Surviving Home

by A. American

I looked at him and said, “Think about what they do.”

  He just screwed up his face. I pulled on a pair of gloves from the box and started to unwrap the gauze, then removed the bandages. It didn’t look good. In the box there were a couple of Betadine scrubs, and I asked Miss Phyllis to bring in a big bowl of water. Once I had the water, I used a scrub to clean the stub of the leg. While I’m sure it hurt, Howard never complained, though he did tense up a couple of times.

  I made them promise to change the dressing every day, and once they promised, I headed for the door. I asked Miss Phyllis about their wood situation. She said they had plenty and not to worry about them. I told her I would check back in a couple of days and headed back to the house. I felt like I was getting too caught up in putting out fires. It’s not that I didn’t want to help folks out, but the big stuff, the long-term stuff, kept getting put off. There was hardly time to even make plans about what we should be doing and preparing for.

  I found Jeff and Danny inside eating lunch and sat down to have a bite myself along with some tea. Mel and Bobbie were sitting in the living room with the girls. Danny asked how Howard was and I told him about his leg. He said we needed to keep an eye on him. Then I told them what Howard had heard on the radio and we all agreed we needed to keep an eye out. If it was true that they are forcibly relocating people, that could be an issue. Danny asked if I had checked on Miss Janice. I told him I hadn’t and that we needed to. He volunteered to do it later that day. After lunch we headed for the barricade. Danny found the tools we needed and Jeff had loaded the paper up, so there was nothing left to do but get to work.

  We had assembled four of the gabions when Reggie and Thad showed up. Danny was inside one of the baskets, tying the paper to the inside. We had laid the baskets over on their sides to make it easier to get in and out of. Jeff and I were unrolling wire when Thad walked up.

  “Looks pretty good. Gonna take a lot of dirt to fill ’em, though,” Thad said.

  Looking up from the roll, I said, “Yeah, that’s gonna suck. Weren’t we talking yesterday about how some of the other folks around here could pitch in?”

  “Yeah, we were,” Reggie said, “but you know and I know that’s gonna take an act of God to organize. I’d rather do it my damn self. Shit, if we had thought of it before, my nephew might still be alive.”

  We nodded at that. Reggie said, “I got an idea that’ll speed it up. I’ll bring my tractor down and we can scoop the dirt up in the bucket and bring it down here and dump it in.”

  Jeff said, “I like the way this guy thinks.”

  The five of us got busy and had assembled enough of them to cover the road in a couple of hours. The two guys that were guarding the barricade were all excited about our little project. After Lance and Reggie’s nephew had been killed, everyone was nervous about being out on security. The logs provided little protection; they were designed to keep cars and trucks out, and there were precious few of those around now. I was lying in one of the baskets pushing pieces of tie wire through the paper so Reggie could twist them off when he stuck his head in the end. I said, “What’s up?”

  He stood there for a minute looking at me. I dropped my arms and propped myself up on my elbows. “You all right?”

  Reggie hesitated for a tick and said, “Yeah, your friend there, Thad”—he motioned with his head in Thad’s direction—“he tell you what happened to his family?”

  “No, he didn’t seem to want to talk about it, so I left it alone, why?”

  “Jus’ curious. I couldn’t do it. I wanted to, but I couldn’t”—again he hesitated, looking back down the road in the direction of his house—“but he did. I could never have imagined something like that.”

  Now he had my attention. “Like what, you mean kill that kid?”

  “It wasn’t the killing, it’s what he did after.”

  “And what was that, after?”

  Reggie dropped his head slowly shaking it back and forth. “Let’s just say I ain’t gonna have to feed them pigs for a while.”

  I looked at him; for an instant I was confused, then it struck me. “He fed him to the pigs?”

  Reggie nodded. “I’ve been around them pigs since the day they was born, but they didn’t hesitate. He cut him open an’ when they smelled the blood an’ guts they went right to it. Gawd, it was awful.” Reggie stood up, hands on his hips, and looked over at Thad. “That man right there scares the shit outta me.”

