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

by L. Michael Rusin

  Gordon was very interested. He was ex-military, Army infantry. There was plenty he wanted to know in terms of tactics and strategies. A couple of the others were also former military, but none had combat experience. They invited the Avalon people to visit their small community, share some food with them, and meet a few of the others in their group.

  Roger accepted the invitation from Gordon. “You folks head towards home, and we’ll wait a few minutes and then follow with our gyro copter. We don’t want to leave it out here in this field alone. Is there an open area where we can land?”

  “Yes there is. There’s an open field off to one side of our camp. Just head that way,” Gordon pointed north, “about three miles. You’ll see it.”

  Gordon’s group headed to their camp and Roger started the engine on the gyro copter and headed in the general direction of the camp. In about ten minutes he saw the field and made his approach after circling and yelling down to anyone who could hear that Gordon told them to land in this field and he was on his way.

  Nobody came out of the small shelters while Roger and Harlan sat in the field waiting for Gordon and his group to arrive. In another hour they came into view. Gordon was blowing a police whistle as he approached. Still, no one came out of their shelters. When Gordon approached Roger and Harlan, he suggested they taxi the gyro copter to a building across the way. Once the gyro copter was secured, the two Avalon men were invited inside.

  There were ten women and eight children inside. The women sported pistols fastened to their sides and two had large knives in sheaths on their belts. It was a community center of sorts. Roger looked around and saw oil lanterns on the walls, secured in place with a wire mesh holder that was nailed in the form of a shelf of sorts. The lanterns could be lifted up and out for maintenance.

  An old steel, wood-fired cook stove, and two large homemade picnic tables with benches sat near one corner. Pots and pans hung on wall pegs near the stoves. A four-inch by four-foot pipe stuck out of the ground with a canvas cover over it. A pulley and handle assembly with a quarter-inch wire rope wound around the pulley. The pipe was wrapped with sheet plastic. Several large plastic crates that were probably once used in a dairy for milk, were loaded with dishes and silverware. Another small box was loaded with cooking ladles and large spoons.

  Roger and Harlan saw a gun rack on one wall that held three rifles and five shotguns. Gordon watched as the men surveyed the room and appeared to be very proud of the preparations his group had made.

  Gordon gestured about the room as he spoke to Roger and Harlan. “We set this place up about a year before the war began. You know, a Survival Retreat. We don’t have much, but we’ve made a few improvements here and there. Although we don’t have the conveniences that we had before the war started, we have enough to make some jobs easier than if we had not done some type of planning.”

  “See that pipe sticking out of the ground?” he motioned over in the corner. “That’s a well casing. We had a devil of a time trying to figure out how to get water out of it without electricity or a hand pump. Now we use that three-inch pipe wrapped with plastic beside it to get the water out.”

  “How does it work?” Harlan was intrigued.

  “We take the cap off the well casing and insert that three-inch pipe into the well and lower it until we hear it hit the water. The pipe fills up with water and we crank it up with that winch to fill five-gallon plastic jugs. The ball stopper at the bottom of the pipe releases the water into the jug and we put the pipe, or what we call our well bucket, back into the casing for another fill up. It’s possible to get a lot of water up and ready for use quickly, especially when it’s time for bathing, washing clothes or cooking. We’ve used this method since before the war started.”

  Harlan was very interested in their technology. “I’d like to know more about the construction and materials you used to make that rig.”

  Gordon smiled. He enjoyed telling these people about their improvised innovations. “Alice was a commercial artist before the war. She can draw schematics for you and make a list of the materials you will need. It’s a very simple device and works flawlessly.”

  The tour continued. They had a ten-inch sharpening wheel on a bicycle rim. The operators sat behind the stone wheel, pedaling slowly. The stone wheel was connected to a pulley on one end and a belt connected to another pulley at the bottom of the wheel where an axle that, in turn, connected to the pedals. Once the wheel began to revolve the operator sat in a comfortable position facing the wheel and sharpened the knife or tool. The wheel revolved partially through a plastic container that had water in it, keeping the wheel saturated.

