Coven of the Ancient Swamp Ch. 03

Author's note:

I am a new author here at Lit, and I'd genuinely appreciate your constructive comments. But first, I would like to thank Gamblnluck for his kind assistance in getting these stories kick-started and posted. And thanks to you for reading this. I hope you enjoy going out into the bayous and swamp.

If you are looking for a stroke story, this is not it. All characters are over the age of 18.

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Coven of the Ancient Swamp - Chapter 3

The Glade

Jack and I were standing at the foot of the old dock, "Shep? I know you want to start in on rebuilding the dock. But bossman, there's a huge old water-logged stump out in the channel, and neither Zeke nor I can figure out how to move the damm thing, and it's gotta go. Do you think that your Navy buddies might have something big enough to move it? That stump has to be four or five feet around and with all the roots on it upwards of eight feet long."

Trying to picture the submerged monster with all the roots hanging off of it. "Shadow, what do you think?" That resulted in some loud barking and serious tail wagging. I was standing there trying to picture how to get the thing out of the water.

"Guys, let me go talk to my old boss and the Seabees and see what they have to say. Be back in a little while. Come on, Shadow, let's go to town. Do you two know if everybody is going home tonight? I'd like to talk with everyone about the changes that are afoot."

As I drove into town, I saw what had been a vacant, overgrown, weed-infested lot was now the eye of a hurricane that had become the center of the Navy's relief efforts. Walking up to a trailer, I called out, "Ensign? Is the old buzzard still around and flapping his gums, or has he flown off?" Well, that comment certainly got everyone's attention, along with a few laughs.

That led to a thunderous explosion of caustic obscenities laced with more than one or two profanities. "And hello to you, Admiral, Sir. So glad to hear that you are in such a fine voice today. Might I have a moment of your time, Sir?" I called out gleefully.

"Tom! Get your sorry ass over here! You know better than to ask for that! You and I have been around too many CF's together. What do you need! Now!"

"Two things, first I'd like to borrow whatever clodkicker you have running the SeaBees. I got a little tree stump that I need to move, though since they don't do a lot, they might be able to pick it up. Second, when you guys get around to doing an after-action report, I have a few things they might want to look at."

"Ensign! Two coffees, and on your way out, close the door. Also, get the Seabee Chief on his way here, tell him I got a little moving job for him. No calls."

So here we go again, yet one more in the long line of CF's.

"Boss, for sure, I do not have all the details yet. But here's what I think and believe is the root cause that led to the mess we see outside. Crawl Bayou is not on anybody's radar. Hell, this place does not exist on most maps. When your orders came down, sending you and the task force here, I'd bet your first question was, where the hell is this fly spec?

Almost all of the homes that were flattened by the storm were rentals. I have no heartache with people renting a home. But here, well, there seems to have been some liberties taken with the system? I'd bet you if some bright-eyed person ran down who the actual owner of the properties is, what they will find is that most of them are owned by Leopoldo Goshert. He owns, among other things, Goshert's Trading and General Merchandise and half or more of the property here in town. Bright eyes should look into the store's tax filings and whatever else is connected to the store. Now Leo likes to think of himself as Leo the Lion of the Ancient Swamp. The people here call him LL or Little Leo; we know how nicknames get hung on people.

Here the building department and tax collector offices are part of the Sheriff's office since they do various enforcement actions. It seems to me that Leo got his buddy and partner, the Sheriff, to allow non-code buildings to be put up on some of his properties around town. Non-code buildings are supposed to be in place for less than four months max. They are temporary buildings. But people have lived in these temporary buildings, hell shacks for years before the storm swept them all away, leaving people here homeless with little more than the clothes on their back. Other places that have been built in the past few years are way outside of the building code. On the coast, there are strict building codes for new construction. The code requires that the buildings be built to withstand severe storms, like what we had here the other night. Meeting code adds costs to the building but in the long run, doing so saves lives and money for everyone. There are no tie rods in place or bracing in the places I've looked at so far; no significant reinforcement was in place. The footings, if you could call them that, hell, a kid could kick them out in some buildings. What we see was a disaster waiting to happen, almost like it was pre-planned.

