by Annie Berdel
The front of the RV crashed through the barrier, splintering it like small wooden toothpicks. It wasn’t much time later that Chloe felt the wheel hit the body lying in the way. Fighting back the urge to vomit, Chloe increased her speed as she saw the other end of the bridge was blocked with cars instead. Shots rang out with a bullet crashing through the front windshield. Chloe ducked in her seat trying to make herself as small a target as possible. Ahead in the headlights she saw the men standing across the bridge, their rifles aimed at her. Pushing the lever of her seat into a lying back position, Chloe floored the gas. Holding onto the steering wheel as best she could, she tried to keep the RV straight without being able to see. Within seconds she felt the impact. The jolt had her sitting upwards again with her chest across the steering wheel. One man’s eyes locked onto hers through the window and then they were gone along with the cars blocking the way. Chloe would never forget the look of pure terror on the man’s face as the RV slammed into his body, melding it into one fused being with the metal of the vehicles around him. She kept driving as fast as she could, her body overtaken with extreme amounts of adrenaline. It wasn’t until she almost tipped the RV over trying to navigate a curve that she realized she needed to slow down and continue to the meet up location. Little did she realize that Michael was right behind her coming across the bridge, eating the debris that she was spitting out from under the motor home. He didn’t see the body and ended up flipping over end over end as what was left of a man’s torso hit the front wheel of his bike.
Chloe drove to the designated pull off and waiting for the rest of her party. Betsy should be arriving soon with Megan and her family. Michael shouldn’t be far behind. Actually he should have been there already, she thought.
A beating on the door had her jolting and reaching for her gun. “Chloe?” she heard Megan call out.
“Oh geez,” Chloe responded.
“You OK?” Megan asked as she ushered the kids onto the RV quickly.
“Ya. Ya. You see Michael out there anywhere?”
“No. He’s not here yet?” Betsy asked.
“I haven’t seen him,” Chloe said.
None of the women spoke, each looking from one to the other.
Betsy turned and walked over to where River Rat was. “We’ll be right back,” she said to Megan and Chloe. “Don’t do anything until we get back.”
Chloe and Megan exchanged looks as Betsy got back into the boat with River Rat. Turning the boat, the duo headed upstream.
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“Don’t you dare tell my husband what we are doing,” Betsy threatened the man steering the boat. Grinning a toothless grin, the man cut the engines on the boat and edged it close to shore. Hand over hand, grabbing the brush alongside the bank, he maneuvered the boat as close to the bridge as he could.
Betsy could hear moaning coming from on top of the bridge. Was it Michael? Trying to hear as best as she could, she just couldn’t make out any familiar sounds. Double checking her Sig Sauer P938 Betsy waited as patiently as she could for River Rat to secure the boat. Stepping out into the mud, Betsy grabbed onto the debris to pull herself up the bank as quietly as she could. The moaning was coming from the opposite side of the bridge. Scooting back down the bank, Betsy pointed for River Rat to get the boat to the other side. Pulling the boat further upstream, River Rat pushed it away from the bank and allowed the current to carry them back under the bridge to the other side. Using the oar as little as possible, he managed to dock the boat and pull it back along the bank to the bridge trestle.
Once again, Betsy made her way to the top of the embankment and listened. The groaning was coming from not far away. Debris littered the road like a tornado had come through. Listening, Betsy still couldn’t tell if it was from Michael yet or not.
It was now or never, Betsy thought as she inhaled. Getting to a crouched position, she quickly scurried in the direction of the noise. A soft gooey substance kept sticking to the bottom of her feet, like walking over the kitchen floor after someone used too much cleaner in the water. Getting closer, Betsy saw that it was Michael lying on the ground clutching his head in pain. Quickly kneeling beside him, she laid her finger across her lips to try and quiet him.
“Betsy?” he whimpered.
“Can you move?” she quickly whispered.
“Ya. I think.”
