RPG Roll Back – approximately 1/2 hour after Fernando, Hondo and Karl leaves the camper but before Hondo’s return...
Val answers back to Mavis’ call, “Come in.” As Mavis and the girls come into the camper, Val tells them, “We will be leaving soon and locking up the camper. So take what you need, you won’t be able to get back in while we are gone.”
- - - - - - -
RPG Roll Forward – approximately 2 hours...
Fernando and Karl walk to the camp, noticing that at least one more vehicle has arrived, and a rather big one.
Note: This is a mid-1950's Soviet All Terrain Vehicle still being used in Siberia and Antarctica to this day. And they float on water. The Russian Scientists swear by it.
Personal Note: Would not be surprised if a few of them made it across the Arctic Ice and Ocean from Siberia to Canada and down to the USA during the Happening and After Chaos, with a large family comfortably inside. Their only problem is that they are slow but there is no terrain they can't conquer.
See:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/12/unique-soviet-snowmobiles.html Fernando says to himself, "I have not seen one of those in a very long time."
Karl looks at it as well, wondering what to make of it. Looks like Fernando's last comment of a "House rolling down the highway" has come to life. They continue to look at it immense size as they walk to their camp despite it being on the far end of the lot from where their camp is. In a couple of minutes, they get to their camp and head over to Fernando's electric camper and to his Dub Box Camper. Unlocking the door, Fernando puts the things inside the Dub Box without needing to step inside it and locks it up. Everything is in front of the couch by the door and not visible because of the curtains covering the windows.
“Let’s go back to town and get a few things for the girls.” Fernando says to Karl before leaving for town. They get there in about 15 minutes, and Fernando takes Karl through the food markets, stopping at a bakery as he tells him of his plan, “Since three adoptions have happened in the group, the girls should have a little celebration of ‘joining the family.’ When we get back we need to set up the tables and chairs for this little party.” He then turns to the baker who recognizes him, “I would like three of your fancy party cakes.”
“Hey! Fernando, isn’t?!!” The baker turns to him, “Three fancy cakes? Want anything written on them? And what kind of filling?”
“Well, for the filling. Anything but strawberry. Strawberries get some of us sick.” Fernando tells him as he looks at the cakes in the display, pointing out a small round cake about 10 inches in diameter covered in white icing and decorated with blue trim bunting and pink florets on the top. “Something like that will do.”
“Three of those with no strawberry filling? Not a problem! Want anything written on them?” The baker says.
“Well, all three will have, ‘Happy Pairing Day’ but under that the names will be different.” Fernando says to him.
“OK. Write them down and I’ll get it done. Anything else?” The baker says and asks as he hands Fernando a small pad and paper.
Fernando takes the pad and paper and writes down what he wants on the cakes, one for Hondo/Val and Tonya/Zoe, one for Jeanette and Penny, and one for him and Macey. He hands back the pad and pencil to the baker as he says, “a couple jugs of sweet juice or tea if you have it, maybe apple juice. In fact, make that one jug of juice and one jug tea. How long will it take and how much?”
“For you, 2-small gold ($10 each) coins, I can get them done in 20 minutes!” The baker says to him.
“That will be great.” Fernando says as he hands him a gold coin, “I’ll pay for the rest when I come back. We got to get some other supplies.”
“What you need, I can point you out to the best deals.” The baker says.
“It’s one of those thing I won’t know I need it until I see it. You know what I mean?” Fernando says.
“Ha ha... That’s like my wife. She is always not knowing what to buy until the last minute. Enjoy my friend!” The baker says to him.
As they walk out of the bakery, Karl asks, “What you need? Maybe I know a few sellers who got it.”
“Actually, we do not need anything. We got enough supplies to last us a couple days to get us to the next town. We should get fuel for the vehicles and get them ready. You know how to handle tools and do your own mechanical repairs?” Fernando asks.
“I don’t know much but I can fix simple things and learn.” Karl answers.
