Siskiyoumom
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Story Arizona Tunnel Rats
- Thread starter sssarawolf
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223shootersc
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sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 6 C
When the question-and-answer session was over I looked at Croft and he me and we both nodded at the same time. (The Chief didn’t miss our nods either.) He and I knew just where they could take refuge. At least they would be out of the elements and out of sight of the fly overs, which was going to be very important sooner then we knew. They could hide yes, but this would be much better. It wouldn’t be directly with us but it would be easy for them to get to a new main safe camp for themselves right here. Only they would have to know about our tunnel and the cave system. The tunnels that were as long as a half mile away in the thick pine forested area of our land. It wouldn’t be a whole far distance but far enough to have their own place.
People always think of Arizona as all desert but it’s not at all. As I said before, this state has lots of forests, rivers and etc. depending on where you are in the state. We just happened to live in one of the greener areas. But so were this branch of Apache or at least they had been until a short time ago. The White Mountain Apache Tribe had a resort and they had lots of tourists come for skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, camping, rain dances, shows, and the who ten yards. We asked the Chief if we could talk to him and his great grandson alone for a little bit. I knew there was no way that Butch would let his great grandfather out of his sight. We told them we had an option for them but it would take ours agreeing to want we were going to ask. We asked if Chief Owen could wait a little while to see if they would go along with our idea? Of course, we would have to ask our folks how they felt about it as well about this as well.
We thought that the best thing we could do is send Priscilla out to give the message we were asking and have a few of the teens to be runners. The could go to the other folks here and quietly ask if it would be okay if the Apache moved over to the cave system rooms at the far end of it, for the time being to be out of harm’s way?
In the meantime, Chief Owen asked to talk to Dan while we were waiting for whatever it was. He wanted Daniel’s full name with his parents’ names on his birth certificate, birth date and place.
As Dan told him the information, with not just a wee bit hesitation it brought a smile to the old man’s face. To Dan’s surprise the chief’s eyes lit up.
“Young man my youngest daughter married a man with the last name of Locke. Daniel Red Wolf Locke in fact. You were not a true orphan without any family left, but you were greatly loved. So, you would be a Jr. Your father was a Marine and they were transferred. They were headed out to a new base when you and your parents were lost to us. They were both killed in a car accident. After your parents were killed, we tried to find you but no one knew where you had been sent. But as we see the great circle of life that the Great Spirt spins on. You have returned to where you belong.”
We could all see the tears spring up into the Chiefs eyes at the look on Dan’s face, not to mention the face that the great grandson was making. It made me wish I had a way of capturing their faces for posterity. But after all, even if I had a way to take one this was too sacred a moment to be taking pictures. It would be silly in the long run. ‘Hey hold that face and pose while I take this.’ The days of quick cell pictures was done and over with and had been for months now. Cell towers weren’t running and we weren’t using what electric we did produce on keeping cell phones charged to take things like pictures. We may regret that fact down the road someday but that is just how it is. That is a pure extra.
Dan looked over at Owen who he now knew to be his grandfather. He looked into the old man’s eyes and knew what he had just heard to be the truth. He had found his people indeed. All these years that he had lived here to find out they weren’t that far away was very mind boggling to him. He had been so close to blood family all this time. (But on the other side of this his time to himself had been good for him, he came to really know himself.)
By this time the first shift kitchen folks were in and cooking for whomever wanted to stop in and eat. Usually, the guards ate here in the mornings or after shifts if they didn’t have families. It was also where the young men and women were learning how to cook whether it be by firepit, grill, or wood stove. We weren’t bothering with the propane stoves because we didn’t figure it as a luxury in the future for cooking anyway. It is just for emergencies like winter heat and boiling water for the medical clinic and so on. Instruments and bandages have to be sterilized quickly at times.
End chap 6 C
Chap 6 C
When the question-and-answer session was over I looked at Croft and he me and we both nodded at the same time. (The Chief didn’t miss our nods either.) He and I knew just where they could take refuge. At least they would be out of the elements and out of sight of the fly overs, which was going to be very important sooner then we knew. They could hide yes, but this would be much better. It wouldn’t be directly with us but it would be easy for them to get to a new main safe camp for themselves right here. Only they would have to know about our tunnel and the cave system. The tunnels that were as long as a half mile away in the thick pine forested area of our land. It wouldn’t be a whole far distance but far enough to have their own place.
People always think of Arizona as all desert but it’s not at all. As I said before, this state has lots of forests, rivers and etc. depending on where you are in the state. We just happened to live in one of the greener areas. But so were this branch of Apache or at least they had been until a short time ago. The White Mountain Apache Tribe had a resort and they had lots of tourists come for skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, camping, rain dances, shows, and the who ten yards. We asked the Chief if we could talk to him and his great grandson alone for a little bit. I knew there was no way that Butch would let his great grandfather out of his sight. We told them we had an option for them but it would take ours agreeing to want we were going to ask. We asked if Chief Owen could wait a little while to see if they would go along with our idea? Of course, we would have to ask our folks how they felt about it as well about this as well.
We thought that the best thing we could do is send Priscilla out to give the message we were asking and have a few of the teens to be runners. The could go to the other folks here and quietly ask if it would be okay if the Apache moved over to the cave system rooms at the far end of it, for the time being to be out of harm’s way?
In the meantime, Chief Owen asked to talk to Dan while we were waiting for whatever it was. He wanted Daniel’s full name with his parents’ names on his birth certificate, birth date and place.
As Dan told him the information, with not just a wee bit hesitation it brought a smile to the old man’s face. To Dan’s surprise the chief’s eyes lit up.
“Young man my youngest daughter married a man with the last name of Locke. Daniel Red Wolf Locke in fact. You were not a true orphan without any family left, but you were greatly loved. So, you would be a Jr. Your father was a Marine and they were transferred. They were headed out to a new base when you and your parents were lost to us. They were both killed in a car accident. After your parents were killed, we tried to find you but no one knew where you had been sent. But as we see the great circle of life that the Great Spirt spins on. You have returned to where you belong.”
We could all see the tears spring up into the Chiefs eyes at the look on Dan’s face, not to mention the face that the great grandson was making. It made me wish I had a way of capturing their faces for posterity. But after all, even if I had a way to take one this was too sacred a moment to be taking pictures. It would be silly in the long run. ‘Hey hold that face and pose while I take this.’ The days of quick cell pictures was done and over with and had been for months now. Cell towers weren’t running and we weren’t using what electric we did produce on keeping cell phones charged to take things like pictures. We may regret that fact down the road someday but that is just how it is. That is a pure extra.
Dan looked over at Owen who he now knew to be his grandfather. He looked into the old man’s eyes and knew what he had just heard to be the truth. He had found his people indeed. All these years that he had lived here to find out they weren’t that far away was very mind boggling to him. He had been so close to blood family all this time. (But on the other side of this his time to himself had been good for him, he came to really know himself.)
By this time the first shift kitchen folks were in and cooking for whomever wanted to stop in and eat. Usually, the guards ate here in the mornings or after shifts if they didn’t have families. It was also where the young men and women were learning how to cook whether it be by firepit, grill, or wood stove. We weren’t bothering with the propane stoves because we didn’t figure it as a luxury in the future for cooking anyway. It is just for emergencies like winter heat and boiling water for the medical clinic and so on. Instruments and bandages have to be sterilized quickly at times.
End chap 6 C
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
May not get anything up tomorrow, we have a grand daughter here and one of her friends. We'll see how it goes.
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 6 D
I noticed after we had eaten Dan still looked like he had been hit between his eyes by a 2x4. I saw that he kept glancing over at his new to him grandfather and his grandfather was looking over at Dan from time to time, all Owen could do is grin. I cared about Dan like a son but there is no way in the world I could deny him getting to know his blood family. This was just too special; I could say sweet but none of the guys would like that word out of me.
Again, other folks were asked to depart the building for a bit while we had a talk with the Chief, Larry, Butch, and Dan about what Croft and I were going ask them. Our runners had come in with the answer to our question. The Chief watched as the young men and women filed in to whisper to us. He liked what he saw. In fact, it wasn’t far off of what they themselves had been doing all along.
Croft was our leader and so the spokesman. He stood. “We have an invite for you and the tribe Chief.” He also looked at Larry, Butch, and Dan. “We the people of Camp Wolf Haven are asking if you would sort of join us.” This left a smile on Croft’s face and questions on of all the others but mine.
“We own a cave system that runs about a half mile from here into a mountainside. It’s also in a heavily forested part of the land. But that’s not the main part of this as there is a tunnel system that leads to it right from under this camp. No one can speak about it outside of our families. This is a strict no tell to anyone not to others that don’t live here. You three are now the only ones that know about all this outside of this camp. If your people decide not to come here for refuge for the time being, we will understand. But we ask that neither you nor your grandsons ever mention this to anyone else.”
I noticed Dan was all smiles now that the shock he had was over and he was acting like his old self again. He was also nodding his head yes to no one in particular. I don’t think he even knew he was doing it.
This time it was the Chief’s turn to ask his great grandsons to go out and talk with those here with them. He turned to Croft. “Is it alright if we stay the day to see how you live close up and in the meantime a couple of riders can go to our camp and ask the others what they want to do?”
We agreed and invited the Chief and his grands to look around or they were welcome to stay in here. They could also come to our house when the Chief needed to rest. We went out and pointed to our home. I told him to not stand on ceremony, but to just be family and come in if needed anytime he got tired and needed to just sit and think.
The riders were taking horses so they could take a short cut to their camp and not have to worry about roads for the jeep. Even if it could go where most cars couldn’t, it still couldn’t always go where a horse and rider could.
Dan spent a few more minutes talking to them and excused himself to go do the chores he had been assigned himself for the day. One was hauling in delimbed trees by horse and chopping them up. The limbs weren’t wasted either, they were bundled and or piled on sleds meant to bring in such things and grasses for the animals. We tried to waste as little as possible even to start fires with. The kids helped collect pine cones as well, they can be great to help get fires going. We had large homemade cloth sacks to put them in.
The tanning shed was of great interest as well as the herb drying shed, the mostly underground smoke house, and the green houses. When they got to the green houses, we found out that Owen had asked Larry why they weren’t doing something like that? I didn’t hear what Larry had answered. I don’t think he had one. Larry was the oldest grandson and the second in charge of such things. Butch had gone over to the other worriers to wait and he was just looking around. A couple of young women walked by and caught not only his eye but a couple of the other young men.
I noticed Owen was looking tired. So, we took him back to our house. Owen did need to rest some during the morning and the recliner was just right for that. He said he was going to rest his eyes for a few minutes. That left young Larry some time to do some wandering around by himself.
A bit later I had to get to my chores as well and as I was washing clothes, I saw Larry was coming back from the bow range with what I would call a thoughtful look on his face. He had found Orson and Dalila Dark Moon down there instructing some of the younger children on bow making (just small practice bows for now) with two teens being apprentices. He came back to check on Owen and finding him still asleep came back out. He talked to me as I rinsed clothes and ran them thought the old-fashioned wringer that was attached to one of my wash tubs.
I noticed when I glanced up from time to time that some of the young women here were giving him more than a once over. Some were walking by just a few more times than was necessary. Let’s see; I’d say Larry was just over six feet tall, a strong straight nose and strong chin, he had very dark brown eyes, and black hair that was past his shoulders. A folded blue handkerchief was around his forehead. When he left to look around, he had his hair tied at the back of his head. A piece of leather string had been holding his hair back in a pony tail when he left on his walk earlier. Now his hair was loose and shone even more in the sun. Oh, oh, the boys no dummy.
You could see he was well muscled and trim under that t-shirt and his jeans fit well. He really seemed to be impressing some of the young women. I just had to smile to myself about it all and think of what Croft and I were like at that age. Speaking of Croft, where did that man get off to anyway?
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 6 D
I noticed after we had eaten Dan still looked like he had been hit between his eyes by a 2x4. I saw that he kept glancing over at his new to him grandfather and his grandfather was looking over at Dan from time to time, all Owen could do is grin. I cared about Dan like a son but there is no way in the world I could deny him getting to know his blood family. This was just too special; I could say sweet but none of the guys would like that word out of me.
Again, other folks were asked to depart the building for a bit while we had a talk with the Chief, Larry, Butch, and Dan about what Croft and I were going ask them. Our runners had come in with the answer to our question. The Chief watched as the young men and women filed in to whisper to us. He liked what he saw. In fact, it wasn’t far off of what they themselves had been doing all along.
Croft was our leader and so the spokesman. He stood. “We have an invite for you and the tribe Chief.” He also looked at Larry, Butch, and Dan. “We the people of Camp Wolf Haven are asking if you would sort of join us.” This left a smile on Croft’s face and questions on of all the others but mine.
“We own a cave system that runs about a half mile from here into a mountainside. It’s also in a heavily forested part of the land. But that’s not the main part of this as there is a tunnel system that leads to it right from under this camp. No one can speak about it outside of our families. This is a strict no tell to anyone not to others that don’t live here. You three are now the only ones that know about all this outside of this camp. If your people decide not to come here for refuge for the time being, we will understand. But we ask that neither you nor your grandsons ever mention this to anyone else.”
I noticed Dan was all smiles now that the shock he had was over and he was acting like his old self again. He was also nodding his head yes to no one in particular. I don’t think he even knew he was doing it.
This time it was the Chief’s turn to ask his great grandsons to go out and talk with those here with them. He turned to Croft. “Is it alright if we stay the day to see how you live close up and in the meantime a couple of riders can go to our camp and ask the others what they want to do?”
