by Harp, Wilson
I followed Kenny to the back porch where there was a tub of chilled water and some soap and towels. The small enclosed area was better built than most back porches and even as the winter storm raged outside, the creak and moan of the trees never gave way to chilly blasts of air.
“Smells like Sophia is going to feast us tonight,” I said as I washed my hands.
“The pork?” Kenny asked. “Nah, that’s for the trip. We’re just going to try some tonight to make sure it was cured properly.”
The back door opened and Ted and Anne came out to wash up.
“Sure has picked up,” Anne said as she looked out the window. “Glad it didn’t hit an hour or two ago. We’d not have made it.”
“True,” I said. “Thanks for meeting me with the horses, would have hated to get trapped in this on foot.”
“What do you think?” Kenny asked Ted. “We going to have trouble getting out of here tomorrow?”
“It should blow over. Once we get up to Highway 60, it should be easy going. The good news is we should only meet purposeful traffic on the way to Cape. Trouble will hunker down where it’s warm and wait for an easier day.”
“Food is on the table and getting cold,” Sophia said from the door. “Get in here and eat.”
We made our way to the dining room where there were several bowls of vegetables and two covered platters.
“We’re going to try our trail rations,” Ted said as we sat down.
Anne had slipped off her hat on the way back in from the back porch, and for the first time, I saw her hair. It wasn’t just short, it was practically a crew cut.
“What?” she asked as she saw me stare. “Frank told you I cut my hair off.”
“I just didn’t think… Why?” I finally asked.
“I told her to,” Ted said.
I looked at Ted as he spooned some carrots and peas onto his plate.
“Her hair?”
“It’s safer. As long as she keeps her coat on, no one will think she is a woman from a distance. And if she keeps from speaking, it would take a keen eye to tell even fairly close.”
“She is not going with us,” I said. I was angry. I hated to be told what was going to happen where my own life was concerned.
“She is, David. We need her and she’s going to come even if we were to tie her up and leave her behind.”
“This is ridiculous,” I said. “There are going to be three of us going, we don’t need another.”
“She’s a good shot,” Kenny said. “She’s good with animals and she can keep up. All pluses in my book.”
I turned to Anne to say something. I knew this would blow up into a fight. Exactly what I didn’t want. When I looked at her, though, my mouth went dry. Instead of the stubborn look in her eyes I expected, tears welled up and one broke down her cheek as I fumbled for words.
“David,” Sophia said from the kitchen door way. “She has to go. She has no reason not to. And you won’t give her a reason to stay behind.”
I had lost the argument. I knew what Sophia meant. If I would stay and give up the quest for my family, then Anne would have no reason to make the trip to Chicago with me. But if I made the trip to Chicago, then she would lose me forever. If I found Lexi and Emma, I would be a husband and father again. If I didn’t, then I would have no reason to go back to Kenton. That was the plan in the back of my head all along. I hadn’t told anyone. Not Ted. Not Kenny. Not even myself. But Anne knew, somehow. And she wouldn’t allow herself to just sit in Kenton and wonder what had happened.
“Okay,” I said finally. “I guess we’re four.”
Anne wiped her eyes and looked over at Sophia with a thankful smile.
“Let’s try out some of our trail food,” Ted said.
Kenny lifted the lids off the platters and I looked at a shallow platter of water and bacon. The other platter held some large, irregularly shaped pieces of what looked like graham crackers.
“What is that?” I asked. “Bacon?”
“Salt pork. Same cut as bacon, but cured with salt. We’ll see how it tastes. We also made some hard tack,” Ted said. “The recipes are in a survivalist book I have. Sophia thought she might be able to make it for us.”
“How much are we carrying?” I asked.
“Forty pounds of the salt pork and twenty of the hard tack. We’ll try to hunt small game every day, but when we’re going to go hungry, we can eat on this. I figure half a pound of pork and quarter pound hardtack will get us through.”
I did the math in my head and nodded. “That would be around twenty days of food. It won’t get us to Chicago and back,” I said.
“No,” said Ted. “That’s why we’ll have to hunt as we go.”
Anne picked up a piece of the pork and tasted it. She crinkled her nose. “Salty. We’ll have to make sure we have plenty of water.”
“Three canteens each,” Kenny said. “Twelve pounds of water, plus fifteen pounds for the food. How much does your pack weigh, David?”
“About forty pounds,” I said. “Maybe fifty.”
“Seventy-five pounds is a lot. But we’ll do what we have to,” Ted said. “It’s just at 110 miles to Cape. Should take us about five days, maybe six.”
“If the weather holds,” Kenny said.”
“Yes, if the weather holds. But by that time, we’ll know how far we can get with those packs. Besides, maybe we’ll have eaten some of our food stores.”
Anne nibbled on some hardtack. “This isn’t bad,” she said. “Try some, David.”
I realized the others had been eating as we talked. I was so focused on what they were saying, my plate was empty.
“Eat up,” Ted said as I reached for a bowl of veggies. “We have an early day tomorrow and we aren’t going to fix a big breakfast.”
