Original Work The Unwelcome Sign

anybody heard from Zengunfighter?
This is very much unlike him to just disappear for weeks...
(We already know, he has several more books he wants to do in this 'world', and, that this books beginning will be the ending... but, it appears, we have a major war and consolidation of power to go through first... plus, maybe some news from the mainland. Maybe, he is just cogitating a fantastic 'full circle'... I'm just hoping its normal 'life'... and nothing bad.)

 

He was active on YouTube last week.

 

Excellent, hope he hasn't run into the dreaded 'internet writers block'.
People, after awhile, have a tendency to forget and move on...

 

He'll be just fine; it's all a matter of focus and attention…and de way be zen and all dat sheet & stuff…and we gots ta hear bout what beez happening ta dat fat toad in the cellar…and when I be getting my 'coin purse' for my counterfeit Zeds…an alls dat sheet & stuff….;-)

 

I do so wish I could understand Ebonics, or is it Obomics, or perhaps, Ebolacs.
No matter, they aren't teaching cursive writing in school anymore... so stupid ole me, just has to ask my sister in law, who is a teacher... "Then, how do they sign a legal signature? Will they just revert to putting their 'mark' on documents?"

Crickets...

 

'mark' works for me…folks been calling me a doctor over it for years…;-)

 

Diesel, you need to post that picture at the Bunker...

 

Stole it from the Bunker…because to understand this story line the 'smell' element must be appreciated…the stench of every battlefield is conveyed when buzzards be well fed and all dat sheet ;-)

With all the bodies 'stowed' into shot up vehicles it was apparent that something needed embellishment and this picture is outstanding.

 

that looks like a 'good' marxist...

 

Yes it does; and, I do like to meet a 'good marxist' now and again…especially the toad variety for whom this portrays their only reward.

 

Still checking...

 

Waiting, waiting…waiting! Waiting with the patience of a buzzard awaiting the death's angel appearance with dinner! ;-)

 

