A Bit of Civilization

[papaof2]

This story Copyright © by the author as of date of first posting or publication.


Chapter 1


Monday, 3 April 2028, 10:40


"Leroy!"

"Yes, E-Man?"

"I'm tired of seeing the old fart's initials in green everywhere!  You get some boyz and help him load all his sh!t on that old truck and trailer of his and get him out of here!  And be done before dark!"

"You sure, boss?  He's got us stuff nobody else has - even the showers work a couple days a week!"

"I'm tired of seeing his scruffy beard and those green reminders!  Get him out of here!"

"OK, boss.  I recorded what you said on my phone so I can play it for the others."

"Just get it done, Leroy!"


---


"You sure you're OK leaving this late in the day, Mister Jack?  Lots of folks looking for some of the things on your truck and in your trailer."

"I appreciate your concern, Leroy, but most of them will not be aware of how some of these things can bite them."

"Like the first time I tried to help you with the toolbox and got knocked on my butt by that fence charger?"

"There are worse things than that."

"The double-claw rat trap that cost T-Ray two fingers?"

"That and more.  I didn't survive Covid-19 and it's seven serious variants just to lose everything to someone ignorant, arrogant or stupid.  Anyone who hasn't yet learned to ask before they touch may not be worth saving."

"That's why you're leaving now?"

"Harold..."

"You mean E-Man?"

"No, Harold.  Harold Williford Pettigrew.  That was his name before he discovered that I could provide him with a little electricity if he could provide some muscle to do the work.  But I had permanent identification on everything that was mine before Harold came along - in a shade of green that he hates but I was just using the available can of paint when I stenciled things.  Harold needs some hard lessons and losing his current level of civilization might be the best way.  I'll be too far down the road for Harold to find me when it gets dark and he discovers just how hard it is to create a fire you can cook over.  In a day or two, he'll discover how short the lifetime of most food is without refrigeration."

"No more 'I'll eat that tomorrow or the next day'?"

"Not much past tomorrow without refrigeration.  Everything won't go away today, but taking my 3600 watts of solar panels, my solar charge controllers, my batteries and the big 120/240 volt inverters only leaves enough power to run that little fridge and a few LED lights and that's all that can be recharged in a day of full sun.  He can get maybe two hours of running that small window air conditioner tonight but there won't be power for anything else and a dozen or so deep discharges like that of the car batteries he had you collect will kill those batteries.  I gave you a copy of the load list - X hours of this or Y hours of that or Z hours of something else but NEVER take those batteries below 12.3 volts.  The little digital voltmeter on those batteries is the only test equipment I'm leaving here.  It was less than $2 for that meter back when we were still buying things from China online but now it's not available at any price.  You know Harold will want loud music and lots of lights so they can dance 'til midnight, ice in all the drinks and then the air conditioner so he can sleep.  You can warn him but I don't think he'll listen.  Those things don't happen to my part of the solar power system because it has alerts and automatic disconnects if there's low battery voltage or a higher than normal load.  Tonight he’ll have no automatic protection."

"Please don't go."

"Sorry, Leroy.  This is the fifth place I've tried to resurrect some of the useful bits of common 21st century technology.  So far, only two of them have gotten past the 'No!' of a two-year-old child about the limits of technology without unlimited power - typically about three to five months after getting limited lighting, refrigeration, running water and a few other conveniences and someone deciding they no longer need a mentor and them then convincing the local people that they also want their 'freedom'."

"Then why do you keep doing it?"

"Because I have two granddaughters somewhere in Virginia and I'm still looking for someone who has seen or heard of them.  If I can find or create a large, functioning settlement, travelers will take word of that level of civilization with them and bring word of people they've seen as they traveled.  Not a lot of twenty-something females with red hair out there, so I budget a little power, ink and printer paper to have fresh pictures at each place I stop."

"How would you get unlimited power?"

"Do you remember that I've only mentioned visiting places near rivers or lakes?"

"Places that once produced electricity from moving water?"

"Correct.  There's another place that's an easy day's drive - several days on a horse or weeks on foot - up the river.  That's where I'll try next.  The word we've gotten here is that they are getting adequate fish from the lake on the upstream side of the dam to keep everyone fed..."

"Enough food for everyone there?"

