by Newman, AJ
“I guess we need a wide perimeter of warning devices that don’t kill. Then close in, we put the deadfalls, pits with pongee sticks, and large snares. There has to be a balance between giving too little and too much warning because a warning also communicates that we have something to protect. The gang has no reason to come back, but if they do, they’ll think the traps were left over from before the house burned.” Tom then looked around the table.
Jackie said, “I’ll help Rick, and Sam can help you with the warning system.”
Tom looked at his sister in the eyes. “You could work with me today for a little brother-sister bonding.”
“Nope, I’ll work with Rick. Sam knows a lot more about electronics than me.”
Tom looked at Sam, and then she shook her head as Rick and Jackie left. Then Sam snorted. “I’ll help, but all I know about electricity is how to flip the light switch and set the clock on my microwave.”
Tom chuckled and slapped her on the leg. “Then I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
Both groups spent the next two days improving their operational security. Tom used Sam to help check the warning devices after he’d replaced the damaged units. He had a handheld monitoring device that was wirelessly connected to the bunker’s monitoring panel to check on their repairs. “Move the camera to point a bit to your left. Yes, better. Move it a hair more. Good, you got it.”
“Who was your flunky before the world fell apart?”
“I was Granny B’s and Jackie’s flunky. Imagine growing up with two strong-willed, opinionated, and hardheaded women,” Tom said just before his handheld monitor crackled.
Granny’s voice came through the speaker. “I’ll show you who’s hard-headed when you get back in the bunker.”
Tom chuckled and then snorted. “I forgot. They can hear what we’re saying now. The microphones are hooked up.”
Granny B laughed. “Go tell that to your sister. Those two are making out behind a stand of trees about a hundred yards to your left. Please stop them. Darn their playing kissy-face.”
Tom flipped a couple of switches and spoke into the monitor’s microphone. “Rick, Granny B says to stop licking on Jackie’s face. You do know there are cameras and microphones all around the ranch. Hey, take your hand off my sister’s butt.”
Tom laughed so hard he couldn’t control himself. He stopped laughing when he saw the frown on Sam’s face. “That was a bit funny, but you took it too far. Rick loves her, and now he’s embarrassed.
Tom kept a straight face and started to defend himself when Sam placed her hands on her hips. “I see now why you could never be in a serious relationship.”
Sam stormed off and left Tom wondering what he’d said that was so bad. He thought, Damn, these women need an instruction manual and interpretation on what they mean when they speak.
*
Chapter 26
Southern Oregon –The bunker at the Clark ranch.
Sam tapped Tom on the back. He turned and almost broke out laughing. Her pant legs were rolled up, and her shirt was too long. “We never planned to add anyone to our group. Grandpa was adamant about that, so we don’t have extra sizes in clothing. I guess those are Jackie’s clothes.”
“So, now you’re making fun of me? At least, you’re giving Jackie and Rick a break.”
Tom still didn’t know why she was mad. “I’m sorry for my childish sense of humor.”
“I ain’t mad. Granny B’s clothes were too small, and well, Jackie is bigger than me. She has a figure to die for.”
Tom snickered. “Not that you can tell it now, but you have a very nice figure also. I love your figure.”
Sam pulled Tom close and hugged him. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me. I hope you can see more of my figure.”
“Me too. There just isn’t enough privacy around here.”
Sam exhaled. “I guess you don’t hate me anymore.”
Tom mentally kicked himself for never knowing what to say. “I never hated you. I just didn’t know your circumstances and how hard your life had been. I guess we need to add some better fitting clothes to the scavenging list. I like you better in tight-fitting clothes.”
Sam gazed into Tom’s eyes for a few seconds, then shook her head. “Jackie and I’ve been working on a list, and she asked if you had any input. Here’s the list.”
Tom loved her beautiful green eyes but didn’t feel the tingle. He wondered what caused the tingle with Kate but not Sam. Then he thought about something his grandfather had once told him.