“Let’s go then. Come on, suck it up buttercup,” she said as she helped him to his knees.
The world was still spinning for Michael but he fought against it. In a crouched position, Betsy hurriedly moved him to the side of the road and slid him down the bank. In minutes they were making their way downstream and back to the RV.
The sound alerted the people in the RV that they were friends. Chloe still had her gun pointed at the door as it opened, though. In came Betsy with Michael right behind her and River Rat pushing the injured man from the backside. Getting Michael strapped into a seat, Betsy turned to Chloe and Megan.
“You girlies got this. You have the maps. There are no more reasons to stop until you get to Dawna Five. I will radio ahead so she will be on the lookout for you,” Betsy said. “We all need to go quickly now.”
All three women, with tears in their eyes, knew what needed to be done. With a quick hug, Betsy and River Rat descended the steps of the RV and disappeared into the night. Megan taking shotgun in the front seat, Chloe started the RV and headed off towards their next point of contact: Indiana and Dawna Five.
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Michael pulled the RV up the gravel drive and straight to the house and was perplexed about the amount of military vehicles scattered around the property.
“What has she gotten herself into this time?” he wondered out loud.
“Who are you talking about?” Chloe asked.
Turning, Michael grinned at Chloe as he descended the stairs and got out of the motor home.
Looking out the window, Chloe was impressed by what she could take in. The house was well constructed and inviting but Chloe imagined how easily it could be fortified. Barn, chicken coop, solar panels, windmill, yep, completely what she would expect at Emma’s farm.
Chloe steeped off of the landing of the motor home and looked around. WOW. This was going to be her home. It was already so much quieter than LA even with all the military generators. “Bet there’s a story there,” Chloe muttered to herself. “Only Emma,” she thought, smiling to herself.
Michael was quite a few steps ahead of her and walking towards the back of the house when the woman walked out of the house. A tall woman, she had light brown hair that fell like a waterfall down her back, ending mid-thigh. Jeans and a flannel shirt, she had no shoes on and began to run across the hard ground like it was soft layers of sand.
“Michael!” she yelled as she quickly closed the distance between them.
Chloe stopped and watched, confused by the sight before her.
The man and woman met in the middle of the yard. Reaching up, the woman laid both of her hands on each side of the man’s face and held it like a precious gem. “OH! I’ve missed you!” she giggled out in pure joy as her hands melted around the man’s neck. Pulling her close, Michael picked her up off of the ground in a tremendous hug. From Chloe’s vantage point, the two had an obvious fondness for each other.
Leaving the embrace of the man, the woman caught sight of Chloe standing there staring.
“Chloe?”
Startled by the woman knowing her name, the expression on her face grew more perplexed as the realization hit her square between the eyes.
“Emma?” she stammered out.
Running towards her, the woman grabbed her in a bear hug and squeezed the last drop of fear out of her.
“OH MY GOD! I can’t believe it’s you! I can’t believe I’m here!” Chloe finally mumbled out.
“Yes, it’s me… and yes, you are finally here! You have got to be exhausted!” Emma said.
“UGH! You can’t imagine! The stories I have to tell you!!” Chloe sang out in excitement.<
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“Later, we can talk about it later. Right now let’s get everyone inside and settled. I have lunch ready for everyone,” Emma added.
Michael had walked back over to where the two women were still talking and coming around behind Emma, he laid his hands on her shoulders.
“How?” was all that could escape out of Chloe’s mouth as she pointed first from Michael and then to Emma, her eyebrows burrowed in confusion.
“Chloe,” Michael said, “I want you to meet my sister.”
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As the door slowly opened, the details of a hospital bed unfolded. More and more, Angie pushed at the door until she saw the full view of the room. What once was someone’s office, with the desk now shoved against the far wall, and had been crudely turned into a makeshift infirmary. Silver poles danced above the bed holding bags of clear liquid. The silence was broken by the constant bleating of the machines.
