Hearing the front door open, they looked up at the monitors as the computer beeped. One of the thirty-inch monitors showed the camera view and location over the front door at the top of the screen with a white box outlining Lance as he walked off the porch. They both looked down at their phones as they buzzed, showing them what was on the monitor.
The box kept him outlined on the screen as Lance moved around and off the porch. When he left the field of view, the box left, and the monitor went dark—as did their phones. “He was that sure it would work?” Jennifer asked as her phone and the computer beeped and showed Lance walking toward the front gate from another camera.
“If it wouldn’t have, we would’ve locked his ass in here because when a computer doesn’t do what he wants, he becomes a major asshole,” Ian said, tapping his phone.
Lance came back and showed them how to work the program. As Jennifer was going through it, the computer beeped, and one of the four screens at the very top that showed the status of the cabin and powerhouse beeped. “I didn’t do it,” Jennifer said, looking up. “Overflow alarm? What the hell is that from?”
“The pump house even though there isn’t a pump; water is by gravity feed,” Ian said, standing up as Lance moved Jennifer’s hand away and clicked open a program.
“System says we need to open the overflow pipe,” Lance said, getting up.
Jennifer got up too. “Why isn’t the overflow pipe just open?”
“So rats and bugs can’t crawl up it and contaminate the well in the pump house,” Ian said, following Lance up the stairs.
Taking off after them, she asked, “Just where the hell is the pump house?” as they grabbed the M4s they had when they were painting the others.
“Back, northwest corner, just inside the fence,” Lance said, press checking his rifle. “Coming?”
“Hell yeah,” Jennifer said, running to her room. She came back with her M4. “What the hell? You didn’t tell me about that.”
“It’s a pump house,” Ian said and shrugged, following Lance out. Dino almost knocked them down as he ran out the door. “That dog can hurt you not even trying.”
Walking around the ATV shed, Jennifer saw a small, ten-by-ten building. “Is that the pump house?”
“No, that’s a cold storage butcher room,” Ian said, walking past it. She followed them up the rise toward the ridge behind the house. The northwest corner was the highest and much steeper than the rest of the area inside the fence. Panting as she walked up the steep grade, Jennifer saw the fence ahead through the small trees. She turned to see the cabin below her several hundred yards away.
“How far down did they have to dig to get water?” she asked, thinking digging closer to the house would’ve been smarter.
“Water was coming out of the ground where they put the well,” Ian said as she turned around, and she saw him waiting on her. “When we first came here, water was just running out of the ground into the draw beside us,” he said, pointing at the draw on the west side of the house. “It was really rocky here then too.”
When Ian turned to leave, she saw Lance standing just inside the corner of the fence and looking at a door raised above the ground that looked like it led to an underground tornado shelter. “I’m so lost,” she mumbled, walking over with Ian.
Opening the door, Lance propped it open and walked down some stairs. “Is this room electrified?” Jennifer asked before stepping inside.
Halfway in the door, Ian turned to her. “Why? It’s the pump house,” he asked with a shrug then walked down.
“Duh, it’s our water,” she said, scampering down the stairs after him into a room made of cinderblocks. In the middle was a large, cement circle that came to her chest. “Even I know without water, you don’t survive shit.”
Lance looked up at Ian. “Never thought of it like that,” Lance said with a nod.
Ian pointed at the cement circle. “Those are cement culverts,” he said. “Fifteen feet around and they go down like forty feet. The water supplies for the cabin and powerhouse are at the very bottom of the well. From here to the house is a sixty-foot drop, and with this much volume, we get great pressure.”
Moving over, Jennifer saw the top was covered in metal, and the room suddenly lit up as Ian turned on a light. Jumping back, Jennifer watched Lance walk over and lift a hatch on the top. “Whoa,” he said, jumping back. “Ian, it’s never been this high.”
She walked over with Ian and saw the water just a few inches below the lip. “It hasn’t rained that much,” Ian said, moving to the side near a six-inch metal pipe that ran into the culvert at the floor.
