4017 Chapter 17.Yellow jacket

Chapter 17. That Dog’s coming.

“Brian Look over here at these boxes’ lets go thru them and see what we can use” Standing next to a shelf just next to the door but still within reach of it getting Brian’s attention  away from the Dog even for a few seconds was better than him just staring at the door.

Taking a box half way outward looking inside. “Gee, we could have used these” Brian said; holding up a few life preservers. Mike just looked over at us and nodded his head yes; moving on around the dock looking to see what else was in there; Just as I was going around Brian, looking at the boxes just on the other side of him when hitting something on the floor that didn’t move almost tripping me into the water.

“What is that a bobby trap?”

“It’s a Boat tie Shawn ‘You hurt?”

“No but I almost went for a swim” Looking down at it; small pointed piece of metal that they had bolted near the edge, why I didn’t look for it was be on me I’ve seen plenty of the on the fishing dock.

“Watch your step, Shawn!” Mike Remarked with a little giggle and a big grin.

“Now you tell me” I came right back with checking the floor again.

The three of us were going thru dusty covered boxes trying not to sneeze, Mike started going thru a box then pulled a couple of wool blankets, inside a large clear plastic bag, quickly ripping it open placing one blanket on the floor to put stuff on before throwing the empty box to one side; it almost fell into the water, then to another finding a small First aid kit; setting it on the blanket. Brian had stopped and was staring at what he found.

“What is it Brian”

“Cards” he was just staring down at them. Small deck holding tightly in his hand, Green trim color with a little brown puppy’s on a beach.

“What did you find?” I asked again.

“These old playing cards”

“Cards”

“Me and my dad used to play cards”

“Take them!”

“Ok’ Chris might like to see them” Brian stock them in his pocket and started looking again hopefully taking his mind off the dog , I don’t know why he was so upset over him but whatever it was now in his past somewhere.

I went right back looking thru more boxes bending down next to Brian I spotted a small tackle box, opening it expecting a full box it was empty who puts a tackle box on a shelf empty. Suddenly a knock at the door stopped all three of us turning and just stared at the door; that dog better not know how to knock on doors; I was the closes to the door slowly leaning to the side window trying to look out thru the cracks in the door, then looking downward at the Knob it was turning were so much in trouble now seeing the door opening stopping at the oar.

A Small Voice outside the door “Hey you guys it me?”

Mike and Brian looked on as quickly grabbed the ore moving it to one side; There he was Josh standing looking up at me, reaching out taking his arm getting him inside.

“What are you doing here?”  Brian said: in a harsh tone.

Josh stood looking up his eyes started to glaze and get watery looking, with one small tear that just started rolling down his cheek.  “Josh, why did you leave the others?” holding him away from the door, he stood looking up at me while wiping the tears from his eyes and off his chin.

“Did something happen?” Mike quickly asked

“No, She told me to come, for you” Josh replied with a slit gasp.

“Quiet! There’s someone out there” Mike quickly ordering softly out.

We were frozen still trying to hear for sounds outside.  Brian with one hand on the oar in case the door open again not taking anything for granted; Mike made his way to the window, carefully looking out thru the bottom panes of glass towards the house, just in time seeing someone getting into a car starting the engine, then the cars headlights casting right at us in the boathouse we all were keeping low from the window, slowly the lights were across the boathouse moving outward leaving the driveway, Mike watched the car leave seeing the porch light was on maybe he was leaving and took that dog with him.

“It’s all clear let’s get this stuff and get out of here”

“Josh’ are the others OK?” holding him back, just a little to see his face still wiping tears from it. looking upward nodding, yes.

“Donna and Lisa told me to get one of you” Josh said.

“Ok’ Mike it’s up to us now” Brian blurted out.

“Ok’ looks like we’re it” Mike said; looking out the window again towards the house.

“Ok’ I’ guess I’ll stay here with Josh right?” quickly remark sarcastic back.  Mike Grinned and knotted up and down at me, I just returned a smirked grin.

Brian opening the door holding the oar high moving outside; Mike right behind him, watching from the window both moving slowly towards the house. Brian reaching the back porch steps first, looking inside thru the door window, before motioning to Mike that it was all clear; slowly turning the knob it wasn’t locked, opening it slowly Mike right behind him and both went inside out of sight. Josh sat down on a Box looking at the water in the center moving back and forth while I just watch the window for them to return. Creaking on the first step, the two were frozen in their tracks standing in the dim lit room; Brian holding the oar high in the air, his eyes carefully going back and forth over the inside. “Well, I sure hope he took that dog was with him! Come-on” Brian remarked. Moving into darkness walking right into a kitchen chair; Mike stopped at the door closing it looking outside and down to use giving us a wave then he was gone from the window.

