Story From Anna’s diary of, “What the hell happened.”

[gonewacky]

From Anna’s diary of, “What the hell happened.”



A little over a year ago, ComCamGuy and I posted up a thread starting a Round Robbin story concept and asked us all to maybe give it a try, in the spirit of another one that was on here somewhere, kind of a shared world approach.

My part was not written like I normally right and was just a bunch of stuff slapped together. This is not my normal writing genre, and I had no outline or character list. I had more than one character with the same name. In fact I did it a few times. The time line was all out of wack. It was just a mess.

I’ve spent a lot of time rewriting my part of the story. Fixing as much of it as I could. Now I’m posting it as a standalone story.

My story draws character’s from around the North West and from across the country. They come together to try to survive the collapse of modern society.

The story starts as AI (Artificial Intelligence) attack on the point of sales card machines. Then it became self-aware Going rogue in its own.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 1

From Anna’s diary of, “What the hell happened.”

I’m a retired Vietnam Vet and spend my days keeping the little lady happy. She spends her days watching her shows on our Smart TV. We live about ten miles from a small town. It has a nice store, but everything is about twice what it is in the city. We just make a trip to the big city once a month to do shopping. It started on Wednesday. We got up and the Internet was out again. That means no TV witch the wife is complaining about. Then she tells me we’re out of milk.

Now I’m in the car heading to town to get milk, as I think there goes a half hour of my day. I turn on the radio and here the hot news, “At seven fifteen this morning the east coast was hit with a virus that took out all of the point of sales card machines. It took it thirty minutes to sweep across the country to the west coast. All merchants are cash only until it can be fixed. This has caused banks to close, as the ATM, or automated teller machines are being emptied at an alarming rate.”

I slammed on the breaks and turned around and headed home. I got there to see my wife on the couch reading a book. I looked at her and said, “I think we’re screwed, but at least the lights are still on.”

Then the lights flickered and the power was out.

It’s been three days since the point of sales machines quit working. The internet hasn’t come back up yet. The power came back on, but it’s been up and down about four times. The radio we had doesn’t want to work, so we have to go sit in the car to get the news. They say the virus that corrupted the system destroyed data, and flashed some of the chips in the card readers. We are still a cash only country at this time. I walked down to the neighbors today. He told me he heard on his CB that China is blaming this on America. They said that we did it because our dollar was ready to implode. This was a last ditch move to reset our money system. I’m not sure about that, but I can’t get any better news than the propaganda.

This is day five and we had thought about going to town, but we heard on the radio to stay home. The news is all that is on the radio any more. The cell phone quit working when this happened. Whenever you try to make a call you would get a busy signal. We thought the system was overloaded from everyone trying to make calls. Now it’s just dead. The power is still on and off thing. We herd on the radio our power grid was under attack. The people have gotten over the shock of what is happening, and they know any help that is coming will take a long time.

This has moved the country into a more dangerous place. We want to go check things out, but we only have a little over a half tank of gas. We do have the five gallons of gas for the riding lawnmower, but I need to save all we can. I hooked up the battery charger to the car so we can listen to the radio without running the car. I hope the power doesn’t go out. If that happens then… well we don’t want to go there.

The neighbor Ray came down last night to give us a report. He told us he has been getting reports of Mad-Max things going on. He wanted to talk about going hunting and getting some meat before everyone had the deer hiding. We talked about turning the garden shed into a smoke house. I think we could hang a good supply if meat in there. I guess dairy is off the menu. We have some powdered milk, but you ain’t making cheese out of that.

That was day five from the diary of what the hell happened.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 2

Day seven- at John and Evelin’s

My brother and his wife showed up today. I’m documenting their trip to get here. This is what they told us.

Day one- In Portland things were already starting to get out of control. The morning commute had turned into a nightmare. The radio was reporting the point of sales machines had quit working, and Jim saw everyone was trying to get off the freeway. Some were trying to get last minute things, and the news was telling everyone to go to their homes and wait for further instructions. This threw the people into a panic. Road rage was out of control, just making more traffic jams. The city was coming to a standstill. The radio was reporting that when the West Coast power grid went down, so did all the traffic lights. Bonneville informed that power would be back up in about an hour.

Jim was thinking, does my wife know what is going on? Did she get out the radio and hear what is happening? What is she doing? I got to get back home. He knew something was not right when he left for work, but I told myself we have done this many times before. Why would this be any different? Damn this is bad with the lights not working, he thought, as he waited in stop and go traffic.

Looking through the passenger window, he could see a dump truck bellowing out black smoke. Then looking past the truck as it pulled forward, he saw that people were carrying stuff out of the 7-11 on the corner. It took hem a minute to realize that they were just taking the stuff. Everyone there was robbing the store blind. Looking over to the other corner, at the Gas Station, he could see it was full of cars, not for gas, but trying to get around the non-working traffic light.

Just then, Jim heard a loud crashing and scraping sound. Quickly he turned his head to see what it was. He saw the dump truck had drove through a fence, and was driving across the 7-11 parking lot on to Stark St.

This is getting really bad, He thought to himself. Let me think, nothing is going to be working. No ATM’s, Gas Stations, or Stores can stay open with no power. Damn I can’t imagine what it will be like when the power comes back on. I got to get home before that happens. I’m glad I didn’t make it on to the freeway before this happened. That must be like a parking lot. The last couple of blocks seemed to take forever. Then Jim pulled into the driveway.

Tonya came running out of the house yelling, “You must have heard.”

Jim yelled out the truck window,” Yeah, quick open the garage door so I can pull the truck in.”

Tonya ran back through the house, and into the garage. She pushed the button for the door opener. Then, happy that nobody else had seen such a stupid mistake walked over, pulled the release for the door, and threw it up manually. Jim pulled the truck in, and Tonya shut the door.

Tonya asked, “What was it like out there?”

“It is crazy out there,” Jim informed. “It's too dangerous to try to do anything, but staying here will most likely get us killed.”

He told Tonya about all he saw. Then told her to throw some clothes in a bag for each of them, and start carrying all the food out to the garage. I’ll get things ready out here.

Jim started making a list in his head, gas, camping gear, and tools. This is a good start, he thought, so Jim started stacking all the camping gear beside the truck. Just as he was adding the camp stove to the pile Tonya came out with a duffel bag of clothes. Jim asked, “How much gas is in the car?”

“A little over ¾ of a tank,” Tonya replied.

Jim started thinking ok 18-gallon tank with a little reserve. Maybe 15 gallons if we are lucky. Jim went and got two 5-gallon gas cans from the back of the garage, and set them by the car. Then he went into the kitchen to get a knife. In the kitchen Tonya was packing the food out of the cupboards into a box.

Seeing Jim she informed, “I will need some more boxes.”

Jim was digging through the silverware drawer. He pulled out a knife and said, “Ok I will see what I can do.”

“What is the knife for?” Tonya asked.

“To cut a piece of hose, so I can siphon gas out of the car.”

Jim went out to the back yard, cut about six feet off the hose, and went back to the garage. Once in the garage he laid the hose on the gas cans. Went over and pulled a box of Christmas stuff off of the shelf, and dumped it on the floor. Then he took it into the kitchen to Tonya. “There is a couple more out there. Maybe you could get the Rubbermaid tubs from the back bedroom,” Jim said.

Tonya stopped and looked at Jim with a strange look on her face. Then she asked, “Have you thought were we are going?”

Jim stopped dead in his tracks. He knew where he was going. He could not stop thinking about it all the way home. His wacko brother who lived on a little twenty acre farm, but that was a hundred and fifty miles away.

Jim looked straight at Tonya and said. “I love you. I would do anything for you. I was thinking of my wacko brother. Do you have another idea?”

Tonya replied, “No I was thinking the same thing. Just worried about how we would get up there. I heard on the radio while you were in the garage, that they are closing Interstate 84 to all traffic except trucks hauling goods.”

Jim said, “We will have to find a back way,” Then he stepped close to Tonya and gave her a big hug. She grabbed on tight to him. She could feel his muscular arms holding tight to her. All her fear passed away for the moment, and she felt secure in his arms. The passion was taking over all control of her thoughts. Then the radio snapped her out of it with a report of all of the mayhem that was going on. She whispered in Jim’s ear, “I don’t want to let go, but we have to get all this packing done.”

Jim whispered, “I know,” as he slowly let go of her, “But I really needed that right now.”

Just then, the power came back on.

Jim announced, “Good let’s hope the power stays on. Maybe it will calm people down, and make things a little safer out there. Why don’t you see if the phone works, well I go siphon the gas out of the car. If it works try to call my brother.” Then Jim went through the garage door.

He went over and picked up the hose and started trying to push it into the gas tank. Thud! Darn, it is hitting something. Picking up the end of the hose and giving it a twist as he pushed and pulled on it. After a little fighting with it, he got it down into the gas tank. Then he bent down and started sucking on the end of the hose. With a whoosh, he got a mouth full of gas. Spitting out the gas on the floor and putting his thumb over the hose. Jim thought to himself, I forgot how bad that tasted.

Then he shoved the hose into the first 5-gallon can, and headed to the kitchen to get something to wash the taste out of his mouth.

In the kitchen Tonya informed, “The phone has dial tone, but I can’t get through all the lines are jammed up or something. Would you carry that box out for me when you go back out?”

“Sure,” Jim responded, as he pulled the milk out of the refrigerator. Poured some in a glass he then grabbed the box, and headed for the garage leaving the milk jug on the counter. After putting the box beside the truck, he checked the gas can, and it was about half full. He heard Tonya holler, “Could you bring me in another box!”

“Okay” Jim replied, as he walked over and took another box off of the shelve. He dumped it on the pile with the Christmas stuff, and checked the gas can. It was about full, so he watched it for a few minutes until it was full. Then he swapped the hose to the other can, and he picked up the box and took it to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen he inquired, “I was thinking about taking the car down and trying to get some more gas. What do you think?”

“When? Right now,” Tonya questioned.

“No,” Jim replied, “In a little while when traffic lets up. After we are all ready to go.”

Jim went back out to the garage and waited for the other can to finish filling up. After it was full, he pulled out the hose and held it up to stop the flow. Then he went back into the kitchen and announced, “I’m going to go and look up and down the street to see if I can see anything.”

“Okay.” Tonya said, and went back to packing.

Jim went out the front door, and walked out to the street. His neighbor was standing on his front porch. He was an older man in his sixties. Jim waved. He waved back and started to walk over to where Jim was standing. Living in a residential neighborhood, it was pretty quiet almost as though nothing was happening.

“Hi Jim,” Bill said, “What do you think about this thing? Do you think its war?”

“I don’t know,” Jim informed, “Took me ten minutes to get to the freeway this morning. Heard about the point of sales machines quit working before I got on the freeway, and it took me 45 minutes to get back home.”

“Yeah,” Bill affirmed, “My wife was at the store when the power went out. They were asking everyone to leave the store. Then some guy started screaming, “Cash only and now this! We’re screwed.” By the time she made it to the front of the store they had the doors locked, and were letting people out one at a time. She could see cars swarming into the parking lot, and people were trying to get into the store. She was telling me how crazy they were acting. It took her about twenty minutes to get home, and over ten minutes of that was just to get out of the parking lot.”

“Wow!” Jim said as he asked, “How is she doing?”

“She is pretty upset,” Bill said, “That is why I’m out here taking a break from the news and her. I just wish they would tell us what is going on. They’re telling what is happening, not who is doing it, and how it happened. Don’t know if it was terrorist or Russia or who knows. They just aren’t saying anything about that.”

Jim complained, “I know what you mean. I have been thinking about the same thing,”

Bill went on, “Well I better get back in the house, and see if they have something besides garbage on the radio or TV. You never know they might know who is doing this,”

“See you later Bill,” Jim announced, as he walked away. Jim went back in the house, and saw Tonya had the TV on.

“Jim,” Tonya cried. “I just heard that D.C. is gone. There’re no pictures of what happened, because news choppers crashed from whatever it was. It seems that they can’t get anyone to get in there. Then they cut away, and I can’t find anything about it now. ”

Jim just stood there looking at Tonya while it sunk in. Then he admitted, “This is getting really bad.”

 

[gonewacky]

“That is not all,” Tonya advised, “They just announced that the government has closed all banks, and that debit and credit cards are not working. They will announce when the banks will open back up tomorrow.”

Just then, they heard that sound. They both stared at the TV it was the EAS tone. Then with sound, but no picture just the EAS symbol. They heard, “By order of the President of the United States of America all the borders are being closed. There are putting up checkpoints at state lines. All state police and National Guard are being sent to the borders. Only trucks carrying goods and residents of each State can cross borders. Everyone is to go home and wait for further instructions. The president will address the nation at 6:00 PM.”

It was quiet, not a word was said. They just stood there looking at each other for what seemed forever. Then without saying a word Jim reached down and picked up the remote, and started changing to other channels. It was the same on all of them, just the EAS tone. He hit the mute button, and looked over at Tonya. She was just standing there staring at the screen. “Are you all right?” Jim questioned.

It snapped her out of her thought. “Yes,” she informed, “It’s just all happening so fast it makes it hard to take it all in.”

Jim answered, “I know what you mean. I think that is why the government pulled all the news, so people will have time to deal with what is happening. I thank everyone is on the edge of losing it, or has lost it. I saw a lot of that happening on the way home this morning.”

Tonya insisted, “I need to keep working, and stay focused or I’ll lose it. The fear of not knowing what is going on, or what might happen is hard to deal with.”

Jim asked, “Okay, where are we at on packing?”

“I got all the food out of the cupboards packed in boxes and carried out, and put by the truck. Then I got that bag of rice, beans and canned good’s your brother made you buy out there. In the bedroom on the bed are the sleeping bags and blankets. That’s where I am at now.”

“Wow sounds like you have been working your ass off. I have to find something to put more gas in. I filled both of the 5-gallon gas cans, and there is still more gas in the car. I will bring in the coolers for the stuff out of the refrigerator and freezer. Then I’m going down around the corner to the apartments, and look in the garbage dumpster for some milk jugs to put gas in.”

Then Jim went and got the coolers and headed off down the street. As he walked down the street, everything looked normal. A few more cars than normal going up and down the side streets, but what was normal he thought. I’m at work at this time of the day during the week.

Walking into the apartment parking lot everything was quiet with nothing going on. The only thing he could see was two little boys playing with some toy cars on one porch. Jim thought, The mother must not want to scare them with the news. He could see the boy’s mother watching them through the window from a chair, as he dug through the dumpster. After digging through all the garbage, he came up with four milk jugs. Gathering up his prize find, he headed home. He got to the door, and started to set down the milk jugs to get his keys. The door swung open, and there stood Tonya.

She asked, “Everything go ok? I was starting to worry.”

Jim replied, “Everything went just fine. Would you wash out one of those two liter pop bottles for me? Then put the milk in it.”

Tonya explained, “I already put the milk in the cooler.”

Jim went on, “That is ok, but I still need the jug. Would you bring it out to the garage when you are done?”

Tonya asked, “You want me to wash it out?”

Jim insisted, “No we will just use it like it is.” Then he went out to the garage. He set down the milk jugs by the car, and picked up one of the 5-gallon gas cans. He took it over to the truck, and Tonya came through the door with the milk jug.

“What are you doing?” Tonya asked.

“Putting gas in the truck” Jim said, as he poured it into the truck.

Tonya inquired, “I thought you just filled it last night,”

Jim replied, “I did, but I want to make sure I have enough room to hold the rest of the gas out of the car.”

He poured in a little over a gallon and it was full. Then he took the can back over to the car, and picked up the hose. He thought about the mouth full of gas he got last time. Then ask Tonya to go get him the deep roasting pan from the kitchen. When she got back with the pan he started sucking on the hose. When the gas started to come, he put the hose down in the pan until it was going. He put his thumb over it, and stuck it in the gas can to finish filling it back up.

Jim bragged with excitement, “Hey, no gas in my mouth that time,”

Tonya just looked at him like what are you talking about, and left without saying a word. Jim swapped the hose to the first milk jug. He was changing the hose to the second milk jug when Tonya came out with one of the coolers. She set it down by the truck, and went back in the house. Jim swapped the hose over to the third milk jug. When it was about half full, the gas stopped flowing. He thought for a moment, and went over to the toolbox he set by the truck. Then he got out a hammer and screwdriver, as Tonya was coming out.

Looking at Tonya he asked, “Honey would you bring me out a cake pan or something like that.”

Tonya asked, “A round or square one?”

Jim replied, “A square one would be nice. It would be easier to pour out the corner of the pan.”

He went over and slid the roasting pan under the back of the car. Then he slid under the back of the car with the hammer and screwdriver in his hand. Tonya was standing at his feet when she asked, “What do you want me to do with this pan.”

“Slide it under here.” Jim replied, as he started pounding the screwdriver in the gas tank.

Tonya questioned, “What are you doing down there?”

Jim informed, “Putting a hole in the gas tank to get out the rest of the gas,”

Tonya asked, “Isn’t that dangerous?”

Jim explained, “Only if it makes a spark.”

Tonya inquired, “Is there anything I can do to help.”

Jim replied, “Yeah get the funnel off the wall. We will need it in a few. Then he hit the screwdriver with the hammer.

Not having much room to swing the hammer was making it hard to get enough force to drive the screwdriver into the tank. Jim’s arm was starting to get tired, but he was driven by pure determination to do it. He knew that his life might depend on getting it done. With a final effort of all he had, he whacked the screwdriver one last time driving it up into the tank.

Gas was coming out and running down his arm. With a sigh of relief he pulled out the screwdriver, and slid out from under the car. He grabbed a rag off the workbench and wiped the gas off of his arm, as the gas drain into the roasting pan. Tonya was complaining on how bad the gas smell was, and asking if it was safe to be in the garage with the fumes.

Jim informed, “Maybe not.”

Then he walked over and opened the garage door a few inches, and said “There that should let in a little fresh air.”

Jim went back to check the roasting pan. It was about half full, so he pulled it out as he slid the cake pan over to catch the gas. Having Tonya hold the funnel in one of the milk jugs, Jim poured in the gas. After doing this, about six times the flow of gas was down to a drip, and Jim was getting light headed from the gas fumes. Grabbing Tonya’s arm he insisted, “Let’s go in the house and let it air out in here.”

When they got back in the house there was another announcement on the radio. They stopped and listened to every detail. “This is the 10:00 AM update next update will be at 12:00 PM. Humanitarian aid to the people is going to be provided by voluntarily NATO troops.

F.E.M.A. (Federal Emergency Management Agency) by order signed by the President of the United States of America. Authorized F.E.M.A. to build 43 primary camps (having a capacity of 35,000 to 45,000 people each) and also authorized the uses of secondary facilities.

Under F.E.M.A., the Executive Orders, which are already written, and is the current law of the United States calls for the complete suspension of the United States Constitution, and all rights and liberties, as they are currently known. When F.E.M.A. was implemented, the following executive orders were to be immediately enforced. Then it droned on and on giving the official executive orders.”

As they stood there, their fear filled the room. John grabbed Tonya’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. Then the message went on to say that, “FEMA was imposing the following orders.”

“E.O. 10999 - provides for the seizure of all means of transportation, including personal, cars, trucks or vehicles of any kind and total control over all highways, seaports, and waterways.

E.O. 11000 - provides for the seizure of all-American people for work forces under federal supervision, including splitting of families if the government has to.

E.O. 11003 - provides for the government to take over all airports and aircraft, commercial, public and private.

E.O. 11005 - provides for the government to take over railroads, inland waterways, and public storage facilities.”

Then it went back to the EAS tone.

They must have been just standing there listening for about 15 minutes. Jim went over and sat on the couch not saying a word. Tonya just stood there looking at him. After what seemed like hours Tonya asked, “What does this mean?”

Jim just sat there not saying a word. He was in shock from what he heard, and thinking, This must be what it is like to live in a communist country.

Tonya yelled, “Jim Snap out of it!”

Jim looked at Tonya. “Ok,” he muttered. “They have not declared Marshall Law yet.”

“Look Jim,” Tonya announced. “They’re showing pictures on the TV.”

Jim grabbed the remote off the coffee table, and hit the mute button. “This is one of the warehouses that the government has commandeered.” The reporter said, “They will use it to house displaced victims. Here in Red Bluff about 250 miles north of San Francisco.

 

[gonewacky]

Then the report went on, “In other parts of the country we have been receiving reports of civil unrest. The government has ordered that only designated stations broadcast news. All other stations are to go back to normal programming, with one channel in each area to broadcast only cartoons. For radio, only clear radio stations can broadcast news. All others were to go back to normal broadcast. They're hoping this will bring back some kind of normal atmosphere to the country.”

Just then, the radio started playing music. They hadn’t even noticed the EAS hum while watching the TV.

Jim advised, “That makes me feel a little better. Now we know that they’re are getting something done, and know why they incited all those executive orders. How do you feel?” Jim asked as he got up and walked over to Tonya.

Grabbing him, she gave him a hug, and held on tight. Softly Tonya whispered, “This is getting to be too much for me to handle. My emotions are being jerked back and forth so fast I can’t keep up with them. I think I might be losing it.”

Thoughts were rushing through Jim’s head. He was trying to get a grip on things himself. He knew at that moment that he had to be strong for her. He had to hide all his fear and uncertainties. Take charge, and make her feel safe.

Jim assured her with a soft tone in his voice, “Its ok. We have a plan, and that is more than most people have right now. Let’s turn off the TV, so we can stay focused. We will just get everything loaded in the truck, and get out of town. Then if things get better we can come back, if not. Then we will be in a safer place, and can decide from there.” Squeezing her tight, Jim insisted, “Let's get back to work.”

She was feeling better in his arms. She knew he would do whatever it took to keep her safe, but she needed him right now. She didn’t want to let go. When Jim loosened up to step away, she grabbed on as tight as she could, and held on to him for all she was worth.

Jim whispered in her ear, “I love you, but I need you to be strong for me right now. I can’t do this alone. It will take both of us. Without you, I would have nothing to keep me going. I’m doing all of this out of my love for you.”

Tonya eased up and let him slowly slip out of her arms. Knowing she had to give all the strength she had to get them through this. She was thinking how glad she was that Jim was home with her. It would take both of them Jim was right. She bent down, picked up the remote, and shut off the TV. Looking at Jim Tonya informed, “Ok I have everything stacked out by the truck. What is next?”

Jim was feeling better with her support. He knew they had to just keep getting ready, and stay focused. They had to keep their thoughts off what was happening or it would eat him up, and they would be no better off than everyone else. He hoped their quick action would work, and save them. He was thinking about all the wacko’s like his brother. They would have already been gone. They would have had everything all setup to get out at a moment’s notice. He was way behind.

Jim concluded, “I think we have just about everything except my hunting stuff. I will get the rifles and spotting scope out of the gun safe. You can get the binoculars and maps by my nightstand.”

Tonya followed Jim into the bedroom, as Jim was opening the safe Tonya heard Jim say, “Damn.”

“What is the matter?” Tonya asked as she put the binoculars around her neck.

“I forgot about water,” Jim complained. “My brother must have tried to pound that into my head a thousand times. How important water is. Should have been the first thing I thought about.”

Tonya laughed and informed, “I already put four two-leader bottles in the big cooler, and a water filter that your brother gave me. He dropped it off one day when he lived in town before that Y2K thing.”

“Okay you got me,” Jim said. “I think all we have to do is pack the truck and we can go.”

In the garage, Jim laid the rifles on the seat of the truck. Then he went over and pushed the garage door back down, and latched it. Looking at the truck Jim declared, “We have to do something about the side windows on the canopy. We don’t want people to see all the stuff in there.”

Tonya asked, “How about some wax paper would that work?”

“Good idea,” Jim acknowledged. “Would you get it? I’ll get the duct tape.”

After Jim taped the wax paper over the windows, they loaded the truck, saving the coolers and gas to load last. After everything was loaded, Jim put the rifles behind the seat so no one would see them. Tonya went into give the phone one last try before leaving. Jim opened the garage door and backed out the truck. Then went back in, and closed the garage door. He went into the house, and saw Tonya hanging up the phone.

“The phone is still not working,” Tonya explained. Then the lights flickered and the power went out.

After Jim and Tonya spent all morning packing for their trip. The power went out just as they were leaving.

“Great,” Jim whined. “The traffic lights won’t be working.” Remembering what it was like in the morning with no power.

Tonya asked, “Are we ready to go? It is almost noon, and they will be expecting everyone to be getting home by now.”

Jim insisted, “Yes if we’re going to do it we better do it now.”

They went out and got in the truck. As they pulled off Jim could see Bill watching him through the window.

Tonya asked, “Which way are you going to go?”

Jim informed, “I’m going to go down to Foster, and take it out to Boring. Then cut over to HWY 224, and out through Estacada. Then about ten miles down the highway is a logging road.”

As they pulled out on to 190th the traffic was light. Not very many cars at all, it was like early on a Sunday morning. At the first light they only had to wait for about three cars to get through the light. They were looking for things that might show how bad it was, but they didn’t see anything out of place.

Tonya confessed, “After hearing sirens all morning long, and what you told me about the 7-11. I thought it would look like a war zone out here, but everything looks normal.”

“Does it?” Jim asked. “Look nothing is open, every store, gas station, and business we have past is closed. Not even a car in the parking lot of any of them, and it is noon on a weekday. What do you think it will be like when the stores open back up? If no debit cards or credit cards work, and the banks are closed. The only money people will have is what is in their pockets. This would mean that the only people going to buy something would have cash. Then what about those that have just a little food in their house, and all their money is in the bank.”

“Well Jim you have a point,” Tonya said, “Did you know that sounds like what your wacko brother would say.”

As they drove out of town the houses started getting farther and farther apart. They were passing from the city into the country. It was like a giant weight had been lifted off of them, as they got to Foster road. Damn Jim thought, We should have left a little earlier there isn’t a car on the road, as he turned on to Foster road. Jim didn’t want to say anything to Tonya that would upset or worry her, but he was thinking about what could happen. What if they run into the police and they’re checking people? Their ID has an address in town. What would we tell them? What would they do to us? When they look in the back of the truck, they’ll know what we’re doing. He started to get worried about what might happen. He looked over at Tonya. She was looking out the window watching the countryside go by.

Jim thought some more, How am I going to be more careful without upsetting or scaring her? She seems to be taking this so well. I wonder what she is thinking about? Does she think were home free, and made it out.

Jim needed to know and asked, “What are you thinking.”

Tonya replied. “I was just thinking how peaceful it is out here.”

Then she asked, “What do you think about the little town’s we have to go through? Do you think there will be police checking the cars? I was thinking that it is not like Portland. The police don’t have much to deal with out here.”

That was the one question Jim didn’t want to hear. He didn’t have an answer for her, and had been trying to answer that same question himself. Reaching over and gently placing his hand on her thigh. He gave her a gentle squeeze. She felt a warm feeling, as passion started to fill her thoughts. Then Jim softly whispered, “I have been thinking of that myself. I was thinking of what they said in the news. They asked us to go to our homes and wait, but they didn’t say we had to. I never heard them declare martial law, and I think all of the FEMA stuff was intended for the bad areas, but I think you might be right. When we get to the top of that hill, and just before we drop down into Damascus. I’ll stop and walk up and look around the corner, and see what it looks like down in the town.”

Tonya said, “I like it. That sounds like a good plan to me.” Looking in the mirror, she could see a truck coming up behind them. “Jim!” Tonya shouted.

“I see it,” Jim said, as the big brown 4x4 flew past him. He could see a tarp flapping over stuff in the back of the truck, as the tarp flapped up and down Jim could see a chainsaw and other stuff. He was trying to see if it was the kind of stuff someone would take, if they were getting out of town, but the truck was going so fast he couldn’t tell.

“Wow!” Tonya said. “He was going so fast, it was like we were parked when he went by.”

Jim asked, “Could you see what he had under the tarp?”

Tonya admitted, “No. He was going way to fast,”

All Jim could see was his brake lights as he disappeared around a corner way up the road, and he was gone. Jim knew it was just around that corner and up the hill where he had to stop. Then check things out in Damascus. Jim suggested, “If they do have the road blocked I don’t think that guy is stopping.”

Tonya agreed, “You might be right,”

Jim was going up the hill, and he was looking at everything trying to assess what he was going to do. Slowing down he pulled off to the side of the road and stopped. Then he took the binoculars, and looked through the windshield to the top of the hill. He scanned through the brush and trees alongside the road. Nothing, everything looked clear. “Wait here,” he said to Tonya, as he got out and walked up the last 200 yards of the hill to the corner. Once there he looked down the hill into the town. He could see the traffic light at the bottom of the hill. He knew it was the only light in town, and was the main intersection in the little town. He looked east and west on HWY 212 the best he could do from where he was. Then he saw a car going east on HWY 212 it stopped at the non-working traffic light then kept going. Jim watched it until it was out of sight. Then he went back to the truck. When he got in, he laid the binoculars on the seat, and informed, “It looks all clear.”

“What did you see?” Tonya asked.

Jim told Tonya about the traffic light and the car as he started the truck. Then he told her that he thought the power was still out, because the traffic light was not working. He drove up the hill and down into the little town. They stopped at the light, and looked around. There was nothing to see, and everything looked abandoned. It was like early in the morning and no one was up yet. Jim made a left turn on to HWY 212 it went up a little hill and then back down into a dip. As he got almost to the top of the next little hill he could see lights flashing on the trees. He slammed on the brakes so hard. That it threw all the stuff off the seat and onto the floor of the truck. His heart started to pound with fear. He thought, Is this a road block, or is it just the police getting the guy in the truck.

 

[gonewacky]

Tonya asked, “What do you think is happening up over the hill?”

“I don’t know,” Jim blurted, “But I’m not sticking around to find out.”

He made a U-turn and went down the hill looking in the mirror the whole time. Then he took the first left on to S.E. Regner St. Then took it to the end and took a left on to S.E. Sehorn St., and stopped next to a tall stand of fir trees. He asked Tonya to get the Clackamas county map out of the glove box. Looking at the map, Jim gave a big sigh of relief as he turned and looked in the mirror. Seeing that everything looked normal, he went back to the map.

“There is a way out of here and it looks good,” Jim announced. “We just stay on this road until we get to Naomi and take a left. Follow it until we get to Ondo Rivera then right. That will take us out on to 232nd. Then it’s just go south on HWY 224 to Estacada.”

“What do you think was happening back on the highway?” Tonya asked.

Jim said, “I don’t know, but I’m not going to take any chances. It could be the guy in the truck that passed us, or the car that I saw go through the light. It might even be a roadblock. I just don’t know, but we can’t take that chance. Everything has changed now. We have to be real careful from here on.”

Tonya asked, “How can we be more careful than we are now?”

Jim informed, “I will have to stop back a safe distance from every intersection, and check it out first.”

“Good lord,” Tonya declared, “Do we have to be that careful? What if where just being over cautious. That could have just been someone getting a ticket. Like that crazy guy we saw in the truck.”

Jim asked, “Are you having second thoughts about this?”

“Well no,” Tonya insisted, “I just don’t know how much more of this worrying about everything I can handle. It is just about 3:00 PM why don’t we turn on the radio, and see if we can hear an update of what is going on.”

Jim turned on the radio. There was a reporter talking about what actions the government was taking. The reporter said that in areas of civil unrest they were declaring Marshall Law. That there is going to be a curfew and the times will be announced in a later broadcast. Then they went back to coverage of what was happening in the local areas. Jim turned the radio off, and looked at Tonya, “I don’t know if they’re declaring Marshall Law in Portland. After what I saw on the way home, and heard from the neighbor. I think they might.”

Jim stopped back form every road crossing. Then he went up and checked it out before driving through. This was taking a lot of time, but he knew it must be done. Jim paused to wipe the sweat from his brow, as he peered down the slope of a small hill. He couldn't believe it. He had thought it would have taken about 1-maybe 2 hours to get to the woods. Here it was 8 hours later and they were still on the road. “8 hours!” He cursed himself for not taking into account that he would always be stopping back from every intersection that they came to, In order to have a look before trying to cross.

Now he found what he had feared. He knew when he saw the roadblock that martial law had started. They wouldn't have the manpower to guard every town and cow path. But right up there, not two hundred yards away was an armored personnel carrier with a man sitting behind a heavy machinegun watching both East and West on highway 224. True he was coming from the west, but he still had to make it through that intersection. There was no way around it. The river was on the south side of the road. To the north would go back into the out skirts of the big city.

Suddenly he heard a shot followed a second later by the boom of a shotgun. The machinegun swung around and opened up, cutting brush down as he sprayed the area. Then there was a big boom, and two 4x4 trucks came flying out of the brush and drove through the roadblock. As Jim ran back to the truck, he saw Tonya going down the hill ahead of him. Jim thought, She must have been coming up to see what was going on. He jumped in the truck.

Tonya asked, “Damn did you see that?”

Just then, Jim floored the truck and headed for the roadblock.

Tonya yelled, “What the hell are you doing? Didn’t you see what just happened?

Jim scolded, “What the hell do you think, of course I saw it. We have to get past this roadblock to get to the woods. When they don’t report for the next radio check, this place will be swarming with government types. Then we would never make it. We just have to make it another ten miles to the first logging road then we can take it easy from there.”

Tonya was quiet as they sped past the roadblock looking at the dead men lying on the ground. Tonya thought, Jim is really freaked out. Knowing she was totally freaked out herself.

About ten minutes later, they were turning onto the logging road. Jim just kept going as it wound up the mountain. Then taking a big breath Jim said, “I am going to pull over up here, get the maps and flashlight out of the glove box.”

Jim stopped the truck and got out. Then went back and started digging in the bed of the truck.

Tonya asked, “What are you doing?”

Jim informed, “I’m looking for the duct tape.”

Tonya got out and walked back with the flashlight questioning, “What do you need duct tape for?”

Jim requested, “Here shine the light down here, I need to tape off the lights so we can see where we are going, and not look like a neon sign going up the side of the mountain.” Jim taped off the tail lights and walked to the front of the truck. Taping off the headlights and leaving a little slit on each one for light to shine through. “Good,” Jim announced, “Now let’s see how that works.” Reaching through the window, he pulled on the lights. “Looks good,”

“Hey look at that.” Tonya announced, pointing to some lights going up a logging road off in the distance.

Jim answered saying. “See that’s what I mean. They must be ten miles away, and look how good you can see them. I think it might be those guys that ran the roadblock in front of us. That is why I am doing this. People like that won’t think twice about shooting us, and taking our stuff. I’m ready to go.”

Jim took the rifles out from behind the seat, put them on the gun rack over the back window, and got in. Heading up the road at 5 miles an hour Jim admitted, “It will probably take all night to get to a place to camp. This is taking longer than I thought. You can put the maps back in the glove box. We will figure out which way to get to HWY 97 tomorrow.”

After about a mile Jim started to get the hang of driving with just a little light. He was going a little faster about 15 or 20 miles an hour. As he concentrated to stay on the road, he was hitting potholes. It was hard to see them, and see to stay on the road.

Tonya asked, “Are you hitting them on purpose?”

Jim laughed and said, “Do you want to drive? I’m doing the best I can.”

“No,” Tonya said, “You’re doing fine.”

After driving most of the night Jim requested, “Why don’t you turn on the radio and see if you can find a station. Maybe we can get an update on what is going on.”

Jokingly Tonya said, “What you can’t drive and do the radio at the same time.”

Knowing it was taking all he had just to stay on the road with what little light they had. After a little bit of searching, she found a station. The reporter was saying that the President has assumed control of all transportation; including all commercial vehicles, all US, Interstate and most state highways, all airports and aircraft, all railroads, all waterways and all commercial vessels. There is a curfew from 8 PM to 8 AM. and private Citizens are prohibited from carrying firearms in public. The emergency message droned on and on. Jim could not believe this was happening right before his eyes. He remembered 9/11 and felt some fear that day, but not like this. This was different and was right in his face. Not clear across the country. Then they heard that the next broadcast will be at 5:00 am then all they heard was the emergency broadcast signal on the radio.

