It happened in Church - October 19, 1962
Chapter Forty Five - John takes a holiday
Saturday 03 Nov (begins)
Brother Kevin was up early. John worried him. It was like he had PTSD Cubed! First the measurement mission. The Fire Team unlocked the door; this was now morning routine. He went up a few stairs. Hesitated. And, went up a few more stairs. About .3 whatevers. So, Brother Kevin went down, signaled the door to be locked, and tugged on it as a test. No exit today. Unless it was an emergency. He felt it was safe now.
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John awoke with new vigor. The only problem was it was later than usual. Marie was awake, but nestled as tight as could be, barely breathing lest she wake him. “You can breathe now.” he told her. She smiled bravely. He knew he had real problems now. His tigress was regressed to a scared little girl, as the weight now bore down on her as well. With just days to go, they could not take a vacation from reality. Where would the find the inner strength to go on? He prayed silently: ‘dear saint taq, come around, we’ve lost our bravado, and courage must be found. Lord, if it be thy will, let this challenge pass away. If we must go thru the valley, give us the emotional stability to do it. I ask this in His name, a scared boy, and wise beyond his years.’ (So summoned, Saint Taq examined their efforts to date. While prodigious, they still had more to do. He prayed the Lord to give John more Graces. Maybe then, he’d learn to accomplish more by doing less. And, he needs to knock off Sven-ing. It gave too much of himself away.)
He said “we have to help with breakfast”. He rose to join her as they got up. But a wave of weakness flooded over his left side. He staggered like he’d taken a punch to the head. He couldn’t hold himself up without her help
She thought ’stroke’? She motioned to the two adjutants who sat a respectful distance away. Alert for a call; not daydreaming too much. “Miss Abigail, summon the staff to me, red one, and you may run!”
Every adjutant’s wish; to run a message. They were not allowed to do more than a fast walk with out a direct order. This was first ever so given. And it was her honor. She was Mercury. She bolted into the Office. Timothy ‘had the desk’; ‘no running’ he growled. With pride, she said “I was told to run. Red One. All staff to the Queen’s corner.” Timothy snarled the team into action “Eyes, where’s BK?” “SW Stairwell” Timothy picked up the phone. “Benedict here. <authenticating himself> Timothy here, I have a running red 1 for bk, queen’s corner, 5 minutes ago.” Brother Kevin’s adjutant relayed the message more politically correct and ‘BK’ was off in a heart beat. And, not to ‘burger king’!
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Brother Kevin, as Chief, suggested that they get him lying down. Roy and Sam hefted him into a bunk. Marie fussed over him. June suggested that they would probably be best if they keep him in a dark and quiet state and let the Lord fix him. Brian directed the rearrangement of some bunk racks and a ’scaffold’ from the mural team, to quickly form an apartment. Roy reloed a toilet near. And, Jody supplied some canteens of water.
Isabella, now Sam’s constant companion, convinced Marie to leave John’s side. “He needs to be still. You excite him. My God, how you excite him, that’s why I thought you had tested the plumbing. Is that the better way to say you ‘****** *** ****** *** *** ***** all six ways *** *** ***** ******* **** *******’?” With all the innocence of a First asking to go to the loo. The entire staff heard her. The boys looked like all the girls were naked; the girls felt like they were.
Marie literally dragged Isabella to the other side of the Shelter. Isabella just continued on not missing a beat: “I can tell not. I can not tell. You’re red. Was the first bad or just the second? It’s very confusing.” Marie’s major button had responded to that sentence, like a Senior citizen at the free buffet. In her life, she’d only really had it close to it being pushed for real once yesterday. And, there were his pants, her heavy skirt, a slip, and undies protecting her virtue. Her virgin status. So it was more just pressure than a push. Today, it seemed like it was an auto operate button. With a butcher’s thumb on it. She thought she was sitting on a hot curtain rod. It took her breath away. When she was able to speak, and mentally got all the buttons un-pushed, she said “Yes, dearest Isabella, ‘testing the plumbing’ was good euphemism for the second.” “You Americans are so … funny about sex. You just had an ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ****** ***** and refuse to acknowledge the pleasure. It’s OK. Do you want another? I can wait. Do you know how? All you do is ***** ***** ***** ***** once or twice and ***** ***** ***** *****. It really is perfectly natural.” Marie was a visual, not an auditory. She now understood what John was saying about how she made everything pictures. And, Isabella was walking thru a ‘Guide to Sex’. And somewhere into a technical discussion of lengths and thicknesses that might work best for her, Marie surfaced from all the over stimulation. She gasped “Isabella, STOP talking! You need to talk to June some more. June, JUNE! Rescue me.”
