Chapter 1: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0013xS

Chapter 2: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0015Ms

Chapter 3: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0019Bg

Chapter 4: http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001J7L

A Survivors Tale - Chapter 5

David gently woke Kate up from her nap, glad she seemed to be resting peacefully. When Kate opened her eyes and focussed on David, her face lit up with delight.

You came back! she said quickly, then looked embarassed.

David smiled at her.

Thats all right, he said,  I know thisll take some getting used to. Before we head down for lunch, do you want to freshen up, splash some water on your face or anything?

Kate sat up and shook her head.

No, Im all right, just hungry, she said. I can smell lunch from here.

They walked into the dining room together, where Mama was just putting out the dishes and cutlery. She greeted them warmly, then when Kate was looking hungrily at a bowl of biscuits, glanced at David. David nodded in Kates direction.

Kate, hon, grab a couple of those biscuits and test them for me, would you please? Theres honey, butter and jam in the kitchen, bring them in here for me, thats a good girl.

When Kate went after the toppings, David and Mama winked at each other. They both knew Mamas intention of getting a little food into Kate before she sat down to the table, so she wouldnt be quite so ravenous as she looked right now. David had to reflect on how fortunate he was not to be facing starvation on a daily basis.

Kate came back into the room and placed a couple of biscuits on a small plate. She had them split and buttered before she thought to offer David some, and looked apologetically at him.

Im sorry, this is like riches to me, she said. I know you take it for granted - 

No, youre wrong there, he corrected her gently. I thank God every day for what Im fortunate to receive, and I havent taken one minute for granted since hell-day. What you mean is, through grace and some hard work, I havent had to worry about where my next meals coming from for a long time.

While were here in town well work but well be well fed and get to sleep in comfort. Well plan ahead before we set out again, and we probably wont want for food before we reach someplace we can earn more. Go ahead and enjoy everything Mamas got to offer, well make it all up to her before we leave town.

Kate finished the biscuits and went to the kitchen to tell Mama they were delicious. About that time people started trickling in to lunch, many of whom greeted David by name.

When there was no one else coming in Mama had David check the street for late-comers. When he was seated she called the blessing on the meal, and everyone began eating.

I sure am glad I had those biscuits earlier, Kate whispered to David, who just grinned to himself.

Conversation was lively throughout the meal, with a lot of hearty laughing and plenty of compliments to Mama on her cooking.

Mama, these biscuits are delicious, as always, said a burly fellow at the end of the table.

I thank you, but I had Kate here test them for me, Mama replied, nodding toward Kate. She came in with David this morning.

Oho, Kate, so you came in with David, did you? the man smiled. Well, my names Sam, and Im very pleased to make your acquaintance, but now you have to tell, whose biscuits are better, Mamas or Davids

Kate stopped in mid-move, mouth open, her fork halfway up. Her eyes shot left and right to David and Mama, and the whole table laughed at her discomfiture.

David, laughing with the rest, said Dont mind Sam, hes known for putting people on the spot for fun.

Kate got the fork back to her plate and thought fast.

Davids are a close second, she began, and David nodded approvingly, but, I hadnt eaten for three days at that point, she finished.

She stuck her tongue out at David and everyone burst out laughing. Sam was laughing so hard at Davids expression of chagrin he was turning red in the face.

Yes, he bellowed, thats the best way to eat Davids biscuits - after a three day fast!

This started another round of laughing, David joining in with the rest. He laid his arm over Kates shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

Finally lunch drew to a close, Sam and the others returning to their tasks. David left for the mill, receiving assurances from Kate and Mama theyd be fine for the rest of the day. When he left he gave Kate a hug and a quick kiss, and Mama a hug and a thanks for dinner.

When David returned for dinner, he found Kate and Mama laughing and talking as they fixed vegetables. Telling both of them hi, he went out to the pump to get some cleanup water. Joining them again, he asked them what theyd been up to that afternoon.

Mama snorted in his direction.

Girl talk, mostly, she said, nothin youd be interested in. Oh, yeah, Kate did just manage to fix the leak under the house you menfolk hadnt gotten around to.

It didnt make any difference to Mama that today was the first time David had heard about the leak, and all three of them knew it. Kate grinned at David.

I crawled under the house and found the leaky pipe. It was just a drain pipe, but when Mama dumped her kitchen water it ran out from under the house instead of going to the septic tank. I remembered seeing some inner tube material at the dump, so I went and got it, stuffed some into the split and wrapped more around the pipe, and it works just fine.

Im proud of you, Kate, David smiled back, its nice to know weve got a plumber aboard. Plumbing is one of the skills Don and I had determined should be included in my self-reliance degree.

