The Horror Squad (Book 3) by TJ Weeks Page A

and
carried him and Bo and Kris carried
Sandra.
    For the first time ever, no gate was
manned, no cooks were cooking, no
one was working the power plant, and
we all joined the funerals that were
happening.
    I laid Steven’s mangled body down
as gently as I could. I could feel the
blood trickling from my fallen brother
down my back and shoulder blade.
    I stood at the front. “I didn’t know
Sandra well, but we were lucky to
have her…Steven, my friend, my
comrade, I hope the heavens take you
into their arms and lead you to your
wife and kids again…. Hudson, you
were like a son to me. I watched you
grow up and you were taken much too
young. I hope God leads you into
heaven better than he’s let the world
go to hell.” I walked off so everyone
else could say their goodbyes.
Kris jogged up to catch up with me.
“Where are you going?”
    I never missed a stride. “I’m going
to check on the meat and start
throwing some marinade on some of
the things for tomorrow.”
    “Do you really think a barbeque is
a good idea right now?” She
suggested.
    I stopped and looked at her. “I
think a barbeque is something that
everyone needs. We don’t need to sit
around and mope no matter how hurt
we are. I didn’t get to mope for my
losses either and I’m glad that I
didn’t. You either get on living or you
give up while dying.” I continued
walking.
Kris stayed standing there trying to
wrap her mind around it all.
     
Gizmo walked by Kris with tears
still going. “He’s right.”
    Kris turned around to see Cloie and
Tina dropped to their knees still out
by Hudson’s grave. Tina was
brushing her hands across the top of
the dirt gently as if she was combing
his hair back with her finger tips.
Cloie had her hand on Tina’s back
trying to comfort her crying for her
brother.
    I walked into the cafeteria and into
the back to look at what all the meat
we had. Meat almost fell out of the
walk-in we had so much packed in
there. I pulled out one of the alligator
tails. Before I could make my way out
of the walk-in with it, Gizmo was
standing there with his hands held out
waiting for me to hand it to him.
“You should be with your family,
brother.” I recommended.
    He wiped the tears from his face.
“You’re probably right.” He grabbed
the tail and sat it on a table behind
him.
    I stepped out and hugged him. “Go
be with your family, brother.
Tomorrow is another day.”
    I could hear the front door open
and Howard, Bo and Kris walked into
the back. Gizmo looked at everyone
and walked out.
“Can we help?” Howard asked.
    I cracked a small half smile to the
thought of complete strangers
becoming family. “Sure.” I opened
the walk-in and went back inside. I
grabbed a couple slabs of deer and a
couple of slabs of hog and handed it
over to each of them.
    I stepped back out of the walk-in
and started looking at all the meat that
covered all four stainless steel tables.
I grabbed a cleaver from off the wall
and started with the alligator tail,
slicing it into one inch cuts.
“What are you going to make with
those?” Bo asked.
     
I continued slicing. “You ain’t ever
had alligator steaks?”
     
“I guess I can’t say that I have.” He
answered.
    “What are you wanting to do with
the rest?” Howard asked as Milissa,
Bobbi and Chelley came walking
through the back.
    I
turned and looked at them. “I
want all the back straps sliced into
one inch steaks. The pork butts I want
left as is. Everything else just cut
down small enough to throw onto the
pits.”
    We all started working together to
get it done. I started pulling the spices
and soaking them down. The rest I put
in the marinade, then covered
everything in aluminum foil. We had
to place everything back into the
walk-in once it was ready since we
didn’t have enough room for it
anywhere else.
    Everyone started leaving once we
had the meat put up. I stayed behind
and cleaned all the knives