Boss, thanks for the coffee and your time, Sir. Let me take the SeaBees in hand and take them down the road."

Five minutes after I pulled up in front of my new cottage, the clodkicker, aka my brother, arrived. "Hey you, I have a little problem I hope you can fix; let me show you." We walked around back to the foot of the old dock. "Brother, at the far end of this old dock is a huge tree trunk that is buried down in the channel there. I'd like it up in one piece and put the stump in front of the mill. I want to clean the stump up then cut slabs off of it. I should be able to make tables from it. Is it reasonable to be able to do it?"

"Any idea how big it is?"

"Not certain, maybe four or five feet around and maybe six or eight feet long? But that's a pure WAG."

"What's the story with the dock?"

"Alright, this is my plan. The streams around here, they call them bayous, have many old logs and tree trunks or stumps laying on the bottoms. Those logs and tree trunks are called sinkers. Hell, some of these sinkers have been soaking in the waters here for hundreds of years. On my way out the door, the Navy was so kind as to give me a salvage barge that's using up space in Galveston. I can bring that barge here and use it to get sinkers off the bottom. Hell, I still have all my diving equipment, so going down and hooking up the sinker will be no problem.

To make this happen, I need to rebuild and extend the old dock. Does that answer your question?"

"Yeah, I guess. But why go fishing for that garbage on the bottom out there?"

"Good question, brother. When you get a sinker out of the water and make it into usable lumber, the wood you get is stunning. A coffee table made from a sinker can sell for more than $2,000. The stump sitting on the bottom of the bayou here that's stopping the dock from being a reality could yield at least ten slabs I can use to make ten coffee tables. So? Brother, what do you think?"

"OK, let me look." I could almost see the wheel spinning in his eyes. "My brother, this is my professional assessment of the current situation. The Navy can and will assist the local civilian population recovering from a natural disaster, such as what you experienced here. It's a shame you lost your dock out here. That dock must be replaced in total, including the old pilings. Further, it appears that there is some type of impediment in the channel that creates a hazard to navigation.

The boss has a plan to bring barges over here from Galveston that are loaded with supply containers. Oh, less than two miles down from here, the satellite survey maps show a new pass that the storm cut in that comes back here. Here's my thinking.

To make his plan work we, need a place to unload the barges. This place would be on target. But first, this dock will have to be replaced, lengthened, and have cargo handling equipment installed. Second, there will need to be a yard put up to load out heavy transporters to load the containers on heavy-duty transporters and run them up to the new base. These old pilings have to go, and new pilings hammered in, then decking laid on top and secured to the pilings to make up the new dock. That thing out in the water, that stump is a hazard to navigation. So that will have to be removed, and the channel cleared. Where the dock hits the shoreline that will need to be reinforced to prevent a washout into what you call it? Out into the bayou. I'm thinking of installing a maglev system to move the containers off the dock over a new crane that would load the heavy-duty transporters with the containers. From here, it's a quick run up Shell Road to take the supplies up to the base in town. Getting that in place will be another week or a little more. Bonehead? All this making sense to you?"

Damm, being with this clodkicker sure feels good. Then again, being with family feels good to me. "Yeah, brother makes sense, but a couple of questions. The temps that were just installed in front of the mill will have to be moved. Behind my cottage, there are footings back there for about twelve homes. That's where I want to build permanent homes for everybody. The second thing, the equipment you're talking about bringing in is going to weigh a lot. This ground here won't support heavy equipment. Hell, you run a heavy-duty transporter out back here, and it will be up to its wheel hubs in the muck."

"Good points. I will have my guys here first thing in the morning, and they'll move the temps over to where you're talking about and get them all hooked up by noon. At the same time, we'll start shooting pilings for support pads going back toward the mill and where the dock will be and reinforce the shoreline. Once that's in place, I can get my mobile crane out back here and pull the old pilings and that impediment to navigation out of the water. Then set up the dock and loading area. You good?"

"Yeah, let's do it?"