"So the travelers say.  I need to know for certain before I try to restart more things there.  If the group actually has that many self-starters, there might be some who would want to learn enough to be able to work on getting the hydro plant there operating at some level.  There's a lot of knowledge needed to make power at the dam and then get that power to people who are miles away."

"All those books you've collected?"

"Yes, Leroy, and some of the computers and the DVDs for them."

"Can I go with you?"

"You know that Harold may put a price on your head if you leave.  Is it worth that risk?"

"Any risk is better than what he'll probably do to my girls when they're a little older - Ebony is ten and Tasha is nine.  We're packed - everything is in our backpacks and the girls are ready to leave as soon as we get to the house.  I have weapons and I've been teaching the girls..."

"Teaching what?"

"They know the four rules, they're good with 'What's in your hand and where is it pointed?' and I had them at the range with the .22 pistols last week.  Both did OK."

"Then I'll make room between the boxes on the back seat so no one can see them once they're in the truck.  You go talk to them and tell them to meet me at the North end of the covered bridge - no one can see them get there through the woods and no one will see them enter the truck.  Then you go tell Chantel that you're riding with me to the bridge to be sure I'm leaving, and that we'll be leaving from here in about ten minutes.  She tells Harold everything she hears."

"You got that right!"

---

[bluefox2]

OH Lordy, Mister Jack is at it again

[gipsy]

Looks good to me.

[udwe]

Keep going!

[papaof2]

Chapter 2


Friday, 7 April 2028, 15:30


"You're the guy with the signs up about the two red-headed whores?  Hey, leggo my arm!  Man that hurts!  Stop bending my elbow!"

"First, those are my granddaughters and they would not be whores by choice.  Second, the other people here treat you like something they'd scrape from their boots after walking in the barnyard, so I trust you about as far as I can throw my truck.  Third, there's just another ten degrees of movement to have your elbow dislocated and I don't think there's an ER available to X-ray that and get it back in place.  Fourth, you smell like a brewery so I don't think I can trust anything you say."

"I have good information.  Just don't break my arm!"

"You aren't very knowledgeable about bodily injuries, are you?  A Boy Scout with the right Merit Badges could do a satisfactory job of setting a broken arm.  You need someone with a lot more knowledge to fix a dislocation."

"Please don't hurt me!  I know who has them!"

"Them tell me who, where and how big their gang is."

"They'll beat me up if it I tell!"

"I'll dislocate your elbow if you don't tell and my hands are in place to do that on the count of three.  One.  Two..."

"It's Mason Perry!  The yellow house on the right about a mile from here."

"Good start.  How many people and how are they armed?"

"About a dozen.  Ten guys and both of Mason's sisters to do the cooking and watch over the dozen or so girls they have for rent."

"What kinds of weapons?"

"Mason has a G-lock and so do three of his boys.  The others have whatever they found lootin' houses: couple of .22 pistols, couple of .22 rifles - what you'd expect on a farm for varmint control."

"I think we should arm those 'girls' and let them do some 'varmint control'."

"You'd give a gun to a ten-year-old?"

"I might give a ten-year-old in that place a gun for each hand!"

"You gonna kill me too?"

"If I dislocate your elbow, you won't be able to do any useful work so you'll starve to death.  It would be kinder to put a knife in your heart so your death would be quick but I'm not feeling very kind today.  For now, I'll leave you tied and gagged in one of the caves just outside of town - even if you get the gag out, no one will hear you yell.  If you were truthful, I might turn you loose with a day's worth of food and water.  If you weren't truthful, you might get to discover just how painful a dislocated elbow is.  Leroy, the flex-cuffs."

"Yes, Mister Jack."

"Where'd he come from?"

"Just standing out of the way.  Your girls up to doing prisoner watch, Leroy?"

"This one tried to grab Tasha yesterday and I couldn't find him until I heard his 'Stop bending my elbow!' and figured he had to be with you."

"Sounds like they might be ready to punish any attempt to escape."

"Absolutely.  You'll leave him in Miller's Cave?"

"Not the main cave - too much traffic through there from people getting water and scraping off some of the phosphorescent fungi to have 'nightlights' for their kids.  There's an opening about three feet high that's twenty yards south of the main cave.  He won't encounter much wildlife there other than an occasional skunk.  The skunk will either avoid the smell or claim him as family.  If he's in there, we won't need the girls on watch.  You OK with telling them the story and inviting them to our 'party' tonight?"

