by A J Newman
We hadn’t had any problems since we eliminated that gang last summer. Right after he left the trouble began. We had cattle killed or missing and several young girls disappeared.
I set some traps and killed a dozen of ‘em and they all pretty much looked like Prescott’s security team.”
“Before I forget, tell me about how you got rid of the gang.”
“The ipecac made the difference. We spiked the food we took them as you suggested and they never knew what hit them. Those guys were so busy vomiting they hardly knew they were under attack. We shot them like fish in a barrel. It was a slaughter. I lost one man and had three others wounded.
The mayor and city council were pissed at first until we presented evidence that the mayor and two of the council were on the take. We ran them out of town along with most of the gang’s women. We killed all of the gang except for a few that were able to escape on their bikes. All of the leaders died that day.”
“I’m glad we were able to help. Do you want to go to our camp and say hi to Bert?”
“Damn straight I would, I’d like to see him today.”
“By the way, who are Abby and Betty?”
“Jake’s brother in law quickly said, “They’re my sisters!”
“Okay, I won’t ask.”
Jake replied, “No, it’s okay. Bert and I were dating his sisters and we married them. The funny part is we didn’t marry the one we dated the longest. At the last minute we switched.”
“Oh boy.”
“No we all get along great.”
***
Jake followed us over to our camp and was overjoyed to see his brother, and his family. We introduced Jake and his brother in law to everyone, and then left them alone to get caught up on events. They talked for hours and started again after lunch.
Before Jake left, Mike and I filled them in on Daviess County and what we had accomplished getting farming more productive and our successes at generating electricity.
“Boy y’all were way ahead of the farmers round here. We only have a few tractors and large trucks running. We were so busy trying to survive the first year that we didn’t look at longer range planning.”
We also sent the girls that we freed from the drug gang back with him. Several were from Rolling Hills and knew the Sheriff. They were glad to be going home.
Mike looked at me and replied, “Zack, it appears we are stuck here for a while. Shouldn’t we reach out to the local farmers and help them like we did around Owensville.
I know Callie and Paul can build more of the bicycle and small gas engine generators. I’d also like to help get more tractors and trucks running. Jacob and Sam can fix any old truck or tractor. Let’s jump start this area like we did at home.”
Jake grinned and said, “We could really use your help and you do need a home.”
I remembered Prescott and replied, “I’m afraid that it would leak out that Mike and I are in Rolling Hills and Prescott would attack the city to get to us.”
Davi chimed in, “Prescott is going to try to take all of Western Kentucky regardless of where you and Mike live. We have to take him out before he builds his kingdom.”
Jake replied, “I think she hit the nail on the head.”
I answered, “I know she’s right, but we have been fighting thugs and criminals for almost a year now; when does it end?”
Davi quickly answered, “Zack, it will go on until the country is rebuilt or at least this part of the country gets back to a law and order society. Remember, I’m from Israel. We have been fighting every day since 1949. I think the quicker you kill the Prescott’s of the world, the quicker the country moves forward.”
I thought for a minute and replied, “So, we put a plan together to take out Prescott with the least risk, and loss of our lives.”
“Yes, we must remove him, his top leaders and as many of his men as possible. These are all really bad guys who could take his place and become a true dictator.
We must think this through and execute a plan that has multiple attacks on Prescott’s empire that simultaneously takes out him, his command and control and most of his soldiers,” Davi pleaded.
We all agreed with Davi as the room fell silent. I knew our people just wanted to settle down somewhere and start a new life, but I also realized that running away just meant that we would probably run into another Prescott. Yeah, I guess it’s time to make a stand.
We agreed to move over to Rolling Hills during the next two weeks. Jacob and Sam’s families would go first, and then the rest of us would come over a week later. Jake told us that they had a couple of subdivisions that were ghost towns. Most people had moved closer to town and upgraded their housing during the moves. He thought that Mike and I could hide in plain sight on the outskirts of town while Jacob and Sam were actively working with the farmers to get ready for spring planting.
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Chapter 11
Winter is a Cruel Mistress
We relocated to Rolling Hills. We moved all of our gear, firewood and vehicles and then enjoyed the balmy spring like weather during mid-winter. Several of us went out hunting or fishing each day to augment our food supply. Mike and I took either Susie or Callie out every day to pass on our hunting and trapping skills to them. I took very seriously the need to pass on skills to the younger generation.
The girls took to hunting as eagerly as any man and became proficient quickly. They knew we only shot animals we intended to eat and nothing was wasted. The dogs or our neighbor’s pigs ate everything we didn’t save for ourselves. We taught them how to field dress, clean and dry meat. We made sausage, sun dried jerky and smoked meat. We all loved deer jerky and sausage. I loved the deer sausage with cheese and jalapeno mixed in to the sausage.
Paul didn’t like trapping animals, but all knew we had to use every method possible to feed ourselves. There were no food processing and packaging plants in operation in the USA and the existing dry and canned goods would be gone before the end of this year. He never liked taking an animal from a trap, but he did it because it was necessary for our survival.
