Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie (107 page)

From the middle of the hive down, the bees were still alive and doin’ their bee thing. They had no idea how to capture the
m, so they plopped down on the floor and looked through beekeeping instruction books from the shelves nearby.

They brought home several
empty hives. Monty and Jack are helping Pop get them situated now.

Dane
decided to go back tonight after dark to move the bees.  He said the bees will be “sleepy” around that time. Whatever, just get the darn bees!

We have all the animals back in their appropriate spots. They immediately began grazing. It makes me nervous as all get out and
I’m praying that the rain washed away any residue that was on the grass and leaves.

I don’t wanna be the guinea pig
who eats the animals that made it through. I’m even a little worried about the milk. I think I’ll drill the brains of the experts to find out what residue on grass might do to the milk.

My biggest concern of all is the chickens. There are no insects for them to munch on
, and they’ll have to rely solely on chicken feed. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.

Got stuff I need to do.
See ya later.

11:00 PM…

The bees are here. Dane and Jason “smoked” them to sleep.

They wore their beekeeper suits and unscrewed the Plexiglas cover from the see-though hives.

It took
almost half an hour for them to find the queen and get her into a little box made especially for carrying “queen bees.”

The
n, they removed the frames and placed them inside a large cardboard box, Sleepy bees were stuck to the frames and several flew into the box on their own.

They brought the whole mess home, put the queen in the hive, put the frames with a
bunch of bees walking all over them into the hives, and plugged the hole with a cork of some sort.

Pop says they need about three days to get used to the place before he opens the plug and allows them to roam free.
Sounds good to me.

             
Emma says the garden will be busting at the seams in a week or two and we’ll be busy day and night, preserving food.

             
I probably won’t have a lot of time to write during the summer and fall. I may just fall in my bed, dead tired, every night. I’m prayin’ my back holds up.

             
We have three more days to prepare for the trade meeting, I’m clueless about what we have to offer. That’ll be my priority for tomorrow. Tonight, I’m crawling in to snuggle up next to Mick.

Bye for now.

Friday, May 23
             

2:30 PM…

              Sorry I didn’t get a chance to write this morning.

             
When I stepped outside for my breath of fresh air before breakfast, I smelled death. I was expecting to smell it sooner or later.

I spoke to everyone at breakfast and told them we needed to spend the day cleaning up the dead animals from the woods around the compound. Everyone groaned and made horrible faces, but they all knew it had to be done.

              Marisa and Josie were off the hook. They both get nauseous with their pregnancies, and we needed someone here to look after the kids anyway, so they stayed behind.

I simply must learn the names of the nine soldiers who stayed behind with Ian and Rick. I can’t keep referring to them as “one of the nine” all the time. Anyway, you’ll forgive me if I do it here, right?

Several of “the nine” stood watch as we headed out the gate to circle the compound and clear the woods.

We found plenty of dead animals
and two HDI bodies. We wore gloves on our hands and clothes pins on our noses while we carried the bodies to the flatbed trailer to be taken to the power lines and burned. It was a very unpleasant experience, and I don’t wanna think about it ever again.

Mick just walked in and he’s sitting on the bed, watching me. H
e looks worried and he’s bouncing his knee up and down, waiting for me to finish typing. He hasn’t said a word but I know he needs to talk.

I’ll shut this thing down for a while.
See ya later.

9:00 PM…

             
The location of the President and his cabinet was discovered.              Nerve gas was pumped in through the ventilation system and everyone died in their sleep. There were no survivors.

             
The “second in charge” is now at an undisclosed location, He’s putting together a new cabinet, hand chosen by himself and his wife.

             
A real military base in Pennsylvania was bombed and destroyed by the fakers. Survivors were either hung, shot, or burned at the stake, depending on their rank.

             
All of the real military troops have been ordered to return to their home bases within three days to prepare for civil war. That means Mick is leaving either tomorrow or the next day.

             
I can’t write anymore.

             
Excuse me, I’m gonna be sick again.

             
Bye for now.

Saturday, May 24

             
Mick is preparing to leave tomorrow morning. He doesn’t know how long he’ll be gone or when we’ll see him again.

             
Chris and the nine are leaving as well. Rick has decided to remain at Kapper Hill.

             
The “meet and trade” has been cancelled until further notice. I’m headed out to spend the rest of the day with Mick. This news has rocked me to the core and I’m lost in a fog. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know when I’ll write again.

Bye for now.

Sunday, May 25

The men just left Kapper Hill.
You would have been proud of me. I stood up straight and tall as my brave soldier walked down that hill. I had tears running down my face, but I was resolved to remain stoic for his goodbye.

Mick looked so handsome in his uniform. I can’t believe he’
s gone.

We were up most of the night, talking and planning. I know what to do while he’s gone

I'm gonna say goodbye for a while. I'm gonna concentrate on caring for my family and bringing this beautiful hillside back to life. I may pick up my writing habit after summer is gone and the nights are cold and lonely.

I need to step back and enjoy life while I can. I have children and grandchildren to spoil, and another one on the way. I have things to teach them. It should be a joyous time.

One man is trying to take that joy from me, and my man is leaving to help take it back. I know in my heart of hearts that he'll succeed and come home.

Maybe you found this diary in on one of those ancient old thumb drives. Maybe you found it in a small town library. Maybe you're my
triple great grandchild and you mom was crazy enough to let you read granny's diary.

Hey,
if you're in the area, look us up. Just ask for directions to Kapper Hill Compound. We'll be here, standing watch in the towers, working in the gardens, raising our children, and surviving.

I leave you with three simple words that are stronger than anything else in the world.

Love one another.

And… Bye, for now.

The End.