The Long Roll Home

by Anderson, Diana E.

  Andy smiled with a hopeful look on his face. “What other kinds of skills are you talking about? Cooking? Sewing?”

  “Think about it, Andy. Not only will we have to know how to sew fabric into clothes, we will need to know how to spin cotton or wool so we can weave it into fabric. We’ll need to know how to treat leather so we can make belts, shoes, and harnessing equipment. We’ll need to know how to cook without the benefit of modern tools like microwaves, instant pots, and air fryers. How many people do you know who can bake bread, make cheese, or tap trees for syrup? On the ranch, we’ve been trying to learn many of those lost skills, and just in time, I think!”

  The two fell silent as each one contemplated the enormity of the situation they were facing, consoling themselves with the fact that each step they took brought them closer to the ranch and safety.

  Chapter 9

  Clarice Webster’s mind was a million miles away as she drove south through the early morning darkness towards the airport. In the back seat, her three children were whispering with each other, too excited at the thought of their upcoming trip to sleep. Clarice was excited too. She was sending the kids back to Vermont for two weeks to spend time with their father. Clarice would have two weeks to herself to rest and relax without the kids around. She and her new boyfriend made plans to spend a few days at a local ski lodge, and she could not wait.

  She was a good mother and loved her kids very much, but life had been hard on her since the divorce. After she discovered her best friend and her ex had been having an affair, she packed the kids up and moved across the country. She was lucky enough to find a job quickly, and the kids seemed to adjust well to the move. She did want them to have a good relationship with their father, though, which is why she agreed to let them go back to Vermont to spend some time with him. They had only seen their daddy once since they moved away when he flew out to visit them for Timmy’s birthday.

  She was really proud of her kids. In spite of the tensions of their dad visiting, they all behaved well while he was there and the visit was much smoother than she anticipated. Of course, her kids were almost always well behaved. Benjy, the oldest at 12, was her geeky nerd child. He was active in Boy Scouts, loved to read and research, and thought math and science were the greatest subjects ever. Given the choice of a camping trip or a ball game, he’d choose the camping trip, especially if he could study something like bugs or dirt or animals while camping. Timmy, next oldest at 11, was the athletic one. It didn’t matter the sport, Timmy played all of them well. He didn’t have Benjy’s social skills or academic talents, but he maintained a B average in school and didn’t get into much trouble. Of course, sometimes he took his sports to an extreme – two months ago, he was skateboarding with friends and wound up breaking his lower leg, resulting in a cast. Thankfully, the cast would come off in two weeks and he would be done with his hated crutches and back to his adventurous self.

  As she daydreamed about the kids, her thoughts turned to Lizzie, the youngest. Only nine, Lizzie was very bright for her age. She had Benjy’s love of learning, and Timmy’s love of sports, all wrapped in a frilly girly pink package. Her dad called her a warrior princess, and that was a great description of her fearless daughter. Clarice smiled to herself, thinking of Lizzie and her penchant for details. Hair barrettes needed to match clothes, and even her pajamas were color-coordinated!

  Clarice’s thoughts of her children were interrupted suddenly when the car died. She coasted the car off to the side of the road, confused as to what was happening.

  “Mom, why are we stopping?” asked Benjy.

  “I don’t know, honey. Maybe we are out of gas or something?”

  “We stopped at the gas station on the way here. Did we use up all of that gas already?” Benjy persisted.

  “The lights shouldn’t have gone out just because we ran out of gas,” said Timmy.

  “Mommy, is there a bathroom around here? I gotta go,” piped up Lizzie.

  “All of you, sit down and be quiet. Lizzie, you are going to have to wait a few minutes while I figure this out,” Clarice said, speaking a little more sternly that she intended. She reached over to the glove box and pulled out a small flashlight.

  “You all sit still while I go check this out.” She got out of the car and opened the hood. Shining her light across the engine, she did not see anything out of the ordinary, but did notice a smell like burning electrical wires.

