Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

We went back and I saw the PVC pipes being moved to the storage area. Unc Zeidrick and I grabbed a few and we placed them in the workshop. I called Charlotte over and Chris came with her to help as well.

I checked the length of the PVCs first and it was just the right size for the greenhouse. I decided to make a rail system that hugs the walls of the greenhouse. It would wrap like a snake so I started on marking the PVC to cut a hole into.

"What are the holes for?" Charlotte asked.

"This is where we would put the cups where the plants will then be placed into. You could transfer some of the seedlings here that are ready." I replied.

My uncle fastened the PVCs first and I grabbed the hole saws. We started cutting holes in them with Chris holding the other side just to be sure. We were placing the saws over the PVC to remove the part where the PVC is marked with.

Bits of materials were flying off but we would just clean up after.

Chris and Charlotte helped us to smooth the edges that were cut already using smooth sandpaper. We were cutting three and a quarter inch diameters on the PVC so that our four-inch cups could snug in just above the tip. We moved mechanically and we finished several PVCs.

We made a simple frame in which we could place them snugly by using thin metal strips. We fastened them on the frame of the greenhouse before the roof starts. We connected them with elbows going at the pattern that I envisioned and I connected a pump in it. The pump would draw the solution from where the existing ones were already in.

"Why is this container black? Is this all that we have?" Charlotte asked.

"It needs to be UV protected so it doesn't form algae. They could mess the solution up if we use clear ones. If we ran out of this stuff, we'll have to use organic fertilizers instead of the chemical ones that I cooked up." I replied.

I then told her the formula for the solution and I didn't even get to the half of it and her eyebrows were getting scrunched up more and more.

"Umm, I-I think I'll stick to the organic solution... I think that is college-level..." Charlotte replied embarrassingly.

"Oh, don't worry about that part. I'm just explaining how it works. What you only need to do is to mix them with exact amounts step by step. You'll just need to check the PH Level of the water by using a Litmos Paper. Also, if we start to use the organic ones, it would need more attention but it is still easily manageable. We just start on using the stuff that we have for now until we ran out. Well, the chemicals for it could be found easily enough on runs and it wouldn't be looted as much as the essentials." I explained the rest of the solution while my uncle hooked it up. The pumps started on drawing water from the tank and then through the PVCs that we made.

"So, I'll just place the plants here after cleaning them?" Charlotte said.

"Yeah, and that's it. Pretty cool huh?" I replied.

"I'm learning something new today, this was just discovered recently, right?" Chris asked.

"Actually no, the Egyptians were discovered to use this system years before. Furthermore, there's also another way to grow them called aeroponics. It's more complex though..." I gave another brief lesson.

The two just listened to me and I happily gave them information on how it differs from our current setup. I listed the different advantages and disadvantages of using each type. The two had pensive expressions after the lesson while my uncle was busy cleaning up the place that we worked at.

"You're like a walking encyclopedia you know that?" Chris said then Unc Zeidrick laughed.

"Did you guys know that one time he got in trouble for correcting a new student-teacher when he was in preschool? This guy here actually memorized the whole book and started correcting every mistake the new student teacher made." Unc Zeidrick said, chuckling.

"Wait, what?!" the two exclaimed as I rubbed my nose.

"Well, he was clearly wrong! What do I do then?!" I tried to defend myself.

"His mom was not there at the time so I came in the guidance office and the student-teacher was furious. He told me that my nephew won't shut up when he was teaching the class..." Unc Zeidrick added.

"What happened then?" the two asked.

"The student-teacher said that he kept on interrupting the lesson and he won't stop speaking so he sent my nephew to the guidance office. The principal there told me the rest of the story and I nodded to what they were saying to me. However, this guy still had a disgruntled expression and he kept on scratching his head. This guy just recited the whole chapter the student-teacher was teaching and the look on that guy's face was fucking priceless. Long story short, it was a wasted trip but it was well fucking worth it. The principal apologized to me for wasting my time and the student-teacher clammed up and never spoke a word after." Unc Zeidrick concluded.

The two were helplessly smiling as my uncle concluded the short story.

"You really remember everything?" Charlotte asked.