"They get to play 'bait'?

"Exactly.  We'll take out the first four or five with the hunting bows and metal-tipped arrows.  Then get up close and personal.  The girls can then be watching the back door and they have free fire on any male exiting that way."

"About an hour before dark?"

"They need to be able to see your girls.  I have a doll for the older one and a teddy bear for the younger one.  Each of those has an internal holster for a .22 pistol."

"Mister Jack, if you weren't such a good guy, I'd say those 'toys' were evil."

"It's like money, Leroy.  Money isn't the root of all evil.  It's the love of money - loving it more than people or principles - that's the root of all evil."

"You, sir, are a philosopher."

"I've just had a lot of experience with evil people."

"I think maybe that's what makes someone a philosopher."


---

[kyrsyan]

Well, since you're only posting it in doses, I can't spend all evening reading it. But I wanna.

[bluefox2]

Sept 6, 2022 17:13:17 GMT -6 kyrsyan said:

Well, since you're only posting it in doses, I can't spend all evening reading it. But I wanna.

You'll get used to it.  The authors here all have some guy named Cliff Hanger working with them.

[kyrsyan]

Sept 6, 2022 17:55:11 GMT -6 bluefox2 said:

Sept 6, 2022 17:13:17 GMT -6 kyrsyan said:

Well, since you're only posting it in doses, I can't spend all evening reading it. But I wanna.

You'll get used to it.  The authors here all have some guy named Cliff Hanger working with them.

All of my favorite authors have that particular person on speed dial when he's not visiting for an extended period. Even the ones who aren't writing PAW Fiction.

[papaof2]

Chapter 3


Friday, 7 April 2028, 17:30


"Mason!  Two more young girls who need to be trained for the harem!"

"Where?"

"Out front.  One has a doll, the other has a teddy bear and they're out there playing like it was five years ago and we still had power, running water and calling 911."

"Then send Shanda to talk to them and Lashon and both his brothers as guards."

"I'll tell them."

---

"Hi, girls.  My name's Shanda.  Who are you?"

"I'm Ebony and this is my little sister Tasha..."

"Younger sister, not little sister!  I can whip your butt, girl!"

"You're all talk!  Show me!"

"You got it!  I'll shoot yo' black ass!"


Pop!  Pop!


Whoosh!  Thunk!

Whoosh!  Thunk!


"Ebony and Tasha, good work.  To the back.  No adult males leave the house."

"Yes, Daddy."



"We leave these here, Mister Jack?"

"Yes, Leroy.  From the yelling inside, they have no idea what's going on and no plan for responding to an attack.  For a few minutes, we wait to see how many come out or how many weapon barrels we see at the windows.  I think Mason Perry saw the brick fence as security but it's a great place for the attacking side with all the decorative openings which are perfect for a scoped rifle.  I'll take the weapon barrels visible on the right.  You take the left.  Shoot twice and then move."

"Will do."


Bang!  Bang!


Bang!  Bang!


"Mason, they're getting somebody with every shot!  Whadda we do now?"

"Stand back from the window and empty a magazine from where they can't see you and then we'll go out the back."

"OK."


Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


"I'm out!"

"You're stupid for not topping it off before you started shooting!  Just run!"


Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


"I'm out!  I'm behind you!"


Pop!

Pop!

Pop!

Pop!


"Daddy!  I hear somebody cryin' in the house!"

"We're coming, Ebony."

"Leroy, I'll clear right.  You go left."

"Done."


"Clear!"


"Clear!"


"help!"



"Sounds like that's from the basement, Leroy.  You unlock the door while I cover with the 12 gauge."

"Got it."


"help!"


"Sounds like a child, Mister Jack."

"It does.  Let's put some good light down these stairs."


"You have light?"

"We do.  Mason Perry and the others are dead.  I'm looking for Kelly and Ann Wilson..."

"Grandpa?"

"You OK?"

"We will be.  You'll need the keys to the cages.  Mason and Lashon were the only ones with keys."

"Daddy, we found these keys on one that came out the back door."

"Then you two will be my backup while I go unlock cages."

"Yes, Daddy."


---


"Kelly, are you OK to fix food for the group while Ann and I check for injuries?"

"Probably not much decent food here but maybe one meal for all of us."

"More food where my trailer is parked but all of these look in need of some type of meal before I say for them to walk anywhere.  Do you know who they are?"

