Chapter 4: Creek Construction
Sleeping was a nice thing. It was like being in a space with no forces and warm surroundings. A perfect state. Until the alarm rings. Lori opened her eyes and tried to grab her iPhone on the bedside table. She turned the alarm off. She heard Marisa moving in her bed.
"Morning." Marisa said with a tired voice.
"Morning." Lori said and rubbed her eyes.
"What time is it?"
"Six."
Marisa closed her eyes and sighed.
"So early… Is Tatiana awake?" Marisa asked.
"Wait."
Lori looked at her phone, and opened WhatsApp. One message from Tatiana, sent at 5:37 a.m. It was a picture of a plate full of cooked sausages with scrambled eggs on bread. It looked filling.
"She is already up."
"Already?" Marisa asked, slightly surprised.
"Yes. Since an hour I think."
Lori got up.
"She was always like this. Got up so early." Lori said.
"Oh man." Marisa said and got up.
"Do you want to shower first?"
"Yes."
Marisa grabbed fresh clothes and went into the bathroom. Lori walked into the kitchen. She took a pan, and laid it on the stove. Lori took some eggs out of the fridge and opened them. Then she took some sausages and cut them in small pieces.
"So and now…"
Lori put the pieces into the pan and turned the stove on.
"And now cook." Lori said quietly.
Ten minutes went by. Marisa entered the kitchen.
"Smells nice." Marisa said.
"Right. I made what Tatiana showed me in her message. Could you take care of that? I need to shower too."
"Sure."
Lori went into her room and got fresh clothes. Then she went to the bathroom. She closed the door and took off her clothes. Lori turned the water of the shower on and stepped in. The warm water felt amazing.
"Ah." Lori said.
Nothing felt better like a warm shower in the morning.
"Why does Tatiana want us to be there so early?"
Lori took a bottle of shampoo.
"Maybe it's a hard job."
She put the shampoo in her hair.
"I mean it is one."
Lori washed the shampoo out of her hair. She turned off the shower, dried herself with a towel, and put on her fresh clothes. She went to the kitchen. Marisa already filled the plates. She was just waiting for Lori. Lori sat down and took a fork.
"Bon appetit." Lori said.
"Thank you." Marisa answered.
They started to eat. Marisa stalled her first bite.
"Not bad. But nothing special." Marisa said.
"I tried to make what Tatiana made. She can do it better. She eats breakfast like lunch or dinner." Lori said.
"Really?"
"Not just her. Also her sister. And her family. It's her culture."
"Can your dad cook as good as her?"
"My dad can cook really good. I mean, you know how he cooks. But that polish stuff? I don't know. He never made this. But I think he could." Lori said.
"Okay. Is it that different?"
"Not really."
"Then I think he would cook this as good as Tatiana."
"I think." Lori said, and continued eating.
"When do we meet Tatiana?" Marisa asked.
"In a bit more than half an hour. At seven a.m." Lori said.
"So early..."
"I wish we wouldn't have to be that early. But Tatiana said that it had to be."
"Why did we agree to this?" Marisa asked.
"Because we wanted." Lori said.
"Right… Tatiana said we wouldn't have to but we insisted…"
"Hmm." Lori said and nodded.
They finished their breakfast, and put their dishes in a dishwasher. Lori laid a cleaning tab in a small holder.
"I turn it on. We can empty it in the evening." Lori said.
"Okay."
Lori closed the dishwasher.
"So, now we leave." Lori said.
Lori and Marisa got their stuff, and put on their shoes. Lori unlocked the apartment door. They got out.
"So… And now…"
Lori locked the door.
"Now we can go."
Marisa nodded. They went downstairs and left the building, walking to the parking lots. Lori opened her car. She sat on the driver seat and closed the door. Marisa sat down on the passenger seat and also closed the door. Lori started the engine and drove off of the parking lot. She turned on the street and after a minute drove on the main road. The sun was shining at the horizon and let the clouds glow red and orange.
"Really beautiful." Lori said.
"Yeah." Marisa answered.
They drove on. Fifteen minutes later, Lori turned in the street where the scrapyard was. They drove past the road where Tatiana's house was. They saw the entrance of the scrapyard and saw many trucks entering and leaving the scrapyard. Under them Dino trucks with metal scrap and Trucks with aluminum and glass recycling containers. Lori and Marisa looked confused at the trucks.
"Those are a lot of trucks." Lori said.
"Yeah. But I think it's normal for a scrapyard." Marisa said.
"You're right."
Lori drove to the entrance and turned into the scrapyard area.
"There you can park." Marisa said and pointed to the office building.
Lori looked at a few parking spaces labeled with «Workers only».
"We are workers for today so…"
Lori Parked her car on one of the parking lots. Lori and Marisa got out of the car.
"So, where is Tatiana?" Marisa asked.
"There." Lori said.
Tatiana stood next to a trash truck and talked to the young truck driver that was in the cab. She was slightly upset.
"I get that this is your first week, but man nobody achieved that while I have this scrapyard."
Tatiana said.
"I'm sorry ma'am." The young truck driver said.
"I get it. Use your navigation system more until you're used to this job. Okay."
"Got it ma'am."
"Good. And next time you bring some scrap with you."
The truck driver saluted and turned the truck on. He left the scrapyard area. Tatiana looked around, and saw Lori and Marisa. She walked to them.
"Ah there you are. Good morning." Tatiana said.
"Good morning. A lot is going on here." Lori said.
"Yeah. All the recycling container got emptied and the glass and the aluminum comes to here. Are you excited to work?"
"We are ready." Marisa said.
"Yes. We are." Lori said.
"Very nice. I show both of you how to use the scanner, and then one of you can scan and one of you can help me out here. We have a lot of cars to press today." Tatiana said.
"Who of us should scan and who should help you?" Lori asked.
"You can decide later between you two. Now we go to the office."
They walked to the office. Lori, Marisa and Tatiana entered Tatiana's office. Tatiana sat at her desk and started the her MacBook Air up, and took a cable that was attached to a scanner that stood on the desk.
"Now we plug it in." Tatiana said and plugged the cable into the USB port of the MacBook.
"Nice high tech you have here." Marisa said impressed.
"It's nothing special." Tatiana said.
She looked at the screen. Lori and Marisa noticed in a short moment that where the word password was supposed to be to unlock the Mac, was the word "Hasło". Tatiana typed her password in, and Lori and Marisa looked away. Tatiana unlocked the computer and they looked back. And then they noticed that not even the language of the Mac was polish, because on the keyboard were keys with the letters Ł, ś, ź, ć, ż, ą and ę. They looked awkwardly at the Mac.
"We will understand the computer, right?" Marisa asked.
"Hmm? Ah because of the language? No. The scanning program is in English. So don't worry." Tatiana said.
"Okay. That's good." Lori said.
Tatiana got up, and took a folder.
"Okay. Now, we scan. First, you take the documents out. And see that they all have the barcode on top. If not, take all until you see the next one. If you scan one without its barcode, it gets lost in the system. Okay?"
Lori and Marisa nodded.
"Perfect. You lay them on the scanner facing upwards."
Tatiana laid the documents on the scanner, facing upwards.
"And then you press scan."
Tatiana pressed a scan button in the scan program, and the scanner started to take all the documents, one after another. The documents appeared on the screen. Tatiana pointed at them.
"You watch that the scanner takes them cleanly. And then you wait until it's done."
The scanner finished scanning. Tatiana took the documents, and put them in a cardboard box.
"And that's how it's done. Who of you wants to do this, and who wants to help me outside?" Tatiana asked.
"I think I scan here." Lori said.
"You want?" Marisa asked.
"You know, you can spend time with Tatiana without me."
"Okay."
Tatiana clapped her hands one time.
"Okay. Great. Marisa, come with me."
"See you later." Lori said and sat down at the desk.
"At lunchtime." Tatiana said.
Marisa and Tatiana went to the door.
"Ever pressed a car to the size of a fridge?" Tatiana asked.
"Uhm… No?" Marisa said slightly confused.
"You will love it."
They left the office. Lori took the folder, and took a bunch of documents out. She looked that they all had the barcode.
"Great. And now I put them in… Like this." Lori said, and put the documents in the scanner, facing upwards.
Lori pushed the scan button on the MacBook and the scanner started doing his job. Lori joyfully watched how the scanner inserted one sheet after another with a lot of speed.