We agreed and invited the Chief and his grands to look around or they were welcome to stay in here. They could also come to our house when the Chief needed to rest. We went out and pointed to our home. I told him to not stand on ceremony, but to just be family and come in if needed anytime he got tired and needed to just sit and think.
The riders were taking horses so they could take a short cut to their camp and not have to worry about roads for the jeep. Even if it could go where most cars couldn’t, it still couldn’t always go where a horse and rider could.
Dan spent a few more minutes talking to them and excused himself to go do the chores he had been assigned himself for the day. One was hauling in delimbed trees by horse and chopping them up. The limbs weren’t wasted either, they were bundled and or piled on sleds meant to bring in such things and grasses for the animals. We tried to waste as little as possible even to start fires with. The kids helped collect pine cones as well, they can be great to help get fires going. We had large homemade cloth sacks to put them in.
The tanning shed was of great interest as well as the herb drying shed, the mostly underground smoke house, and the green houses. When they got to the green houses, we found out that Owen had asked Larry why they weren’t doing something like that? I didn’t hear what Larry had answered. I don’t think he had one. Larry was the oldest grandson and the second in charge of such things. Butch had gone over to the other worriers to wait and he was just looking around. A couple of young women walked by and caught not only his eye but a couple of the other young men.
I noticed Owen was looking tired. So, we took him back to our house. Owen did need to rest some during the morning and the recliner was just right for that. He said he was going to rest his eyes for a few minutes. That left young Larry some time to do some wandering around by himself.
A bit later I had to get to my chores as well and as I was washing clothes, I saw Larry was coming back from the bow range with what I would call a thoughtful look on his face. He had found Orson and Dalila Dark Moon down there instructing some of the younger children on bow making (just small practice bows for now) with two teens being apprentices. He came back to check on Owen and finding him still asleep came back out. He talked to me as I rinsed clothes and ran them thought the old-fashioned wringer that was attached to one of my wash tubs.
I noticed when I glanced up from time to time that some of the young women here were giving him more than a once over. Some were walking by just a few more times than was necessary. Let’s see; I’d say Larry was just over six feet tall, a strong straight nose and strong chin, he had very dark brown eyes, and black hair that was past his shoulders. A folded blue handkerchief was around his forehead. When he left to look around, he had his hair tied at the back of his head. A piece of leather string had been holding his hair back in a pony tail when he left on his walk earlier. Now his hair was loose and shone even more in the sun. Oh, oh, the boys no dummy.
You could see he was well muscled and trim under that t-shirt and his jeans fit well. He really seemed to be impressing some of the young women. I just had to smile to myself about it all and think of what Croft and I were like at that age. Speaking of Croft, where did that man get off to anyway?
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 7 A
After a bit of posing while trying to look like he wasn’t posing young Larry came over to where I was washing clothes, but he could still be seen and see. He had quite a few questions to ask me about Dan. How we knew him? How he came to be here? So on, and so forth. I didn’t give out any of his private information just the basics as the rest was his to tell. I told Larry. “I needed Dan’s permission to give out more.”
I did find out where Croft was a couple of hours later. He and Dan were having a conference with the three sub-chiefs that had come along with the chief. They were all feeling each other out, there was no immediate trust no matter who my parents were. By that time Owen had awoken and was ready to do some more touring of our place. It was just past supper time when the young men got back from their ride over to their family camp. They had Chief Owen’s son with them Steven. He wanted to see for himself and make sure no one was taking advantage of his father. Like it was at all possible. Owen may be up there in years but his mind was as sharp as tack. He didn’t miss a thing. I even found him giving a wink to a woman or two, the old rascal. I guess I know where his grandson got it from.
Another thing that got found out about Owen and Dan is that they were both former Marines. Owen fought in World War II and the so-called police action of the Korean War. A few of the other men and women of the tribe were also former military including Owen’s son Steven but had served in another branch of the military. This was just getting better and better. We needed all the trained people we could get in all forms of defense and offence. Military and tribal knowledge, wonderful!
We had everyone that had a game in this pot get in the mess hall, might as well call the building what it was. Except for those on guard duty or seeing to evening chores. They would get filled in later.
When Steven arrived, he was directed as to where to go and had walked into the mess hall, expecting what I don’t know, he sure had a strange look on his face. Only it certainly wasn’t running into someone that could almost be his double if he was thirty years younger. Now I know this is why the Chief was smiling like the cat that ate the canary grin. Daniel was just as surprised to see an older version of himself with steaks of gray hair and a few more wrinkles walk through the door.
A smile spread on Steven’s face. “Well, at least I know the story I was told was true.” He looked over to where his father sat and saw the same expression on his face as well.
After that bit of entertainment and surprise we all got down to brass tacks as Steven joined the meal. And yes, the tribe members had conferred and they were willing to come here and have a place of their own but not be in our pockets. They would be close to help us if need be. To go along with that they in turn would have help not far away.
Since the word had finally come in that the whole camp was agreeable with the tribe moving into the forest and cave system. It was going to be a big deal for us to have them know about our tunnel system. Steven said they were already packing when he left the camp.
It was time for some show and tell and Croft figured they best get to it. He didn’t figure time was on our side and all of us agreed with that. He winked at me since he was going to lead the show and tell. I would be his backup here at home. Dan would also go along with Croft and the others as he now would have a foot in both camps. I knew it had to be this way. I just would have loved to see the looks on some of the faces as they found out what was under us.
Just inside the large pantry for the mess hall was what looked like a hand poured, colored and decorated concrete floor. Croft had the bright idea of making it look more like a tile floor just like the whole mess hall had. It looked solid other than that but looks can be and were deceiving. He bent down and flipped a switch under a cabinet next to the floor. There was a slight click and on the other side of the pantry a slight depression appeared. If you didn’t even know it was there, you wouldn’t know it, as it was so slight.
End Chap 7 A
Chap 7 A
After a bit of posing while trying to look like he wasn’t posing young Larry came over to where I was washing clothes, but he could still be seen and see. He had quite a few questions to ask me about Dan. How we knew him? How he came to be here? So on, and so forth. I didn’t give out any of his private information just the basics as the rest was his to tell. I told Larry. “I needed Dan’s permission to give out more.”
I did find out where Croft was a couple of hours later. He and Dan were having a conference with the three sub-chiefs that had come along with the chief. They were all feeling each other out, there was no immediate trust no matter who my parents were. By that time Owen had awoken and was ready to do some more touring of our place. It was just past supper time when the young men got back from their ride over to their family camp. They had Chief Owen’s son with them Steven. He wanted to see for himself and make sure no one was taking advantage of his father. Like it was at all possible. Owen may be up there in years but his mind was as sharp as tack. He didn’t miss a thing. I even found him giving a wink to a woman or two, the old rascal. I guess I know where his grandson got it from.
Another thing that got found out about Owen and Dan is that they were both former Marines. Owen fought in World War II and the so-called police action of the Korean War. A few of the other men and women of the tribe were also former military including Owen’s son Steven but had served in another branch of the military. This was just getting better and better. We needed all the trained people we could get in all forms of defense and offence. Military and tribal knowledge, wonderful!
We had everyone that had a game in this pot get in the mess hall, might as well call the building what it was. Except for those on guard duty or seeing to evening chores. They would get filled in later.
When Steven arrived, he was directed as to where to go and had walked into the mess hall, expecting what I don’t know, he sure had a strange look on his face. Only it certainly wasn’t running into someone that could almost be his double if he was thirty years younger. Now I know this is why the Chief was smiling like the cat that ate the canary grin. Daniel was just as surprised to see an older version of himself with steaks of gray hair and a few more wrinkles walk through the door.
A smile spread on Steven’s face. “Well, at least I know the story I was told was true.” He looked over to where his father sat and saw the same expression on his face as well.
After that bit of entertainment and surprise we all got down to brass tacks as Steven joined the meal. And yes, the tribe members had conferred and they were willing to come here and have a place of their own but not be in our pockets. They would be close to help us if need be. To go along with that they in turn would have help not far away.
Since the word had finally come in that the whole camp was agreeable with the tribe moving into the forest and cave system. It was going to be a big deal for us to have them know about our tunnel system. Steven said they were already packing when he left the camp.
It was time for some show and tell and Croft figured they best get to it. He didn’t figure time was on our side and all of us agreed with that. He winked at me since he was going to lead the show and tell. I would be his backup here at home. Dan would also go along with Croft and the others as he now would have a foot in both camps. I knew it had to be this way. I just would have loved to see the looks on some of the faces as they found out what was under us.
Just inside the large pantry for the mess hall was what looked like a hand poured, colored and decorated concrete floor. Croft had the bright idea of making it look more like a tile floor just like the whole mess hall had. It looked solid other than that but looks can be and were deceiving. He bent down and flipped a switch under a cabinet next to the floor. There was a slight click and on the other side of the pantry a slight depression appeared. If you didn’t even know it was there, you wouldn’t know it, as it was so slight.
End Chap 7 A
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 7 B
That’s when Croft asked for the men and women to please step back. He walked over and pushed the depression; half of the floor came loose. The trapdoor had hydraulics and was an easy open trap door. He went halfway down the stairs and flipped a switch to turn on the LED lights. The solar that powered them and some of the other lights were well hidden through the area of the camp. They weren’t really bright but good enough to see to go down the stairs and have a nice stroll down this part of the tunnel system. From my vantage point I could at least see there were quite a few smiles and nods to each other as folks took their turns going down.
Later Croft said; a half mile takes longer to walk when people are constantly looking around at almost every item they came upon. At least they had good manners and didn’t open the doors to the other rooms or tunnels. But the leaders did manage to ask a few questions of Croft and Dan. They asked about some of the tunnels and what we have, but that will be kept to ourselves until we know them better. After that we will let them know where the different tunnels behind some of those doors lead. Everyone needs to know which tunnels are escape tunnels or a way inside form a different part of the land.
Long story short since they really didn’t have all that much, it took only a few days to get their camp moved over and made as comfortable as possible in the cave rooms. They were brought in to their new home from the cave side of the tunnel and not through our side. There was still lots of room left over and whenever anyone started to feel hemmed in all they had to do is take a walk to a steel door. They could go down another cave tunnel then uphill to the outside that led right into the woods from a cave.
The cave system had its own flowing ground water and ponds in a couple of areas, so no one was far from water. Dad had even bought composting toilets and had sort of weird type bathroom set ups in there.
As far as the cave rooms being found by someone just walking in, that just wasn’t likely. The doors may open easily but they didn’t look that much different than the cave walls and they would think they had come to a dead end. Dad was one smart cookie. I can hardly imagine the work this took for mom and dad. Did they somehow know that this all would be needed? And how? I guess it will be in the hereafter before I get ask them about it all. Until that time, I’ll just have to wonder for now and be surprised.
I smiled to myself at another thought remembering that dad had a fetish for cast iron and at every sale be it a yard sale or estate sale he bought what they had. There was one room in one of the tunnels that was nothing but cast iron of all descriptions. I had even grabbed one of the forty some woodstove waffle irons for our use when I saw them.
Our people that had come in with very little like some of the walk-in ex-military plus the new folks were allowed to find what they needed in the way of clothes, sleeping gear, linens, cooking needs and so on in our extra rooms. That went for the tribe and that they had left their homes in a hurry and didn’t have everything they had wanted to take with them. Just enough to survive as they always had. It was some of the younger people in their group that were having a problem with the lack of modern conveniences. They had lived all their lives with electricity, games, TV and so on. Some of those even had their parents who were also having a hard time with all this. So just as normal as some of our young and parents had gone through when they got here. Leaning to live a whole new way of life wasn’t easy for them.
At their now former home they did the dances and public ceremonial rituals for the tourists and learned some of the traditions but not completely living off the land. Their elders tried to get them to know more of the old traditions. Along with keeping up their own language. The few that had gone into the military did learn what the world was really like and came home to learn what their Elders had wanted them to learn. Others used what they had learned at home to help get through their time at war. Then after finding out how much, they didn’t know they came home and learned even more. Now this was what they and their elders knew at this time would help keep all of their people alive now. The young ones were getting a crash course on survival the hard way and it would continue with the people here, us.
The heat of summer kept things pretty calm from any outside problems that could have done so. Like being somewhat safe from any roving bands of the drags that are employed by our own government. Where we were it wasn’t as hot as a lot of Arizona. But it still helped everyone not want to run around in it at mid-day. Most of us were having our first summer here but what they call dry heat is still ghastly hot. You can end up feeling like a prune.
October finally brought us some cooler weather and with it came some overflights by the military. Why they didn’t fly during the summer we never knew as being summer shouldn’t affect them one bit. We think they were consolidating their power along with finding who they wanted to kick out and imprison or whatever they were doing to people. If people in the military didn’t agree with the new government regulations and rules, they were gone as in dishonorably discharged. If they made a stink about anything they went straight to prison. Some soldiers in every branch of the service just plain up and left when they found out what they would be required to do to stay in. From privates to generals, they disappeared into the night for one reason or another.
End Cap 7 B
Chap 7 B
That’s when Croft asked for the men and women to please step back. He walked over and pushed the depression; half of the floor came loose. The trapdoor had hydraulics and was an easy open trap door. He went halfway down the stairs and flipped a switch to turn on the LED lights. The solar that powered them and some of the other lights were well hidden through the area of the camp. They weren’t really bright but good enough to see to go down the stairs and have a nice stroll down this part of the tunnel system. From my vantage point I could at least see there were quite a few smiles and nods to each other as folks took their turns going down.
