An Undeclared War (Countdown to Armageddon Book 4) (22 page)

     She laughed.

     “For the last three days they were telling you there was no need to take Bonnie from the barn to the pasture, that they’d already done it. That you didn’t have to feed the livestock, because they’d already done it. That you didn’t have to give Bonnie her daily apple, because they’d already done it. And then this morning, when Jordan saddled Bonnie and brought her around to the front of the house for you, because he said he wanted to teach Zachary how to saddle a horse? You didn’t even notice that Zachary was nowhere around. Because he still had his lazy butt in bed.”

     Tom fought hard to hold back his tears.

     “I just thought they were being sweet kids. It never dawned on me they were up to no good.”

    
Jordan said, “Come on. You haven’t seen the inside yet.”

     Tom opened up the driver’s side door and peeked inside.

     “I got the domed light off the top of the Bobcat. We’ve never used it anyway, so I didn’t figure we’d miss it much. It flashes yellow instead of red, but I’m thinking maybe you can find a red globe to replace it with at one of the auto parts places in town. In the meantime, a flashing yellow light is better than nothing.

     “I installed the switch for the light right there on the dash, next to the radio. Now, look in the back seat.”

     Tom turned and saw a heavy metal bar that ran across the back of the front bench seat, and was bolted to each side of the car’s door frames.

     “That’s so you can handcuff your prisoners to the bar so they don’t get away or try to attack you. I used heavy duty bolts, and it’s sturdy. I almost pulled out the arc welder and welded it into place, but I didn’t want to set your car on fire.”

     “Thank you, Jordan. Thank you both. Gosh, I feel like Sheriff Andy.”

     Linda and Hannah burst out laughing. The reference was lost on everyone else.

     Tom explained.

     “Back in the 1960s, when I was a pup, one of my favorite TV programs was the Andy Griffith show. He played a small town sheriff in
North Carolina. They used several different cars during the years the show was on, and one of them was exactly like this one. A 1963 Galaxy 500. It even had the five point star on the doors. If you changed ‘Kerr County’ to ‘Mayberry’ this would look just like Sheriff Andy’s car.”

    
Sara hugged him and asked, “So, you approve?”

     “Yes, sweetheart. I definitely approve. Thank you all for your kindness. It does my old heart good to know that your mamas raised you to be
so nice to others.”

     He looked around and suddenly looked mildly panicked. All the adults were outside with him now, as well as the older children. The mesquite tree had been moved out of the way and bandits could easily come into the compound.

     “Wait a minute,” Tom said. “Who’s working the security desk?”

     Hannah, ever the proud mother, beamed.

     “Misty. She’s working her very first shift today. And if I must say, she’s doing an outstanding job. Of course, I trained her myself.”

     Linda looked at her watch.

     “Jordan, would you put the tree back into place? Everybody come inside. I’ve got a fresh baked apple pie in the oven that’ll be ready in exactly three minutes.”

    
Jordan sprinted for the Bobcat, yelling behind him, “Don’t let my butthead little brother eat my piece before I get in there.”

-41
-

     Tom made a point to visit the control center when he walked into the house.

     “Well, lookie there. Look who’s all grown up now.”

     “Hi Tom. This is kinda fun!”

     “It’s not after you do it for awhile. Enjoy it while it’s all n
ew to you. Hey, did you see my sheriff’s car?”

     “Yep.
Sara let me paint a little bit of it. Are you going to take me for a ride, with the siren blaring and everything?”

     “Well, it doesn’t have a siren. Maybe I can find one and put it on there. And of course I’ll take you for a ride, Sunshine. But give me a little bit of time to get rid of all the rest of the bad guys first, okay?”

     “Okay. Just don’t forget, you promised.”

     For the next half hour most of the group sat around, drinking coffee and e
ating apple pie. Then Tom had a thought.

     “Linda, dear, do you happen to have a recipe for old fashioned vanilla ice cream? This sure would taste good with a big ole pile if ice cream on top.”

     Hannah smiled and said, “Ohhh, yeah it would.”

     “Yes, honey. The ice cream recipe is easy. But I’m afraid we have no ice cream maker. It happened to be plugged into the wall when the EMP hit, and it shorted out. Scott looked at it and said it was completely shot, and threw it on the burn pile.”

     “That’s not a problem. I have an old crank model in my storage shed. It’s been there gathering dust for years. I’ll stop by the old house on my way back from town tomorrow and get it.”

     “Oh, that would be way cool.” I’ll check and make sure we have all the ingredients.”

     Rachel asked, “What’s a crank version?”