Oh, sure, now that Kates done the job, youve got the skills, Mama chided him, looking over at Kate. Just like a man.

This had the effect of bring both Kate and Mama to laughter again, so David just shrugged his shoulders.

At dinner that evening Kate was introduced around. Few of the lunch crowd was there, and David explained that the lunch crowd was made up mostly of people who worked around there, but dinner was attended mostly by people who lived close by.

David related news of the surrounding area, and went to his pack to get letters for two of the people there. Each of the two read the letters immediately, and shared with the others anything of general interest.

Suddenly a siren rose in a wail, and then just as suddenly fell and quit. Everyone stopped talking, but when the siren ceased they returned to their meal. Kates eyes widened at the sound and she turned to David with alarm.

Just a test, he said to her. If it had gone on, youd have seen a fairly well ordered drill to handle most any emergency.

Kate had noticed that all of the men, including David, and some of the women had shot Mama a look when the siren went off, and she had given them a nod that included them all. She resolved to ask David about it later.

David, how long you gonna be in town? one of the women asked him.

Dont know yet, not on a particular mission right now. Why?

Were having a hog roast/swap party three nights from now, hope you can make it, she replied.

David grunted as if hed been punched.

I wouldnt miss it for the world, he said emphatically.

Kate looked at him puzzledly, and he looked back at her.

You dont get it, he said, think of all the pork fat and cracklins you can eat.

Kate pictured it in her mind, and was astonished to find herself salivating almost uncontrollably.

Yeah, your body understands, even if you dont. Most of us are on a perpetual fat diet. We eat well, most of the time, but the cereal and bean diet we can produce and eat in bulk, even supplemented from time to time with wild game, doesnt get us the required dietary fat. Hog roasts are incredibly popular, and every family that can, either owns hogs or cooperates with another family that does.

Kate managed to get her salivary glands under control, and returned to her meal. Lunch and dinner had both been so delicious she had hardly noticed they were meatless.

After dinner most of the crowd helped in the cleanup, almost another social occasion. Because of this, cleanup went quickly, and David took Kate over to the side.

Ive made an appointment for you with Doc Brown, he said. I thought it would be a good idea, both to get you checked out and just to get you acquainted with him.

Thats probably a good idea, she nodded, and they took leave of Mama and her guests.

Ranger was waiting for them on the front porch, and they all walked down the street together.

As they walked down the street, a thought occurred to Kate.

During dinner, after the siren alarm, a bunch of you shot Mama a look. What was that all about?

David smiled grimly.

Mama keeps a brace of loaded rifles in a wardrobe in her bedroom. If that alarm goes off for real, everybody that can, grabs one and heads for the show, he said. Anyone who cant shoot, you, for example, organizes ammunition and first aid supplies and follows close behind.

Kate nodded soberly and they walked on.

They reached Doc Browns place quickly, and David introduced Kate to Doc. He greeted her warmly, and made them comfortable in his house.

After asking them if they wanted some tea, Doc asked Kate about her previous life and her story between hell-day and now. With nervous glances at David, Kate reiterated the story he had already heard.

After Kate finished, Doc invited her into his exam room, and told David it would be twenty to thirty minutes before theyd be through.

David crossed to Docs bookshelf, and picked up Docs copy of Grays Anatomy. Whenever he had to wait on Doc he picked up Grays. He turned to the anatomy of the foot and picked up where he had left off last time.

Thirty five minutes after Doc closed the door, they came back to the room where they had left David. David rose quickly to his feet, raising his eyebrows in silent question.

Shes fine, more or less, Doc smiled at him, and David breathed a sigh of relief. Kate stepped over to him and gave him a big hug.

I was awfully scared about some things, but Doc checked me out and we talked a long time. I feel a lot better now.

Great, just great.

If you both dont mind, Id kinda like to talk to the both of you together for just a few minutes, Doc said, based on what Kates told me so far.

Sure, they both agreed, and sat down together again.

Doc sat down across from them, and addressed himself to David first.

I know this is personal, but if you cant talk to your family doc I might as well not be seeing you. Kate let me know you two have talked about being intimate, but decided at the last minute not to, based on a couple of reasons. First, she knew she was on an emotional roller coaster when the subject first came up, and wasnt sure making that move at that time was the best thing.

David nodded soberly, remembering that night.

Second, having been through repeated rapes, she was afraid, one, that her system had been hurt, and two, she might have been exposed to some pretty bad diseases. Out of concern for you, she decided shed better wait.

Yeah, we talked about all of that, David admitted.

Well, third, was a symptom you didnt know about. Kates got a condition we medical wizards call dysmenorrhea. It really covers a wide range of problems, but in Kates case it means that about six or seven months ago her menstrual flow dried up.