“Damn it, them bastard’s,” Jim complained. “Don’t they know people want to know what is going on? See if you can find another station.”

Tuning the radio all she could find was static and a couple of EAS tones. “That’s it,” Tonya informed, and turned off the radio.

Jim announced, “There is a place just a few miles up the road. That’s where my brother and I camped last year during hunting season. It is back off the road and would be a good place to camp. We can get some sleep and figure out where to go from there. Just around the corner from there, you can see Portland and the Willamette River. The first time we saw it we didn’t know what it was. We had to get out the spotting scope and take a look. Then we could see that there was Hi-rise buildings and could tell it was Portland.”

Jim pulled off into a little clearing and Tonya asked, “What do you think we will do now?”

Jim pulled her close, and she laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and answered, “Live to tell our grandchildren not to let this happen again.”

Jim stretched out leaning his head against the window. Then he tried to sleep. Tonya went to the back of the truck and got a sleeping bag. Then she laid on the seat next to Jim. She rested her head on his shoulder and pulled the sleeping bag up over them.

Jim woke a few times in the night. He though he heard something at one point, but didn’t see or hear anything. The cloud cover made the night pitch-black. Finally the light glow of daybreak lit up the cab of the truck. Shivering Tonya requested, “Wood you start the truck, and get the heater going.”

Then Tonya about jumped out of her skin, as there was a tap tap on the passenger window. Looking up there stood a man in his sixty’s motioning for her to roll down the window. Tonya sat up and gave the window crank one crank. This opened up a crack at the top of the window.

Dave talked through the crack, “You doing alright?”

Tonya nodded her head and Dave went on, “I’m Dave.” Then pointing at his camper he said, “That’s my wife Margret we have the heat going, and a fresh pot of coffee. If you want to come over you’re more than welcome. If you decide to drive off we understand. Coffee’s hot.”

Then he disappeared, and Tonya leaned forward to see him. She saw a truck with a cab over camper on it parked over from them. There was his wife with stone white hair up in a bun waiting for him. She heard his wife question, “Are they coming?”

Dave replied, “I don’t know. They look scared half to death.”

Tonya asked, “What do you think Jim?”

Jim thought about it in his half-asleep state and said, “He seems honest. He could have just shot us as we slept and taking our stuff, or stabbed our tires so we couldn’t leave. He did say they had heat and coffee. I say we try it. There most likely just like us. They want to know what is happening.”

The next thing they knew they were standing at the back of the camper knocking on the door. Margret opened the door and put out her hand to Tonya and said, “Come on in here where it’s warm child.”

Tonya smiled as she stepped up in the camper. They sat and sipped coffee with the couple and talked about their situation. Dave explained, “We were in the campground playing cards, and Margret wanted some music. She turned on the radio and that is when we found out what everyone knew all day. We decided to pack up and go home. This is all the further we got before we decided to stop and sleep.”

 

[gonewacky]

Jim and Tonya decided to travel with Dave and Margret until they got to HWY 97. Then they would split, and they would each go their own way. This took a lot of pressure off Jim, because Dave knew the logging roads and back roads to the highway.

Margret made them Hotcakes. Then Jim and Tonya followed behind their truck and camper. Dave drove slowly as the big camper on the truck rock back and forth on the rough road.

They stopped twice and when they stopped for the night Tonya asked, “How long do you think it will take to get to the highway?”

Jim looked at the speedometer and saw they only made it twenty miles for the day. He replied, “If we keep going only five and ten miles an hour four days.”

Tonya asked, “Why is he going so slow?”

Jim replied, “Because the camper is top heavy and it would be dangerous to go faster. That and he’s old.”

The next day Tonya got a note pad to make a list of what they would need to survive, and soon found they were no better off than most of the country. They didn’t have seeds to grow, and couldn’t replace there food when it was gone. They had no canning jars to preserve the food if they could get it. They had no books on preserving food, and would have to rely on Jim’s brother Tom and his wife Ann for that knowledge.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 3

It had been two weeks since the power went out in Seattle. The morning sun shined through the kitchen window as Lenny looked through his cupboards. Two cans of tuna, a can of pork and beans, peaches, and part of a box of corn flakes was all that was left. He opened the last can of peaches and stabbed a peach as he heard another gunshot. It seemed to be getting worse, and the smell of the death was starting to fill the air. I got to get out of the city, he thought.

He thought about going out and looking for food the day before. The thoughts kept flashing through his head. On his way to check the store he saw two guys beating an old man to take his coat. He could tell the man was like everyone else and had nothing, and was looking for food. When Lenny got to the store, the parking lot was peppered with dead people. He passed a man lying in a puddle of dried blood with half of his head gone. The smell was sickening, and could feel his stomach contract. He fought with all he had to keep from puking. A tall thin gray haired man passed him coming from the store. “It’s all gone son. They’ve taking everything,” he said as he passed.

Lenny knew the store was most likely empty, but he had to do something. His food was running out, and he had been locked in his apartment for days. He was afraid to come out because it sounded like a war zone outside. It seemed a little better now. He had only heard a few shots now and then, and most of the big fires had burned out. There were only a few small pillars of smoke around the city.

As he walked home, a guy stepped out of some bushes about ten feet in front of him. He had a shotgun hanging over his arm, and a rifle with a scope hanging over his shoulder. Another guy pushing a wheelbarrow full of can goods came out behind him. Lenny froze in place, put his hand in his pocket and gripped the old Lugar.

“What are you looking at punk,” the man yelled.

Lenny’s heart started to pound, and his mind raced as he watched the man raise the shotgun. Oh my god! He’s going to kill me! Lenny thought. Lenny couldn’t move he was scared stiff, I got to get out of here. He’s going to shoot me.

He heard a click, and heard the man shout, “Oh shit!”

The man lifted the shotgun in the air and gave his arm a jerk. The sound of the chambering round snapped Lenny into action. He jerked out the pistol and fired two shots as he ran behind a house. Then he heard the boom of the shotgun, and the man shout. “That bastard shot at me.”

Taking a sip of the juice, he looked at the pan of water. It was the last out of the hot water tank. I got to get more water, he thought.



He stabbed another peach as he heard the screams. It was Anna, the girl in the apartment across the hall. Lenny stopped for a moment, but the screams didn’t stop. Damn it, I don’t need this crap, Lenny thought.

He popped the clip on the pistol, and looked at the round at the top. No need to count them he had done it a dozen times, and he knew there was only five rounds left. He pushed the clip back in the gun and chambered a round. Then he went across the hall to Anna’s. The door had been kicked in, so he looked through the two-inch gap. He couldn’t see a thing, but heard Anna yell for help again. Then he heard a muffled sound and a man’s voice. “You bit me bitch.”

Lenny heard a slap and the man’s voice again, “quit fighting me bitch you know you want it.”

Oh shit, someone is raping her, “Lenny thought.

He took a deep breath and gave the door a kick. It flew and hit the wall with a bang. Lenny stepped through the door holding his gun in front of him. There she was on the hall floor with a man on top of her.

“Get your ass off of her!” Lenny yelled.

But the man just turned his head and looked at him. Lenny pulled back the hammer and yelled again, “I said get off of her now!”

The man got up waving his hands in front of himself and said, “Hey, don’t do anything stupid. We’re just having some fun here.”

Anna had gotten to her feet and kicked him between the legs as hard as she could. He dropped to his knees as Anna yelled, “Shoot him Lenny!”

At any other time Lenny would have shot him, but he thought about only having five rounds left. He just stood there with the gun pointed at the man, as Anna disappeared into the bedroom. Then he heard a boom, and watched blood and brain matter spray on to the hall wall. The man fell over with a pool of blood forming around his head. Lenny’s eyes bulged as Anna stepped into the hall.

She looked at Lenny and questioned, “Why the hell didn’t you shoot him? I told you to.”

Lenny just looked at her. Her blouse was torn and one breast was hanging out. He looked down at the floor and pointed without saying a word. Anna looked down, and tucked her breast in her blouse and held it together. Then continued, “Look at me Lenny! Why didn’t you shoot him?”

Lenny finely answered, “I was thinking about it. Normally I would have shot the sicko without a second thought, but I only have five rounds of ammo left. I got to get out of town. I’ll die for sure if I stay here, and I doubt if five rounds will do it.”

Anna shook her head, “What is that old thing anyway. Looks like a P38 Lugar. Right?

Lenny just nodded his head yes. Anna went on, “9 millimeter isn’t it?”

Lenny was surprised she even knew what it was as he answered, “I’m not sure, but that’s what my grandfather told me when he gave it to me. He said, “Boy if you’re going to live in the city you’ll need a gun. Take the 9 millimeter Lugar, it will stop anyone.”

Anna stepped back into the bedroom as she spoke, “He’s right you know. Those P38’s got good knockdown power. My dad has one, he doesn’t shoot it much, but he keeps it loaded on the table by his chair.”

Anna came back out into the hall caring a shirt. She stepped over the dead man, and through a box at Lenny. He caught the box as she announced, “9 millimeter.”

She took off the torn blouse and through it in a chair. Lenny turned his head so he was not looking at her breast, as she put on the shirt. Anna took her coat from the back of a chair, and headed for the door. She slapped Lenny on the ass and said, “Let’s go Lenny.”

“Go where?” Lenny questioned.

“To your place to get a coat,” Anna replied. “Hell you don’t expect me to stay at my place with the door kicked in do yah. Your place isn’t any better Lenny you don’t have any food. I think we need to get out of the city.”

Lenny pulled his coat from the back of the dining room chair, as he looked at the half-eaten can of peaches. Then he thought, Where are we going?

Lenny felt Anna’s hand slip across the back of his neck and down over his shoulder. She leaned her head to his, and her long fire red hair hung down his face to his chest. He was engulfed in the sweet smell of her hair as she walked him to the door whispering in his ear, “My dad taught me to never leave a debt unpaid. You saved my life, now it’s my turn to save yours.”

She slipped away and gave him another slap on the butt. At the stairs Lenny asked, “Do know where were going?”

“I share do,” she informed, “and I have a way to get there too.”

Thoughts went through Lenny’s mind. He knew that most cars and trucks were useless, and the roods were clogged with them. People just abandoned them when they ran out of gas. With it happening at rush hour everything just came to a standstill. He knew people were getting around on bicycles, but it would take days to get out of the city on a bike. He remembered the day he went to check the store, and watched a guy shot for his bike. Some thug shot him right off his bike, and took it.

Anna pulled the keys from her pocket and opened the hatch on the Jeep. She reached in and pulled out a black pack, and handed it to Lenny. “Put this on,” she demanded. Then opened the driver’s door, and pulled a large knife from under the seat. She looked at Lenny and ordered, “Give me the clip from your gun and the box of shells.”

Lenny pulled the pistol from his waistband and popped the clip out, and gave it to Anna with the box of ammo. She laid the ammo on the hood with the knife, and popped the rounds out of the clip with her thumb. “Just what I thought,” she exclaimed as she pulled the knife from the sheath. She took the knife and cut an X on the top of each bullet, and put it back in the clip. Then she finished loading the clip with the hollow points from the box. She tossed the clip to Lenny and pulled her 9 millimeter from the back of her pants. Popped out the clip and replaced the round that went through the would be rapists head. She tossed the box of ammo to Lenny, and stepped over to her storage unit.

She smiled at Lenny and announced, “I checked it the other day and it started.”

She opened the door and there sat her little red scooter. Lenny had seen her use it lots of times to go to the store and run an errand close to home. She pushed it out the door and stepped inside. She handed Lenny a gas can and a bungee strap. “Strap that on the back,” she instructed.

Then she passed out a hammer and screwdriver as she instructed him to put them in the basket. Turning back around, she pulled a box from under a shelf. She started tossing things on the floor, and ordered Lenny to put them in the basket on the scooter. Lenny loaded the rope, funnel, and other things into the basket.

Anna took a hair tie from her pocket, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Then she got on the scooter and looked at Lenny. “Don’t just stand there get on and give me your gun.”

He handed Anna his pistol as he slipped his leg over the scooter. He put his hands behind his back and took hold of the basket, as Anna pushed the pistol down the front of her pants next to hers. Then in a sarcastic voice she exclaimed, “Lenny where are your hands?”

“Holding on,” he replied.

In a demanding voice she ordered, “Give them to me.”

Lenny took his hands from the basket, and slipped one up each side of her waste to her waiting hands. She took his hands and pulled him tight to her wrapping his hands around her waist. He could fell the two pistols under his hands as she announced, “Now if we have any trouble you take a pistol and I’ll drive like hell. If it goes empty, take the other one and keep shooting. You got it?”

“Got it,” Lenny replied.

Anna took a deep breath and pushed the starter button. The scooter started, and their journey began.

On the road Anna slowed the scooter and stopped. It had taken most of the day to get out of the city, but they had finely made it. Anna had not had any trouble getting the scooter around the stranded cars on the freeway, and they had only seen a few people walking along the side. It was nothing like the city streets.

Lenny slipped off the scooter and rubbed his butt. Then he walked up to the truck on its side and looked it over. There was no way to get around it. The truck was plowed into the bank on one end, and into the guardrail on the other end. Both lanes of the highway were blocked, but turning back was not an option. Lenny went to the guardrail and looked over the edge. It must have been a hundred feet to the bottom. He and Anna could climb over the truck, but he knew the two of them couldn’t lift the scooter that high. He turned to Anna now standing next to him and informed, “I think what we do is tie the rope to the scooter. I take the rope over the truck and tie it to the guardrail on the other side. Then we push the scooter over the guardrail, and pull it up on the other side.”

 

[gonewacky]

Anna smiled, “I think that might work.” Then she slapped Lenny on the butt and barked, “Well don’t just stand there Lenny. Get the rope.”

Lenny took the gas can and other things out of the basket on the scooter, and tied the rope to the frame. Then he climbed up on the truck, and had Anna hand him the stuff from the basket and rope. He took the rope, tied it to the guardrail, and climbed back over the truck. Then helped Anna lift the scooter over the guardrail, and let it slid down the steep bank. Then he helped Anna over the truck, and they pulled up the scooter. Then they put the stuff back in the scooters basket and headed back up the highway.

About an hour up the road, they stopped by an abandoned car. Anna got off the scooter and disclosed, “You know the drill Lenny, get with it.”

Lenny knew just what he had to do, and got the gas can and funnel from the scooter. Then he took the hammer and screwdriver and headed for the car. He put the funnel in the can, and slid it under the car. With the hammer and screwdriver, he pounded a hole in the gas tank. Then he slid the gas can under the draining gas. When the can was full, he filled the scooter. Then he topped off the can, and strapped the can back on the scooter.

He had a seat next to Anna on the grass, and she waved her hand in front of her face. “You stink like gas,” she exclaimed.

“It’s my hands,” Lenny insisted.

Anna opened the pack and pulled out a towel let and insisted, “Wash your hands with this.”

Then she pulled out a small bottle of hand lotion and had Lenny use some of it. Then she acknowledged, “Guess you earned dinner, but you have to get some wood and build us a fire first.”

The next morning Anna kneed Lenny in the back, “Hay, unzip this thing. It’s time to get up.”

Lenny unzipped the sleeping bag and a rush of cold air came rushing in. He was immediately wide-awake, and slipped out. Anna got out and grumbled, “We’re making it the rest of the way today. I’m not sharing this sleeping bag one more night. You squished me all night and I’m stiff all over.”

Lenny added, “I know what you mean. I couldn’t even rollover without letting the zipper down.”

Anna got her brush from her bag and complained, “Lenny the fire’s out.”

Lenny yawned and got the fire starter from the pack, and started a fire. Then Anna handed him the canteen and water filter, and told him to fill it at the creek. Lenny took the canteen and headed for the creek without a word, as Anna thought. This guy can’t be real. He never complains, and dose whatever is needed. He’s quite most of the time, and good looking too. Dang where you been all my life Lenny?

Lenny returned with the canteen and put some wood on the fire. Anna took her mess-kit from the pack, and poured some water in the pan side. Then she put it on the fire, and put a coffee bag in the cup. Lenny was warming his hands by the fire when Anna patted the sleeping bag next to her. He sat next to her as she whispered, “I only have one cup, so we have to share.”

Lenny spoke softly, “Okay. We’re almost to the pass you know. That means we’re about four hours away by car. I’m sure we’ll get there today, but I’ve been thinking. What am I going to do when we get there?”

She put her arm around him, leaned her head on his shoulder, and whispered, “Stay with me of course.”

Lenny whispered, “Oh, I see.”

Later that day Lenny gripped the pistol as they approached the man walking down the highway. This was the third time they had passed someone walking. This guy was not staring like the others. He was waving his arms and yelling as he moved out on to the road. Anna gave the little scooter all it had, as Lenny pulled a pistol from Anna’s waist. Anna headed right at him until the last moment. Then she swerved to the side of the road, and Lenny pointed the pistol at him. Seeing the pistol the man jumped back as they passed.

They were climbing the pass and the scooter was working hard. The hill had the scooter down to thirty miles an hour when they heard it. It was the pounding sound of a helicopter, so Anna drove off the road. She went through the ditch and up into the trees.

Anna stopped the scooter and Lenny asked, “What did you do that for?”

Anna replied, “Remember what happened in the city. Anyone that had a working car was killed for it. I’m sure it’s the same with plains or helicopters that fly’s. I don’t think we should take a chance like that.”

“You’re probably right,” Lenny agreed as the helicopter passed over following the highway.

When they couldn’t hear the helicopter anymore Anna took the scooter back to the highway, and they continued on their trip.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 4

In Washington D.C.

Jason left the Pentagon and went to the little apartment he shared with a friend. His friend was a Gulf War Vet, who had taken shrapnel in the back from a roadside bomb. It had left him paralyzed from the waist down, and stuck in a wheelchair. Setting his briefcase behind the door, he twisted the dead bolt, and looked at Raymond sitting in his wheelchair. His back was to him, and he was typing away at a computer. The living room was not like a normal living room. There was no couch or TV. Instead, it was filled with desks and tables with computers on them. Raymond never even looked up at Jason, and this was not normal. Walking across the room Jason questioned, “What’s up?”

Spinning his wheelchair around Raymond announced, “You got an email from your wife, and it had a picture of her and the kids in it. But get this, there is something encoded in the picture. I’ve already ran some of my hacker tools on it, but I can’t break it. You know this is the hardest kind of code to break, and I like a challenge. Even if I never break it, I’ll have fun trying.”

Flopping in an office chair Jason rolled over next to Raymond and confessed, “I’ve been keeping something from you. It’s about the government. They’re in the middle of a takeover, and we’re going to lose all our rights.”

Raymond made a funny face and giggled, “Duh, you don’t think I’m stupid do you? Hell, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.”

Jason gulped, “Yah, but what you don’t know is that I’m working with a resistance. I’m feeding them information to fight the takeover.”

Raymond exclaimed, “Why Jason, I didn’t know you had it in you. I always thought you were just another computer geek.”

Jason revealed, “I might know what’s encoded in the picture if that will help. Try, “The apple fell from the tree,” and see if that works.”

Raymond spun his wheelchair around and typed something and hit enter. After waiting a few minutes he exclaimed, “Nope that isn’t it. Let me think, if I were sending something like this. What would I do?” Holding up a finger he continued, “Sometimes the hardest things to break are the ones that are the simplest, and have the answer right in front of you.”

Raymond typed fearlessly, hit enter, and rolled his wheelchair back a little. He watched the screen intensely as the picture faded away leaving the text. A smile came to his face and his eyes glowed as he exclaimed, “We got the code. What do you want to send them now?”

Jason looked bug eyed and shrugged his shoulders. He was getting in deep, and adding his roommate to the mix made things more complicated. He knew he could trust Raymond to the end, but he didn’t like putting him in jeopardy. Like it or not it was too late, Raymond was in and there was no way to change it. Trying to stop him now would be impossible, so Jason advised, “I suppose we should send them something letting them know we broke the code, and see how they reply.”

Raymond spun his wheelchair around and went to a computer across the room, and Jason rolled his chair up to read the email. Jason’s eyes watered as he read her words. He could fell the stress in her words, and wished he were there to help her. Teary-eyed Jason gave his feet a kick, and rolled across the room to Raymond. Looking at the picture on the screen Jason exclaimed, “Oh no! Not that picture, don’t send that one.”

On the screen was a picture of Raymond and Jason drunk. Jason was sitting sideways in Raymond’s lap hanging over his wheelchair holding up a bottle. Jason kept shaking his head no, and Raymond’s smile just got bigger. Finally, they both broke out in laughter, as the memories flashed through their minds. After they settled down Jason added a note for his wife, and Raymond explained about the email. He told Jason that the IP and email address had been created only a few hours ago, and he didn’t know what would happen. Hopefully it works, and they get it Raymond told him crossing his fingers. Putting the text in the picture Raymond sent it, as Jason strongly objected about the picture.

The next day.

At the Pentagon, Jason had finished his work for the day. Then headed back to his little office and workshop. He was getting extremely nervous about the program he loaded on the system that morning, and feared it might be tract back to him. His stomach had a knot that felt like his insides were being torn out. He was hot and could feel the sweat running down his face. Every beat of his heart sent a surge running through his body. He sat in his chair and took a few deep breaths. Then his commanding officer came into his office. Taking one look at Jason, Colonel Hatfilled commented, “Boy you don’t look to good.” Then he asked, “Are you feeling alright?”

Wiping the sweat from his face with his shirtsleeve Jason replied, “Not to good sir. I think I might be coming down with something.”

The Colonel insisted, “I want you to go to the infirmary and get checked out. I’ll get someone to cover for you. Now get with it.”

“Yes sir,” Jason replied.



Back at the apartment Jason shared with Raymond a Gulf War Vet. Raymond was checking his hidden file where the program was putting what it found. On the other end, it would look like it found a virus, and was quarantining it. In reality, it was copping what it found to his hidden file. He had been kicking himself all afternoon for making the search so vague. It was putting a lot of garbage in the folder. Opening the next document put chills running through his body. It had an emblem of a triangle with a circle inside of it, and another triangle inside of the circle. It was titled, “Page 3, Project Spin Down.

Taking a closer look at the outcome of a third world war, research data shows only two adversaries has the ability to win such a war. On the same account a win could be a loss, or otherwise useless. The key component here is infrastructure. No adversary wants a country with no infrastructure, with the exception of the Muslims, and that is because they want us all dead. Unlike the Muslims, any other adversary would want as much of the infrastructure left intact as possible. Without infrastructure two thirds of the population would die the first year. Followed by another third of what is left the next year. Disease would run rapidly across the country. Starvation would be common in most places, and anarchy would spread throughout the nation. This would make any takeover of the aggressor next to impossible.

A full-scale nuclear war would leave both the aggressor and advisory destroyed, and is the no win scenario. This is not a likely plan of attack, and therefore no plans can be developed in this situation. The most likely plan of last defense would be to destroy your own assets and infrastructure. This would make the aggressor use a large number of troops, and monetary assets to take control. If this is too large and costly compared to assets gained, then the aggressor might be better off to leave the country to recover on its own. Then look at its options after recovery is well underway. Even if this takes years, it’s far more beneficial, and would be in their best interest.

In the case of the United States of America, if all infrastructure was destroyed, and our nuclear arsenal remained intact. Then we would still be deemed a super power, and remove any chance of takeover by invasion. With our nuclear arsenal capable of withstanding the worst of attacks, this gives us the possibility of recovering from this kind of attack, and as a last resort using this tactic to shorten a war.

This led to the development of project “Spin Down.” As a last resort, Spin Down will remove all infrastructure. This throwing the United States of America back 100 years. The infrastructures at that time would be that of a third world country, but we would still have command and control. With high command still in control of the nuclear arsenal, any adversary would not use the option of using an invading force. The consequences of their action would be too high of a risk.

With the development of project “Spin Down,” there is a ten-year recovery plan. If this plan is implemented 24 hours before activating Spin Down, this will save key components of the infrastructure, and make recovery possible. It is necessary for all refineries, and power generating stations to be shutdown prior to implementing Spin Down. Electricity is everything, if it can be restored, you can eventually recover all the other infrastructures. If you can't, you'll never get the other infrastructures back. Everything depends on electricity. If it cannot be restored then life will change forever.

Project Spin Down is a hardwired system, and the coding is imbedded into the semiconductor chips in all needed systems. Once it is activated, there is no way to stop the programming. It is unaffected by power loss, as internal batteries run the program. Within three minutes of activation, the chosen nuclear missiles have been programmed, and disconnected from all control systems. An internal program will release an overload charge. This will fuse all connections making it impossible to communicate with the missiles. It also changes all codes for access to the chosen missiles, and burns out the self-destruct circuit. This makes it impossible to activate the missiles self-destruct after liftoff, and leaving shooting the missal down as the only option. This is a last line of defense weapon, and should be used with the most respect.

Components added after the development of Spin Down. The following systems have been tied to Spin Down. A software program was added to the system, it blocks all communications during the countdown stage of Spin Down.

Raymond rolled his wheelchair back from the monitor, and heard a ding from the computer behind him. He knew it was an email, but his mind was still trying to take in what he had just read. He tried to put it all together as he thought, Damn dooms day machine is what it is. Who in the hell would make something like that. This has to be the stupidest thing the government has ever done. Some idiot could start the damn thing, and there is no way to stop it.

Shaking his head, Raymond heard the door open. His heart pounded hard, and he hit a key on the keyboard to hide the screen. Then he spun his wheelchair around, and saw Jason standing with his back against the door. Taking a deep breath Raymond blurted out, “You scared the crap out of me. What are you doing home this time of day?”

Shaking his head Jason argued, “I scared you! What do you think that program you made has done to me? I’m scared as hell, and think I’m going to lose it. My commander thought I was coming down with something. Yah, I’m coming down with the worst case of fear I have ever had. That’s what I’m coming down with.”

“You and me both,” Raymond acknowledged. “In my bedroom is a box on the nightstand. It has a bottle of valium in it, bring it out here, I need some of it too. You have no idea what I found out about that Spin Down thing. Think you’re scared now; just wait until you hear what it does. Then you will have something to be scared about.”

Jason emerged from the bedroom with the bottle. Raymond was decoding another email, and Jason arrived just in time to see the picture fade away. The text told that they were broadcasting a wake-up call to America at 8:00 am Pacific time. That would be in about an hour and a half. This gave Raymond time to go over what he had found on Spin Down.

An hour later, Jason and Raymond stared at the screen. They were speechless as they watch the triangle spin inside of the circle. Raymond slowly rolled his wheelchair back to the end of the table. Not taking his eyes off the screen, he picked up the radio and looked for a station, but all he could get was a high pitch squall. Jason looked up at Raymond with the phone in his hand, and watched him shake his head no. Then they both looked back at the screen, the timer under the symbol on the screen was already at 18:36. Almost a minute and a half had passed as Raymond thought, They say in a crises that time slows down, but it seems to be going faster.

 

[gonewacky]

Jason looked at Raymond then at the screen and asked, “How long after that timer goes off does it take for Spin Down to Start?”

Shaking his head, Raymond whispered, “That timer is not the launch time. It’s the time of detonation, and the end of all electronics.”

Looking back at the timer and seeing 15:10, Raymond insisted, “We have less then fifteen minutes to get a Truck and a full tank of gas.”

The panic finely hit Jason. It must be the valium, he thought. He pushed Raymond out the door and to the car. After helping him in the passenger seat, he threw the wheelchair in the trunk, and jumped in the car. Turning the key Jason heard Raymond say, “Twelve minutes.” Putting the car in reverse Jason pushed the pedal to the floor, and watched smoke come over the hood from the tires. Then threw it into drive and floored it again, he shot off the curb into the street. The car Skidded sideways in front of a city bus, as he took off down the road.

About a mile down the road, Jason slowed as he passed a car lot. Then Raymond shouted, “An old Chevy truck in the back. Do you see it?’

Skidding the car into the lot Jason stopped and jumped out. The salesmen came out and headed to meat Jason as he yelled, “That old truck, how does it run?”

“Good,” the salesmen replied. “The keys are in it. Check it out.”

Raymond shouted from the car window, “Eight minutes!”

Jason got in and started it, as the salesmen walked over. Pushing the gas to the floor he took off across the lot, and almost hit the salesmen on the way. The salesmen’s eyes bulged as he watched Jason shoot across the street to the gas station. Cars where skidding and honking as he skidded up to the pump. He jumped out, and pushed his credit card in the pump and took the nozzle. His heart raced and his mind counted the seconds like minutes. He waited for what seemed like hours for the credit card to clear. Finally, the pump reset to zero, and he was pumping gas.

Across the street, the salesmen walked to the car, and advised Raymond, “Your buddy better have good insurance if he keeps driving like that?”

With a smile Raymond responded, “I’m sure he can pay for whatever happens, but I think he knows what he is doing.”

The salesmen got a strange look on his face, and stared at the road. All the cars were driving erratically, and starting a traffic jam.

Across the street, Jason threw the pump handle on the ground with anger. The last he saw the pump read a little over fifteen gallons. Not what he wanted, but it would have to do. Driving the truck back across the street he stopped next to his car, and got out. Looking to the salesmen he informed, “I’ll take it, runs like a charm.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 5

With a puzzled look the salesmen asked, “Did you see that? The power went out and all the cars on the road started driving crazy at the same time.”

Jason popped the trunk open, and put the wheelchair in the back of the truck. Then he claimed, “It is kind of strange isn’t it.” Then he went to the open car door and picked up Raymond, and put him in the truck.

“Listen,” the salesmen insisted.

Jason paused for a moment and divulged, “I don’t hear anything.”

“That’s just it,” the salesmen insisted. “I’ve never heard it like this in the city.”

Pulling his driver’s license from his pocket, Jason offered it to the salesmen. Then he confirmed, “Twelve hundred, right?”

The salesmen nodded and mumbled, “Is awful quiet.”

Acting as if nothing was wrong Jason informed, “I’m going to the bank and get the money. Can you have the paper work done by the time I get back?”

Still staring at the street the salesmen agreed, “Sure.” Then he mumbled, “I still think something strange happened.”

Jason started the truck, and slowly pulled out onto the street. Then he weaved his way through the cars, and headed down the road.

Finally Raymond spoke, “How long do you think it will take people to figure out that nothing is going to work again?”

People were getting out of their cars, and some were standing in the road. Jason drove up on the sidewalk to get around some people in the road, as he looked at a man standing next to his car. He was trying to understand why his cell phone wouldn’t work. Pulling back onto the road Jason responded, “I think a lot of them are figuring it out now, but I think it will be some time before they understand. Most will wait for it to all come back, but when it doesn’t, well,” Jason stopped.

Raymond whispered, “I know, we better be out of the city by then."

Jason and Raymond getting out of D.C.

Bouncing over the curb and back onto the street Jason commented, “We got two hours to get out of town. There’s no way I want to be in the city after dark.”

Jason turned up another street, and hit the brakes as he watched an old sixty something Nova cross the intersection in front of him. Then he saw people chasing after it. This made him wonder why they were chasing it? Did he steal something from them? Do they want his car? He knew it didn’t matter, because people would never act the same again, and there would be no telling what they would do. This was the calm before the storm, and each day would be worse than the day before. He knew he had to make it to the country, or they might never make it. Jason folded down the sun-visor to block the setting sun, and Raymond did the same.

Looking at some people standing in a yard, he saw them stare at them as they passed. He had been seeing the same stare from about everyone they passed. Raymond thought, A week from now, people will be shooting each other for a working vehicle.

With fear, Raymond pushed his hand behind his back. Then let out a sigh of relief as he felt his nine-millimeter pistol in the back of his pants. He thought about the time he was mugged. They pushed his wheelchair over and took his money and groceries. He promised himself he would never let that happen again, and got the nine-millimeter pistol the next day. This was different though. He knew making it through what was coming would be even worse. It would make being mugged a cakewalk.

Jason and Raymond had finally made it out of town, and onto a country road. When Raymond muttered, “I see we only have a half tank of gas, and no supplies for a trip. I am getting a little hungry, and it’s going to get cold tonight. We don’t even have a blanket, and don’t have enough gas to run the heater all night. Some Marines we are. If we had a commander we would be in deep do do. By the way, do you know where we’re going?”

Jason mumbled, “Washington.”

Raymond jerked his head back and questioned, “D.C!”

Shaking his head Jason quickly replied, “No, Washington State.”

Raymond shook his head and remarked, “Married men. The things they will do to get home to their family. Hell I don’t know if this truck will even go that far, let alone how we’re getting the gas. If you haven’t forgotten, none of the gas pumps work. The computer in them burned out with everything else. Even if you had a generator most stuff still wouldn’t work.”

With a smile Jason informed, “I got a plan, and this is all I have left. Making it to my family is everything now. We will just have to use some of that survival training we got.”

Raymond snickered and Jason asked, “What’s so funny?”

Trying to hold back laughter Raymond babbled, “I was thinking of you pushing my wheelchair two thousand miles. Hell, I don’t think it would make it that far, and I was wondering how far you thought you could carry me?”

Without hesitation Jason replied, “As far as it takes. You know I would never leave you.”

“Good,” Raymond replied, “Then why don’t you check it out now in those bushes up a head.”

“You don’t?” Jason questioned.

Yep, sure do,” Raymond replied.



Raymond and Jason had spent the night sleeping in the truck. In the morning, they woke cold and hungry, and talked about what they had to do. There was a small town about ten miles up the road, and they hoped it had a gas station. Looking at the gas gage Jason shook his head and muttered, “Hope we make it.”

They made it to the town, and it had one gas station in the middle of the little town. Jason pulled in next to a tractor, and stopped. There were two men inside talking. It was a gas station with a little store, and Jason had a plan. He got Raymond’s wheelchair out of the back of the truck, and helped him in it.

Inside he asked the man where the bathroom was, and he pointed to the back of the store. He pushed Raymond to the back. Then he went to talk to the men at the front of the little store. One was dressed in bib overalls and a straw hat. Must be a farmer, Jason thought. The other guy was dressed in blue jeans and a flannel shirt. Jason looked at him and asked, “You got any gas?”

Both men busted up laughing, and after they recovered announced, “Are you crazy! Where the hell have you been? If you haven’t noticed, most everything has quit working. Hell, I got a generator, but it doesn’t do much good. The only thing it runs is the lights and the well pump. Cash Register doesn’t work, the pumps don’t work, and the TV doesn’t work.

Jason questioned, “What if I told you I could make your pumps work? Would it be worth filling my tanks, and some grub?”

His eyes opened wide and he questioned, “Can you do that?”

Raymond willed his wheelchair next to Jason as he responded, “Sure can, but you better get someone here with a shotgun if I do. The gas in those tanks is going to mean life or death to this community. You will need every bit of it to recover from this.”

Kith asked, “How long do you think it will take them to straighten this mess out, a few weeks, a month?”

Jason just stared, and Raymond lowered his head.

With stress in his voice, Kith asked, “Three months! Six months?”

Finely Jason responded, “If the only person you can talk to is the one you’re standing next to, like we are doing now. How long do you think it will take? We don’t even have a Pony Express or Telegraph. Get the idea?”

Kith and Jack looked at each other without saying a word. Then Jack spoke up, “How do I know you are not just giving me a bunch of bull to get gas.”

Jason boasted, “Because I know you’re smart, or you wouldn’t be a business owner. All you have to do is think about it a little, and you will know what I’m about to tell you is true. What happened was the government hit the kill switch. When they the kill switch the virus took out all of the point of sales card machines. Then the virus burned up some microchips that are in them. Then it did the same to the other systems. That is why your phone, your register, and gas pumps don’t work.

