Abednego and Sierra made much better time on the three-wheeled bike than they had imagined. It took about 30 minutes of peddling for them to reach the Welcome sign, indicating the city limits was close. Abe’s legs needed a rest, so he pulled to the side of the road near a familiar house.
“Hey, stranger,” he heard someone shout from the house. Abe looked over and saw his cousin, Bear, come walking through the front door. “Where ya’ll headin’ to?”
“Goin’ to Dad’s house,” Abe answered. “Thought we’d stop for a minute to rest these tired legs.”
Bear walked out to the road and shook his cousin’s hand. “You ain’t got of cigarettes to spare, do ya?” Bear asked. “We ran out yesterday and Mama’s about to go into withdrawals.”
Abe reached into his pocket. Empty. He helped Sierra off the back of the bike and opened the box. He looked into the backpack, tore open the carton and took out a fresh pack of smokes. He opened the pack and handed Bear two cigarettes.
Bear went back inside the house with the cigarettes. He came back out a couple of minutes later and walked back to where Abe and Sierra sat resting.
“Ya’ll mind if me and Mama go with ya’ll to Uncle Harold’s place?” Bear asked. “Bailey went over there yesterday and we ain’t heard back from her.”
“I guess that’ll be ok,” Abe answered, not sure how well it would go over with Sierra. He knew she wasn’t about to give up her seat on the bike.
“Mama’s got her wheelchair,” Bear said. “The neighbors ain’t home, but I’m sure they won’t mind if we borrow their ridin’ mower. I bet I can rig that wheelchair up on back of it an’ give Mama a good seat to ride on.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, Bear turned and walked over to his neighbor’s house. He ducked out of sight in the garage. A minute later the sound of the mower starting up filled the air. Bear rode the mower to his own house. He went inside and brought out an old wheelchair.
Within a few minutes, using nothing but duct tape and tie wire, Bear had successfully attached the rickety wheelchair onto the lawn mower. It was facing backwards with the front wheels up in the air, but it was on there.
When Loretta, Bear’s mom, came outside she was amused at the setup her son had created. “You really expect me to ride on that?” she asked with a chuckle. “My fat ass is gonna’ break that thing as soon as I sit on it.”
Abe had walked over to help Bear wire the chair to the mower, and now he stood there watching his cousin try to climb into her seat. It wasn’t really funny, seeing her twist, turn and wiggle her legs as she tried to fit into the chair.
Yes, it was!
It took a couple of minutes, but Loretta finally got herself into the chair. Surprisingly, the tape and wire held. Bear climbed onto the mower and started it up. He put the mower in gear and headed to the road. Abe returned to the bike, climbed on and started peddling.
What a sight they were; a chunky man on a riding mower with an even chunkier woman on back of it followed by a lean man on a three-wheeled bike peddling his heart out with a pregnant girl holding tightly on to the back. The convoy made its way into town. People along the roadway stopped and looked at the sight. The two females smiled and waved, like they were the main attraction in a homecoming parade.
The four individuals were making good time, moving right along. That is, until they reached the train tracks. A train blocked the road in the middle of town. Can you believe that?
This was Silsbee, Texas. Anyone who knows the town knows that a train will be blocking the road just about any time you go through town.
The convoy made a u-turn and headed back through town the way they had come. The two ladies continued to wave and the people on side of the road continued to stare. They went around the train. It was only about five miles to do that, but they were determined people. Soon enough they were on the north side of the tracks and getting closer to their destination.
Abe’s legs were burning, but he sucked it up and kept peddling. He had a pregnant woman with a craving for spaghetti behind him and he wasn’t about to give up now.
Chapter 10
A long day
“Look,” Jerry said emphatically, “I can’t just sit here and watch him die. He’s been through so much this past year and fought through it all. It just wouldn’t be right for it to end like this.”