"I made a list of names and ages when I could get them to talk.  I see the two youngest are hugging the girls who came with you."

"Ebony and Tasha are Leroy's daughters.  They're ten and nine, respectively.  The two of them took out half the bad guys - well, I guess that's bad guys and gals."

"Mason's vicious but both his sisters were worse.  Sometimes they'd feed us half of what they cooked and pour the other half on the floor just beyond arm's reach."

"Then perhaps we should leave them all to feed the buzzards and the rats and not waste time burying them."

"Grandpa, you're scary when you're angry."

"He is, Kelly, but even scarier with a weapon in his hand because of his 'I came here to kill someone.  Who wants to be first?' look."

"Either of you need lap or shoulder time?"

"Both of us but you should so that by age - here's the list."

"Thank you, Kelly.  You're OK with tomorrow?"

"We've been hugged, so we know you're here and you always take care of us.  We can wait."

"You'll introduce me to the others?"

"Yes, but we've been telling them that our Grandpa would come for us so they already know of you.  If you'll give us the details of the 'rescue', we can share that with the others."

"OK.  It's a long story..."

"Everyone can listen while we eat."

"OK.  Then let's eat.  Girls, three years ago I started looking for..."


---

[gipsy]

Fine update

[9idrr]

Always happy to see more of your stuff, sir.

[feralferret]

I am enjoying the story. I just wish it was pouring instead of dripping, so to speak. I'm starting to sound like one of the moar hounds.

[papaof2]

Enjoy while it lasts - this one is a short story.

[papaof2]

Chapter 4


Friday, 7 April 2028, 21:15


"They're all asleep, Leroy?"

"The youngest two with my girls after their time with their heads on your shoulders and telling you what happened to them until they puked.  Then time in your lap for the both of them in that big rocking chair got them right to sleep.  The others are in the room with your 'girls'.  I'll take first watch and wake you in four hours."

"Sounds good.  I'm beat."

"'Grandpa' isn't supposed to be running Search and Rescue or heading the team going against three-to-one odds."

"Ebony and Tasha certainly contributed to our effort.  They're OK after stopping six of the 'bad guys'?"

"They had their-heads-on-my-shoulders time talking until they puked.  They know the two youngest girls, so they know what a good thing they did in getting them free."

"I guess them being old enough to understand 'varmint control' made that a little easier for them."

"It did.  'Varmint control' is something the other girls want to learn about."

"We need to find more small caliber weapons."

"We have four .22 pistols from here."

"Then we just need to determine whose hands those fit and whose hands can manage the Glocks.  Ebony and Tasha would be willing to demonstrate firearms?"

"No question after today.  Go to sleep, Mister Jack.  Tomorrow will be a long day."

"You're right, Leroy.  Remember to kiss your girls goodnight."

"I will.  A couple of times."

---

[ydderf2]

Thank you

[papaof2]

Chapter 5


Saturday, 8 April 2028, 06:30


I should read over Kelly's list of names and ages.


Tiffany Bradford - 10

Elise Bradford - 11

Shantel Brown - 12

Maggie White - 12

Teresa Griffin - 13

Sallie Thomas - 13

Marissa Williams - 13

Mandy Black - 14

Tammy Folger - 14

Kelly Wilson - 20

Ann Wilson - 23


Seems Mason or his clients had a taste for the younger ones or maybe they were just easier to catch?  Kelly said she and Ann were outgunned at eight to two or they wouldn't be here.  Kelly also said the Bradford girls have a grandfather who's a doctor.  Need to get all these girls to him for exams and treatment as needed.  Maybe including tests for STDs?  Don't know if he can take in more than Tiffany and Elise but he might know people who can take the others.  Elise can tell me where her grandfather is and we can get all the girls there.  There's a Suburban in the barn with a half tank of fuel and the battery is good enough to light the headlights.  The Suburban runs on gasoline from the label in the fuel filler; it's a five speed manual and it's downhill from the barn to the road so a push start will work if the battery can't start it.  Need to get Kelly behind the wheel with Leroy and me pushing if we need the push start.  We did that with the first VW she bought until she finally asked for the $$$ for a new battery - when she discovered that you generally can't push start a vehicle on snow or ice.