I smiled as I piled my plate. I knew it would be a long time before I ate this well again.
Chapter 3
When I woke the next morning, Sophia had been up cooking. Despite what Ted had threatened the night before, there was indeed a big breakfast waiting for us. Scrambled eggs and ham with a biscuit each. Even with two wheat harvests the previous year, flour was still one of the more expensive items to buy with scrip in Kenton. Of course, the flour stored at Ted’s place was from before the EMP hit. Ted had been pretty careful about revealing how much provisions they had, but Kenny had let it slip Sophia had stored up about 200 pounds of flour. Still, after nine months the larders had to be greatly reduced. Especially since we were carrying twenty pounds of hardtack. I thought about what she was sacrificing for me. Not only the food we would carry with us, but also taking Ted and Kenny away from her. Tom and the other men would be able to help her run the place, but her brother and Ted were the main forces of authority.
Kenny had been banished from Kenton for killing Brent Talley, and Ted had stepped back from leadership and had taken on an advisory role for Mayor Stokes and Major Davidson., but they would be missed here at the compound as capable men willing and able to do what was necessary to keep the town alive. In some ways, I would be missed to. I seemed to have people come to me to help them fix little mechanical problems. They had heard about the radio and they assumed I could fix anything. Most of the time I couldn’t, but occasionally I would fix something and my reputation grew.
“David, get your stuff and let’s get outside,” Ted said. “I want to make sure the packs are distributed correctly.”
I pushed away from the breakfast table and slipped on my coat. I hadn’t been outside yet, but it looked cold. Ted’s compound had indoor plumbing, which was a blessing on days where the outhouse run required a coat.
I zipped up the coat and got my hat and gloves on as I could see the sky begin to lighten. I grabbed my bag and headed out the kitchen door.
“I’ll take good care of them, Anne,” Sophia said as the women walked from the stable.
Anne had agreed to leave her horses with Sophia until she returned. The compound would likely rent them out to Kenton for a fair amo
unt of scrip during the spring planting, and Sophia would give a quarter of the income to Anne when she returned.
“You about ready, Anne?” Ted asked.
Anne nodded and took the backpack which Ted held out to her. She strained but didn’t let it hit the ground as he let go. She grunted and swung it onto her back.
“Let me help you,” Sophia said. But Ted motioned her back.
Anne twisted and grunted, but finally got the straps secured.
“Well, I’m not going to do that again this morning,” she said. “So let’s get moving now I have it in place.”
Ted laughed and swung his own pack onto his back. I followed suit and barely contained a grunt myself as I felt the weight hit my shoulders. An extra fifteen pounds isn’t much except when you already have fifty in place.
“Howdy folks,” Tom said as he came out of his house. “Looks like you are heading out after all.”
“Yeah, we need to get onto the highway before dark,” I said. “That’ll give us a good start.”
Tom had two zippered, long, leather gun cases with him.
“I got them all cleaned up for you, Ted,” he said.
“Good, Tom. Give one to Kenny when he gets out.” Ted looked around. “Sophia, where is Kenny?”
“He wanted to look in on the kids one more time,” she said. “He’s going to miss them dearly.”
Ted nodded. “I’ll get him home soon enough.”
“You better,” she said.
The door to the house opened and Kenny came out. He already had his pack strapped on and was bundled up heavier than the rest of us.
“David, why couldn’t you have waited until spring to try this?” he asked. “Or why couldn’t you have lived down in New Orleans? The coldest I ever was down there was when I sat in front of the air conditioner for too long.”
Tom handed one of the gun cases to Kenny and hugged him. Ted and Tom shook hands as Sophia drifted to the door. It was a cold morning and I’m sure she wanted to get warm as soon as we were off.
Ted slung the other gun case over his shoulder and looked around at the little home which had been an oasis for those lucky enough to live here.
“Let’s get going,” he said.
Tom waited by the gate and nodded his farewell as we left. Ted took the lead and Anne followed right behind. I looked over my shoulder and saw Sophia had Kenny in a big hug. There had been many years where Kenny was lost to her, but they were as close as I had ever seen siblings since he turned his life around. I looked back at the others and had to quicken my pace to catch up to them. A few minutes later I heard the snow crunch under Kenny’s long strides behind me.
The trees along the access road provided a solid canopy which blocked the morning sun. It was colder in the deep shadows and the wind whipped down the straight stretch of road.
When we reached the highway, we turned north. There were a few ways to get to Cape which would be miles shorter, but the Army had secured Highway 60 from Sikeston out to Mountain View. We would take the interstate north to Cape once we hit Sikeston.
I had only been about twelve or fifteen miles from Kenton since the event, but Ted and Kenny had both been on scavenging runs to Poplar Bluff. They said the small city was a wreck. Nothing left. Frank had said Cape was even worse. I didn’t want to imagine what Chicago would look like.
The sun had just dappled the snow-covered land with its yellow rays when we reached the turn off to Lester Collins’ place. There were signs offering all sorts of depraved entertainment for low cost. Even a discount for those who were with the army. Sitting next to the sign closest to the road was a bundle of blankets which contained a man covered in heavy layers. He stood as we approached.
