Avalon: Beyond the Retreat (The Avalon Series Book 2)

by L. Michael Rusin

  “SPERMATOPHYTA is the last. They are grasses, wild flowers, shrubs, vines, cacti and trees. They’re seed producing plants and are considered the highest form and the most complex. Their sizes can be as small as a fraction of an inch to well over several hundred feet.

  “Once we understand these plant forms, we can find them and use them to manufacture useful tools such as rope… to bind, climb and fasten together our tools, and to make glue, clothing, building materials, shelter, food and medicine. No one thing can be measured as the best or most useful, but food is the main priority. Medicine is probably second along with building materials. Tomorrow we will go out into this great mountain meadow and identify some of the more useful plants that we can use for cooking and other life sustaining implementations.”

  The next morning they went together in small groups to see firsthand those plants that could feed them and provide other essential needs. They found Hair-Cap, which pioneers used to stuff furniture. Club Moss… better known as Ground Pine or Ground Cedar… used for Christmas decorations. Scouring Rush was a Horsetail plant used in days long gone as a scouring tool for pots and pans.

  “Big Blue-stem, Wild Rice and Timothy Grass are used for animal feed. Thistle is used for rope making and it also brews into a great tea. Of course there are Black Berries and Blue Berries.” Sergeant Kit guided them until they eventually learned where to look and how to identify these precious natural commodities on their own.

  The outings went on for days. Aside from the natural plants, they discovered wild honeybees and marked the area so they could harvest the honey later on. They also found an abundance of wildlife throughout the canyon. Left unmolested for so many years, the animals were plentiful and provided much nourishment for the small group.

  Soldiers taught group members how to tie certain knots that would help in their everyday tasks. It was vital to be able to lash things together without nails or other fastenings. It was also important to know how to store food away by securing essentials in bags tied with twine or rope and hauled up into a tree limb for protection from hungry little critters. There were classes in direction finding, weather forecasting and signs recognition. The Soldiers and Marines taught these novices about shelter building and fire making, as well as finding, collecting and storing potable water.

  Many of the Soldiers developed close relationships with the women in the group, and Eric worried that there could be problems later when they had to leave. They couldn’t stay. That was not their objective. They were an expedition party and needed to keep moving in order to discover what was out here.

  Leaving was going to be difficult for some of them.

  They searched in and around the large stand of trees and across the meadows and found hemp, nettle and yucca plants growing freely. Classes on lashing and rope making added to the skills of the dwellers, which helped them learn vital survival techniques from the Soldiers.

  They learned how to lay wet plants out in the sun to dry before use and to crush the stalks with a round smooth rock to expose the inner material, pith. They broke the pith into small sections by bending nettle, which grew up to seven feet high, or similar materials, with their fingers. This yielded a long strip of fibers that were rubbed between the hands and slowly pulled while rotating over a round smooth piece of wood. The fiber strip became soft and pliable.

  To make a long piece of cordage, they simply braided several strips together. Once they achieved the desired diameter, they secured one end to a solid object and wrapped the initial pieces first in one direction and then in the other with a new piece. Eventually, they had usable lashing material and ropes.

  The group learned how to tie knots to secure things, to climb, or to use for general purposes. The most important were square knots, loop knots such as bowlines, overhand loops, honda knots, harness knots, sheep bend knots and heaving line knots. They learned how to splice and work rope together onto itself or on to another piece of rope to keep the ends from unraveling or fraying.

  Classes in signaling and communication were conducted by the radio specialist. He taught Morse code, and signaling with mirrors by using the sun as a light source, and signaling with fire.

  The medic demonstrated first aid techniques, emphasizing fractures. He explained the various types of fractures, such as closed fractures, where the bone is broken underneath the skin but the skin and tissue surrounding the bone is not damaged. He told them some of the signs and symptoms of a fracture.

  “Listen up, folks! A fracture can obviously be determined when a fragment of the bone protrudes through the skin, but there are other indications, as well. For instance, there could be tenderness or pain when light pressure is applied to the injured part and swelling as well as discoloration of the skin at the site of the injury is obvious.”

  “If the victim experiences a deep, sharp pain when attempting to move the injured limb, encourage the victim to NOT move that part of the body. This could cause further damage that can compound the injury. Instead, you should immobilize by splinting, and prevent any sharp edges of a broken bone from moving about under the flesh. This can cause severe damage to the area around the fractured bone, which can cause secondary infections.”

  “When splinting, always apply the proven parable of ‘splint them where they lie,” meaning simply to splint prior to moving the victim. Immobilize the injured area by applying a sling if it is an arm. If the leg is broken, tie strips or pieces of twine or cloth completely around two solid boards so that the boards are tied numerous times to ensure proper immobilization.”

  He also told them some of the signs and symptoms of shock. “Once a victim goes into shock there is an increased possibility of death, so it is imperative to stop the flow of blood from a wound immediately.”

  The medic also taught them other medical tricks such as how to stop a nosebleed using powdered dry Witch Hazel, to use cornmeal as a substitute for talcum powder, to use the gum of juniper trees to fill a decayed tooth, and to use leaves from the spice bush to make a tea for treating fever and chills.

