Engineering Home: Book 11 of The Survivalist Series Page 4

  Thad’s efforts had additional benefits. For him, it was cathartic. Thad would go to the garden and piddle around whenever he was a little stressed. Sometimes he’d pull weeds; sometimes, he’d go over the tomato plants and remove hornworms, a never-ending battle in which we all participated. Finally, the worms were dropped into a cup and delivered to the waiting and eager chickens who made short work of them.

  This same therapy was available to all, and every evening there would be someone in the garden. I even found myself in there from time to time. I liked the early mornings in the garden when the soil was still moist and cool. You could go in there and forget about everything for a bit. You were losing yourself in the sights and sounds of the small jungle. And there was always something to do there, so it wasn’t wasted effort.

  “I like seeing him out there,” I said as I watched Thad and Mary moving in the garden.

  “I keep an eye on him. When he’s out there, I know he’s alright. When he’s not out there, I start worrying,” Sarge replied.

  “I think he goes there for therapy.”

  Nodding, Sarge replied, “I think you’re right. It’s a good place to go to clear your mind.”

  “Guess that’s why I never see you out there then,” I replied with a grin.

  “That’s right. Don’t need to clear my mind.”

  “Cause there’s nothing there to clear,” I replied.

  Sarge’s face twisted, “Ain’t you got someone else to annoy?”

  “I could, but you’re so much fun.”

  “Kicking you to sleep would be fun too.”

  I shook my head. “Violence is never the answer.”

  Sarge laughed, “It has been my professional experience that violence is always the answer. It just has to be applied with speed and force.”

  “Hey, since we’re talking about violence, what the hell are we going to do with Ivan?”

  “Eglin is sending a Blackhawk down to pick him up.”

  “Soon, I hope,” I replied.

  “Shouldn’t be much longer. I know you want rid of him.”

  “He’s just taking up space, and we have to feed him and his little toady. Yeah, I’m ready for them to go.”

  As we talked, Thad walked up. “Morgan, we need to go over and look at the harvester. Cecil needs that corn picked, or we’re going to lose most of it. I know we have to take care of Perez tonight, but we also have to get this done.”

  “We’ll get together and go over there in the morning,” I replied. “What I’m more worried about is who was taking shots at our truck. I want to find that son of a bitch.”

  “Shit,” Sarge snorted. “That could have been anyone. Hell, it could’ve been a kid just taking a pot shot, not intending to hurt anyone. But, unfortunately, we’ll probably never find him.”

  “I want to try,” I replied.

  Sarge gripped my shoulder. “Look, Morgan, I get it. You want revenge. But I’ve seen this many times. You’ll never find him unless he decides to try it again. Then you’ll get your chance. But don’t think you’ll just go out and find this guy. Ain’t going to happen. The only reason I sent the boys out was so that everyone would feel like something was being done.”

  “Don’t spill that basket,” Kay admonished Little Bit as she swung it back and forth as she walked.

  The little girl giggled, “I won’t.”

  Kay glanced over at Mel and asked, “You alright? You look like you’re thinking hard about something.”

  “I’m just thinking about Perez.”

  Kay sighed, “It’s so sad. He was such a quiet man.” Then her face became very animated, “And he smoked like a chimney! Lord, that man likes to smoke.”

  Mel smiled, “He did. It always made me smile when I saw him because he always had a cigarette in his mouth. It’s funny considering where we are now. No one has cigarettes, and yet Perez was always smoking.” Mel was nearly laughing when she finished talking.

  “Smoking is bad!” Little Bit shouted over her shoulder.

  It brought a smile to Kay’s face. “Little ears are always listening.”

  “And she doesn’t miss a thing, ever,” Mel replied with a smile.

  Aric and Fred were sitting on the porch when the ladies walked up. Aric smiled and quickly rose to his feet to greet them. It took Fred a moment longer to get to her feet with Aric’s help.