Isabella was totally confused. She thought talking about sex among girls was ok? June arrive hurrying thinking what else can go wrong. Marie was flushed, red, and in a state June had never seen. Marie blurted: “Know how you felt about nose job? Isabella just said …” pulling June close, Marie whispered what Isabella had said. June’s eyes were like saucers. Isabella thought ‘now I got it; you have to whisper’. June said “But why are you so flushed.” Marie pulled her in again and whispered. Now June’s eyes were like two saucers and, like Sam’s reaction when he thought about John’s third grade kick, June squeezed her legs together. Guess buttons can auto communicate that auto pushing stuff. June took Isabella by the arm, which Isabella found mildly pleasuring; June did have cute perky breasts. June said “Come Isabella, we need to chat, you don’t quite have the concept yet.” But, Marie was wondering what the six ways there were.
This episode distracted her completely from John. The boys had handled it. He was ‘bricked in’ his hermitage with TomT, and three adjutants outside. She was going to push her way in, when Brother Kevin stopped her, “Marie watch!” He tapped on the frame; TomT stuck is hand out and coded ’sleeping’. “Marie, Meeting, Now, One Red!” and gently but firmly marched her by the elbow to the Office. Entering he growled “Clear the room. NOW!” Folks could not find a door fast enough. Some went to Decon2; some went to the shelter. Brother Kevin didn’t care if they went up the chimney like Santa. “Marie, beautiful caring compassionate Marie, let John rest. I have no idea what’s wrong. But I do know you fussing over him, won’t help. Case you haven’t noticed, the man adores you and reacts to your every move. If you’re there, he won’t rest. Give him time and space. Pray. But you have work to do. This will rock the socks off everyone in the shelter. John was their icon of safety and rescue. You have to step up. Remember how you got the children to pray quietly. You need to do that again. You have to lead!”
Marie was near tears. “I can’t; I’m no leader.” If you can’t, we die. And all this effort has been for naught.” Brother Kevin hadn’t taken any promise of truth as Marie sees it. “Marie, can you see all the graves of these children?” Marie was in tears. Not polite girly tears, but ‘your Mom died’ kind. He let her work it out. Then, she spoke, “That’s not fair. You know how to manipulate me.” “But, you know it’s true.”
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Breakfast was a gossip monger’s dream. Marie went from table to table; calming the mob back into Classmates. She could see that Brother Kevin was right. They needed ‘Mom’ to step in for ‘Dad’ who was just away on a trip. She took the floor, without consulting her peers, to put the rumors to rest.
“Classmates, your attention for a moment.” Marie was an icon demanding everyone’s respect. And, she got silence fastest of anyone. “We have, as you all know, another challenge. We don’t know what is wrong if anything, with John. Some of the possible causes are stroke, stress, or overwork. I’m praying for him. I ask you to do the same. Your staff will be meeting in a few minutes to deal with it. I urge you to stay calm and let’s do what you expect us to take us to Vermont. We are a family, a team, and Classmates. No one of us is irreplaceable. Please do your chores and tasks as expected. Use this as an opportunity to grow and adapt. For example, in a few minutes, there is a Lurp practice. Brother Kevin and Sam will be detained, but that shouldn’t prevent you from doing your work. The primary Lurp minus Brother Kevin, the first replacements, and the second Brother Kevin replacement should practice. They can do it. They should do it. They must do it! You all have to think that way. John wouldn’t want you to do any less. We will have more information for you at lunch. Let’s get to work!”
She took a deep breath and was trying to see what to do next. She needed a list. An adjutant approached and said “Excuse me, Miss Marie.” “Yes, Miss Victoria.” “Master TomT said for me to tell you that Master John is still sleeping and he will alert you to any change immediately.” “Thank you, and please tell Master TomT. ‘thank you’ as well.” She was free to do her work. More than that she knew she couldn’t be a John’s side.
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The Staff gathered in the Dining Area as John promised they would. Everyone could see the Queen’s Corner. Brother Kevin started “As CofS, I’ll chair the meeting. Does any one have any idea what is wrong with John?”
After a short silence, Roy spoke up. “I’m no doctor. But I think it’s a temporary burn out. It’s more than just a swag. I have three thoughts. First, he drying out or dried out. Other than Brother Kevin, we have no experience with what happens when you dry out. And, he’s young. Do young drunks dry out differently? Maybe this is just the last gasp clean out. Second, what’s a biograph? When he screwed up my name, it was an interesting experience. He really had no idea. It was like he had split personalities, but he told us he wasn’t schizophrenic. So, if he really has two or more parallel abilities that terminate in the same physical network maybe all the use created a feedback loop. If you put two power sources in the same phone network, they will attempt to drive power thru the other source. Sometimes there are fires. Third, he’s been under lots of stress. Brother Kevin burnt out in under a week. He’s been at it a week longer with more things going on and he did a big Sven that seemed to drain him. Maybe he just needs recharge time? So my theory is to let him rest. If one of my swags is right, he’ll be back in action sooner or later. If not sorry Marie, we have to go on.” Marie looked green.