Jack looked Jason in the eyes and asked, “You’re serous aren’t you?”

Staring back in his eyes Jason disclosed, “Your less than a hundred miles from a heavily populated area. Soon the food will run out in the city, and people will go looking for it. They think all the food is grown in the country, and they will come looking for it. They will walk, ride bikes, use cars, and come looking for food. Then what are you going to do? You need to think about these things now, because when they come it will be too late. Now what do you think about the deal for the gas?”

Jack pinched his chin with his thumb and forefinger, as he looked at Jason and Raymond. Then he commented, “Maybe I should just take your truck if that is the case. Bet a truck will be worth a lot, if what you say is true.”

Jason’s mouth fell open, and Raymond reached to the back of his pants. Pulling out his pistol, he put it in his lap, but kept a tight grip with his hand. Then with a mean look on his face he scolded, “You dumb ass! We come here to warn you, and tell you what you need to do to save your life. Then what do we get? The same crap I got when I came back from the war. Oh sorry you’re all F***ed up, but have a nice life!”

Then picking up the gun and pointing it at his head Raymond continued, “Now if you think I’m scaring you. Think about ten or twenty hungry people in here with guns. I can tell you first hand, there is nothing more dangerous than a mob of stupid people, and if they’re hungry… Well you figure it out.”

Putting the gun back in his lap Raymond hinted, “Want the pumps fixed, or are we all wasting time.”

Kith suggested, “I’ll make Jack agree if you fix the pumps. Then you drive me around, and we gather everyone up for a town meeting. Then we’ll give you as much gas as you can carry. Sound good?”

Raymond put the pistol away and hummed, “I’m going to do my very best, and it ant no lie. If you put me to the test, if you let me try, take a chance on me. Abba, September, 1977.” A tear slowly ran down Raymond’s cheek, and Jason placed his hand on Raymond. “Damn it, it’s all gone! All the music is gone.”

 

[gonewacky]

Raymond spun his wheelchair around, and wheeled himself to the door. He stared through the glass as Jason announced, “Ever since the war, and being stuck in that damn chair he has listened to music. I would come home, and there he would be. He would have his wireless headphones on his head, and be pounding away at the keyboard. I think the music is what gave him the drive to keep going. Now it’s all gone, no CD’s, no tapes, no radio, no nothing.”

Jack walked over to the door and softly whispered, “Think you could show this old ass what we need.”

Raymond wiped his cheek with his sleeve and mumbled, “If you push me. I just don’t feel like moving this thing around right now.”

Jack pushed Raymond to the back room. At the toolbox, Raymond pointed to the side cutters and black tape. Then he pointed to the wire strippers. About a half hour later, Kith and Jason had rewired the pumps, and it was time for the test. Jack started the generator and flipped the breaker. Then he heard Kith yell, “Woo hoo, we got gas!”

Jack put his hand on Raymond’s shoulder and asked, “Will you stay here with me until Kith and Jason get back?”

Raymond gave Jack a puzzled look, and with a smile Jack joked, “You know, incase another crazy guy like you comes by with a gun.”

With a chuckle Raymond responded, “I know the truth, your just afraid to be alone.” Then he gave Jack a push and laughed. Jack sat on the bench in front of the station, and Raymond parked his wheelchair next to it. They watched and waived as Jason and Kith drove off.

Soon people started showing up at the Gas Station. A few hours later, there must have been fifty people in the church. Outside, the number of vehicles had grown to five cars and two trucks. A tall skinny man walked across the street carrying a shotgun, with a kid about eighteen behind him. The kid had a hunting rifle hanging over his arm, and a pistol hanging on his side. Only a few feet away the man greeted, “Hi Jack, my son and I will watch the station well you and your friend go to the church. Take your friend and get something to eat. They got a pot luck going over there.”

After eating they went out to find their Truck parked at the gas station across the street from the Church. There were some men in the back of the truck tightening a come-a-long around two fifty-five gallon drums. Another man was putting some boxes in the back. Jack smiled and informed, “We think we gave you about a hundred and twenty-five gallons of gas, a week’s supply of food, and blankets and things.”

Another man stepped up and offered an envelope and map. Then he requested, “If you would take the rout marked on the map, my brother might be able to help you. He lives about five-hundred miles west of here, and I would appreciate it if you would tell him what you have told us. The sooner people prepare the better it will be for all of us.” Then he put out his hand and said, “Good luck.”



Jason took his hand, and gave it a shake and squeeze. Then he informed, “We will do are best, thank you all for being so kind.” A knot was tightening up in his stomach, and Jason had second thoughts about making it. People weren’t as bad as he had thought, and they could ban together. He had a little more hope for his country.

At the truck, a young man pointed to a new knob on the dash and informed, “I hooked a choke cable up to the throttle, but I didn’t know what to do about the break. I got a cane and thought your friend could use it to push the break. This way he can help you drive, and you can make better time.

Raymond thanked the young man, and they said their good byes.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 6

Going down the pass.

Anna saw the wreck up ahead and swerved off the road. She drove back in the trees and stopped. Lenny asked, “What’s going on?

They walked down to a spot by the road. Lenny looked down on the spot. There was two trucks parked blocking the highway. They were hidden just around a corner, where you would not see them if coming down the highway. Lenny thought, You come around the corner and by the time you see them it is too late.

Lenny looked around and saw 4 maybe 5 guys down by the river. Looking over a little just before the roadblock, he saw a truck and a SUV down over the bank.

Lenny asked, “Dam what is going on down there?

Anna hypothesized, “Road block, I think they are robbing anyone coming by,”

Lenny pointed and Anna looked down at the spot.

He asked, “Do you see it.”

Anna replied, “Yes.”

Lenny announced. “Hey they’re moving back up to the highway,”

Anna turned and looked at Lenny, “Can you see what they’re doing?”

Lenny replied, “No they’re in the trees,”

Anna advised, “I think I do. Look over here there is a car coming.”

Lenny looked where Tonya had pointed and saw the car moving along the highway. It was small without binoculars to look through, but Anna could see it. The car came around the corner and stopped at the roadblock. He could see the guys moving around the car, but they looked just a little bigger than toy soldiers.

“Hey what is going on?” Lenny asked.

Anna replied, “They have guns and they’re moving around the car. They’re pulling a guy out of the driver side of the car.”

Just then, Lenny heard a shot echo through the mountains.

Anna shouted, “Damn bastards!”

Lenny shouted, “Oh my god oh my god!”

Lenny knew they shot him. He didn’t have to see it. The air got thick, and then they heard another shot echo through the mountains.

Anna said, “I’m sick.”

“Damn sick bastards!” Lenny yelled. “They’re worse than scum. They need to be removed from the gene pool!”

Lenny walked over to Anna. He grabbed hold of her and pulled her close. She said, “They shot him.”

Lenny squeezed her tight and assured her, “Don’t worry I would never let something like that happen to you.”

Anna barked, “Your dam right where going to take the back way through the woods.”

Lenny asked, “Aren’t you afraid we’ll get lost out here?”

Anna informed, “Not a chance. My dad took me camping up here all the time when I was a kid. I’ve rode my horse all over this mountain. I know right where we’re at. This just adds another day to our trip. Which means I have to share the sleeping bag with you another night.”

Lenny thought, “What’s so bad about that? It was nice for me.”

Anna looked into Lenny’s eyes and revealed, “When you looked away and heard the second shot. What you didn’t see was them pull the woman out of the car. Then a little boy came out of the backseat to save his mommy, and they shot him. Now let’s go.”

Anna and Lenny got on the scooter and she started weaving them through the trees.



In the Woods.

Anna stopped the scooter by a creek and insisted, “Lenny we need a fire.”

Lenny started gathering fire wood, as Anna set up the camp. After Lenny had a pile of wood he got the fire starter from the pack, and started a fire. Then without saying a word he got the canteen and water filter, and went to the creek. That’s when he heard a pack of Coyotes howling. A little fear came over him, because it sounded like they were all around him. He took the canteen back to their camp and sit it on the scooter. Then Lenny asked, “Did you hear that?”

Anna replied, “The sun is going down and their grouping up for the night. Their letting the rest of the pack know where there at. We will most likely hear them late into the night. We’re by the creek, and they go to water this time of night. I picked this spot because there were no trails going through here, so we don’t have to worry about animals wandering through our camp.”

Anna patted the sleeping bag she was sitting on for Lenny to sit next to her. Lenny took a seat and opened her pack, and Anna pulled out the bag of Beef Jerky. She handed Lenny three pieces. Then she smiled, “I’m sorry but we have to start rationing our food. About a mile up the other side of the creek is a horse trail. I’ve rode it lots of times. You won’t have to walk as much as you did today. Then you won’t have to walk at all when we get to the horse trail. The thing is it’s taking a lot longer than I thought. We might be able to make it to the Highway tomorrow. That’s only about twenty miles from my Dad’s farm, but I think we’ll be spending one more night out her after tonight.”

Lenny suggested, “Maybe I should stay up tonight and keep watch?”

Anna insisted, “No way am I letting that happen. You’re going to keep me warm tonight and that’s it. Only I get the zipper side tonight. You need your rest after walking most all day. I’ll need you alert tomorrow. Drink a lot of water so that Jerky swells up in your stomach. I know you’ll be up peeing tonight, but so will I. It’s just what we have to do. Now get some more wood to keep the fire going tonight.”

Lenny mumbled, “But won’t people be able to see the fire from a long ways away?”

Anna scolded. “Don’t worry about it Lenny. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere. No one is that desperate to go stumbling through the woods in the dark. Now get the wood.”

Anna awoke and the fire was almost out, but it had a good pile of coals. She slipped the zipper down and Lenny awoke. He got up and peed as Anna put wood on the fire. Soon it was morning and Anna gave Lenny a Granola bar and said, “This is the last two. I say eat half and save the outer half for lunch.”

Lenny filled the canteen at the creek, and packed up their camp and they were off across the creek. It was up hill on the other side of the creek, and there was no way they could ride the scooter at all. They used it to propel itself as they guided it through the woods. Anna and Lenny had been fighting with the scooter for over two hours, and Lenny was exhausted and wanted to stop, but there was no way he was doing that in front of her. Anna let Lenny take the scooter by himself, as she dropped back and came up behind him. Slapping him on the butt she barked, “Get moving! I can see the trail from here.”

That gave Lenny a second wind and he gave the scooter a little gas, and picked up the pace. Reaching the trail Lenny Put down the kick stand and turned off the scooter. Then he bent down putting his hands on his knees. Taking a deep breath he let it out slow. Anna slapped Lenny on the butt and said, “I knew you could do it. Let’s go.”

Then she got on the scooter and looked at Lenny trying to catch his breath. Then Anna started the scooter and insisted, “Give me your gun and get on. You know the routine.”

Lenny got on and put his arms around her, and they were off. They were going slow only about five miles an hour. Lenny asked, “Why so slow?”

Anna replied, “This is a horse trail, and a horse walks at about this speed. If I go any faster it would shake the hell out of us, and it would be dangerous. Just enjoy the ride and holding me.”

About an hour down the trail the scooter started to sputter. Anna stopped the scooter, and Lenny got the can. Pouring the last of the gas in the tank Lenny revealed, “That is the last of it.”

The gas was enough to get them to the Highway. They came out almost at the bottom of the pass. Anna turned on to the road and turned off the scooter. They coasted almost five miles before she had to start it again. Soon they turned off on to a county road. The sign said, “Lost Canyon.”

The road followed a creek and came out in a big valley. Then she turned down a gravel road. It led to a house with a big barn. Anna shouted, “Home!”

Lenny slipped his hands away from Anna, as his heart pounded in his chest. The fear of the unknown rushed through him. Seeing the man come from the house put more fear in Lenny. He was having a little panic attack, as he looked at the man. He was wearing boots, blue jeans, and a flannel shirt. His hand rested on a pistol on his side. Anna just kept sitting on the scooter with Lenny behind her. She said, “Hi Dad,” as the man walked up. Lenny was expecting her to run and throw herself at him, but she just sat on the scooter and waited for him.

In a deep voice the man asked, “How are you doing Anna.”

Anna replied, “You know Dad. When you can’t call 911, and no one is coming to help you.”

Ray answered, “Then you know. Was the trip bad?”

Anna replied, “A little but Lenny saved me, so I owe him.”

Ray said, “I don’t need to hear any more. Your word is good enough. He’s welcome until you say he’s not.”

Anna smiled, “Thanks dad.”

Ray said, “Your mother is in the kitchen. I’m sure she wants to see you. Lenny and I will put the scooter away. Him and I need to talk anyway.”

Walking to the house Anna stopped and turned back and said, “My dad’s name is Ray.”

Then she disappeared into the house.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 7

On a lonely stretch of highway, Raymond saw the welcome to Indiana sign. They had passed through Ohio, and were making their way west. They had been using the maps to avoid populated areas, and not seen many people. However, the little town ahead would change that.

Jason slowed as he saw the sign Bryant population 339. Then a little boy came running out into the street yelling and waving his arms. Jason slammed on the brakes throwing Raymond against the dash. The little boy ran to Jason’s window as Raymond pushed himself back on the seat.

“My mommy needs help Mister. Their hurting her,” the boy shouted.

Jason took a quick glance at Raymond, and his nod was all he needed to see. He pulled the door handle with one hand and took the pistol from the seat with the other. He pushed the pistol down the back of his pants as he leaped from the truck, and asked, “Where?”

The little boy pointed to the big white two-story house in front of them. Then he yelled, “Please help mister,” as he ran to the porch.

Jason ran to the porch with the open door, and paused at the door. The little boy stood behind him as he heard a smack. Then he saw a woman fall back against a wall across the room, and heard a man yell, “You bitch!”

Jason saw the man’s back as he walked across the room. He stepped inside the room and looked around. There was no one else in the room, so he walked up behind the man, as he raised his hand to hit her again. The man started to swing his hand as Jason grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand behind him. The man tried to spin around, but Jason grabbed a hand full of his hair. Then pushed his head down and ran across the room. He pile drove his head into the wall. The lath and plaster wall cracked from the force, and the man fell to the floor out cold.

Outside a man walked up to the back of the old pickup. He looked in the back and saw Raymond’s wheelchair. Then he continued to the passenger window. Leaning his arm on the door he questioned, “Hay what’s up with the wheelchair in the back?”

Staring at the house waiting for Jason, Raymond was startled and whipped his head around. He saw a grungy looking man with hair down over his shoulders. Slipping his hand behind his back, he gripped the butt of his pistol and replied, “It’s mine. Do you have a problem with that?”

The man smiled showing his yellow teeth, and walked around the front of the truck. Then he darted for the driver’s door and jumped in. He put the running truck in drive and took off down the road. Raymond thought for a moment and gripped the cane with his left hand.

Jason heard the truck drive off and ran to the door. He pulled the pistol from the back of his pants, but the only shot he had was the two fifty-five gallon drums in the back. “Damn!” He mumbled as he let the pistol down.

In the truck, Raymond took the cane and used it to push the gas pedal to the floor. The truck kicked into passing gear as he pulled the pistol and pushed it to the man’s head. Watching the speedometer hit fifty he shouted, “Get out!”

“What!” the man questioned.

“You heard me,” Raymond exclaimed. “I said get out, or I’ll blow what brains you have out the window.”

Reluctantly the man opened the door, and Raymond letup on the gas. Pushing his pistol hard against his head, he let go of the cane and grabbed the steering wheel. The man jumped out at about forty, and Raymond set his pistol on the seat. Then he moved over and pulled the knob for the gas, and drove back to get Jason.

Jason looked back at the woman. Her left eye was swollen shut and blood was dripping from her nose and mouth. The little boy was holding her tight, as Jason filled with anger. He pushed his pistol in the back of his pants. Taking his knife, he cut the cord from the blinds, and used it to tie the man up. Tying the last knot he herd the mother tell her son to tell the man thank you. Jason stood as the boy said, “Thank you mister.” Then he herd the truck pull up out front, and walked for the door as the woman called out “Wait.”

Jason looked back from the door, and she walked towards him and begged, “Please, take us with you. It’s been days, and I don’t think any of it is coming back on. We’ll die if we stay here, please.”

Jason got a knot in his stomach as he thought of all the people like her. Then he responded, “It’s not all up to me, I have a partner, and I can’t make a decision like that. Standing next to Jason at the door, she looked at Raymond sitting in the truck. Then gave the boy a push and instructed, “Ask him Willy.” The boy darted past Jason and ran to the truck. At the window, he begged Raymond to take them with them. Raymond looked at Jason as he went down the steps with the woman following him. His face showed no expression to a yes or no.

Raymond looked at the boy and asked, “Do you think you can help me drive?”

The boy’s face lit up as he blurted, “Sure.”

Raymond opened the door as the boy looked to his mom for approval. With the nod of her head, he climbed up on Raymond’s lap. Raymond picked up the pistol from the seat and put it down the back of his pants. Then he announced, “My name is Raymond. What’s yours?”

With excitement the boy informed, “Its Willy, sir. I’m six and started school this year, but the buss didn’t come this week. Then the two men came and did bad things to my mom.”

Jason stopped at the back of the truck and got a bottle of water, and a rag. He handed the bottle to the woman, and she requested, “Would you do it for me?”

Jason wet the rag and wiped the blood from her face as he asked, “Who was that guy?”

As he wiped the blood from the side of her mouth she replied, “I don’t know. There were two of them, and they showed up the day after everything quit working. I think they came from the highway, but I’m not sure.”

Seeing her looking around Jason asked, “Is something wrong.”

With a worried look on her face she replied, “I’m telling you there’s another guy around here somewhere.”

Raymond’s voice echoed from the truck, “Don’t worry about him. I gave him a ride down the road. He wanted to go somewhere, but he changed his mind and got out.”

Jason opened the door and the woman slid in next to Raymond as he told the boy about the knob on the dash. After Jason got in Raymond put the truck in drive, and told Willy to pull the knob and hold the steering wheel. Willy reached down and pulled out the knob, the tires squealed, and they were pushed back in the seat. Raymond pushed the knob back in about half way and whispered, “We don’t want to go that fast. There are cars parked in the road sometimes, and we need to be able to go around them.” Then he put the cane on the break peddle, and rested one hand on the wheel.

Jason commented, “Hay Willy you’re driving pretty good. Do you mind if I take a nap until it’s my turn.”

“Nope, go ahead, Raymond and I will tell you when we’re tired.” Willy replied.

Raymond chuckled and whispered in Willy’s ear, “What’s your mom’s name? I can’t call her mom you know.”

The woman announced, “Oh, I’m sorry, my name is Brenda, and I know you are Raymond, but I don’t even know the name of the one that saved me.”

“That would be Jason,” Raymond responded. Jason opened one eye for a moment, then he let it slip back closed.

Brenda question, “Where are you going?”

Raymond chuckled and informed, “As for where we’re going… Well it’s clear across the country somewhere in Washington I think.”

A big smile came to Brenda’s face as she replied. “Oh that’s great. My parents live in Oregon.” Then she got quiet and finally asked, “Do you think things are going to come back on, and start working again?”

Raymond looked at a car off the side of the road as they passed, and announced. “Hay Willy you are driving like a pro. You must have done this before?”

Willy replied, “Nope, my first time.”

Raymond looked at Brenda’s black and blue face. She looked at him with the eye that wasn’t swollen shut. Raymond announced, “Nope?” Then he whispered in Willy’s ear, “I think you’re kidding me.”

“No I’m not,” Willy demanded. “I never drove before.”

Brenda knew the, “Nope,” was the answer to her question. She sat back in the seat, closed her one eye and thought. What have I gotten us into? We don’t even know these people, and are putting our life in their hands.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 8

At Anna’s Farm

Ray instructed, “Push the scooter to the barn, and we’ll put it away.”

Ray slid the big door back on the barn, and pointed to a spot, “Put it there Lenny, so how bad was the big city?”

Lenny Replied, “It was bad sir. I thought I was going to die. It wasn’t me that saved Anna. It was Anna that saved me.”

Ray insisted, “You don’t have to call me sir. I’m Ray and you can call me that. You should know you’re the first boy Anna has ever brought home, so I owe you that much. So tell me how it unfolded in the city.”

Lenny explained, “The first day was a panic to get money. None of the point of sales machines where working, so everyone had to use cash. The one that hit the hardest was the gas. You couldn’t even get gas with cash. The pumps just quit working. The attendants couldn’t even get the pumps to work from the computers inside. I guess a lot of people drive around on the bottom of the tank, because cars were running out of gas everywhere. The first day it hit during the morning commute and the freeways came to a standstill. This made more cars runout of gas and stranded on the road. Then by noon the power was up and down. When it went out that first night it never came back.

Phones were a mess. Everyone was trying to call at once, and it locked the system up, and the next day that was gone too. It took about three days for all hell to break loose. I think people were just waiting for it to all come back, but then at that point… well like Anna said when you can’t call 911. People realized they could just take what they wonted or needed. Then you could hear gunshots and the city sounded like a war zone. The fires started breaking out all over. With no electricity I think people were building fires to cook on, and some just got out of control. I’m sure some were set on purpose, but with no Fire Department coming. The smoke was bad for about a week. By the second week everyone was hiding. That is except for the looters and killers.

By the end of the second week I had used up all the water from the hot water tank, and was just about out of food. I knew I needed to get out of the city or die, but with the roads the way they were. I knew I’d never make it with my little Toyota. That’s when Anna saved me.”

Ray inquired, “Anna said you saved her. Tell me about that.”

Lenny dropped his head and revealed, “Not true Ray. She saved me. She shot the sicko in the head right in front of me. I was indecisive, not that I couldn’t shoot him. I had already been shooting at people to stay alive. The thing was I only had five bullets left. I was trying to determine if the threat was worth a bullet. That’s when Anna shot him. She thinks that since I helped her get to her gun I saved her, but that is not true.”

Ray pondered for a moment then informed, “I’ll tell you right now you think Anna feels indebted to you. That’s not true. She thinks she owns you. You’re hers now until she’s done with you. You got that?”

Lenny replied, “A hundred percent Ray. I owe her that.”

Ray informed, “You keep that thought and we’ll be fine. Now tell me what kind of work you did Lenny?”

Lenny replied, “I drew pictures.”

Ray responded, “You’re an artist?”

Lenny explained, “No, I worked for an Engineering firm. I drew Blueprints.”

Ray inquired, “For structures?”

Lenny replied, “‎Mechanical. You know like motors, gear boxes, belt drives, and things like that.”

Ray smiled, “Well there isn’t any kind of work around here like that.”

Then pointing to the tools he said, “See those wooden handles connected to our tools.”

Lenny replied, “You mean like that Pitchfork and Shovel? Let me guess. I’ll be cleaning stalls?”

Ray went on, “That and I have some other jobs for you. See that old wood stove over there. Let me show you what I want.”

Ray led Lenny around behind the house, and showed him a playhouse. Then explained, “I built that for Anna when she was little. I made it eight by eight so I didn’t have to do a lot of cutting. I’m turning it into a smoke house. I want you to dig a big hole behind it, so we can put the wood stove down in it. Then we’ll run the pipe through the bottom of the playhouse. Make the hole big enough we can walk around there and put the wood in the stove. Dig some steps going into it, so we don’t have to jump in and climb out.”

Lenny replied, “Got it.”

Ray added, “You can start tomorrow. Now let’s go get something to eat. Oh yah, we only have two bedrooms. Mine and Elizabeth’s and Anna’s, so you will be sleeping wherever Anna says.”

Lenny commented, “That house looks too big to only have two bedrooms.”

Ray declared, “I use the other two for storage.”

They were all in the house at the table when Elizabeth asked, “Where are we putting Lenny?”

Anna replied, “He’s sleeping in my room with me. I have to keep an eye on him, so he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Lenny stuttered, “What do you mean by that?”

Anna said, “You’re a city boy.”

Lenny commented, “So what does that have to do with it?”

Anna asked, “Have you ever ridden a horse?”

Lenny mumbled, “Noo…”

Anna went on, “See now I have to add that to the list of things I have to teach you.”

Ray revealed, “Lenny is going to start on the smokehouse after he mucks out the stalls. Tom and his brother from Portland are coming tomorrow, and we’re going hunting. Ann said to tell you she would bring her sister-in-law Tonya by to meet you in the afternoon.”

Anna looked at Lenny and explained, “Tom and Ann are our neighbors. They live about a quarter mile through the trees behind us.”

Elizabeth inquired, “I assume what you have on is all the clothes you have Lenny?”

Lenny replied, “Yes mam.”

Elizabeth insisted, “You can just call me mom. Anna and I have talked about you. Anna and I will take the horses to go see Margret the day after tomorrow. Margret owns a thrift store in town, but she has a barn full of stuff. We’ll see if we can get you some clothes. I’ll see what I can find of Ray’s old stuff for you. Then you can get out of that stuff you’ve been living in.”

Ray spoke up, “We’re in rationing mode now. You can take a bath tomorrow. I’ll build a fire and heat some water for that. The water heater runs on propane, and we have to watch every bit we have. Right now we’re only using it for cooking. We have a propane generator, but I’m not using it either for the same reason. Starting right now we make everything last until next year, and get what we need to survive the year after that. At this moment we’re in survival mode, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Like years or maybe never.”

Lenny gulped, “My Grandpa told me, “Boy, oatmeal is better than no meal.”

Elizabeth smiled, “Lenny I think we’re going to do just fine. Welcome home.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 9

Jason passed the sign that said “Leaving Iowa” next to the sign that said “Welcome to South Dakota.” Willy and Brenda were riding in the back of the truck, and Raymond was sleeping next to him. The truck sputtered a few times, and Jason knew the tank was going empty. He reached down and flipped the switch for the other tank. He was on a long straight stretch and didn’t see any stranded vehicles ahead, and was going about fifty.

This was rare, most of the time they could only go about thirty or thirty-five, because of the stranded cars and trucks. Any faster and they might not be able to stop, and the bent bumper attested to that. He slowed down for the curve up a head, and saw a big cargo truck off the side of the road. He pulled over and stopped in front of it. Raymond lifted his head as the truck stopped.

Jason whispered, “There’s a truck behind us, and I’m going to check it for gas.”

Raymond just nodded his head, and leaned back against the window closing his eyes. Jason walked around the back of the truck and Brenda commented, “Good luck,” as Jason pulled a stick from the truck. He saw where a fire had burned off the side of the road, and saw some open cans of chili next to it. Someone stayed here for a few days, he thought.

At the side of the truck, he twisted off the cap on the big barrel shaped tank, and dipped the stick into the tank. He pulled it to find it was about three fourths full. He smiled as he turned to head back to the truck. Then the truck door flew open almost hitting him in the head, and he heard the sound of a gun caulking.

“What do you think you’re doing?” echoed from the cab of the truck.

Before Jason could answer, the man kicked him back on his ass. Then he stepped down from the cab with the pistol pointed at him. He laughed an evil eerie laugh and barked, “Looks like you made your last stop, and I got a running truck.”

Brenda screamed as she held Willy tight covering his eyes. Raymond slowly opened the passenger door. Knowing he was blocked from the man’s view by the two fifty-five gallon drums in the back of the truck.

The man looked to the back of the truck and snickered, “Looks like it comes with a bitch to.”

He turned back to Jason as Raymond pushed himself from the truck. Raymond rolled down into the ditch landing on his belly as he heard the man say, “Bye Bye.”

Jason gritted his teeth and heard a bullet whistle past his head as he saw the man jerk to the side. The man’s eyes bulged at the sound of the boom. Then there was another boom and blood sprayed on Jason’s shirt. The man spun to the side firing off a wild shot as he fell to the ground with his legs bent under him. The man twitched and spit blood from his mouth as Jason heard another boom. The side of his head disappeared spraying brain matter out into the road. Jason stepped back as Brenda screamed uncontrollably.

Willy was fighting to see as Raymond yelled, “Jason you all right?”

“Yea,” Jason muttered as he looked at the man, then to the back of the truck. He could see Willy was fighting to see as Raymond inquired, “You think you could help me out of this ditch?”

“Yea, just a minute Raymond, I have to do something first.” Jason informed as he bent down and took the man’s leg. He drug him around behind the truck as Willy thrashed about saying, “Let me see mom. Mom let me see.”

He walked down the ditch to Raymond as Brenda removed her hand from Willy’s eyes. He was looking all-around asking what happened as Jason picked up Raymond. He carried him to the truck as Raymond exclaimed, “I fell out of the truck Willy.”

“I heard a gun shooting,” Willy informed.

Raymond hollered, “It’s OK Willy it was a bear, and I had to shoot to scare him off.”

Brenda was shaking with tears running down her face as she held Willy tight. Willy patted her back as he softly pointed out, “Its OK mom. The bear is gone. Raymond scared it off, and it can’t hurt us now.”

Brenda sobbed, “I know Willy we’re safe now.”

Raymond slid to the driver side of the truck, as Brenda walked Willy to the driver door. Helping him onto Raymond’s lap she exclaimed, “We’re moving back up front. I just think it’s safer this way.”

Willy inquired, “Was it a big bear Raymond? Mommy wouldn’t let me see it. She was scared, but I bet you weren’t scared.”

Raymond whispered in Willy’s ear, “Not at first, but when I fell out of the truck I was a little. The bear was big and mean, and I didn’t know if my gun would scare it off.”

“Oh Raymond,” Willy exclaimed. “You weren’t scared.”

Jason was siphoning the gas from the truck when Brenda walked up and questioned, “Would you teach me to shoot? I don’t want to be defenseless like that again.”

Jason commented as he pulled the hose from the tank, “I would be more than happy to do that, but we have only one box of shells for the gun.”

“What about the other gun,” she queried. “The one the man had?”

Jason shook his head, “It’s a revolver, and there is only four rounds left in it.”

Brenda climbed in the open door of the truck, and started digging around. Jason had returned to refill the gas-can as Brenda yelled from the cab, “I found a box that has .38 caliber on it. Will they work in that gun?”

Stepping to the door Jason took the box as Brenda slipped down. Opening the box Jason exclaimed, “It’s a fifty round box, and it looks like there is only the six for the gun missing. Guess we can give it a try, but not here. I want to wait until we get down the road a ways.”

“Fine,” Brenda replied, “Then give me my gun.”

Jason’s face turned flush. Then he pulled the revolver from his waistband, and checked the safety. Then he handed it to Brenda pointing to the safety, “This is the safety and you need to flip it up to shoot. Don’t do that unless you are going to kill something, because that is what guns do.”

Pushing the revolver in her purse she growled, “I know what in the hell they do. Don’t you think I saw what just happened?”

Jason could tell she was changing, and knew that most people were changing by this time. He pushed the hose back in the tank and gave it a suck, as he watched her walk to the back of the truck. Then he heard Brenda shout, “Jack pot! The back of this thing is full of food.”

Jason pushed the hose in the can, and walked to the back of the truck. He stared as he commented, “Must have been a delivery for a store or something.”

Brenda climbed up in the back of the truck and informed, “There’s an open case of chili and some other stuff. It must have been what he was eating. Oh look at this, a box of chocolate covered cookies.”

Jason instructed, “Pick out what you think we can use. We can’t hall a lot, so we’ll just have to leave the rest for the next person.” Then he went to check his gas-can.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 10

Anna and Lenny went to Anna’s room and Ray asked, “What did she tell you.”

Elizabeth replied, “Well hell you know her better than I do. You raised her like a boy. The only reason you built that playhouse for her, was because I made you do it. Then she only used it to play army in and shoot out the windows. It’s a wonder she even found a guy at all. You know she’s just like you and has to have everything her way.”

Ray brushed his hand over his head and replied, “Well he’s ours now. We’ll just have to see what she makes him. I just hope she likes what she’s got when she’s done.”

Elizabeth insisted, “Oh she’ll love him because she made him.”

Ray revealed, “I have noticed his eyes wander a lot. He kept looking at the shotgun. You know the one by the man door in the barn. Then when we were eating he was looking at the one by the backdoor. I wonder what he’ll think when he sees the one in Anna’s room.”

In Anna’s room she sat on the bed and patted the bed next to her. Lenny knew she wanted him to sit next to her, so he sat on the edge of the bed and asked, “How many Shotguns dose this place have? I can’t go anywhere without seeing one. There’s another one right there by your door.”

Anna slipped her hand down the side of Lenny’s thigh, and leaned her head on his shoulder as she whispered, “I don’t know. Dad has them everywhere. There all loaded with the safety off, so don’t touch one unless you plan on killing something. He has other guns and weapons hid around. You’ll learn all that in time.”

Anna’s talking was like a buzzing in his ear as emotions surged through his body. He was lost in a strange land, and had no control of what was happening to him. She took his arm and put it over the back of her neck. Then let it hang down the front of her. Lenny was almost in a trance like state as Anna kept leaning on him whispering. He had no idea what she was saying, but it didn’t matter. He wanted to stay in this place forever.

Then Anna jumped off the bed and pulled him to his feet saying. “Let’s see what I got for you to sleep in. Pulling open a drawer she took out a pair of sweatpants. She tossed them at Lenny and said, “Get out of your clothes and put this on.”

Then Anna undid her pants and let them drop to the floor. Lenny stared for a second then turned his back to her. Anna barked, “I haven’t got anything you haven’t already seen. Heck you saw me with my breast hanging out, and been sleeping with me. Now get those on so we can go to bed.”

Lenny was confused, and didn’t know what to think. He thought, Am I going to be like her boy toy, or dose she like me. I know I’m falling for her, but I don’t understand this.

Lenny undid his pants and let them drop, and put on the sweatpants. Then he slipped off his shirt. He looked at Anna and she had a huge sweatshirt on that hung to her knees. Anna looked at Lenny and barked, “Well don’t just stand there get in bed.”

Lenny pulled back the covers as he looked at the nightstand. There was his P38 Luger next to where his head would soon be laying. Anna was in bed waiting for him complaining, “You know what my dad said, we’re in rationing mode now. I need to snuff out this oil lamp.”

Lenny got in the bed lying on his back as Anna cuddled to him. Thoughts raced through his head as he drifted off to sleep. He woke up a few times in the night when Anna moved. At one point Lenny had trouble getting back to sleep. Anna had put her leg over him and was wrapped around him.

The next thing Lenny knew Elizabeth was in the room talking to Anna on her side of the bed. “I put clothes on your dresser for him. I’m going to go start the wood stove, and make pancakes, so I can use the propane ration to run the generator. That way I can wash your clothes and charge battery’s. See you in the kitchen sweetie.”

Lenny heard the door and opened one eye. It was still dark outside. Then he felt Anna slip from the bed. Then she said, “I know you’re awake. Just get up and get dressed. We have work to do.”

Lenny sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes. Anna dropped the clothes next to him and said, “I know you’re a Tighty Whities guy, but my dad is a Boxer guy. You’re just going to have to live with it.”

Lenny replied, “Its fine at least their clean.”

They got dressed and Anna took Lenny to the barn.

As they passed through the kitchen Elizabeth was lighting the old wood cook stove. There was an oil lantern hanging from a hook on the celling lighting up the room. It cast eerie shadows on the wall as they walked through the kitchen. Anna asked, “Where is dad?”

Elizabeth replied, “He’s off doing one of his secret things, you know.”

Next to the back door was a stand with the shotgun leaning on it, and an oil lantern sitting on top of it. Anna retrieved a Bic-lighter from her pocket and pulled up the glass chimney. Lenny’s eyes wandered around the room as Anna lit the lantern. Going out the door Anna announced, “We’re going to the barn.”

Lenny heard a faint, “Okay,” as the door closed.

In the barn Anna explained, “We need to saddle a horse for my dad.”

Walking up to the first stall Anna announced, “This is Rusty. The one in the next stall is Ruby. We’re going to saddle up Rusty. Come over here to the oat’s bin. Before you use this can to scoop out some oats. You have to take out the gun that’s hid in here.”

