Jon Smith
Richard Proctor
Copyright © 2019 by Richard Proctor.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906437
ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-7960-3794-4
Softcover 978-1-7960-3795-1
eBook 978-1-7960-3801-9
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
Rev. date: 06/03/2019
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Contents
Notes from the Author
Foreword
Prelude
Book 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Book 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Notes from the Author
Before reading this book, understand that it is not a book to incite violent uprising against our current government. While I do not approve of the current administration at the time of this writing, I still adhere to the laws and values of this nation. This work is fiction and must be treated as such. However, it also serves to remind us all that we must be ever vigilant and never give up our freedoms and rights that our forefathers pointed out to us in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
When we begin to forget what this country stands for and how it was created, we open ourselves up to a change that many of us do not want. Never, never quit fighting for what is right.
Foreword
This version of Jon Smith is a re-release of two books that were written and published in 2010. As the Author I felt that this work was better released as a single story. As I worked my way through the work it seems that much of the writing has even more relevance today. Please enjoy.
Prelude
“Look, we don’t need to be having this conversation Catherine while I am at work. In fact, why do we keep moving to this talk?”
The voice on the other end of the phone said. “Because you have this idea that everything is so bad and going to be so bad for the kids. Things are not bad; they are just changing.”
“Changing into what? You don’t want Chris to play football because your friends say it is dangerous, the kids go to school and don’t learn writing and arithmetic, instead they are put through social engineering. And you think this is a good change?”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. “Why don’t we just stop this conversation, I will see you when you get home Jon.” The line then went dead.
Jon hung up the phone and shook his head as he looked into his computer screen to catch up on e-mails. He and his wife Catherine had been drifting further apart on what the two believed in, how to raise their two children and on life in general. So much so that Jon had begun to make serious preparations for a life without her. He had always wanted to be away in the woods, hunting, fishing and living a life more like his ancestors. What always brought him back was his two children, Chris and Amanda. Chris was seven years old and Amanda was four. He just couldn’t bring himself to leave them and he worried how they would be brought up, particularly Chris. Jon often found himself asking, “What is this world coming to.”
“So, another argument with the wife huh.” Said Dave from across the aisle. Dave sat in the cube next to John. The two had been at the company for five years and had been cube neighbors for all of them. They worked on similar projects and in the down times of early morning or lunch talked football, as did a few of the other guys in the neighboring cubes.
“Yea, well not really an argument, just the same discussion.”
“Jon, you ever thought that maybe you are just too intense on this? I mean I listen to you and you seem to want the world to change. Look man it aint going to change. You my friend are part of the past, a dying breed.” Said Dave.
John shook his head and laughed. “Yea, I am, and what is wrong with that. Dave, don’t you hate it that football is changing, I mean they are trying to get rid of the kick off.
They say it is too dangerous a play. No more on sides kicks, big kickoff returns. They are trying to get rid of the sport we love.”
“Look Jon, just face it, in a few years we will all be chicks.” Said Dave as he laughed.
Jon looked back at Dave and thought, you know, you are right but not this guy.
It was a little after five and the August sun was just finishing its last days of summer. The nights were getting cooler and the days were less warm. Jon got into his truck and thought for a moment. Let’s see, Chris has no flag football and Amanda no dance. Well looks like I am off to the gym for a weight session. Jon had always kept himself in shape and at 47 was a very strong man. He didn’t look like a body builder but was large and quite athletic. He was six feet two and weighed about two hundred and fifteen pounds. His hair had begun to grey but it was all there.
As Jon finished his last sets, he looked around the gym at the younger men and women. He watched two guys hitting on a girl and laughed to himself. “Funny, when I come here, I talk to no one and just get my work out done.” As he walked back out to his truck he looked back at the gym. Some days I would just like to get my exercise out in the woods, splitting wood, hauling logs, moving rocks. Seems it would be a lot healthier.
Jon fired up his truck and turned on the news channel to catch up on the day. The cacophony of sound was a constant argument between right and left that irked Jon to the point that he cut of the radio. As he stopped at a traffic signal, he looked to the left to see the Rocky Mountains. Not much snow was left on the peaks but knowing that it was closing in on late August that any day he could look up in that direction and see snow.
