Hell Happened (30 page)

Cheryl pulled the blanket and sheet down on the bed and made her movements clear so Randy, if he was still looking through the gap in the door, would know she was about to get into bed. If he was smart, he would be sneaking quietly back to the door to the milking parlor to make sure he made enough noise for her to hear him “come in” to her living area. After a moment, she thought maybe he’d back away from the door to give her time to finish “dressing” for bed, so she lay down and picked up a book she wasn’t reading.

Still Randy didn’t come to the door. She wondered if he was still watching her. She couldn’t look at the door to see because then he’d know she knew he was there. After a few minutes of pretending to read, she decided he was waiting for her to turn out the light, probably hoping to catch her just before she fell asleep, hoping she’d invite him to lay with her for a while, so she “could feel safe” while she fell asleep.

Cheryl was prepared for that too. She turned off the light and waited. Any minute now she would hear Randy pretend to open and close the door to the milking parlor. He’d then knock gently on her door and ask if she was awake. She’d mumble a fake “who is it?” and Randy would say it is him. She’d tell him to
come in but not turn on the light. She’d tell him to sit on the bed and they’d talk for a few minutes and then she’d pull him down to lay with her.

Of course she was under the covers and he’d lie on top, knowing her body and his were separated by so little cloth. He’d feel her curves against him and that would drive him to want her more. She might even wrap her arm around him and gently caress his neck. She’d say something like “You make me feel so safe.” He’d probably try to kiss her and when he did, she’d allow him a clumsy try and then send him away wanting, telling him that she couldn’t as long as she was still a prisoner.

He’d either unlock the doors that kept her in this barn at night, or he’d leave her with that stupid collar locked to her neck to sleep alone, knowing she was here, nearly naked, wanting him to help her.

It would drive the poor unsuspecting Randy to do stupid things. She lay in the darkness waiting for Randy to make up his mind for what seemed to be forever. “Come on you stupid hillbilly, make up your mind!” she thought to herself.

She heard the door to the parlor close very gently. Then she heard the deadbolt slam shut. That could only be done from the other side. She knew Randy had left. “Shit,” she whispered to herself in the darkness.

After a few minutes she got up, put on a pair of shorts and slipped on some slippers. She checked the doors to the outside and they were securely locked. The only thing he didn’t do was put on her collar. It was a mistake on his part, one she wouldn’t have made, but then she wouldn’t allow herself to be hooked like Randy had been.

“That boy is the stupidest throwback on this farm,” she said as she padded back to her bed.

Chapter 1
0

T
hree
-thirty in the morning was early even for Jerry. He slapped the windup alarm clock he’d used for 15 years into silence. He’d gotten six good hours of sleep and he was going to need it today.

He knew Tony was probably more excited that he was. Tony hadn’t missed a check-in with the Russian commander on the space station since they’d made contact. The young man had formed a bond with the commander and when the two were not talking about bringing the three others back to earth as safely as possible, the Russian was telling Tony of his homeland, his family, his life. Tony wrote it all down on his computer so someone in the future would remember.

Jerry rolled out of bed, turned on the small lamp between the two beds in the room and started dressing. Kellie, who hadn’t wanted to interrupt his sleep, was sleeping in her own bed tonight. The small lamp wasn’t very bright, but was light enough he could find the clothes
Kellie’d
laid out for him. He’d grown fond of the woman and she was a good balance for him. She never demanded anything from him and her advice was a solid guide when he was unsure of the right direction to take the shelter. She had taken her position as caretaker of the shelter seriously and kept meticulous records of the inventory. When Jerry wanted to know if they had some piece of equipment, how much fuel was in the storage tanks, or how much food was in stock, Kellie would access her computer and give him the answer.

Before the fall of the world, Jerry had kept just enough records to keep the IRS off his ass. The farm’s equipment and supplies inventory was kept mostly in his head or in the little notebook he’d kept on the coffee table next to his chair in the old farm house. It had been simple record keeping.

Kellie had taken it to an entire new level of organization.

But more than what she could do for the shelter, it was her friendship he cherished most.

Jerry tied his boots and reached over to turn the light off to head down stairs and meet up with the rest of the crew headed to the coast this morning. As he fumbled for the chain on the lamp, Kellie’s hand reached up to grasp his without opening her eyes. She pulled it to her and pulled Jerry, who had stood up, down to give him a kiss. “Take care of
yourself
today,” she said sleepily, after the kiss.

“Yes, ma’am,” he responded.
“You too.
Randy’ll
be here if you need anything. I wish I could’ve found a good reason to take you with us,” he said to her as he knelt beside her, “but with Tia gone with three others, I wanted someone I could trust here with Randy and that woman.”

“I know, Jer. Mrs.
deJesus
is a fun woman, but someone needs to take care of the kids and she can’t ride herd on five of them all day. Katie went through a lot yesterday and working in the garden is what she needs, and we need her expertise there.

“And Randy’s going to have his hands full with the security system, the cattle and leveling out a place to put the motor home coming in. He’s also going to run plumbing and wiring for them if Tia is able to find one.” Jerry hadn’t thought about the wiring. Even half-asleep Kellie was more organized than he was. “Go back to sleep, Kellie. I’ll see you tomorrow night or the next day. I’ll try to bring you back a souvenir.”

She closed her eyes and smiled. “Yes, dear,” she whispered. He kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders better. Molly, Kellie’s ever-present dog, slept beside the wall on Kellie’s bed and growled softly. The little mutt looked at Jerry with contempt. Kellie pulled her pillow to
her and snuggled comfortingly to it. She was content to go back to sleep. Without him even saying it, she knew Jerry loved her, whether he knew it or not, and she knew beyond all doubt that she loved him too.

