Viral Misery (Book 1)

by Watson, Thomas A

  After he’d woken Nicole up for her first bottle of the night, Arthur could do it by memory. When she gave her burp, he just cradled her to his chest. Not long after that, he had felt something burrowing under him. Waking up to pop one of the dogs, Arthur had found that it was Jim burrowing under him.

  Looking across the bed, he saw Pat and Kirk sound asleep. Not wanting more bruises or one of them to hit Nicole, Arthur had gotten up and headed to the recliner.

  All day yesterday the boys followed him around, learning how to feed the animals and take care of them. It only took Arthur a few seconds to realize the boys had never been around any farm animals. When he saw young Jim running for his life from two small lambs chasing him, Arthur gave a sigh realizing this was going to take some time.

  The boys were scared of the big dogs for a little while, but they had been around dogs. To Arthur’s disgust, the boys loved Mickey and Minnie and lugged the cats around the house. He found out they’d had cats at their house and Arthur told them to stay away from all the cats outside because they were more or less wild.

  Feeling Nicole snuggle into his neck, Arthur smiled as he closed his eyes in bliss. Getting up, Arthur put Nicole in the baby carrier softly and buckled her in. Grabbing her blanket, Arthur covered her up.

  Picking up the carrier, Arthur headed to the bedroom and set Nicole on the dresser. “Time to get up, boys,” Arthur said softly. Moving over to the bed, he shook each one until they opened their eyes. “We have to feed the animals before we leave.”

  Hearing ‘leave’, the boys sat up rubbing their eyes. “I’m up,” Kirk yawned.

  “Make sure your brothers get up,” Arthur said, grabbing the baby carrier. “I’ll start breakfast.”

  Hearing ‘food’, Kirk shook the others, “Breakfast, come on,” he said, bouncing across the bed until he reached the edge. He stopped as he got off the bed and saw three neatly folded outfits. Seeing one was his, Kirk moved over and started dressing.

  “It’s dark outside,” Pat yawned, looking at the window.

  “We are big now and have to get up early,” Kirk huffed, pulling his pants on. “Get Jim up.”

  Shaking Jim, “Quit being a baby, Jim,” Pat said, then climbed out of the bed.

  Hearing the boys, Arthur chuckled as he started breakfast. Jim and Pat looked up to their older brother. “I’m not a baby,” Jim pouted out in his small voice.

  “Come on, boys,” Arthur called out, looking at Nicole to make sure he wasn’t too loud. Only seeing Nicole twitch, Arthur continued gathering stuff on the kitchen island. Yesterday, the boys had watched in wonder as Arthur had made each meal.

  When Jim had asked, “Where are the boxes?” Arthur had busted out laughing.

  It’d taken some explaining, but the boys had finally got the concept down of cooking from scratch.

  Kirk walked in, rubbing his eyes and Arthur smiled, “Wash your hands and let’s start on the biscuits.”

  Taking off for the sink, Kirk stood up on his toes to turn the water on. Hooking a step stool with his foot that Wendy used to reach the top shelf in the cabinets, Arthur pulled it over to the sink. “Thank you,” Kirk said, climbing on the stool.

  Pat and Jim followed as Kirk stepped down and they ran to the sink to wash their hands. Even with the stool, Jim had to stretch hard to wash his hands. Arthur could’ve prepared breakfast much faster on his own and without them in the way, but he needed them to learn and learn fast, just in case he wasn’t immune or something happened to him.

  Holding up a strip of raw bacon, “Where does this come from on a pig?” Jim asked and then laid the strip in a pan very neatly.

  “I’ll show you soon,” Arthur grinned. He didn’t want to introduce them to the real world too fast.

  When breakfast was done, the boys helped him clean up. Arthur fed Nicole her bottle, letting the boys wipe the island and table down because the next part required him. The boys didn’t have toothbrushes but luckily, Wendy had boxes of them.

  Yesterday, Arthur had watched the boys trying to brush their teeth and had shaken his head. Taking each one’s toothbrush that he had given them, Arthur had brushed their teeth, one at a time, explaining how and what he was doing. Then Arthur promptly put electric toothbrushes on the list to pick up.

  Today wasn’t as bad, but Arthur still had to brush after each one.

  Gathering up his weapons, Arthur put the baby sling on and moved Nicole over. When she was in the sling, Nicole looked up at Arthur and gave him a wide smile. “You are a happy baby,” Arthur said, patting her butt.

