leg. Like you were. We gave them food and fuel and they betrayed our generosity. They turned out to be gang members.”

“The woman came back saying that she escaped the gang. Some things in her story did not add up. As I did some work away from the cabin, Becky and Jess talked to her but change the man’s name from Ronald to Harold. She did not realize the change but continued to call him Harold.. They drugged her coffee. When I came back she was chained to the tree but ardent that she was wronged by my women. I shot her.”

“When we came upon you at the cabin we got a different reading on all of you. There were all the signs that you were indeed there and survived the winter. I needed some final proof. What we have to reveal is a game stopper. The three of us had to be sure.”

On queue, Becky went to the SUV that Rick was driving.

“She will now pull the left rear RPG.”

Becky pulls the cord and the left does not fire.

She gets out but is carrying a rope and a case.

“I made it very clear that I was on the left side and the car you were to target was on the right. If there was no firing I would have known that you pulled the left. Becky show him how.”

She holds up a short cord.

“I made a point to make sure that I could have been in your line of fire. Each and every opportunity you had to shoot at me and you did not. That is the iron in your words.

Please bear with me for a few minutes.”

I take the case from Becky and walk to the furthest end of the drive in, put it down, then walked back to them.

“I had told you that we three killed before to protect our family. Cindy, you heard it over the radio, didn’t you?”

She answers yes.

“I had insurance. I had this on my dash.” As I handed it to Rick.

“Rick, if you had fired on me or pulled the left cord this would have happened. Rick push the button.”

Rick pushes it and an extremely large explosion occurred where I placed the case.

“That was one pound of C4 explosive that was under your seat. You proved that you can be trusted. I now will explain why I would go to these extremes. I protect my family.

We live in an underground vary large concrete bunker complex. We want you to move in with us if you choose to. You will never find the entrance or any trace of it on your own.

If you choose not to live with us, you can stay at the cabin or that house we talked about as long as you are a good neighbor. You have proven that you are. I will tell you that during the winter we were able to walk around in shorts. It stays seventy degrees all year.

“Safety, food, and a warm place to sleep, Becky and I we’ll walk over here to let you talk.”

“You don’t need to walk away. It has to be better than what we have now.” Rick says

Cindy adds, “Out of the elements, No worries. We don’t need further discussion. If you’ll have us, we’re in.”

“If you are in, the cardinal rule is that you never reveal the bunker’s location. We now trust you, don’t betray us. There are detours and back roads also houses to stop at if you think you are followed. We never have had to but there is always the first time. All safe houses have location numbers and direct communication with the bunker. You are becoming part of our family. I will be making another death mobile”

“We agree with any and all conditions” Cindy says. “One other thing in your favor if you let us move in. Both your wives are young. I’m a midwife.”

Becky’s face lights up. She grabs the radio mic. “Jess, you read me?”

“I read you”

“Get the children near the radio. By the way, Cindy is a midwife.”

We her giggles from Jess as she calls over the children.

“They’re here”

“Cindy please tell your children that it is alright to go with aunt Jess. You will meet them in your new home.”

She tells them and they say that they will go.

“Now let’s get these back to the dealership Then we go to your new home.”

We drive back to the dealership. I’m in the lead, Rick is following me and Cindy is riding with Becky. It was an easy drive back.

“Rick whatever I do, follow me. I tell you that you will be amazed.”

I radio Jess, everyone can hear me.

“We are almost at the dealership be ready to raise the doors.”

I slow down at the parking lot and start my turn.

“Jess now”

The garage door opens, I radio

“Rick don’t stop. Don’t worry we will all fit in the right hand bay” and I laugh.

I drive through the door and disappear. Rick follows, then Becky. We stop after what seems like a mile of tunnel in the large garage.

“Trevor, you are full of surprises.”

” You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

The two children run to greet their parents. They each grab one parent and drag them inside. They are very hyper. Look at this, can you see that, watch me, a constant barrage of energy.

What Rick and Cindy see is a house. A mansion. It is living large. The only concrete they saw was in the tunnel and garage. Given the tour they are shown the common rooms first.

“Courtesy, make a mess clean it up.”

I look at both kids, “that includes both of you.”

I give them a stern look.

Showing them the TV room, DVDs and games, I pull Rick aside.

“There are after hours DVDs. Now under lock and keys so the kids can’t mistakenly play one.”

We show them the laundry room. Then the store rooms.

“Each room has an inventory that’s simple. The sheet has the quantity listed. Take one out initial. Get down to the min quantity listed you inform us and we try to find more.

Now for your rooms.”

I take them down the other side of the bunker.

“This is your side for sleeping. There are four rooms with a common full bath room. You are responsible to keep it clean. Because we are in an enclosed environment we will be looking at the whole complex for cleanliness. You will be inspecting our side, we yours.”

“Now we will go back to the cabin to get any personal items and food. We’ll shut it down and reinstall the spikes. That can happen tomorrow or the next day. Let’s look at what to eat. How about a good breakfast. I know that it’s noon but I want bacon and eggs.”

They look at me strange.

“Yes, bacon and eggs. I hunt the pigs and smoke the bacon. The kids pulled you away fast so you didn’t see the chickens in the garage by the work shop.”

“Breakfast sounds good” Rick says

“Of course there is coffee, only powdered milk but we have sugar.”

“I take mine black.”

As the now three women gather in the kitchen, Rick asks me about the work shop.

“My wives and Cindy, we will be right back. I’m showing Rick the work shop”

They say okay but make it short. Jess adds, “Gather the eggs. We did not do that yet.

These children need more than just two eggs.”

“Will do” and we go to the work shop.

“I have been mostly using the wood side but I know what some of the metal side does but there are a few machines that I just don’t know about so I have not used them.”

Rich casually says that this machine is a computer driven CNC multi axis with a complete set of chucked tools. This is the spare tool locker. Here is a honing machine.

This would be able to hone out from an engine block to a small valve body. He goes on to point out what the other machines do.

“You can open your own machine shop here. You have everything that would be needed to fix anything” Rick says. Then, just as casual, he tells me that he is a machinist.”

“Now I know why we thought you both were a good fit. Speaking of fits, we better get those eggs and get back.” I say.

I open the door to the house and there are Bob and Lisa. Bob was reaching for the knob as I opened.

“Aunt Jess told me to tell you both to come back with the eggs or you don’t get any.”

They both run back yelling “We told them aunt Jess.”

Now this is a home.

Chapter 9: Roles and passers by

It’s been several days since our family started living together. During those days we let Rick, Cindy and the kids decompress. Going from barely getting by to having what we let them come in to, they needed the euphoria to die down a bit.

Cindy is now helping with everything, but mostly with Becky and Jess. I see a marked change in her. She smiles, laughs, but mostly she hums and sings to her hearts content.

Rick smiles. He told me that he has never seen this side of her. She was always keeping the worries bottled up. He says he likes the change and she has become more

‘touchy feely’ with him.

Now is a good time to call the first council meeting. I tell everyone to meet in the common room.

With everyone there including the children, I start it as a formal meeting.

“The reason I want to talk with everyone is that I would like to start a council to govern our town. First things first for the sake of order I say that the people here are the only ones to have access to our home. The reason is that we control the supplies, munitions and machinery. We need the knowledge that we are constantly safe. Every one agree on this.”

They all agree.

I look at Bob and Lisa “You are both old enough. You have shown that you are responsible members of this family. I propose that they have an equal vote in the council matters.”

Everyone agrees.

Rick does say “In all actual safety matters, you have no wiggle room. Outside of the council meetings you need to listen to us. Do you agree?”

They both seem proud when they voice that they agree.

“Next, I have discussed this with my wives. As far as our marriage goes we are in a closed marriage. It would lead to eventual friction if we opened it. Rick and Cindy, that decision is up to you but any extramarital activity must take place in one of the towns houses or at the cabin.”

Cindy asks, “What if, when people start showing up, we feel like we want to add to our marriage?”

Becky says “We feel that an addition of another male would upset the balance here so that is out of the question.. As far as adding another female as a wife, we women will choose who to add.”

“Our three men here,” she smiles at Bob, “may voice their opinion but where there is the possibility of extra wives there is also to follow children from them we have the final say.

Adding wives, we four”

She now smiles at Lisa, “will make sure that they will comfortably fit in. Then and only then would they be allowed access to this home.”

Cindy affirms what Becky just said. “I agree for our family we need harmony. We women will rule on additions.”

Jess says “That’s settled. Next”

Rick says to me “It’s beginning to look like a matriarchal society.”

I tell him, “I remember my father saying that the key to a happy marriage is three words and it will make for a happy marriage. In any situation just say ‘You’re right dear.”

“And mean it” Cindy adds as she crosses her arms and smiles, Rick answers that “You’re right dear.”

Jess comments “See we can train them.” They laugh.

“Everyone, this is important, lets focus” I say trying to get the meeting back in control.

“Next, being the first here, I, for now, will assume the leadership role. Rick, you’ll be my second. These titles are for those who may come later. In this house, we all have equal voice. Any big decisions will be by unanimous vote by the counsel. Especially who we let stay and who we let pass through. In the case of trouble makers, they would be dealt with.”

Becky adds the comment “Like Margret?”

Cindy asks “Who’s Margret?”

Jess says, “That is the woman that betrayed us. She came back after with a suspicious story. We caught her in a lie while she was trying to spy on us. We drugged her, stripped her naked and chained her to the tree at the cabin”

“How did we get so far afield?” I ask.

“This is the last thing. You women, hold your comments, please” They just smile. Lisa seeing them smiles also. Too damn cute.

“I know that this town had a name. I propose that we rename it. A new name for a new town. In medieval times the ruling family would take that name. We don’t need to decide now but think about it.”

Bob and Lisa whisper to each other then they both say “The towns name is New Hope.”

Cindy asks them, “How did you come up with that name?”

Lisa has a puzzled look, “We got it from you. You were talking with papa Rick and a few times since we moved her you told him that this town is our new hope.”

Cindy was choking back the tears.

We adults are stunned. They are absolutely right. “All agree?” those two ask.

Looking at the adults with anticipation. I say “That is the perfect name. We agree.

“Does that make our last names New Hope?” Bob asks Rick

I look at Rick and ask, Rick would you please formally introduce these two brilliant council members to us?”

Rick stands and proudly states “This is my son Bob New Hope and my daughter Lisa New Hope.” They both giggle as they stand and bow as we clap.

“Now we are one family. Meeting adjourned. Let’s celebrate. I think there is some ice cream left in the freezer.” I say

Both kids race and find the ice cream. We have New Hope and ice cream.

Over the next few days, Both Rick and I paint over the town’s signs with the new name.

Spring was almost over. We planted quite a few gardens. The most have the root vegetables that last the winter. There are the bean and corn crops for dehydrating. The leaf and tomato crops are the remainder.

It was a clear day as we lightly weeded one of the gardens. We need to leave enough weeds to make it look neglected from the road. The whole family participates and it gives the children a chance to play outdoors.

They come running up yelling “There are people walking this way on the road. Do we need to hide?” It is obvious that they still have fears from before Rick and Cindy found them. For now, that is a good thing but we also want for them to feel safe.

“You did the right thing by coming and alerting us. Now you have nothing to worry about.

We are family. It’s our job to protect you.” I tell the both of them.

“Rick, we need to go to the road. Be prepared to challenge them.”

Coming up the road is three women. They are armed but they look worn out.

I yell up the field “Becky and Cindy, we need you down here. Jess protect the children.”

The two join us. This way it does not cause any more stress on those women. I have our two do the initial greeting. They were already aware of us when I yelled to our wives.

“How are you doing?” Becky asks. They look suspicious and scared at the same time.

“We are fine. Just passing through. We don’t want any trouble.”

“Could you use some food and water?” Cindy asks then she adds, “No strings attached”

Becky runs up the hill and comes back down with water and what we were going to have for lunch. She hands it to the three.

“We were going to have this for lunch but you need it more.”

The three look bewildered. Giving away food? Hunger takes hold of the food and that hunger needed to be satisfied. They ate.

“Please don’t eat so fast. Your stomachs will reject the food if you eat fast. We have more.” I say.

With that, they seem to relax and so do we.

We did not demand them to surrender their weapons. All we did was to sit down on the grass.

They sat down also.

Who we take is the leader speaks up. “You live here? In New Hope?”

We let the women do the most talking for now. Becky says that we do. The house we are at is one that we setup just for an occasion like this. There is some food. It was set up with a propane generator so we have lights.

“We live in this house here.” Cindy tells them “I know that this is a tense time. Distrust is a survival tool. I’m going to offer something to you. Accept or reject, you won’t hurt our feelings.

“I have running water and hot water at that. I’m offering it to you. We will stay outside after I show you where it is. I recommend that you go in one by one and take a shower.

The others can stay outside on watch for your own self-assurance.”

Becky adds, “We have access to clothes. It looks like you could use some.”

The leader says that they could use a change so Becky and Cindy take them across the street to the church. We have a bunch of clothes there. Rick and I stand watch from this side of the street. After a little while the three come out with an arm full each. Our women made sure that they had new boots.

They come back over but they stop.

“What’s this going to cost us?”

“Nothing except tales of what you have seen out there.” I say.

“We can pay that but after a shower” The leader says “It’s been over a year since I have had anything other than a wash in a cold stream.”

“Enjoy. Showers are limited to twenty minutes, each.” That melts the ice.

One by one they enter the house. Then one by one clean refreshed women come out.

By this time the children and Jess have joined us. It’s the children that suggest that they stay for the night.

“You can have supper with us then have a sleep over.” Lisa tells them.

I add, “For your peace of mind, we’ll have you stay in the house next door. We will stay here. Unfortunately, that house does not have power but it does have bottled water and a composting toilet. There is a king size bed in the living room that we put there for this type of occasion. You seem reasonable so we are good on you staying the night. If we did not feel comfortable we would have let you keep on walking.”

