by Ron Foster
“Let’s get this thing further out on the road and get it away from the trees before the next wave hits!” Neil said as he and Knobby ran to hook up the RV.
The water by the church hadn’t receded yet and was deeper in places so the pair of stalwart men stumbled over unseen logs and rocks scrambling to get to the RV camp space! It took them several falls and both lost some lost skin but they made it to the RV and fired it up.
Sloan saw them coming as a big splash as a small wake was formed around the RV as Nick carefully drove it towards them getting out of the big puddle they were in and parked it with engine still running and steaming on dry land. Knobby was already out the door of the RV and trying to sort out the tow rope and get it hitched before Zack and Ann had even made it halfway to where his boat was tied off at.
At first Zack figured it was lost cause as they had to change directions running and seek the safety of higher ground as the water surged in from their right, but it had receded and Zack somehow managed to grab the dinghy’s line and get it reeled back in to the dubious shore. Put this on, Zack said handing her his life vest. He was in the process of bailing the boat out when he heard Nick start dragging the porch scraping gravel down the road.
“Come on and get in the Dingy now, we can bail this thing out as we go. I sure hope Ann that Bobby wasn’t out on the water when that last wave went through. “Zack said not knowing Bobby hadn’t let his pontoon boat down yet from the 8 ft hydraulic lift on the dock and that his Jon boat on land had floundered but had been retrieved from the wave that tried to suck it in.
“I guess we need to get to Bobby’s and find out what’s happening. Damn I don’t know whether to maybe ride the channel over here and look for him or go the opposite way to his dock. I don’t know how deep it is over the causeway and if he would have any problems with those big outboards on that thing. Might be he would avoid it and save any possible damage to his props but on the other hand it’s an emergency and taking the risk would save him a trip around the island. The water certainly looked deep enough but with this murky river water it was hard to tell.
Zack decided to err towards caution himself. He wanted to be on the other shore if any more tremors hit. He turned the dingy and started towards the opposite shore at a steep angle, He would hug that side of the river until he came up on Bobby’s floating docks or what was left of them.
He was crisscrossing the causeway when he heard Parker and Ezra hollering down to him from the hill and slowed down. It was hard to make out what they were saying but he eventually figured out they were indicating Bobby must be somewhere on the other side of the island from their pointing.
“He gestured he was coming in and steered the craft towards what remained of the causeway road and they started down the road to meet him.
“I guess you can jump off here and I will see if I can run into Bobby. Meantime this boat can carry 5 people so I will start moving a few. We need Rod over here for one and I will grab Earl. If it even sprinkles like it’s going to rain, I am getting off the water. I hope that weird lightning on the ridges don’t start up again. Stay away from trees Ann, see if you can find us a big spot out in the open and get Ezra to consider making some kind of camp. I will what tents we can get. Hopefully not a lot of them got washed away last go around but I never expected water to reach Spectre either.” Zack said slowing the trolling motor and getting ready to try to come up to the bank sideways so it would be easier for her to get out.
“Damn! There you go again and you just got back! Don’t take no unnecessary chances Zack. You should consider getting the younger men to use your boat to get the others off. There is plenty to do here.” Ann pleaded wanting him safe inland where she could keep an eye on him as well as help each other.
“I will, let me get Rod and Earl off and get some tents and some of our gear and I will be right back. I will get Parker to take the next trip and Then Nubbie and Brent can take turns. I will pick up a few watts from the solar panel along the way but we only got so many trips we can make on that 100-amp hour battery. I already swapped out that little 50 AH battery but it has a cross trip or two left in it. I got it on a 30-watt Powerfilm roll out panel but its pretty over cast today.” Zack said before greeting Parker and Ezra and giving them a quick update.
“Bobbie just left about 10 minutes ago. He was going to circle the island in case anyone is in the water needing help and try to pick up folks first over by where the boat ramp used to be. ‘Ezra said.
“What the hell?” Parker said seeing a RV dragging something towards what little bit of the causeway remained on the island across the river.
“Ah that’s Neil driving! Sloan got the camp to build a lifeboat out of a front porch off one of the movie set houses. I think they got two of them things but I am not sure if they ever finished the other one.” Zack said waving towards the distant vehicle with both hands and arms.
Neil responded by loudly honking his horn which sounded like a semi-truck airhorn and Zack made ready to cast off.
Bobby’s pontoon boat could be seen off in the distance with the small Jon boat following it. The three boats made it to where Neil had unhitched from the pile of wooden planks that made up their questionable seaworthy craft and they could see him talking to Sloan about how to get it in the water,
Neil was for trying to push it in some kind of way into the water with the RV but settled on Sloan rounding up all the able-bodied men and just manhandling it down to the water with great effort.
