The Weak Shall Die: Complete Collection (Four Volume Set)

by Taylor Michaels

  * * *

  "John, we need to talk -- in the kitchen."

  "Yes, Marceau," John said, following her into the kitchen where she stood by the weathered old wooden table. "Everything OK? You doing all right? I know this isn't like your father's hotel. Life is going to be more difficult. Everything will be harder. We can paint the walls and maybe put in a new floor. Some new cabinets. You will be spending all your time here. It should look better."

  "Oui, I have no problem with all of that. Life is what it is. In France, we say, C'est dommage, 'it is sad,' but life is what it is."

  "So what do you want to talk about? Is Pierre treating you well?"

  "Pierre is Pierre. What can I say? That is not your problem."

  "So, what is it?"

  She pointed to the old cookstove and said, "I know what this is. It is old, but I can work with it. "But what is that?" she said, pointing to a large, black mass of cast iron beside the stove. "It looks like something a blacksmith would use to make the shoes for horses or perhaps swords for pirates. I do not plan on making any horseshoes or swords. Does it need to be in the kitchen? I can use the space."

  "It's also a cookstove. It burns wood. There's even a compartment to keep water so you always have hot water. A little less convenient to use, but later we will be glad we have it."

  "So, we do not need it, now. A set of shelves would be useful in that space."

  "The main stove uses propane. We have a tank outside. I had it refilled. If we only use the propane for cooking, it might last a year. If we also use it for heating, or for making electricity, then from one to three months. Once the propane is gone, we won't be able to buy any more. So, it will be necessary, sooner of later, to use the old stove. We have plenty of wood in the forest. We'll just have to go chop it. Then, we can take out the new one and build shelves there."

  "I would suggest a small, really tiny, compromise. A small adjustment to your plan, if you don't mind."

  John lifted one eyebrow. He knew that Marceau was generally soft spoken and demure. But he also knew that she could be forceful and direct when she wanted. He said, "Sure, just how tiny?"

  "Buy more propane tanks, then take that big ugly pile of junk out of my kitchen and build me some shelves."

  This was one of those occasions when she chose to be direct. John knew he had no choice. "Sure. I'll order the propane tanks. We can take the stove out tomorrow. The shelves will take a few days. Sooner or later, we will have to bring the stove back in."

  "Later will be fine. Much later will be even better."

  "I'll take care of it," John said as he walked out the back door and over to the propane tank, a hundred feet from the lodge. He felt that Marceau was being illogical and didn't really grasp the dire situation they were in. She was thinking in the present and not of the future. Somehow he had to instill in everyone a more long-term point of view. On the other hand, now was not the time to lock horns and start an argument. Now he needed to be team building and moving the stove might be a good lesson for everyone.

  His musings stopped about the time he saw the propane tank. It was the size of a refrigerator, laying on it's side, and had a label on the side with a phone number. He called the propane company and ordered five more tanks installed and filled.

  The next day, everyone gathered in the kitchen and removed the ancient wood-burning stove, putting it into the barn. Several pieces were disassembled from it, but it still felt like it weighed a ton. Eventually, with everybody's help, it was out.

  Sitting on a hay bale in the barn wiping his brow, Fred said, "John, that was a lot of work. And you know we'll have to bring it back inside in a year or so. Even more hard work. Why?"

  "You're right, Fred. If we're alive then, we will. One of the unpublished rules of survival is 'Keep the cook happy.' After you've had your first meal, you won't ever complain again about any work you have to do in the kitchen. I promise."

  Fred tapped the side of his head and said, "By the way, John. I was just thinking about the kitchen and it reminded me our only source of water is the well and the pump. If the pump goes bad or we run out of electricity, we're in trouble."

  John pointed toward the rear of the property. "There's actually a small creek out back, Fred. A few hundred feet. It would be a hassle to bring water from there to here, but it could be done. At four gallons per person each day just for personal hygiene, I admit it would be a job."