Mike and Brian carefully looking around the kitchen area walking towards double French Doors one side open into another room, Couch and two end tables with an old wooden chair near the window next to a floor TV set with a few Photos on top.  Mike looked out the window not seeing anything giving Brian thumbs up turning it to pointing out a single open door off to one side to Brian.

“There’s no one here” Brian said in a low voice checking the room.

“Good it looks like this is the bed room look at that bed.”

Brian glanced back looking at the bed and end table, checking out the closet, quickly opening the door looking inside. “Brian this is full of all men’s stuff”

“All Men’s stuff in here he must be a bachelor”

“Yea looks that way’ a big one too” holding up a large tee shirt. Brian walk around the room as Mike looking in the closet and started pulling shirts off the hangers throwing them onto the bed; While Brian was looking in a small dresser; when they both heard a banging sound from outside stopping both of them, looking to the doorway not hearing anything after a few seconds they continued.

“I’ll go see if there’s some food!” Brian said. Taking a quick look outside the bedroom window

“Looks clear outside, don’t take all the guys clothes” seeing Mike piling so many on the bed.

“Ok ok anything in the dresser we can use?”

“Check his Tee shirts and shirts out” Brian said outward heading back into the kitchen. Opening cabinet doors seeing it was well stock with food mostly can and boxed items, one at a time pulling them down with a quick check on labels for ready to eat before setting them on the table. Mike entered the kitchen dragging behind him the bedspread with the clothes, stopping at the table looking over Brian’s find in wonderment.

Standing checking out the cans and boxes looking around the kitchen slowly looking to the door, Mikes eyes went big looking at the sink clean glasses upside down in a drainer that was just waiting for him, Cold water rush thru his fingers and over the glass top slowly drinking it down enjoying every last drop, Brian still pulling stuff out while Mike open a few draws looking around them then open a few lower cabinets each one had little turn knobs instead of handle taking a few things out setting them on the counter with another look around looking up with a glance out the window and just near the door next to the end cabinet was a small calendar; Showing two hunting dogs with a quick tug on it pulling it down placing it inside the blanket.

“Did you get the pillow cases?” Brian asked.

“Gee I forgot them be right back” Mike said; wiping his forehead from sweat.

Brian checking over the table of items and looked up seeing the icebox with a lick of his lip and raised eyebrow walk over and open the door; standing cooling off looking inside at what to take first, but there it was Soda’s bottles just waiting for them to have, reaching in clanging the bottles as he took one out resting on the door, trying to open it; prying on the top not able to open it turn looking a the counter, needing a can opener placing it on the table among the boxes, one by one empty the sodas out and checking small containers to what was inside mostly putting them right back. Mike was back in the bedroom getting pillowcases, One of the fore pillows fell on the floor kicking it out of his way grapping the other one, shaking it down grapping up the empty’s glancing down next to the beds end table were a small photo frame fall over next to it was a small note pad sitting it upright looking at the photo of a young girl standing near a porch.

Taking a small note pad and pencil righting  (Sorry we needed your stuff’ My Dad will pay for it just call him 555 4254 Mike) set it down next to the photo and return back to the kitchen only to find that Brian had ran out of room on the kitchen table placing so much food than both could possible carry and more on a chair.

“Come on Brian! “ Mike said; flipping the case open wiping food cans into it.

Brian reached over to the chair taking two bottles of sodas handing one over to “Couldn’t find a can opener” Looking at the brown bottle he handed him beer, Mike was impressed thinking it was just that beer, turning the cap off taking a big swig. Brian looked down at the bottle twisting the cap off falling to the floor.

“Wow that was cold Root-beer” setting the bottle on the counter and started put more in the sacks. Brian drank down most of it making his eyes all watery, Remarking “What a rush that was!”

Mike took a few more sips and back to packing the pillow sacks, with a good grip walking them over near the door. “You get a regular can opener?” Mike asked; picking up the blanket. Brian nodded his head yes finishing off his soda next to the door, with a quick look outside the window; it was clear; Mike winging the blanket over his shoulder.

Brian grabbed both sacks in one hand. “Let’s go”. Brian said.

Opening the door. “GRRR……GRRR…… GRRR.  Bang!  Brian slammed the door shut.

“Damn that dog’s back!” Brian said.

“OK, we’ll have to trick him.” Mike said: setting his blanket bundle down.

“I’ll go to the front door call him; you shove the Stuff, outside?”

“No! I’ll go call it’ and you shove the stuff out side” Brian said.

