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Post by solo on Jan 23, 2023 13:53:21 GMT -6
good story so far, I've only gotten through the first page of the thread, but would like to offer a bit of advice... you have a tendency to switch "tenses" between past tense, and present tense... you need to pick one and stick with it... I recommend past tense as it tends to flow better in both the writing and reading. Good catch, thank you. You will find that I also have a tendency to leave endings off of words, like "ing", "s", "ly", " n't". I used to be good at these things, but since I crossed the threshold of 50, it has been creeping in, bit by bit. The other thing I am having to work at is pacing.... And perspective, some times I do big picture things, or group things or even personal, internal things...
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Post by feralferret on Jan 23, 2023 17:19:54 GMT -6
I think we all tend to lose a little bit of our edge once we hit the half century mark. I know that I have to review anything I am about to post an extra time or two compared to when I was younger.
We just have to be a little more deliberate as our mileage gets up there. Our bodies and minds both experience a bit of wear and tear. I would love to be in the shape I was in at 50 compared to how I am now at 68.
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Post by bluefox2 on Jan 23, 2023 18:06:41 GMT -6
I think we all tend to lose a little bit of our edge once we hit the half century mark. I know that I have to review anything I am about to post an extra time or two compared to when I was younger. We just have to be a little more deliberate as our mileage gets up there. Our bodies and minds both experience a bit of wear and tear. I would love to be in the shape I was in at 50 compared to how I am now at 68. I would settle for the 68 rather than the 75 I am now.
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Post by feralferret on Jan 23, 2023 20:10:44 GMT -6
bluefox2, You've hit the 3/4 century mark. Congratulations!
My wife has both of us beat. She is 81. So is my brother.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 23, 2023 22:01:58 GMT -6
I was doing good at 77 till you bought the wife into the mix.
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Post by feralferret on Jan 24, 2023 1:49:31 GMT -6
Gipsy, what can I say except we all just have to hang in there as best we can. Getting old isn't for wimps. I just wish we could roll back the odometer a bit.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 24, 2023 8:46:17 GMT -6
For sure
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Post by solo on Jan 24, 2023 12:36:32 GMT -6
I love the conversations, and for all y'all's reward, another chapter.
Chapter 43
Once they arrived back at a small campground, Wes realized it was the same camp ground that served as the trailhead way back when he first met Veronica and Joseph. That seemed so long ago.
They took him to a cabin off to the side and placed him on the rugged table that sat in the middle of the room. Kasey made it a point to gently rub his shoulder before leaving, “We will get you good as new before we get to the fun stuff.”
Wes looked at the door and then the room. He took in the entire room, noting the windows and door way. It was your typical summer camp style cabin that would sleep 12 with three sets of bunkbeds lining both sides of the room. The table he was on had benches and was most likely used for their crafts and such.
As he had noted when they came in, the walls were also rugged, though if you looked carefully, the planks that made up the wall were shiplap. There was a fireplace opposite the door.
Next he took stock of himself. All he had was the clothes on his back. His backpack and other gear, the pistols and makeshift crutch were all taken from him. He smelled the faint stench from his bouts with the lava flows from his body as a result of drinking the bad water and the subtle smell of previously burnt fires in the fireplace.
His wound on his leg had not been tended to since he did it last. It throbbed a little, and he could feel the heat radiating. He probably had an infection, but he could not tell for sure.
The room had a bit of a chill, but it wasn’t as bad as being out in the snow with damp outer layers. A quick check of the knots and straps that kept him bound to the stretcher told him that they were done by someone who did not know what they were doing. This was a plus for him.
He closed his eyes and controlled his breathing, and listened. He was checking the camp outside. There hadn’t been but four or five people in the party that brought him back. And listening to the little going on outside, it made him wonder if that is all there was. Maybe they had thinned the herd quite a bit. Or maybe it was worse. Maybe these idiots had gone rogue.
He laid there not moving for around for a few minutes, never falling asleep, but biding his time when he realized that these few minutes had stretched to a couple of hours. He heard footstep pass the cabin by a number of times, before a firm footstep cadence came directly to the door. There was a loud knock.