I did find some 'old' food in some scruffy and dust-covered cabinets in the basement but oatmeal sealed in an aluminized Mylar bag with a desiccant pack and an oxygen absorber ten years ago came out of the bag like new.  Same for the white rice, pinto beans, coffee, hot chocolate mix and powdered whole milk - better watch the younger girls on that milk as 4% milk fat may be a bit rich for stomachs that haven't had it in a while and we probably should use the hot chocolate mix that contains non-fat powdered milk.  It still tastes like chocolate but it's a little easier to digest.  There's a lot of useful information that I absorbed from my late wife, better known professionally as Sarah Wilson, Hospital Nutritionist.  The basement also had flour, corn meal, pasta, some freeze-dried meats, veggies and fruits, sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices and more things that I don't remember put back; all of that will go with us to be distributed to those who take in the various girls.  The canned corned beef is near the "Best by" date but it's probably still fine.  With the number of kids and the amount of food we're taking, the younger kids may be sitting in someone's lap but it's a short drive back to town and there's very little traffic.  With at least three shooters in the Suburban - Ann, Ebony and Tasha - they're not likely to have any problems on the way to Doc Bradford's place.  Need to get the address and possibly turn-by-turn directions from Elise after breakfast.  Kelly and Ann are working on food and then they can wake the kids other than Leroy's girls and the two with them.  I think Ebony and Tasha might like to wake up to the same guy who kissed them 'Goodnight'.


---


"Oatmeal?  Hot chocolate?  You brought all this food?"

"No, Elise.  It was in the basement but apparently Mason Perry and the others weren't willing to explore the 'dusty' side of the basement.  We found it last night and brought up enough for breakfast.  I need for you to give me directions to your grandfather's house."

"He said we always had to have one of his business cards with us 'cause it was all on there.  Here it is."

"I think 'Martin Bradford, MD, Pediatric Medicine' might be just the doctor most of you need.  Elise, where is 208 Oak Street?"

"You go back to town on the road out front and you'll be on Main Street.  Oak Street is where the big hardware store is.  You turn left there and go three or four blocks to the big brick house with the black metal fence."

"Kelly will be driving the big vehicle we found out back.  Ann will be riding shotgun and Ebony and Tasha will be guards on the second row of seats..."

"Teach me to shoot?"

"Me?"

"Me too!"

"Me!"

"Enough, girls!  If you can pass some tests of how serious your are about learning, we do have people who can teach you to handle guns safely and we have some small guns we could share..."

"Me!"

"Me!"

"Me!"

"ENOUGH!  Continually yelling 'Me!' without listening to the rest of the requirements will disqualify you from the gun lessons.  I have some questions but they are 'Raise your hand' answers.  If you can't follow instructions, you're not responsible enough to be trusted with a firearm."

"Really?  We can't keep ourselves safe?"

"If you can't listen and learn proper gun handling, someone else could take the gun away from you and use it on you.  Letting someone else take your gun would be keeping yourself safe?"


"No answer to that question and some furrowed brows tell me we may be at a point to talk about the four rules of gun handling.  Ebony and Tasha were part of the team that rescued you and they stopped some of those people.  I think you might want to listen to what they have to say.  Remember that they have been carrying a firearm for a while and have successfully defended themselves with that firearm while you never have done either - so they probably know a great deal more than you may think you've learned from TV or movies.  Right, Ebony?"

"Yes, Mister Jack.  The 'gangsta' hold' may look good on camera but you can't hit the side of the house with it - your shots just go everywhere.  The way we hold our guns may look stodgy and old fashioned but it works great for us - we only fired one shot for each person we stopped."

"You girls think about what Ebony said while we load the bus..."

"Bus?"

"Tiffany, it may be the biggest SUV you've ever seen, so 'bus' is a reasonable description until you see it."

"OK.  Where we going?"

"To take Tiffany and Elise to their grandfather's house and the rest of you to a doctor."

"Doctor?"

"You've all been treated badly while you were here so we need to know what you might need to make you feel your best."

"Your lap and shoulder helped a lot."

"Un huh!"

"I'm sure we have some others who need the right lap and shoulder to help them.  We'll ask Doctor Bradford who might be able to help each of you.  You girls need to collect anything of yours that's here.  Mr. Brown and I found a lot of things that certainly didn't belong to the gang and they're spread out on the various beds.  Go look now."


"My phone!  If I can charge it, I'll have pictures of Momma and Daddy."

"Mine, too!"


