Bruce pointed out where to put the containers and sent the kids to get ATV’s and trailers. Walking into the underground storage, Bruce stopped. It looked so small with all the equipment, ammo and weapons in it. Walking over to the wall with the weapons, Bruce scoffed. He didn’t remember getting that many weapons. Not even half of this was going to fit in the containers. As if reading his mind, Debbie said, “There’s more in the barn, under the fort-.” Bruce held up his hand for her to stop.
Bruce turned to look at the family, “Ok we will lock up weapons that can be used by one person. The heavy weapons will stay here for now since it’s real hard to carry off a mini gun. Let’s do it.”
It was 1610 when the family started. Millie brought out plates at supper and the family woofed down the food then continued on. They finished filling the last container at 2200. Most of the rifles and light machine guns were now locked down. The barn was empty of weapons and the cases of Stingers and AT-4s were moved to the underground storage area. The family crawled into the house falling asleep without any trouble.
Friday and Saturday passed in a blur. The two new storage areas were ready and the weapons were moved to the back filling up six of the twenty containers in one pod. The explosives and grenades Bruce put in the other storage area. Bruce didn’t think it would do much good. Bruce figured they had twenty tons of C-4 alone and one whole container was filled with grenades. If this storage pod blew up they would find pieces of the farm in Idaho. When the forklift put in the last pallet that would fit and Bruce closed the door and locked it as the thought crossed his mind, maybe I did get too much shit.
All the ammo was now underground most in the main storage. Looking around the farm he noticed fewer piles of supplies but they were still everywhere. Bruce looked up hearing a semi-truck coming to the back of the property. Ten trucks stopped as one of the cranes lifted the containers off. Wondering were in the hell they came from Bruce called Mike over the radio.
“Mike where are these containers coming from,” Bruce asked.
“Paul said we had to have forty more to put up what we already have. I told Conner to use one of the security crews he put together and twenty drivers. It got up to almost 36 degrees today and I didn’t want to lose the cold front so I let them go,” Mike reported.
“All you had to say was, ‘I sent some people to get them.’” Bruce replied.
“I sent some people to get them,” Mike shot back.
Bruce smiled not replying back as he headed toward the center. Tonight was movie night and the command groups first meeting, he had moved it because everyone was way too tired last night. Bruce was not in the mood for it tonight either. He just wanted to go to sleep, but they had to. Sighing Bruce figured he would get enough sleep when he was dead. Then after thinking it through, he thought ‘no there would still be stuff for him to do’. Walking into the hall, Bruce watched the empty semi’s leave.
Heading to his chair Bruce just dropped down. Debbie, Stephanie and Angela were already sitting down watching the twins and Cade run from PJ as he crawled towards them. Bruce figured PJ thought that was the best game ever with the way he was laughing. Bruce watched the game as the rest of the family came in joining them at the table.
Matt stood up and walked over to Bruce as Jake walked over to Mike. Matt looked at Bruce and asked, “May I have Danny’s hand in marriage?”
Hardening his heart, Bruce looked up at Matt, “What do you have to trade?” Matt took a step back caught off guard.
Debbie threw a glass of water on Bruce. Bruce turned to her as she said, “Bruce be serious.”
Bruce looked at Debbie as water ran off his face replying, “I was.”
Bruce turned back at Matt. “Matt, sit down please,” Bruce said nodding towards Sherry’s chair. Bruce looked at Matt and smiled, “Matt I’m glad you asked me and yes you have my permission. Since I’m covered in water I going to make a guess that you have her mom’s permission also. Matt I could not ask for anyone better than you for Danny. You honor me with you request. I know you will make her happy,” Bruce told him with sincerity.
Matt’s face was covered in tears he lunged toward Bruce hugging him tight. Danny ran around the table and hugged Bruce crying. Bruce stood up hugging both of them. They let go and went to Debbie and embraced her. Bruce looked at the other end of the table and could see Jake and Mary hugging Mike.
David stood up and walked over to Bruce and sat in Sherry’s chair. Bruce looked at David and said, “David I love you but if you ask me for Buffy’s hand in marriage. I will shoot myself right here, right now. I swear to God I will.” A look of horror came over Buffy’s face as Bruce spoke.
David looked at Bruce in shock and in a nervous voice asked, “No sir, I want to ask you for Mindy’s hand in marriage. She said I had to get your permission.”
