Miracles
Page 8
Chapter Six
Leave Kong Alone
It was mid-morning when they returned home. Todd was in shock, looking at all the shipping containers stacked in neat rows. Between the road and the creek, heavy equipment was parked in a long neat row. “Holy shit!” Todd gasped. “You’ve been busy!”
“Damn right,” Arthur huffed. “And now you get to join the crowd.”
“Gladly,” Todd said, thankful at least Arthur had a plan.
Parking the line of trucks on the road everyone climbed out, and several kids ran toward the roaring creek and pulled wagons over. The wagons had generators on them and soon, the hum of generators broke the quiet when the kids grabbed pressure washers and washed off the thick layer of dead flies that coated the fronts of each vehicle.
“Glad we didn’t go through a big town after sunrise,” Todd admitted.
“Not with me you won’t,” Arthur informed. “Shit, I was getting worried the flies were going to choke out the engine.”
“The way the engine was running after we were out of that last cloud, I’m certain the air intake is nearly clogged,” Todd agreed.
Nodding while he pulled Nicole up on his shoulder and patted her back, “Had to drive by braille there for a mile or two,” Arthur admitted. “Let me go tell the kids they did great.”
Arthur was surprised it only took an hour to wash the vehicles off. Todd and his kids all gave a sigh when they were told they could take a shower. Those who hadn’t driven had slept on the way home. Those who had driven were still amped up from driving through clouds of flies and dodging a few crazies. Only one crazy actually charged them, the others just stood in the road while the convoy drove around them. The one that charged them, ran straight into the front of Arthur’s semi.
After the vehicles were washed off, everyone headed to the house. In the lead of fourteen quad seat UTVs, with some pulling trailers that held seats and were loaded with kids, Arthur rode in the passenger seat with Nicole strapped to his chest. Hearing her fuss, Arthur glanced down and saw a very grumpy expression on the tiny face. “We’re almost home,” Arthur told her, but the grumpiness progressed to irritated.
Pulling her out of the carrier Arthur gave a tentative sniff, “Oh, man, fuck me!” he gasped, jerking his head back. “Where did that come from?”
Crying out in her small voice, Arthur adjusted gear and put Nicole on his shoulder as he glanced over at Pat driving. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Pat to speed up, but Arthur thought better of it. “I’ll change you as soon as we get home,” Arthur promised, but Nicole informed him that would be unacceptable.
Pressing the remote for the gate, Arthur was glad to see it open so Pat wouldn’t have to slow down. Arthur glanced out the side and saw Daisy and Donald trotting alongside, and both were looking at him. “I can’t change her right now, dammit,” Arthur snapped at them.
Hearing a squeal behind him, Arthur glanced to the backseat but then turned back around. “Oh, dear Lord,” he sighed. “Robin!” he snapped. “Will you leave your clothes on till we get to the house?!”
Giving a quick glance back, Pat turned back to the road. “How does she get her pants off with her cowboy boots still on?”
“I have no idea,” Arthur moaned. Hearing another squeal, Arthur turned behind him to see Noah naked. “Oh, come on, not you too!”
Pulling around, Pat parked at the back of the house, and Arthur was getting out before they were stopped. With Nicole in full pissed-off screaming mode now, Arthur sprinted to the back door. “Pat, don’t let Robin jump in the pool. Drag her inside if you have to!” Arthur called out while the others pulled up and he darted inside. “Tell Wendy, Noah is naked and I have no idea where his clothes are!”
“Why was he in a rush?” Wendy asked, getting out of another side by side.
Each UTV pulled up and parked in a row along the side of the house. “Nicole pooped and doesn’t like it,” Pat answered as he put the brake on, and saw a naked child wearing pink boots run past. “Robin!” he screamed and jumped out in hot pursuit.
Watching Pat catch Robin before she reached the swimming pool, Wendy gave a long sigh. “Okay, I’m starting to worry about that one now.” When another form ran past, Wendy’s mouth fell open to see little stark-naked Noah running for the pool. “Noah!” she cried out and he stopped.
“Hey, she kept her clothes on for two whole hours,” Andrea sang out in amazement while she pulled out her AR from her side by side. Giving a sigh, Andrea took Noah from Wendy.
