The End Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Year 2032

“Josh, be good today please! I don’t want to come over here and talk with Miss. Applebee again about you not listening or you starting a fight in class. “Karen said to the top of her ten year old son’s head. “Are you even listening to what I’m saying? “
“Ya, Mom I hear you, but I hate going to class all we do is talk about the past and how life was so much better. It’s boring I want to go out and see these places that Miss. Applebee talks about. I want to see pictures of these airplanes and cars, and trains not just hear about it.” Josh kicked the dirt with the toe of his old worn shoe. “Oh honey, you know you can’t, the dangers on the other side of the wall are too great.” Karen Said as she kneeled in the dirt by his side. “We are almost out of ammo for the few guns the compound owns as is. We only open the gates when there is no threat just so we can build the rock wall on the other side. I know you hate this confinement like I do. I miss being able to go where ever I wanted and see different things; but there is nothing left out there you have seen the fires yourself, you have seen the smoke. There is nothing left out there for us, nothing at all; it’s all gone. Maybe in your life time this virus will die and you will be able to walk on the outside, but no one knows when or if it will ever die. So we stay here safe and protected.” “ I know mom I know you have told me this all before, I just don’t think I’m learning anything in school.” He looked up in to her face with a sad rejected look. Then a smile slowly spread across his face. “Can I come to work with you then maybe I can learn something useful.” With a big heavy sigh Karen stood up and shook her head. “You know you can’t come to work with me right now. Please stop trying to grow up so fast. You only have three more years before you have to really work. You need to think about what you will do then, Grow food or work with one of the animals. You also know the hours I have to put in trying to keep the numbers up and the animals healthy.” Karen put her hands on her son’s shoulders and looked into his sad eyes. “I want you to have fun and be a kid for as long as you can because here soon you will have to learn how to be an adult. And I have to say being an Adult is not fun.”

“But, Mom being a kid is no fun either. All we talk about is math and reading and writing. He said as he wrinkled up his face in discus. “And then we go over how to take care of the animals or plants in the compound. Its boring day in and day out that is all we talk about. And when I try and ask questions about what it was like on the other side of the wall I get into trouble and all the kid call me names and pick on me.” Josh’s little bottle lip quivered with his feelings. “I know it’s hard for you Josh, but please be good and try not to start another fight. We have to live here we have no where else to go. You know that. These people are all that left as far as we know so we have to make the best of this situation.” The sun was just starting to tint the ski pink with its rays. Karen knew she was going to be late to the birthing bar if she did not leave her son soon. Her son, the apple of her eye and the best thing that had ever happen to her. He was also the last thing her late husband Mark gave her before he was taken away from her too soon. They had only been married for four years. They had gotten married in High school, before he joined the Army. Josh was three years old when Mark went over to Africa with the Army to help the people over there with a strange disease that was killing animals and people. It was about a month later she got the news Mark was died and so were all the men and women that went over there with him. It was at that point the Town of Stonewater, Colorado got together and started thinking about plans and building the compound. No one knew it would last this long. Karen sighed and looked down at her son, lost in her own misery. “I have to go Josh; I will be late if I stand here any longer arguing with you.” The sound of boots crunching the hard rocky soil startled her, she spun around just in time to see her neighbor and his daughter emerged from the shadows as they too walked towards the school building. James and his young daughter Magen lived in the small rooms next door. They had been neighbors for years now, but never really talked. An occasional “hi, how are you?” and a wave was all. “Magen, did you see the shooting stars last night?” Josh asked as he raced over to his friend and started telling the little girl about how he and his mom had gone out to sit on the steps of the building and saw the shooting stars. “Hello Neighbor,” James said in his soft deep voice as he walked up to her with a small smile on his face. “It sounds like you had a nice night.”
