Chapter 1 - Monday, 19 April, midmorning



I hear tires on gravel - there's a vehicle approaching the house. I'll take the .22 rifle out with me.

"Better let Bill know that he has friendly visitors."

"Hello the house!"

One truck; looks like Sam Green's wood gas vehicle with two people in the cab. Passenger puts a long gun on the dash and exits. Seems OK, but I'll still keep him covered with the .22.

"You here, Bill? It's Alex Trotter looking for a favor."

"Alex, you know I have very little to offer in the way of favors."

"Not asking for things this time, Bill, just your time and knowledge."

"Knowledge about what and how much time?"

"From the way you answered my hello, I'm guessing you heard the shooting at the trailer park earlier today?"

"The small percentage of our previous population that survived doesn't make much noise so I couldn't have missed it. Sounded like more than just hunting guns, though. I don't know anyone there, so how does this involve me?"

"Rob King stole an explosives truck and a water trailer from a construction site. He tried to blast through Joe Henderson's gate around dawn but killed himself in the process."

"So how does this involve me?"

"Two things. Sam, get 'em out of the back seat."

"OK."

"Alex, those are the dirtiest, scrawniest boys I've ever seen."

"We're not boys!"

"Bill, this is Teresa and this is Abigail. They belonged to Rob's girlfriend."

"No, I'm Abby and she's Terry!"

"Wait a minute, girls. Alex, I'm still waiting for an answer."

"Bill, Joe Henderson told us that Rob lived in what was left of the trailer park. When we called out that we were bringing Rob's body back, his girlfriend started shooting at us with an AK-47 and Sam returned fire. She didn't make it but one of her shots had hit Carl Black. Not life threatening but he'll need some extra care for a few weeks. Carl and Mabel are the folks I usually ask to take in kids but Mabel and her daughter Alice will have their hands full with Carl injured and the six kids they've already taken in. No one else is willing or able to take in a possibly injured child."

"Last time before I close and lock the door, Alex. How does this involve me?"

"Bill, I know you now have a hard time dealing with kids this age but you have space and lots of experience with kids - plus you've taught First Aid and CPR classes - so you're the best choice today. These two need someone who can care for them and at least one of them is big enough to be some help to you. You get help and they get a caring adult. Don't say you can't do it: we all know the wonderful relationship you had with your daughter Kate, not to mention the dozen or so kids you and Sandra fostered. The only time anyone knew those kids weren't part of your family was when you took in the Ng kids - neither of you looked at all Asian."

"Possibly injured? How do I know I'll get enough work out of them to cover the extra effort of cooking and washing clothes for them?"

"I'd say to teach them to do the washing - they should at least be able to do that. In a week or two, Carl will probably be well enough to take them in. If it doesn't work out for them to stay with you by then, I'll come get them and take them to stay with the Blacks. Would you give them two weeks?"

"I guess I can take them that long if you have no one else. These kids are needed for any future we may have - especially with the small number of women and girls that survived - and we all have to do whatever we can. Meanwhile, what do I use for food and clothing?"

"Rob had a stash of dry and canned foods that should last the three of you maybe a month or so - your garden might be producing something by then. If the girls go elsewhere, any of the food that's left will go with them. Joe said he'll bring that water trailer over to you; it's about 3,000 gallons. That should be more than enough to last you - including watering your garden - until Carl's boys can bring their well drilling rig over and drill a well for you, if the girls wind up staying here. The water table around here is high enough that a hand pump will work."

"Not likely that they'll be staying. I'm too old and set in my ways to be patient with children for very long. You find someone they can stay with."

"I'll do my best, Bill. I'll be over tomorrow to plow that land you wanted for a garden and the boys will help with the planting. You'd offered me some fuel for doing the plowing, but we'll do that and the planting as our contribution to caring for the girls."

"What about clothes?"

"Some of the girls Carl and Mabel took in are older than these two and Mabel said she'd box up some of the clothes they've outgrown."

"Mister, why do you want us when nobody else does?"

"Don't be putting words in my mouth, child. I never said I wanted you. I said you were needed by the community and that I would take care of you until they find someone to keep you permanently. I never would've let a child go hungry before things went bad and I certainly won't now - you're just too important."

"Us important?"

"Yes, child. With so few people alive, every person is important. We need their skills and abilities to survive."

"But we're just dumb kids."

"You're kids who have the potential to grow into useful adults; that alone makes you important. I do have one question for you: Do you want to stay here and help me in return for a room?"

"Mister, since Grandma Betty died you're the only person ever asked either of us if we wanted to do something. We've just been told what to do and threatened or hit if we didn't. We'll stay. What do we call you?"

"Let's start with 'Mr. Mason'."

"OK, Mr. Mason. Can we eat and get a bath? We didn't have much food or enough water for a bath very often at the trailer."

"Your mother didn't take care of you?"

