Unearthly Snowbound

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Americans came together in times of crisis and this might be the final time if the weather continued and moved the world into an ice age. As ironic as it sounded, mankind might have to move back into the caves for survival. The important matter was one of food. How to feed the citizens in a time of a no growing season, or at best, limited season remained a daunting task. Once a break in the weather occurred hot houses would spring up and if man could survive the first months of hunger may be the resourceful people could work their way out of the possibility of extinction as a specie. Greg wondered what the oceans would be like if this weather continued for a few years or more. Could man harvest his sustenance from a frozen oceans or lakes?

  One of the big questions was how would this weather affect the tropics? As the cold seeped further towards the equator man would move ahead of it and what would the results be with the pressure in the tropics from a new influx of people. Too many questions and too few answers and that best left to the experts as the president sat down and greeted each new arrival for the important meeting about to start.

  The conference table now occupied by the principals the President turned the table over to Greg. The president had endorsed his new position and told the group the facts and if any order or suggestion was not followed to the letter, they would be replaced immediately. This was no time for debate, but if an idea surfaced, it would be discussed from all angles.

  That being said, Greg outlined his plan previously stated and when he went around the table to a person, all understood his or her assignment. Greg thanked them all and said he would now talk to Chuck and Bubba along with the bounty hunters. Greg was a little troubled with the commanding military man. He looked uncomfortable taking orders from a CIA man. Greg thought he should befriend the guy and made a note of it for later.

  Chuck was first to report on the trains status. ‘Believe it or not, we are quite prepared for the journey. There are four old timers at the controls and the backup crew is their equal. Apparently they have had a lot of time to prepare and even though we are sure about some things not thought of, it is a beginning. A fuel additive that is normally used to keep the fuel from freezing has been doubled and we have an ample supply of it to travel back and forth across the country more than one time. A supply car caries extra track and all things necessary for any repair that is not a major one; and enough kerosene for the boxes of lanterns to last a long time. I would say we are as ready as can be expected given the severe weather we face on this trip.”

  “Thanks Chuck, when all is ready I will give you the nod and we will begin our sojourn west,” said Greg with appreciation on his face.

  Bubba was next and he said, ‘I have made a full roster of each car. I’ve requested each family somehow put their names on their clothes so as to turn this train into a community of folks, not passengers on their way to visit friends. By the time we get where we are going, everyone will know each other like family. I will move from car to car making sure no squabbles break out and if they do, I will relegate the offenders to the supplying car for work, like peeling potatoes or something like that.” In addition he added, “I told each car to elect a car captain and to report any grievances to him for us to consider.”

  Greg warmed to his ideas and was grateful for the help Bubba was giving him. He told the president all about Bubba and his time in prison and his education. The president was impressed and told Greg he chose some good folks to help in their adventure from Chicago to New York.

  The colonel, commander of the trains’ military, knocked on the president’s door and came in with a smile on his face. Trailing him was a woman with two children and a dog. Greg jumped up as the dog started barking and jumping on him. Next Greg’s wife hugged him while the kids fought their way to hold their father. Tears of happiness were running down his wife’s face and the kids were firing questions and looking at the woman president who was sitting at the head of the table smiling at them. After a few minutes, Greg broke the grip on him and with the back of his hand, wiped a stray tear from his face and said with obvious emotion in his voice, “Honey, kids, let me introduce you to the president of the United States. Madam President this is my wife Becky and our two kids, Sandy and Greg Jr.

  Hilary with a sharp eye on the wife of the now famous CIA agent saw an intelligent woman standing next to her husband. She was perhaps ten years younger than her, but from the intense dark eyes and heavy eyebrows gave off an aura of strength accentuated by her full mouth under a perfect nose for a woman: not too big and not too small, but the kind of nose women dream of. Her skin was dark and Hilary wondered if she was of Italian decent.

  Hilary said, “Nice to meet all of you and would you sit down and tell us your story.”

  She nodded at her aid and her aid slipped out to bring something to eat for Greg’s family and of course the dog.

  “Becky, would you like to freshen up a little before you have something to eat and tell us your story?”

  Becky’s eyes lit up and said she would be grateful for some water to wash with and to brush her perfect teeth. Greg’s family left to take a shower and Hilary sent an aid to bring his family some clean clothes from their bags.

  Hilary said to Greg, “You have a nice family and I’m jealous.”

  Greg blushed and thanked the president for her kind words. Greg said as he petted his dog, “My wife is a very strong person and she will be of unlimited value to us on our trip west. If Bubba’s count is right and I’m sure it is; combined with the military and various agents and their families we have well over a thousand soles on this train. It’s a daunting task to keep them fed and occupied for the long months ahead of us.”

  “Excused me Greg,” Hilary said with a concerned look on her face, “how long do you think it will take us to reach Colorado?”

