by A J Newman
***
Kat felt Jason was a good person but had been fooled once since the bombs killed the U.S.A and didn’t want to live through that again. She followed Jason and MMax from a distance into Clarksville. She heard MMax growl and point her way a couple of times when she approached too close, but Jason didn’t walk in her direction. She guessed that MMax was letting Jason know they were being followed.
***
Michelle’s apartment building had disappeared. In its place, was a heap of bricks, girders, and trash from three hundred families. There was no sign of Michelle. Asking about her only resulted in dumb looks and a middle finger. I had to wonder if Michelle was at the bottom of the pile. She had a ground floor apartment. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about her rotting corpse at the bottom of the collapsed building. I pulled myself together and convinced myself that Michelle had survived.
The stench in the area was still overpowering. The survivors hid in the shadows, afraid to venture out in the daylight, thanks to the hoods, thugs, and crazed people suffering from drug withdrawals. The stench came from feces dumped on the streets. Yes, they dropped their shit at the curb as if a machine would come along and clean it up. Then, there were rats. Thousands of rats. I hate rats.
MMax and I also stayed in the shadows, watching for Michelle for several days without success until MMax growled. I woke up from a daydream and saw three nuns walking around the rubble with two small children. I stepped out of the shadows. “Ladies, can you help me?”
The oldest nun squared off and faced me. She said, “Sir, please go on your way and leave us alone.”
It dawned on me that I had an AR, pistol, and knife, which probably scared these peaceful people. “Ma’am, I need help to find my sister. Michelle Walker. She lived in that apartment complex before the lights went out.”
I noticed the other two nuns began whispering to each other, but I couldn’t make out what they said. The one facing me took a few seconds, and then she said, “Come along with us. We have a dozen survivors living at our church. Your sister could be one of them. Follow us. Sorry, I’m Sister Madilyn, that’s Sister Joan, and that one is Sister Grace.”
I extended my hand and said, “I’m Jason Walker, and I’m pleased to meet you.”
We walked several blocks before I saw the church tower up ahead. MMax was several paces in front on alert for danger, when he sat with his nose pointing to the right side of the street. He gave his low rumbling growl and looked back at me as if to check to see if I had seen the danger. I saw two young men skulking in the shadows.
Sister Madilyn walked straight at the two men and showed no fear. “You two ruffians need to move out of our way and let us go about our business. You know your boss won’t tolerate you harassing us.”
One of the punks walked up to the nun and slapped her, to the astonishment of the other two nuns. She fell backward to the ground. I yelled to MMax, “Get him!” as I raised my rifle and shot the second man when he drew his pistol to shoot MMax.
MMax held the man securely while I tended to the one I’d shot. I asked, “Why did you hit the nun?”
The man cried and begged God to spare him. “Help me. God, please don’t let me die?”
“Answer my question!”
“Our old boss was raised in a Catholic orphanage and had a soft heart for the nuns. We killed him. Our new boss just sees them as another piece of ass.”
My hand was a blur as I pulled my knife and plunged it into the man’s stomach before ripping it upward. I acted without thinking or consideration for my audience. I shoved the dying man over and turned my attention to the one MMax held at bay. I took his pistol and took his knife from his belt. I told MMax, “Out,” and MMax released his bite. I then said, “Watch him,” and MMax stood there guarding the man.
Before I could ask him any questions, Sister Joan said, “Please don’t hurt him. He’s one of God’s children, and we have to show him mercy.”
I took my eyes off the man for a second to turn to Sister Joan, and the asshat lunged at me. He tried to take my weapon, but MMax leaped on him and bit into his throat. MMax shook the man until his blood gushed. MMax fell from the man carrying a large chunk of the man’s throat with him. I was shocked. MMax was trained to bite the target’s arm and subdue him.