Tom scanned the list. “Great start. We need to add some medical supplies. Kate and Granny B have put a list together. We’ll check out pharmacies and doctor’s offices, but they’ve probably been looted by now. We’ll also check pet supply stores and veterinarians. Antibiotics for fish are the same as human antibiotics. FISH-MOX is Amoxicillin 250mg, FISH-FLEX is Keflex 250mg, and FISH-PEN is Penicillin 250mg. Oh, put a book on identifying medicine on the list. Many animal medications are the same exact pills as their human counterpart.”
Kate heard them talking. “Better stock up on pool shock to disinfect your water, plenty of spices to make bland food taste better, bows and arrows, and salt.”
Tom nodded and smiled at Kate. “You apparently know something about prepping.”
“My dad and uncle were preppers. I didn’t like the whole idea but couldn’t help learning after being exposed to them for twenty years. We had all the usual supplies, stocked pond, gardens, and an arsenal,” Kate said and exhaled.
Tom wondered what had happened. “Why would you leave all that preparation to go to the Clark ranch?”
“Dad was proud of his preparedness and let it slip at the local bar a year ago. Two weeks after the shit hit the fan, a mob of people showed up on our doorstep, demanding food. We sent them away, empty-handed, and they came back and torched our home. Dad and Mom were killed in the firefight.”
“How did you escape?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I was at my uncle’s place a few blocks away when we heard the gunfire. We arrived just in time to shoot a few of the bastards. We didn’t know that a second group had gone to my uncle’s house. When we returned, they were loading everything he had into carts. My aunt and cousin were on the front lawn, dead. We sniped at them and then bugged out. My uncle took me to a friend’s home just as they were heading to the Clark ranch. You know the rest of the story.”
Tom shook his head and frowned. “I’m sorry for your loss. Even good people go bad when they can’t feed their kids.”
Sam interrupted. “We’d better get moving if we’re going into Ashland tonight.”
Tom took Sam away from Kate. “Who said you were going to town with us? It’s too dangerous.”
“How do you think I’m going to learn this survival stuff if you don’t let me watch what you do and give me training? Besides, you’ll need me to help haul stuff back from town.”
Tom knew she had him pinned down. “Let me bounce it off Jackie and Rick.”
Granny B heard their comments. “She’s right. She has to learn quickly to survive. Protect her as much as possible, but she needs to start carrying her own weight.”
Ashland, Oregon
Tom sat in the back of an abandoned Transit van in the Rite Aid pharmacy parking lot. His sister and Rick were still a bit put off by Tom’s comments over the microphone. They were mainly embarrassed they’d been caught making out in the woods. “Please forgive me for having fun with you two. It seemed funny at the time, but I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I guess I could have just said nothing and let you two go on about whatever you were going to do before Granny B told us about you.”
“Oh, crap! I thought you’d told Granny B on us. Darn, do you mean she was watching before you spoke?”
Tom immediately knew their dilemma. “So, a wild guess is that wasn’t the first time you two love birds had been at that spot?”
Jackie moaned, “When did you fix that camera?”
Tom stifled a laugh and tapped Sam on the back. “Two days ago. Is that a problem?”
Jackie’s head snapped around to Rick. Rick was choked up. “I guess it’s time to announce that I’ve asked Jackie to be my wife.”
“Whoa! Isn’t it a bit too soon. Granny B will blow a cork!”
Tom held back his concern. “What will you two give me to erase the recording of whatever you were doing?”
Jackie said, “I’ll let you give me away at the wedding? Hey, I erased that yesterday.”
Tom looked at Sam. “Yeah, I’ll bet we don’t want to see all that mushy stuff.”
Sam chuckled. “Nope.”
Jackie made a time out sign. “Now, back to scavenging. What do we have to go home with, and what is just nice to have.”
Tom thought for a few seconds before talking. “We have thirty-seven more hidden barrels of survival food, medical supplies, weapons, and ammunition. We only have to bring back some medical supplies, clothes, underwear for you and the other women, plus some feminine hygiene supplies. The rest will keep us from using our safety net supplies.”