  After they had been in the Canyon for several months, Eric thought they should venture out and have a look at the world once again. Charles spoke to Eric about the Soldiers leaving. “I think there may be some problems getting all of your men to leave. Many of them have become quite attached to some of the women. I hope that won’t be a problem.”

  Eric had been having the same thoughts. “We’re going to have to help them come to terms with our departure. It’s time we head out of here and make our way to San Francisco. But first, we need to find out what’s out there waiting for us.”

  Chapter 8

  Plague Subsides

  ERIC DECIDED TO take a few men to scout the area outside the canyon to see if there was any sign of life. A short expedition wouldn’t hurt… he hoped. They were getting too comfortable here; their mission was to see what was left of the Pacific Coast, and find survivors. They had found some and he wondered if there were any more after the ravages of the plague.

  That evening he discussed his plan with Charles and his men. “We’ve been here about four months now. Charles, you and your people have been kind enough to shelter us from the plague. You gave us a place to stay and shared your food and warm hospitality with us. We appreciate that.”

  “We hope your confidence in us has been restored. I hope we will have the opportunity to meet up with Al Gomez again… if he survived the plague. My plan is for some of us to leave here for a few days to see what is beyond these canyon walls. We need to know what is left of the world. In the morning Tim and I, along with two others, will go out and scout around and see what we can find. We’ll come back if it’s safe. Then our team will head toward San Francisco. Everyone needs to get a good night’s rest. I’ll let you know in the morning who will go with Tim and me.”

  Everyone was solemn that evening. No one wanted to see the Soldiers and Marines leave… not for a day or two, and certainly not for good. It was inevitable, of course, and they
all knew it.

  Eric hoped he wouldn’t have any trouble with his men when it was time for them to go. This place was safe and comfortable, but it wasn’t where they needed to be. He knew they could always return if they wanted to, but he prayed that wouldn’t be necessary. The next morning Eric, Tim and two other Soldiers packed food, water and ammunition. They would head toward the beach and then due south. If things looked safe after a couple of days, they would return for the others and leave the canyon for good.

  Charles accompanied them to the hidden tunnel and the small team began their journey. This time Eric paid attention to specific landmarks and compass headings. It felt like a long time had passed since they left Fort Lewis. While it hadn’t been quite a year, it seemed like forever.

  In a few hours, they found themselves back at the beach highway. It was deserted. What was left of the family of four that had warned them about the plague was lying there… bones covered in clothing. The Soldiers gave the skeletons a wide birth and worked their way further south but found nothing. The beach was barren except for the four Soldiers leaving footprints along the way.

  They walked for two more days, often having to move up and across cliffs as the beach disappeared, camping each night to rest and eat, constantly moving further south. They found nothing of any significance. On the third night, they decided to turn around and head back to the canyon to get the rest of the men. They would resume their mission, and they would travel south above the beach and surf. Why not explore a different area as they headed to San Francisco?

  They trudged along until they arrived at the place where the family of skeletons lay. Then they followed the crooked path that led them back to the hidden entryway and into the canyon. Once through the tunnel, Eric gave a loud whistle before going any further. He didn’t want to risk getting fired on by mistake from one of his own Soldiers. It took Charles about half an hour to get to where Eric and his people waited.

  Charles approached them, followed by two Soldiers. He was anxious to find out about the world beyond the canyon. “What did you find out there?”

  Eric smiled… he liked Charles. He was here with the others simply trying to live their lives without strife or confrontation. Eric sensed gentleness in this man that was unlike the rough and tough men he had been around for most of his adult life. Marines, first and foremost in a fight, are seldom people who back down from a confrontation. Charles was different. He never sought confrontation, he simply wanted to live in peace. His biggest worry seemed to be whether they would remain comfortable and safe from the terrible world beyond their canyon walls.

  There were people out there who wanted to create suffering and humiliation for almost everyone they came in contact with. Eric respected Charles and, in some ways, wished he could be like him. But he was the consummate Marine sniper… one who was always willing to do whatever was necessary to protect those for whom he was responsible for. He searched out confrontation, but not like the slavers, who created misery by enslaving their fellow men and women. They were eating children, for Heaven’s sake. People like that needed a chance to engage people like Eric. He would hunt them down and make every effort to kill as many of them as he possibly could before they got him.

  Charles was still talking, and Eric was jolted back from his thoughts. “I’m sorry, Charles. Didn’t mean to be rude, but I zoned for a second there. Could you say again, please?”

  Charles smiled. He realized the man in front of him was a leader and, like himself, was burdened with a large responsibility. They were different, but they were the same in many ways. “Did you find anything significant on your trip?”

  He waited for an answer. Eric was staring off into the distance toward a big stand of trees. A sudden movement above caught his eye, an eagle or perhaps a hawk in search of a meal. It reminded him that he was hungry. Eric looked at Charles.