  “We got the plans for this out of Popular Mechanics Magazine a few years back. It works like a charm if you know how to hold the proper angle of the blade’s edge on the wheel. It’s important to have the correct angle on both sides of the blade. We have good luck finding the right angle by folding a piece of paper in half and setting it on a flat surface at a 45 degree angle. That’s a perfect angle for large heavy tools such as an ax. Half that fold again is roughly 23 degrees, which is perfect for most kitchen knives. Any less than 23 degrees say for instance, 20 degrees or a little less is perfect for skinning knives and ultra-sharp edges.”

  “We built an adjustable device that sits in front of the stone and clamps the blade into place holding the exact angle. It pivots forward once the knife is in place and allows the blade to rest against the stone at the right angle. Pressing a finger against the jig will create a good edge. Once one side is completed, we turn it over to sharpen the opposite side. When we have two sides at the right angle, we change stones to a finer grit and repeat the process.”

  “We also have a wheel we made out of wood with leather on the face of it. That gets fastened into place and the final polish is accomplished. We only do the final polish to the better kitchen knives. Axes and hatchets don’t get that kind of extra treatment because their use is more severe and it would be a waste of time since they don’t need a razor-sharp edge.”

  The tour continued and Gordon proudly showed the Avalon men around, moving from one innovation to the next. They had an area where they could reload several calibers of ammunition and shotgun shells.

  The group enjoyed a small slaughterhouse off and away from the communal kitchen and the living areas. Here was where they plucked the chickens of their feathers after killing them. The process was akin to an assembly line operation. First, the chicken was placed head first in a funnel large enough to hold its body, with the head sticking out of the hole in the bottom. The head was removed and the chickens were held by their feet and dipped in a large cauldron of boiling water. From there, they were placed inside a whirling apparatus that was the size of a small cement mixer. Pieces of automobile tires were fastened in place inside this drum. The feathers were removed from the chickens almost entirely in a matter of a few seconds of turning.

  Then the bird was removed and placed on a table where the carcass was inspected. If there were any remaining feathers on the bird, they were removed by hand. The carcass was then placed in a large wash tub and scrubbed by hand. The birds went from there to a cutting table where they were gutted and chopped into manageable pieces for the pot or rotisserie.

  The group had a nice garden and a canning room where they kept all of their canning paraphernalia and supplies. They had several steam cookers, packs of wax, lids and lid inserts, along with hundreds of Mason jars. This was where they canned most of the food they grew or prepared ahead for ‘just-in-case’ events or lean harvests. In a small barn they stabled cows, goats, sheep, and several horses. Four of the horses were of the massive draft variety, and there were eight quarter horses. They had a nice tack room behind the barn and, well away from everything else, was a hog pen. Not far from the hog pen was a large compost pile.

  Roger and Harlan decided to stay the night and were entertained with a good meal and music before everyone turned in for the night. Roger was impressed when he saw the group
had guards posted to protect them while they slept. It was a miniature Avalon, and they were doing all of the right things.

  The two parties agreed that when the small community sent a few of their people to visit Avalon and Fitch, they would be given badly needed seeds to bring back, along with anything else that could be useful to help them survive. They were well prepared, considering, but they hadn’t had the time or resources that the Avalon and Fitch people had pooled together.

  The next morning, after a good breakfast of fresh baked bread, a nice, tasty Denver Omelet, with fresh vegetables and eggs, it was time for Roger and Harlan to leave. The men finished off their breakfast with a tall glass of fruit juice.

  As Roger and Harlan made their way back to their gyro copter, the men promised there would be future dealings. Roger had a small cloth bag with detailed drawings of the water well bucket and the chicken preparation system. They were meticulously drawn on large paper bags and neatly folded. For Harlan and Roger, it was time to head further south.

  The gyro copter headed down the field into the slight wind and lifted off the ground, Roger piloted the copter, turning slightly to the left and circling the group of survivalists so that he and Harlan could wave to them on the ground.

  Chapter 18

  The Gathering

  WITHIN THE TWO DAYS prescribed, people began to arrive in groups of twos and fives. They drifted into Fitch first, where they were interviewed. Some stayed at Fitch. Those who had the most experience in military tactics and combat went straight to Avalon to prepare to participate in the upcoming battle.