  “The dogs want outside,” Kirk said and Arthur looked over and saw the dogs filed up at the door.

  “Let them out and let’s take care of the animals,” Arthur told him, checking his AR.

  Watching Arthur press check the AR, “We are really going to learn how to shoot guns?” Kirk asked with a wondrous grin.

  “Yes, like learning the farm, that’s not negotiable,” Arthur answered, leading them out back.

  “Big kitty,” Jim sang out and Arthur turned to see Jim approaching Kong.

  “Jim!” Arthur snapped and Jim jumped a foot in the air, spinning around and putting his hands behind his back. “That’s an outside cat and what did I say?”

  “Outside cats are feeuris,” Jim mumbled.

  “Feral, that means wild like I explained yesterday,” Arthur corrected, turning to Kong. “But of all the outside cats, you leave that one alone. Even the dogs are terrified of him.”

  Jim cut his eyes at Kong to see Kong looking at him as Kong relaxed on the porch. Slowly, Jim eased away and then darted behind Arthur to hide. “It’s that bad?” Kirk asked and noticed that as Kong was sitting, his head was well above Arthur’s knees.

  Walking over to the buggy, “Kirk,” Arthur sighed, sitting down in the buggy. “That monster kills stuff a cat shouldn’t be able to. I know he’s killed raccoons, opossums, snakes, rats, rabbits, squirrels, and at least one fawn.”

  “What’s an opossum and fawn?” Pat asked, climbing in the backseat with Jim who was looking at Kong with wide eyes.

  “I’ll have to show you pictures of opossums, but they can be mean as hell. A fawn is a baby deer,” Arthur told him.

  “That cat killed a deer?” Kirk cried out in shock, whipping his head over to stare at the massive Kong.

  “A baby deer and yes, he did,” Arthur said, cradling Nicole in the sling with his left arm as he backed up and headed down to the barn.

  “Are you scared of him?” Kirk asked as they rode in the dawn’s early light.

  “I respect the son of a bitch, but he does a job on the farm. Kong kills wild animals that want to hurt the farm animals,” Arthur explained and almost added. ‘But if that fucker ever looks at me wrong, I’ll shoot his ass.’

  “What about the other cats?” Pat asked, pulling up to lean over the front seat.

  “Oh, they kill the mice and other small things that hurt the farm,” Arthur told him as he stepped inside the barn.

  The boys looked around, seeing the horses and sheep running from the fields on the right. They turned to see the cows already waiting on the left for the doors to open. “Are you sure the little sheep don’t bite?” Jim asked in a quivering voice.

  “Jim, you need to worry about the sheep with the big horns and not the babies,” Arthur told him, climbing out.

  Jim looked at the big rams, “They don’t chase me.”

  Pulling Nicole out of her sling, Arthur put her in the carrier and tucked a blanket around her. “That’s the problem; you don’t see them till they knock the shit out of you. When those turds hit, it really hurts.”

  The boys stayed close to Arthur and today, he made them actually help. They all laughed while washing the cows’ udders and hooking up the milking machine. “You mean all the milk I poured on my cereal at home came from here?” Pat asked, pointing at the milking machine pumping the teats.

  Reaching down, Arthur grabbed the teat of the next cow and milked it a few time
s by hand and the boys almost dropped on the ground laughing. “That’s how they use to do it and all your milk came from a cow, but not these,” Arthur explained as Kirk ran over.

  “Can I do it?” he asked with a grin.

  After Kirk, Pat, and Jim had to try, then Arthur let Kirk hook up the milking machine by himself. “Very good,” Arthur grinned and then led them across the barn to feed the horses and sheep.

  When one of the lambs knocked Jim down and the other lambs came over, Jim screamed bloody murder, “They’re killing me!”

  Casually, Arthur walked over and brushed the lambs away and picked Jim up. “Use your knees when they get close to push them away. Don’t kick or the rams come over and they’re mean,” Arthur told him, brushing the dirt off. When Jim was brushed off, Arthur showed him how to use his knee to push the sheep away but being little, Jim had to use his hands.

  Arthur wouldn’t let them get in with the horses until the boys had calmed down a bit.