“Yes it was very nice, it was not to cold and not to hot, it was perfect.” If her heart was not still so sore she would have though James McGregor was a nice looking man. “I Wish I had more nights like last night, quit and uneventful.” She said with a cheeky smile of her own. For he knew what she meant, it was never quit in their little apartments with people always walking up and down the stair or the arguments you could hear threw the walls from other families. “I would love to have one night of piece and quit, but in this building it’s never going to happen.” James said with a chuckle. “Well I have to get going I have Cows to milk.” James said as he turned and hugged his daughter. “I will see you later sweetie, be good and no more talking back to the teacher!” Yes, daddy. I love you.”
“Bye Mist McGregor.” Josh said as he took Magen’s hand and they raced into the school building together. “Have a good day Mrs. Brooks.” Mark inclined his head then turned and walked slowly away leaving Karen looking after him as the first rays of sunlight streaked the earth. Karen walked fast to the other end of the compound and Found Jack hard at work in the last birthing pen where their prized sow was pushing out one of her little squalling babies. She had already had three and was hard at work pushing the fourth one out. “Hey there Jack, how long has she been in labor?” Karen sat down on the top rail of the birthing pens and watched as Jack pushed and pulled helping the little squirming, squalling mess enter the world. “Hello Karen, she has not been in labor long, maybe an hour tops.” Jack was another good looking man he was in his mid thirties and no family. He was a hard worker lived here in a little apartment over the birthing barns. His life is these animals and he takes his life searisly, maybe to searisly for Karen’s way of thinking. “You should have sent one of the young guys to come and get me.” Karen said as she took the note pad down from the peg by the door. “Na, she was fine and she has had a number of smooth births so I was not worried about disturbing you, I heard also that young man of yours started and finished another fight. So I did not want to take you away from you true job.” He said with a smile. “I have to say that son of yours is to smart for his own britches sometimes. He will be a great man someday just give him a chance.” “Thanks Jack, I wish I just knew how to handle him, he wants to learn so much and I have no idea what to tell him or how to guide him in the right direction.” “You’re a smart lady yourself Karen; you will find away to teach him all he needs to know, in time.” Jack said as he helped the sow to bring the fifth little piglet into the world. Karen’s day was filled with piglets and cleaning cages and pens. She was tired and wore out but still she had to stay and do records on all the pigs that had things done to them that day. It was well after sun down when she made her way up to the seconded floor of the unit and to the door of their apartment when she hear her sons laughter coming from James McGregor’s apartment. She walked past her little rooms and knocked on his door. James opened the door with a smile. “Hello Neighbor, home from work I see. Josh your moms here!” James said into the little room behind him. Josh came to the door with a smile on his little face. “Hey mom, James was just telling me and Megan about this time on his father farm when this moose got mad and attacked his father Jeep.” Josh was hoping back and forth as he related the story to his mother with all the enthusiasm of a child. James stood there and let the boy have the stage while he looked his fill at the young lady in front of him. She was a very beautiful young lady she could not be over thirty and yet he wondered at her age since he knew she was still fairly young, but with her looks he could not guess at her age, was she over twenty seven or under? He found out from her son that he was ten. So she could not be younger then twenty five, or else she would have had Josh at thirteen, and there is no way she was that young when they had moved into the compound. He had noticed her back then too, but he was still hurting from the loss of his parents and his wife. He had only been married to Beth a year, but it felt like they had been married for years. They had fooled around one time and she had gotten pregnant with Megan and he had asked Beth to marry him a few months later so she would not have to be alone. And he love Beth from the moment he saw her, but after she started showing and her moods had started to kick in she had told him on night after he got home from a long day at the hardware store that she never really loved him. He was just the best looking man she could find. It had hurt him to hear her say that. He had prayed for months after words that she would change her mind and tell him she loved him, like he told her. But she never did, she moved out of their room and into one of the spare rooms in the old ranch house. Then the day she went into labor she told him she hated him for all the pain he was putting her threw, and that she wanted a divorce once the baby was born. Then a few hours later she closed her sad eyes and never woke back up. It was one of the longest and hardest days of his life. But he loved his little girl and would not change a thing if he had the chance. For nine long years it has been just him and Megan and this darn stinking compound. She was too young to remember the farm house and the dogs that they had or anything else, she was a little over a year old when they left that life for this one; behind the dark wooden walls of the compound. James was so lost in the past he did not see the worried looks on the three people standing in front of him.