     “Exactly what it sounds like. It
doesn’t plug into the wall. It had a big crank on it, and you churn the ice cream by turning the crank.”

     Hannah interjected.

     “Yes. It’s officially called a ‘kid crank.’ That’s because it’s just the right size for a kid to sit on top of it and turn the crank.”

     “Is it hard?”

     “Not until the end, when the ice cream starts getting real thick. But you kids can switch off. The rule at my house when I was a kid was if you didn’t help crank it, you couldn’t help eat it.”

     Tom smiled and said, “That’s funny. It was the same rule at my house too. Maybe it’s a universal rule.”

     At that moment, Scott’s voice came rumbling across the ham radio.

     “Linda, Hannah, Tom… whoever’s on duty, this is Scott. Please come in.”

     Misty picked up the microphone, just like her mom had showed her. She answered, “Go ahead, Scott.”

     “Hey, peanut! Is that you? What are you doing on the radio? Who’s working the console?”

     “Me. I’m working it. It’s my first day and Mom says that means I’m in charge.”

     “Well, then, good for you. I’m glad you’re all grown up. I guess I’ll have to stop calling you peanut pretty soon, huh?”

     “No, you can still call me peanut. It’s funny. Just don’t call me little peanut anymore. Is my dad around?”

     “No, honey. He went to get a shower. He said he’d be out by the time I finished talking.”

     “Would you not tell him I’m in charge of everything today? I want to tell him that myself.”

     “Sure, honey. I promise. I won’t say a word. Now, is Linda or Tom or your Mom around?”

     Hannah was closest and took the microphone first.

     “Hi, Scott. How are you guys doing down there?”

     “Oh, we’re doing well. Trying our best to stay busy. The only casualty among us lately is me, I stepped on a rusty nail and have an infected foot. So I’m hobbling around and wearing a funny boot. But other than that we’re all okay.”

     “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you getting it treated?”

     “Yes. I’m going by the hospital every day to get it cleaned and the bandage changed. Hey, I’m impressed about Misty being put in charge. I guess you’re pretty proud of her, huh?”

     “Yep. Pretty proud indeed.”

     She looked at Misty and winked. Misty grinned from ear to ear.

     “Who do you want to talk to next, Scott?”

     “Oh, it doesn’t matter. Just whoever is available and wants to say hello.”

     “Well, Tom’s here chomping at the bits. He’s got lots of news to tell you about…”

-42
-

     The sun rose on Baker Street, awakening a million twinkling stars in the morning dew. That was on the one front yard that still had grass. It was the same lawn with the huge tree in the front yard, and the picnic tables gathered beneath it.

     Andy and Gloria
arrived first, coffee cups in hand. Scarlett walked up a few minutes later, still trying to get the sleep from her eyes.

     “Rhett will be along in a few minutes. The lazy jerk went back to sleep and I had to roll him out of bed.”

     Andy was aghast.

     “Hey, last time I called Rhett a jerk you went off on me.”

     “Yeah, well, he’s
my
lazy jerk, so I can call him that. When you call my husband names, them’s fightin’ words.”

     She said it with a smile.

     Gloria added, “Okay you two, stop it with the nonsense so early in the morning. At least until I finish my coffee.”

     “Hey, I’m nonsensical all day long. It’s who I am. It’s how I roll. It’s the very essence of my being.”

     They’d been working hard for two weeks now, clearing the trees and grass from the front yards and making them ready for planting.

     Their first step was to clear the block of cars. All of them, even the ones in the garages. One by one, they put the cars into neutral and pushed them to the end of the block, around the corner, and into the grass of a neighborhood park. Now the only cars left on the block were the ones at the end of the street, blocking its access from unwelcome visitors.

     Baker Street was a dead end street. The other end of the block was covered with houses. Rhett and Scarlett’s house just happened to be at the very end. From their front door they could see the long street stretched out in front of them.

     And at this particular moment in time, the street was a mess. It was littered with almost two dozen trees that had been cut down, but not cut up.

     They figured there would be plenty of time to cut the trees up later, after the crops were planted. After all, winter time was a very long time away. Firewood wasn’t very high on their list of priorities at the moment.

     They called their new meeting place simply, “the tree.”

     It was where they now gathered every morning at sunrise, to come up with a game plan for the day’s work. And in the late afternoon, gathered there again, in the two car garage of the abandoned house behind the tree, to reward themselves for successfully completing another hard day’s work.

     Bill Bennett, who along with his wife Mary
and their three grandchildren were the original residents of Baker Street, was curious.

