Fall of the Cities: Planting the Orchard

by Vance Huxley

  “Is that where you want your rifle, Harold?” Holly had a long coat on and was carrying her crossbow and the rifle bayonet in one hand. The other was clutching her coat, holding the hidden weapon. “Sal is coming but she wanted you to have the big rifle. It’s heavy under here. Can’t you make something to go over a shoulder?”

  “I’ll fix up a sling later. Good idea Holly.” Harold glanced at number one. “Take it upstairs will you, and put it in the small front bedroom. You take the loophole in the big bedroom but don’t let anyone see you.”

  Holly smiled. “Yes sir!” Then she headed through the door followed by four more men and women.

  “We can’t see with this barricade here, Harold.” Emmy had a spear and her child’s crossbow. “How can I test this for Liz?” This was a flat point on a crossbow bolt, with deep serrations down the sides.

  “If someone charges the barricade, Emmy, you do as we discussed. Stand here and shoot an arrow in them as they stick their heads up. Stab the ones that get over.”

  “I know, but now it’s real I can’t see and that makes me nervous.” It had, Emmy was decidedly jittery.

  “If you can’t see them, they can’t see you to shoot. I’d give you a hug to settle you, but you’d cut me to pieces with all that lot you’re carrying.” Emmy had two kitchen knives in her belt.

  “By the time you’d hugged everyone who’s nervous it would be all over.” Sal pouted as she went past to her position. “With my luck I’d be last and miss out.”

  “Hey, send him in here, we’re nervous.” Harold looked up at Holly, who had opened an upstairs window to join in.

  “You should be in the front bedroom, not the bathroom.” Harold tried for severe but it bounced off all the smiles.

  “Ooh, I want my hug in the bathroom. In the shower?” “Hey, I’m in a bedroom and willing to hug?” Harold tuned out the banter. At least they were all laughing about that now instead of worrying about the cars out there.

  Harold stepped up onto the box put there so he could see over the barricade, and waited. The front of a Bedford van appeared and stopped where the driver could see up the side road. The driver or passenger would be reading the clear writing on the garage doors. “NO ENTRY without Invitation.” The last bit was because they might want some visitors to come in. An experienced joiner for starters, or a blacksmith.

  After a long inspection the van drove slowly past the turnoff and on towards the bypass. Harold relayed what he could see to the group around Emmy. “Six cars have followed that van, and now another van. They’ve all got the side windows painted out except for small clear patches.”

  “Women aboard?” That was Emmy’s suggestion.

  Billy chipped in. “Or maybe they’re coloured?” A sharp crack stopped the speculation.

  Casper called from his vantage point upstairs. “That was a warning shot from the bypass.” He paused. “Some of them are getting out of the vehicles. Billy might be partly right, because one of the men is definitely black. Hang on, Emmy is right as well or one bloke is wearing a skirt.”

  Everyone could hear the bullhorn. “This is MOD property. You will be shot if you trespass.”

  “Let us through. There’s women and kids for God’s sake. You can’t shoot women and kids.” The man’s voice was weak compared to the bullhorn.

  “My little girl is here. Don’t let that lot get her.” The woman’s voice was almost lost in cries from others of her party as they protested.

  “All trespassers will be shot.”

  “Casper, is that Sarge?” Harold was wondering if Sarge really would shoot kids. Sharyn was relying on him not doing so to save Daisy and Wills.

  “I can’t tell Harold but there’s a lot more soldiers up there. At least twenty I reckon.”

  “That many will have an officer.” Harold swore silently. An officer could go one way or the other. So could a sergeant but the man Harold had met wasn’t a child killer.

  “What can we do? Where can we go?”

  “Take shelter in the houses. We will shoot any rioters and criminals with firearms.” That wasn’t really reassuring since the size of the mob on the TV didn’t need firearms.

  “But they’ve burned our houses. Nobody will let us in.” More pleas rose from the small convoy.

  The next words from the bullhorn were unexpected. “Have you asked for sanctuary?”