  “Who am I kidding,” she thought. “I wouldn’t know if anything was broken in here. That is a funny smell, though, and I don’t think it’s normal. Guess I’ll have to call a tow truck, and just hope we can fix it in time to make the kids’ flight.”

  She put the hood down and got back into the car.

  “Well, did you fix it? What was wrong?” asked Timmy.

  “Don’t ask me what’s wrong, because I don’t know,” she answered before the kids could bombard her with more questions. “Hush up while I call for a tow truck.”

  She pulled out her cell phone, only to find it would not come on. She pushed the button several times, but in spite of that, the phone still did not come on.

  “Oh, crap. I can’t believe this. I know my phone was charged when we left. Have you kids been playing games on it?”

  Three solemn faces looked at her, shaking their heads “no”.

  “Now what, Mom?” asked Benjy. “Do you want me to walk back to the gas station we passed a while ago and call for help?”

  “No, dear, that is too far to go all by yourself. We’ll all go.”

  Timmy piped up. “Mom, I don’t think I can walk that far on crutches with this stupid cast on my foot. I’ll just stay here.”

  “Mommy, I’ve gotta go really, really bad,” cried Lizzie. Clarice closed her eyes for a moment.

  “Okay, everyone settle down. Lizzie, come with me. Boys, stay in the car and sit still.” Clarice took her daughter off to the side of the road behind several large bushes. A few minutes later they both returned to the car. Timmy and Benjy both started to talk, but Clarice put her hand up and told the boys to be quiet.

  “Here’s what we are going to do. You three kids are going to sit quietly in the car. I’ll get some snacks out of the trunk for you. I will walk back to the gas station. While I am gone, you will not get out of the car. You will not argue with each other, and you will keep the doors locked. It is going to take me a couple of hours to walk to the gas station, but I am sure I can get a ride back. The best thing you kids can do is have a snack, and then take a nap so that when we finally get to the airport, you won’t be overtired. Can you do that?”

  The boys both said yes, but Lizzie started to cry. “I don’t want you to leave me, Mommy. Can I go with you?”

  “No, honey, it is way too far for you to walk. You stay here with your brothers and if you all behave, we will go have pizza at the airport before your flight leaves.”

  “Pizza! Yippee! Okay, Mommy, I’ll stay with the boys. Can I have pepperoni on my pizza?”

  Clarice started to laugh. “Of course! Now you guys chill while I get ready to go.” She got out of the car and opened the trunk. In the front was a small cooler with some drink boxes and snacks. She started to take out a few items, but then changed her mind and put the entire cooler in the front seat. She also pulled out the kids’ winter coats and hats in case it got cold in the car while she was gone. She pulled her own parka out of the trunk and put it on. She thought about taking her purse, but then decided she would just put her credit card and some cash in her pocket rather than have to carry something. Finally, she was ready to go. Although she was scared to leave the kids alone on the lonely road, she was more afraid of not getting any help to get the car going again. Besides, she rationalized to herself, the kids are really well behaved, and will do as they are told. Luckily, the boys acted more like protectors for Lizzie, and did not torment her as some older brothers would do. Lizzie could get a little whiny, but the boys usually were able to settle her down by telling her a story or pl
aying a game.

  “Give me a hug before I go,” she said, as she hugged and kissed each of the three kids. “Benjy, you are in charge until I get back. Remember what I said about keeping the doors locked, and no fighting! Here are the keys in case you need something else from the trunk. Put them in your pocket and DO NOT lose them!”

  “Yes, ma’am” said Benjy, as Clarice strode off down the road.

  Chapter 10

  Les took his time headed back to the Jessup home. He didn’t want the ATV to conk out on him again, and he was busy daydreaming about all of the things he was planning for Tina and possibly the old woman. Finally, he pulled into the driveway. As he ran in the kitchen door, he stopped in shock.

  “They’re gone? How did they get loose?” As he looked around, he realized that not only were his prisoners gone, all of the food that had been piled up on the floor and on the kitchen table was also gone. He began running from room to room, only to discover the rooms were empty – no people, no supplies, and most of the furniture was gone, too. He stood in the middle of the kitchen floor and screamed out an expletive-filled tirade. When he was done, he was tired, but he could feel the anger building.