  “You stay sitting down!” Kay called out. “No need to get up.”

  “It’s good for me to stand up,” Fred replied.

  Little Bit ran up and handed the basket to Aric. “Here’s your lunch and some stuff for Fred,” she announced as she handed it over. He tussled her hair and thanked her. Then, she ran over to Fred, who was standing on the porch talking to Mel, and grabbed her hand. “Fred, can I listen to the baby? Is she awake?”

  Aric returned from the house after putting the basket away. “How do you know it’s a girl?”

  Little Bit gave a devilish smile. “I know it’s a girl. I can tell.”

  Fred eased herself back into her chair and said, “Come here, Ashley, she’s kicking right now. You can feel her.”

  “How are you feeling?” Mel asked as Little Bit rested her head on Fred’s belly.

  “Better. I’m not sick anymore, so that’s a plus.”

  “It’s not so bad from now on then,” Mel replied.

  “Can you feel the baby?” Kay asked Little Bit.

  A huge smile spread across her face, and she nodded her head. “She’s wiggling around. I can feel her.”

  “Him,” Aric added.

  “It’s a girl!” Little Bit called back.

  Mel glanced over at Aric, “Have you heard the news?” Kay’s face fell, and she started to tear up.

  “What happened?” Fred quickly asked.

  Aric leaned against a porch column and asked, “What happened?”

  Mel glanced at Little Bit and whispered, “Perez was killed this morning.”

  Aric bolted from the column, “What? What happened?”

  Mel motioned with her head, and the two walked off the porch. She told him the story as she knew it and answered Aric’s questions as best she could.

  “So, we don’t know who did it?”

  “No. Morgan wants to go get them.”

  “Me too,” Aric replied as he disappeared into the house and quickly returned with his rifle and kit. He leaned over and kissed Fred on the head and said he’d be back, then disappeared around the house. The sound of an ATV roaring to life followed shortly after, and Aric came racing around the house and down the road.

  Fred sat watching as he rounded the corner. “What’s he think he’s going to do? They don’t even know who it was or where they were, for that matter.”

  Kay patted her leg. “Don’t worry about him, hun. Just boys being boys. Linus said the same thing you did; they have no way of knowing who it was or if it was even on purpose.”

  “How’s Jamie taking it?” Fred asked.

  “Not well,” Mel replied. “We’re going to bury him this evening, and I think that will hit her.”

  “I’m coming too,” Fred said.

  “Now you’re in no condition to go all the way over there,” Kay protested.

  “I’m fine, Kay. There’s nothing wrong with me. I can ride on the four-wheeler to Danny’s house.”

  Kay fidgeted with her hands for a moment, then said, “I just worry about you, is all.”

  “I know you do,” Fred replied as she leaned over and patted the older woman’s hand.

  CHAPTER 3

  As Mike and Ted lowered Perez’s body into the ground, we stood in silence. They performed the task delicately, not allowing him to bump or tumble into the hole. Once he was in the grave, they pulled the ropes out and looked to Sarge, who stood with Kay holding onto his arm. Because of the nature of his death, we kept the bag zipped. I, for one, wanted to remember him how he lived. Not how he died.

  “Hell, of a way to go, old buddy,” Sarge said. “Even for a Mezcan,” he added with a smile. “I’ll miss you, my friend.”

  The old man leaned down, grabbed a handful of the soft dirt piled beside the grave, and tossed it in. “Farewell.”

  We all slowly filed by the grave, performing the same ritual. We were dropping in a handful of dirt and saying the kinds of words one is expected to speak at such times. Little Bit was holding Mel’s hand and watched her mother’s tear-streaked face as she took her turn. Then the little girl took up a tiny fist of dirt and dropped it in as well. She held a small stuffed rabbit that had recently become her constant companion. She held the plush toy out and looked at it for a moment.

  “Baby bunny,” she started, “you keep mister Perez company, so he’s not lonely,” and dropped the plush rabbit in the grave.