Davis looked at Kate with worry in his eyes.

Not serious, Doc offered, it frequently happens in women going through a malnutrition phase. Kind of natures way of backing off of fertility in lean times. Its usually a temporary condition, and when Kate starts eating regularly again itll probably start back up. Just something I thought you ought to know about.

For a while I was really afraid Id gotten pregnant, Kate said to David. I was terrified, since I knew what those gangs did to pregnant women. According to Doc, the dysmenorrhea was what actually kept me from getting pregnant. But when months went by and I didnt turn up pregnant, I was even more scared of what might have happened to my system.

She paused, looking down at the floor, then looked David in the eyes.

That night you saved my life I about turned inside out with fear and grief and gratitude, and I am so glad you understood. I wanted to make love with you so badly, but I was so afraid of what I d been through. I owe you a lot just for being able to sleep on your shoulder with your arm around me.

She looked at Doc.

Thanks, Doc, she smiled at him. I really appreciate the checkup and the talk.

Then she got serious.

Whats an exam go for these days? I dont have much, but we can work something out.

David already knows the fee, Doc smiled back at her. If you two can convince Sam Stoddard to get me some stud service for my beagle bitch, well be even.

She looked questioningly at David. He smiled at her.

Weve got two or three days to work a swap with Sam, he said. Doc, if I cant get you stud service before I leave town Ill just have to curl up and die. Ive got a reputation to uphold.

I know your reputation quite well, thank you, grinned Doc. Are you gonna be at Wagoners hog roast this week?

Yes we are! David and Kate said simultaneously, and all three laughed aloud.

End of Chapter 5

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), November 01, 1999

Answers

Cowardly,

I liked it, but I wanted to run by you a little editing I think you might like, take a look:

[Scene: In the house, early morning]

David gently woke Kate up from her nap, glad she seemed to be resting peacefully. When Kate opened her eyes and focussed on David, her face lit up with delight.

You came back! she said quickly, then looked embarassed.

David smiled at her.

Thats all right, he said,  I know thisll take some getting used to. Before we head down for lunch, do you want to freshen up, splash some water on your face or anything?

Kate sat up and shook her head.

No, Im all right, just hungry, she said. I can smell lunch from here.

They walked into the dining room together, where Mama was just putting out the dishes and cutlery. She greeted them warmly, then when Kate was looking hungrily at a bowl of biscuits, glanced at David. David nodded in Kates direction.

[Edit]

David reached for one of the biscuits, fighting back the urge to grab three at a time. He was hugry as hell and the last thing he wantd to do was be polite, but he made a valiant effort and restrained himself.

He was totally unaware (like everyone in the room was) as he was thinking this, of the little red dot that had appeared on the back of his head.

As he reached out for a golden biscuit, the window behind him suddenly popped and everyone looked over to see what happened. kate thought for a second a large bird had just hit it. it took her only a moment to understand the truth.

Mama was bugged eyed, and her mouth was dropped open like a gate on a castle years abandonded. Kate looked over to her and then back to David.

But david wasn't looking back. He was face down in his biscuits, a hole about the size of an acorn in the back of his head, and the size of a teacup in the front. Blood and cranium matter had mixed into the remaining biscuits, making them look more like poridge.

Mama broke the deafening silence with a shreik, but it was cut off short as the window made another popping noise, and another hole appeared. Mama was thrown backwards onto the floor over her chair as the .308 round slammed into her forehead. Her still body was like a piece of modern art on the floor, gory and red from the sniper's bullet.

Kate jumped up pushing the chair back from the table. her hands were trembling and she was beginning to whimper helplessly. This was her Mama after all, and her lover David. Now both deader than Judas. With a sickening wretch she gave back her biscuits unto the world, from whence they came. But the sight of her own vomit was not nearly as unsettling as the sight she saw out the window.

An Ex-Seal team was making their way out of the woods surrounding the house. There was about eight of them, and they looked mean. Kate had only a second to remember the rifles in the other room. She started for the doorway, but stopped dead in her tracks as the little red dot of death appeared on her blouse, over her heart.

She whispered..."oh shit". But it was hardly a respite from the inevitable. The next .308 round knocked her clear across the room, smashing the sheetrock as her body fell into the wall.

As she lay on the floor, breathing labored, she started to pray to Jesus to make this all go away.

The Ex-Seal team made their way to the house, and then walked calmy inside. Kate was just about unconcious as they came into the kithen and sat down at the table. One of them had a radio, and clicked it on.

"Hawkeye, this is Intruder-6, copy?"

"Copy Intruder-6, this is Hawkeye, go ahead, over"

"All dead down here, secular probability Zero, have a nice Day, over"

"Copy that Intruder-6, I'll be down in a minute, save a biscuit for me, over".

