Alpha Farm: The Beginning (Prepper Chick Series Book 1)

by Annie Berdel

  The kids! Sitting up, she tried to turn her leg and was met with a blinding pain. Yelling for help would set the animals off in a scurry and she would likely be trampled. Frantically looking around, there was nothing at all she could use to get up. The walls of the barn were smooth and offered no opportunity for grasping. Shelby sank back in despair. She had to get up!

  “OH Bella, how could you do this to me?” Shelby whispered out. The horse heard her name leave Shelby’s lips and turned her head towards the woman. There, dangling from Bella’s halter was one of the rein straps.

  It was her only hope! Making kissing noises, Shelby gently tried to coax the pony over to where Shelby was sitting. “Gentle girl. That’s it. Come on over here to mama,” Shelby cooed. Bella clumsily meandered towards Shelby, making the woman nervous. “Please don’t step on me again,” Shelby breathed through her mouth. Shelby stuck her hands into her apron pocket like she was looking for a treat for the horse and it was enough to bring Bella closer. “That a girl. Easy. Easy. Almost,” Shelby prayed.

  The strap swung in front of Shelby as Bella brought her head down to investigate what Shelby had hiding in her hand. It was enough to allow Shelby to grab the rein. “Oh God this is going to hurt,” Shelby muttered. Quickly taking her apron off, she tried to secure her swollen leg as best as she could. She then stuck the handkerchief in her mouth. Shelby was going to use it to keep from screaming out and scaring the rest of the animals. The last thing she needed was Bella bolting from fright. Pulling Bella’s head down with the rein, Shelby was able to grab hold of the halter around Bella’s face. Shelby tugged on the halter as hard as she could as the horse tried to raise her head. Shelby, holding on for dear life, cried out in agony as it was enough to bring Shelby up off of the floor. Sweat started to bead across Shelby’s forehead as she became vertical. Grabbing a handful of Bella’s mane, Shelby rested against the horse until the dizziness subsided.

  Shelby opened her mouth and let the handkerchief fall onto the ground. Tears began to fall as the determination within the woman raged on. She was up, that was all she needed. Walking Bella over to the door, Shelby hopped with one leg trying to not use the damaged one. Opening the door, Shelby yelled out for her oldest child. “It’s going to be OK,” she said to herself. “It’s going to be OK.”

  131

  Megan snapped the binder closed and rested her head on top. It was one thing to be prepared. It was entirely different to be prepared with a special needs child. Being Robbie’s mother had stretched her mind past the point of exhaustion trying to cover all the bases for his survival. And he would survive, Megan had promised herself. Even if it was the last thing she did.

  Before they left home, Megan had attached homemade signs on each of the windows on the motor home. Heaven forbid if anything had happened to her, but if someone found them, they would need to know how to interact with her son.

  The decal itself instructed the First Responders to check in the glove box for more information about her family, specifically about her youngest son. Robbie would not show pain if he happened to be in any so the medical team would need to take extra precautions with him.

  “Oh Robbie,” Megan sighed.

  Months earlier the doctor had tried to convince her to give him a chip under his skin so they could track him if he attempted to run away as he got older. A child with Robbie’s issue was known to run away before they would let anyone know there was a problem. The chip itself would not be noticeable and the earlier in his little life the doctors administered it, the easier it would be on his little body. He would adjust easier than if he was older and fought against the intrusion as kids with his diagnosis often did. It was a simple procedure. A simple prick of a needle would slip the device under his skin. They would monitor it for a while just in case an infection would set in, but it was a 30/70 chance for that.

  Megan remembered sitting in the doctor’s office just staring at the attending physician as they described the procedure. Lifesaving, they had called it. Hell! It was all the rage with the dementia patients, from the way they talked about its benefits. You would almost have to be insane not to take it!

  She had gone home to think about it. Trusting her gut for a change, Megan realized that any time she was feeling overwhelmed was the wrong time to make a decision. And this was a huge one. While she understood the benefits of being able to not only track Robbie if he did run away in the future but also have his entire medical history implanted on his body so any medical facility could access it, something in her gut told her no. Something in her gut just didn’t feel right.

  After she had tucked the kids in bed later that night, Megan made herself a cup of tea and sat down at her computer. Article after article described the invasion that Robbie would endure. While the articles essentially described the same process to insert the chip itself, each one had a different spin on it. It was like the creators couldn’t decide what came first, the chicken or the egg, and so spun a web to ensnare anyone who walked by.

  The nagging feeling was getting worse the deeper that Megan dug into information about the implant. Shutting the top of her computer, Megan backed away from the table. Not again. It was bad enough that she had caused Robbie’s autism by not educating herself, but she wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.

  Walking down the hallway, she stopped at his doorway. Nestled without a care in the world with his favorite stuffed toy, Robbie was at peace when he was asleep. With what little sleep he got anymore. He had been known to stay awake for over 20 hours at a time, which caused him to become quite agitated to the point he would just cry. Too young to communicate, Megan was learning to pick up on the little signals he would put out and she would try to give him as much comfort as possible without causing him more distress. It was a balancing act not for the faint of heart.

