The United States still can’t get through to China, at this point we have to assume there’s no one left. We also have to assume this is not a flu outbreak but the scientists don’t know what’s going on. We are in a state of emergency. The officials are telling everyone to stay inside, avoid contact with the infected. There will be updates every hour on the hour…..
Shaking my head I push off the wall and go into the kitchen, opening up the refrigerator I grab a DR Pepper Cherry and crack it open. Taking a drink I look around the kitchen, wow we need to get the stuff we got at the gas station put away. There isn’t any space to be had.
“Hey guys why don’t you all come in here, we need to talk and make this place secure,” I say. Walking over to the dining room table I sit down. Everyone joins me.
“Tabitha I could sure use a snack. So here’s the plan, we need to board up all the lower windows, someone needs to make a list of everything we have, the extra stuff is in the closets in the storage room in the basement and the storage room in the garage. I also want everyone armed at all times, you just can’t be too careful and before you all say it, no I’m not over reacting. Tabitha, John, you weren’t at the school today or at the quilting shop parking lot with Hank and I. This shit is going to get worse, much, much worse and I think that we will have to protect ourselves from those things plus regular people trying to take what we have. Does anyone have any questions?”
“Mom are those things zombies? I saw you shoot one in the heart and it didn’t even slow down. You had to shoot it in the head. That’s what it took for that thing to stay down.”
“Liam, I really don’t know what they are but from all the movies we’ve watched they sure act like zombies. So for now let’s not worry too much about what their called just know you have to shoot them in the head. DO NOT THINK TWICE JUST SHOOT!!”
We chow down on what Tabitha prepared. It’s really simple, sliced fresh fruit, cheese and crackers. Looking at the kids, I know they are scared. Hell I am. But now is the time we will have to pull together.
“Ok … Nate and John will board up the windows. Nate, you know where everything is.”
Nate nods his head.
“Tabitha … go into my office and grab a pad and take stock of everything we have.”
“Liam, get all the guns and a couple of boxes of ammo for each. Plus take stock again of what we have.”
Chapter 8
“I’ll do the odds and ends and burn our clothes from today, plus I’ll start making phone calls, we need to keep checking up on Mimi and G-dad. Also, Liam when you’re done go check the latest news for any new information.”
They all get up, throw away their plates like they’ll never use them again and take off to do what I asked them to. I continue to sit there and put my head in my hands. Letting out a big breath I stand up and take my stuff into the kitchen. I put on rubber gloves, grab a garbage bag, march down the hall and enter my bedroom. I grab the clothes that I have to burn and stuff them in the bag with the rubber gloves. Turning around I notice a little black pouch that must’ve fallen out of my pants pocket. I pick it up, untie the opening and stick my fingers inside and pull out a crystal bracelet. Rubbing it with my finger, I stare at its beautiful purple stones. I still don’t know how it got into my pocket. Looking at the little black bag I see there’s a note inside. Pulling it out I unfold it and scan what’s written.
Remember I love you always, John. How did he get that into my pocket? Tearing up, I put the note and the bracelet back into the little black bag and set it on my dresser. I don’t have time for this now. I head back to the kitchen, grab the boys’ clothes stuffed into Walmart bags. With my hands full I exit through the sliding glass doors and out shoots the dogs. Any chance they get, they run for it. I cross the yard to the burn pile. Throwing the clothes on the pile of sticks that I put there the day before, I grab the charcoal lighter fluid and squeeze some all over the pile. I take out my lighter from my pocket and light a piece of paper. When there’s a good flame I throw it on and it instantly catches on fire. I stand there watching the black smoke spiraling.
I glance over at the RV’s that are parked at the side of the house. I think tomorrow we need to get them moved and ready in case family comes and needs a place to stay. The back yard is a safe place to keep them.
I better go in and check on everyone, see how they’re doing. It’s already 3 pm and I have to make something for dinner. It’s not like I can pop over to the drive-through at McDonald’s anymore. Walking back to the deck with the dogs harassing my feet, I pause and listen to Nate.