Mike agreed nodding ok, Brian already rushing thru the house.

“Here doggy’ doggy’ here boy!” Brian shouted out the front.

“Here he comes!”  Mike hollered out watching the dog from the window going around the end of the house, once he was out of sight; Mike quickly opening the door pulling the stuff outside setting it to one side. Looking down the steps towards the edge of the house, Mike could only hear the dog barking in front of the house.

“OK, it’s all outside !” Mike said out; walking thru the house to the front.

Brian; Sitting in front of the door just looking upward.“He almost got me.” “Right’ how fast can you run?” Mike asked handing him his soda sipping on his own.

“At this moment, not very fast, give me a second though.”

“OK, second ups we got to get him inside!”

“What’ and how are we going to do that?”

“I’ll go out the back and you trap him inside!” Mike stood waiting for another outburst, finishing off his drink, placing it on the floor next to Brian’s bottle.

Brian looked up at the door then to Mike. “Well, anything else?” “No’ Good let’s do it, you want the back or front?” “Front! OK, I’ll call him and you get out” Brian Said.

Mike nodded ok and went back to the kitchen area: looking out the door window seeing the sacks but no dog. With a quick pound on the window the dog jumped up’ Mike jumped backward just looking at the window.

“Let me know when he’s at the back door Mike?”

“He’s here now!” Remarking: just after being frightened.

Brian open the front door slowly; looking outside hearing the barking around the back, before moving outside real slow; standing on the porch for a minute and whistle for the dog then quickly moving behind the open door.

Mike watching from the window; once he moved out of sight he only had a few seconds to get out; just hoping the dog didn’t back track to him. Around the corner came the large shepherd dog; stopping at the bottom steps sniffing the air and glaring upward at the door wide open; his head rose upward again sniffing into the air without moving. Shifting his sniffing to the ground steps slowly moving upon the steps looking side to side while still sniffing entering the doorway, Brian stood as still as he could not moving a hair. Once he moved into the room giving Brian had a chance to get out; Just as he got to the Kitchen area Brian moved around the door grabbing the edge and pulling slamming it right behind him going out; just as the door closed the dog jumped up hitting the glass pulling down on the current.

Brian with a big smirk, holding still with one hand on the door knob: wiping the sweat off his forehead.  Feeling the hard pressure with each jump upward not letting go of the knob; he finely stopped jumping. Holding up his fist to the door now brave he won over the dog, while walking down the steps heading towards the back door, looking at the ground seeing a newspaper all folded, reaching down picking it up as he walk back. Mike already sitting on the lower steps; waiting with two sacks and blanket in front of him.  “That was a close one.” Brian said looking upward.

Mike knotted his head pulling the blanket up an over one shoulder.  Brian reached down taking the two pillow-cases finding them on the heavy side with one hand; but managed to put them on his backside, the two quickly headed down the sand to the boathouse, still hearing the barking.

“Here they come” Josh said watching out the window as I was getting items ready to go next to the door.

Opening the door before they both reached it.

“Go get that First Aid kit!” Mike said, looking down right at Josh.

Josh shrugged his shoulders not understanding,

“I’ll, get it Mike’ you guys start heading back I’ll get this stuff ”  Mike and Brian wasted no time headed back with Josh picking up the Blanket from dragging in the sand, Rushing back inside.

Already had everything  right there but only taking what was needed First Aid Box and pulling out two heavy blankets; we sure didn’t need the Life Perseveres, but maybe I should take the two just for the Boys, Looking up I could hear the dog inside the House and knew it was only a matter of time before he’d catch up with us this time so we better hurry and move on, Rushing to catch-up with them along the beach already they had past the small boat.

Theses blankets and bulky preservers were slowing me down, dropping the perseveres holding the blankets tight running right in behind Brian into the tree lines, seeing that blinking light guiding us right back to the ship did give me a little reassurance. Donna and Lisa were sitting on the edge of the doorway standing upright taking, the bulky blanket from Mike, Even the Zombie girl was helping with the stuff she reached down taking the blankets from me setting the inside and looked to see if we had more.

“She got up but hasn’t said anything yet” Lisa Remarked; to Mike who was looking at her helping again.

“Hello do you have a name?”

“Faye” She spoke in a very low voice.

“Welcome aboard” She just nodded and went inside buy the others, Standing in the doorway looking over what they had found inside the house, cloths and plenty of food.

“Mike we should get to another location”

“Why? Were good here”

“What about that dog you got him real aggravated at us”

“True but we can rest a little while and then will move down the coast a bit more” Mike said pulling out a sleeve of Ritz’s crackers opening them and holding it downward to me.