"This is really nice."
Lori looked at the screen. All documents seemed to be scanned properly. The scanner ended the scanning process. Lori took the documents and put them in the cardboard box to the other documents that already got scanned.
"Nice. And now the next ones."
Lori took the next folder. Tatiana and Marisa were in an excavator like control cab. But the machine was a giant press. They looked through a windshield at a giant container like space, that was under them. Tatiana pointed at three big control sticks with a red button next to them, labeled with eject.
"The first one is the press from above. It is folded away right now. Now, when José puts the cat in the space, you hold it down. The upper press will fold over it and then press it small. You push it until it beeps. Then you leave it at mid. You do the same with the second lever and then with the third. And the. You press the big red button to eject the car. And then the press goes automatically back in its position. Any questions?"
"No." Marisa said.
"Okay, then we…"
It banged loudly. A forklift threw a blue and rusty minivan into the press.
"Ah José knows when he should do his things. Great. Now, do as I told you."
Marisa pressed down the first lever. A giant flat piece of the press bend over the minivan. It had many hydraulics on the top. The minivan got covered, and Marisa heard a crushing noise.
"Very good." Tatiana said.
It beeped. Marisa put the lever in normal position and pushed down the second one. They again heard a crushing noise. It beeped again. Marisa put the second lever at the normal position, and pushed down the third. It crushed again, and she put the lever in normal position as soon as it started to beep again.
"Very nice. Now eject." Tatiana said.
"Yes."
Marisa pressed the red eject button. The big top press lifted itself and got folded away. Marisa and Tatiana saw a fridge sized cube of metal, with some blue color at some spots. One part of the press opened, and the bigger side press ejected the remains of the van to its side. Hours of crushing cars went by. Marisa and Tatiana crushed over twenty cars into fridge sized cubes. Then it was lunch time. They went into the office. Lori got up from her chair.
"I just finished all the documents." Lori said.
"Wonderful. Thank you so much." Tatiana said.
"Always. Did you have fun to crush the cars?"
"It was awesome." Marisa said.
"It was. But now we have lunch. I made something for you." Tatiana said and went into another room of the office house.
Tatiana left the office and went to another room. Five minutes later, she came back with three Tupperware containers in her arms.
"So. I made this yesterday for us. Goulash." Tatiana said.
"Wow. Thank you." Lori said.
Tatiana gave Lori and Marisa the Tupperware. They were hot.
"Uh! Pretty hot." Marisa said.
"I just warmed it up." Tatiana said.
"You warmed it up really well." Lori said, put the Tupperware on the desk, and shook her hands.
Tatiana went out of the room again and came back with three spoons.
"Here." Tatiana said and gave Lori and Marisa a spoon each.
They opened the Tupperware. Lori saw a delicious looking goulash in it. It steamed and smelled delicious. Lori took a spoon of it and tasted it. It was nice.
"Pretty good." Lori said.
"Thank you." Tatiana answered.
They started with lunch. After some minutes, Marisa asked a question.
"Last time we were together, you didn't tell me how you got punished for manipulating your bullies' bikes." Marie said.
"You want to know that… Do you want to tell it to Lori?" Tatiana asked.
"Okay."
October 9th 2013:
It was a cold afternoon. Lori and Jane were wearing jackets while they were on the school area. Lori was wearing a light blue jacket, and Jane a dark blue one. They both hold a grabber. A mechanical arm that was for picking up trash.
"I'm mad." Jane said.
"That people throw their trash everywhere?" Lori asked.
"No. Maybe yes. But that we got caught manipulating Alex's and Victor's bike."
"You're mad that we got caught?"
"Yes."
"I kinda feel bad for what they did to them."
Jane became angry, and her head went red.
"Did you really say you feel sorry for them! They're bullies! You know what they did to us! You know what they did to Betty!" Jane said with an angry voice.
"I know… But don't you think we went too far with letting them crash intentionally?"
"No. They deserved it. And I hope it makes them act nicer towards us in future." Jane said.
"I hope so too." Lori said.
Jane grabbed a squished beer can with the mechanical arm. She looked disgusted at it.
"Ew! I don't get why people throw things on the ground and not in the trash! And I understand much less how they can drink that disgusting stuff!"
"There are a lot of horrible people." Lori said.
"Yes." Jane said with a tense voice, and put the can with the mechanical hand into the trash bag.
Lori took a bottle cap from the ground with the mechanical hand and put it in her trash bag.
"That makes me mad to see such things." Lori said.
"Me too." Jane answered.
Ava and Quinn approached them. They were wearing jackets, and both held a trash bag and a mechanical hand. Ava's jacket was black, and Quinn's jacket was pink.
"We made the other part." Quinn said.
"Do you also have a lot of trash here?" Ava asked.
"Yes." Lori said.
"Someone threw a lot of things just on the ground." Jane said.
"I hate such people." Quinn said.
"Me too." Lori said, and grabbed with the mechanical hand a plastic bag, which she put in her trash bag.
"Short question, where do we put the trash when we're done?" Quinn asked.
"To the trash containers behind the kitchen." Jane said.
"Uh, is Chef Pat still there?" Lori asked with sweat on her head.
"No. She leaves at afternoon." Ava said.
"Where do you know that?" Quinn asked.
"I sadly have a window place in chemistry with Tatiana." Ava said.
"One day your skin will be white like flour." Jane said.
Ava smiled slightly.
"You know that this is something she wants." Lori said.
"I know." Jane said and rolled her eyes.
"If you're done here, we can throw the bags in the dumpster and go to the teacher. Then they might let us go home." Quinn said.
"Okay. Check if anything is here." The girls looked around.
Only Quinn found old cigarette butts. She used the mechanical hand and put them in the trash. They went behind the school, where the kitchen of the canteen was. Lori opened the dumpster, and the girls threw the trash bags in it.
"Now to Mister Gibson." Lori said.
The girls went to the entrance and went to the classroom were the math class was. Mr Gibson sat at his desk and was checking math tests. The girls went in the room and went in a row in front of his desk.
"We finished our work Mr Gibson." Jane said.
"Okay. Also your two hours are almost done. So you can go home." Mr Gibson said.
"Thank you. We wish you a nice afternoon." Lori said.
"A nice afternoon." Quinn said.
"And be on time tomorrow." Mr Gibson said.
"Of course." Jane said.
The girls left the classroom. The girls walked through the hallway to the exit.
"Finally." Jane said.
"I'm glad we completed this stuff that far." Lori said.
"Only one and a half week." Ava said.
"Still two and a half to go." Quinn said.
"Is there anyone that is still mad at us?" Lori asked.
"I do t know." Jane said.
"Alex and Victor. But they always have been." Quinn said.
They heard voices from another hallway.
"We're done?"
"Yes. But we need to empty the buckets. And tell her that."
"Oh my god why can't Jane be with us? It's so annoying to write everything down."
Lori, Jane, Quinn and Ava went into the hallway. One door was opened. Tatiana, Carol and Betty were in a room with cleaning equipment and a giant sink. Tatiana wrote with a pen in a small notebook. She showed it to Betty. She nodded and took a green plastic bucket that was made for cleaning purposes.
"Ah there you are." Lori said.
Carol and Tatiana looked at them.
"We just finished cleaning the floors." Carol said.
"So you can leave now?" Quinn asked.
"When Betty emptied the buckets." Tatiana said.
"She didn't notice us." Jane said.
The girls looked at Betty. She was emptying the buckets and flushed them out with fresh water. She put the bucket aside and looked to the door. She waved at the girls.
"Okay. We're done." Carol said.
"Good. And now you translate Jane. I won't write anything anymore." Tatiana said, and put the small black notebook and the pen in Betty's hands.
"Be more patient with Betty." Jane said.
"Come on Girls. Let's go home." Lori said.
Jane waved her hand once. They went to their Lockers and took their jackets. Tatiana put on a gray jacket. Carol one in purple. And Betty a dark red one. Then they went to the exit of the school and left the building. The girls waited on the bus stop in front of the school.
"Is anyone of you still grounded?" Jane asked.
"My mom said if I behave well, she might end it earlier." Lori said.
"Lucky girl. I am still grounded next week." Quinn said.
"Only this weekend." Ava said.
"Me too." Carol said.
