Story Arizona Tunnel Rats

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats
Copyright
All rights reserved.
All Characters are factious. Any resemblance to those living or dead are purely a coincidence.

Main people:
Croft and Orabell Shaffer
Clark and Ginger Shaffer
Daniel Red Wolf Locke

Hubby is still editing this one. But I am putting up the unedited version for now. He has been working hard otherwise on other things. I don't know how I really feel about this one, but it is what it is, and how it turned out. Lol

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chapter 1 A

First things first, is an introduction to tell those that come after. all of this mess all about us. What we had to become. We are the people called the Tunnel Rats, no one outside of our group gave us our name. It was something we became by what we thought was necessity. Many came to know of us as such in those years during and after the war. They came to know we were for truth, justice, freedom and the sanctity of life. If someone needed some help, we would do everything we could to do so, and if they were within our reach.

During the war years we came to live quite a bit of our time below ground going out to reconnoiter at staggered times. It became much too dangerous for many months to be above ground for very long and not just because of the danger of fallout either. For a long time, we had to keep our cabins and the area looking like no one was here. They looked dilapidated and unlivable as a cover. Places on the rooves painted black to look like holes in the rooves from the passing planes helped with the disguise.

At present, we are again mainly living above the ground of our area of Arizona. It is so nice to be in the open air whenever we like. The big thing is we can scurry down below the surface in no time at all if the need arises. But these days that is few and far between.

Time flies and years go by and I figured I best tell our story before the memories dwindled and faded too badly. In our old age we are pretty safe except for the occasional thieving gang. The ones who used to be the new lawmen or rather lawless criminals who were brought on by the government with no care of what they did who they did it to. But these days they are few and far between, at least where we live. I write not just for my husband and I, but for Croft’s cousin others whom became known as our extended family.

This isn’t where Croft and I used to live by a long shot. In fact, we had never planned on leaving what we thought of as our forever home. But the world turns and life changes. We didn’t ever think our country would change for the worse and this would have us make the choice in leaving our beloved home, but we had to.

After moving down here to the Arizona campground and then later into our cramped quarters below ground, we finally knew what we had to do to help with what was happening. As time passed, we worked to fight against what was going on in our part of the country. That’s when we took on our name. A name our enemies came to dread. We tried to help those that stayed above the ground in the bad times as best we could, and as possible. It wasn’t always the best but we did what was conceivable.

This is how it all began.

The first year after a dictator who still called himself a President of the United States. He went by the name of Carlo Mont Royal, at first, we lived and worked without too much interference from the government. But soon his buddies became government officials and his hired thugs were running the country or rather over ran it bit by bit. Slowly one couldn’t figure out if there was even a division of powers in the government. More and more regulations made our lives miserable. Plus, the loss of our freedoms not even little bit by little bit, but leaps and bounds. We decided we best move down to Arizona where I had inherited land from my parents. There would be others joining us as the days and weeks went by.

After we were settled in is when World War III struck with mother earth joining in. I guess the earth was just disgusted with it all, or maybe just plain resented what was being done. That year was the hardest by far. After the war we kept the short wave open and maned but heard not a word from anywhere, from anyone, until the year was almost up. It took that long for the upper atmosphere to clear. I am getting ahead of myself. The one good thing about being where we are is that t is cooler down here than up above.

But just how did we end up down here in tunnels under the hot state of Arizona surface you ask? I will tell you, but this will take quite a while to set the stage. Here goes.
**
My name is Ora and I am telling this story of latter part of our lives. Our names are Croft and Ora Shaffer, the name I go by is short for Orabell, my middle name is Nanvell. I don’t know where my parents got my middle from and for some reason, I never bothered to ask. We used to live in the Pacific North West, in the lower part of Washington state where we moved to from the mid-west, many years before that. We came here for a new job that my husband Croft was hired for, it was for his expertise in his field. That job is gone like so many others in many other fields of work and we had been living off of some of our investments and savings while we still had them.

My husband Croft was born back in eastern Indiana. Before we moved down here, he was 47 years old. His ancestors were mostly English and Dutch and most of them have been in the U.S.A since the early 1600’s. Back when the New York area was called the New Netherlands.

In his younger days he had medium brown hair which is now peppered with lots of gray. He has a straight Roman nose on a strong masculine face that his family men are known for and very dark blue eyes. He has always told me he didn’t consider himself a good looker in his young days, let alone now and doesn’t know how I was attracted to the likes of him. Well, I didn’t go by looks alone and I thought his were good enough. I wasn’t looking for an overly pretty boy anyway. I thought he was selling himself short in that department. He is just barely under six foot tall and has some pretty good muscles which make him broad of shoulder and narrow of hip. These days he is pretty much back to his trim weight of youth from splitting wood and working his butt off helping to keep all of us warm, fed, and our home secure. As he got older, he had a few extra pounds on his frame but most of us do when we age and aren’t running around like young things anymore. But that was a few years ago before all this mess started and this is now. I think he is still a pretty darn good-looking man if I do say so myself. His touch can still cause me to have goose bumps.

 

[seraphima]

Glad to see you writing. This looks interesting.

 

[Jeepcats27]

Interesting, can't wait for more!

 

[223shootersc]

MOAR he cried!

 

[sssarawolf]

It wouldn't let me post the rest of the chapter so here it is.

Arizona Tunnel Rats

1 B

Now comes little old me. I am Ora Nanvell Rasmussen Shaffer born to Johann Peter Rasmussen and Nancy Bell O’Neil. Some combination huh? Danish and Irish with a few other nationality’s thrown in for good measure. I am my parents second and last child and I was 45 years old when we moved down to Arizona.

I was born in upper Minnesota (you should hear my accent, sounds like Min-na-sooo-ta) in a tiny town that no longer exists, thanks to our government. My great, great grandparents on dad's side came over from Denmark in the 1870’s. They were joining their other relatives that had already immigrated over to America. The family settled in Minnesota and were dairy farmers. They had much better farms here with a lot more land than they could ever own in the old country. This was the land of opportunity to many in the world.

Now mom’s people on the O’Neil’s side have been in America since around 1700. They consider themselves old hand American’s who have fought in all the wars since the family arrived. The Irish people were always some of the highest numbers of folks who fought in any of the wars.

My Dad who for business purposes just went by Peter, didn’t stay on the farm like his brothers and sisters who also became farmers and dairy people in their own right. Dad became a very specialized electrical engineer. He did so well that he was in high demand by many companies, so when he would get a better job offer, we moved on. As I grew older, I came to dread moving on again and again, sometimes twice in the same year. I always seemed to be the new kid in school and trying to make new friends all over again.

My mother’s side of the family preferred the city life so I have no idea why she fell for my farm boy father. They met in collage and as they say; that was that. She also came from European stock with a bit of native American thrown in there for good measure. Her parents passed away before I was born so I never got to know them and she was an only child.

My only set of grandparents were on dad’s side. One of the things I loved growing up was in the summer being able to go visit my grandma and grandpa on the farm and all it entailed, hard work and all. The six weeks on the farm was always the highlight of my summer vacations. Did I happen to say I got so I disliked all the moving around and my grandparents farm was the one stable place in my world. You can get the idea of how I felt every time dad said he got a new job. With better money to boot and away we went.

My mom worked from home transcribing medical files and so it didn’t matter where she was living as long as they had good internet service.

My dad moved our family to Indiana when I was in my last year of High School. To my sadness that’s about when my grandparents passed away. The farm went to dad’s oldest brother Paul. After graduating from high school, I got a job as a secretary at a local real estate office. I was saving up to do something in higher learning, I just hadn’t figured out the whereas and what’s yet. Mom and dad hadn’t moved us again, as yet. I don’t know if I would’ve gone with them and I was secretly looking for a small apartment or a place that needed a roommate, before they were ready to move on again. And that’s when I met my husband, Croft.

I am a straight up five-foot-tall and at that time of my life I was 100 pounds soaking wet. (I am now 118 pounds with the added muscle from all the work.) Croft says that means there is more of me to love and it’s all his.) I had long dark brown hair at the time we met and my hair was past my waist. I was not concerned that it wasn’t in fashion at the time. I liked it and that was all that mattered to me. I also dressed differently from those around me in my new area. I would say I was a bit on the bohemian side with a dash of steam punk. Or as my grandma Ruth told me one time, I looked more like the hippies of her day with a tad of difference.

In the looks department I have an up turned nose, blue eyes and freckles that dance across my cheeks with a heart shaped face. I take after the Irish/Scot side on my mom’s side of the family. I had found out through doing family history that one of my fourth great grandfathers was actually Scottish. His name was Dike Roy Graham. The Irish part of the family acted like being Scottish was a dirty word. Not me I loved where the family’s ancestors had come from.