  Greg sat back in his chair and let out a sigh and quietly said, “I have no idea how long it will take us, but I know the way is full of danger and obstacles. For example, when we travel slowly through a city or town, people are bound to hear the train coming and want to see if some rescue is arriving. Then when they find out we have no more room, some violence could occur. With the continued demand for SUVs the more industrious of them could try and stop the train or take it over by following or moving ahead of our train and setting up some kind of train block. We should be prepared for anything and everything.”

  The president sat back and rubbed her forehead as if she just was attacked by the worst headache imaginable. “I suppose you are right, Greg, but the thought of the military having to warn off or even shoot a citizen is so archaic I don’t want to think about it. I think we should call a meeting before leaving of all the heads and repeat what you just told me to them.”

  Greg’s family returned fresh from the shower and Becky said to the president, “Thank you for the clothes. We are apparently about the same size.”

  By then the kids were sitting down and politely quiet in the presidents company. The aid brought a hot bowl of soup and sandwiches for them all and for the dog a meat bone the chef had used for the soup. Greg and Hilary sat and watched them eat and when Becky was finished she gave a sigh of relief and started her story.

  “The last time I talked to Greg was when he was in Chicago more than two weeks ago. As you know the full force of the winter storm hit just shortly after that and we have had no contact with anyone since that time. Both of our parents live in California and how they are I have no idea. When it became clear that we were in trouble with the weather and no help would come, we made do with what we had.”

  Becky went on to tell them how she and the kids made a wall of blankets and scrap wood around the fireplace and that is where they stayed until the military came to the door. She neither saw no heard from any neighbors the complete time since losing contact and power at the house.

  Hilary listened with intense concentration to the rest of her story and silently wished more citizens followed her example of survival. Maybe there is hope yet for our survival and
a new America will emerge from this impending disaster. Nothing would ever be the same and we must adjust to the environment or parish. Her next thought was to find the experts in the fields of food production and alternative methods of energy. Where, she thought, would we find them, as Becky finished her story.

  The president thanked her for her remarkable story of adventure and said her aid would show her where she would call home for the duration. Greg stood up as the president left the room. The aid led the way to the next car and showed them a room where they could call home. Tight quarters, but much nicer than most of the other passengers who had to sleep in their seats. Greg noticed a phone next to his bed with no buttons in it. He thought, the president thinks of everything and he smiled to his wife as she melted into his arms while the kids explored the tight quarters fighting over who would sleep in the top bunk and who would sleep in the bottom bunk. The dog was right in the middle of things and both Greg and Becky paid no attention to them as the kiss went deeper and deeper.

  Chapter 13

  The red phone rang and Greg picked it up as the kids went quiet and Becky straightened up her clothes from the passionate embrace. Greg listens while his boss told him there would be meeting in thirty minutes. The train was scheduled to leave on about the same time. Greg looked at his watch and now it was going on ten pm. The kids were getting ready for bed and Becky said she would lie down for a while too. Greg went out the door and it was then that Becky saw how much he had aged in the few short weeks she had seen him. His shoulders were hunched over and she wondered how much sleep he had in the last few days. She told herself once he returned from the meeting she would make him sleep and to hell with the red phone.

  Greg walked into a room full of people with the president at the head of the table and an empty chair at the other end facing her. All the principals were there. Sitting next to Greg was the military commander and Greg sitting down thanked him for transporting his family to the train.

  The colonel smiled at him and said, “That’s my job and I now realize what we are up against. I will work with you and if there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to call on me.”

  Greg smiled at him and said he would call on him when the time came.

  The president opened up with the dialog that she and Greg had discussed earlier. Silence around the table and Hilary nodded to Greg to continue his thoughts. Greg looked around the table and all eyes were on him. He wondered how he had got into this position. All of these men and women were powerful and intelligent. Strange he should be the one to command an operation like this one. Bubba was smiling at him and the smile said he was enjoying watching Greg squirm a little. Greg nodded at him and began once again to brainstorm what might happen on their way to Colorado,

  “Well, to foresee all possible events or obstacles facing us would be an impossible task. The best I can come up with are contingency plans for a ‘what if’ situation. Our biggest danger might be from our own citizens who are desperate to survive. The question is how do we deal with a group of people blocking our way?”

  He looked around the table and no one spoke and finally the colonel came to the rescue by saying, “I think if that happens we fire warning shots to clear the way and if that doesn’t work, well….” and he looked directly at Greg and said “Maybe we should go around the table and discuss what we would do in such a situation.”

  The head of the secret service spoke up and said, “Maybe some of you are not aware of this particular train. It was designed and built especially against a terrorist attack. The floors are four inch thick metal and the windows are bulletproof. The doors can be locked down to prevent anyone from opening them and they can withstand a grenade explosion. The engine is similarly designed and can be locked down from within. However, some risk exists with the snow plow engine up front. I might suggest we weld some plate steel over the windows and weld the door up tight. We can always use a cutting torch to open it when we need to.”