Later Croft said; a half mile takes longer to walk when people are constantly looking around at almost every item they came upon. At least they had good manners and didn’t open the doors to the other rooms or tunnels. But the leaders did manage to ask a few questions of Croft and Dan. They asked about some of the tunnels and what we have, but that will be kept to ourselves until we know them better. After that we will let them know where the different tunnels behind some of those doors lead. Everyone needs to know which tunnels are escape tunnels or a way inside form a different part of the land.
Long story short since they really didn’t have all that much, it took only a few days to get their camp moved over and made as comfortable as possible in the cave rooms. They were brought in to their new home from the cave side of the tunnel and not through our side. There was still lots of room left over and whenever anyone started to feel hemmed in all they had to do is take a walk to a steel door. They could go down another cave tunnel then uphill to the outside that led right into the woods from a cave.
The cave system had its own flowing ground water and ponds in a couple of areas, so no one was far from water. Dad had even bought composting toilets and had sort of weird type bathroom set ups in there.
As far as the cave rooms being found by someone just walking in, that just wasn’t likely. The doors may open easily but they didn’t look that much different than the cave walls and they would think they had come to a dead end. Dad was one smart cookie. I can hardly imagine the work this took for mom and dad. Did they somehow know that this all would be needed? And how? I guess it will be in the hereafter before I get ask them about it all. Until that time, I’ll just have to wonder for now and be surprised.
I smiled to myself at another thought remembering that dad had a fetish for cast iron and at every sale be it a yard sale or estate sale he bought what they had. There was one room in one of the tunnels that was nothing but cast iron of all descriptions. I had even grabbed one of the forty some woodstove waffle irons for our use when I saw them.
Our people that had come in with very little like some of the walk-in ex-military plus the new folks were allowed to find what they needed in the way of clothes, sleeping gear, linens, cooking needs and so on in our extra rooms. That went for the tribe and that they had left their homes in a hurry and didn’t have everything they had wanted to take with them. Just enough to survive as they always had. It was some of the younger people in their group that were having a problem with the lack of modern conveniences. They had lived all their lives with electricity, games, TV and so on. Some of those even had their parents who were also having a hard time with all this. So just as normal as some of our young and parents had gone through when they got here. Leaning to live a whole new way of life wasn’t easy for them.
At their now former home they did the dances and public ceremonial rituals for the tourists and learned some of the traditions but not completely living off the land. Their elders tried to get them to know more of the old traditions. Along with keeping up their own language. The few that had gone into the military did learn what the world was really like and came home to learn what their Elders had wanted them to learn. Others used what they had learned at home to help get through their time at war. Then after finding out how much, they didn’t know they came home and learned even more. Now this was what they and their elders knew at this time would help keep all of their people alive now. The young ones were getting a crash course on survival the hard way and it would continue with the people here, us.
The heat of summer kept things pretty calm from any outside problems that could have done so. Like being somewhat safe from any roving bands of the drags that are employed by our own government. Where we were it wasn’t as hot as a lot of Arizona. But it still helped everyone not want to run around in it at mid-day. Most of us were having our first summer here but what they call dry heat is still ghastly hot. You can end up feeling like a prune.
October finally brought us some cooler weather and with it came some overflights by the military. Why they didn’t fly during the summer we never knew as being summer shouldn’t affect them one bit. We think they were consolidating their power along with finding who they wanted to kick out and imprison or whatever they were doing to people. If people in the military didn’t agree with the new government regulations and rules, they were gone as in dishonorably discharged. If they made a stink about anything they went straight to prison. Some soldiers in every branch of the service just plain up and left when they found out what they would be required to do to stay in. From privates to generals, they disappeared into the night for one reason or another.
End Cap 7 B
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
As usual, now the real story begins - not that the preamble wasn't interesting; otherwise there'd be no foundation to build on.
Some of us are just impatient is all.
How's the knee doing? been about 2-3 years now hasn't it? Just writing that makes mine ache.
Some of us are just impatient is all.
How's the knee doing? been about 2-3 years now hasn't it? Just writing that makes mine ache.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Griz, thanks for asking. It has been about 19 months since I broke the knee cap in my mostly fake left knee and they wired it back together, in Dec this yr it will be 2 yrs since I rebroke it and they took the knee cap completely out. Basically I was hobbling around like Chester from Gun Smoke for 6 months. Then slowly getting the knee to bend again. Nope don't want to repeat that. It will never bend all the way I would like again, but some is better than nothing.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
In my experience, to properly kick some tails, one requires two fairly functional knees.
I have every faith you'll develop a satisfactory work-around.
All the best and thanks for another tale.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 8 A
Then one evening as we were finishing one of our harvests one of our lookouts came to find Croft. Smoke had been seen to the west. It was quite a way away but still noticeable.
A radio setup had been transferred over to a room at the tribe’s end and Croft figured we best notify them on the sighting. Being at a different angle no one may have seen it from their end. We almost had several lookout towers built in and using the trees over there but they all weren’t finished yet.
Another thing we didn’t use English or Apache for talking back and forth on the radios. We also have signals set up when and if that was the only way to communicate with each other.
Get this, Leslie Clearwater at the tribe end was a Star Trek fan, big one in fact. His favorite people in those shows were Klingon’s. Every one of us even the tribe members have spent the last couple of months learning Klingon. Of course, the young are picking it up a lot quicker than some of us. Right now, Leslie’s son 19-year-old Burt is manning their side. The whole family used to go with Leslie to the Comic-Cons or in other words the conventions. One of his Klingon dictionaries was scanned and printed off by the dozens while we could still do so. We figured using some of our electricity was worth it for this. Everyone was required to learn if at all possible. I even remembered the old Star Trek movie where the folks on the United Federation of Planets ship had to try and trick the Klingons by trying to speak it. Didn’t seem like a whole lot of fun, even if it was bit of comedy in the movie. Yaj (understand)
Croft to not be out done, (like everything is a competition, especially with his cousin Clark) immersed himself in learning it. So that forced me into learning it quicker than I thought I would have to. I can’t say I like Klingon all that much but how many others out in the world around us are going to know it? Plus, to many White Mountain Apache in our area could be forced to tell what we are saying to each other if we all learned their language and used it. Also, not everyone is a good guy and would tell on us willingly for the right price. So, Klingon it was. Oy vey! Yeah, I know that’s not Klingon. Well, I know one thing and that I will be keeping my dictionary with me. At least we can leave out the closed hand fist chest thumping.
We knew there were a few old ghost towns out there in our area. We didn’t think anyone would be taking up residence in any of them. Most were just a bunch of broken-down old buildings.
The next morning before the sun was even up a scouting group was sent out to see what the distant smoke was all about. They left on horses and before the horses could even be heard they slipped off. They left them in a gully and proceeded to walk the rest of the way. The sky was just turning pink at the horizon when they made it to the place where an old ghost town sat. That was where the smoke was coming from alright. It turns out a squad of goons had set up camp there, oh joy! NOT! This place was way too close to us for comfort. No gun fire was exchanged, our folks slipped in and out of the area and the sleeping guards were left dreaming their demented dreams.
A council was called to figure out what we would do. It wouldn’t take long for those goons to in turn see our smoke or happen upon us if they were on any kind of patrol. We needed to talk about whether we would take them out or not. We had to chance that someone else in turn wouldn’t come looking for them. In the end that is what we decided to do. Just get rid of them before they had a chance to find us.
End chapter 8 A
Chap 8 A
Then one evening as we were finishing one of our harvests one of our lookouts came to find Croft. Smoke had been seen to the west. It was quite a way away but still noticeable.
A radio setup had been transferred over to a room at the tribe’s end and Croft figured we best notify them on the sighting. Being at a different angle no one may have seen it from their end. We almost had several lookout towers built in and using the trees over there but they all weren’t finished yet.
Another thing we didn’t use English or Apache for talking back and forth on the radios. We also have signals set up when and if that was the only way to communicate with each other.
Get this, Leslie Clearwater at the tribe end was a Star Trek fan, big one in fact. His favorite people in those shows were Klingon’s. Every one of us even the tribe members have spent the last couple of months learning Klingon. Of course, the young are picking it up a lot quicker than some of us. Right now, Leslie’s son 19-year-old Burt is manning their side. The whole family used to go with Leslie to the Comic-Cons or in other words the conventions. One of his Klingon dictionaries was scanned and printed off by the dozens while we could still do so. We figured using some of our electricity was worth it for this. Everyone was required to learn if at all possible. I even remembered the old Star Trek movie where the folks on the United Federation of Planets ship had to try and trick the Klingons by trying to speak it. Didn’t seem like a whole lot of fun, even if it was bit of comedy in the movie. Yaj (understand)
Croft to not be out done, (like everything is a competition, especially with his cousin Clark) immersed himself in learning it. So that forced me into learning it quicker than I thought I would have to. I can’t say I like Klingon all that much but how many others out in the world around us are going to know it? Plus, to many White Mountain Apache in our area could be forced to tell what we are saying to each other if we all learned their language and used it. Also, not everyone is a good guy and would tell on us willingly for the right price. So, Klingon it was. Oy vey! Yeah, I know that’s not Klingon. Well, I know one thing and that I will be keeping my dictionary with me. At least we can leave out the closed hand fist chest thumping.
We knew there were a few old ghost towns out there in our area. We didn’t think anyone would be taking up residence in any of them. Most were just a bunch of broken-down old buildings.
The next morning before the sun was even up a scouting group was sent out to see what the distant smoke was all about. They left on horses and before the horses could even be heard they slipped off. They left them in a gully and proceeded to walk the rest of the way. The sky was just turning pink at the horizon when they made it to the place where an old ghost town sat. That was where the smoke was coming from alright. It turns out a squad of goons had set up camp there, oh joy! NOT! This place was way too close to us for comfort. No gun fire was exchanged, our folks slipped in and out of the area and the sleeping guards were left dreaming their demented dreams.
A council was called to figure out what we would do. It wouldn’t take long for those goons to in turn see our smoke or happen upon us if they were on any kind of patrol. We needed to talk about whether we would take them out or not. We had to chance that someone else in turn wouldn’t come looking for them. In the end that is what we decided to do. Just get rid of them before they had a chance to find us.
End chapter 8 A
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks, good stuff!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 8 B
Someone asked how the scouts knew that the people in the ghost town were bad guys? Maybe they were just hiding out from the government like we were.
Dan looked that person in the eyes and told him; “for one thing they were wearing uniforms and the five dead civilian women with very little in the way of clothes on, lying on the outside of their camp was a dead giveaway. I wasn’t going to wake anyone up and ask how those poor souls got dead because it was very plain in the light of their camp fires just how the women got dead. Blood is pretty dark in the that kind of light and every one of those women had….had their throats cut. Not to mention the ropes around their wrists that were tired to poles. How was that for deduction Paul?”
Paul Lewis Two Trees cringed and didn’t say another word. He had already made a point of what he thought of some of how we lived way too many times. Unknown to Paul the Elders had set a watcher over him as he seemed to have to many strange ideas about what was really going on in the world and it showed. He was 22 years old but the time he had spent going to college down in Phoenix hadn’t done him any favors. In this new world they lived in he was like a fish out of water. Even his parents wondered what would have to happen to have him wake up to the world they now live in.
The plan went ahead after Paul Lewis Two Trees left the meeting. They hated to not be able to trust him but this was just something to important to chance a leak.
We decided to just include the teams that would go out and our leadership. We knew there would no problems with us or them. Dan would head out with the two teams and have a sub-captain in the way of our Mountain Mike. Mike did a fist pump as he hadn’t been off the place since he had made it here. Guard duty just didn’t count.
Everyone going on this mission was handed brand new hand radios. Also, those going were going to be speaking Klingon just in case someone picked up their radio signal. We hoped our people would be a true invasion force to be reckoned with.
They all hit the hay to get some rest and then left promptly at 2 AM. They wanted to be at the ghost town by 3:30 so that time gave them plenty of leeway. Dan wanted the teams to surround the town slow and easy. They took trucks and jeeps this time and made sure they stopped their trucks a good 2 miles from the town and walked the rest of the way in.
They were to the outskirts of the ghost town in no time. The large fire the men had kept going was in the middle of the street. Apparently, they had thrown enough wood in the fire to keep it going for hours. These murderers were all sacked out as yet. They didn’t think they had a thing to worry about. The few sleeping guards they had set on the edges of town would wake no more. Ever so slowly the teams edged their way in closer and closer to the sleeping drags of society. From what Dan could see the dead women were no longer in sight.
Dan said into his radio “suH”, which means ready. Everyone let him know by a click that they were set. He then gave the go, “jaH.” At the last moment and nearly the last of the sleeping men awoke with a jar and never knew what hit them. But they didn’t seem to know what was going on, they were still plastered out of their skulls. Every man on the teams were quiet and deadly.
As it finally lightened enough to see well it was time to go through the dilapidated buildings and make sure they had gotten everyone. They only found one more drunk who was supposedly guarding a room. He was easily dispatched. The door lock was unlatched and Mountain Mike slowly opened the door. The women in the room only gasped when they saw him. He could see all of them had been battened and bloody he didn’t think a couple of the women who were laying on the floor next to the others were even alive. All were in rags that barely covered them. No furniture or even any blankets were to be seen in the dirty, rundown room.
George Brown peeked around Mike and cringed and knew these young women would need help and quickly. He picked up his radio. All he said was “tlhagh”, victims found alive. “gevpo”, means old store.
