Buck Out

by Ken Benton

  “Well, a good neighbor is an invaluable commodity. Especially in these times. I get a little lonely over here, and—I’m not ashamed to say—scared sometimes. Glad to have you boys next to me. Can’t say I care much for the vagabonds on my other side, though. Rowdy and unfriendly, that bunch is. Make so much noise sometimes they used to keep Sandra up at night—and there’s twelve acres of separation between us.”

  “You’ve been a good neighbor to me since I bought that plot,” Ryan said, “and I only moved in a couple hours ago.”

  Spence shook his head. “You paid me for that. Paid me well. Not the same thing.”

  “About that, Spence.” Ryan looked at the hardwood floor. “I’m sorry the money isn’t worth anything now…”

  Spence laughed. “That’s another thing, friend. Your doomsday conspiracies ended up doing a number on me. Sure, I rolled my eyes behind your back at first. But then …well, being an old guy alone in the woods gets you thinking sometimes. Starts making you jumpy after a while, too, like I was saying. So, I started stocking up on supplies. Before I knew it, I done spent most of the storage fees you paid me, before the bottom fell out of everything. Meeting you might turn out to be the single greatest blessing of my life—other than meeting Sandra, of course.”

  Malcolm raised his eyebrows at Ryan. “Storage fees?”

  Ryan ignored him. “That’s great, Spence! Really relieves me to hear you say that.”

  Malcolm took another look around the inside of Spence’s home. If there were supplies stockpiled somewhere, they weren’t in this room. Malcolm wondered if he’d ever been surrounded by so much wood. Between the taxidermy on the walls, the collages of pressed flowers, and the homemade furniture, the house was a veritable shrine to all things nature. As contrasting as this may be to Malcolm’s Manhattan apartment, there was also a hauntingly familiar aspect to it. Malcolm recognized it as the desperately clinging enhancement of a woman’s touch long-since removed. It made him sad.

  “What happened to your wife,” Malcolm asked, “if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Stroke. I found her on the floor, whole right side of her body frozen. Rushed her to the hospital myself. The doctor on duty said he had a magic cure for it, since we got there so soon afterwards, and since she was a person of overall good health. Said there was a 95% chance of it fixing her right up, and a 5% chance of it killing her. Nothing in-between. She had to sign the release form with her left hand. Terrible looking signature. Last thing she ever signed. Sandra was one of the unlucky five percent.”

  “I’m sorry,” Malcolm said.

  “Don’t be. We had thirty wonderful years together. More than most folks get nowadays.”

  “Yeah,” Ryan said looking down again. “I was hoping for that many.”

  After a moment of silence passed Malcolm added, “Me too.”

  Ryan looked up at him. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you talk like that.”

  “I meant I’m hoping to have that many.”

  Spence nodded. “That’s a healthy way to look at it. Especially when times get shaky, like they are now. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. And getting involved in gunfights isn’t good for your life expectancy, as that squatter of yours discovered today. Now Sandra, she loved life—but she wasn’t afraid of death, either. Maybe the two have something to do with each other. She didn’t hesitate for a moment in signing that release. Probably would have still done it if the odds were fifty-fifty.”

  “My wife isn’t afraid of dying, either,” Malcolm muttered. “Unfortunately.”

  “What about you, son?”

  “Not sure.”

  “I never think about it,” Ryan interjected. “I only think about doing a good job, and handling myself well when …difficult circumstances arise.”

  Malcolm tilted his head at him for a second. Then he looked back down and said, “Since that night in the homeless camp, I’ve been thinking about some of the things Pastor Green said.”

  “He’s an interesting character.” Ryan drained the rest of his scotch. “That’s for sure.”

  The dryer buzzer rang.

  “There’s your bedding,” Spence said. “You want me to take you back now, so you can fix your trailer up while it’s still light out?”

  “No, save your gas.” Ryan stood. “We’ll walk.”

  Spence stood up as well. “Actually, I was thinking there’s no reason you have to sleep there tonight—or any other night, for that matter. I have two spare bedrooms here, both with good beds. While I’m used to being alone, I don’t particularly relish it. Your company would be most welcome.”