“We appreciate the offer but I feel that I need to move on.” The leader says.

“Can I ask why?” I ask.

“I want to put as much distance between myself and the mutant hoard that is coming this way. They were in an area around two hundred miles from here.”

You have my full attention now so I ask her “What do you mean by a mutant hoard?”

“There are over one hundred mutants, almost all the physical type. There are a hand full of the nonphysical types. From what we observed those nonphysical have retained some of their understanding so they are the leaders. The hoard is like the old tales of locust. They descend on an area and leave when is completely devoid of life.”

She drops the bomb, “I have been through an area that they left, they are cannibals.

Human bones left in their wake. They are on foot and don’t seem to be in a hurry but”

“I will tell you this much, I believe that we will not have that much problem here. We can escape their worst.”

“Large talk but until you see what they do you’ll find out that it’s too late. I’m putting distance between us and them.” With that she picks up her pack. One of the other women does the same but the smallest of them is still sitting on the ground.

“You sure?” the leader asks

“Yes” she says to the leader then she turns to us.

“I’m extremely tired of walking. I’m constantly frightened, constantly hungry and out of hope. I beg you, can I stay with your group? Please. I’d rather die here in New Hope than die in some unknown place.”

I look at the others to find that our three women are off to the side talking for a moment.

They turn to me and nod yes.

I tell the leader “We will accept her and protect her as one of us.”

“Good enough” then the two hug the third wish her luck then walk away.

When they’ve gone out of sight, Becky, Jess and Cindy have us all come to the porch.

“First of all,” Becky, being my first wife and the leader of the women, starts to inform our new town member

“We did not ask names because we did not know if we would have allowed any of you to stay. What is your name?”

“Mary Hogan”

“Well Mary Hogan, welcome to New Hope. Both Jess and I are married to Trevor. Cindy is married to Rick. The two children are Bob and Lisa. I will state here that none of us are genetically related but we are a family. The children were adopted by Rick and Cindy”

“That being said, Trevor is like the mayor and Rick is his second. The three of us women are what you would call the integration council. We cannot have you living out here by yourself.”

Mary is confused “What do you mean alone out here? Do you mean you don’t live in this house?”

“No, we don’t live here.” Jess answers.

I think I know where they are going with this.

Cindy now speaks, “Those two have Trevor and I have Rick.” Cindy looks at Rick then turns back to Mary.

“The three of us have a hunch that you will fit well into our family. Becky, Jess have said that for now they don’t want another woman in their marriage. Mary would you be open to become a wife of Rick?”

Rick and I give the three our approval.

Mary thinks about it. She says “If it means I don’t have to run anymore I can do that. I can become a wife of Rick.”

“To ease your mind,” Rick looks directly into her eyes, “Marriage does not mean that you must have sex with me. It is okay with me if we never have sex or if we do but it does mean that both Trevor’s and my marriage are closed. You must agree to that. I will tell you it would be a deal breaker if you cannot live with this.”

Becky steps in as she informs Mary, “You need to think about it, you really need to think about it. We will not accept any impulse response today. We will all, including you, be staying here over night. There will be no mention or pressure about your decision. We want you to see what we are about. Is that acceptable to you?”

“I would like that” Mary states.

“Trevor, Rick, Bob it’s man time. I want the three of you to go get some meat and things to barbecue. Leave us women, including Lisa, to get something put together here. We women need to chat.”

Lisa says “Yes, we women need to talk” she grabs Mary’s hand and leads her into the house.

Said it before those kids are cute.

Chapter 10: Acceptance and protection

We ate well. Barbecued burgers. We brought back some of the last tomatoes and lettuce along with bread and some fixings. Also, homemade chips. To say Mary was astonished would be an understatement. I was half way through the meal that it dawned on me that this is Becky’s way of showing Mary what we had in store for her.

We talked, the kids are excited. We’re spending a night outside our home. I hope that the fire flies come out, but they don’t, too early in the season. Night comes, the sky is clear and the moon is full. It’s an ideal night, I may excuse myself and my wives for a night drive. I think they would like that. When asked, they both turn me down. All I got was that from my wives is we needed to be here. Damn.

Morning came. We are having a lite breakfast of fruit. We will have the normal one when we get home. Now Cindy takes Mary’s hands in hers.

“Mary, you have had a little time to think about our offer. Have you come to a decision?”

“Cindy I want to be part of the family. My answer is yes.” Mary says with a truly relaxed smile.

I go over the rules with her. Especially the fact that we will be showing her something that can never be disclosed to anyone. She agrees with everything.

We finish what we needed to do in the garden. By that time, it was midmorning. Since we shared our food the previous day, we did not have enough for a good lunch so I called it a day.

“Well let’s get going” I say “Mary prepare to be amazed. Make sure that you take your back pack. Not that you really need it. We have changes of clothes at home.”

The rest of us have a laugh.

It’s a good thing that we came here in two cars. This time the children rode back with their aunts and uncle. That way those three could talk in private. I told Rick to let her be shocked.

We drove to the dealership. I hit the remote. The garage and tunnel entrance were on the same remote signal. Rick came up with that idea. His reasoning was that if we needed to run and hide, we would not need to use separate remotes.

Mary panicked when Rick did not slow down after I drove into the bay. She was totally out of it when we drove through the tunnel. Then we parked in the garage. Her first sight was now four death mobiles. Then the chicken coop. Her jaw was just open.

It was the two children that grabbed her and took her into the common rooms. They showed her everything. She staggered and settled into the nearest chair in the common room.

“What the hell is this?” Mary got out. I swear that you could hear her brain cells exploding.

I take over, “This is a bunker complex. We are deep underground in a reinforced concrete house. As you see, it looks for the most part normal. We have all the amenities, that you could want. We have a very well equipped armory. Cold storage, a freezer filled with deer, rabbit, birds, some beef and pork.”

“As you can smell, those three are already starting the good breakfast we missed. You have two very important things to answer, how many eggs do you want? Over easy, sunny side up or scrambled?”

Why is she looking that the lights are on but no body’s home.

Now that she is fed and back to this real world. I ask her the obvious question.

“Mary can you see why the secrecy about your new home?”

“I understand” she responds “If the others knew, they would have stayed. I can see why you waited to see what they wanted to do.”

“If the existence was known, people would do anything to get in, including ambushing us, taking hostages, anything. The thing is that once the others got in they would not be able to keep it. Another group of others would take it. This place would go from a home to just another hole in the ground.”

“Now how about a slow tour then Cindy can show you to your room. You look like you could use a little down time.”

“Not right yet” She says, “Can I look at the vans in the garage?”

I take her in the garage with Rick. She is looking over them like she was looking to buy.

“You’re missing something important.” she comments.

“What would that be?”

“There is an Air Force reserve unit around two hundred miles from here. The three of us passed it a while back while we were putting as much distance between us and the mutants. It looked abandoned. I bet you didn’t know that they fly those A10’s If you were to go there you would find that wonderful nose gun and all the ammunition you would ever need for them.”

Now I have seen those videos of that gatling gun in action nothing survive. We need to get one if possible but the question of travel alone or with someone is risky at best. I was going to say that it was not worth the risk when Rick saved the day.

“That distance is too far. Risk outweighs the rewards but we have those wonderful machines. I believe I can take some of those replacement rifle barrels and make one.

We have an abundance of 45 cal’s. It would not have the range that the A10 but we are not airborne. Let me run a few parts.”

“Is that muscle car open to modification? If it is I would like to use it as a fast attack car.

Its speed and maneuverability would be of better use. The vans are like the tanks but that muscle can be the fighter support. Hit and run like the original Jeep was in the world war..” Mary tells them.

“Rick” I say “I think we got another winner.”

Back in the common room, I ask Mary “You mentioned that you walked at least the two hundred miles from the reserve base and the hoard. Why do you think the other two chose to keep on going instead of settling here?”

“Their names are Shirley and Janet” she tells me. “Shirley was chased by a mutant and barely escaped. She has become obsessed with getting as far away as possible. I tried several times to tell her that there could be more mutants ahead and we could be walking into their territory. Shirley would never listen. I stayed with them only because there is safety in numbers. When you offered the house I finally said to her that this is the place to stay. She wouldn’t listen. She insisted that the three of us need to keep on going. She is obsessed with getting away.”

“Sometimes, trauma can work on the mind like the virus did. She will walk into more hoards.” I commented. “Even if we were to go and forcibly bring both back here, she would escape. Janet appears to be caught up in Shirley’s phobia. She will follow to her doom. It may sound cruel but it is better that she left. That illness is just as infectious as the virus is.”

Mary seemed sad “I know you’re right. Part of me wants to run and get her seeing what is here but you are right. For a while I felt the same way but my new family saved me.

You saved me.”

We ate very well the Mary gave me a hug then gave Rick a longer hug. Mary then says to Rick and Cindy,

“I’m really tired would you show me to my room?”

From what I had heard, we were lucky that they did move on. I feel sorry for both but I may have had to put Shirley down. I hope she keeps on going. I do get the urge to go after them. If they talk to the wrong people, it could be trouble for us. I thought back to the Rovers.

Rick comes back.

“Cindy is helping Mary get into bed. She had an avalanche of information and emotions today. I think that we need to let her sleep until she wakes up.” he tells me.

“Rick, I’m fighting with my dark thoughts and need you to hear me out then give me your genuine opinion. We may have a problem with Shirley. She could talk about us. Her obsession may cause her to start resenting us for stealing away one of her followers.

The next people she meets, she may grumble about us. They could come for us. Do we rely on fate? I don’t like the thoughts I am having. I need your input Rick. Do I go to make sure that doesn’t happen?”

After searching for the right way to put his answer, he says,

“We don’t go after her. I know that the thought of people coming after us to take what we have made here is disturbing but if we were to take care of her, we would have to do the same with any one that passes through. The only ones that we need to take care of are the ones that we see they are trouble. We let her go in peace. If she was to talk, so be it. Maybe, just maybe she would inspire some people to come here to settle. Good people that will truly would be an asset. No, we do not go after her.”

Rick is right. After listening I realize that the same syndrome that Shirley has was trying to take me over.

“Thank you Rick. Sometimes I do find myself getting caught up in my mind’s dark wanderings. This is too good and the thoughts of losing it scares me. I need to be grounded. Please, if you see me drifting, drag me back the way you just did.”

I actually feel better. Went to the edge and came back. I need to take a shower and maybe get some sleep, maybe.

We all woke up refreshed. Yesterday was a whirlwind of new. Today is nothing like routine. Today is another house cleaning. That means my Jeep with the trailer. Since the spring, we have been removing bodies and taking them out of town. There is a natural gully ten miles out. Not all the virus victims died in hospitals. As a matter of fact, most did not have a chance. The majority tried to avoid the virus by staying indoors. It did not work so it is our work to get them out of town.

The bodies now are mostly decayed or desiccated. Gloves and garbage bags are the tools of body removal. There is just something creepy to be searching someone’s

house with them sitting at their kitchen table. The need for clearing is due to any possibility of having new people.

We need to have clean houses but the greater need is that we need to gather any and all fire arms, any archery items, anything that can contribute to a fatality, mainly ours.

One day we will need to disclose the fact that we live in a secret bunker. Just the fact that we are cleaning out houses shows that we want people to settle here but we want the right people.

To us, the right people are the ones that will share the values of the community. They must be willing to participate in keeping the community safe. We need to be able to get along with each other. The days of competing are not over only the days of envy are.

That is the reason for screening who lives here and who moves on.

One day we hope to be able to present the bunker as a secure storage and command center. A safe place for the noncombatants to go to while the able bodied fight off the gangs that will come after the community but for now it is our safe place. Until we have the numbers to defend what is ours, our home will remain secret.

.

Chapter 11: Strange things in the wind

It’s been months now since Mary joined our family. She turned out to be a good fit. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty. Mary helps in every aspect of the bunker life and the cleanup of the houses.

Right now, though, is the gardens conditions. They seem to need extra care, but some of the scattered gardens have started to fail. There is still time in the growing season so we take a chance and plant where there is more sun and look to it more often. We also don’t know if the garden was composted and let go fallow so we will replant somewhere else. It is the general consensus that, since we have not seen anyone since Mary’s group came through, that we were not worried about hiding it.

We need to set up a year round hydroponic garden under the lights in the garage. With the chickens, I remembered a trick that my grandma Minnie did. She took the chicken shit and put it into a garden water barrel. She then would water the garden with that. It should work for the hydroponic garden.

“Rick, I think the time has come to check on that mutant horde. It has been a while and we have not seen them.”

“It’s been on my mind also” he responds. “Even walking, they should have been somewhere around.”

“I want to find out some information on them. The biggest thing we need to find out is the group cohesion. Shirley had mentioned that the non-physicals were leading. With her mind set, I think that we need to see for ourselves. Does the horde operate like a flock of migrating birds where there is a leader or do they just drift like snowflakes in a blizzard wind.”

Rick responds “We need to take the SUVs. That way if we find that they are a threat …”

Mary jumps in “We can wipe them out! I’m going with you and claim first blood. Chris needs to draw blood.”

“Chris?”

I get it “That old movie about the evil car the murders people.”

Mary had taken my muscle car and modified the snot out of it. It has gone from a wickedly fast car to a just plainly wicked car that is very fast. She did add our napalm, the roof RPG’s, those are standard. She did add the roof mounted Gatling style machine gun.

Rick was able to make it in the machine shop. He used barrels for 22 caliber rounds.

That is the most abundant rounds made. The six rotating barrels spit out bullets at a

rate of 100 rounds per minute. Yes, it is slower, yes that caliber does not have the same impact of a 45 caliber but at 100 rounds per minute, this will kill. One grain of sand does not do any damage but when grouped together in a sand blasting machine they will strip the hardest paint.