"Clean underwear!"

"Me, too!"


"(yawn)  Seems our scavenger hunt was worthwhile, Leroy."

"So it does.  (yawn)  That was a good investment of an hour I'd otherwise have been asleep and you know that sleep's overrated."

"Except when we're both yawning too much to speak."


---


"It IS a bus!"

"Compared to most vehicles you've ridden in, Tiffany, I'm sure it appears to be."


"Three or four per seat.  There may not be enough seat belts and you might have someone smaller in your lap.  I think you want to take all the food we found with us."

"YES!"

"That means we need all the cargo area and we may need part of one seat.  The boxes with the canned goods can go on the floor in front of some seats.  Just remember not to stand on the food; slide out sideways when we get there or wait for help getting out.  We won't unload the food until we know where everyone is going and we can share it as needed."

"Yes, Mister Jack."


---


knock!  knock!


"Who's there?"

"Elise!"

"Tiffany!"

"Who's with you?"

"Mister Jack, Mister Brown and all the other kids that were for rent."

"For rent?  Come on in.  Adults be aware we are armed."

"So are we, as are some of the kids."

"Grandpa!"

"Oof!  I'm out of practice in catching these two doing a bullet and tackle hug.  Both of you need baths, hair washed and a week of good food."

"So do the others."

"You are?"

"Jack Wilson.  My partner is Leroy Brown.  The youngest armed girls are his daughters, Ebony and Tasha Brown.  The oldest armed girls are my granddaughters, Kelly and Ann Wilson."

"Grandpa, they killed all of the gang!  Ebony and Tasha shot half of them."

"They were a little faster with their pistols than Leroy and I were with bows and arrows on the first four.  They got two; we got two.  We cleared the house and these girls stopped the ones that ran out the back door."

"We were just taking care of our friends Elise and Tiffany."

"I remember the names Ebony and Tasha but all these girls look much older than the last time I saw them.  I'm guessing they've been yanked to a new level of maturity by what they've been through."

"Doc, considering how long Elise and Tiffany spent with their heads on Jack's shoulders and telling him what had happened to them - they've been through a lot."

"Talked and cried to puking?"

"Correct."

"Thank you, Jack.  Thank you, Leroy.  Thank you, Ebony and Tasha.  Jack, where are you taking these girls?"

"Elise and Tiffany here permanently unless you decline.  All the others here long enough for a medical exam and testing for STD's if that's available and then to whomever can keep them.  There's probably a month or so of assorted food for each of the girls who were there."

"You're not taking anything?"

"Just my granddaughters."

"I need to get my 'home office' set up again but I can do a physical, a few X-rays and check for the most common STD's.  Anyone with medical experience?"

"Kelly and Ann were both Candy Stripers and Ann worked at a veterinarian's office for a year before things went sideways."

"Not that much difference in treating young animals and young humans.  Sometimes neither understands anything but soft words and a gentle touch.  Ann, there are some scrubs about your size.  We collect rainwater and heat it with a solar drain-back system, so you can get a ten minute warm shower if that would make you feel better.  Second door on the right.  Other girls after Ann, spaced about twenty minutes apart so you don't run out of warm water.  I'll ask Kelly to go next and then be the time watcher for the other girls.  She could also help them with their hair if needed.  Elise and Tiffany last because I want them to search all the bedrooms for clothes the other girls might be able to wear.  The two of you know the place better than anyone else so you'll be the quickest at doing that.  See, Tiffany.  I do try to find a female to help other females - it's just that when the three of us were the only ones here and neither of you listened well enough about how and when to rinse your hair, I had to intervene or deal with girls with very sore scalps.  I expect you'll hear exactly the same words from Kelly that you heard from me."

"Yes, Grandpa."

---

[feralferret]

Thanks!

[gipsy]

Thanks for the update.

[ydderf2]

Thanks

[papaof2]

Chapter 6


Saturday, 8 April 2028, 14:10


"You're a very creative cook, Jack.  Pulling together all those bits and pieces to make a nourishing meal that got responses of 'Yummy!' from several of the girls - and all of them cleaned their plates."

"Nourishing is easy when my late wife was a nutritionist..."

"Sarah Wilson?"

"You knew her?"

"Best at her job of anyone the hospital had for twenty years.  The girls are Jack, Junior's kids?"

"Yes."