"Crystal ain't our mother. She's Momma's cousin and got stuck with us when Momma and Grandma Betty got sick. She said she was just keeping us alive until we got old enough to make her some money."

"Teresa, why are you holding your arm like that?"

"She jumped on Rob when he snuck into our room drunk last night and tried to get my jeans off me. I think he broke Terry's arm when he hit her. Terry's yell woke up Crystal. She came in with her big gun, told Rob he wasn't getting any free samples and chased him out of the trailer."

"Alex, how soon can you get those clothes here? I had a fire going out back to make soap so I can stoke it up to heat a couple of number 2 washtubs of water for the girls to bathe in but all I have for them to wear is some of my shirts."

"Bill, I thought you would take them in when you heard their story, so the box of clothes is in the back of the truck."

"Am I really that soft of a touch?"

"Only where kids are involved, Bill. I helped bury the motorcycle gang that tried to get in here."

"Then get that box and let's get the girls inside so they can eat."

"We really can stay?"

"Only until they find someone to keep you permanently."

"It's a real house, Terry, so it's better than being in the trailer with Crystal. C'mon and eat."

"Bill, I'll tell the others and they can get started on the things I mentioned. Melissa Garrison said she has some home-schooling materials that I can get and drop off when I'm here tomorrow. She's still not able to be up more than an hour or so at a time so she can't teach. Doc thinks the fever triggered some condition that was dormant. He's guessed at Lyme disease and a couple of others, but he hasn't figured anything out yet. 1850's medicine was more of an art than a science."

"Home school, Alex? I'm not a teacher."

"Maybe not a traditional classroom teacher, but I know where my older kids have gotten the best practical learning. Jason is a better hunter than I am and Kaitlyn is a better mechanic; you taught both of them. Their future spouses noted their manners early on - which was something else you impressed on them. I just wish we had enough transportation for Kyle and Bobby to spend that much time with you. I think you'll also be pretty good with the three R's."

"I think I've been had."

"Only in the most positive way, Bill. By the way, how's your supply of heart medication?"

"I had used a Canadian pharmacy to get an extra year of it before things went bad, so I have almost 14 month's worth. If I'm careful about stress and dehydration, I may be able to stretch it out to about two years. If Abigail and Teresa are good workers, they can do the little jobs and help me with the big stuff. I also bought the book on herbal medicines that Doc Wilson recommended. With more than a year's worth of medication on hand, I have plenty of time to check on alternatives."

"One more thing, Bill. That AK, five magazines and about 500 rounds of FMJ are in a duffel in the truck. I'll bring it in just in case you need something bigger the next time someone pulls into your drive. I know you can take out a squirrel's eye at 100 yards with that .22, but you can never have too much firepower. I'll be back in little while - and thank you for taking the girls."

"You're welcome, Alex. Be glad the phones aren't working - if you hadn't brought the girls here, I would have said 'No'."

"I would have brought them out to ask even if the phones had been working. Speaking of phones, didn't you work for the phone company?"

"Yes, but that was a long time ago."

"You've never forgotten any bit of technical trivia in all your 70 years. When you were helping Kaitlyn restore her great-grandfather's 1950 Ford truck, you set the points and plugs from memory. She insisted on looking it up when we were at the auto parts store and she found that you were right. Can you give Walter Isham and his son Ed some pointers on what would be needed for local phone service if the hydro plant could be restarted?"

"Yes, but let me feed Abigail and Teresa before you start another long tale that leads to a favor. They might starve before you finish."

"You have peanut butter and milk, Mr. Mason? Crystal said there wasn't any more milk or peanut butter."

"There isn't any in the stores, Abigail, but I stocked up on a lot of things in the last few years, including peanut butter, powdered milk and chocolate chip cookie mix. I knew there would be days when those would make me feel good."

"Me, too."

"Teresa, why haven't you said anything?"

"It's her arm, Mr. Mason. It hurts so bad she keeps her teeth locked hard to keep from crying. Crystal whipped us if we cried."

"Girls, it's OK to cry when you're hurt. I'll never punish you for crying."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Alex, can you stop by Doc Wilson's place and tell him about Terry's arm? On second thought, ask him if he can check both girls - it sounds as though they both may have been treated badly."

"Will do, Bill. I'll bring him back if he needs a ride."

"Can we have another sandwich and some more milk?"

"Yes, Abigail. Teresa, the doctor is coming to check your arm a little later. I think you both know that we don't have electricity or running water and that getting hot water for any purpose requires building a fire. I can heat two tubs of water out back for you to bathe in - that's the best I can do now. Are you two OK with taking a bath in a washtub outside?"

"That's what we been doing at Crystal's trailer when it's warm enough, ever since the lights went out and the water stopped running - and those baths weren't always warm. We can do that here."

"I'd like for both of you to be bathed when the doctor gets here so he'll know that dark marks on your skin are possible injuries and not dirt. Can the two of you manage that?"

"Teresa can't wash all of her body with one hand and I can't hold her arm out of the way and wash her at the same time. Can you help her?"