  Greg and the rest of them voiced their approval and Greg said to make it so.

  The meeting continued for more than an hour and when the task of reinforcing the snow engine was completed. The president ordered the train put in motion. The first city will be Philadelphia, Allentown and then on to Harrisburg Pennsylvania. That first leg of the journey should tell them what lay ahead of them.

  The weather continued to rage on. No let up and it was, if anything, consistent. White out conditions existed and the going would be blind. The speed of the train had been set at fifteen miles an hour and after Harrisburg they would cross the Appalachian Mountains down into Pittsburg. Greg felt more secure in the mountains than going though small towns and cities. He knew there were desperate people out there and the sight of a train for warmth and comfort might be too much for the despondent citizens. The real possibility of anarchy and gangs of citizens was bound to happen. The more he thought about it the more depressed he became. Somehow order must be maintained for America to survive in the face of doom.

  He swore to himself as he walked back to his family and maybe a few hours of sleep. He felt comfortable that he had Chuck at the helm and was confident he would make the right decisions. Chuck was strong for an old man and Greg couldn’t remember the last time the old man had any rest.

  Greg tapped lightly on the door and his wife quickly opened it up so as not to wake the kids. He looked completely worn out. Dark bags drooped from his eyes and his usual clear gray eyes were bloodshot and looked like a road map of red lines going in circles. His skin had grayish looked different from his usual dark brown skin. Becky pulled him into the room and sat him down on the small bed. He said nothing as she undressed him like a little kid. He was so tired he couldn’t raise a hand to help her. When she finished he lay back and went out like a light. She cuddled next to him and went to sleep too, very satisfied now that they were all together again. No matter what happened in the future, they would face the challenges together.

  Chuck was riding in the engine with the snow plow. Some extra lights had been added but the blowing and falling swirling snow glared back at them like looking at one of those Christmas balls filled with snow being shaken by a ten year old boy full of too much sugar on Christmas Eve. Chuck thought that by morning maybe they could see something in the daylight. Now is impossible and so he sat in a chair, leaned his head on his chest and took a much needed nap.

  Bubba had a small room and a bunk for himself that he shared with Chuck. Bubba was snoring up a storm and one would have to pity Chuck if he was trying to sleep in the same room. Bubba was having a dream of running through the snow after a terrorist with a bomb strapped to his chest. The last thing Bubba remembered was a flying tackle to the terrorist when a knock on the door woke him up. Bubba struggled to wake up. His whole body ached and his eyes were blurry. He had never felt so tired in his life. The knocking continued and he said with a growl, “Ok, ok, I’m coming.”

  He opened the door and the security sergeant who was now a captain said, “Sorry to wake you Bubba, but you are needed in the president’s car.”

  Bubba thanked the captain and told him he would be there as soon as he washed up and removed the cobwebs from his brain.

  The captain laughed and said, “I’ll give the president your message.”

  Bubba washed up in the small basin and looked into the stainless steel mirror. He never liked himself when looking in a mirror because he thought he looked scary when in fact he was a very gentle person. Putting on some fresh clothes he thought how are we going to wash clothes on this long ride to Colorado. He put the thought out of his mind and left the room to attend the group meeting.

  Like Bubba a knock on his door was answered by the dog barking. Greg Jr. smacked the dog and answered the door. The captain looking a bit embarrassed because he could see into the tiny room with Greg sleeping next to his wife. It took some shaking by his wife to rouse him from a deep sleep. Greg thought he was floating on the ocean, but in fact it was just the train swaying back and forth wi
th the sounds of the wheels occasionally making a run over cat sound. He sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. Smiled at the kids and his daughter jumped into his lap knocking him back onto the pillow. He hugged her and told her how much he missed her. She said, “Daddy you smell awful, you need to brush your teeth.”

  Greg laughed and said, “If you would get off me I will brush my teeth and wash my face.”

  He poked her in the ribs and she squealed with delight and jumped off his back onto her bunk.

  The captain now with his back to the open door said, “The president requests you in her car when you are ready sir.”

  Greg said he would be there soon as he freshened up. Becky inspected her husband and he looked much better than last night. Through the windows daylight was breaking through, but still very murky outside. She looked at her watch and it was just seven am.

  “Well, it is time to start a new day everybody,” She tried to sound cheerful, but wonder what she would do to entertain her kids for this long trip.

  Greg said to his wife, “Honey would you please come to the presidents car when the kids have eaten something.”

  “Okay” she said to him with a quizzical look on her face.

  Greg left her and the kids with the dog in tow. He knew better than to make the dog stay behind. Jasper would pitch a fit when he wanted to go somewhere and he could sense when he could get away with going somewhere or not.