Cities on Fire

by A J Newman

  “Now wait a minute. We can’t go in guns a blazing. These folks deserve a trial.”

  The Senator yelled from behind the Sheriff, “Let the man do what I told you to do. Looters are shot on sight. Do any of you so-called Deputies want to join the Sheriff as he leaves town? If not do what this man says.”

  “I’m Walt Long, and we are going to kill every last one of these looters.”

  “What about the women and teens?”

  “Looters are looters. Follow or get the fuck out of my way.”

  Walt marched towards the looters and started shooting as he moved using very carefully placed shots to drop a looter each time he fired. Several men were armed but were quickly killed by Walt or his six deputies. They killed over fifty of the scum in a few minutes, and then took half an hour to find the ones trying to hide.

  When the killing was done, Walt walked over to the Senators 1959 Cadillac and said, “The trash has been dealt with. Do you have any other serious problems to take care of before I go to find me a place to live?”

  “No. Walt that was a job well done. My administrative assistant will take you around town and find a home suiting my new Police Chief’s needs. Be in my office at 10:00 in the morning, and we’ll discuss salary and benefits.”

  The house was along the seventeenth fairway at Five Oaks and was a mansion compared to what Walt had lived in before. The admin lady left after telling him that a crew would deliver a few things that would make life better. The pool looked clear, so Walt went skinny dipping for an hour before taking a nap.

  The crew arrived a few hours later with plenty of food, water, and alcohol. They also brought a generator to keep the refrigerator and lights in operation.

  Walt sat back in his new recliner and thought, ‘this is a nice place to stay until I find Jo.’

  “They killed every looter. I ain’t shitting you. They threw about sixty men, women, and kids into a dump truck and hauled them out of town to who knows where.”

  “Buck wouldn’t do that. He’s crooked, but he’s not a killer.”

  “Jim, the Senator fired Buck and told him to leave town. This new man walked right into the middle of the looters and started shooting like he was invincible. He killed most of the looters by himself and the truth be told, he killed all of the kids. Our Deputies wouldn’t shoot at the kids.”

  “Looters should be shot on sight but not kids. What else have you heard?”

  “One of my son’s friends is a Deputy. Walt Long, the new Police Chief told them that a big part of their job was going to be tax collection. The Senator will be posting a new decree that states everyone will give the county 20 percent of everything they manufacture, grow or produce in any form or fashion to support the government so they can protect us and keep the county operating.”

  Jim Dickerson thought for a moment and replied, “Hell, we’d be better off if the county government disbanded.”

  Jim went home and told Hoss about his conversation, and then they drove to all of his friend’s houses on the west side of Lebanon and invited them to a meeting at his house.

  Jim welcomed his visitors, and his wife served cookies and fresh milk during the meeting.

  Jim started the meeting by filling everyone in on what the Deputy had passed on to Jim’s city friend.

  After he had finished bringing them up to date, Jim added, “It appears that we have ourselves a dictator who plans to rob us blind. He and his faithful followers can sit on their asses in the city and then take our food and possessions. Well, I for one won’t go along with this plan.”

  “Jim I agree, but what can we do to stop them. They have the Sheriff and all of the Deputies on their side.”

  “We will warn them to stay in the damned city and leave us alone. If they come to steal our food and other stuff, we will shoot them like the criminals they have become. I’m going to town tomorrow to attend the Council meeting and make sure they know that we won’t stand for this dictatorship.”

  Jim Dickerson and three of his neighbors drove into town to the City Hall and asked to speak with the Mayor.

  “The Mayor left town right after the lights went out. Jim, I’ll see if the Senator has time to meet with you.”

  Jim raised his voice and said, “I don’t need the damned Senator. I want to speak to the new Mayor.”

  “Jim, now calm down. The Senator has taken charge of the city and county leadership.”

  “On whose authority? Did we have a vote and no one told us out in the county.”

  The Senator came out of the Mayor’s office and said, “Why the raised voices. What’s going on here?”

  Jim walked up, looked O’Berg in the eye, and said, “There’s a rumor that you run the Mayor off and have become a dictator. You have not been voted into leadership here and have no authority.”

  “Now Jim you know that I am the highest Federal Government Official and that puts me in charge.”

  “That’s bullshit, and you know it. We will have a free election and decide who is in charge of our county and our city. It certainly isn’t a crooked Senator from DC.”

  At that time, Walt and several Deputies rushed into the room with guns drawn.

  The Senator barked, “Walt, tell your men to holster their guns. We need to resolve this peacefully.”

  Walt and his men holstered their weapons, but he said, “Senator these men have pistols. If they make a movement to draw them, we will shoot to kill.”

  Jim turned around to face Walt and said, “Who is this mouthy little bastard. I don’t know who you are, but we elect Mayors and Sheriffs, and neither of you is in charge. We will hold an election ASAP and put duly elected officials in charge of this county, not a bunch of crooks and outside want to be policemen.”

  “Now Jim calm down. I am in charge, and if you try to stir things up, you are going to jail.”