     “Scarlett, I still find it amazing that you and Rhett found each other, of all the other
people in the world. He’s told us about how he got his name because his mother was a huge
Gone With the Wind
fan. But how about you? Were your parents fans too? Is that where you got your name as well?”

     “No, actually, I don’t even know if they ever saw the movie. Well, I’m sure they did. It was a classic. But I never had the sense it meant any more to them than any other movie.

     “They told me that I always had my fiery red hair. I was born with a head full of it. And my dad said the first time they saw me, the name Scarlett popped into their heads and it was official.

     “Later they told me that I developed a fiery red temper to match my hair, and that made my name doubly fitting.”

     Rhett walked up to join the group, adding, “Well, I can certainly attest to that. She does have a fiery temper.”

     “Oh, shut up, sleepy head, before I throw something at you.”

     But instead of throwing things, she kissed him. Then she held his hand. They’d been together for four years now, and their relationship had never gotten past the honeymoon stage.

     “Funny thing about the word ‘fiery,’” added
Mike. “It’s a variation of the word fire. Yet in the word fire, the r comes before the e. In the word fiery, they’re reversed. Does that bother anybody else besides me?”

    
Rhett studied his friend for a moment, and then said, “Funny thing about the word ‘fiery,’ Mike. Nobody really cares.”

     Scarlett stepped in,
mostly for the benefit of Bill and Mary, who’d only known the others for a short time.

     “That’s only interesting for
a former school teacher. Mike taught high school English back when the world still had such a thing.”

     “Hey, the world will have
high schools again. And it’ll be normal again someday. I just hope it’s in our lifetimes.”

     Bill
said, “I doubt it. But I hope my grandchildren have an easier time of it. Perhaps in their lifetimes they’ll find a way to bring power back to the cities.

    
“Mike, you and Scarlett are teachers. Perhaps you can advise me on what to do with them. The grandchildren, that is. They haven’t had any schooling in a year now, and I afraid that’s going to hurt them later on. Should I be trying to teach them about reading and writing and math and stuff like that?”

     Scarlett interjected.

     “I guess I forgot to tell you they’re opening up the old Sanders Elementary School in a couple of weeks. Initially there will be only one class for each grade level, but it’ll expand as they find more teachers. I’m going to teach Kindergarten. They can walk back and forth with me.”

     She looked at Mike.

     “Mike, you should apply.”

     “Maybe I will next year. Right now I’d rather get these crops growing real good. Bill
, if you want, once the crops are planted I’ll start working with them a couple of evenings a week. My specialty is English, but I can teach them math and science and a little bit of history. I’m no Einstein. I don’t know an algebraic equation from a black hole. But I can teach them what they’ll need to get by. I can augment whatever they learn in school during the day.”

     Anne spoke up.

     “God bless you for offering to do that, both of you. We’ve been worried that they’d forget everything they’ve ever learned.”

     “How old are they?”

     “The oldest is twelve. The youngest is five.”

     She turned to the children, who were digging in the dirt two houses away.

     “Hey, kids! Come here a minute!”

     The children were
very well behaved, and came right over, the youngest covered with dirt from head to toe.

     “I have good news.
Miss Scarlett and Mister Mike have offered to start teaching school to you in a few weeks.”

     The dirty one said “Yay!”

     He obviously liked school.

     The middle one was indifferent.

     The twelve year old rolled his eyes and muttered, “Oh, great.”

-43
-

     Nurse Becky was going through a medical supply cabinet, looking for a suture removal kit, when Scott walked in.

     “Well hello there, tall, dark and handsome. How are you this morning?”

     Scott said nothing, but turned around to see if there was anyone standing behind him.

     “Yes, I’m talking about you, you goofball. Go wait for me in Screening Room 1. I’ve got a couple of stitches to pull from someone’s arm, and I’ll be right with you.
”

     Scott did what he was told, got comfortable on the exam table, and tried not to doze off.

     He’d been awake most of the night after having a dream about Joyce. And he was exhausted.

     After about ten minutes or so, Joyce came into the room and unceremoniously plopped a red brick into the examiner’s chair.

     Scott looked at the brick, thought for just a moment, but couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say. He made do with, “Uh… okay.”

     “It’s a brick.”

     “Yes. I can see that.”

     He resisted the urge to ask the obvious question: why was there a brick in the exam room with him?

     He assumed she’d tell him in time.

     “Okay, Scott. How’s your hoof?”

     “It’s getting better. At least the pain is. I assume the infection is also, if they go hand in hand.”

     “The pain generally subsides as the infection clears up, yes. Take off your shoe and let’s have a look.”

     She put on latex gloves and began examining his foot.