“Look guys, we gotta trust Mom. She knows how to keep us safe. I trust her completely and you guys should too. I mean she took out a dozen of those zombie things at school and didn’t think twice about it.”
“Nate’s right,” Liam says. “If she’s boarding up the front of the house then it’s definitely not going to get better, in fact it’s going to get worse.”
“Mom knows what’s she’s doing, John and if you don’t like it or you think you can do better get out. My Mom’s in charge and that’s that and if Liam won’t give you a gun then you better believe that’s coming from our Mom, she won’t let anyone handle a gun unless they’ve had training,” Tabitha says.
“Well I should have a gun and I do think it’s overkill boarding up the windows. What are those things going to do, try and get us?” John says.
At this point I’ve had enough, walking in with the dogs following me. I slam the screen door shut. They all look over to me. Both Liam and Nate have grins on their faces.
“Liam, give the dogs a treat.” I turn to John. “Now listen up, if you don’t like how I’m doing things here then get the hell out, we don’t need you. But know this, I’m your best chance of making it through this. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. I’m not saying it’s going to be fun. I’m just saying I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you alive. And if that means you can’t have a gun right now. Then that’s the way it is. I find out you even touch a gun John and I will break your fingers. You need to be trained by one of us first. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“No Egypt, I don’t. Why do you get to be in charge? Who made you the boss?” John says.
I give him my most evil grin and say, “John this is my home not yours. There’s the door if you don’t like it. You better understand how things are going to be early on rather than give me this shit later down the road. Now do you understand?”
“Yeah Egypt I guess I do. I better go help Nate with the windows.” John skulks off.
As he and Nate walk off, I look at the others. Shaking my head I stand there. Who does he think he is? This is my house, my rules. I don’t care if he’s the second oldest here at the moment. He will listen or he’s out. I’m not jeopardizing the safety of everyone for that little prick. And oh yes he can sure act like one.
Tabitha walks past me and punches my shoulder, grinning and goes into the kitchen to start putting stuff away.
Liam walks over and gives me a hug.
I wrap my arms around him and realize what an amazing young man he’s becoming. He’s my hugger that’s for sure. Pulling back, I ask, “So Liam, what do you have for me?”
“Well Mom, you know I love you but dang if you don’t have an arsenal down there.”
Liam hands me my pink 9mm and I put it in my waistband.
“Nate and Tabitha have theirs as well and as you know I didn’t give one to John. What are we going to do about that Mom? I think he needs to be armed.”
“I know. How’s about tomorrow you take him out back and practice with him? Go careful on the ammo. It’s got to last us. But your right he needs to know.”
“Yeah Mom I can do that!” Smiling at me he sits down in the living room and starts watching the TV. Both dogs jump up in the chair and lay down with him like they always do. Smiling, I turn around to go back outside and start making phone calls. Sitting in my favorite chair, I run my hands down my face. So th
is is it, the beginning of the end. Grabbing my phone I start to dial my Mom. After the second ring she answers and I listen.
“Hello honey, how are you holding up? Have you been watching the news, they are calling them things zombies. I can’t believe this is happening, this is a nightmare. What are we going to do? Hank says you got things handled down at your house and he’s boarding up our windows. He’s really scaring me.”
“Mom, just stop please, let me talk and I’ll try to answer everything.”
“Ok honey I’m listening.”
“Mom I need you to do a few things, okay? We don’t know how long before the phone service goes dead? I need you to call my sister and Aunt Nancy and see what they’re doing. Tell them they can come here when it gets really bad. And before you say it, I know they will give you a hard time. Tell my sister to bring her RV. It adds a place for someone to stay. Mom this isn’t going to get better. This is going to get worse and the faster we can all be together the better off we will all be. Hank’s a smart man, he will realize that coming here is the best. I know he won’t do it right now but he will. So I need you to start getting your stuff ready. And Mom, tell him the boys will be coming down for the two RV’s tomorrow some time.”