  Fred leaned forward, his hands on his knees and a piece of straw in his mouth and said, "How about this, before the S hits the F, we call somebody out to replace the pump and we buy an extra or two. We watch how they replace it and then when we need to, we do the next one ourselves. You never know how old it is now. I figure sooner or later, we'll come up with some way to make electricity. Whether it's a windmill, solar panels or a steam engine generator."

  "True. Good idea. Set it up."

  "Also, I've checked all the buildings. Three have roofs that need repair. Two have broken windows. Most need paint. What do we do?"

  "Stocking up has priority on our time. Call somebody to replace any roofs you think need it. Same with windows and paint. Tell them we're restarting the hotel. Pay with cash or a credit card. Also speaking of windows, order a bunch of plywood. In the future, we won't be able to buy glass. Maybe take it out of people's houses. We may have to board up some of the windows. We do have hail storms here."

  "OK, boss. Anything else."

  "Fred, I wish you didn't think of me as your boss. We're all in this together and we all need to work together. But in one of your shopping trips, make sure you buy something to make a clothes line. The wire and some supports. Some people make the supports from pipe."

  "I thought I heard you buy two washers and two dryers. They usually last a long time."

  "Drying clothes for all of us will suck up a lot of electricity. Even if we install some solar panels, once the power's out, we won't have that much electricity."

  Looking around to make sure they were alone, Fred said, "Have you told the ladies?"

  "I thought I'd leave that for later. Also, I wouldn't count on keeping your hands dry when it comes to laundry. Except for Marceau, most of our ladies flunked Home Economics or Life Skills, as it's now called."

  "Right. Probably a good idea."

  * * *

  "John, strange truck outside."

  "OK, I think I know what it is. Tell George and Fred and ask them to come out, if they're here."

  John walked outside to see a weird truck with a giant drum on a boom. A man hopped down from the big truck, as Fred and George walked up, both buttoning their shirts. "We were shoppin' last night, what's up?" George said, yawning. "Interesting looking truck. What's it for?"

  "The well water pump."

  The man looked around and said, "So, what's wrong with your well? Where is it, anyway?"

  "I'll show you. It's around back. Just drive around the back of the barn," John said leading the way around the barn.

  The truck pulled around the barn and backed up to the small well house, which looked a lot like a large doghouse. The man and two others got out of the truck. The two helpers began taking the roof off the well house.

  "Pump's broken?" he said, opening a compartment on the side of the truck.

  "Nothing wrong with it right now. We just moved in and we're setting up the hotel. Before we start the business, we thought we should have the pump replaced. It would look bad if we got customers and the water ran out."

  "We normally wait for a problem, but if you want it replaced, we'll do it. They usually last ten years or more. You know how old it is?"

  "No, but it's been there a while. And we'd like you to sell us a couple spares. We'll watch what you do and if you're around when it goes bad, we'll call you to install it, but if you're not, maybe we could do it ourselves."

  "You're new around here, aren't you. Preppers, I'd say."

  "Actually, I grew up here. Been away for some years. My father died last year. I thought
I'd come back and restart the hotel."

  "Sorry about your father. My memory is not what it used to be. I just remembered. I did know him. Nice man. You may be right about the pump. I recollect I put it in around ten years ago." As the man was talking, his two helpers removed all the fiberglass insulation inside the well house and piled it on the lawn.

  "Do we need all that?" John said, pointing at the pile of fiberglass insulation.

  "You do if you don't want your pipes to freeze up this winter."

  "What do you know about preppers?"

  "Not much. Always spouting some kind of crap about the end of the world. Gets on my nerves."

  "I promise that nobody will spout anything about the end of the world and we'll do everything we can to stay off your nerves. You run across a lot of preppers?"

  The man rubbed his white beard and slightly nodded. "Half a dozen scattered around the county. Mostly out in the sticks, like you. Always going on about the end of the world. Aliens, zombies. You name it and there's somebody out there who thinks it'll bring down the country. Makes it sound like we're all crazy for living our lives normally. They're the crazy ones."

  "How hard would it be for us to replace the pump ourselves? Some day. Way in the future. More than ten years, I hope."