  “Well you can try and put my men and me in jail, but you will have a hundred men from the county come in guns blazing to rid you vermin from this cesspool. Come on men, we have to let everyone in the county know about these dictators and hold a fair election.”

  Jim and his three men left and walked toward their truck.

  “Senator, do you want me to put their sorry asses in jail?”

  “The Senator looked over at the City Office Manager and said to Walt, “No. they’re just blowing off steam and don’t know how things work in politics. Come on into my office I need to see you about a traffic problem.”

  The Office Manager said, “Excuse me. Jim knows exactly what he is talking about. When the Mayor and Sherriff left, we should have had an election to replace them. I will get the ball rolling on that. We don’t need to worry a man of your importance with local matters. You need to get back to Washington and help restart the country.”

  There was a round of applause from the group of public servants who had gathered in the common office area.

  The Office Manager and three of the staff didn’t come into work the next day. They were never seen again. The word spread around the city, and no city or county worker challenged the Senator again.

  Jim sent the three men and his son out to round up all of the ranchers and farmers to attend a meeting at his home to discuss the situation. He warned them to tell everyone to come armed and to watch out for the new Police Chief and his henchmen.

  Jim had to have the meeting in his barn since over 125 men, and women showed up for the meeting. Jim took charge and told the group what he knew.

  “The Senator has taken control of our local government. The Mayor, Police Chief, City Manager and a handful of others have disappeared. O’Berg hired a thug named Walt Long as our new Police Chief, and he replaced Buck. The Senator has had these posters placed all over town and has kids on bicycles posting them on telephone poles and hand delivering them to our houses. The memo poster says that there is now a 20% tax in effect. The fine print says that we have to give him 20 percent of all food, crops, guns, ammo, gas and all cars and trucks. The bastard is generous
and says we can keep all farm equipment.”

  The majority of the people were furious at the play to take their possessions and food.

  One woman spoke up and said, “Does that idiot know that we are all barely getting by and need the food to make it until our crops come in this fall.”

  Jim said, “The son of a bitch wants the food to feed the Police and government workers that are still on the job. I don’t have a problem helping feed the police, firemen, and medical people, but he has put his own people in and is running the local government like a dictatorship. I won’t put up with this.”

  “What do we do when the Senator sends these tax collectors out to steal our stuff?”

  “Tell them to get off your property and if they don’t shoot them.”

  Several men and women started walking out of the meeting, and one said, “We can’t go shooting our policemen. I’m leaving before you get me involved in a war.”

  “Alonzo, you are in a fight to survive. These people are crooks standing behind a badge. None of our old Deputies have a badge anymore.”

  “I’m still not shooting at police.”

  Only 10 of the 125 left the meeting, and the rest spent the next hour starting their own community and government. They chose Paul Williams to be the County Mayor and Jim Dickerson to be the Sheriff. Jim asked Hoss and nine other men with police or military experience to become his Deputies.

  “Senator, one of my Deputies, has a brother who attended the meeting out at Jim Dickerson’s place. They have us outmanned three to one. It might be time to cut our losses and move on to easier pickings,” said Walt.

  “No my friend. We will cut the head off the snake, and the tail won’t rattle long. Have your most trusted men find half a dozen motorcycles. I heard there is a terrible Motorcycle gang headed this way and they are a murderous bunch. I even heard they rape and kill farm women after they kill their men.”

  “That’s why you get paid the big bucks. The country bumpkins will be begging for protection from the attacks, and they will be glad my men killed all of the bad guys. It’s a shame that a few vocal assholes get killed by the gang before we run them off.”

  “Make sure the first target is a family that supports us and is vocal about supporting me. That will keep them off balance. Oh, make sure a kid or woman escapes to tell how bloody the carnage was and then burn them in their house.”

  “I ain’t raping or abusing kids.”

  “Just slap them around a bit and kill most of the adults.”

  “I won’t hurt young kids. Now teens that loot will get shot.”

  ✼

  Chapter 11

  Day Four – Family Reunion

  Will woke up that morning wondering how his family would survive without hospitals, a federal government, TV, and cell phones. He was also nervous about how the adults had taken his suggestions. In retrospect, he thought he’d come on a bit strong. He sat up in bed leaning against the trailer’s wall thinking about the past three days when Missy came up and sat down on the bed.

  “Missy, you’re supposed to stay in bed. Mom will beat you for getting out of bed before your arm is healed.”

  “Willie, it hurts, but I’m okay. I thought you were wonderful last night. You did what the rest of us were too afraid to do. They might be adults, but we have brains and can do most of what they do. Several of the other teens told me that they were afraid to speak up to the adults.”

  “Missy’s right. I’m very proud of you also,” said Maddie as she crawled onto the bed and sat beside Will.

  “I just had to speak up. Maddie, you are 17, Missy is 15, and I’m almost 17. A hundred years ago, we’d all be married and have kids of our own. I know most people our age are more into video games and texting. Missy and I were raised in the outdoors. Papaw and Mom taught us a lot of skills that we can use now that the shit hit the fan. Maddie, I’ll bet you are an outdoors person also.”

  “I kinda’ like both worlds. I can be a girlie girl one day and hike the Appalachian Trail the next. What I want to quickly learn is how to handle guns, hunt, and fish.”