“She was asleep,” Jo Ann and Sally said together, helping Wendy and Vicki with the other babies.
Shrugging, “So? Robin can strip in her sleep,” Andrea replied, watching eight-year-old Pat carry the naked two-year-old. He had a look of utter disgust on his face and Robin held her arms over his shoulder, reaching for the swimming pool.
Putting her AR across her back and feeling sorry for Pat, Andrea stepped over to take Robin. “Thank you,” Pat said with reverence as Andrea put Robin on her other hip.
Wendy held Lucas in the crook of her arm and she started counting kids when everyone climbed out of the side by sides. “Buddy up!” she shouted out, and the kids ran to their buddy and held hands. Seeing the four new additions, “Cody and Kyle, you are buddies and when I call it out, hold each other’s hand. Todd, until we reassign buddies, Lindsey is yours. It’s the only way to keep track of everyone.”
Looking at the mass of kids, Todd stared in awe. Giving a nod as Lindsey grabbed his hand, “Smart,” he chuckled.
Seeing everyone accounted for, “Inside and let’s start some food. Arthur says we’re done traveling for a while and now, we’ll work here full time,” Wendy told everyone.
“We can put cots in my room for Todd, Cody, and Kyle,” Shawn offered, holding his sister’s hand and heading for the back door.
Glancing over at the concrete pad of the dorm expansion, Wendy said a prayer that it was high on Arthur’s list. “Okay, get the new members of the family a place to bunk, then head down so we can eat. I’m sure we’ll be going to sleep soon and waking up really early to start,” Wendy told everyone as Pat held the back door open.
Holding Lindsey’s hand, Todd heard her give a sigh. “Oh, a big kitty!” Lindsey said.
Reaching over, Pat grabbed Lindsey’s hand to stop her. “That’s Kong, and you leave him alone. The dogs are scared of him, and so is Arthur. Kong kills stuff bigger than him,” Pat informed her and Lindsey jumped back, then thinking that wasn’t enough, moved to Todd’s other side.
“Just leave the cat alone and you’ll be fine,” Wendy said, passing them and heading inside. “Vicki, do all the babies need to be fed?” Wendy called over her shoulder when she walked inside.
“Yes, Momma. Pops said to just wait till we got home to feed them, so they would go to sleep,” Vicki answered, carrying Pam and pushing a stroller with two babies.
Walking inside, Todd pulled Lindsey to the side and watched as the gaggle of kids filed in. Looking around he saw a rather large kitchen, then continued turning and saw what had once been the dining area, now held refrigerators and upright freezers along the wall. A large doorway had been put into the wall and led into what was now the dining area but used to be the garage.
Lindsey tried to pull her hand away, and Todd glanced back to see the back door closed. “Don’t go outside unless you tell me,” he told her, and Lindsey nodded before following a group of kids upstairs. Walking into the converted dining area, Todd saw it was still a work-in-progress. One of the rollup doors still remained, but the others had been removed and walled off.
Feeling a tap on his arm, Todd turned and saw Shawn grinning at him. “Come on, I’ll show you where you can drop your gear,” Shawn told him.
“How many do you have here?” Todd asked, following Shawn into the living room and saw Arthur rocking a much happier Nicole in the recliner.
Reaching the stairs, “Fifty-six now with your group,” Shawn answered and led Todd upstairs.
“I don’t know where that dump came from, but it was burning her tiny ass,” Arthur huffed while Wendy passed him Lucas. Taking Lucas, Arthur cradled him in the crook of his left arm. “Why don’t you take them and I’ll supervise the cooking?” Arthur offered.
“No, Andrea’s doing that. I’m going to help Vicki get the bottles ready. Then I’ll pull some in here to start feeding,” Wendy told him, feeling a little weak. “Damn, this drained feeling has got to go away.”
As soon as she realized she’d said it out loud, Wendy instantly regretted it. “Sit,” Arthur snapped, getting up with both babies. “I told you, you were doing too much.”
“Arthur, it’s been over four months, closer to five since I’ve had Rudolph. I can’t improve if I don’t move, so quit babying me,” Wendy groaned, but there was a little iron in her voice.