“Dad, are you okay.” Megan, asked as she reached out and took her fathers hand. “Yes dear, I’m fine I was thinking about something else.” James smiled down at his daughter with love in his eyes. “Okay daddy, but you looked so sad thou. I thought you were going to cry.” Megan held tighter to her fathers hand as if she was trying to give him strength. Karen was touched by the seen in front of her. Her thoughts drifted a little to, about Josh and how mush he needed a man in his life to show him the ways to be a nice respectable young man. “ Josh dear we need to go, its late and I have to get some sleep since I have to get up really early in the morning tomorrow to check on the new litters.” Karen reached out to gather her sons hand but he backed up and scould up at her. “You always have to go to work; you never have time for me. Why can’t you spend a day with me? Why?” He yelled and then ran over to their door and threw it open with a loud bang and then was gone from sight. Karen was too tired to go after him this time. If she was not so tired she would have been right on his heals ready to blister his butt with a good spanking. “He did not mean what he said Karen. “ James said in a whisper it was almost like he knew she was close to braking down into womanly tears. James looked in to her eyes with concern. “It will be ok; if you need me to I can watch him till I can take them to school in the morning. It no problem at all.”
“Oh that would be a big help, I have so much darn paperwork to do that I did not have a chance to do today. I’m hoping one of these new workers will be able to take up some of the paper work so I can have more time for my son.” Karen looked down at her hands and then rotated her painful neck muscles. “They seam so young to be working the way we have to. And yet I know it means the survival of us all.” “Well good night James and thanks for keeping him over here tonight. I will bring him over around five in the morning if that is alright with you.” Yes Karen it is okay with me. He is a good boy he just needs a little guidance is all. I think he just wants to be in the middle of action, he has to be active.” James came out on to the small hallway and guided Karen to her door. “Look, go in and then go to bed, let him stow over night. He will regret what he said to you. And if not I know my Megan will make him feel bad in the morning for what he said. You need rest and not to worry so much.” James opened the door for her and nuged her inside, then looked over at his daughter who was standing in their door way. “Sweetie it's time for you to go get in bed okay.”

“Yes daddy, Good night Mrs. Brooks.” With a cheery smile and a wave Megan turned and dashed inside to do as her father asked of her.
Karen smiled to herself, “She is such a sweet little girl, you have done a great job raising her.” Karen walked slowly over to the small sofa and sat down with a plop, since at that moment the fatigue hit her like a ton of bricks making her knees weak and shake. “Thank you, I have tried my best but at times I feel so lost on how to teach her how to be a young lady.” He chuckled to himself. “I ask myself often if I was a girl how would I do this or that, or what does a little girl need.” “I never do get an answer, so I am no big help to Megan I fear.” Karen smiled as she laid her head back on the back of the brown worn sofa. “Don’t worry you are doing a great job, she has manners where mine does not. She is sweet and respectable where mine can be when he is not in one of his moods.” Karen found at the closed door to her sons room. James followed where her eyes went. He was sure she was worried about her son. From what he had heard from their many shouting matches she was a good mother maybe a little to soft on the strong willed boy. But he knew that was from her love of the boy. She was trying to strong for both of them, but what she did not realize was that he needed a stronger hard to guide the young boy. He wanted to give her advice but he was not sure how to go about it, with out it seaming like he was butting in to their lives. She looked so lost and lonely that it made his heart twist in his chest.
“Look Karen don’t worry about him tonight just get some rest and talk to him tomorrow when both of you are not so tired and on edge.” James said as inched his way back to the door. “I will help you if you need it; I have a few hours off tomorrow, so if you need an extra hand with the hogs let me know.”