“I understand that,” Arlene replied. “I really do. But you have to understand that I have a daughter that I have to get to. I can’t keep putting that off. She needs me, and I need her. I know that I probably need her more. Maybe I’m just being selfish, but right now I have to put my needs first. I have to go home.”
“That’s not being selfish,” Jerry admitted. “That’s being a mother. I get it.”
“No parent can turn their back on their own flesh and blood,” Arlene said. “Parents love their children no matter what. That’s just what we do.”
“Not all parents do,” Jerry said. “Some can be cold. They choose their favorite child and to hell with the rest.”
“That’s not true,” Arlene said as she reached out and took the bearded man’s hand. “We may be mad at our children from time to time. We may not even like them sometimes. We always love them, though. You can believe that.”
“Yea, well,” he replied, “some parents have a strange way of showing it.” Jerry looked down at his father, unconscious on the bed before him. It had been over a year since he had been this close to the man. He had never intended to see him again. Now, however, he didn’t want to face the world without him.
“You’ll do just fine,” Arlene said, squeezing Jerry’s hand. “Just keep him hydrated and keep giving him the antibiotics like I told you. He’ll be sore when he wakes up and he might be a little cranky. You just have to be here for him and love him. God will take care of the rest.”
“Right,” Jerry said. “I lost all faith in God a year ago. If there was a God, we wouldn’t be in the situation we’re in right now.”
“You’re not quite right, my friend,” Arlene retorted. “If there wasn’t a God we wouldn’t be here. Bad things happen. Those bad things aren’t God’s fault. It isn’t God that causes bad things to happen to people, it’s God who helps us through them. I sincerely believe that.
“He never promised us a charmed life. Quite the contrary. He warned us that there would be hard times. History is full of examples of times when evil reared its ugly head. By the same respect, history is full of examples when people overcame evil. The Bible tells us, in the book of Luke, that all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed. Have you ever seen a mustard seed?”
“Yea,” Jerry said. “That’s about as much faith as I have.”
“Then you’re going to be just fine,” She replied. “I’ll pray for you, Jerry. You just have to let go and let God.”
The sound of a motor coming down the road invaded the relative silence in the room. Arlene stood and walked toward the door.
“What else can I do?” Jerry asked.
“Take a bath and shave,” Arlene said with a smile. “And pray.”
In the backyard, Ray Lynn was just about finished pouring the last of the gas out of a five-gallon can into the tank of the truck. That was 10 gallons of precious fuel in the truck. He figured that should be enough to get to Buna and back. When he heard the sound of a riding mower coming down the road he wondered if it was friend or foe.
Beetle had walked over to where Roxie and Pam were cooking. She felt so bad for Pam. She couldn’t imagine losing someone she loved like this lady had. Roxie had a good fire going in the fire pit with a large pot of stew hanging over the flames. Another pot was beside it. Beetle wondered if it was also full of stew. Roxie had mixed up a bowl of cornbread mix and was pouring it into a cast iron skillet. As she stood to take the pan into the trailer (where the propane oven was), they heard the engine purring. They all turned toward the driveway.
From their perspective they couldn’t see the road. The three ladies watched as Ray
Lynn walked toward the road carrying a shotgun.
Arlene walked out the front door and looked up the road. There was a man riding a bicycle, followed by a rather large man on a riding mower. It looked to her like someone was on back of the bike, a three-wheeled bike. A blonde girl. And someone else being pulled in a wheelchair behind the mower.
“Whoa, Uncle Ray Lynn,” shouted the young man on the bike. “There’s no need for weapons here. We’re family.”
Arlene could see Ray Lynn walking from the side of the house. He lowered the shotgun in his hands. “Ain’t you a sight,” he said as he approached the newcomers. “Good to see ya’, boy.”
“Where’s Dad?” the young man asked as he pulled his bike into the driveway. The man on the mower pulled into the yard and killed the engine. Just then, Beetle came walking up from the side of the house.