Staring at Wendy, Arthur started playing out the pending argument in his mind to see if it was worth the effort of the hell he would have to raise. Wendy just returned his gaze, knowing damn well what Arthur was doing. Realizing just how much the pending fight was going to cost him and Wendy, Arthur sat back down. “Get the bottles and sit,” Arthur finally told her, and in his mind, he’d won the argument that’d never happened.
Patting Arthur’s cheek, “Smart choice,” Wendy smiled. “I would’ve stolen a kid if I’d known that’s all it would’ve taken to get you to shave the beard.”
Looking up as Wendy headed toward the kitchen, “Nicole told me she didn’t like it! So back off!” Arthur shouted.
Even though the house was large and there were a lot of bodies moving around, everyone had learned what to do, so tasks moved ahead rapidly. To the new group, the activity looked like a synchronized orchestra run by a mad man. Not knowing what to do, Todd sat down in the living room wearing only his fatigue pants and a brown t-shirt. “Um, how do we know what we should be doing?” he asked.
“For now, just stay out of the way,” Arthur advised when Vicki came in. Seeing a big person with empty arms, she strolled over to Todd.
“Here,” Vicki said, holding out Ryan.
Scooting back on the couch like Ryan was radioactive, “I’ve never held a baby!” Todd cried out.
“Well, you’re about to learn,” Vicki informed him, putting Ryan in Todd’s lap. “Hold him like this,” she instructed, moving Todd’s arms to cradle Ryan. Pulling a bottle from her thigh pocket, Vicki showed Todd how to hold it. “Ryan gets tired of holding it halfway through,” she informed, turning around and heading back to the kitchen.
Like he was holding nitroglycerin, Todd held Ryan while he drank the bottle. “Good baby,” Todd said nervously.
“Oh, you’ll get over that fast,” Arthur laughed, and Vicki came back carrying Pam and another baby. “Got me some bottles, Little Momma?”
“Here,” Vicki said, pulling two bottles from her cargo pockets. “We can’t find Robin’s pants or any of Noah’s clothes, including shoes.” The fact she could grab the bottles with a baby on each hip left Todd in spellbound awe of the ten-year-old.
Taking the bottles while he rolled his eyes, “She probably ate them and stripped Noah,” Arthur groaned. Reading the names on the bottles, he moved the babies until he could feed the baby with the arm cradled around them.
“Momma said she’ll take Lucas when she gets in here,” Vicki told him, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Pulling the babies to each side, Vicki fed them each a bottle.
Walking into the living room while rolling her eyes, “Your child,” Wendy huffed, grabbing Lucas.
“Hey!” Arthur snapped. “I clearly remember telling you, Robin was yours.”
Sitting in the other recliner Wendy rocked, and Lucas never even acknowledged he had been moved. “Well, undoubtedly Robin doesn’t agree, since she always stays near you,” Wendy grinned. “Robin taught Noah how to strip.”
As if on cue, Robin ran into the living room wearing only pink cowboy boots. Seeing an empty spot on Arthur’s lap, she let out a squeal and changed direction. “Robin!” Vicki snapped, and even Arthur jumped at the tone. “Put your panties on because I’m tired of looking at your little butt!”
“No,” Robin shouted back, moving to climb into Arthur’s lap.
“You want me to get up?” Vicki threatened, scooting to the edge of the couch with babies in her lap.
Like Vicki had slapped her, Robin looked up at Arthur for help. “Don’t look at me, I don’t want Little Momma mad at me and on my ass,” Arthur scoffed.
Poking out her bottom lip, Robin looked down before she slowly shuffled out of the living room. “A ten-year-old girl holds more fear than I do,” Arthur mumbled while he glanced over at Vicki smiling.
“Where were your pants at?!” they heard Andrea cry out in shock from the kitchen. “No, they weren’t by the door,” Andrea answered the Robin gibberish.
“Great. She’s a nudist and a magician,” Arthur moaned. Moving Nicole to his shoulder when the bottle was empty, Arthur saw Robin run back in wearing panties only with her cowboy boots.
