by Roger Hayden
He caught a glimpse of Carol as she moved past Larry, ignoring his pleas to stay down, and fired multiple shots outside the window. The startling gun blasts sent Marla to the floor, covering her ears. James backed against the wall and pulled out his pistol. From the living room, Carol fired shot after shot, kneeling at the window. Larry shouted at her to get away from the window as he tried to control the spreading fire. She fired several rounds in quick succession, drowning out his voice.
James lifted Marla up, pulling her toward the bedroom and to the bed where he dropped her. “Stay down! I need to help them.”
“No, don’t go out there,” she pleaded. But James couldn’t stand idly by. He hadn’t done so yet that day, despite the trouble that seemed to follow wherever he went.
A barrage of gunfire followed from outside the cabin, shattering what was left of the windows and tearing apart the cabin as the bullets hit and ricocheted in all directions. James hit the ground and crawled to the hall as an eerie silence followed, absent gunfire.
Just when he thought the worst was over, more shots rang out, blasting through the cabin door and all across the living room. Marla screamed. James rushed back and shielded her the best he could. For a moment, he feared that Larry and Carol were dead. He heard nothing from them, nothing but Marla's cries.
“It's okay,” he said, arms wrapped around her. Their cash and everything else they owned was haphazardly packed inside his open suitcase. “You wait here. Just for a second.”
“No,” she repeated with his eyes closed.
“I'm just going to check on them. Then we need to get out of here.” He turned and left the room despite her repeated objections. He crouched low and moved down the hallway, pistol aimed ahead. The gunfire had ceased, and for a moment, everything was quiet. Small patches of fire burned throughout the living room. Near the couch, he saw Larry and Carol lying on their stomachs.
“Oh no...” he muttered with a gasp. “It can't be.”
Suddenly, both their heads came up as Larry pulled Carol closer, whispering for her to stay quiet. James's momentary relief turned to dread once he heard a voice call out to them from outside.
“All right, you all had your fun. Now, come on out of the cabin, unarmed, and no one will get hurt!”
James watched Larry and Carol for their reaction, but they seemed to be in too much shock to make a move. He turned and looked inside the bedroom to see Marla standing frozen near the bed.
“Don't make us come in there and drag you out,” the man's voice continued, deep and authoritative. “We ain't going to hurt ya', now. Just want to have a talk.”
James called out to Larry and Carol in an intense, hushed tone. “Get away from the window. Both of you!”
They began to crawl toward him, avoiding broken glass, as the man outside continued to taunt them.
“We've got the cabin surrounded! Don't think about coming out nowhere but that front door. And keep your hands up!”
Marla suddenly screamed from the bedroom and came rushing out. “They’re right outside our room.”
James as he pulled her near. Larry and Carol made it to the hall as fire began to spread throughout the kitchen.
“Don't make me count to five!” the voice shouted. “I'm getting sick of playing nice.”
James couldn't say for sure who the men were surrounding their cabin, but he had a good idea. He just couldn't figure out how they had found the place. “They’re looking for me,” he admitted. “I’ll go talk to them.”
Larry stared at as though he was crazy. “What are you talking about?”
Marla gripped his shoulder, holding him back. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Carol raised her rifle, showing little fear. “No one is going to take this cabin, you hear me?”
James let out an exhausted sigh as he tried to come clean about his trip to Winslow. “Listen. There's a prison not far from here. You might already know that.”
“Yeah,” Larry said defiantly. “So?”
“Well, thanks for telling us,” James snapped. For a moment, he felt as though he was in the right, but that was hardly the case. Had he led the men there, or had they found the cabin just by chance?
“Are they from the prison?” Carol asked, looking between Larry and James.
“That's what I wanted to say earlier,” James continued. “I...” Their faces were on him, waiting for an explanation. “I ran into some escaped prisoners. It could be the same group. I don't know.”
Larry's confusion morphed into rage as his face reddened and the cords in his neck tightened in fury. "What in the holy hell are you talking about?"
“Five seconds!” the voice shouted. He then began counting as James rose to his feet. If there was any other way, he didn't know it.
“We can bargain,” James said. “Give them whatever they want.”
“To hell with that,” Carol said.
Marla slid to the floor, her face awash in confusion and fear. The five second countdown ended in silence both inside and outside the cabin. James watched the windows, heart racing and sweat pouring down his forehead.
"All right!" the voice continued. "We're going to light the place up. Can't say that I didn't warn ya'!"