"Test him, you'll see." Unc Zeidrick said.

"Okay! What do you still remember from the supermarket where you found us?" Charlotte asked.

"Hah! About you? You were wearing thick makeup that would make a small mushroom cloud if I slapped you at that time. You definitely have been crying the whole time since I saw marks on your hands and the side of your eyes that I think was eyeliner. You were wearing Hi Kitty socks that have ruffles on the top and the tie you were wearing that time matches the small bracelet you were wearing now. The shoes that you were wearing were a few inches high so you could match Chris' height and you have fake lashes that time too." I said in a single breath.

"..." Charlotte was gobsmacked.

"Hah! How about me?!" Chris was excited.

"You? Hmm, you were wearing the standard uniform that time and I believe you changed your watch you were wearing back then when Allan started on clearing the aisles. I remember you holding a machete with a plastic handle and you were sitting with her in a mattress eating biscuits. You two went lovey-dovey when I probed if Charlotte was really bad-mannered." I replied.

"Holy shit." Chris was wearing the same expression as Charlotte.

"What do you mean lovey-dovey!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Really? Let me remind you." I cleared my throat as I tried to imitate Charlotte and Chris' voice.

"Take her please~ I'll go to the camp by myself~ No~ Take him instead~ Please~ I beg of you~" I acted while Unc Zeidrick was dying laughing.

"If that isn't lovey-dovey, I don't know what is. Tell me, you guys done it yet?" Unc Zeidrick said.

"...!" Charlotte was red in the cheeks.

"...!" Chris looked away, red.

"C'mon unc! What kinda question was that?!" I interjected.

"Hah! Just asking, I hear that the two of you are sleeping in the same room. Use protection alright! They're at that age now, right?" Unc Zeidrick said as he looked at me.

"P-Please... let's drop this subject!" Chris exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Hah! Just saying, I had kids when I was young. Never finished high school and it's very hard to find a proper job at that time." Unc Zeidrick said with a solemn expression.

The two gave pensive expressions when they heard a small reminder.

"Well unc, when Kaley and I tried to wake them up one time, there are pillows bisecting their beds. No worries there." I said.

"Oh~ Is that so~ Let's just say that it's not bad to be fooling around when you're young. Just make sure to take responsibility when it happens, okay? But for now, just enjoy the little things. You're young, ask the adults some questions you don't understand and we'll answer them. Don't be afraid to ask questions eh?" Unc Zeidrick concluded.

"T-Thanks... I guess?" Chris trailed.

"Hah! Just don't take some of the words of my uncle to heart. I inherited all of the crazy from this guy." I said with a smile.

"And that is the best thing to inherit from me, right?! Well, it's not just me, it's all of your uncles combined!" Unc Zeidrick exclaimed.

"Of course, of course..." I replied, shaking my head.

I took one more look at our work and I smiled brightly since it was perfectly symmetrical. They headed back to the pool area while I sat down on my spot at the catwalk where Allan, Jenny, and Aubrey were. They gave me an upwards nod and Allan spoke.

"Hey man, I'm slowly getting good." Allan said.

"He really is." Jenny added, faintly smiling.

"Well, that's good. We can finally start to save on ammo." I replied chuckling.

"HAHAHA!!! That was just mandatory expenses so that I could learn." Allan exclaimed.

"I'm not gonna tell him that HK416 is much difficult to operate because of the short barrel and the way it is front-heavy because of how it is made and the attachments in front of it. He would be surprised to use a normal full-sized rifle like Kaley's AR-15 when he switches guns. Well, he'll just thank me later when he discovers the difference. It's much better when full-auto too..." I thought to myself, faintly smiling.

"Excuse me." Aubrey said.

"Where are you going?" Jenny asked.

"Bathroom..." she silently replied as she went towards the houses.

"What is she like?" I asked when Aubrey was far enough.

"Her? She just keeps quiet all the time but she definitely listens to us when we talk. Well, she would sometimes start the conversation on her own. Oh! I remember she wanted to be in the army." Jenny said as I nodded.

"Anyway, good job as always and continue doing it." I said as I saw figures coming in towards the fence.