Sharecropping The Apocalypse: A Prepper is Cast Adrift

by Ron Foster

  A CZ52 which is Czechoslovakian made version of Tokarov famous Russian pistol of the cold war era. The Czechs didn’t like the crudely made pistol of the Soviet bloc and decide to make one themselves with precision engineering with better fit and polish as well as dependability under certain circumstances.

  A normal Tokarov pistol round comes out at about 1500 fps (feet per second) but many hand loaders load the more sturdy CZ with hotter powder that pushes the 7.62 x 25 pistol bullet at a screaming rate of 1950 f.p.s. You’re not going to buy these rounds at your local department store, especially not Wally World. They are however easily purchased on the internet as there are hundreds of thousands of imported pistols that shoot this round. The key to the CZ52 being able to be loaded so hotly is it’s rolling block mechanism versus the traditional blowback design of the Tokarov. This is what gives a CZ52 phenomenal strength of what can be loaded into it. however it has its shortfalls.

  ONE THING TO NEVER DO WITH A CZ52 IS DRY FIRE IT! It has a very brittle firing pin and it will break!

  After market strong firing pins are readily available on the market for $15.95 or less and is a must purchase if you own one of these weapons. Some folks call these guns ugly, but to David they were beautiful. It looked like a James Bond gun and fit his hand well. He was lucky enough to get a hand-picked factory refurbished one that looked like it had never been shot before with a holster and an extra clip at one time when they were plentiful. They are hard to find now but not uncommon .David had told her his doubts regarding the ammunition situation. Now finding ammunition for that particular type of pistol or if you needed parts, was assuredly impossible these days.

  He had left the pistol with Michael and advised him of its vest buster capabilities if he needed such with those foreign troops at the missile plant, but warned him of marginal results.

  David also warned him about a can of ammo he had, a whole ammo can that you have to watch out for it because it’s old military Soviet bloc issue. The thing is, Russia has plenty of submachine guns that were made in the caliber of 7.62 by 25. Those rounds are too hot to shoot in a regular Tokarov pistol but some of that stuff you don’t even want to shoot out of a CZ52 with its short barrel.

  Unless you read Russian or know what to look for you can make a serious mistake because it all fits in any gun of the same caliber. David got a case of it fixed from the Mole Boys and hadn’t gone through it to separate the pistol and submachine rounds but he had gotten a good deal on it because he basically got into impasse on who got the cool pistol or the ammo for the right price.

  David told them not everyone wanted that old kind of caliber and they might have trouble getting rid of it when they wanted to buy David’s pistol. David told them he didn’t really want to sell the pistol anymore but if he could get that much ammo at a decent price he wanted to keep it even more. The debate was resolved when David told them about that machine gun bullet issue and that he was not about to teach them Russian to keep them from blowing the barrel off. So they opted to sell the ammo to David cheap and try to get him on another deal another day.

  David had settled on the 45 which to him was a no-brainer over the .357 just because it was semi-auto. David had also been highly impressed with the weapons record in battle as well as Sig Sauer’s infomercials of being thrown in a muddy truck tire rut, run over by a tank, caught on fire and picked up and shooting a perfect group there after.

  What is weird in the gun world is that everyone agrees straight out of the box, the Sig Sauer 220 is the most accurate 45 caliber pistol made out there. Countless people spend countless dollars on modifying Colt 1911 pistols to the nth degree with very satisfactory results. But a stock Sig beats them out of the box hands down every time. The venerated 45 caliber is a celebrated and known man-stopper. No hollow points or miracle rounds are needed for it as even a standard 230 grain military issue ball round has proven its lethality time after time. As for bullet speed and weight, big and slow is sometimes the best way to go

  “OK, Julie, here’s the game plan when we arrive at Crick’s place. I know that we’ve been over this more than once or twice but let’s do it again. When we get to Crick’s house, I will honk my horn just like I do with every country place I pull up at. We know Crick and the rest of the preppers over on the island don’t have cars, so the property should be pretty much abandoned looking. We will wait a minute or so to see if he answers the door and then I’ll get out with the shotgun. You release your door but don’t open it and you have your carbine at the ready and be glancing to the front of the house and out the rear view mirror occasionally as well so as to try and be aware of what is going on to the side of you. If I have to blow that shotgun off, get out of the car and lay down covering fire with that carbine of yours while I’m retreating. That reminds me, let me change out the first shell in the shotgun, give me a second while I unload this thing.” David said ejecting a couple shells. “OK Julie, what I’m putting in here is 3 inch number 4 buck shot, that’s 42 pellets of about 25 calibers going downrange. Poor man’s response to a machine gun, I suppose.” David said with a sly grin.