“I can’t believe you’re really going on this stupid trip,” Lester said to Ted.
“If you didn’t believe it, you wouldn’t have dragged yourself out into the cold to see us off,” Ted said.
Lester looked at each of us and then spit on the ground.
“Well, can’t say I’ll miss your scrip much, seeing as how I never took any from you. Except Kenny. Still, I guess I owe you some thanks, Ted. You kept Kenton alive.” Lester stuck his hand out for Ted. Ted gripped it firm and they shook hands.
“I’ll be back, Lester.”
“No you won’t, Ted. I don’t believe in lies or hope. Never have. You were always fun to talk to.” Lester turned to Kenny. “I don’t think I will ever forget some of our talks. You should come back with me now. I’ll have you back to Sophia before dark.”
“I got to go, Lester. You know that. But I’ll be back. And that’s not a lie nor hope. It’s my word.”
“If you say so, Kenny. You ain’t never lied to me before.”
Lester looked at me and Anne with the wry little smile he always had. It made me think he was about to say something horridly offensive, and it was only a sense of strange humor which held him back.
“I’d wish you good luck, but I don’t believe in that. So I’ll just say have a good day.”
Lester turned and gathered up his folding chair and started back toward his place.
Ted watched Lester for a few seconds before he motioned us onward.
The sun was bright and the snow became slick as the top layer melted off. We stayed in the middle of the highway, but even there our footing wasn’t solid enough to set a good pace.
We paused at noon and found some shelter in an old viaduct. A few minutes to relieve our bladders, drink some water, and chew on some of the salt pork was all Ted would allow us. I had a feeling he was pushing us hard to get us used to what lay ahead.
The sun was sitting right above the tree line when we heard the noise in front of us. Ted motioned us off the side of the road and we huddled down to see what was coming. A dark green truck moved slowly over the next hill and came to a stop. It was an army truck, but Ted motioned us to stay still. The trucks engine turned off and three men climbed out of the cab.
“Army?” Kenny asked.
“Probably,” Ted said. “Just want to make sure.”
Two of the men held rifles and scanned around the truck as the third climbed up on top of the cab. The man on top of the truck lifted what looked to be a pole about five feet in the air. A large piece of red fabric was attached and he waved it back and forth as he looked back toward where they had come from.
“Yep, Army,” said Ted. “Let’s go greet them. Let them know we are here.”
We walked out of our hiding place and to the middle of the road. One of the men on the ground saw us and pointed our way.
“Just walk toward them,” said Ted. “We have every right to be on the road this afternoon.”
We walked toward the stopped truck as the three soldiers got back into the cab of the vehicle. They must have decided we were not a danger, and even if we were, they would have a good five minutes sitting out of the wind before they would have to deal with us.
We were right at a hundred yards away when the driver climbed out of the truck and walked toward us.
“You fellows are out on a lonesome stretch on a pretty cold day,” he said.
“Heading out from Kenton,” Ted answered. “Making a pilgrimage.”
The soldier nodded. “Family?”
“Yes,” I said.
He looked at me and cocked his head. “Whereabouts?”
“North,” Ted answered.
“I’m Captain Rowland,” the man said. “My folks and other family are out in Pennsylvania. I figure I’ll make the pilgrimage one day myself.”
“Get stuck out here?” Kenny asked.
Rowland shook his head. “No, married a Missouri girl I met in college some twenty years ago. We moved near her folks in Farmington.”
“Farmington okay?” Ted asked.
Rowland shook his head. “No, me and the missus got out of there and tried to head south last spring right after it happened. I met up with some army patrolling out of Cape and they took me back. I did a tour before college.”
&nb
sp; “You were signaling someone a bit ago?” asked Ted.
“We have a group behind us on foot. We’re trying to make it to Kenton tonight, but I don’t know if we will have enough time.”
“About 11 miles,” Ted said. “Four more hours. If they push hard.”
Rowland frowned and looked at the sun. Maybe two more hours of light. When they get up here, I’ll see how many want to try to get to Collins place. We may just hunker down.”
“How many with you?” Kenny asked.
Rowland smiled. “I don’t know if I can say. Though if you can count to twenty, you’ll probably figure it out in about an hour. Less if you get on your way.”
Ted nodded. “You’re right, we should get on our way while there’s still light.”
We walked past the truck and left Rowland and his men. When we crested the hill, we could see the line of troops walking about two miles ahead.
“Why bring in twenty troops?” Kenny asked. “From what I hear, it’s up towards 44 where the problems are.”
“Maybe they got Rolla secure,” Ted said. “If they’re able to connect with Fort Wood, they’ll control most of southern Missouri.”
“So what then? The army just controls us?” Anne asked. “We just have to trust them not to take what they want from us?”
“They could have done it at any time, Anne,” Kenny said. “I don’t trust the government, but I’m happy to see some outside law assert itself.”
“Ironic,” I said.