  I climbed out of the basket and stood beside him. “Well, at least he’s on our side.”

  “Huh, no shit.”

  With all the baskets assembled, we gathered around the back of the truck and were shooting the shit. I told everyone what Don said about people being forcibly relocated. Jeff laughed it off and Danny said they could have his asshole but nothing else. That got Jeff and I laughing until Thad cut us off.

  He said, “Don’t laugh.” I looked at him. “Don’t laugh about it. Best thing to do, if you see a damn mailman, you shoot his ass on sight.”

  Suddenly all the funny was gone.

  “Why’s that?” Danny asked.

  “It was a mailman who came to my house, him and a DHS security man.” Thad looked off to the southwest. “They killed Anita and Tony.”

  We all looked around at one another, everyone except Thad; his gaze was fixed out there somewhere.

  When it was clear he wasn’t going to say any more, Danny spoke up. “Hey, why don’t we have a fish fry at my house tonight?”

  That brought Thad back around. “Fish fry? You got fish?”

  Danny smiled. “Yeah, but we got to catch ’em first.”

  “And that isn’t hard either,” I offered.

  We all agreed a fish fry would be a nice diversion. Danny had a small pond at his place and it was full of bluegill. The girls had spent many an evening out there with bread balls and cane poles catching fish. But before we could run off to play we had to finish the task at hand.

  We set the baskets up just behind the log barricades in a staggered line. The first one was set at the edge of the road and the next one was set just in front and beside it. The third was set just behind and beside the second. This overlapping provided complete coverage, ensuring that a bullet couldn’t find its way between two of the baskets. Doing it this way required more gabions than just setting them side by side, but it created a much more robust defense.

  We had to assemble three more to complete the position and by then it was starting to get late in the afternoon. Everyone started to drift off toward their houses, agreeing to meet back at Danny’s in an hour. Danny rode back to the house with me. Coming through the front door, we were met with an incredible smell.

  “Damn, what the hell are y’all cooking?” Danny called out as he headed for the kitchen.

  I followed him in and saw a big pot sitting on the stove just as Mel answered, “Beans.”

  We told them what we had in mind, the fish fry, and they were immediately excited. It was something we used to do a lot during speck season. Mel and Bobbie went about whipping up some corn bread real quick. The stove was already on, so it wasn’t a big deal to throw the oven over the burner and get it heating while they mixed it up. I went and rounded up the girls, telling them we were going down to Danny and Bobbie’s for a fish fry and that they had to catch the fish. That got them excited and there was a sudden flurry of bodies running around the house getting ready to leave.

  Since there was no bread for bread balls, Danny broke out a can of corn. We’d set some aside for bait and use the rest for dinner. Danny kept several little cane poles on the rack that held his canoe beside the pond and it didn’t take long before the girls were all catching fish. The fish bit as soon as a hook hit the water. It was all Thad, Danny, Jeff and I could do to keep the hooks baited and take the fish off; none of the girls were into that, though I was sure that would change.

 
There were nine people to feed, but we culled some of the smaller fish, which were many, and that told us that the pond could keep producing for some time. When the fish finally stopped biting, we had twenty-one nice bluegills. Mel and Bobbie were inside getting things ready. We were going to cook the fish on Danny’s turkey fryer using a Dutch oven filled with oil. As was the tradition, the menfolk would cook the fish. Normally we would fillet the fish, but things being what they were I wasn’t about to waste any meat, so we simply scaled and gutted them and cut off the heads. Thad said he preferred them this way; he liked the tails turning all crispy.

  Taylor and Lee Ann went inside with their mom and Bobbie while Little Bit came out to help, touching the eyes and poking the guts as they were pulled out. With the four of us working it didn’t take long before all the fish were ready for the oil. Danny already had it set up with the burner going and the oil heating when I carried the bowl of fish over. He had set it beside the picnic table and had all the stuff to season the fish set out on the table.