  “What?” “Where?” “Nobody will talk.”

  “Over here you bloody idiots.” That was Casper, bellowing at the top of his voice. Casper spoke lower. “Sorry Harold, but there’s two kids now, about Daisy’s age. This lot aren’t yobs.”

  “Fair enough.” Harold turned to look at the defenders waiting behind him. “I’m going to let them in if they look all right. Does anyone object?”

  Bernie was worried about how, rather than against the refugees. “We can’t move the barricade!”

  “Not a chance, Bernie. They go round the side and over the wall one at a time, and get searched.”

  Emmy stepped forward. “They have to obey the rules.”

  Harold was baffled. “What rules?”

  “Treat women decently.” “No foul language.” “They help with the defence.” “Everyone works.” “They do as Harold tells them.” “No stealing my hugs.” The last one raised a ripple of laughter.

  “Treat women decently, watch their language, and all pitch in. Does that cover it?”

  “They do what you say, Harold. After all I do and I’m bigger than you are.” Casper paused. “Get ready, there’s four on the way.”

  “We all do what you say, little brother, even if it isn’t orders. This way any newcomers get the message. Otherwise one of them will try for the job.” Sharyn had arrived with a crossbow and six Liz specials to use in it.

  “All right. I’d argue but it wouldn’t be good for my image when you beat me up.” Actually there wasn’t time. Harold pointed at the crossbow. “No last stand today, sis. You can go and put the kettle on.”

  “I’ll go when this is all settled. Until then I’m stopping right here. I brought your little rifle and Alfie has got it because he can’t pull that bow yet.” Sharyn gave Harold a tiny smile. “Yes, I told him to keep it hidden.”

  “Here they come.”

  Harold turned round at Casper’s voice and six people came around the corner and hesitated. Harold called to them. “You can walk up nice and slow with empty hands if you want to talk.”

  The group inspected the houses either side of the barricade, and would be seeing little except blocked windows with Xs cut for shooting arrows from. One of the men cupped his hands. “You won’t shoot?”

  “Why? That would waste arrows and we aren’t the type anyway.”

  A woman spoke up. “It says shoot to kill on the van. We could see it from further down the road.”

  “It says we come in peace on the front and sides but some people don’t like that idea. Then we shoot to kill. So who are you?” Harold wasn’t so sure about this now. A couple of the men looked rough types, though Casper hadn’t looked great when he arrived.

  “We’re from the Ashcroft estate. This morning a big mob appeared outside the barricade. At first they just demanded to be let in, and then they wanted food. Someone started shooting and I don’t know who.” That was the spokesman again, a short slim man who looked to be in his twenties except he was almost bald.

  “Sadie said to get ready. If they came over the barricade we should drive out over the gardens and get away.” The woman looked around. “We don’t know who else made it. The place was already burning behind us so we headed for the bypass.”

  “We had bricks thrown at us and twice we were shot at but not a real attempt to stop us.” This was from the taller of the two rougher men. Something indefinable caused Harold to mentally tag them rougher, something about how they held themselves. Arrogant, confident, and both were keeping their coats closed, but a hand near an undone button. “Now you can let us in.” That sounded more like a demand than a
request.

  “Maybe, or maybe only some. Who ran your estate?”

  The other of the rough pair answered. “The Minutemen ran the estate. We kept out the gangs and went foraging and the residents paid us. How much does it cost to live here?”

  While Harold was processing that the other woman, the younger one, spoke up. “Some of us? You’re not taking just the women, no chance.”

  “No. Or rather yes. We’ll take the women and anyone else who obeys the rules.”

  “What rules, and who are you?” That was the taller Minuteman again.

  Holly’s voice rang out. “That’s our very own Soldier Boy. Just like those up there but this one is ours and you’ll do what he tells you.”

  Harold spoke up before people got too contentious. “That’s one rule. The others are that you treat the women with respect, and we don’t allow crude language. Everyone helps with running the place, doing whatever they are good at.”