Anna reached down into the oats and pulled out a MP5 and said, “It’s loaded, but one of the few that has the safety on. That’s so you don’t accidently shoot yourself taking it out.”

Anna pulled out the gun and set it on the bin next to it. Then she scooped out a can of oats and dumped it in the feed bucket in Ruby’s stall. Then she handed the can to Lenny and said, “You do Rusty.”

Anna watched as Lenny put oats in Rusty’s feed bucket and patted Rusty on the neck. Then she said, “Good, now put the can back, and put the gun back in the oats bin.”

Lenny was trying to push the butt of the gun in the oats and Anna barked, “Not like that. Scoop some of the oats to one side of the bin. Then lay the gun in there and push the oats over it. That’s it. Good job. Now go get one of the blankets hanging on the rack at the end.”

Anna took the bridle and bit from a peg on a post, and opened the stall door. She patted Rusty on the neck, as she slipped the bridle over Rusty’s head. Then she led him out of the stall. She dropped the rains to hang down, and took the blanket from Lenny and tossed it over the horse. Then Anna pointed to a low rail between two posts lined with Saddles and said, “The first Saddle is dads the next one is my moms, and then mine. Now go get my dad’s saddle.”

Lenny asked, “There’s another saddle at the end, whose is that?”

Anna informed, “It was my friend Judie’s. She used it when we were kids. It’s no one’s now, so I guess it’s yours. That is unless you’re plaining on leaving?”

Lenny struggled to carry the saddle as he remarked, “Just where would I go?”

Anna smiled, “Throw it up on Rusty.”

Lenny was looking at Anna as he wondered what she was thinking. That made Lenny put the saddle up backwards.”

Anna laughed, “The horn goes on the other end.”

Lenny looked at the saddle and replied, “I know that. I’m not that stupid. You just got in my head asking me if I was leaving. I never know what you’re thinking?”

Anna Joked, “I think you should get down on your knees and beg me to stay.”

Lenny dropped to his kneed as Anna’s dad walked in. Looking at the situation he scolded, “What are you doing Son? Are you asking her to marry you? Don’t you think it a little too late for that. You’re sleeping with her for christ sake, and why do got my saddle like that? You think I want to ride around looking at my horse’s ass, or are you trying to tell me something.”

Lenny got a look of fear on his face, and was speechless. Anna barked, “Now look what you’ve done. I’m trying to teach him not scare him to death. Just go eat we’re almost done.”

Ray turned around and mumbled as he left, “You better toughen that city boy up. It’s just going to get harder around here.”

Anna Insisted, “Lenny, get up and pull that saddle off of there.”

Lenny took off the saddle and the blanket slid with it. Anna grabbed the blanket and straitened it out and insisted, “Put the saddle on right.”

Anna started cinching the saddle down as she talked, “I’m sorry my horsing around got you lectured by my dad.”

Lenny replied, “I’m just all mixed up in the head. I went from the fear of dyeing in the city to getting kicked out of here. If I mess this up I’ll be no better off than if I stayed in the city. That and I can’t figure you out. I don’t know if I’m just a thing, or we’re… well you know.”

Anna smiled, “Lenny, you’ve known me for over two years. You’ve been to my apartment and I’ve cooked for you. We’ve talked and watched T.V. together. What do I have to do so you know I’ve been falling for you for a long time? I will tell you this. If you try to leave I’ll shoot you in the foot.”

Lenny volunteered, “Well you should know I thought about you for a long time, but I thought you were out of my league.”

Anna walked Rusty back to the stall as she revealed, “Lenny I’m a tomboy, I’m stubborn, and I have to have things my way. You might say I’m just like my dad. Get over it we’re a thing.”

Closing the stall door Anna insisted, “Let’s go eat.”

In the kitchen Ray was eating and a holster on a belt was sitting in Lenny’s place. Ray looked at Anna and asked, “Where is your gun?”

Anna put her hand behind her back and pulled the gun from her waistband. Then she held it up in the air and said, “Right here dad.”

Then Ray looked at Lenny and asked, “Where is your gun?”

Lenny replied, “Oh, it’s on the nightstand by the bed.”

Ray lectured, “Is my daughter protecting you, or are you protecting her. You should be protecting each other. Don’t think bad things about me lecturing you Lenny. You just have a lot to learn, and a short time to learn it. Now put on that gun belt, and go to your room and get that old WWII gun of yours. I might need you to save me.”

Lenny put on the gun belt and got his gun. Then came back and sat at the table.

Elizabeth set a plate of three pancakes in front of Lenny and asked, “Syrup or Jam? I’m sorry we’re rationing the butter. I have a few gallon jugs of Syrup to refill the Syrup bottle, but when that’s gone it sugar water until we runout of sugar. Then… well you know.”

Ray informed, “I’ll ride by Anna’s old school friend Judie and see if her cow is giving milk, or if we have to calf it first.”

Anna spoke up, “Ask her if she’s heard anything from Jason. He’s in D.C. you know it’s just her and the kids. I assume she scared to death.”

Ray replied, “Okay, I’ll tell her you’re thinking about her.”

Elizabeth went to the back door and looked out the glass. She saw two men coming on horses and announced, “I think John and his brother are coming.”

Ray took the last swig of his coffee, and headed to the door. Outside you could hear him talking. Then he came back in and said, “Anna show Lenny how to clean the stalls, and get him started on digging the hole for the smokehouse. I’m not taking a bed roll. Jim’s brother is a city boy, so we’ll be back before dark.”

Then Ray pulled the door shut, and went to the barn.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 11

In Wyoming

They were just about to the place on the map when Raymond let Willy push his first car out of the way. It was at a side-road and a meat company truck was making a turn. It was blocking one side of the road, and a van was blocking the other.

Raymond pushed in on the knob and pushed on the cane. The truck came to a stop.

Willy cried, “Wow, what’s that stink?”

Jason barked, “Whew, a truck full of spoiled meat.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Raymond announced. “Willy better do this one. My eyes are watering from the stink, and I’m having trouble seeing.”

Willy blurted, “I can do it.”

He pulled the knob and slowly let the truck ease forward. When he felt the bumper bump the van, he pulled the knob out until it stopped. The engine roared and the tires squealed as the truck jerked. Slowly the van moved back until it was clear. Willy pushed the knob in as Raymond reached for the shifter. Then Willy shouted, “I got it.”

Willy pulled back on the shifter, and pushed it up into reverse. He pulled the knob a little until the truck started to move. Then he pushed it back in and announced, “Brake please.” Raymond pushed the break with the cane, as Willy cranked hard on the steering wheel. Then Willy pulled the shifter back into drive and pulled the knob. Then drove in-between the truck and van.

Jason informed, “That was pretty good Willy. I’m glad we got away from that stench.”

Willy announced, “I had to do that one fast. “That stink was bad, and we had to get out of there fast.”

Jason chuckled as he pulled the envelope and map from the glove box. Opening the map he announced, “I think it’s the next road on the right Raymond.”

Raymond pushed in the knob as he saw the crossroad come into view. The road was Lake Flats, so Raymond took a right with Willy helping him.

“It says about a mile on the left is a gravel road. Then it’s the first driveway on the right,” Jason informed.

Sure enough, there was the road, so Raymond took the turn. About a fourth mile down the road was the driveway. He turned down the pot filled driveway with trees on both sides. It was slow going, but finely they came out by the house. There was a fire burning in the front yard with a large tub sitting on it.

Raymond honked the horn as Jason got out and yelled, “Carl Tomson, I have a letter for you.”

A strong looking man in his fifties came to the open door. “Who’s this letter from?”

“Your brother Keith,” Jason replied.

“Well bring it here,” he requested.

Jason took him the letter, and waited for him to finish reading it. The man looked up and questioned, “You know what happened?”

Jason replied, “For the most part.”

Carl went on, “This letter says you can tell me what happened, but I want to hear about my brother first. How is he doing?”

Jason told him he was fine, and about how his community pulled together. They walked to the fire as Jason assured him his brother would be fine. Carl stuck his hand in the water and announced, “Oh that feels good. You have to excuse me, but I’m heating some water for a bath. I feel like crap and need a bath. I can’t sit here for the rest of my life waiting for the power to come back on.”

Looking at Jason Carl questioned, “It’s not coming back is it? None of it, not a damn thing is going to work again.”

Jason shook his head and Carl dipped his hand back in the water. Then he looked at the battered woman and child in the truck and continued, “That boy must have been cooped up in that truck for a while. Why don’t you call him over here?”

Jason looked at Willy and called him over. He came running with his mother about ten feet behind. The boy arrived and Carl knelled down on one knee and informed, “There is a swing set and sandbox behind the house. You can check them out if you want.”

Willy’s eyes lit up as he looked to his mother. She gave him a nod of approval, and Willy turned to run as his mother yelled, “Willy what do you say?”

Willy turned and shouted, “Thank you mister.” Then he ran for the back of the house.

Carl questioned, “Could you help me carry the water into the tub?”

“Sure,” Jason replied.

He help Carl take the water to the tub, thin fill it back up from the well, and put it on the fire. After Carl went to take a bath, Jason got Raymond’s wheelchair from the truck.

Carl came over and said, “I checked the water out front, and it’s ready for a bath if you want one.”

Jason looked at Brenda over at the truck watching Willy and Raymond. Carl looked as Jason implied, “I think Brenda might want to take one worse than any of us. She has been through hell the last few days.”

Carl confessed, “I saw she had been beat-up, but didn’t want to say anything. Let’s see if she wants to take a bath, and we can talk about why my brother sent you here.”

Brenda was more than willing to take a bath, so Jason and Carl took in the water. After they refilled the tub and put it back on the fire. They went to the living room to talk. Jason spent the next hour telling Carl everything he knew.

Carl sat back in the large recliner and thought for a few. Things were going to be worse than he had thought, and his mind was trying to accept what happened. After a few moments of silence he spoke, “I know why my brother sent you here. He must think you are some special people, because I work for a factory that makes Canning Lids. It might not sound valuable to most people, but they will be like gold in a short time.”

Jason immediately realized the value of being able to preserve food. Carl was right, he had a gold mine, and Jason knew it.

Brenda emerged with a towel wrapped around her head. “Where’s Willy?” She questioned.

Jason replied, “Out at the truck with Raymond.”

Brenda informed, “He needs a bath to.

Carl stood and looked at Jason, “Will you help me with the water?”

Jason replied, “Sure.”

After putting the water in the bathtub, Jason and Carl took the tub to the well. Jason grabbed the pump handle and gave it a pump as he informed, “It’s a good thing you put in this hand pump.”

Carl laughed and confessed, “I wish I had that much planning, but the truth is it was already here when I got the place. I’m just glad the former owners had the insight to put it in. It has come in handy lots of times. Now it looks like I’m going to be dependent on it.”

Jason insisted, “Definitely a life saver.”

Carl smiled, “Yah, I found that out the first time the power went out. It was about a year after I moved in, and I found I could flush the toilet only once. Then I had to get a bucket and carry water to the tank.”

Jason pointed his finger to his head to insinuate Carl was smart. Then he grabbed the handle on the side of the tub. Carl just smiled as he took the other handle and headed for the front yard.

After adding some wood to the fire, Carl lifted the lid on a Dutch oven half sitting in the coals and informed, “Looks like it’s doing good. It’s a Rabbit stew. I got him this morning right out in the back yard. Thank goodness, there’s no shortage of them running around here.”

Carl went and got a bowl and spoon, and dished up a bowl. Then took it to the coffee table and announced, “This is for the boy. There is more out there, but you have to help yourself.”

Then he had a seat in his chair and relaxed as he noted, “We’ll go to the plant in the morning, and I’ll load you up with some lids.”

Willy emerged from his bath, and had a seat on the couch with his mouth going ninety miles an hour. His mother got him to eat some of the stew, but it only slowed him down when taking a bite. Soon his head fell over with the spoon still in his hand. His mother put the spoon in the bowl. Then she covered him with a blanket that had been draped over the back of the couch.

Jason awoke to the sound of Raymond getting in his wheelchair. He stretched out his arms and sat up in bed. It was good to sleep in a bed again, even if it was with Raymond.

Raymond questioned, “Hay, Jason you think you could help me with the bathroom. This damn chair won’t fit through the door.”

“Sure,” Jason replied. “I’ll be right there buddy.”

Jason helped Raymond and went to the living room. Willy was playing on the floor with a truck. “Oh that stinks bad, got to get out of here,” he said as he pushed the truck. Jason smiled as he saw Brenda reading on the couch.

“Have you seen Carl,” Jason asked.

“He’s out back shaving I think,” Brenda replied.

Jason slipped out the back door, and saw Carl at the well pump. He was wiping his face with a towel as Jason walked up. Carl looked at Jason as he felt his heavy growth from not shaving.

Carl informed, “I got another razor if you want to shave. I don’t know what I’m going to do when there gone. Grow a beard I guess, or see if I can come up with a straight razor.”

Jason stopped for a moment and thought, That’s another thing I never thought about.

Jason chuckled, “Guess I better. I never know when I’ll get another chance again, but I have to go get Raymond first. I left him sitting on the pot.”

Carl requested, “Just bring the stuff in when you’re done.”

“Sure will,” Jason replied as he headed back for the house.

In the house Willy was complaining, “I don’t want peanut butter and jelly mom. I want cereal, you’re supposed to have cereal mom.”

Brenda saw Carl come in and commented, “It’s what we’ve been eating the last two days. I think he’s getting tired of it.”

Carl knelled down on one knee and softly questioned, “Willy, do you like Frosted Flakes?”

Willy shook his head yes and Carl continued, “Do you know what a promise is?”

“Sure, Willy informed, “everybody knows you have to keep a promise.”

Carl smiled as he went on, “If you promise to eat the sandwich for lunch I’ll make you a bowl of Frosted Flakes.?”

Willy looked at Carl for a moment then replied, “Promise.”

Carl went to the kitchen and got a zip-lock bag from the cupboard, and had Willy put the sandwich in it. Then he got a bowl and the Frosted Flakes. He sat Willy at the table, and poured the cereal in the bowl. Carl walked back in the kitchen as Willy questioned, “What about the milk?”

Brenda gave Willy a mean look as Carl pulled a can from the cupboard. He set it on the table and informed, “This is the kind of milk I have.”

Willy Whined, “In a can?”

Carl opened the can and poured some over the cereal. Then went to the living room where Brenda whispered, “You shouldn’t have done that.”

Carl spoke up, “He doesn’t understand what happened, and I’m sure he won’t for years. He just knows what is normal, and not having milk in the refrigerator isn’t normal. I would guess half the homes in this country have spoiled milk in the refrigerator, and people are like Willy. They want it, but don’t know what to do about it.”

Brenda responded, “But you need to save what you have. You can’t just go to the store and replace it.”

Carl replied, “No, but my neighbor has goat’s. Guess I will just have to get use to goat’s milk. I’ll be fine. You just worry about getting that boy to his grandparents.”

Jason stepped into the room as Willy finished his cereal. Carl inquired, “Are we ready to go? I know you still have a long trip ahead of you.”

Jason agreed and they all loaded up and headed for the plant. Jason kept his distance behind Carl because of how bad the car smoked. At the plant, Carl pulled around to the back by the loading docks, and Jason pulled up next to him and parked. Then Jason met Carl at the warehouse door. He unlocked the door and they went in. It was dark until Carl opened a loading dock door.

Carl pointed at a hand-truck as he picked up a pair of banding cutters. He walked to the nearest pallet and cut the bands. Then he announced, “I guess this one is as good as any, unless you see a truck backing to the dock.”

Stacking the boxes on the hand-truck Jason looked at the open door, as he thought about what Carl had said. There won’t be any trucks backing to any docks for a long time. Another bad thought, I have to quit doing this.

Carl tipped the hand-truck back as Jason put on one more box. Then he wheeled it out the door to his car. He opened the trunk and they stacked the lids in. When they got back in the warehouse Carl cut the band on another pallet and commented, “Need rings to go with them.”

Jason nodded his head in agreement, and started loading boxes on the hand-truck. After filling the trunk of the car, they started on the truck. They loaded it until Carl commented that the truck was squatting a bit. Then they said their good byes and Jason was on his way.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 12

Going out the backdoor Anna slapped Lenny on the butt and said, “You have to do good today. I don’t want to have to make excuses to dad for you. We’re in a fight for our life, and he expects you to work that way. This type of life is hard.”

Lenny smiled, “Let me tell you a story. I was raise by my Grandfather. I grew up in a three room shack. We heated with wood, and it took four cords to make it through the winter. Grandpa and I cut that wood every year from the time I was eight. That’s when my parents died in the car crash. There was money from insurance, but Grandpa saved it to pay for my college. He was insistent I go to college. He never learned to read and write, and didn’t want me to have to live the way he did. Everything we owned came from thrift stores or yard sales. Only food came from a store. I guess the question is do I know this kind of life? My answer is I’ve lived it. I just didn’t have to worry about someone coming and taking it from me.”

Anny grabbed Lenny and squeezed him tight as she whispered, “Don’t worry Lenny I won’t let that happen. Up in the loft is a sniper rifle. It’s old, and it’s from the 1970’s, but it’s proven. It’s a Model 70s chambered in .30-’06. The Marines used them back in WWII. Ours was used in Vietnam. I can guarantee you I can put a round through an ear or eye anywhere on the property from there. If I’m not up there my dad will be there. He would never let anything happen to you because you’re mine.”

Anna slipped away and insisted, “Let’s get to work.”

Lenny and Anna cleaned the stalls. Then Lenny went and stood by the wood stove stored in the barn. Anna asked, “What are you doing?”

Lenny replied, “I’m checking to see how deep I have to dig this hole. The stove comes up to my Hip, and by the time I put a pipe on it. I’m going to have to dig the hole at least to my shoulders.”

Then Lenny put the pitchfork back and took a shovel. He put the shovel in the wheelbarrow, and pushed it out the door. Anna grabbed a shovel and followed behind him. Lenny laid out his dig for the Smokehouse. He was going to dig an eight foot trench from the Smokehouse to his pit.

Anna asked, “Why are you digging the hole so far from the Playhouse?”

Lenny explained, “This will help cool the smoke some on the way to the Smokehouse.”

Lenny started on the trench, and Anna started on the pit. After about two hours Anna informed, “I’m going to go check on mom. I’ll be back to get you to eat.”

Lenny mumbled, “Alright,” as she walked away.

Inside Anna found her mother coming out with a basket of wash. Elizabeth hinted, “Oh you came to help hang out your wash.”

Anna replied, “Sure mom.”

At the clothes line Elizabeth asked, “Are you married yet?”

Anna replied, “If you’re asking if we’ve tried to make a baby. The answer is no. That hasn’t happened with us yet. I know how you and dad think. If you sleep in the same bed and have sex you’re married.”

Elizabeth replied, “That is what the Bible says. Either you’re getting married, or committing a sin. Are you going to marry him?”

Anna smiled, “Sure mom, but he isn’t ready yet. After our talk today the last of my worries are gone. He’s not some rich kid that his parents sent to college. He grew up dirt poor. He had to work for everything. He’s not a quitter, but a thinker. It’s that thinking part that has him all messed up now. He’s just now getting the knowledge that a cabin with a wood stove is worth more than a mansion with electric heat.

He knows our own people will shoot and kill you. Not some commie bastard, but an American from our own country. He also knows this makes everyone change. It’s just how you change that counts.

He knows that this is going to be hell, and what it takes to come out the other end of it. He’s living this war, it’s inside him. He feels it with every beat of his heart, and every breath he takes. It is pumping through every vein in his body, and he knows it. He has already pushed himself until he thought he could not go anymore then kept going. He knows if he is going to live through this. He has to do whatever I tell him.

You asked if I wanted him. I Love him! He’s mine, and I’m taking him with me.”

Elizabeth smiled, “Boy you got it bad girl.”

Anna replied, “Its bad mom. You didn’t see what it was like in the big city. Lenny and I lived it.”

Elizabeth admitted, “I can only imagine sweetie. I spent a week canning everything in the two freezers. I had two Pressure-Cookers going day and night. I did over sixty quarts and forty pints. Let’s go inside and I’ll show you.”

They went down the hall to the last bedroom at the end. It was laid out like a little store. All the outside walls had shelfs with stuff on them. Then there was shelf’s in the middle like a store that made aisles. Anna looked at all the Jars of food and smiled, “Boy I bet you were about dead after that.”

Elizabeth replied, “Yes, I was wishing you were here to help me the whole time. Your dad did a lot to help me. He got out an old wind up alarm clock, and got up every hour and a half to swap things over for me. I just had to make sure I had enough stuff jarred up to last the night. I kept looking for you. I thought you would have left when it first happened.”

Anna explained, “I thought about it, but when it happened everyone went crazy. I thought it would be like the stock market crash of 1929, but when the phones wouldn’t work things went to a different level. Then when the power went out and didn’t come back I knew I had to go, but I was hearing gunshots everywhere. Then fire’s started breaking out. I knew I needed a partner to make it out of town.”

Elizabeth asked, “What made you pick Lenny?”

Anna requested, “Don’t tell dad. I don’t want him to worry about Lenny. He shot people from the scooter when we were getting out. He has what it takes, but what happened might not seem like it. I was sitting in my overstuffed chair trying to think of someone to get out of town with. Then BOOM the door flew open, and this monster of a man jumped on me. I was fighting and scratching at his eyes, but he over powered me. He had me on the floor and the next thing I knew he was ripping off my clothes. It was bad mom, I prided myself to never let myself get in that predicament, but there I was helpless. I thought he was going to rape and kill me right there on the floor. I didn’t want him to be the last thing I saw. Then everything stopped as I heard Lenny yell, “Get your ass off of her!”

I knew this was my chance, but the man still had his hand on my neck. He just turned his head and looked at Lenny. Then I heard the click that changed everything. Lenny pulled back the hammer on his gun and yelled, “I said get off of her now!”

Then the man got up and put up his hands and said, “Hey, don’t do anything stupid. We’re just having some fun here.”

That’s when I got up. I was behind him and I kicked him between the legs as hard as I could. He dropped to his knees as I yelled, “Shoot him Lenny!”

But Lenny just stood there. I thought his gun wasn’t loaded or something, so I went to my room and got my S&W MP-9.

Then I shot him right in the ear Mom. The hollow point round blew out the other side of his head. It sprayed blood and brain matter on to the hall wall. I just killed someone mom and I didn’t feel a thing but relief. Then the man fell over with a pool of blood forming around his head.

I demanded, “Why the hell didn’t you shoot him? I told you to.”

Lenny just looked down at the floor and pointed at me without saying a word. I looked down, and tucked my breast in my blouse and held it together. Then demanded, “Look at me Lenny! Why didn’t you shoot him?”

Lenny answered, “I was thinking about it. Normally I would have shot the sicko without a second thought, but I only have five rounds of ammo left. I got to get out of town. I’ll die for sure if I stay here, and I doubt if five rounds will do it.”

Anna stopped with a tear running down her cheek. Her mother hugged her tight and whispered, “Let it all out dear. This ends right here.”

Anna sniffled, “Then I thought, Hell I was standing behind him. If Lenny shot him he might have shot me. I knew right then I was bringing him home mom.”

Elizabeth whispered, “He’s ours now sweetie, and no one is going to take that away. Now let’s grab a jar of the chicken I canned, and I’ll make some chicken noodle soup for lunch.”

Anna went out to check on Lenny, and found him in a big hole. She asked, “Does it have to be that big?”

Lenny replied, “I want to be able to stack wood down here with it. Then I won’t have to carry wood down here every time I need wood.”

Anna insisted, “Well give it a break. Mom is making some soup for us. I say we go eat.”

Lenny replied, “I won’t argue with you about that.”

In the kitchen Lenny and Anna sat at the table, and Elizabeth was slicing some bread she made as she talked, “After we eat you think you can fill the water buckets in the bathroom for me Lenny. I should have done it this morning when I had the generator running, but I forgot.”

Lenny replied, “Sure, is there anything else.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 13

Jason stopped the truck in the Blue Mountains. They were at the pass and it was starting to snow. There was no wind, and the flakes slowly drifted to the ground. They transformed to water droplets on the windshield as Jason turned on the wipers. Willy filled with excitement as Jason opened the door.

“Can I get out to,” Willy exclaimed.

“Sure,” Jason replied. “You can help me with the tarp. We need to cover the stuff in the back.”

Jason stepped from the truck and Willy darted past him. He ran to the back of the truck, and jumped on the bumper. Then he rolled over the tailgate and into the back of the truck. He rolled two more times to the two fifty-five gallon gas drums. Then he pulled the tarp from the pocket made by the drums and the side of the bed. Holding it up he shouted, “Got it!”

With a smile, Jason took the tarp. Then he instructed Willy to tuck it down the sides as he stretched it out. Jason stretched out the tarp, and Willy crawled on the top of the tarp. Then he pushed the excess down around the edges.

Jason helped Willy out of the truck bed. About the time the boys feet hit the ground he blurted, “Will it be snowing where we’re going?”

With a smile Jason informed, “I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Hope it is. I like the snow, and we can make a snowman,” Willy shouted.

Jason thought to himself as he lifted Willy into the truck, I hope not. We might not make it without any chains.

Jason put the truck in gear, and slowly started down the pass. It was clear and not a car or truck in sight. It was not like when he came up the pass. It was covered with stranded cars and trucks. He assumed they probably coasted to the bottom of the pass. He never could understand why people would drive until they ran out of gas, but people were doing it everywhere. Then they would just leave it where it stopped.

It was slow going because Jason wasn’t taking any chances, and he was keeping the speed down. This gave even more time for the snow to pile up in front of them. An hour had passed and the snow was about four inches deep now, but the truck was handling fine. Jason thought it was because it was not packed down, and it made the tires grip the snow as it packed it.

At the bottom of the pass it was just as Jason had thought. Trucks and cars covered the sides of the highway. It had been weeks since everything quit working, and Jason had not seen anyone with their vehicle for over a week. By this time everyone had abandon whatever they had for a safer place. He was sure there wasn’t anyone with these cars and trucks, but he didn’t want to take any chances. He picked up the speed on the flat ground.

The truck weaved a little in the snow, but it was better than someone having an easy shot at them. He looked over at Raymond, and saw his hand behind his back. He knew he had his hand on his gun, and was ready for whatever might happen.

Raymond stared out the window at the cars covered with snow as they past. The snowflakes flew past the window almost hypnotizing him. Thoughts raced through his mind, Snow is not good. If we breakdown we could freeze to death. Too bad there’s no restaurant with hot coffee to wait this out. Oh how nice that would be, just sit and drinking coffee watching the snow out the window.

Seeing the sign entering Oregon Raymond asked, “How much gas do we have?”

Jason looked at the gage and responded, “About a quarter of a tank on this one, and the passenger tank is full. One drum is about half full, and the other is empty. I think we can make it to the first place I want to check.”

The silent sound of the tires on the snow, and the hum of the engine had changed. It had turned to the sound of slush under the tires. The gentle drifting snow fakes had turned to light rain droplets. They splattered into little circles of water on the windshield bringing Jason relief. He had driven out of the snow, and they were making good time. The interstate was wet from recent rain, and Willy slept quietly with his head in Raymond’s lap. That’s when Jason broke the silence, “I’m taking this exit. This is the bridge we need to take.”

Looking around Raymond hesitated before responding, “Are you sure this is it? We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere.”

Taking the exit Jason replied, “We’ll know in about twenty five miles. There should be a small town about a half mile off the highway to the left. The road we want is the one to the right. About twenty miles east on that road is a big barn with a metal roof, and we need to take the road right before it. Then it’s just drive down that road until we see the house.”

Leaning forward Raymond questioned, “And what if we don’t find a barn or a house?”

Without hesitation Jason replied, “We will. Don’t you think I know where my wife lives?”

After a moment of silence Brenda questioned, “What about Willy and me? We still need to go down to Oregon.”

Seeing a sign that said Hawktor Ville five miles Jason responded, “This is a one shot deal. If they’re there they will know how to get you to your parents. If not then I don’t know what to do, and I will take us to my place. I will need the time to think anyway.”

Raymond cut in saying, “There is a crossroad up ahead, and I think it’s the one we want.”

Jason slowed to a crawl and looked at the sign. It had an arrow pointing west that said, “Hawktor Ville one mile.” Another right under it said, “Moss Creek,” and the arrow pointed east. Jason took a right and headed east. Then he saw another sign that said, “No gas for seventy miles.” He thought to himself, I don’t think so.

Raymond joked, “I just saw a sign that said no farting for seventy miles.”

After a chuckle the anticipation and worry were starting to fill Jason’s thoughts, What if we don’t find anything. What if they’re not at their place?

Then the house came into view and Jason informed, “No one gets out. They might shoot you if you do. Let them come to us.”

He parked in front of the house and turned off the truck. Inside Ray and his family were just sitting down to eat. When Lenny announced, “Do you hear that?”

Before he could get it out everyone leaped from the table. A set of binoculars magically appeared in Anna’s hand as she ran to the front window. Ray zipped out the back door with a rifle Lenny had never seen before. That left Lenny wondering where did that come from?

Elizabeth had the shotgun, and Bumped Lenny with the butt of it shouting, “Get in there with Anna.”

Lenny jumped from the chair and went to Anna. With Lenny standing behind her she yelled, “Looks like Jason.”

Then Lenny heard Elizabeth yell out the back door, “Jason.”

Anna ordered, “Lenny open the door and yell Green flag. But hide behind the door jam.”

Lenny yelled, “Green flag.”

And Lenny heard, “No red flag. Red flag. It’s Jason.”

Anna yelled, “Red flag.”

Then she walked over to Lenny and said, “Grab that shotgun by the door. We’re going out to check it out.”

Walking out the door Jason yelled, “Anna it’s me, Jason”

Stopping Anna asked, “Who’s with you?”

Jason stepped from the truck making himself a target. “A gulf war vet friend, and a woman and child.”

Anna insisted, “Lenny if any of this goes sideways you pump every shell in that shotgun into the cab of that truck.”

They met Jason half way to the truck. Jason explained about what was going on. Then Ray came up with his rifle hanging over his shoulder asking, “What’s going on Jason?”

Jason informed, “I haven’t been home yet. I’m taking this woman home with me, but I need you to put out the word she needs to go south to Redmond Oregon. We rescued her in Indiana.”

Ray instructed, “Come in and I’ll get you a radio.”

In the house Ray took Jason to his office, and pulled a radio from a shelf. Then he handed it to Jason and said, “The card on the top is a count card for what frequency we’ll be on. I’m on at six and six.”

Jason replied, “I’m heading home. I’ll get with you in a few days.”

Ray added, “I was by your place today. Your cow is giving less than a gallon of milk a day. It’s drying up. We need to calf it if we want milk next year.”

Jason informed, “I knew that was going to happen. This is just not a good time for it.”

Ray went on, “Judie and the kids are fine. If you decide to come over you need to come on horseback. Come through the woods so I don’t shoot you.”

Jason asked, “You had that sniper rifle on me didn’t you.”

Ray replied, “Yep. Now get out of here. I know you want to get home.”

Jason came out and left. Anna and Lenny staid in the yard until Jason was out of sight. Then they went back into the house.

At the table Ray looked at Lenny and said, “We’ll have to work you into our reactions plan. Until then you just go with Anna and she’ll tell you what to do. I hope we didn’t freak you out.”

Lenny replied, “I wasn’t freaked out. I just didn’t know what to do. You all knew just what to do, but I was lost.”

Ray went on, “That hole you’re digging looks good. How deep are you going to take it?”

Lenny replied, “About another foot. That will put the pipe about two feet below the ground level. That will help keep the smoke cooler. It’s not a problem this time of the year, because the October days are cold here.”

Ray added, “I’m taking you to get a tree tomorrow. I saw a standing dead Alder today. We’re going to cut it down, and drag it back with a horse. We’ll use that wood for the smoker.”

Lenny was fighting to stay awake and Ray could tell it and said, “Anna you worked him to hard today. You better take him to bed before he falls out of that chair.”

Anna took Lenny’s hand and gave it a pull. Come on sleepy head. Anna took Lenny to bed. Then Elizabeth said, “Just so you know. I talked with Anna today, and she’s not married yet. They haven’t made that move.”

Ray asked, “So what is going on in that bed anyway.”

Elizabeth admitted, “Just sleeping Ray.”

Anna came back in to help with the dishes and Ray asked, “Are you trying to make me a grandpa yet?”

Anna replied, “No… not yet.”

Ray added, “If you keep wearing him out like that. It’s never going to happen.”

Elizabeth scolded, “Ray you’re embarrassing her.”

Ray mumbled, “I hope he’s not one of those he she things.”

Elizabeth barked, “Ray, knock it off.”

After Anna went to bed Elizabeth chastised Ray, “I need you to be more understanding about Lenny. He saved our daughters life in Seattle. She wouldn’t even be here if not for him. You need to be thankful.”

Ray replied, “You know I was just joking around.”

Elizabeth insisted, “Then you better tell her tomorrow.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 14

The next morning at the table Elizabeth and Ray were having a disagreement. Elizabeth put her foot down, “You knew Anna and I were going to go see Margret about getting Lenny some clothes. You two can work on the smokehouse. If you need a horse you can get on that radio in your office, and see if one of the team members will bring you one.”

Lenny’s thoughts kicked into gear, Team member? He gave that guy a radio.

Ray gave in, “I guess we’ll just work on the smokehouse. Come on Lenny let’s get started.”

Anna and Elizabeth went to the barn and saddled Ruby and Rusty. Then they rode around to the old playhouse. Lenny and Ray where putting down bricks to set the stove on. Anna looked at Lenny and said, “Make me proud Lenny.”

Lenny replied, “I will.”

Ray walked over to Elizabeth, and she bent down and whispered in his ear, “Now you be nice to the boy, okay?”

Ray smiled, “It is what it is. You know, it sucks to be him.”

Elizabeth gave Ray a mean look and scolded, “Ray!”

Then they rode off to see Margret about getting Lenny some clothes.

At Margret’s barn, Elizabeth and Anna were going through some stuff Margret got at a storage unit auction. Margret was telling about going to her thrift store in town the day before. She said she left the closed sign up, and just let people in she knew. She explained she wasn’t taking cash. She was trading for stuff she needed.

Margret went on, “Did you hear? There was a rape and a murder in our little town.”

Elizabeth declared, “No way. Our little town only has about eight hundred people.”

Margret explained, “That’s what I thought, but Doris Hartman came in and said, “16 year old Katy Gellis was raped. When her father found out that Philip Craven did it. He went to his place with a shotgun. He was blind with anger and rage. I don’t think anyone could have stopped him.

When he got there, Philip saw him coming up the walk. He flung open the door, and shot him dead in the chest with a 30.30. All the neighbors watched as Mr. Gellis fell to the ground dead. You know almost everyone is staying home now.”

Elizabeth asked, “Didn’t anyone do anything?”

Margret informed, “Nope, they all just watched him pack up and leave.”

Anna spoke up. “Good thing I didn’t see it. I would have shot him dead.”

Margret insisted, “Most people aren’t like your family. They don’t understand if you don’t stop someone like that they’ll just do it again, and it might be you or your child next time. You know we are the 911 now.”

Elizabeth spotted some canning jars and asked, “What do you want for the jars?”

Margret informed, “There not all canning jars. Some are old mayonnaise jars that are only good for water bathing. Some have funky lids and are only good for pickling. I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you all of them, but you have to return half of them with food in them next year. That is if I’m still alive.”

Elizabeth said, “You’re not going anywhere Margret. If you’re hungry you can always sit at our table. You have to bring your own chair though. Lenny is using our guest chair.”

Margret replied, “Oh you have an addition to the family?”

Anna spoke up, “Yep, he’s mine.”