The other thing is her retractable three foot long blades on each side of the car. Razor sharp edges that taper out over a four inch width on a half inch thick forged steel rectangle bar. It will slice anything in half.

“Mary” Rick cautions “We are going to gather information and their location. If they are not coming our way, it is better to let them go.”

“But we need to eliminate them. They are a threat.”

I ask, “Isn’t that Shirley talking? Gathering information is paramount. We need a plan so that we can do what is needed. If that is letting them alone, so be it. If a hornet nest is far away, you don’t go poking at it.”

Rick adds, since you have seen them in your travels, you will be going with us. If you cannot follow our orders, say so now. Trevor makes the final call. Will you follow our orders?”

Meekly she says “Yes”

I tell her “Just remember that if you don’t, I will take the car away. Rick, I know that this is unfair but I give you the order. If Mary does not follow the orders, you are to stop her car by whatever means, put her in your SUV and them I will destroy the car so it does not fall into others hands.”

Mary is shocked at my orders to Rick as Rick tells her

“I will use my spikes to impale the car. Then drag her, if necessary, to my SUV.”

“I have a pound of C4 and a remote that I will take with me” I say also looking directly at her, “I am serious here. We cannot have you jeopardize your safety. You are an integral part of our family. Acting out could get you killed, Rick killed, me killed, or the three of us killed. Do you want to have to come back here and have to tell the family that your action got us killed?”

“No” She is visibly shaken by that revelation.

Rick goes over to her. While hugging her he softly says, “We value you that much.

Please don’t think we are picking on you. We are wanting what is best for your safety.”

I say to her “I tell you what, since we have to go by the reservist base, if it is safe, we will explore it. No side winder missiles for your car.”

Mary gets out between the sniffles “I’m not old school. I want a hell fire missile.”

We all laugh.

“Not happening but small rockets will be considered”

That brightens her mood.

Now that is settled, I tell the others of our plan and that we will be going first thing in the morning. With our radios, we will be in contact for the most part. The last information, over a month old, had them 200 miles away. This should be a full day trip. Maybe two because we will not be coming home in the dark.

“We are stopping at the reserve base, if it is clear of people. Don’t want a conflict with a military group. If clear, we may stay the night to explore what we can salvage in the way of weapons and commodities. There may be government issued rations and canned goods.”

Mary says “I’ve been promised that if there are small rockets, I can have some.”

“As long as you behave” Cindy tells her.

“Everybody is picking on me today.”

“Because we love you but we know you.” Cindy retorts

The next morning, the three of us get ready to leave. I get a case and walk over to Mary.

Rick immediately recognizes it. He winces. I set it on the car hood and open it.

“Mary, as you can see, Rick has experienced this case. This is a wakeup call. There is a pound of C4 with a remote circuit. I show you this because I want you to know that it was not just wind yesterday. This will destroy that car, or any of these if necessary.

Okay, with that, let’s roll. Take the lead.”

Rick and I go to our SUV’s and we move out.

The drive was like a Sunday drive, except that there is a lack of organized government doing the road maintenance. There is now a myriad of obstacles in the way. Rock slides wash outs, pot holes and trees in the road all hinder our progress. We’ll need to allow for more time.

Over the radio, I tell them back at home that it will take longer than we figured.

“I would not believe that there were so many things that we have to go around. We need to be cautious so it is going to take more time.” I tell them

Becky says “Be safe. If that means staying overnight, so be it. Just let us know. One thing to watch out for could some of those be traps?”

“We’ll watch out for that” Mary adds. “I’m leading. The things we are running into are naturally caused. So far there has been no sign of anyone.”

Nothing in this world is normal anymore but there are certain things that seem out of place. We have seen wild cats walking down roads. Animals returning to their old habitats. Buildings starting to become ruins due to a branch through a roof. Broken windows that let the birds have a new roost. Those are things to be expected.

The absence of people is the unnerving thing. The fact that I grew up in a crowded city, Trevor thinks. maybe the next generation would be aghast at the thought of a city full of people who did not even know each other.

We made it to that reserve air base. There was no sign of anyone having been there, in at least, since the last winter. Most plants are overgrown their area. Doors now have vines attaching themselves to the doors. Like the invasive vine kudzu, some things can only be vaguely discerned by the rough shape the vines take. I determined that it was safe to stop.

The eight foot chain link fence was covered with the vines. You could just see some of the razor wire that topped it but soon that would be hidden. We had to use the SUV to get the gate open. It was a tough pull but the vine finally gave way. The site was almost a green carpeted flat land. There were scattered buildings around that were not encased in that living tomb.

The hanger was obvious. There were several aircraft parked in a row and the building was extremely large. It was decided that we would check that first.

“Rick, Mary, you’re the resident mechanics, so I want you to check to see what tools we could use.”

Looking around I see a box trailer in there.

“What we will do is pack what you want to take into that trailer. We will pick it up on the way back. I want to check the offices to see if I can find a map of this base. We need to find where the armory is.”

They start to rummage. I head to the end of the building where the offices are located.

There were several small offices that had paper work left on the desks. One had the last people on base there. They were in their fatigues. You could tell that they wanted to die at their post. Funny thing is that there were a few whiskey bottles there along with beer cans.

“Good for them.” I give them a salute and gently close the door.

Finally, I came across a map of the base. It was in what I would call the dispatchers office. It was adjacent to a parts store room and had a door that led to the outside. The armory was next door. The rocket stores were in a bunker located at the far end of the field. Mary would want to see that.

Returning to the hanger, I find that they had moved a trailer to the center and were loading some things into it.

“Found the armory. It’s the building next door. Find any bolt cutters?”

Mary smiles, “Found something better. We have one of those porta power setups. We can cut through anything.” as she points out the case.

“Rick, I’m taking Mary for a bit.” With that we go next door.

Sure enough, the building was locked. There was a steel door with what looked like heavy duty in door key locks. Mary assembled the cutting jaws and handed the tool to me.

“You cut and I’ll pump the hydraulics.” she tells me.

The tool was a god send. Soon the jaws were cutting through the door like butter. The door was now open. There was a modest rack of AR’s along with the ammunition. Some side arms but the biggest portion was the A10 rounds that took up half of the large building. Fortune smiles on us because there are five new replacement nose guns still in their shipping box’s.

“We’re taking all of it.” we both say at the same time. I almost wiped the drool off with my sleeve.

“The AR’s ammo and everything is coming with us.”

In the back of my mind, I hear that cartoon duck saying “Mine, mine, mine, back, back, back, down, down, down, I’m a greedy little duck!”

Not that we needed them but I now regret that I turned down Mary’s suggestion about coming here.”

Our greed is interrupted. We hear the deep sound of an engine rumbling. Panic sets in and we both run towards the sound. It’s coming from the hanger. Weapons drawn; we cautiously enter to find Rick behind the wheel of a Humvee. He is smiling ear to ear.

“I found this under a tarp. Keys in it so I tried to start it. We now can tow a few trailers back.”

“That’s good because we need to haul the armory back.” I explain what we found.

Mary now has reached her limit. “We need to go to the rocket bunker.”

“We are not going to mount anything yet. That will be when we get back.” I tell her.

I call home, “We are going to stay here over night.” I don’t want to say the real reason over the radio so I just say “The way was tiring and we needed to make some repairs”

I float this by the two, “Why don’t we load the armory into one of the trailers, then one of us drive the Humvee back to the house. Drop off the trailer and return here.”

Rick volunteers to do the run so we load up the trailer to its capacity and then some. It was a long night but Rick made it there and back in a few hours. We cleared most big obstacles out of the road on the way here and well it was a Humvee so it went over most everything.

Rick told us that everything was fine at home. Since it was coming on dawn, Rick said

“Why don’t we get this done. Let’s make the final run towards the horde.”

“If you are up to it, I agree”

Mary says that she is ready. We leave to go the agreed upon last hundred miles.

The miles pass. The roads are a little better but we see no sign of the horde. We do how ever find their wake of destruction. Devoid of any life form other than bugs and trampled vegetation, we do find the occasional bone pile.

You can tell that some of the bones are human. Bones don’t tell if they were virus, starvation, accident or mutant. If the mutants are cannibalizing, they may not hesitate eating their own. I can only hope that this would be their fate. Eating their own numbers down is ideal.

For now, it appears that they are just drifting. After looking around, it is clear that they are not going in a set direction. They appear to be just wandering and for now they were going away from us so we decide to go home.

Making it back to the base, we hook up the last of the trailers and we finally look into the rocket bunker. It was a big bust. There were missiles there but those that were the ones that needed the large voltage systems.

“Mary, we will lock this back up. The vines have almost covered this anyways. If you can figure out how to generate the large voltage in a car system, we’ll come back otherwise they will just take up space.”

She replies, “I already have a few ideas and I got the manuals in the trailer. Let’s go home.”

The Humvee was returned to the hanger where we covered it again.

Rick says “We’ll come back later in the week and retrieve it.”

A few days after we returned, we were at one of the garden houses. After rototilling a new garden area. The children came up to us and announced that people are coming.

Looking and seeing that it was Shirley and Janet. This time I tell Cindy to take the children and go back home. Lock the bunker down.

“I get a bad feeling about this. Be on your guard but be calm and friendly at first. Let’s see where this is going. Mary you should be the one to greet them”

Shirley and Janet walk up to the house that we first met them. We approach them. Mary greets them,

“Shirley and Janet, it’s nice to see you both again. What are you two doing back here? I thought you would be far away by now?”

“We were but we had to come back to get you. You’re not safe here You need to come with us.” Shirley insists.

“What do you mean, she has to go with you? Mary is perfectly safe with us!” I tell her emphatically.

Shirley is getting very agitated.

“There is no debating on this. She is coming with us.”

“Why”

“There is a new threat out there. We have been told to watch out for a gang of marauders that are roaming. They drive around in modified cars and are killing everyone they see.”

Rick asks “Did they describe the cars?”

“We were told that they looked like they were converted SUVs machine guns razor knives mounted on the sides. They kill anything living.”

I know that she is talking about us but is this her mind adding things or is this the rumor.

We have not found evidence that there are any normal’s in the surrounding area. Both had to be wandering in the areas that we have driven through in the past month. She

clearly never got over Mary staying with us. Her mind has filled in the blanks. She made up an excuse to take Mary back. Definitely a fledgling cult.

I confront her

“Where did you hear this? It sounds like an outlandish rumor, just like that information that you gave us about the horde. We drove to see for ourselves and found nothing.

Now you come declaring that you are taking one of our family. Mary, do you want to go with her?”

“Absolutely not! Shirley, we parted ways and that is that. I love it here. I will not be going with you ever.”

Shirley becomes clearly unhinged, “You will be coming with us!” and with that she pulls out a pistol and aims it at Trevor.

“You and your people have brainwashed her. She is mine. She is going to go with me!”

With that Janet also pulls her pistol. “Shirley is right. This is for your own good.”

I stare directly at Shirley and say as calmly as I could “You need to put those away. We can then talk calmly. You don’t want to do this.”

She truly has snapped “YOU WILL RELEASE HER. MARY GET OVER HERE! NOW!!”

“Shirley, I am not going with you. Please don’t do this.”

With that Mary draws her pistol.

Janet is the first. She will protect Shirley. She is not the best shot but she fires at Trevor.

Now everyone fired.

It is part of our group, with the exception of the two children, that we all have target practice with both pistols and rifles. Now we can say that we hit what we aim at. In a matter of a few seconds, they were down. No one on our side was hit but Shirley and Janet were dead.

Mary drops down to her knees and shouts at Shirley’s body while she cries.

“Why did you make me do it, why?”

I am tempted but Rick joins Mary.

“You had no choice. They fired first. You were trying to talk her down. Both of them had to have been hiding in the area watching us.”

I tell her, “The garden that we were working when you joined us, the one that was failing, Rick and I thought it we something other than soil exhaustion. We did not say anything to any of the family but we found some empty bags in the woods. Can’t say what was in them but I feel that they poisoned the garden to get you back.”

“How many normal people have we seen?” Rick asks her

“None”

“Then how did she get the information about our cars if she did not see them herself?”

I interject “You saw how she was. You protected your family from a threat. I know that you had feelings for them and you did not want this outcome. I hope that you know that you can and should lean on all of your family.”

“You’re right,” she says, “I have family to protect. Shirley’s mental state was the reason that I left them. It hurts to see her lying there but it was necessary. Can we bury them instead of the body dump that we have been putting the virus dead in?”

“It would okay with me.” I say “In fact it will make you feel much better. You can tell them, once they are buried, that finally they can rest. They will be safe. We will bury them in the town cemetery.”

Later that day, in the town cemetery, we laid the two to rest. We had gotten the back hoe working a while back so digging was no problem. On Mary’s insistence, they both were placed in the same grave facing each other. We put their back packs with them.

Mary had put some food in the packs. She covered them with their travel blankets.

“Now I can stop worrying about you both. Shirley, now you don’t have to run anymore.

I’m sorry that it had to be this way but I have done my part. You have peace. No one can get you. Sleep well Shirley. Sleep well Janet”

Mary takes a shovel and gently puts dirt on the blanket. Rick does the same. Becky, Jess and I do the same. Cindy is back at the bunker with the children.

Once the blanket is covered, it’s Mary that nods and motions to me to fill it in as she walks away. Rick holds on to her as they walk away. We later put a marker on the grave that just said Shirley and Janet.

When we got back home, both Bob and Lisa came running over to Mary.

“Mom Mary” Bob tells her, “Mom Cindy said that your friends died and that you buried them.”

He hugs her and Lisa joins in the hug. Then Lisa adds

“We both thought that you needed a hug. We love you mom.”