“Dude, it’s never been this high,” Lance said as Ian started turning a large valve on the pipe.
“How high is it normally?” Jennifer asked, hearing water humming in the pipe as Ian continued to open the valve.
“A few feet below the floor. Uncle Doug recorded once that it got level with the floor, but that was a year ago when we had that record amount of rain,” Lance said, looking down in the well.
“Overflow is open,” Ian said as he stood, and they watched the level slowly drop.
“Where does it go?” Jennifer asked.
“Come on,” Lance said, heading for the door. “We’ve never seen it actually shooting water.”
They followed him out, and Jennifer heard the roar of water long before she saw it. Moving over to the fence, she saw a pipe sticking out the side of the draw below them shooting water sixty feet across the draw and knocking shrubs and dead leaves to the bottom. “Kind of loud,” she said.
“It won’t last long, and we’ll see if we need to leave it open,” Lance said with a grin, watching the water race down the draw. “Almost makes me want to play in the water.”
“My mud pies were the best,” Jennifer giggled.
“Let’s get to work on the buggy,” Lance said, heading back down the rise.
Jennifer skipped after him, glad to be included again. When Lance opened the shop, Jennifer looked around again, still amazed that hidden behind the back wall was an area almost twice the size of the bunker. “Guys, I’ve noticed there aren’t that many tools here that run on gas,” she said, pointing at an electric chainsaw.
“Because there aren’t,” Ian said, pointing behind her. “That’s an electric auger. Dad said electricity was the cheapest form of power once you had a secure source.”
Lance grabbed her and turned Jennifer to the end of the shop. “That’s an electric saw mill to make lumber. I never understood why they bought so much electric stuff until I found out what this place really is,” he said. “Fuel will turn bad, and you can only make so much bio fuel, and it has to come from what you can eat. We have a secure form of electricity with hydro, so we can use tools without fuel.”
“What were those big white tanks near the pump house, water storage?” Jennifer asked, looking around as Ian opened the hidden door to the rest of the shop.
“Yes, they are water tanks, but no, not for storage,” Ian said, sliding the door open. “We were told they bought those to make a kind of water tower, but looking over the plans for the greenhouse, we found those are for the water storage for the hydroponics.”
Moving around the stacks and pallets of stuff, Ian and Lance grabbed what they needed and walked back out, sliding the door closed. “Hydroponics? Isn’t that what you did your science project on last year, Ian?” Jennifer asked.
“Yep, underground hydroponic rice production. Dad and Uncle Doug asked me to do it,” he said, walking out. “After reading the layout of the greenhouse, I realized they used my research.”
“Whoa,” Jennifer said as Lance opened the ATV shed and backed the hybrid buggy out.
Glancing over at her, Ian grinned. “If I would’ve known that’s why they wanted me to research it, I would’ve put more time in.”
“Ian, you got like third in the state,” Jennifer said. “Did they do that on any of Lance’s projects?”
“Yep.” Ian grinned as Lance jumped
out of the buggy. “They picked our science projects out the last three years. Those are Lance’s Pelton-Wheel turbines in the powerhouse.”
As they spread a camouflage net over the buggy, they used zip ties to secure it, and Jennifer spray painted splotches on the tires and wheel well. “So when are we starting on the greenhouse?” she asked, moving to the other side.
“If we go by Doug’s outline, it’s soon, but we won’t be done with it for months, but I’m betting a year,” Lance said as he evened out the netting.
“So let’s not do hydroponics,” Jennifer said, looking up.
“You get a thousand percent increase in yield with an enclosed hydroponic system,” Ian said. “It’s labor-intensive upfront, but the biggest cost factor is electricity, and I guess you know we don’t have to worry about that.”
“Okay, so what’s the problem?” she asked, getting up as Ian ripped a piece of duct tape off and covered the taillights.
He pointed. “See that slope past the rec room?” he asked, and she nodded. “We have to dig back fifty feet, removing all that earth, then build it and cover it up like the rec room and shop.”