My sister who always disliked me is named Ella Jane. She took after Dad’s Danish side with dark blonde hair and the square face, which she didn’t care for face shape wise after I came along. Another reason she didn’t seem to like me was that I was born five years after her and I was getting to much of the attention in the family. At least that’s what she thought and told me more times than I could count. She carried that jealousy of me all through her teen years. Even though she got to do things and have way more independence than I ever got to have because I was the baby of the family. It always made me sad to think of it. I had a sister who would have nothing to do with me. If forced to go to town with me when she was a ten she would make me walk a half a block behind her so no one knew we were related.

Okay, back to us. Croft and I had been introduced by mutual friends from work and we hit it off pretty well after we got to know each other better. We also had some of the same interests in life which helped. I found out he had been married before, for about a year and was divorced and he was kind of playing the field. At least until he met me. I was a bit turned off at his friend’s description of him at first and was leery of him even after two dates. No way was he going to play the field with me.

Our first date was a blind date and it seemed to me that he had the typical pickup lines down pretty dang pat. I went on to date a couple of other guys but they were even bigger fakes then Croft seemed. Maybe it should be they were what I would call ‘flakes’ instead.

After a month of not hearing from Croft after our second date or me calling him he finally contacted me and wanted another date. The line was that he just couldn’t get me off of his mind. You know what I thought of that one. In the long run after he talked me into a dinner and a movie and after dating for another six months, I found it all hadn’t been a come-on line after all. I had grown to have feelings for him after all that time and he asked me to marry him. I did and it was the best decision I could have ever made.

Not two years after I married, my parents moved to hot, dry Arizona. Living in Indiana was the longest they had lived anywhere since they got married. They moved before our son Croft Jr. even came along. They had gone ahead and bought themselves a campground of some kind, of all things. Yes, I said a campground. Mom managed it while dad still worked via the internet and flying to where they needed him for his latest company before he could retire.

We in turn went to the northwest for Croft’s work and ended up in the Pacific North West in the state of Washington. We bought a very small 20-acre farm and started to raise a few animals. We had poultry and a garden to be a bit more self-sustaining. We also took up learning old time crafts and ways while we raised our son. I had a few of the old ways under my belt via working on my grandparent’s farm all those summers. So, I was ahead of the game. Grandma Ruth was happy I wanted to learn from her and Grandpa Rasmussen.

The years sped by in what seemed like no time at all. And the world went to crap in a hand basket. Plus, one foreign war after another. With our son getting old enough to be drafted. It was no longer a volunteer military as years past. To many wars and to many losses of personal. It seems there is always someone or should I say many someone’s who want to rule the world.
**
“Croft did you get all of our food buckets and long-term food boxes into the trailer?”

“Yes dear, I did, the basement cellar is as devoid of goods and is as empty as Fort Knox. Not to mention the gasoline and kerosene barrels are full to the brim and ready to go. The chickens and their feed and extra water are all aboard and they seem to be fine. (Just nine-six-week-old pullets and one rooster.)

​

The only farm creatures we were taking with us. There was one exception and that was Tinker our three-year-old cat. She would be right behind and above me on some boxes in her cat carrier. I also had her halter on her and all I had to do is hook up her leash to let her out on the side of the road to do her duty.

I had been busy packing the last of our things upstairs and taking the boxes, bags and other things we needed and sitting them by the trailer to be loaded. What we needed in the kitchen was already finished. All that was really left was what we had been using the last two weeks.

The king cab of the truck was already filled to the gills as well as the back of the pickup. The pickup bed had one of those extra tall hard shells on it so I knew everything in there would be pretty packed and be very safe on the trip. The tarp was already over the packed boxes and tied down to boot inside it. No one could see what was in the back in anyway. Not only that but Croft and his cousin Clark had re-enforced it and the cab of the truck with sheet metal. Not to be a slacker they did the same with the 6 by 18-foot trailer we were going to be pulling.

Clark and Ginger’s truck and trailer were reinforced as well. (Us ladies called the cousins Croft and Clark, C and C.) For second cousins they sure were alike personality wise, besides looking alike with the same coloring, sometimes it is just spooky. Most people that meet them think they are brothers.
**
We didn’t have any children or grandchildren to worry about as our only child, our son Croft Jr. had been killed seven years prior, in a war in a far-off country. It was just us and Crofts younger cousin Clark and wife out here in the west. The extended family on Croft’s side were mostly still in Indiana.

Those on my side had already met their fates, my parents included or as my sister went, had disowned me. Now that was gloomiest of all to me as far as my sister was concerned. Yes, I missed those that had passed on from this life. But to know I still have a sister and her family and that they no longer deemed me among the living because I thought different than them is heartbreaking.

Okay, enough of that kind of melancholy. Croft’s cousin Clark had married Ginger ten years ago, so far, no children had come along. He is Crofts junior by thirteen years. So, they were still in their early 30’s. They moved out here and found a place not that far from us right after he and Ginger married. Her parents were ticked off at Clark for taking her away but they had raised her to be independent and so she is just how they raised her to be. No one's fault but their own. Clark’s parents had been gone to the hereafter for years by that time. They died rather young just a year apart from each other in their late 20’s. Clark ended up raised by an older Aunt and Uncle. I think that was one of the things that helped him have a good head on his shoulders.

We started planning this move of ours as the noose was being tightened on the American people and after my dad and then my mom passed away. In the last year we have pared down our belongings and animals in what we needed and or wanted. We even went so far as selling my small car. It was a relief to finally see it go but hurt a little as well. After the last of our dogs had passed from old age, we didn’t replace them either. We felt that we had no choice, as in we needed less to leave with to get where we wanted to be. Before the crap hit the fan any worse than it already had in our country. It had been getting worse slowly, first month by month then it became week by week the last couple of years. (What we didn’t know at the time it was now down to day by day.) We wanted to be at what was now our new place in Arizona before things got even worse and travel was restricted or halted. There were rumors floating around about crack downs and we wanted to be more or less settled in at the campground before that happened.

I had had been the one that inherited the 500 plus acre land area and the campground from my parents when mom passed. Beforehand after dad passed, she had told us when she went it to join dad this place would be all ours.

The place happened to be a not so small vacation resort campground with several cabins that they rented out. There was also tent sites and RV parking with the whole electric and water/septic set ups as well. Since it was out in the boonies, they had set up solar and wind for some of their electrical needs.
**
All right, back to the state our country is in: For a while everything like jobs and the economy had gotten better with a new President in again. At the next election it all took a turn for the worse after the new guy was sworn in. The next President had taken over to do just what he was being told to do. He showed his true colors as he had been a liar from the very beginning and started a crackdown on all conservatives and citizen militias. If you considered yourself a Patriot that was again a dirty word. If you relished freedom, you were the bad guy and seen as intolerant of other people’s views when it was just the opposite. CRAZY! Up is down, down is up, good is bad, and bad is good. I felt like I had been shipped off to another planet without even knowing when it happened. When did the aliens pick us up and drop us off here is what I want to know?

Now I really hope that we are ready for the next stage in our lives, at least we wished so. Our home place was sold and we were leaving weeks earlier than we really had to, as far as the new folks taking over, they could move in anytime. As I walked around our home making the last-minute checks and making sure that I hadn’t forgotten anything, it made me blue. So much of our life had been spent here. We raised our son here, the place he would have come back home to if he had lived. At least for a while.

I decided to get a large bag I had made from a grain bag and started to put things in it that I decided to take after all. So, in the end I didn’t just look around but I opened cupboards, drawers, the closets and even went to the basement to do the same, even knowing Croft said he had cleared it out. Just in case.

Still, what we were leaving behind was plenty but I knew we wouldn’t need it. Plus, we didn’t have room to pack it with us. The large pieces of furniture like the sofa, our bed frame, the large appliances like the washer, dryer, refrigerator, electric stove would all stay. Even dressers and end tables. There just wasn’t room to take it and all of mom and dad’s stuff was still there in Arizona and would work for us as well.

 

[Lake Lili]

Looking forward to more! Thanks!
Lili

 

[steamroller]

Great start, keep it coming.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chapter 2 A

It didn’t seem like any time at all and we were standing outside of what had been our home. We stood there for just a few more seconds looking first around at the home we were about to leave and then into each other’s eyes. Knowing we were headed away from our beloved so called forever home to never return.

