“Damn fucking EMPs!” I screamed helplessly as tears drifted out my eyes in sympathy.
I closed my eyes just to give myself a time to breath but when I opened my eyes, I was brought to the outer space with the whole earth in front of me. Yes I am floating with no NASA sponsorships. I was just floating around weightless like paper looking down to the earth’s spherical shape. Suddenly, comets like heavily bodies fall towards earth with beaming red and green lights. This must be a solar flare attack as many as rain water leaving earth defenseless. As soon as the foreign elements hits the earth’s surface, portions of the earth from the north, south, east and western hemispheres converge into darkness. The earth just turned black, dark and lifeless all throughout and suddenly, the earth explodes.
“No! Farah!” I scream.
A sudden strong force slammed on my face. A slap, a strong slap. Good thing it was just a dream, no, a nightmare, a bad nightmare. I could feel myself gasping for air as cold dread sweat envelopes my whole body causing the bed sheet to be slightly drenched with it.
“You had a nightmare. It’s alright honey. I am here.” Farah replied while simultaneously embracing me on to her bosom.
“It was a bad dream honey. It’s like my own premonition on the things to come.” I explained. “I thought I have lost you.” KI told her with a tight embrace.
“It’s alright honey, let’s go back to sleep now. It’s still two o’clock dawn.” Said, Farah.
I go back to bed and tried to sleep but I can’t help to be alarmed with that dream a while ago. Although it’s just coincidence, I just can’t discount it. I just can’t. A few minutes later, my eyes felt the sleep and so I close them up hoping for my next attempt to be peaceful. Well let’s see about it.
Morning came and as my instincts dictates, I must get up. I rubbed my eyes with my hand and got to the bathroom to have my early morning face wash. As soon as I am done, I changed to my working clothes and went straight outside. Breakfast is already prepared and set but I do not just want to eat right now. I am just so moved with the dream that I have last night. It may be a nightmare, a horrible one but that subconscious activity motivated me to work hard to survive.
I looked up to the sky as the clouds are a bit gloomy. It’s very unusual for a supposed sunny day. The weather’s activity is another priority that I am concerned about and with the absence of weather forecasts on TV or through weather satellites and stations it would be hard to determine the exact effect of solar flares to the earth’s weather. The aid of advance weather reports plays a vital role for us especially that we are raising and cultivating crops. Advance weather forecasting is very much needed in order not to risk the newly planted crops especially so that these are our alternatives when the tough and hard times come knocking at your doorstep. We have to be sure but without these basic atmospherical technologies we can only hope for the best. All we can do is pray, and yes, this time, I mean it that the odds of having a good satisfying weather would favor us.
Both Farah and I specifically reorganized our supplies according into categories depending on its usage; whether it’s for security, food, water, mechanical hardware, automotive parts, medical supplies and survival kits. Farah reviewed the inventory of our medical supplies and classified it further according to its purpose be it for fever, infections, antiseptics for wounds, anesthetics and pain killers, gadgets like a nebulizer with some mobilizing vials, anti- asthma inhalers, bandages and plasters and all other medical kits we can find. We just have to get ready and fast. It’s so nice to see everything organized now.
I went back outside and sat on the rocking chair and as I rocked and forth, my mind brought me back into the quiet and peaceful days of the last weeks. But seeing the constant aura of dashing green and red lights in the skyline no w swiveling at close approximate intervals as well as the continued loss of communications of whatever sort is ultimately caused by a natural EMP or CME. This was what the news last week says so everyone just remained complacent taking the possible upheaval of this unnatural phenomenon of the cosmos. For sure, who would even think that this will escalate and become a menace that is beyond control? No one. I tell you, no one except me. Each rocking motion made me decipher the slim chances that this race would face. I know that everything does not depend on pure statistics but in these cases, mathematics as an exact science will surely be of great use.
It was just two days ago that the initial CME had not struck the United States seriously. May be what we tasted is just a sneak peak of two percent of its strength as compared to Asia were it had struck the hardest. I could still that the bullet trains of Japan were derailed and thrown off its track, subways out of tune, overwhelming death toll on the rise, elevators shutting down on mid ascend killing thousands of people as the elevator fell to the ground crumpled and canned due to sudden power shutdown. Chaos all around is absolutely clear enough to justify nature’s god-like wrath.
Insiders from the Pentagon ruled out that China stole EMP nuclear bomb technology from the Russians but this case suggests a scenario that is not manmade but natural but why Asia? China is among the hard hit areas and should the natural force of the celestial bodies stuck China with an unknown purpose then justice is served. Now that China is crippled due to their stolen computer technology. After the massive meltdown of the Chinese nation, the Chinese President made a written press release that was shown worldwide which reads:
“If China is crippled, then the rest of world should also suffer the same fate. EMP missiles will be fired and detonated on specific coordinates. If China’s dominance will be stopped because of this, then the world must stop too.”
