Holding Their Own: A Story of Survival

by Joe Nobody

  The entire chamber erupted in a confused mixture of applause and heated conversation. After several minutes, the attendees settled down and the ambassador of the United States was given the floor.

  Fellow diplomats and representatives, the United States of America did not attack Iran. The Iranian military was conducting tests of illegal nuclear weapons and was too incompetent to control the exercise. Not one piece of evidence has been presented to this body that indicates the United States had any role in this event. The United States believes the results of the accident are being exaggerated. Where are the pictures of the damaged buildings? Has anyone witnessed a single victim? Where is the evidence? No, ladies and gentlemen, this was not an attack, but a prime example of gross incompetence. Immature children should not play with dangerous toys.

  Again, the chamber erupted with mixed reaction.

  As expected, sanctions and reparations were proposed, and a vote taken. The sanctions included a ban on exports or imports from the United States, which, even before a vote, threw the world’s commodity markets into turmoil. Without the US importing oil and exporting grain, the entire world trade system was at risk.

  In addition, the United States was to pay Iran $10 trillion in reparations.

  The United States lost the vote by a considerable margin. Many countries cast their votes because they sensed weakness in America rather than feeling any concern for Iran. Many others had different reasons, such as a compromised America furthering their strategic plans. After the vote was read into the record, the American ambassador requested and was granted the floor.

  Members of this body, with the full authority of my government, I hereby declare the withdrawal of the United States of America from this organization. My nation will no longer be a member of the United Nations. Furthermore, please consider this official notice that all non-American citizens have 10 days to leave our country. This very building will be occupied by the New York City Police Department after that time, and anyone remaining will be arrested and deported. My country has had enough of the parasitic governments represented by this organization. In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to announce our withdrawal from NATO. All American military units will be recalled immediately. Our naval carrier battle groups and all associated support operations are being recalled as well. All air wings of the United States Air Force are being recalled from foreign lands. God help all of you – you are on your own.

  Within 24 hours, China was looking at Taiwan with a gleam in its national eye. Without the American Navy at their back, Taiwan was very nervous.

  In Columbia, the heads of several drug cartels recognized this move as an opportunity to further their agendas. Without the American DEA and Special Forces supporting the government, the Columbian leaders were very nervous.

  North Korea was already assembling massive tank formations and pointing them at South Korea. The government of South Korea was very nervous.

  All across the globe, ancient adversaries, rebel groups, and more recent political foes were re-thinking their strategic plans. In India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand plans were being modified that no longer could include any response from the Americans as either friend, or foe.

  It was less than 48 hours before the first shots were fired. China sent a flight of 48 aircraft toward Taiwan to test the reaction. Taiwan scrambled all of its interceptors and played cat and mouse with the Chinese until both sides had to land and refuel. As soon as the last fighter was on the ground in Taiwan, a radar officer saw 400 Chinese planes pointed straight at them. This time, they didn’t turn back and were not there to play any games.

  Within three days, nine regional conflicts and four full-fledged wars had begun.

  Houston, Texas – August 25, 2015

  No more microwaves

  Bishop woke up at 5:00 a.m. as usual. He rubbed his eyes, threw on a pair of shorts, and headed for the kitchen. He poured water in a cup and stuck it in the microwave. Terri was always on him to drink less coffee so he got in the habit of making his morning brew in the microwave. After all, he thought, there is no way she can count the cups this way.

  He hit a button on the microwave, and it didn’t beep. He looked up and noticed the clock was off. It took his sleepy mind a whole minute to figure out the electricity was out for the entire house.

  They had been without power several times in the past few weeks. Normally, it was out for two to three hours before being restored. He had started to hook up the generator twice, only to have the power come back on as soon as he was close to finishing. Just like washing your car will cause it to rain, he thought.

  Bishop stuck his hand in the refrigerator and checked the temperature. It felt like the power had not been out long, so he didn’t have to worry about the milk spoiling just yet.

  He wanted his coffee and was not going to wait on the power to come back on, nor was he going to hook up the generator - not until he had some caffeine. He poured some water in Terri’s teapot, plodded to the back porch, and fired up the gas grill to heat his water there.

  He finished his coffee, exercised, and then grilled some bacon and eggs. He made a little extra and took it into Terri who was still in bed. “Wakie, wakie…eggs and bakie,” he said.

  Terri rolled over and moaned, “Daddy, I don’t wanna go to school. I’m sick.”

  “Terri, the power is out again. I had to slave over a hot grill to cook this, so wake up, young lady.”

  She rolled over, sat up, and yawned. Bishop sat the tray on her lap. She poked at her breakfast at first, but when Bishop came back in, the tray was empty, and Terri was back asleep.

  It was mid-August in Texas, and the average temperature on any given day was close to 100 degrees. Without electricity, there was no air conditioning, and modern houses were not designed to maximize airflow. By noon, Bishop decided it was time to hook up the generator and keep the fridge and garage freezer good and cool.

