by A. American
Cecil’s eyes went wide, “I’ve spent my time sleeping in a damn Army tent. I ain’t doing it!”
He really was funny, “I didn’t mean you. You go up there and get it going. Use some folks from town here. Once the seeds are in the ground, you can just go up and check on it from time to time to make sure everything is going smoothly.”
Cecil calmed down a bit, “That sounds alright. For a minute there I thought you were losing your fool mind.”
Laughing, I replied. “Can’t say that isn’t happening, but I’m not trying to get you to sleep under canvas either.”
“We need to go take a look at the land. I’ve seen it a hundred times, but never actually looked at it.”
“Come on; let’s get a ride.”
We walked back to the armory. I found Sarge at the Hummer piling ammo cans into the back. When he saw us, he bellowed, “Where the hell have you been?”
I laughed, “You ain’t my daddy. I don’t have to tell your old ass what I’m doing.”
“Thank God! If I knew I was responsible for bringing something as ugly as you into this world, I’d cut my pecker off!”
“You done?” I asked with a smile.
“We need to get this shit loaded up. That damn Sheffield is trying to keep all my shit, and I ain’t having it!”
Cecil smiled, “Morning Top.”
“Morning Cecil,” Sarge replied curtly.
“He knows some of this is ours,” I said.
“Yeah; well he’s suddenly got a fat fucking head about things,” Sarge spat back.
Doc walked up with a couple of boxes under each arm, “Here are some med kits to take back to the ranch.” He tossed the boxes into the back of the truck.
“They giving you any trouble?” I asked.
Doc looked up and shook his head. “No; they’re great folks over there. There are a couple of engineers here too. They’re helping set up the clinic tent now, and said they need to get with you after that.”
“Alright; tell them I’ll find them later.”
“Come on Morgan; we need to get the rest of what’s ours,” Sarge barked.
“Calm down. It isn’t us versus them. We’re all in this together,” I replied as I followed him.
At the edge of the parking lot, the pallets that came off the chopper were being sorted. Sheffield and Livingston were there directing the action. Sarge moved in like a bull in a china shop and grabbed a large green case.
“Hey! That stays here,” Sheffield shouted.
“Like hell is does!” Sarge shouted back. He tilted the case to expose the label, “You don’t even have a damn Goose to fire these with!”
“Like you do?” Sheffield shouted back.
“Of course I do! What the hell do you think I requested the ammo for?”
Sheffield shook his head, “What? Where the hell did you get it?”
“None of your damn business. These are mine and I’m taking them.”
This was going downhill fast. Like Christmas morning at an orphanage; get it while the gettin’s good. I stepped between them.
“Come on Captain; you know we went to Camp Riley and requested all this stuff. We made sure to get you guys some supplies; but we need ours as well. We’ve already had one run-in with a DHS MRAP. If the Apaches hadn’t arrived, we’d have been toast. This is to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Sheffield threw his hands up, “Fine! You two sort this shit out!”
Sarge stiffened and looked at Sheffield. “Awe, poor fucking baby! You going to take your ball and go home now?”
That did it. I watched as Sheffield’s head turned red. The blood boiled up out of his collar and over his ears.
“What’d you say to me? You seem to forget First Sergeant that I’m a Captain in the United States Army; and you will address me accordingly!”
All work had stopped as everyone within earshot was now watching the show. Sarge guffawed, “And you seem to forget Captain that I’m retired and don’t give a fuck!”
Sheffield lunged for the old man and crashed into me. Sarge likewise went for Sheffield. I pushed Sheffield back and turned to face Sarge. He was looking right through me with a crazed expression in his eyes. He tried to go around me and I grabbed his rifle and used it as a handle to swing him back around. With the two separated, I started shouting.
“You two, knock it the hell off! What’s wrong with you guys? We’re on the same team here; we’ve got to work together or we’re all screwed! I don’t care which one of you has the bigger pecker, and neither do the people here! You fuckers made me Sheriff; so knock it the hell off, or I’ll lock both your asses up!”
Both men stopped and stared at one another. Sheffield looked around at the supplies scattered around, food, ammo, medical equipment and other gear. He rubbed his temples for a minute then looked at Sarge.
“I’m sorry for being a dick. There’s just so many people to take care of; it’s stressing me out.”
“Hell, I know that. That’s why I requested all this. We didn’t get everything; but we got more than I thought we would. I know you don’t like me Captain; but I really am trying to help you,” Sarge replied.
“It’s not that I don’t like you. You’re just a little cavalier in your attitude. I pity the COs you worked for.”
“Some people talk; some people do. If the machine gets in the way, go around it or through it. I don’t care which. I take care of my people, by any and all means at my disposal.”
“I know,” Sheffield replied.
He stepped towards Sarge and stuck his hand out. Sarge spun his heels to face away from him. I rolled my eyes and thought, aw shit, here we go again. Sarge looked at the soldiers still gawking, and shouted, “Company! Form up!” The soldiers shared looks around, but no one moved. Sarge gritted his teeth, “What the hell’s wrong with your booger eaters? I said form up!” As a Chinese fire drill erupted before me, Sarge continued to shout, “Move! Move! Move!” Once the troops were formed up, Sarge called the assembly to attention.