  Ryan looked at Malcolm. Malcolm gave no reaction.

  Ryan turned back to Spence. “That’s incredibly gracious of you. We should take you up on it, no doubt. But I kind of want to spend tonight on my own land. I know that must sound silly…”

  “And I’m expecting someone,” Malcolm added.

  “Your wife?” Spence asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I understand completely. Just so you know, it’s a standing offer, anytime the two—or the three of you—decide to accept it. Well, let’s get your sheets.”

  Spence didn’t forget to add those two boxes of 30-30 cartridges to Ryan’s laundry basket, which made Ryan laugh.

  “Do you mind if I take a quick look in the barn?” Ryan asked as they were leaving.

  That made Spence laugh. He led them outside, across the yard, and into his huge black barn, which was quite dark inside before he hit the light switch.

  Once illuminated, the contents of the barn looked like a cross between a hoarder’s house and a construction site.

  “Wow,” Ryan said. “You have been stocking up. Not sure whose side is bigger now.”

  Spence smiled widely. “Told you.”

  “Which side is yours?” Malcolm asked Ryan.

  He pointed to the left. Malcolm took a closer look at the gigantic pile. This wasn’t a simple stash of food and clothing. These were building materials. Boards, plywood, hardware, plastic and metal piping, lighting, wiring, drywall, bags of concrete, tile, sinks, toilets, and even appliances lined the entire wall. Who knows what else might be buried in there.

  “Thanks, Spence.” Ryan turned to go. “We might stop by tomorrow to get a few items.”

  “Please do. I’ll fix us lunch. And you can use my shower. Only please make a proper approach.”

  “What’s that?” Malcolm asked.

  “Make some noise as you’re coming up my driveway. Friendly noise. Let me know it’s you.”

  “Will do,” Ryan said.

  Ryan and Malcolm walked off the property as Spence locked up his barn.

  “Unreal,” Malcolm said when the two of them were out on the dirt road. “How long have you been accumulating everything?”

  “Better part of a year now.” Ryan slurred his words slightly and stumbled. He may have had a little too much scotch.

  Malcolm shook his head. “Never thought I’d be building a house.”

  “A trailer is no place to raise a family,” Ryan said.

  Yep, he was drunk. But Malcolm understood what he meant. It had only been a matter of months since Ryan lost the last glimmer of hope in keeping his wife and kids.

  Malcolm wasn’t there yet. And he’d do everything he could to keep from getting there. The thought of him living with Ryan and Spence as three bachelors crying together over the loss of their wives was pathetic.

  “It’s my fault,” Ryan said.

  “What is?”

  “Losing my family. I worked too much. I knew it even as I was doing it. I wanted to do everything I could for them, and build us all a real future. Screwed up. Wives don’t want workaholics. You have to somehow make a ton of money while working short hours. That’s the secret to success in life.”

  “That’s not why I lost Hannah,” Malcolm said. “I lost her because she worked too much, even though I rarely harassed her about it. She just got sucked into the vortex.”

/>   At that moment, Malcolm thought he heard a female voice shouting.

  “Did you hear something?” he asked Ryan.

  “A crow, maybe?”

  “Maybe.” Malcolm raised the shotgun and held it with both hands in front of him. Ryan had the AR-15 strapped to his back, as his hands were carrying the laundry basket.

  The road turned. Ryan’s driveway became visible. A new car sat parked near the beginning of the driveway: a black SUV.

  The woman’s voice sounded again, louder this time.

  “Malcolm! Ryan! Are you in there? It’s Hannah!”

  Malcolm broke into a sprint. The last thing he heard Ryan stammer was, “Now that’s a proper approach.”

  Chapter Twenty One

  “Where’d you get the eggs?” Hannah asked, propped up on one elbow. Malcolm lay next to her, pretending to still be sleeping. The truth was he barely slept at all. But he didn’t care.

  “Found them in my laundry basket,” Ryan answered. He flipped the six sizzling eggs over on a skillet atop the tiny cooking range.