  42 pellets of number 4 plated buckshot from his approach distance if someone was fool enough to take a shot at him out a window or from around on the porch and miss him would likely to be ended with about a 3 foot swath of hot lead by him depending on distance flying back in their direction. David always said the point man in an infantry patrol in Vietnam that was ambushed in the jungle should have had number one shot instead of military issue buckshot. Its suppressive fire going down range in ambush situation you need. You want to make the other guy miss or duck; you don’t want to allow him to have an easy follow up shot and you want to and keep his head down. If you have 42 zinger pellets ventilating the leaves while breaking twigs, snapping branches, whizzing by your ears etc., then that sort of thing tends to spoil your opponents aim.

  That was the basis of David’s tactics should they be fired upon from the house. David would try to respond towards aggressor and mark the position of the enemy while heavy suppressive fire was laid down by Julie with her more automatic weapon. David told her that we were lucky to have so much extra ammo that every shot didn’t have to count and don’t waste time aiming at an antagonist, you more wanted to spray and pray in his direction while you found cover.

  David had not had too much opportunity for range time with her to teach her accuracy in engaging targets nor had she ever had a target that shot back at her. The number one thing that you have to instill in everybody the first time you hand them an automatic weapon is to control and cycle their fire. The old M-16’s that David was used to could be emptied in two or three seconds if you had your finger on the trigger. The Army taught him two to three round bursts to conserve ammunition and make your fire more accurate was the thing to do.

  Some time or another after he got out of the service, they put a regulator on full auto to only make the guns shoot two to three round bursts regardless of operator intent and this was implemented because in the field of battle many trainees will panic and just hold the trigger down emptying their weapon of ammo all at once.

  Julie was thankful that she had taken the time to sew the elastic cartridge holders tighter on the shotgun bandoliers. They had been so loose that not only were they not in position to grab and go but shells would often fall out of the holders. Those cheap shotgun bandoliers and slings get all stretched out with age and become a liability rather than an asset.

  4

  CRICK`S HOUSE

  This sure is one crazy note he left for us Julie” David said handing it to her.

  David,

  Glad you made it here safe; sorry I couldn’t be here to welcome you. Make yourself to home but we need to meet up as soon as we can. Rescue efforts by me and Loomis are taking place at the Mc Cloud Plantation about 20 miles from here. Be sure to announce yourself loudly when you enter the property. The property caretakers Clem and Bertha carry guns and are very suspicious of strangers but I have warned the
m that you might be coming. I drew you a map on the back of this note. No problems to report, thanks for coming. Be safe.

  Regards,

  Crick

  “Well he certainly didn’t tell you much or why you are here” Julie said handing it back to him after a quick look at the map.

  “I could have used a bit more info but I guess what could he really say? He and Loomis are conducting the rescue effort so that means no official efforts underway or offered. I sure would like to know what he plans on doing with all them folks once they get off that island. I guess it doesn’t matter much at the moment, just getting them off there is an undertaking in itself.” David said looking in Cricks kitchen pantry out of curiosity.

  “Well he said meet him at a plantation so maybe they have lots of food for the survivors.” Julie guessed.

  “I hope they do but he didn’t make mention of it so I have my doubts. That could be a pine plantation, cotton or peanut plantations etc. so your guess is about as good as mine. It doesn’t look like he has depleted his pantry by a whole lot though whatever that means. Hang on a minute, ah hell yea! His liquor cabinet is still full, hot damn! Want a drink Julie? Crick won’t mind and I will let him sample my moonshine when we hook up.” David said picking up an open liter of coke and shaking it to see if it still had some fizz left in it.

  “I would love one, sounds good. What is our schedule today David?’ ‘Julie asked as David played bartender.

  ‘I guess we have ourselves a few drinks, relax from the trip for a short bit and head on over to the plantation. I figure we can stay here for about an hour and make it over to meet Crick at about 3.30 or so this afternoon. Plenty of daylight will still be left “David said relishing the taste of his adult beverage.

  “Sounds good to me, that trip was nerve wracking and tiring.” Julie said settling down into a comfortable chair with a sigh.

  “I want to check on Crick’s horses before we leave. I don’t guess he wants me to bring anything from here or feed them or he would have put it in his note. David said sitting down upon the couch.

  “Well it’s not that far to the plantation so I guess if he needs it he can come back himself and get it. Hey I haven’t tried his phone for service yet.” Julie said going over to it and picking up the receiver.

  “Well it’s not dead but there is nothing but static on the line. “ Julie said pushing the button to hang it up several times and listening for any kind of dial tone.

  “That’s something anyway; some signal beats no signal I guess. Maybe they will get it fixed soon if they got power on the line.” David responded.

  “You never realize how much you miss having communication until you lose it.” Julie said while going to the window to look at the horses grazing.

  “Normal conversations and touching base with others is reassuring, but what is heart rending is the number of people wanting to, or needing to call for help and that are cutoff. That kind of misery is only amplified and exasperated by the feeling of forlornness those people will be feeling now as they attempt to reach out to unknown neighbors and struggling friends that have no choice but to distance themselves from the chaos and dependency of others.” David said putting his arm around Julie and looking out the window with her.

  “David I have a question for you. Do people you have known just all of the sudden pop into your mind and make you wonder how they are doing?” Julie said looking up at him.