Mike finally got up the nerve to tell the women that they were there to rescue them, all the new army scum were dead and they wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore. One could see the women didn’t know if they could believe the likes of Mike or not. He was in camouflage clothing and had his face painted as well. Mike was one ferocious looking man.
It took a few minutes but Dan made it over to where the women were being held and got an eyeful himself and he wished he could kill those rats all over again. He walked around the wall that Mike made. One of the other men whispered to Dan that they had told the women that they were now safe but they didn’t seem to believe them.
He spoke up. “Ladies we are indeed here to save you and take you to our home.” The women got wide eyed at that and he knew he best clarify what he meant. “I mean, we have a doctor and other medical people that will see to you and the women at our camp will do all they can to see to your aid and comfort. We will assign some men to go get our trucks to make things easier on you. That seemed to ease their stress level and a couple just started to softly cry. Dan had Butch Lavin come in as he was their patrol medic. Dan explained who Butch was and that no one would be harmed. Butch just wanted to make sure that all of them would be alright to travel.
Butch after looking over the young women went to see to the two women laying on the floor. He felt their necks and just shook his head no in Dans direction.
Jason Noble and Sam Samson (yes, he got teased a lot growing up) hot footed out to where they had left the pickup trucks. An hour later with gingerly handling the women they had them in the back of the pickups. The men didn’t like it but they hadn’t expected to find anyone else alive to have to save and haul back. The men that had worn light jackets as the area gets cold at night made sure they were on the women for the trip back to camp. The two dead were going with them as well.
One young woman quietly spoke up. “Did any of you see a black-haired girl of about 16 years old? She is my little sister. They took her out of the room two days ago.” They also took another teen as well.
The men looked at each other as they figured the girl, she was talking about was one of the dead they had seen when they found these cretins to begin with. Then Nate Jones spoke up. “Yes, miss we found both young women. I’m sorry to have to tell you they are both dead. I’m sorry but we went ahead and quickly buried them both. You wouldn’t have wanted to see them.”
The men didn’t think the young women could have gotten any sadder, or in fact also themselves. She again started to quietly cry but all they saw was her shoulders shake as her face was in her hands. As yet they hadn’t even asked the women their names. They all figured that could wait, the women needed help and care foremost.
To both teams it seemed to take forever to get back to their homes. They were through the gate and nearing the cabins at least before the five women started to look around to see where they were. Dan had already radioed back with their find and that they were on their way home. He did so again when they were a mile out or so the medical staff could be prepared and ready for the injured and just who they were. In the trucks it only took mere minutes to get to the first cabins and come around the store/office. Many of their greeters had tears running down their faces at the shape the younglings were in as the trucks stopped just a few feet from the hospital cabin. There was no lack of helpers as the women were literally carried into the cabin.
New ladies:
Libby Larsen 15 years old.
Milly Morrison 21 years old.
Greta White 19 years old.
Carla White 23 years old.
Paula Freeman 23 years old.
The docs nearly lost Libby. It was touch and go for over a week. The others had been beaten and worse but they weren’t as bad as the young Libby.
All of the young ladies were from either small towns or from ranches in the surrounding area. There were no other survivors for them to go back to. To top things off their homes had been burnt to the ground.
End Chap 8 B
Chap 8 B
Someone asked how the scouts knew that the people in the ghost town were bad guys? Maybe they were just hiding out from the government like we were.
Dan looked that person in the eyes and told him; “for one thing they were wearing uniforms and the five dead civilian women with very little in the way of clothes on, lying on the outside of their camp was a dead giveaway. I wasn’t going to wake anyone up and ask how those poor souls got dead because it was very plain in the light of their camp fires just how the women got dead. Blood is pretty dark in the that kind of light and every one of those women had….had their throats cut. Not to mention the ropes around their wrists that were tired to poles. How was that for deduction Paul?”
Paul Lewis Two Trees cringed and didn’t say another word. He had already made a point of what he thought of some of how we lived way too many times. Unknown to Paul the Elders had set a watcher over him as he seemed to have to many strange ideas about what was really going on in the world and it showed. He was 22 years old but the time he had spent going to college down in Phoenix hadn’t done him any favors. In this new world they lived in he was like a fish out of water. Even his parents wondered what would have to happen to have him wake up to the world they now live in.
The plan went ahead after Paul Lewis Two Trees left the meeting. They hated to not be able to trust him but this was just something to important to chance a leak.
We decided to just include the teams that would go out and our leadership. We knew there would no problems with us or them. Dan would head out with the two teams and have a sub-captain in the way of our Mountain Mike. Mike did a fist pump as he hadn’t been off the place since he had made it here. Guard duty just didn’t count.
Everyone going on this mission was handed brand new hand radios. Also, those going were going to be speaking Klingon just in case someone picked up their radio signal. We hoped our people would be a true invasion force to be reckoned with.
They all hit the hay to get some rest and then left promptly at 2 AM. They wanted to be at the ghost town by 3:30 so that time gave them plenty of leeway. Dan wanted the teams to surround the town slow and easy. They took trucks and jeeps this time and made sure they stopped their trucks a good 2 miles from the town and walked the rest of the way in.
They were to the outskirts of the ghost town in no time. The large fire the men had kept going was in the middle of the street. Apparently, they had thrown enough wood in the fire to keep it going for hours. These murderers were all sacked out as yet. They didn’t think they had a thing to worry about. The few sleeping guards they had set on the edges of town would wake no more. Ever so slowly the teams edged their way in closer and closer to the sleeping drags of society. From what Dan could see the dead women were no longer in sight.
Dan said into his radio “suH”, which means ready. Everyone let him know by a click that they were set. He then gave the go, “jaH.” At the last moment and nearly the last of the sleeping men awoke with a jar and never knew what hit them. But they didn’t seem to know what was going on, they were still plastered out of their skulls. Every man on the teams were quiet and deadly.
As it finally lightened enough to see well it was time to go through the dilapidated buildings and make sure they had gotten everyone. They only found one more drunk who was supposedly guarding a room. He was easily dispatched. The door lock was unlatched and Mountain Mike slowly opened the door. The women in the room only gasped when they saw him. He could see all of them had been battened and bloody he didn’t think a couple of the women who were laying on the floor next to the others were even alive. All were in rags that barely covered them. No furniture or even any blankets were to be seen in the dirty, rundown room.
George Brown peeked around Mike and cringed and knew these young women would need help and quickly. He picked up his radio. All he said was “tlhagh”, victims found alive. “gevpo”, means old store.
Mike finally got up the nerve to tell the women that they were there to rescue them, all the new army scum were dead and they wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore. One could see the women didn’t know if they could believe the likes of Mike or not. He was in camouflage clothing and had his face painted as well. Mike was one ferocious looking man.
It took a few minutes but Dan made it over to where the women were being held and got an eyeful himself and he wished he could kill those rats all over again. He walked around the wall that Mike made. One of the other men whispered to Dan that they had told the women that they were now safe but they didn’t seem to believe them.
He spoke up. “Ladies we are indeed here to save you and take you to our home.” The women got wide eyed at that and he knew he best clarify what he meant. “I mean, we have a doctor and other medical people that will see to you and the women at our camp will do all they can to see to your aid and comfort. We will assign some men to go get our trucks to make things easier on you. That seemed to ease their stress level and a couple just started to softly cry. Dan had Butch Lavin come in as he was their patrol medic. Dan explained who Butch was and that no one would be harmed. Butch just wanted to make sure that all of them would be alright to travel.
Butch after looking over the young women went to see to the two women laying on the floor. He felt their necks and just shook his head no in Dans direction.
Jason Noble and Sam Samson (yes, he got teased a lot growing up) hot footed out to where they had left the pickup trucks. An hour later with gingerly handling the women they had them in the back of the pickups. The men didn’t like it but they hadn’t expected to find anyone else alive to have to save and haul back. The men that had worn light jackets as the area gets cold at night made sure they were on the women for the trip back to camp. The two dead were going with them as well.
One young woman quietly spoke up. “Did any of you see a black-haired girl of about 16 years old? She is my little sister. They took her out of the room two days ago.” They also took another teen as well.
The men looked at each other as they figured the girl, she was talking about was one of the dead they had seen when they found these cretins to begin with. Then Nate Jones spoke up. “Yes, miss we found both young women. I’m sorry to have to tell you they are both dead. I’m sorry but we went ahead and quickly buried them both. You wouldn’t have wanted to see them.”
The men didn’t think the young women could have gotten any sadder, or in fact also themselves. She again started to quietly cry but all they saw was her shoulders shake as her face was in her hands. As yet they hadn’t even asked the women their names. They all figured that could wait, the women needed help and care foremost.
To both teams it seemed to take forever to get back to their homes. They were through the gate and nearing the cabins at least before the five women started to look around to see where they were. Dan had already radioed back with their find and that they were on their way home. He did so again when they were a mile out or so the medical staff could be prepared and ready for the injured and just who they were. In the trucks it only took mere minutes to get to the first cabins and come around the store/office. Many of their greeters had tears running down their faces at the shape the younglings were in as the trucks stopped just a few feet from the hospital cabin. There was no lack of helpers as the women were literally carried into the cabin.
New ladies:
Libby Larsen 15 years old.
Milly Morrison 21 years old.
Greta White 19 years old.
Carla White 23 years old.
Paula Freeman 23 years old.
The docs nearly lost Libby. It was touch and go for over a week. The others had been beaten and worse but they weren’t as bad as the young Libby.
All of the young ladies were from either small towns or from ranches in the surrounding area. There were no other survivors for them to go back to. To top things off their homes had been burnt to the ground.
End Chap 8 B
Attachments
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Storms going through here today with some very much needed rain, just don't need al that lightening out there 
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Cap 9 A
As time does, it marches on and before we knew it another fall was upon us. There hadn’t been any more signs of intruders or in other words raiders. Jets flew over from time to time but no more dog fights in the sky. We did hear all kinds of reports from across the nation from other shortwave operators. It was so disheartening to hear all that the new military was doing in our country. It wasn’t as bad aboard ships in the Navy. A person had to know what they were doing on those, so no whole sale replacement was going on with the navy personnel. We did hear of a few sea battles with other nations that had been passed along as well in updates from other shortwave folks. Nothing real big and nothing we could do a thing about.
Spring also brought new life in our flocks and herds as well in families. We had seven weddings to enjoy and the celebrations helped everyone. The tribe came together with us and they had three weddings. Not all of them were at the same time except for two.
We liked boring and just everyday life of trying our best to not get noticed and just survive the best we could. But as much as we enjoyed this life it was about to change big time.
It wasn’t but a week later when Gus Taylor yells into his hand radio, ‘Qob’ (which means danger), “bombs on their way in, but we have some time.” That got panic yelled into everyone’s radio that had one and the runners after that relayed the news to the people out doing chores.
We had a couple of emergency practice runs and meetings through the months and it looks like that was a good thing. It didn’t go as smooth as we would have liked when the real thing hit but not really bad either. The information was relayed to the tribe and one of their fastest runners came in just before the quick meeting started. Yes, I know we should have all gone down to the shelter area immediately if not sooner, just to be safer.
At the meeting Gus stayed at the shortwave and gave Croft the information as Gus relayed it. We were having all that could go to the covered greenhouse areas to collect all the produce that was even halfway ripe, two-inch beans are still edible and so are green tomatoes. Small squash is better than none. We did have a one acer regular potato field and those were being dug the last few days. There wasn’t much let to dig and those were hardened off. The new dug would be used to cook with right away so they wouldn’t spoil. The corn had already been harvested two weeks prior.
Croft knew everyone would be able to hear what was being said by radio or runner so he just repeated what he was being told when everyone came back from taking what they gathered in the way of food down to the two shelter kitchens or storage rooms
“All right everyone, you’ve all heard what’s going on. “No one panicked so let’s not do so now and go ahead and leave now for your homes. Get anything else you don’t think you can do without if it isn’t already down in the shelter, last minutes checks and let’s get to this. You’re all dismissed, go.”
Gus had already contacted the Chief and his sub chiefs and they were getting all their folks called in from outside and in other areas of the cave system. The only ones we and he were really worried about were the outside further off hunting. Again, we sent folks out to find them and get them back.
Everyone had been inside for an hour when Gus let everyone know the bombs were dropping. Almost every large city was being hit. A few were spared with our countries tech to stop at least half of them. At least that was still working.
Chief Owen Ten Bears and his son Steven were sitting with Croft, Clark and Daniel discussing details on what and how things would go while we were down here. Giger counters and meters had been wired in and down to the shelter by my father and in the next few days we would be figuring out how long we would all be down here. So far it looked like it would be a while, not as long as it could have been at least.
We began to process all the food that had been brought in, whether it was to be canned or dehydrated. If we were down over a year, we also had grow rooms for fresh vegetables. There were enough long-term food supplies that we wouldn’t have to grow anything for years if we didn’t want to. But sometimes you just have to have something fresh. We had special generators but would go easy on them and live as much as possible with just the bare minimum of light and power for getting by.
End chap 9 A
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Cap 9 A
As time does, it marches on and before we knew it another fall was upon us. There hadn’t been any more signs of intruders or in other words raiders. Jets flew over from time to time but no more dog fights in the sky. We did hear all kinds of reports from across the nation from other shortwave operators. It was so disheartening to hear all that the new military was doing in our country. It wasn’t as bad aboard ships in the Navy. A person had to know what they were doing on those, so no whole sale replacement was going on with the navy personnel. We did hear of a few sea battles with other nations that had been passed along as well in updates from other shortwave folks. Nothing real big and nothing we could do a thing about.