“By hand!” Jennifer shouted.
“Yeah,” Ian said, ripping another piece of tape off. “You see our hesitation now.”
Looking at the slope and just guessing where fifty feet went to, she moaned, “Using shovels would take forever.”
“If we had our dads, Uncle Doug, Jason, and Ms. Penny’s daughter’s kids, it could be done in the two months they had planned on taking to build it,” Lance said. “With just me, you, and Ian, I’m thinking close to a year. That is a shit load of dirt.”
“Let’s build the damn thing aboveground,” Jennifer groaned, moving to the next tire.
“We don’t have the supplies for that,” Ian said, moving to the front. “We are going to make lumber, but we don’t have the other stuff we need and would still have to level out an area by hand.”
“Shit, let’s plant a garden,” Jennifer said, getting up.
“Don’t have the pesticides to grow on the outside or the acreage to produce enough till next year’s crops,” Lance said and looked over at her. “We worked on a farm last year for merit badges.”
“We have like ten years’ worth of food now; we can grow a garden and work on the greenhouse,” Jennifer said with a shrug.
Ian shook his head, stepping back to look at the buggy. “We don’t have the time to do that along with everything else we still have to do,” he said, nodding at the buggy. “Looks like a bush with wheels.”
“Then we’ve done our job,” Lance said and started gathering what was left over. Jennifer darted forward and started grabbing anything—be damned if they were picking up again without her.
When they walked in, they found the girls working in the kitchen. “We’re making supper,” Allie beamed.
Carrie looked up with a grin. “You’ll like it.”
“Yes, we will,” Lance said, walking over and kissing each on the head, followed by Ian and Jennifer.
As Lance and Ian walked to their room, Ian leaned over to Lance’s ear. “They are making hamburgers to put in Hamburger Helper,” he whispered.
Looking at Ian, Lance shrugged. “I think that’s kind of smart myself.”
Ian laughed as they hung up their rifles. “Allie should’ve been your sister,” he said and looked at his clothes basket. “Hey, I’m going to shower; will you wash my clothes with yours?”
“Sure,” Lance said, pulling off his boots. After Ian left, Lance looked at the baskets. “It can’t be that hard,” he mumbled, dumping Ian’s clothes in his basket. As he passed through the kitchen, he saw Jennifer “helping” the girls with supper. Allie and Carrie where arguing as they broke up the hamburger patties they had made.
She waved at him as he headed down to the basement. Taking a deep breath, Lance walked over to the large, stainless steel washer and dryer. He looked at the top at the switches and dials then shrugged, opening the door on the washer. He looked inside then back at the instruments. “Where are the lines to tell me how much I’m putting in?” he mumbled, sticking his head inside the washer again.
“How do you know what’s large, medium, or small? I know what an extra-large load is,” he snapped, pulling his head out. Looking for instructions, he moved his head around the outside of the washer then looked up and saw the detergent. Pulling the box down, he started reading.
“Is this supposed to be some innate knowledge you’re supposed to have?” he snapped, slamming the detergent down. Seeing a handle on the top, he lifted it, finding a little door that covered three small boxes. “Instructions, thank you,” he beamed, seeing writing on the inside of the small lid.
Jennifer came down the stairs to see Lance leaning over the washer, studying something intently. “I’ve never found something that interesting on a washer before,” she mumbled, coming down the stairs. As she walked over, she saw Lance was reading a very tiny set of instructions. “Haven’t you washed clothes before?”
Lance jumped a foot off the washer. When he landed, he spun to face her. “I’m putting a damn bell on your little ass!” he snapped.
Jennifer laughed as Lance calmed his breathing. “Sorry,” she giggled. “But haven’t you washed your clothes before?”
“Ah,” Lance stuttered and glanced around. “No.” The giggle left Jennifer as she stared at him. “What, Ms. Penny or Mom washed my clothes,” he mumbled. “But I do know how to iron,” he said proudly.