Mary hugs both almost too tight.

“Thank you. I love you both, my children.”

How do they know exactly what to say and do?

Chapter 12: Out of the mouths of the wise Things are somewhat back to normal. I have to say again that those two children know what they are doing. Both have hugged and assisted Mary back to her present life.

Every time they saw Mary looking down, they double teamed her.

They had her showing them how to do this or that. We knew that they knew how but Mary went along with them. Playing games, cooking, watching the same DVD for the eighth time. They made her participate in fun. Mary now smiles again.

She looks at them, “I love you both, thank you. You both have been a big help.”

It’s time to explain to them. Mary had talked to the rest of us about her need to let them know the difference between the friendship that she had with Shirley and Janet and the love she has for this family.

“I need to tell you what happened that day when mom Cindy brought you home because two of my friends came back. I traveled with those two for a quite a few months. We were close traveling companions. The first time we found you, I knew that I needed to stay here with you.”

Lisa tells her, “We’re glad you did.”

“And so am I.” Mary says “Now I have a wonderful family. A family that cares about all of us. Family must take care of each other, look out for each other and also defend each other. You see, the leader of the group I was in was sick. Not with the virus but from the loss. She was emotionally sick. She became worse after I left them. That day they came here again, she came to take me back. I told her that I did not want to go. I now had family. They pulled out their weapons and fired. I had family to protect. I had to shoot them. They were sick but you need to know that I will never let anyone take any of the family.”

At this time, Rick came over. “There are going to be times like this. Remember when they first arrived, you asked if you had to hide. We told you that we would protect you, well that goes for all of us. Mom Mary did not kill them.”

He puts his hand on Mary’s shoulder,

“The family did what it needed to protect itself. You two did the same thing. You saw that mom needed help and you did what you needed to do to help her. Now as reward for your wonderful work, what would you like.”

“We want to go for a ride to the cabin for a picnic and then go with you to a store. We want to see what we can find.

Trevor says, “A picnic and scavenger hunt sounds like a good day. We’ll take the cars and”

Bob and Lisa interrupt. “We want to ride in the death mobiles.” Bob says.

Lisa adds “With that music playing that you came to us the first time.”

I look at the others “We did ask. Let’s get ready.”

It was decided that we would take one of the SUVs and the muscle car along with a van. This way they could ride in both but have the means to transport their loot. Today is for having fun. To propane town.

I thought that the music was loud, the laughter of both the children was louder. They were having a ball. I have made the RPG ropes fast to the roof. Can’t have them pulling them. I did talk with the adults before we left.

As we passed a suitably clear area, I was in the lead, I swung the machine gun to the side and let loose a few blasts. Destroyed a billboard. That really made their day. I don’t want to think about when they are old enough to drive. Joy riding in a death mobile, out of the question.

We get safely to Propane town. First and foremost, I steer clear of a certain store the three of us found when it was just Becky, Jess and myself. Too bad, but it is the children’s day. To the stores.

Last time we spotted a game store. Since we were here for feed and things that time, I did not stop. That will be a good place to start their hunt. We also will check out the pawn shop, the department store and such.

At the game store, it was Bob and surprisingly Jess that went wild when they saw what was the latest game councils and games in stock. They even had refurbished later models and those games. We had to stop them when they cleared out all of the new games, controllers and headsets, all wireless of course. It would have been half the van but there is room in the SUV since the kids want to ride in the fighter on the way back.

Next was the department store. It seems that I am the only one interested in that pawn shop. I think I’ll linger a while when we are done.

It seems that girls mature faster than boys. Lisa is fascinated with the dresses. We’ve only known them for a few seasons but they grow before our eyes. Bob is wanting one of the electric scooters.

Between games, clothes and transportation, this was a fun trip. The children will be wired for a long time. It’s good for them. With the winter months ahead, they will have plenty to do. Now it’s time to head home. I’ll stop at the pawn shop some other time.

On the way home we ran into a mutant. Only a single but we needed to take care of it. I radioed that the van needed to pick up the children from the muscle car and head out of range.

“Rick, keep your eyes out for others. Mary, drive up to the van’s side door so that your passenger door faces the side door. Side arms on everybody. Guard those children.

When they are in the van, get out of here and go home. We’ll keep in radio contact. My

wives, you know your roles. Those death mobiles you drive are for one thing, Get them home safely.”

“Roger that, you both be safe.”

They successfully transfer the children. Bob gets on the mic.

“Mom Mary, uncle Trevor be safe. You’re protecting the family. We need you both. I had fun today.”

How can you not love those two but they are maturing faster than I would like to see but it is a new world.

Mary tells him, “This won’t take long. With my car, I bet I beat you back home. Trevor, Let’s do this. I’ve a bet to win.”

With all non-combatants out of harm’s way, we go after the mutant. I use the PA to get its attention. It had a good and bad effect. Good is that we got its attention. Bad we got three others that we did not see.

With the machine gun on mine and Mary’s gatling 22 we were able to put down the four but it took longer than we thought. All mutants are now at peace with the dirt. My problem is, where did the others come from and are these the front of that horde?

“Mary, we need to explore a little before we leave. You are not going to win that bet.”

“I know. We need to cruse the side streets and see if there are more.”

“The one thing” I tell her “We do not engage with any more. This is just to investigate.”

Cruising the side streets, we have seen the telltale signs of the horde. They have to be around here someplace. There is a water tower in the area. I tell her that I’m climbing and if they are around, I should be able to see them.

I climb, my heart sinks. It’s the horde. Around sixty mutants. Do they have a gathering instinct? There should not be that many around. Looking through my binoculars, there is something wrong with them. They appear that they are physically deteriorating.

Slowly moving but in our general heading. I come down and talk to Mary.

“We need to get back home now. Run ahead as fast as you can go, safely. Make sure that we are already in lock down. I’ll be right behind you shortly. There is something very wrong here.”

I climb down and get in my SUV. I have to look at the ones we just put down. You don’t need a medical degree to see that we may be facing trouble of biblical proportions.

We all make it back to home. Mary did beat them by a car length. A win is a win. All access codes have been deactivated. No one gets in or out. Our family needs to make a major decision.

“There is a large horde of mutants and they are ambling between Propane town and our location.” I tell the family. “It cannot be certain that they will make it here. We need to decide how they are to be handled.”

“Why the lockdown?” Cindy asks.

“I climbed the water tower to see where they were and how many. All the horde signs are there. When I went to look at the ones that Mary and I took care of after we transferred Bob and Lisa to the van. Ignoring the damage we caused, the mutants look sickly I believe mostly due to the fact that they are starving. The biggest reason for lock down, there was one that was rotting. It had sores, skin ulcers and fingers that had rotted off”

Cindy has a horrified look then says one word,” Leprosy! How, are you sure about what you saw?”

I add, “And smelled. We have disposed of bodies that died of the virus and sat until they were decomposing, same smell.”

“We need to capture a few to study but I want you to go to the reserve base and get a few of those radiation suits.” She tells us. “There is no way in hell that we allow anyone of us to come in physical contact with any of them.”

“With how you are reacting” Rick adds “It is clear that we need to snipe at them until they turn their travel. Once far enough, we need those A10 guns. Chop them up.”

Mary chuckles, “I have figured out how to step up the voltage to be able to launch those hell fire missiles. That way you can take out the whole lot from a distance.”

“And cremate the bodies” Jess adds.

I sum it up “We’re going to catch a few so Cindy can diagnose. Rick and I have that.

Mary, Jess, get that voltage set up made. Cindy, Becky, you will be home base. The teams report where the horde is. You will be able to see, with our maps, where we can set up the hell fires. Your biggest job is to keep the children safe.”

Cindy says “There should be no need for isolation as long as you don’t come in contact with any of the mutants or their bodily fluids. We may want to find where we can pick up the multidrug that is used in the treatment. Not for them but just in case for us.”

Becky has been quiet for a while, but now she asks, “I thought that Leprosy was eradicated. A disease of the past.”

“No” Cindy tells her “It is the oldest disease and is still present. It’s just that now we can treat it. With the precautions, with distance, we will be okay. The capture is the most dangerous part.”

The children have been listening and absorbing. They, in their simple but complex way state the obvious. “Why do you want to capture a few to examine them? Mom Mary’s

missile can kill them and burn the bodies. Please don’t put yourself in danger. We don’t want to lose any of you.”

“Out of the mouths of babes” I remark “Here we are making the simple complicated”

I look at them, then say, “Our two here cut through everything and came up with the safest most efficient method. Thank you two. What do we have on hand to do the job.”

Bob looks at us with almost the ah duh look, “Uncle Trevor, you make the napalm. Don’t you? Make hand held flame throwers.”

“Genius, he’s a genius.” I shake his hand. “I’ll do you one better. Roof mounted instead of the machine gun on two of the death mobiles. Mary, do you want one on yours?”

She says, “Block your ears children” which they do.

Then she says “Oh hell yes.”

Both Bob and Lisa giggle.

Mary pretends to be mad. “I told you to cover your ears.”

She makes a squint face while pushing out her lower lip and putting her hands on her hips.

Lisa comments “We did but you didn’t say it quietly. You were loud.”

The whole room broke out in laughter.

Now I remember Jack’s DVD’s. Jess did not want them but I took them for “instructional”

material. Time to show Jess that her father was still helping. I turn on the flatscreen and put in the DVD I remembered. Fast forwarded in to a portion that showed a tank mounted flame thrower.

“Watch this” I play the section. When it was done I stopped it on a scene of the flame coming out the tank barrel.

“In the SUV, I was using small pipe to shoot flames ground level. If we were to add to the barrel’s thickness, we can increase the pressure and thus increase the range. Rick, you’re the machinist can you make this so it could pivot?”

“No problem” as Rick smiles “we use thick walled tube stock. The big thing is making the coupling for the swivel. The ignition source ifs at the end of the barrel so all we need to do is contain the fluid. Simple plumbing.”

I love those kids. “We’ve got a plan.”

“Jess, didn’t we get a long range camera from your father’s stuff?”

“Yes we did. I’ll go get it.”

Jess runs for the store room.

“Cindy, if you can see a video of the mutants and their condition, would you be able to make a rough call?”

Jess comes right back with the camera.

“Let’s go to the tunnel. Its long enough. You take the camera and I’ll go up the tunnel.

Keep an eye on me Let me know when it becomes too fuzzy to tell my condition.”

I start up the tunnel. Leave it up to Jack, I was almost to the outer door when she said I was getting fuzzy.

“Would you feel comfortable if Mary and I drove you to a high point so that you could look at some. That tunnel is a long one. If we were able to get you to a point half the distance, looking out the muscle car window will you be able to tell what they have.”

“Sure thing. The description you gave, along with the long range view. It will be clear to me. If it isn’t leprosy, we still should take care of them anyways. They eventually will be a problem. It is better to go out after them than waiting, hoping that they won’t come here. Get rid of them elsewhere so we don’t need to clean up New Hope.”

“Time to get to work”

Chapter 13: With in reach

Rick is the expert. He has been in the machine shop nonstop. I can tell that he is in the zone.

His creative juices are flowing. There are multiple machines going and he at times can be heard talking to himself. Like the stereotype of a mad scientist, at times you can hear him arguing with himself.

“No. no, no, you have to make that to twist and swivel. This won’t work. Aha this is the way.”

I wil not try to explain but none of us doubt that what he is making wil be the best.

The children’s job is to feed the chickens. They seem to be staying out there. Mostly watching papa Rick working. I think that they are enjoying the show. They are laughing and pointing. You have got to know that some of Rick’s vocalization has to be for their entertainment.

A few days after he started to work, Lisa comes racing in and tells us that we need to go with her.

“What happened?” Cindy asks “Is papa injured?”

“You have to come!” is all she says.

We all go running for the shop but Lisa is hanging back.

The second we opened the door, we were soaked with a blast of water. Rick had final y made the largest squirt gun. Lisa chuckled. Both Rick and Bob had devilish smiles on their faces.

The garage space is very large. Like a large warehouse. Rick was on the opposite side of the garage.

Instead of getting mad, we all start to laugh.

“Rick, you’re a genius” I shout “How did you get it to squirt out a stream of water for this distance?”

“I figured that if I could make something that would shoot water, it wil also shoot napalm. Those scenes you showed me got my ideas going. I worked on this so that there were no leaks at high pressure. My inspiration was fire boats. They can spray a stream the same distance.”

I’m amazed but a worry came to mind “With the amount of water that you just shot, we would have to have a big tank in each SUV. A stray spark and we would be toast.”

“Got that covered. We can’t put this on any of our vehicle’s.”

He walks over to one of the propane trucks and pats the tank. I immediately see the brilliance.

Rick calmly puts his hand on Bob’s shoulder. He then says

“I was thinking on just that situation. These two asked me what was wrong because I was worrying them. I told them that I had this delivery all set but it would use too much for us to use it.”

Bob piped up with his chest puffed “I told papa to make one of those soaker squirt guns using the truck. It looks like one doesn’t it?”

“We already have a truck that needs to be refil ed.” Mary comments.

Everyone is now jumping on board.

Jess states that we need to open up the tank to purge it of any residual gas. “We can use water to flush it out.”

Both of my wives say that they wil take on that task, under Bob’s supervision of course.

Lisa informs them “And I’l go to make sure he pays attention.”

We all laugh. Cindy says “Yes boss.”

“I think that we need to return to the reserve base” Trevor comments.

“This is going to use a lot of fuel to make the napalm. We do not have enough to fil the tank but that base does. I think that it would be good if Rick and Cindy go. She has not been there. Mary, you wil guard the purge group. I wil be working on the turret set up. I doubt that it has the same steering wheel control. I’l have to figure out how to work it.”