Croft had one of his arms across my shoulder and my hands were around his waist and we really needed to break this off. We had around 1300 miles to travel to get where we needed to be and we didn’t have any more time to spare. It was time to bow our heads for a quick, short prayer for the Lords help with safety, and guidance, and scoot down the road. I kept thinking about the old Pink Panther cartoon: ‘Time to exit, stage right.’

The two coolers, and homemade bags that held our food for the next two weeks. That included the first few days we were trying to unpack, plus our water, plus the cats, were between the bucket seats and right behind us. Our guns and ammunition sat under the seat with a few in good spots, so much that we could get to one in a hurry if the need be.

I looked over at Croft as he pulled himself behind the wheel of the truck and we sat ourselves in the jam-packed truck. He turned to me and smiled that sly grin of his and told me, “Here we go hon.” And he started the truck and we were off. Yes, that may have sounded corny to someone else but it wasn’t to me.

I didn’t even turn and look back, what good would it have done anyway, it was time to move forward. This place was now in our past. In a few minutes we would be meeting Clark and Gin (She liked being called Gin) five miles down the country road we lived on. The meeting place was a halfway way mark between our homes. It was also a mile or so from the back road we would be taking to get to the freeway system. They were doing the same thing we were, heading for who knows what to come. Made me feel like one of the old day’s pioneers going off into the unknown. Just more comfortable and a faster mode of travel.

I was nervous but I knew we wouldn’t be going through any large cities on the way down to Arizona. Going around them on the outskirts yes, but not through. We would have to go through some small towns but we were going to do that on purpose by getting off said freeway to not have to take the city routes that made us go through check stations. The check stations were rather new. You were supposed to present your identifications so they knew who was going into or out of the states. Pooh on that. You know where they can stuff that.

We knew quite a few folks that were staying here in this area of Washington, they had decided they weren’t leaving come hades or high water. They were thinking they could survive what is coming no matter what. We’re not the only ones that can see the said writing on the wall. We heard from folks at church that said they were headed out to family elsewhere. But we didn’t know how well they could or would survive. It didn’t even have to do with getting older, we could do the work. We knew the cold in the winter would make living here miserable if we had to do without burning wood to keep warm. Burning wood was being outlawed. Burn wood, the smoke is seen and we get found and ticketed or arrested. Not a smart idea. I know one can make smokeless fires but you have to have the know-how to hide it. That takes more money than we have to build that kind of baffle in a house and whatever else is needed. Croft figured it all up and even coming up with parts was almost an impossibility. Everything in the way of both piping, metal for anything, fence posts included along with wood had gone out of sight price wise. Then propane was one lots of folks used here but wow, the price had gone sky high in the last two years. Who can afford $10.99 a gallon? There was going to be no way to stay warm in our long winters.
To many we talked to are thinking they will be able to hide out in the wilds to survive, run and hide as needed, and maybe they can. More power to them. I do hope the best for them all. But I see a shortage in the future of animals to hunt if too many try to do the same thing. Everyone seems to think it’s all their own bright idea. Then you have to be on the watch for things like drones over flying your area.

Like I said the powers that be have been cracking down on burning wood for heat, again. They tried this many years ago but that pig didn’t fly. But it passed as a mandate this time though an executive order and no one stopped it. I guess the poor are just supposed to freeze to death. They want us all to move into the cities on top of each other and some of us just can’t live that way. No more small land owners are just what they want, that way so much more of America can be an animal preserve. Now to get back down off my soap box. I tend to climb on it a whole bunch.

Now we know the desert and high deserts of Arizona will bring us other problems. At least for us blazing heat in the summer along with other things like a lack of water. But every area has its problems and we are looking to live where not freezing to death is one of the things marked off the how to die list. And yes, it can get cold in the winter and maybe have skiffs of snow. But not the bone chilling cold of the north. We aren’t fooling ourselves that we are headed for some kind of Shangri la or the like. We do know at least that the area we will be living in is a bit more temperate as far as the heat goes. It is a higher elevation so that helps a whole lot.

Clark and Gin’s truck and trailer were sitting on the side of the road right where they said they would be as we waved at them. We passed their truck and they pulled unto the road behind us. We would switch off not only drivers on the trip but who was driving in front, so called breaking the path. I know, I know, it sounds silly as we were driving on pretty good roads.

 

[Jeepcats27]

Good Start!

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chapter 2 B

Croft and I had been down to Arizona to the campground visiting many times. We made sure to visit at least every other year as possible. We also went down when dad passed and again when mom passed away. She had refused to move up with us, boy was she adamant with that one. She wanted to run their place and stay as independent as possible, as long as possible. I think I must get some of my stubborn from her, or maybe a lot. She did as she pleased and in the end one of their renters found her laying on the floor of their little General Store they had opened on the resort/campgrounds, broom still in hand. She was 97 years old and that was nine years ago. I hope I am just as spry as mom when I am well into my 90’s to.

We had hired a manager for campers the first five years for the place but when he passed on from this life, we just closed it. We didn’t leave it unattended though. That would have been stupid and who knows what would have been stolen and or destroyed from there. Another caretaker was hired to keep things in good repair and watched over. In fact, it is a buddy of our son. His name is Lt. Daniel Red Wolf Locke, retired. Daniel survived and did twelve years in the middle east wars and didn’t re-up when the time came due in the New Marine Corps. He could do that as the war overseas had been solved and won, or so we were told. So no one was being held in the service to continue fighting.

As the last few years passed, we sent money as we could to buy things the place needed for upkeep and some spending money for Daniel for any of his expenses.

Croft Jr. had brought Daniel home with him a time or twenty and he loved helping on the farm. He was a bit older than Croft Jr. but they got along like brothers. Maybe closer than brothers as they had watched each other’s backs on many assignments (missions).

So that is where we were going with as much lock, stock, barrels and chickens as we could manage. Our duel wheeled king cab pickup has everything that is what we consider necessities with one of the 55-gallon barrels of gas at the very back of the shell. The trailer had two barrels of fuel and what would be really, really nice to still have once we get where we’re going. We are also hoping we can buy fuel for the trucks in some of those small towns we are going to go through to save on what’s in our barrels. The same for Clark and Gin’s. They had done the same as us with their truck and trailer. If we had to unhitch our trailers to save our lives we would. The things on them would be missed greatly and would make things a lot harder to live without them, especially in the long-term food department. But if that had to be, then it did.

I know mom and dad were like minded and there was still some food storage in their cellar but we didn’t know how much at that time. They were also what others used to say were packrats in their later years. I think dad had regretted leaving the farm from his youth in his older years and started to collect lots of old timey equipment for their home and for farming. Which was weird as they didn’t farm. He built a farm museum beside the General store and sold tickets to it at one dollar apiece. It was enough to help with the up keep, repair and buy a few more things for it. I think mom thought he had gone around the bend but she never put him down for it because it made him so happy. He went to lots of auctions and acted like a kid in an old-fashioned candy store.

​

Dad had made sure that in his will not only was mom cared for but that I was the only one to inherit the Re-enactment Resort and Campground. I think that was another reason my sister was mad at me all over again. She did get some money out of his life insurance but I think she thought being the oldest that she was going to get the full-blown share of it all. She tried to contest the will until her lawyer who had talked with mom’s lawyer found in tiny print that if she tried to contest the will, she would get nothing at all. Talk about mad at our mom as well. After finding that in dad’s will she even wrote Mom off because mom went along with his wishes and never talked to her again. She didn’t have to wait long and mom was gone. Someday she will regret that when she gets knocked off her high horse.

Croft decided to fill up the truck’s double gas tanks in the last town of Ontario, Oregon, before the road took us out of Oregon. We had gone west first and then down to Pendleton, Oregon, where we caught 84 running south east through Idaho. We would get off 84 at Twin Falls, Idaho, and take 93 south into Nevada. We had decided to not go down into Utah and so close to Salt Lake City. Just way too many cars and very busy, busy 24/7 as far as traffic goes. Been there, done that, and it was always awful. Yes, this took us out of the way so to speak but we thought whatever we could avoid in the way of traffic and the chance of road blocks or check stations we would.

This would take us down close to Las Vegas but the new freeway had made it so we never even saw Las Vegas proper. We heard Nevada had closed down the check stations and the U.S. Government types were fit to be tied.
As we got neared the area, we saw that there was trouble brewing the closer we got to Las Vegas so Croft took back over driving. There were police lights all over the place, up and down both sides of the roads. Loud speakers telling everyone to slow to 20 miles per hour as well. It took a grueling two and a half hours to get around Las Vegas and we were never so happy to get away from there. We gassed up again in Bly, Nevada with me driving and Croft sleeping. We were now halfway to our new home.