Angie saw the man lying on the bed, her mind blending him in with the décor of the rest of the room.
“You know him?” the cowboy asked.
Stepping further into the room, Angie walked over to the side of the bed. The man lying on the bed had an oxygen tube running under his nose. His hair was disheveled and now fell forward over his forehead making him look like a young boy. His face lax from the deep sleep he was in, Angie felt her knees buckle as the room started to spin. Blackness enveloped her as her body slumped to the floor.
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“You’re the Queen Bee?” Chloe laughed “I should have known!”
“Yes. Well. Some of the coop girls thought it was cute, and of course it stuck. I owe some sweet young girl who lives in a bus for the nickname,” Emma said getting caught up in the laughter. “Let’s get you all inside and cleaned up and fed. You all need some serious down time. Unfortunately we have some…. guests that won’t seem to leave,“ Emma said with a smile to her brother. “We may have to put you up in a couple of the cabins until we can get this all straightened out if you don’t mind.”
Just then Megan’s kids started coming out of the motor home. One by one they came out and looked around. “Who do we have here?” Emma asked, a bit puzzled.
“I brought some guests!” Chloe added hurriedly. “I hope you don’t mind?” she said with a bit of a question in her voice.
“Not at all. If you felt a need to bring them, that’s good enough for me. But we really will need to get some cabins open!”
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“You have quite a house full here,” Nina whispered to Emma, catching her in the hallway.
“Yes,” Emma smiled. “I do.”
“Is that wise considering?” Nina asked.
“Considering what?” Emma inquired, meeting Nina square on.
“Well, that we are using your farm here as our base camp. Our country is depending on us getting up and functioning considering all that is happening. I wouldn’t want anyone to hinder our efforts. There are only so many supplies here also.” Nina’s vile words insinuated that Emma’s family and friends were not welcome here.
“Don’t forget whose roof you are sleeping under. Whose food you are eating. You are here as a guest only and if it comes down to choosing between you and my family, my family always comes first,” Emma shot back.
“Oh, not me. Don’t forget we are trying to rebuild this government of ours. Not the words of a Patriot to threaten to kick us out,” Nina said. “What’s that saying, to benefit the many?”
“I’m not sure who you think you are but I assure you,” Emma said positioning her body to back Nina against the wall, “My family comes before you or anyone you brought with you.”
“Even Tommy?” Nina spat back “You seem to have forgotten that I did bring him here from Washington.”
Hearing Nina use the term of endearment that Emma used for her husband made her blood boil. Emma’s eyebrow rose in reply to Nina’s words. “You might want to leave my family alone,” she said, tilting her head. Without saying another word, Emma turned and walked away leaving Nina wondering what fire she had just lit.
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The smell of ammonia filled Angie’s nostrils like a knife, sharp and painful. Coughing, she opened her eyes to see the cowboy had been joined in the room by two women. “Take it easy,” the cowboy drew out in a soft comforting voice.
Angie grabbed her head as the room started to spin again. Once more the ammonia capsule was shoved under her nose and bringing her back to reality. “OH god, stop that!” Angie cried out.
“Slow it down then before you pass out again,” the woman said with annoyance.
Pulling a chair over to where Angie was lying on the floor, the cowboy took her under her arm. “Here, let’s get you up here and sitting down,” he said as he helped her into the chair.
Angie sat up and saw Scott lying on the bed. The day’s previous events flooded back like a rollercoaster
“Ridley, get her some water. She’s looking a little peaked again,” the older woman said.
The younger woman left the room as the older woman laid a cold compress across Angie’s forehead. Angie felt an immediate relief. The younger woman brought back a bottle of cold water, and Angie took a couple sips, the coolness running down her parched throat.
“I take it you know this man?” the cowboy quipped.
“Yes. Yes I do. His name is Scott” she said, “I’m Angie.”