“Mindy come here please,” Bruce said and Mindy got up from her chair and walked over. Bruce was not in the mood for this. He wanted to go somewhere and cry until he died.
“Mindy do you know David has asked me for your hand in marriage?” Bruce asked when she was standing beside David.
“Yes sir Mr. Bruce,” Mindy said in a shy small voice.
“We already talked about the mister when you talk to me along with the sir. Now are you willing to stand by David no matter what the cost? Do you think David and you will be happy for the rest of your life?” Bruce asked not noticing the entire hall was deathly quiet watching the family.
“Yes Daddy Bruce,” Mindy replied. That was not how Bruce wanted her to address him but was not in the mood for a debate.
“David you have my permission, if your parents agree,” Bruce said and they both hugged him. Bruce returned the hug. They left to run to Mike and Nancy. Jake and Mary walked over to Bruce and he wrapped his arms around them picking them up and squeezing them tight.
Tears were welling up in Bruce’s eyes. Putting the two down, he wiped them away. Bruce let them go but not before he kissed them both. Bruce walked over to Danny and grabbed her under her arms picking her up swinging her around like he did when she was a little girl. Danny giggled like she used to and Bruce’s heart was close to breaking wide open. Bruce sat her down and hugged her. Fighting the tears he put on a brave face like everything was normal.
Bruce looked at the three couples as Debbie grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulders. Bruce kissed her on the head and saw her face covered in tears. Mike’s and Nancy’s were also when Bruce looked up at them Bruce asked, “Well when is the date?”
“November the 28,” Jake replied.
“That’s three days from now,” Bruce replied trying to keep his smile.
“Yeah dad we wanted to do it soon and together. With all the fights we’ve been in we agreed we really didn’t want to wait to long,” Jake said and Bruce’s heart fell on the floor. Bruce understood and agreed. They could all die on the farm in the blink of an eye. The kids were old and responsible enough to make their own decisions. He would not deny them this joy.
Bruce looked at Mike whose face was red and covered in tears with snot trying to escape from his nose that he just wiped on his sleeve. Bruce nodded his head toward Mike and he returned it.
Father Thomas came over to Bruce, “I take it you need my services.”
“Yes Father three marriages to go on Tuesday, hold tha cheese,” Bruce forced out trying to stay strong.
“Can I talk to the couples tomorrow after the service,” he asked. Bruce nodded his head afraid to answer.
Bruce turned to the hall to see everyone looking at them. Bruce cleared his throat, “I would like to announce that my daughter, my son and adopted daughter Mindy are getting married. They are marrying Mike’s two sons and daughter. The meetings for tonight and tomorrow are cancelled. We want you to celebrate this occasion with us.”
The room erupted in a loud cheer and engulfed the family. Bruce made it to the kids one more time hugging them each a long time to remember this moment forever. Making his way to the kitch
en Bruce went out the back door. The air was cold but he didn’t feel it as he walked to the back of the farm stopping at the fence behind the catfish pond.
Bruce’s legs felt numb he dropped to his knees and cried falling face first to the ground. He would no longer be the important figure in their life anymore. The memories of their lives flooded through him making him cry harder.
Two hours later Debbie was looking for Bruce asking if anyone saw him. Not finding him in the hall and still crying she ran to the house thinking he went to the bedroom. Debbie opened the door finding an empty room. Debbie ran to mission control. They reported seeing someone walk past the fish pond two hours ago. Debbie took off out the front door and jumped on a buggy heading to the back of the property. She did not even notice the cold air on her face.
Pulling past the pond, she stopped, got out of the cart and walked forward and stopped. She could hear Bruce crying. Debbie took off in a dead run finally seeing Bruce laying on the berm of the fence crying in the moon light.
“Baby,” Debbie cried out and Bruce held out his arms as Debbie fell in them. They held each other tight crying.
It was 0100 and they were still crying as they supported each other heading back to the house. Debbie steered Bruce toward the cart. Driving back to the house with tears still pouring out of his eyes, Bruce almost hit several objects like the barn and stacks of storage containers. Stopping at the patio, they got out headed to the door. Bruce stopped, looking at Danny sitting in a chair beside the back door.
Danny stood up and took off running toward her daddy. From six feet away she leapt in the air hitting Bruce in the chest with her body wrapping her arms and legs around him. Bruce caught her in a hug tears rolling down his face. Danny was crying hugging Bruce. Debbie seeing this just could not stand up anymore and fell down on her knees. Jake came running out of the house and picked up his mama. Debbie wrapped her arms around him tight.
