Story So that your love may be complete.
- Thread starter PacNorWest
- Start date
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thank you Pac. for more of your story. looks like we are going to be seeing a lot of cliff.
Wayne
Wayne
Last edited:
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#252b
"Ben, I mean this in the most loving way, but for a man that is a minister you seem to be crippled when it comes to talking to God. I don't know how you are praying, but you know from Bible examples that God's answers come when He sends them; not because you happen to be in a hurry." Twila was hoping to help Ben, he seemed stuck and spinning his gears in neutral.
"That's what makes me such a lousy minister," Ben self depreciated himself. "I get down on my knees and open my heart, and my mind goes blank and my tongue can't say the words I want to say."
"Could it be, that God has forgiven you Ben, and you can't forgive yourself. The faith you have is dependent on the value you give others people's opinions of your faith; you're leaving God's will out of the equation. It doesn't work that way." Twila had never been as honest with Ben as she was; trying to reach that part of him that was shuttered off and inaccessible.
At times Twila felt that she would never know the true Ben, he kept so much of himself closed off and at times he was just 'strange.'
What Clora and Wayne had told her about Ben in the early days, was a far cry from the Ben she was married too.
Ben was mulling over what Twila had said. "So you think I should take the money and do something with it?"
"Yes, money is a tool to be used. Most of the time, a tool is used to 'fix' something that is broken. The proper use and intention for the tool." Twila was hitting hard.
"I'll think on it," Ben sighed. "I'm so tired, I need a nap. Is it OK if I catch a few winks?"
"Certainly, I'm off to take a walk. I'll be back later." Twila hoped that it was Ben's intention to pray in the silent house.
Twila wasn't sure why, but her feet took her to Clora's house. She had questions.
Welcomed in, Twila sat at the table and fiddled with her cup of tea. "Clora, I'm so puzzled about Ben, what you all say about Ben when he was young, sure doesn't match up with the Ben now."
"Believe me, he has been the topic of a lot of conversations," Clora admitted. "We have to believe it was the drugs that caused such a change. What he was being given was a potent mixture of high powered legal and illegal; it made him paranoid, suspicious, and impossible to get along with. I don't believe he will ever be the brother he once was."Twila felt Clora's sadness from across the table.
"I see signs that Ben is slipping back into depression, has he said anything to you Twila?" Clora was rubbing her temple, against a nagging start of a headache. "Ben's suspicions of Mark have always been a predictor of his mental health, and they are starting up again."
"I probably shouldn't be saying this, but for a man that has gone through ministerial training, he doesn't seem capable of the job." Twila kinda mumbled, ducking her head as she finished her thought. Twila honestly wasn't sure how Clora might react, the woman was a mystery.
"I agree," Clora said calmly. "Ben's not right with God, so I don't see how he could help or minister to other souls that need help."
Twila felt such a rush of gratitude, "Clora, I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel. I thought I was the only one to see Ben's struggles as a lack of faith." Twila's hands were shaking so, she had to put the tea cup down.
"Ben is the only one that can make it right with God," Clora said decisively. "and I don't think he knows how to."
"Ben, I mean this in the most loving way, but for a man that is a minister you seem to be crippled when it comes to talking to God. I don't know how you are praying, but you know from Bible examples that God's answers come when He sends them; not because you happen to be in a hurry." Twila was hoping to help Ben, he seemed stuck and spinning his gears in neutral.
"That's what makes me such a lousy minister," Ben self depreciated himself. "I get down on my knees and open my heart, and my mind goes blank and my tongue can't say the words I want to say."
"Could it be, that God has forgiven you Ben, and you can't forgive yourself. The faith you have is dependent on the value you give others people's opinions of your faith; you're leaving God's will out of the equation. It doesn't work that way." Twila had never been as honest with Ben as she was; trying to reach that part of him that was shuttered off and inaccessible.
At times Twila felt that she would never know the true Ben, he kept so much of himself closed off and at times he was just 'strange.'
What Clora and Wayne had told her about Ben in the early days, was a far cry from the Ben she was married too.
Ben was mulling over what Twila had said. "So you think I should take the money and do something with it?"