Susie and I were a mile or so south of the subdivision hunting deer. I could see she was growing up in maturity as well as strength thanks to necessity. She handled her Winchester lever action .30-.30 as well as any man and had already killed several deer with it.
“Zack, will we ever get back to the way things used to be?”
“Darling, not for a long time and even then it may not be the same. There won’t be money spent on cell phones and computer games in my life time. Civilization has to rebuild our medical, food processing and transportation technology before non-essential items can be brought back.”
“Zack, can I call you dad?”
“Of course. I would like that, daughter.”
“Dad, why did this happen?”
“I don’t think anyone knows. My guess is some enemies of the USA attacked us to eliminate our influence in the world.”
“Will they invade our part of the country?”
“Darling, I hope not, but I won’t lie to you. They could. Uncle Mike and I will do everything possible to protect you and the rest of our family.”
“What will we do if they come here?”
I didn’t have a good answer. Yes, I finessed the question, but didn’t have a good answer. This young girl had asked the question that I kept pushing to the back of my mind. I tried not to think about this and was successful until the issue slapped me in the face.
Susie killed a large doe shortly after our conversation and I forgot about her question. Mike later taught Callie and her how to skin the hide without ruining it so we could use the deer leather to make gloves and a coat. Mike would later teach us how to tan leather. We were all becoming more proficient at the daily chores our great grandfathers and mothers tackled every day.
I drug the field dressed deer back to the house where we butchered it and began processing it to preserve the meat. Ally cut off ste
aks for supper that night. She sent Suzie out to invite Callie and Paul, Mike and Sally and Davi to supper. The weather was great, I had some dried hickory wood for the barbeque and I loved to grill. Ally and Suzie prepared the sides as our guests arrived. I gave everyone a home brew and we shot the shit as I grilled the steaks. It was only 4:00 as the sun went down and the air was noticeably colder than it had been since the snow melted.
My guests moved inside when the wind picked up and the temperature plummeted. Thank God Callie brought me a coat because my teeth were chattering even standing close to the fire. The sun was setting, but there was enough light to see the black clouds racing towards us from the northwest. I had hoped we would escape any further snow and cold weather, but the clouds and drop in temperature did not support my hopes. I was glad when the steaks were done and took them in to the warm house and shivered as my body took in the warmth.
Mike saw me shivering and said, “I knew the warm weather was just a teaser. Mother Nature was just screwing with us and now she will bring all of her fury down on us.”
“I hope this is just a brief change in weather and not one of those polar vortex thingies. I remember back about 10 years ago we had snow storms and a deep freeze for a week.”
“We only have about six to ten more weeks of winter and I hope it’s closer to four.”
“Callie spoke up, “Dad, remember I told you that the wooly worms have real thick black coats as winter started. They know this is going to be a bad winter. I’m okay with winter as long as Paul and I have a warm fire to snuggle up in front of.”
Ally replied, “I second that thought, but I worry about the animals during a blizzard. There are a lot of house dogs and cats that have been turned loose when their human parents died or couldn’t feed them.”
Sally added, “That reminds me, we need to be very careful and watch for wild and domestic animals that are starving. Remember the wolf attack back home. We could have lost some friends.”
I hadn’t worried about that because with most humans dead the wild game had flourished. People were hunting, but there was a hell of a lot less of them hunting or ruining the animal’s habitat. Hell you can sit on your back porch and see hundreds of rabbits, squirrels, skunks and even a porcupine or two any day of the week. Dogs and cats were plentiful. You can hear Coyotes yelping all night. Nature was in a rebalancing period, the strong would survive and the weak would be eaten.
Susie came running into the family room and yelled, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing real hard and the wind is blowing.”
A gust of wind rattled the storm windows as if to punctuate Susie’s words. The wind picked up in velocity; we could hear it howling and one of the side doors had a whistle.
We all ran to the windows and saw nothing but a white mass of snow hitting the window. I shined my flashlight out the front window and the beam stopped a few feet into the whiteout.
I looked at my guests and said, “Y’all should spend the night here. I think it may be too dangerous to walk home in this whiteout.
“Dad, we only live next door and I hate to leave my dog home alone. This storm is probably scaring him to death.”
“Zack, we live on the other side of Callie, so I’m sure we can make it home.”
“Okay, but I offered. Key your mike twice when you are home safely and Mike key yours three times.”
“Yes, dad,” both Mike and Callie replied.”
I woke up in the middle of the night and heard the wind fiercely blowing. I got out of bed without waking Ally and went to the living room to look out the window. It was 3:21 am and the snow was still coming down so fast I couldn’t see, but a few inches beyond the window. I was wide awake so I made me a biscuit and deer steak sandwich. I sat at the front window watching the snow rain down. I don’t know why it fascinated me so much, because this was like watching a TV without a signal. Nothing on the screen to see, but I couldn’t stop watching.