“OK. Can you take care of your fire arms, lubricate them, and clean them up? If not Hondo and I can teach you.” Fernando asks and says.
“Clean them up, maybe.” Karl begins.
“Let me ask this...” Fernando says as he looks at the various items being sold as they walked, “Before the slavers tried to take you away, what was your job?”
“Wessens don’t have jobs, not jobs that pays money though we do work - field hands, housework, body guard, driver - whatever puts a roof over our heads a place to wash up, clothes to look presentable and food in our bellies.” Karl answers.
“So you were slaves.” Fernando points out.
“Most of us were, and we were the lucky ones because we had a place to sleep in at the end of the day. Those who were free did what they had to do to get that, if you know what I mean.” Karl explains.
“Yeah. Seen it happen all over the world, not just with wessens, but with people too.” Fernando says.
“Then you know what one has to do to get things in order to survive.” Karl says angrily.
“If I can undo all of this, I would.” Fernando says.
“You did more than enough though it may not cover us wessens. I have been listening to the radio for the past couple days, so I know what you did. I may not agree with all of it, but it is the best where the least amount of people got hurt. I just want to know how you took down a Zeppelin and a communication tower from far away.” Karl says.
“One day I’ll teach you, but it’s called Math, where if you know how fast and how far something is going, you can extend the range by aiming higher and let it go up before it goes down onto your target.” Fernando says.
Somewhere in the crowd a voice calls out, “Karl, is that you?”
The sound catches Karl’s ear, making him stop in his tracks and look around.
“It is you!” the voice gets louder before he got pounced on from behind by a smaller white curly hair sheep-like female wessen in her later teens. She holds onto him tightly and begins to cry, “I thought they took you away and killed you!”
“Teri? But... How? They killed everyone!” Karl says and he holds the female wessen tightly.
“Sam hid us in the wine cellar along with the Young Lady Maribelle, but they caught him and killed him in the fields. We got out of the wine cellar the next day… they took everything and what they could not take, they destroyed.” Teri explains amidst her sobs.
“The house still there?” Karl asks.
“Most of it. They try to burn it down but only the west wing burned and only where they set it aflame...” Teri begins, “But how, they said the slavers took everyone to kill them for the purge!”
“Tonya got us out but there was a fire fight and if it weren’t for this guy and his friend Hondo, we would have been caught and killed again.
Teri looks at him with teary eyes before turning to Fernando, “Thank you...”
“You do not have to explain, Karl...” Fernando begins.
“No, I must...” Karl interjects, “This is my cousin Teri. She worked in the house we worked for before the slavers came in for the purge, something about making a payment that must be paid.”
Fernando knew what this was about, as with the rescue of the girls and killing of the slavers in the other town started the purge. He wonders how many other people were killed before they were rescued.
“You don’t have to answer but what was your job, Karl? You’re too smart to be a field hand and too rough to be a house worker.” Fernando says.
Karl lets out a sigh before he says, “I was sport.”
“Sport?” Fernando asks.
“House Master Joe used to take me and a couple of others from town to town where we were put into a ‘ring’ and fought until only one was left standing. If I won, Master Joe got a lot of money from me winning, but I was not that good in it. I lost a lot of fights but I won some too. Maybe because I won some Master Joe kept me fighting. I also protected Master Joe from those who would do him harm.” Karl stated.
“I see.” Fernando says, “What about Tonya and Zoe?”
“Tonya and Zoe are alive?” Teri asks in excitement.
“They are from another house, our neighbors to be exact. I don’t know what they did there but I’m pretty sure Tonya was for sport as well. Zoe was too young other than taking care of the little ones. But because they were neighbors, we know each other.” Karl says, he then turns to Teri, “Who else managed to survive besides you and Young Lady Maribelle?”
“Just us two. The slavers caught Old Man Sam after he hid us in the secret vault and killed him where he stood. They took all the wine too. It was terrible, hearing their voices outside the secret door as they tore up the place.” Teri explains before crying again.