A deeply perplexed look came across Wes’ face. “Come in?” He intoned.
The door was pulled open and a tall skinny man walked in briskly. “I am Doctor Luther. What seems to be the problem?” The man was direct and to the point.
Wes took the man in. He was wearing a pair of tactical pants, probably 5.11’s and a long sleeve pull over. His hair was more of the dirty blond shade, with pale blue eyes. His pointy nose gave him a stern look, one that didn’t seem to reach his eyes. He also noted that the entry door opened outward. This could be useful later. The question stumped him.
The man began to look Wes over very closely. Starting with Wes’s arms, he run his hands over them and noted all seemed well, no breaks. He checked to torso over, then moved to Wes’s legs. “Oh Dear, it looks like quite a mess here.” He unwrapped the bandage and pulled the pad away. “It was a great idea to use a pad for this. What is this sticky stuff?”
“Honey.”
The man paused and looked at Wes with a furrowed brow. “Where’d you learn that?”
“That’s classified.” Wes said.
The man guffawed heavily…. “That is funny!”
“Why’s that?”
“Because times, they are a changing,” The man said.
“Are you really a doctor?”
“Vet.” The man snorted. “Best we got.”
“What is going on here in this place?” The man looked at him. “You don’t know?” He paused looking for a reaction. He continued, “I guess you don’t. I figured that peacock would have told you. I am just here to make sure you don’t die. They got plans for you.”
“Who does?” Wes asked.
“Kasey and his fairies. They left the main group. He was dead set on finding you and he certainly did. Now it will be an interesting affair.” The Doctor said.
“Sounds like you don’t like it and could do something about it.” Wes growled.
“No that sounds like I like to live. They leave me alone and I get practice working on humans. Like you.” Luther let that settle a moment. “Things are great compared to how they are going to be.”
Wes thought on that and allowed he couldn’t disagree. “How’s that?”
“The cities have self-destructed. The Power grid is down with no way to get the needed spare parts. Those that have survived the carnage are flocking to the countryside. We are looking at waves of desperate people. It will not be pretty. It will be just like a third world country.” The vet explained.
“I’ve spent most of the last thirty years in third world countries. This will be much worse because the lap of luxury has been removed and the masses are in shock. They have no clue how to live in their new reality, while third world countries have had this as a way of life for centuries.” Wes said.
“Yes. We’ve forgotten how to live with squalor. It will get bad.”
“So about our current issue. You know I can be useful and I could use someone with your skills at our camp. You could just set me free.” Wes said.
“Sorry Mate. As it was explained to me, if you didn’t survive, it would be my bum. And it wasn’t figuratively. I like my colon to continue being a one way street.”
“Why don’t you just leave?” Wes said.
“I can’t, I don’t have the skills or the ability.” Dr. Luther said in a whisper.
“Skills we can handle. What about the ability?”
“They have my wife.” His eyes got sad.
“Where?” Wes asked.
“At one of the UN Camps. It is one of the rougher camps.” “Is she still alive? How is she doing? Wes questioned.
“Look at you! You have turned into the interrogator!” The doctor chuckled a bit.
“Look, I can help you.” Wes said.
The vet poked his finger into the bullet wound. Wes winced greatly. “No you are in no condition to help me. Fortunately, I can buy you a day or two, but when this begins to heal, it will not be pleasant for you.”
Wes was quiet and just looked up at the ceiling.
The doctor finished. “There that should do you well. I wish I could do more.”
Wes smiled and said, “You’ve done enough.”
The doctor smiled at him curiously and then left.
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Post by gipsy on Jan 24, 2023 13:21:35 GMT -6
I feel a turning of the tables is brewing.
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Post by feralferret on Jan 24, 2023 18:46:45 GMT -6
Solo, what can I say. You've got a bunch of old guys who love to read hooked on your story. Thanks for the interesting chapter.
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Post by bluefox2 on Jan 24, 2023 18:47:36 GMT -6
I was doing good at 77 till you bought the wife into the mix. You and my wife are the same age. Yeah I married a Cougar and she robbed the cradle.