It didn’t take long to get to Kingman and on to 40 east headed toward Flagstaff, Arizona. We had to pull into a rest stop and wait for Clark and Gin as we had become separated. We used the pump on the trailer barrel to gas up the truck as Kingman, Arizona seemed to be closed down for the night. I mean everything was closed down when we went through. I bet if they could have rolled the streets up for the night and pulled them inside, they would have. It was just plain dark and creepy rolling through there. Not even the street lights or stop lights were working. Talk about a dark town, yikes.

It took another thirty minutes for Clark to catch up to us. Then we helped them to gas up and give them a bit of time to walk around and unkink. We all got something to eat and a few minutes of relaxation time. I had the cat out on her leash while we were waiting and while Clark and Gin took a break and then it was back on the road. It made the break longer for Croft and I but in the long run it was good.

I was still amazed we had gotten this far and only found that bit of trouble near Las Vegas, plus the fact that we weren’t involved in any trouble there. That had been exciting enough for me and had my heart going a hundred miles an hour for a while. I knew that the Highway Patrol can stop anyone at any time now and go through everything you own. They are allowed to see if you are carrying any kind of what is now considered contraband or what they now consider terrorist equipment. No citizen is allowed to be a concealed carry now even in their own state. Not to mention we had all our weapons inventory with us. Even if it is only a pocket Constitution booklet. It now means you are a potential terrorist.

We took 40 until we got to 64 North and then took that for thirty miles to drive off unto a dirt road to the Re-enactment Resort and Campground. We would be 48 to 50 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona as the crow flies but still in the more or less high mountain treed area. Our land also goes down to a flatter dryer, sandier part of the property. And then back to some more mountainous forested area again. As far as water goes, we weren’t all that far from a main river, the Verde. But closer to what is known as Clear Creek down here in our basin.

​

Did I count on us never being found, that would have been stupid and naïve, but we hoped we could hide in plain sight as we planned. We would be teaching old ways as my parents had done for a front of who and what we really are. We wondered if there was a way to keep the small store running as well. Maybe it would begin to contain homemade merchandize but that would be better than nothing. We would all appear older than we are as well and be just getting by. That means no makeup for us ladies and no hairdos. Just combed and clean. Just a bunch of nobodies. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

 

[Griz3752]

OK Sara

Bait taken!

 

[223shootersc]

Thanks for the update. Good stuff!

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks @sssarawolf !
Lili

 

[seraphima]

Keep 'em coming! Please?

 

[workhorse]

I have got up close to that potato picker. We had a John Deer LA that would straddle two rows at a time but had a real long draw bar and we could hook the picker off center so it would run down the right hand row. But it was still faster than potato forks!

 

[Bob the Builder]

Not to be a nit picker cause I love the stories here.
Your disc is a grain drill, planter. The discs you see on the bottom gently part the dirt and allow seeds to fall thru small metal tubes from the above bin down and between the pairs of discs. The two crank handles regulate how deep the discs are set in the ground and how deep the seeds are planted. Drag chains are usually fastened to the rear of the discs to cover the seeds. The two sliding handles on the rear wall of the bin regulate how wide open the bin is and how fast the grain falls out.
As workhorse has noted the manure spreader is a potato digger.
I wish I had a dollar for every mile those have followed me around.
Keep up the wonderful story. My sisters and their men winter every year in Quartzite Az. and take the same route as you and for the same reasons.
Moar?

 

[sssarawolf]

Thanks Bob, yes I know. I just happened to put those labels on the pictures so I could find them again and they popped up as the labels on the pics when I put them on here.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chapter 3 A

I decided to do the rest of my story like we had just gotten here to the campground. It flowed better for me as I closed my eyes and thought about what went on after our arrival.
**
Finally, we arrived, we pulled up to the six-foot-high, rusted looking, heavy, iron gate, and I hopped out of the truck to unlock the huge heavy-duty twin locks. I also pushed the hidden buzzer under one of the pipe gate uprights three times. This was to let Daniel know we were on our way up to the main camp buildings. We had called ahead last week to alert him and told him that we hoped to be there in a few days. I felt so thankful that it had only taken us three days and a couple of hours to get here. I didn’t know if any of the others that were to join us had made it yet or if we were the first to arrive. This journey and exodus had been planned for almost two years now and here we were starting what we had planned all that time ago. I am frightened yet excited at the same time.

I prayed there had been no leakage of our plans like from friend’s children bragging or thinking it was so silly it didn’t really matter who they told. You know nothing like having to leave home would ever happen after all. At least in what they thought was their real world. I hope their parents expressed that this could mean life or death to not just them but to us all.
Our truck and trailer went through and he continued on for a few feet so his cousin’s truck and trailer could come through. I relocked the gate after we were all through and made sure it was right. I saw when I went forward to our truck that Croft had gotten out to wait on me and wanted a hug and kiss before we headed up to the campground.

​

As we came closer to the cabin area, I could see our two trucks were indeed the first to arrive. I could see our place which was home, camp office and the store on the other end. Clark had pulled around to the cabin that wasn’t far from the main house. There was what used to be a kitchen garden between the two homes, and a shared fire pit type outfit, it was a very nice addition.

The main house may have had an extra office space but it wasn’t much larger than the one Clark and Gin would be living in. Dad had added on to the small house that had been here so he wasn’t living right at or in the business part of the place and then an addition for the General store. The only difference between their cabin living wise and ours was that one extra room with the kitchen that we had. We didn’t count the basement as a living space, just storage.
Daniel had taken the cabin that was across from the driveway from us coming into the campground so he wasn’t that far away either. Let’s say one hundred feet from the camp road. All of the cabins except ours were two bedrooms with a loft and a basement.

Quite a few but not all of the other people moving here we really didn’t know very well, except for their paperwork and a few phone calls we made to them and vice versa. They were contacts of dads that had helped with some of the work here for a place for themselves and their families. Some came here to build let’s say under the guise of other work. I have to say some of that work was legitimate but helped cover for other things dad was having done to the place. I had yet to take a full tour of all they had gotten accomplished the last few years. Our stays down here weren’t all that involved in what was here even after dad and mom passed.

Boy doggies, was I in for a surprise? Dad and mom had been more than busy and I hadn’t known it but Daniel had found their plans and blue prints and informed us what they had been doing we also helped do what we could to continue. He had gone ahead and continued with what they had been doing on his part to contribute as well with his retirement pay. We had also given Dan the go ahead and invite those he knew and trusted who would also be a good fit here.

Daniel did a lot work as caretaker and had been planting the fruit trees we sent money for to add to the fruit trees that Dad and mom had planted. Just things that we knew would survive which wasn’t too far off of most things. Different varieties of apples, pears, cherries, plums, and apricots. The growing season was longer so we had him plant some dwarf peach trees as well. Next, we did berry bushes, dad had planted raspberries but no blackberries, gooseberries or bush cranberries. We wanted a varied diet as much as possible.

Dan was standing by what would be our new house when we pulled up. He was a sight for sore eyes, literally. Daniel was much thinner than when we last saw him but somehow it was a good look for him. He stood more confident than I had ever seen him before.

He looked like a bronze warrior, trim and muscular. Men that work hard are in good shape, generally. It was a good thing I was a not only older but a happily married woman. I could see the part of him that was part Apache so much easier now with his thinner face then when we first met him all those years ago, he almost seemed ashamed of his heritage. I had a really good talk with him and he started to change his mind about himself. I also told him to look up the greatness of the Apache nation and what kind of great warriors and horse soldiers they were.

Yes, there were individuals of the nation that went beyond what they needed to do in the war against the white man and other Indian nations. But hadn’t every people had some of those and still do. Look at the out-of-control lawless people we have now of all colors, even the ones who call themselves members of the law, along with the military. Don’t get me started on politicians.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 3 B

Daniel is only 5 foot 10 inches but his presence portrayed a man much larger. He looked like he had muscles on his muscles. His very dark brown hair was now long and braided. It sat between his shoulder blades and he sported a short, black beard, which he inherited from the Scottish side of the family. There were a few grays mixed into it but it was thick as any Scot would love. I had a hard time at first getting used to his black eyes but they grew on me and I could see the crinkled tan and bronze laugh lines around his eyes that he had never had before. I noticed his clothes were worn but clean and he had plain dark brown boots on his feet.

He wasn’t the least surprised when I jumped out of the truck and ran over to give him a big hug. He even leaned down so I could kiss him above his bearded cheek when I went up on my tip toes to do so. By that time Croft was out of the truck as well and enveloping Daniel in a bear hug. Then there were lots of back slapping occurring when Clark came in to do the same.

Ginger was shying away from the group of men so she just stood back and smiled at the men’s goings on. All three acted like long lost brothers.