  “Yea that happens more often than I care to think about. Damn depressing. I try not to think too much on that subject though; their futility tends to fuel my own self-doubts about self-preservation and how hard my heart might need to be getting in order to survive myself.” David sighed.

  “I kind of figured that, when this crap first hit it was more of an adventure even though we were pretty well prepped for it. I still get satisfaction out of how well we were able to respond to the loss of power and grocery stores etc. but it scares me to death how fast we are going through preps and energy and this apocalypse is now only beginning to get crazier. You said a huge amount of people are already evidencing dark and animalistic behaviors, will we get that way too David?” Julie said with a shudder.

  “No sweetie, well not like others anyway. We have hope, knowledge, skills and tools to see us through when the last crumb of food preps is used up and that’s why we will retain much of our humanity. I haven’t brought this up yet but there are a few things we need to go over before we join in on Crick and Loomis’s rescue efforts.” David said and told her they needed to sit down and have another drink and talk a few things out further.

  David poured them two more drinks a bit stiffer than the last and settled down at the dining room table across from Julie and studied her a moment before telling her what needed to be said.

  “Julie we were very lucky indeed not to run into too many people on the way here but there are a few reasons for that which we need to discuss. Now I know we went over a little bit about what we would do if we saw a family with kids stranded on the side of the road and how we might handle someone trying a road block to rob us, but shit is actually much more worse than that and I need to make you even more cautious and aware.” David said taking a big swig of his drink and deciding it was going to take more than two drinks before they were ready to face what was coming next.

  “The main reason we didn’t see very many folks out on the road is that they are sick or they are trying to tend to those sicker or weaker than themselves or already dead. Much of the populace is already dead or dying from medical issues and the living are in fear of their own shadows at the moment. If you have water but no food you can still be wandering around after 30 days searching for or sustaining yourself with practically anything for food. People will be eating grass, bugs, pets, maybe even thinking about eating each other about now if they haven’t lost the will to live and committed suicide and that’s a funny thing. Mental illness will come to those who have never experienced it in some cases; it will be enhanced in those that lack the medication for preexisting conditions. The weak minded, acutely depressed or desperate might choose suicide; the criminally intent will increase their level of violence and discard for the physically weaker, the unprepared and unaware will seek the security and sanctity of their homes and mentally shutoff and play hermit awhile, most folks will think they have to do something but not knowing what exactly that something is, will venture out into a world that is unrecognizable and not governed by the rule of law or mercy and they will soon expire or become as lawless as the rest.

  Good people are at an extreme disadvantage under such dire conditions, the law of the jungle is an obscure thought to them at first. They will form bad alliances, make stupid mistakes, wait too long, surrender too much and be absorbed into the dust of the earth eventually as just one more statistic as the cruel and the strong war on others. Then when the wolf packs start forming up, at first the packs are large and the prey is easy. As the prey lessens internal strife, disputes with other packs, leadership role challenges and a host of other influences will lessen their numbers. The hunter and the hunted change roles daily, the people in Law enforcement that supposedly are there to protect and serve quit their official duties and become a force of oppression to be dealt with as they try to wield their power to support their own and their families. Soldiers and police officers desert their posts, the populace revolts and follows the first charismatic leader that steps up as the religious minded does the same with prophecies of the end times causing more insanity and bloodshed.

  This holocaust of humanity is just now starting to gain momentum however and the dark ages haven’t even begun yet in totality. People with power, governments and state agencies never relinquish control without a fight and they have been planning on events such as these because they fear the populace ever finding out that they were the actual ones that created such mayhem and plan accordingly to brutally suppress any threat to their seats of power and control. Throughout history they have wielded their armies and the
best minds they can find to advise them how to both appease as well as how to subjugate the common man to their maniacal intents.

  “Julie, we met a lot of folks at Prepper Stock last year and they all were the best of the best in my opinion. You know I have been playing with preppers and either teaching them or learning from them before the name was even being coined by the major media. At first it was like hippie days of an awakening of millions to go back to living off the earth and regaining personal freedoms. They changed a lot but those idealistic thoughts hit reality’s and now the majority leading the country has short hair and different values and won’t even admit to being one at one time in their life in order to chase the all mighty dollar.

  5

  CHICKEN THIEVES

  David and Julie approached what they thought was the entrance to the McCloud plantation and turned on to a red clay rutted weed overgrown road.

  “David, are you sure this is the right turnoff? Doesn’t look like any plantation I ever saw.” Julie questioned.

  “You’re the one navigating and reading Crick’s directions. We’ll travel down this road a bit and see where it’s goes.” David said eyeing the scrub oak and pine woods on both side s of the road.

  “David he didn’t say what kind of plantation it was.” Julie said looking at the edge of the second growth fields.

  “”Looks like we got some cleared land coming up.” Davis said as they rounded a curve and saw what appeared to be fields that had not been worked in years.

  For as far as the eye could see in several directions, a rolling plain of pasture grass, scrub oaks, bushes and fences in general neglect met their eyes.