Danny kissed Bruce on his cheek then buried her face in his neck as she cried. In between sobs Danny said, “Daddy, I won’t get married.”
“Yes you will sweet pea. Daddy will be fine just losing his little girl and boy hurts,” Bruce cried out wanting to stop crying but couldn’t.
“We’ll wait then Daddy,” Danny managed to get out.
“No Danny I want you to be happy. This is one of the best experience’s life has to offer. Facing the world with someone you love that isn’t your Dad or Mom, someone that loves you just for being you. You two have made a choice sweet pea and I stand behind you in that choice,” Bruce told her.
“No, I will stay your little princess,” Danny wailed.
“Baby married or not, when I’m eighty five and you’re sixty you’ll still be my little princess. I’ll sit you on my walker and give you a ride. Daddy is just being a big sissy now. I didn’t want you to see Daddy cry like this. Don’t get me wrong I’ll cry more later. This just hurts because my babies have grown up and I’m an old fart now,” Bruce said crying.
“You’re not an old fart Dad,” Jake said wiping his nose holding his mama. Debbie and Jake moved over to Bruce and Danny. They hugged each other in the cold for an hour but none noticed. Then Bruce told them it was time to go in because he wanted this day to go away. Bruce and Debbie walked the kids to their rooms for the last time as their little boy and girl.
After leaving the kids in their rooms they headed back down the hall. Debbie thought Bruce was heading to the bedroom and was shocked when he went downstairs. She just wanted to cry herself to sleep but she followed Bruce. Bruce sat down at the table and Debbie joined him. Minutes later Mike and Nancy came down and joined them. “I feel older than dirt,” Bruce said.
“I don’t have any more tears,” Mike said.
“I lost all my babies on the same day,” Nancy told them.
“We now have five more to go,” Debbie said in disbelief. We have to quit adding kids to this marriage, Debbie thought.
Thinking about what Debbie said, Bruce started counting off kids Buffy, Emily, Sherry, Cade and PJ. “I’m getting drunk,” Bruce said getting up going to the basement. When he got back everyone had a glass and an extra one for him. Bruce poured a glass and passed the bottle around.
Chapter 31
At 0700 the four were still going strong when the kids came down. They all sat down with the parents who were now laughing remembering the past and telling stories. Stephanie and Angela came down with the twins, Cade and PJ. Then Steve and Tonya with Nathan they all sat down laughing at the stories. When Susan and Conner came through, they grabbed the little kids and with Pam headed to the center for breakfast.
Seeing the little kids leaving, Buffy reluctantly stood up to leave when Bruce said with a slurred voice, “Where the hell do you think you are going BB?” Buffy looked at Bruce, “Sit your butt back down in that chair.” Buffy smiled and jumped back in her chair as the others left.
“Hey Mike, remember when we took the girls to Dallas for the football game?” Bruce asked him.
Mike finished draining his glass and started laughing pouring another as Bruce continued. “Before the game we get the girls jerseys, have their face painted and both have their hair braided in big ponytails on each side of their head. We are on the 50 in box seats the ‘Boys’ are down ten to zip and are playing like crap. Little Danny and Mary two twelve year old girls climb up on the rails,” Bruce stood up to act out his story. “They both grab their crotch and yell ‘Grab your balls like this and play some football pussies!” Everyone started laughing then Bruce tells them, “Hold on, this is the best part. No sooner than the girls get off the rails, Mike’s cell phone goes off. When he answers it, Nancy is yelling at him ‘I just saw you letting my little girl’s grab their balls on national TV! Are you fucking insane?’”
Everyone was rolling as Bruce poured more in his glass sitting the bottle back in the middle of the table next to an empty one. Then Mike yells out, “What about when the boys saw bigfoot?” Mike starts slapping the table.
Steve, Matt, David and Jake all start to blush looking around when Matt said, “Dad, I thought that was going to stay a secret?” Mike could not answer Matt, because he couldn’t breathe. He was laughing so hard to himself from the memories.
Everyone except the boys turned toward Bruce who was laughing also. Jake not looking up stated, “Dad, I thought this was going to be a secret.”