“Use one of the extra remote game console’s controllers we picked up from the game shop. We have the old game consol that you can use for the receiver.” Jess tells me.

“Surrounded by great minds! Since it is almost the end of the day, why don’t we have a movie night and start first thing in the morning.”

Al agree. Now if we could all agree on the movie.

The next day broke early. After the usual breakfast, we all broke off to our tasks. The girls went to the empty propane truck. They were given brass tools. It was asked why.

“They are so you don’t blow every one up. Brass won’t cause sparks. Please be careful.” I cautioned.

Rick and Cindy were excited to go to the reserve base to pick up the tanker and also those radiation suits she wanted. It was a good excuse to take the Hummer. Also, it is the first time in a long while that they were alone. Rick told me that he may need to take his time searching the base again.

“Just make sure that you check in if it wil take you over night.” I jokingly tel him.

I start to work on the remote controls. It took me a little while to figure out how it worked but after a while I found the connections where I could solder wires that would control the movement.

The spark circuit was simple. By the time the call came in from Rick, I was done.

Rick called to say they made it to the base but needed to work on the fuel tank trailer that they would need to transport. It wil take most of the day so expect them by the morning. He said that they had the suits. My only reply was,

“Try not to hurt yourself.”

As far as the propane truck, they removed the hose and were greeted with the rotten egg smell from the rush of residual gas pressure. After an hour of sitting, they were able to shove a garden hose into the tank and ran water for a while.

When that was done, they used the most sophisticated device to determine if it was flushed.

They each took turns sniffing the opening. By the end of the day the tanker was in the garage. I was left scratching my head at their methods. I wil drive it outside to drill the top hole needed to fil it up.

I tell Becky, “If you hear a boom, that wil be me.”

Al the fittings, mounts and nozzle have been welded and pressure tested with no leaks. I fil ed it with water and then, with the idea master at the game control, we tested the fully assembled truck. For some reason al the women stood wel out of the range.

“Bob” I tell him, “We are testing this so I want you to work that control through the range of motion until we run out of water.”

He is as serious as I have ever seen him. It is a shame that Rick is not here. He would be so proud. I start the truck and we start moving. As soon as Bob starts the flow, I start a stop watch.

He is real y working that unit.

Al directions are being sprayed. The range is good but there is some splash on the hood.

Before I could say anything, Bob says casually.

“Papa needs to put a longer tube on it.”

The tank goes for 15 minutes until it runs out of water.

“Well, Bob, what do you think about your squirt gun?”

“Once we get the longer tube, you won’t have any problem. Can I help you when we go after the mutants?”

“Probably not, but that is up to your parents.”

Wise beyond his years, Bob comments “They’l both say maybe in a couple of years.”

“Yeah, that’s what they wil say.”

The women come over when they see that we are out of water. Little did they know, I found Bob a real soaker. They came to the door and opened it. Then he let them have it but they also had squirt guns. Fun was had by all and all were soaked.

Rick and Cindy returned the next day after thoroughly exploring ……the base. They both looked thoroughly searched. They returned with an extra-large fuel tanker being towed behind the Humvee.

“I see you got the trailer real y working wel .” I said and then saw Cindy blush.

Bob comes up to the both. “We got it working well but it needs to have the tube extended.”

Rick looks a little confused so I explain that the master mind and I tested the truck with water, there was a dribble on the cab.

Bob gets serious while trying to slip something in. “We don’t want to be using fire and catching the truck on fire when I’m working the remote.”

“You’re right” Rick answers “We don’t want the truck to catch fire but you need to wait a few years to sit in the cab in combat. Sorry, but good try.”

Crest fallen, he scuffs the dirt “Well at least I can show you with water.”

I think, Snatching a win out of the mouth of defeat.

He later is able to show why we need the longer nozzle.

After the children went to bed we had a discussion about them. They are getting older by the minute and the old standards no longer hold. It used to be that if you were not married by fourteen years old, you were almost destined to be an old maid. Why didn’t that go for the men?

“Rick, I agree with your decision but maybe it is time to start his training so that if push comes to shove, he can at least defend himself. How about we get him a compound bow and some arrows. You let him know how serious this is. The first morning should be nothing but safety but you know the dril . It’s your decision but Jess grew up around this. Use the talent. I’m also good with weapons and strategy. I’m wil ing to throw in.”

“If we are going to do this” Rick says “then Lisa should be included. If she does not want to, she wil have to sit through the safety and weapons basic. After we settle the horde, let’s do this.”

“Okay, with that settled. I do not want to mix this much napalm in our garage. Let’s do it in the fire station. We should be able to retreat quickly if necessary. That tanker wil fit and if needed, we can use it as a refil station while fighting the horde.”

Time to move and mix. There is a horde to take care of.

My thoughts actual y return to Shirley. Her method was wrong but her fear and first warning was right. Waiting in the bunker for them to pass does not address the problem. Running away didn’t either. Sorry Shirley. We need to eradicate the problem. Especial y if they are diseased. I wil stop while we are in town tomorrow and visit them.

We cleared out the fire station an I began the mix. It is fortunate that I instal ed a pump on the truck so we can refuel the flame thrower’s tank if necessary. We replumbed the thrower to the tanker input. This way I was able to circulate the fuel while it mixed with the ingredients that thickened the fuel. It took almost the whole day but final y it was done.

I took the time and walked over to the cemetery. It is marked now with a painted stone with their names. There is a beautiful flower garden that covers their whole grave. Mary is making sure that both Shirley and Janet are in a pleasant place. She even brings some food on plates for them.

There are two empty plates there. I tell Shirley of our plan and how, once done, she won’t need to worry about Mary. Then I again look at the empty plates and say

“At least Mary is feeding you both. She has become a good cook.”

“They seem to like it.”

The voice makes me jump. It was Mary. She was coming to pick up the plates.

“Thank you for talking to them. I know they aren’t there but it feels good that we have a place where we can come and at least talk with someone that wil listen. Getting things off your chest is a relief. Hearing what you said gives me comfort.”

“That’s what family is for. Let’s get back to our home. We need to have a final meeting and set a date. The napalm is mixed, the SUVs are always ready. How’s your car?”

“I’m ready to go. I installed one of the A10 gatling guns with a constant feeder. I can shoot until the barrels melt or the 5000 rounds run out.”

“Napalm, 5000 rounds and death mobiles. I think that should do it.”

“If it does not, I’m going to channel Shirley and keep running.”

We both laugh, gather the plates and go home.

.

Chapter 14: Dealing with the immediate problem The eight members of the council are back at home. We are making plans to deal with the horde. Trevor is speaking.

“In the fire house is the tanker of now napalm. It should be able to be able to produce at least three truck fills. With Bob’s help, we were able to determine that each tank would last fifteen minutes max. With that alone we would be able to burn for thirty to forty five minutes. That should be enough to take care of the mutants.”

Cindy asks “We won’t be just burning the mutants. There is the fires that will inevitably spread. We will be setting a wild fire. How do we deal with that?”

I respond “I really don’t know if we could deal with it. Know this, here in our home we would not be touched. The only thing we could do is burn and retreat. There would be a loss of what is in our town but it would only be property.”

“As of our last sighting they are between New Hope and propane town.” Becky states.

“Is there some way that we could drive them away from between both towns so that the fire would go away from us?”

Rick “If we made a lot of noise in the direction we want them to go in, that could turn them.”

“There’s the wind to consider” Mary adds “If the wind is not blowing the right way, it still will come back at us.”

It seems like the resident lords of wisdom have had enough of our “What if” game. Both Bob and Lisa now rein us in.

Lisa is first. “Why is the fire a worry? Uncle Trevor said that we would not be burned if the wild fire came this way.”

Bob says, “It would not be any different than when we stay out of the winter storms.

Why don’t we bring in everything that we don’t want to lose here and let the fire pass.”

They both bring us back to reality. Which is more important? Taking care of the diseased horde or worrying about fire?

Jess is the first “I say that we go in the morning, collect all that we want and bring it down here. The wild life can take care of itself. The fire won’t kill us but the horde could.

They are right.”

She asks the two “How did you two get so smart?”

“We need to make up a list right now on what we can’t afford to lose. Keep it to just that.

I want to set out some more chicken traps. We can either keep them or after the fire release them.” Trevor states.

We talk and come up with a list of the things that need to be here. It’s not that long. The cemetery back hoe, stores that we have stashed, weapons, radios from the safe houses and some of the cars from the dealership.

Jess says, “After the burn, we will need to replace the stump coverage at the other entrance.”

Rick says that we should move the real ones away from that entrance. Then remove the artificial ones. “We can always get stumps but the artificial ones have the controls for that entrance. We don’t want to lose them.”

Jess is the expert on that. “The controls are rated to survive a nuclear fire ball. No wild fire will touch them but it is better to err on the side of caution. I’ll pull those controls out.

It’s a quick job that I can do today. We never use that one anyways.”

We all do what we can do today. A good meal and early bed time tonight because tomorrow will be a long day.

In the morning, it’s all hands on deck. Even the children have their tasks. They are gathering the radios and spare clothes in the safe houses while Becky and Cindy are getting the food, gas and other perishables.

Jess had already taken care of the stump electronics and is now helping Rick clear the real stumps. I am going to see if we have caught any chickens. We have but also there were many chicks. It took a few hours to round up most.

The dealership is a cinder block structure with metal doors. No worry about our main entrance being discovered. Once Jess and Rick are done there, she tell him that she wants to go to her old home. One last look around, just in case.

She did find her forgotten hiding place undisturbed. In the cubby she did find a few childhood mementoes. A doll, GI Joe action figure (a birthday present from her father), and a few other trinkets. She thought of leaving Joe but she ended up taking it all.

Becky, who never wanted to see her home, or let anyone of us go, asked Trevor if he would go with her.

“I want to finally put to bed all those ugly feelings I have about that house.”

As we drive over, she started to open up.

“The reason that I did not want to go back is because of my family. I did not have the most loving family. Both of my parents were fanatical religious cult members. You’re going to see things that I did not want anyone to know.”

“Becky, you are you,” I tell her as I drive. “You are a fantastic person that I am glad to call my wife. Your past, my past or anyone of our families past no longer matters. We are all new. If you really want to put this to bed, I have the remote C4 bomb in the back.

Rummage, look around and take what you want or leave it. When you are finally done,

I’ll put it in a strategic place and let you push the button. Destroy the place but know that only you can destroy the hold it has on you. This trip is a big step.”

She looks like she is contemplating that but says,

“A wild fire would be classified as an act of God. With what they put me through, that would be appropriate. But if does not happen I’d be open to that. Today, I want to get a few of my things, then let it burn.”

We pull up a long hidden drive. Her house was set far enough off the road so that you would not see it. The signs at the road tell the story. Bible verses, crosses and such. All saying the same message, repent the end is near.

As we drive up the driveway, Becky says, without thinking it,

“They were right but not in the way they thought. It was not the rapture.”

It must have been a very hard life for her.

Now at the house, there is a hand painted list of the people who are not welcome at the house. She looks at it then looks at me and then becomes teary. On impulse, I surprise even myself.

Grabbing ahold of that sign, I rip it down and cast it to the ground. Then to my amazement, I urinate on it.

For the first time in this trip, she breaks a smile. She says

“Time to go in.”

The inside was what you would expect. Cross’ and any other sort of religious pictures.

There in the center of all the wall was a picture of the minister who actually led the cult.

“What do you want to do?” I ask

Silently she goes to what was her room and sits on the bed. Then she, with tears in her eyes, gets up, removes the vent cover on the wall at the floor. After reaching in, she retrieves a small wooden box. In it she shows me a gold neckless.

“This was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me with a warning that I needed to hide it because my parents felt that she was evil, beyond repentance. She would not accept their version of God. They would try to destroy anything connected with her. They even destroyed the old photos as graven images.”

Becky puts the neckless in her pocket and says

“We need to leave here.”

As we walk out, she lights a kerosene hurricane lamp. Throwing it on the floor with enough force as to break it. The fuel ignites and soon the house is totally ablaze.

“They were so righteous but I found my father’s porn stash. In it was the candid photos that my father took. He had a hidden camera in the bathroom that I used.”

She then shut up and got into the car.

I watched the house burn for a while. We drove home in silence. As we start down the tunnel she asks me to keep her secret.

“I never saw a thing.”

When we have eaten, we recount our days. Everything went as planned. Now the only thing to do is to scout the horde.

“Cindy” I ask “do you still feel that you need to visually see their condition?”

“Not really, we need to dispose of them anyways. One change though. If possible gun them down, video their bodies and then use the napalm to destroy the bodies. That’s only if possible.”

“Tomorrow, before dawn, Rick and I will run towards propane town to see where the horde is. There is a ball field there. We have batteries and horns. We are going to try to lure them there with the sound. If they turn then we come back here. Then we move everything to them. If they don’t turn then we hit them where we find them. Either way we will be back in only a few hours.”

“Sounds like a plan but just find out where they are and return,” Mary says. “We don’t need to waste time to lure them, we just need to locate them.”

I tell her that we, if it’s possible, could minimize fire damage by having it in the ball yard.

Mary replies, “You ever see the aftermath of a forest fire? Not all the trees are dead.

The grass grows greener. The ash feeds the soil. We could have new garden spots. I say that we all go when you go to find them. Maybe we just take them by surprise. What do you others feel”

The reply amazed me, they all did not want to wait so it was decided that we all go. Shot down again.

Now for the hard part.

“Rick, Cindy I am pulling rank. Becky will drive the tanker. Mary has the machine gun car. Jess will drive her death mobile and I will drive the flame thrower. This is not negotiable, you both are remaining here with the children. It is your responsibility to see to the safety of them. If the worst was to happen and we do not return, you need to be here for them.”

