“Hold on there, Lance,” Jennifer snapped, stepping up. “We have two sewing machines and yes, you and Ian can sew, but when either of you get mad, you start forcing stuff to bend to your will. Those are nice machines, the best I’ve ever seen, so Lilly and I will help them on the sewing machines.”
“Woman!” Lance snapped, and Jennifer put her hands on her hips, ready to fight. “We have to make our new clothes as well! You see how tight our clothes are now?!”
Not even trying to deny that, Lilly stepped up beside Jennifer. “I’ve been told why you aren’t allowed to use the washer. I’m with Jennifer on this. Tell us what you want, and we’ll do it.”
“I want some pants like Doug has down in the bunker, but all of us could fit inside Doug’s pants,” Lance snapped. “There are other things I want to try and see if they work.”
“Lance, I was a cheerleader, I know how to sew,” Jennifer reminded him, looking at the two sewing machines on small tables by the front door. “Those machines cost serious money. One, I know was over two grand because I wanted a Reliable and my dad laughed at me.”
“What?” Lance cried out, looking over at the sewing machines.
“Can I make an offer?!” Robin asked loudly, and everyone turned to her. “I have several nice sewing machines, Lance. How about I give you two? Then you, Ian, and the kids can practice on them before going to those.”
Lance turned to Ian, “Is that punking out?” Lance asked in a low voice.
“Our mothers spent over two grand on a sewing machine and you are worried about punking out?” Ian hissed back. “We got in serious trouble for breaking the blender at your house, and it only cost a hundred bucks. I’m scared what our moms would do, if we broke a sewing machine that cost that much.”
“Ian?” Robin said, and he turned to look at her. “Your other machine is a Juki; it cost a little more than a Reliable.”
“We’ll take your offer!” Ian cried out in shock and Lance hissed at him. “Dude, we break those machines and our moms will skin us alive! Fuck punking out!” Ian snapped.
Snarling at Ian, Lance turned to Jennifer. “We’re putting another washing machine in,” he growled.
“Fine. Same rule applies,” Jennifer said, crossing her arms.
“What if we don’t put in a heavy load?” Ian asked.
“Ian, I’ve talked to your sister. She’s seen you stomp clothes into the washer to close the lid. Jason was wrong, that’s not a ‘full load’,” Jennifer told him calmly, and Ian turned to Allie who just smiled.
“What if we wash like you teach us?” Ian offered.
“No,” Jennifer said flatly. “You two get excited and move too fast. Washing takes time, and you two don’t like devoting time to it. I don’t mind because I’m not washing more shit by hand than I have to. I do let you two wash your vests by hand.”
Putting her arm over Jennifer’s shoulder, Lilly grinned. “Keep on, and we can change that.”
Lance’s face twitched as he fought not to unload. “They have to learn,” he rumbled.
“We will teach them to wash and to never do what you do to a washing machine,” Lilly smiled.
Raising her hand, “I’m taking their side,” Robin said, and Heath reached over, covering her mouth. Robin snatched his hand away, “You put your damn work boots in my brand-new washing machine!” she bellowed, making the dogs run down to the basement.
“Wow, that’s a good idea,” Lance mumbled to himself, then looked over at Heath and asked, “Did it get them clean?
“He broke my brand-new washing machine!” Robin screamed, glaring at Heath.
“Um, I don’t know, Lance. Robin kind of burned my boots in the front yard,” Heath mumbled, looking at Lance and feeling Robin glaring at the side of his face.
“Lance, I see boots anywhere near that machine, you will wake up with them shoved up your ass!” Jennifer snapped.
“I’ll hold your ass down for that one,” Lilly added, and Ian grabbed Lance when he moved to walk over to them.
Shoving Lance behind him, Ian nodded. “Okay, we will forgo the washer, but I want to leave open the possibility that we can use it in the future,” Ian said, holding Lance behind him.
Seeing Lance trying to get out from behind Ian, Lilly glanced at Jennifer and they both nodded. Lilly turned back, “We agree to that,” Lilly said, and Lance quit fighting and stuck his head out from behind Ian. “When the parents get here, we will let your mothers show you.”
