Continuing Saga of the Pioneer Family

"Pa, how come our mobile phones don't work out here?"

"Boy, it's on account of them swindlers."

"Swindlers?"

"Yeah, that swindler sickness 'bout wiped everyone out."

"No, Ez, it weren't no swindler sickness. It were the heinous virus that wiped them out."

"Mama, I ain't talking about that thing. I'm talking 'bout afore that happened."

"But, Pa and Ma, is my phone ain't working 'cause it's ill?"

"Young man, you watch your mouth. Ain't nobody or nothing ill 'round here."

"But my brother..."

"He's just got a bit of fever 'cause he drank what he shouldn't've. You sit back there with your brother and play another game."

"But Ma, our batteries've run out."

"Well, son, as soon as your Pa figures out what makes them batteries work, we'll get it fixed. Meantime, you play the counting game with your brother."

"Aw, Ma, it's boring."

"Look, now, boy, you listen to your Ma. Play that counting game but play it quietly. I's got a headache from listening to you flap your jaws so much."

"Oh, okay. Brother, it's your turn to count."

"Is it? Well, I see one, two, five, ten, fifteen dead electric wagons on this side of the road. How about your side?"

"I see five, ten, fifteen, twenty dead horseless carriages and ten, twenty dead electric wagons!"

"You win this round."

"And there's some of them feller eaters over there."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, they're eating some fellers."

"Lawdy may, they sure is. Pa, we got some feller eaters in the area."

"Well, son, they's plenty of fellers in them dead wagons to eat so we're doing just fine."

"Yessir. Pa, when do we get to a place where there's some kids to play with? I'm tired of all them dead wagons and such."

"Boy, ain't mine to say. We're heading to where your Mama's family gots some land. We's hoping there's some folks still up and around in them parts there."

"Yessir."

"Whyn't you boys count vultures for a change? They's different than regular feller eaters but not tasty like regular fowl."

"Yessir."

"Yessir."

"Ez, I sure hope you know what you're doing."

"Mama, if you've got a better idea, I's listening 'cause I still ain't used to the stench of dead folks."

"Don't know, Ez. I's just glad we had nothing to do with them swindlers and hope we ain't got nothing to do with the heinous virus."

"'At's right, Mama. We done the right thing all the time. You, me and the boys'll do just fine. And you know I know all 'bout them batteries. I's just teaching the boys how to wean off of them things. Won't be needing them things no longer, the way I figure it."

"I know, Ez. But I gotta give 'em hope 'til we find something else for them to do."

"Hope's 'bout all we got, Mama."

"Hope and each other."

"'At's right."