They try to argue, only try, but they don’t finish because they know I’m right. The three women agree. Then Mary sums it up.

“Bob and Lisa are wonderful but they are still too young to be left on their own again.

You know it. You are their parents. You need to make sure that they survive. I’m going to protect you and the children. If it means my life, so be it.”

Both the children must know what they face. That is why we did not seclude them during the meeting. They are silent. When we explained what was happening, Bob said that they understood. At twelve years old, they show maturity at times but let them remain young at long as possible. This world ages you quick enough.

“Do what you think is best. We both talked about this. We were scared that all of you were going and we would be alone. We have each other but we don’t want any of you to die. Please run away if you get in trouble.”

Lisa just says “Please!”

Becky, Jess and Mary kneel before them and hug them.

Mary says it all. “We can’t promise that we will come back, but with all this fire power we should be able to handle anything. Just know that you will be in our thoughts and will govern our actions.”

I tell them “Distance fighting it is. I have a class to teach. We haven’t said anything but now’s as good of time as any. You two are going to be trained in weapons and survival..

That will include fire arms, so we need to come back.

This seemed to calm them down but they both lost their real parents so that trepidation is still in their eyes.

There is nothing that can be said. We silently go to our rooms. Tomorrow is a big day.

.

.

Chapter 15: Reality is not fair

It was time. With silent resignation, Rick and Cindy stayed with their children. Those four took the time to hug each of us individually. Each time it boiled down to please stay safe and come home.

Rick shook my hand “Watch over them.”

I nodded then said to the three, “Time to roll”

We left. As we started up the tunnel, I saw the four waving. I got a chill that ran down my spine.

My father once told me that during the second world war, he joined just before D Day June 6, 1944. He was in basic training when the landings happened. His regiment came over mid-October. When they left the dock starting the trip to Europe, everyone on the dock were waving goodbye to loved ones on that ship.

When the ship he was on came back to that port after the war was over, he told me that there were more left on the dock crying, desperately looking for someone that they knew deep down that was never coming home.

Why did that thought come to mind at the scene in my rear view mirror?

I told myself that it was silly. Everyone was going to fight from a distance. We had a plan. Everyone knew what to do. But

We reached the area where the horde was last seen. They weren’t there but their trail was not hard to follow. It seems that our plan to set noise makers on that field was not necessary. We found the horde in that general area.

“This looks like a good spot to take that video that we promised Cindy that we would.

She still wanted to see what their condition herself.” I say over the radio.

I climb to the top of my truck and zoom in as I record the horde. I recorded several of the ill ones as well as the general condition of the horde. Even the ones that showed no signs of the disease, looked thinner.

We talked over the radios to firm up the plans.

“The propane farm is on the other side of town as not to be a problem even with stray rounds.” I tell them. “Becky, you will hold here with the tank. Your job is to get out of the Humvee only to cover me while I refill. You protect that tank. Jess you come in from the far left. Mary will on the far right. As planned, you are trying to herd them towards me. I will be burning from the center.”

Everyone radioed that they understood.

The operation commenced.

The noise of our engines were enough to draw their attention. I had noticed that there seemed to be more than before but that’s why the tanker. The flankers were firing into the edges of the horde, I was burning, things were going well.

Jess radioed something that that did not make sense.

“Trevor, I just heard someone crying for help.”

“What did you hear?”

“Please don’t shoot! I’m being held hostage.”

She then did the cardinal sin. She stopped.

“Hurry, come on. I’ll save you.”

She was still holding the mic button as she yelled that so she did not hear me yelling at her not to stop.

Time is a horrible thing. I’m in my tanker trying to get to her. Mary is doing the same thing. You could almost see Mary’s machine gun barrels glowing. All this in response to the slow motion sight of a group of mutants surprised us and rushed her SUV. The horror scene played out while we watched helplessly.

They tore off the door with unimaginable strength. They were clawing and pulling her out of the driver’s seat Jess was screaming in both anger and terror as she shot nine of her ten rounds into the crowd.

We watched as she fired the last shot into her own head. Three people were screaming.

I started burning and running down all that my eyes saw. Mary ran through almost all of her rounds but was also firing her RPG into the dwindling crowd. I could hear Becky firing the Humvee’s machine gun.

“Trevor, try to burn the ones coming towards her.” I hear over the radio.

“It’s too late. Mary kill them all.” I turn back to the remaining horde.

With the anger welling up in all of us, it was only a short time until they had been destroyed. We drove over to Jess.

As I pulled up, a person came out of the bushes. I heard something that made me see red.

There emerged an angry looking man trying to look terrorized saying

“Please don’t shoot, I was forced to call out”

I did not give the mutant time to finish. I fired the napalm that I had left until I sputtered out, empty.

I started to get out of the cab but both Becky and Mary told me to stay there.

Mary said “This is women’s work.” As she got out the large tarp that she used to cover her car. They both put on the suits. There were lepers among the dead mutants.

I knew what she was referring to. Even in biblical times, it was the women who prepared the body for burial. The women discovered the tomb to be empty when they came to prepare Jesus’s body properly.

They carried the wrapped up remains to the Humvee and reverently placed it in the back. Becky drove back to where she left the tanker. Mary came over to me.

“Let me have that case and the remote.”

I knew what she wanted. Almost like I was not doing the movement, I reached for the case and gave it to her.

“Trevor, listen to me, I need you to drive over to the Humvee. Please do it now”

I do what she says, I’m still numb.

I pull up next to the Humvee and shortly Mary joins us carrying the Jack’s flag. She stops her car, gets out and pushes the remote. In an instant, Jess’s SUV was gone.

Becky then says,

“Trevor, get into the Humvee. Rick and Mary can come back to get these. No one is here, no one is left.”

I get into the passenger’s side. Almost out of reflex, I ask Becky if she wanted me to drive. She said no so I left it at that.

As we drove home it again seemed like time had stopped. No, I had stopped as I heard Mary radioed the news to home.

“Rick” she asked, “Please get the back hoe and meet us at the cemetery. I think that both the children need to be there.”

Cindy answers and asks “All of us will be there. How are the rest of you doing?”

She received silence for a long time then Mary told her that we were not physically injured and that the horde was gone.”

The three of us did not say anything for the rest of the trip. -

Both of our vehicles pulled up to the cemetery. Cindy and Rick had the foresight to bring a canvas tarp with them. They had the children stay by the back hoe while they wrapped the canvas tarp around the now bloody cloth.

Rick had already dug a hole a few feet away from Shirley and Janets grave. The three women carry Jess to the grave and lay her in it. Only then do they come to get me. I was completely out of it.

“Trevor,” Becky says through her tears “It’s time to say goodbye”

Without a response, I get out and was guided to the hole.

I look at the hole, there is a wrapped up body in it. I look at the dirt next to the hole and grab a hand full of that dirt and gently sprinkled it on the body. Then I collapsed to my knees.

“I should have gone alone. This is all my fault. My plan, my fault. The doors should have been reinforced. My fault, Jess, my fault.”

Through the tears someone came over to me and said

“Reality is not fair. You don’t get to enjoy without also having sorrow. The good, the bad, the happy and the sad. That’s reality. It sucks but there it is.”

We all cried and put dirt on her until she was covered, then I got on the backhoe.

“Trevor” Rick asked, “Are you sure?”

I nodded and filled in the hole.

After a few silent hours at home. Mary came over and told me that she and Rick were taking the Humvee back to retrieve the tanker and the truck.

More silent hours pass. Becky started fussing around the kitchen. Then she grabbed a box out of storage and went to our room. A little while later she came out and returned the box to storage.

I tried not to but it came out a little hostile.

“Done erasing her?”

“I did no such thing,” she answered me. Hugging me she says

“We are all hurting but because of your feeling that you got Jess killed, you are hurting the most. I just straightened up. I needed to move some of her things out. Just my reaction. Her personal things are still in there.”

I have to chuckle a little when she tells me that GI Joe is still there along with those trinkets she retrieved.

Then something happened. Those two came over to me and started to hug me tightly.

As tightly as they could and would not let go for a long time. After a very long time they released me.

Lisa, looking down for a bit, then took a deep breath,

“Uncle Trevor, can I be your second wife? I know it is too soon and I am too young but when I’m grown, can I be your second wife?”

Becky and I are shocked.

I look her straight in the eye and thanked her.

“What brought this on?”

“Papa has two wives. You had two but now you lost aunt Jess. Men need two wives.”

My spirits are slightly lifted, I draw her into a hug and tell her

“That’s a wonderful offer and I will say that we should discuss this when you’re older.

Thank you for being considerate”

With pride, she puffs out her chest and tells me

“That is what a wife is for.” She quickly kisses my cheek and runs away.

Becky looks at me, then Lisa as she ran away she tells me.

“You have your charm for the ladies.”

Cindy is just sitting there not knowing if it is okay to laugh.

“Are you my son in law now?”

Then bursts into laughter just as Rick and Mary walk in.

“Son in law?” The two ask.

We all are in only a slightly better mood after Cindy tells them of Lisa proposal to Trevor.

Now in a saner mood, they bring us up to date on the battle field.

Rick tells us

“There were a few mutant stragglers. I say were because Mary personally took care of them.”

“I ran over them with your truck and just to make sure that they were gone, I ran circles on them until they were paste.”

“What about the fires?” I ask.

“All those worries we had, those fires went out by themselves.”

“Then we can put the town back the way it was.” Becky says.

Over the next week, that is just what we did.

For a while, my second declared wife was attentive to me. Insisting that she carried my food plate to me. Helping return the chickens back to their area but advising me the chicks needed her personal attention. We kept those.

After a few days, my intended second wife was losing interest and started back with her lonesome brother. Honestly, it is a relief.

I did make a stone for Jess. The pain will never go away. I miss her daily and can’t stop the impulse to tell her something, get her advice and such. For split seconds my mind will think those thoughts then reality reminds me that she is now only a memory and a name on a stone in a garden of stone.

Chapter 16: Life must go on

It’s been a few weeks since our loss so I tell Becky that we need a little time alone to sort out our thoughts and remember Jess. She says

“Why don’t we go and see if the cabin is still there.”

“Rick, hold down the fort. We’re going to check on the cabin. We are going for a week.”

“No problem but you’re going to leave your second wife here.”

Actually, Lisa looks relieved. The luster has worn off of her grand sacrifice..

The Jeep, we haven’t used that in a long time. It’s still in the second bay of the dealership. I went to check on it.

I knew that it was going to sit for a while so I put it on jack stands, disconnected the battery and put a fuel extender in the tank. The tires needed some air but the good thing was that after I connected the battery, the engine came alive again.

I drove it into the garage. We load up it up with supplies and of course weapons.

The trip was not that long. I started up the road to the cabin. I remembered the last time we came this way. It was when we discovered that Rick, Cindy and the children were living there in very poor conditions.

This time there is no outward sign of someone being there but the site is a mess. There is over growth from us not being there but there was also another car there. It was not there when they were last here.

We stop far enough from the cabin. We again see that the spike boards have been removed.

With my hand on my pistol and keeping behind the Jeep’s door, I yell to the cabin.

“In the cabin, we mean no harm. This was my cabin. We came for a retreat. We need you to come out or at least tell us to leave and we will.”

There is no answer, so we wait for a while before we creep up to it. From behind a tree, I again say that we mean no harm. Nothing. With things still fresh in my mind, I tell Becky that, in no uncertain terms, she is to stay under cover.

Going up to the door, I can see someone sitting in a chair. As I am looking, I bang on the door. The person does not move. I fire a shot into the air, not even a twitch. I have Becky come up to cover me.

The door is not locked. I slowly turn the knob and open the door. The smell of death comes out and assaults my nose.

“The person is dead” I tell Becky and go in. I see what was once a woman but now was just a desiccated corpse. This person had shot herself. The note she left said it all.

“To anyone left in this world. My name is Gail. I do this of my own free will. It has been a week since my companions, Shirley and Janet, went to rescue their friend Mary from a gang of murderers. They never returned. My food is running out. I don’t want to be alone or fall victim to those murderers, so I choose to end my life. May God forgive me.”

Damn, Shiley’s last victim.

We took her out. Wrapped her up and drove back to town. Not before burning down the cabin. It was nothing but trouble.

I radio Rick And tell him about the cabin, the woman and the note.

“I want to bury her on the other side of their grave. Have Mary prepare a pack for her. I don’t want to bury her out here. Alone.”

Rick tells me that he will fire up the backhoe and they will meet us there.

Cindy stayed back with the children. She told them that we found someone dead in the cabin. That her note said that she was sick of being alone and she died. They were told that they wanted her to be with Mary’s friends and Jess. No mention of her killing herself.

They understand death. A sad thing for children that are so young to be comfortable with that. Even though they are both twelve, that’s still too young.

We bury the woman, being a stranger, there is no real tears for her. She was buried with some food and a blanket. I later painted Gail on a stone.

Becky and I went up to the safe house in town and spent our alone time there. I did ask if she thought it would be good if we built another cabin. Becky said that there were a few in the area. Our alone time was exploring those cabins. Most needed extensive repairs. We just let it drop. An intown house will do for a retreat.

After a week of semi being alone, the company during the day was constant but the night time was ours. It was a time to laugh, a time to console, and a time of clinging together.

I don’t even want to imagine what I would have been like if I hadn’t had Becky.

We came back refreshed and we came back mentally.

With what both of us discussed, I decided that we needed a council meeting.

“I thank you for the support that you have given Becky and myself. Although we will never really get over it, we can move on with the prospect of a future wife.”

Bob nudges the blushing Lisa. We all smirk.

“It may seem cliché but life must go on. There seemed that there were more mutants than when we went on the shopping outing, Becky and I wondered if there may be something gathering humanity into groups. Something like a homing instinct.”

“We do need more people.” Becky adds.