"And me too." Tatiana said.
"You say me three." Carol said.
"What?" Tatiana asked.
"If you're the third after someone said me too, then you say me three."
It was silent for a few seconds.
"This sounds weird." Tatiana said.
"But many say it." Carol said.
"I learn this language. If you're not happy then I say nothing anymore."
"Don't. You do very good." Lori said.
The bus approached. The girls got in and went to the railway station, were they each went on their way home. Lori reached her home 15 minutes later. She opened the door, and took off her shoes.
"Hi. I'm home!" Lori said.
"Hi Lori." Rita said from the kitchen.
Lori went upstairs and went in her room. Leni sat on her bed. She listened to music over a radio that was on her bedside table.
"Hi Lori!" Leni said joyfully.
"Hi Leni." Lori said. Leni got up and hugged Lori.
"I missed you." Leni said.
"I was just at school." Lori said.
"But so long."
"Yes. Because I was gone longer than normally." Lori said.
"Is it because of the thing that made mom mad at you?" Leni asked.
"Yes… Because of that."
"Mom was really mad."
"She was." Lori said with a tense voice.
"But you didn't do something bad? Right?"
"Leni, I did something I wouldn't do again. Because I went too far. So don't worry."
They heard Rita's voice from downstairs.
"Lori! Leni! Your father is here! Help him bring the groceries to the kitchen."
"Okay!" Lori said.
"Aww. Do we have to?" Leni asked.
"Yes!" Rita answered.
"Come on Leni. Won't be that bad."
Leni shrugged. They left the bedroom and went downstairs. Lori and Leni put on their shoes, and went outside. Lynn senior was next to a small, old, dark green Ford Fiesta. Lynn senior wore his usual clothes, with a blue tie around his neck.
"Hi dad." Lori said.
"Hi." Leni said.
"Hi. How was your day?" Lynn senior asked.
"Not great." Lori said.
"I know why. So, take the groceries out of the trunk and bring it to your mom."
"Okay." Leni said.
Lori and Leni went to the trunk of the Ford Fiesta. Two bags of groceries were in the trunk. Lori and Leni took one bag each.
"My god is this heavy." Lori said.
Lori looked at Leni, who looked at her with widened eyes. They carried the bags to the front door. Lynn senior closed the trunk and locked the car. Lori and Leni carried the bags in the kitchen. Rita was cooking dinner. It smelled good.
"Here mom." Lori said and put the bag on the floor.
"So heavy…" Leni said and put the bag down.
"Thank you." Rita said.
"What are you cooking?" Lori asked.
"I make mashed potatoes and meat sauce."
Lori left the kitchen and went upstairs. She entered her room, took off her shoes and laid on her bed. Lori looked at the ceiling. Normally she would be downstairs. Maybe play with her sisters. Or watch TV. But she was grounded. And if her mother didn't explicitly tell her to leave the room, she wasn't allowed to. Lori was mad at herself.
"We shouldn't have done this." Lori whispered to herself.
Lori turned her head and looked to the window.
"I want to go outside so badly."
March 26, 2020:
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana were in the office. Marisa felt sorry for the grounding Lori and Tatiana went through.
"I'm sorry. That wasn't nice." Marisa said.
"Well, we deserved it." Lori said.
"We did." Tatiana said.
"But they bullied you pretty hard." Marisa said.
"They did. But doing something bad to them wasn't a good thing either." Lori said.
"I knew that by myself."
"Just saying. Because we did very wrong that day."
"We did bully stuff." Tatiana said.
"Yes. I didn't like Alex and Victor, but I felt kinda bad for them." Lori said.
"I guess." Marisa said.
They looked at their Tupperware.
"Still lunch to go." Tatiana said.
"Yes." Marisa said.
The girls continued eating.
"And how was the first weekend after your grounding ended?" Marisa asked.
"I remember really well that day. That was pretty nice." Lori said.
Saturday, October 12th, 2013:
Lori opened her eyes. She laid in her bed and stretched herself. Lori sat up. Leni was at the wardrobe and dressed herself.
"Morning." Lori said with a sleepy voice.
"Morning! Did you sleep well?" Leni asked with joy in her voice.
"Yes." Lori said and got up.
Lori slowly walked to the door.
"And you?"
"I had a awesome dream. I had a ice cream truck and everyone in two. Got free ice cream." Leni said.
"I like that dream." Lori said with an awkward tone.
"It was wonderful."
"I believe that."
Lori left her room and went to the bathroom. She closed the door, used the toilet, washed her hands and then her face. Lori opened the door and went back in her room. Leni was standing dressed in front of the wardrobe.
"Did I miss anything?" Leni asked.
Lori looked at Leni. She was wearing her usual ocean green dress, had her typical hair style, and looked like everything day.
"Maybe you forgot nothing." Lori said.
"Hmm. Well, then all is alright."
Lori went to her side of the wardrobe and took out fresh clothes. She took of her pajamas and dressed herself in the fresh clothes.
"Wonderful. And now breakfast."
Lori left her room and went downstairs. In the kitchen was Rita. She made pancakes. On a plate on the kitchen table were a lot of fresh made pancakes. Lori took a plate, maple syrup and a fork.
"Bon Appetite." Rita said.
"Thanks. Good morning mom." Lori said.
Lori started to eat.
"You know that you aren't grounded anymore. But behave. You're grounded again very fast if you misbehave again." Rita said and turned a pancake in the pan.
"Okay." Lori said and nodded.
"Good. Otherwise feel free to meet with your friends again."
"Okay." Lori said with a smile and started to eat.
Leni and Lynn junior entered the Kitchen.
"Good morning mom." Leni said.
"I'm hungry." Lynn junior said.
"Morning girls. Take a plate. Lori has maple syrup." Rita said.
Leni took two plates and gave Lynn one. Leni sat down next to Lori and took a pancake.
"Eat well." Leni said.
"Leni, it's said bon appetite." Lori said.
"Oh…"
Lynn took two pancakes at once and ate them with big bites.
"Lynn, normal!" Rita said.
Lynn looked at Rita, and then took small bits with her fork.
"Good. You know how to eat properly." Rita said.
"It's very good mom." Leni said.
"Thank you Leni." Rita said.
Lori took a second pancake and poured some maple syrup over it. She took a bit of it with her fork and ate it.
"It's really good." Lori said.
"Thanks." Rita said.
A few minutes later, Lori finished her breakfast. She took the plate and the fork, and put them in the dishwasher.
"I'm upstairs." Lori said.
"Didn't you want to go outside?" Rita asked.
"Yes, but I need to know where my friends are."
Lori left the kitchen and went upstairs. Lori went in her room. She sat at her desk and turned on the radio. The display showed channel 37. Lori took the microphone and pressed the PTT button.
"CQ CQ this is Loud20 calling CQ."
Lori let the button go. Immediately someone answered.
"Reed44. Good to hear you Lori."
It was Jane. Lori pressed the PTT button.
"Good morning Jane. How how are you?"
Lori let the PTT go. Briefly someone spoke in the conversation.
"QRZ."
Jane started to speak.
"Z station I heard you. Microphone to you."
"Jaruzelski1 here. Good that you are on air. You all remember my plan to make a dam? Mike to Lori."
Lori pressed the PTT button.
"Yes. Should we do it? Mike to you Tatiana."
"Yes. But I need to check if everyone is here. DarkAva6?"
Ava answered over the airwaves.
"Here."
"Okay good. Pringrey11?" Tatiana asked.
Carol's voice rang from the speaker.
"Here." Carol said.
"Wonderful. Quinn21?"
"Also here."
"Wonderful. Im portable here. I'm at the forest, right next to the Wieża telewizyjna."
Jane's voice appeared.
"Where are you Tatiana? Mike to you."
"At the Wieża telewizyjna. You told me if I don't know the word I should say it in polish. You all told me that. Mike to Lori."
Lori pressed the PTT button.
"Okay. Can you describe this thing you mentioned? Mike back to you."
Lori released the PTT button.
"Okay. It's big. Has many antennas and TV comes from it. Good enough?"
Lori pressed the PTT again.
"Ah. The TV tower. Yes we can meet you here. If anyone has to say something to this please do now."
Lori released the PTT button and listened. No one said anything. Then she pressed the PTT.
