completely dark. It doesn’t seem to bother the kids since
we can still hear their playful squeals.
“So what did he say?” I ask anxiously, before he can
retake his seat.
“He wants me in Utah tomorrow by noon,” Cooper
informs us.
“No! Isn’t that where one of the outbreak cities is
located?” I cover my mouth in horror.
“The company is sending a helicopter out for me so I
don’t get stuck in-between. Our office is not anywhere near
Salt Lake, and isn’t really populated with a lot of people.”
Cooper tries to reassure me of his safety.
“Will what you’re doing really save the world?” Jessica
asks.
“There’s only one way to know, but I don’t want to take
a chance on it. The more people who can get away from
this thing before it infects them, the better.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know you very well, but aren’t you
in IT? How would that save people?” Linc doesn’t sound
too certain of Cooper’s abilities to stop a zombie
apocalypse.
“This program that my company is working on could isolate the virus and hold it captive in an infected person’s
body until a vaccine could be found that would reverse it.
Those that are already dead it won’t help, but apparently, a
lot people can be carriers, and until they come into contact
with this new infection, it remains dormant.” Cooper triew
to explain it in less complicated terms for us non-techy
people.
“Why haven’t they already used this against it?” Jessica
wonders.
“What we have is just a prototype. It hasn’t been tested
yet. The ones trying to steal it would be able to inoculate
themselves against any disease and let whole sections of
populations die, while certain people remained immune.”
Cooper doesn’t know how else to explain it to them.
“Someone knew this was coming and were trying to get
ready for it before the zombie people took over the Unites
States. We were commissioned several years ago when
Ebola became a threat to work on something that could
help stop the spread of a deadly virus.”
“Wow, so you’ve known there are zombies overseas?
When did you find out?” I accuse, hurt that he would leave
this important piece of information out when talking to me.
“It was classified. Plus, there have been several
infections or viruses that have started overseas and they
were able to contain it by quarantines. It hadn’t hit here yet, so the top directors have been working overtime to get this
done so that if it spread, we would have a way to stop it.”
Cooper turns to face me on the swing bench. “I wanted to
tell you, but we were told to keep everything normal until
the last minute. We knew if things went bad that it would
be quick, but they didn’t warn us it was anything like zombies.”
“What makes you the only person that can get this
program working? Aren’t there tons of computer guys that
can do this kind of thing in their sleep?” Jessica sounds
rude, and really worried.
“I’m not the only person on this program, but the pieces
I have to parts of the puzzle were what our office was
working on. Without those pieces, then the whole thing
would take another couple of weeks to put together and
produce enough quantities to really make a difference.”
“I guess this means that we won’t be able to stock up on
the important items that we needed to survive.” I feel
dejected and not very hopeful that I would be able to keep
my family alive.
“Actually, honey, I think you and Jessica should come
with me tomorrow. You’re going to need the truck around
here and it would be a good chance for both of you to get
out before things get really bad. You’re going to be stuck
here on the farm for weeks.” Cooper doesn’t know if his
idea will work to make me forgive him, but it might be
working.
“The four older children might be okay here by
themselves, but with all that’s going on, I don’t want to
leave them alone.” I know it’s an excuse, but deep down, I
don’t want any of my family to be away from me because I
want to protect them.
“I can watch over them if you want me to, ladies. I
don’t mind.” Linc volunteers.
“We could take Nicole and Trevor with us. Thank you Linc for the offer, but what do you think, Jessica?” I know
my sister is better acquainted with Linc, and knows if he’s
a trustworthy person to leave our children with.
“Linc is someone I would trust with my life, so you
won’t have to worry about the kids being protected. I just
don’t want to take the younger two with us because if we
run into trouble, the three of us could outrun it, but not with the smaller kids with us.”
“Jessica has a good point. Do you have anyone that
could babysit for us?” Cooper asks, trying to work the
problem and fix it.
“Cooper, it’s not that simple,” I complain. “We don’t
know anyone here and we’re asking them to watch our
children when the world is ending. That wouldn’t be fair
under normal circumstances, but this makes it a horrible
idea.”
“Trish, if you and Jessica don’t get guns and ammo,
then you and the kids won’t survive anyway. You’re going
to need some extra things to keep things going here, like
gas for the generator, solar panels if you can get them. I’ll
install them when I get back.” Cooper pulls me into his
arms and holds me.