“With the video that you recorded, it looks like the mutants won’t last the year.” Cindy says “Don’t get me wrong, we needed to eradicate that horde, it was definitely diseased.

With them going or gone, the ones like us will start to emerge.”

I say “What I propose is that we make some signs that ask if you want to live in a peaceful group meet at, and we would set a location, date and time. The last line should be, ‘come in peace, live in peace or leave in peace.’ We go out a certain distance, put up the signs then return.”`

Rick asks, “How would we handle the meetings?”

“We find a park in that area and use that.” Mary adds to the discussion “We find a house in that abuts the park and observe. Especially the other houses. Cautious minds think alike. Seeing the sign, if I was interested, I would come early and watch in hiding.”

I love it when ideas just jump out at you.

“Why don’t we do this. Scout out an area that has a cul-de-sac with houses. Have the sign say that it will start as a shout out. Window to window. Talk set a new meeting time, then disperse. Except in special circumstances, no one comes to New Hope on the first time meeting.”

“Would it be better if we were to set up radios, some sort of listening device to hear them before we show ourselves.” Bob asks.

I keep forgetting that they are almost teenagers. They now have years under their belts on living this life. Both have become battle savvy through just experiences.

He continues. “If they appear cautious but friendly, we talk. If they sound like it is an ambush, we blow up that house. I think, at this stage, more people are just looking for safe spots to live. If for anything, just to not being alone.”

Lisa’s statement now has more meaning behind it when she adds,

“We need to find someone for Bob to marry. At least two. Since I’m going to be Trevor’s second wife.”

“Going out in pairs. What would be the limits of travel for now.” Rick asks.

“The horde was in propane town. That’s around a hundred miles. How about one hundred and fifty miles for now. The meeting grounds should be at the extent of travel. “

I choak up at the next warning I give

“Beware of anyone that does not appear but calls out to you. Always assume it is a trap.

It seems that some mutants have developed that strategy. When in doubt, run.”

There are no words said but the look on their faces says it all.

“Rick,” I say, “Since we just took a week off, I think that you choose your partner and plan your route. Figure three days travel. You’ll want to start taking side streets. Scope out whether there is recent activity. Hopefully human not mutant. Initial human contact will be up to you.”

“Last thing, I insist that you keep in radio contact. Let’s say around every two hours for now At least to give us your location. We will both have the same maps.”

Rick ponders then says something that we had no need for in these past years. “I wonder if the GPS satellites are still functioning? Since we are now going exploring, that would be the thing”

“You’re brilliant. Do we even have one here?” I feel a twinge. Jess was the one that had our inventory memorized. Mary sees me then says,

“I’ll check that for you. Even if we don’t there should be one in the dealership.”

Everything settled, we break. Mary comes back with a hand held GPS unit. It’s not a street one but it will tell us if the system is working. Once it is charged, I turn it on, sure enough it gives us our exact location.

“Since we will be going past propane town, I’ll stop at a few places. That super store should have some.”

A few days later, Rick and Mary take off. Rick had no say in the matter. Cindy was the one that chose Mary because of the last time, she and Rick went to the base overnight.

Another development is the Becky has asked me to get her pregnant. According to her, she feels that it is now the woman’s job to reproduce. She does have an alternate reason. It does not matter the sex of the child. She wants to name it Jess. If a boy it will be Jesse and girl would be Jessica.

She has already consulted with Cindy. That is another reason Cindy wanted to stay.

This way they could talk with me. Cindy wants to be able to reassure me on Becky’s ability to have a baby safely.

After Rick and Mary leave, the two ask me to hear them out.

First Becky tells me that she wants to have a baby and gives her reasons. The fact that we need to salvage humanity. How she wants to have my child before we add any other female to the marriage.

She couldn’t possibly be hinting towards Lisa. I would not entertain that for at least until she reached eighteen and even then, it feels like she is a niece but I know that she really is not related. No, things would have to really change for Lisa being considered.

Bob and Lisa really should be a pair.

“Trevor” Cindy takes over, “Becky is a very healthy female. I have given her a thorough exam. The only factor here is can she conceive. She should be able to. Becky, now it is time you tell him what you have done.”

She swallows, “Trevor, honey”

I know the shoe is going to drop as she continues.

“I stopped taking the pill a few weeks back. I got this month’s period so I’m not pregnant, yet.”

Cindy tells us “We should wait for another few weeks. The effects of the pill will be worn off. Studies show that there is a slight risk of birth defects due to the residual effects.

After three to four weeks, there is negligible effects. I would advise condoms for a full two weeks, or abstain for that time”

I say “Becky, you should have told me earlier. We will talk but I will tell you now, I’m not opposed to children. As far as another wife, Lisa will not be accepted as a wife until at least age eighteen. You understand that part of the deal.”

I see Lisa hovering around, trying to hear what is going on.

“Lisa, please come over here.” I tell her.

She comes over and sits down.

I address the subject.

“Lisa, you have been acting like you’re my future wife.”

She looks like her world is about to be shattered. It seems that she has developed her first crush.

I continue,

“I need to make this perfectly clear. I have just told Becky and Cindy that I won’t consider marrying you, at least until you are eighteen.”

She looks surprised but happy.

“You need to take that time to really figure out how you feel. This may just be your first real crush. We will see what you feel at eighteen. What we are talking about is that Becky wants to get pregnant. Your mom says that she is healthy. She just said that she wanted a child before we add another wife. Are you willing to take on the responsibility of helping her if we decide to have a child.”

Cindy realizes what I am trying to do. Then addresses Lisa.

“This is a big responsibility you will be signing on for. Mood swings, morning sickness, checkups, leaks and the actual childbirth. You are just short of the teens. You already have your period. This will be an eye opener for you.”

Becky finishes “Do you accept the role of first wife’s assistant? You would be technically a second wife in training. Know right now that sex is off limits until marriage. Can you accept this?”

Lisa is stunned silent. It is a reality that she needs to face. No pretending now, the choice is stay with pretend world or enter the real world of approaching adulthood.

“Take your time and digest what you have been asked. We will not judge you either way.

This is something that we would like you to think about at least overnight. You willing to give it that much thought?”

She says nothing but walks off but is talking to herself which is a good sign. She is not dismissing but is weighing the facts.

Cindy comments

“She has a good head on her shoulders. Becky, I think you are going to have a trainee.”

Becky feels the same way.

Now for Bob.

I yell, “Bob we need to talk to you.”

He was not far from us.

I take over this conversation. “We have just given your sister a choice. Becky wants to get pregnant. She has to make a decision as to her position in the family.”

“You mean as your wife?”

“Yes and no. The wife end will not be even considered until she is eighteen. She has been asked to assist if Becky gets pregnant. What I need to ask you is do you want to start to learn how to work the systems here and learn the weapons needed to defend the family.”

Cindy tells him, “You will learn the machines that papa Rick runs. Learn how to make the things that we need.”

Becky adds, “You will need to learn how to operate all the vehicles including back hoe, and yes the attack vehicles. How to fix them also.”

Now I finish, “You need to know how to disassemble, clean, reassemble and fire all the weapons that we have. You will become an expert. We will need you to protect your family.”

I choke, “You have big shoes to fill. Jess will be watching. I want you to take the same time we gave Lisa. We do not want an answer today. Tomorrow at the earliest. Either way you decide, we are still proud of you. With these things to think about you should feel free to talk to your sister.”

He gets up without saying anything that you could understand. He also is talking with himself.

Both do not have an answer in the morning and we don’t push. A few days go by and the explorers return. It was an uneventful ride. They did find a road GPS and it still works so we will be able to better target areas.

They reported that there was no sign of human habitation or current mutants in the area above propane town. They did not put up any signs due to the lack of human signs. It is recommended that the next couple go east towards the next town that way.

They could be populated, more like a small city. That is why we never went that way.

While we are talking, two very serious looking almost teens come in and sit down. It stops our conversation. While on the road, we told Rick and Mary, over the radio, about our discussions with both.

Rick says “Both Mom Mary and I have been told of the decisions that you need to make.

By the looks of both of you, it appears that you have come to a decision. Please tell us what you have decided.”

Bob stands, “We have discussed this with each other and thought through it out by ourselves. Lisa asked that I start. In your time, twelve was still very young and needed to be protected. In years long ago, our age was almost adult. Only the word teen separated us from adults.”

Lisa then stands “We have a different situation from any other generation. We now will inform you of our decisions. My decision is that I need the experience to make the right decision. The only way I can do that is to become Becky’s assistant. All that comes with that is for my education. I will tell you that I will become Trevor’s wife at age eighteen.

That is my ultimate goal.”

She sits down but Bob still stands.

“I want to become an asset to the family. Father, please teach me everything you know about machining. Uncle, please teach me the combat. Mother Cindy teach me what I need to be a field medic. Mother Mary, please teach me all about maintaining the vehicles. Aunt Becky, please show me how to fill the shoes of aunt Jess. Next time we go to town, I will tell her myself.”

Becky comes over to him and cries on his shoulder as she says,

“You have already started to do just that.”

The mood suddenly hits me.

“As mayor of New Hope, I now issue a proclamation. With the maturity that these two have just shown in making their decisions to enter the adult world, I now declare that today is now officially their thirteenth birthday. Any objections? No objections, they are now officially thirteen”

To say that Bob and Lise are stunned is an understatement. It hasn’t sunk in.

Becky comes to then “You both have grown so much since the time of the cabin. Bob, you are right. These are different times. Adulthood must now be based on mental maturity, not just age.”

Cindy says “I couldn’t be any prouder of you for taking this important step. Now we need to make birthday cakes.”

Rick tells Bob

“While they are cooking. I need you to ride with Trevor and I into town. No better time to tell your aunt Jess the news.”

I tell them both of them, “Now that we consider you both adults, if you wish, you can call me just Trevor.”

Lisa likes that but Bob tells me that he will still call me uncle. I’m okay with that.

Now I have to make a decision. I need to talk with Becky but today I need to make a trip to the pharmacy.

Chapter 17: We can’t be the only ones, can we The training for our teenagers is going well. Rick has claimed first dibs on Bob. He is now starting to learn the different machines, starting with the lathe. Rick explains that is turning wood teaches the basic principles of machining.

Bob has starter’s luck and setbacks but now has made wooden handle replacements for various garden tools that need repair. He is now trying his hand at making a bowl.

I don’t know that she expected it but Becky has someone attached to her hip. Wanting to learn everything right now, Becky sits her down.

“We need to come up with a training schedule so you know what to study. I had it explained to me when I was your age. I wanted to learn everything at once. In home economics in school, my teacher told me that you can only put so much on your plate.

There is a fine line between a great presentation and an overfilled plate that looks like slop.”

“Let’s pick a few things and have you study them. That’s why we need to make a schedule. It is like a recipe. Follow it and you make a good dish. Once you learn it, then you can add your own touches to make it yours.”

Lisa seems to get it, so they do start with cooking. We suffer through a few culinary faux paus with the chef nervously looking on. Lisa is especially interested in my opinion. I lie.

“It was good. I like the basics of it. With more practice, you can become a great chef.”

The other cowards, like me, say almost the same but Bob, who did not finish the dish, says,

“Too much spice”

“Well, it’s spice cake.”

“Spice cake does not use Chile powder.”

We all do a spit take on that. We two men need to take him aside and explain to him about discretion. Hopefully he and Lisa will fall in love with each other. He needs to learn not to anger the woman who he may in the future sleep with. You may wake up with missing mister happy.

The trips to see if there is anyone out there have not been successful. Even with putting up signs, we have not had anyone show up. We now have the signs saying that they could come to our town. We had houses ready for those who are willing to help.

The signs do say that we do not want freeloaders or trouble makers.

So far no one. We can’t be the only ones out there, can we?

With the gas supply starting to go bad, Rick, Bob and myself are converting a few vans to diesel. I have also found a few diesel pickups. Why diesel? Home heating oil can be used. Cooking oils also.

For general in town, we now have a few electric cars. Since we do have power, we can charge them. Don’t like them but, this new world, Beggers can’t be choosers.

In the travels, we have not seen mutants. Live that is. Every time we come across a mutant body, the disease is present. We no longer can even afford to burn them. Just a red spray paint X on a nearby object to tell us not to enter that area.

I, as adjunct mayor, have refused to let any of our group go into a major city.

There will be people alive there but they may be worse than the mutants. The cities in the time before the virus were not the place to be. Crime running rampant, Addiction, you name the drug, there were people addicted to it. Not good places for good people to live in then but now, no way.

That’s the reason I left the city when the virus outbreak occurred. We stay out.

The good ones will make it out.

Our trips started to go further out. They were now to the point that we just drove and put up signs. Mainly on the side roads figuring that the main road stores would be whipped clean. People would scavenge the side road houses for anything eatable.

New Hope’s population has not grown, yet. Becky and Mary are both pregnant. Cindy says that she will after the two give birth and the babies are at least a year old. She says it’s for their sakes but Rick has told me that she is afraid that the virus is still out there.

Becky has told me that she is not worried. With both parents immune, the baby will inherit the immunity.

The gardens are harvested. We have gone hunting and the freezer if full of all kinds of meat and fish. Chickens are only after they stop laying eggs. Our rooster has access to only a few of the chickens so that we can have chicks to replace the nonlayers.

Getting ready for the winter. We no longer worry about others, we have not seen any.

The temperature and snow are the only things that will keep us inside.

There are a few solar powered WIFI cameras that we have put up around the town. We also have added that to the town signs. That way we can see if anyone comes through.

A cold late October day, Lisa starts yelling

“There are two people waving at the camera. It looks like a woman and a female child.

They do not look in good condition.”

We look and she is right but it is not that they are diseased, just haggard..

“We’re going out” I say “As long as they are truly alone we bring them in. These are the first that we have seen in years. Any objections?”

