The Mountain News – WA

By Bruce A. Smith

Chapter 19

Day Five – Dawn

In the faint grey of Worcester’s dawn, I heard the first of many police vehicles giving instructions to the people of Union Hill:

“This is the police. Please stay indoors. Radiations levels are too high for you to spend more than twenty minutes outdoors. Local aid stations are being established in your neighborhood. Place a flag or towel on your door if you need medical attention, food or water. Officers and volunteers are going house-to-house to assist you.”

Sounds like we just got our marching orders. And towels? Did they see our flyer? I smiled with the thought. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

Chapter 17 – Brownies and apple pie

Day Four – Noon

I was in the middle of eating an instant chocolate pudding when I heard the dining room go silent. Slowly I looked up, not sure what kind of shock wave had just rocked us into silence.

At the entrance to our dining room stood the only thing that can render young men mute, girls. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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Chapter 16 – North High

Day Four – 8:30 am

By the time I got to the dining room, Deon had already spilled a pitcher of juice and tracked it all over the dining area looking for paper towels to mop it up. We called it juice, but it was a Kool-Aid-esque powder mix. Cherry was best and the lemonade sucked. Deon had spilled the cherry. I headed for more coffee.

Karen had things under control, kind of. The kitchen scene was a controlled chaos of the Rolling Thunder type: six teenage boys all trying to be helpful at the same time while insisting that they were the best cook, the smartest cook or the best-looking cook. It made my head spin.

Karen must have had more than one brother. She probably grew up with 10. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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Chapter 15 – Trust the process

Day Four

I was told that 7:00 am treated Sgt. Jackson to two surprises. First, alarm clocks went off in every one of the guy’s room. No one wanted to be late for their workout with the sergeant.

The second was the hulking figure of a cold, shivering six-foot two, 220-pound boy outside the bay window of the Commons room. He knocked on the window and shouted through the glass when he got Karen’s attention.

“Open the door, will ya?”

“Who are you?” she asked, opening the main door, but blocking it. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 14 – A breath of fresh air, and smokes

Day Three – mid-morning

I went back to bed, and slept deeply until the smell of bacon awoke me. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 13 – Help arrives, along with romance

Day Three – pre-dawn

Day Three started a little early for me, 4:00 a.m. I was half-awake in a twilight state when I heard the south hallway door open, triggering the intruder/escape alarm. I was surprised because I was sleeping near the hallway and hadn’t heard anyone walk past me. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 12 – The Code is tested

Day Two – 4:30 pm

Our discussion was broken with the sudden “Thrump!” of a body slamming against a wall, and the screaming of bloody teenage anger.

“Give me my fucking Walkman back, you fucking little freak, or I’ll kill ya. I can’t fucking believe you stole my music… you’re just fucking listening to it, right here!” Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 10 – First Steps

Day Two – 3pm

TT and I decided to take two small groups into the neighborhood. TT drove his SUV – now christened the “Nuke Mobile” by Willy – and take Trey, Willy and the two K’s along Heywood Street. I took Deon and Naleef up to Shannon and Dorchester Streets.

Terry and Bill, deciding that it was vital to check out St. Vincent’s and see what, if anything remained of that once glorious hospital, hitched a ride with TT as far as the Abbey, and organized a scouting party with Brother Mike and the Abbots.

For this process, we had to figure how to suit up. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the seven teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street have only the Men of Honor for assistance.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 8 – Codes of Honor

Day Two – 12:45pm

In front of one of the southern windows, a bespeckled young man stood in the dust holding a boy in each hand. All three were wrapped in green garbage bags. At first, I didn’t recognize Deon and Naleef. Nor did I understand why our guys didn’t just walk in the house on their own. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House are about to form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************************************************************

 ~

Chapter 6 – Boy Scout training comes in handy

Day Two – 11:15am

From the CNN broadcasts we learned about the “7-10 rule,” which was to become critical to our survival. For every multiple of seven hours, alpha and beta radiation decreases by a factor of ten. Hence, the danger from the dust was one-tenth after the first seven hours, and then one-hundredth after forty-nine hours.

I had an educational opportunity with the guys on this one.

“Seven times seven hours is how many days, guys? Hint: what is seven hours, times seven hours?”

“Forty-nine hours.”

“Okay, good. Now, forty-nine hours is how many days?” Continue reading →