  He was walking through the kitchen and heard Terri rattling around in the pantry. “What’s up, babe?” he asked.

  “I’m just looking for something you can cook on the grill for lunch. This primitive camping is kind of nice for a girl as far as not having to cook.” A slight grin crossed her lips before she continued. “You are going to do the dishes using the garden hose, aren’t you?”

  “Darling, I think we had better start thinking like it was a hurricane and eat the stuff out of the freezer and fridge first.”

  She nodded and smiled, but he could see the concern in her eyes. He wondered if she could see the fear in his.

  Bishop hooked up the generator and ran the cords to the freezer and fridge. He had a very small, one-room window air conditioner that he could mount in the bedroom, if necessary. It was a very difficult job, and he had only done it after the most severe storms. The power it consumed was about all their small generator could handle.

  When the power had not come back on by late afternoon, Bishop found their emergency radio in the hurricane box and cranked the handle several times. He flipped it on and found that most of the radio stations were not broadcasting. He finally dialed in the station that was the Emergency Broadcasting Network frequency for the Houston area.

  “Again, Houston Power and Light is advising all of its customers that it may be some time before service is restored. A spokesman informed KTHN that the fire has consumed another sub-station and has also severed a high voltage transmission line. Our sister station in Dallas reported power outages were widespread in the metro area before contact was lost with them earlier this afternoon. We will bring you more information as it becomes available. Now on to other news, China announced today that it was beginning a series of criminal trials concerning its recent reacquisition of the province of Taiwan…”

  Bishop turned the radio off and went to the garage. It was time to install the small air conditioner.

  It was dusk when he finished the installation job and noticed some neighbors out in the street talking. He decided to join them
. The tone of the conversation was predictable. Everyone was concerned about what was going on. Most of the folks were experienced storm survivors, and almost everyone had a reasonable amount of food and their own generators as well. The general tone of the conversation was optimistic and positive.

  “Hey Bishop, what have you been up to?” asked one neighbor.

  “I was just installing the little window AC for the bedroom. I don’t know about wasting the gas on that, but we sure do sleep better in the cooler air.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about it much. They will have the power on in a week or so. We have a little extra gas if you run low.”

  And so the conversations went. There was no way to tell if everyone really believed things would be back to normal soon or not. Bishop really had his doubts and after a short time said goodbye to the neighbors.

  He went back in the house and found Terri planning meals. “Bishop, I think we have about 30 days of food. I’m sorry babe, but I got a little lazy and used some of our hurricane supplies, rather than run to the store. Will the generator hold the freezer for eight days?”

  “It should if we only run the bedroom AC at night,” he replied.

  “I have filled both of the bathtubs with water, and we still have hot water. How long do you think that will last?”

  “Our hot water heater uses natural gas. I don’t know how long that will hold out. The city water should by okay at least a few more days, depending on how full the tower was when the power failed and how much fuel they have for the backup generator. People will start hoarding water, so that will make a difference.

  “Well, at least I can have a hot shower tonight. “

  “Terri, we will have to make a decision soon. It takes us 70 gallons of gas to get to West Texas. We won’t have enough if we run the generator more than 10 days or so. I don’t think we can count on getting more gas.”

  “I don’t like the thought of going out there either. Once we go, we probably will never come back, at least not for a long time. We have worked so hard for our home here.”

  “Terri, I don’t want to be a downer, but I have a bad feeling about all of this. It just seems like the world is in a downward spiral, and nothing can stop it. While heading to West Texas would be a difficult trip and a very primitive life, it sure beats dying.”

  Bishop’s father returned from Vietnam with issues. He struggled with adapting to normal life and finally convinced his young wife that he would do better if he were away from “all these people.” One of the men he had served with was from western Texas and claimed his family owned a large ranch there. He had always told Bishop’s father that there was a job waiting on him anytime.

  Bishop’s parents relocated to the ranch after a few phone calls and letters. His father worked as a ranch hand, and his mother helped in the kitchen and with household chores. A few years later, Bishop was born.

  Terri had once asked Bishop who he was named after.

  “Dad had been a pretty good chess player before the military got a hold of him. He told me once he couldn’t think of anything else, so he named me after the chess piece. I’ve always been happy he didn’t decide on ‘Queen.’”

  The lifestyle of even the most sprawling ranches in West Texas can be harsh. Bishop’s mother never quite adjusted to life on the ranch and finally had enough. After the divorce, she returned to her family in Tennessee. Bishop went with her at first, but he had always been a daddy’s boy and loved the ranch, so his parents reached an agreement that Bishop would spend summers with his mother. That arrangement became irrelevant when his mom died in an automobile accident when he was 12. Just five years later, his father died of cancer when he was 17.

  Before his death, Bishop’s father had been a foreman at the ranch and was highly regarded. Years later, the owners decided there was no way to keep the ranch going, so they divided up the thousands of acres and sold most of it off. A small tract was reserved for Bishop in honor of his father.