  Silently approaching his crib, she gently laid his blanket over his bare legs. It was an action she performed multiple times each night as he was constantly moving, even in his sleep. Saying a prayer over him, she turned to leave when she noticed the baby monitor was turned off. Walking over, she turned the dial when the image flashed through her mind. While the chip was an internal GPS device, there had to be an external GPS device.

  Walking back into the kitchen, she opened her computer back up and started looking. There had to be some kind of device that she could get that could help her keep track of her child.

  “BINGO!” she said louder than she had intended. Reading further she discovered a wristwatch-type device that could also be attached to an ankle. A little over a hundred dollars later, and she had what she needed. Not only a GPS device for each child, but emergency alert bracelets and forms that she could fill out that that detailed each child’s personal and medical information. Not only would this information be able to be printed but it also could be stored on a thumb-drive and worn by each child as a bracelet.

  Megan read through more information including the six actions to prepare for an emergency situation

  The first action was to assess the risks to your child. Was flooding or extreme weather a threat? Water was an attraction to anyone with autism, which made drowning the number one cause of death for people with ASD. Did she live near water, train tracks, other potentially dangerous conditions? Were house or wild fires a risk? Or were there escalating or other dangerous behaviors that might lead to an encounter with professional responders? What medications put your child at risk? What are the nonverbal, mobility challenges that you had to adjust to? Does your child have a service dog that you would also need to have preparations for?

  The second action was to identify yourself. This included not only registering with her local 911 but carrying a card about ASD in her pocket, wallet, or pouch along with getting Robbie an ID bracelet or some other ready to wear identifiers. There were also phone apps with “in case of emergency” information. Megan took the opportunity while she was sitting there to use the ICE logo on her phone and ordered a kitchen magnet. She also order
ed stickers and a magnet for the house and car window. She also decided to order a couple stickers at the last minute for the motor home window. It was a real balance concerning her need for privacy, labeling, predatory practices against a responder’s need to know.

  The third action she learned was to introduce herself to neighbors and coworkers. She needed to explain her situation and concerns about Robbie to family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. She would need to ask others to check on her and her family in the event of an emergency and be able to help as needed. She would need to include all the contact information in her plan.

  The fourth action was to consult resources about emergency preparedness. Easy enough, as she could do this from her computer. She would need to prepare a checklist and keep ICE information with her and the kids at all times. She also needed to create a ready kit and Go Bag for each family member that would include tools to improve communications with responders: a 911 registry, communication board, device or phone apps and ID information. The most important thing was to practice.She would have to test her plan with emergency drills. She could use social stories, role play and video modeling. She could also plan a visit with police, fire and EMS before any emergency occurred.

  The fifth action was to prepare for wandering, and this one truly scared Megan. She didn’t know what she would do if Robbie ever wandered off and she couldn’t find him. This is what had brought her here now on her research journey. She needed to utilize a tracking device and protocol already supported by her community, such as Project Lifesaver. If there was no locally supported protocol she could consult with local law enforcement for potential solutions.

  The last action was to be an advocate for those who couldn’t stick up for themselves. She needed to meet with local emergency responders BEFORE an emergency situation happened, which included the local law enforcement, Fire, EMS and Emergency Management personnel, 911 dispatchers and school officials. She needed to get comfortable talking about autism. Whatever she learned could help someone else someday.

  How far she had come, she thought as she looked at Robbie sleeping tonight on the makeshift bed. High up in the Rocky Mountains with people she barely knew, she was trusting his life to them. She needed to talk with Chloe tomorrow about Robbie, just in case. While she didn’t think about it, she also knew the possibility that she might not make it to Ohio and the more people who could take care of her children, the better.

  Flipping the binder back open, she flipped through the pages. This was Robbie’s binder and she had made it specifically for him. In it, several laminated pages were in the very front with his medical information but also an Emergency 4 All communication card.

  To find out more about Preparedness with Special Needs, please visit our website at www.PrepperChicks.org

  The communication card had small pictures that Robbie could easily point to that would help him be able to convey his needs without speaking. The right side of the card had a picture of a human body, both front and back, that he could point to and get across that he had pain. The left side had small pictures that he could also use to signify cold, hungry, bathroom or a plethora of other needs. Chloe needed to learn how to use this with Robbie.

  Flipping to the second page, Megan would add Chloe as a point of contact under Robbie’s personal information if Chloe would let her. She had to get Robbie used to other people other than just herself. Heaven forbid if something would happen to her, Robbie would freak out and in the circumstances they currently were in, who truly knew what the future held. They were family now, Megan thought, whether Chloe knew it yet or not.

  132

  The plan was in motion. Each guest was seated at the table exactly where Emma had requested. It was nice to have Jay and Tiffany there to help, Emma thought, as most of the work had previously been on her shoulders. It didn’t help that Jay and Tiff were getting a kick out of all the sarcasm they were shooting towards Nina.