Spring also brought new life in our flocks and herds as well in families. We had seven weddings to enjoy and the celebrations helped everyone. The tribe came together with us and they had three weddings. Not all of them were at the same time except for two.
We liked boring and just everyday life of trying our best to not get noticed and just survive the best we could. But as much as we enjoyed this life it was about to change big time.
It wasn’t but a week later when Gus Taylor yells into his hand radio, ‘Qob’ (which means danger), “bombs on their way in, but we have some time.” That got panic yelled into everyone’s radio that had one and the runners after that relayed the news to the people out doing chores.
We had a couple of emergency practice runs and meetings through the months and it looks like that was a good thing. It didn’t go as smooth as we would have liked when the real thing hit but not really bad either. The information was relayed to the tribe and one of their fastest runners came in just before the quick meeting started. Yes, I know we should have all gone down to the shelter area immediately if not sooner, just to be safer.
At the meeting Gus stayed at the shortwave and gave Croft the information as Gus relayed it. We were having all that could go to the covered greenhouse areas to collect all the produce that was even halfway ripe, two-inch beans are still edible and so are green tomatoes. Small squash is better than none. We did have a one acer regular potato field and those were being dug the last few days. There wasn’t much let to dig and those were hardened off. The new dug would be used to cook with right away so they wouldn’t spoil. The corn had already been harvested two weeks prior.
Croft knew everyone would be able to hear what was being said by radio or runner so he just repeated what he was being told when everyone came back from taking what they gathered in the way of food down to the two shelter kitchens or storage rooms
“All right everyone, you’ve all heard what’s going on. “No one panicked so let’s not do so now and go ahead and leave now for your homes. Get anything else you don’t think you can do without if it isn’t already down in the shelter, last minutes checks and let’s get to this. You’re all dismissed, go.”
Gus had already contacted the Chief and his sub chiefs and they were getting all their folks called in from outside and in other areas of the cave system. The only ones we and he were really worried about were the outside further off hunting. Again, we sent folks out to find them and get them back.
Everyone had been inside for an hour when Gus let everyone know the bombs were dropping. Almost every large city was being hit. A few were spared with our countries tech to stop at least half of them. At least that was still working.
Chief Owen Ten Bears and his son Steven were sitting with Croft, Clark and Daniel discussing details on what and how things would go while we were down here. Giger counters and meters had been wired in and down to the shelter by my father and in the next few days we would be figuring out how long we would all be down here. So far it looked like it would be a while, not as long as it could have been at least.
We began to process all the food that had been brought in, whether it was to be canned or dehydrated. If we were down over a year, we also had grow rooms for fresh vegetables. There were enough long-term food supplies that we wouldn’t have to grow anything for years if we didn’t want to. But sometimes you just have to have something fresh. We had special generators but would go easy on them and live as much as possible with just the bare minimum of light and power for getting by.
End chap 9 A
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks for the new chapter!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chapter 9 B
As the months wore on and the atmosphere cleared, we finally started to hear from other areas of the states as well as around the world. We found out a lot of the scum ball’s that had been the new hires and volunteers in the military and police forces hadn’t been informed of the incoming bombs and had ceased to exist. There were still plenty of bad guys left. Many had been at the bases when WWIII hit and took shelter in the underground with all the top brass in charge of this mess they had created.
Some of the top brass who were traitors to their own country were in for a surprise as the gang leaders decided they would take over and be the new kings. They had a few members who had been ordered to join the military years ago so they could pass training and knowledge onto the gang leaders. Only the privates didn’t know as much as they thought they did. Most had washed out and were dishonorably discharged with three years or less after joining. Even the ones that had deployed to war zones did only what they had to and never thought for themselves to learn more.
The eight bases that our country was down to eventfully ran cross purposes to each other as all of the so-called new kings wanted to be the one and only king. They started to destroy each other by any means possible.
The real Generals, along with the puppet President and Vice President as well as the worthless politicians hid away in their own private shelters and had no idea about what was going on at these bases. They had stopped hearing from many bases and no matter what they did they couldn’t raise anyone. Even though it was dangerous jets were sent to overfly the bases and get photos. What they ended up seeing were full blown ground war scapes with blown up buildings and men fighting each other tooth and nail. We didn’t find this fact out until years down the road. Their top-secret bunkers stayed that way even from members of the most of the military and other politicians.
After ten to eleven months us older folks started to venture out a few minutes here and there to check on our homes. The summer monsoons this year and heavier than normal snows last winter helped get rid of the harmful effects from the radiation we did get. Winter was upon us again so we mainly stayed in the tunnel system where it was warmer and did take much to take the chill off. Layers of clothes helped with that as well.
As the snow melted off and spring began to be closer, we hauled off the top soil we had built up the last couple of years to make sure what we grew our food in was safe. This fall harvest wasn’t going to be as good but it would be something. The green houses were okay because someone had the bright idea to cover the glass and or plastic with about a foot of dirt. That was taken off and hauled far away as well. Then all the manure from the animals was hauled over to the gardens and worked in. We had virtually tons of that. Once a week two volunteers had suited up and hauled the wheel burros of it outside. Never the same ones for a couple of months to make sure they stayed radiation free.
I’m not saying all was fine and dandy the whole time we were down there, nope not at all. Some of the animals and teens acted like they had enough of being inside. When a teen or other person acted up, they were put to work not only shoveling manure but learning new talents and becoming another apprentice in something whether they liked it or not. The animals we couldn’t do a whole about in the meantime. But boy were they all happy to be outside. You never saw so much jumping, running and silly acting animals. Even the poultry seemed much happier.
We did have one loss on the tribe’s side. Paul Lewis Two Trees. So young and so lost mentally. He couldn’t take what the so-called intelligent people had done and he committed suicide. He just couldn’t take living in this new world. He would have had a good future living here. But he left a note wrote that he had been awaiting the time he could go back to the city and to normal life. When he heard the largest of our country’s cities had been destroyed, that had been the last blow for him.
As for us people that went down, we knew it wouldn’t be forever and life would change again, as it always does. While we were down in the bunker Clark and Gin were blessed with a little boy, Craig Lee Shaffer. Many other babies joined us just weeks before coming back up top much of the time. Many of the tribe’s young joined us at the compound and in turn some of our joined the tribe in marriages as the months went by.
Two of the new marriages were between Michael Kirk (Mountain Mike) he was telling everyone he was taking an arrow to the knee. Which meant in old Norse that he was getting married. Paula Freeman was his bride; she was one of the last rescued women. She had been attending veterinary collage before things went to heck and gone. That was a help to us and our animals. She was five foot four with fiery red hair, she still looked tiny compared to her new husband. The other couple was another of the rescued Carla White who married George Brown. George had been a hunter and guide like the O’Toole’s and had taken folks out in hunting experiences. Now he was hunting for all of our survival and teaching. He had been training hard here using the bow for his hunting. Carla had been a grade school teacher. Now she was one of ours. It doesn’t take much to entertain us as we thought they both had last names that were colors.
I’m not saying everything was a bed of roses, some could take the confinement and some couldn’t all that well. They were given more chores and that helped a few of them. But no one was allowed up top to just run around or leave. Every now and then a guard would be picked to go up into one of the homes so people could get some alone time if it was needed. But they were not allowed outside in case there were drones or planes going over that could spot them. A few marriages took hits on both sides and Croft and the other leaders like the chief would allow the different couples divorces and we would do written notices to be posted on the notice board that this was to be so. Papers were written out and put in the shelter office safe.
One of the big jokes on Croft and I was when I found we were going to have another baby six weeks after being in the shelter. No one was more flabbergasted than I was with my preening husband a close second. After all these years it was just unbelievable. Croft walked around in a daze for a few days at first. He got a lot of back slapping and winks mostly from the male crowd. One week before she was expected Kate Marie Shaffer made her entrance into the world. Chief Owen Ten Bears Johnson even came over and gave the new babies a blessing as new members of the family, he did this for all the new little ones. He told Croft and I afterward: “I’ll come over with the Sub-Chiefs and take care of the rest of you later.” He winked and left. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Well, having a new little one put a big pause to some of the things I was going to do as far as spring and summer work. It didn’t end the work but I made slower progress. But I was so happy at the same time. So instead of hours of work at a time it was piecemeal with feeding and taking care of our new little one. Gin and I started to laugh about it when we met to do things. What else could we do?
End chap 9 B
Chapter 9 B
As the months wore on and the atmosphere cleared, we finally started to hear from other areas of the states as well as around the world. We found out a lot of the scum ball’s that had been the new hires and volunteers in the military and police forces hadn’t been informed of the incoming bombs and had ceased to exist. There were still plenty of bad guys left. Many had been at the bases when WWIII hit and took shelter in the underground with all the top brass in charge of this mess they had created.
Some of the top brass who were traitors to their own country were in for a surprise as the gang leaders decided they would take over and be the new kings. They had a few members who had been ordered to join the military years ago so they could pass training and knowledge onto the gang leaders. Only the privates didn’t know as much as they thought they did. Most had washed out and were dishonorably discharged with three years or less after joining. Even the ones that had deployed to war zones did only what they had to and never thought for themselves to learn more.
The eight bases that our country was down to eventfully ran cross purposes to each other as all of the so-called new kings wanted to be the one and only king. They started to destroy each other by any means possible.
The real Generals, along with the puppet President and Vice President as well as the worthless politicians hid away in their own private shelters and had no idea about what was going on at these bases. They had stopped hearing from many bases and no matter what they did they couldn’t raise anyone. Even though it was dangerous jets were sent to overfly the bases and get photos. What they ended up seeing were full blown ground war scapes with blown up buildings and men fighting each other tooth and nail. We didn’t find this fact out until years down the road. Their top-secret bunkers stayed that way even from members of the most of the military and other politicians.
After ten to eleven months us older folks started to venture out a few minutes here and there to check on our homes. The summer monsoons this year and heavier than normal snows last winter helped get rid of the harmful effects from the radiation we did get. Winter was upon us again so we mainly stayed in the tunnel system where it was warmer and did take much to take the chill off. Layers of clothes helped with that as well.
As the snow melted off and spring began to be closer, we hauled off the top soil we had built up the last couple of years to make sure what we grew our food in was safe. This fall harvest wasn’t going to be as good but it would be something. The green houses were okay because someone had the bright idea to cover the glass and or plastic with about a foot of dirt. That was taken off and hauled far away as well. Then all the manure from the animals was hauled over to the gardens and worked in. We had virtually tons of that. Once a week two volunteers had suited up and hauled the wheel burros of it outside. Never the same ones for a couple of months to make sure they stayed radiation free.
I’m not saying all was fine and dandy the whole time we were down there, nope not at all. Some of the animals and teens acted like they had enough of being inside. When a teen or other person acted up, they were put to work not only shoveling manure but learning new talents and becoming another apprentice in something whether they liked it or not. The animals we couldn’t do a whole about in the meantime. But boy were they all happy to be outside. You never saw so much jumping, running and silly acting animals. Even the poultry seemed much happier.
We did have one loss on the tribe’s side. Paul Lewis Two Trees. So young and so lost mentally. He couldn’t take what the so-called intelligent people had done and he committed suicide. He just couldn’t take living in this new world. He would have had a good future living here. But he left a note wrote that he had been awaiting the time he could go back to the city and to normal life. When he heard the largest of our country’s cities had been destroyed, that had been the last blow for him.
As for us people that went down, we knew it wouldn’t be forever and life would change again, as it always does. While we were down in the bunker Clark and Gin were blessed with a little boy, Craig Lee Shaffer. Many other babies joined us just weeks before coming back up top much of the time. Many of the tribe’s young joined us at the compound and in turn some of our joined the tribe in marriages as the months went by.
Two of the new marriages were between Michael Kirk (Mountain Mike) he was telling everyone he was taking an arrow to the knee. Which meant in old Norse that he was getting married. Paula Freeman was his bride; she was one of the last rescued women. She had been attending veterinary collage before things went to heck and gone. That was a help to us and our animals. She was five foot four with fiery red hair, she still looked tiny compared to her new husband. The other couple was another of the rescued Carla White who married George Brown. George had been a hunter and guide like the O’Toole’s and had taken folks out in hunting experiences. Now he was hunting for all of our survival and teaching. He had been training hard here using the bow for his hunting. Carla had been a grade school teacher. Now she was one of ours. It doesn’t take much to entertain us as we thought they both had last names that were colors.
I’m not saying everything was a bed of roses, some could take the confinement and some couldn’t all that well. They were given more chores and that helped a few of them. But no one was allowed up top to just run around or leave. Every now and then a guard would be picked to go up into one of the homes so people could get some alone time if it was needed. But they were not allowed outside in case there were drones or planes going over that could spot them. A few marriages took hits on both sides and Croft and the other leaders like the chief would allow the different couples divorces and we would do written notices to be posted on the notice board that this was to be so. Papers were written out and put in the shelter office safe.
One of the big jokes on Croft and I was when I found we were going to have another baby six weeks after being in the shelter. No one was more flabbergasted than I was with my preening husband a close second. After all these years it was just unbelievable. Croft walked around in a daze for a few days at first. He got a lot of back slapping and winks mostly from the male crowd. One week before she was expected Kate Marie Shaffer made her entrance into the world. Chief Owen Ten Bears Johnson even came over and gave the new babies a blessing as new members of the family, he did this for all the new little ones. He told Croft and I afterward: “I’ll come over with the Sub-Chiefs and take care of the rest of you later.” He winked and left. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Well, having a new little one put a big pause to some of the things I was going to do as far as spring and summer work. It didn’t end the work but I made slower progress. But I was so happy at the same time. So instead of hours of work at a time it was piecemeal with feeding and taking care of our new little one. Gin and I started to laugh about it when we met to do things. What else could we do?