The RV was re-hooked to the railings of the porch to anchor it to shore and stood around congratulating themselves a moment for creating an emergency floating dock that people could wade out to a board the big twin motor pontoon boat.
“Bobby figured he could ride ten people at a time with a small amount of gear and the evacuation got under way. Rod decided he would much rather ride on the Pontoon boat than the inflatable dingy so that left room for Earl and Zack to load it up with camp gear. That thing was amazing! It could hold 1200 lbs. or 4 adults.
People started milling around coming from every direction on the island as Sloan organized groups to get ready to take their turn evacuating. The Jon boat could carry four or 5 people and their gear and could drop them off more quickly due to its low draft so that speeded things up a lot.
Miraculously everyone’s tents made it and hadn’t got washed away like most of the firewood when the last wave had hit but that left the people that brought RV’s without shelter once they got to the mainland.
Knobby and Neil said they would stay and goat sit, as it were over on the Island if Zack would lend them the dingy for their lifeboat. Zack said sure they could borrow it but waited until Bobby left to whisper to them, did they mean they were going to be thinking of sitting one of them goats on the grill tonight and having a barbecue!
“Nah Zack! We ain’t neither ready nor needing to be cooking up a goat just yet. Matter of fact you would be surprised I bet how long I can last foodwise in that RV on my own. We rigged and packed that thing for a practice bug out coming down here and we are good to go in the stored long-term food department. This was a “Come as you are apocalypse campout” you said that we were having, didn’t you? You know damn well I packed enough bug out and camping gear stuff for getting stuck here for a period of time as well as supplies to try to bug home with. To be honest with you I just soon stay here on the island with my preps.” Neil said indicating he and Knobby were most likely the most prepared of anybody today to which Zack grinned and said he didn’t know about that.
They didn’t have them a lifeboat on an Island and needed one. He had one, so when we are talking king of the preppers it has different relevance and meaning to different people. Matter of fact, he still had his and Ann’s two hard plastic kayaks and Cheryl had her 2-man inflatable Sea Eagle kayak. Looking at it that way made him have a navy. Plus 60 miles from here he had his tetrapod trailer boat sitting at his house when he got home and might even consider bringing back here. Now then add that
he also had six heavy duty saltwater sized surf rods for big catfish and a couple medium action spinning rods for bass, crappie, perch etc. and he was pretty well set up. That made him have fishing fleet capability if you wanted to look at it that way!
Did I mention three of the boats are solar powered? I got juice, I could charge your phone if you wanted to use it as a flashlight or I can cut some deals with other local fishermen to charge their trolling motors.
“Now then I know you got a portable icemaker and solar panels on that RV so we can work together on that trolling motor idea if you have a mind to. However, I got some high-volume charging capacity with me, I got a folding 160-watt, A 45 watt flexible, a 60 and a 35 watt roll up plus a few little solar phone chargers sized stuff I can rig to run a laptop.
“But hey man you’re stuck on an island and wanting to borrow my life boat! I figure there is no better time in the world than for me to try to do a bit of negotiations with you now.” Zack said wolfishly.
“Zack my friend I told you I was ready for anything. Knobby get the Zack box”. Neil said as his sidekick went to get something out of the trailer.
“Ok what’s a Zack box? Not something that’s going to blow up on me is it?” Zack joked but still quite intrigued about what the pair was up to.
Knobby came back and reached into the box and pulled out a half gallon of Ancient Age Whiskey and a half gallon of Old Thompson Whiskey.
“Those are yours Zack! See I am easy to barter with. No haggling no fuss!” Neil said grinning.
“What are you asking for those?” Zack asked.
” Wait there is more!” Knobby said showing Zack the box also contained six 2-liter cokes.
” Well I will be damned! I say negotiating requires a taste test. Is your ice machine still working?” Zack asked thinking if he could get the two to have one with him, he could get a few free drinks and wind up paying for a half gallon and a probably half the other one the way the two men liked to guzzle with him.
“I got ice, but the whiskey and coke are yours to do with as you like, Like I said no negotiations.” Neil replied smugly.
“That guy is up to something” Zack thought looking over to Knobby to see if he could get a clue or indication what it was.
“He means it, it’s all yours.” Knobby said feigning innocence.
“So, we trading for the use of my dingy?” Zack inquired.
“Nope not yet, Nubby would you get us some ice and some cups? You going to share your whiskey or do we need to be drinking ours?” Neil inquired.
“No, feel free. This is quite a surprise. I was dreading when that last bit I got gets drank over the next few days and that’s what I wanted to barter with you about.” Zack said thanking Knobby for the cups of ice and pouring them all a good red solo cup sized drink.
