Read Online Dust by Jacqueline Druga-marchetti - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jacqueline Druga-marchetti
Ads: Link
was with those who would soon join us. Pre-space management, chemistry management, and delegation of duties were my new primary focus. I envisioned myself capable of plotting out a plan of perfect order. What to do with whom. Where to put this person, or that. What tasks would I hand out? The ideal of a picture perfect, ‘bomb shelter harmony’ was farfetched, I wasn’t aiming for that. A bomb shelter with minimal chaos was my goal. With that thought, high hopes of achievement, and red sweater handing on the entrance curtain, I set forth on the task.
***
“What is ‘MH’?” Sam asked right after I showed him my agenda.
I had gathered him, Burke and Dan—the adults—around to listen to what I had laid out. It was Sam’s fourth question in all of five minutes and I hadn’t even begun to show them. His first three questions were inane. ‘You actually wrote it down?’ was his first one. Though to some it may not constitute a question. His second was, ‘Look at all these pages, how long did it take you’ and finally, ‘When did I find time to do it?’ Which, of course, I truly wanted to reply that I hadn’t a clue, seeing how I was extremely busy sitting in a bomb shelter.
“You know, Sam, if you let me just explain first,” I told him.
“I’m just asking.”
“You know what ... ” I closed the notebook “Forget it.”
Burke, who was sitting with us, winced in irritation. “Why don’t you just calm your ass down, and tell us.”
I retorted, “Why don’t you go outside and hang out, that way, Matty can deduct a few more hours from the ‘how long can Burke be outside before he dies’ list.”
“Sam.” Burke huffed out as if Sam would be able to do something about me.
“Can I?” Dan raised his hand. “I’d like to hear this. Go ahead, Jo.”
I was reluctant, because somehow I just didn’t sense that they cared all that much about my list. “MH is Mark’s house next door.”
Sam nodded. “So you want to put Burke, Hebba, Dan, Craig and Nicky, Tammy and her son over there?”
“Yes,” I answered. “He has a huge basement. We’re OK now, but when more people show up, we’ll be cramped. Why not use his house until we get everything geared up to head to Burke’s cabin. Split the people between two houses.”
“What happens if he comes home?” Sam asked.
Sometimes in life, people say things. Often without thought, never truly meaning the words they spoke. However, when Burke answered the question presented to me, by saying. “I never liked Mark much. I’ll kill him if you want.” I believed he meant that.
The corner of Sam’s mouth lifted in a partial smile when he glanced at Burke. “You are kidding, right?”
“Nope. Squatter’s rights.” Burke shrugged. “Survival of the fittest. We need his house. If I could have killed him all those times he yelled at me for parking in his driveway, I would have. But ... there were laws.”
Dan asked, “Was he that bad?”
“No.” I quickly answered. “And if he comes back, we leave. If he gets angry or violent. . .” I shifted my eyes to Burke. “Then we’ll let Burke handle it if needed.”
Sam shook his head in such disgust. “That’s not right, it’s the man’s house.”
I chuckled with sarcasm. “And this is coming from a man who’s been ripping him off? Just ... plan on him not coming back, OK?”
“What about the people on this list?” Burke asked. “You have all of us doing something to prepare for leaving. But ... do you think these people are coming?”
“Yes.” I answered with certainty.
“All of them?” Burke questioned further.
“Yes. Why?”
“Well, I don’t see ... ” Burke paused to try to remember. “What’s his name? Rod’s friend.”
“Denny.” I replied. “That’s because I really don’t think Denny made it.”
“But you think Mona did?”
“Mona stays. She could very easily be alive.”
“She was in Tulsa.” Burke argued. “What makes you more sure that
***
“What is ‘MH’?” Sam asked right after I showed him my agenda.
I had gathered him, Burke and Dan—the adults—around to listen to what I had laid out. It was Sam’s fourth question in all of five minutes and I hadn’t even begun to show them. His first three questions were inane. ‘You actually wrote it down?’ was his first one. Though to some it may not constitute a question. His second was, ‘Look at all these pages, how long did it take you’ and finally, ‘When did I find time to do it?’ Which, of course, I truly wanted to reply that I hadn’t a clue, seeing how I was extremely busy sitting in a bomb shelter.
“You know, Sam, if you let me just explain first,” I told him.
“I’m just asking.”
“You know what ... ” I closed the notebook “Forget it.”
Burke, who was sitting with us, winced in irritation. “Why don’t you just calm your ass down, and tell us.”
I retorted, “Why don’t you go outside and hang out, that way, Matty can deduct a few more hours from the ‘how long can Burke be outside before he dies’ list.”
“Sam.” Burke huffed out as if Sam would be able to do something about me.
“Can I?” Dan raised his hand. “I’d like to hear this. Go ahead, Jo.”
I was reluctant, because somehow I just didn’t sense that they cared all that much about my list. “MH is Mark’s house next door.”
Sam nodded. “So you want to put Burke, Hebba, Dan, Craig and Nicky, Tammy and her son over there?”
“Yes,” I answered. “He has a huge basement. We’re OK now, but when more people show up, we’ll be cramped. Why not use his house until we get everything geared up to head to Burke’s cabin. Split the people between two houses.”
“What happens if he comes home?” Sam asked.
Sometimes in life, people say things. Often without thought, never truly meaning the words they spoke. However, when Burke answered the question presented to me, by saying. “I never liked Mark much. I’ll kill him if you want.” I believed he meant that.
The corner of Sam’s mouth lifted in a partial smile when he glanced at Burke. “You are kidding, right?”
“Nope. Squatter’s rights.” Burke shrugged. “Survival of the fittest. We need his house. If I could have killed him all those times he yelled at me for parking in his driveway, I would have. But ... there were laws.”
Dan asked, “Was he that bad?”
“No.” I quickly answered. “And if he comes back, we leave. If he gets angry or violent. . .” I shifted my eyes to Burke. “Then we’ll let Burke handle it if needed.”
Sam shook his head in such disgust. “That’s not right, it’s the man’s house.”
I chuckled with sarcasm. “And this is coming from a man who’s been ripping him off? Just ... plan on him not coming back, OK?”
“What about the people on this list?” Burke asked. “You have all of us doing something to prepare for leaving. But ... do you think these people are coming?”
“Yes.” I answered with certainty.
“All of them?” Burke questioned further.
“Yes. Why?”
“Well, I don’t see ... ” Burke paused to try to remember. “What’s his name? Rod’s friend.”
“Denny.” I replied. “That’s because I really don’t think Denny made it.”
“But you think Mona did?”
“Mona stays. She could very easily be alive.”
“She was in Tulsa.” Burke argued. “What makes you more sure that
Similar Books