Maxx spat the chunk of flesh to the ground and sat there looking at me as though he had fetched a ball and dropped it at my feet. When I didn’t say ‘Good Boy,’ he had a perplexed look in his eyes. I was speechless. Both nuns were in tears as they covered the children’s eyes.
It suddenly dawned on me that MMax had saved my life, which also meant he had probably saved the nuns’ lives. I scratched MMax behind his ears and said, “Good boy.”
MMax barked, and his whole body wiggled as he shook his tail. My approval meant a lot to MMax, and he was overjoyed that I’d liked what he had accomplished. MMax hadn’t been trained to kill people who were a threat. He was supposed to hold them at bay and inflict maximum pain with his bite to their arms if they resisted. Killing people was never a goal. I knew I had to think this one over before reacting since MMax had just saved me from having to slit the man’s throat.
Sister Madilyn tapped me on the shoulder. “That dog killed the poor man. Can you put him on a leash?”
I replied, “Yes,” and hooked the leash to MMax. This didn’t bother MMax because he was frequently on a leash during combat.
I couldn’t look the nuns in the eyes as Sister Madilyn led us on to the church. She kept mumbling below her breath, and I knew I would quickly see if Michelle was with their group and leave. I wondered if the old woman would have been happier if the man had killed me instead. I looked her way, and she glared at me. I bit my tongue and didn’t say anything.
We arrived and entered the rectory through a side door. A priest met us and said, “Hurry, we must hide. The gang killed Ricardo, and the new leader plans to run us out of the area. Who is your friend?”
Sister Madilyn spoke. “Father James, this is Jason Walker, and he is looking for his sister Michelle. He saved us from two of the gang members. He and that beast killed both of the men.”
“Tell me more, Sister,” the priest said.
Sister Madilyn gave the priest a brief rundown on the situation and made a point to tell the gruesome details about how MMax and I had killed the men.
The priest said, “Son, may God be with you. I won’t judge you because the apocalypse has unleashed the wrath of many evil men. We’re all warriors for God and our faith. Son, you look like you have served in the military.”
I said, “Yes. I’m still in the Army. I guess it still exists.”
I gave them my one-minute elevator story about how MMax and I got back to the states and then why we were here.
Father James said, “Jason, God has brought you to us at a desperate time where we need a protector who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. We have five nuns, me, and fifteen women and children to protect from the evil men trying to harm these people. We need you to help the weak.”
They were all surprised when MMax barked and nuzzled against the priest, licking his hand. The priest said, “We all have heard that God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps God has brought MMax and you to us to help us survive the evil that has been thrust upon us.”
I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of what the priest had said. “Sir, I just want to find my sister and go home to safety.”
Father James had a twinkle in his eyes as he said, “If we help you find your sister, will you help us go to a safe place?”
I thought, “What the hell. If he can find Michelle, I’ll do about anything.”
I said, “Look, Father, I’ve searched the area and can’t find my sister so what will you …?”
Father James interrupted. “Sister Madilyn, bring our other two sisters here to hear what I have to say.”
Sister Madilyn balked. “But we have to stay here to tend to the weak and suffering.”
Father James raised his
hand, “Later. Now, go!”
Sister Madilyn was angry and had a strange look on her face but left the room only to return a minute later. Father James said, “Jason, this is Sister Beth, and this is …”
The second sister looked me in the face and charged me. MMax growled ready to attack. I yelled, “Stay!” as my sister Michelle leaped into my arms.
“Jason, you’ve come to rescue me. Are Mom and Dad okay? What about Michael and his family; are they with mom and dad? You were in Europe! How did you get back to Tennessee?”
She nearly knocked me down, but I quickly recovered. “Sis, I’ll answer all those questions after you tell me how you became a nun.”
She laughed along with Father James and the other nuns. “Brother it’s a long story.”
☆
Chapter 3
Walter Hill Tennessee
“I see an English Springer Spaniel and two young girls in the back yard. Wait. Two women are joining the girls. They’re too young to be Jason’s mom. I don’t see anyone who could be his mom or dad,” said Sergeant Maria McGill.