     “While I’m doing this, Scott, call John Castro on your radio. See if they can spare you for an hour or so.”

     “Uh, okay. But why?”

     “You have a project you need to complete before we
release you.”

     “I wasn’t aware I’d been admitted.”

     “Just do as you’re told.”

     Scott smiled.

     “And what if I choose not to play your silly game? Then what?”

     “Then I’ll take your radio and call John myself. And you’ll have to explain to Chief Martinez and all those other big burly cops how a ninety pound woman managed to over
power you and steal your radio.”

     “I don’t think Chief Martinez would ask how. He knows that of that ninety pounds, about eighty five pounds are pure meanness.”

     She stood and reached for the police radio on his belt.

     He put his hand on it and said, “Okay, okay, you win. I’ll call.”

     He took the radio from his belt and said, “Charlie Two Five, Charlie Four Six.”

     While waiting for an answer, h
e stuck out his tongue at Becky, and covered his face when she balled up a fist and waved it at him.

     “Go ahead, Four Six.”

     “I’ll be ten seven for another hour or so. Can you cover my district if anything comes up?”

     “Ten four, Four Six.”

     Scott put the radio back on his belt and said, “There. You satisfied?”

    
She smiled.

     “Yes. Now stop being so grumpy.”

     “Are you going to tell me what the brick is for?”

     “Would you believe me if I said I was going to hit you over the head with it?”

     “No.”

     “Well, then. You’ll just have to wait until we’re done.”

     She continued to poke and prod on his wound, causing him to wince a couple of times.

     “Does this hurt? How about that?”

     Finally, she applied antiseptic cream and a new bandage.

     “It appears to be healing well. A few more days and we’ll have you running marathons again. Now then. Put your shoe back on. We have someplace to go.”

    Becky led him to a small break room next to the nurse’s station. There were a couple of other nurses at a far table having coffee, and they said hello to the couple as they walked into the room.

     Then
Becky placed the brick on the center of an empty table.

     It caught the nurses’ eyes, and Scott noticed they lost their smiles immediately. Their faces took on a look of sadness, and they looked at him with something akin to pity.

     They quickly finished their coffee and left the room.

     “Sit down, Scott. Get comfortable.”

     She slid the brick over in front of him, and then walked over to a supply cabinet.

     She took out a cardboard box and brought it to the table
.

     It was full of two dozen small glass bottles of fingernail polish.

     He was puzzled.

     She sat down across from him.

     “Okay, the suspense is killing me. What’s this all about?”

     “Consider it therapy, Scott. You’ve been taking Joyce’s death very hard. That’s understandable. You loved the woman. That’s understandable too. From everything you’ve told me, she was
an incredible woman, and certainly worthy of your love.

     “But a lot of us are concerned for you. You have a long path ahead of you. It’s time you started taking a few baby steps along that path. I’m not saying you should forget Joyce and your relationship with her. Joyce will al
ways be a part of your life, as well she should be.

     “All I’m saying is that you need to start moving forward again.

     “And if Joyce were here now I think she’d agree with me.”

     “So, what are we going to be doing with the brick?”

     “We’re going to paint it. Actually, I shouldn’t say ‘we.’
You’re
going to paint it. I’ve already painted mine.”

-44-

     Scott unscrewed the lid off a bottle of hot pink nail polish.

     “Hey, cool! It comes with its own little paint brush inside.”

     Becky smiled, taking a small bit of comfort in seeing that he hadn’t already known that.

     “Now, Scott, I want you to block out all the ugliness in the world. Block out all of that disgusting stuff you do on the job all day long. Block out having to live in the same house with John and Robbie and Randy and having to smell their dirty socks all over the house all the time.

     “And especially, I want you to block out all the pain and misery that happened at what you and John call your ‘compound.’”

     Scott looked at her, still unsure of where she was going with this. But he tried his best to comply with her instructions.

     “Now, I want you to focus only on Joyce. Her smile. Her laughter. The way you felt the first time you held her in your arms. The way you felt the first time you made love to her. Block out everything else so you can see only her.

     “Now picture her in the prettiest dress you ever saw her wear. And describe that dress to me.”

     “It was the first time I took her ballroom dancing. The dress was bright red. Satin, I think, or something real shiny. It had a black belt with a red buckle and it just looked amazing on her.”

     “Very good. Now I want you to remember her eyes, and describe them to me.”

     “She had the bluest eyes. They just melted me whenever I looked into them. It sounds silly, I know. But when I looked into them they just seemed to go on forever.”

    
“What was her favorite color, do you know?”

     “I thought it was purple. She’d laugh at me and tell me it was violet.”