An Old Man And His Axe: A Prepper fiction book of survival in an EMP grid down post apocalyptic world (Old Preppers Die Hard 1) (10 page)

“Hang on a minute. No, that’s wrong Jeremy; remember I told you that you need to be thinking about almost holding down the paper or whatever else you’re trying to catch on fire with that fire steel? You can’t get that thing going just shooting sparks down it or away from your tinder source on the outside.” Farley advised.

“Oh yea, I forgot, I got it now, Farley. Thanks!” the boy said and commenced to start a fire on the driveway on a piece of cotton ball he could drop down into the stove to catch it.

“Sorry about that, rookie mistakes, we all have done them. You were saying?” Farley said taking a sip from his drink and relishing the taste.

“I was asking you when you thought the power would come back on and you told me you didn’t expect it any time soon, if not soon, when Farley?” Becky asked, studying him and waiting on his response.

“Maybe never, darling, now don’t cry. I can’t really answer your question because there are too many variables. Some parts of the U.S. will have pockets of power but for the vast majority it might be years.” Farley said reaching across the table to try to hold her hand and comfort her.

“You’re lying, why do men always lie to me!” Becky wailed and snatched her hand back.

Farley looked up and saw Jeremy poking his head in the door with that sheath knife of his out and waved at him that everything was alright and felt a sigh of relief as Becky confirmed that to her son and he backed out but was still looking in, watching carefully.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Becky, I was just being as honest as I could be. I might be wrong about things, but that is my best judgment. The reason I was so blunt was that I didn’t want to sugar coat anything and tell you that you needed to be thinking about being on your own. Folks can’t help each other out much anymore no matter how necessary it is or if they want to or not. Most folks already believe it’s every man or woman for themselves.” Farley said stoically no longer feeling he was welcome here and wishing he had just gone on to bed.

“You’re wrong, you got to be wrong! The power always comes back on!” Becky said in her meltdown moment.

“Oh shit Farley you forgot this woman was medicated on a good day, too late now you are going to have to deal with it.”

“This drink tastes good, how is yours?” Farley said trying to diffuse the situation and wondering if that boy out there had any inherited mental instability from his mother that might require him to be thinking about murdering him in his sleep.

“You’re a grey haired, scarrred up, toothless old man. What do you know? Jeremy you come in here and tell your friend good night!” Becky called out and Farley picked up his drink to leave this nut house he now found himself in.

Farley was half way to the door and starting to pick his stuff up when Jeremy came in and started telling his mom that Farley was all right and she was wrong for being so mean to him.

“It’s all right buddy, I will stay in the van tonight and leave out in the morning...” Farley began before Becky started telling him to sit back down or get the hell off the property; she didn’t care which but wanted him to stay.

“That woman is crazy!” Is all Farley could think of as the conflicting stay here and leave messages came to him from Becky and her son.

“I am sorry, Farley, I shouldn’t have shouted at you. You can stay, I didn’t mean for you to leave, I just didn’t want you telling me that there were no chances any more. I will be good, I promise!” Becky said looking at him imploringly.

“Do I stay or go?” Farley thought to himself watching the crazy banshee change personalities.

“She will be all right in a minute, Farley. Stick around and let me talk to her.” Jeremy said going to comfort his mother.

“Damn. I am in a nut house, how in the world did I set that woman off, anyway? One minute she loves my insides and next she wouldn’t mind seeing me gutted like a steer.” Farley thought wondering what exactly the problem was. He didn’t understand women enough he already knew that.  How you could get fussed about for one thing when it was another thing bothering them but this woman was an enigma all to her own.

“Farley, it will be ok, you ain`t got to worry about a thing. Just go for a walk and come back for some more drinks; she will calm down in a minute. Her psychiatrist says she is non-violent.”  Jeremy offered.

“
Damn, I needed to hear that like I need a hole in my head.” Farley considered as he dragged his bug out bag, rifle and extra chow out the door. He might have had some lonely feelings beforehand but they were gone now.

Farley loaded his van and set the 5 gallon jerry can of gas out begrudgingly for them to find in the morning and fired up the van and started to back out the yard before Jeremy came running out to beg him to stay.

“She’s all right now, she’s crying about what she done, come on back inside, she has a handle on herself now and really wants you to come back in.” Jeremy advised.

“Holy crap, boy, kind of hard for me to trust her now. I didn’t do shit except tell her I didn’t think the power would come back on anytime soon and tried to hold her hand to make her feel better. What kind of stupid do you think I am to get back around her now?” Farley said in a huff.

“Weird as it sounds, she will be fine by the second or third drink if you can tolerate her. She will cut herself off soon after that and go to bed. She really does feel bad about going off on you like she did and promises to be good.” Jeremy said teary eyed.

“I am either the biggest fool or the biggest softie in the world, I will do what you ask, Jeremy, but the first time she starts hollering at me again, I am out of here, o.k.?” Farley said shutting the van down while arguing with himself over which was worse, going off in the dark in to the great unknown or dealing with that harridan that was sugar and spice one moment and a bitch from hell the next.

“Thank you, Farley, I know it’s hard to understand her but I know her. It will be o,k. She is just having a hard time adapting.” Jeremy said.