The insidious written message sounded the alarm of bitterness on the side of the predator while pity and helplessness settles for familiar scenes on the prey. Good for us here in the US because we have enough firepower and allies to defend those who are weak like those in the third world countries. As reported by the Interpol and the CIA, China will detonate its EMP enhanced nuclear bombs on the several parts of the US, Western Europe and the Middle East who soon followed suit in their own initiative. China’s move to go for a worldwide draw is not the wisest situation ever. It only makes things worse especially so that EMP attacks will only add up to our current pathetic stage. How could this people be that heinous?
All countries specified in their targets suffer the consequence of being at the receiving end of such chaotic regime. The emphasis on China’s move to strike several states in the US only proves their determination to monopolize the world stage of a superpower country. It is obvious that their intention to derail the United States as the world’s leading superpower is vested with malicious political motivations hidden behind this natural EMP strike. The Security Council thereafter convened to set forth the negotiations and the fact that China is a UN member, says it all. Unfortunately, China remained hard hearted.
China’s refusal to negotiate for peace prompted the United States Government to launch defensive massive air and ground strikes to the Mainland China to destroy their EMP Nuclear silos as well as warheads scattered around the Chinese terrains. Previous satellite imageries are now retrieved by the US Defense Secretary for proper map plotting. The only disadvantage is, the further destruction of these silos and EMP nuclear warheads would definitely damage our atmosphere in a fast pace making us more susceptible to solar storms or worse EMPs.
It is a long deep rocking chair ride which made me to speculate on facts that might happen. It is scary to think of these international upheavals amid the upcoming CME. What a way to define our end because this war is just so timed to happen in these last days of a natural EMP and EMP Enhanced missiles rolled into one. I sighed as I thought about it.
“Seems like the world is gently falling apart.” So help us God, I said.
Chapter 7
I went back inside the house to have some cup of coffee. Good thing that Farah has prepared one for me in advance. What a caring wife indeed. I go back outside to sit in the rocking chai
r with cup of coffee on the grips of my hand. I sipped the aroma of the coffee’s fragrance thereby savoring the cappuccino scent. The coffee’s caffeinated content is just in time to keep me stimulates, alive and kicking in this new days’ work of a long week of survival preparations. The hot coffee has somehow diverted my anxious feelings of wondering how we are going to survive this ordeal. The sun’s rays have finally showed up beating the gloomy cloud terrains up above. It made me assume that a low pressure is coming but the sun’s bright rays are definitely an answered prayer. As usual, I am delighted as my small shitzu dogs meddle around my three GSDs as my small ones teasing up my bigs; biting up their tails feet and paws causing the big dogs to swivel in circles trying to retaliate to the shitzus’ comical pack attack against them. The envious feeling of seeing these innocent creatures running around touched my inner peace.
“Look at them Farah, how happy could our dogs be. How I wish I am a dog, I would not have felt this chase of survival.” I told Farah while consuming half of my coffee drink.
“It is as if you suggesting an implied suicide Ryan. This is why we are called humans because we have the ability to lead and I see that leadership in you. We can do this.” Farah said.
Farah drew in closer and leaned on an embrace.
“Don’t give up honey. This why God made us human’s to govern over all his creations. If we give up and throw away your hope just to get an easy way out, do you think our dogs have hopes of surviving? The answer is no. So we have to stand up for them and you have to stand up for me. Be a man Ryan. Cowardice is not an option this time.” Farah explained.
“But what if we die?” I asked.
“If we will die then our death will be honorable for at least we tried to live.” Farah replied.
I just went speechless listening to her words of wisdom. It definitely pierced the dullness of my thoughts and the hopelessness of my feelings. She’s right. I must stand up like man should do. Fear is just an illusion that only serves as an obstacle to mislead us to the wrong road. Although the chances of survival is phenomenally slim as we are virtually facing the end of days, an ounce of faith is more than enough to breed up hope to build up the courage to face any adversity and if you just believe, nothing is impossible.
“Farah, can you get this cup to the sink and can you please get my pocket notebook? ” I said.
“Yes, sure honey.” Farah replied as she proceeded to the kitchen then to our room to get the pocket notebook where my “to do list” were inventoried according to ranks. It is so nice to see the newly planted trees and crops dace along with the blowing of the wind. Seeing my planted creatures healthy is the best thing in the world. I have some peas, a little bit of corn, cabbages, squash, pepper and more lined up in different gardening plots in a single file formation. I smiled and made a little bit of a small laugh because it made me remember that old addictive game that blew the world way back 2010. Ah, yes, “Plants vs. Zombies.” I just love that game so much as I enjoyed every cartoon type killing the zombies through my plants. When positive reviews came out, I immediately purchased the game at Amazon for $50 and have it installed in my Panasonic Toughbook laptop. Sleepless nights ensued as I was immediately addicted to it. In fact I miss that game because it’s much more addictive than that Flappy Bird game. Sadly, I cannot play that anymore as my past time has already been diverted in this rocking chair with a little bit of taste of civilization. I am just hopeful that our agricultural sources will flourish to augment the expected depletion of our food supplies. But in order to make it possible, I must stand on guard and protect the crops from mummified scavengers and looters by a piece of shotgun. Well, in a way, I might be playing a real life Plants versus Zombies game. Who knows? That would be fun.