Brother Kevin spoke up “In the absence of something we CAN do, I’d suggest that we adopt a ‘wait and see’ strategy. Now we need a Temporary Speaker to steer Noah’s Ark while the Captain is indisposed. Because of her icon status with the Classmates, she will calm them. Also, she doesn’t have a project at the moment. All in favor?” Lot of yeas. “Opposed?” Marie squeaked “no!” “Sorry Marie, you’ve been NOCed. The chair is yours; if I had a gavel, I’d hand it to you.”
“OK, having poisoned the King, I can now occupy the seat of power. Ewwh, here’s poo on the seat.” Everyone politely laughed. Jody stage whisper, “Guess she caught him inventorying Classmates.” June, having spent some time with Isabella, said “Well, I think she took Miss Isabella’s advice and, how do you say, ‘****** *** ****** *** *** ***** all six ways *** *** ***** ******* **** *******’. Oui, oui, that might cause Speaker John’s symptoms.” Everyone’s eyes dilated to saucers. Marie was horrified and said “I never …” to which June giggled loudly “We know that!” And, the group laughed. Marie remembered ‘when they are laughing they are not afraid.’ So it was sort of OK. “June, funny but crude. I was hoping you’d help her; not she’d turn you into her. We have a lot of little ones around. So, you are now in charge of answering all sex questions. Boys if you want to know ANYTHING, no matter how intimate or personal, Miss June’s the answer lady. Now on to serious matters. As Acting Speaker, I’d like us to go out and mix for an hour and calm people. See that stuff’s getting done. And, meet back here. OK, let’s go.”
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Alone, Marie pondered her fate.
As a visual, she needed a picture.
She drew clouds connected with arrows. Each cloud was labeled: Exit Day / Church, Jeopardy, Connected, OPs, 6 Individual, 4 site, trek.
Exit / Church
” The Lifeboat fire team assembles at SW stairwell
” June gathers all in the Stock Room
” Marie sets the firewall defense at the Office
” Brother Kevin: fire team out to the vestibule.
” Sam bumps BK into Church
” Roy bumps Sam to other side door
” Jody is OP; Brian G2’s the vestibule and the Church looking for evidence.
” Bag Bodies
” Stand down the life boat
” Staff meets in Church
Jeopardy
” To the garage for transport.
” DT#1, Marie, Roy, and James go to the depot.
” Lurp goes to Pawn.
” TomT & team recover the garage.
” John, Jody, TomT & Team, and DT#2 go to pawn. Get guns and anything useful.
” Lurp moves to Radio Shack.
” TomT & team recover the Pawn Shop.
” Move to depot.
” Pick’em up and run for home.
Then she had a line: Kabuki Plan, Scripts, Encryption, Training, Jeopardy’s CBs, races, twelvetoone, one to Marie, Marie to John, Marie FFT to twelve, letter, declare.
Kabuki Plan
” Write the Legend we’re trying to sell
” Script the mob race, twelve to one, one to Marie, Marie to John, Marie FFT, the letter, and the declare.
” Develop an encryption consistent with the legend
” Train every one
” Mob race, twelve to one, one to Marie, Marie to John
” Marie FFT
” John’s letter
” Declare the route
The two lines had one arrow from Jeopardy to Jeopardy CBs and another from declare to trek.
If she was going to have to: Fly this bird, Sail the ark, or Walk the walk, she’d have to do it her way.
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“Thank you for reassembling. I’ve spent the time doing the skirt tuck on my brain. Here goes. I’m a visual as you know. So I made a picture. I need you to do the same or work with me to do it. No more all in your head. No more just conversation. I can’t deal with that.
Centurion Sam, where are the written plans for each of our future activities — Exit Day / Church, Jeopardy, Connected, OPs, 6 Individual, 4 site, trek? I want you to sit here and write a sketch for each one. Isabella will help motivate you. Isabella each time Sam completes a page; you can give him a French lesson. Remember, Sam, John’s phrase is all that stands between you and what every boy wants.
CoS Brother Kevin. I assume that Guy Fawkes in on schedule. I intend to get to Vermont in the minimum time. For a doc or a priest, what ever John needs. You have to be the top kick and kick this ark into gear!
G2 Brian, Kabuki is a wild card. I see it as: Kabuki Plan, Scripts, Encryption, training, Jeopardy’s CBs, races, twelvetoone, one to Marie, Marie to John, Marie FFT to twelve, letter, declare. Where is the written plan with dates and scripts? We need that asap so we can tune kabuki.
G3 Roy, where is the written plan for everything we must learn? How do I know the drivers will be ready? The atlatl infantry?
G4 Jody, please be a dear and put all the key measures on a paper. And did I thank you for signing my name; I’m shamed by your thoughtfulness.
G5 June, how will we do the code races? And, when Brian is leering over you, ask him what those six inches are? And the groking, that hasn’t produced anything for days. You may need to help him.
So, you know, I’m going to calm the troops. Using all my power, I’m going to convince them that ‘nothing is wrong. All is calm. All is bright.’ You all are going to make me not a liar.
Let’s go. Maximum effort.
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