"Yes, money is a tool to be used. Most of the time, a tool is used to 'fix' something that is broken. The proper use and intention for the tool." Twila was hitting hard.
"I'll think on it," Ben sighed. "I'm so tired, I need a nap. Is it OK if I catch a few winks?"
"Certainly, I'm off to take a walk. I'll be back later." Twila hoped that it was Ben's intention to pray in the silent house.
Twila wasn't sure why, but her feet took her to Clora's house. She had questions.
Welcomed in, Twila sat at the table and fiddled with her cup of tea. "Clora, I'm so puzzled about Ben, what you all say about Ben when he was young, sure doesn't match up with the Ben now."
"Believe me, he has been the topic of a lot of conversations," Clora admitted. "We have to believe it was the drugs that caused such a change. What he was being given was a potent mixture of high powered legal and illegal; it made him paranoid, suspicious, and impossible to get along with. I don't believe he will ever be the brother he once was."Twila felt Clora's sadness from across the table.
"I see signs that Ben is slipping back into depression, has he said anything to you Twila?" Clora was rubbing her temple, against a nagging start of a headache. "Ben's suspicions of Mark have always been a predictor of his mental health, and they are starting up again."
"I probably shouldn't be saying this, but for a man that has gone through ministerial training, he doesn't seem capable of the job." Twila kinda mumbled, ducking her head as she finished her thought. Twila honestly wasn't sure how Clora might react, the woman was a mystery.
"I agree," Clora said calmly. "Ben's not right with God, so I don't see how he could help or minister to other souls that need help."
Twila felt such a rush of gratitude, "Clora, I can't tell you how happy that makes me feel. I thought I was the only one to see Ben's struggles as a lack of faith." Twila's hands were shaking so, she had to put the tea cup down.
"Ben is the only one that can make it right with God," Clora said decisively. "and I don't think he knows how to."
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thank you Pac. have a Blessed day.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#253
"As far as I'm concerned, Ben lacks humility," Clora gave her opinion. "He's so .....well he says, I need this fixed God, thank you very much...I'll see ya next time; and he's off on another tangent.
Twila was nodding. "I finally had to tell him this morning the reason he and God weren't getting along, was because he never listened to what God wanted him to do."
"Bingo!" Clora enthused loudly. "Ben has always carried a walloping heavy load of Hanson pride, and at times that load of manure has tipped him over."
Twila snickered, she couldn't help it. The mental image was too great to ignore. "Oh, I shouldn't laugh," she added contritely, " but if I don't, I'll cry."
Clora nodded as she lifted the tea pot, silently asking Twila if she wanted more.
Twila declined, "thank you no, I've got to get back and get lunch on the table. "That's one of Ben's current ideas, opening a small café."
"That sounds like a good way to keep you busy," Clora arched an eyebrow at Twila, "what's Ben going to do?"
Twila had to shrug her shoulders, she didn't know.
"That's pretty much what I thought," Clora said dryly.
Twila left and Clora continued on helping the triplets with their numbers and letters. John was zipping through the flash cards that Clora had made, calling out the numbers as quick as she could present the next one.
They were in the middle of lunch, when there was a tremendous explosion that rocked the entire town.
"As far as I'm concerned, Ben lacks humility," Clora gave her opinion. "He's so .....well he says, I need this fixed God, thank you very much...I'll see ya next time; and he's off on another tangent.
Twila was nodding. "I finally had to tell him this morning the reason he and God weren't getting along, was because he never listened to what God wanted him to do."
"Bingo!" Clora enthused loudly. "Ben has always carried a walloping heavy load of Hanson pride, and at times that load of manure has tipped him over."
Twila snickered, she couldn't help it. The mental image was too great to ignore. "Oh, I shouldn't laugh," she added contritely, " but if I don't, I'll cry."
Clora nodded as she lifted the tea pot, silently asking Twila if she wanted more.
Twila declined, "thank you no, I've got to get back and get lunch on the table. "That's one of Ben's current ideas, opening a small café."
"That sounds like a good way to keep you busy," Clora arched an eyebrow at Twila, "what's Ben going to do?"
Twila had to shrug her shoulders, she didn't know.
"That's pretty much what I thought," Clora said dryly.
