Cooper had his own room, smaller, but just as brightly painted. The bathroom had been fixed up with a tub. They used it from time to time. It was easier to take a sponge bath. The men had also set up the solar panels, on a rotating stand. They had lights in the evening. They had flushing toilets and running water. Both men had rigged the toilet valve and used a long hose to hook to the faucet on the tub. It could at least fill the tub with cold water. This winder, they’d have plenty of hot water heating on the wood stove. They worked hard each day, and her body was telling her. Brian and BJ had taken chainsaws and cut down hard wood trees, throughout the nearby forest. Those would be for the following year’s firewood. They’d also gone into the forest and cut up dead fall for this year’s winter. She, Paadi and the children had pulled wagons of branches and chunks of wood.
She and Paadi had begun chopping wood for the wood stove that Brian would eventually put into the house. He and BJ were planning their strategy for the best location of the stove and double insulated stove pipe. The men had found a tiny wood stove for BJ’s RV. It was positively cute as hell. The work was hard and physically demanding. Amanda was a wonderful help, watching the children when the adults were working. She also helped with laundry. She was still a child, but her eyes exposed a mature girl, who’d lost too much and seen too much, as they all had.
Emma turned when Paadi came up beside her. She looked at her friend and grinned.
“You lazy bitch.” Paadi sniggered and bumped Emma.
“Yeah, that’s me.” Emma giggled.
“It’s wicked hot today. I think summer is here. God this water feels wonderful.”
“You got that right. Jeeze, but I’m glad we got those fans put in the house. That will make night more bearable. It’s too bad the place doesn’t have more windows.” Emma said, wiping at her face.
“You know, I was thinking. Maybe the boys could pick up a honkin big ass tent, and when it’s just too hot inside, maybe we can sleep outside, in a tent. Run a long ass cord out to the tent and hook up a couple of fans.”
“You know Paadi, sometimes you’re freaking brilliant!” Emma crowed and grinned at her friend.
“Yep, I’m modest though. Don’t like to brag.” Paadi sniggered.
“Mommy!” Hailey called. Paadi turned and Emma grinned.
“I’ll be right there, honey.” Paadi called, then looked at Emma. “I never thought those words would ever be attached to me. But I’ll admit, they’re music to my ears.”
“You make a damned fine mom, that’s for sure. Maybe you can get the other kids to talk like you, Hailey sure is.” Emma’s eyes crinkled in teasing humor.
“Asshole.” Which sounded like aahhhsole, causing Emma to laugh. She watched Paadi wander over to the chicken coop, the children seemed fascinated by it. Emma looked at her watch. She’d be getting the boys up soon from their nap. She thought that today might be a good day to teach them how to swim. Amanda was a great swimmer, but the other children didn’t know how. They’d all agreed that the sooner the better for swimming lessons. They wanted no tragedies; life had already thrown them too many.
Ӝ
Brian and BJ walked quietly through the woods. It was much cooler in the dense forest. It was still relatively early in the day. They’d been walking through the forest for two hours. BJ had the compass, keeping them in a northwesterly trek. BJ was carrying his Weatherby Mark V and Brian carried his Marlin, along with his ever-present Glock. He’d given BJ the other Glock he’d picked up. Being well armed was essential.
Both men paused, when they caught the scent of decay, heavy decay. The wind had shifted and brought the odor to them.
“What do you think that is?” BJ whispered, his hand going up to his nose.
“Don’t know, maybe a dead animal? Take out your Glock, just in case. Let’s proceed with caution.” Brian said, feeling that something wasn’t quite right. He slung the Marlin over his shoulder and retrieved his Glock. He sniffed the air and turned, walking slowly. Every ten feet he and BJ stopped, listening and scenting the air. They started walking on a down slope, using the trees as stops. Brian felt a hand on his shoulder and froze. BJ moved up close to him.
“I think I hear voices. Let’s slow down some.” He whispered close to Brian’s ear. Brian nodded and turned his head this way and that, trying to catch the sound. He let BJ take the lead.
BJ crept slowly ahead, turning his head this way and that. Then Brian caught the faint sound of human voices. He also caught the scent of wood smoke and the reek of decay was getting stronger. Below them was forest, dense. Brian watched his footing; he didn’t want to slip on the soft ground beneath his feet. BJ moved slowly from tree to tree, using it as cover and a shield. Brian noted that BJ too was carefully placing his feet. Avoiding branches and large twigs. No need to make their presence known with an ill placed step.
Now Brian could clearly hear voices, though not the words. There were three distinct male voices. Someone laughed. He could feel his heart beating rapidly. This could be