“Ok honey but this is all so unbelievable like those zombie movies you love … I use to laugh at you for saying this might happen ... I even thought you were just a bit crazy for stocking up. I’ll call everyone and tell them what you said. I don’t know what good it will do. Most are stubborn.”
“I know Mom, but just do what you can. That’s all we can do.”
“Ok honey, I love you. Tell the kids I love them too.”
“I love you Mom. Now get to it. I have to get things done and ready.”
Hanging up, I just don’t know what to do about the rest of my family. A few act like they know it all, that I’m the stupid one. Rubbing my neck I know I should be up and getting things done. But I’m getting tired. It’s been a very long day, more emotional than physical. There’s so much to do and I really hope we will have enough time to do it. I hear hammering and smile, knowing Nate and John are hard at it.
Chapter 9
Well I better get back into the house so I can help the kids. Standing up I hear yelling, it’s not really that close but all the same. I try to make out what’s going on but it’s really impossible to tell, it kind of sounds like screaming. I shudder at the thought of being eaten alive. Rushing to the sliding glass doors, I open the screen and step inside. Closing and locking it behind me I make for the living room. “Hey Liam anything new?”
“Yeah, they say it’s spreading, that the hospitals are overflowing and there’s fighting and break-ins all over. Youngstown is really bad Mom and they said something about Martial Law going into effect. Mom what is that?”
“Well honey, it means the military are taking over and can shoot anyone who break curfew.” Shaking my head I say. “Hank is so not going to like this, he’s the type to shoot his way through. This really isn’t good. Have they said anything about what it is yet?”
“Nope, nothing on what it is Mom.”
“Ok, you hungry? I’m going to make something for dinner?”
“Yeah Mom I can always eat. Are we going to be OK?”
“Yes babe, were going to be fine, we just need to be smart in what we do and pray!!”
I enter the kitchen and see Tabitha is just about done with putting the stuff away and she’s marking things off the check list. “Hey babe, you almost done, I thought I’d cook something up for dinner … it will be a couple hours though.”
“Yep Mom, I’m just about done. Man you have tons of stuff … we don’t need to go to the store for years!!” she says laughing.
“Oh Tabby, you’re so funny! There’s enough to get us through that’s for sure but we’re always going to need more, much, much, more.” Opening up the refrigerator, I look to see what I have ready to make, ah! Pulling out the chicken, I take it over to the sink. Once I remove the wrapping, I rinse it off. I really hate handling raw chicken, it’s slimy and gross. I grab a plate and lay all the chicken out. “Hey, do you think John will grill these up?”
“Yeah Mom, he loves to grill, hold on and I’ll go get him. If he’s not done with Nate, I’ll take his place.” Tabby darts off.
“Fine. Hmm, what else for dinner? Well, let’s see, I have fresh corn from the local farmer, that would be good and some mashed potatoes would be amazing and some bread. That should do it.” The hammering falters then continues at a lesser rate.
John enters from the back of the house. “Hey, Tabby said you wanted me to grill the chicken?”
“Yes that would be great, that way I can get the rest of the food ready,” I say.
“Ok sure, we have one window left in the last bedroom and the office off of that. Nate even did the door window that leads outside, just to be safe. I mean there is the main fence around the whole place and then the smaller one off the private patio for the spare bedroom. Hey, who’s getting that room anyways?” he asks.
“Well Mom and Hank will get that when they decide to come here. And it sounds like you guys did a great job on the windows. You can’t be too careful.”
John grabs the chicken and goes outside. With that being done I can take a breather, something I really need to do. I grab a little pink case as I go out the front door. I sit down on my special chair close to the garage, open up the case and pull a cigarette out, I light up, inhaling deeply and sit back. Then the damn phone rings. Fishing it out my pocket I answer it, it’s my Mom.
“Hey Mom?”
“Well just got off the phone with your sister. She and Pete are going to come this way sometime tomorrow. They’re bringing the RV but I told them you had an extra room for them and that Tomas can share one of the boy’s rooms is that ok?”