  It was already an emotional moment for everyone, but seeing Little Bit perform this small act hit everyone hard. Jamie was waiting, I imagined she wanted to go last, and when she witnessed the act, she broke down again into sobs. Little Bit ran over to her and wrapped her arms around Jamie’s legs.

  “Sorry, Jamie, I just didn’t want him to be lonely.”

  Trying to smile through the tears, Jamie knelt and replied, “I’m not upset with you, sweetheart, not at all. On the contrary, I think it’s a very nice thing you did, and I’m happy he won’t be alone. Baby Bunny will be there to keep him company, and that makes me happy.”

  Little Bit smiled and wrapped her arms around Jamie’s neck, kissing her on the cheek. Then she leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry. It gets easier.”

  Jamie leaned back and stared at the child in confusion, unsure of the meaning behind the simple statement. Before she could ask, Little Bit ran back over to her mother and took her hand once again. I’d watched all this and waited as e
veryone made their pass. Dalton stopped at the grave and stared down into it.

  In a booming voice I couldn’t understand, not that I understood most of what the giant did. He held his arms held up to the sky and began to bellow,

  “Lo, þar gerekr sjá minn faðir.

  lo, þar gerekr sjá minn móðir,

  minn systirokr minn bróðira.

  lo, þar gerekr sjá linerinn ór minn fólk,

  aptr til beginningrinn.

  lo, þeir gerkallar til mik,

  þeir bid mik takminnr staðr among þau

  inn hallanórr valhalla,

  hvere braveinn munu live forever,

  hvere thine enemies hafmuniðr vanquished,

  né munu vér mourn en rejoice,

  fyrir þau hverr hafdejumkr

  gloriouandeathr”

  Then he pounded his chest with his right hand, knelt and scooped up a double handful of dirt, held it up to the sky, shouted something else I didn’t understand and dropped it in the grave. Then, rising to his feet, he turned and walked away without looking back.

  Ted then stepped up to the grave. He stood staring down into the dark hole, so dark he could no longer see the form lying in the bottom in the fading light of the setting sun. I watched as he rubbed his eyes and heard him sniffle. Then, clearing his throat, he began to speak, his voice trembling as he fought to control himself.

  “Pater noster, qui es in caelis,

  sanctificetur nomen tuum.

  Adveniat regnum tuum.

  Fiat voluntas tua,

  sicut in caelo, et in terra.

  Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,

  et dimitte nobis debita nostra,

  sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.

  Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,

  sed libera nos a malo.

  Amen.”

  Finished, he turned and started towards me, “What the hell was that?” I asked.

  “It was the Lord’s prayer in Latin,” Dalton’s voice boomed over my shoulder. I looked back to see Dalton give Ted a nod as he passed me and asked, “What the hell was that gibberish you said?”

  “It’s a Viking poem for warriors,” Dalton replied. He put his arm over Ted’s shoulder, and the two men disappeared into the night.

  Once everyone had passed by the grave, Jamie stepped up with Ian at her side. She held a carton of Russian cigarettes clutched tight to her chest. She looked down into the infinitely black hole for a long time.

  Shaking her head, she finally said, “You dumb old man. Why’d you have to go with us? Why’d you have to have your fat head sticking up out of the truck?” She started to sob again and dropped to her knees. Ian followed her but didn’t touch her. Just making sure she knew he was there. “Why’d you have to go and get yourself shot? And for what?” She pounded the ground with her fist and sobbed some more. Finally, getting herself under control, she wiped her face, took a deep breath, and cleared her throat. “I’m going to miss you, Poppie. I brought you these,” she held the carton out over the hole and looked at them. “Yeah, I know there’s more, but this is all you get. You need to quit anyway. I’m keeping the rest, and every night we’ll have a smoke together.” With that, she gently tossed the carton into the grave.