“It’s okay, really. I know a few grandmothers that don’t
get to see their grandchildren very often and they love
chances to be around other children,” Jessica interrupts.
Now that I think about it, everything I do for the next
few months, my sister will be right there with me to help
deal with it. This might not be as bad as I’d thought before.
“My mom would be glad to come over here and watch them, and help me keep an eye on the older ones. We can
continue with farm prep and get the hay baled and up here
to the barn this week instead of waiting,” Linc offers from
his seat on the porch railing.
“Thank you both. I’m not used to having people ready
and willing to help out with four children. It’s going to take some getting used to, but it’s nice to have some family
around.” I would have to adjust, but family is important,
and the apocalypse might make it an even higher priority.
“Speaking of family…Cooper, where’s your family
from?” Jessica asks.
“I’d rather not talk about my family,” Cooper replies.
“Aren’t you worried they might be caught up in all of
this?” Jessica ignores the finality of his reply.
Cooper sighs. “My family is from Louisiana, on a
Bayou near Lafayette, Louisiana. They’re not only Cajun,
but actually hunt in the swamps. They can take care of
themselves, and I’m not subjecting my family t
o any form
of their religion or ideas.”
Instead of dropping it, Jessica latches onto the idea and
begins to ask more questions.
“Do they sacrifice children? How come you seem so
normal and smart?”
“My family practices voodoo, but they don’t sacrifice
babies, at least not to my knowledge. I haven’t spoken to
them since I left for college because they were certain that
all of my learning would make me tell family secrets that
the government shouldn’t know.” Cooper winces at the
memories and accusations he’d faced when he got employed with a government affiliated company.
“They didn’t want me to come home because it would
be bad juju to bring my technology into the sacred swamps.
PITA would have a fit if they saw the things my family
does to survive and make a living doing in the swamps.”
Cooper shakes his head as he comes back to the present.
“I still have all the stuff in my brain, but if I put it in a
box and put it on a shelf, then it’s in a separate category
that I don’t have to think about, except on holidays. I miss
them, but I know they’re fine. They have my address and
phone number in case they ever need anything and decided
to reach out. I called them when I got married, but they
don’t even know that we have kids.” Cooper’s voice is
filled with sadness.
“There are very smart people along the Bayou, but most
of them don’t work for the government. The amount of
home remedies that will make you well without a doctor’s
visit would amaze you. They’re very self-reliant. But that’s
enough about them. When this ends, I might give them a
call and see how things are going,” Cooper says, closing
the subject.
“I’m not known for keeping my mouth shut. I tend to
ask questions that are none of my business, but I really like
to know the answers. I’m sorry,” Jessica says. “Wait, how
do you know they still have the same number?”
A smile lights Cooper’s face, in spite of the continued
prying. “The number belongs to the fish and tackle shop
five miles up the road from where they live. They use
radios to let people know they have a phone call and take a
message. When the person can get into the shop, they return the call.”
“Wait,” I chime in. “They don’t have home phones?
When you told me they didn’t have technology, I thought
you meant computers and cell phones. So they have no
means of communicating with the outside world?” I ask,
astonished at the piece of well-kept information.
“I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t realize you hadn’t understood
me. They use walkies, or ham radios if needed. Mostly it’s
a word of mouth kind of communication. It’s a much
slower world down there, and they’re not in any hurry to
get back to you. ‘In a few’ could mean minutes, days, or
weeks, and if you need a firm timeframe, you have to
specify.” Cooper gets up and walks to the edge of the
porch.
“Kids, it’s time to come take a bath and get ready for
bed,” he calls to the children playing hide-and-seek around
the yard.
Groans fill the yard, but they slowly drag themselves in.
“Why, Dad? We were having so much fun,” Nicole
whines.
“Because the parents have a big day tomorrow and we
need to get some rest.” Cooper holds the screen door open
for them to file inside.
“We’re going to be staying here for a while, so you can
have some more fun tomorrow,” I say through the door.
“Fast showers, kids. Carson, can you scrub Trevor? I’ll dry
him off while you take your shower. I don’t want to block
both bathrooms.”
“Sure, Mom. Come on, Tre. You get to use the big shower with me.” Carson scoops up the tired, drooping
little man and carries him to Jessica’s bathroom.
“That reminds me, how do you guys get your water
here on the farm?” Cooper turns back to Jessica and Linc,
who are still sitting on the porch, having been joined by
Drew and Roxanne.
