Free Monte Vista Village, Toxic Soup (The Survivor Diaries) by Lynn Lamb Page A

us, looking down at myself, pumping your chest and breathing into your mouth. All of a sudden, you took a deep breath on your own. I checked and found your pulse. Then, I sat back and just crumpled into a ball next to you and cried. I cried like a baby, Laura.”
    I knelt down with him, and we held each other, silently rocking, while the tears rolled down both of our faces.
    “Laur a, I am sorry for everything from before…”
    “ Shhhh,” I interrupted. He didn’t have to say another word.
    Has the blast really wiped clean o ur past sins?

July 21, 5:15 PM
     
    We went back downstairs and started to clean. We put piles to put into the guest room of things that were too broken to bring back to life. One pile would be for things we can burn in the fire place when we can use it again. The other is just trash.
    I wonder where we are going to put the trash now. Certainly, it would be sometime before we had an official garbage collector .
    I have mixed feelings about all of the things we have lost. On one hand, we have our lives and our home. That’s really a lot if you think about what we have gone through.  But what about the things that mean a lot to us? Most of our things that bring back treasured memories are now thrown about the house, mangled and shattered. Will we lose those memories in the future?
    I found our wedding album, ripped and dirty, but I think some of it can be saved. I wrapped it in a towel, placed it in an empty box, and stowed it away on a high shelf in the closest. This is going to be a sad process, but I wouldn’t let Mark see it on my face.
    I have begun to wonder what is left of our city. I sure hope that the furniture stores we okay. We are going to need a lot of new things. Our clothing did fly out of the closets, but most of it just needs a good cleaning. On the other hand, I don’t think we have any of our china left. 
    Mom has been trying to clean but we have to keep stopping her. We ask her what kind of help she will be if her wrist does not heal properly. The questioning stops her for a little while but then she is back up at it again. I wish she would just listen. I am worried about her.

July 21, 7:30 PM
     
    Annie taking minutes
    Laura: “Hi, everyone. This is Laura. Can we do a role call?”
    All present
    Laura: “Thanks. How is everyone this evening?”
    Several replies that they are fine.
    Laura: “Good. So, I hope you have all been considering what kinds of groups and clubs you are interested in joining. Liz has a great idea. She wants to add a teens club and kids club. Neither of us was sure how many younger people we have. Elizabeth has three kids; Pete is seventeen, Kristi is seventeen, and Ronnie who is nine. Do we have any other kids in our group?”
    Veda: “Hello, my name is Veda and my husband’s name is Pranav, We have three children, two girls and one boy: Chandra is sixteen, years old, Gita fourteen years old, and Padma, who we call Paddy, is our thirteen month old baby boy.
    Tiffany: “Hi, I am Tiffany and my husband’s Robert we have two kids: Jayden, twelve and Tommy, nine.”
    Shelby: “Hey, Shelby and Matt here, and we have a two year old girl, Camella.”
    Laura: “Anyone else? Okay, well I think that sounds like enough kids to start off some groups. Liz and I were talking, and we see some of these clubs lasting after we get out in a couple of weeks. I feel certain there will be plenty of people out there who don’t have walkies and will be ready for some new companions. Liz has been helping me figure out schedules, so I hope you all have pens and papers, because she is going to give you the list and schedules. At the end of the meeting, stay on and you can sign up for the different groups.”
    Liz: “Here it is:
    Mon, Wed, Fri @ 9 AM, channel one: Kid’s Club to discuss video games, tv shows, movies, and books.  Those are just suggestions you guys. You can talk about whatever you want and no one will listen in unless we make our selves know.  And