  Ian gave her a couple of minutes before he rose to his feet and gripped her shoulders. “Come on, babe.”

  Jamie reached up and squeezed his hand, and nodded. Then, getting to her feet, she took one last look at the grave before turning and letting Ian lead her away from it. Once they were out of earshot, I stepped up to the grave and looked down.

  “Sorry it went like this, amigo,” a smile cracked my face as I thought about him. “Guess we have an opening for the laziest SOB around.” Kneeling, I took a handful of dirt and tossed it back and forth between my hands. “I’m getting tired of doing this. Especially for my friends, and you were certainly among friends.” Then, tossing the dirt into the hole, I added, “I’ll see you in Valhalla.”

  Thad suddenly appeared at my side, his approach utterly silent. But he didn’t startle me. On the contrary, something about Thad always brought comfort and ease. Even if you didn’t know the big man was there. And for a man his size, it was amazing how quietly he could move.

  “I’ll take care of him from here, Morgan.”

  I leaned against his bugling shoulder and replied, “No, we’ll do it together.”

  We both took up shovels and began filling in the grave without saying anything. We used the tractor to dig graves but never to fill them. At least not for our friends and family. It just didn’t seem right to be running over them with the big machine. Raiders and the like, I didn’t give a shit either way. Hell, I was fine with letting the buzzards deal with them.

  Dad found his way out to us as we leveled the patch of fresh dirt out. He stood by and watched for a few minutes before saying, “Looks like he isn’t the first.”

  “Sadly no,” I replied.

  “Let’s just hope he’s the last for a long while,” Thad added.

  “Why don’t you two go up there and wash up. Kay has some supper ready, and I’m sure you are hungry,” Dad said.

  “I don’t have much of an appetite tonight,” I replied.

  “I imagine not,” Dad replied with a knowing nod. He’d seen his share of friends die, both in Vietnam and since The Day.

  Tossing the shovels over our shoulders, we headed for the house that was unusually quiet for this time of day. Generally, supper time was when everyone got together to talk and carry on. But, instead, there were only whispers this evening. The light even seemed dimmer tonight.

  I joined the others, more picking at my food than anything. When supper was finished, people started to wander off. Kay carried a small parcel over to Sarge and said, “Here’s some food for the prisoners.”

  More out of general irritation than anything else, I barked, “How much longer are we going to have to keep that asshole here?”

  Sarge cut me a sideways look. “What’s up yer ass?”

  “If DOD wants him, when are they coming to get him? Why do we have to keep feeding him and dealing with his ass?”

  “It’ll happen. Why you bitchin’ anyway? You don’t have to deal with him. When was the last time you were even over there?”

  The old man was right. I didn’t have any interaction with Ivan. Primarily because I didn’t want to, nor did I need to. Wallner’s people guarded him, and Kay cooked for them. It was simple frustration at having just buried Perez. As I walked back towards the house, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He was probably the laziest man I’d ever met. You could always count on Perez to do the absolute minimum. Maybe he’d spent too much time in the Army.

  But I still liked him. He was funny and always good for a laugh. And while he was lazy, there was no denying that you could count on him when you needed him. Never once did Perez waver when the chips were down, or there was something important to do. You just had to convince him it was important to him, or it probably wasn’t going to happen.

  As I was about to step up onto the porch, a noise caught my attention. Looking over towards mom and dad’s place, I saw mom standing on the porch beating a rug hung over the rail with a broom. I smiled and walked over.

  “You getting thing’s settled?” I asked.

  She looked up, brushed some hair from her face, and replied, “The place was dirty. I didn’t realize it until I started cleaning up.”

  “It sat empty for a long time.”

  She looked back at the house. “Well, whoever was here before sure wasn’t much of a housekeeper.”

  It made me smile. “Tomorrow me and Mel will come over and help.”

  She dismissed the offer with a wave. “Her and the girls were here earlier, and we already did it. I was just finishing this up. The place is really clean now.”