“Deal,” Lance said, and Ian sighed, letting Lance go. “My mom will let me take care of myself.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, “Ms. Sandy worships the ground you walk on, but tell you what, I’ll bet you ten shifts at the control desk watching monitors, she takes my side,” Jennifer snarled.
Suddenly not so sure, Lance looked at Ian, who shook his head very minutely at Lance. “Um, I’m not taking that bet because Mom’s a girl, and might side against a ‘man card’ holder,” Lance said slowly.
“Smart,” Ian grinned.
“Ian, when we get a chance, let’s build a washer that will do what we want, like wash boots,” Lance said with excitement.
Before Ian could answer, “Lance, Ian,” Lilly said. “We have other shit to do. So any washing machine you build becomes our possession.”
Lance’s mouth fell open as Ian nodded. “Point taken. We concede this battle in your favor,” Ian declared.
“Get your notepad out and take notes,” Robin whispered to Heath, who still wasn’t looking at her.
Giving up, Lance turned to the three on the couch. “So, you’ve heard the rules, and everyone follows them. If we agree, do each of you pledge to follow them?” Lance asked, and the three jumped up, shouting ‘yes’.
Lance looked from Ian, then to Jennifer, Lilly, and the ladybugs. “I move to allow, Denny, Lori, and Jodi here on temporary basis,” Lance said, and the others said ‘aye’. Looking back at the three now standing, “It’s up to you to show us we were right.”
After escorting the parents past the diversion fence, the three new charges started on becoming the best that they could be.
Chapter 18
North of Hollywood, Missouri
Kicking her horse, Sandy moved closer to Johnathan who was leading. “Johnathan, we need to find a place to bed down,” she said softly behind him. “We only have a few hours until daylight.”
“I know, Sandy, but we aren’t stopping till we cross that bridge,” Johnathan told her.
Looking around the vast flat farm land, Sandy didn’t want to stay there either, but didn’t want to move during the day. “Johnathan, the I 155 bridge is over thirty-four miles to the northeast. Even if we ride hard, we won’t make it before sunup,” Sandy said, looking at a farmhouse to the east as they rode across the fields.
“Sandy, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where we are going,” Johnathan said, looking around. Around them, he could see the shadows of stinkers in the distance, stumbling through fields. What he didn’t like was that all seemed to be moving toward them. The closest was well over three hundred yards away, but didn’t seem to have any problems seeing them.
“So, they can wait for us at night, just as well in the day,” Sandy said as Mary moved closer.
“Sandy, there are people around us, I know it. What I’m hoping for, is to make it across before they set up. If we are really lucky, they will think we are traveling to someone local,” Johnathan told her, glancing down at Dan who was looking around tensely.
“Then let’s ride fast,” Sandy told him, gripping her AR tight.
“Sweetheart, what would you think, seeing three people on horses, leading five pack horses at a fast gallop?” Johnathan asked.
“They want to get away from stinkers,” Sandy answered honestly.
“What about, they just wiped out a local family and took their supplies,” Johnathan offered, looking around more rapidly.
“We didn’t,” Sandy said.
“Sandy, there is n
o court. All it takes is suspicion for someone to shoot. If I couldn’t see for miles at a time, I would be willing to hide until nightfall, but I’m still worried that someone has seen us and radioed ahead.”
“Okay, then speed up to a trot,” Sandy offered.
“Sandy, we might need the horses, so let’s save what they have,” Johnathan said as they crossed a road, moving into another overgrown field of cotton.
“Johnathan,” Mary called out. “How about we turn toward the bridge now, instead of crossing I 55 and then turning north?”
“That will only confirm where we are heading. I want anyone watching to guess,” Johnathan answered.
Mary looked at Sandy who just shrugged. “If we head for the bridge now, it doesn’t really matter then, if you think they will figure it out,” Mary said.
Johnathan turned in his saddle to look at them, and both realized he had never done that, he’d always stopped. “Guys, we have been seen by that one house I told you about back there. That wasn’t a stinker running across the yard into the house, that was a person. We could be going to family around here, but if we head straight for the bridge, then they will know.”