“Son I think your family needs to hear this,” Bruce told Jake as he finally got to take a deep breath. Jake just shook his head no but Bruce started the story anyway, “It was the first camping trip we took the boys on. We were in Montana fly fishing. Well one night around the camp fire Mike and I start telling the boys stories of Bigfoot. How Bigfoot would wait outside of tents at night to catch boys when they go and pee. Mike told them Bigfoot ate little boy weenie’s so they couldn’t become a hunter. We go on like that for an hour or so then we gather everyone up and go to bed. The reason for the stories was Mike and I just didn’t want them to go out during the night without us, there are big critters up there. Well I don’t know how long it took them to go to sleep-,” Bruce stopped as Steve spoke.
“Like forever! My God, I have never been so scared in my life. Daddy Mike snored once so loud Jake tried to crawl up inside my ass,” Steve said and everyone busted out laughing. Then Bruce continued.
“Well it was a full moon out and kind of chilly so I was snuggled up in my sleeping bag. About 0300, I feel someone shaking me. I wake up and Steve is shaking me whispering ‘get up.’ I sit up to see four sets of wide eyes filled with fear looking at me. Now let me tell you that will wake you up real fast, seeing fear on your kids face. Steve leans over and said, ‘We heard Daddy Mike yell out followed by a growl and limbs being broke.’ I look at Mike’s sleeping bag and sure enough he is gone. That was when I heard something being dragged through the woods. Then it would stop and was replaced by a rhythmic deep grunting. I grab my gun out of the pack thinking Mike’s ass was getting eaten by a bear. I move to go help him, slowly
opening the door of the tent when Matt grabs my arm and says ‘don’t leave us.’ I turn around so I could see them and tell them I’m going to check on Mike. Looking past the boys on the tent wall, I see a huge shadow moving up the tent. I had no idea what it was but it was big and I must have made a face-,” Bruce stopped as Jake interrupted.
“I remember very clearly Dad you said ‘fuck me with a tooth brush,” Jake told him.
Bruce chuckled as he picked up again, “Well anyway, I move around the boys putting myself between them and the wall. I’m just staring at the shadow moving up the wall when I hear bloodcurdling screams ‘BIGFOOT’ from all four of the boys. I hear something hit and rip the tent behind me and before I can turn around the tent collapses down on top of me. I crawl around and finally get out the new door that the boys had made as Mike runs past me yelling ‘boys stop.’ Mike comes over to get the tent off of me and from behind him going up the mountain we hear four boys screaming ‘he’s coming!’”
Bruce stopped to catch his breath and take a drink as everyone was laughing. Angela and Danny were holding each other on the floor they were laughing so hard, they slid out of their chairs. When Bruce had his laughter under control, he continued. “Mike and I took off running after them. Luckily the boys stayed together in one group-,” Bruce stopped as Steve said. “It wasn’t by choice I told them to quit following me.”
Laughing Bruce continued the story, “Well Mike and I are in hot pursuit. I didn’t notice that Mike was falling behind until I caught up to the boys. When I got close to Jake I started yelling for them to stop. Then I hear Jake scream in a shrill voice, ‘It can talk!’ Jake was at the back of the pack of boys but all of a sudden, my son could fly. Jake passed the other three like they were standing still and moving backwards. I actually started faltering my pace when I saw Jake take off like a rocket. I still thought they were just scared of that shadow. I lean forward to pick up speed and kept yelling for them to stop. I didn’t know they were running from Bigfoot. I finally reach the last two in the pack which was Steve and David. I grabbed them picking them up around the waist. Let me tell you, holy shit did they start beating the hell out of me screaming like I was tearing them apart. That is when I hear Matt scream going up the side of the mountain ‘He got’em Jake!’ Hearing Mike come up behind me, I turned and handed the two I caught to him. That is when I hear twelve year old Steve scream out ‘Shit there’s two of’em!’ I take off up the mountain for Matt and Jake who are now neck and neck. They both think Bigfoot can talk, has friends and has eaten their dads and brothers. These two were going up a 60% incline at a dead run with me in hot pursuit and by now I’m starting to suck wind bad. When all of a sudden I hear Mike behind me let out a loud high pitched scream, like a woman in a horror movie. I couldn’t stop to check on him because I had finally closed some distance with the last two, so I keep going. Just when I get close I’m breathing so fast I can’t yell for the boys to stop and I hear Jake scream ‘I can hear him breathing!’ Knowing I don’t have much more gas left in my tank I dive and tackle both of them.” Bruce stopped so he could catch his breath and take another drink. Bruce looked around as he sat his glass down. Only the boys were still sitting at the table but even they were laughing now. Everyone else was on the floor having convulsions.
Blue Plague Survival Page 54