Murph, Corporal Billy Murphy replied, “This has to be the place. Jason told me a dozen times his dad’s place was the third one on the left and about three miles up Holly Grove Road.”
Maria said, “Let’s get a little closer, so we can see in the house.”
Maria and Murph were Jason’s best friends in the Army. They were on their second tour of duty when the war broke out in Europe and spread to the United Kingdom, where they were all injured. They were lucky to have survived the explosion, and even more fortunate when they were flown back to the states before the nuclear bombs detonated. Their plane had crashed due to an EMP burst. Maria and Murph had thought Jason was dead and had left him at the crash site.
They’d traveled to Fort Campbell to report in but didn’t like what they’d seen there. FEMA had set up colossal relocation camps. The tents were inside of a tall fence with piles of razor ribbon on both sides. Their homes were too far away to travel to in their condition. Both had significant wounds, and they were still recovering when they encountered the FEMA camp.
Maria had watched long enough to see the officers were taking orders from FEMA civilians and then convinced Murph to go see if they could stay with Jason’s parents until they were completely healed.
***
The wind changed directions while the two soldiers snuck through the woods to get closer to the home. Tina, the springer spaniel, was guarding her new family when the wind carried their scent to her keen nose. Tina growled, sat down, and faced the direction the intruders approached from, just as Jason had taught her.
Karen said, “Tina smells something in the woods. She’s alerting as though someone is approaching. Chrissy, slowly go inside and warn Zack.”
A few minutes later, Zack slipped out of a window on the side facing away from the intruders. Zack kept out of sight as he worked his way around the barn to come up behind the unwelcome visitors. Zack scanned the woods. There wasn’t any movement until he saw a shadow flicker in the bushes to his right. Zack raised his rifle and searched for the man. Just as he was about to squeeze the trigger, he heard, “Zack, put your weapon down. If you aren’t Zack, I will blow your brains out on the grass if you pull that trigger.”
Zack moved his trigger hand away from the rifle and lifted it to the sky. “How do you know me? Why are you sneaking up on my place?”
The woman said, “I’m Sergeant Maria McGill. I served with your son Jason all over the Middle East and Europe. This guy is Corporal Billy Murphy.”
“Lower your rifle, and I’ll answer your questions.”
Maria said, “I never had my rifle aimed at you.”
Zack looked at Maria first and then took a glance at Murph. “Yep, I’ve seen you two in several pictures Jason sent home. He’s away from home to search for his sister.”
“What? We thought Jason was dead!”
Zack wasn’t surprised because Jason had told him he had guessed they thought he’d been killed in the plane crash. “No, he’s recovered and about ninety percent. He should be back sometime this week.”
“Where did he go to find his sister?”
“She’s up in Clarksville. He should be back any day. Let’s make you comfortable and shoot the shit.”
Maria let out a deep breath. “Mister Walker, we just left Fort Campbell, and it’s not a good situation. FEMA has taken over and is forcing people into relocation camps. Even what’s left of the Army appears to report to FEMA.”
Zack said, “But surely FEMA wants the best for our citizens and country.”
Murph replied, “I certainly believe that they believe they know what’s best for us; however, they’re making farmers move off their productive land to work in massive FEMA community farms. The farms appear to be patterned off the Russian collective farms of the sixties.”
Zack shook his head and his fists clenched. “That’s about as smart as tits on a boar hog. Typical socialist dogma. Are any farmers resisting?”
“Yes, but not for long. The FEMA director sends the Army in to force the reluctant ones to comply. There have been numerous one-sided shootouts with casualties on both sides.”
“Why would US soldiers turn against their own countrymen?”
Maria said, “They have been told by high ranking officers that the policy is the best in the long run for the country.”
Zack was dumbfounded that this could happen in the U.S.A. He said, “Let’s introduce you to the others and help you make yourselves at home until Jason returns.”