“Thanks James, I think we will be fine tomorrow I just need to do paperwork on all the piglets that were born today and then update all the check up paperwork as well. That is the one job I hate doing is all the darn paperwork.” Karen got to her feet and stretched her arms over her head trying to get the muscle in her back to ease. “Well good night Mr. McGregor.” “Its James you know, and I don’t mind if you call me James. Mr. McGregor makes me feel old.” He laughed and little laugh lines showed on his face tell a story of happy times in his life. Karen wondered if her face was full of worry lines and if she looked older then she was, because at times like this she felt older then her twenty nine years. “You need your rest so I will see you bright and early in the morning.” With that he closed the apartment door with a soft click. Karen went to her room to lie down on her bed and was soon sound asleep. Her old wined up alarm clock was soon buzzing in her ear. She had a strange dream or James and her living a life of pieces and quit on a large farm with all kinds of animals and three beautiful kids of their own. Not just Megan and Josh but three other children. One looked like James, a boy with dark sandy brown hair and soft honey brown eyes. Then the two little girls where like her dark brown hair and dark deep brown eyes. The youngest one a toddler had curly hair that had just a touch of red to it. Karen lay back down on the bed for a minute to think about the dream. It had been years since she had a dream about a man any man for that matter. She had dreamed of Mark for years, but now she dreamed more about freedom then anything else. To her this compound was like a prison in so many ways. Yet she knew it was for the best that the place was made and she is thankful that it was made for their well being. Karen sat up and looked at the clock. “Dam I’m going to be late again.” Karen jumped off the small bed and grabbed a new outfit from her tiny closet in her room. It was not really a closet more like a whole in the wall where you could put close if you had some. Karen had brought most of her close with her from the ranch seven years ago. Most of them still fit but they have been mended and worked on so many times they do not look like they once did. She had worked so hard for all these years she never had gained any weight. Plus with the food shortage a few years back she learned to eat very little. The old worn blue jeans had patches on patches. The shirt had new buttons and one patch on the right sleeve. It was one of her best shirts. The others she owned where in fare worse conditions, with many patch jobs or where now new colors for they had to be redied to cover up stains. Karen was still buttoning her shirt when she stepped out of her room. Josh was sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed staring at her with anger in his dark chocolate eyes boring into her. “You did not come after me last night! Why did you not want to talk tome.” “No Josh I did not come after you last night, I was too tired and I did not want to have a fight with you over something I can’t change.” “Now Mr. McGregor said you can go over there and stay with them for an hour till school starts so I can go to work and get some paperwork done.” “ That’s all you think about is work! What about me?” “What about you Josh. Your young and in school you have a good life, hell you have a life. If I had wanted to see if we could have made it out side these walls would be dead long before now.” I have to work or we do not get the food rations or water rations or this apartment, we would have to live in a tent out in the yards some where. Karen motioned with her hard to the little window in the kitchen overlooking the front gates of the compound. “Tell me is that the life you want so you can spend more time with me. No water no food and no soft bed to sleep on? Because if that’s what you want I can quit right now and spend all my time with you and then watch as you starve.” A knock sounded on the door as she was fixing to go on about how life would be if she quit her job. She walked the short distance to the door and yanked it open, there stood James with a crocked lazy smile on his face and his soft sandy brown hair mused from sleep, his blue shirt was buttoned half way up exposing a patch of dark coarse curly hair on his muscular chest. “Came over to see if Josh was ready to come over since its getting late.” He said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. Karen looked over at her clock on the counter in her kitchen and ground. “Dam I’m late again for work. I know I get in trouble one of these days. “She snatched up her little writing tablet and hurried out the door. “Thanks James for watching Josh, I will make it up to you some how.” Karen took the stairs two at a time as she called over her shoulder. “So young man, are you ready to come over and help me and Megan make breakfast or are you going to sit over here and pout like a five year old. I’m not a baby, and I don’t pout.” Josh said as he marched out the door and over to Megan’s apartment.