"All right, next step, we need to talk to the boss and get him to sign off on this plan too. Oh? What do we call this operation?"

"Port Shepard"

Getting back from seeing the old buzzard again, well, that will solve a lot of my problems. It seems like I will have a fully functional container barge terminal in my backyard; ain't that kick?

I stood back between the dock and the mill, looking at how all the changes will fit. When suddenly, without warning, I felt a sharp stabbing sensation in my ribs. There could be only one explanation for that. My sweet loving lady thought that I had ignored her. "And just where have you been all day long! And why couldn't I find you? You better have a good explanation!"

"PG, my lovely darling lady. You are a total imp!" Reaching over and bringing her into my arms as I stood there shaking my sore head. "Baby, the short of it is to support the relief efforts in town; the Navy will be installing an entire barge terminal in our backyard. After they are wrapped up with everything, that terminal will go over to us. Honey, life just got a lot easier.

At sundown this evening, I'd like to talk with everybody, so they know what will be happening. I'm going to need all of our family's help in getting this off the ground."

The coven's mysterious communication channel that all the women here seemed to share in worked perfectly, once more. After dinner, everyone got together around the foot of the old dock. "Folks, here's what's going to be happening over the next week or so. The Navy will be putting in a new dock out here, which will lead to some changes.

All right, the most significant immediate change to you guys is; the temps you are in will have to be moved. The Navy will move them first thing in the morning beside the cottage and have everything up and running around noon. Here's my thinking: on the side of the Old Master's cottage, there are footings in place for at least twelve houses. My initial thought was to put up a new home for Jack and Angie. Well, thanks to the four winds flattening everything in town. What I propose is to put up homes for all of the family here.

These houses will be built to withstand whatever might come along in the future. They will look like the Old Master's home here, a raised cottage with lots of yard space around them. When I was in the Supply Store last week, I picked up some information about a raised cottage like the old Master's house here. I can see building out homes like that for everyone.

Bob, in the morning, can you check the plans you have at your store and see what we need to get ordered to do this? There's a shed next to the mill with a lot of lumber, so check that before ordering anything? I got this area as a thank you on the way out the door from the Navy. It's a national defense farmhold. What that means is this place is not subject to many local regulations and codes. Bob, so long as we show the plans meet national standards, we don't need a local building permit.

I know that's a lot. Think about it. I know you're going to have questions and ideas. Let's all meet back here tomorrow evening at sundown and talk about it. The Navy will be here first thing in the morning to move the temps and start their side.

Are we all good?"

The following day brought with it an ungodly series of repeated explosions that announced to one and all the Navy had arrived, as Derrick's plan rolled into action. At the same time, the temps were moved to their new locations. The world here was being turned upside down.

Into this cyclone of frenetic activity, my brother comes along, with a serious shit-eating grin spread from ear to ear. "Hey big brother, ya know I have done you a huge bunch of favors. It's payback time." The only thing that entered my mind was, oh dear, God, I know there is a bill to be paid, but please don't let the bill break by back. "Tom, you need to do me a favor. What's the deal with Caroline?"

"Derrick? Are you for real? Are you sure you want to go there? I'm here to tell you all these women here are related. Each one of them is like the Loralie that called sailors and traders upon the rocks. Is that where you want to go, really? You look in their eyes and hear their sweet songs, you smile, and all you can say is, 'yes, dear.' But, don't believe me ask the other men here. Ask Jack, Bob, or Zeke, go on, ask! We are all proud and happy members of the honeydew club. Derrick, is that what you want?"

"Last night, when I got wrapped up, the Admiral reached out for me. The two of us stood out in the middle of the yard, just talking. I'm getting beached in six months or less. Likely as not, when CF gets wrapped and put to bed, I will be given my walking papers. I did a little looking; it turns out the property across the street from Caroline's Cafe, where our base is now an available farmhold. With that comes a considerable chunk of the Ancient Swamp. Here's a kick for you, ready? If I got that place and with what you already have between us, we would control about 60% of the swamp. The rest of the land there is held by the National Conservatory. The old man was totally on target, he laughed, but he said you looked like a happy puppy being led around. I told him, yeah, you are being led around by a damm wonderful young woman.