Larry rose up instantly, shouting, "Hold your damn horses! We’re coming out!" with his hands cupped to his mouth like a megaphone. He then helped Carol to her feet as they brushed bits of glass from the front of their clothes.
“We can't...” Marla said, hunched down. “They'll kill us.”
Larry turned to her with a somberness in his tone. “It'll be okay. Let me handle this.”
James pulled Marla up as the two couples stood in the demolished living room, where only moments ago, they were having a quiet dinner. Larry took a deep breath and marched toward the door, announcing to whomever was out there that they were coming out.
“Unarmed!” the man's voice reminded them.
Carol stopped and gently placed the rifle under the couch as though it pained her. Larry followed suit and hid the pistols under there as well. They walked to the door as a group and waited as Larry opened it. At first, the outside darkness was deceiving. There was no way to tell how many men were waiting for them. James saw a few silhouettes in the distance near Larry's station wagon, several of the men with unlit cocktails in hand. He then saw about a dozen more to the side.
They looked to be all men of varying builds and sizes. Somewhere in the middle, a man flicked a Zippo lighter, adding a flame to a makeshift torch. He held it up proudly, exposing his haggard, bearded face. Strangely enough, he was wearing the uniform of a corrections officer. James followed Larry and Carol farther outside and down the steps with Marla at his side. As they got closer to the men, he could see that many of them were holding rifles, Colt M4 carbines among their weaponry. These were no civilian weapons. He had no doubt they had stolen them from the prison.
“Hi,” the man holding the torch said with a friendly smile. “About time you came to your senses.”
“What do you want?” Larry said defiantly. As he drew closer to the ringleader, several rifles swung forward and aimed at directly at him. Larry halted mid-step and placed his hands in the air.
“That's far enough,” the man said. “You all just stand in a line there, so we can see your hands.”
James glanced at Marla, hesitant to move forward. She clutched his hand, looking off into the woods as though they had a path to escape. But to leave Larry and Carol in such a fashion would surely cost them their lives. And he didn't think they'd make it very far either. He reluctantly led Marla to where Larry and Carol stood in front of the cabin. Seemingly pleased, the man in charge stepped forward, all smiles.
“My name's Brant. I know it's only been a week or so since all hell broke loose, but things have changed around here.” He paused, handing the torch off to one of his men. In all, James saw about ten of them, more than he had encountered before. Under the half moon and starless sky, the man continued. “We're the law out
here now. And that's just the way it's going to be.”
“Who the hell are you?” Larry said, tired of the games. A quick and unexpected slap landed hard on his face, not from Brant, but from one of his men. Larry stumbled to the side as Carol caught him and then seethed at the men. “Don't you touch him, you son of a bitch! This is our cabin. Our land. You have no right to come here and bother us.”
Larry patted her shoulder, urging her to stay quiet. “It's okay, dear. I'm fine.”
Brant smiled at them, patiently waiting to continue. “Who I am is not important. What I want is the key here.” He began pacing in front of them like some mock general, clearly enjoying the power trip. James kept Marla close, hoping that it would soon be over. If the men had wanted them dead, he was sure that would have already happened. But after what he’d gone through, he knew of the dangers that surrounded them.
Brant slowly extended his arm, pointing directly at James. “You. You're the one we've been looking for.”
James's heart stopped as Larry and Carol turned their heads in his direction.
“Yes,” Brant continued with his sly measured mannerisms. “You've been busy today. I bet you didn't think that we could track you down, but a few of my friends here know this area quite well.”
"I don't know what you're talking about," James said adamantly.
Brant rocked his head back laughing. "Oh, come on," he said, wiping at his eye. "We've been tracking since that farm house where you killed three of my men, blew one of their heads clean off with a shotgun.”
Larry, Carol and Marla, all in shock, stood still as statues.
James shook his head, not ready to admit to anything. But Brant took his silence as a clear admission. “Nothing to say now, right?” He took a step back and then lit a cigarette. “It's okay. Look, it's survival of the fittest now. I understand. Let's establish a rapport. Tell me your names.” He waited as no one spoke up. The chill in the air only made things worse. They were completely alone out there. No one was going to help them, and they were completely at the mercy of men who looked ready to kill them at a moment's command.
James began by introducing himself, first name only. Marla followed with her name.
“I'm Larry, this is my wife, Carol,” Larry said.
“Excellent!” Brant said. “That wasn't so hard.”