Twila left and Clora continued on helping the triplets with their numbers and letters. John was zipping through the flash cards that Clora had made, calling out the numbers as quick as she could present the next one.
They were in the middle of lunch, when there was a tremendous explosion that rocked the entire town.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
I see cliff is still with us 
, thanks for the chapter Pac.
, thanks for the chapter Pac.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#253
"Oh my, I wonder what that was?" Clora got up to look out the window for clues. There were two more smaller explosions, and then that horrible silence that happens after a disaster. "I don't see anything," she remarked.
"I vill goes to looks," Karl announced as he stood up. He had to stop by the cupboard and get a cookie, he needed to keep his strength up.
Karl was back in fifteen minutes. "A vorkmans vas digging vith a backhoe downs by the banks, he hit a gasses line ud it vent booms." he reported sadly. "Muches bad for the peoples there. They gots killed."
"God rest their souls," Clora said immediately, "Is there something we can do?"
"Prays," Karl swallowed the bit of cookie in his hand, "Iss bads."
"Oh my, I wonder what that was?" Clora got up to look out the window for clues. There were two more smaller explosions, and then that horrible silence that happens after a disaster. "I don't see anything," she remarked.
"I vill goes to looks," Karl announced as he stood up. He had to stop by the cupboard and get a cookie, he needed to keep his strength up.
Karl was back in fifteen minutes. "A vorkmans vas digging vith a backhoe downs by the banks, he hit a gasses line ud it vent booms." he reported sadly. "Muches bad for the peoples there. They gots killed."
"God rest their souls," Clora said immediately, "Is there something we can do?"
"Prays," Karl swallowed the bit of cookie in his hand, "Iss bads."
Texican
Live Free & Die Free.... God Freedom Country....
Prayers will work wonders....
The explosion before the storm????
Only Pac knows....
Texican....
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
OH man we need to know lol.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Accident or a set up???? Thanks for the chapter Pac, looking forward to more.
Wayne
Wayne
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#254
It was less than seven minutes before Mark was in the driveway, checking on the family. He shook his head when asked if there was anything they could do.
"About five people killed, and there's a heck of a big hole in the bank foundation. Wayne is Deputizing me and I've got to get Ben. He can sit with a shotgun and deter lookie loos. The store is OK, but if we'd been a half a block closer, it would have been bad."
Mark had to have a cookie for fortification and gladly took the sack that Helga sent for Ben and Wayne. "It vills sees them throughs," she nodded with confidence. "Theys ares muches too skinnys."
"Goodness, this poor town is beset with problems," Clora supervised the snack of cookies the triplets were eating, after seeing Dad get a cookie, there was a yell for their own. From somewhere, Helga produced the magical plate with extras, and the house got happy.
"Vhat abouts mes," Karl out on a hurt look and voice, and then winked at Helga after he had lifted two from the plate. Helga shook her head and tisked at his audacity. "Yous are supposed to bees loosing the weights, no can does eating cookies."
"I can no lives vithouts the cookies," Karl charmed Helga, "iss muches necessarys little dumpling."
Karl went out the door laughing, making sure he had a firm grip on the cookies. It would be just like Helga to dart around and try and take them away from him, so he was ready.
Clora was laughing, "I don't think you will win, Helga; he's a tricky cookie mastermind."
Helga was smiling, it was a tease between her and Karl and it made the day go faster.
Mark was back, screeching in the drive. "Clora, do we have any old sheets to tear up for bandages," he called in the door, "Where's Karl?" Mark raised his voice to find the handyman. Karl stuck his head out of the barn and Mark hollered for him to come.
"Clora, I need two of our oldest twin mattresses, they'll get bloody and we'll throw them away, One for my pickup and one for Karl's. We need to move wounded to the hospital in Ashville. Not enough ambulances available." he went running up stairs to get the bedding from Milo and Teddy's beds.
For a portly old man, Karl could move quickly, when the occasion demanded. He and Mark drove off after Clora asked how many had been hurt.
"More than twenty," Mark had yelled over his shoulder.
"Helga, do you want to walk up there and see if there's anything we can do? Don't hurry, we don't want you over doing it." Clora asked.