  “What extras do the guards get, the fighters?”

  Emmy’s voice sounded. “None, we’re all fighters if we have to be.”

  “Too true” and similar sentiments sounded from various voices.

  “Sod that. I’m not putting myself on the line for fuck all. Come on you lot, we’re moving on. We’ll fort up someplace.” The taller Minuteman turned to the group which had now grown to eight.

  “You wait a minute, Pierce. This place is already forted up. I can handle not swearing and I don’t abuse women anyway.” The original speaker, the small slim man, turned towards Harold. “I’ll do whatever work you want. We’ve got some gear in our vehicles. How do we get in?”

  “Zip it Conn. I’m running the convoy and I say we leave.” Pierce put a hand inside his coat and glanced towards the bypass to check that the house was blocking the Army’s view.

  “Leave it!” All eyes turned to Harold. “You use what’s under that coat and you die. I warned you. Come in peace or we shoot to kill.” Harold reconsidered. A hand gun would be better this side of the barricade than in this man’s hands. “Take it out nice and slow with two fingers and it goes on the floor.” The man tensed, as did his companion.

  “She told you he’s a soldier. He taught me to shoot. Tell me when, Soldier Boy.” The men on the approach might have laughed at Toby’s young voice if it hadn’t been so utterly serious.

  Casper knew how the macho bullshit worked. “I’m up here with a lovely view so any time you like.” Harold hoped not. Even after Harold had used grease to try and tighten up the spread, the shot would probably get the women as well.

  “Me too.” Holly’s voice didn’t leave any room for doubt. Nor did Alfie’s, Bernie’s or Curtis when he joined in.

  “How do we defend ourselves if we disarm?” The Minuteman was glaring at Conn, who had quickly moved away from him.

  “With whatever your friend has under his coat. This is your fine for foul language after being told the rules. You also take your coat off and put it down over the weapon and the pair of you stand over the other side of the road, hands on heads. Are any more of the Minutemen here?”

  “Two more in the last van.” That was the older woman, and her glare was directed at the two with hands on their heads.

  “Someone tell them to back that van up to the other side of the turning. They can do it now, or not at all because I’ve got a rifle that will go clean through a van.” Harold paused. “Now you, fella, put your coat and whatever that is on the floor.” Once again the man hesitated, weighing up the distance to the corner and cover.

  “He is a Soldier Boy just like we told you, and he really has got a great big rifle.” Harold sighed as Holly spoke up. He had to stop them doing that, though it worked this time. The man complied, slowly, and moved away from his coat and a handgun. One of the group went around the corner and voices were raised. A head appeared and looked at the two with hands on their heads. The Minuteman jerked his head and a few minutes later the van backed up and just out of sight past the opening.

  “What about my coat? Not only that but I’ve got gear in the other vehicles.” The tall man was edging back a little towards the centre of the road.

  “No. You’ve got your van, and some weapons. Take them and go, and don’t come back. Just remember next time. If you charge people to protect them, they won’t back you up.” Harold paused. “The next time someone tells you the rules, pay attention.” Somehow he doubted this one would.

  The two men moved slowly away, and the taller called to the young woman. “Come on Bess, we’re leaving.”

  “You are. I’m going in there with that big strong soldier type.”

  “Bitch. You’ll be sorry.”

  “I doubt it. Piss off, loser.” She grinned. “You’d better get moving before that mob arrives.”

  The pair of men turned and went around the corner. Harold called to the rest. “Send a spokesman or woman forward, and tell the rest to get ready. Park the vehicles on the rubble across from the entrance.”

  There was a quick consultation and Conn called out. “We really can’t bring the vehicles?”

  “Not yet, maybe later when things calm down. This barricade doesn’t move.” There was more consultation. Meanwhile Harold, and the rest, heard the van reverse off up the road. Then there was the stop-start sound of a three point turn and the vehicle roared off.