  "You are preppers. Maybe nicer than most, but preppers. See that drum on the boom?" he said pointing at the truck. "Make something like that from wood or steel and make sure the pipe don't wrap around anything smaller than that. That would put a kink in the pipe and it could burst or leak," he said becoming more animated in his gestures. "Put it on a frame above the well and attach a rope to the pipe. Pull the rope around the drum and pull the pump out of the well. The three of you should be able to handle it. A tractor or a four-wheel drive would help. When you put the pump back in, just make sure not to rub the wires against the well pipe where it goes in the well," he said, pointing at the well house.

  "Sure. Make that two spares. And some extra wire."

  The man pulled out a phone and punched a button. "Send out two of the high capacity stainless steel pumps to that last address. And a roll of wire. Yeah. Right now." He looked at John with raised eyebrows and said, "Just in case I die tomorrow."

  Chapter 18 - Prepping

  John, Cho, Charles, Fred, Masako and George left the next day in a small convoy of two SUVs and the van, to gather more supplies in Smithton, the local town. They split up and went to different stores, buying six shopping carts of food and supplies at Wal-Mart. With eleven people, the normal grocery requirement would be that much each week. Two other stores provided ten more shopping carts full. The last store was the local sporting goods store and they all ended up there at the same time.

  "Guys, we need to plan this better next time," John said, seeing Fred and George in the camping equipment section.

  "Fred, why you buy sleeping bags? Have cabins with beds. Comfortable. Not need sleep on ground."

  "Today we have cabins. Next month we might have to leave and then we won't have beds. Sleeping outside without a sleeping bag is terrible. Almost impossible. Also, if it's cold and we need to conserve fuel, or the wood is wet, you'll be happy you have this sleeping bag. I think I'll buy a couple tents, too. What do you think, George?"

  "You bet. Really good if we have to do some long distance foragin'."

  "Pick up a couple cases of those MRE's too," said Fred.

  "What MRE?"

  "Meals ready to eat," said Fred. "Used by the military. Just open and eat. Heat if you want but you don't have to. Good for camping because you don't have to carry a lot of extra stuff like a stove and there's no waste. Also good when you've run out of food. More expensive than a can of beans, but quick and easy. If for some reason we have to bug out, we take the sleeping bags, the tents and the MRE's."

  John felt his body shake for a second as he saw an image in his mind of the Lodge on fire. It was worse than the ghost images he frequently saw. Red and orange flames climbing a hundred feet into the air. He could feel a heaviness in his chest. Like someone sitting on him. The weight of despair. He had to fight it. They were all counting on him.

  He didn't want to bug out. He had already bugged out and hated to think what would happen if they had to bug out again. It was going to be hard enough to get prepped for the coming apocalypse, harder still if they had to bug out with a tiny fraction of their supplies. John could see no way to survive long term if they had to bug out again. But, Fred was right. It could happen and they would have to be ready for it. John took out his little spiral notebook and made another note.

  "And weapons and shells," George quickly added.

  As they were paying for their purchases, the clerk said, "Looks like you guys are either going on a long camping trip or preparing for the virus outbreak."

  John watched as the man looked from person to person, possibly trying to gauge a reaction.

  George came to the rescue before the man made his way to John. "Camping. Can't get enough of it. Livin' out with nature. Love it. What's up with the virus? Thought they had it under control. Haven't been watchin' the tube."

  The man appeared to buy George's explanation. Maybe the Texas accent helped sell it.

  "I figured it would be over in a few weeks. But, on the news, they say it's still going strong. Hard to tell," the clerk said, fiddling with a bag of MREs that wouldn't scan. "I got a new scanner a few months ago and it don't work half the time. If this is progress, then give me the good old days."

  "Amen to that," said John. "The SARS outbreak ten years ago took months before it cleared up. This'll probably be the same."

  "I don't think so. This one is worse. Rumor has it the Chinese made it as a weapon. Rumor also says they can't control it. Checkout some of the blogs on the internet. There it is, it finally scanned. High tech, you can have it."