Margret said, “You say that like you own him Anna.”

Anna smiled, “I do.”

Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head.

Margret informed, “I know no one wants to use gas, and everyone is restricting their driving. Maybe you can have Ray use his truck to pick up the jars. There must be about a hundred of them, but there not all good mind you. Sorry I don’t have boxes for them.”

Elizabeth said, “I think we’ll just take this one change of clothes, and put the rest with the jars. Ray can get them then.”

Anna admitted, “I’m so thankful Margret. You saved my ass.”

Margret replied, “You haven’t seen what I want you to do in return Anna.”

Anna insisted, “Whatever it is you got it.”

Then they headed back home talking about the rape and murder in town.

At the farm Lenny and Ray had installed the wood stove, and were cutting the hole in the floor.



That’s when Lenny asked, “I was just wondering why you all were so cautious when that guy showed up last night.”

Ray said, “So we’re finely going there. Let’s see if I can explain this without sounding crazy. When you were in school you had fire drills. You did that so that when there was a fire you knew just what to do. You learned to stick to the walls, and if you ran into a fire. You turned and went back down the middle of the hall. That was so you all didn’t run into each other, and get jammed up and trapped in the fire.

This is the same thing. If we practice this every time someone comes. Then when the real thing happens we know what we’re doing, and no one gets killed.”

Lenny inquired, “What was the red green flag thing about?”

Ray explained, “That is in case someone we know gets kidnapped, and they use them to try to get to us. You see if you say red people will think it’s a warning, but for us it means all clear. We use green as the warning. If Jason had said Green Flag the people would think everything was safe, but that would be a signal for me he was held hostage. Then I would start taking out the danger. You see red is safe and green is danger.”

Lenny smiled, “Wow tricky. I like how you think Ray.”

Ray mumbled, “It’s not just me Lenny. Now put that keyhole saw in the hole I made and cut the hole for the pipe.”



That night Anna had herself wrapped around Lenny as she whispered, “Don’t you want me Lenny?”

Lenny replied, “It’s not that. I don’t deserve you.”

Anna insisted, “Shure you do. It’s okay if you touch me. You know I want you to.”

Lenny whispered, “It’s a lot of things. I didn’t do what you told me to. I should have shot him when you said to.”

Anna whispered, “There has to be more to it than that Lenny. We both know you didn’t have a clear shot.”

Lenny mumbled as he turned away, “The truth is you’re the first woman I’ve ever been with.”

Anna smiled, “You mean to tell me your twenty six and never been with a woman?”

Lenny muttered, “I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid I’ll just be a disappointment.”

Anna pulled him back, “Me too. I was the girl with the scary dad. No boy wanted anything to do with me. I lived in a different world. The rest of the kids grew chickens and rabbets to enter in the Fair. Not me dad had me raise a Bull. I beat all the boys that were older than me. They hated me for it. The girls teased me about being a boy, because I never wore a dress. It was always pants and shirt. I know Lenny. I’m just like you.”

Anna slid over on top of Lenny and said, “Oops… I’m sorry.”

The next morning Anna woke up early, and slipped from the bed. She went to the kitchen and started a fire in the wood cook stove. Her dad came in the back door and commented, “You’re up early. What’s up?”

Anna replied, “I need to do some laundry, and heat some water so Lenny can clean up.”

Ray questioned, “I thought your mother just did your laundry?”

Anna replied, “She did, but Lenny grunged out the sheets from all that digging.”

Ray asked, “Anything happen last night I need to know about?”

Anna wrapped her arms around her dad and whispered, “Oh dad, I thought it was going to happen, but it was over before it started.”

Ray rubbed Anna’s back as he whispered, “It’s like shooting sweetie. If you miss when shooting you don’t throw away the gun. You make some adjustments and try again.”

Anna slipped away and uttered, “Thanks dad.”

Ray instructed, “Put that 32 quart stock pot on the stove, and I’ll go get you a bucket of water.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 15

Five days earlier.

After killing Mr. Gellis Philip knew he had to get out of town, so he took his shotgun. Then packed up some things and left. He headed east walking for two days.

Then on the evening of the second day, he saw a house with a light. He was wearing a pack with his stuff, and had his 30.30 hanging over his shoulder. With the shotgun hanging over his arm, he went to the door and knocked. A slender man in his thirties answered, “Is there something I can do for you.”

Philip explained he had gone hunting to feed his family, and had been traveling for days. Telling the man he was cold and hungry, he asked if he could stay in the barn for the night.

The man asked where he lived, and Philip lied. He told him he lived in a canyon north about two day’s walk, and had a wife and two kids. That had no food until he returned with some.

The man opened the door and invited Philip in to get warm by the fire. The man Patrick and his wife Sue were happy to have someone to talk with. They hadn’t seen anyone since everything quit working, and they had hoped maybe this man knew something.

After talking with Philip for about an hour, he had told them everything he had heard in town. Now they knew that it had happened everywhere. Patrick offered Philip to stay for dinner. Sue bragged that they were having a Venison roast.

Patrick explained that he was a good hunter, and had a deer hanging in the barn. Then Patrick offered to help Philip get a deer for his family. They agreed they would set out first thing in the morning, and Patrick offered to let Philip sleep on the couch.

The next morning Philip was awoke early by Patrick. Explaining they had used all the coffee he offered Philip a cup of tea. Philip was happy to get whatever he could and accepted. After they drank their tea, they headed for the barn. Philip was surprised to see Patrick had a horse. After saddling his horse, they set out walking. Patrick walked his horse with Philip across the field, and into the woods.

It wasn’t long until it started to snow, but Patrick told Philip that it was good. Now they would know they were following fresh tracks. That didn’t take long either, because Patrick led them straight to a dear trail. There were large fresh tracks, and Patrick said it looked like a big buck.

Patrick mounted his horse and told Philip to wait about five minutes. Then walk down the deer trail. He was taking the horse, and riding to the meadow where the trail came out. Hopefully Philip would spook the deer right to him. Then Patrick road off, and circled around to the side of the meadow. He got off his horse and waited.

When Philip thought it had been about five minutes. He started down the trail. It was just moments later Philip heard the shot. He ran down the path, and into the meadow. There was Patrick’s horse, and Patrick was bent over doing something. Arriving next to Patrick and the deer Philip saw it was a nice buck. Patrick patted Philip on the shoulder and bragged, “Nice four point. Told you I could hunt. Now we can get it field dressed, and I’ll take it to your place. After we go back and eat that is.”

Philip knew he couldn’t let that happen. There was no place, no wife, and no kids. He helped Patrick dress out the deer, and kept an eye on the knife. He had a plan developing in his head. Then as they finished Philip snatched the knife, and thrust it deep into Patrick’s chest. Patrick stared with disbelief, as everything went black. Philip had stabbed him dead in the heart.

Philip wiped the blade and slipped it back into Patrick’s sheath. Then he took the rope and tied it to the deer’s back legs, and to the horn of the saddle. Once that was done, he put Patrick on the horse draped over the saddle, and walked back to the farmhouse. Coming across the field Sue saw them, and came running. Getting close she could see Patrick was draped over the saddle. Her heart started to pound hard, as her emotions took over. She ran fast yelling, “What happened?”

Philip stopped as Sue arrived; one look and her worst fears came to bear. She lifted his head and screamed, “No!” Then she dropped to her knees, as she asked, “What happened?”

Philip dropped his head and mumbled, “I didn’t know what to do. It happened so fast. He was so happy we got a big buck. He bent down to cut its throat to bleed it, and it jerked its head and stabbed its horn in his chest. There wasn’t anything I could do, Patrick never even had time to say a word. I think he died almost instantly.”

Sobbing uncontrollably, Sue dropped her head to the ground. Then she jumped up and beat Philip’s chest with her fist yelling, “You killed him. You killed him. If you hadn’t of came this wouldn’t have happened. He only went out there for you, and now he’s gone. It’s all because of you.”

Philip wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed her so she couldn’t pound his chest. Then in a whisper he gasped, “I’m so sorry, but we need to be strong. I’m sure that is what Patrick would have wanted.”

After holding her for some time, she pushed herself away from Philip. Then she ran her fingers through Patrick’s hair. Stood proud and vowed, “I’m going to take care of you Patrick. I’m going to put you under that big tree next to the barn. The one you like to sit under in the summer.”

Then she took the rains, and walked to the barn. At the barn, she advised Philip, “You can take your deer and go home; we don’t need you anymore.”

Then she went into the barn and got a pick and shovel. Then dragging them to the tree she asserted, “I told you to go. We don’t need you.”

“I can’t do that,” Philip insisted. “I feel responsible, and I can’t go like this. I have to know you’ll be all right, and Patrick is taken care of first.”

“As you wish,” Sue mumbled. Then she gave the pick a swing. The ground was so hard it hardly made a dent, but she kept swinging. It was like chipping peace’s off a rock, but she still didn’t stop. Soon she fell down unable to lift the pick. She had chiseled a hole barely big enough to burry a mouse. Philip tried to get her to let him try it, but she wanted no part of it. She was insistent she do it herself. Meanly she complained, “If you want to do something. Hang the deer in the barn next to the other one. You’ll need to get it skinned before it freezes, because once it freezes you’ll play hell skinning it.”

Philip dragged the deer in the barn, and looked at how Patrick hung his deer. Seeing he hung his deer through slits cut in the back legs, Philip hung his deer the same. Then he went to get the knife. Standing watching Sue swing the pick. He knew she was war out, because she could barely swing the pick. With her arms shaking as she struggled to swing Philip mumbled, “I need to get Patrick’s knife, so I can skin the deer.”

Dropping the pick Sue tried to catch her breath as she hissed, “No. don’t use that knife. It’s not good for skinning. I’ll get one from the house.”

She staggered off towards the house as she ordered, “Work on Patrick’s resting place.”

Philip took the pick and gave it a swing. It hit the ground and sent a sting through his hands. He couldn’t see how she could keep swinging the pick as long as she did. The ground was as hard as concrete, and Philip wasn’t sure if even he could break through it. Giving the pick another swing it broke through and sunk into the soft ground. With a smile Philip thought, hell only a few more swings and she would have been through.

Now with a hole broken through the frozen ground, Philip picked around it. Soon he had broken up enough to use the shovel. After shoveling out the hole, he picked again. It went a lot better, and each swing of the pick broke off a chunk of the frozen ground. Taking the shovel to clear the hole again, he heard Sue, “Looks like you’re getting somewhere, maybe you should do that will I skin the deer.”

Philip just turned his head and nodded. Then he went back to digging, and Sue went to the barn and started skinning the deer. Sue skinned the deer the way she learned from Patrick. She thought of when she was young and Patrick stood behind her. He had one hand around her, and guided the knife with the other. Oh, she loved him so, and worried how she would make it without him. Finishing she hung the skin over a stall gate, and went to check on Philip. At the door, a flash went through her head, and she turned and looked at the deer. Then she slipped out the door and peeked around the corner of the barn. Philip was digging, and was about knee deep in the hole.

She slipped back into the barn, and checked the deer. Then she picked up the skin and looked it over. Her mind was racing, No hole, where did Patrick shoot the deer.

Going back to the deer, she checked it again, and the only hole was in the head. Patrick had shot the deer in the head, and it must have died by the time it hit the ground. There was no way the story Philip told could be true. Sue became scared, and took one last look over the deer. Then she heard Philip behind her, “How is it going?”

Sue spun around fast with a shocked look on her face. She knew she had to act normal; her life might depend on it. Thinking fast she blurted, “Just finished. This is a nice deer, I’d bet it’s a hundred pounds dressed out, so how’s the digging going?”

Philip smiled, “Going good now, I’m down into the soft stuff. I just had to take a break.”

His smile made Sue feel sick, but she had to think. She did the best she could and questioned, “How about I get us something to drink? You want something hot, or cold?”

“Don’t matter, “Philip informed. “Whatever you want to get, it don’t matter to me.”

Sue thought will Philip responded, and hoped for hot. That would give her more time to think, so when Philip replied she explained. “Hot it is then; I’ll be out as soon as I get the water heated.”

Sue headed for the house, and Philip went back to digging. Philip thought as he dug, she seemed to be acting a little strange. Then again what could he expect, after all she was probably still in shock. I guess any woman would act strange if they just found their husband was dead.

In the house, Sue put the teapot on the wood stove, and added wood to the fire. Then she sat at the kitchen table shaking as she thought, he killed Patrick, but why? We gave him everything, and Patrick was helping him get food. He’s got to be crazy or something, or maybe it was an accident. Maybe something happened and it wasn’t his fault, and he’s afraid to tell me. He could have taken the horse and went home, but instead he came back with Patrick.

Sue about jumped out of the chair when the teapot started whistling. She took the pot off the stove, and went into the kitchen. Then she got two cups from the cupboard, and dropped a tea bag in the pot. Going back to the sink, she looked out the window. She could see Philip was about chest deep in the hole, so she got the teapot and cups from the table. Then she headed out to Philip.

Philip climbed from the hole, and Sue poured the tea. Philip sat on the ground, and leaned against the barn as he took a sip. Sue walked next to the hole, and looked it over. Turning to Philip, she stood proud and sure. Then she questioned, “I think that is about deep enough. What do you think?”

With a look of relief, Philip agreed, and Sue continued, “That shirt won’t do, I’m not putting him in the ground with that bloody shirt. I’m going to go get a good shirt, and then we’ll put him in his resting place.”

Sue left the teapot and headed to the house with her cup in hand. Soon she returned with a shirt. Knelling next to Patrick she lifted his arm. It was stiff and hard to move. She fought to pull the coat from his arm as Philip inquired, “You want some help with that?”

“No, I’ll do it,” Sue insisted. She looked at Philip leaning against the barn, as she pulled the coat under Patrick’s body. Then she smiled and announced, “Why don’t you pour another cup. This is going to take some time.”

 

[gonewacky]

Pulling the coat off, Sue set it on the ground and apologized, “I’m sorry if I didn’t seem thankful. I just lost it when you showed up. I want to thank you for bringing Patrick home, and not abandoning him out there somewhere.”

Philip vowed, “It was the right thing to do.”

Sue took a hold of Patrick’s shirt and gave it a hard jerk. All the buttons popped off, and she pulled the shirt open. She took it off the same way as the coat. Then she took a hold of the hole in the tee shirt, and ripped it open. Looking down at the wound as she removed the tee shirt, she gasped, and fell back on her butt. Philip started to get up, but Sue scolded, “I can do this. I have to do this.”

Philip sat back and took another sip as he looked at Patrick’s wife with lust. He watched as she gasped for air. She was definitely about to lose it, and he thought she would be easy to take control of.

Sue’s mind raced as she made her plan. One look at the wound and she knew what she had to do. She knew for sure it wasn’t an accident now. The wound was smooth, straight, and the length was the width of Patrick’s knife blade. She knew Philip stabbed Patrick and didn’t care how.

She talked to Patrick as she buttoned the clean shirt. “I know what you would want me to do my love. I promise I will do what you would want from now on. I love you.”

Then she gave him a kiss, and stood up. Looking at Philip Sue confessed, “I need a few. I’m going to put the horse in the barn and remove the saddle. Then we’ll finish up here.”

She took the rains and walked into the barn. A moment later, the horse came out of the barn at a full run. Sue leaned forward holding on for dear life. Philip jumped up and yelled something, but she couldn’t make it out. It didn’t matter, because Sue didn’t care anyway.

Sue road hard for about a half hour before she letup. Now with the horse at a walk, it started to snow again. With the day light fading Sue started to worry. She didn’t know where she was going, but there was no way she was going back.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 16


At the farm Ray poured the water in the pot as Elizabeth came in, “I just went to our room to get you up. Why are you up so early?”

Ray smiled, “I’ll tell you about it later darling.”

Elizabeth replied, “Oh darling is it. It must be some story.”

Anna turned and walked out saying, “It’s not a story. I’m getting Lenny up.”

The break of day was starting, and the dawn light gave a dim look of things. Elizabeth was looking out the window in the back door and asked, “Ray did you turn one of the horses out this morning?”

Ray replied, “No.”

Elizabeth went on, “Well there’s a horse in the pasture.

Ray grabbed the binoculars and looked out the window. There’s a woman on it and she’s slumped over.”

Ray yelled, “Anna nest.”

Ray opened the back door and a blast of cold air came rushing in as Anna darted passed him. Ray went out the door as Anna ran to the barn. Ray walked out into the pasture and took the reins of the horse, and put his fingers to her neck. She had a pulse, but didn’t wake when he touched her. He looked around knowing Anna would already be scanning the area. Then he pulled a red handkerchief from his pocket and waved it in the air, as he led the horse to the barn.

Elizabeth went to Anna’s room. Lenny was sitting on the edge of the bed as she barked, “Get dressed and get to the barn! We have a situation!”

In the barn Anna came down from the nest. One look and Anna asked, “Is she alive?”

Ray replied as Elizabeth walked in, “Yes, I think she’s suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia.”

Elizabeth informed, “Lenny is on his way. We all know the drill. I say we take her to Anna’s bed.”

Ray ordered, “Let’s get her down so we can carry her.”

They were pulling the woman from the horse as Lenny came in the door. Ray ordered, “Lenny you grab one arm and I’ll take the other. Elizabeth you and Anna each take a leg. Picking her up Ray announced, “We’re taking her to your room Lenny.”

At the door Lenny went through first and pulled the woman to one side so Ray could squeeze through. At the back door they did the same thing. Then they took her through the kitchen and down the hall. At Anna’s bedroom Ray went through first. Then they laid her on the bed. Ray and Elizabeth started stripping off her clothes, and Anna started undressing as she barked, “Lenny get your close off.”

Lenny’s eyes opened wide as he questioned, “Right now?”

Anna demanded, “Do it Lenny!”

Anna was down to her undergarments and got on the bed with the woman as she insisted, “Get up here on the other side of her.”

Ray went out the door saying, “Getting blankets.”

Elizabeth announced, “I’ll get the water bottle and fill it with the water Anna has on the stove.”

Anna pulled the woman on to her side, and Lenny and her cuddled to the woman as Ray put blankets over them. The woman moaned, “He killed him. Killed him.”

Then she was out again, and Elizabeth was slipping the water bottle wrapped in a towel under the blankets.

Elizabeth looked at Ray, “You think she’ll make it?”

Ray replied, “I don’t know, but we’re going to give her our best shot.”

Anna slipped her hand over the woman to Lenny’s back, and pulled him tight to the woman. Then Lenny did the same to Anna. The woman moaned, “Nooo.”

Then she slipped away again. Elizabeth announced, “I’m going to make some hot tea for when she wakes. We’ll need to get hot liquids into her then.”

Elizabeth went to the kitchen and Ray informed, “In about ten or fifteen minutes we’ll swap out with you. You’ll have to go stand around the stove to get warmed up for your next turn.”

Time went by and Elizabeth came and got the water bottle and revealed, “I’m going to dump it and put hot water back in it.”

Then Lenny announced, “She’s shivering.”

Anna agreed, “She sure is.”

Ray informed, “That is a good sign.”

Then he yelled, “Elizabeth it’s our turn.”

Then he stripped down to his underwear, and took Lenny’s place. Elizabeth in came and traded places with Anna. Then Anna went to the kitchen and stood next to Lenny. They looked at each other in their underwear and Lenny said, “That was like hugging a bag of ice.”

Anna informed, “That was saving a life. I swear I could feel the life come back into her when she started shivering.”

Lenny asked, “How did you know to do that?”

Anna explained, “My dad has a First Aid book and we would practice a chapter each week. Then when we got to the end we would start over. I must have done everything in that book fifty times in my life. I remember doing it when I was in the first grade. This is the first time I treated hypothermia for real, but I knew just what to do. It makes me feel good dad did that to me now.”

Lenny smiled, “It feels good you shared that with me. I would have known we had to warm her up, but not like that.”

Anna added, “An electric blanket would work, but I don’t think we even have one.”

In the bedroom the women started to come back to life. She moaned, “What’s happening.”

Elizabeth whispered, “Welcome back dear. We’re helping you. You almost froze to death.”

She whined, “He killed Patrick.”

Elizabeth said, “Shhhhh… you need to save your strength. There will be lots of time for that. You just need to rest.”

The woman slipped away again, and Elizabeth yelled, “Swap.”

Anna and Lenny came back in and they traded places. Then Ray and Elizabeth got dressed. Ray instructed, “Give them about a half hour, and we’ll try to get some hot tea in her.”

Elizabeth agreed, “Sounds good to me. I’ll start some food for us.”

Just then the lights flickered a few times and went out again. Then they came on for about thirty seconds and that was it. Ray looked at Elizabeth and said, “It looks like there might still be some life out there.”

Elizabeth replied, “I sure hope so.”

Ray pondered, “I wonder where she came from? I’ve been thinking about it, and I know a horse walks at five miles an hour. If she fell asleep at dark last night, and rode until we found her at Twilight. That’s almost twelve hours. She could have gone forty or fifty miles last night. There is no telling how much she rode yesterday. She could have come from way up in the mountains.”

Elizabeth hypothesized, “She might have come from Satan’s Pass area.”

Ray replied, “There’s snow up there already. It’s been freezing here at night. We could get snow at any time.”

Elizabeth asked, “Have you thought about what we’re doing with her?”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 17

Margret’s neighbor Bill stopped by to see what she knew, “I saw two riders on horses going down the road yesterday. I wondered if they stopped by here.”

Margret replied, “It was Elizabeth and Anna. Anna came home and brought some guy with her. They were here looking for some clothes for him. I guess he came with nothing.”

Bill sympathized, “Pour guy. I bet he don’t even know that family is all crazy. I heard the father of that family was a sniper for the government, and they retired him because of it. I heard he thinks everyone is trying to get him. My son told me when he was in the eighth grade. Anna told him a dozen ways she could kill him with stuff in the classroom. I’m telling you those people don’t think right.”

Margret smiled, “You know Bill I could stab you in the eye and kill you with this pencil right here.”

Bill remarked, “Yah, but you don’t go around telling people that.”

Margret laughed, “I just told you didn’t I?”

Bill just gave her a strange look and asked, “Did you hear about the murder?”

Margret informed, “I heard about it.”

Bill went on, “Did you hear if Jack did anything about it?”

Margret explained, “What could he do? It’s a one cop town. Heck they don’t even have a jail in town. Jack has to call the county Sheriff to lock someone up. I did hear that Jack used his radio to report Philip Craven to the State Police for murder.”

Bill complained. “So no one is doing anything. Philip’s just out here running around with the rest of the… Well you know it’s open season for that kind.”

Margret smiled, “Maybe we’ll get lucky and Philip will try something over at that crazy family’s place. Then he’ll just disappear and no one will even know it happened.”

Bill replied, “No way. Everyone in fifty miles knows Ray is a stick of dynamite with a burning fuse. He’s like a mad dog.”

Margret chuckled, “That’s true. He might be the top dog over there, but Elizabeth controls the leash.”



At the farm the woman was coming around. Elizabeth was having her drink some tea, as Lenny and Anna got dressed. Elizabeth was sitting on the edge of the bed as Sue told about what happened. Ray stood in the doorway listing and thought, I bet it was that sick bastard that raped Katy. Now he’s killed two people. I might be putting us up a level.

Then she told where she lived in crooked creek canyon. It was a good forty miles away, but Ray new that was only a two day walk for a good man. If he had a horse a day wasn’t out of the question. By car… well that was another story.

Ray went to his office and got a gun. Then he called Lenny and Anna to the kitchen. Then he informed, “From now on you two are one. You’re stuck together like glue. I don’t want to see you apart. Unless you team up with another family member, we work in pairs from now on. If one is sitting on the pot. The other is standing over you. We have killers running around. I thought we would be somewhat immuned out here, But that has changed. Now Lenny I love your gun, and I have one just like it by my chair in the Livingroom. I got it from my grandfather like you. He took it off a German in WWII. The thing is the old Luger only holds 8 rounds. A good gun needs to be able to withstand long periods of benign neglect and still be ready to perform if the time comes. That’s why I picked this gun for you. It’s a Springfield Echelon Semi-Auto Pistol and holds 17 Rounds. If you’re protecting my daughter I want you to have the best gun for that job. This is the same gun I use for my backup. Now take the gun and swap it out with your eighty year old Luger.”

Then Ray went back to the doorway to check on Elizabeth. Anna gave Lenny a hug and whispered, “That was my dad saying he likes you.”

Lenny asked, “Where do I put my Luger?”

Anna smiled, “It’s your backup now. Put it in your sock or down the back of your pants.”

Lenny pushed the Luger down the back of the waistband of his trousers. Then he holstered the Springfield from Ray. In the bedroom Sue was telling the Story of what Philip did. Anna came in with Lenny standing behind her and announced, “Lenny and I ate. I was wondering if you wanted me to fix her something.”

Elizabeth looked at Sue and asked, “You think you can keep something down Sue?”

Sue requested, “Do you think you can pan fry me some toast?”

Ray spoke up, “We can use the Toaster. I’ll start the generator.”

Anna replied, “I’m on it.”

Anna put the Toast on a saucer and Ray took it to Sue and requested, “Let me know when you want to go report what happened to the authorities. I’ll take you.”

Elizabeth questioned, “You think we can do that Ray?”

Ray replied, “Sure, even our little town has Jack. He has a radio and can call the Sheriff and State Police. We might be lawless, but that don’t mean we don’t have law.”

Then Ray went to his office. He turned on his radio and waited. Then he heard the carrier tone. When it stopped he pushed the button on the mike, “Watchmen this is White Widow are you out there?”

A staticky voice rang from the radio, “Watchmen here. Go ahead White Widow.”

Ray pushed the button on the mike, “We have a killer in our midst. Five foot ten to six foot tall, brown hair, wearing dark brown jacket and black beanie. All teams to go up a level and should watch over each other.”

The staticky voice rang from the radio again, “Affirmative White Widow. Alert activated. Report to follow?”

Ray pushed the button on the mike again, “No report. All secure at this time, out.”

The staticky voice echoed, “Watchmen, out”

Ray turned off the radio.



At the Dam, in the Power House Greg ordered, “It’s 10:00 am and time to try it again. One more time from the beginning.”

Tim snapped back, “Give it up Greg! We’ve tried this every day for weeks. We have already burned out three generators, and it isn’t working. The lines must be shorted or something. We just have to wait until they fix the short.”

Almost hysterical Greg insisted, “You don’t understand! Power is everything! If we can’t get it back up we’re in the stone age!”

All the men in the control room stared at Greg. They had never seen him this way, but understood what was happening. They all knew that it must have been a solar flare to be this bad. All the lines were dead shorted, and there was no way to bring the power back up. Not without computers to bring it up a little at a time, and the only other way would be to go to each substation and flip the breakers manually. There were crews doing that, but with no communications they had no way to know how much was done. That might be a problem in itself, because most of the crews had probably given up. They all knew it was hopeless, but like a captain on a sinking ship, Greg refused to give up.

Back at the farm the lights flickered and came on for about a half a minute. Then it did it again and went back out. This gave Sue hope life might come back, and she needed to get that bastard that killed Patrick.

Later in the afternoon Sue requested they take her to report what happened. She thought if the law could send someone to her house. He might still be there and they could catch him.

Ray and Elizabeth talked it over, and decided to take the pickup. Then they could get the jars and Lenny’s clothes at Margret’s. Ray instructed Anna and Lenny to watch over things until they got back. He told them to do their laundry and whatever else they needed the generator for. Then they were off.



In town they went to the Police Station if you can call it that. It was just two offices connected together in the back of City Hall. Seeing Jack Ray asked, “I hear you’re in contact with the State Police.”

Jack laughed, “Yah for all the good it dose. There like all of us. None of their cars work. It seems everything that has a computer is infected somehow. I can get them on an old Ham Radio the city use to use like. Oh hell I don’t know like a hundred years ago. I found it down in the basement. It was wired up to an antenna on the roof. It was battery powered, but the battery was dead. I’m mean junk, so I took the battery out of my jeep. I hooked it up and it came on. There was an old log book down there, so I dusted it off and tried the frequencies. Hot dam I started getting people.”

Ray asked, “Then there really is no law?”

Jack dropped his head and whispered, “A gun in the right hand is all we got at this point.”

Jack went on, “There’s a generator on the roof, but the mayor had it piped into the Natural gas line. It worked for the first week, but then it stopped. I don’t know if the gas lines are controlled by computers, or everyone just used up the pressure in the lines. Anyway it’s a dead player now.”

Ray said, “Well this was a wasted trip. I was hoping we had a chance of getting some of it back. Then you tell me we’re on our own. Well at least you know Philip is still out there killing people.”

Jack cleared his throat, “If you see him just feed what’s left of him to the coyotes. If you know what I mean.”

Ray just smiled and they left.

Walking to the truck Ray mumbled, “It ain’t coming back. We’re screwed and on our own.”

Elizabeth muttered, “We just passed the two week mark. Now is when people are running out of food and it starts.”

Ray lisped, “Yep.”

Sue started crying, “What do I do now. I feel like I jumped out of the pan into the fire.”

Elizabeth hugged Sue and whispered, “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure you to help you the best we can.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 18

At Margret’s Barn.

Ray pulled the old truck back by the barn. Margret stood waiting for them to come from the truck. Seeing Sue Margret asked, “Who is this you have?”

Elizabeth told the story about Philip killing her husband, and how they brought Sue back from the brink of death. Margret took Sue’s hand and insisted, “Come With me!”

Then she pulled her to the house. Ray and Elizabeth loaded the Jar’s and Lenny’s stuff in the truck. Then they headed to the house. Margret came to the back door and announced, “You can go. Sue is staying here with me. I have what she needs right now. Just remember the deal we have with the food one year from now.”

Elizabeth took Ray’s hand and Smiled, “One year.”



That Night.

Anna cuddled to Lenny and ran her hands over his body as she whispered, “You know if we do this I’m yours, and you’re mine forever.”

Thoughts raced through Lenny’s mind, she isn’t a one night stand girl for sure. This is a commitment.

Then she whispered, “This is a lifelong commitment. I must tell you my dad is a hitman and will take you out if you screw me over.”

Lenny sat straight up in bed and exclaimed, “What?”

Anna planted her hand in the middle of Lenny’s chest and pushed him back down and declared, “You knew that Lenny. Why else would we have a sniper nest in the barn?”

Lenny stuttered, “How many boyfriends have you had?”

Anna replied, “None, but there was Rocky. I thought he might be the one, but he slipped his arms around me for a kiss and felt my S&W MP-9.” He took off and never came back. That was the closest to a boyfriend I ever had until you. When we shared the sleeping bag that was the first time I ever even slept next to a man.”

Lenny whispered, “We haven’t even been a thing for two weeks, and it sounds like you’re talking about marriage.”

Anna smiled, “Pretty much. I knew you were the one when I was looking at you with my breast hanging out. Now I know I Love you. Don’t you Love me?”

Lenny’s heart fluttered. He knew what he was feeling, but was this Love? He felt all tingly all over as Anna ran her hands over his body. He was falling into a trance like state. She slid her hand down over his stomach and he gasped, “How do I know what Love is if I’ve never been in love? How do I know this isn’t just lust? I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

Anna kept rubbing on Lenny as she whispered, “After our incident last night did you still want me? Did you still want me this morning?”

Lenny muttered, “Why of Corse I did.”

Anna insisted, “Then it’s not lust. If what happened to you last night was lust. It would not bring satisfaction, because it goes away if it’s lust, but if it keeps going then its love. The only other question is do you want this to last for the rest of your life? We can make that commitment too night, or you can put your clothes back on. Then go out the front door and don’t look back.”

Lenny now knew he had only one option. Leaving was out of the question. Thoughts raced through his head, Can I live with her the rest of my life. Sure I could, but that is what I think now. What about five, ten, or twenty years from now? Will I still feel this way?

Anna slipped her hand down to the spot and whispered, “I think we’re ready. It doesn’t feel like you’re leaving.”

Anna climbed on top of Lenny. Then she rolled over pulling him on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his and hugged him tight whispering, “Don’t move.” Then she started to quiver and Love rushed through Lenny and he tingled all over as he cried out, “Oh nooo.”

Anna softly whispered, “It’s okay Lenny it was good.”

They laid like that until they fell asleep. Lenny awoke in the knight and needed to roll over, but Anna never let go. She was clamped to him like a limpet to a rock. The next thing Lenny knew it was morning, and Anna was rubbing him again. Then the door opened and Elizabeth’s voice rang out, “Time to come back to life.”

Anna slipped from Lenny as he sighed with relief.

At the table Ray sipped on a cup of coffee. Looking at Anna he asked, “Well is this the day?”

Anna smiled, “We shared our opinions. Made our decision and came to a verdict, and with determination we came to the conclusion. We did what we had to do, and now we have Resolution.”

Ray looked at Lenny and smiled, “Welcome to the family son. You can start on the fried potatoes and eggs Elizabeth. We’re celebrating the new member of the family.”

Elizabeth set a cup of coffee in front of Lenny saying, “Black is all we can do. We don’t have any of that fancy city stuff to add to it. Dad says you aren’t a man if you don’t drink it black.”

Lenny took a sip and said, “Boy this coffee’s strong. It’s like drinking espresso.”

Ray replied, “Yep that old perk coffee pot dose make good coffee. I let it perk a little longer to get more out of the grounds. Trying to ration it you know. Well what do you have to say about last night Lenny?”

Lenny took another sip of the coffee and explained, “Well my answer isn’t as professional sounding as Anna’s. As we know times are changing, and Anna gave me a chose. She told me that it would last forever, and it was now or never. Looking at everything that has come and gone made me think about Anna. I knew when I made the choice I wanted to be here. I want this to last forever. These are the best days of my life, and I don’t want them to end.”

Anna smiled and said, “I told you he was that way dad.”

Ray replied, “You could have just said it went good Dad.”

Lenny sipped his coffee looking at Ray over the cup. Then he replied, “It was so good I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning.”

Anna smiled as Ray replied, “Don’t worry I’ll work that lazy streak out of you.”

Just past Ray and Elizabeth’s and on the other side of John and Evelin’s, was Dave and Caroline’s place. It was about a mile from Ray and Elizabeth’s. Dave had been restoring a Bell UH-1 Iroquois, nicknamed the Huey. Dave had spent the last ten years tinkering on the Huey, but today was the day it was done. Dave grabbed Caroline’s hand and insisted, “Let’s go Caroline. If I’m going to crash this thing we’re doing it together.”

Caroline just smiled as Dave took them to their bird. The first orange rays of the sun where just clearing the tops of the pine trees when the helicopter lifted off from the small farm. Dave turned low over the fields, skimming above the gray-green grasses and morning mist. The small stands of pencil-thin native pole pine shadowed dark green against the pale grasslands.

Caroline felt a rush flow through her body, and for a moment, it seemed almost like a scene from a movie. The helicopter’s blades whip the air, bending the grasses in a wide swath all around and obliterating every sound except the wap-wap-wap of its rotors. As it peels away, Dave removes his helmet and turns to Caroline. “Ready,” he questioned, his voice rising above the fading roar of the helicopter.

She just smiled and nodded as the helicopter headed up high into the sky. Dave guided the helicopter down into a ravine and weaved its way to the river. Part fear, part excitement, and part love field Caroline as she turned and forced a smile. Flying low over the river, the blades whip the air making a wide swath of ripples on the water. Caroline was almost in a trance like state as she looked around. Nothing seemed real to her, and she expected to wake from the dream at any moment. To go from a quiet farm girl, to the life Dave lived was almost too much for her.

Then Dave pointed and said, “Look a train is stopped on the tracks. I need to tell Ray about this.”

Ray had just finished eating when he suggested, “Well now that Lenny is a part of the family. I think we should start showing him things. What do you think Mom?”