  “I’ll teach them to mess with me. I’m out of here, but before I go, I am going to leave them something to remember me by.” He ran out to the garage and grabbed the gas can. Bringing it in, he started pouring gasoline on the wooden floors of the house. He stood at the kitchen door and tossed a burning match into the puddled gas. With a loud whoosh, the gas caught fire. He backed out the door and just stood in the side yard, watching the house catch fire. It took less than 15 minutes for the whole house to be engaged. Les watched the fire, transfixed by the leaping flames and the sounds of various parts of the house creaking, exploding, and collapsing. An hour later, there was nothing left but the chimney and a pile of smoldering wood. Les smiled in satisfaction, climbed onto the ATV, and headed off back down the road.

  While he drove, he took stock of his situation. He was now without a place to stay, had no food, no weapon, and no young girl to keep him company. He began to build a new plan.

  “First, I need a weapon. I need to find that kid with the rifle and take it from him. He was pushing something, so he probably has some food and stuff. Then, I’ll head towards the next town and if it suits me, I’ll settle there and take over.”

  -

  Pushing the cart on the hiking trail was not as difficult as Andy thought it would be. Even with Cassie riding on the cart, the well-packed surface of the trail held up well under the cart’s wheels. Although the weather was cool, it wasn’t too cold, and Cassie and Andy were both enjoying the crisp fall day. They did not see a single person as they traveled, and the only sounds they heard were the normal sounds of the forest.

  After a while of riding in silence, Cassie smiled at Andy. “The woods are so peaceful, aren’t they? I wish everything would stay this peaceful, but I’m afraid the world is about to get pretty violent, if it isn’t already.”

  Andy nodded agreement. “I’m sure things are pretty bad in cities and towns. All those people who didn’t keep any food in their homes are going to be pretty hungry about now, and I would be one of them if the airlines hadn’t lost my luggage. Just think, if I had my luggage when I got off the plane, I would have just gone into town and checked into a hotel. I would have been stuck there with nothing to help me survive. Thank God they lost my stuff and I had to stick around and meet you.”

  Cassie laughed, but Andy jumped back in. “I’m not kidding. You know, I almost didn’t come over to talk to you.”

  Cassie looked shocked. “Why? Was it my wheelchair?” she asked, a bit defensively.

  “No, it was the fact that in spite of the wheelchair, you looked so pretty, so controlled, so self-possessed, as though nothing could faze you. I was a little intimidated and wasn’t sure you would talk to a guy like me.”

  “What do you mean, a guy like you?” She asked, a bit indignantly. “You are exactly the kind of guy I would talk to.”

  Andy smiled. “I was afraid you’d see me for what I was – a guy with minimal skills, no job, no home, nothing to offer other than friendship. I’m grateful you talked to me, and even more so that you trust me enough to bring me home with you.”

  “Oh, Andy, you’ve got to stop thinking like that. When I saw you, my first gut reaction was that you had nice eyes, a great smile, and were probably a part of my military family. I’m so glad that you came over to talk to me. And, I am very grateful that you are helping me get home. As much as I’d like to think I could do it on my own, I know better. It would have taken me a really long time, if I even made it. Now, we should be there in a couple of weeks at most.”

  Both were quiet for a few minutes, thinking of what could have been. Cassie continued, “and while we’re at it, that is the last time I want to hear you talk so negatively about yourself. You have a lot of skills, even if you don’t recognize them. My home is now your home, too, and I think you have a lot to offer.”

  Andy started laughing. “Okay, okay, I promise to be nicer to me. Now, let me ask you about this place we’re headed toward. Tell me about the ranch and who all lives there.”