“Contrary to my actions here this morning, I have nothing but respect for Captain Sheffield. He is the CO of this post and will be addressed and treated accordingly.” Sarge spun on his heels again to face Sheffield. “Captain Sheffield, I apologize for my actions this morning.” With that, Sarge snapped in a crisp salute.
Sheffield looked at him for a moment, and I prayed he’d return the salute quickly. After a moment, Sheffield came to attention, “Your apology is accepted First Sergeant.” Sheffield dropped the salute, and Sarge did likewise. He then spun on his heels to face those assembled, “Diiiiissmissed!”
The assembly broke up and everyone got back to work; though the display obviously confused some of them. Sheffield walked up to Sarge and offered his hand again, “Thank you for that show of support.”
Sarge grabbed his hand and pulled him in close. With a wink, he said, “Don’t get used to it.”
Sheffield chuckled, “Believe me, I won’t.”
“Are you two done with the pecker-measuring contest now? I’ve got things to do,” I said.
Sarge smiled a sickly sweet smile at me that I knew to be complete bullshit. “Of course, Sheriff; what can we do for you?”
“I want to take Cecil to look at some new dirt for planting.”
Sarge clapped his hands, “Let’s go then!” Then his expression changed. An unnerving look I couldn’t quite place. “Lock my ass up, huh?”
“In a heartbeat. I’ll knock you in the head and throw your old ass in the hoosegow.”
Sarge’s eyes narrowed. “You’d have a better chance at getting a job as a break-in man at a whore house!” Then he smiled and slapped my shoulder. “Come on; let’s go look at your patch of dirt.”
Mike was rummaging around in the
garage. Bucket in hand, he went through the tools on the tidy workbench. Finding something that caught his eye, he’d hold it up and inspect it. Then he’d steal a glance at the figure hanging from a rope in the center of the garage, and drop the tool in the bucket. In true Sarge fashion, he’d had the guys truss the man up. They had to open the scuttle hold to the attic in order to hang the rope from a truss; but it worked out, and he was now slowly swiveling back and forth.
The man watched Mike, but tried to remain calm, at least outwardly. He knew the kinds of things he’d done to people. Mostly just for fun. These guys were going to want answers; and it certainly appeared they intended to get them. But he wouldn’t make it easy on them. Sure, they’ll get what they want; but they damn sure were going to have to work for it.
Mike picked up a medium-sized pair of Channel Locks. Opening his mouth, he tested to see if they would grab a tooth. Of course he knew they would; and he also knew there was very little chance of that actually occurring……… but it looked good. Seeing they could clamp on, Mike smiled at his prisoner before dropping them into the bucket with a clank. It had the desired effect; and the man spoke for the first time.
“Why don’t you just get on with it already?”
Mike held a finger to his lips and shook his head.
“What the hell are you waiting for?” The man asked.
Mike tapped his finger to his lips again, then waved it at the man.
The man struggled for a moment, though it wasn’t much of an effort. With his feet a full foot off the ground, all he could really do was gyrate his body a little. “Come on! What the hell!”
Mike carried the bucket over and set it down so his prisoner could see into it; though far enough back that he couldn’t get to it with his feet. He looked the man in the eyes, smiled broadly, and walked into the house. His actions had the desired effect as the man stared down into the bucket. His mind raced with the possibilities of the instruments displayed before him. But one in particular put real fear in him. Lying on the top of the pile was a drywall saw. Its jagged shark-like teeth glared at him; and he could already feel it tearing its way inside him.
Thad and Danny took turns in the hole. They’d decided to dig a conventional latrine. Dalton had suggested a basic slit trench to make things easier. Luckily for the girls though, they disagreed. Dalton stood watch for them as they worked on the side of the road not far from the bunker. Thad had suggested putting the latrine in the woods a short distance from the bunker, but Dalton overruled that idea, pointing out it had to be within eye and earshot.
It would be a primitive affair consisting of a small wooden box with a hole cut in the top resting over the pit. They thought of using a bucket, but it would be tricky to mount it so as to prevent the bucket from falling into the hole. Danny had already made the box out of scrap plywood. Only the front of it was covered for obvious reasons, and there was the top with the hole to serve as a seat.
“Once we get this deep enough, we can work on an enclosure for it,” Thad said as he tossed a spade of dirt onto the pile.
“I was thinking of just planting some posts and wrapping it in black plastic. I’ve got a roll,” Danny replied.
Thad stopped working and looked up, “Why don’t we just thatch it with palmettos? Save the plastic for times we really need a waterproof barrier.”
Danny nodded, “That’s a good idea. We may end up really needing the plastic at some point. Probably should save it.”
Thad smiled, “It’ll be a tiki shithouse.”
“I’d avoid the coconuts in there if I were you lads!” Dalton shouted.
Danny and Thad both laughed. “Yeah; avoid all the nuts you find in there,” Danny added.
He and Thad traded places in the hole that was now about waist deep. Thad went off to cut palmetto fronds while Danny finished off the hole.