Helga nodded. "Vatters muches uff the times. To bees drinking ud vashing avay the bloods. I goes ud sees." Helga hung her apron on the back of the chair and set out.
Clora still had her cast on, and it was taking forever for her ankle to heal. Of course, she couldn't stay off of it as much as had been recommended, but she was getting by.
Clora looked for several of their collapsible water jugs in the bottom of the pantry, thanking her luck she didn't have to go down stairs for them.
Helga was back in a short time. "Yesses, they muches needs vatters. The school iss closing ud Milos he vents to gets the papers cups from the stores. Roberts ud Teddy 'n Bennys vill bees heres soon to helps move the vatters ups theres. Ve use the vagons, no?"
"Yes." Clora was filling the containers. The boys could lift them into the wagons. Then the water stopped. "Must have broken the water lines," Clora supposed aloud. "Isn't that a dandy thing."
When the boys got home, Clora sent them with the water she had drawn, telling them Milo would meet them up there.
Some of the first people the boys found that needed water was Lucretia and her new clerk. They had been outside the store, discussing if they should have an awning erected over the doorway, when they were blown over by the force of the blast. Both had cuts that were bleeding and were dis oriented. Teddy went in to help with the sudden flood of people flocking into the store, looking for water and quick food items.
Teddy efficiently added the purchases and wrote the items, taking the money and prevented a mini riot with his help and presence.
Lucretia and Charles had been triaged, their wounds severe but not life threatening, that is unless you listened to Lucretia screaming at the top of her lungs.
Tess went into the grocery and brought out four rolls of paper towels and Robert cut them in half with his wicked sharp knife. That alone caused Lucretia to shriek louder, and when Tess slapped the half roll on Lucretias leg and then moved her hand to press on the roll, the shopkeeper had to shut up as her throat was twisted as she bent over, to hold the makeshift bandage.
Charles was quick to catch on and he accepted the two rolls Robert handed him. Nodding his thanks, Charles looked down the street, holding the absorbent paper on his own bleeding legs.
Robert and Tess were back in the store gathering an armful of the paper packages, and running down the street before Lucretia realized those rolls were from her store. That caused more shrill screeching.
It was less than seven minutes before Mark was in the driveway, checking on the family. He shook his head when asked if there was anything they could do.
"About five people killed, and there's a heck of a big hole in the bank foundation. Wayne is Deputizing me and I've got to get Ben. He can sit with a shotgun and deter lookie loos. The store is OK, but if we'd been a half a block closer, it would have been bad."
Mark had to have a cookie for fortification and gladly took the sack that Helga sent for Ben and Wayne. "It vills sees them throughs," she nodded with confidence. "Theys ares muches too skinnys."
"Goodness, this poor town is beset with problems," Clora supervised the snack of cookies the triplets were eating, after seeing Dad get a cookie, there was a yell for their own. From somewhere, Helga produced the magical plate with extras, and the house got happy.
"Vhat abouts mes," Karl out on a hurt look and voice, and then winked at Helga after he had lifted two from the plate. Helga shook her head and tisked at his audacity. "Yous are supposed to bees loosing the weights, no can does eating cookies."
"I can no lives vithouts the cookies," Karl charmed Helga, "iss muches necessarys little dumpling."
Karl went out the door laughing, making sure he had a firm grip on the cookies. It would be just like Helga to dart around and try and take them away from him, so he was ready.
Clora was laughing, "I don't think you will win, Helga; he's a tricky cookie mastermind."
Helga was smiling, it was a tease between her and Karl and it made the day go faster.
Mark was back, screeching in the drive. "Clora, do we have any old sheets to tear up for bandages," he called in the door, "Where's Karl?" Mark raised his voice to find the handyman. Karl stuck his head out of the barn and Mark hollered for him to come.
"Clora, I need two of our oldest twin mattresses, they'll get bloody and we'll throw them away, One for my pickup and one for Karl's. We need to move wounded to the hospital in Ashville. Not enough ambulances available." he went running up stairs to get the bedding from Milo and Teddy's beds.
For a portly old man, Karl could move quickly, when the occasion demanded. He and Mark drove off after Clora asked how many had been hurt.
"More than twenty," Mark had yelled over his shoulder.