End chap 9 B
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 10 A
We had a few weeks before we got the first pleading for help on the short wave by anyone that could help them. This had not been from the people needing help directly but had been relayed around to see if there was anyone close enough to help the ones in trouble. Luckily this attack was taking place a few miles outside of Flagstaff on large ranch that was north west of us. The ranch had taken in may people from the surrounding area along with their relatives. It was good to know more folks had made it through these last few years and were helping others as best they could.
Time was at an essence, runners and those with radios quickly passed the information on and volunteers were speedily gotten organized. Directions were relayed of how to find the ranch and given out to those that would be the drivers. With our large group it didn’t take long for them to be packed up and headed out. My sweet husband Croft going along as well. A small defending force was left at home. Both of our clan and the tribe.
Our shortwave operator for this shift gave the call sign that we would use for when our people got close to getting back home. No need to obey any speed limits anymore on their way to or from, so our people boogied as fast as the roads would allow.
To say I didn’t care for Croft going along on this mission was a complete understatement. I knew he could fight and was in good shape but he wasn’t as spry as he used to be either. Hopefully that wouldn’t make a difference. Croft was his own man no matter how much he loved us. He needed to feel good about himself and being able to help when help was needed was a biggy. He still had a good eye and could shoot well above the normal person. All the practice he had gotten in since having range time had improved him even more. All I could do is pray for his safety at this point and sent him off with a kiss. Sulking and being a worry wart wouldn’t help any of us at this point. I would worry yes but not so it took up all the room in my head, I had a baby and many others to help take care of.
As you know it most often two or three things happen at once. Running River Brakehart (he had been named that as when he ran it was so smooth it looks like he just flowed along the ground.) was assigned to the west lookout tower with Fred Burning Wood about an hour after the rescuers left for the ranch and the scum attacking it. I wasn’t expecting the short burst horn that called for quickly hiding things and making the place look deserted, oh fine and dandy, NOT!
At least we didn’t keep things neat, tidy and well mowed just for this occasion. Most things were already disguised as I wrote before so it didn’t take much to throw straw over the greenhouse pit glass, put out any fires we had going, gather up the folks who were out and about depending on how close they were to our compound, or just go into hiding until the danger was past. Those close would just go down the nearest trapdoor to the tunnels. If you were close to the woods where the tribe was located you could go into the cave and cave system to the tunnel.
A prop plane was coming in at a low altitude running slower than normal, so Running River had given us enough notice to do what we had to. One of the watchers would scan the sky while the other the surrounding land and they would switch off from time to time. The same would be going on the east, south and north of us. Bunkers had to be built on the highest area where there weren’t any trees to hide in which was the case on the east side and south.
It was a hurried affair but we had a practice about once a month to see how fast we could accomplish this task. Some of our new ladies were amazed at how quickly the children could help get this accomplished. They soon made better progress at this as they healed from their ordeal, and gained their confidence.
The day was long but I kept a bit busier than normal to not think about the battle that my husband and our people were in at that ranch. Many prayers were going up for their safety. Of course, I was fooling myself because my mind couldn’t seem to stay on what I was doing for very long and would drift back to concern over Croft constantly.
By the time dark descended we still hadn’t heard anything from the people on the mission. My body and mind betrayed me. I fell asleep in the chair I sat in shortly after putting Kate down for her by now normal five hours of sleep.
She sounded off and I looked at the windup clock with my small windup flash light to see it was 1:37 AM. My neck wasn’t so great from the angle it had been at as I slept in the chair. I had to take care of Kate and not go running off to see if anyone had gotten any word as yet. Those days were over. Dad had stored a few of the windup flash lights down below, cagey old man that he was. We were careful with them as they were plastic and didn’t know how long they would last. Croft had already broken one by trying to wind it the wrong way.
End Chap 10 A
Chap 10 A
We had a few weeks before we got the first pleading for help on the short wave by anyone that could help them. This had not been from the people needing help directly but had been relayed around to see if there was anyone close enough to help the ones in trouble. Luckily this attack was taking place a few miles outside of Flagstaff on large ranch that was north west of us. The ranch had taken in may people from the surrounding area along with their relatives. It was good to know more folks had made it through these last few years and were helping others as best they could.
Time was at an essence, runners and those with radios quickly passed the information on and volunteers were speedily gotten organized. Directions were relayed of how to find the ranch and given out to those that would be the drivers. With our large group it didn’t take long for them to be packed up and headed out. My sweet husband Croft going along as well. A small defending force was left at home. Both of our clan and the tribe.
Our shortwave operator for this shift gave the call sign that we would use for when our people got close to getting back home. No need to obey any speed limits anymore on their way to or from, so our people boogied as fast as the roads would allow.
To say I didn’t care for Croft going along on this mission was a complete understatement. I knew he could fight and was in good shape but he wasn’t as spry as he used to be either. Hopefully that wouldn’t make a difference. Croft was his own man no matter how much he loved us. He needed to feel good about himself and being able to help when help was needed was a biggy. He still had a good eye and could shoot well above the normal person. All the practice he had gotten in since having range time had improved him even more. All I could do is pray for his safety at this point and sent him off with a kiss. Sulking and being a worry wart wouldn’t help any of us at this point. I would worry yes but not so it took up all the room in my head, I had a baby and many others to help take care of.
As you know it most often two or three things happen at once. Running River Brakehart (he had been named that as when he ran it was so smooth it looks like he just flowed along the ground.) was assigned to the west lookout tower with Fred Burning Wood about an hour after the rescuers left for the ranch and the scum attacking it. I wasn’t expecting the short burst horn that called for quickly hiding things and making the place look deserted, oh fine and dandy, NOT!
At least we didn’t keep things neat, tidy and well mowed just for this occasion. Most things were already disguised as I wrote before so it didn’t take much to throw straw over the greenhouse pit glass, put out any fires we had going, gather up the folks who were out and about depending on how close they were to our compound, or just go into hiding until the danger was past. Those close would just go down the nearest trapdoor to the tunnels. If you were close to the woods where the tribe was located you could go into the cave and cave system to the tunnel.
A prop plane was coming in at a low altitude running slower than normal, so Running River had given us enough notice to do what we had to. One of the watchers would scan the sky while the other the surrounding land and they would switch off from time to time. The same would be going on the east, south and north of us. Bunkers had to be built on the highest area where there weren’t any trees to hide in which was the case on the east side and south.
It was a hurried affair but we had a practice about once a month to see how fast we could accomplish this task. Some of our new ladies were amazed at how quickly the children could help get this accomplished. They soon made better progress at this as they healed from their ordeal, and gained their confidence.
The day was long but I kept a bit busier than normal to not think about the battle that my husband and our people were in at that ranch. Many prayers were going up for their safety. Of course, I was fooling myself because my mind couldn’t seem to stay on what I was doing for very long and would drift back to concern over Croft constantly.
By the time dark descended we still hadn’t heard anything from the people on the mission. My body and mind betrayed me. I fell asleep in the chair I sat in shortly after putting Kate down for her by now normal five hours of sleep.
She sounded off and I looked at the windup clock with my small windup flash light to see it was 1:37 AM. My neck wasn’t so great from the angle it had been at as I slept in the chair. I had to take care of Kate and not go running off to see if anyone had gotten any word as yet. Those days were over. Dad had stored a few of the windup flash lights down below, cagey old man that he was. We were careful with them as they were plastic and didn’t know how long they would last. Croft had already broken one by trying to wind it the wrong way.
End Chap 10 A
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks for the page. As always need MOAR!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chap 10 B
The baby taken care of and in 45 minutes she was back to sleep, I wondered how long a night this was going to be. By this time, I was talking to myself and telling myself to lay down on the bed or I wasn’t going to be worth much to the baby or Croft and the rest by the time they got home. It was easy to say to myself but ended up hard to do this second time. The last time I had looked at the clock it had been 3:11 AM.
Before I knew it, I was hearing people out in the tunnel outside of our room and knew it was time to get up. What a surprise to have Kate sleep the rest of the night. What there was of it for me anyway it must be at least 6 AM I thought and I was right as it was just a few minutes till. I knew I had been foolish to think and worry for so long to make my day harder. I managed to get myself ready for the day in the nick of time to change and feed Kate again and head for the cafeteria kitchen. Others had already been in there since 5 AM, so mainly all I had to do is get a metal pie plate that I held out to be filled with food at the counter and go eat. There were a few tables in there but we also had another room that was on the large side at 25x25 with nothing but long picnic style tables and benches. The same as above the ground in our cook cabin.
Finally in the midafternoon the radio room could got notice that our folks were on their way home. Another relay like when the ranch was in trouble. Two hours later we heard from our folks and they were five miles out but to have the medical teams handy as they were coming in with several wounded. Well, if that doesn’t leave one anxious nothing will. No notice of just who was hurt. They were still trying to keep as much going over the radio as possible. I about slapped myself because I had gotten so used to hearing Klingon that I didn’t even realize they weren’t speaking English. I also knew someone else out there in our area could as well but not real likely. We just weren’t taking chances. It was still good to keep the talking to a bare minimum on the radios.
A half mile out we had the call sign they would be here any minutes and we were outside had everything ready for our wounded. The guards at the gates radioed up when our people started through the main gate. The spotters were out as usual and had been the whole time changing off on shifts as necessary. All was clear at the moment. I was sure praying it stayed that way.
(It wasn’t until a few years later that we heard that the enemy thought our place was some decades old falling apart, run down cabin camp. Not worth even having any of their military crews (scum) move into it for a base.)
I had one of the teens watching Kate so I could be up here helping with anything I could. We had all the adults and those 10 years old and up take extensive first aid and medical training through from the Carter Applegate the doctor and his wife June the nurse practitioner. Along with nurse Greg Alden for the time we had lived here that way they would be ready for anything. Even those eight to ten years old were at beginning first aid. It never hurt to start early.
All this was going through my mind as we waited for our people to return. Finally, the gate called up that our people were through and headed our way. We had many of the tribe up here as many of their people went out on this mission as well. After all, we had all become family.
I noticed that many that went were kind of squished into the jeeps and cabs of the trucks to make room for the injured in the back of the pickups. The wounded were being unloaded from the pickups as I had been lost in her dreamworld. I shook my head and admonished myself to stay with it. This may all have to be done in a hurry because we never knew when we would have say a drone come over. I also didn’t know at the time that satellite service was down as the different sides had been taken down just about anything they could in the skies. This fact would be relayed to us in the coming month. There I went again not keeping my mind where it belonged.
The gravely injured were first, it was only three but one of those three was my dear husband. The other two were Mountain Mike and one of the Chiefs grandsons who had turned 17 and insisted he was old enough and well trained enough to go help. Mike Two bears Johnson.
The rest that were wounded had varied injuries but none life threating if no infection set in. We would do all we could to ensure that wouldn’t happen. We still had a lot of what my parents had socked away medically. You know I could have sworn that I heard; “You’re darn tootin girl.”
As far as I could see as I walked alongside the stretcher Croft had been wounded in the right side and had a torniquet on his left leg above the bandaged wound. With the large bandage I couldn’t tell how bad that was at all.
It was easier to go to the cook cabin and then down those stairs as they were wider and not so steep with all three of the stretchers one right after the other. Those of us that were the loved ones waited unto they were all down before we followed. After all they were the most important to get to the clinic. Doc Carter was already there by the time we got them to the clinic. He left his wife up with the others to help and Greg was down here getting the tools of their trade set out by the operating table. Most was already laid out in preparation but he had to make sure by going through them a third time. We didn’t have everything like an autoclave but relied on boiling like the old days and the alcohol we made. That was one thing we seem to need more of for disinfection. But again, dad had left very good instructions and two stills along with those instructions.
I didn’t get to stay in the operating room, which was normal. It was better for relatives to stay out and not cause maybe cause any problems incase things went downhill for the patient. This time my husband. Paula sat in the prep room with Mountain Mike while another nurse took care of him and Mike Two Bears Johnson. I looked up to see the chief and his son Larry enter that room.
I heard a noise and knew it belonged to our little Kate; now 18-year-old Milly Taylor was bringing her to me. I knew Kate would need fed as play and nap time were over. I thanked Milly and she went on her way after handing me the baby and her diaper bag. I hated to leave but I had to go feed Kate somewhere a little more private. I went into one of the nearby supply closets, I sat on a box as she drank her dinner.
End chap 10 B
Chap 10 B
The baby taken care of and in 45 minutes she was back to sleep, I wondered how long a night this was going to be. By this time, I was talking to myself and telling myself to lay down on the bed or I wasn’t going to be worth much to the baby or Croft and the rest by the time they got home. It was easy to say to myself but ended up hard to do this second time. The last time I had looked at the clock it had been 3:11 AM.
Before I knew it, I was hearing people out in the tunnel outside of our room and knew it was time to get up. What a surprise to have Kate sleep the rest of the night. What there was of it for me anyway it must be at least 6 AM I thought and I was right as it was just a few minutes till. I knew I had been foolish to think and worry for so long to make my day harder. I managed to get myself ready for the day in the nick of time to change and feed Kate again and head for the cafeteria kitchen. Others had already been in there since 5 AM, so mainly all I had to do is get a metal pie plate that I held out to be filled with food at the counter and go eat. There were a few tables in there but we also had another room that was on the large side at 25x25 with nothing but long picnic style tables and benches. The same as above the ground in our cook cabin.