It was then that Jon made a decision that would change his life and his future. He had always wanted a getaway place and with wh
at he thought was happening around him, he thought he would need it. His own world where he could hunt, fish, grow gardens and muse late in the evening at an open fire pit with a glass of wine.
“Yep tomorrow I get on line and find some land in the mountains.” he said out loud.
He pulled into his drive way and when he saw Catherine’s car there he thought, “oh just a few moments of peace I wanted.” He stopped and sat back. Thinking about the days when he could not wait to get home to his wife. When he would take her in his arms and proceed to the bedroom for pre-dinner sex. But all that was gone with the coming of kids, and Catherine’s brooding about her political beliefs.
“When did my wife become such a Socialist?” Jon said out loud.
Jon got out, grabbed his work bag and walked in to face the life he was in for. As Catherine started in about some daily topic Jon tuned out. He had begun to create a reflex where he would stare at her while she ran on about some item she had read in the latest internet news site that was no news at all. He pretended to listen while he brought down a wine glass and poured a healthy dose of forget. When he deemed she had finished he said “Yes well that is what it is, I need to go upstairs and change.” He had escaped.
Book 1
Chapter 1
A small group of neighbors stood next door to a well-kept suburban house outside of a western city. They were looking at a truck in the driveway that was packed full of tents, saws, axes, camping gear, guns, fishing rods, and many other items that would sustain someone in the wilderness.
“What the heck is he getting ready to do?” said one of the neighbors.
“I don’t know but it looks like he is taking off on some kind of a camping trip.” said another.
“Well he has been heading into the outdoors more and you know he has been talking about getting away.”
“Wonder if the whole family is going as I don’t think that wife of his is up to something like a long camping trip and that daughter is only five. I think it is something more.”
“What do you mean? He has always been a part of the community, always active in what is going on.”
“Well my wife has been talking with his and she says he is getting a bit crazy. Seems he is fearful of the government and what they are doing. She says he is thinking about just getting away. You know going off the grid as they call it.”
“Wait here he comes, let’s ask him.”
“Hey Jon, what are you up to? Looks like you are heading out on one hell of a camping trip.” said the neighbor.
“Well you could say that answered the tall broad man just closing the tail gate of the truck.”
“Is your whole family going?”
“Not exactly, just me and my son are going.”
“Well how long are you going to be gone as it looks like you have packed for a long trip.” asked the other neighbor?
“Someone said you are planning on going away for good. Is that true Jon, are you leaving?”
“Ok, if you must know yes. The boy and I are going into the mountains to live. I have a feeling things around here and in the country are about to really change in a big way and I want no part of it. I want to raise the boy to be a man, not some drugged up wimp that is not allowed to stand up for himself for fear of being punished by the so-called authorities.”
“Oh Jon, we always knew you were a bit out there but now you sound like one of those nut case militia people. Something like that Uni bomber guy.”
“Yea that is what they will call me and everybody else who is looking for something of what this country used to be. That is how they destroy our message; they do it by marginalizing people like me. Well that is fine, they can think and say what they want but, in the end, I know what is right.”
“Well what about your wife and daughter, aren’t they going?”
“No, it seems she believes I have become a nut case as well and basically supports all the change going on. She will be fine as I have set her up with everything she needs. And what I haven’t well your government will provide that, or so you all think.”
“Come on son it is time to go.”
Out of the door came a plucky slightly plump eight-year-old boy. He came up to his dad and made ready to get in the truck.
“Ok daddy let’s go.”
“You sure you are up for this?”
“Yes daddy, I want to go with you.”
“Ok then let’s get going.”
The tall broad man got into the truck and pulled out of the driveway. He paused for a moment and looked toward the window at the figure of a woman standing there looking at them with hands on hips. A feeling of sadness came over him and then it was replaced by anger. It was an anger that was driven by his wife’s lack of truly understanding him. He always knew he was right in most things but she would not acknowledge it as she could not always contend with his deep thought.
The truck pulled up the neighborhood street and was soon on its way to a new life.