Shocked, Jennifer looked down at the basket. “I can help.”
“Oh, thank you,” Lance sighed with relief. “Where are the lines to tell you what size load you have in? What do they consider heavy soil, and do I want it to be delicate with the clothes? I’m sure I want hot, but how hot is it? Will it hurt my clothes?”
Jennifer just stared at him with an open mouth then remembered to snap it shut. “How about you just watch me,” she said and started going through Lance’s basket.
Watching her make different piles, Lance shook his head and felt like hiding when she started pulling out his and Ian’s underwear. “It doesn’t like mixing colors? It’s that damn hot?” he cried out, realizing what she was doing.
Slowly, Jennifer looked up. “Um, it’s not that hot, but colors will stain other clothes. Wait till I’m done, and I’ll explain.”
Lance nodded and watched her start to shake out their pants and shirts then lay them in the washer neatly. Holding his tongue as the questions started flooding his mind, Lance leaned over with her as Jennifer filled two of the boxes under the small lid with detergent. Then standing on her tip toes, she pulled down a bottle with “Fabric Softener” written on the front.
Lance didn’t have a problem with that; he had a problem with the big teddy bear on the front. “Ah,” he started, and Jennifer held up her hand as she measured some out in the cap and poured it in the last box under the little lid.
She closed the door, locking the latch. “That is a max full load,” she said, pointing at the glass door.
“No it’s not; it’s barely halfway full,” Lance said. “It’s not at max full until you use your foot to push the stuff in so you can close the door. That’s full. I know I didn’t have enough clothes for a full load; that’s why I was looking for the lines for medium and small.”
Shocked, Jennifer stepped back, seeing Lance was dead serious. “Lance, you will bring me your clothes so I can wash them. You will not break this washing machine. I will not do this by hand,” she said, turning to the machine.
“Hey, I—”
She raised her hand. “Tell your twin the same thing,” she said, flipping switches. “I see his clothes in here as well.”
“Ian’s used a washer before,” Lance said proudly.
“Is that where you learned ‘full?’”
“Yep,” Lance smiled proudly.
“Neither one of you are allowed to touch the washer or dryer,” Jennifer said, putting herself between him and the
machines. “I’m not kidding. I’ll bitch every minute of every day if you do.”
Tilting his head as he saw the washer start to fill with water, he said, “See, you could’ve put the rest of the clothes in.”
Backing up to try to block Lance’s vision of the machines, Jennifer shook her head, ready to fight to defend them. “You two can’t even look at them! Do I make myself clear?”
When Lance opened his mouth to talk, Jennifer lifted her chin, daring him. Seeing a look in her eye he didn’t like, Lance wisely left.
When he got back to the bedroom, Ian was putting shorts on. “Hey, thanks for doing mine,” he said, kicking his empty laundry basket.
“Jennifer kicked me away from the washer and dryer and said if either of us touches them, she will bitch every minute of every day,” Lance said, sitting on his bed.
“You let her see my underwear?” Ian cried out in shock. “Dude, I had skid marks on some.”
Looking up at Ian, Lance shook his head slowly. “Brother, she was ready to fight to get me away from those machines. I think she really likes them.”
“Lance, she can see our underwear!”
“Let’s just wear them in the shower from now on and wash them when we shower,” Lance offered. “I really think she will spin if we touch those machines.”
“I’ve washed before. I should’ve done it,” Ian huffed.
Jumping off his bed, Lance got in Ian’s face. “She flipped out when I told her what max full was. If you would’ve done it, she would be whooping your ass right now.”
“But you have to stomp on it to close the lid. That’s full. Jason said so.”
“Hey, I’m just warning you. Try it, and your girlfriend will whip your ass,” Lance said, spinning around.
Ian stepped around, getting in Lance’s face with a pleading look. “Dude, how the hell do you impress a girl when she’s seen skid marks in your underwear?”
“Get darker underwear?” Lance grinned.
Forsaken World:Coming of Age Page 4