Just Common

The Light Show

Folks, I did not pull my 36 or even cock it. I just walked straight at that light! Whens I got close, nough I say, lovely night, ain't it.
No worry now, Ranger Common Howard. Just wants ta talk is all!

Folks, they was zip click, zip click, ziz ziz. Folks, this thin, looked like a cross between; N.O. One an human some places it looked it had muscle an skin. Other places ya could see the steel parts, like Janet or that N.O. One! That thin say, Tracker! Ya have one chance ta leave! That is now!

Folks, I say ain't no Tracker, want no part a that! Just Ranger Common Howard is all! Folks I try an keep my hands, from my pistols. Must looked like a crazy man, my hands were movin with each word. Momma always say, Common keep the hand talk down some.

That's when I see, a very old lady walk from out the shadow of that light. She say, Fred, this one ain't a Tracker. I just think we have been found. Then that thin say, we must follow protocol. I say, protocol, what in hell is that?

Folks, this is startin ta look bad. Still didn't pull my 36. I say pleased ta meet ya both, good friend a Mike Keefer. That fella at that N.O. One place. Why Janet, can play good game a checkers.

She say, Beatrice Zane, most call me Bee. This is Fred, my protector an friend. Pleased ta meet ya, myself. Folks, she say haven't seen a real person, in must be three years.

Folks I thought Ranger life, was hard. Imagine not seein a soul in three year! So I tell her, how I founds out. Bouts this place, how the owner an his workers have seen this light from a distance. Heard strange noises an such. Seen the both a thum.

My job was ta figure out, what they were a seein. Then report back. Folks, she turned a white color, like fear an worry took over.
Dear me, Fred I think we an Common best talk this out. Common we must go below an talk this out. Folks she needed ta say no more. Ya know folks, curiosity killed the cat, so ta speak.

That elevator squeaked, shook an clunked as it went down. Folks, I was a might feared as it moved down. Bee an that Fred thin, were quiet as we went traveled down. Whens we stopped, Bee say my home Common. Just a big man made bunker. From times pass, suppose ya figured out, I am a Keeper.

I say, figured, that much. What ya keep, an how long ya been here? She say in time Common, first been out a whisky or corn licker, ya got a flask a either? I smile an say gots two flasks, one in my boot, an one keeps inside pocket my vest.

She say, Ranger knew ya would have one on ya. Ranger always has at least one. We only walked, maybe ten foot Bee opened the door on the right. She say this is my little room. Folks she had a bed three chairs one table an a small desk. Books lined the walls. From floor ta ceilin, papers an books were open at the desk an table.

I say, never seen so many books, that weren't in a library. My person could read fer years an not finish thum. Folks she laughed some, then say this is new lot of books. One floor down, why more than ten thousand books. Our history Common the American history, the United States history! From the beginning!

I say, back when we was 50 Lands or States. My how far back can ya go? She say back ta befer we were just a place, that other people were explorin. Long befer it was a country. Folks, I ask year how many year? She say, some think two thousand or five hundred year longer than two thousand, I think more like 2,800 year. Ifin my math an thinkin is right.

Folks, still don't understand this year thin. It is only 1003, in the year. Hell may never figure out the year thin. She say I can find history back ta 1600s. I say what is this place? She say in a minute, she sat two glasses down, little that whisky or corn licker, first Fred brin a us a few biscuits an some honey. That Fred nodded his head heard sup sup as his head moved. That click zip click zip as he walked ta the door.

That click zip has it brought in a plate a biscuits, an honey plus butter. That honey sweetened that corn licker a touch. Bee say, I Keep the History of us here. We have five floors of books, an newspapers of our history. This is the Library of us, Common and a place of our inept belief of mutually assured destruction.

I say, what in tarnation, is mutually assured destruction? She shook her head, then say, we could kill our enemies an they could do the same, the world could of turned inta a wasteland. Some say like the small wasteland we have now. Only most of the world would be that way. Missiles an bombs that left behind radiation, that could kill fer years after.

Folks I looks at Bee, never heard a such thin as radiation or missiles. What is a missile? She say later, first the problem at hand, I see Noah Kern. Didn't keep his end of our bargain. I asks who is this Noah, I met a Roger Kern.

She say Noah is Roger's father, I am his mother. Common this will be hard, to explain. So I'll start just say, it started long ago. I poured another corn licker, an say I am all ears.

She say back when I was 16, I met Noah he was strong handsom. The man I dreamed of meeting! We met just like we met, the lights shining in the night. My parents scolded me, fer brinin him down to our small home. Noah came back my parents got used ta him.
Alas I couldn't leave behind my life of bein the new Keeper.

Ya see, Common, this job is passed down for generations. My Mother ta me her mother ta her. My father took care of the knowledge of the Missile Defense. That I also took on. When Noah wanted ta marry me, why he didn't want ta give up his ranch. I couldn't give up my family heritage. So Roger, was sent ta Noah at one ta take care of him. Noah was ta tell him that I died.

Later, when he was old enough, he would be told about me and the underground works here. Common I am old, with know one to pass my knowledge ta. What I've learned other than my notes it all goes with me. The Keepers have pledged ta send help, that may arrive ta late. Roger my boy, maybe could send a youngster ta learn. He also needs ta learn the truth an help protect this place as Noah helped all those years.

Folks befer I knew it, we finished that flask an started the other. Bee told me how, the founders told a King a cross the Ocean Blue, that we had nough. Fought a war to get our freedom. How we formed a democracy, a Republic that allowed fer State rights. How they gave us the privilege ta elect or leaders. The Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches, of government.

The Constitution, that stated all the rights we had. That is so close ta what we have. How we expanded, then divided an come back tagether. Folks was near daylight when we finished talkin. Told her that I'd talk ta Roger that I would be back, bouts 4 with or with out Roger. She say I will be waiting. She showed me how ta ring her under a boulder I checked several times. She say I'll betup within a few minutes of that ring.

Folks, I talked ta Kern, now didn't tell him. His Ma was still alive, or few other thins. Those Bee needed ta tell him. I just told him, they was house under the ground since his Pa started the ranch. Same family been livin in it that long or longer. I tell him, he best go out with me ta talk ta this lady. Find a way ta live tagether. Him an his men should not fear this, or try and remove thum.

Kern, say he would go, an talk. He only wanted answers nothin more. I say let me sleep, some leave ta make it near 4 at the monument rocks.

Folks, just napped no real sleep. Had me some breakfast, tried ta figure out, how ta explain this ta those at Fort Sill. What was goin on here, protect Bee an her knowledge, an that place needs not be found. My the destruction a history is just wrong on any level. We must know the pass, ifin only ta save us from doin it over an over! Norm fought fer what is right! I will do just the same! The Pass must be protected, ta one day be told!
Well, folks rather over long till next time, well, know ifin they is one.

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