“I figured that was what you wanted to ask about. Damn you are a connoisseur of cheap whiskey. This tastes as fine as any other I have tried no matter what the price.” Neil said evidently relishing the cool alcoholic drink.
“So, what’s the deal? What do I owe you for this delicious largesse? “Zack said taking a big drink.
“It’s all yours, I just want a few favors in the future in exchange that’s all.” Neil said arching one eyebrow.
“What kind of favors? You back to borrowing my boat or needing to use my fish rods also? I know you want to trade for one of my trotlines! Well no trade on those because that’s the only way I can think to feed the community and that’s sketchy at best. I bet there will be no fish biting for some time to come and I ain’t so sure about getting out on the water a bit to set them.” Zack said thinking Neil and Knobby were trying to come up with a fish trade barter system or something for wanting it.
“No, I agree with you, this community has got to pull together. I got some commercial traps and snares I am willing to lend to the cause by the way. I know you know how to run them things down here in the south and maybe you can show me and Knobby a trick or two for setting up a trapline in this area. As for lending me the boat while we on the island let’s just call it you doing it because we are friends and you know what I am sitting on over here. We can’t very well be seen moving a bunch of long-term food storage over or people will think its for sharing with them which it ain’t. Now that’s not to say we might not share a bit here and there but we just as soon not let anybody know what we got ok?” Neil said and Knobby and Zack nodded their acknowledgement that was a good idea.
“So, the booze is like hush money? Guys you know that’s totally unnecessary! You can use the dingy, you didn’t have to butter me up to get me to go along with your food hoarding. Now I don’t look at it as hoarding don’t get me wrong. Its your stuff and I don’t blame you for making it secret. I still think to be on the safe side you come over to our side for a few days and just sneak some of it over. That way you don’t have all your eggs in one basket and I don’t have to worry about losing my boat if you’re making a bad decision by staying over here.” Zack said thinking he had come up with a good solution.
“I can see the merit in that.” Knobby said not having considered the two is one aspect of things.
Well I don’t think this island is going to go all the way under but I see where you’re coming from. We will probably take your advice and stay over on the other side for a bit. As for all those reasons you keep guessing about giving you the whiskey quit reading things into it. I just told you owed me some favors in exchange and nothing more.” Neil said awaiting Zacks reply.
“I asked you how many favors and what kind? Its kind of hard to trade for something in the future and don’t know what it is!” Zack objected.
“I know that! That is why I went ahead and gave you the whiskey now knowing you would want it in the future or what you might be willing to trade so I chose favors. You get your whiskey and coke now I get my favors later and there is nothing to negotiate.” Neil said all businesslike.
Zack paused and thought about a moment and started to offer his hand to seal the deal before snatching it back and saying “how many favors?”
“One, Two, three and the cokes make eight favors you owe me and I will give you free ice to drink it with if you’re hanging around my RV.” Neil said extending his hand.
“All right you got a deal. They better not be too big of favors. I don’t want you trying to take advantage of me.” Zack groused.
“Oh, they will just be at the going rate.” Knobby said helping himself to another drink of now Zack’s whiskey.
“What’s he mean by that? How can you put a price on a favor? Dang boy! Not to be un-neighborly but you all going to have to drink out of your own bottle now that one’s mine. You must have just poured four or five shots in that drink your making.” Zack said noticing it looked like Neil had filled half that red Solo cup of his with his liquor.
“No problem! Ha! Ha! Zack, I bet that the last free drink I ever get off of you for a while!” Neil said as Knobby chuckled and said “Include him in that.”
“I still want to know what Knobbins over there meant by the “Going Rate” on a favor.” Zack said a bit miffed the two had got one over on him with those super stiff drinks. Hell, that stuff was gold now and he didn’t know when or where he would ever get any more.
“We will give you a couple drinks out of ours. We were just funning you! Now as for the price of the favor you already put one on it by accepting our deal! What’s a half gallon jug of whiskey of your brand or a liter of coke worth in the apocalypse? Don’t wait too long to say it because I would think that sort of thing would go up in price and value the scarcer it got! “Neil said as Knobby busted out laughing about that they had made Zack fall their plan. They had dreamed this barter ruse up previously playing “What If?” and chatting in the RV driving down here and come up this plan should they ever get caught in a disastrous position like this with him at the campout.
“Hot Damn! You boys are good! Had this all figured out between you didn’t ya? I will get you back someday! “Zack sa
id laughing with them about besting him at trading and bartering so well.!”
“You forget who all reads or listens your books Zack!” Knobby said grinning over at Neil who had instigated this charade and had picked up a barter trick or two from his novels.