Before I knew it, it was 6:00; I started a pot of coffee and fetched some eggs and deer sausage for breakfast. I wasn’t much of a cook, but scrambled eggs and sausage were not much of a challenge. The smell of the coffee floated throughout the house and Susie joined me after making herself a cup of coffee.
“Dad, what are you cooking? It smells great and is making me hungry.”
“Scrambled eggs and some sausage from your deer.”
“That sounds great and boy I am hungry.”
I looked down beside her and saw her Winchester leaning against the counter beside my AR. I had mixed emotions seeing that this little teen girl had been trained to keep her rifle handy at all times. I was proud, but saddened that our world had come to this. It was no different from the early settlers always prepared for an Indian attack.
Ally came down the hall wearing only one of my long sleeve t-shirts looking beautiful taking my mind off my cooking.
Before she saw Susie she said, “Zack, come on back to bed and we can …… Oh, hi Susie. You’re up early this morning.”
“Yes mom, the coffee smelled so good that I had to have a cup with dad.”
“Well since you’re up, please let the dog out to do his business.”
“Okay mom.”
Susie looked down at her black Lab and called for him to follow her. She opened the kitchen door, the wind blew it out of her hand and it slammed against the counter. Snow swirled into the kitchen until I ran over and forced the door closed.
Susie said, “Holy crap. The wind almost knocked me down.”
“Susie, don’t say that word.”
“Mom you say the “S” word all the time.”
“I’m an adult. You’re not. Do what I say.”
“Yes mam.”
I interjected, “Ally, please finish breakfast while I clear a path for the dog.”
While they were discussing the finer points of children not cussing, I got dressed and put a heavy coat, gloves and ski mask on. I struggled to open the door just enough to see what was happening outside. The snow was three feet deep against the house and door. I went out into the garage and found a snow shovel to clear a path for the poor dog. I had Ally and Susie close the door behind me. The snow was only a foot and a half deep, but had drifted against the house. The sun was up, but it was twilight outside and I could only see a few feet in front of me
I cleared a small 10 x 10 foot area for the dog to do his business and came back in for breakfast. I was just in time to sit down and eat. The meal hit the spot after shoveling the wet heavy snow.
“Darling, we’ll have to keep an area clear for the dog and I think I’ll clear a path over to Callie’s home before I sit my ass in front of the fire and read a good book.”
“That sounds like a great idea. How many shovels do we have?”
“Just the one. We’ll have to take turns. I hope each house has a shovel. If this crap continues, we’ll need to all work to keep our paths open.”
“Mom, dad said crap.”
“He’s also an adult. Cut out the back talk or you will be sitting in a corner.”
“Before I was interrupted I was going to say that I’ll go check some of the abandoned houses for more shovels while you and Susie shovel.”
“Sounds like a plan. Please check on Callie and Paul while you’re out.”
“I planned to drop in on them while I was out.”
I put my winter duds back on and braved the blizzard once more to walk next door to Callie’s home. I knew the house was straight ahead, but couldn’t see it until I was about five feet away. I knocked on the kitchen door and no one answered. I waited and knocked louder. I saw Paul through the window hopping along putting his pants on.
The door opened letting a bunch of snow and me in on their kitchen floor.
“What are y’all doing sleeping in this late? Morning is half over. We’re burning daylight.
I heard Callie behind me, “Dad, some people like to stay in bed and do adult stuff in the morning when it’s too crappy outside.”
“Baby gir
l, we’re spending the morning cleaning a place so Susie’s dog can take a crap while Ally tries to teach Susie not to say the word crap while discussing this crappy weather. That’s what adults do in our house on a crap weather day. I’m now officially done talking about crap.”
Laughing Callie replied, “Poor daddy. Is it okay if we invite Susie to a slumber party at my house so Ally and you can behave like adults once in a while?”
“Yes, if you take her dog too.”
“Poor dad.”
“Hey, now seriously, there is 18 inches of snow on the ground and three foot drifts. You need to clear an area for your dog to do his business and we are making a path from our house to yours. I would like you to make a path over to Mike’s house and so on until we are all linked up. This storm is not going away for another day or so and I don’t want to be digging three feet of snow. Let’s stay caught up with it as it falls.”
Paul answered, “That sounds like a great idea. We have a snow shovel and I’ll bet some of the abandoned homes also have one.”
“I’m going to look in a few and I’ll bring you an extra one back here shortly. I’m dropping by the rest of our big family to spread our plan and check on them.”
“Okay, we’ll have breakfast and get to shoveling snow right after breakfast.”
“I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
Damn, I arrived at Mike’s place and they were still in bed. My friends were getting lazy and blaming the snow storm. Sally finally answered the door and let a ton of snow and me into their house.
“Damn Zack, you’re messing up my clean kitchen floor.”
“Well it’s about to get worse. It’s snowed all night and is still snowing.”
I filled them in on our plan and divided the rest of our group with Mike to visit. We would both search a few houses for snow shovels. I visited Jacob and Sam’s homes while Mike took care of the rest.