Farah came out bringing with her my pocket notebook handing it to me. “Thank you.” I said. She responded with a smile. I turn the pages and of my “to do” list for today. Good thing I was able to finish narrowing my priorities down before Farah dressed my sting wounds. It is a one hell of a day. Thank God that my wounds are all tolerable so I am now capable of moving. First thing I am going to do is to deal with our water supply. I addressed myself to check whether or not the 12 V water pump is functional. The amount of solar energy must have been enough so I turned the pump on and thank goodness it worked. Upon knowing that the pump is still good, I turned it off to conserve energy.
Our dependence on solar energy is as an alternative energy resource is not viable. Yes we have generators to back it up but resorting to wind energy is also is effective as the solar energy resource. Why didn’t I think of that in the first place? Now that the world is on chaos shopping is obviously free so I could either get some supplies for the installation of at least six windmills or barter some excess ammos for it. In this way, we will have a lot of energy alternatives so that, if Mr. Sun is not available, wind energy would a valid alternative.
We resorted to small scale hydroponics system, better known as “aquaponics.” This would be a logical survival response to conserve and maximize our water supply that can be alternatively useful to both our agriculture and aqua culture. The system is installed in a plastic building we just purchased for this purpose. The area has several blue windowed PVC fish tanks filled with fishes as well as plants on a soilless platform. Above it is a filtered window for the sun’s rays to enter; just enough for the plants’ photosynthesis process. With the sun shining all day, enough warmth will surely be sustained all throughout the cold nights as its tent-like structure keeps it rotating indoors making it to have a greenhouse effect. Truly, If you want to survive, you have to be witty enough to intelligently recycle to maximize everything that is available. This modern technology is proven to be a sustainable financially viable food production system that utilizes approximately two percent of the water used of a conventional farm. This system combines fish farming and hydroponics to create a symbiotic environment known as aquaponics.
Aquaponics, brings together the practices of aquaculture, like raising fish in tanks instead of ponds while hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in a soilless environment. In an aqua culture system, waste accumulates in the tanks which eventually have to be removed to maintain the health of the fish. this byproduct contains rich nutrients that plants filter out which allows the water to be recycled and to start the water back to the fish tanks to start the process all over again. Having hydro and aquaponics within our reach would probably help us maximize and lengthen our supplies. We just have to make sure that no water is wasted. With the aquaponics and hydroponics system in place, the problem of lengthening the recyclability of our water supply is no longer a problem. But despite this fact, complacency should not be entertained nor maintained. We have to save and that would mean that we should be thrifty in all of our supplies because there are only a few good men left to act as good Samaritans.
I am amazed while I am inside the hydroponics system. The circling process of the water running down through the transparent tubes of the blue fish tanks and on to the soilless garden is indeed entertaining. The waste of the fishes from the fish tanks are drawn out to the hydroponic system which plants will strain out to serve as organic fertilizers. There are a few slots left in the hydroponics area which will serve and accommodate some of our newly planted shrubs and crops.
“Farah, will you bring those recently transplanted plants here? I want to transfer them here so that we could save pots for future use.” I said.
“That’s a good idea, Ryan. At least you will spare me of my watering chores.” Farah replied.
My wife went on to the barn to get those newly planted crops on portable plastic pots. There were several of them so that Farah would use a wheelbarrow to have it stacked all at once. We were about five hundred meters away but yet, I can see her loading up the plants to the wheelbarrow.
“Do you need to have another reload?” I said shouting with my hand circled in my mouth while speaking.
“No, honey, this is the first and last load so
don’t worry about the lifts. I can do this.” She said.
Farah starts to lift the steel wheelbarrow and thrusts it forward to my direction. Good thing that the wheel is made out of air filled rubber tires making it bounce through the off road pathway ascending through the hillside. I never realized that she is that strong.
“Here it is. I’ll just transfer these plants into the hydroponics system.” Farah said.
“I’ll go to the pond first. Maybe it would better to transfer the remaining fishes inside these blue tanks rather than living them outside unattended.” I said.
“Okay, but you can pit then in the pail. Just fill it up in half to prevent them from jumping off.” Farah instructed.
“Sure, no problem. That is what I am thinking.” I answered.
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