Sam grinned. “And some chocolate. I need some chocolate.”
Jackie seconded Sam’s need for chocolate. “I’d kill for some milk chocolate with almonds.”
Rick spoke next. “Chocolate would be nice, but some great bourbon would hit the spot.”
Tom listened patiently. “When we get back, I’m firing up the BBQ and grilling some thick juicy steaks. Baking some potatoes and getting Granny B to fix us one of her famous salads.”
Tom looked down at Sam and then woke the others at one o’clock. Only a couple of people had walked through the area for the past several hours. He had used the night vision scope a dozen times, and nothing but dogs, coyotes, and cats were seen. “Wake up. Time to rise and muddle through the wonderful early morning.”
Sam’s head was on Tom’s lap. She rolled over on her back and looked up at him in the darkness. “Tom, I hope that’s you. Jackie might be mad if she saw my head on Rick’s lap.”
Tom kissed her on the forehead. “It’s me, and you slept like a rock. Stretch and yawn so we can get moving. I haven’t seen anyone for hours. It’s one o’clock, and I hope everyone else is sleeping.”
Jackie and Rick lay in the back together and took longer than Tom wanted. “Come on. Shake the rust off and get those old bones moving.”
Tom carefully opened the sliding door and stepped outside. He then sprinted to the smashed front door and walked inside the lobby. The moon was behind some thick clouds, so it was dark in the store. Tom waited on the others before cautiously stepping into the store. He stumbled and almost fell before turning on his small penlight flashlight. He kept the light close to the floor so they could walk without tripping. “Grab any food or medical supplies if you find any.”
The floor was littered with broken glass and odds and ends that the looters hadn’t thought were valuable. Tom said, “Jackie, watch the front of the building while we scavenge. Sam, go to the women’s hygiene stuff. Rick and I’ll look for food and medicine.”
Tom found the battery display was empty, but the looters hadn’t bothered to pick up the loose batteries strewn around on the floor. He gathered several handfuls of C, D, and AA batteries. He stuffed them in his bag and went back to the pharmacy, which had been ransacked. The glass partitions were broken into pieces and scattered on the floor with hundreds of bottles of various medicine types. Of course, the looters had scooped up all of the narcotics or anything that could make them high.
Tom used a broom to push the medicine bottles into a pile and then began sorting through them. Many were over the counter medicines that would be handy but not what he needed. Then he found several bottles containing Keflex, prescription-strength Tylenol, and Amoxicillin. He added them to his bag.
The office behind the pharmacy had the stench of death. He tried to open the office door and found a woman’s body blocking the door. It was covered in maggots. Tom gagged as he thought about having to walk across the maggots. Tom then searched the room and only found a bag of chocolate-covered peanuts in a desk drawer. He took the bag and slid out of the room as fast as he could move. Tom found Rick in one of the aisles. “Tom, look under the shelves. The creeps were too lazy to look for anything that had been dropped. Hey, what’s that smell? Damn, you smell like roadkill that baked in the sun for several days.”
“You don’t want to know. I’ll move an aisle over and pick that aisle clean.”
Thirty minutes later, they’d picked the store clean and went back to the van to consolidate their booty into one bag. Tom said, “It’s not much but a good start. It looks like Sam hit the jackpot on women’s stuff.”
“I still need some panties and clothes.”
Jackie laughed, “You forgot bras.”
“I never wear them.”
Tom thought, “I know, and you look damned good without one!”
Tom stuttered and changed the subject. “Let’s … uh … go to the animal clinic one block over. I think we’ll have some luck there.”
Sam moved closer so she could whisper. “Is your tongue-tied. Did that surprise you?”
“No, but my sister is listening.” He whispered.
“I need to go to a clothing store.” Sam was getting frustrated.
Tom felt sorry for her. “Okay, there’s a Bi-Mart between here and the animal clinic. We’ll stop there and let Sam select some clothes.”