  Conn, Bess, the older woman and another young man moved up nearly to the barricade. “How do we get over that?” Behind Conn the first car was backing up and bumping over the rubble in the front garden of the ruined house Harold had indicated. A woman and young girl climbed out and began pulling out bags.

  “One at a time. You walk through where that garage has no back and round the boundary.” Harold smiled. “Past the shoot to kill sign. You come in one at a time and are searched. No drugs except medicinal and they go to Patricia, our nurse. If you need any, talk to her.”

  “We’ll be searched?”

  “We’ll only take weapons and drugs until you’re settled in. Then you get the weapons back or something else. Hide any firearms or ammunition for them so the Army never see them, and warn the searchers.”

  The older woman scowled. “The Minutemen didn’t allow us to have firearms. These searchers. What about the women?”

  “They’ll be searched by women. I suggest someone goes to the Army and explains since you’ll be walking between our boundary and theirs.”

  “What?” That was the younger man, but all four looked worried.

  Harold tried to sound reassuring. “Safe enough. You’re outside the exclusion zone, but telling them helps with those nervous trigger fingers.”

  “Ah, right. I’ll do that.” Conn turned and went back down the road.

  “Do we have to be searched by women?” Bess was smiling up at Harold. “You can search me if you want to?” Damn, she’d obviously been the Minuteman’s girl and had switched targets.

  “Get in line, girl.” Emmy was trying not to laugh.

  So was Sal. “There’s a queue.”

  “It’s a long one.” Holly actually giggled. Harold thought hers might be relief.

  “Before that you’ve got to pass inspection from his sister.” Sharyn smiled up at Harold’s incredulous look and added very quietly. “Unless you don’t want her backed off, bro?”

  Harold grinned and turned back. Oops, Bess was still smiling “I can work to the rules. My name is Bess and that van just drove off with my worldly possessions.”

  “We’ll fix you up. I’m sure I can find you something.” There was a ripple of laughter as Casper spoke, which puzzled Bess but she turned and made for the designated path. From the humour Harold thought a lot of people were relieved, and he certainly was.

  Some of the new people had to go back to the cars and the van several times for bags, while others had little more than what they were wearing. The evacuation of the Ashcroft estate really had been rushed. Harold couldn’t place the name, which meant it wasn’t one that had been on the TV as a trouble spot. Ju
st another group of houses trying to survive. He glanced towards the city centre and was sure the plumes of smoke were nearer.

  Once the dozen adults and two children were inside the boundary, they lined up while Harold spoke to them. “Hello everyone. I’m Harold. This lot do more or less what I ask, and you’ll have to do the same. I will listen to suggestions, and I mean listen. Please don’t waste my time though.”

  Harold gestured at the dozen residents stood about with bats and crossbows. “These people behind me are some of the residents and will be fixing you up with houses. We’ve got plenty of empty ones but they’ll need airing out. Tomorrow we’ll sort out what help you can be in keeping the place running.”

  Conn was still the spokesman. “What’s the rent for the houses?”

  “Nothing.” Harold smiled. “They’re not my houses. I didn’t pay for the one I’m in which is the one with the flag.”

  “Are you really a soldier?” Bess was giving Harold, and then the rest of the men in the group, a close inspection.

  “Ex-soldier, yes.”

  “Where do I sleep?” Bess made that an offer with her body language and smile. Some of the girl club needed to talk to her, Harold decided.

  “Most single women, the younger ones, sleep in the girl club.” Harold gestured behind him where Sal and Emmy waited. “These ladies will explain. They might even find you some clothes.” He turned to Emmy and murmured “Back her off for Christ’s sake.”

  “You could pick one of the girl club as a girlfriend?” Emmy’s voice was just as low and she headed Bess-wards with a big smile leaving Harold openmouthed. Others moved in and began to talk to families or single people, and then help them move their gear further into the estate.

  “What is this place called?” Conn waved his arms to encompass the housing.

  “Orchard Close.” Matthew had come to help with the new influx but paused to answer.