[End Chapter Five]

Author's Note: So how does that sound, Cowardly? You and me, we could write a great novel! I know it's a little Tarrantinoesque, but hey, you got to give the masses what they want to hear. Am I right or am I right?

-- (anon@anon. Edit Piece), November 01, 1999.

Sounds like one of those ex-Seal members could be Jesse"The Fatman"Ventura.

-- Interesting (Interesting@story.andreply), November 01, 1999.

Lion,

I like your version better. More please.

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), November 02, 1999.

yeah, that soundspretty much like cowardly lifted the plot and characters completely from Alas babylon, a good book but very dated... its about time somebody wrote a y2k version. The remake is probably more accurate for some situatioons but the title is "survivor's tale" not "dead Mother f*cker's tale" so i thinkt he ex-sel team thing isa little gratuitous. thin about it for every family that they waste, there will be thousands that they never 'get around to." also, once they do this a dozen or so times, somebody they kill will have ex-military friends or relatives who will try to hunt them down. granted they will probably kill off vets as well, being and evil team of renegade SEALs (I wonder how likely SEALs would be to do this in the first place) but, after a few weeks of being hunted and harassed and losing one or two guys, they may decide that banditry is not such a good idea. How about this: David gently woke Kate up from her nap, glad she seemed to be resting peacefully. When Kate opened her eyes and focussed on David, her face lit up with delight.

You came back! she said quickly, then looked embarassed.

David smiled at her.

Thats all right, he said,  I know thisll take some getting used to. Before we head down for lunch, do you want to freshen up, splash some water on your face or anything?

Kate sat up and shook her head.

No, Im all right, just hungry, she said. I can smell lunch from here.

They walked into the dining room together, where Mama was just putting out the dishes and cutlery. She greeted them warmly, then when Kate was looking hungrily at a bowl of biscuits, glanced at David. David nodded in Kates direction.

Kate, hon, grab a couple of those biscuits and test them for me, would you please? Theres honey, butter and jam in the kitchen, bring them in here for me, thats a good girl.

When Kate went after the toppings, she heard the distinctive, heartstopping sound of the safety being clicked off of an AR-15. She Dave and Mama glanced towards the noise, it seemd as if Mama's gladiolus had come to life rising up from the ground like one of the pre-death horror movies she used to watch on "saturday shocker." "don't any of you move," the gladiolus said brandishing a dun colored automatic rifle. Davids jaw fell open and kate stared at his, tears welling in her eyes, the only coherent thought that ran through her head was 'gee, he looks cute, even with a mouthful of biscuits' Mama stood and with tremendous dignity said, "Sonny if you are going to step in MY house you WILL wipe your feet." The bush, actually an ex-navy seal, laughed. "sorry to scare you folks just proving a point," he keyed his headset mic. "Rambo, this is mad max do you copy?" there was an idecipherable squawk followed by some call signs and milspeak they didn't understand. Dave closed his mouth. "ok folks, we're just passing through and stopped to get breakfast hoe you don't mind, but you have alot to learn about security, y'all can find you senrty tied to a tree about forty meters up the trail, tell him not to move around so much and not to stand right on the trail it was too easy." The SEAL pulled bakc the ghillie suit to reveal his greasepainted face, hs ssmiled white teeth gleaming against the drap backdrop. Dave handed him the plate of biscuits, his hand trembled so much he thought he was going to spill breakfast, and almost unpardonable sin. "thank you sir," he said graciously, taking almost and entire butter drenched biscuit in one bite, "I aso might add that you beef up security on the siren or at least use a better code system, I snuck in there last nigh and read you SOP on that thing and it wouldn't be nuthin' to take over the station ring up an alarm and ambush you as you assemble, four men could kill y'all, no prob." The SEAL thanked them again for the biscuits and slunk back into the woods from whence he came. David, red faced went back to munching on biscuits silently. He was king shit here cause he'd been in the reserves, now his masculine pride was wounded. kate wondered whether the SEAL was single or not.

-- jeremiah (braponspdetroit@hotmail.com), November 02, 1999.

Well, Jeremiah, obviously THAT Seal wasn't Jesse"The Stuffed Sausage"Ventura, cause no one would Care if he's single. But it's an interesting angle.

-- Interesting (interestingstory@and.replies), November 02, 1999.

Jeramiah,

LOL! That was great. It seems like we have three budding authors. A cross between Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and Rodney Dangerfield. How about a Seal (the kind you find in the Arctic) that was once an ex-gladiola sharpshooter for the FBI? No, that is just too Monty Python for the likes of this hack writer.

Well, at least we aren't totally devoid of creativity around here.

-- (anon@anon.Edit Piece), November 02, 1999.