“Do you ever take a break?” Danny asked Dalton as he worked the shovel.
Dalton shrugged, “I’m on a break now. You’re the one in the hole with a shovel in your hands. This isn’t work just standing here.”
“You always seem to be switched on. I don’t think I could live that way. Seems like it would wear you down after a while.”
“It’s not like you think. Or maybe it is, actually. I’ve always been this way, even before things went to shit. I worked in prisons for years; and in that environment you have to be switched on, all the time.” Dalton waved his arm. “So this, this is just normal to me.”
Danny shook his head. “I’m getting used to it; but it’s far from normal.”
Dalton laughed, “Imagine what it was like when I was around people all the time. This, this is easy!”
Thad returned with a massive bail of fronds over one shoulder. Danny laughed at him. He looked for all the world like some poor bastard from India toting the load, ike something out of a National Geographic.
“Damn Thad, you know we can make more than one trip right?”
Thad dropped the load. “Sure; but I want to get this done today.”
“We need something for the frame. You stay here, and I’ll go see what I can find.” Danny said.
Thad nodded and went to the water keg. Danny wandered off to see what he could find to frame up the new shitter. He found a thick stand of Sumac and started cutting. He checked each piece before doing so to make sure there were no flower heads on them. There were several large red clusters of the small flowers that would make a refreshing drink later in the summer. Even with the extra caution, he ended up with a large stack of fairly straight stalks.
Pulling a piece of paracord from his pocket, Danny tied a loop in one end and ran it under the stack. Once they were tied up, he hoisted them onto his back and carried them back to the latrine. When he arrived, the girls were there with Aric. They seemed to move in a pack now, always together. Taylor was looking at the hole, and asked, “What’s this?”
“It’s your new toilet,” Dalton replied.
Jamie looked around, “Where’s our bucket?”
“No more piss buckets in the bunker. You’ll have to use the latrine now.”
“Oh yeah; we should have emptied that,” Jess said with a smile.
“This will be better than a bucket. You’ll have some privacy; and it’s sanitary,” Thad said.
“Yeah; why don’t you girls come over and help,” Danny said.
They rolled their eyes, but did help. The Sumac stalks were laid out and formed into a lattice. Four of these were created; three of them were used for sides, and the last for the top. The open side faced the woods, maintaining a little privacy. Once the frame was up, Thad showed the girls how to weave the stem of the fronds into the lattice. With so many hands working on the weaving, Thad kept them supplied with fronds, and they quickly had the exterior covered.
The roof was thatched on the ground and placed on top. Danny grabbed a couple of long palmetto stems, cutting the fronds off. Pulling his knife, he ran the blade down the edge, cutting all the thorns off. He then made a slit in the end and pulled the edge piece off. The process was repeated a couple of times until he had a handful of them.
“What are you going to do with that?” Thad asked.
Danny held one up, “Tie the roof on.”
Thad took the thin strip, “Really?”
“It’s really strong,” Danny replied. Thad gripped the piece in his hands and tugged on it. Raising his eyebrows, he pulled harder. Seeing it hold, he wrapped it around his hands and really pulled; it still didn’t give.
“Dang! That’s stuff’s tough!” Thad said with a nod.
“Told you. It’s also really flexible. You can tie up just about anything with it.”
The two picked the roof up and set it on top of the walls. Using the strips, they tied the roof on. Once they were done, they stepped back and looked at t
heir work. Danny asked the girls, “What do you think?”
Jess went around to the opening on the back side and looked in. Looking back at Danny, she smiled, “Nice toilet seat.”
“Better than a bucket,” Danny replied.
The rest of the girls gathered around to inspect it. As they were talking, Dalton waded into the group shouting.
“Make way! Make Way! I shall christen this throne!” Assuming a spread-legged stance he reached for his belt buckle and shouted, “I shall purge the temple!”
“Eww!” Lee Ann shouted as she ran off.
Jess pushed him, “Oh no you don’t!”
Dalton started laughing uproariously. Catching his balance, he said, “I’m just kidding.”
“You better be. That’s for us ladies,” Fred said. “You guys can pee on the ground.”
Squinting one eye, Dalton said, “I wasn’t goin’ to pee.”
When Fred realized what he was saying, she looked almost like she was shocked, “Eww!”
With a surprised look, Dalton replied, “What? Like you don’t?”
She flipped her hair. “No; as a matter of fact, I don’t.”
Aric started to laugh. “Uh; yeah she does.”
Fred spun on her heels and pointed at him, “Shut it mister!”
Still laughing, he replied, “I’m outnumbered right now.”
Everyone inspected the new latrine and voiced their approval. The thatching was done in a shingle method, tightly enough that it should shed all water. Close enough to the bunker for security reasons, yet far enough away to allow for some privacy. The girls volunteered to take over the watch so the guys could get some rest.
“Where’s Jamie?” Danny asked.
“She’s with Ian somewhere. They said they were going to creep around,” Jess replied.
“I’m going to check on our new guest,” Dalton said as he shouldered his rifle.