“That room I am going to, maybe be borrowing, have a lock on it?”  Farley asked.

.

“Yea, it’s got one but you’re bunking with me.” Jeremy said letting that axe of a statement fall on his head.

“Oh hell no, that isn’t going to work, young son. I don’t know you or her and I can’t see myself hemmed in that way. I tell you what, I will come back in for a bit but I am sleeping in the van, o.k.?” Farley said trying to wrap his head around the situation.

“That’ll be ok, you can park in the driveway next door if you feel like you need to or you can even park in the one next to it. Ain’t nobody there, those folks left weeks ago but she won’t let me break in to see if they left anything edible around yet.” The boy said trying his best to keep Farley from leaving.

About that time, Becky came running out imploring Farley to stay and have another drink with her and for whatever reason Farley decided he would for this evening share a bit of this nightmare with them further. Surprisingly, Becky and Farley drank late into the night without any further outbursts or interruptions but he moved himself and his van a couple of spots over before he was willing to put his head down for the night.

“Crazy is as crazy does, Farley told himself in his inebriated mind
before talking himself out of finding himself a place in the woods he figured they couldn’t locate him at this evening. Farley woke at about 5:30 a.m. as the new days’ sun began cresting the lake and wondered what in the hell he thought he was doing. Yea, it was fun kicking it with the boy and his mom and he had laughed more than he had in a long time sharing their company last night but this morning he was sober and back to thinking about his own personal survival.

He sat in the van for a few minutes trying to decide if he would just go on about his business or touch base with the pair before wishing for a cup of coffee reminded him he had not loaded up his rocket stove last night.

“Damn, you are one dumb soldier.” Farley admonished himself before thinking did he want to walk over and get it or drive over. Might as well drive over, he decided and fired up the van and put it in gear.

Farley looked at the empty cabin he had parked next to more carefully in the light of day. It wouldn’t take much for him to break into it if he needed to. Maybe he would go look at the original vacation cabin up the road he had been traveling towards today and see how that part of the lake looked to him. He would have coffee with Becky and Jeremy and share some of his powdered eggs for breakfast before heading out. Their gas problem could wait a bit and if he happened up onto some gas because of luck or fate, then he could decide then what to do with it.

Things didn’t seem so clear to him in the light of day and he felt a bit remorseful to be leaving his new friends so soon even if one was a bit crazy. Hell, we are all a bit crazy now.” Farley thought as he admired the sun rising on the lake.

It was the light, Farley, it was the light that brought hope he muttered to himself. A single candle in a room can bring hope and chase away the gloom and depression darkness can bring on. For that little family over there he was the light, he couldn’t just drive off and abandon them, well not just yet anyway, he fumed in confusion.

Conflicting emotions were furrowing his brow as he pulled up into the driveway and saw Jeremy was already up and tending the rocket stove and the boys’ welcoming smile disarmed him and he was happy once again.

“Morning, Jeremy, how are you doing today?” Farley said settling into a lawn chair after he observed the boy already had the kettle on.

“I am doing well, how you feeling? You and Momma stayed up late last night.” Jeremy said before offering Farley a cup of coffee.

“I am doing fine, Becky up yet?” Farley said before she announced she was through the screen door and came out to greet him.

The first few minutes of small talk were a bit tense as the joviality of last night was hard to get back after the apologies everyone felt necessary to fit in this morning but it soon resumed after Farley said he had eggs and canned bacon for breakfast.

“I have never heard of canned bacon or seen it in a store; I can’t even imagine what it looks like or how you would cook it.” Becky said.

“You don’t have to cook it, it’s already done. It’s pretty neat actually; it rolls out magically on a roll of paper that keeps each slice separate. Damn stuff is expensive though and I only have a couple cans.” Farley said going to get it.

“I need to give you some more money, Farley, for all you are doing, that 20 bucks Jeremy gave you can’t even begin to cover what you have given us. How much you figure we owe you?” Becky said as Farley looked over at Jeremy who was sheepishly busying himself with the fire all of the sudden.

“Damn kid has set me up again!” Farley thought before reassuring her it was his pleasure to share his goods and besides he had drank up all her vodka last night.

“We going squirrel hunting today, Farley? He is going to teach me how to trap them and make something called fricassee, momma.” The boy said excitedly.

“Damn, I did mention something about that yesterday, Jeremy. I will show you a couple ways later on to catch a few but I was thinking I wanted to go see about that house I was telling you about 15 miles from here. It had a lawn mower stuck in the shed and there should be some gas around for it, I am guessing. The neighbors had a boat house also but they weren’t normally staying there, could be they are now, though.” Farley said looking at the crestfallen boy.

“You aren’t staying around until we leave? I thought we settled our differences last night?” Becky said dejectedly.

“Oh we did, we did, it’s nothing personal or against you all, not in the least. I just figured I would make a day trip out of it and depending on what’s over there, I may or may not spend the night.” Farley explained.

“I will be back in a minute.” Becky said rushing towards the house.

“You upset Momma again, Farley.” The boy said looking towards the house.

“Sorry, damn it I didn’t mean to, guess I could have chosen my words more carefully but I didn’t even consider I might set her off.” Farley said looking towards the house.