“So where are you and Young Lady Maribelle staying?” Karl asks.
“Lady Maribelle is trying to get the place sold. But people are not interested ‘cause they say the price is too high and too damaged from the fire.” Teri says, “But after that, where would we go?”
“I’m going to Texas with...” Karl says before realizing Fernando does not want his name said. He corrects himself and continues, “You know we got family there, so I’m hitching a ride with a group. I help them out, they take me to Texas.”
“Can they take us? When are they leaving? We can be ready in a day or so.” Teri explains.
“A day or so?” Karl asks, and then bites on his lip “We’re leaving tonight.”
“Karl, I’m going to give you a lot of trust to go with your cousin and figure this out. But you better be back with a proper decision by 3PM. Everything set up for you will be there, even after we leave. You get where I am coming from?” Fernando says to him.
“Yes, sir!” Karl says to him.
“Good. You know I got things to do. See you later.” Fernando says to him before breaking away.
Eventually Fernando finds a pull wagon he can barrow to carry the cakes, drinks and other supplies back with him to the camp. Finding the place deserted, he sets up the awning, table and chairs, putting the cakes still in their boxes on the table, making note what cakes were there. Each cake was filled with apple, pear or peach filling. He looks up at the skies for a moment to check on the weather and hope the sun remains.
“Hey neighbor! How’s it going?” A slightly familiar voice calls to him. Fernando turns quickly with his hand at his jacket’s zipper, ready to pull out his weapon if so needed. He then looks at the couple he and Hondo met the night before and relaxes his stance.
“Partied out?” Fernando asks.
“We just gonna rest up a bit before going back in.” the older male says to him, “Didn’t get your name the last time.”
“It’s Francisco.” Fernando says as to not get his name and being caught up in the fame.
“Francisco... Isn’t that the one who ended the Slaver’s War? We would sure need your help in finding some lost family.” The scruffy male says to him, extending his hand to shake Fernando’s hand.
“That’s ‘Fernando,’ Jason. Francisco is not Fernando.” The younger but still scruffy looking female says and she elbows her companion on the side. Looking around, they notice the other vehicles before she asks, “Y’all a group or sum’thin’?”
“Yeah. We’ll going to Texas.” Fernando says.
“Texas? Where all those Darn Spirits are? They ain’t nutt’in but trouble, let me tell ya’s!” Jason says.
“I’m not staying there. I’m going there to help out and then come back home.” Fernando tries to explain.
“Bah! Let dem spirits help themselves out!” Jason says, “They were the ones who messed up this land, they are the ones who created the wessens, and they are the ones who caused the happening. What evah happened down there, don’t help them out. They’s not worth it!”
“I see. Anyways. I got things to do here. Where are you camped at? We can meet up later.” Fernando asks and says.
“Right over there!” Jason says as he points to his camper across the lot.
“Thanks. Not to get rid of you, but I got a lot of work to do for the others before they come back.” Fernando says to them.
“Sure, we’ll meet up laters.” The female says before hauling Jason away.
“Wait a minute, Wilma! I wanted to ask’im sum’thin’!” Jason complains.
“You can ask ‘im later. After we rest up. You first gonna rub my tired feet for me…” Wilma tells him as she almost literally hauls him back to their camper.
No sooner as Jason and Wilma got into their camper, Hondo and the girls return.
“Val, Do me a favor, nobody opens those boxes until I return and say so. Hondo, we might have a problem.” Fernando says to them before taking Hondo to Karl’s truck. Macey and Zoe sees the boxes and jugs of juice, getting excited as to what it might be.
“What kind of problem?” Hondo asks.
“First, I don’t mean to take you away, but let’s go get a camper I got for Karl. I’ll explain along the way.” Fernando says to him.
“Hon, I’ll be back in a bit!” Hondo yells back to Val across the distance.
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After Chaos (Read 186826 times)