“There are two wells on the property. One here by the
house here, and one out closer to my cabin, which helps to
keep the orchard watered when it gets really dry,” Linc
informs him.
“Not much chance of them not working or drying up, is
there?”
“My grandad had solar panels installed about ten years
ago when the windmill had to be fixed. It’s now an energy
mill and helps pump the water from the wind and solar
power. We haven’t done the one out by Linc’s cabin yet. It
was expensive, but much cheaper than the original would
have been to repair,” Jessica explains. “Linc’s only been
there in the cabin about a year now. When Billie left, I
needed a farm hand quickly, and he had just gotten back
from a tour of duty and needed a place to sort things out.”
“Oh, you were in the military? Thank you for your
service,” I gush, just as I hear a small scream from inside.
“Guess I’m needed to stop the next war from starting.”
I head to the bathroom that holds both Nicole and Joy
in various stages of dress, clawing and fighting each other.
“What on earth is going on in here?” I yell loudly to
gain their attention.
“She says she gets to go first because she’s the oldest, but I was ready first.” Nicole shoves Joy back away from
her.
“She hit me, and started telling me that she should be
rewarded for it by going first,” Joy whines, trying to pin the fight on her sister.
“Well, since you’re both fighting and we’re guests at
your aunt’s house, then you both can go to bed without the
movie tonight.” I decide that this will be the best
punishment to help deter this from happening in the future.
“Mom!” they both say in unison.
After I get all my children showered, Drew and
Roxanne take their turn while their cousins crash on the
living room floor.
I’m finally able to rejoin the adults on the porch.
“Did I miss anything interesting?”
“Nope. We were just making a list of things for you and
Jessica to get if it’s available tomorrow.” Cooper pats the
seat next to him as I cross the porch.
“What I’m wondering is, how are we going to pay for
even half of what’s on the list?” Jessica seems slightly
embarrassed that she’d asked the question.
“If it were any other situation I’d be worried, but I’m
going to give you my black credit card to get any and all
supplies that we’ll need,” Cooper says with a smile.
“Do we have a limit? I just want to make sure we don’t
go over our family’s budget.”
“It doesn’t have one, babe. It will let you spend up to a million dollars, so I guess, technically, it does have a limit.
I don’t think you’ll get that high, even if you order the
entire box store from the internet.” He knows he’s in
trouble when I pull away from his arm on the back of the
chair.
“How long have you had this emergency card? Why
weren’t you going to tell me about it?” I get angrier just
thinking about it.
I stand up and start pacing.
“Uh-oh. You’re in trouble now,” Jessica chuckles.
“It’s my business card,” Cooper starts to explain.
“Let me get this straight.” I stopped in front of him,
only to start pacing again. “Your company gave you an
unlimited card, but you only feel comfortable spending
money when the world is going to end and no one will have
to pay it back? You want us to steal from your company?” I
shriek.
“Trish, you’ll bring the kids out here. It’s my personal
expense card. I’m given a limited monthly amount, but
since I have minimal expenses they decided that I could be
trusted with a larger card. It’s in my name. They have a
bonus fund that they pay the card with each month. We
have over two million in the bonus account for when the
kids get ready for college and we want to retire.”
“What? I don’t know if I can trust you anymore. You’re
saying we have millions of dollars and you’re still going to
work every day? Why? I’m raising four children by myself
most days because you’re involved in a work project!”
The air rushes out of my lungs and I sink into an empty chair several feet from where Cooper is still sitting,
watching my rant.
“I’m going to go check on the kids. Linc, do you want
to join me inside?” Jessica asks, practically pulling him
through the door, her politely trying to escape our fight.
“Why’d you make us leave? It was just getting fun,”
Linc says as he shuts the door, blocking out my sobs.
“Sweetie, I had no idea that you felt trapped at home.”
Cooper gets up and starts to move toward me.
“Don’t. Stay over there. If you come too close there’s
no telling what I’ll do.”
Cooper wisely lowers himself back down and holds his
hands out in surrender.
“I don’t hate my life. I love my kids and would do
anything for them, but you had a choice to be with us. I
know that you’re job is important, but they need you there
to watch their little league games.” I feel all of my pent-up
frustrations tumbling out.
“You do come to some of their stuff, but over the years
they’ve quit looking for you to be at all their events. You
Moms Against Zombies Page 12