“I guess I owe you an apology, little lady. My name is Jack and this is my wife Dee,” he said as he motioned towards the older woman. “That there is our daughter Ridley.”
“How…. How did he...” Angie began as she melted into tears.
“Take it easy. Things are going to be OK. You’re safe here,” Dee cooed.
Handing Angie a box of tissues, Dee continued, “My husband found him along the side of the road and brought him here. He was in pretty bad shape.”
“I…I stabbed him” Angie choked out.
Jack, Dee and Ridley exchanged glances above the sobbing woman.
“He’s going to be OK,” Ridley finally said.
The trio sat in silence as the woman calmed herself and brought her emotions under control.
“I am so sorry, but thank you for helping him!” Angie finally said.
“You mind us asking what happened out there?”
“Well, that’s a bit of a story” Angie said with an uneasy smile.
“No worries, we can take our time.”
Angie started telling the family about their trip out of Memphis and the truck stopping when the road buckled. She told them about the stranger who visited and how she had tried to stab him but had hit Scott instead. She broke down in tears finally, unable to speak further. The older woman took Angie in her arms and allowed Angie to purge herself of all the terror of the last few months.
“Jack, why don’t you put on a pot of coffee,” Dee instructed.
The old cowboy took the opportunity to leave the room and allow the women all of their emotional stuff. He didn’t know how to deal with it; this was his wife’s territory.
The women, on the other hand, knew exactly what to do and began piling on loads of affection. Ridley explained how her father had brought Scott in and how she had removed the shank without too much damage. She also told Angie how he should be waking up soon but would have to take it easy for a while before they could travel back to Ohio.
“Ohio? Oh! We actually were trying to get to someone down here that’s closer,” Angie said.
“Really? That might make things a little easier then. Where were you headed?”
“I have a map that a friend of mine gave me in case we got into any kind of trouble and needed help. I guess this qualifies!” Angie said with a lopsided smile. Digging into a pocket of her pants, Angie brought out a map that was sealed inside a plastic zip lock baggie. “The woman’s name is Shelby.”
Dee and Ridley looked at each other in disbelief.
“This friend of yours in Ohio, her name wouldn’t be Emma by chance?” Dee asked.
Her jaw dropping, Angie finally replied, “Why yes, yes it is!”
“Well, welcome to the Coop Chickie,” Dee replied with a grin. “Let’s go get us a cup of coffee and chat.”
Over the next hour, Dee explained to Angie a bit more about the intricate workings of Emma’s mind. Angie was intrigued about how elaborate the underground system worked of moving people around the country if there was a down grid situation. Each Alpha Farm, as Emma called them was set up as a command center including a communication system that would enable them to skip a ham radio message across the country if they needed to. Supplies such as food and medicine for external visitors were also a prerequisite of being an Alpha Farm along with water catchment systems and purification systems. Each of the farms was accentually self-sufficient. This allowed people to not have to depend upon the government to survive and to avoid the government-run FEMA camps. Their only other obstacle was transportation and with the locations of each farm or Alpha Farm, they were sensitive to the workings of the areas around them, most having grown up in their respective areas. Maps were exchanged among the farms with detailed information not only on roadways but also tributaries, railways, hiking trails and even bike paths. Whatever it took, this group of elite preppers had made a commitment to make sure that they could help as many like-minded people as possible when the time came.
“And Shelby is one of our Alpha Farms. Emma probably would have sent you there because she is one of the closest to Memphis,” Dee added.
“Angie, come quick!” Ridley yelled from Scott’s room. Looking at Dee with panic on her face, Angie quickly made her way to Scott’s makeshift hospital room.
“Hey baby,” came the words from that all-too-familiar voice.
“Hey,” she whispered back as she bent over Scott’s bed and gave him a kiss on his head. “How are you doing?”
“Peachy. Just peachy. Never felt better,” Scott said, his voice showing the wear on his body from the last few days. “What is that smell?” he asked.