Finally in the midafternoon the radio room could got notice that our folks were on their way home. Another relay like when the ranch was in trouble. Two hours later we heard from our folks and they were five miles out but to have the medical teams handy as they were coming in with several wounded. Well, if that doesn’t leave one anxious nothing will. No notice of just who was hurt. They were still trying to keep as much going over the radio as possible. I about slapped myself because I had gotten so used to hearing Klingon that I didn’t even realize they weren’t speaking English. I also knew someone else out there in our area could as well but not real likely. We just weren’t taking chances. It was still good to keep the talking to a bare minimum on the radios.
A half mile out we had the call sign they would be here any minutes and we were outside had everything ready for our wounded. The guards at the gates radioed up when our people started through the main gate. The spotters were out as usual and had been the whole time changing off on shifts as necessary. All was clear at the moment. I was sure praying it stayed that way.
(It wasn’t until a few years later that we heard that the enemy thought our place was some decades old falling apart, run down cabin camp. Not worth even having any of their military crews (scum) move into it for a base.)
I had one of the teens watching Kate so I could be up here helping with anything I could. We had all the adults and those 10 years old and up take extensive first aid and medical training through from the Carter Applegate the doctor and his wife June the nurse practitioner. Along with nurse Greg Alden for the time we had lived here that way they would be ready for anything. Even those eight to ten years old were at beginning first aid. It never hurt to start early.
All this was going through my mind as we waited for our people to return. Finally, the gate called up that our people were through and headed our way. We had many of the tribe up here as many of their people went out on this mission as well. After all, we had all become family.
I noticed that many that went were kind of squished into the jeeps and cabs of the trucks to make room for the injured in the back of the pickups. The wounded were being unloaded from the pickups as I had been lost in her dreamworld. I shook my head and admonished myself to stay with it. This may all have to be done in a hurry because we never knew when we would have say a drone come over. I also didn’t know at the time that satellite service was down as the different sides had been taken down just about anything they could in the skies. This fact would be relayed to us in the coming month. There I went again not keeping my mind where it belonged.
The gravely injured were first, it was only three but one of those three was my dear husband. The other two were Mountain Mike and one of the Chiefs grandsons who had turned 17 and insisted he was old enough and well trained enough to go help. Mike Two bears Johnson.
The rest that were wounded had varied injuries but none life threating if no infection set in. We would do all we could to ensure that wouldn’t happen. We still had a lot of what my parents had socked away medically. You know I could have sworn that I heard; “You’re darn tootin girl.”
As far as I could see as I walked alongside the stretcher Croft had been wounded in the right side and had a torniquet on his left leg above the bandaged wound. With the large bandage I couldn’t tell how bad that was at all.
It was easier to go to the cook cabin and then down those stairs as they were wider and not so steep with all three of the stretchers one right after the other. Those of us that were the loved ones waited unto they were all down before we followed. After all they were the most important to get to the clinic. Doc Carter was already there by the time we got them to the clinic. He left his wife up with the others to help and Greg was down here getting the tools of their trade set out by the operating table. Most was already laid out in preparation but he had to make sure by going through them a third time. We didn’t have everything like an autoclave but relied on boiling like the old days and the alcohol we made. That was one thing we seem to need more of for disinfection. But again, dad had left very good instructions and two stills along with those instructions.
I didn’t get to stay in the operating room, which was normal. It was better for relatives to stay out and not cause maybe cause any problems incase things went downhill for the patient. This time my husband. Paula sat in the prep room with Mountain Mike while another nurse took care of him and Mike Two Bears Johnson. I looked up to see the chief and his son Larry enter that room.
I heard a noise and knew it belonged to our little Kate; now 18-year-old Milly Taylor was bringing her to me. I knew Kate would need fed as play and nap time were over. I thanked Milly and she went on her way after handing me the baby and her diaper bag. I hated to leave but I had to go feed Kate somewhere a little more private. I went into one of the nearby supply closets, I sat on a box as she drank her dinner.
End chap 10 B
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223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks for MOAR!
steamroller
Contributing Member
Thanks, great story.
223shootersc
Veteran Member
MOAR hounds want to know!
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Patience is a virtue Tex.
Sara will fill us in when she gets around to it but, y'all know some miscreants put a foot or two wrong
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Gads, going down to the valley for most of day with appointments and etc. really does my sinus's in. Stuffed up bad this morning. Does it to me every time. Hubby took over the chores that are done in the morning outside. I was getting this in here when I ended up outside anyway lol.
Arizona Tunnel Rats.
Chap. 11 A
By the time I got back to the waiting area for news of Croft there still wasn’t any news of how things were going. I knew the other two men were waiting for surgery and their families must be getting worried about the wait for their loved ones.
Kate was little enough that I could jiggle and walk and keep her entertained. Luckily all we had to wait was another thirty minutes. The doc slipped out to tell me it would be touch and go for the first 24 hours and he did the best he could to save Croft’s leg. Croft won’t be going out on any more missions unless he was just driving. A cane would be in his future when he got off the crutches if all goes well. His other wound was from a bullet he took that had entered at an angle and took out part of Croft’s liver. His leg looked like someone had hit him with a machete or sword across his thigh. Croft was being taken to the recovering room and I would see him in the patient room soon.
They didn’t have to bring him out to the hallway but through another door in the operating room, just like they do from the prep room. My dad and mom were sure was smart ones for this set up. So, Croft out, the room cleaned and quickly disinfected and was Mike rolled in. Our little hospital would hold six patients and I sat and waited for Croft to be brought in. All I could do is rock Kate and pray.
Kate went to sleep and not having to keep busy with her made the time go even slower. There was no bed to lay her on as the bed they had transferred Croft to would also be his bed while he was in here.
I know this may seem like a boring journal to those of you in our future but it was one of the tough times not only for me but all of us. Anytime our folks go out to do battle is a waiting game for the rest of us.
They finally brought him into the room. I sat watching him breathe and the baby sleep in my arms. This was another waiting game for me. An aid came in every 20 minutes or so to check on him, so far so good. I wasn’t going to go to our room here in the shelter until Croft woke up enough for him to know that I was here. Just before I knew I had to give Kate her last feeding and settle her in her own bed Croft woke up enough to tell me he loved us. I told him. “I’ll see you in the morning my love, sleep well.”
Kate and I went through our morning with me pushing my getty up. She didn’t seem to appreciate my nervousness to get back to see how Croft was doing. I also wanted to learn how Mike and Mike Two Bears. I gave myself the giggles because I hadn’t even thought about the two Mikes. I also wanted a count of how many had been injured and how they were doing. I had been so worried about my husband last night I hadn’t even asked after the others. Pretty poor of me with being one of the leaders.
I took Kate over to the baby care center for the time being instead of getting a sitter. There were cribs in there and volunteers that also did shifts in the day care center. Kate would only be in there like four hours before she would want fed again.
Things were still pretty busy when I got to the clinic. They had worked all night with little rest. Some of the best of the new nurses, male and female being trained were there as well as some of the mostly trained.
I made sure I got the run down on all of our injured and then made my way to Croft. Out of everyone that went out on the mission we did end up with one casualty, Butch Lavin one of our single men.
As our folks healed up, we finally got to the story told of how the battle went.
**
They were able to drive up to within a third of a mile to the ranch, they didn’t want to take any chances of being seen. With the pitched battle going on there was no way their vehicles had been heard at that distance. They needed two runners who were sent ahead and to higher ground to see what was what at the ranch and where the attackers were stationed. Nate Jones was their man. He had been a triathlon runner in his down times from teaching math in high school, he ran north where there was a few trees and brush. The other was Marge Running Wolf who was 29 years old. She had been in races to keep in shape, she even beat Nate a few times. She was to be one of the United States mile runners in the next Olympics when the crap hit the fan in our country and world. It took her a few weeks to get over her disappointment but alas she knew she needed to get on with life the way it was. Being one of the scouts was a pretty good essential talent. Marge ran south around the hills.
It didn’t take long for both of them to scope out what was going on and just how the attackers had stationed themselves. Also, from what they both could see there were not outlying people guarding the back of the scum hides. Oh, they had uniforms on alright but they weren’t good people. With binoculars they could make out women among them as well. The women were shooting toward the ranch and when the next part of this battle went down, they would be given no quarter just because they were female. If they were willing to attack and kill it meant they would be killed in return.
It turned out that there were four groups of what looked like 10 to 12 around the ranch one group on each side, but a whole lot of empty in between the groups. Both Nate and Marge kept watch for a few more minutes to make sure there weren’t any roving guards in between the groups of marauders, while their people moved up closer. They kept in contact via the small walkie talkies when needed to relay what was being found out.
End chap 11 A
Arizona Tunnel Rats.
Chap. 11 A
By the time I got back to the waiting area for news of Croft there still wasn’t any news of how things were going. I knew the other two men were waiting for surgery and their families must be getting worried about the wait for their loved ones.
Kate was little enough that I could jiggle and walk and keep her entertained. Luckily all we had to wait was another thirty minutes. The doc slipped out to tell me it would be touch and go for the first 24 hours and he did the best he could to save Croft’s leg. Croft won’t be going out on any more missions unless he was just driving. A cane would be in his future when he got off the crutches if all goes well. His other wound was from a bullet he took that had entered at an angle and took out part of Croft’s liver. His leg looked like someone had hit him with a machete or sword across his thigh. Croft was being taken to the recovering room and I would see him in the patient room soon.
They didn’t have to bring him out to the hallway but through another door in the operating room, just like they do from the prep room. My dad and mom were sure was smart ones for this set up. So, Croft out, the room cleaned and quickly disinfected and was Mike rolled in. Our little hospital would hold six patients and I sat and waited for Croft to be brought in. All I could do is rock Kate and pray.
Kate went to sleep and not having to keep busy with her made the time go even slower. There was no bed to lay her on as the bed they had transferred Croft to would also be his bed while he was in here.
I know this may seem like a boring journal to those of you in our future but it was one of the tough times not only for me but all of us. Anytime our folks go out to do battle is a waiting game for the rest of us.
They finally brought him into the room. I sat watching him breathe and the baby sleep in my arms. This was another waiting game for me. An aid came in every 20 minutes or so to check on him, so far so good. I wasn’t going to go to our room here in the shelter until Croft woke up enough for him to know that I was here. Just before I knew I had to give Kate her last feeding and settle her in her own bed Croft woke up enough to tell me he loved us. I told him. “I’ll see you in the morning my love, sleep well.”
Kate and I went through our morning with me pushing my getty up. She didn’t seem to appreciate my nervousness to get back to see how Croft was doing. I also wanted to learn how Mike and Mike Two Bears. I gave myself the giggles because I hadn’t even thought about the two Mikes. I also wanted a count of how many had been injured and how they were doing. I had been so worried about my husband last night I hadn’t even asked after the others. Pretty poor of me with being one of the leaders.
I took Kate over to the baby care center for the time being instead of getting a sitter. There were cribs in there and volunteers that also did shifts in the day care center. Kate would only be in there like four hours before she would want fed again.
Things were still pretty busy when I got to the clinic. They had worked all night with little rest. Some of the best of the new nurses, male and female being trained were there as well as some of the mostly trained.
I made sure I got the run down on all of our injured and then made my way to Croft. Out of everyone that went out on the mission we did end up with one casualty, Butch Lavin one of our single men.
As our folks healed up, we finally got to the story told of how the battle went.
**
They were able to drive up to within a third of a mile to the ranch, they didn’t want to take any chances of being seen. With the pitched battle going on there was no way their vehicles had been heard at that distance. They needed two runners who were sent ahead and to higher ground to see what was what at the ranch and where the attackers were stationed. Nate Jones was their man. He had been a triathlon runner in his down times from teaching math in high school, he ran north where there was a few trees and brush. The other was Marge Running Wolf who was 29 years old. She had been in races to keep in shape, she even beat Nate a few times. She was to be one of the United States mile runners in the next Olympics when the crap hit the fan in our country and world. It took her a few weeks to get over her disappointment but alas she knew she needed to get on with life the way it was. Being one of the scouts was a pretty good essential talent. Marge ran south around the hills.
It didn’t take long for both of them to scope out what was going on and just how the attackers had stationed themselves. Also, from what they both could see there were not outlying people guarding the back of the scum hides. Oh, they had uniforms on alright but they weren’t good people. With binoculars they could make out women among them as well. The women were shooting toward the ranch and when the next part of this battle went down, they would be given no quarter just because they were female. If they were willing to attack and kill it meant they would be killed in return.
It turned out that there were four groups of what looked like 10 to 12 around the ranch one group on each side, but a whole lot of empty in between the groups. Both Nate and Marge kept watch for a few more minutes to make sure there weren’t any roving guards in between the groups of marauders, while their people moved up closer. They kept in contact via the small walkie talkies when needed to relay what was being found out.
End chap 11 A
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Can't let just any old stuff blow into the hedge rows . . .gotta bush hog the area every so often . . . .
Last edited:
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Arizona Tunnel Rats
Chapter 11 B
They both noted that there had been many sorties toward the ranch and the raiders were only a few feet from the walls of the outlaying buildings. Someone on the ranch had been a naughty boy or girl. Croft and Daniel glanced at each other and grinned. That was the sound of a 50-cal machine gun. Most likely one of the only things that was keeping the attackers at bay as much as they were. It wasn’t going full bore and they weren’t into wasting the ammunition that they had, just spurts when up to five invaders tried to rush in. At one time there were far more of the scum and not just the ones attacking from the perimeter at this time. Bodies could be seen laying around the outside of the ranch. You would have thought with the number of fellow raiders that they had lost that they would have just given up and slunk away to one of their holes.