  Thad said that he loved to fry fish and told us we wouldn’t be disappointed if we let him take over. Not being one to hold a working man back, we stepped back. Thad went in the house and came back out with a couple of bottles of spices and a paper bag. He poured cornmeal and some flour in the bag and seasoned it, then added the fish one at a time and shook them in the mix before taking them out and lowering them by their tails into the hot oil.

  The look on his face was hilarious; his lips were pressed together as if he was whistling, though no sound came out. “Ohhh, this is gonna be good!” he proclaimed after lowering the fifth fish into the oil. The rest of us started to laugh. Danny had set out camp chairs and we were sitting around shooting the shit. It was another one of those instances of normality, if you didn’t add in the all the rifles leaning around the picnic table and the fact that we all wore pistols. I got out of my chair and went to the truck, returning with the bottle of whiskey we had started on the other night. Danny went in the shop and came back with some Dixie cups, the little one you see in people’s bathrooms, and I poured shots for each of us.

  I thought to myself, I could get used to this. We joked and talked, drank and cooked and generally enjoyed ourselves. As the fish were ready to come out, Thad would pull them out of the oil with a set of tongs and put them on a baking sheet Bobbie brought out to us. It was one used for broiling and had a rack that held the fish above the pan, allowing them to drain. Paper towels were a thing of the past, but this worked just as well. We carried the pan into the house to a chorus of cheers from the women. It didn’t last long, though; as soon as they saw the fish they started to bitch. They expected fillets, not this.

  While they were still complaining, I picked a fish up by the tail and took a butter knife and ran it down one side. All the meat on that side fell off onto the plate, and I repeated the process on the other and held up the bones still in one piece. Seeing how easy it was, everyone immediately set about filleting their own. There was corn bread, skillet corn, and a pot of beans. Everyone came past the island and loaded their plates.

  I was sitting in a chair on the far side of the living room looking at the kitchen. The scene reminded me of a party and everyone was enjoying themselves. The house was lit by the flame from the fireplace and several oil lamps scattered around. Danny had some electric lights but used the lamps more often than not. Thad was sitting beside Little Bit, leaning down as she was saying something to him. He had a big smile on his face and was nodding his head and a moment later he leaned back and began to laugh, Little Bit looking up and cackling with laughter.

  Taylor, Lee Ann, Mel and Bobbie were sitting at the table laughing about something. Jeff stood at the island picking at the plates, eating whatever was left. That brought a smile to my face: here was the smallest guy amongst us and he had the biggest appetite. He looked up and saw me looking at him and smiled as he stuck a crumb of cornbread in his mouth, licking his thumb as he did. A feast like this and such good company made me understand holidays like Thanksgiving better. A couple hundred years ago, there were probably only a few times a year when you could eat until you couldn’t eat any more. I knew we wouldn’t always have this much in the years to come, but I was glad we could appreciate it now, when we did.

  If this was how life was going to be from now on, focused on family and friends, I could live with it. I thought about how much time I had used to spend on the road for work, missing my family. Things were a lot harder now, but I never went to bed alone far away from home and wondering what they were up to anymore.

  Turning my attention from Jeff, I stared into the fireplace. The smile on my face faded as I watched the flames dance, I knew in my heart that this surely was not how life was going to be from now on. This was merely a moment of peace and happiness in an uncertain world. But why couldn’t this be the new normal? Why did we have to suffer and worry? If we put our minds to it, as well as our backs, this could be the way we lived. The thoughts were still bouncing around in my head when I heard the first shot.

  Chapter 28

  Sarge followed the other guys into a large hangar. Passing through the huge open doors, he saw several rows of tables set up with uniformed men and woman sitting around them. Captain Lewis was off to the side talking to another man, and Sarge noticed when the captain gestured in his direction. He walked over to where Mike and Ted were setting their gear down.

  At his approach Mike looked up. “What now, boss?”

  “I have no idea, and from the looks of things, I ain’t your boss anymore,” Sarge said.