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Post by solo on Jan 24, 2023 22:07:47 GMT -6
Well they say that older women make better lo..... Never mind....
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Post by bluefox2 on Jan 25, 2023 20:02:03 GMT -6
Well they say that older women make better lo..... Never mind.... they do indeed.
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Post by iamnobody on Jan 27, 2023 8:43:38 GMT -6
Well they say that older women make better lo..... Never mind.... If you can find one that wants "loving"
It is mind boggling the number of age 50+ women who I have heard say that "loving" is a VERY SMALL part of marriage - like maybe 2 or 3 times a year in a marriage.
They get mad when I laugh at them and say they are looking for a roommate and not a husband. That no real man will put up with that.
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Post by solo on Feb 7, 2023 9:54:59 GMT -6
Chapter 44
The door opened silently and quickly it was closed. “Luther, I’m not going to jump you while the door is open. If I wanted you gone, you would have been already.”
“I see you are in excellent spirits this morning.” The Doctor said. He noticed his title wasn’t used.
Good, it is morning. That was an easy fact check, Wes thought to himself. He smiled in the dark.
“I was sent to check your wounds. I am going to cut on the light.”
He turning on a 100 watt lamp and directed it to Wes’s leg. After unwrapping it and turning a bit here and there to get a good look at it under the light and doing other assessments like feeling around the wound, he quickly applied a new dressing.
“I hate to say this, but I will be needing to get you up and get some weight on this later today. You are healing exceptionally well.” The Doctor said.
“It is all those top secret nano-bots that the government pumped me full of.” Wes said.
The Doctor stared at him for a moment, trying to determine if he was serious or not. “I have tried to push back the inevitable for a few days, but Kasey will be coming for you tonight. It will not be good.”
“Then by later tonight, I will be dead and I will be taking a lot of that trash with me. My backside is a one way street and the first ole son who tries to reverse direction will find their direction finder missing, if you get my drift.” Wes growled.
“Hey, I am only the messenger. They figure you are healed enough and sensory deprived enough that with a little rohypnol, you may be a bit more compliant.”
“Why are you telling me all of this?” Wes asked.
The doctor hesitated and walked over to the door. He cracked it and peaked out. Then walked back over and just looked at Wes.
“You know they probably have this room wired for sound, right?” Wes said.
The doctor smiled sadly, “They aren’t that smart. They have one thing on their mind for you.”
“I know, you’ve told me.” Wes followed.
“I thought about what you said last night. About joining you.” He stopped. Wes remained silent.
After a moment, “I can help you. But you have to take me with you and one other thing.”
Wes pursed his lips. “And what would that be?”
“We have to go get my Monica.” The doctor blurted out.
“Is that your wife?”
“Yes.” Was all he said.
“It would be a tough thing to enter a camp, especially with Kasey and his ilk chasing us.”
“They would not be chasing us. I make their food.” With that he shrugged his shoulders.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.” He said.
“Why not before?” Wes asked.
“Because there was never anyone like you to come along. With you I feel like we would have a chance. But Kasey has friends and blackmail partners way up. If we don’t act fast, get in and out, they will kill her to get to me.” The doctor said.
“You know, Doc, the odds are that she is no longer living, right? And the odds are good that you, me and/or her will not survive the rescue. If we can go and get my friends and some special presents I have stowed at my hideaway, we could do this safely.” Wes pointed out.
The doctor was quiet for a moment. “We found your island. Your friends were not there.”
Wes tilted his head. “Wasn’t there?” He asked, then thought to himself, good, they bugged out.
The doctor again paused a moment before answering him. “Not there. There was a lot of blood and at least three blood trails.”
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Post by CountryGuy on Feb 7, 2023 16:34:30 GMT -6
Another great installment!
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Post by solo on Feb 14, 2023 10:51:23 GMT -6
Chapter 45
Wes digested that bit of information. “How do I trust you and what you say is true?”
“You can’t. I just want my Monica back and to be safe somewhere else.” The doctor said.
Wes pursed his lips, thinking.