  “Willie can teach you those things. He helped me a bunch. Now I can shoot almost as good as he can.”

  “I’ll be glad to teach you all I know. We also need to make sure that all of the teens and even younger kids get some survival training.”

  The trailer rocked slightly, and Jo entered closely followed by Bill.

  “Hello, kids. We just wanted to see how you are doing this morning. We missed you so much, and I was afraid something bad would happen on the trip down. Missy, you should be in your bed.”

  “I had to chaperone these two besides, I feel much better if I don’t move my arm too much.”

  Jake came running to his Mom and Dad and gave them hugs and kisses. Missy followed, and then Will pulled the covers around him and leaned over Maddie to kiss his Mom.

  “Mom, we were worried about you and Dad. We both had trouble getting here, but our training saw us through. I’m now worried about the other people and especially the kids. The older people grew up on farms, but the kids have been spoiled. I know country kids know more than city kids, but most have been spoiled by electronics and machinery that does all of the work.”

  Jo looked at her son and the other kids and said, “Well then, we just have to figure out what skills they need and set up the training. Your Dad and I will count on you older kid…err…young adults to help with the training.”

  “Good catch Mom. I know that I’m not as mature as you are, but I don’t think we should be treated as kids either.”

  “We agree with that, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too. You will all be assigned chores and duties to perform just like the adults. It will take all of our efforts to survive.”

  Will spoke up, “Mom we also need teachers and schools for the younger kids. They need reading, writing, and math, but they also need life skills such as hunting, trapping, making soap, how to make a fire without matches. That kind of stuff.”

  “You are wise beyond your years. We will cut out the crap and indoctrination, and get the kids back to the basics and add in a dose of survival skills. We have a few adults that need that training also. Now, Grandma and Papaw have prepared a big family breakfast, and all of you need to get some clothes on, wash up, and head to the kitchen before we assign chores.”

  Missy spoke up and asked, “Mom, can we find some clothes to wear. We all washed the clothes we wore down here, but we only have one change each and Maddie doesn’t have any extra.”

  “Maddie, I’ll give you some of mine that I left down here at Christmas. May not be your style, but I think they will fit you. Missy we’ll have to check with the other families to see if we can find clothes that fit you. Mom will have the same issue. She is smaller than Maddie and me. We may have to go scavenging for some clothes before they are all taken.”

  Maddie replied, “Thanks for the clothes. I’m starting to wonder if I should move on to my home in Lebanon. Y’all only have so much food and supplies. You don’t need another mouth to feed.”

  Jo leaned over to her, wrapped her arms around the girl, and said, “Maddie, you saved my babies from those robbers. We owe you, and we all want you to stay with us and become part of our family. Will always wanted an older sister.”

  “Mom!” Will said in embarrassment. His thoughts about Maddie were not the kind one has about your sister.”

  Missy and Maddie went into Maddie’s room at the end of the trailer to get dressed. Jake and Will pulled the pocket door to the bunkroom and did the same.

  “Maddie, I think Will likes you.”

  “I hope he does. I’m now his big sister according to your Mom.”

  “Maddie he doesn’t need a big sister. Will needs a girlfriend, and I think you are his new girlfriend.”

  “I like Will, but this would be awkward to have my boyfriend sleeping in the same little trailer.”

  “I know, boys fart a lot.”

  “Well that, but I
mean we share the same common area and bathrooms. It’s hard not to be half naked some of the time. Your Mom and Dad wouldn’t like that.”

  “Do you mean the way Mom stared at those black panties and half t-shirt you had on this morning while sitting beside your new boyfriend.”

  Maddie threw a pillow at Missy and Missy returned a middle finger.

  “Maddie, Will’s eyes were bugging out when you sat down beside him. When Mom came in, he looked at her or the wall and didn’t look at you at all. Mom will give you some Granny clothes after breakfast.”

  Bob waited until everyone was seated around the table, and then he said the Lord’s Prayer.

  When everyone thought he was done, he added, “Lord thank you for bringing my family and our new family member home safely. Maddie may be the newest member, but she is now officially one of us. Now let’s be thankful that we have something to eat and the skill to survive thanks to God. Amen.”

  They had fried eggs, rabbit, and biscuits for breakfast along with fresh milk and a steaming pot of coffee. They ate their fill, and then everyone pitched in to clean up and wash the dishes except Bob, Maddie, and Will who went to feed the horses and chickens.

  Maddie went off by herself to feed the chickens while Bob and his Grandson tended to the horses.

  “Will, that Maddie is a very nice young lady and she is a pretty filly to boot. I’ll bet you haven’t noticed though you being such a serious young lad.”

  “Papaw, I really like her, but I’m afraid that she likes me like a brother and not a boyfriend.”

  “Well son It’s best to find out now instead of wondering, and she gives up on you and finds someone who does show interest in her. Ask her to go on a walk down to the river or take a horseback ride around the Horseshoe with her. Just stay away from the top of the Horseshoe.”

  “I know you’re right. I just have to work up the courage.”

  “You’ll do okay son.”