Daniel had truly become another son to us. I thought; “look Jr. what you have done for your friend.” I talked to my son quite often and felt his presence and could imagine his smile at watching all of us. It started to bring tears to my eyes but I shook it off as there were just too many good things going on with being here to get maudlin.

Daniel was the first to really talk about what came next. “Okay, all of you, let’s get started getting you all unpacked and settled in before any others start to show up. I have already aired out all of the cabins as soon as you phoned that you would be headed my way. I also did bug bombs in them and mouse traps just in case they had acquired any small unwanted guests.”

Our trucks were stopped in front of the cabin front yards which had the widest doors and Daniel took turns helping us and then Clark and Gin with their heavier items, which weren’t many but enough.

We were halfway finished when Daniel unhooked the small walkie talkie type phone on his belt. It was a buzz from the gate with the right signal. Another family was coming in, we hadn’t arrived any too soon it seemed. Things would start hopping for sure now. Boy, was I right or what? The number being fifteen trucks with trailers came in with families and singles traveling together in a convoy. One of the trucks was a bona fide semi-trailer with a pup hooked on behind the longer trailer. Two of the families were related so they came together in the extra-long cab semi. We only knew one of the families personally and had a great reunion along with a meet and greet as people unpacked into their new homes. The McConnell’s had vouched for the other three families and all had talked with the us and Daniel quite a bit later on.
Through the next week eleven more families and seven singles came in by themselves four men and three women all in their 20’s to 40’s, all former military. With most of the adult family folks in their mid to late 30’s and 40’s.
**
1. Our friends Dirk and Betty McConnell with 34-year-old son Fremont and Fremont’s wife Stacy with their ten-year-old daughter Kathern.

2. Fredrick and May Clay, with their 17-year-old son Monty and 15-year-old daughter Grace.

3. Wilma Henry, with her two sons 20-year-old Price and 23-year-old Booth.

4. Wilma’s cousins, Allen and Carry Henry, their five children, 12-year-old twins Alice and Alley, 9-year-old Alonzo and 5-year-old twins Mick and Mitch. Talk about a hand full. (At least they had switched off of A first names)

5. Doctor Carter and June Applegate in their late 30’s, children Kyle 7 years, Franklin 10 and daughter Nis 13 (short for Nissally). I will have to ask where the girls name came from.

6. Stephen and Lara Wright both in the early 40’s, children 16-year-old son Cree and 14-year-old son Larry.

7. Morris and Casey Smith, late 20’s both veterinaries, daughter Mary 4 years old

8. Greg a registered nurse and wife Terry Alden in their late 20’s, with a 6-year-old son Milo. Expecting another child in three months.

9. Joe Taylor 40, widow, all around mechanic and welder, son Gus 18 years old and daughter Milly 15.

10. Nick and Chris Rosenberg mid 30’s, both in construction. Child a daughter Maud 11 years old.

11. Henry and Nancy Barker. Henry is a master carpenter and Nancy a plumber, both in late 30’s. And yes, they met when a home was being built that they both worked on.

12. Jason and Martha Noble both former Special Services with Martha being from the intelligence section in interrogation and in their late 30’s. One son Jason Jr. 16 years old.

13. Fisher and Francis O’Toole hunter guides and teachers. Fisher is 41 and Francis is 31. Daughter Marian 9 years old. (Fisher tells everyone he robbed the cradle and boy does Francis blush really well.)

14. Sinclair who is a communications specialist and wife Clair Fairplay who is a seamstress and leather worker, in their early 40’s, three children. Daughter’s Meg 17 and Kate 14, a son being 9-year-old Tanner.

(I think our group is still a little heavy on the male equation)

15. Mike and Carol Butters, mid 40’s. Both bakers, herb specialists and teachers.

Singles are now:

1. George Brown
2. Nate Jones
3. Butch Lavin
4. Sam Samson
5. Priscilla Denton
6. April Wolfin
7. Anna Becker
Number 8 is our very own Daniel Red Wolf Locke
**
In the days that followed the news over the shortwave wasn’t good. We tried to listen to the radio and some TV but they only had reporters talking about the entertainers and what was going on in Europe. There was just a smattering about the riots and allocation of goods (looting) by the so called non fascist nit wits who are really the fascists.

The real news is that most of the cities in United States are shut down and travel even between cities has started to be restricted. If anyone else gets here it’s going to be by the skin of their teeth. We had only expected four more families and we still have hopes they were just delayed and can still make it here. Dan told us there should be another eight to ten Marines coming in.

Not 24 hours later late in the night the gate buzzer went off with the right signal. Daniel who had taken his turn at guard duty down there hadn’t given us the enemy sign so we knew it had to be someone who knew to come to our location. Daniel radioed up to us to have the doctor and the nurse standing by because there were injured on their way in.

I was on the four-hour night watch at the cabin area when it happened and I hated to but I had to wake Croft. He in turn woke three of the other on call guards.

Those that were coming in were families:

16. Orson and Dalila Dark Moon 30’s. Nature specialists, hand weapon makers like in bows, arrows, crossbows, hatchets, tomahawks and both dappled in black smithing and were Jack of many trades. Children, son Nathan 12 years, daughter Willow 10, and Jefferson 7 years old.

17. Abe and Genie Murphy, early 40’s agricultural specialists which they taught at a small state college. They did side jobs doing construction and carpentry in the summer. Two daughters, Hannah 15, and Lizzie 13 years old.

18. Phil and Bridget Ellis, both 38 years old, they were both into re-enactments of the 1700’s and the medieval period. He had been a plumber. He had been teaching his two sons as his apprentice’s. Three children, the two sons William 15, John 12, and daughter Alice 9 years old. Bridget’s husband Phil was killed on their way to our campground with Bridget and John also being injured. Son William had to drive them the rest of the way in.

The different vehicles had met up 30 miles away from here and the others did the best they could for Phil but it was too late to save him. When doc Carter looked at him, he told us that Phil hadn’t had a chance of survival with the wounds he had received.

End of Chap 3 B

 

[Griz3752]

Thanks Sara

Looking good from here Ma'am. . . .

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Sssarawolf!
Lili

 

[moldy]

More, please.

 

[Kathy in FL]

The name of the story alone is pulling me in.

 

[Kiwibutterfly]

Great beginnings, can't wait to learn more, thank you

 

[Texican]

Sara.

Good story. Thanks.

Texican....

 

[sssarawolf]

There are times I have a different way of talking, so that's how I write. I hope that doesn't bother anyone to much. I just got in from taking care of the animals and it was 55 deg. out there. Next week it will be hot again so I am enjoying this.

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 4 A

The first thing we did the next day is have a funeral for poor Phil Ellis. His wife Bridget and son John were unable to attend but when they were able to get around, we would have a memorial service. It was the most we could do for the time being.
Bridget had been knifed and little John beaten to within near death. Their oldest son William was battered but had managed to get the family away without anyone else getting killed. They had run into trouble way outside of Las Vegas where they thought they were safe. Unlike us who were able to squeak through that area in time not to see what went on afterward. We hadn’t known it but the trouble had just been beginning when we went through.

We learned that Phil had been pulled out of his pickup cab after the windshield was smashed. His seat belt had been cut so they could get him out and men had done the same to Bridget. Young John had jumped out to save his mom and the big brave men had beaten the little boy within an inch of his life. William pulled a pistol out from under the seat and had stopped them from doing worse to his mom and brother on the right side of the truck, while their little girl Alice hid like she was told in the crew cab. William had the men back away after having to shoot one in the leg to prove he meant what he said and he wasn’t just a scared boy. While she could still move and before the shock set in his mom had helped get John and their dad Phil back into their truck.

The other folk’s that came in had their truck shot up with a few bullet holes. There were also a couple of grooves where bullets had grazed the people themselves but not much more. They told Croft and the others that they didn’t think anyone else would get to the camp, at least not by taking freeways and even medium sized roads. Everything was being shut down tight.

Even with the newcomers there were still three cabins vacant, even with two cabins being used as bachelor and bachelorette cabins. But we had planned for that anyway. Extra bunks and twin beds had been added already along with small dressers and a trunk each for their things. There were shelves and hooks along the walls and hidden areas in headboards and thick nick-knack shelfing. Not to mention floor boards that came up with a safe area to hide things under them. This went for the all of the cabins and the main house as well.