"Sarah had pictures of two cute red-haired girls on her desk.  Had to be the two with you.  You know what happened to Junior?"

"Just lost contact with him and Julie.  Had limited contact with Kelly and Ann via ham radio and then nothing.  I started looking three years ago..."

"And you found us!"

"You sure this is the girl I rescued?  This one has clean hair and face and I think she trimmed her nails..."

"Grandpa!"

"Since you're in clean clothes and you'll soon be seeing 'patients', you shouldn't hug me.  I'm looking forward to a shower after all the girls have theirs."

"Jack, some of my son's clothes are here.  They might fit you and Leroy."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for bringing Elise and Tiffany back to me.  I'll always owe you for that."

"Pay it forward, Doc.  Do something for someone else.  My purpose in being here was finding Kelly and Ann.  Anyone else who was helped was pleasant serendipity."

"I expect there's a lot of serendipity around you.  Third door on the left for my son's room.  You should find an assortment of work, casual and dress clothes.  His job at Mission River Dam could have him escorting suits from the State or Fed, cleaning water channels or replacing generator bearings."

"Did he keep any technical information about the dam here?"

"A couple of bookcases worth.  He was the one who got the 2AM 'Now what do we do?' calls so he had paper references about everything.  You're familiar with hydro power?"

"Hydro and a number of others from military assignments around the world.  Hydro just needs running water which runs downhill by gravity and that source of power needs no other means of transport.  I'd like to figure out how many people would be needed to restart one generator at the dam.  We know the current population is less than half what it was everywhere and maybe only 20% in the worst-hit areas.  Having one generator running here would provide lights for the remaining people, allow using milking machines, electric pasteurization machines and refrigerators at dairy farms and provide at least home refrigeration to preserve food.  I don't think we'll be providing power 200 miles away via the high voltage distribution lines because we'd need helicopters, pilots, properly trained linemen and possibly lots of supplies after some years of neglect.  I can operate a pole truck, run 7400 volt local distribution line and replace transformers, whether pole- or pad-mount, and I can train other people to do that.  That's all we need for most of the local area.  If there are farms we need who need power, we can see who's available to do the work."

"You want to restart some level of 'civilization as we knew it'?"

"I think we'd like to see the kids and grandkids better off than they are now."

"Teach them primitive skills for now and how to use electricity when or if it's available?"

"Exactly.  Knowing more than one way to do things is always useful."

"In our current circumstances, being able to close a wound with dissolving sutures is better than using staples because it doesn't require another trip to a medical professional who may no longer be there."

"That's my outlook.  We teach them as many different ways of caring for themselves as we can think of."

"I like your outlook, Jack Wilson.  Would you be interested in living in what was 'the overseer's house' some 200 years ago?  It has five or six bedrooms and three or four baths over three floors.  Cooking and heating are LP with wood backup for both.  There are mirrored holders for kerosene lamps in most of the rooms and we have maybe 200 gallons of 1-K for lighting.  You and Leroy look it over and see if it'll work for you.  If it does, I'll have an opportunity for that 'pay it forward' if you can get power up."

"I think I just got speared with my own words."

"Jack, that's the first time I know of."

"Enough from you, Leroy.  You want to try sharing a house?"

"Let's go look at it.  I should bring Ebony and Tasha?"

"Let them figure out whether they want to share one big room or be alone in an equally big room."

"Maybe twin beds with a curtain to divide the room?"

"Good start in a new and strange place."

"And then I can tell them that their great-great-great-grandmother was a maid in that house."

"Your family has been in the area a long time."

"We have."


---


"We hafta share a room?"

"No, but do you want to be alone in a room this big, in a strange place and in the dark?"

"NO!"

"Me too!"

"So OK if we hang a blanket between the twin beds and you share this room?  I'm in the room next door."

"That'll work."

"Me, too."


"Leroy, that settles them.  I'll take the 'overseer's' space and ask you to help me move all the technical info on the dam to that space.  If we empty the bookcases into boxes, the two of us may be able to move those bookcases - they look to be oak and VERY sturdy."

"Jack, I think you mean 'VERY HEAVY'."

"That too."


---


The end.

[feralferret]

papaof2,

Thanks for the story. Short, but good!

[jwh123]

Thank you!

[gipsy]

Thanks

[ydderf2]

Thank you

[223shootersc]

Thanks for the fine piece of work!