"Okay. Then we meet at the TV tower. Jane, bring Betty with you, and all of you take your hand radios with you. Channel 37. I'm on my way."
Lori released the PTT button. Quinn's voice came from the radio.
"Okay. See you later."
Lori turned the radio off and took a small handheld radio, turned it on and switched on channel 37.
Lori went downstairs, puts on her shoes, and went out of the house. She got on her bike and rode it out of Royal Woods, in direction of a giant tower, painted red and white with a blinking, lighthouse like light on its top. Lori entered the forest over a gravel street. Then she arrived at the TV broadcast tower. Her friends were waiting, wearing their jackets and holding their radios. Except Ava and Betty. Betty became she can't use a radio, and Ava became her handheld radio is broken. Jane and Betty stood next to a tandem bike. Lori approached them and got off of her bike. Everyone was there, except Quinn.
"Hi girls. Where is Quinn?" Lori asked.
"She lives at the other side of the town. She needs longer." Carol said.
"And I was already here." Tatiana said.
"Yeah. Because you live even further away."
"Exactly."
Lori looked to Jane and Betty.
"And you? How did your ride go?"
"It was awesome. I really missed the tandem bike rides with Betty." Jane said.
"Okay nice. How is Betty?"
"I ask her."
Jane moved her hands.
"Lori… asked.. how are… you?"
Betty answered in her silent language. Jane spoke the words Betty showed.
"I'm well… thank you for asking."
Quinn arrived in her bike. She was panting and sweating, and got off of her bike.
"Sorry for being late." Quinn said.
"No problem. You alright?" Lori asked.
"My lung hurts."
"If you need a moment to get air then do so." Carol said.
"Thanks…"
Quinn leaned over her bike and breathed loudly. The girls turned to Tatiana.
"So, we build a dam." Lori said.
"Yes." Tatiana said.
"And why would we do that?" Jane asked.
"I think it's fun."
The girls looked at each other, and then at Tatiana.
"What's the real reason?" Ava asked.
"You make the scrapyard stuff for fun. Like the washing machine. But a dam in a forest? What are you up to?" Jane asked.
"I just think it's cool." Tatiana said.
Quinn looked at Jane.
"What does… Betty think of it?" Quinn asked with an exhausted voice.
Jane looked at Betty, and started talking to her in sign language.
"Tatiana want… to make a dam… just for fun… do you… believe that?"
Betty rolled her eyes and answered in her silent language. Jane spoke Betty's words.
"I don't believe her… But I believe her."
The girls looked confused at Betty. Jane moved her hands.
"Explain… why you… think so."
Betty started to move her hands. Jane spoke what Betty told her.
"I think… Tatiana doesn't lie… but the reason… is odd. Tatiana… do you mean… what you said?"
Tatiana nodded. Betty continued.
"I think… you tell the truth." The girls nodded.
"I guess that's okay." Carol said.
Tatiana looked joyfully at her friends.
"Can we start?" Tatiana asked.
Lori nodded.
"Sure. Quinn? Are you ready?" Lori asked.
Quinn raised her thumb. Lori looked back at Tatiana.
"Okay. Show us where you want to build that thing."
"Okay. Follow me."
Tatiana got on her bike. Lori, Carol, Quinn, and Ava got on their Bikes, and Jane and Betty on their Tandem bike. Then they followed Tatiana through the forest. Away from the TV broadcast tower. After ten minutes, they reached a creek. It was a small creek, between two small slopes. The girls got off of their bikes.
"That's the creek." Tatiana said.
"I guess. And how do we make the dam?" Lori asked.
"You collect long sticks. And stones. And then we make the dam out of them."
"How exactly?" Carol asked.
"We lay the sticks through the creek, and stabilize them with other sticks. And they have to be big. Then we build stone wall behind the sticks on the water side and close the holes with dirt." Tatiana said.
"Do we?" Quinn asked and looked at Ava and Carol.
"Sure." Carol said.
Ava nodded.
Lori looked at Jane and Betty.
"Should we three collect the stones?" Lori asked.
Jane looked at Betty and translated what Lori said. Betty nodded.
"Okay. Then we start." Lori said.
Lori, Jane and Betty went away from the creek. Carol, Quinn and Ava started to collect big sticks.
"Good." Tatiana said.
Tatiana went to her bike, and took a small spade out of her backpack. Then she started to prepared the holes for the sticks. Carol, Quinn and Ava were collecting rocks. They collected every rock that was as big as a coconut or even bigger. Quinn took the second rock she found, and looked at it.
"Those are big ones." Quinn said.
"Yes. I think that's the perfect one for the dam." Carol said.
"I guess. Interesting that Tatiana wants to make a dam and not hang out at the scrapyard."
"Maybe she just wants to make a dam."
"Maybe."
Quinn looked to Ava. Ava held five big rocks.
"You have a lot." Quinn said.
"I just did my job." Ava said.
"Bring them to Tatiana." Carol said.
Turned and walked back to the creek. Quinn and Carol looked at each other.
"We should be more like Ava." Quinn said.
"And don't talk? No, thank you." Carol said.
Lori, Jane and Betty were collecting sticks. They had one requirement. Over two meters long and as thick as an arm. Lori already had three of them. Jane had two. And Betty had already five of them.
"Betty is pretty good with finding the sticks." Lori said.
"If she does something, she does it properly." Jane said, and looked over to Betty.
Lori looked at Betty, and then at Jane.
"You look like all ten seconds to her." Lori said.
"Yes. Because I don't want that anything happens to her."
"So it's like when you go to school and when you go home that you two hold hands?"
"Yes."
"I see." Lori said.
Ten seconds later, Betty was next to them. She looked at Jane and showed her the sticks she collected. Betty nodded. She moved her hands, and even Lori understood that Betty should give the sticks to Jane. Jane held the sticks with her left arm, and moved her right hand, symbolizing that she should stay with Lori. Betty nodded. Jane looked at Lori.
"Give me your sticks, I'll bring them to Tatiana. And take care of Betty." Jane said.
"Okay. But how big does Tatiana want the dam to be?" Lori asked.
"I don't know. Keep collecting, I will ask her."
"Okay."
Lori gave her sticks to Jane. Jane walked off, pulling the sticks behind her. Betty stepped next to Lori. Lori looked to Betty. She took her small black notebook and a pen out of her dress pocket. Betty wrote something in it and then showed it to Lori. Lori saw a conversation written in the notebook, on the left page. On the right page was a question.
«Are you Alright?»
Lori nodded, and gestured to Betty that she wanted to write something. Betty gave Lori the Notebook and the pen, and then she started writing.
«I am well. And I am happy that I'm not grounded anymore.»
Lori showed it to Betty. She nodded and took the notebook. Betty wrote something down, and then showed it to Lori.
«I know. But we deserved it. We did horrible things to Alexandra and Victor.»
Lori nodded and started to speak.
"I just hope that they… Oh… Forgot." Lori said and blushed slightly.
Betty gave the notebook and the pen to Lori. She started to write.
«I hope they change one day.»
Lori showed Betty the notebook. Betty nodded, and took the notebook back. She wrote two words and then showed it again to Lori.
«Me too.»
Tatiana was shoveling holes with her small spade into the slopes near the river bank, for the sticks. Ava and Jane approached the slope. Ava put the rocks on a pile, and Jane put the sticks next to a tree. Tatiana went up the slope and looked at what Jane and Ava brought.
"Ah. Very good." Tatiana said.
"Are you happy with the sticks?" Jane asked.
"Well…"
Tatiana took a stick and looked at it. She put it back, and then looked at the rocks Ava brought.
"I'm happy." Tatiana said.
"Good. Now a question, how big do you want the dam to be?" Jane asked.
"I want to have it so big that we can swim in it next year." Jane got surprised and slightly impressed.
"Is that why you want to make that dam?" Jane asked.
"One small reason." Tatiana said.
"You know that it needs to be strong?" Ava said.
"I know. That's why I plan to make several walls that hold the dam."
"So it gets really big." Jane said.
"It will, but next year we will have a place to cool down in the hot summer." Tatiana said.
"I guess that's worth it. I tell Lori about it." Jane said.
Hours went by, and the sun started to set. Lori, Tatiana, Carol, Ava, Quinn, and Jane and Betty stood on the slope and looked at the halfway built dam. It was already pretty hall, and two stone walls were built at the sticks that made the shape of it. At the bottom was a small hole, where the water was flowing through.