After all the excitement of reaching the camp, everyone started to settle in to a routine. Dan was the watch commander and guards and watch assignments were made. There was continued training for the young set and the adults alike that still needed more knowledge. Hand to hand combat, bow and arrow, shooting practice after lots of aiming practice and pretend shooting. We couldn’t waste the ammunition; all was ongoing from here on out.
**
I had the layout of each cabin, which had been part of the original paperwork my dad had sent me. Plus, the storm cellars (shelter aka basement with concrete ceilings) under each cabin and the museum. The lawyers for my dad and then moms didn’t know anything about the underground shelters posing as basements. We sure weren’t going to inform them either. There was even one near each outdoor John under what everyone else would think was small storage sheds for the tent camping sites. The large 40 x 40 cook cabin with an inside eating area also had a shelter connected to it. The inside had a loft for extra supplies that covered three quarters of the upper cabin. On the outside there an extra the large shelter covered area with picnic tables that was as larger than the cook cabin itself. It had a very large stone fireplace on one end and then a fire pit at the opposite open end. There were also a couple of steel plates that covered below ground fire pits where the light of the fire didn’t show above the ground.

I found out about the tunnels that led from every one of the underground shelters to the next after Dan brought the blue prints over to us. Each had a metal locking door to and from. The surprise was finding out how much my parents had expanded the tunnel system. As the days carried on, Croft and I explored these with Clark, Gin and Dan before having a meeting and telling the rest of our group about what was beneath their feet. Dan was mostly our guide as he had wondered these halls and rooms after he found the blue prints. We wanted to make sure everyone would be staying first and foremost. There was no sense in letting the cat out of the bag if they weren’t going to stay.

In the first few weeks that followed our hurried exodus from our homes we had meetings with everyone possible once a week. We wanted to get to know each other better and help assign duties and chores for ourselves and the younger set. We had been feeling those out that we didn’t know personally. Just talking to folks on phone calls doesn’t show you peoples personalities.

In the end all of the folks were staying right here where they felt safe and were amazed at what my parents and later Daniel had accomplished. They had helped with their own small part but had no idea how far my parents had extended the shelter areas. See the tunnels led not only to each other’s but there were secret doors that led off away from the campground itself to a whole new set of rooms. They had exits and entrances that were also hidden in the sides of hills as well as into a more forested areas of the land. There were a handful of exits came out into the forested areas with locked lids that had a secret of how they opened from the outside. That was so no one if they happened upon one could just open one up.

All the underground concreted rooms had been already been furnished with all of the essentials. There were bedrooms with beds, dressers, shelving and many hooks along the walls for other things. Bundles of blankets and sheets and other linens were wrapped in plastic to say clean and free of any dust that just happen to get inside. There was a huge kitchen all equipped and ready to go, and two utility rooms. All equipped with what was needed.

End chap 4 A

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks Sara! A real underground city...
Lili

 

[sssarawolf]

The pictures I put up are all ones I have taken.

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 4 B

Way in the back of the two utility rooms in their own rooms were three 500-gallon water tanks that were fed via an underground spring that was up higher than the shelter. To the south were fourteen filled 2,000-gallon propane tanks with hoses that had the readouts in large cabinets in the back walls. The tanks had been buried and could be watched for tank levels from the utility room. Many of these people had contributed money to getting and filling those tanks. Something we hadn’t known about at all. Mom and dad were good at this and keeping some pretty darn good secrets, I can say that.

In the shelter there was a huge cafeteria with picnic tables, a communications room already set up and ready to go with a short wave, AM/FM radios and small new still packaged personal walkie talkies that could communicate up to 35 miles away. Nothing was spared for the bathrooms and brand new 100-gallon hot water heaters for each of the nine 8 x 8 bathrooms. Only four had bathtubs though and the rest just showers for bathing. There were extra instant hot water heaters that all one had to do is flip a switch to detour from the water heaters. Something I came to find out that my dad had invented.

There were also storage rooms already stocked with just about anything a group of people would need. Everything from clothes of all sizes, inner and outer wear, with boots and shoes, medicines, to baby supplies, to lady’s needs. All in large covered plastic containers. There was a sewing and craft room with closed shelving full of material, thread and whatever else was needed to make or mend clothing. There were also four treadle sewing machines, hand worked leather cutting and sewing equipment included.

​

They dedicated one room to a small medical/surgery clinic area and in addition, what I would have to call a large armory. I guess I could tell what dad thought was the priority.

Some of the last of the supplies in the armory had been supplied by Daniel with the contacts he had kept. He had gotten permission from Croft and I to even ask a few buddies to join us when the time came for them to bolt from their different circumstances. That accounted for some of the single folks. Not all of his soldier buddies had shown up yet but it all depended on where they lived and who had decided to stay in the service.

No one knew what the end game of all this nonsense was going to be for our country, how bad it would get or how long it would last. All we could do is pray and do what we had to, and try to wait it all out without getting found, killed, or arrested and hauled off at some time.

For now, we spend most of our time living above ground in our cabins, planting in the half underground greenhouses that we had several of. There were large ones at 30 x 20 feet. With smaller ones being 20x15 feet. What you do is dig down at least 5 to 6 feet and shore up the sides. Then you put a mostly clear top on it like you would an above ground greenhouse. Whether plastic, green house hard plastic, or scavenged windows. We had a combo of the hard plastic and old windows.
There is a covered hard-packed dirt ramp that you can walk down and planter boxes on the sides to hold the garden crops. There are three isles in the large ones and two isles in the smaller ones. Like other greenhouses we have vents that can be opened at the top ends just in case there is too much moisture inside them. Not usually a problem here. Two of the greenhouses were just for tomatoes of different kinds. For keeping these hid when needed we had those handy, dandy camouflage netting that could be pulled over each one in a jiffy.

Being in a whole different area than we had lived in we had to adjust all of our ways of gardening. Thank goodness for the horticulturists and agriculture experts in our group. Mom and dad had a good deal of books so we could all read up on whatever we needed to if need be. As the saying goes: one shouldn’t but all one’s eggs or knowledge in only one or two people. The books on this area also helped.

End Chap 4 B

 

[Lake Lili]

Thanks! Like how this is fillout.
Lili

 

[Siskiyoumom]

Thank you so very much.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 5 A

It was the middle of the night and we both had the night off from guard duty at the same time and we were sound asleep. That is when the two-way radio started to make noise. After all isn’t the middle of the night when most things happen? Croft groggily reached over to the night stand and fumbled around to turn on the small wind-up light so he could see to pick up the radio. Pressing the button, he passed on his call sign, “Bear Care here, over.”

I could hear Daniel’s voice on the other end. “Hard Red here, I’m down by the main gate. I have some of my missing people coming in. We will be to the main cabin area in 20, need medical assistance. Over and out.”

That message was short and sweet. I also knew that would be all of the sleep we would be getting tonight and I rolled over and sat up on my side of the bed. I looked at my old-fashioned wind-up clock that sat on my nightstand. It had those glow in the dark hands, it was shortly after 4 AM. I guess it could have been worse. Being it was going to be 20 minutes before Daniel and his people would get up here, meant they were on foot. He had the timing down to a tea and it usually only took him 13 minutes to get from there to here. It was pretty much downhill going to the gate and quicker then coming up to the camp. That still meant the ones that were with him were worn out or something else. These would be military and ex-military with him so, I didn’t think they would be in horrible shape. Most likely wounded but I hoped not to badly. Croft was already on his way out the door to go get the doc. Yes, we had a door to the outside from our bedroom and the kitchen. Both had small porches.

When they got up to the cabins, they were in what is called, ‘full battle rattle.’ Not that they had anything on them that made even a bit of noise, that isn’t what full battle rattle means. Three of the seven were wounded but already on the mend. So, they must have been wounded a week and a half or more ago. Doc Carter was already looking them over.

In the days that followed we came to find out that there had been ten of them when they started out for our hopefully safe campground. They had been sharing rides in four vehicles when their small convoy had been attacked. They had all been dressed in civilian clothes but with hidden weapons close at hand, just in case they were needed. And they sure were. There had been no warning, just an ambush from the side of the road as the night had just started to darken. Their three companions that died had been killed in the first few minutes of the attack. The attackers were in turn killed right back. The fact that the attackers were some of the new law enforcement recruits and dressed more like military was very disappointing to all involved.

They bound up their wounded the best they could in the few minutes they had. Not knowing how close any more of these drags of the new law were, they worked as fast as possible. Their trucks and those of the so-called law would never move again. To many bullet holes in the right places put an end to them ever starting again. The bad guy’s trucks had been netted off to the side of a ditch and hard to see but that didn’t keep them from getting holes in them.

