Story Grace, Mercy and Blessings

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#581

"I think my name is Eugene, my last name is..." and the unknown man put on a performance that he pretended to have amnesia. He rubbed the back of his head, like he had suffered a blow, and couldn't remember his last name.

Thinking quickly, he kept his last name a secret. If they knew, he reasoned, that old woman would rapidly put two and two together and blow his cover.

He started to sweat, the stench wafting around the room. The family was shaking their heads and soon disappeared. Mark had sharp eyes on the man, noticing that the casted hand.

"How long has that cast been on?" Mark grilled the shaking man.

"I don't know, a long time I guess. Maybe 5 months." The unknown man cried pitifully, a blue-ribbon performance.

"Milo, you and Gary get some tools and we'll get that filthy cast off. Couldn't you feel your arm rotting?"

"It itched really bad for a while, but I didn't have a way to get it off. The hospital wouldn't let me in, cause I didn't have no money."

The man named Eugene, kept his eyes on the man. Eh, the woman could froth at the mouth for all he cared; he had picked up on the white haired man as the Alpha leader.

Eugene was still gonna kill him, but he'd take the cast removal and offer of a shower, why not?"
 

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#582

Don led the way down the hall, toward the back utility bathroom. Walking behind Eugene were Toby and Milo. The imprint of the large automatic was easily racializable in the soiled stiffness of the clothes the man was wearing.

Toby made the motion to lift the back of the shirt, and for Milo to grab the weapon.

Eugene stopped instantly, snarling obscenities, when he felt the automatic move.

"We don't allow people we don't know to have weapons in our house. You may have it back when we drop you off in town later." Toby was very stern. "Throw out your clothes and we will provide clean, serviceable clothes to wear."

"Someone will be right outside the door to assist you if you have problems. The hot water is on a 15 minute timer, so you are warned,"

Milo was gingerly holding the filthy, unusual weapon, placing it on the table next to Mark. Crusty ridges of what looked to be peanut butter and jelly, along with smears of macaroni and cheese.

"That looks like a 3-D printed ghost gun." Milo was looking at the hammer. "That looks like syrup down and around the hammer."

"That guy needs clothes you're the only one about his size."

Mark grinned evilly, "I have just the thing for him to wear." and he returned with pair of bib overall an a Flanner shirt.
 

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#583

As knowing smiles and chuckles passed between the adults; Breezy said impatiently, "I don't get it, what;s so funny?"

Gary took her arm and drew her gently into a quiet spot. "This guy had a gun, that one," he explained, pointing to the filthy plastic weapon. "It was tucked in his pants at the small of his back. Dad is thwarting that by giving him bib overalls that have no waistband."

"Oh, I get it now, I hope you guys get rid of him soon, he gives me the creeps." Breezy shivered dramitically.

"As soon as he gets clean and eats some stew, we'll take him back to town." Gary assured his nervous wife. "We
re all watching this guy closely. We feel it's our Christian duty to help fellow humans, but that doesn't mean we trust them with the keys to the castle."

Breezy nodded. It had taken her a long time to trust that Gary would keep her safe, and she gave a hugh sigh. "He's still creepy, especially the way he looks around, like he's memorizing everything here."

"That was an excellent observation," Gary praised. "Just stay back out of the line of fire, in case we have to shoot him."

Breezy nodded, thinking how far she had come in her thinking from when she and Gary had first met. Suddenly she had a clear picture in her mind of the great personal blessing she had been given. She was alive today because of the strength of these people.

It was easy to give Gary a heartfelt smile, Breezy felt so very blessed.

Mark took the clothes down the hall to Don, who was standing guard at the bathroom door. "He's almost finished, I had to throw his dirty clothes outside, they stunk so bad.'

"Ma almost has the stew heated." Mark turned to leave.

They fed the man, bundled him up and took him back to town. The second Mark slowed the pickup to stop in the supermarket lot, "Eugene" jumped out and ran as fast as he could into the maize of apartment buildings.

Milo reached under the seat and withdrew the filthy automatic. He threw the plastic against the brick wall of the building, and they drove off.

"Breezy said that guy was creepy, and I totally agree." Gary said from the back seat where he had kept his weapon trained on the creep. "Lets hurry back, that hog Don is alone there with all the pie"

"Toby's there," Milo reminded Gary, and there was a desperate groan from the back seat. "That's certainly no help. They both are pigs about pie."
 

PacNorWest

Veteran Member
#58
4Mark and the boys arrived home as Woody's car pulled in the drive. Tess and the boys were thrilled to have him there. As he explained, he had to leave Sunday afternoon after church, and hoped Tess and the kids would come with him.

Tess nodded, ready to be a family again in their own home. Woody had a surprise for her. He had found and had installed a wood stove in their modern house, as a present for Tess. A present that she cherished for the thought and love involved.

He's so much like Dad, she was thinking. "I'm so excited," Tess whispered to Woody, as they hugged for the third time. "Can you stay overnight? Or do you have to go right back?"

"It would be best if I went right back, the world is a volitive place right now, I just missed you so much, I came to see if you would come home." Woody spoke low and private.

"Yes, I will; we will. Give me ten minutes to gather up stuff and we can go."

Woody had to hear the story about the scummy man, and he internally frowned. He didn't like the idea of exposing Tess and the boys to a vagrant, but he understood the family dynamics enough to know their Christian principles wouldn't be undeterred.

Tess and the boys were ready, lots of sniffles, teary eyes, handshakes and hugs and the limo took them away.

"I wasn't sure what they had was real": Don spoke up at the supper table that night, "I was beginning to think she was the stupidest woman on the planet."

Clora looked up and frowned in his direction, and then sighed. That was the truth, but the way Don said it felt so raw.

Mark gave Don the evil eye for disturbing his Clora, and Milo and Toby deftly removed the two pie plates from either side of Don, giving him a non-verbal sign of dissaproval.

Don knew his was not a popular theory, but it was the truth.

Milo and Toby pointedly removed the next to the last piece of pie, and then offered the pans to Mark and Gary./

Don quickly got the message and shut up. Just because he was the youngest and truthful, didn't give him the license to upset Ma.

As far as Clora was concerned, it was a wonderful evening. Even if Tess and family were gone, the family would be attending church together tomorrow morning. That gladdened Clora's heart to joy abounding.

Supper was over when there was a knock at the door. In burst the 'unknown Eugene'. "I need papers from my coat," he yelled. "Now you are all gonna die like you did to my father."

Be foe pistols could be drawn to shoot and stop the crazed man, he detonated the suscide bomb strapped around his middle.

The resulting blast destroyed the brown clapboard house and all the people inside.
 
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