"We made a good progress. If we come here tomorrow we can finish it and then I seal the hole." Tatiana said.
"Why didn't you already seal it?" Quinn asked.
"Do you want to work tomorrow in neck high water?"
"No."
"That's why."
"Seems to be reasonable." Lori said.
"I agree." Jane said.
"Should we go home?" Tatiana asked.
The girls nodded. Janne took Betty's hand, and they walked to their bikes.
"So we come here again tomorrow?" Quinn asked.
"Maybe. We will talk about this over CB radio." Tatiana said.
"As usual channel 37?" Jane asked.
"Yes."
"We never went on another one. Anyway was pretty nice today." Lori said.
"It was." Quinn said.
They got on their Bikes.
"Bye. See you." Jane said, and rode with Betty on their tandem away.
"Bye." Lori said.
"See you." Quinn said and rode away.
Ava prepared to leave.
"Hey Ava, when do you feed Vicky again?" Lori asked.
"Next weekend." Ava said.
"Okay. Can I join?"
"Sure."
Ava waved at Lori and rode away. Tatiana jumped in her pedals.
"Bye."
Tatiana rode away with her bike. Only Carol and Lori were there.
"You are alright?" Carol asked.
"Yes. And you?" Lori asked.
"Yes."
They looked at each other for a moment.
"Take care. You're a good friend." Carol said.
"Thanks."
Carol slowly rode her bike.
"See you."
"Bye." Lori said.
Lori rode home. Tatiana reached the concrete buildings of the Monolith street. She puts her bike in a public bike rack and secured it with a lock. She went to the entrance of the concrete building, and entered. Tatiana pressed the button for one of the elevator's. The elevator opened. Tatiana stepped in and pressed the button for floor 10. The elevator closed and went up. The doors opened and Tatiana got out. She went to the door with the doorbell labeled with Hansons. Tatiana opened the door with a key, and entered.
"I'm home." Tatiana said.
Tatiana heard steps. Samantha came from the kitchen. She was wearing ocean blue jogging jacket and black pants, no shoes and socks, and had neck length blonde and straight hair. She had a fit body, and was at the age of forty.
"Hello Tatiana. How was it?" Samantha asked.
"Good. We made a dam." Tatiana said, and took off her jackets and shoes.
"Very nice."
"But we maybe need to work tomorrow on it."
"Didn't you want to go to church tomorrow?"
Tatiana remembered.
"Yes. Church. How I promised uncle Pawel."
"You don't need to go if you don't want."
"No. I promised uncle Pawel I go, and I keep the promise." Tatiana said.
"Okay. I soon start to cook. Is there anything you want for dinner?"
"I don't have a wish."
"Okay. I call you when it's ready."
Tatiana went to a door. It wasn't the door of her room. It was the room of Anastazja. Tatiana knocked and opened the door. Anastazja was laying in her bed and looked sad at the ceiling. Tatiana went to her and sat on her bed next to her.
(Tatiana)
"Czy jesteś smutny?"
(Are you sad?)
(Anastazja)
"Tak."
(Yes.)
(Tatiana)
"Mama i tata?"
(Mom and Dad?)
(Anastazja)
"Tak."
(Yes.)
Tatiana wrapped her arms around her Little sister.
(Tatiana)
"Widzą cię, Anastazja. Mama i tata siedzą jak anioły na swojej chmurze."
(They see you, Anastazja. Mom and Dad are sitting like angels on their cloud.)
(Anastazja)
"Czy z mamą i tatą wszystko w porządku, tam na górze?"
(Are mom and dad okay up there?)
(Anastazja.)
"Tak. W niebie wszyscy mają się dobrze."
(Yes. Everyone is feeling well in heaven.)
Anastazja smiled, and hugged her sister. Half an hour later, the Hansons and Tatiana and Anastazja sat at the table in the living room. George Hanson was in his forties, and was wearing a blue T-Shirt, beige jeans, a black jacket, that had a small beaver holding a wrench on it on the left side of the jacket, with the writing "Royal Woods Hydroelectric." His hair was brown, thin, and short. On their plates was potato salad. Tatiana and Anastazja enjoyed it. Robin wasn't really happy about it.
"I don't want to eat potatoes." Robin said.
"You only get what is on the table. Either that or you don't want to eat." George said.
"I want chicken nuggets."
"No. The potato salad or nothing." Samantha said.
"I love… uh… ziemniaki?" Anastazja said and looked at Tatiana.
"Potato. Ziemniak is Potato." Tatiana said.
Anastazja nodded.
"I love potato." Samantha and George felt touched.
"Aww. Thank you." Samantha said.
"That's a great thing to hear." George said.
They continued with the dinner. Two hours later, Tatiana left the room, wearing her pajama. She entered her room, and sat on her bed. She took off her socks, and prepared to sleep. The door opened. Anastazja peeked through the door. Tatiana gestured that she could enter, and Anastazja did so.
(Anastazja)
"Jak ci minął dzień?"
(How was your day?)
(Tatiana)
"Dobrze. Zacząłem budować tamę z przyjaciółmi."
(Good. I started to build a dam with my friends.)
Anastazja got impressed.
(Anastazja)
"Oh. Czy to trudne?"
(Oh. Is that hard?)
(Tatiana)
"Tak. To trudne. Ale tama jak dotąd wytrzymuje."
(Yes. It is difficult. But the dam is holding so far.)
Anastazja nodded. Tatiana got up, and hugged Anastazja.
(Tatiana)
"Dobranoc."
(Good night.)
(Anastazja)
"Dobranoc Tatiano."
(Good night Tatiana.)
They hugged again. Then Anastazja left Tatiana's room. Tatiana closed her door and turned off the light. Then she laid down in her bed and covered herself with her blanket.
Lori left the bathroom. She was freshly showered and was wearing her pajama. She walked to her bedroom and entered. Leni sat on her bed.
"Hi." Leni said with joy.
"Hi." Lori said and looked awkwardly at Leni.
"Did you try the new shampoo mom bought?"
"Yes? The one with the strawberry smell?"
"Yes! It smells so good." Leni said.
Leni got off of her bed and went to Lori. Leni sniffed Lori's hair. Lori was extremely confused.
"Why are you doing this?" Lori asked confused.
"I love how your hair smell from that shampoo." Leni said.
"Thank you I guess?"
"And wonderful big hair. Your hair is great."
Lori blushed slightly.
"Thank you Leni. It's nice of you to say that."
Lori stretched herself. Leni stopped.
"Bedtime?" Leni asked.
"Yes." Lori answered.
Leni gave Lori a hug. Lori hugged her back.
"Good night." Leni said.
"Sweet dreams."
They broke the hug. Leni went to her bed and went unter her cover. Lori turned off the lights, laid down into her bed, and covered herself. She closed her eyes and fell asleep some moments later. Lori woke up. It was morning. Leni was sleeping, and snoring softly. Lori got up, and sneaked out of the room. She went into the bathroom, closed the door, went on the toilet, washed her hands, then her face, and left the bathroom. She went back to her room, changed her clothes, and went downstairs into the kitchen. Rita sat at the kitchen table and drank a coffee.
"Good morning Mom." Lori said.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Rita asked.
"Yes. What's for breakfast?"
"I didn't make breakfast. Take a Yogurt from the fridge or a butter bread."
"Why didn't you make breakfast?" Lori asked confused.
"Can't I just have a Sunday without cooking right after I got up?"
"Okay." Lori said.
She turned to the fridge, and took a vanilla yogurt out. Lori closed the fridge, took a spoon, and sat at the kitchen table. She started to eat. Five year old Lincoln and Nine year old Luna entered the kitchen.
"Morning." Luna said.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Rita asked.
"Yes." Lincoln said.
"I did, mom." Luna answered.
"Great. You can take something out of the fridge like a yogurt."
Luna got excited, and went straight to the fridge. Lincoln shrugged and also went to the fridge. They both got themselves a Blueberry yogurt, and Luna took spoons for both of them. They sat at the table. Luna next to Lori and Lincoln next to Rita. They started to eat.
"I'm outside when I finished the yogurt here." Lori said.
"Do you go outside with your friends again?" Rita asked.
"Yes."
"Are you finishing the dam?"