Sam grabbed Tom by the lapels and said, “You’re a work-in-progress but might be worth the effort.”
Tom pulled away and led them down the street to the Bi-Mart. They searched the area for others and didn’t see any movement. Tom entered the store, and as usual, it had been looted. Tom pointed to the food section. “You two find us some food while I escort Sam to the women’s clothing.”
The store wasn’t that large but had a good selection of women, teens, and children’s clothing. Sam found some suitable jeans and several blouses before leading Tom to the underwear. “Here, hold these and look away.”
“It’s dark. I can’t see you, anyway.”
“Look away!”
“Okay,” Tom said but didn’t look away.
Tom heard her throw her old clothes away. “Hand me a pair of panties.”
Tom sorted through the bundle of clothes and reached out with the panties. Sam laughed and said, “I usually wear black, but I guess as long as they fit, I’ll be happy. Now a t-shirt.”
A few seconds later, he heard pants and finally socks. “I guess we need to find you a couple pairs of sneakers.”
Sam responded. “Yes, follow me. You aren’t too smart, but make a good pack animal.”
“Yep, that’s me, a pack mule.”
Sam put a pair of hiking boots on and stuffed a pair of running shoes in her bag. “I need something else. Follow me. I think it’s toward the front of the store.”
“We need to be moving on.”
Sam huffed. “Don’t you want me to look pretty?”
“You are pretty. Let’s get moving.” Tom said in a gruff voice.
“Tom, I’ve done everything but throw myself at you, and you just stood there with a dumb look on your face. I wondered if you even liked women.”
Tom exhaled sharply. “Of course, I like women. I’m just not good at all the feely touchy stuff. Once you get to know me, you’ll find me quite charming.”
Sam exhaled. “So, I’m not wasting my time with you?”
Tom rubbed his jaw. He liked her but not as she wanted, or maybe just needed. “Sorry, I’m focused on keeping us alive.”
Before Sam could answer, a shot rang out across the store, and Tom fell to the floor. At the same time, Sam dropped to a crouch and found Tom lying on the floor. She searched for the wound and felt the warm sticky blood on his side. She whispered, “Tom, Tom. Don’t …”
Two rough hands grabbed Sam from behind, and then the man stifled her scream. She struggled and received a blow to her he
ad.
*
Chapter 27
Ashland, Oregon
Rick and Jackie had filled their bags with cans and boxes of various foods picked from the food section's wreckage. They enjoyed each other’s company, so the time flew. They’d forgotten about their friends when the sound of gunfire rang through the building. Rick and Jackie dove for the floor and watched to see any flashes of gunfire so they could see where the shot came from. “Rick, I think that came from where Tom and Sam went. Let’s go.”
“Whoa! Slow down and be careful. Let’s not walk into an ambush.”
They dropped their bags and moved in a crouched position toward their friends. Jackie heard something. A muffled scream came from only two aisles from them. Jackie whispered, “That was Sam trying to scream!”
Before they could move, the sound of something crashing to the floor scared Jackie. “Let’s roll!”
Jackie shouldered her AR15 and switched the light on. She moved as fast as she could while keeping her head below the top of the shelves. A dark figure came around the end of the aisle and began shooting. Jackie calmly aimed and fired three rounds into the man. She stepped over him and hit two more men before they could fire. Then gunfire erupted to her left side. The blasts were from a prone position, and the bullets were striking the back of the store. Jackie heard several shrieks and groans. The shooter had hit his target.
Tom crumpled to the floor with his head bouncing against the polished concrete. He saw stars and was almost unconscious when Sam whispered. He woke in time to see the man striking Sam. Tom tried to move, but his head and side were in excruciating pain. Sam lay limp in the man’s arms. The Hispanic sneered at Tom and said, “Samantha is mine and will stay mine. You can have that brat. She’s not my kid. You’re going to die for violating my woman.”
Tom asked, “How did you find her?”