You know Tom, you're right. All these women are witches. I know Caroline has put a spell on me. How would you like it if I was your neighbor out here on Shell Road?"

Derrick got called for one another thing, and I looked up to see PG standing on the back porch holding a coffee and softly smiling, going to her like an iron filing is drawn to a magnet. "Lady, thank you for being you. And also, thank you for the coffee too."

"Shep, I just have to get away from all this noise, it's going to make me crazy, and I'm taking Shadow with me too. Ever since they started, he has been hiding. Come with us, my Shep."

"PG, that is a damm great idea. Likely as not the second-best idea I think you have ever had."

"OH!! And pray to tell, what was the best idea I ever had?"

"That's easy when you moved all your things into our bedroom, and you settled into my soul. That, my dear, was the best idea you've had. Cause damm PG, I do so love having you with me and sharing our lives together. Lady, where do you want to go?"

"Old man, yes, you old man. My old man, you will make me blush, and then I will be so embarrassed. NOT!! Bob's swamped at the Supply Store, I'm sure. Zeke and Daddy are out running trout lines to catch some fish in Zeke's boat. Caroline's trying to feed half the damm Navy as she makes goo-goo eyes with your crazy brother. I have no idea what is about men in your family, but you guys certainly do have a way. Hell, you took one look at me, and I was done. It seems Caroline is following in my footsteps."

"Wait a damm minute, you women are all damm witches, and each one of you has bewitched us, poor stout-hearted men. All you women are like the Lorelei who called sailors and traders up on the rocks to meet their doom. And each one of us followed along willingly, saying, yes dear." Reaching over and wrapping my arms around my best girl. "Come on, baby, let's get out of here and take your faithful companion with us. Just one question, where are we going?"

She did it again and then laughed at me as she put her elbow into my chest. "I thought that we could go and get Daddy's pirogue and go down the bayou away. Just to see what's there and maybe wander around in the Ancient Swamp. You've never been back in there, have you? You know you really should, after all, don't you own a big piece of the swamp?"

"Yeah, I guess I do own some of it. Anyway, that's a great idea."

A half-hour later found us away from the rolling thunder my brother had unleashed around my house. The three of us ventured along the bayou. We got to where the gulf had pushed into the bayou, the new pass. From out here on the water, the extent of the storm's damage was astonishing and yet, at the same time, disheartening. "PG? Didn't your Dad talk about LL cutting channels into the swamp? Is that hole in the mangrove what he was talking about?"

"Yes. Yes, it's what Daddy was talking about. There are hundreds and hundreds of cuts like all along here. And everything back in the cuts is dying out because the tides wash away the swampland. Rumor has it that LL and his partners want to come back into the flats that happen when everything washes out and some way or another and build a resort on them. Then again, nobody here knows what he wants to do. Shep? What you need to do is have Daddy take you out here and show you. He knows this area better than anyone."

"Hun? You see over on the far bank? There's a space between the trees there? That a natural creek that runs out of the swamp and into the bayou there. Let's pull in there, and we can go back into the swamp from there."

PG led us, the intrepid explorers, back into the Ancient Swamp. She and Shadow moved about with grace and ease that amazed me. While I stumbled along flat-footed, trying to keep up with them. If there was a race, I knew I would come in dead last. Thankfully PG stopped so I could catch up with her and Shadow. In front of us looked to be yet another solid wall of trees and heavy, impenetrable undergrowth. "Honey, though there is the glade; it's an island in the swamp."

The three of us slipped through a hidden door that PG found in the green wall. As we entered, the trees above pulled back, and the sky above opened to our eyes. I just stood in the middle of this special island. We were looking around in reverence, overtaken by the majesty and the beauty of nature. We stood there in silence as PG and I held hands, connecting with each other. Then on the other side, we saw a very short, rotund older man appear from between the trees. In some way, he reminded me of a dwarf. Standing next to him was an equally older-looking woman who was very slender with long flowing white hair.