"Helga, do you want to walk up there and see if there's anything we can do? Don't hurry, we don't want you over doing it." Clora asked.
Helga nodded. "Vatters muches uff the times. To bees drinking ud vashing avay the bloods. I goes ud sees." Helga hung her apron on the back of the chair and set out.
Clora still had her cast on, and it was taking forever for her ankle to heal. Of course, she couldn't stay off of it as much as had been recommended, but she was getting by.
Clora looked for several of their collapsible water jugs in the bottom of the pantry, thanking her luck she didn't have to go down stairs for them.
Helga was back in a short time. "Yesses, they muches needs vatters. The school iss closing ud Milos he vents to gets the papers cups from the stores. Roberts ud Teddy 'n Bennys vill bees heres soon to helps move the vatters ups theres. Ve use the vagons, no?"
"Yes." Clora was filling the containers. The boys could lift them into the wagons. Then the water stopped. "Must have broken the water lines," Clora supposed aloud. "Isn't that a dandy thing."
When the boys got home, Clora sent them with the water she had drawn, telling them Milo would meet them up there.
Some of the first people the boys found that needed water was Lucretia and her new clerk. They had been outside the store, discussing if they should have an awning erected over the doorway, when they were blown over by the force of the blast. Both had cuts that were bleeding and were dis oriented. Teddy went in to help with the sudden flood of people flocking into the store, looking for water and quick food items.
Teddy efficiently added the purchases and wrote the items, taking the money and prevented a mini riot with his help and presence.
Lucretia and Charles had been triaged, their wounds severe but not life threatening, that is unless you listened to Lucretia screaming at the top of her lungs.
Tess went into the grocery and brought out four rolls of paper towels and Robert cut them in half with his wicked sharp knife. That alone caused Lucretia to shriek louder, and when Tess slapped the half roll on Lucretias leg and then moved her hand to press on the roll, the shopkeeper had to shut up as her throat was twisted as she bent over, to hold the makeshift bandage.
Charles was quick to catch on and he accepted the two rolls Robert handed him. Nodding his thanks, Charles looked down the street, holding the absorbent paper on his own bleeding legs.
Robert and Tess were back in the store gathering an armful of the paper packages, and running down the street before Lucretia realized those rolls were from her store. That caused more shrill screeching.
Texican
Live Free & Die Free.... God Freedom Country....
Lucretia screaming about her injury, but screamed louder about her supplies being used to treat even her injuries.... How sad....
Will Charles have a new understanding or not???? Just what is Charles's problem????
Only Pac knows.... Maybe Pac will clear the fog away....
Thanks Pac for the story you weave....
Texican....
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thanks Pac The clan is always in the thick of everything going on around them.
Wayne
Wayne
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#254b
When Lucretia realized people were going in the store and coming out with sacks of groceries, and her clerk was disabled on the ground beside her; that's when she really tuned up.
Unable to get to the store with a possible broken leg, Lucretia perfumed the air with invectives that would have made a merchant marine blush. Charles had several deep gashes on the backs of both legs and a chunk of pipe or concrete had hit him in the back of his right shoulder and it was still bleeding.
The two of them were helpless, and that's where Helga found them as she pulled a second wagon filled with water jugs into the fringes of the disaster.
Offering the pair a drink of water, Helga couldn't understand what the hysterically sobbing woman was crying about.
"It's the store," Charles had finally broke in to say. "It is being looted."
Helga walked over and poked her head in the door. Teddy looked up and waved, he was busy checking people out.
"Nons," Helga handed water to several other people limping out of the blast site. "Teddys, he iss checking the customers out ud puttings the moneys in the box." Helga couldn't think of the word cash register, so she used box.
"There's a kid in there?" Charles was astonished, sure they would never get the mess straightened out. Lucretia started moaning with fresh vigor, positive the child was putting the money in his own pocket. They annoyed Helga, so she pulled the wagon further toward the bank.
Helga thought if she knew they were going to moan and cry about Teddy running the store, she wouldn't have stopped and given them water.
Under the hot September sun, the water was a life saver for many people. Helga didn't know how many people had been hurt, but the place looked like a war zone after a direct hit. There were bodies that had died scattered among the seriously maimed and the ones that were damaged but not to the point of death.