  “Well, I’ve already told you that it is a cattle ranch, although we do raise other stock as well. In addition to a couple of hundred head of cattle, we have horses, sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits, and chickens. When we get to the farm, the first building we will come to is the farmhouse. It is huge – seven bedrooms and two bathrooms. It’s not a mansion, or anything like that, but in the old days, they built big houses so the entire family could live in one place. The house was built by my great-grandfather, and both my grandfather and my father have done repairs and improvements to it. Lilly and I were planning to redo the kitchen in the spring, but now I’m glad we won’t be doing that.”

  “Why can’t you renovate the kitchen?”

  “Well, for one thing, I doubt the big box stores will be open, I doubt there will be any electricity, so getting all new appliances would be a waste, but most important, the kitchen has a big old-fashioned wood stove that we are used to cooking on, and so we’ll be able to continue to cook even if the wall ovens don’t work.”

  “Yeah, I guess being able to cook is a good thing,” Andy joked. “Okay, so tell me more about the ranch.”

  “My favorite part of the house is a big porch that wraps all the way around the house. At one end is a porch swing and I’ve spent a lot of time just being lazy in that swing. My mother’s room is on the main floor, as is Lilly and Steve’s room. There is also a guest room on the main floor that we use as the ranch office. Upstairs, Lilly’s kids share a huge bedroom at the front of the house. There are two more bedrooms, and my room is at the back of the house.

  Next to the main house is a detached garage. Just past that is the bunkhouse. That’s where the ranch foreman and his wife live, along with our ranch hands. Hank Freeman has been our ranch foreman since I was a kid. He and his wife Dora have an apartment on the main level of the bunkhouse. The rest of the bunk house is dormitory style for the ranch hands. We have six hands right now, although in the spring we have had as many as 14 hands. Past the bunkhouse are the barns and storage buildings. We also have a couple of large pole barns for storing hay and one big barn we call the equipment barn. All around the buildings are the pastures and fields for growing hay. Oh, and behind the house is our garden.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realize you guys had such a big operation. Does your ranch have a name?”

  “My grandmother named it ‘Golden Oak Ranch’ because of a huge oak tree that sits out in front of the farmhouse. That tree has to be a couple of hundred years old, and the first time she saw it was at sunset, and it looked like it was made of gold. She liked the name and it stuck.” Cassie fell silent, thinking about her home and feeling a touch of homesickness.

  As they continued to walk, Andy noticed the melancholy look on Cassie’s face and asked her if she was okay.

  Cassie smiled, an
d said, “Just thinking about home, and how good it will be to get there. I’m worried about my family and I’m just hoping everything is all right.”

  “I understand. If your sister is anything like you, I’m sure she has things under control.” Cassie gave a silent nod, and Andy began to focus on pushing the cart a bit faster. The two made good progress, and before long, they were turning onto the fire road.

  “Let’s stop and get something to eat,” Andy suggested.

  “Good idea.” Cassie pulled out the map and Andy came over to study it with her.

  “We are here,” she said, pointing to the intersection of the hiking trail and the fire road. “About halfway between here and the highway, there is a creek where we can stop and get cleaned up and filter some water. We can either keep going, or we can spend the night there. I would rather do that than try to find a place closer to the highway.”

  Andy nodded as he dug through the trunk. “Here’s some trail mix and chocolate for lunch,” he said, handing the treats to Cassie. “Let’s eat and get going. The sooner we get to that site, the sooner I can sit down!”

  Cassie stood. “I can push for a while if you are tired.”

  “No, I’m fine to keep pushing. I just want to get cleaned up and change my. . . um. . . socks, yeah, my socks.”

  Cassie laughed. “Hey, City Boy, it’s okay to say you want to change your underwear in front of me. I appreciate you being polite and all, but after spending so many years with Uncle Sam’s Boy’s Club, I can handle hearing about underwear.”

  “Well, maybe you can, but I was always taught that wasn’t a proper topic to discuss in front of a lady. So, now I am going to change the subject so my face doesn’t get any redder.”

  Cassie giggled, and asked, “OK, Mr. Propriety, what should we talk about? Current events? Religion? Bigfoot sightings?”