  Bishop loved the land, but could not find the words to explain why it warmed his heart to spend time there. Located at the southern end of the Davis Mountains, it was an arid landscape with little value. The environment was harsh - no trees and little vegetation. His 250-acre tract had one very important attribute, however – a spring. Used for years to water cattle with a windmill-driven pump, it had never run dry. Bishop had unhooked the windmill some years ago, but the structure was still there and could be functional once again. The property contained a very tight box canyon with high, steep walls. Years ago, Bishop purchased a used camper and kept it at the back of the ravine. They were not luxury accommodations by any sense of the word, but beat sleeping on the ground.

  Houston, Texas – August 28, 2015

  Is that fireworks?

  Bishop sat straight up on the couch, covered with sweat and not sure of where he was. His mind cleared after a few seconds, and he recognized his surroundings. He had been dreaming about gunshots. He checked on Terri, and she was in the bedroom, safe and sleeping soundly in the cooler air. He scouted the house, peering out the windows at the completely dark neighborhood. Everything seemed fine.

  He started for the fridge to get a drink when he heard a distant popping noise. That was what woke me up, he thought, I wasn’t dreaming after all. He quickly went to the back porch, shut off the generator, and listened. It was difficult to be sure with a couple of neighbors’ generators still running close by, but he thought he heard a car engine and voices.

  He waited several minutes . . . just listening, but didn’t hear anything more. As he was eyeing the generator, he realized something was wrong. “Oh shit!” he said out loud. He had fallen asleep and not changed the plugs to power the freezer. He ran back through the house into the garage and pulled open the freezer lid. Bishop was relieved at the sight of frost lining the side of the unit and the still-frozen food stash. He went back outside, changed the plugs, and re-started the generator. That was close, he thought, I have got to pay more attention. He stayed up listening and walking around the house for another hour before returning to bed. I almost lost four days of food was his final thought before sleep took over.

  Tehran, Iran – September 1, 2015

  Karma

  The smell was what had initiated the search. No one had seen the general or the teacher at the MISIRA headquarters for several days. This was not unusual. After everything electric had stopped working, chaos had occurred, and the staff had been distracted. The organization could not easily contact its many operatives, and over 90% of the equipment had been completely fried. A few computers, housed in the basement, still functioned, but were worthless since the outside connections had been destroyed.

  The underground cells were off limits to all but a very select few, and the elevator used to access those lower levels required a special key card to operate. After five days, everyone started to notice the smell of decaying flesh coming through the air conditioner vents, even though no air was circulating.

  A search for the source of the odor ensued, and both the general and the teacher were eventually found suspended mid-shaft in the elevator car. Both men had died of dehydration.

  The Grave Diggers

  Bishop went through his normal morning routine of making coffee on the grill. He hit the start button and put the teapot in its normal position. He returned a bit later only to find that the water was still cold. Damn, he thought, there goes the gas.

  He started to switch the grill from the natural gas to propane, glad he had two full tanks, when he heard what sounded like a gunshot, and it was close. Before he could react, there was a second and then a third shot. He ran into the house and woke up Terri to tell her what was going on. He grabbed a rifle and headed out the front door. By the time he had walked a short distance, there were several neighbors standing on their own front lawns. “Where did it come from?” he asked. Everyone pointed toward Roger’s house.

  Bishop could see Roger sitting on the ground staring at a body lying next to him.
Roger’s wife was standing nearby with her face in her hands. Naturally concerned, Bishop rushed over. “Roger, are you okay, man?”

  “Oh God,” he said, looking up at Bishop with a face full of pure horror.

  Bishop bent down to check on the body. It had blood pooling underneath and two holes in the center of the chest. It was a young man that Bishop had never seen before.

  “What happened?” Bishop asked.

  “Oh God, I don’t know what happened. I just, I just…I just don’t know.”

  Several neighbors began walking up to get a better view of the situation. A couple of the women took Roger’s wife inside.

  “Roger, tell us what happened. Come on, buddy. It’s okay. Cindy is fine. Everything is all right. What happened?”

  “I heard a noise outside and saw someone in my driveway. I grabbed the gun and went out there, and this guy was under my car. I could see his legs. I asked him what hell he thought he was doing, and he rolled out from under the car, pointing a gun at my face. He took a shot at me and missed. I don’t know… I shot back, and he went down.”

  Two of Roger’s friends consoled him as he began sobbing uncontrollably. Bishop asked someone to get a blanket and motioned for the guys to get Roger away from the body. With Roger away from the car, Bishop was able to size up the situation. He found a pistol under the dead guy’s arm, as well as a screwdriver and an empty milk jug under Roger’s car. A neighbor covered the body with the blanket.

  Seeing the commotion, Terri ran up to find out what was going on. Bishop, trying to recreate the scene in his own mind replied, “Roger heard this guy under his car and challenged him. The dude took a shot at Roger and missed. Roger fired back and killed him.”