"Yes. And it will be great. Next year we might swim in it."
Lori finished her Yogurt. She threw the yogurt cup in the trash, and put the spoon in the dishwasher.
"I go mom." Lori said.
"Okay. Have fun." Rita said.
Lori went to the door. She put on her jacket and her shoes, and then left the house. Lori got on her bike and rode to the TV tower, to get to the dam. Lori reached fifteen minutes later the TV broadcast tower. Carol, Quinn, Jane and Betty, Ava and Tatiana with Anastazja were waiting at the broadcast tower. Lori approached them, and stopped her bike. She looked at Tatiana and Anastazja, and noticed that Tatiana had a red lipgloss on her lips.
"Good morning. Why is Anastazja here?" Lori asked.
"She wants to help building the dam. And I go to church so you have to take care of Anastazja." Tatiana said.
Lori started to feel unsure.
"I don't know if this is a good idea." Lori said.
"I told Jane some short polish words you all can yell at her." Tatiana said.
They looked at Jane who looked in Betty's notebook.
"Tutaj?" Jane said unsure.
Anastazja went to Jane.
"Works." Tatiana said.
Tatiana got on her bike.
"Hey Tatiana." Jane said.
"Yes?" Tatiana asked and turned around.
"Beautiful lipgloss. You are pretty."
Tatiana blushed. She nodded and rode away. Lori got off of her bike and went to Anastazja.
"Okay Anastazja. We built a dam. We make walls out of stone and sticks to hold the water back. And you can help us build the stone wall." Lori said.
"Stone?" Anastazja asked and looked around.
"Yes. Stone."
"Stone. Water. Hold water?" Anastazja said and pushed her left hand against her flat right hand.
"Exactly."
Carol, Quinn, Ava and Jane looked confused at each other. Lori noticed their looks.
"What's wrong?" Lori asked.
"She talks really strange." Quinn said.
"I'm not sure if she got what you said." Carol said.
"I think she got it." Lori said.
"Her answer and gestures fit with what Lori said." Jane said.
"And hey, you can teach her some English." Lori said.
"I guess." Quinn said.
"Okay. Should we go now?" Lori asked.
"Okay. But we make slow." Jane said.
"Okay? Anastazja has a bike right?"
"She has." Ava said and pointed to a small, purple colored bike.
"Very good. Get ready."
The girls got on their bikes. They slowly rode to the creek, where the dam was. The girls reached the slope, and got off of their bikes. Lori, Carol, Quinn, Ava, Jane and Betty, and Anastazja looked at the dam. It was like how they left it yesterday.
"Oh." Anastazja said amazed and with wide eyes.
"Looks like she likes it." Jane said.
"Then she will surely help us finishing it." Quinn said.
"We build wall. You take the stones, and put them on the wall." Lori said and gestured the wall building with her hands.
Lori noticed that Betty told Jane something on sign language. Lori, Quinn, Carol and Ava looked at them. Jane nodded and turned to Lori.
"Betty thinks your signs were horrible." Jane said.
Lori looked shocked at Betty.
"Why is she says that?" Lori asked.
"Wait." Jane said and turned to Betty.
Jane moved her hands.
"Why… do you… think that?"
Betty moved her hands. Jane spoke what Betty told her.
"The signs… didn't include… wall. I understood… staple… rocks."
"Yes but… Building a wall is stapling rocks." Lori said.
Jane moved her hands. Betty answered, and Jane spoke again.
"I know… But stapling rocks… is different than… building a wall. We build a wall."
"Tell Betty that I don't know any signs of her language."
Jane translated what Lori said. Betty answered. Jane spoke her words.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't be… like that to you."
"It's okay." Lori said.
Jane translated Lori's words. Betty formed a heart with her hands.
"Do you two build with Anastazja on the dam? I would collect more stones with Quinn, Ava and Carol." Lori said.
Jane moved her hands. Betty nodded.
"Okay. We do it." Jane said.
"Perfect." Lori said.
Lori, Carol, Quinn and Ava went away. They started to collect rocks again.
"Does anyone of you look forward for next year?" Carol asked.
"Because of the plan to swim in the dam? Oh yes." Quinn said.
"It's a great idea Tatiana had." Lori said.
"It was. But I hope the dam holds the water." Carol said.
"I hope so too."
"Tatiana said it will hold." Ava said.
"You believe that?" Quinn asked.
Ava shrugged.
"Well, if it holds to next summer I jump into the water for sure." Lori said.
"Me too." Quinn said.
"Me three." Carol said.
They continued collecting rocks. Quinn walked away.
"How many do we need?" Carol asked
"I don't know. Better we have more than we need." Lori said.
They kept collecting. Then they heard a scream.
"Help!"
The girls looked in the direction of the scream, and saw Quinn. She was stuck between two trees. The girls went to Quinn. She was wedged between the trees, kinda horizontally and with her upper body facing forward. The girls went around her.
"Again?" Carol asked shocked.
"Tell, how did it happen this time?" Lori asked.
Quinn answered with a desperate voice, and pointed at a rock ten meters away from her.
"I saw that stone there, and wanted to get it. And I didn't think about the trees here, and went through."
"Oh my god…" Carol said and facepalmed herself.
"This is one of the stupidest situations you got yourself into." Lori said.
"No… It's not stupid… Right Ava?" Quinn asked with slight fear in her voice.
"It's stupid." Ava said.
Quinn sighed.
"And now?" Carol asked.
Lori sighed.
"Come on Quinn. We get you out of there. Ava could you push?" Lori said.
Ava nodded and went behind Quinn. Lori and Carol took Quinn's hands.
"Okay. Now!" Lori said.
Lori and Carol started to pull on Quinn's arms. Ava pushed against her back. Quinn whimpered at Lori and Carol. It was painful.
"Come on!" Lori said.
"Get out!" Carol said and pulled harder.
Then, Quinn popped out, tripping over.
"Come on girl. We got you." Carol said.
Lori and Carol took Quinn by her arms and helped her to get up.
"You get in dumb situations often." Lori said.
"Every week once." Ava said.
The girls saw how Ava slipped through the trees Quinn was stuck between. Jane, Betty and Anastazja were at the dam. They put the rocks on the wall, and Betty stood in the creek, wearing rubber boots. The tasks were shared. Jane and Anastazja put the rocks on the wall, and Betty held a small shovel, and filled the gaps between them with clay-like soil. Jane looked at Anastazja.
"Do you have fun?" Jane asked, and used some gestures of the sign language.
Anastazja thought for a moment, how she should answer. Then she spoke with her thick accent.
"Fun? Uh… Yes. Fun."
"Good. You built the wall well."
"Wall… I build good?" Anastazja asked.
"Yes. You build the wall well." Jane said and used some easy signs with her hands.
Tatiana sat on the church bench in the Catholic Church of Royal Woods. On the right of Tatiana was an elderly couple, in the age of 90, and in the row in front of her was the Collins Family. A family of seven, with two sons and three daughters. And Mr and Mrs Collin's were really kind. The priest McKenzie preached at the front. Every time he read out of the Bible, Tatiana followed his words in her own Bible. Her Bible was written in Polish language. This, Tatiana combined the Church service with learning English.
"And as Noah built the Arch, he was declared a fool. This man was crazy, everyone thought. But even when they called him a fool, Noah didn't do bad to them. God will take them in their hand, was what he knew. My dear friend pastor Schindler from the Evangelical church has his favorite quote from the New Testament, Matthew 5 3.
«Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.»
And even though it's from the New Testament, this shall be important for us all. My dear friends, the preach is over. I wish you all a good Sunday. May god bless you all."
Tatiana got up. She went to the row in front and waved at Mr and Mrs Collins.
"Goodbye." Tatiana said.
"Bye." Mrs Collins said.
"Take care." Mr Collins said.
Tatiana went outside. She walked though the garden of the church, and took her handheld CB radio. She turned it on and pushed the PTT button.
"CQ Jaruzelski1."
Tatiana let the PTT button go. A signal appeared. It was weak and the voice was crackling and distorted.
"Loud20… barely hear you…"
It was Lori. Her signal went silent. Tatiana pressed the PTT button again.
"I also hear you barely. I'm surprised it actually works with the hand radios. I finished the church service."
Lori's signal appeared again. It didn't sound any better.