I'M BACK......
Sorry for the hiatus. Life. And I got stuck. Hard. But we had a break through today.
Big fight's commin'...
“Lima 6, this is Zebra actual. Copy?”
“Yeah Zebra, go ahead.” Lavell sounded calm, which was just what I needed to hear. I took a couple of deep breaths and slowed my jog to a fast walk. The others started to make ground on me. I waved them on. Sadie fell back and in step with me. I re-keyed the mic.
“We’ve just left the last abates. Heading home. Need you to meet me at the top of the road. Copy?”
“Roger that Zebra. Meet at top of the road. ETA?”
I ran some quick and dirty numbers in my head and spit out an answer to the equation.
“5 to 7 mikes”
“See you then. Lima out.”
I broke squelch twice and slid the radio back in its pouch. Sadie raised an eyebrow in question.
“You can hear it with Lavell, we need to scoot.”
Sadie and I broke back into a jog. Rounding the nearest corner Frank left the rock he’d been using to cover us, and joined our jog, easily keeping pace. The rest of the group was about a hundred yards ahead. They slowed slightly for us to catch up.
Lavell was at the intersection of King’s Mountain road and the road to our neighborhood. One of his people was with him, a short distance away, covering six from a good position.
We shook, ending in a fist bump. “What’s up boss?”
Before I answered him, I got my group squared away. “Sadie wait with me. The rest of you head on down. Frank, make sure the upper chicane is set and fully manned. Remind everyone of the standing orders. Then take care of yourself. All of you, make sure your gear is good, get yourselves cleaned up, fresh clothes, food, water and get to your positions. You can take naps there. Go!”
They turned and headed down hill.
I watched them leave then turned back to Lavell. I filled him in on what had happened so far.
He gave me an update on his situation. Nothing had changed, no more action from the group that attacked his position. I suspected they hadn’t gone far and would soon be back in play.
“So what’s the plan?” I met Lavell’s look. It was a look of confidence. Both in himself and me. I had mixed feelings. It helped steady me, to have a man such as this, down with what we were doing. The thought that I wasn’t up to the trust threatened to crush me.
I shoved that thought down, roughly, and turned my back on it. Hoping it wouldn’t attack me when I wasn’t looking.
“The main force will be here as soon as thirty minutes and as long as a couple hours. I’m leaning towards the later. They have to wait for the fire to burn out mostly before they can pass. The timing will depend on their vehicles. They have to know they are close. They may press on on foot. If they do, they’ll be here soon.”
“But if they want their cars, it will take longer to clear the road.” No surprise, Lavell was tracking.
“Yup. I don’t know which way they’ll go, but I’m leaning towards the earlier timeframe. They’re pissed, and frustrated and the bosses have to know they have to keep pushing. They can’t afford to let their people have a moment to think. If they do, they may develop ideas contrary to what the bossman wants.”
“Concur. The gang leaders will keep whip busy. Which is why you didn’t target any of them.”
“Was I wrong?”
“Absolutely not. Not with what you want to accomplish. We need to crush them.”
I let out a mental breath I’d been holding. The relief felt good. I was putting the entire neighborhood at risk. A well calculated one, but a risk nonetheless. It would have been easy enough to dissuade the gangbangers back at Four Corners. But I wanted to finish this now. The longer they were allowed to consolidate power, the harder they would be to deal with later. Still there were the lingering doubts.
“So we’re cool?” We’d spent the last five minutes laying out our plans and alternatives.
“Yeah Zed, we’re cool. Good luck man.”
“Yeah man, see you soon.” We dapped up and went our seprate ways.
Sadie and I made our way down the hill heading into our neighborhoods. There were only a handful of houses in the upper stretch and they all appeared abandoned. I hoped the residents had all moved further down, below the chicane.
We arrived at the upper chicane a couple of minutes later. There were half a dozen people behind the cars that made up the block. I checked the surrounding area, looking to see if I could spot any of the other people who should be manning the other fighting positions.
It was difficult. I thought I saw a motion here, a bit of color there, but nothing definite. I hoped it meant we’d done our job making good positions, and not that no one was in them.
As Sadie and I got nearer the truth became evident as the people behind the cars started clapping. Slowly.
Motion on the hill drew my attention. Two people stood in the fighting hole, joining in the clapping. I stopped dead in my tracks, stunned. Speechless. As one, and then two, followed by others, the area started sprouting fighters, all clapping, all with stupid grins on their faces.
I started to sway and could feel the shakes come on. Sadie took my hand, grounding me. She took a step, gently tugging me. I followed meekly, dazed. The clapping picked up speed and turned to cheering, arms pumping in the air.
We neared the cars. Sadie gave my hand a sharp, painful squeeze. “Pull yourself together. Don’t waste this.”
The veil dropped and I shivered, starting with my head, through the shoulders, down the spine, splitting at the hips and driving in to the ground down both legs.
I squeezed back on Sadie’s hand, turned and kissed her, let go.
Taking a deep breath, I ran the last couple steps to the car, building momentum. I jumped on to the hood of the closest car and up onto the roof. It flexed a little, but settled on the dirt filling the passenger compartment.
I stood there, waiting. I made eye contact. With. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
Suddenly there was silence, the birds and insects still quiet after the man made noise.
I waited.
It got awkward.
Strained.
A cough here, shuffled foot there.
Now.
“Thanks. Thank you. You have no idea. None. Of what this means to me. To know that you are ready to stand. To Stand!
Me, and some of your neighbors, some of your friends and family have gone out and got things going. I’m sure you’ve heard some of what we’ve done.”
I was briefly interrupted by another round of applause and cheers. I waved them to silence. We didn’t have the time. And I couldn’t handle much more adulation. It didn’t sit well.
“We’ve bloodied them. Hard. Near as I can figure, we’ve cut their numbers in half. Half! But we’re not greedy. We left the other half for you!”
Laughter and tailing on jokes were shared quickly. I talked over them, after a moment.
“Don’t be fooled. The half that are left are the survivors. The ones that have been bloodied, the ones that have learned. And learned they have. Make no mistake. This enemy is not one to take lightly. They do learn. They do adapt.”
I could see the crowd’s mood turn. Good. They needed to take this seriously.
“Still. They are no match for you. You are better trained. You might not realize it, but you have been trained by some of the best.
And I have watched as you have worked. While you have sweated and struggled to get it right. “
Head nods, fist bumps shared. Pride evident.
“Not only are you better trained, you are better motivated. Have you heard the old saying: ‘the wolf is running for his supper, but the rabbit is running for his life?’ Well, you have the oldest, strongest motivator in history. Your homes and families. The gangbangers want to take what you have. Take what you’ve earned. What you’ve built. Are you going to let them?”
“No!”
“Are WE going to let them?”
“!”
I let that sit a moment.
“And know that we are on the side of Right. We are doing a Good Thing here. In the midst of chaos and disruption, you are learning to cope. To work through it. To work together with your neighbors. That is important. HUGE! We can’t let that fail. Will you let that fail? Will you let them take that? Stop you?”
I didn’t have to prompt them this time.
“!”
“Good! Now. We have some work to do. You and me. Are you ready?”
They were quick learners.
“YES!!!”
I jumped down off my perch and Sadie joined my side. I greeted as many as I could as they gathered around to hear me. When they were all there, I told them their part in the plan. They listened attentively. When I questioned them, they responded quickly with the correct answer.
They were as ready as they were going to be.

 

Hot damn, gonna be a 'killing' spree over hill and dale…and 'dale' better watch out about who's on top ;-)

Ma pet buzzard be smelling for its dinner and dinner will soon be served!

 

Thanks Zen. Well done.

 

Zen glad to see you back. I was starting to get worried.

 

Looking good, Looking good...

 

Heeeeeeeeeees BACK!
Whew... Zen, ya had us all worried about ya...

 

Love the story line - time to think of the movie rights, if I was a writer there isn't anything I could add!!!

 

I don't remember seeing that pic at DDB, but I've been out in the sticks all summer and have little internet access unless I get to a library.
Zed were all routing for more ( Writers Fix's ) the habit has us all addicted wanting more!!!!!