“Come and get me when the first part of your plan is done.” Then Wes turned on his side on the table.
He laid there as the doctor turned the lamp off, then went to the door. “We have to get Monica first.” Was all he said, then he left Wes alone in the dark with his thoughts. It was morning, he was sleepy, but he also had a lot to think about. He pushed the thought about Sam and the team, about whose blood it could be, deep down. He had a decision to make about the doctor. Was he for real? Would he be reliable and trustworthy? Or was this one of Kasey’s games. Either way. He had to be ready.
He crawled out of bed and began to stretch. He was careful of his wound, but he did indeed feel better. Later that day, in the late afternoon, the Doctor came back.
“We will have to wait until tomorrow or the next day. Kasey and a couple of his henchmen went on a little trip somewhere. He left orders for you to not be touched and to let you continue healing.”
“Well wasn’t that generous.” Wes smiled.
“Regardless, we have to get you up and get moving. First, roll on your back. I am going to stretch you out to see how certain movements may affect your wound.”
Wes did as he was told and stared at the ceiling as his legs were manipulated. After this, the doctor had him stand and put weight on the leg that had the wound. He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips.
Careful, not to include movements that could re-open is wound, he put Wes through a few movements and was truly surprise at how well Wes was responding to treatment. “On the ten point scale, how much pain?” Luther asked.
Wes replied, “I don’t know.”
“How could you not know?”
“Because through all of my years doing this, I have been desensitized somewhat. My pain thresholds are not the same as yours or anyone else’s’.” Wes truthfully said.
“Well none-the-less, this must hurt some.” With that, the Doctor placed his hand directly on the wound.
Wes did not react, but did smile and tilt his head. “That was dumb.”
The doctor said nothing.
“Are you stupid enough to think that I would let you know exactly how well I am or not? That is information that could be used against me.”
The Vet was honestly surprised. “I didn’t know people thought that way.”
Wes was quiet for a moment and just gazed at the Doctor.
Finally the Vet broke first and said, “What?” While holding his arms out slightly and shaking his head.
Wes smiled. Then he replied. “I am comfortable with silence. You learn a lot by sitting still. Like for instance, I don’t think you are telling me the complete truth. Were you sent in here to get Intel on me?”
“No, you dumbass, I was sent in here to heal you.”
“Do you honestly think I would not have healed without you if I was free and not trapped here?” Wes was still smiling his relaxed smile.
“Well, People who have something to hide do not do well in a conversation when one of the people goes silent. They break first.” Wes continued.
“That doesn’t even make sense. If you were to break first would that mean you were hiding something?”
“But of course I am. Or I would not be here locked in this room.” Wes chuckled.
The vet shook his head. “What about your pain levels?” “Here is a direct quote for you; ‘Victory without direct fighting is the most advantageous way to win.’”
“Really? Is this a Sun Tzu situation?” The vet actually chuckled.
“You’ve read the Art of War?” Wes was genuinely surprised.
“Well, when you serve over 40 years as a general and never lose, that gets some attention. And helps explain your reticence.”
“How so?”
“Well, Information is supreme. ‘To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.’
Wes smiled. “And the next part?”
‘Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat.’ The vet said.
Faster than either of them through possible, Wes jetted his arms out and with a couple of moves that the vet guess were based on some martial art, had the vet on the table top where Wes had recovered and secured. “You were mine the first day you came in.”
The vet, with true fear in his eyes that overwhelmed the surprise only stared back. He stared back. “I am glad you got that out of your system. I never would have asked for help if you weren’t able to give it.”
Wes’ hard stare softened a little and he released the vet. “I don’t like being played with. I have zero reason to trust you and for all I know, Kasey and his ilk are laying in wait right outside the door for me.
The vet released the breath he had been holding. “I need you. I am not going to work to get you killed. I really don’t care if you trust me or not.”
“Well, you better learn. We are going right now!”
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Post by imahic on Feb 14, 2023 11:59:05 GMT -6
Thanks for the update. Great story.
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Post by feralferret on Feb 14, 2023 22:31:48 GMT -6
Very interesting chapter. Thanks!
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