  Finished in the barn, Arthur led them out to the pigs and chickens. Walking in the chicken coop, the boys all jumped back as Arthur punted a rooster that tried to get his leg. “Now a rooster tries that, kick his ass,” Arthur instructed them, but the boys didn’t want near the roosters. All they could see were the thorns sticking out from their legs.

  Pat cried out when a hen pecked him as he tried to grab the eggs she was sitting on.

  With Nicole in the sling, Arthur walked over as Pat looked at the hen with wide eyes. “Watch,” Arthur said and reached up, brushing the hen out of the nesting box by using the back of his hand. “Don’t act scared because animals can sense it.”

  “Okay,” Pat said, moving to the next box and pushed the hen out and grabbed the two eggs.

  Turning and holding up the eggs in triumph, “I did it,” Pat cried out.

  “Very good,” Arthur laughed, holding up the egg basket.

  With the chores done, Arthur led them to the buggy. “Kirk, sit behind the steering wheel,” Arthur said, scooting to the middle so his foot could still reach the brake.

  “I can’t drive,” Kirk said, not moving.

  Looking down at Kirk, “Neither could I until I learned,” Arthur told him.

  Slowly, Kirk got out and walked around the buggy and climbed behind the steering wheel, acting like the steering wheel was going to reach out and kill him. Listening to Arthur, Kirk did what he was told. Arthur had Kirk drive around the fields to the office house and then onto the road.

  Like all new drivers, Kirk didn’t have the concept of easing the pedals down and they lurched with each press of the pedals. Holding Nicole tight, Arthur told Kirk to drive down to Jack’s farm. He glanced back to see Pat and Jim staring at Kirk in awe.

  Turning around, Arthur had Kirk pull through the yard to Jack’s chicken coop. “What are those big barrels on the side?” Pat asked from the backseat.

  “Automatic feeders. I filled them a few days back and need to check them,” Arthur answered and held Nicole tight. “You can stop here,” he told Kirk and he slammed the brake down and the buggy skidded to a stop.

  Glancing back, Arthur smiled at seeing Jim and Pat holding on tight. The boys climbed out and Arthur showed them how to fill the auto feeders and get the eggs out without ever walking into the chicken coop.

  “Your house makes power down here?” Kirk asked, bringing eggs over to the basket as Nicole started complaining.

  “No, Jack has solar panels that run this and his water pump,” Arthur explained, grabbing a bottle with powder already inside out of the buggy and pouring water in. Nicole gave a wide grin, hearing the bottle shaking. “Yes, I have your food, baby blue eyes,” Arthur grinned, putting the bottle in her mouth.

  “Why don’t you have your chickens like this?” Pat asked. “You don’t have to go inside here.”

  Shaking his head, “I want to make sure the animals are okay,” Arthur shrugged. “This seems like cheating. Besides, half of these chickens have died and I’m wondering if they would’ve died had I went inside to check on them.”

  They all climbed back in the buggy with Kirk driving and headed back to the house. When they stopped at the gate, Arthur glanced back at Pat. “See that keypad, punch in one, seven, nine, three,” Arthur told him and Pat jumped out. Running over, he punched in the numbers and the gate started swinging open.

  “We can close it from the house,” Arthur called out as Nicole finished her bottle.

  After Pat climbed back in, Kirk almost stomped the accelerator. “Wait,” Arthur said, moving Nicole to his shoulder and Kirk looked up at him. “Make sure your passengers are ready before you take off.”

  Glancing back at his brothers, “Are you guys ready?” Kirk asked with a huge grin.

  “Yeah, just don’t stomp so hard,” Jim moaned, holding onto the seat.

  “I’m trying,” Kirk groaned and slowly pushed the accelerator and the buggy slowly took off.

  “Now, that was a good takeoff,” Arthur said as Nicole let out a loud echoing burp. “Shit, I wish I could do that,” Arthur mumbled.

  Pulling up to the patio, Kirk let off the accelerator to slow down and then pressed the brake. The buggy gave a jerk as Kirk did the latter too hard. “Sorry,” Kirk said, looking up at Arthur.

  “Hey, you did great,” Arthur laughed, reaching over patting his leg then moved to get out and saw Kong walk from behind the grill. The laugh fell off Arthur’s face. “Kong, I have guns and will use them.”

  Kong just looked at Arthur with indifference as the dogs trotted up from behind the buggy. Slowly, Kong turned to the dogs and yawned, showing his teeth. “Booger eater,” Pat gasped. “You see how big his teeth are?”