"I think Teresa can probably wash everything but her left arm and part of her back. She will survive having you wash that much. Abigail, you can hold that arm out of the way while Teresa washes and you can call me to hold it while you wash what she can't reach. Is that OK with you, Teresa?"

Nods her head.

"I'll go move the tubs to the firepit, put water in them and stoke the fire while you eat."

"OK."

~~~

"I think he's nice, Terry."

"Me, too."

~~~

"You two had enough to eat?"

"Yes, Mr. Mason."

"Teresa, I can tell how much you're hurting. I want to get your arm washed so I can put a splint on it. I know it will hurt to move it, but it will feel better when the splint is on and holding it straight so you don't have to hold it with your other hand. The doctor will be able to give you something for the pain when he gets here and he will probably put a cast on your arm."

Nods her head and puts her arm on the table.

"Abigail, can you bring me the pan of water and the towel that are on the counter?"

"Here it is."

"Thank you. Teresa, I need to wash your arm so the doctor will know that dark marks are bruises and not dirt. Do you want Abigail to hold your other hand while I do this?"

Nods her head.

"Mr. Mason, you talk to us like Grandma Betty did. She always explained what she was doing and why whenever she fixed an 'owie' - and she knew that we felt safer when someone held our hand. Did you know her? She ran the bakery."

"Would that be Betty Taylor, with the red framed glasses?"

"Un huh. You make us feel safe like she did."

"Abigail, I'm honored to be included with the people who make you feel safe. Teresa, bite on this folded towel so you don't break a tooth."

Nods her head.

"Abigail, when I lift Teresa's arm over the pan, you put your other hand under it right here and help me keep it straight. That's good. When I finish washing her arm, I want you to pour that pitcher of water over it very slowly to rinse off the soap. That's good. Now the towel. Now I need that piece of wood and the roll of gauze. Now the pieces of tape on the edge of the table. How's that, Teresa?"

"Better. Can I have a hug?"

"Just a quick one. The water in the tubs out back should be warm now and I want both of you to go bathe. You won't want to put dirty clothes on a clean body so look through the clothes in this box. There should be things that will fit each of you."

"You said 'tubs'? There's more than one?"

"Yes, Abigail. I don't think you can get clean in someone else's dirty water."

"That's what Grandma Betty said; that it was worth the extra work to start with clean bath water for everyone. We haven't had that since we went to live with Crystal. You're nice."

"No, just being practical. Go look through the clothes, then go get clean."

"Mickey! And the pink jeans and the Cinderella underwear."

"The blue phone booth and the black jeans."

"OK. The mouse for Teresa and the TARDIS for Abigail."

"What's a TARDIS?"

"I'll explain that later when we have a lot of time to talk. To your bath."

"Can you help me with Terry?"

"Teresa?"

"Abby holds the splint up while I wash, then you hold it while she does my arm and back. And tell her not to wash so hard this time."

"I think you'll survive if she only washes that much of you. Abigail, remember to be gentle. This bucket is for your dirty clothes; we'll wash them later."

"We?"

"Yes, I expect you to help with everything you're able to do. Teresa can't sweep with one hand, but she can help with other things. I'll show you how to wash clothes with one hand later."

"You'll stay out there with us 'til we're both done? One time at the trailer park, I left Raggedy Ann outside. When I went out to get her, some dogs came out of the woods after me. I yelled and Abby came out with a broom and kept them away 'til Crystal came out with her big gun and shot some of them and the rest ran away. Then Crystal said we couldn't be outside unless a grownup was with us 'cause of the wild dogs and stuff."

"I'll be here with my pistol, Teresa. You wash what you can and tell Abigail what you need help with. Then you dry and dress while she washes. Why did you jump when I touched your shoulder?"

"Crystal whipped us with a belt and sometimes with the cord from the TV."

"Us? You were whipped too, Abigail?"

"Un huh."

"Girls, the Doc also needs to look at those injuries to see if they need treatment."

"Will you hold my hand if it hurts?"

"Yes, Teresa, I'll hold your hand even if it doesn't hurt."

"Me too?"

"Of course, Abigail."

"One more thing, Teresa. Let me put this plastic bag over the splint to keep it dry."

"You're smart, Mr. Mason."

"No, Abigail, I've just been making do with what I have for a long time."

"Can I wash my hair too?"

"Yes, Abigail. There's shampoo in the pink bottle by the first washtub. You can also help Teresa wash her hair."

"Yes, Mr. Mason."

~~~

Be nice if we had power for the washing machine. Looks like they've been in these clothes for days. A "plumber's helper" in a bucket of soapy water will work, it just takes more effort. The old gas-engine-powered Easy washing machine used three up-and-down agitators that looked like big plumber's helpers, so I'll be following a previous design. Is there still a washboard in the attic or the barn? I'll check later. Alex said to teach them; they can start by learning to wash modern clothes in old fashioned ways.

~~~

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