My sister married Pete around eight years ago and damn can he be a cocky guy. He’s a firefighter and paramedic, maybe that’s why he’s so cocky. They never had any kids together, she had Tomas from another marriage and Pete had 5 kids from his first marriage. Can you say the damn Brady Bunch!!! Don’t get me wrong, Pete is one hell of a guy, he’s so good to my sister and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for anyone in the family.
“Yes Mom that will work. So they’re coming there then to my house?”
“Yes Egypt, that’s what I’m saying they’re packing up as much food, water and stuff they can carry.”
“Ok Mom, geez don’t be so testy,” I say laughing. “So are you and Hank coming?”
“Well babe I would think so, Hank says your house is a fortress. But I think he wants to talk to you first.”
“Ok Mom, what about Aunt Nancy and her family?”
“Well, I think they’re going to stay where they are for now.”
“Wow, ok, how stupid is that, but whatever? You guys have something to eat down there for tonight?” I ask.
“Yes, Hank got some fried chicken the other day, so we are going to have that tonight. Ok honey, I will call if I hear anything more, love you.”
“Love you Mom.” Hanging up, I finish my cigarette. Looking over to where the school is I see that it’s still smoking. I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Walking back into the house I leave the big door open and lock the glass door. I love the light coming in. Liam is still watching TV but now he’s got his game boy in his lap and playing it. I guess the news is all played out for the moment.
Going into the kitchen, I start the rest of dinner. I can hear what the others are doing and the hammering has stopped. Nate is talking to his sister, or rather arguing with her. Sighing, some things will never change. The end of the world isn’t going to alter them. John’s outside fighting with the grill. The chicken looks almost done. I better start setting the table. John comes in with the chicken. “Hey John go tell everyone time to eat.” Taking the rest of the dinner to the table I sit down waiting for everyone to get in here.
I wait for everyone to sit down and I glance at Liam. “Why d
on’t you pray for us this evening?” We all bow our heads while he recites a prayer. He includes us all, blesses the food, to help the homeless, even what’s going on now! After he’s finished, we dig in.
Hey guys we need to figure out who’s going to keep watch first tonight, I think we can do it with three shifts so at least two of us can sleep the whole night.
Nate talks first, “Mom I’ll do first watch.”
Tabby speaks up, “I’ll do second watch Mom, I know you’ve been through a lot today.”
“Well Tabby, you’re on second, but I think we all have been through a lot.” I sip my pop. “I’ll take the early morning so tonight is set.” I glance at John and Liam. “You guys will start tomorrow night’s watch.” I see Liam nod at me and John is just John.
“Mom, what’s the plan tomorrow?” Nate says.
“Well we need to get the RV’s from G-dad down here. And get the ones in the side yard lined up out back. Then I want most of the gas out of them. Get them ready for people to live in. Blankets water that kind of stuff. Nate, you might have to get more wood so that way we have it ready to cook with if we need to. I don’t want to use the generators until we have to and get the cameras up and working, that’s something I never got around to doing but we’re going to need them. Also anything that needs washed we need to get it all done. We don’t know how long the electricity is going to be on. I would think it would be for a while but I could be wrong.”
I grab the dishes and take them into the kitchen. I rinse them ready for the dishwasher. The others start doing the same thing. After the dining room and kitchen are cleaned up, they all go to the living room and watch TV. I feed the dogs, grab my pop and cigarettes and head out the door. I love it out here, so peaceful. Sitting down in the recliner, I kick it out and relax. Closing my eyes I listen to the leaves blowing, the birds chirping, the dogs barking. I glance to my right and see them playing. To have that energy would be amazing. Being forty isn’t so bad. I think I’m in the best shape of my life. I work out five days a week. I run a mile or two every day. Well I used to run, I don’t think it would be smart anymore. Maybe I’ll get a last run in tomorrow morning before everyone gets up. That’s one of the times that I feel free and can think. It’s not that I don’t have a ton to think about, I mean we will have the whole family living here at some point.
Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1) Page 4