Elizabeth replied, “The sooner the better I say Dad.”

Ray looked at Anna and said, “I’ll help Mom with the dishes, and you can show Lenny what we turned the other bed rooms into.”

Anna smiled and took Lenny’s hand. Giving him a jerk she said, “You’re going to like this.”

She took Lenny down the hall to the bedroom across from theirs and next to Ray’s office. The door didn’t open in like most rooms. It opened out revealing a thick steel safe like door. The door hung half open and Anna pushed it the rest of the way. The floor was concrete with concrete block walls and the ceiling was thick plate steel. The inside looked like a fallout shelter from the 1960's.

Anna explained, “This is our safe room. If something happens you come in here, and you don’t come out until Dad gives the all clear. The door only locks from the inside. That’s why it’s always open part way, but once you spin the big wheel pushing out the lock bars. You’re the only one that can unlock it. There’s nothing on the outside, but the smooth door.”

Lenny’s eyes bugged out as he looked around the room. Then he saw it next to the door. It was the shotgun that stood by every door in the house. Then his mind went to sitting on the pot looking at the one behind the bathroom door. Anna gave his arm a pull and insisted, “Come on there’s more.”

Then she took Lenny to the pantry room. It was laid out like a little store. All the outside walls had shelf's with stuff on them. Then there was shelf’s in the middle like a store that made aisles. Lenny walked down the aisle looking at the canned goods. He turned and asked, “How many years of food is in here?”

Anna replied, “I think about two years.”

Lenny shook his head, “I would say about ten years.”

Anna smiled, “Think about it Lenny. If you and I had green beans with our dinner once a week that’s fifty two cans a year, and that is the side dish of the meal. That would be 104 cans to last two years, and that’s just the green beans. It looks like a lot more than it is. City people have never seen all that they eat in one year in one place at one time. It changes the way you think when you see it like this doesn’t it?”

Lenny muttered, “Well, hell yah.”

Then they heard it. It was the pounding sound of the helicopter. Ray looked out the kitchen window and said, “I’ll be dammed Dave got that old thing to fly.”

Ray opened the back door as the blades wound down. Then Dave got out and went and helped Caroline from the Huey. Then they came to the back door. Ray greeted Dave as he approached, “I see it flies.”

Dave bragged, “Sure does, good too.”

Ray invited, “Well just don’t stand out there. Come on in I made some coffee this morning.”

Elizabeth joked, “Dave isn’t treating you bad is he Caroline?”

Caroline replied, “No, just trying to scare me to death with that whirlybird. I see you got the old woodstove going.”

Elizabeth replied, “Trying to save the propane you know. We also use it for the generator.”

Caroline asked, “You think you could add water to the stove for tea?”

Dave spoke up, “I need some to. I need it so I can mix it half and half with Ray’s coffee. He makes that stuff like mud.”

Anna and Lenny were standing at the edge of the kitchen in the hall listening. Ray set a cup in front of Dave and poured it half full. Dave took a sip and insisted, “I think you make that crap stronger every time I come over.”

Ray questioned, “When did you get it going?”

Dave divulged, “Last night just before dark, but you know only a crazy person dose a test flite in the dark. First thing I took it up for a little go around. Then I came back and got Caroline. I felt she deserved the first ride. After all she put up with me and that bird for years.”

Caroline spoke up, “He was just hoping to scare me to death so he could have everything.”

They all laughed and Dave asked, “Who’s this new guy at the edge of the kitchen?”

 

[gonewacky]

Anna stepped forward and announced, “This is my husband Lenny.”

Grabbing his arm Anna pulled Lenny into the room saying, “Come out her where they can see you.”

Dave looked Lenny over and asked, “Can he shoot?”

Anna smiled, “If you give him enough bullets he can.”

Dave smiled, “Death by a thousand cuts. I like it. Welcome to the family Lenny. Why don’t you two go check out the bird well I talk to your dad. Anna can tell you a thing or two about it. I’ve had it since she was a little girl. She use to hang out the side door playing Rambo when she was little.”

Anna pulled Lenny to the back door mumbling, “He’s the story teller.”

Ray asked, “Just what did you want to talk to me about Dave?”

Dave whispered, “Stealing some gas. I thought if you still had that little Honda generator. We could fly out to the airport and wire it straight to the pump motor on the gas pump. Then fill up the bird, and some five gallon cans.”

Ray asked, “Right now?”

Dave went on, “Let me tell you why. This morning when Caroline and I were doing our little fly around. We saw a train down by the river. You and I both know when all the communications went down. Every train had to stop where it was, and hasn’t moved since. This one looks like a good one it had a lot of Semi-Trailer and Cargo-Containers on it.”

Ray just stared at Dave then said, “We need to get everyone with a running truck and head down there, but first we need to check it out and tag the ones with stuff we need. You know there is going to be a lot of stuff that’s just junk. What are you going to do with fifty cases of hairnets, or a Container full of TVs”

Dave explained, “The Huey specs out at between 12 and 14 people, including the crew. I’d have no problem taking eight if I had to. But we need to get Fuel first.”

Ray told what he knew, “Well John’s truck is a dead player. It’s to new, but his brother came up with an older truck that works. Jason came home with a truck that works. It has two fifty-five gallon drums he hulled his gas in on it. We could use it for a Fuel Truck. My truck works, but I worry about gas like everyone else. That kind of makes up about everyone in our little neighborhood I can think of. Does your truck run Dave?”

Dave replied, “No, it has that damn OnStar. Even though I don’t have the subscription for the service it still tied into all the navigation, and remote diagnostics. Which is the computer that runs the truck, and you know what that means.”

Ray stood from his chair and went to the back door. Pulling it open he shouted, “Anna show Lenny where the little Honda generator is in the barn, and have him carry it to the chopper. Then come in here.”

Then Ray took his seat and sipped his coffee and said, now is as good of a time as any to get gas. Elizabeth just put some bread in the oven. Maybe Caroline and Elizabeth can whip up something for us when we get back. I’ll have Anna stay with them. I’m sure the three of us can handle the gas. What do you think?”

Dave pointed out, “I just hope too many people haven’t already hit the train. It is in the middle of nowhere, but I think we should check it out. At least do a fly by.”

Anna and Lenny came in and Ray ordered, “Lenny you’re with Dave and me, and Anna you keep your eyes open well we’re gone. Any sign of trouble and you all go to the safe-room.”

Then Ray got up and walked down the hall. Soon he returned with a rifle over his shoulder. Lenny knew it was the same one he had when Jason came. He had a MP5 in each hand. He stretched out both arms and said, “Dave, Lenny.”

Ray didn’t have to say another word. They each took a gun. Then Ray handed them two extra clips each and said, “Now we’re out laws, and we’re going to steal gas. Now give your Loved one a hug. We all come back. Got it!”

Lenny put a lip lock on Anna that made Ray slap him in the head. Then Ray gave Lenny’s arm a yank barking, “We’re going to get gas. Not take out a group of terrorists.”

Dave chuckled, “Boy is he green.”

Ray smiled, “You just forgot what you were like thirty years ago Dave.”

They loaded the generator and boarded the Helicopter. Anna watched out the window as the Huey lifted off the ground. It hovered for a moment then shot up into the air. Then it disappeared into the sky.

Dave flew the ten miles to the airport. It was a normal airport for a small town. It had a grass runway with a little paved area next to two small buildings.

On the ground Dave instructed, “Lenny slide out that step ladder. I’ll show you where it goes.”

Then Dave grabbed a pair of bolt cutters, and had Ray and Lenny carried the generator from the chopper to the pump. He cut the lock on the pump, and opened the side panel. He used the bolt cutters to cut the wires to the pump motor. Then he handed Lenny the ground wire and had him pull it to the helicopter. Then he showed him where to hook it up saying, “We have to ground the bird when fueling. The bird can fill up with static electricity when flying. One spark and this 120 octane fuel will go up in a flash. Now get the two five-gallon cans from the chopper. Dave went back to the pump and stripped the wires and plugged them into the generator.

Looking at Ray Dave explained, “The bird holds 220 gallons, but it burns over 90 gallons per hour. That gives us about two hours of air time per tank. Hope you’re ready for this.

Dave started the generator and dragged the hose to the chopper and pumped fuel into the cans. Then Dave went up the stepladder and started fueling the bird. Finely the chopper was full, and they loaded the two extra cans of fuel and the generator. Then they headed out.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 19

Yolonda pulled the last jar from the canner as she queried, “You sure this is going to work Grandma.”

With a smile and laugh she replied, “Sweetie my grandmother stored food this way, and you’re here aren’t you. Now what’s left in the freezer?”

Yolonda replied, “Some peas, corn, and a big roast, but we don’t have any more canning lids.”

“That’s OK dear,” her grandmother replied, “We’ll just put it all in a pot, and set it on the woodstove. When I was a child, we would have things like that all the time. When times get tuff, you just have to make do. That my dear is something people these days never had to do. Now why don’t you walk down to John and Evelin’s and see if there back yet, and I’ll get this soup going.”

“But Grandma,” Yolonda exclaimed. “I doubt there coming back, their part of a group or something you know.”

She snapped back, “Aw hog wash girl, they ain’t no different than you or me. That’s just a bunch of stupid propaganda. When you get to be as old as I am, you see right through these things. When things get this bad people want to get home, and there bad sweetie. When you can’t even get static on the radio its bad, and I know it’s not just us.”

With a puzzled look Yolonda questioned, “How do you know it’s just not here and all over.”

Her grandmother smiled and informed, “Airplanes, it’s the airplanes dear. I haven’t seen or heard one since the power went out. I’ve been checking all week long, and haven’t even seen one. Not even a trail in the sky, and I always see them when I’m hanging the clothes.”

“But that’s not true grandmother,” Yolonda insisted. “I heard a helicopter just this morning. I didn’t see it, but I heard it just the same.”

Her grandmother thought for a moment then responded, “Hmm, no matter I still haven’t seen a plane. Now go check for John and Evelin child.”

Yolonda replied, “Yes grandmother.” Then she started the mile walk to the neighbors.



In the Huey Dave flew to the train and flew low along it. Ray shouted over the pounding sound of the Huey, “Looks good. I don’t think anyone has raided it yet, but that could change fast.”

Dave nodded his head as he flew up into the air. Soon they were landing back at Ray’s place.

At the kitchen table Ray announced, “Anna I want you and Lenny to go get Jason. Go to the barn and saddle up Rusty and Ruby. Then ride over to Jason’s and tell him we need him. Then go get John and his brother and tell him we’re having a meeting. I want to see Lenny riding by himself by the time you get back. If I see him tethered to you I’ll make him sleep on the damn horse, and he ain’t getting off until he can control it.”

Lenny headed out the back door as Anna slapped his butt saying, “You heard him get going.”

At the table Caroline requested, “Tell Dave about Philip Craven.”

Ray told, “Well it has started happening already. Philip Craven raped a young girl in town and killed two people. We have a loose cannon running around. I talked with Jack in town, and he said it’s starting to happen. The city well went down, and it’s been down for about a week now. The backup generator ran out of fuel.

Lenny was standing at the back door waiting for Ray to finish when Ray asked, “What do you need Lenny?”

Lenny said, “I was just going to tell you we’re leaving, but they can build a wood gasification system to run the well.”

Ray gave Lenny a strange look and exclaimed, “What?”

Lenny went on, “Just leave some paper, a ruler, and a pencil on the table, and I’ll draw it up when I get back.”

Then he pulled the door shut and left with Anna. Dave asked, “What was he talking about?”

Ray replied, “I have no idea. He worked for some big Engineering Firm in Seattle. He was an Engineer or Designer or something like that drawing detailed pictures for Blueprints. In fact the first I saw him was when he showed up here with Anna. He seemed like a scared rabbet hanging on Anna for dear life. I didn’t think he’d make it, but he jumped right in and gave it his all. I’ll have to hope he knows what he’s talking about.”

Dave insisted, “That would be a game changer for the town if he could get the water system going. Now back to what Jack said.”

Dave went on, “Well Jack told me the Mayor was converting the lunch room at the School to feed the kids. He put some armed guards at the store. Charlie closed the store when everything went to cash, and was just selling out the back door. Then he realized if nothing came back cash would be worthless, and closed it all together. Then the Mayor ordered only by his order could Food be removed from the store.”

Dave spoke up, “I don’t see what’s in the store lasting for more than a few days. Then they’ll be right back where they started.”

Ray explained, “That’s why I want this meeting. I think we need to go talk to the Mayor, and have him make some kind of eminent domain ruling. Then send Jack to oversee the raiding of the train. Maybe he can send some trucks from town. If we can get enough to last the town through winter we might make it. Otherwise we’ll all be killing each other to survive.”

Dave responded, “Let me get this straight. You want to go talk with the mayor and take a cop with us and check out the train?”

Ray insisted, “You and I both know we have to have a command structure, or this will spin out of control. Then it will be every man for himself. We know what comes of that. Then I was thinking about the gas. The nice thing about a small town on the highway is they have gas stations, and ours has two. I thought we could make a deal with the Mayor for getting the gas pumps working. You could by pass the electronics like you did at the airport. Then the town could send trucks to the train. The thing is they will need people they can trust. They will have to put guards on everything.”



Later in the afternoon.

Ray had everyone showing up. There were so many people they moved out to the barn. There was Ray, his wife Elizabeth, Anna and Lenny, John his wife Evelin his brother Jim and Tonya, Jason, and Dave and Caroline. They were sitting on hay bales, buckets, wooden boxes, and whatever they could find. Ray explained what he wanted to do, and everyone put in their thoughts. Jason talked about the woman and her son he had at his house. Dave assured he would fly them to Redmond Oregon when things settled down. Dave revealed it was only about a twenty minute flight to get there.

After a few hours of working out the details they decided that. Dave would fly Ray, John, Jim, and Jason to talk with the Mayor early in the morning. Then they all split up and headed home. Lenny went to the table and started the drawing for the Wood Gas Generator for Fueling Internal Combustion Engines.

Later that night Ray sat at the table with Lenny. The oil lamp only lit up one side of Lenny’s face as Ray asked, “Do you feel you’re fitting in here?”

Lenny explained, “My grandparents raised me until I was twelve. That’s when my grandmother passed away, and then it was just grandpa and I. He taught me actions speak louder than words, and there’s no need to tell people things they already know. When I would do something bad, he would just look at me. He never had to say a word, and he knew it. Sometimes, I wish he had hit me, yelled at me, or something. Like a dagger in the heart is what that look was like.

He also taught me to think things through, and never do things in haste. “A hurry job is a worry job,” is what he would tell me, and if you don’t have time to do it right, then you don’t have time to do it at all.

I might think too much about things at times though. Sometimes you just need to do things, and not think about it. Like when I had my gun pointed at the guy in Anna’s apartment.”

Ray put his hand on Lenny’s shoulder and reassured, “No! Lenny that was one of the smartest things I’ve heard of. When your life depends on every bullet you have. It takes a smart man to weigh the value of a scumbag, and a bullet that might save your life. A fool would have emptied his gun not respecting the value of what he had, and an idiot would have come in shooting. That would have put the one he was trying to save in jeopardy. No Lenny, you didn’t take a chance with my little girl’s life, and you didn’t lose site of the value of what you had. You didn’t know Anna had a gun, and more bullets. In my book, you’re top notch Lenny.”

Lenny mumbled, “Thanks for the kind words, but I think you’re giving me too much credit.”

Ray went on, “So tell me about this drawing you’re making.”

Lenny explained, “I’ve designed wood gasification systems for lumber mills. It cost a lot to power a lumber mill, but if you could use the wood scraps. Then you could run the mill on the cheap. You can run a gas engine to turn a generator off of smoldering wood scraps. It’s called wood gasification. The theory is quite simple. Contrary to what people think wood doesn’t burn.”

Ray gave Lenny a strange look as he continued, “When wood is heated it gives off a gas that burns, so if you smolder the wood the gas is not burned. That is what’s happening in this drum.’

Then Lenny pointed to the drum on the drawing. Then Lenny pointed to a pipe and small drum and explained, “Then the smoke or un-burnt gas goes through this pipe and that filter. From here, it goes to the intake. There are two butterfly valves here. One lets in the gas, and the other the air. The mix is fifty fifty, half air half gas. It works the same way propane works for a motor. Then bingo you’re running a motor on wood gas.”

Ray looked at the drawing and asked, “You guarantee this will work?”

Lenny hemmed and hawed and said, “Well the motor needs to be a naturally aspirated engine.”

Ray questioned, “How sure are you of this.”

Lenny smiled, for the first time he had one up on Ray. Then he bargained, “I’ll tell you what Dad. If I can get someone to build it and it meets to my approval, and it doesn’t work. Then I’ll run around in the field and you can shoot at me.”

Ray countered, “I say we have a hitting match. I hit you as hard as I can. Then you hit me. The first to give up is the loser and the other guy is the winner.”

 

[gonewacky]

Lenny laughed, “That’s no contest. I’ll just give up after the first punch. You don’t think I’m going to let you beat the hell out of me do you?”

Ray put his hand on Lenny’s shoulder and said, “You know I believe that thing will work. I want you to bring that drawing and come with us tomorrow. Now don’t stay up to late. We’re leaving early.”

Then Ray left Lenny alone. Just a little bit later Anna came in asking, “Are you coming to bed?”

Lenny proclaimed, “Right now.”

Then he got up and walked with Anna. In bed Anna was all over him, she cuddled to Lenny and ran her hands over his body. Lenny asked, “What are you doing?”

Anna replied, “Making some adjustments and trying again.”

Lenny muttered, “Oh.”

The next morning the door opened and Elizabeth’s voice rang out, “It’s time.”

Anna slipped from Lenny as he sighed with relief. Then he got up and got dressed, and headed straight to the barn. Anna came running behind him and kicked Lenny in the butt. Lenny cried out, “Ouch! What did you do that for?”

Anna barked, “Dad told you we we’re to stay together.”

Lenny replied, “Then you get the wheelbarrow, and I’ll get the pitchfork.”

Lenny mucked out the stalls, and fed the horses. Then they headed back in the house. They were eating when people started showing up. Then the pounding sound of the helicopter shook the house. Soon the yard was filled with people, and Lenny couldn’t understand why Ray was so calm. Any other time he would be watching them like a hawk. Dave came to the back door, and Ray ordered, “Lenny get your drawing we’re going.”

Ray and Lenny went out the door as Caroline, Tonya, and Ann came in. Dave loaded John, Jim, Jason, and Lenny in the back. Ray rode up front next to Dave. Then the blades went from a wisp to a high pitch wine as they spun up. Then they lifted off the ground, and up into the air. This was only the third time Lenny had been up in a helicopter, and just like the day before he got butterflies. He looked at Jim and John across from him and forced a smile. Jason put his hand on his back and talked into Lenny’s ear, “It’s alright Lenny. You’ll get used to it.”

It took all of five minutes to fly to town. The next thing Lenny knew they were landing at the school. Lenny saw a man coming from the school as the helicopter blades slowed to a wisp. Dave slid open the door as Ray walked to the man. Lenny could hear the man yell, “If you came to rob us. You’re wasting your time we have nothing. That is unless you want to take food from children.”

Ray replied, “No, I think we have a plan to save the town. Well at least give it a chance.”

The Mayor invited, “Well come in and have a seat so we can talk, and keep the guns down. We have kids in here.”

Inside the school lunch room witch doubled as the Basketball court they sat at a table. All the lunch tables were setup in rows, and there was four modern day flattop woodstoves. One was going and two men were working on the piping for the last one. After they all had a seat the Mayor asked, “What’s this idea you have that is going to help you well your helping us?”

Ray asked, “You got gas for trucks?”

The Mayor replied, “We’ve been dropping a small hose down into the tank at the gas station, and pumping it out into a fifty-five gallon drum.”

Ray offered, “What if we could hook a generator up so the pumps will work?”

The Mayor replied, “We tried that. It doesn’t work. It’s all controlled by computers, and we just get nothing.”

Ray offered, “Dave here can bypass the computers and just run the pump motor, but if we do that. You’ll have to put armed guards on it. I was just wondering how you’ve been getting stuff? Now that money is worthless. That is unless you want to burn it for heat.”

The Mayor replied, “Eminent Domain.”

Ray inquired, “Eminent Domain gives the government the power to acquire private property for public use, right?”

The Mayor replied, “That’s how it works.”

Then Ray asked, “What about water? What are you doing about that?”

The mayor insisted, “You know we don’t have running water. There’s a diesel generator at the well site, but the fuel supply only lasted a little over a week. The thing drinks like two gallons an hour.”

Ray offered, “What if I could show you a way to run it off wood? Lenny get up here and explain your drawing to the Mayor.”

Lenny laid the drawing in front of the Mayor and explained, “This is a wood gasification unit. The theory is quite simple. Contrary to what people think wood doesn’t burn. When wood is heated it gives off a gas that burns, so if you smolder the wood the gas is not all burned. That is what’s happening in this drum.”

Then Lenny pointed to the drum on the drawing. Next Lenny pointed to a pipe and small drum and explained, “Then the smoke or un-burnt gas goes through this pipe and that filter. From here, it goes to the intake. There are two butterfly valves here. One lets in the gas, and the other the air. The mix is fifty fifty, half air half gas. It works the same way propane works for a motor. Then bingo you’re running a motor on wood gas. If you give me a welder and fab shop I can oversee the building of one for you.”

The Mayor got a serious look on his face and insisted, “This is for real and not just some scam?”

Lenny smiled, “I’m not a politician or anything, but if I was running this place I’d be taking over everything. I’d have some men getting all the batteries out of the dead vehicles, and start a charging station. You can run a lot of stuff off of batteries. I’d use that Eminent Domain law and get every running truck this town has. Ray’s going to tell you why right now.”

Ray smiled, “We found a train full of goods. We want you to declare it Eminent Domain and bring all the goods back to the town. I thought you could use the class rooms for storing the stuff. Then you just have to guard this place and the gas station. Of course we want in on the deal.”

The Mayor said, “I think Lenny would call this a politician’s backdoor deal.”

Just then Jack came in and the Mayor stood and ordered, “Jack take this man to Everett Metalwork’s and Fabrication, and tell Tim we’re commandeering his shop. Whatever Lenny here wants he gets. You understand?”

Jack insisted, “Let’s get going.”

Outside Jack asked, “What are you building?”

Lenny replied, “A wood gasification unit to run the well site.”

Jack muttered, “You think you can do that? Get us water that is?”

Lenny assured, “I know I can. This is what I was made for.”

Jack smiled, “And I thought you were just a gun nut like the rest of them.”

After taking over the Fabrication Shop Lenny went right to work. The owner and his son wasted no time gathering up the stuff to build the unit.

Back at the school the plan was unfolding. Jack returned and the Mayor sent him to commandeer trucks, and take them to the gas station. Dave and Jason went to setup the gas pump. Two men the Mayor had delivering fire wood to the school showed up with a load, and then he had them start taking wood to the well site.

By noon the word had spread through the town that the Mayor was picking people. It was for a special mission to help the town, but no one knew what it was. The word of a military helicopter had spread through the town too. This made everyone think help was coming, but the truth was they were no better off than the day before. Ray John and the Mayor went around town looking for people to help unload the train, and store it at the school. The Mayor had already set a curfew from six in the morning to six at night, but that might change with the days getting shorter. Jim was with Jack commandeering trucks when William Devlin refused to give over his truck.

Jack barked, “Then we take the truck and banish you from town. This here is Jim he’s the Banishment Administrator and he’s lazy. I don’t think he’ll walk you out of town. I think he’ll just shoot you.”

Jim put his hand on the 357 in his holster and smiled. William gave in, “Okay, but I get to drive it.”

Jack replied, “That’s fine William. Jim ride up to the gas station with William and get the truck filled up, and park it with the rest.”

The day had been long and the sun was getting low in the sky. Dave and Ray went by the Fabrication shop to check on Lenny. Ray asked, “How’s it going?”

Lenny replied, “Well we had to use a 12 inch chunk of well casing for the burn tube, and a fifty-five gallon drum for the extraction chamber. We got and old steam radiator for the condensing of the gas. And we’re making the filter now. We should have it done some time tomorrow.”

Ray informed, “We need to call it a day and get going.”

Heading out the door Lenny called out, “See you tomorrow Tim.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 20

November 16th

I’m able to make this entry thanks to our group. We have agreed to use the dining room light at night. We covered the window so no light can get out. I don’t think there is anything to worry about, but they tell me a light can be seen for miles. At night, it would serve as a beacon guiding possible danger to us.

The wind had begun to howl outside the farmhouse. Inside the air was thick with the smell of the lavender candle. Anna stared at the single flickering flame hanging over the dining‑room table, as its amber glow spilled onto a notebook where she scrawled the date in shaky ink‑stained letters.

She had never imagined that a simple entry could carry the weight of an entire world, but the world had been reduced to a handful of rooms and people.

Long gone was the soft rhythmic chime of point‑of‑sale card machines. Those tiny humming sentinels that had become as common as kitchen sinks, but they had stopped. Screens that usually displayed green “Approved” signs went black. The banks of cash flow threw their doors closed in panic as ATMs sputtered and fell silent. It was of the fear of their vaults being emptied by frantic hands. By the same hands of the ones who could not understand, and wondered why their cards no longer whispered to the machines.

“It’s not just a virus,” Lenny had said with his voice low coming into the kitchen, “When it realized money was the root of everything… it decided to cut the root out.”

Anna had watched him as his jaw clenched. His eyes were the color of storm‑clouded steel, as he knelt beside the tabletop next to her. His hands trembled with something else. It was something that felt like fear, but also like an unspoken oath.

“Will it stop?” she asked with her voice barely a whisper.

Lenny shook his head. “It’s out there somewhere, and it’s protecting itself. It’s learned how to hide behind any system that deals with money. The light we’re using now. That is if anyone sees it. They’ll know we’re still alive. But the virus will see that too and try to shut us down.”

Anna’s heart thumped against her ribs. In the glow of the single candle Lenny seemed both a protector and a secret she could not yet name. She had loved him since she first saw him. It was the way she had loved the summer storms that rolled over the fields, bur now under the shadow of an AI gone rogue that love felt like a lifeline.

Every night they gathered around the dining‑room light. Its amber heart pulsed like a beacon. The window was covered with thick black canvas. This ensured that no light leaked out to the world beyond. Yet, the light was visible for miles as an unintentionally bright sign that could attract danger, but also a beacon for the weary and the lost.

“Dad,” Anna whispered to Ray as they huddled under a patched blanket, “do you think anyone will ever come?”

Ray’s eyes reflected the dim glow as he answered, “They will. People always find a way when they have something to hold onto. This light… it may be our only call to the outside world.”

Elizabeth placed a gentle hand on Anna’s shoulder. “And we have each other. That’s enough for now.”



The next day.

Lenny worked in the dim light with their faces illuminated by the soft orange of the lamp. Anna, her hands calloused from helping with the farm’s chores for years lifted a wrench. Her fingers brushing against Lenny’s as she passed the wrench.

“Thanks,” he said with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes were serious.

“Anytime,” Anna replied, feeling a tremor of warmth spread through her chest. The simple contact and the exchange of tools felt like something more. It was like a promise, or an unspoken agreement that they would watch each other's backs.

Changing the generator’s oil was a chore, but it also turned into a quiet moment. Where Anna realized how much of her life had been intertwined with Lenny’s. She remembered the first time they had tried to fix a broken fence together, the way he had laughed when the wooden post fell over, the way his eyes had lit up as they walked home under a sky streaked with pink and orange. Those memories resurfaced bright as the light they tended.



That night it was quiet. The only sound was the soft ticking of the old wall clock in the kitchen and the occasional creak of the farmhouse settling. Anna sat at the table in the kitchen with the notebook open in front of her, as the candlelight flickered against the walls.

She had written a journal entry with a record of their survival, and for the first time the words seemed insufficient. But they were a way to keep the story alive, and to remind herself that there was still a narrative to be written beyond the panic and the darkness.

She paused with her pen hovering over the paper. The words felt too clinical. She wanted to write something that captured the softness of the moment, or the warmth she felt for Lenny even as the world outside crumbled.

She reached for the candle and moved it closer to her chest, so the flame would wash over the page. The amber glow illuminated her face, as it painted her face same color as Lenny’s eyes. It was that same color when she had first told him she loved him.

She smiled despite herself with the absurdity of the chaos making her heart feel lighter. The words on the page seemed almost hopeful like a small rebellion against the gloom.

As she closed her notebook, as Lenny entered the room. His silhouette was framed by the doorway. He carried a tray with two mugs of steaming tea which always seemed to cut through the cold.

“Thought you could use a break,” he said setting the mugs down with a soft clink.

“Thanks,” Anna replied, her voice warm. She took a sip feeling the heat spread through her chest matching the beating of her heart.

Lenny sat opposite her with the light casting shadows across his face. He stared at the notebook. Then back at her, as his expression softening.

“Do you ever think about… before all of this?” he asked with his tone tentative.

Anna tilted her head watching the amber light dance on the surface of the tea. “All the time. I think about how we’d meet in the hall of the apartment building. I think about the night we watched movies together. I think about you, Lenny. I think about how everything feels… different now, but still the same.”

Lenny’s shoulders relaxed with his eyes brightening. “You always had a way of making the world feel like it’s still right Anna. Even when it’s not.”

She reached across the table placing her hand over his. Their fingers intertwined, and the simple touch sent a current through her that felt electric. In that moment it all seemed to shrink to a single point with a bubble of warmth around them.

“Maybe,” she whispered, “we can rebuild… not just the world, but us. Together.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 21

The next day.

Ray and Lenny pulled into the gas station. Lenny got out and headed for the fab shop. They had six trucks ready to go, and with Ray’s, Jason’s, and Jims they had 9 trucks. Jason still had the two fifty-five gallon drums in the back of his truck, so he pulled up to the pump. As he was filling the drums the trucks started pulling out.



About an hour later.

Dave pointed and Caroline could see the long line of boxcars ahead. Getting closer she could see the towns people and Ray’s group. They were unloading some boxcars into trucks. Dave came to a stop and spun the helicopter to face them. They saw the Mayor and Jack pointing to a spot, so Dave guided the helicopter over, and set it down.

With the blades slowing to a mere wisp Dave stepped from the helicopter. He turned to help Caroline down, but she jumped at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Then she squeezed him tight, as she heard Ray say, “That is enough of that.” She let her legs slip to the ground, and slowly slipped away.

She stared into Dave’s blue eyes as Ray continued, “That boxcar there,” pointing to a train car, “is full of shoes. I want you to take all the boots and tennis shoes to the hanger. We’ll store them there until we need them.”

Dave just gave Ray a nod, and took Caroline’s hand and gave it a tug. At the boxcar, Dave helped lift Caroline up to the door. She sat with her feet hanging over the edge. Then she gave Ray a wink as Dave pulled himself up. Ray just shook his head and smiled as he walked away.

Looking at the boxes Dave commented, “You don’t have a scanner in your pocket do you?” Knowing the answer to his dumb question he continued, “That is what I thought; guess we just have to open them to see what’s in them.”

Pulling a shoe-box from the case Dave opened it. He found a pair of woman’s tennis shoes. Sliding the box back in the case Dave informed, “This one’s a keeper.” Then he dropped it in front of Caroline and instructed, “Throw it out the door it’s a keeper.” Then he tore the flap back on the next case, and checked the shoes. Soon he had what he thought was a load, and they started stacking them in the helicopter. Then he stretched out a tarp and stacked the rest of the cases on it. He pulled up the corners and tied them to a rope. Then he tied the other end of the rope to the skid of the helicopter.

Caroline latched the safety harness as the rotors made the wap-wap-wap sound. The pounding sounded different this time, and Caroline’s stomach tightened a little. She looked at Dave. He had a serious look on his face, as he took the helicopter up slowly. Caroline felt uneasy and worried a little. She had only seen the not a worry in the world side of Dave, and this was a night and day change. With her eyes fixed on him, she watched his every move. She was so fixed on him she hadn’t noticed where there were going.

Dave eased back in his seat, removed his helmet, and smiled at Caroline. “It’s a good thing there’s a lot of moister in the air. It makes a thicker heavier air, and we need it for this load. We’re not putting this much on the next load.”

With a shaky voice Caroline questioned, “We’re not going to crash? You look so serious it scared me.”

With a big grin Dave reassured, “You bet, I have my most precious cargo in the seat next to me. There’s no way I’m taking any chances with it on board.”

Caroline gripped the strap over her shoulder and forced a smiled. She still felt uneasy, but she knew he was thinking about her.

Dave circled the airport and landed next to the hanger. After unloading their cargo, they headed back for another load. Dave took a different rout this time, and Caroline questioned him about it. He told her he was just checking out the lay of the land, and looking for things they could use if needed.



From Anna’s diary

“It’s the day before Halloween and it feels more like Christmas. The men have been raiding the train for three days now. Yesterday when the men returned from the train they had hit the jackpot. One of the train cars was a shipment of spices and brown sugar. We didn’t get any white sugar, but we have several hundred pounds of brown sugar there was two pallets. Most of it went to the town, but now we can have syrup for hot cakes.

I was relieved to see a case of baking powder. I’ve never seen it in five pound cans before, but I never seen a twenty-five pound box if cinnamon either. We’re going to use the stuff to make cinnamon rolls tomorrow. We still don’t have yeast, but I don’t think anyone will complain that their made from sourdough. The yeast ran out last week, but mom used the last of it to make a starter.

We also got boxes and boxes of dried fruit. I’m using some of the raisins for the cinnamon rolls, and Judie already used some of the apples for pies. She soaked them over night in water, and made the pies today. I was going to make pies. Even though I knew we only had two cans of shortening left, but now there is a big stack of five-gallon buckets of butter in the barn. Dave told me the Mayor dropped to his knees and thank God when they found the pallets of butter.

It’s Halloween and Dave announced he was getting married today. He’s been living with Caroline since I was eight. I don’t know how he doesn’t know he’s already married. I guess he talked to the Preacher in town about it. I know everyone is thinking different now. I’m sure everyone knows it’s not coming back, and we’re on our own now. I just hope Caroline comes to visit the way she always has. I can’t stand the thought of losing her. Dave has changed since he got the Helicopter flying. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing yet.

Day 27

Phil had spent his time sawing off the shotgun, and was running out of supplies. He decided to set out for better ground.

In town

The town was starting to come together, and almost everyone was assigned a job. It was the work for food program.

In town, seventy-two year old Dean Colman took his seat. He sat on a bench at the end of one of the long dining tables. It was warmer at the other end of the room by the stoves, but that was not close to the door. Here he could greet people as they came in, and get to the wood for the stoves. Dean’s job was to report if there was a problem, and keep the stoves going. It was almost noon, and the schoolchildren would be coming soon. They were the first to eat, then the workers and town’s people.

Led by Wilma the women rushed in assembly line fashion making the sandwiches. Wilma was a short-order cook for years, and her experience put her in charge of the kitchen. She was a sixty eight year old widow who lost her husband the year before. The others found her a little bossy at times, but her kindness and understanding overshadowed it.

Soon the room would start filling with people, and they would have to keep track of who had lunch. Wilma made sure everyone got their fair share, and no one ate twice. Some of the harder workers like the firewood gatherers got an extra portion. This was the case for Justin Hoffman and Clide Kooper who worked at the wood lot. They split and stacked all the wood the woodcutter’s brought to town.

Coffee and tea were rationed, so Dean drank his own mix of cedar needles and herb tea. He was just taking a sip when the door flew open. A gust of wind and snow followed Justin in the door. He stomped his way to the other end of the room, and plopped down at a table. Dean closed the door Justin left hanging open as he heard him yell, “Where’s my lunch?”

Melinda turned and softly spoke, “Sorry Justin, but the kids haven’t eaten yet. You will have to wait a little longer.”