  Mike looked at the officers then back to Sarge. “Aw hell, you ain’t going to let those guys take over, are you?”

  Sarge looked at the guys for a moment before speaking. “Look here, fellas, you’re back in the army now. I suggest you get back in that mind-set. I don’t know what they’re going to do with me, but you boys are still property of the good ol’ US government.”

  Ted dipped his chin in the direction of the officers. “Looks like we’re about to find out.”

  Sarge looked over to see Captain Lewis and what turned out to be a bird colonel heading his way. Sarge snapped to attention, “Attenshun!” he shouted as the men approached. Mike, Ted and Doc all immediately followed suit. The colonel smiled and stuck out his hand as he approached. “At ease, gentlemen. First Sergeant Mitchell, I’m Colonel Fawcet. We spoke on the radio.”

  Sarge reached out and took his hand. “Good to meet you, Colonel.”

  Colonel Fawcet looked at the guys standing behind Sarge. “This your crew?”

  Sarge glanced back over his shoulder and said, “Well, I wouldn’t say they were mine. I’m sure they probably belong to you, but when I found ’em, I knew they shouldn’t be without constant adult supervision.”

  The colonel smiled. “First Sergeant, I know you’re retired now, but I need your help. Are you willing to come back aboard and help us out?”

  “Colonel, when I took my oath it wasn’t until I retired, it was forever. If you can use an old man like me I’d consider it an honor to help any way I can.”

  “You forming a geezer brigade, Colonel?” Ted asked.

  Without turning his head, Sarge said, “No one’s talking to you, dipshit.”

  “I think we’ll get along just fine, Sergeant Mitchell.”

  “Can you tell me exactly what in the hell is going on, Colonel?”

  “Let’s get into that over lunch, Sergeant.”

  Sarge looked over his shoulder at the guys standing behind him. “These boys need some grub and probably some sleep, sir. Can you arrange that before we have lunch?”

  “Putting your men first, absolutely.” Colonel Fawcet turned to the people gathered at the table and said, “Lieutenant Cox, can you find these men some quarters and some grub?”

  “Yes, sir,” came the reply.

  The colonel said, “If you guys will get with Cox there,
he will get you sorted out.”

  “Roger that,” Ted said.

  The colonel beckoned to Sarge and said, “Sergeant Mitchell.”

  • • •

  After the first shot we all looked at one another. I walked over to the front door and in the background I could hear some of the others moving. From behind me I heard one of the girls ask if that was a gunshot. I picked up my carbine before stepping out the door. I was listening for any sound; the absence of man-made noises allowed the natural sounds of night to really stand out. Aside from the crickets, I couldn’t hear anything else.

  Danny came out on the porch beside me. “Hear anything?”

  “Naw, nothing.”

  “That damn sure sounded like a gunshot, though, didn’t it? Maybe someone got a deer like you did the other night.”

  Before I could answer him, another shot ripped through the night, followed immediately by another. The shots were followed by shouts and screams. The sounds were coming from the back of the neighborhood, back toward the forest, and they were getting louder. Danny ducked inside and returned with his carbine and Thad and Jeff followed him out. The four of us were standing there in the dark listening to the chaos, not sure what it was, where it was or what to do.

  “Look over there.” In the light coming through the window, we could see Jeff pointing to the east. There was an orange glow in the sky that was rapidly growing in intensity.

  “It’s a fire,” Thad said.

  Danny dipped back into the house. I could hear him talking, feet shuffling across the floor and all the lights went out. He came back out on the porch. “We need to go check this out.”

  “Yeah, but someone needs to stay here,” I said.

  Before anything else could be said, the sound of ATVs coming up the road filled the air. There were several of them from the sounds of it, then shooting, lots of shooting. Through the trees we caught glimpses of small flames moving fast. Danny and I took off running toward the gate. I saw movement in the yard of Danny’s neighbor: an ATV with two men on it. One of them was holding a torch of some sort. As they pulled up to the house, the man on the back lit something with the torch and threw it on the roof of the house.