  “You must be joking. How old are they?”

  “My neighbor snuck them in there. He keeps a few chickens.”

  “Oh. Great. That’s where I get to take a shower, right?”

  “Yeah, but he’s not expecting us until lunchtime.”

  “Hmm.” Hannah pulled the cover off and sat on the edge of the bed, dangling her bare feet from the bottom of her sweatpants. “Not sure I can wait that long.”

  Malcolm lifted his head, his sleeping ruse abruptly shattered. “Where are you going, Hannah?”

  “To work, of course.”

  Malcolm bridled his tongue. It took all the effort he could muster not to fly into a negatively-charged response. This is what he swore to himself he would do if he ever got a second chance. He had lots of time to think about it and drill the new procedure into his brain. Don’t argue with Hannah about work.

  Instead of saying something, he reached out with one hand and gently placed it on her back—just to gauge her reaction. He could feel her rib cage through her cotton shirt.

  Nothing immediately happened. She sat there and allowed his hand to stay upon her—for a good eight seconds before jumping down to the trailer floor. Those were the best eight seconds Malcolm could remember in the last six months. When they were over, he found himself annoyed.

  “Honey, you’re still working in West Virginia?” He hoped his cordial tone didn’t sound forced.

  “Yep.”

  Malcolm scooted to the edge of the bed and sat. “Where’s your partner staying?”

  “He had to go back to Pittsburgh.”

  “So you’re working alone?”

  “Yes. For now.”

  “Doing what? Not chasing counterfeiters, I hope? Especially since currency is almost worthless at the moment.”

  Hannah turned to Malcolm, donning a hard expression. Malcolm knew he screwed up. But why should it be so? Wasn’t the question legitimate? Hannah must have gone through the same thought process, because her look gradually softened.

  “You know better than to pester me about my job, honey.”

  Honey. She called him honey. Was it real, or a carefully crafted tactic? Either way, it worked. Malcolm shut up.

  “Sure you can’t at least take the morning off?” Ryan said as he slid the eggs onto three plates. “I’d hate to impose on Spence earlier than he expects us—and Malcolm and I could sure use your help with some things around here.”

  Hannah tilted her head of tantalizingly messy blond hair. “Well, I suppose I could, under the circumstances.”

  Ryan to the rescue. Malcolm owed him one.

  After breakfast, Ryan and Malcolm waited outside the trailer while Hannah used the bathroom and changed.

  “How is it you have a working toilet, but no running water?” Malcolm asked.

  Ryan pointed underneath the trailer. “It’s a remote composting toilet. Vacuum flush, so it doesn’t use water. We’ll need to start flushing peat moss, dry brush, leaves, and soil down it a couple times a day, now that it’s being used. See the tank under the trailer? It will output good compost within a few months. We’ll use it for the fruit and nut trees, mostly.”

  “Is that what the three of us will be doing this morning? Gathering compost material for the toilet?”

  Ryan laughed. “I’ll come up with something a little better than that while Hannah’s here.”

  “Thanks, man. Thanks a lot.”

  “No problem. So, when are you planning on telling her?”

  “About the gunfight yesterday?” Malcolm shook his head. “Never.”

  “No, about your big score in the markets. That she’s married to a multi-millionaire.”

  Malcolm thought for a second. “I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t have to, and she came back to me anyway?”

  “Nice, yes. But it might look like you were intentionally keeping it from her.”

  “Money’s not worth anything now,” Malcolm said.

  “She might think that’s beside the point.”

  Malcolm sighed. “You’re probably right. I’ll tell her when I’m ready.”

  “You may not want to wait as long as you did to tell me. Just saying…”

  When Hannah finally emerged, Ryan walked them to one of his sheds. There he retrieved a sledgehammer, some metal stakes, and a surveying kit. He then led them to the far side of his land and had Malcolm and Hannah stand still in designated places, twenty or so yards away from each other, while Ryan used the survey prism and tripod to determine where to drive a stake into the ground. This they repeated all morning. The stakes marked the property line where Ryan and Malcolm would put up a wire fence. Malcolm got the impression he and Hannah weren’t really necessary for the job, and that this was the best thing Ryan could think of to justify keeping Hannah around for the morning. Malcolm was eternally grateful for it.