Needing no help, Robin climbed up into Arthur’s lap. “Thank you for at least wearing panties,” Arthur told Robin while he patted Nicole’s back. Robin jabbered and snuggled into Arthur’s side when Nicole gave her signature loud burp. The sound of tiny bare feet running sounded and Noah came running in, and everyone sighed seeing he had on underwear. Seeing Robin in Arthur’s lap, he took off again for the kitchen.
“Whoa,” Todd said in admiration. He glanced down and saw Ryan’s eyes were closed and the bottle was nearly empty.
“You see how Arthur patted Nicole?” Vicki asked, but wasn’t looking to see if Todd acknowledged. “Do that to Ryan,” she commanded.
“Hey Pops, Momma, you want to eat in here?” Shawn asked stepping in the living room.
“Nah, just set me a plate to the side,” Arthur replied.
“Shawn,” Wendy called out and he turned to her. “Will you make us both a plate and bring them to us?” Wendy smiled. “And will you get someone to get Ryan and put him in his crib? Todd thinks he’s going to break the baby and he needs to eat too.”
“I’ll get him,” Shawn said, walking over to take Ryan and Todd gave a thankful sigh of relief.
One of the other kids came in carrying plates and Arthur just set his on the end table beside him. “What’s on the schedule for tomorrow, Pops?” Shawn asked, walking back in.
“We work on the dorm and moat,” Arthur answered, watching Robin lean over and grab some food off his plate before shoving it in her mouth.
Sitting down on the couch Shawn held out his hands to Vicki, seeing if she wanted to pass a baby off and Vicki just shook her head. “Will we have to drive the cement trucks to fill them up, or we going to use the pallets of cement we have?” Shawn asked while Beth ran in and climbed in his lap.
“Fill up the trucks. That’ll be the only trips we’ll make away from here for the next few weeks, maybe a month or so, depending on how fast we build,” Arthur told him.
“So, you still think we’re going to have problems with animals?” Shawn asked.
Arthur busted out laughing and felt Nicole jerk on his shoulder, and immediately stopped laughing. “Shawn, I don’t think, I know we will,” Arthur replied. The older kids, hearing Arthur talking all filed in the living room, just sitting wherever they could. Those holding babies were given priority on chairs and then Andrea came in last with Noah on her hip.
Glancing over at Shawn, Arthur saw he was confused. “Shawn, I told you, there was an estimated sixty to a hundred million dogs in the US. Those will be a threat by the end of summer. They aren’t now because there’re bodies everywhere to eat. The dogs won’t die off because there’ll be plenty of food to chase. I’m betting in two years, there will be over a
hundred and fifty million big dogs roaming around because many of the smaller ones will be eaten. There are over thirty million whitetail deer alone and you must remember, we were their only predator.”
“There wasn’t that many deer here when America was discovered,” Andrea chimed in. Seeing everyone turn to look at her, “I read that somewhere,” she added.
“And you’re right,” Arthur told her. “At the time, America was wilderness. Now, the trees have been cut down and where there aren’t fields, there’re manicured lawns. Look at all that grass for herbivores to munch on, and guess what eats herbivores?”
Putting together what Arthur was saying in his mind, “Damn,” Shawn mumbled.
“You really want to know more?” Arthur asked, glancing down and saw Robin was asleep and curled into his side.
Actually thinking about that for a full minute, “Yes, sir,” Shawn replied.
“We know many zoos just turned the animals loose, but those won’t pose a problem for years. The US had an estimated thirty million head of beef cattle and ten million dairy cows, seven million sheep, four million goats; just more herbivores to feed the predators. Will they die off? No. There’s ample food for them because the continent is more grassland than forest. Before the virus, there was an estimated half a million black bears in the US. By next year, that number will double at the very least. I’m leaning more toward quadrupling. There’s plenty of food and nothing to hunt them, so I’m betting they’ll add a million, at least, to their ranks just this year because most cubs will survive,” Arthur paused, moving Nicole to the crook of his arm.
“You mentioned tigers,” Andrea blurted out.
“Yes, but it’ll be some time before they’re a force in nature, compared to the other predators. There were around three thousand in the US, but the mountain lion population was over thirty thousand. That number is going to go sky high really fast. By next year, I’m certain there will be a hundred thousand mountain lions. One thing cats can do is reproduce.”