  “Are you folks cooking breakfast? Let’s walk down and I’ll tell you all about our trip. I’m pretty sure we’ll make this our last night with you folks. We should be moving out in the morning. I want you to know that we will try to stay in touch periodically, if we can. I’m fairly certain that some of my troopers won’t be looking forward to leaving. Unfortunately, we have a mission to complete and we must take care of business.”

  Charles looked at them and indicated that they should head toward the camp. They walked along crunching gravel beneath their feet. Someone coughed occasionally, but other than that they walked in silence. It wasn’t long before the camp settlement came into view. Everyone who was nearby came to greet them. They were all eager to hear what Eric and his men had found, what they saw and, most importantly, what they were going to do next.

  Everyone was sad to see the day come when the Soldiers and Marines left the canyon. Eric found one of the women quite attractive, but had resisted the urge to become too involved. They had shared some meals together and had taken a few walks, but no promises were made.

  The chances were pretty good that she would be here for quite a long time, and he hoped that he would be back. Perhaps on the next visit they would be able to explore a deeper relationship and perhaps make his interest in her known.

  Eric suspected she already knew how he felt. Her name was Angela. Her family had lived north of San Francisco… old time immigrants and wine producers originally from Portugal. Most of her family had been killed or hauled off by the slavers, however she had managed to hide inside of an empty wine vat. She had stayed in the huge container for three days and two nights before she felt it was safe to come out of hiding.

  Her hair was as black as coal and she had green eyes that flashed at Eric when she looked his way… like two magnificent precious emeralds. She stood about 5’3”, with gorgeous legs and the smallest waist he had ever seen on a woman. She normally wore a long dress, but one day he had gone to the bathing pond where he walked past the privacy wall and found her standing naked, combing her hair.

  He abruptly turned and walked away. He didn’t want her to think he had been spying on her. As he had retraced his steps he noticed that she had forgotten to raise the privacy flag, which he promptly did for her lest someone else walk in on her. Eric couldn’t believe that had happened, he was as red in the face as a school boy. She was simply one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen and now he knew that there wasn’t anything about her that he didn’t like.

  One of the women told him that Angela had been a ballerina. She danced occasionally for a San Francisco dance company, but her aspirations were not to be a professional dancer. She just enjoyed the discipline of dance. That explained her magnificent sculpted body. She had been a bookkeeper by trade and had managed her family’s large vineyard until the war took everything away. She narrowly escaped the slavers and happened to stumble onto Charles and his group as they were heading for the canyon. It was a tremendous stroke of luck, and she would be forever indebted to them.

  Eric would miss her when he left, and she was a compelling reason for him to return to this place. And he vowed to himself that he would.

  As the Soldiers prepared to leave, two of the women announced that they were pregnant. Charles spoke to Eric and the rest of the group about the two soon-to-be fathers.

  “We need men here and these two are not just run of the mill Soldiers, they’re Army Rangers. They’re the cream of the crop in terms of training and survival. We need them here and so will their children.”

  Eric looked at the two Soldiers. “You boys have let your squad down, but you’ve got a responsibility now.”

  One started to speak but Eric stopped him with a firm gesture. “We came here to save ourselves from a terrible disease. These people gave us refuge and shared their food and homes with us… and you two couldn’t control yourselves. In the previous world, you might have suffered severe punishment for your actions, but the world is different today. We’re going to leave you behind to help these people survive. We have to leave and we aren’t certain when we’ll be back.”

  He w
as looking at Angela and she smiled knowingly at him. “We will come back once we can get a few things settled out there. We have our mission, and people are depending on us to gather information. Who knows how many people are out there hiding from the slavers? Who knows what has happened since the plague took hold? We don’t know if it’s over… if it’s safe out there… but we have to find out. I’ve lost everything… my friends, my colleagues, my family, my way of life… and I want answers. We’re leaving this place, but we’ll be back because this is a safe haven and I believe we can live in harmony with this group of people.”

  Eric looked at the men who were packed and ready to leave. “Okay Troopers, let’s move out.”

  He turned and headed for the tunnel that would take them out of the canyon. Suddenly, Angela ran to him and threw her arms around his waist and held him as tight as she could. Eric turned and kissed her fully on the lips and she returned his kiss, lingering at his lips before breaking the wonderful kiss. He pushed her away gently after a long moment, whispering in her ear. “We have to go, but I promise you that I’ll be back.”

  He turned and walked away, leaving Angela crying softly as she watched them leave.

  Chapter 9

  Reunion

  ERIC AND HIS team traveled down the beach toward San Francisco, and discovered smoke rising to the east of their position. They left five men behind to guard the equipment and headed inland to investigate the source. It took them more than a day to get to a large barn that had burned to the ground. About 1,500 feet from the barn was a house that had also been burnt to the ground. There were motorcycle tracks all around and spent brass lay everywhere.

  Oddly enough, there wasn’t a living soul to be found and there were no dead bodies, either. Eric discussed the situation with Tim. “Looks like there was some sort of ambush here. Whoever did this is long gone. I wish I could tell which direction they came from… or better yet… which way did they go?”