Seeing their condition, there are no objections.

Becky and I are the ones to go out but Bob insists that he go also. I agree but tell him that he is our backup. He stays by the van’s driver’s door. The door has a pistol holster mounted there.

He is now very proficient with the different weapons. Some of the meat in the freezer are his kills. There is a trophy buck in there that is his.

It is a few minutes’ drive from the dealership to the area where they are. We do drive slowly, looking for any sign of an ambush. We don’t see any.

The two act like they want to run as we pull up but are too tired to, too hopeless.

“Don’t be afraid,” I say, “We are not hostile, just cautious. We saw you on the camera.

Would you do one thing for us? Please turn around so we can see if you have hidden weapons.”

The woman speaks up “I have a pistol in my coat pocket. Don’t shoot, It’s empty. I will throw it on the ground.”

She slowly does just that. The two sit down on the ground.

“We’ll do anything, we need food and shelter.”

A pregnant Becky runs over to her with two blankets. She puts one over each of them.

“We are not going to hurt you or enslave you. If you are peaceful you have found your sanctuary.”

The two are confused but also on the verge of collapse. Cindy says,

“Bob, come with me. We need to help these two into the van and get them out of the cold.”

They offer no resistance. It’s like they have resigned themselves to anything we will do to them, just to get food and shelter.

The warmth of the blankets and the van, both have passed out. Makes it better as we pass through into the tunnel. We come to a stop. Cindy comes over to check them out.

They wake up confused.

“I’m just looking you both over to find out your condition. I’m a midwife.”

We men have gone over to the chickens while she checks them out. Soon she calls us over.

“There is nothing wrong with them that a hot shower, a hot meal and a warm bed won’t fix. Lisa, now’s your time to learn. Help me get these two into the shower and get them warmed up and cleaned.”

Cindy helps the adult and Lisa helps the young lady to the showers. Both of our new people are walking in shock. You can tell that they are trying to figure out if this was heaven.

Mary and Rick start to cook up some strong but thin soup. One of the old hens comes out of the freezer. Carrots, potatoes and an onion. That’s it. Warm small bites easy to digest. They both did not look like they had a good meal in a long time.

For our sakes, we go through their backpacks and find that they only had a few cans of pet food. The open one showed that it was being eaten a spoonful at a time.

Rick and Bob are especially hit by the sight. They have the experience of starvation rations.

After a very long time our new rescues are led out to the kitchen area. They both look like they are in a dream and don’t want to wake up, ever. Dressed in pajamas and warm bathrobes, you could tell that they have not had these luxuries for a very long time.

Cindy tells them to sit. Rick and Mary place small bowls of soup in front of them, along with a glass of warm rehydrated powered milk.

Cindy tells them,

“Eat and drink, but very slowly. Too fast and your stomachs will not take it. Slowly and you can have as much as you would like. I think for now you should limit it to three bowls of soup.”

They now take their time and savor every spoonful. Even the powdered milk seems to be the most luxurious liquid that they ever had.

While they are eating, Lisa introduces them.

This is Amanda” and she points to the adult “and this is Judy. They are not related.”

Looking at Bob, she adds “Judy is also thirteen.”

After the three bowls and a few milks, Becky, Cindy, Mary and Lisa take them to our side of the home and put them to bed in one of the empty rooms there. Why do I get a sinking feeling about this.

I look at Bob, It seems that he has just awakened to his hormones. I elbow Rick and say,

“Rick, this man needs you to have a talk with him. Why don’t you two go and putter in the workshop.”

Rick noticed also and had the same thought. He led Bob out.

Did he really see Lisa as his sister? This does not bode well for me.

The four come back and ask me why was I alone? Did Rick and Bob go somewhere?

They were almost laughing. They saw.

“Rick is giving Bob some training in the workshop. I think it is on safety precautions on,”

I pause, “the big machine.”

Cindy, after she regained her composure tells us what she has learned about Amanda and Judy.

“They found each other just after things hit. They have been in the city for all this time.

The apartment that they were in had a fireplace. At first they worked and stockpile quite a lot of food. They were the only ones in that building so they moved into the top floor and were able to secure the door to that floor.”

“It was not easy but they were able to exist there until early this spring. The water finally ran out, the food was getting scarce but the city started burning. They barely got out and have been wandering ever since until they came across one of the signs that gave directions here. They pushed themselves to the point that they were down to their last food.”

“Do they fit?” I ask.

The four say yes and Becky adds that the women’s council have approved a plan.

There’s that gut shot feeling again. There is nothing that will frighten any man more than a group of women that have a plan.

It took a few days and quite a few meals to start to lessen the tension that Amanda and Judy had. They were starting to realize that we were not going to harm them. Trust on both sides needs to be built.

After a few more days, we offered them separate rooms. Judy took us up on the offer.

Growing girl with intensions. Wants to flex those wings now that she is truly safe.

They are amazed when they realized that this was not a house but a bunker. That went a long way to ease their tension. The city had people. They did not call them normal.

These people were not mutants but with the vast majority you would not be able to tell the difference. Avoid anyone was the rule of survival for living in the city.

“You may want to take down your signs that are in that direction. The wrong people may find this place.” Amanda tells us.

I tell her “The right people may also find us. You did.”

“Are you saying that we are the right people?”

“So far, yes you are. As far as the wrong people, we have taken care of perilous groups.

Even a horde of mutants, it cost us dearly but we took care of them.. No, we leave the signs up.”

I continue “Once everything stabilizes, it is the intension that this will be the safety zone for the residents of New Hope. This bunker, besides being the residence of our family, would be the store house for the produce and the freezer for the meat. We have quite a few houses cleared and set up for residents to live in.”

“We will accept only those that will abide with the rules that both of you have said you would abide with. They are not complex but they are hard fast. Break them and you’re gone.”

Judy says “I don’t see why anyone would break them.”

Looking at our two teens,

“We have seen some stretching of them.”

“Isn’t that a teens job?” She says coyly while looking at Bob.

Bob, you better remember Rick’s safety instructions.

I later found that she had asked Lisa if she had staked a claim on Bob. To which she received the proud answer that she was my wife in training. That meant, game on for Judy.

Now that Amanda and Judy are feeling a lot better. There really is something to be said to being clean, well-rested and well fed. Now we show them the town. We explain that for the future, the fact of the bunker is a secret.

“You both were in such dire straits” I explain “that we made an immediate decision to let you in. Now you will be one of us.”

All the women giggle. I’m going to have to make a trip to the pharmacy.

I need some antiacids. My gut is bothering me again for some reason.

I continue, “In case you are outside and there are people arriving, pick a house here in the center. Each has a hidden radio. You call us and let us know. We usually all come and greet but now that we have two that are pregnant., they will stay home. That will include Lisa and now Judy.”

Judy has accepted the same roll that Lisa has but for Mary. What role have they given Amanda? I don’t even want to know.

“Now that you are settled in, can you tell us what it was like and what did you see on your trip from the city.”

Chapter 18: Mutants may have been more civilized Amanda tells us that on their trip here, they really did not see any mutants. Some bodies but no live ones.

That goes along with what Cindy thought after seeing them on the video.

Amanda continues “The only trouble was a few times, the city gangs were spilling out and starting to roam. We had to hide. Sometimes for a few days. We ran in the night.

You may find that’s the reason you haven’t found anyone may be due to those gangs.”

We explain that there was a gang towards the beginning that we took care of so we are not that worried. I make a mental note, add diesel to the death mobiles. Large stacks with the smoke dump feature, that will be so sick. We need to see what Amanda thinks but she strikes me someone that is more willing to be support rather than attack.

I don’t think it is the same but Shirley pops to mind and what Rick asked “Are we vigilantes?” One’s prospective matters. Shirley was mentally disturbed. Amanda is rational. I have a tendency to believe Amanda.

I tell everyone that there needs to be a council meeting.

Back home we all meet in the common area as usual.

“First thing, we have two new people here. Rules apply. Do we accept them to the council? Show of hands, for”

All hands go up.

“Don’t really need this but, opposed, none. Unanimous approval. Welcome Amanda and Judy. Everyone’s voice is heard hear. The only thing I will add is that fervent discussion is allowed. Personal attacks are not. We haven’t had those and I don’t think we will.”

Becky adds “Affectionate displayed, within reason.” The women laugh.

“Rick, Bob make sure you stay out of my way if I start running. Nothing personal but I’ll run right over you.”

“To continue, Amanda has informed us that there was no mutants that she saw between the city and here but the city is bleeding out. There are a few gangs coming out. You two were not here but in our past we had a trio come through here. Mary was one.”

“Their leader was running from the horde. She had become obsessed with running but she also became a cult leader. She warned us of outlandish but understandable facts of not running with her. Mary stayed.”

“She came back later and tried to take Mary by force. We had a shootout. They are buried in our cemetery. What you have told us is similar but in your case, it is believable because you don’t display her paranoia.”

Bob takes the floor “While we have some time, we need to remake the death mobiles. I suggest that we get more of the diesel pickups. They will be easier to armor, can hold more weight and can hold a larger napalm tank in the bed. I want one of those large caliber machine guns on my roof and a flame nozzle on my hood. We can put the remotes on the steering wheel.”

“Ambitious isn’t he” Rick says as he fist bumps Bob. “It’s very doable and can be done quick.”

I say, before she can pipe up “Pregnant people will not be allowed to participate. Sorry Mary. Amanda, what would be your feelings about driving one?”

To my surprise, she says she wants to defend the family.

Now before I can say anything, I hear that other shoe drop.

Mary stands “As this month’s spokesman for the wives private closed door council, I am proud to announce, Becky is now officially your first wife again. Amanda, as per Becky’s approval and Amanda’s acceptance. She is now your second wife and Lisa is wife in training for both.”

“Judy is now your daughter and given clearance to pursue her own personal interests that would benefit the family, she also has accepted. They are family and have the right to defend it.”

Watch out Bob, there’s a shark in your water and she has permission to attack.

I look at Becky. She has a smug look as she says, “At that first council meeting, we told you both that the addition of new wives was in our hands only.”

She ended with a ‘so there’ look. Amanda looks very happy. Judy seems to like the idea.

Her fin is just rising in the Bob Ocean,

By the look on his face and the jet trail left in his hair as the signals go right over his head at sonic speed. He is oblivious of the danger he is in. Congratulations, he is now an adult male.

We males don’t know anything when it comes to the workings of a female mind. It would kill us if we even came close.

We adjourn the meeting and the three of us males go into the work room to discuss what needs to be done. Only to the trucks.

It is settled that we will go to propane town. We need more chicken feed. There is a few dealers in that area and all have diesel pickups. We figure that we need at least four trucks. That would be two trips unless we drove a disposable vehicle. There are plenty around.

Rick, Bob, Amanda and myself leave for those trucks. Yes Bob is now qualified and licensed by the town of New Hope to drive on the roads as long as someone is in a car in the same country,. He cannot, like the rest of us, go out of the town limits alone.

We had to drive by the area where Jess fell. We stopped for a moment and I left a flower for her.

It was easy to get those trucks. Each of us have picked enough locks over these few years to be able to get the truck keys and the diesel was easy to get. There were fuel oil tanks at the propane yard.

When we stopped at the feed store we found they had large trailers with mounted tanks.

Probably for pest control or such. The trucks had trailer hitches on them so we took them to the fuel oil tank and filled them up. There are more spaces at the fire station to store them. Now we had the trucks and enough fuel to last a great while.

Once back home, even though she was getting far along with her pregnancy, Mary jumped right into the conversion. Since we have the chain hoist, she was helping with the roof mount for the machine guns.

We removed the standard doors from all the trucks. It is Bob’s job to cut each open, weld in quarter inch thick steel and make heavy duty hinges and inside the cab cross bar door locks. They won’t tear these off.

While this is going on we also are doing some clandestine scouting. I hate to say it but the electric cars we have are best suited for sneaking. No noise. With the solar panels mounted on the roof, distance is no longer a problem.

Some of the security devices have been reused from the death mobiles. The roof mounted RPGs are now on the side. Those AR’s that we liberated from the reserve are in the cab with an ammo case of loaded cartridges. The most important thing is the high definition digital camera that can be extended up to get a better picture.

Since two of our players are out of commission, we take turns going out towards the city. It does not take long to find a recent path of destruction, human caused. Dead bodies. Some horribly mutilated. Not like mutants did. This shows signs of cutting then burning to stop bleeding. They don’t discriminate. Age, sex does not matter. There are women and children in the piles of dead. All around discarded food cans and boxes.

They are worse than the mutants. The mutants were more civilized. We did find out the location of them and were able to get footage. When we showed it back at home, I would not let the two wives watch it despite the objections. I let Cindy and Amanda decide if it was alright for the two to watch. After throwing up, both decided that they must not watch it.

At that time, we did not have the fire power to intervein the torture and it will remain forever in my mind. With out the fire power, the best thing for us to do was come home and get the trucks rolling.

All the modifications have not been completed. I wanted more armor, more fire power but we needed to go. Those animals needed to be put down. There were around thirty of them. They went into an area and if they found someone, they would torture. This is beyond that, this is total depravity. It’d a cancer that needed to be fought now.

Before it gets to us!

Time to go

“We know their location” I tell the group in the garage “There were people being held hostage but they will be easy to figure out. Not one left living. The mutants were more human than these vermin. There is but one rule, everyone comes home alive.”

As we get ready to go, my wives come over to me. Hugs and kisses all around, including Amanda. Judy did not miss the chance to hug and kiss Bob.

The man’s mind is mush but he is needed.

Last was Lisa. She came over and gave me a hug and a kiss. Then she said, fighting back tears.

“Don’t you go making me a widow even before I’m able to marry you.”

“I won’t” and we start off.

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