Larry then turned to James, shaken and confused. “What are they talking about? How did they track you and why?”
There was no answer James could give. He didn't even know where to start. The evening was unfolding like a nightmare he couldn’t get out of. Marla's touch gave him strength, but from their expressions, it was clear that she, Larry and Carol were hearing all this for the first time.
"Oh, you didn't tell your friends?" Brant began with a laugh. "No worries. James, here chased a few of my men off. I admit my boys were roughing up this old farmer for fun. And then this psycho here just came out blazing.”
All Larry could do was stare at James in disbelief. Carol's expression of betrayal was perhaps the worst, a combination of shock and anger.
"It's quite a story," Brant said, stepping forward. He then contemptuously flicked his cigarette right over James's shoulder. "And now I'm here to even the score." They waited as he lit another smoke. "I want the keys to that Challenger. A few of my boys stepped on those bear traps you got set up everywhere, and we need to get them out of here." James dug into his pocket and tossed the keys to Brant. He ignored the icy stares of Larry and Carol as he did it. Brant caught the keys in mid-air, seemingly satisfied. But things didn't quite end there.
"Now get down on your knees and sit tight as we go shopping," he said it as though it was nothing more than an everyday thing.
James and the group stood without moving, confused by the order, but Brant again shouted at them to get down, his voice echoing through the forest. James dropped as he guided Marla down. Larry and Carol slowly, reluctantly, did the same. Brant signaled a few of his men inside, and they rushed in, eager for a free for all. They heard tables flip and glass break, men shouting gleefully and boots pounding through the cabin. The men soon emerged with weapons, clothes, and a trove of other items James couldn't see. The excitable men suddenly began pushing each other around, arguing over the pilfered items.
Brant stepped forward and fired a pistol in the air, silencing them. “Enough childish bullshit. Let’s finish this.”
For a moment, James felt earthly relief as though he could breathe again. Brant turned back to them and approached Larry, gun in hand. “What about these two?” he asked, pointing to the vehicles. “Any of them work?”
Larry shook his head. “No. Engine's shot on both.”
Brant studied him with glaring skepticism, only to relent. “I suppose I believe you. I mean, why else would you be hiding out here. James, on the other hand, had other ideas.” He turned as though the ordeal was over, but then suddenly stopped and tilted his head up at the sky. “I almost forgot the most important thing. Part of the new way.”
"What do you mean?" Larry asked.
Brant, pivoting around on the heel of his boot. "Women. We're collecting up women now. They're a very useful commodity. Back at the home station, it helps to have that womanly touch."
Before James or Larry could even process what Brant was getting at, a dozen men descended on them, tackling them and holding them to the ground. James felt Marla's hand being ripped from his as she screamed in horror. Carol kicked and screamed too as they dragged her off. James tried to wrestle free, but was held down, rifle barrels to his head. They pushed his face into the dirt as he screamed out to Marla. Her screams soon faded along with Carol's as they were carried off into the woods. He turned to see Larry on the ground next to him, face white as a ghost and lying paralyzed and in shock. Brant stood over them, telling them not to fight.
"This is the deal. Now accept it and live, or fight us and die."
James ceased resisting as the men slowly released him. The swarm stepped away, but kept their rifles pointed at them. James could still hear Marla screaming from afar. He couldn't just sit there, even if he wanted to. The urge was just too much. He leapt up suddenly and shouted for her, charging toward Brent. A tremendous blow thundered into his head from behind and he collapsed to the ground unconscious, as everything went black.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story!
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The disaster saga reaches its thrilling conclusion in Hideaway: Book Two – Retribution
With the cabin destroyed and their wives kidnapped, James and Larry have to decide how far they’re willing to go to save the women they love. The road ahead is a treacherous one under the crippling aftermath of a massive EMP attack. The nearby prison has been transformed into a fortress of sorts and a base from where attacks are launched at unsuspecting towns and communities around the area.
The leader of the prisoners, a mysterious man named wants to spread his operation to steal as many resources as his men can. Meanwhile, a bitter winter arrives on the horizon, destined to blanket the area in endless snowfall. If Marla has any chance, James must weather the elements and survive unforeseen dangers at all ends. Can they survive, or
will they join the casualties already sweeping the country during its national nightmare? The answers of who launched the EMP strikes and why soon come to light with the arrival of a global conflict like none other in history. Find out more in the final installment of the gripping EMP survival series, Hideaway!
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