Mary looked at Sandy, who nodded at Johnathan. “Okay, honey, we understand,” Sandy finally said.
“Guys, I don’t like it here either, but this was always the most dangerous area for people,” Johnathan sighed, turning back in his saddle. “There just aren’t a lot of places to cross the Mississippi River.”
“With all this,” Mary said, waving her hand around at the shadows in the distance. “And humans are still our greatest threat.”
“Both of you remember our route to the bridge, right?” Johnathan asked over his shoulder.
“Yes honey,” Sandy shivered, feeling her skin crawling. “Let me lead.”
“No,” Johnathan snapped, making both jump and then he turned back. “Guys, stay spread out. Only ride close for short periods and move your horse from alternating sides behind me.”
Hearing the tension in Johnathan’s voice, Mary pulled back her horse, as did Sandy. With his pack horse and Bill’s horse, Sandy was over ten yards away from Johnathan. Glancing back, she saw Mary wasn’t that far away, since Sandy only had one pack horse and Mary had Bill’s with hers.
Sandy sighed, remembering when they had left the Boy Scout camp and moved half the night. Out of nowhere, they’d heard lots of gunfire to the east and had taken their southern alternate route, swinging into Arkansas. They had pushed hard to make the St. Francis River to camp on the Arkansas/Missouri border, but there had been large groups of stinkers moving around. They had been down to forty arrows they didn’t have to pick up, and they’d used several hundred rounds of .22 until they had finally broken through, finding a small island on a river.
Leaving well after sundown, they didn’t make the St. Francis River until just after midnight, passing the town of Paragould, Arkansas burning to their southwest. With the sounds of gunfire coming from Paragould and the surrounding area, they didn’t stop in the wooded area of the St. Francis River. They entered the small boot heel of Missouri, and Johnathan wouldn’t slow or stop.
A gunshot rang out, making Sandy jump and look to the north for the sound. Another gunshot sounded, and Sandy turned more to the northeast, tracing the noise. “Fuck,” she breathed, because that was the way they had asked Johnathan to turn a while back.
“That was only a mile away,” Mary said behind her.
“Yeah,” Sandy whispered back, looking ahead and seeing Johnathan heading for a stand of trees. “I fucking love trees and will plant as many as I can, as long as I live,” Sandy vowed.
When they entered the trees, Sandy felt her horse relax under her. Climbing off her horse, Sandy led the horse over to a creek, letting him drink. “Let the horses graze and drink and then we roll. Next stop will be across the Mississippi River,” Johnathan told them, looking around the trees.
“What about that gunshot?” Sandy asked as Mary came over.
“That’s why we are taking a break,” Johnathan said. “We aren’t the only ones moving at night.”
“How do you know?” Sandy asked, looking around and holding her AR just a little tighter.
“Sandy, anyone alive now will only use a gun against a bad threat. Like a person. I’m sure by now, most deal with stinkers quietly. Especially from their homes,” Johnathan answered.
“Then we need to move,” Mary said with wide eyes.
“Guys, if we run out across the land, after someone shot at someone, we are presenting targets. That gunshot was a mile away and we will ride east, putting distance between us and them. You guys need to think how other people will reason. They will shoot first and talk later. I’m sure what happened in Paragould is all over the CBs around here,” Johnathan sighed, feeling tired.
“You’re that sure they were attacked?” Sandy asked, and Johnathan looked at her. “I know it felt wrong, but I’m asking your brain, not our perception.”
“Sandy, you heard how the gunfire was coming from around the south of town, but also from the town. That was people shooting at each other. If it was against stinkers, the gunfire would’ve been centered in one spot.”
“You were only in the Army for three years; how did you learn this much?” Sandy asked.
“Doug,” Johnathan said, taking a cup of coffee Mary passed to him. “I would give a lot to turn back the clock, just to have Doug start Lance and Ian’s training last year, instead of this one.”