The wailing of sirens announced the arrival of two ambulances, and the backfire from the old EMS vehicle that had been pressed into service, ignited the unrestricted flow of natural gas and there was another loud explosion. Screams and crying rent the air as those who might have escaped the initial blast, took a second hit.
Helga was blown face down on the pavement and bumped her nose, creating a nosebleed of healthy proportions. Milo, Robert, Tess and Benny were hit by flying rock, concrete and gravel. The four kids gathered together and went to help Helga. Dabbing at their own wounds, they smeared blood all over their faces.
"We've got to get out of here, this thing could blow a thousand times, every time it gets ignited," Milo told his brothers. "Let's go find Uncle Ben, maybe he knows if there is a valve the will shut the line off."
Uncle Ben was at Clora's, asking a lot of nonsense questions, like he couldn't remember the past history of the clan at all.
"Ben, have you had a stroke?" Clora didn't have time to talk, the third time he tried to ask about the diamonds.
"For heavens sake, they were distributed out to everyone years ago. I know we had to turn ours in for money to afford all the land buying we have done. That and the food we have supplied to everyone. I'm sure you and Lainey had to do the same thing, isn't that how you financed your schooling?"
Ben was shaking his head like his memory was fogged up and he couldn't remember. He lapsed into silence, staring at John like he couldn't place who the child was.
Clora was perturbed that Ben would be taking up her time, when there was such a problem in town.
"Do you need to be in town helping?" she said waspishly, "You are the Sheriff."
Ben looked up and mumbled, "oh yeah," and headed off to town.
Clora went about starting supper, cooking rice and beans together and planning on adding canned ham scraps for meat. The canned ham was the only two jars of meat upstairs in the pantry and she couldn't leave the triplets long enough to slowly take her casted foot downstairs for something else.
Gary, Lou and Sam finally got home, they had detoured around to the scene of horror and confusion to see what was going on. They let Clora know where everyone was, and volunteered to go do chores. Clora approved and the boys went to change out of their school clothes.
They were back quickly, anxious to have a snack before they went out to the barn. Clora gave them the last of the cookies, and then had to break the last one into threes, for the protesting triplets.
The younger boys were in the barn choreing, when the older group came home, helping Helga. Bloody and dirty, they were the worse for wear.
"We had to come home," Benny hiccupped with emotion. "Nobody knows where the main valve shut off for the feeder line is; it keeps pumping out more gas and stupid people are causing more explosions."
"The phones don't work, can't call the gas company;" Milo added, "a lot more people got hurt the second time it exploded."
"I'm sure Dad will have alerted the authorities when he got the first wounded to Ashville," Clora replied. "Did any of you kids see Uncle Ben? He left here acting awful strange."
"More than usual?" Milo asked. "Ma, he's really acting more strange all the time. I can remember when we were little kids and he wasn't as goofy as he is now. He really used to have a terrible temper, and now he acts like he tries to hide it and be real sneaky.
Clora stopped stirring supper and looked at the boys. They all seemed to be of the same opinion, standing there as a group. "I can't do anything about it now, but I'll talk to Dad as soon as possible."
There was another explosion and the smell of fire. "Kids, I think we need to load important things in the bus and get ready to evacuate." Clora looked toward town and the flames that were rising above the treetops.
When Lucretia realized people were going in the store and coming out with sacks of groceries, and her clerk was disabled on the ground beside her; that's when she really tuned up.
Unable to get to the store with a possible broken leg, Lucretia perfumed the air with invectives that would have made a merchant marine blush. Charles had several deep gashes on the backs of both legs and a chunk of pipe or concrete had hit him in the back of his right shoulder and it was still bleeding.
The two of them were helpless, and that's where Helga found them as she pulled a second wagon filled with water jugs into the fringes of the disaster.
Offering the pair a drink of water, Helga couldn't understand what the hysterically sobbing woman was crying about.
"It's the store," Charles had finally broke in to say. "It is being looted."
Helga walked over and poked her head in the door. Teddy looked up and waved, he was busy checking people out.