“Mama?” she shouted. “What are you doin’ here?”
“My baby,” the lady sitting in the wheelchair said. “I missed you. I just had to come find you.” Beetle walked over and gave her mother a hug.
“I had ta come find something ta eat,” Bear interjected. “I was ‘bout ta eat the tires off this lawn mower afore Abe showed up at tha house.”
“Pig,” Beetle said.
“Brat,” Bear shot back. “Ya’ll got sumpthin ta eat here?”
Arlene finally recognized the young man on the bike as Harold’s son, Abednego. She hadn’t seen him in three years or more. He had grown into a strapping young man. Apparently, he was about to be a daddy. She knew there was no threat from these newcomers. She turned and went back inside.
Ray Lynn helped Abe push his bike and the pregnant passenger to the backyard. Bear dismounted the mower and followed them as Beetle helped her mom from the wheelchair. Once on her feet, Loretta and Beetle made their way to the back. They all walked to the fenced in area, where the fire pit was.
“Your daddy is back in tha bus,” Ray Lynn said to Abe. “He’ll be glad to see ya.”
“You want to go inside and take a break while I go find dad?” Abe asked Sierra. “He’s way in the back.”
“Sure, Babe,” she answered. “It’ll be nice to sit on something soft.” Abe escorted her to the house and inside the back door.
Bear walked into the fenced area and right over to the fire pit. He lifted the lid off the stew pot and looked inside.
“Slaaaap,” the sound of a wooden spoon hitting the back of a hand filled the air. The clanging sound of the lid crashing back onto the pot followed it.
“You better keep your filthy hand outta’ my pot,” Roxie said sharply. “Get on outta here.”
Bear backed away slowly. Beetle and Loretta, who walked up just in time to see the admonishment, busted out laughing.
“I don’t think you want to mess with her,” Beetle laughed. “That’s a mean woman. She’s from Caney Head.”
“I was jest getting’ a sniff,” Bear said with a defeated voice. He knew he had met his match in the lady with the spoon.
“This ain’t the place to go pokin’ your nose in somebody else’s business,” Ray Lynn said as he eased closer to the action. “Or I someone else’s pot. You best find another place to be or you just might draw back a nub next time.”
Bear turned away from the fire pit and slowly walked away. Ray Lynn looked down at the pot and acted as if he was going to reach down and lift the lid. Roxie cleared her throat. Ray Lynn backed away. He wasn’t the brightest color in the box but wasn’t stupid either.
When Abe came out the back door a couple of minutes later he was joined by Arlene. She walked over to the fire pit, leaned down, lifted the lid and took a deep whiff.
“That smells delicious, Roxie,” she said to the cook. “I hope you don’t mind if I hang around long enough to taste it.” Roxie nodded in agreement.
Ray Lynn looked astonished. He had defended Roxie and she threatened him for just coming near her cook pot, but she seemed to welcome another woman. Now that was bein’ prejudice against men. Geez.
Abe kept walking, making his way through the backyard and through the gate. Ray Lynn followed him. He figured it was safer on the other side of the fence.
As he walked toward the tater shed, Abe could see there had already been changes. A new fence was added around the garden, encompassing the tater shed with it. He could also see that there were solar panels installed on top of the small building. Most other people wouldn’t have noticed, but Abe had taken part in the planning and construction of the underground bunker his dad had installed.
Walking into the garden shed part of the small structure, Abe saw that the trap door that hid the entrance to the bunker was open. A dim light shone from under the building, lighting the way down the suspended ladder. Abe stepped onto the ladder and started climbing down.
“Dad,” he shouted as he took his first step. “I’m comin’ down.”
He could hear shuffling in the bunker as he made his way down, which told Abe his dad must have heard him. By the time he reached the bottom step he could see his dad standing in the doorway to the bus. He was smiling from ear to ear.
“Son,” Harold said. He sounded relieved. “I’m so glad you made it.” Harold walked over to his son and enveloped him in a big bear hug. He truly was happy to see his firstborn child.