“I would change a lot more than that,” Sandy admitted, taking a cup. “Like Mary and I training with the boys, instead of this learning on the fly.”
Grinning, Johnathan turned to look at Sandy. “Yes, I would give a lot for that as well.”
“What about when we cross the river?” Mary asked, sipping her coffee.
“They can try and follow but unlike now, they don’t know which way we are heading. Head north off the interstate as soon as we cross, and we will reach trees and stay in them until we cross I 69,” Johnathan said, and Sandy spit out some of her coffee as she chuckled.
“Sweetheart, I promise you wouldn’t like it right now. I would have to take a weed eater to my hair,” Sandy giggled softly, then Mary joined her.
Thinking hard, Johnathan replayed what he’d said that could be funny and then grinned. “I 69, cute. Didn’t see that one,” Johnathan chuckled.
Feeling much better after the few seconds of laughter, “So, what’s your next most worrisome area?” Mary asked, taking another sip.
“Kentucky Lake, but we can go around it, so I have to say, I’m more worried about getting close to the cabin,” Johnathan admitted. Seeing the shock on both mothers’ faces, Johnathan shook his head. “Ladies, we all know what they are capable of. I told Lance firmly, don’t do shit to the road from the field below the cabin, but if they’ve had problems like people, they will. That’s why from Dewitt on, we stay on the fucking road. Even around Dewitt, we’ll need to watch for booby traps.”
“They should stay near the cabin,” Sandy said hopefully.
Giving a long sigh, Johnathan looked at her with sorrow. “Sweetheart, if bad guys are close, you don’t let them set up camp. How many HOA officers found that out?”
Wanting to smile but couldn’t, Sandy looked off. “You think they are okay?” she asked, and Mary held her breath.
“I’m going to be honest,” Johnathan said, and then grinned. “I know they are, because they will be themselves if they feel threatened. My only concern is they will become very lethal, and I don’t want them to feel guilt later.”
Thinking of all the things they suspected the boys had done, Sandy and Mary both nodded. “They are good,” Sandy nodded, turning to Mary.
“Yes, they are,” Mary grinned.
“I’m surprised they didn’t seriously hurt anyone with the crap they’ve done,” Johnathan chuckled and then stopped. “I don’t think they will show restraint now, and that’s why I’m worried about approaching the cabin.”
“They would leave a way for us to get in,” Mary said.
“Mary, they would expect us to see what they set up,” Johnathan sighed, and dread filled Mary’s face.
Giving a long sigh, “Where do you expect them to start booby traps?” Mary asked.
“In the three-mile patrol area,” Johnathan said. “I know Dewitt is out of that, but it’s the most viable access to the valley that eventually feeds to the cabin. The boys are smart and I’m certain that’s where they would start. You realize even after we reach the cabin, it will be weeks before we leave outside the fence without them.”
Both moms looked at him, confused. “Guys,” Johnathan said, shaking his head. “They’ve had months to put traps around the cabin. Have no doubt, walking outside the fence without them would be a death sentence.”
Sandy nodded, “We stay on the road from Dewitt and will only approach the field below the cabin in daylight.”
“If it’s dark, I say we stop on the hill overlooking Dewitt, and ride the five miles on the road to the cabin in daylight,” Johnathan said, draining his cup.
“I like that idea,” Mary agreed. “I would hate to get hurt by one of their contraptions when we’ve reached our goal.”
“I think most of their contraptions will kill, not maim,” Johnathan clarified, washing his cup out in the creek.
Sandy and Mary looked at each other. “We wait,” they said together.
“You two ready?” Johnathan asked, and they nodded. “If we get split up, head to the bridge at all costs. Remember, there are irrigation ditches all around here. Keep where we are in your mind, and if I say haul ass, haul ass.”
“Split up?” Sandy gasped.
“Sandy, it can happen if we run into trouble,” Johnathan said as Dan and Ann growled. Johnathan turned to see two stinkers stumbling into the woods. “Leave ‘em, and let’s go,” he instructed, moving and climbing on his horse.
Forsaken World (Book 4): Dark Crossing Page 27