Croft, Daniel and the Chief’s nephew Carl Arrow Johnson had decided they would come in behind and in turn hit the four sides of the marauders. Mountain Mike would lead the fourth group. They had wondered if the ranch could be radioed to notify them that help was on the way but thought the raiders might also have radios and find the right channel and be warned, so that was out. Nate joined Mike’s and Marge joined Croft’s crew as the rescuers slowly but surely made their way closer to the battle. They didn’t want any type of noise to tip off the opposing side.
The signal was given in the way of two clicks and the crews started the counter attack. The rescuers in in shooting and almost all were doing back shots. The bad guys were going down but not for long. That’s when Croft and the others figured out the raiders had bullet proof vest on. All was going according to plan as our crews got closer to the so called mortally wounded men and women. That was until the raiders started to get back up. Then a lot of the fighting became hand to hand.
Croft thought to himself, “Another lesson learned.”
He felt the burning as he was sliced across the thigh as his knife went into the chest of the man he was fighting with. The slice didn’t come from this guy but a woman who had quickly side stepped and did it. He turned and took her out but as he went down with the loss of blood, he felt a bullet enter his side just before he passed out.
He missed the ranch folks coming out and helping take out the attackers and how happy they were after it was all done with. He even missed out on how many of our people had gotten wounded as he never really came to on the way home.
**
Croft slowly came awake even more. I sat and waited beside his bed. The more he woke up the better and then the more he would remember me talking to him. I kept it light talk wise and just told him Kate and were okay and everyone here at home was fine also. How very glad I was to have him come home to us. Then he slid back into sleep and I departed the room to look in on the other wounded. Yeah, I know it sounds cut and dried but the emotions were running high for all of us and I was doing my best to stay calm. It wouldn’t do any good for me or anyone else for me to be running around like my hair was on fire or going woe is me. Croft volunteered to go and I needed to be supportive of him and all the rest that went with him. This is what we had decided to do to help those around us and we know we may have to pay the price in lives and wounds.
My days went mostly like this as the days went on. Take care of Kate, do my chores, help in the cook cabin, and look in and talk to Croft along with the other wounded. Everyone else seemed to be getting along good in healing, but not Croft. He ended up with a fever and slowly his body started to shut down. I ended up spending more time with him while he was awake. As the days wore on he was awake less.
Doc Carter was beside himself with grief in not being able to pull Croft out the downward spiral. We just didn’t have the kind of modern medical equipment or medicines that were needed for this kind of problem. It was an infection in his liver and doc hadn’t know it soon enough. It wasn’t healing itself but dying. Clark came by daily, as well as many of the folks here. Chief Owen spent as much time as he was able. He would go by me and just pat me on the should as he left. He told me, “I will be back shortly young one, we need to do a ceremony.”
I guess he could call me young one as he was my senior by a few decades. True to his word and I don’t know how he accomplished what he did but in 20 minutes he was back. He wasn’t alone either. It looked like half the tribe and many of our side of the shelter were with him. I found out later he had gone straight to the radio room and put out an all points call. It brought more tears to my eyes to find out what the Chief was ready to do. I had been in the hallway for a bit when they came. He and I walked arm in arm into Crofts room. The doc and his wife were surprised not only with us but to see Chief Owen in full regalia. Right behind us was Tye Flying Fox the tribe medicine woman, she was also one of the EMT’s. She was around fifty years old but looked at least thirty-five at the most. Her white wings of hair were swept back with the rest of her hair and were stark against her black hair.
Doc started to tell the rest of the people to not come in but the Chief signaled everyone in that could fit in the room. The door was left open so many others could hear what was going to take place and then relay what was said to others who were on guard duty. This was also being done over our intercom system.
Clark and Gin were soon beside me on the left of me, having worked their way through the crowd. Everyone had let them pass in quiet tones. The Chiefs closest family members were behind him.
Croft’s eyes came open and he seemed to be a little clearer in his thinking. I knew what this meant for him and I. I had been told been told by others many years ago. That before a lot of people pass on that they seem to have more clarity. I couldn’t stop the tears from running down my face and if I had turned around, I would have seen the same for everyone else.
Owen and Tye began the ceremony to adopt Croft and I into the tribe. I knew it was shortened one before of what was happening with Croft and later Owen told me that he knew this had to be down quickly. Everyone in the whole camp was included in the next part of the ceremony. A pin was used on Croft’s thumb, mine and the Chief in the next part and we mingled blood with Chief Owen. We had been adopted by him and were now part of his immediate family.
Yes, this was unusual and not the normal way things were done in the tribe. But because of conditions Owen had decided this one time to do things different because of time and it wouldn’t hurt anything. He later told me that sometimes one has to be flexible.
Croft had a small smile and I leaned down and kissed him on his lips. He whispered, “This is good, I knew the Chief had planned this for another time but it is good to it now. Now we can get on with another part of our lives. Maybe we can have a bigger ceremony when I’m up and around. Give Kate a kiss for me darling.”
I smiled at Croft and agreed. Everyone slowly filed back out but in the same quiet way they had entered. I stayed and held his hand and as the next hour wore on, he slowly went back to sleep.
I looked up at doc and with a sad continence shook his head in the negative. In the many moments that passed Croft’s breathing slowed and became shallow and then stopped. He never opened his eyes again. My sweetheart had joined our son in the hereafter. All I could do is stand there beside his bed holding his hand and cry.
I don’t know how long I stood there, but when hands reached up onto my shoulders and turned me around, I did notice Croft had been covered with his sheet. Only his arm on the hand I was holding was bare. I also noticed how cold his hand had become.
I know there was a funeral for my beloved but it seemed to be mostly a blur for me. Kate still took up most of my time and helping with chores, others as well as mine. I had less laundry to so and I missed Croft so much that at times it was hard to breathe. But Kate and the whole place needed me. I know they kept me busy and yes, it did help.
I miss him so much it’s hard to sleep at night. My heart feels like a big chunk of it is missing. I roll over to cuddle up to him in my sleep and wake when I can’t find him beside me. My sleeping mind just can’t seem to remember he is gone from us.
I will have to remember to show Kate pictures of her daddy as she grows up. Most are on a thumb drive with the few real pictures we have in an album from years ago before digital and thumb drives. We make enough electricity with our solar for now to charge it and to view the pictures on it and if I somehow lose the ones on the laptop. Backup on my thumb drive is always good. Those are down in my shelter room to keep absolutely safe.
End cha 11 B
Chapter 11 B
They both noted that there had been many sorties toward the ranch and the raiders were only a few feet from the walls of the outlaying buildings. Someone on the ranch had been a naughty boy or girl. Croft and Daniel glanced at each other and grinned. That was the sound of a 50-cal machine gun. Most likely one of the only things that was keeping the attackers at bay as much as they were. It wasn’t going full bore and they weren’t into wasting the ammunition that they had, just spurts when up to five invaders tried to rush in. At one time there were far more of the scum and not just the ones attacking from the perimeter at this time. Bodies could be seen laying around the outside of the ranch. You would have thought with the number of fellow raiders that they had lost that they would have just given up and slunk away to one of their holes.
Croft, Daniel and the Chief’s nephew Carl Arrow Johnson had decided they would come in behind and in turn hit the four sides of the marauders. Mountain Mike would lead the fourth group. They had wondered if the ranch could be radioed to notify them that help was on the way but thought the raiders might also have radios and find the right channel and be warned, so that was out. Nate joined Mike’s and Marge joined Croft’s crew as the rescuers slowly but surely made their way closer to the battle. They didn’t want any type of noise to tip off the opposing side.
The signal was given in the way of two clicks and the crews started the counter attack. The rescuers in in shooting and almost all were doing back shots. The bad guys were going down but not for long. That’s when Croft and the others figured out the raiders had bullet proof vest on. All was going according to plan as our crews got closer to the so called mortally wounded men and women. That was until the raiders started to get back up. Then a lot of the fighting became hand to hand.
Croft thought to himself, “Another lesson learned.”
He felt the burning as he was sliced across the thigh as his knife went into the chest of the man he was fighting with. The slice didn’t come from this guy but a woman who had quickly side stepped and did it. He turned and took her out but as he went down with the loss of blood, he felt a bullet enter his side just before he passed out.
He missed the ranch folks coming out and helping take out the attackers and how happy they were after it was all done with. He even missed out on how many of our people had gotten wounded as he never really came to on the way home.
**
Croft slowly came awake even more. I sat and waited beside his bed. The more he woke up the better and then the more he would remember me talking to him. I kept it light talk wise and just told him Kate and were okay and everyone here at home was fine also. How very glad I was to have him come home to us. Then he slid back into sleep and I departed the room to look in on the other wounded. Yeah, I know it sounds cut and dried but the emotions were running high for all of us and I was doing my best to stay calm. It wouldn’t do any good for me or anyone else for me to be running around like my hair was on fire or going woe is me. Croft volunteered to go and I needed to be supportive of him and all the rest that went with him. This is what we had decided to do to help those around us and we know we may have to pay the price in lives and wounds.
My days went mostly like this as the days went on. Take care of Kate, do my chores, help in the cook cabin, and look in and talk to Croft along with the other wounded. Everyone else seemed to be getting along good in healing, but not Croft. He ended up with a fever and slowly his body started to shut down. I ended up spending more time with him while he was awake. As the days wore on he was awake less.
Doc Carter was beside himself with grief in not being able to pull Croft out the downward spiral. We just didn’t have the kind of modern medical equipment or medicines that were needed for this kind of problem. It was an infection in his liver and doc hadn’t know it soon enough. It wasn’t healing itself but dying. Clark came by daily, as well as many of the folks here. Chief Owen spent as much time as he was able. He would go by me and just pat me on the should as he left. He told me, “I will be back shortly young one, we need to do a ceremony.”
I guess he could call me young one as he was my senior by a few decades. True to his word and I don’t know how he accomplished what he did but in 20 minutes he was back. He wasn’t alone either. It looked like half the tribe and many of our side of the shelter were with him. I found out later he had gone straight to the radio room and put out an all points call. It brought more tears to my eyes to find out what the Chief was ready to do. I had been in the hallway for a bit when they came. He and I walked arm in arm into Crofts room. The doc and his wife were surprised not only with us but to see Chief Owen in full regalia. Right behind us was Tye Flying Fox the tribe medicine woman, she was also one of the EMT’s. She was around fifty years old but looked at least thirty-five at the most. Her white wings of hair were swept back with the rest of her hair and were stark against her black hair.
Doc started to tell the rest of the people to not come in but the Chief signaled everyone in that could fit in the room. The door was left open so many others could hear what was going to take place and then relay what was said to others who were on guard duty. This was also being done over our intercom system.
Clark and Gin were soon beside me on the left of me, having worked their way through the crowd. Everyone had let them pass in quiet tones. The Chiefs closest family members were behind him.
Croft’s eyes came open and he seemed to be a little clearer in his thinking. I knew what this meant for him and I. I had been told been told by others many years ago. That before a lot of people pass on that they seem to have more clarity. I couldn’t stop the tears from running down my face and if I had turned around, I would have seen the same for everyone else.
Owen and Tye began the ceremony to adopt Croft and I into the tribe. I knew it was shortened one before of what was happening with Croft and later Owen told me that he knew this had to be down quickly. Everyone in the whole camp was included in the next part of the ceremony. A pin was used on Croft’s thumb, mine and the Chief in the next part and we mingled blood with Chief Owen. We had been adopted by him and were now part of his immediate family.
Yes, this was unusual and not the normal way things were done in the tribe. But because of conditions Owen had decided this one time to do things different because of time and it wouldn’t hurt anything. He later told me that sometimes one has to be flexible.
Croft had a small smile and I leaned down and kissed him on his lips. He whispered, “This is good, I knew the Chief had planned this for another time but it is good to it now. Now we can get on with another part of our lives. Maybe we can have a bigger ceremony when I’m up and around. Give Kate a kiss for me darling.”
I smiled at Croft and agreed. Everyone slowly filed back out but in the same quiet way they had entered. I stayed and held his hand and as the next hour wore on, he slowly went back to sleep.
I looked up at doc and with a sad continence shook his head in the negative. In the many moments that passed Croft’s breathing slowed and became shallow and then stopped. He never opened his eyes again. My sweetheart had joined our son in the hereafter. All I could do is stand there beside his bed holding his hand and cry.
I don’t know how long I stood there, but when hands reached up onto my shoulders and turned me around, I did notice Croft had been covered with his sheet. Only his arm on the hand I was holding was bare. I also noticed how cold his hand had become.
I know there was a funeral for my beloved but it seemed to be mostly a blur for me. Kate still took up most of my time and helping with chores, others as well as mine. I had less laundry to so and I missed Croft so much that at times it was hard to breathe. But Kate and the whole place needed me. I know they kept me busy and yes, it did help.
I miss him so much it’s hard to sleep at night. My heart feels like a big chunk of it is missing. I roll over to cuddle up to him in my sleep and wake when I can’t find him beside me. My sleeping mind just can’t seem to remember he is gone from us.
I will have to remember to show Kate pictures of her daddy as she grows up. Most are on a thumb drive with the few real pictures we have in an album from years ago before digital and thumb drives. We make enough electricity with our solar for now to charge it and to view the pictures on it and if I somehow lose the ones on the laptop. Backup on my thumb drive is always good. Those are down in my shelter room to keep absolutely safe.
End cha 11 B