"Nons," Helga handed water to several other people limping out of the blast site. "Teddys, he iss checking the customers out ud puttings the moneys in the box." Helga couldn't think of the word cash register, so she used box.
"There's a kid in there?" Charles was astonished, sure they would never get the mess straightened out. Lucretia started moaning with fresh vigor, positive the child was putting the money in his own pocket. They annoyed Helga, so she pulled the wagon further toward the bank.
Helga thought if she knew they were going to moan and cry about Teddy running the store, she wouldn't have stopped and given them water.
Under the hot September sun, the water was a life saver for many people. Helga didn't know how many people had been hurt, but the place looked like a war zone after a direct hit. There were bodies that had died scattered among the seriously maimed and the ones that were damaged but not to the point of death.
The wailing of sirens announced the arrival of two ambulances, and the backfire from the old EMS vehicle that had been pressed into service, ignited the unrestricted flow of natural gas and there was another loud explosion. Screams and crying rent the air as those who might have escaped the initial blast, took a second hit.
Helga was blown face down on the pavement and bumped her nose, creating a nosebleed of healthy proportions. Milo, Robert, Tess and Benny were hit by flying rock, concrete and gravel. The four kids gathered together and went to help Helga. Dabbing at their own wounds, they smeared blood all over their faces.
"We've got to get out of here, this thing could blow a thousand times, every time it gets ignited," Milo told his brothers. "Let's go find Uncle Ben, maybe he knows if there is a valve the will shut the line off."
Uncle Ben was at Clora's, asking a lot of nonsense questions, like he couldn't remember the past history of the clan at all.
"Ben, have you had a stroke?" Clora didn't have time to talk, the third time he tried to ask about the diamonds.
"For heavens sake, they were distributed out to everyone years ago. I know we had to turn ours in for money to afford all the land buying we have done. That and the food we have supplied to everyone. I'm sure you and Lainey had to do the same thing, isn't that how you financed your schooling?"
Ben was shaking his head like his memory was fogged up and he couldn't remember. He lapsed into silence, staring at John like he couldn't place who the child was.
Clora was perturbed that Ben would be taking up her time, when there was such a problem in town.
"Do you need to be in town helping?" she said waspishly, "You are the Sheriff."
Ben looked up and mumbled, "oh yeah," and headed off to town.
Clora went about starting supper, cooking rice and beans together and planning on adding canned ham scraps for meat. The canned ham was the only two jars of meat upstairs in the pantry and she couldn't leave the triplets long enough to slowly take her casted foot downstairs for something else.
Gary, Lou and Sam finally got home, they had detoured around to the scene of horror and confusion to see what was going on. They let Clora know where everyone was, and volunteered to go do chores. Clora approved and the boys went to change out of their school clothes.
They were back quickly, anxious to have a snack before they went out to the barn. Clora gave them the last of the cookies, and then had to break the last one into threes, for the protesting triplets.
The younger boys were in the barn choreing, when the older group came home, helping Helga. Bloody and dirty, they were the worse for wear.
"We had to come home," Benny hiccupped with emotion. "Nobody knows where the main valve shut off for the feeder line is; it keeps pumping out more gas and stupid people are causing more explosions."
"The phones don't work, can't call the gas company;" Milo added, "a lot more people got hurt the second time it exploded."
"I'm sure Dad will have alerted the authorities when he got the first wounded to Ashville," Clora replied. "Did any of you kids see Uncle Ben? He left here acting awful strange."
"More than usual?" Milo asked. "Ma, he's really acting more strange all the time. I can remember when we were little kids and he wasn't as goofy as he is now. He really used to have a terrible temper, and now he acts like he tries to hide it and be real sneaky.
Clora stopped stirring supper and looked at the boys. They all seemed to be of the same opinion, standing there as a group. "I can't do anything about it now, but I'll talk to Dad as soon as possible."
There was another explosion and the smell of fire. "Kids, I think we need to load important things in the bus and get ready to evacuate." Clora looked toward town and the flames that were rising above the treetops.
Dumb Blonde
Contributing Member
Tomorrow....NNOOOOO.... I can't wait til tomorrow....Please PAC, please!
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Wow thanks Pac for more of your fantasy story, who but you could come up with this. Love your story.
Wayne
Wayne