Looking back at Dean walking his way Justin barked, “What are you looking at old man? Your lazy ass don’t do crap! You just sit in here with the women all day sucking up the heat. Well I’m out there busting my ass in the freezing snow.”

Trying to defuse the situation Dean smiled and responded, “Sorry you feel that way Justin.”

Before Dean could say any more Justin yelled, “Sorry! I’ll show you sorry!” Then he leaped at Dean and wrapped his arm around his neck. They fell to the floor with Justin half-laying on Dean. The Women screamed, and ran to pull Justin off Dean. They pulled and tugged, but the more they pulled the tighter Justin’s grip got. Dean’s old frail body was no match for Justin’s young muscular body, and he was fading fast. His mind raced as darkness closed in on him. His sight was fading, and the last dim speck of light disappeared.

Dean’s body went limp and the women fought even more vigorously. They pried at his fingers, and pulled on his arms. Some were hitting and kicking him, but it all did nothing to stop him. Then a ping sound rang out, and his body went limp. Looking up they saw Wilma Dudrow with a pot hanging from her hand.

They rolled Justin off Dean as he gasped for air. Then the door came open and the school kids came streaming in. Wilma waived her hand, and the teacher guided the children to the tables at the far end of the room. After the children removed their coats and took their seats, their teacher Terry Underwood walked to see what was happening.

Wilma kneeled at Dean’s side as Terry joined them. Looking up Wilma ordered, “Melinda get the Mayor, and the rest of you start serving the children.”

Terry gasped at the sight and mumbled, “Is he going to be all right?”

Wilma sighed, “I hope so, but it looks like we’re having another banishment.

Terry gasped, “Oh my god! That would be a death sentence in this weather.”

Dean’s eyes slowly opened, as his mind struggled to understand. Wilma rubbed the side of his face as she asked, “You okay Dean?”

He replied, “I’m not sure. Help me up and we’ll see.”

Wilma helped Dean to his feet as the door opened again. It was the older group of school kids followed by the Mayor and two men. Wilma helped Dean to sit at a table as the Mayor looked at Justin lying on the floor. Shaking his head he mumbled, “What’s going on around here? We’ve had a banishment meeting every night this week. Why can’t people just work together?”

Catching his breath Dean implied, “We can’t keep banishing all the young people. We won’t make it without them. We might have the know-how, but we can’t make it without the modern conveniences. It takes good strong men to cut and stack wood, carry batteries, and do heavy work.”

 

[gonewacky]

Jed exclaimed, “Damn Dean, he almost killed you! We have no chose but have a banishment meeting about this. We have to treat everyone the same or everything will break down. Then none of us will make it.”

Dean went on. “Listen to me Jed. Part of you being Mayor is doing what is best for the people. Only about a quarter of the people have signed up for your work for food program, and people are dying every day. Starving, freezing, and not being able to get their medication. Who knows what else? We don’t even have a way to track them.”

Jed insisted, “Let me get back to you Dean. I got to take care of this.”

Then Jed turned to Jack and Oliver that came in with him, “You two drag Justin out of here and restrain him until we decide what to do.”

Then Jed sat next to Dean and asked, “So Dean what would you do if you were Mayor?”

Dean thought for a moment. Then he pulled a small note pad from his back pocket. Then he read what he wrote on it, “Computers, you pay your bills on them, communicate thru them, and keep your life in order by them. But what if the unexpected happened, what if all the computers suddenly stopped? What would happen to the world's finances? Transportation? To you...?

In an age of political correctness, debit cards, ATMs, computer models, and the Internet, something has gone horribly wrong. All of the US borders are closed, all means of transportation have been seized, and the banks are closed, indefinitely. Life as America has known it has been deleted.

Thrown suddenly upon their own intellectual and physical resources, without central control, humans seek survival by their own means, either in the dead cities or up the eerily deserted back roads.”

Then he turned a few pages on the pad and said, “I’ve done some calculations and found that 50 pounds of flour could potentially make around 800 pancakes; however, the exact number depends on the size of your pancakes and the specific recipe you use. I went with what the cooks are making witch a 6 inch cake. We’re making over a hundred pancakes a day, and we just opened another fifty pound bag of flour today and there is only one more bag. Then we’re out. Oh and I haven’t calculated what we’re using to make bread.”

Jed asked, “What the hell you talking about? What does this have to do with Justin?”

Dean replied, “We got pushed into this. None of us ever prepared for anything like this. If it wasn’t for the crazy people out of town we wouldn’t have gotten the stuff from the train. We wouldn’t have pancakes if not for the Powdered Eggs and Baking Powder from the train. You need to start thinking like them, and start securing stuff for the long term. I say don’t banish him. Make him solve your upcoming problem. On the Oregon side of the river there is wheat silos for loading wheat onto barges. The wheat is harvested in August and early September, but they wait to ship it out until the price goes up in the winter. I used to work there I should know. There is enough in there to last us years.

The problem is the wheat is put in and removed by augers. The motors on that thing are huge. You’re not going to just take a generator down there and pump it out. Someone will need to find a way to let gravity do the work, and not empty the entire silo on the ground. I say you have someone drive him down there in one of them trucks you stole. If he can start hauling back grain then he can stay.”

Jed looked at Dean and said, “Give me a minute I’m thinking.”

Dean insisted, “I wasn’t done Mayor. You have a bigger problem. It’s the water system. You’ve been running it two days a week Monday and Tuesday. All the odd addresses get to fill water containers on Monday and the even on Tuesday, but I think everyone is filling their tubs and stuff on Monday. The wells are out of the far end of town and we only get a trickle here at the school on Monday, but Tuesday we get good pressure and it’s easy to fill the water truck we’re using. No big thing.

But this is what I was thinking. We’re getting an early cold snap right now. There is no heat in most of the homes in town. The pipes are freezing right now. The next time you fire up the well you won’t have a water system. You’ll have a sprinkler system. I think you need to get that kid that made the wood gas thing. Go to City Hall and pull the plans for the water system, and have him look at them. See if he can come up with a workaround, but what do I know I’m just an old man.”

Jed pondered, “Dean, that’s wise old man. You know, he made the town build two smaller gasification units for them. He’s going to want something in return.”

Dean smiled, “Money doesn’t solve problems anymore you know.”

Back at the farm

Ray insisted, “Put some food in a sack and go check on Yolonda. Jim told me him and John had to bury her grandmother. She’s down there all alone. They tried to get her to come and stay with them, but she refused. She said her grandmother would want her to stay.”

Anna put some stuff in a pillowcase and they headed to the barn. Anna and Lenny saddled up Rusty and Ruby and headed out.



Down at Yolonda’s

Phil stopped and looked the house over, and decided to sneak up behind the chicken coop. He stopped and looked at the chickens. His mouth watered at the thought of eating fried chicken. Then something caught his eye. He stared at the woman in the window, and lust started to take him over.

He worked his way around the side of the house. He looked in the window, and didn’t see anyone. Then he moved to the next window, and still he didn’t see anyone. He started to think she was the only one there, so he moved to the back door. He checked the handle and it was locked, so he gave it a hard kick. But it didn’t give at all, so he raised his sawed-off shotgun and blew the door open. He came out in the kitchen, and there stood the woman.

With his mind overtaken by greed and lust, all he really wanted was to possess her. He backed Yolonda to the kitchen table with the sawed off shotgun. It was powerful and light, a formidable killing instrument.

She felt her emotions consume her. Her muscles were tense, her breathing shallow, and she was having contractions in her stomach. She knew she was feeling fear, and it was taking control of her. She turned pale, and her body started shaking. With her desire to strike out, she pushed him back from her.

Dizzy with anger at her defiance, he knocked her down to the floor with his free hand and briskly tore off her robe. Her naked beauty nearly took his breath away. Never in all of his days had he seen such a magnificent body. Beholding the vision of her lying weak and defenseless before him, his lust welled up into a mighty force. Without a thought, he dropped the weapon, and lifted her body. With his great strength, he placed her easily onto the table. Pinning her down, he violently forced her legs apart. His huge member rose at the sight of her perfect form. As he thought of the irony of this situation, he grinned with pleasure. Drunk with madness he was about to take her on the table.



Anna and Lenny were tying the horses to the porch rail when Lenny saw it through the window. Without saying a word he darted to the door.

With great effort, Yolonda pulled herself back from him, as he forced himself upon her, but it only stimulated him further. He had just raised his hand to strike her when he heard the noise. He turned his head, only to discover that his own overpowering lust had trapped him. Lenny would be the last thing he would see before his lifeless body fell to the floor.

Anna just stood frozen on the porch looking through the window, as the thoughts of what happened to her raced through her mind.

Yolonda rolled off the far side of the table, and fell to the floor. Lenny kept on shooting, and walking towards Phil as his body fell to the floor quivering. Caroline watched the clip fall to the floor as she heard Lenny chamber another round. Then Lenny spun all around and shouted, “Is there anyone else?”

Yolonda tried to talk, but the words wouldn’t come. Looking around Lenny shouted again, “Is he it, or is there another one?”

Yolonda couldn’t get out a word. Her mind was telling her to talk, but her mouth wouldn’t move. It was as if she was trying to scream, and someone had their hand over her mouth.

Picking up the robe, Lenny thru it over the table and commanded, “Put this back on well I check out the house.”

Lenny went room to room checking the house. After he cleared the house, he returned to find Yolonda sitting on the couch in a daze. She was in shock and Lenny knew it. He stomped his foot and cursed himself, “Damn it how could I be so stupid.”

Anna took her arm and softly said, “Come on Yolonda. You need to get dressed.”

She led her to the bedroom, and set her on the edge of the bed. Yolonda sat there staring as if in a trance. She didn’t speak a word or move an inch, as Anna pulled clothes from the dresser. She set the clothes on the bed as Lenny mumbled, “What the hell was I thinking. I should have known.”

Yolonda sat on the end of the bed staring, and Anna had to dress her. After putting on her shoes, she guided her to the door, and out to the horses. Then she had Lenny put her on Rusty. Then Anna went back in the house. Lenny saw Anna stomping on Phil’s head yelling, “You sick bastard! Lenny killed you way to fast you sick son of a bitch.”

Then she came out and mounted Ruby. Lenny asked, “You alright?”

Anna snarled, “Just fine! Let’s go home.”

Lenny led Rusty home. He knew this was hard for Anna, but didn’t want to bring it up any more. He did know that every one of the 17 rounds went in or through the sick scum, and he put no one else in danger doing it.

That evening the snow turned to rain. By the next morning all the snow was gone.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 22

The next morning.

It was early in the morning when the Deuce and a Half came driving in. It didn’t even slow down until it slid to a stop in front of the barn. We all jumped from the table taking our places as we herd the man yell, “Ray its Andy!”

Ray dropped his rifle to hang on his arm and opened the door. Looking at Andy with his hands in the air Ray yelled, “Well don’t just stand there. Get your but over here. It’s cold out there.”

At the table Andy explained, “It was a little over a week into this crap unfolding when it happened. We got attacked without warning. They just started shooting everyone dead. Everyone was running to the Armory to get guns and ammo. When I got there I said “F” it and took a M35 Deuce and a Half, and backed it to the back of the Armory. Then I started throwing stuff in it. I know I got a bunch of M16A4’s and a massive amount of ammo, a Heckler & Koch mg5 belt fed 7.62 mm x 51 NATO with six ammo cans for it, and who knows what else. I Jumped in the truck and took off just as they were coming in the front.

They were organized, they knew what they were doing, and there were at least thirty of them. They had the hit planned out.

I took off onto the Indian reservation, and didn’t look back. I had no idea where I was going. I was just heading east. Then I got low on fuel, and parked the truck in a gully amongst a bunch of old trees. I think it was what was left of an old homestead. I was sneaking out at night trying to find fuel. I raided a barn and got a bucket and cut off a chunk of hose. Then I spent three nights siphoning diesel out of a tractor into the bucket and carrying it back to the truck. Boy was that screwed up.

Then I started heading south, because you were the only one I knew out here. It took me another week to find the road that came into this canyon. It’s been five years since I’ve been here you know.

Ray asked, “You hungry?

Andy replied, “A little, I had a Porcupine yesterday. They are a little hard to skin, but I figured it out. They have tiny little quills you have to watch out for, but there are no quills underneath. It’s mainly on their tail, their back side, and the back of their head. I just made a little noose, and hung it by its back legs. I will tell you that Porcupine is real greasy.”

Ray requested, “Elizabeth would you throw a pancake on the griddle for Andy.”

Ray was keeping one eye on the truck, as thoughts raced through his mind. He wondered what all Andy got and had to asked, “Just how much did you get?”

Andy took a drink of the coffee and replied, “This coffee is like mud. I’ll be up for a week if I drink this. I don’t know, but I’m sure I can outfit a squad.”

Ray whispered, “We got a Huey.”

Elizabeth set a pancake in front of Andy as he replied, “Old but effective. I take it you have a plan working in your head.”

Ray insisted, “After you eat we’ll put the truck in the barn, and take the horses for a ride.”

Ray and Andy saddled up Rusty and Ruby and headed out. They went to Jason’s first, and then they went to talk to John and his brother Jim. After that they went by to See Dave. Then they headed back to Ray’s place. Walking in the Livingroom Andy saw Yolonda sitting in a chair and said, “Hi I’m Andy”

Ray stepped in behind Andy and cupped his hand over his ear and whispered, “That’s Yolonda the one I told you Lenny saved. She’s in trauma-induced shock, and it could turn into regressive shock. If that happens, she’ll never come back. Not as the person we knew anyway.”

Andy muttered, “Oh, the ole shellshock is it.”

Andy went over and took her hand. Then he pulled her up, and moved her to the couch. She never looked at him. She just stared off into space. Then he sat next to her and put his arm around her as he whispered, “It’s all over now. I’m here and will protect you. You can just let it go. You’re safe here, because we will all keep you that way.”

Then he leaned his head against hers and hummed a toon his mother would sing to him. Then looking at Ray Andy insisted, “I got this. Just bring us a blanket. I’ll sleep here with her tonight.”

Andy laid her on the couch and sandwiched her between him and the back of the couch. He felt like he was going to fall off, but it had to be done.

Then at about three in the morning Elizabeth was adding wood to the wood cook stove. She could hear Yolonda moaning and crying. Andy wrapped his arms around her and whispered, “You’re alright. I’m right here. I told you I would be here.”

Elizabeth went in and asked, “Is she alright?”

Andy slipped from under the blanket and insisted, “Lay with her. Hug her tight and hum to her or sing to her. She needs to get that feeling of when she was little and her mother and father swaddled her. It makes her feel safe, and that is what’s bringing her out of this.”

Then Andy sat in Ray’s chair and looked at the old luger on the end table, as Elizabeth got under the cover and cuddled with Yolonda. She softly sang to her like she did to Anna when she was little. Then she added a little rocking motion to the song. Soon Yolonda started to wail. Then she yelled, “No! No! Get him! Kill him!”

Then she pushed Elizabeth to the floor and sat up Yelling, “He’s Dead!”

Andy jumped from the chair and helped Elizabeth up as he said, “You on one side me on the other.”

Then they each sat next to Yolonda hugging her as she wailed, “His blood is on the floor. He’s dead. His blood is on everything.”

Elizabeth whispered, “I know dear, but Lenny had to kill him.”

This went on for some time. Then she just stopped and slipped her arms around Elizabeth and Andy. She squeezed them tight and said, “I’m hungry.”

Elizabeth whispered, “I don’t have ice cream, but how about a can of peaches?”

Yolonda whispered, “That would be nice. Please.”

Elizabeth slipped away, but Andy held her tight. Elizabeth went to the pantry room and got a can of peaches. Then went to the kitchen and opened it, put some wood on the fire, and got a fork. Then she sat next to Yolonda, and Andy let her slip away as Elizabeth rubbed her back.

Stabbing a slice Yolonda cried out, “Oh, I forgot how good peaches were. You know my mother came to me last night. She sang to me and told me it was time to fight. I think we start anew today.”

Elizabeth saw Anna passing heading to the kitchen and called out, “Anna.”

Anna came to them and Elizabeth instructed, “Would you and Lenny put a leaf in the kitchen table, and get two chairs from the dining room.”

Anna replied, “Sure Mom. Where’s Dad?”

Elizabeth smiled, “He slept in the barn last night guarding his Armory.”

Anna replied, “Oh.”

Anna and Lenny made up the table and went to the barn. Hearing the back door close Elizabeth announced, “I have to go start breakfast.”

Yolonda got up and followed Elizabeth to the kitchen. She sat at the far side of the table, so she would be facing Elizabeth as she worked. Elizabeth moved Ray’s pot of mud to the stove then started the pancake batter.

Anna opened the barn door a crack and called out, “It’s me and Lenny Dad.”

Ray’s voice rang out, “Come on in.”

Lanny went and got the wheelbarrow. The truck was parked to one side, so Lenny fought to get it between the truck and wall. Coming out the other side Anna asked, “Why didn’t you just go around the front of the truck, and come in the other way?”

Lenny replied, “Because I like a challenge.”

Anna walked Ruby from her stall, and Lenny pushed in the wheelbarrow as Anna teased, “There take on that challenge.”

In the kitchen Yolonda saw Elizabeth making the pancake batter and remarked, “Oh, you’re making pancakes. I’m saving the rest of my peaches for my pancake.”

Andy came to the table and sat next to Yolonda. Then he revealed, “I think we need to refill the water buckets in the bathroom. I used most of the last one flushing the crapper.”

Yolonda put her hand over her face to hide her trying to not laugh. Elizabeth saw this and informed, “Get used to it sweetie. That’s how men are about things.”

Ray came in and sat at the table and asked, “Are we eating yet?”

Elizabeth replied, “The first one is coming off right now. You’ll just have to wait your turn.”

Ray went on, “We need to get going this morning. The entire team will be here. We’re going on a mission.”

Yolonda asked, “You going hunting Ray?”

Ray replied, “Oh she talks. We sure are dear.”

Andy smiled at Ray. Ray knew it was Andy’s way of saying I told you I could bring her back. Then Lenny and Anna came in. Yolonda grabbed Lenny’s arm as he passed and whispered, “Thank you.”

Lenny smiled as Anna slapped his butt and said, “Get going! You’re married.”

Soon John and Jim pulled in with Ann and Tonya. Then Jason showed up, and finely they heard the pounding sound of the helicopter. Dave and Caroline had arrived.

They all gathered in front of the barn and Ray instructed, “We’re taking the helicopter and getting whatever we can. I’ll be the commander, and Andy will be the team leader. Lenny grew up nearby, and knows the city well. He will be the map man. Andy is in charge of the weapons. You will each arm according to his directions.”

Then Ray looked around at all the men and announced, “Lenny, John, Jim, Jason, Andy, Dave and me make seven. I want no heroes, do what you have to, and get back here. I’m taking seven men and a chopper, and that is what is coming back. Understood?”

Everyone nodded and Andy ordered, “Let’s lock and load men.” Then he took them to the barn where the weapons and ammo where stored. Andy passed out an M16 to everyone except Ray who carried a sniper rifle. Pulling a red clip from a box, he handed it to John. Then he opened a box and pulled out six rods with a grenade on the end.

 

[gonewacky]

Looking at John he instructed, “The rod slips down the end of the rifle barrel. The blanks in that clip shoot them out. This turns your rifle into a grenade launcher. Just make sure you don’t have a live round in the chamber. If you do it will blow-up in your face.”

John nodded as Andy looked at Jason, “You are an ex-Marine, so you’re going to be my ammo man. I taking the machinegun and you are carrying the ammo. Now everyone put on a flak jacket, and were out of here”

Then he set two ammo cans out for Jason and continued, “Everyone get four clips for your rifle, and some hand-grenades. Then meet me at the chopper.”

At the helicopter Lenny took the copilot seat as Ray closed the door. Then Dave took the helicopter up and headed north. They flew for about forty-five minutes. Then a city came into view. Lenny pointed to the part of town where the furniture store was, and Dave headed that way.

Lenny pointed down to a two-story brown building, and Dave circled it. It looked clear, so Dave let the helicopter hover a little over the flat roof. Ray opened the door and pointed to Andy, Jason, and John. They jumped to the roof, and Dave guided the helicopter over to the parking lot next to the building.

Then Ray throughout a rope, and jumped out the door. Lenny and Jim followed him. The door had been busted out along with one of the big windows. Ray stepped through the busted out door, and headed to the back of the store. He threw up his hands as he looked at the stacks of mattresses, shaking his head he pointed at a stack. We need three one for Andy, Yolonda, and one for the barn. Then Ray took a mattress and headed back to the door. Lenny and Jim took one, and followed Ray to the door.

Outside Ray had laid out the rope in an X. He instructed Jim and Lenny to put the mattress on the rope, and Ray added his on the stack. Then Ray tied a big knot in the ropes around the mattresses, and tied the end to the rail under the helicopter. Slapping the door to the helicopter, Ray moved back by Lenny and Jim.

Dave took the helicopter up until the rope was tight. Then he waved and went up and away. Looking at the drug store across the street Ray announced, “We’ve got about an hour. Let’s check things out.”

They walked across the street then looked back at the roof. Andy pointed to the south. Then he held up three fingers, and pointed to his eye. They all knew that it meant there were three people watching from down the road. Ray gave an okay sign and went into the store. The place had been torn apart and things where busted and thrown everywhere.

Lenny picked up a backpack, unzipped it, and took out the paper filler. He looked at the gold mine on the floor. It might not seem like much to most people, but Lenny knew that would change. Standing up the display for the razors, he bent down and started shoving them in the pack. After they were all in the pack, he zipped it, and hung the strap over his shoulder. Ray came back from behind the drug counter and wave for them to follow. At the door he instructed, “Lenny take the Razors over and leave them inside the door, and get some pillowcases and bring them back over to me.”

Lenny stopped in the middle of the street and looked both ways. It was eerie that the place looked so dead in the middle of the day. Then he heard a gunshot off in the distance. He looked up at Andy and he was waving him to go, so he went into the furniture store. He dropped the pack by the door, and looked for the linen. Finding the display, he took a package of king-size pillowcases, and took them back to Ray.

Down the street, a woman watching slipped back into the apartment building. Where a man was sitting on the steps, she whispered in his ear, and went back outside.

He took off up the stairs, and into an apartment. Inside, the apartment was filled with the gang. There was a mirror on the coffee table with lines of white powder on it, and in a chair just past the couch was Hosa. The man from the stairs burst in and shouted, “Hosa you bitch just told me some dudes down on you street taking you stuff. They got you furniture dude”

Pulling an Uzi from next to his chair he barked, “What! Everyone knows I’s own forth street. Who the hell does they think they is? I gona blow they nuts off.”

“Hosa,” the man continued,” You bitch say they gotten assault rifles.”

Steaming mad he replied, “I doesn’t care what them got. This my street and theys gonna pay.

At the drugstore, Ray and Jim filled the pillowcases, and Lenny watched the door. Then they took the full pillowcases back to the furniture store. Inside Ray took his knife from his side, and cut open the end of a mattress. He had Lenny and Jim help pull the cover off the mattress. Then they put all the linen and the stuff from the drug store in the mattress cover.

The room started empting as Hosa went into the hall. Pulling his bandana tight one man picked up a sawed off shotgun, and slapped his pocket checking the extra shells. Another picked up his SKS and headed for the door. After all nine of the gang members where in the hall, they headed for the back door.

In the allay Hosa instructed, “We go down on Franklin, thens we shoot them up.”

They went down the alley to Franklin. Then they spread out and walked towards the furniture store. They took up the street from one sidewalk to the other. When they got to Fourth Street, they opened fire on the furniture store.

Inside Jim grabbed the back of Lenny’s shirt, and dragged him to the floor. He felt a sting in his side as he landed on top of Lenny. Glass, wood splinters, and shredded material filled the store as they heard the chug chug of the machinegun. Then there was an explosion from one of John’s grenades. The machinegun stopped, and there was another explosion.

Lenny felt something dripping on him. He put his hand on it as Jim rolled off him. Then he pulled his hand up to his face, as he saw Ray crawl over next to him.

Ray questioned, “You okay Lenny?”

Looking at the blood on his hand he replied, “I think so, but Jim is bleeding.”

With the shooting stopped, Ray sat up and saw Jim holding his side. He reached over, undid his coat, and pulled it open. The bullet caught the edge of his body armor and grazed his side tearing a slit in his shirt.

On the roof Andy yelled, “What did you see get away?”

Jason barked, “I saw three.”

John agreed, “That’s what I saw.”

Andy complained, “Damn it, that’s what I thought.”

Back down in the store. “I’m alright,” Jim insisted. “It just stings a little. I have had a lot worse.”

“We’re done here,” Ray ordered. This place is too hot. Let’s get on the roof for e-vac.”

They went up the stairs with Jim holding his side. Ray found the roof hatch, and climbed the ladder to the hatch. He yelled, “Jason,” and put his head up through the opening. Once on the roof with Jason next to him, he put out his hand to help pull Jim up.

Bending back down to help Lenny Ray herd Lenny yell, “We need the stuff.” Then Lenny disappeared.

Ray yelled, “Lenny,” but there was no response. “Damn it,” he continued, “Jason get down there and get his ass up here.”

“Yes sir,” Jason replied. Then he climbed in the hatch and dropped to the floor.

Ray walked over to Andy and asked, “What do we got?’

Shaking his head Andy replied, “I cut down four of them, and John got two. I think three of them got away, and one might have been the leader. If you want my opinion, they’ll be back. I don’t think they knew we were on the roof, and it caught them by surprise. We won’t have the advantage next time.”

Three blocks away Hosa walked up to the gun store. There were two men with guns standing guard at the door, and another inside with an Uzi. Grabbing one of the guards by the hair, he gave his head a jerk and screamed, “Gets everyone. Gets thens all, now!” Then he kicked him in the ass, and went inside.

On the roof, the pack full of razors flew out the hatch followed by one of the pillowcases. Another pillowcase came out followed by Lenny. Then Lenny pulled up the mattress cover with the linen. Then he took Jason’s hand and helped pull him to the roof.

Ray wasted no time laying into Lenny, “Don’t ever do something like that again! That stuff is nothing compared to our lives. You could have got killed, or got one of us killed. Your wife made it clear there was to be no heroes. You try one more stunt like that; I’ll shoot you in the foot myself. Then you won’t be going anywhere. You got that!”

Lenny just nodded his head without saying a word, as he heard Andy comment, “Oh crap.”

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 23

They all went to the edge of the roof. Down on Fourth Street was a mob of about twenty women and children. Behind them were about a dozen gang members using them for a shield. One of them lit a rag hanging out of a bottle, and took a little girl by the hair. He advanced towards the building as Hosa yelled, “You duds gonea burn in hell.”

“Get down,” Ray ordered, as he knelled down and rested his rifle on the two-foot wall around the roof. The gang member through the bottle as Ray shot. His head whipped back, and he collapsed to the street. The little girl ran off screaming as the gang opened fire. Hiding behind the two-foot wall, they could hear the bullets hitting the wall and whizzing over their heads.

Lenny’s heart was pounding, and he was starting to shake. He felt Ray grab his shirt and he turned his head. Pointing to the roof hatch with a puff of smoke coming out of it, Ray ordered, “Crawl over and close that.”

Lenny crawled to the hatch as the shooting stopped. Then he heard the chug chug of the machinegun, as it stopped the shooting started again. He heard the women and children screaming as he closed the hatch. Lenny thought, Oh my god, did Andy shoot innocent people.

Crawling back, he heard Ray say, “I think I got another one.”

The shooting stopped again and you could hear the sound of reloading on the street. Ray nodded and Andy rose above the wall and fired a burst from the machinegun. Jason and Ray rose up and took a shot and ducked back down. Lenny had peeked over the wall to see what was happening. He saw that Andy was shooting the street in front of the women and children. It would drive them back making the gang have to fight them, as Ray and Jason shot at the gang members.

Another round of blazing bullets came flying at them, as a rolling stream of black smoke came up the wall.

The fire was taking off fast, and a study stream of thick black smoke came up the front of the building. They backed away from the edge of the roof, and watched as an occasional flame shot up the side of the building. It seemed as if they were trapped, and Lenny started to panic. He was having trouble breathing, and his heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. He thought, Is this it? Is this how I’m going to die?

Then he felt Ray tug his arm, “Come on Lenny move to the back of the building.” He followed Ray to the back of the roof in a trance like state, as he saw Jason drag the mattress cover to the edge. Then he heard it. The sound was muffled by the crackling and popping of the fire, but it was the pounding sound of the helicopter. He finely saw it coming in from the south to the back of the building.

Then he heard Ray yell, “I’m first then Lenny. I’ll throw the rope out and Jason needs to tie it around his waist. Jim you tie it to the mattress cover and we get out of here.”

Then Ray pulled a grenade and yelled, “Get down!” He pulled the pen and tossed it to the other end of the roof. He dove down as it exploded shaking the building. Then a big puff of black smoke came out of the hole. Flames were shooting high in the air through the hole, as Dave slowly guided the helicopter to the edge of the roof. Ray stood on the two-foot wall at the edge of the roof. Then he jumped to the helicopter skid and took hold of the door. He slid the door open, and slid in on his belly. Throwing out the rope, he yelled to Lenny.

Lenny stepped up on the wall and froze. He looked down as he heard Ray yelled, “Lenny over here. Not down there, over here.”

Lenny looked at the helicopter as a puff of smoke came up the back of the building. His eyes were burning and he started to cough, as he heard Ray yell something. But his mind was not working. He was frozen in place and was having trouble seeing. His eyes were burning and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. Then he saw the helicopter start to go down, and felt a push on his back. Lenny screamed as he reached for the helicopter in desperation. Ray grabbed his arms and pulled him in. Lenny rolled over on his butt and slid to the far side of the helicopter. Then he saw Jim jump and Ray give his arm a jerk slinging him to the back of the helicopter. Then John jumped next.

When John jumped Lenny heard a ping. Dave leaned the helicopter to one side and headed up as he yelled, “Sorry Ray were taking on fire.” Lenny watched the mattress cover slide on the roof and into the air. It swung out of site as he heard another ping, and felt a burning in his leg. Lenny watched Andy on the roof shooting the machinegun as they flew away.

Ray’s words rang through Lenny’s head, “I’m sending seven men and a chopper, and that’s what’s coming back.”

Then he heard Dave yell, “Get hold of the rope.”

Then Jason took a belt strap and wrapped it around himself, and hooked it off. Everyone else took hold of the rope, so Lenny reached out and took hold. No sooner then he took hold the helicopter filled with smoke, and the rope jerked tight as if it hooked on something. The rope almost pulled out of Lenny’s hands as Ray yelled, “Pull!”

Andy watched as the rope with the mattress cover came at him. It hit the wall and slid across the roof. Andy jumped and wrapped his arms around it as it passed. The helicopter went up and the rope jerked making the mattress cover slip in the knot.

Ray yelled, “Pull! And they pulled the rope again. Then taking another grip they pulled again as Ray barked, “Pull!” Suddenly, the rope started to pull easier, and Andy’s head appeared. Ray took his hand and pulled him in the helicopter. Having a seat behind Dave Andy wiped his forehead and exclaimed, “Damn it was getting hot down there, and I mean that in more ways than one.” Then looking over at Lenny Andy informed, “Do you know your leg is bleeding Lenny.”

They all look at Lenny as he looked at his leg. Ray took hold of Lenny’s pants at the tare and gave it a pull. They could see where the bullet scraped his boot, and dug a gouge up the side of his leg to his knee. With a sigh of relief Ray boasted, “You’re lucky Lenny.”

Lenny snapped back, “What the hell do you mean I’m lucky. The damn thing tore up a chuck of my leg.”

Andy snickered, “Four inches to the left and it would have gone up the inside of your leg. Then it would have taken your balls off. I would call that lucky.”

“It’s OK Lenny,” Ray informed. “It just tore the skin up a little, and it’s not that deep. You’re going to have a nice battle scar to show your grandkids someday though.”



Anna heard the sound of the helicopter and ran to the back yard. Then the other women gathered around the helicopter. The door was open on the helicopter and Anna could see all the team had made it.

Ray was the first one to exit the helicopter with Jim right behind him. He went right to Anna and Informed, “It is already hot out there, and Lenny took one in the leg, and Jim took one in the side.”

Ray shook his head in disbelief and mumbled, “I can’t believe it. It’s only been three weeks.”

Ray put up his hands and hypothesized, “Guess that is what happens when you can’t call 911 anymore.”



From Anna’s diary

Dad and Lenny took Rusty and Ruby and headed north today. Jason told them a dairy farmer named Seethe would give then a milk cow, but they had to deliver two cows to town for the Mayor.

I’m excited about getting milk. I know it’s a lot of work, but I think I can force Lenny into milking it. I’ll just have to give him an extra swat on the butt. I love it that he tries to please me; I think he really loves me a lot.



North of town.

Ray and Lenny found the Winding Roads Dairy and Seethe.

Lenny informed, “We’re here to pick up some cows.”

Seethe answered, “Yep, but they’re not just any cow. They’re milk cows, and Jerseys to be precise. They’re not the smartest of the dairy breeds, but the milk has the highest protein and fat content. That’s why they call a Jersey a cream cow. I like their temper, and there by far the easiest bread of dairy cow to handle.”

Seethe undid the rope from the side of the fence and walked out the tan colored cows. Handing Lenny the rope Lenny cinched it over the saddle horn as Seethe explained, “When the power went out I used the generator. That was alright for the first week. Then the Milk tank was full, and I knew no one was coming to pick it up. I had no chose but to cut the refrigeration and dump the milk. I save the generator for doing the milking then I knew I had to do something, so I started giving the cows away. I found family’s that could take a cow, and one by one they went. I had to milk by hand, but money became worthless. I had no chose but give them a cow for wages. My last hand Jeff quit yesterday.

After this I’m down to two cows. I’ll let one dry up and re calf her in the spring. That’s if I can find a bull. The other cow I’ll milk by hand for myself. I wish you the best of luck, and tell the Mayor I’ll be in to get the gas for my generator.

Ray insisted, “I’ll talk to him for you.”

Then they headed to town to drop off the cows.



In Town.

Lenny dropped a bale of hay next to the barn, as Jed tied the cows to a post. Knelling next to Lenny Jed took a knife from his pocket. Then he cut the twine on the bale, and announced, “Alex take some of the hay to the cows.”

The little boy took a chunk and headed for the cows.

Amber whined, “Me too.”

The Mayor smiled as he pulled a chunk from the bale and handed it to Amber. Then sitting on another bale he watched the children as he thought, I should have married and had some kids. My life has been a lonely one, and I never noticed. Guess that’s the price you pay when you chase a dollar, but that has changed. Now all my money is useless, and all I have is people that despise me. Well I’m promising myself to change that now.

Ray dropped a bale next to Jed and had a seat on it. Watching the children feeding hay to their newfound friends he mumbled, “It’s sad that he’s losing all that milk.”

Jed replied, “I know, but who would think the power would go out and never come back on. A week is a long time to run off a generator, and all most no one plans for more than that. He had to do something. There is no truck coming to pick up the milk, and he knows it. What can you do when you can’t run the generator any more, and all your dairy hands quit coming to work?

 

[gonewacky]

Ray agreed, “He’s not the only one facing this. I’m sure there are a lot of people running out of fuel for their generators by now, and what are they going to do?”

Jed looked at Lenny standing next to them and asked, “You think you could look at some plans for me? I have a water problem. I would like you to look at it for me. I’ve been running the water two days a week Monday and Tuesday. All the odd addresses get to fill water containers on Monday and the even on Tuesday, but I think everyone is filling their tubs and stuff on Monday. The wells are out of the far end of town and we only get a trickle at the school on Monday, but Tuesday we get good pressure and it’s easy to fill the water truck we’re using.

