BOMAW Vol. 10-12 by Mercedes Keyes Read Free Book Online Page B

with it. Whoever approaches him about it, I'm betting he'll take whatever offer is fair." Royce went on, following Jake and sons. They were making their way around the back of the house now, more and more junk, trash, weeds. Then suddenly, they saw it, standing tall in the midst of it all; the most glorious giant oak tree Jake had ever seen.
    "My God, look at that tree!" He exclaimed in awe of it.
    "Wow! How tall you think that is?" Kevin asked.
    "Better yet, how old?! I bet its seen some things. Gotta be over a couple of hundred years." Paul commented.
    "I'm thinking more than a couple of hundred son, easy. Look at the base of it, we're talking no less than three hundred years. Look at the limbs on it, look at that one right there. You know what that's perfect for?" He asked no one in particular.
    "A swing! A tire swing! And, up there dad... look, I bet you could build a cool tree house in there." Paul pointed out enthusiastically.
    "Yeah, I bet I could." Jake murmured softly. He then turned and looked at the house again. "Think it just looks bad... but ... maybe well built?" He asked Royce, making his way towards the back porch.
    "You and your dad know more about that kind of thing than I do." He commented following Jake.
    Jake stepped up on the first few steps, testing their strength. "Not bad, not bad at all. Fact is, if ... if I was to get this place, I'd more than likely redo the entire porch."
    "I don't know dad, looks pretty sturdy to me." Kevin added following his father up on the back porch. Paul and Royce bringing up the rear. The back screen door was ragged, hanging. The back door window was broke and open. Jake walked into the kitchen, it was massive. Ruined, trashed, old fixtures, but massive. One thing he did notice, the flooring so far, was strong, no squeaks or creaks thus far.
    "Think there's things maybe living in here dad?" Paul asked hesitantly.
    "No doubt. Probably bats in the attic, rats in the basement." Jake commented just as Kevin let out a squeal.
    "HOLY SHIT! See that! Don't think they're in the basement dad!"
    Jake turned to him, grinning. "Scared of a lil'o'rat?"
    "Dad, there was nothing little about that rat!"
    "I'm not worried about them." Jake commented as he continued on, unfazed. Once more, because of the way their father raised them, the things they had to do, neither he or his brother's were afraid of bats, rats, mice, whatever vermin there might be. He and Shawn when they were younger, found a deep under cellar and went in it to find quite a few rats milling about. They just shifted them out the way with their booted foot and kept on. He remembered one landing on Shawn's shoulder, who calmly told him, "Get that off of me." To which Jake had, laughing he gripped the tail of it holding it up, teasing in a hillbilly pitch, "We's gone eat sho'nuff good tonight!"
    Obviously his sons didn't feel the same way, because as he turned to look back at them, they were standing in the door of the kitchen ready to sprint. He laughed, "Get your asses in here and quit being chicken shits!" He grinned.
    "No way dad. That was one big mother of a rat!" Kevin gulped in fear.
    "Dad do you realize the diseases that rats carry?" Paul alerted from the door, standing by his brother, also ready to sprint.
    "They're more afraid of us, than we are of them. Only harm you if they're cornered. Long as they have a way to run off, they will." He informed them walking onward with Royce behind him. Even he was a bit reluctant. He was starting to scratch, feeling a bit jumpy.
    "Well, it is private property, we should probably get permission to walk through this house this way."
    "Go on Barney, wait with the boys, I'll be back." Jake teased, referring to him as Shawn had, Barney Fife from Andy Griffith show.
    "Ha ha ha, everyone's a comedian. Don't take too long." He warned walking back to where the boys were. All three left out of the house and went back to walking around the yard, leaving Jake inside. He took his time to