"Done with… service… dam is… done… Anastazja did…"
Lori's signal went silent. Tatiana pressed the PTT again.
"Yeah this ain't work. I get on my bike and come to you. You're still at the dam?"
Loris signal appeared again.
"Still… dam… wait there."
Tatiana pressed again the PTT.
"Okay. See you later."
Tatiana went to her bike, and sat on it. Then she rode to the TV tower, and from there to the creek. Tatiana reached the creek. Lori, Carol, Jane and Betty, Quinn and Anastazja were building on the dam. It was almost done.
"You did good work." Tatiana said.
The girls looked at Tatiana.
"Hi. How was church?" Lori asked.
"I learned how much I love the story of Noah's arch."
"Okay. Anastazja did a good job by the way."
"Okay. That's great to hear."
"Your lips are beautiful." Jane said.
Tatiana took a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped the lipgloss away.
"Now you won't mention my lips again."
Tatiana went down the slope and looked at the stone wall of the dam, that got sealed with the clay dirt. Tatiana nodded.
"Is well sealed. Who made this?"
"Betty." Ava said.
"Jane, tell Betty that she did a great job."
Jane nodded, and turned to Betty. She moved her hands. Betty nodded. She looked at Tatiana, held her hand on her chest, and shook her head with a smile. Lori put two stones on the dam. Tatiana took the small shovel that laid next to it.
"So. Now the most important thing." Tatiana said.
Tatiana sealed the last stones with the clay dirt. Then she took two stones and put them into the hole at the bottom. Then she put clay dirt over them, and sealed it. Tatiana went up the slope to her friends.
"The dam is finished." Tatiana said.
Lori, Jane, Ava, Quinn, Carol and Anastazja cheered. Betty looked at them, and started to clap her hands.
"We did it." Jane said.
"Project successful." Carol said.
"Wonderful." Lori said.
"It will fill now. And next year, we put on our swim suits, and jump in it." Tatiana said.
"Should we tell anyone what we did?" Quinn asked.
"We didn't do anything bad. We don't need to hide it. But it might be good if we say nothing about it near Alex and Victor." Lori said.
"Better we don't." Carol said.
"If they destroy the dam I loose my mind." Tatiana said.
The girls looked how the water started to fill the dam slowly.
"And what are we going to do now?" Quinn asked.
"Whatever you want." Lori said.
"Betty wants to go home. And me too." Jane said.
"Me too." Carol said.
"So we see us in school tomorrow?" Lori asked.
"Yes." Jane said.
"Okay. Then see you."
Jane and Betty went to their tandem bike. Carol got on hers. They rode off.
"I go now too." Quinn said.
She got on her bike and rode off.
"Bye." Lori said.
"I need to fix my radio." Ava said.
"Can I come with you after Anastazja is home?" Tatiana asked.
"Yes."
"Okay girls. Then I wish you a nice evening." Lori said.
"Okay. Bye." Tatiana said.
Lori got on her bike and rode off.
"I wonder if anyone will notice the dam." Tatiana said.
"If they notice that the creek doesn't carry water for a moment, and they look for the reason, then yes." Ava said.
"Hmm. We made it too big to hide."
"Yes."
"Well, it's just a dam."
"Do we bring Anastazja home now?"
"Yes."
"Home?" Anastazja asked.
"Yes. Home. Home, Dom." Tatiana said.
"Dom is home." Anastazja said.
Ava looked slightly awkwardly at Anastazja.
"Lets bring you home." Tatiana said.
They got on their bikes, and rode to Royal Woods. They went through several small streets, until they reached the Monolith street with its depressive gray looking apartment blocks. They stopped in front of the apartment building where the Hansons had their apartment. Anastazja put her bike into the bike rack. She turned around.
"Bye." Anastazja said.
"Bye." Tatiana said.
Anastazja went into the building. Tatiana and Ava rode off again. They went through Royal woods again, and reached after some time a house with a white facade, and a black roof. It had five antennas around it, and one giant one on a big mast on the roof. They stopped their bikes in front of the house. They got off, and went to the door. Ava rang the doorbell.
"I wish I had things like Frank." Tatiana said.
"Get the license." Ava said.
"You quoted Frank?"
"Yes."
The door opened. A man with a blue business shirt and blue jeans, with dark grey hair and glasses. He was in his fifties.
"Hello. What do you need?"
"Hello frank." Tatiana said.
"My hand radio broke. Could you take a look at it?" Ava asked.
"Sure. Come in."
They entered the house, and went upstairs. Tatiana, Ava, and Frank entered the attic. One desk had many Radios and controllers for antennas on it. On another desk were tools and soldering equipment.
"Welcome in my shack." Frank said.
"What is the soldering equipment for?" Tatiana asked.
"I told you the last time. Anyway, I build some radios myself." Frank said.
He went to the desk and took a old food can from the table, that had two turning knobs on it.
"My newest project. A radio for twenty meter wavelength and for CW Morse mode." Frank said.
"Wow." Tatiana said.
"Interesting. But why in a food can?" Ava asked.
"Because it's funny. So, give me your radio." Frank said.
Ava reached in her pocket and took out a handheld radio. She gave it to frank.
"Okay. Let's see what's the problem." Frank said.
He went to the desk with the many radios and turned one on.
"Its CB. Okay then channel 37."
He turned to channel 37 on one of his radios. Then he pushed the PTT on Ava's radio and spoke into it. They heard a crackling from his radio.
"This is Fiesta33 with a test."
No voice came from his radio. He switched both to channel 13 and did the same again. A crackling came from the radio on his desk.
"This is Fiesta33 with a test."
Nothing. He went up and got to the other desk.
"I take a look at the microphone. It sends a carrier but no modulation." Frank said and opened the radio with a screwdriver.
"Okay." Ava said.
"Can I… listen to the signals?" Tatiana asked.
"On the Ham bands? Yes, but say the rule."
"Only listening, no sending."
"Good. Enjoy it and tell me what you heard." Frank said.
Tatiana smiled and sat at the desk, and turned the knobs on the radio, tuning into several signals.
Ava went to Tatiana and sat down in another chair at the desk.
"I go on forty meters." Tatiana said.
"Okay." Ava said.
Tatiana turned the knob on the radio. The display showed the frequency 7012 kHz. They heard many Morse signals.
"Morse guys." Tatiana said.
"Turn upwards." Ava said.
Tatiana turned the knob clockwise. The frequency rose. Then they started to hear distorted voices. Tatiana carefully turned a voice in.
«KW2HEB CQ Contest.»
"A contest. Interesting to hear that one is going on." Frank said from his desk, holding the soldering iron.
"What's the point of a contest?" Tatiana's asked.
"To get in a certain time as much connections as possible. It's annoying because you can't even have a short talk with the people out there. All is just contest."
Tatiana turned again the knob. The voice went into the distortion and another voice came. Tatiana turned the voices in again.
«DL8BEK QRZ?»
"What country is this?" Ava asked.
"How did the callsign start?" Frank asked.
"DL I think." Tatiana's said.
"Germany. That's Germany."
Tatiana and Ava looked amazed at the radio.
"Wow. So far." Tatiana said.
"He sends with more power than you." Ava said.
"Or he has a good antenna. What do I always say?" Frank asked.
"The best high frequency amplifier is a good antenna." Tatiana said.
"Exactly."
"More power isn't so bad though."
"I know you think that." Ava said.
"Yes. Tatiana, did you open your radio again? Your signals are stronger again." Frank said.
"Uhm… No?" Tatiana said and blushed slightly.
"You lie." Ava said.
"Let it Ava. Tatiana knows that what she does is not allowed. Just don't get caught. You know the FCC won't be happy about that." Frank said.
Then a voice came from another radio. It was Frank's voice.
"If you hear that, the radio works again."
Tatiana and Ava got up and went for frank. Ava's handheld radio was built together again.
"It works?" Ava asked.
"Yes. The microphone was broken." Frank said.
Frank handed the radio to Ava.
"Thank you." Ava said.
"No problem. Have fun with it." Frank said.
"Bye." Tatiana said.
"Bye."
Tatiana and Ava went downstairs and left Franks house.
March 26 2020:
Lori, Marisa and Tatiana sat in Tatiana's office. They finished their goulash. Marisa was impressed.
"It's pretty… impressive what you went through. And that you learned to fix radios." Marisa said.