Those not working on the wounded took the license plates off their old trucks they had been driving and riding in, taking out all they could carry in their packs and on their persons. They emptied the trucks of their belongings and anything of use from the attackers. Two of the men went out around eighty feet from the road and started digging, they would cache their belongings they couldn’t carry and the found items. It looked like the so called they hadn’t been the only people that had been attacked and robbed. When they got back to the trucks, they helped to set fire to the trucks with their friends inside minus their I.D.s and dog tags. The attackers had been dumped inside the backs of the trucks and whoosh boom, inferno. The vehicle numbers had been filed off a long time ago. There would be no identifying the odd three people in the trucks or to whom the old trucks had belonged to.

Our new folks were:

1. Michael Kirk (known as Mountain Mike for good reason)

2. Denny Wooley

3. Abel O’Rourke

4. Tim Wilson

5. Edward Mason

6. Sue Plummer

7. Brandy White

Sue and Brandy’s husbands were two of the men killed in the attack along with their good friend Cecily Sherwood. This crew ranged from late 20’s to early 30’s and had all fought in the sandbox together.

We let the wounded rest and heal and by the time Thanksgiving rolled around everyone was up and running or at least getting back in shape from being injured.

End Chap 5 A

 

[Bob the Builder]

Thank you SW. Keep on keeping on.
moar please?

 

[Texican]

Sara,

Thanks for the story.

Texican....

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 5 B

Bridget Ellis seemed to take the longest to recover but I am pretty sure some of that was because of her grieving from the loss of her husband. Her son John was up but not running a week after they got to our sanctuary. He enjoyed helping with the chickens and it made him feel useful so we gave him that as a chore, egg collector extraordinaire. He took turns with two of the other young girls and boys. They also took turns cleaning and making sure the girls were comfortable with fresh grass in their nests.

We weren’t the only ones who brought along poultry. We were joined by more chickens, also turkeys, ducks, geese, and quail. Two families brought rabbits and six female Nubian goats and one male each. This way we would have at least some goats that weren’t related. It looks like we are going to have to enlarge the four-section small barn, along with the what will be their pasture. Looks like the children will at least have some kind of fresh milk. If they don’t like it, tough, they’ll get used to it. Then came the horses, four geldings, six filly’s and one stallion. The starting’s of a good herd. The geldings would make good work horses. Maybe sometime we can get some donkeys so we can have mules. Now there are some smart hard workers. The donkeys hate things like coyotes, wolves and a few other things and will protect the livestock.

Everyone had a chore or the responsibility to help with a chore. No one was left out. Even those four to five years old helped with something, even if it was just picking up old dropped sticks and limbs from the trees. Many of the children had been asked what they would like to learn and were apprentices to one or even two of the adults. So, they could learn to do more than one thing. We were already a small village with many talents that could be shared and learned. That also went for knife and hand to hand fighting, small arms, rifle, survival and native American and military talents.

We did have a Thanksgiving dinner as a group, not just what everyone was used to. There were some staples of dishes normal for this time of year and pies but we had to make things go further and be frugal at the same time.

The domestic small animals for some of our food would help but we didn’t know how long everything would have to last. Anyway, we needed to breed more of them before we start having them for meals. Then there is the problem of finding a place for them, their food and bedding in our shelter and tunnel system if we have to transfer our time to living there. Not to mention the waste that will bring. One thing always leads to the other.

I thought grains would be our biggest problems as the years would pass. In our area many acres of wheat, oats, rye and any other grains just isn’t a possibility without lots of irrigation. We might be able to do some large fields of corn with squash and beans planted under the corn plants as the native’s used to do would work. It’s called the three sisters. We’re hoping that will work for those crops. Even those will need irrigation. Even some fields close to home of buckwheat and sunflowers, those will be another thing to experiment with.

The weather had cooled down and through December and January we had a few snow flurries. More so in the higher elevations around us that got more than a few inches of the white stuff. The area can have a foot of snow in the a few hundred feet higher. But nothing like we used to get where we lived in Washington state. A few of the folks from Nevada and southern California thought they were freezing to death when they went outside. I laughed when I started to hear the phase ‘colder than a well diggers rear.’ Everyone was also trying to do more layers when inside to cut down on the amount of wood or propane they used. We tried encouraged more wood burning right now than propane.

I didn’t mention that we did have above ground propane tanks, the 500-gallon size tanks that served two cabins each. The main house had its own and that being two of them at the 500-gallon size as they served the home, camp store, and the museum. (One gallon of propane weighs 4.2 pounds.) Propane and wood were our heat and cooking sources, propane while it lasted which would be a good long while with being fugal. But as I said we tried to have everyone do more wood to save as much as possible on the propane when cooking in their homes.

The cabins had small wood cook stoves. I think in the future we will put fireplaces in all of them for just in case. This seemed like an over sight on my parents’ part but one can’t think of everything. They did very good as it was. Not everyone would want to eat in the cook cabin all the time. We did encourage doing as much cooking outside on grills, fire holes, and pits as the weather permitted. This would make the propane last so much longer. Tree cutting was done as far away as possible in the thicker parts of the forest, dead stuff was cut and hauled home and split first. Mid age children went along every time to pick up branches using it for kindling along with the scraped-up saw dust for tinder.

A lot of meals were soups and stews over rice or cooked wheat, barley or Scottish oats. That way there were leftovers for a few meals and all the food needed to be is warmed. The refrigerators were also propane, but we were doing our best to phase those out. The cold weather helped as we kept the food in cold boxes on the porch. Which were inside a metal box to keep out rodents, bugs, raccoons, coyotes, and bears or whatever wanted what we had. We were trying to get used to not having refrigeration because at some time we knew that would end for sure. The electricity and propane would at some time in the future come to a complete halt.

It was barely even light one morning when we heard jets crisscrossing the sky with lots of loud booms and the sound of them shooting at each other. The kids all ran out and looked up into the sky in awe. Parents came out to see what all the noise was about and after watching a few minutes themselves herded their young back into their cabins. We heard lots of young voices complaining. While others went about their chores some of us stood and watched while it was prudent and under trees. Planes were hit and exploded in the air while others were shot and spiraled to the ground miles away hopefully in desert areas with no trees to speak of out there it should be cactus and Joshua trees. They still had to be pretty dang close to the earth for us to be able to hear what was going on.

Daniel came up beside me with his high-powered binoculars and told me. “I’ve already told Croft and he is letting others know that some of the jets are ours and others are not only Russian but some Chinese as well. So far, our boys are beating them but it’s close to who will win. There are more of them then ours. Plus, we don’t know if our military is for the American people or not and just trying to keep these other countries from taking over from them and claiming parts of the good old U.S.A. for themselves. No one needs new overlords that’s for sure. We have our own at the current time.”

We worked and stopped to watch now and then until the battle moved far away from us. Soon all we could hear was some faint sounds of the fighting. It was time to go back to the hard work but it sure left many of us thinking about what was going on in our world.

In our next meeting it was decided a few of our ex-military would go out and scout. Flagstaff was the first large town they would head to. They would go through a couple of real small towns but Flagstaff would really tell the story. Seeing and talking to the normal people should pretty well tell them what was going on. Come early the next morning in a truck that was loaned to them, four of them headed out. They would look like two couples out and about trying to buy some needed goods. They would also make themselves look the part in older but clean clothes. Nothing that would make them stand out. But we had found out at least the last ones that cane to the camp that looking normal didn’t keep you from being attacked.

Our scouts were; Tim Wilson, April Wolfin as a couple and then Nate Jones and Priscilla Denton as the other. Tim was also one of the late comers to the camp and hadn’t been wounded so he was in the best shape. The scouts had on different knives and other weapons and there were hidden guns here and there in the vehicle. We hoped that if they were stopped no one would be looking to close for weapons.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Our farm creatures at work.

 

[sssarawolf]

Had Dr. app this morning and home again home again.

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 5 C

Mountain Mike hadn’t been wounded either, (we don’t know how they missed him). He wanted to go as one of the men but he would have stood out too much and been way to memorable. Mike was six foot nine inches and 320 pounds of muscle. You would have thought the blond giant would have a last name like Johansen or something. He did say he took after his mothers’ side of the family. Her great, great grandparents had come from Denmark on a steam ship called the Thingvalla.

With his bright medium blue eyes, straight nose and square jaw you would have thought he had just stepped off of a Viking ship. Mike would have made his ancestors proud. He was a master of and trainer of hand-to-hand combat as well as a marksman. He also did a lot of ducking through doorways or we would have had to call him Mike the Lumpy. I told him that but he didn’t think it was all that funny. I think he had heard that one before.