Maria saw several travel trailers in the backyard. “Does anyone live in the travel trailers?”
“Yes, Jason’s friends live in them. Billie and her son live in the one on the left, and Karen and her two girls live in the brown and tan one on the right. You and Murph can take the middle one until we sort things out. We think we need to attract some more of the right kind of people to join us here on our farm. People not afraid of work and not afraid of fighting when absolutely necessary,” said Zack.
Maria tapped Zack on the shoulder. “We can work hard and are willing to fight to protect our friends and family. Would we be the right people for your group?”
Zack hesitated. “I want to be honest with you. I need Jason to vouch for you. From what I know about you two, you would be a great fit.”
Zack introduced them to Jan before taking them out to the trailers. Jan knew of them and gave them a warm welcome. She said, “I don’t like fighting and killing like Jason and you two have been forced to do, but I do realize that someone has to defend our country. We need experienced fighters to help us prepare for the bad times on the way.”
Maria said, “I’ll bet Jason has already worked on your OP SEC.”
Jan said, “Huh?”
Murph replied, “Operational security. Posting guards, building defensive positions, securing arms and ammo, are the kind of things you do to secure your position.”
Jan laughed. “Will we dig fox holes?”
Maria replied with a solemn face. “Yes, we need to have fortified positions that give cover from incoming bullets.”
“Oh, my,” was all Jan could say.
Zack had to tend to some chores, so Jan took Murph and Maria to the backyard to meet Karen, Billie, and the kids. Billie saw Jan approaching with the strangers and pushed Mark ahead of her to meet them. Jan said, “Billie, this is Maria and Murph. They’re Jason’s friends from the Army.”
Billie and Mark shook their hands and welcomed them to the farm. Jan said, “We’ll swap stories during supper. I’m taking them over to meet Karen and the girls now.”
Karen and the girls were on the backside of the camper but heard Jan knocking. Karen came around the end of the camper and thought the two were Jason and his sister. She ran toward the man but stopped abruptly. “I’m sorry. I thought you were Jason for a minute.”
Murph blushed and said, “We do look a little alike from a distance. I’m Murph, and this is Mari
a.”
Karen hugged both as she said, “Jason has told me so much about you two! Wasn’t there another soldier with you when the plane crashed?”
Maria’s eyes grew wide. “Yes. John Long survived the crash but decided to go on to his home. Our homes were too far away.”
“Murph and Maria, these two are my daughters Chrissy and Missy. Say ‘Hi’ to our new friends.”
Chrissy said, “Hello. Have you seen Jason? We miss him so much and are worried about him.”
Maria said, “No, we haven’t seen him since we left the plane crash. We didn’t think he survived. He always talked about his mom and dad’s place, so we came here. Our homes are both over a thousand miles away, and we hoped to join Jason’s family.”
Karen said, “The decision is Jan’s and Zack’s on you two staying, but I like the idea.”
Jan took them to the empty trailer. “You can get cleaned up and rest a bit until supper.”
Jan left, and they looked at each other with sad looks on their faces. Maria said, “I can’t believe we left Jason for dead. I took his pulse. He was dead.”
Murph replied, “Don’t beat yourself up. All three of us thought Jason had died.” Murph placed his hand behind his back and crossed his fingers. “Perhaps the doctor gave him something to slow his metabolism down, or his pulse was so weak you couldn’t feel it.”
Maria forced a smile. “I can’t get it out of my mind that we abandoned Jason.”
“You have to remember. We were under attack by that crazy hillbilly with the AK47. We barely escaped alive. Damn, he only shot at me. I think he had plans for you,” said Murph.
Maria hit Murph on the back of his head. “I wonder if Karen and Jason are sleeping together.”
Murph snickered. “I hope so. That might give me a chance with you.”
“Murph, we’ve had this discussion several times. You are a great big brother, but I don’t think of you in the way you want.”