  “Yeah,” Arthur said curtly as he eased out of the buggy, holding Nicole to his chest with his left hand. His right had the AR, just in case. “I’ve seen and trapped smaller full grown bobcats than Kong.”

  “Has Kong ever hurt the lambs?” Kirk asked, getting out of the buggy.

  Shaking his head, “No, because Kong would’ve died,” Arthur replied, leading the boys inside. He walked into his office and showed them how to close the gate from the computer.

  “Okay, time to head out. Empty your backpacks and get back down here,” Arthur told them and the boys just stood rooted to the floor. “What?” Arthur asked.

  “Mean people are out there,” Kirk reminded him.

  “Guys, Nicole has to have diapers that fit. I’m tired of cleaning her poop off of me and everything near me, every time she goes,” Arthur told them. “I asked if you wanted to stay here and all of you said no. Have you changed your minds?”

  All three shook their head rapidly. “No, but it’s scary,” Pat said.

  “Guys, if something can get past me, then it will get us here,” Arthur told them. “Guys, if we don’t leave soon, we will be out after dark. I really want to be back by then.”

  Like magic, the three boys vanished from where Arthur was talking to them. He turned and caught sight of all three running upstairs at a very impressive pace. Moving Nicole off his shoulder, Arthur smiled to see she was fast asleep.

  Putting her in the baby carrier, he moved it into the kitchen and made some sandwiches. The boys came back down and found Arthur packing a cooler. “Need food,” Arthur smiled and then headed back to his office.

  Grabbing four radios, Arthur turned to carry them to the boys and found them right behind him. “You know how to use walkie talkies?” he asked and the boys’ eyes widened in wonder. “You will always be close but if not, you can call me.”

  The boys grinned as Arthur clipped a radio to each one’s belt. After showing them how to turn them on, Arthur headed back to the kitchen.

  “Donald, Daisy,” Arthur called out and the Rottweilers trotted over.

  “You like Disney,” Kirk stated as Arthur put Nicole in the baby sling.

  “Why?” Arthur asked.

  “Your cats are Mickey and Minnie and your dogs are Donald and Daisy,” Kirk pointed out.

  Shaking h
is head, “I named the dogs Donald and Daisy hoping they would beat Mickey and Minnie’s butts,” Arthur huffed.

  The boys laughed, following Arthur outside and not letting Kit and Kat out. “Why don’t Kit and Kat ever get to go?” Pat asked.

  “Donald and Daisy have been trained to attack. Kit and Kat haven’t,” Arthur answered bluntly, leading the boys over to the Blazer. The twenty-foot trailer was already hooked up so Arthur opened the door and folded the seat up.

  Pat and Jim climbed up, having to use the step mounted under the door. Arthur saw the passenger door open and Kirk climbed up into the passenger seat. As Arthur climbed in, he saw the boys buckling up.

  Cranking the engine up, Arthur turned in the seat to look at all three boys. “Okay, you have to stay alert. I’m driving, so each of you needs to keep looking out the windows and behind us. If you see people, call it out but try not to shout. Just let me know. I’ll be looking, but you three have to help,” he told them very slowly.

  “Will you shoot the mean people?” Pat asked.

  “Yeah,” Arthur replied nonchalantly. “But I’m not shooting everyone we see. Only if they pose a threat.”

  “Okay,” Kirk said, looking out the window and appearing very at ease.

  Pulling his 1911 out of the holster, Arthur shoved it under his leg while glancing down at Nicole sleeping soundly. “Let’s go shopping,” he said, putting the Blazer in gear.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Feeling overwhelmed isn’t always bad

  Driving down the valley with his fedora pulled down, Arthur took the south road where a creek forked into Piney. “Can we go fishing?” Kirk asked, looking at the stream running beside the road.

  “We can go in the pond closest to the house and then I’ll take you to fish in the stream,” Arthur told him and glanced over to see a grin fill his face. “Don’t forget to keep an eye out.”

  “I’m not,” Kirk said, glancing around at the woods and then back to the water.

  Fifteen miles later Arthur slowed, seeing a wrecked car in the ditch. Glancing at the driver leaned over the steering wheel, Arthur could tell the crash hadn’t killed him. “That’s why I’m driving slow,” Arthur explained, speeding up to forty. “If I round a curve and see something in the road, I will have time to stop and not wreck.”