We hailed the foursome goodbye and good luck. That was after Croft insisted a prayer was to be said for their safekeeping on this trip and that they would come home alive. This was the best we could ask for in this day and age. He felt that they needed it going back out into the what we now thought of as the ‘unknown world’. We were looking for them to be back in less than two days. It really shouldn’t be any longer than that. After all, by vehicle it was around two hours to Flagstaff. An overnight stay camping outside of town to do more investigating and some shopping, if at all possible, would be good. If that wasn’t going to happen, they should be home by tonight. If things were really bad, they should be back sometime in the early afternoon. (Always the ifs.) Daniel hitched a ride down to the gate with them and saw them off. He had been their lieutenant once upon a time and felt more than some responsibility for them.

We went about our day as there was always many chores to be done above ground as well as below. After the battle in the skies, we had decided we and the families should be taking everything but what they needed for day to day living down to the shelters underneath their cabins. It was things they in no way wanted to do without. If they needed something they knew where to find it. That way when or if the time came, that if again, they had very little to grab to take up residence down below.

Through the day even if I was busy, I found I was still listening on the walkie talkie for the call sign that our crew of scouts were back home and at the gate. Dumb I know, and it made my day go by so much slower. Just like watching a pot of water for the water to boil.

Soon it had been six hours since the group left. They hadn’t returned so I assumed everything was going okay as they hadn’t beat feet back home. I thought good deal Lucille. Ha, now who was being naive?

There was a knock on our door shortly after 3AM. I peeked my eyes open to see the time and had to shake Croft. He was sleeping heavily and he hadn’t heard a thing. “Someone’s at the door Croft, and at this time of night it sure can’t be good.” He was trying to wake up as I poured myself out of bed. I say pour because our mattress is on a pedestal with drawers to give us more places to store things. While Croft was slipping some pants on, I climbed into my bathrobe. I grabbed up my flashlight, and at the same time calling out, I’m coming, I’m coming.”

The door opened and there stood Mountain Mike to tell us his friends, our scouts, were coming in. He said Dan had already gone down to the gate to see them through. There were wounded coming in with company. Croft had to throw some water on his face and then stretched his back to help himself be able to move those hard-worked muscles. We both quickly dressed fully and got ready the best we could in the few minutes we had. It looked like it was going to be another short night.

Of course, we weren’t the only ones roused from our beauty sleep. Our expert medical help would be needed most of all.

End chap 5C

 

[Dannab1]

Excellent start!! Love the pictures.

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 6 A

I was dressed and outside by the time our scouts truck got up to the cabin area. I saw Priscilla was driving and the others were in different ways of reclining in the double cab. What surprised me by the sight of the full moon were the men and women on horseback with some elderly gentlemen in what looked like an army jeep from World War II that were following them.

There was no mistaking that these had to be some of the White Mountain Apache’s that lived well south of us. In fact, they lived more east than south of our current location. They were quite far away from home, which is the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. They do have nine major communities with the biggest being at White River. I know facts most people don’t know but I had studied up on them for Daniel’s sake in case we ever came upon them or them us. I guess that was a mote point now. Dan must have had enough information to let them up here. But I did feel funny about it.

I watched as a tall thin older man was being helped out of the right front seat of the jeep while our injured were being whisked off to be looked after. The front room of the doctor’s place wasn’t that far from where we all stood.

The young men and women in our clan of people were up and Adam when they heard all the excitement. When they hit thirteen, they are expected to join in the adult work force. Some of the mothers didn’t exactly like that. It wasn’t like we had them do that all at once. We eased them into the training of different jobs and chores, and made sure they knew what they were doing and what was expected of them. Okay, back to our wounded and new guests.

Anyway, we found out that the older gentleman was indeed the Chief of the White Mountain Apache with some of the sub-chiefs and other members out looking for more places to settle some of their people. The new so-called law wasn’t recognizing their long-held claim to the land they had lived on for many generations and were pushing them off. Most of where they had lived was and is their ancestral land. There had already been many battles with the new scum government forces.

Dan came to stand on the left side of Croft with me on the right. The man we would come to know as the Chief headed in our direction. How the older gentleman knew who to go to was another question. But he made a beeline straight to us.

The young man that was escorting the Chief had some of the same looks. We came to know that this was Chief Owen Ten Bears Johnson and he had black eyes like Dan but the young man that was with him, we came to find out was a great grandson of the Chief had grey eyes, they called him Butch. The Chief had long white hair, a hawked nose and he was I’d say the same height at one time as Dan. Now he was a bit stooped with age and extremely thin. I started to see the resemblance to Dan in both the Chief and the younger man. WOW!

Chief Owen looked deep into Crofts eyes and then switched to Dan. The old man’s face changed just enough for me to tell that it had. It was like a flash of recognition. Even in this light I could see it come across his face.

I thought, “Okaaaaay.” Chief Owen looked at me and I could see that he had noticed my left eyebrow go up and he knew that I knew something. All I got back from him was a small, sly, warm, smile.

We all introduced ourselves and the Chief wanted to go somewhere where we could talk and I knew the best place was our cook/cafeteria cabin. He sure wasn’t beating around the bush. I whistled up a couple of the teens and had them get over to the cook cabin and start lighting lanterns. Since they were up being nosy, they might as well help. Croft led the way and we just pretty much walked over as a group. We made sure the Chief was seated first at the head of the table on a short bench. Most of his men and women stayed outside to act as guards with ours. So far even though they had helped bring our folks home we didn’t really know if we could trust them. I am sure they felt the same way about us.

As we sat at the table with him with a few others at the next table he waved at Priscilla Denton to stand up and come over by him. She got up and did as he asked her. I’d say a he had a way of command about him if anything. You would have thought Chief Owen was in charge. But I noticed that Croft had given him a nod just before hand. They thought they were being sly about it.

End chap 6 A

 

[RememberGoliad]

Since they were up being nosy, they might as well help.

Win-win response to the teens.... ya get a little help and they learn to be more-discreet!

Enjoying this good story! Thanks!

 

[sssarawolf]

Arizona Tunnel Rats

Chap 6 B

The Chief started out by telling us. “This brave young woman can tell her tale and then I will tell how we managed to get involved with your people”

Priscilla went through how all was fine as the group was going through the small towns. “Folks waved at us but as we would go to stop folks just wouldn’t talk to us and in all the towns’ the stores were closed up tight.”

“So, the next real stop in our trip was the town of Flagstaff. We had only gotten to the outskirts when the bullets started to fly. We never even made it to any kind of barricades or military stops and someone saying: “who goes there?”

“No one from our group had been hurt as yet but we could see that whomever was shooting had several other people pinned down behind some of those large industrial trash cans. Our people knew those others couldn’t be left in that situation. It turns out that one of those trapped people happened to be Larry Cat Johnson is the Chiefs other great grandson. They too had been coming into town to see if they could buy some very needed supplies. Our people didn’t know it but some of Larry’s warriors were sneaking around and trying to get behind whomever was shooting at everyone.”

“They did accomplish that but we sustained wounded and so did they. We ended up with some hand-to-hand fighting with what goes for law enforcement now days. The soldiers were ambushing people as they came into town. Not one of the rats lived to tell who they fought with. They didn’t even have any call-in radios. We came to find out that they had been hustling civilians and trying to get everyone to pay a fee to even enter the city. You can guess how well that was going over. In the end Larry and his people invited us to come with them. So, all the wounded including our people were invited along and hauled off to their temporary camp. The one they had set up is more or less in the same area as we are in.”

“We all got to talking and they found out we were over here in the campground and that you Ora were the daughter of the prior owners. They wanted to meet you and so here we are.”

After she finished her story, we found out that the Chief really did know the whereabouts of this campground and my parents. My parents had a good reputation as honest folk and he wanted to meet us as he knew our people hadn’t caused any problems for anyone else as yet. They were here to make sure that fact would stay true and were here to look us over.

In the end we found out that they had scouted us out weeks ago and saw we were just helping each other and taking care of what needed to be done. They did not know about our shelters or tunnels as yet. I am so glad no one had talked about them in the open. One never knew who could be listening or could read lips. Croft looked at me and then at Dan and then all of us were thinking our guards needed better training.

My parents had ordered in and kept goods and a few groceries at their little general store that the locals needed. The supplies weren’t really necessary for mom and dad. They did it so the folks in the area and the members of the tribes, the Navajo included could do a hop skip and jump as the birds fly over the hills and mountain. They could pick up things here on pack horses and mules and be back on their way. Some things were special ordered just for them in this way. We also found out that the families in Owen’s tribe needed a better place to live right now than they had at the present time. They had just what they could escape with in the short time they had to get out. There were a couple of folks that had buried (cached) some necessary supplies a couple of miles from their homes, just in case. Good thing they did. It’s always good to have a few preppers in the family.

End Chap 6 B