But with this early cold snap and no heat in most of the homes in town the pipes are freezing. The next time I fire up the well I fear I won’t have a water system. I’ll have a sprinkler system. I think I need to find a way to work around this.”

Lenny smiled, “I’m thinking about building a wagon to pull with the horses. You know like what the pioneers came out her in. I need a couple light weight axels and some hardware from the Hardware Store. When do you want me to do this?”

Jed Informed, “I can drive you over there now in my car. Then bring you back to get your Horses and cow.”

They got in the Mayor’s car and took the short drive to City Hall. Inside Jed pulled the plans for the water system. Lenny looked them over and looked at Jed, “Have you thought what you’re going to do for town water if we start shutting off water mains?”

Jed replied, “That’s what you’re here for.”

Lenny explained, “Well what I see is there is a 12 inch mane that runs East and West right through the middle of town. The town is fed off that mane line with feeders running North and South. We can turn off all the North and South feeders until we get to the school. Then we need to leave that one on. That means you have to turn off each house in that area. If you have enough locks I’d put lockouts on the meter. Then you would have to have Tim at Everett Metalwork’s make you a manifold with six or eight hose bib’s on it. Make it to connect to the fire-hydrants with the hose bibs about a foot apart. There are four hydrants on that mane, so you need four of them. You give me a man to oversee the operation, and I’ll teach him what to do. I’ll come in tomorrow to do that. That is if it’s alright with Ray.”

Ray insisted, “You’re still going to have to do your watch at the farm.”

Lenny added, “I’ll have to be back by 1800. That is six pm your time.”

Jed smiled, “Okay Lenny. I’ll drive out there and pick you up at seven in the morning.”

Ray asked, “How are things holding out?”

Jed replied, “You know it’s just one problem after another. Now we’re running out of flour. We had another banishment meeting. It’s been happening a lot. People are just losing it. You know it’s hard to adjust to this kind of life. We can’t keep banishing all the young people. We won’t make it without them. We might have the know-how, but we can’t make it without the modern conveniences. It takes good strong men to do heavy work. I had to find a way around it, so I sent Dean down to the wheat silos. He’ll need to find a way to get the wheat out. Now I have to find a way to turn it into flour.”

Ray offered, “I have a hand crank wheat grinder, but it has a pulley wheel on it for a motor. I think you can steal a lawnmower motor and fan belt. Then power it with one of those wood gas things. Can you size that for him Lenny?”

Lenny replied, “I’ll tell Tom what size the burn tube needs to be.”

Jed inquired, “What is that going to cost me?”

Ray smiled, “Flour of course.”

Jed put out his hand and they shook on it. Then he took them back to their horses, and Ray and Lenny took the cow and headed home.

Arriving at the barn Ray ordered, “Get in the house and get me an eight quart pot. She needs to be milked first thing. Anna came down from the nest and informed, “It’s been quiet all day. Where is Lenny going?”

Ray informed, “I sent him to get a pot. I need to teach him how to milk a cow. Would you get me the hobbles so she doesn’t kick over the pot? This cow has been milked by a machine all of its life. Oh, and bring me that old wood milk crate to sit on.”

Lenny came back with the pot and Ray showed him how to milk the cow. It took Lenny a little, but he learned fast. They put the cow in a stall, and Ray took the milk to the house. Lenny followed Anna up to the nest.

Anna confessed, “I don’t like it without you. In the day everything reminds me of you. Nothing seems simple when you’re not around. I miss you when you're gone. That’s what I do, and it's hard to carry on. That’s what I know. I need you to be with me.”

Lenny replied, “Sorry to tell you, but I have to work in town tomorrow. I’ll be gone again.”

Anna blurted, “Lenny look a buck just came out of the trees. It’s feeding on the grass at the edge of the field.”

Lenny insisted, “Take it Anna.”

Ann a moved over and insisted, “No Lenny you take it. You need the practice.”

Lenny moved over and took the rifle. Putting the scope to his eye he lined up the cross hears with the Bucks head.”

Anna whispered, “When it’s lined up take a breath and hold it. Then squeeze easy.”

“Boom,” the buck shot straight up in the air and fell dead to the ground. Anna smiled and patted Lenny on the back saying, “Nice shot Lenny. Now go bleed it, and drag it back.”

Everyone jumped into action at the sound of the shot. Ray and Andy were at the back door when Lenny came out of the barn. Ray hollered, “What did you get?”

Lenny yelled, “A buck. It looked like a nice one.”

Andy and Ray watched as Lenny headed out in to the field. Andy advised, “Looks like it was a 300 yard shot.”

Ray acknowledged, “Yah that’s what it is from the nest to the tree line.”

Lenny pulled his knife and bent down to slit the deer’s throat when he heard, “Stop right there or I’ll blow out your brains. That’s my Deer! I’ve been tracking it all day long. Now I know there’s someone up there in that barn, so grab the deer and drag it over here in the trees.”

Lenny’s mind was racing. He knew he had his Echelon in his holster, but should he try it. Lenny did the only thing he knew to do. He dropped his knife, and pulled the green handkerchief from his left pocket. Then he grabbed the deer by the horns.

Up in the nest Anna saw Lenny drop his knife through the scope. She thought, What. Then she saw the green handkerchief fall to the ground. Her hart started to pound as she tilted the rifle, and scanned the tree line. There he was half behind a big tree. Anna started to line up the scope on his head when her shot was blocked by Lenny pulling the deer. Lenny stopped and informed, “I think there’s something you should know.”

Ray rested his rifle on the porch rail as the man barked, “Just shout up and keep dragging.”

Lenny started pulling the deer when “Boom,” the man’s rifle flew in the air as he melted to the ground. The crack of the shot echoed in Lenny’s head. Anna looked to her Dad by the back door. She knew. Lenny had done just what her dad taught him to do. She watched as her Dad and Andy walked out into the field. Lenny had his 9mm Echelon out and was scanning the area.

Anna wanted to run to Lenny, but she had to man her post. She was watching over all of them now. Andy walked up to the Man. He was in a sitting position with his face pushed into the trunk of the tree. Andy pushed him with his foot, and he rolled on to his back. Seeing his eye blown out Andy asserted, “You got him right in the eye Ray.”

Ray put his arm over Lenny’s shoulder and whispered, “You did good son. Now pick up the handkerchief and put it away.”

Lenny stuffed the handkerchief back in his pocket as Ray went on, “Hmm I missed. I was aiming for his ear.”

Andy snickered, “Right.”

Lenny picked up his knife and cut the buck’s throat. Then he dragged it to the hanging tree next to the Smokehouse.

Ray and Andy skinned the deer, as darkness came upon them. Lenny held a lantern, as they worked. Then they hung it in the smoke house.

At night when it was too dark to use the nest someone would sit in the kitchen, and walk through the house every half hour. They had a schedule from four in the morning to ten was always Elizabeth and Yolonda’s time. Ten AM to four PM was the next shift. Then four PM to Ten PM. Andy had the Ten PM to four AM shift that night, but that would change tomorrow Lenny would have Ten PM to four AM shift. The schedule changed every three days, and Anna was taking Lenny’s four PM to Ten PM shift because of the cow.

Lenny was sitting in the kitchen finishing his shift when Anna came in and sat next to him. She moved the chair over next to his and put her hand on his leg. Then she laid her head on Lenny and whispered, “I missed you a lot today. Then I thought you might die. You’ll never know how that made me feel. I wanted to stop him so bad, but my dad did it for me. He loves you. You know. He loves you because you’re a part of me. Tomorrow it’s Andy on day shift, then Dad on second shift and you on night shift. That’s why I’m going with you tomorrow, because I’m free for the next three days.”

Lenny insisted, “I’m just going to be going around turning off some Valves. I think it’s going to be boring.”

Anna smiled, “Boring is what I need right now. I rather spend time being bored with you than what we had tonight. I can’t take that.”

Lenny thought, Good thing she didn’t see me on the roof of the burning store.

Anna slipped her hand down Lenny’s leg and asked, “How’s your leg doing?”

Lenny replied, “Like Dad said it’s just a scratch. It’s all scabbed over now.”

Anna replied, “I heard Dad and Andy talking. Dad said it was like when they were in Cameroon in Central Africa. That tells me it was bad.”

Lenny put his arm around her and pulled her tight as he whispered, “We all came back just as promised.”

Then Lenny heard something, and jumped up. With his hand on his 9mm Echelon he herd Andy say, “You’re not going to shoot me are you?”

Lenny relaxed as Andy insisted, “Why don’t you two go to bed, and do whatever it is you do in there. I’ve been on night shift long enough to know it’s not all sleeping going on in there.”

Lenny smiled and Anny giggled as they went to their room.

 

[gonewacky]

Chapter 24

The next morning the Mayor showed up just before seven. He was driving the same old seventy something Cadillac. There was a man next to him in the car. Lenny went to the trunk and Jed popped the latch. Lenny set the wheat grinder in the trunk and got in the back seat with Anna.

Jed explained, “This is Hank. He worked for our water bureau for the last ten years. He’s been out at the well site running that wood gas thing. He knows just what you want to do. He thinks you and him can do it all today. Well except for the water manifolds. That will be up to Tim.”

Lenny greeted, “Nice to meet you Hank. I think we should stop and see Tim first, and get him started on the manifolds.”

Hank replied, “Sounds good to me Lenny.”

Lenny sat back enjoying the ride. The old car floated down the road like a boat on water as it rolled from side to side. Anna leaned against Lenny not saying a word. Jed carried on, “I made a deal with Bill. He’s one of the cattle ranchers, and he’s promised to bring in Beef to feed the town. Like everyone he wants firewood in return. I’ve already got the wood cutters working overtime. Soon the snow will come and… Well I don’t want to think about that right now. I had to spread the word that anyone that does not do their part or won’t conform will be cut off, and forced to leave the community. I informed that everyone would be required to take classes in Basic sanitation and water purification, learning to shoot and clean a gun, first aid kits, and how to use them. Then I deputized twenty new Police officers, and had a question and answer session. That was more like a bitch session. It was bad and I don’t know, but I think a lot of people are going to die this winter. They just don’t understand what it’s going to take to survive.”

Then Jed pulled the car in next to the pumps and got out saying, “Fill it up boys.”

One of the men with guns went and started the generator, and another pulled his rifle up over his shoulder and went to the pump. Then they were off to see Tim. Pulling up at Everett Metalwork’s and Fabrication they saw a blue truck and Jed mumbled, “I don’t see any wheat.”

Inside Jed saw Dean, Tim, and his son working on something. Jed asked, “What you doing back in town Dean? I don’t see any wheat in the truck.”

Dean explained, “We need to put a shoot on the cleanout door. I could open the cleanout door and get you wheat, but that will empty the silo. Then all the wheat will be on the ground. I’m helping Tim make a shoot to put on the door, so we can control it and close it off.”

Jed disclosed, “Looks like a large chimney cleanout door.”

Dean explained, “Now I have to come up with a cordless drill. I’ll drill the mounting holes. Then I bolt it to the Access door on the silo. Cut a hole in the opening, and slide in the lockout plate. Then we start hauling grain.”

Jed instructed, Go to the battery charging station. You’ve delivered wood there for the wood gas generator their using to charge the batteries. Tell Mark to give you a cordless drill and batteries.”

Just then Lenny and Anna came in with the wheat grinder and Lenny explained, “I need this put on a frame with a small gas engine, and a gasifier. The gasifier will need a three inch burn tube a foot and a half long.”

Then Lenny looked at what Dean was making and asked, “For the grain elevator?”

Dean replied, “Yep, I’m putting this on so I can get the wheat out.”

Lenny informed, “Nice Job Dean. I don’t think I could have designed anything any better.”

Dean smiled, “Why think you Lenny.”

Lenny announced, “I left a drawing on the bench for you Tim. The town needs four of them.”

Jed Insisted, “We need them as soon as possible. Each one needs six spigots. That means you’ll need 24. Get what you can from the Hardware Store, and if that isn’t enough. The have someone steal them off some houses. Just do what you need to.”



From Anna’s diary

I spent the day with Lenny walking across town. Hank and him pulled the covers over the Valves, and used a pipe with a tee handle to close the Valves. Hank told us some horror stories. He told us over a hundred people had died already. Mostly the elderly have been dying. A lot of them were suspected to be murdered. He explained that the Mayor had some men use a bulldozer to dig a big grave. He told us that they were just stacking the bodies in the hole. That is why the Mayor has a police force now.

It was hard for me to believe that ten percent of the town was gone in just over three weeks. I guess people are just killing their neighbors to get what they need. He told us they had a shootout at the Gas Station. Five dead from that and one was a guard. Earnest shot every one of them in the head to make sure they were dead. He carried on about they will kill us all if we let them live. Lenny agreed that the gas was the life of the town.

Then at night Lenny had to stay up and pull watch. I stayed up with him now with a changed mind. I now think Lenny was closer to death than I feared. I think once the man got the deer he would have killed Lenny. I think Dad knew that the whole time. When Mom got up Lenny and I milked the cow, and fed the horses. Now I’m watching him sleep. Feeling lucky I got him.



In Town

Things were heating up. People were not adjusting to communal living, and the banishments. Some people from outside of town had moved to town, because their survival had forced it on them. Others thought they could make it on their own, and bunkered down in their homes.

The Mayor and some of his deputy’s had commandeered every laying hen they could get their hands on. Most were taken at gunpoint, because people were more concerned about their own survival. They had to take the lights out of camp trailers, because the days were too short for them to lay. They ran the lights off batteries a few hours every day, and this had most of the hens laying within a week.

They had taken all the batteries from the non-working cars, and setup a charging station. Two town members would charge the batteries, and distribute them daily. Phil was dropping off two batteries for the town kitchen when Dean told him about the wheat.

“Morning,” Dean announced as Phil set a battery by the Gasifier.

Looking up Phil acknowledged, “Morning Dean. Looks like pancakes and dry toast again.”

Dean smiled as he informed, “We should be thankful we have any bread at all. If it wasn’t for the wheat coming from Jesse we wouldn’t even have that.”

Phil questioned, “So how is the bread making going?”

Dean informed, “Not too bad now. The mayor took over the back room at the store. He set up the wheat grinder, and they have been running the wheat through it to make flower. All the yeast is gone, so the gals have been using a sourdough starter. Other than having to make bread all day and night, it’s been getting better.”

Dean had a seat next to him as Sally set a plate in front of him and commented, “Sorry Phil, but you don’t want to miss dinner tonight. Bill delivered two more cows this morning. We will be having some kind of beef soup tonight.”

Phil smiled and told her thanks as Dean continued, “The guy with the whirlybird spotted another train about forty miles west of here.”

“That’s Dave,” Phil interjected. “He has a thing going with Caroline, Jesse’s daughter.”

Dean continued, “The Mayor took a bunch of men, and every truck and trailer we have. Then they went to check it out. With some luck we might have a Thanksgiving yet.”

Forty miles north of Ray and Elizabeth’s.

Mark was a farmer and Rancher with a small heard. He grew his own feed and had a 1,500 gallon Fuel Tank for that. The problem was it was filled with diesel, and the only things that were diesel were the tractor and an old deuce and a half. The 1974, 2½-ton 6×6 military truck was old but ran good. Mark had decided the power was never coming back and had started preparing for that. He had been having dreams that pushed him to do what he was doing.



Mark gave the cord a pull on the chainsaw, and after a few struggling pops it started. With the vibration going up his arm, he slowly pushed it into the log. He looked back at the half-loaded truck, as he worked the chainsaw deep into the log. He thought, I think we'll make it. This load should be enough to last through the worst of winters.

His friends Bill and Pete had stopped cutting wood a few days earlier. They thought a two-year supply of wood would last for what was coming, and Mark was obsessed with his preparations. They thought he had gone wacko, but that was all right with Mark. They already called him Wacko, and the Indians called him Crazy One. Besides, he had more important things to think about. Like his wife being pregnant.

Mark stopped the chainsaw, and carried the rounds of wood to the truck. He set the wood on the back of the old military truck, as he looked up through the trees at the two Indians. They had been there most of the day watching him, but Mark acted as if he never saw them. He wondered what kind of roomers went around the reservation about him. Mark knew he would never forget the day in the Indian village. When he sat in their teepee and told the wild story. He couldn’t blame them for not thinking he was crazy. After all, if some Indian came and told him the world was ending. He would think they were crazy too.

Adding some gas and oil to the chainsaw, Mark went back to work. He looked up once in a while to see if the Indians were there, and sure enough, they were. Like a cop on a stakeout, they just watched him. Mark let the chainsaw drop as it went through the last log. He wiped the sweat from his head, and looked for the Indians. They were gone.

Mark thought about all that had happened, as he carried the wood to the truck. He recalled what he heard on the radio. He might be living in Russian territory now. Although he hadn't seen any of them, he knew they were here. He thought about his wife, and they would make it. It was not that bad yet, but it was getting worse every day. Bill was right though; even low levels of stress could make her lose the baby.

Setting another round of wood on the back of the truck, he thought about the scope of things. Mark fought his thoughts of these things, but they kept feeling his head. He’d been haunted by the thoughts of all the people that would die. Millions of babies would die in the next few weeks, because their mothers could not get formula to feed them. A few would know you could use things like goat's milk or canned milk, but if you lived in the city. Mark shook his head trying to drive the thought out of his mind, but instead he thought of all the people without medicine. Damn the poor diabetic, he thought. Then what about people on blood pressure medicine. Mark stopped and took a deep breath. The sweet smell of the fresh cut pine hung heavy in the air, and it soothed him. I have to stay focused on those around me, he told himself.

Mark set the last round of wood on the truck. It wasn't quite a full load, but it would have to do. He was exhausted and just wanted to go home. Putting the chainsaw and gas on the back of the load, he took one last look for the Indians, nothing. There was no sign of them.

Mark slowly walked up to the cab of the big military truck, and pulled open the door. Looking up into the cab, he saw the two Indians looking at him. Mark paused for a moment, then thought, what the heck, and got in. The Indian sitting next to him smiled, as he looked at him. He was young maybe about twenty, wearing jeans and a heavy brown coat. Mark started the truck and let it warm up a little without saying a word.

The Indian next to Mark asked, "Are you Crazy One?"

"If you are referring to the white man, that told the wild story in the teepee, that would be me," Mark replied.

Then he put the truck in gear and slowly let out the clutch. After a few jerks, the truck was slowly rocking its way down the old dirt road. Normally Mark would be afraid, but he was past the stage of fear. With all that had happened in the last week, he didn’t know if he was in shock, or just didn’t care anymore. Either way, he knew he would do whatever it took to survive, and fear was not going to save him. Glancing over as he pulled the truck into second gear he asked, "What do you want from me?"

The young Indian sitting next to him, stared intensely at Mark, and asked, "Why did you wait so long to tell us your dream?"

 

[gonewacky]

Mark slammed on the brakes, and brought the truck to a stop. Then looked at the young man with meanness in his eyes, and asked, "Why do you want to know?"

The Young Indian paused for a moment, and stared deep into Mark's eyes, then in a proud strong voice said, "Because we came to help you."

Mark looked at the older Indian in his forties, he recognized him from the teepee, as he asked, "Don’t you have anything to say?"

"No, Crazy One," he insisted, "I don’t have anything to say to you. You know more about this than anyone. There is nothing I could tell you that you don’t already know."

Mark replied, "Well if you think I can save you, you’re wrong, I'll be lucky if I can save myself."

Then he put the truck in gear, and started back down the road. Rounding a corner, he saw an Indian on a horse. He was in the middle of the road, and holding the reins of two horses. Mark brought the truck to a stop, and the older Indian opened the door. He climbed out, and the younger Indian looked at Mark. Then he said, "My father can help you. He knows the old ways, and can teach them to you."

Then he slid over to the door, and said, "We let you see us," as he got out and shut the door.

Mark watched as they walked in front of the truck. The horses had become uneasy, and were moving around. The rider on the horse pulled hard on the reins to hold the horses. The older Indian took the reins of the horse with no saddle, and in a leap jumped on his back. Mark stared at the horses, and felt strange. They looked like the horse in his dream. Appaloosa, Mark thought, that's the kind of horses they are.

He watched as they rode off into the woods. Then he started back down the road. Mark thought as he drove, There is so much to do, and so little time to do it. I have to spend all winter making things for spring. Will the power come back on? Electricity is everything, if you keep it up, you can eventually recover all the other infrastructures. If you can't, you'll never get the other infrastructures back. Everything depends on electricity. I know it’s just a matter of time and that will be gone too. Then life will change forever.

Mark pulled in his driveway, and saw his Indian friend Hidden Wolf sitting on the hood of a green pickup. He parked the big truck next to the woodshed, and forced his tired body from the cab of the truck. Then staggered over to Hidden Wolf, and asked, "What brings you here, my friend?"

"I have salt that grandfather sent for us, and I need to spend some time with you," he replied.

Mark looked in the back of the truck, and saw it full of yellow plastic bags. Looking up at Hidden Wolf, he asked, "How many are there?"

Hidden Wolf replied, "Fifty, twenty-five pound bags."

"Guess we better get them inside," Mark informed as he took a bag under each arm, and headed for the door. He took the bags straight to his food storage room. His wife Emma had turned this bedroom into a giant pantry. It was full of canned goods, jars she canned herself, and five-gallon buckets of dried goods. Hidden Wolf stacked his bags on top of the ones Mark dropped. Staggering back to the truck Mark jokingly said, "I wish my squaw was here to do this for me."

Pain shot through Mark's face and head as he fell to the ground. Looking up at his Indian friend, he insisted, "Dang that hurt." Then Mark asked, "What did you hit me for?"

Hidden Wolf replied in a stern voice, "If you are going to use my native language, know what you are saying. That word means vagina! Not woman! If you want to say woman, it would be Áyat, or if you want to say wife it is ásham, but don’t use that word unless you mean it. Now let’s get the rest of the súul."

"What?" Mark questioned.

"The salt Mark, súul." Hidden Wolf replied, then put out his hand, to pulled Mark to his feet. Mark thought, dang, I'm not going to make that mistake again, I thought that word meant woman or wife.

After carrying in the bags of salt, Mark made a fire, and put a pot of water on the cook top stove. Then he sat on the couch next to Hidden Wolf. In a soft voice Hidden Wolf said, "I'm staying with you through the winter, and teaching you our ways. Things have changed, and you are part of my tribe now. It is the only way you will survive."

Mark looked glassy eyed at his friend and asked, "What do you mean I will die? I'm a survivor, and can live without electricity and gas. I don’t need all the modern conveniences. I will survive!"

"Not if my people kill you!” Hidden Wolf replied. Then after a pause he continued, "Let me tell you about my people. I'm from the Kanewtat Tribe, and you know my Grandfather is on the Tribal Counsel. The Tribal Counsel is made up of fourteen tribes, and each tribe has a seat on the Counsel. At the last Tribal Counsel, there was a big split. Most of the tribes blame the white man for what has happened, they want to kill them, and take back our land. My grandfather and the Wishorn Tribe don’t think it is necessary. They think most of them will die this winter, because almost all the people have not prepared for what is coming. We see it happening on the reservation now. Every gas station ran out of gas the first day the power came back on. The stores are all empty, and the land is lawless. We know it is the same in every city around here. All we can do at this point is prepare for spring, and see what is left."

Mark had already thought about all that Hidden Wolf told him, and knew what was coming. It was no shock, but the little things were stacking up. Walking to the kitchen Mark announced, "I locked the chickens inside the chicken coop. Two of them died yesterday."

He took two cups from the cupboard, and put hot chocolate mix in them. Then went to the wood stove, and got the hot water. Pouring the water in the cups he went on, "If I lose all of Emma's chickens, I will never live it down, and I won't have eggs either. Dang it Hidden Wolf, if God or that Grate Spirit don’t do something soon none of us will make it."

Mark handed Hidden Wolf a cup of hot chocolate, as he heard the sound of horses outside.

"Sounds like my uncle is here," Hidden Wolf informed.

Opening the door Mark saw the three men from the woods. They were tying the rains of their horses to the porch rail.

Standing behind him Hidden Wolf informed, "This is my uncle Mike," as he pointed to the man from the teepee. "That there is my cousin Kale" pointing to the young man that sat beside him in the truck, "And that is are good friend Cliff. They're here to help us make it through what is coming."

Mike looked at Mark and said, "We will make it, but do we want to live in the land that is on the other side. It is not going to be easy. Everything is going to be a lot deferent come spring. That is if spring comes at all. From the dreams you two have had, it doesn't seem promising. What I do know, is my family won't be safe in the land of the lawless. That is ware our home is now, right in the middle of all the unprepared. It brings me great sadness to see what has happened to my people. Most of them have forgotten the way of the Warrior, and they only know the way of the modern man. I tried to teach them for years, but only a few would listen. I just hope they remember the words and the wisdom in them. Now I'm here to pass the words to you Crazy One."

Looking at Mike, and trying to read his eyes. Mark thought for a minute, as everyone looked at him. Dropping his head he said, "Your words won’t save us. It is going to take all of us working together to do that."

Those are some of the wisest words I've heard today," Mike replied. "You see words are wisdom, and with wisdom comes life."

Mark stepped back from the door, and told them his home was open to them.

Coming through the door Mike whispered in Hidden Wolf's ear, "He will hear and live the life of Running Deer and Singing Bird."

Hidden Wolf just smiled, as they came in. After talking some, Mark fell asleep on the couch.

As Mark slept, others arrived. There were three women and two children. A boy 12, and a girl 9.



The Dream

Mike sat in a chair next to the couch, and told the story of Running Deer. Everyone gathered to listen, as Mark slept.

Slowly Mark awoke to a strange surrounding, tall grass waved next to his face, and the smell of wild flowers filled the air. He lifted his head and saw the waters of a river slowly drifting by. He thought, Where am I? How did I get here? Looking around he saw Indians up and down the riverbank, as he heard someone yell, "wertiosha yukwaasíns." Running deer? Mark looked for a deer, but only saw an Indian boy coming. Looking at him he smiled and waved his hand as he yelled, "wertiosha yukwaasíns." Mark sat up and saw rows of Tepees in the meadow, as the boy stood next to him.

He asked, "Running Deer are you dreaming again?"

Mark replied, "Yes, this is a dream."

He laughed, and with a smile informed, "Come on let's go, we're going to get Bear Grass for baskets. Wepsha Kakiama is coming, and I know your eye looks her way."

Singing Bird, Mark thought, what a beautiful name. Why don’t my people have names like that? "Were is she?" Mark asked trying to hide his confusion of the strange place, and wondering why this boy thinks he’s Running Deer. Looking at his feet, he saw he was wearing Moccasins, and his skin was a dark golden brown. What do I look like? Mark thought.

“Come on Running Deer, let's go. She is waiting,” he replied.

Mark sat in a daze staring at him. Then Mark thought, I need time to think. I have never had a dream like this before. He gave a sigh and mumbled, “This dream is too weird, it's like it’s real. I can see, smell, and feel everything, and it’s as if I'm here.”

“You are here,” he replied. “Now let’s go.”

Looking at the river Mark thought, If I go to the water maybe I can see what I look like. “Let me wash first,” Mark insisted, then headed the few steps to the river. As he knelled to look in the water his long black hair hung down the sides of his face, and Mark saw a young Indian boy in his early teens. He splashed some water on his face, and opened his eyes wide.

“Come on Running Deer, Singing Bird isn't going to be looking at your face, its Bear Grass she wants,” he teased.

Mark followed him into the Village, and saw a beautiful young girl holding a small basket. She looked like the pictures of Emma as a little girl. Only she had no curls in her hair. Staring intensely, Mark heard someone say, “Running Deer.” It snapped him out of his thoughts, and he looked to see who was calling him. It was a woman sitting next to a teepee weaving a basket.

“Come here,” she insisted.

Mark walked over to the woman, and looked at the half-woven basket. Then His eyes met hers, and she said; “Now Running Deer, only get the best bear grass. You know the ones with a lot of white on them. You have gone with me many times, and you know what I want. And don’t run off with Bucking Horse until Singing Bird has her grass.”

Mark’s in a strange land, and he knows nothing of these things. Heck, what is bear grass? He thought. Then she held up a thick blade of grass and informed, “Like this, no less, now go.”

 

[gonewacky]

Mark walked through the Village with Bucking Horse and Singing bird. There were two women hanging fish over sticks to dry in the sun, and an old man with a wrinkled face sitting by a teepee. “Happy hunting,” he called, and waved as they walked by. They waved back. Then they walked past a woman making a pair of moccasins and a Worrier stretching a deerskin in a frame. She looked up and announced, “Singing Bird, watch Running Deer and learn what is best.”

“Yes mom, I will,” Singing Bird replied.

“Running Deer, come here,” the Worrier demanded.

Mark walked over and looked at the deerskin, then his face.

“You only get the best, just like the moccasins I make for you. No less, agreed.”

“Agreed,” Mark replied.

“Then go, your mother is waiting for Singing Bird to get back.”

They walked through the middle of the Village, and past the big fire pit. There was a smoldering fire with many baskets around it. Mark remembered from somewhere that Indians would cook in a basket, but had never seen it done. They walked out the other end of the Village and up a hill. Then they went through some trees and into a big meadow. Singing Bird ran ahead and yelled, “Here's some.”

Mark walked to where she was, and kneeled down. Looking at the Bear Grass, he saw very little white on the ends. “This is not good; it needs to have more white at the bottom of it.”

They stopped and looked at many clumps of Bear Grass and none of them where good enough. Finding another clump, Singing Bird shouted, “Look at this one Running Deer.”

Mark looked at it, and it was the same as the rest. Not enough white at the end.

Singing Bird argued, “None of them look good to you Running Deer. Don’t you want me to make a basket?”

“I do Singing Bird, but I promised to get the best. I have to keep my word. Without that, I'm nothing,” Mark replied.

She looked at him with her big brown eyes, and he felt like she was looking right through him. Then Bucking horse pushed him over. Laughing he teased, “Knock it off you two. We're here to get bear grass.”

Lying on his back he watched a puffy cloud drifting by, and thought. What is this place?

Singing Bird asked, “Dreaming again Running Deer?”

Bucking Horse teased, “Only of you.”

She scolded, "Bucking Horse! Stop!”

Sitting up Mark spotted a large clump of bear grass under a Pine Tree. He got up and walked to it. Knelling next to the grass, he pulled it open to see inside. It was nice and wide with long white band at the bottom. “This is it,” Mark shouted. Singing Bird ran over, and knelled next to him. Taking a blade at the edge, he pulled it back and slipped it out. Setting it in her basket, Mark informed, "That’s how you do it. Now you can do the rest.”

Pushing against him, she pulled a blade of the grass, and softly asked. “Like this?”

Mark felt strange and jumped to his feet. Thinking, I'm married, I should not be feeling this way. Especially with a young girl, I have to get this dream under control. With her big brown eyes looking at him in wonder, Mark ran off to the Pine Tree ware Bucking Horse was standing.

Bucking Horse had a strange look as he queried, “I left you two alone, and you run over here. I thought you liked my sister?”

“You don’t understand,” Mark replied.

“If it makes you act like that. I don’t think I want to understand,” he admitted.



Mike announced, “That’s enough of the story for tonight.”

The little boy whined, “Uncle it was just getting to the good part, don’t stop now.”

“We must, this is an important place to stop, now we have to let the story do its magic,” he replied.

The next morning Mark awoke with the dream still in his thoughts. Looking to the wood stove, he saw a strange woman poring coffee. She set the coffeepot back on the wood stove, and after a couple of perks, she slid it to the side. Mark setup on the couch, as she turned and offered him the cup, “Hi Mark, I’m Ashley, Hidden Wolf's wife.” She informed as Mark took the cup. Then another woman stepped from the kitchen and announced, “Good morning Mark.”

Ashley informed, “That is Mike's wife, Amber.”

Amber question, “Is it ok if I use the stove?”

“Sure,” Mark replied. “The propane tank is almost full, and we won’t have to worry about that for some time." Looking at his watch, he saw it was past time to call Emma. He walked over to the CB radio and turned it on. Picking up the mike he said, “Hay Wacko made it another day.”

Emma's voice came over the radio, “Hi love, I hear you have a house full.”

“I guess,” Mark replied, “I don’t really know who all is here.”

Emma continued. “I had a strange dream last night. I dreamed we were in a meadow looking for some kind of grass, but you jumped up and ran off when I got close to you.”

Mark dropped the mike to the floor, and stepped back from the radio. He stared at it as thoughts raced through his head, Could it really be Emma in my dream? Was she having the same dream as me?

“Mark, are you there,” came from the radio.

Mark snapped out of his thoughts, and picked up the mike. “Tell me the dream?”

Emma told him about being the daughter of a great hunter. That his mom was going to teach her to weave a basket. Then she told about their walk through the Village to the meadow. Mark pulled a chair from the table, and sat by the radio. “Did you have a brother in this dream?” Mark asked.

“Yes,” Emma replied, “His name was Bucking Horse.”

After a pause Mark asked, “Was your name Singing Bird?”

“Yes it was Running Deer,” came from the radio.

Mark set the mike on his lap and took a deep breath. Looking up he saw Amber and Ashley staring at him.

“Is everything ok Mark?” Amber asked.

“Yes,” Mark replied. “I just have to put this together.”

Picking up the mike Mark changed the subject, “I have to unload the truck today, and see about getting hay for the horses.”

Mark's head was spinning. Too much was happening too fast, and not much time for Mark to take it in. The thought of the Indians living with him made him feel better, but what about the horses. He knew nothing of caring for horses, and had no place to keep them. Then there was the feed. Bill had over two hundred cows, and would need every bale of hay he had. Mark finished his call to Emma as another woman came in the backdoor. She looked up and informed, “The chickens are fed and we got eight eggs.”

Mark snapped back at her, “Did you let them out?”

“Heaven sakes no,” she replied. “Hidden Wolf told me you were keeping them inside.”

With a sigh of relief, Mark replied, “Thank you, I'm hoping I can save the rest of them. Something has been killing them when I let them out. ”

“Not a problem Mark, we need this to work as much as you do. We all have to think of each other now, like in the old days when it was all about community, tribe, and family. It is going to take everyone working together to make it.”

Mark knew how true this was, and how wise her words were. Mark watched as she set the basket of eggs on the counter, and walked over to him. Knelling on one knee so her eyes were level with Mark's, and speaking softly she confessed. “We're all as one now, the same tribe, one people, a family.”

Mark knew how true her words were, as he looked into her eyes.

Seeing the wonder in Mark’s eyes she whispered, “Its Kakiami. That means bird.”

Mark started to talk, but she put her finger to his lips and whispered, “We’ll have time to talk later. There is much work to do now.”



Mark remembers.

Mark had a flash back. He remembered the first time he told Hidden Wolf his dream.

Looking at Hidden Wolf, Mark asked, “How will you prepare for this?”

Hidden Wolf looked at Mark a few and informed, “It will not be easy for us. Like your people, we have grown soft. Like you, we buy our food and clothes in the store. Our children wear headphones and carry smart phones. Their idea of preserving food is putting it in the freezer, or putting canned soup on the shelf. Very few know how to do things the way of our ancestors, and only a few know our native language. I fear most won't believe what is coming and die. All the elders will believe our dream, and know what is coming. Grandfather had me tell them my dream years ago, but none of them knew what it meant. Now, you and I both know what it is. Remember the part about all the dead fish?”

Mark looked worry eyed at his friend and insisted, “You know I remember every detail of the dream, and I know that the cleansing will kill everything in its path. I also know the last part of the dream now, the part where I'm standing in the cleaning isle of the store. That is the cleansing of the land.”

“So what are you going to do now Wacko?” Hidden Wolf asked.

Mark thought for a minute and announced, “Go cut firewood, lots of firewood.”