and to the side, held on only by the bottom hinge. Broken glass lies on the deck in front. I look at the jamb and find it has come marginally loose but held up amazingly well considering how hard the front door had been hit. The cans lay twisted on the deck with the strings still attached.
After heading back in to check that everyone is up, I tell them to roll up their bags before heading over to my place to gather my stuff together. Arriving at the front door, I take out my gun and throw the door open. Light reaches inside through the door turning the darkness into a lighter gray. No movement. I reach in to the right of the door and flick on the lights. It is only a large single room so I can see at once if there is anything inside. It is just as I left it the day prior. I switch into a flight suit and gather clothes, toiletries, and such putting them into my olive drab duffle bag, heading back to Mom’s house once I have finished. I also put my abalone shell, cedar, wooden matches, and my black and red paint into a red bag to take along.
“What’s that for? Cool factor?” Robert asks as I walk back in referring to my flight suit.
“Nah, lots of convenient pockets, and, if there are any military personnel left, I may be able to bluff my way through.”
“Can I wear one?”
“No. Although we may be able to pass you off, the chances are slim. Not with them both having the same name tag. Besides, I only have one flight cap.”
We grab a quick breakfast and throw our gear into the vehicles. I grab a ladder from outside and bring it in to provide an access to the attic for Mom to use as a last bastion of refuge. I also store some candles, food, water, matches, flashlight, and batteries so she will have items already there in case she has to move fast. She is still adamant about staying.
“If you have to use that, bring the ladder up after you and shut the access hatch. You may be able to get down during the day but be very careful about that as it’ll be dark inside the house at all times. You may have to stay up there for a few days. Don’t forget to bring your gun and ammo if you have any more,” I tell her standing at the foot of the ladder. “We’ll be back in a few days. You can set the cans up on the deck steps each night to give you some warning.”
The water has had a chance to heat up by this point so we all bathe. With the last of the gear loaded, and feeling a little refreshed, we head to the vehicles. Robert and Michelle will be in the Honda; Nicole, with Bri on her lap, will ride with me in the Jeep. Robert, Nicole, and Bri all give Mom a hug before I step up to give her one. “I love you Mom,” I tell her with our arms wrapped around each other. “I am so thankful for you. You be careful.”
“I love you too!” She says and I leave her embrace with tears welling up in my eyes.
“Stay right behind me,” I tell Robert as he opens the driver’s door. “If you need to stop or pull over, flash your lights or pull up beside me and let me know.”
“Okay, Dad.”
“If I pull over, pull over with me but keep a little distance. I’ll wave you closer if I need to. I’m planning on stopping at Kennedy Creek for a little bit and then the Fred Meyer in Tumwater before we head up north.”
He gives me an odd look and a nod before picking up the keys and climbing into the car. The sun hasn’t yet cleared the top of the trees as we pull out of the driveway and begin our journey. I look into the rearview mirror and see Mom waving to us from her position on the front porch. We turn out of the driveway and she disappears from sight. I feel an immense sadness fill my heart. “Be safe,” I say under my breath.
We head down the road and onto the highway. I glance over at the gas station as we pass. Everything still looks as it did yesterday; the white truck still parked as it was before. The roads are quiet. Passing by the casino once again, I notice oddly that there are significantly more cars parked there than there were at any of the stores or any other places we have been.
Further down the road, I make the turn toward Kennedy creek. We have spent a lot of time here in the past, whether hiking up the creek, mountain biking in the hills and woods, or just climbing around. We park the vehicles and climb out.
“Are we going to your place?” Nicole asks stretching her legs.
“Yeah, babe.”
“Can I go with you?” She asks.
“Sure, hon, I would love to have you with.”
“Are you guys coming with?” I address the rest of our little group. “Or do you want to wait here?”
“How long will you be?” Robert asks.
“Not long. Under an hour.”
“I’ll stay here with Michelle,” Robert pipes up.
“No offense, Dad, but I really don’t want to walk that far,” Bri comments.
“Okay guys. Watch out for others and honk the horns if you see anything,” I say as Nicole and I begin to head up the dirt road.
We all have our own special place in these hills. For Robert and me, we have our mountain which we have dubbed Mt.Robdad. We have spent the better part of summer days riding our mountain bikes up there; prowling around the ridge lines and exploring various trails. It takes us around two hours of hard riding to get up there. We also hike the creek for miles under the hot sun. Sometimes I’ve taken Bri to the creek down a little lower on hot summer days. There are several pools there where we play in the water all day long. But Nicole, I take her to my special place in the woods.
We hike up the road, mostly in silence, enjoying each other’s company even in our present circumstance. This place has always been a place of peace and harmony for me. We turn off the road after a bit and start up through the trees. The land slopes upward into the firs and cedars blanketing the area and we climb up to where an old cedar stump sits on a hill. The stump stands taller than me and is about six feet across. The scar of an old lightning strike is sliced into it with bits of still scorched wood and bark lying about its ancient roots. This is where I gather the charcoal for my black paint. Beyond is a little clearing, between sharply rising hills, ending against a cliff. A very small creek flows through the middle originating from beneath the cliff at the far end. I found this place long ago. It is a place where the spirits live, showing themselves from time to time.
“I love coming here with you, Dad,” Nicole says as we place our phones, money, knives, guns, and anything along those lines at the base of the stump. “It’s so peaceful here.”
“I love you here with me, hon,” I say reaching my arm around her shoulder and giving her a quick hug.
I pull out my abalone shell, cedar, and matches. Putting the cedar in the shell and lighting it, we smudge ourselves before stepping past the stump and out into the clearing. The sun beyond the cliff wall has not reached the bottom of this small valley but casts streaks of light as it glows through the trees growing at the top of the cliff. Walking across the spongy ground, I lean down to the small creek splashing my face and hands. We climb and take a seat on the ground a little ways up the hill. This is a place where I come to settle my mind and contemplate. Nicole comes with me when I do. I sit and let the place fill me. Squirrels run up and down the trees chasing each other and who knows what else as Nic sits there by my side, taking in the place herself. Sometimes clear answers will come to me here and sometimes it is just a spiritual filling up.
As the sun’s rays touch the small valley floor, I reach over and pat Nic’s knee a couple of times, “Ready, hon?”
“Yeah, Dad,” she says looking up at me with a smile.
We walk out of the valley, gather up our stuff, and head back to our vehicles. On our stroll back, I think about this whole area and how we have all enjoyed exploring here, wondering if we will still be able to in the future or whether all of this and our time here will just be memories.
Back at the vehicles, we take our places once again and drive away, leaving the trees to go their way and perhaps reflect on our passage. Hitting the highway, we turn right to continue our journey to the beach.
Reaching the Interstate, I turn southbound heading toward the next exit which will take us to Fred Meyer. The flight computer and watch will come in handy. While that is a mostly true statement, I also know it is a little bit of a rationale. Part of it is that it is a nice watch, I want it, and it is just sitting there.