The satellite radio was turned to the seventies station and all at once a song came on that seemed most appropriate. “Don’t Look Back” by Boston. The new life was moving forward.
By early afternoon the two were well into the mountains. Jon had studied the land well and had procured a piece of property in a somewhat remote valley that other folks had come to homestead. As the land was remote and had no access to utilities it was fairly cheap. He had also bought one of those pre built cabins that he planned to have delivered in a few days. It would come un-assembled but Jon felt he could do this task. The travelers had gone about fifteen miles into the valley when they came to small cut to the right that served as a drive.
Jon pulled the truck into the cut and came to a stop. He turned off the motor and leaned his head out the window to listen to their new home. All that could be heard was a small stream and a slight breeze blowing through the trees.
“Well son, here we are. This is our new home.”
“Looks great dad, uh where is the house?”
Jon looked at his son with a grin.
“Well that is where all the fun begins.”
Chapter 2
The early light of the morning sun crept over the cold slope of the tree covered ridge doing little to add warmth but bringing enough light for one to complete the task set forth. The light dusting of snow covered the ground around the evergreens and aspens just reminding those that autumn was here and winter was not far behind.
The deer woods had always been a place to get back to the primeval. A place to reclaim what early man had faced and had conquered with weapons such as the bow and the spear. Today though, the solitary man crouching and sighting his target was using a high-powered rifle to capture his game.
In a sudden moment a buck came bounding into the clearing not sensing the present danger. The animal was a good 200 pounds with a heavy mast and wide flanks. It was the type of trophy that not only gave a man heart, but would provide ample meat for months of long cold nights. The animal at present came to a stop and looked about its surroundings as if wondering if it was a spot of safety. For years these fine beasts had always been the sport of men, lacking few other predators in the woods. But of the last decade their numbers had swelled to the point that their largest predator was hunger.
The grey-haired man crouching behind a fallen tree carefully sighted in his prey, measuring the distance and angle for a precise delivery. His keen eyes and senses set a perfect bead on spot and with a slight inhalation squeezed the trigger of the rifle. Before the echo of report ended the buck collapsed in the high grass of the field, having little knowledge or understanding of what had happened to it. Life left the animal quickly and painlessly and such the circle of life continued.
The hunter remained in his position for a few minutes, ensuring that his shot had been true. At present he rose, chambered another round in the rifle, and slowly walke
d toward the down buck. As he reached the spot of the kill, he viewed a magnificent animal with a small wound just below the shoulder. The shot had entered the animal’s heart and had brought a quick and merciful death to what would be many fine dinners for those that lived this sort of life.
Seeing that the buck had no life left in him the man ejected the shell in his rifle and raised an eye to the heavens to thank the creator for providing a bountiful harvest. Then with little thought he knelt and slowly worked the animal across his shoulders and began the trek out of the deer woods. For some carrying a 200-pound animal and holding a rifle in one hand would seem impossible but years of weight training and the past ten years of mountain living had turned his thews to stone.
Knowing that the dirt road was only 500 yards away was a thought that made the man glad but also gave him an idea. He only needs to move several hundred yards away from the point of kill to ensure that no one would find him with his feast, that being illegal in this time and day. Some 200 yards from his truck he set the burden down and trotted the last distance to the road and his transportation.
Inside the truck a tall young man slumbered in the passenger seat, not really asleep having heard the report of the rifle, and expecting the return of his companion.
“Hey lazy, get out of there and get the pole and ropes, we have a buck to get home” said the hunter.
The young man, a boy of 18 presently got out of the truck and reached into the cargo bed producing a stout pole and several feet of rope.
“Did you get a good buck dad” the youth asked.
“Yep son, a ten pointer with plenty of meat”
“Well we better go get it before a bear or a wolf finds it. Why didn’t you just haul it the whole way dad, you getting old?”
The man retorted, “Let’s see what you can do at 58 ok”
The two soon came upon the deer whereby the man produced a nice hunting knife to field dress the animal. The man carefully slid his knife under skin of the deer and sliced open the stomach area. Short work exposed the intestines and they were removed producing the proverbial gut pile.
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