Jerry slipped out of the room quietly and went downstairs. Tony was awake already, as expected, and Monica and he were eating breakfast. A month ago she would have been eating a stack of waffles drenched in syrup, but this morning she was eating half of a honeydew melon. Tony had his usual bowl of Lucky Charms. Boomer, lying on his mat by the door lifted his head, saw it was Jerry, and put his head back down. It was safe to go back to sleep the dog decided.

“Morning guys,” Jerry said softly to both of them. They nodded back, whispering good morning to him so as not to wake the others still sleeping. One of the two had started coffee and Jerry poured himself a cup for now and filled a travel mug for later.

“Eddie’s already taken the guns to the truck,” Tony told him. “I also got the short wave installed last night too. I had to use the SWAT van instead of your truck because of the size of the transmitter and places to attach the antenna. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, that’s good. We’ll just switch Rusty to my truck and you, Eddie and Monica can follow us.” Tony nodded and went back to reading one of the survival magazines someone had left on the table.

There was a soft knock at the door and Jerry opened it to find Rusty smiling at him. The door from the cellar opened at the same time and Juan and Mrs.
deJesus
came up the steps to join the team. “Good morning,” he said to all three. “Coffee’s on, cups are in the cupboard.”

“I think I will, thank you,” said Mr.
deJesus
.  “I used to drink a cup before work, on the way to work and then all morning. I missed it at first when the missus and I took to the road. Then I didn’t miss it anymore. Since we’ve been here, I’ve remembered how much I love it.” His wife and Rusty declined the offer.

“I can make another pot and put it in travel mugs for you guys if you want,” offered Mrs.
deJesus
.

“I’ve already got one, but if Juan wants, I could always use an extra,” Jerry told her.

Juan kissed his wife on the cheek. “
Mujer
inteligente
,” he said in Spanish to her and she began making another pot. Jerry looked at his watch. The pot would take about 10 minutes, giving them another five to get everyone to the trucks. They’d all be loaded and ready to leave at 4 a.m. just as he’d hoped.

Jerry heard Randy coming down the spiral stairway. He hadn’t expected to see his son this morning. He’d peeked through the door to the boys’ room on his way down earlier, but the light had been off and he heard his son’s snoring. He decided to let the boy sleep.
Randy’d
been given a lot of responsibility to handle today, nothing new, but there was the added stress of having Cheryl here.

Jerry decided he didn’t like Cheryl at all and he’d be glad when she was gone. He would do as he’d promised his son and talk to the woman again, but he doubted she would be able to say anything to change his mind. If she lied to them once, it was because she was hiding something or trying to convince them she was someone she wasn’t. Of course everyone was hiding something and he wasn’t basing his judgment of her on just the lies he thought she was telling, but because of the circumstances and circumstantial evidence of the entire situation.

“Morning, dad,” his son said, rubbing grit from his eyes. Jerry thought his son looked more tired than usual, which was probably how most everyone was feeling this morning. He lifted his cup in acknowledgment. “Randy. How’d you sleep?”

“
M’eh
.
Laying
down, on the bed. Horizontal,” he said, repeating a running joke he had with his dad, while sitting down next to Monica. She was finishing her breakfast and favored Jerry’s son with a shoulder punch. “Hey jerk” she said, to which he responded with a friendly, “Back
atchya
, Stay Puff.”

“
You going
to be good today?” Jerry asked his son.

“Yes, dad.”
He sounded just a little exasperated and a little tired. “Cows, security, tractor driving and don’t pick my butt.
Got it dad.”
His son was being just a bit too much of a smart ass this morning and Jerry told him so. “Stop it. This is not time to be flippant.”

“Yes, dad,” the younger Saunders said, a little more respectfully.

Mrs.
deJesus
broke the growing silence. “Coffee’s ready. Here’re the mugs. Now off with you so we can all go back to bed.” She handed an extra travel mug to Jerry and the other to her husband and gave him a peck on the cheek and shoved him toward the door.

Tony, Monica and Randy got up from the table. Randy gave his dad a hug then punched Monica playfully in the shoulder and slapped Tony gently on the back. Monica smiled at him and Tony whacked him in the shin with one of his crutches.

Rusty was already headed out, Boomer escorting him, and there were no more good
byes
to be said.

Randy stood with Mrs.
deJesus
and watched the five head over the parapet and down the path. “A good papa you have, Randy.
A brave man.”
Randy couldn’t disagree.

~     
~
     
~

Eddie had both trucks ready when the rest joined him in the driveway. Jerry didn’t have to ask if they’d been topped off and checked. Eddie had matured a great deal over the past two months. The tools the Russian commander said they might need had been loaded into the job box in the bed of the truck.

“Morning everyone,” Eddie said as he saw the group. They all bid him the same. There was no need for Jerry to give them a pep talk or re-iterate what they were about to do. He had gone over the basic plan the night before and he was sure they’d talk a lot on the CBs or walkie-talkies on their trip.

“Saddle up. Lock and load,” Eddie told them, quoting Mr. Data from a Star Trek movie. He, Monica and Tony climbed aboard the SWAT truck and Jerry, Juan and Rusty loaded up in the Ford.

Both trucks started and radio checks were made. Jerry looked at the clock on the dash and it was just a few minutes after 4 a.m. He put the truck in gear and they were off to rescue some astronauts. How strange the world has become, he thought to himself.

~     
~
     
~

The same morning scene repeated itself in the living room and kitchen of the shelter three hours later, but with different players this time. Randy had fallen back to sleep on
Tony’s
couch so he could listen to the CB for as long as his dad and friends were within range. Tony had called three times, the first time when they left the driveway for a radio check and the second when they’d made it to the interstate. Tony told them the rescue team was having no problems and were making good time. The third time he called the team was just getting out of range and Randy heard Tony say things were okay, but everything else was lost to static.