  "Last I heard, they were suffering pretty badly," said Fred, looking at John and raising an eyebrow, as if to say, "This guy is asking too many questions." John shrugged.

  "Rumors say they were doing some population control, testing a new formula. Ha, they had so many people, they already stopped people from having more than one child. Maybe this was their next choice. Just wipe out a couple hundred million."

  "I hadn’t heard that," said John. "But, it sounds like you've had some preppers in here," he said, trying to change the subject. "Are there many around?"

  The cashier scanned the group, an eyes narrowing. "A few. One group about twenty miles north, on the river. Bought twenty cases of MREs last week. Ten cases the week before that. I asked 'em if they were worried about the virus. You'd think I said something bad about their mother. Got real agitated. That's why I was real cautious when I asked you. But you folks seem like good people. Another group ten miles south, to the west of Route 401, just north of the county seat. You can see some big greenhouses a thousand feet off the highway," he said, nodding to his right. "They also have a bunch of solar panels you can see in the winter when the leaves have fallen."

  "Sounds like you've been there."

  "We delivered some generators a year or so back. You worried about the virus?"

  John smiled and said, "No, just curious. These things usually fade away. You hear a lot of scary talk for weeks and weeks. Every night on the news, then you never hear about it again. They don't say how they fixed it or why they thought it was so bad in the first place. I think the people on the news programs just like to stir people up." John hoped that being casual about the subject would put an end to it.

  "Maybe. That prepping is a lot of work for nothing."

  "Yeah. If they're wrong, then you're right and they've wasted their time and money. If they're right, then you've wasted your time and you're screwed."

  "You have a point there. Your friend," he said, nodding toward Cho, "looks Chinese. When did she leave China? Do you guys know something I should know?"

  This isn't going well, John thought. I didn't want this guy to remember us. If there had only been a few of us, he woul
dn't. We have to plan better in the future. I hope Cho can handle this.

  "I am from Singapore. Not China," said Cho, standing proudly.

  "Sorry. Where's that?"

  "A city state, one thousand miles across the ocean from China. South. On the equator. It is a nice place. A little hot."

  "Oh yeah. I think I've heard of it. But not as nice as here, right?"

  "No, the land here is beautiful. Singapore is a big city. It has many large buildings."

  John breathed a sigh and put his defenses on standby. Maybe the clerk wouldn't think anything about them.

  "Well," the man said, putting the last items in a bag. "Come back again, folks. Got a truck coming in tomorrow. Should have some more MRE's. Sometimes I get lazy and eat 'em myself for dinner." He chuckled to himself and smiled.

  As they were loading the van, George looked at Cho, smiled and said, "Your English just got a helluva lot better. What gives, little lady?"

  "I have no idea to what you are referring, George."

  * * *

  After dinner that night, John lifted his bottle of beer and said, "Well, Mister Quartermaster, how did it go today? Are we on track?"

  "Good, but if the panic hits in a week, we'll need at least two trips like this one every day to finish stockin' up. And even then, we'd only have around twelve hundred calories a day. Not enough to keep a man happy, no matter how good it tastes. Sorry Marceau.

  "We'd live hungry, lose weight, but we could survive. We'll still need to hunt and forage for nuts and berries. I thought we could find eight hundred calories a day from the environment, but that may not work. I don't know what's available out there."

  "From some of the books I've read," said Fred, "the animals disappear a few days after the grocery store shelves are cleared out. We might not be able to count on them, George."

  "Yeah, I've read that too. If it's true, we'll have to do more preppin'. I made a master grocery list from all the lists you guys made on the boat plus what I read on the internet. I posted it in the storeroom. The list is for food from now 'til September when the garden comes in. The garden has to carry us through 'til next fall. A whole year. We'd better put a heap o' thinkin' into that garden. If something goes wrong and it doesn't produce enough, then we're in bad trouble. We'll be hungry for a year. We might not make it. We'd better raise way more than we think we'll need in case something goes wrong. And even then, the next year's garden might go bad. We could have bad weather. Too hot, too cold, too much rain, too little rain. Lots can go wrong with a farm. Right John?"