"No. I mean, yes but I never learned to fix them." Tatiana said.
"All she did was increase the transmitter power. Which wasn't allowed at all." Lori said.
"Why would you do that?" Marisa asked with a confused smile.
"It was fun to send strong."
"The weekends then were pretty wild. The weekend after we build the dam, we had a carnival in town, and Betty went to her special school for a month again." Lori said.
"The carnival was kinda fun but actually it was not on a right date. Not a month later was Halloween." Tatiana said. Tatiana got up.
"Well, I think you did a great job today. You have the day off. And for your good work, you get a loan."
Tatiana took out a wallet, and took out two 100 dollar bills. She gave Lori and Marisa each one. They looked shocked at the money.
"We're rich!" Marisa said with joy.
"We are!" Lori said and smiled.
They hugged each other and jumped up and down. Tatiana looked at them and smiled.
"You did a great job. Your work is worth every single penny." Tatiana said.
"Thank you!" Lori and Marisa said, and hugged Tatiana.
"No. Thank you girls."
Tatiana said and wrapped her arms around Lori and Marisa. They broke the hug. Five minutes later they stood next to Lori's car, on the parking lots of the scrapyard.
"Thank you for helping me today. Is oiled been done with those documents for a long time." Tatiana said.
"Always." Lori said.
"It was so fun to crush those cars." Marisa said.
"Now you know why I do that with so much enjoyment." Tatiana said.
"Oh yes!" Marisa said and pulled an imaginary lever.
"I like that attitude."
"If you need any help in future, just tell us. We will help you for sure."
"Okay. And I would take that offer because you did a great job."
"Sure." Lori said.
"Okay. Then enjoy your day off." Tatiana said.
"We will." Lori said.
"Bye girls."
"Bye." Marisa said, and sat into the car on the passenger seat.
"Take care." Lori said, and sat on the driver seat.
Lori turned on the motor, and slowly pulled out of the parking lot. They waved at Tatiana. Tatiana waved back. Then Lori carefully drove to the gate of the scrapyard. Lori looked around, and went on the street. They went over the main road.
"Wanna go home or go somewhere do something?" Lori asked.
"Hmm… Actually yes." Marisa said.
"What is on your mind?" Lori asked.
"Well there is a movie I want to watch."
"Ah. Well that seems like a good idea."
Lori drove on, and turned in a different street, driving towards the city.
"Wich Cinema are we going?" Lori asked.
"The one in the Bank street." Marisa said.
"Okay. How is the movie called by the way?"
"Bleeding Hearts."
"That's an amazing title."
"Yeah. I watched the trailer some days ago. I have a good feeling about that."
"Well now I want to watch that movie really badly."
"Now you know how I feel." Marisa said with a smile.
Half an hour later, Lori and Marisa sat in the cinema. They sat on their seats and had a drink. The advertisements for other movies was running.
"How often do you go in a cinema to watch a movie?" Marisa asked.
"I don't know. The last movie I saw was some time ago. I can't even remember the name of it." Lori said.
"You should do it more often. It's great believe me."
"I know it's great, but I can't afford to go to a cinema every month." Marisa looked surprised at Lori.
"Why?"
"You know, when we work, we do it rarely, and we earn enough so that we can pay fairway and what we need for living." Lori said.
"Ah. I get it."
The lights went dark.
"Okay. Movie starts." Marisa said.
"Shhh. I get it." Lori said.
The movie started. Two hours later, the movie credits started to appear. Lori and Marisa wiped a tear away.
"This movie was so good." Lori said.
"I never excepted this movie to be a tear breaker." Marisa said.
"It was really unfair what she did to him."
"It was."
They hugged. After some minutes of tears and hugs, Lori and Marisa left the cinema and went to Lori's car. They went home and had a calm afternoon. The clock reached 7:20 p.m. and they started to feel hungry. Lori and Marisa left their apartment and walked in the warm evening air through the small town of Fairway. They reached a restaurant in the middle of the town. Lori and Marisa sat on a free table.
"Ah. Very nice here." Lori said.
"Indeed. I love the atmosphere here." Marisa said.
They took the menu in their hands. It had many pages with a lot of meals.
"Uh. That's a lot. What do you take?"
"I'll take a pizza margarita." Marisa said.
"Okay. I think I'll take the meatloaf." Lori said.
A waiter came in this moment to their table.
"Good evening dear Ladies. What is your wish?" The waiter asked.
"My friends takes a Pizza margarita, and I the meatloaf." Lori said.
The waiter noted the orders.
"Pizza and meatloaf. Any drinks for you?"
"Yes. A Diet Coke please." Marisa said.
"For me it's the same." Lori said.
"Okay. One moment, the chef will make it in a moment."
The waiter went to the kitchen.
Fifteen minutes later, the waiter brought their food.
"Pizza for the Lady." The waiter said and put the plate with the pizza on the table, in front of Marisa.
"Thank you." Marisa said with a smile.
"And the meatloaf for the other lady." The waiter said and put the plate on the table in front of Lori.
"Thank you a lot." Lori said.
"Enjoy your meal."
The waiter left. Lori took a fork and a knife and cut the meatloaf in pieces. Marisa took a piece of her pizza and started to eat.
"Okay. How is this?" Lori said, and ate a bit of the meatloaf.
Marisa finished her first piece of pizza.
"So how is the meatloaf?" Marisa asked.
"Pretty good." Lori said.
Marisa took the next piece of pizza and started to eat it.
"And how is the pizza?" Lori asked.
Marisa, chewing on the pizza, raised her thumb. They continued their dinner. After fifteen minutes, Lori paid the bill to the waiter, and left the restaurant with Marisa. They walked through some streets with cute homes with big gardens, while the sun was already away, and the darkness started to appear.
"It's nice here. So many things remind me of home here and on the campus." Lori said.
"Here because of how it looks?" Marisa asked.
"Yes."
"And at the campus?"
"There are trees. The same trees we have in our backyard."
"How important were the trees?" Marisa asked.
"Very. I climbed often in the one in our backyard when I was younger." Lori said.
"Ah okay."
They walked on. Lori and Marisa reached the campus of the university, and went to their apartment building. They walked upstairs, and entered their apartment. Lori locked the door, and went with Marisa in their bedroom.
"Finally at home." Marisa said, and took her shoes off.
"Yes. Finally." Lori said, and also took her shoes off.
"But wasn't so bad today. We worked, and got paid for it."
"And spend almost all of it in a cinema and a restaurant." Lori said.
"I have to admit that, but it was worth it."
"You got paid for destroying things dear. Tell me, how was it?"
"Car crushing? Pretty nice. Although it's pulling three levers and then pushing a single button. And then it repeats."
"So it's fun?"
"Oh yes!" Marisa said with joy in her voice.
"I bet that. Next time I will crush the cars." Lori said with a smile.
"He. Sure thing. How was the scanning?"
"Well, it was pretty repetitive. Though I would do it again. I was allowed to listen to any music I wanted, and it was pretty calm to do it."
"Ah okay."
Lori scratched her head.
"Well I accidentally shred one document in the scanner. I forgot that a clamp was on it. But I fixed it. It's not even noticeable on the file of the scan." Lori said.
Marisa yawned.
"You found a good solution. I go to bed if you don't mind."
"No. I think I also go to bed." Lori said.
Marisa nodded. She took of her top and her pants, and put on her pajamas that was in her closet. She went to the bathroom. Lori stripped her clothes off and put on her pajamas. Some minutes later, Marisa came back.
"I brushed my teeth and did all. Your turn."
Lori went to the bathroom. She closed the door, used the toilet, and after that she washed her hands. She opened the door.
"And now the teeth." Lori said.
She took her toothbrush, put toothpaste on it, and started to brush her teeth. After two minutes she was done. Lori went back in her room.
Marisa laid in her bed.
"Do you know what Tatiana planned for us next?" Marisa asked.
"No. But I want to go to Royal Woods for a weekend again. Maybe in in two weeks." Lori said.
"It's a nice idea." Marisa said.
"Yeah. I wanted to take you with me."
"Take Tatiana with us too. Tell her next weekend." Marisa said.
"I probably should. Anyway, it's time to sleep. Good night Marisa."
"Night Lori."
Lori turned off the light and laid on her bed. She covered herself with her blanket and closed her eyes.
End of Chapter