“How’s Sierra?” he asked as he finally released his son from the smothering hug. “You did bring her with you?”
“No, Dad,” Abe answered, “I drowned her in the bathtub before I left the apartment. She was just nagging me way too much.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Kay said from behind her husband in the doorway. “I’m going to tell her what you said. Come give me a hug first.” She, too, was happy to see the boy. Her hug wasn’t quite as smothering, but equally as intense.
“I saw Calvin on the road and he made me bring your bike back,” Abe said. “Sierra was so glad to be able to sit on back while I did all the work.”
“I bet she was,” Harold said. “I’m sure walking while pregnant was pretty difficult; especially all the way from Lumberton. I’m going to have to let Calvin know how much I appreciate his kindness.”
“Go get her and bring her down here where it’s cooler,” Kay said. “Bring her down the elevator so she doesn’t have to climb down that dang ladder.”
“She wouldn’t fit anyway,” Abe replied. “That tunnel is only three-feet wide.”
“Abe,” Kay exclaimed. “You better stop being mean to that young lady. She’s carrying your baby.”
“I know,” Abe said. “You know I was just kidding. I’ll go get her. She will appreciate this cool air.” With that, he turned and started climbing the ladder to go back outside. Harold walked over and flipped the switch to raise the elevator back to ground level.
“It’s so good to know they’re ok,” said Kay as Harold walked back over to the bus. “I’ve been worried about Sierra. This is not a good time to be pregnant.”
“I know what you mean,” said Harold. “This is going to be interesting. Now if only Whisper was here. I have full confidence in her, but I have zero confidence in society right now.”
“You raised her well,” Kay answered. “She’s always been able to take care of herself. I’m sure she is taking care now.”
“I know you’re right, Sweetie,” Harold said. “That still doesn’t stop me from worryin’ about my baby girl.”
The couple went about making the bus more fit to live in. Harold had made it as a safe place during hurricanes. He also kept in mind that something could happen someday to make the power grid go down, like had now become a reality. The bus was now going to become their home, and Harold wanted it to be as comfortable as possible for his wife.
A few minutes later they heard the elevator engage. Sierra came waddling into the bus, followed by her sarcastic husband. They both looked tired.
“Roxie said to tell you that supper would be ready soon,” Sierra said as she hugged her future mother-in-law. “It’s not spaghetti b
ut is sure smelled good.”
“I’ll make Harold go and get us each a bowl so we can stay down here,” Kay said. “It’s a lot cooler, and we may even be able to watch a movie.”
“What?” Sierra asked. She couldn’t believe there was still a tv on the planet that worked. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope,” Kay said. “It’ll be a dvd, but at least it will be something to get lost in and not have to think about anything else. It will be good to escape for a while.”
Sierra was suddenly very happy she had made the trip. Abe, watching her reaction from across the room, was also happy. This was exactly what his girlfriend needed.
Meanwhile, Tommy, Ellen and John had freed the pilot from the downed plane. His body was in a state of rigor mortis, which made it more difficult to remove him from the small space. They carried him to the small patch of woods and laid him on the ground while they decided how they were going to get him on the four-wheeler.
Tommy walked over to the house next to Harold’s, a two-story brick home. There was nobody home, but he chose not to enter the residence. Instead, he looked around for something he may use. He saw a garden trailer connected to a riding mower, but he figured he would try to find something else. The trailer, he thought, could be useful in the future. He hated to see it leave.
He walked over to Harold’s place and saw that there were new arrivals. Someone on a riding mower had attached a wheelchair to the mower. Tommy thought that could be an option. He saw that Ashlyn had pulled some items from the barn that she and John were going to stay in. Among those items were what looked like two adult strollers. As he walked over to take a closer look, Harold walked up and joined him.
“What are those,” Tommy asked, pointing toward the strollers.
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