  Ben arrived to the party all dapper and smelling like a French whore on a Friday night. He quickly attached himself to Nina’s elbow and was obviously miffed when he realized his setting at the table was not near her. “Ben, play nice. It’s my party and I want Nina to spend some time getting to know my guests. There will be time afterwards to mingle,” Emma quietly whispered in his ear. Ben quickly shot her a look of disapproval but knew better than to make a scene.

  “Everyone, let’s mosey into the dining room and be seated. The food is getting cold!” Tom announced. “Mosey?” Jay asked. “You’ve been out here a long time, haven’t you?” she said with a bit of laughter in her voice.

  “And loving every minute of it!” Tom replied, smiling at his wife.

  133

  “Give me that tote over there,” Shelby said as she pointed towards the outer wall. “There should be some medicinal herbs in there. Look for the jar that’s labeled Comfrey.” Shelby instructed. “Now, grab the chia bran and psyllium husk. A little bit of water too. We are going to need a bowl, too, and something to mix this all with.”

  The kids all set out collecting everything that Shelby was asking for. Like precision clockwork, each child brought the items to Shelby and waited for more instructions. Shelby added the dried comfrey leaves and started to chop them up. Adding drops of water at a time, she next added the chia bran and psyllium husk until she got a gooey paste. “Can someone grab me some tea towels and some plastic wrap please. Thank you so much, you are all such great children. Best helpers there are.”

  Taking the mixture, Shelby spread it on the towel and gently laid the towel on her leg. Two more applications and her leg was covered from the knee down in the towels and comfrey poultice. “Now, help me out here a bit,” she said to her oldest, Missy. Handing the plastic wrap to the child, Shelby instructed her to wrap it snugly around her leg, covering the concoction she had already applied. “There. That should keep it in place and dry. Grab the tape and we can seal off the edges until I can get the doc out here,” Shelby instructed.

  “Now, grab me that metal box over there,” Shelby pointed. “It’s time to see how your father is doing.”

  134

  “Miss Emma, I have so missed your cooking. What’s for dessert?” Tiffany asked Emma as dinner came to a close.

  “You actually have room for more food?” Jay asked in astonishment.

  Laughing, Emma replied, “Only our favorite, Tiff. Coconut cream pie!”

  “You better watch it.” Tiff said jokingly to Jay, “Or I will replace your ass with someone who can make me a mean coconut cream pie!”

  Emma walked around the table to where Tommy was sitting and slid her arms down his chest. “Sorry, luv, I’m taken,” Emma said with a wink towards Tiffany.

  Tom reached up and laid his hand on Emma’s arms. “And don’t forget it,” he said across the table for all to hear.

  Jay turned and looked straight at Nina and got the answer that she wanted. Based on the expression on her face, the woman was up to no good. Jay prided herself on her instincts and didn’t care for the woman the first time they met. After what Emma had told her about Nina, even more so. This sealed the deal.

  “How about a game of Conflicted?” Tom asked. “It’s become a habit in our family to play a few rounds after dinner. With the kids not being here as often, it would be nice for you folks to sit in.”

  “Um, sure,” Jay asked. “Walk us through the rules.”

  “How long will it take? I don’t want to be rude but I do have some reports to go over before I retire,” Nina said.

  “We can just probably get through a couple cards pretty fast. We can play it by ear from there.”

  Nina stood and started to clear the table. The last thing she wanted was to sit here and watch Emma with her hands all over Tom.

  “Well, let’s get a move on then!” Nina said.

  Emma walked back into the room with a tray of cups and a large pot of coffee. Walking back out, she could feel Nina’s eyes dig into her as they passed in the kitchen. “Nina, could you
grab both of those pies on your way back into the dining room?” And without waiting, Emma left to return to her guests.

  Nina walked over to the kitchen sink and looked out the window. Her reflection caught her attention in the glass. Tilting her chin up in an act of defiance, she closed her eyes against the harsh reality staring back at her. What was once a young woman; the reflection could not lie and hide the details etched in her face. The last few years had taken their toll. Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked back into the dining room.

  “Pie?” Tiffany asked staring right at Nina when she entered the room.

  A bit startled, Nina walked around the table and sat in the open seat beside Tom before anyone else could snatch it up. Pie or Tom, there really was no choice.

  Ben could feel the veins in his neck tighten and the warmth creep up into his face. “I’ll get the pie,” he spat out and stood to leave. He needed a quick escape and took any opportunity that presented itself, even to carry a pie or two.

  Walking through the kitchen, he was a bit irritated when his head hit the wrought iron pan holder hanging from the ceiling. “Fricken spics,” he snarled as he realized he was taller than anyone in the house. It would give him an excuse though as to why his face was so red so it wasn’t all bad, he thought. Touching the area that hurt, he brought his hand down and noticed the red hue. “What’s a little blood, aye?” he said as he turned to walk back into the dining room.