  At noon they took Hannah’s car over to Spence’s house. Spence was thrilled to meet Hannah. They all took turns showering. Hannah then washed her dirty clothes as the four of them enjoyed a lunch of chicken salad with homemade potato chips.

  Afterwards, Hannah left to “go to work.” Malcolm walked her to the car. It was one of the most difficult things he ever did. Yes, he was used to her leaving to go to a dangerous job. But now, after this wonderful reunion, sleeping in the same bed last night, and with Malcolm having made all that damned money trading, it seemed frivolous and unnecessary. About the only worthwhile benefit Malcolm could see from her job at this point was the company car, and the free gas that came with it. But free gas for what? Why did she need to be out driving around West Virginia?

  Hannah stopped at the car door. “See you later.”

  Malcolm leaned in as if to kiss her goodbye, thought twice and grabbed both her hands instead. He had no words.

  Hannah seemed to understand the communication. She raised their hands and spoke.

  “Malcolm, I want you to know I’m extremely relieved to see that you and Ryan got out of the city, and are okay. I was worried about you.”

  “When are you coming back?” Was all Malcolm could utter.

  “Tonight, okay? In all likelihood I’ll see you before it gets dark.”

  “In all likelihood?”

  “That’s the best I can do, Malcolm.”

  Malcolm pursed his lips and nodded. Hannah leaned over his shoulder and hugged him—but not for too long.

  Then she got in the car and drove down Spence’s driveway. On an impulse, Malcolm took off running alongside her.

  Hannah slowed and rolled the window down, but didn’t stop.

  “Don’t forget Spence is grilling steaks tonight! If you want yours hot, you better not be late!”

  Hannah smiled and hit the gas.

  * * *

  “This is the perfect spot,” Ryan said.

  Malcolm looked around. “You honestly think the two of us are going to drill a working well?”

  “Just a sh
allow groundwater well. Nowhere near deep enough to be safe for consumption. We’ll need to filter or boil any water we drink from it. The earth is soft around here, and the local water table is right around twenty feet—which means we can use a hand pump to draw it. With any luck, we’ll hit sand a couple feet below that. We’re upslope from the spot where the septic tank is going, and quite a ways from it, so this should be a good place for a well.”

  “We’re putting in a septic tank, too?”

  “Maybe. Ideally, I’d have a professional well dug and hire builders to at least do all the plumbing and lay the foundation. But with society crashing around us, who knows when, or even if, that’ll be possible. I’ve got the materials for us to do a hack job ourselves, if push comes to shove.”

  “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t get that stuff done already,” Malcolm said.

  Ryan gave him a sheepish look. “It’s a little costly for a man paying child support and lawyer fees.”

  “I’ll front you the money for it, Ryan. To have the whole house built if you want. No interest. You can pay me back whenever it’s convenient. Or take it out of me in rent.”

  “Thanks, man. I do appreciate that offer, and I’d love to accept it. But being as all your funds are in USD, it’s questionable whether you’re genuinely in a position to be so benevolent. We’ll have to see how things play out. Meanwhile, we have shelter and all the survival supplies I managed to stash away—which includes enough food, ammunition, cold weather gear, and extra clothing to last a long time. We have one hell of a good neighbor friend helping us out. And, after today, hopefully, we’ll even have water coming out of our own groundwater well.”

  Malcolm looked out at the road in the direction Hannah left. “Why am I getting the feeling I’ll be doing a lot of digging in the next few weeks?”

  Ryan laughed. “I know that’s not exactly your area of expertise. Got any better offers?”

  “I guess not.”

  Spence’s 4-Runner came into view on the road. In another minute they were unloading Ryan’s “well drilling” equipment from Spence’s truck bed. Ryan refused Spence’s offer of any further help, so Spence walked home and told them to drive the truck back later for dinner.