  Most were ordinary folk, though some had the foresight to organize before the war began and others came together shortly thereafter for mutual protection. The majority of those rolling in had small retreats hidden away from the wandering masses.

  Not all had lost friends and family to the slavers, but most knew of someone who was either sold as a slave or worked to death by the outlaw gangs and then dumped somewhere unceremoniously. By the beginning of the third day, over three hundred people had gathered and the citizen army was growing by the hour.

  Not everyone who came to fight, however, was a combat veteran. Some weren’t veterans at all, but they came to offer whatever they could to make the fight a conclusive battle. They wanted to see the slavers defeated once and for all.

  Trucks began to arrive from every direction except the west. They carried people who wanted to join the fight. Everyone who arrived was armed with some sort of weapon… a rifle or shotgun or a side arm.

  Some were housed in the small log cabins, some filled the rooms on the inside of the inn, and others erected small, temporary shelters in and around Avalon. Latrines were dug and sheltered by small log privacy walls. People bivouacked outside of Fitch at the fairgrounds while others set up makeshift shelters on the back side of Avalon’s main building. The shelters were constructed from fallen trees out in the large wooded areas to either side of the back meadow. Small fir trees were cut down and their limbs were removed.

  Five steers and three hogs were slaughtered to feed the growing army of people. About fifteen chickens were prepared for the large feed as well. For some, this was their first real meal, as most hadn’t eaten much before they arrived at Avalon.

  All ate heartily at the lodge. Many of them were given medical exams and treatment, as necessary. Caroline and Doctor Dan stayed busy during the initial two days. Some had not been seen by a real doctor since before the war. Doctor Lenn Stroud, the retreat’s dentist also saw a number of people and treated them during their stay.

  On the fourth day, Soldiers loaded the trucks up with tents they would set up before the fight began. When the trucks returned to the Retreat, the rest of the Soldiers were loaded up and hauled to the bivouac area to prepare for the coming battle.

  As Roger and Harlan came over the horizon in their gyro copter, they spotted another group attempting to remain unseen. They had camouflaged most of their structures, but their garden and animal pens were a dead giveaway. They circled the group and yelled down to them. “We’re from Avalon the retreat and the town of Fitch. We’re not here to harm you. Please allow us to land. All we want to do is talk to you.”

  They finally landed in a small field far enough away so as to not pose a threat to the group and their structures. They shut down the gyro copter and waited for the people to come to them. Four men came forward carrying three rifles and one shotgun. They approached carefully and Roger and Harlan didn’t do anything provocative. They just stood there waiting.

  Once the four men were within talking, range Roger appealed to the men. “We’re from Avalon and we’re located a number of miles west of the town of Fitch. We were sent out to find as many people as possible and inform them of the upcoming fight with the slavers.”

  One of the men, named Bill Prentiss, stepped forward and called out to them. “We’ve known for some time that there are others out there just like us. Sorry we were a little less than friendly, but in today’s situation we can’t be too careful.” He stepped forward and offered his hand. Both Roger and Harlan shook hands with the man and the other three stepped forward to hear Roger speak.

  “We’ve been told the slavers are getting ready to attack not only Avalon and Fitch, but as many towns and groups as they can find. Did you folks get any of the brochures we dropped some time back?”

  “Yes, we read the brochures and we know about Avalon and Fitch. We were surprised to read that the United States is still a country and operating with a government. We also know about Admiral Michael Reynolds.”

  “That’s great. It saves a lot of explaining,” Harlan spoke up. “We have a medical doctor and a dentist at Avalon. If anyone in your group needs medical attention, they can be treated at Avalon or Fitch. We’re also offering training to anyone who wants to learn how to do just about anything to be more self-sufficient in terms of growing food, raising animals, and self-defense or military tactics. Roger here is a former Army Ranger and a trained medic.”

  Roger looked at the men. “We noticed the nice garden you’re growing. Good job.”

  “Yes, we are growing our own food and raising some animals. We have a self-sustaining community that we put together a few years ago before the war started. Most of us knew we needed to do more than just sit around and twiddle our thumbs. We purchased the land we live on and began improving it immediately. Why don’t you two fellows follow us back to our compound and have a look around?”

  Is there a place a little closer to your main camp for us to taxi our gyro copter to keep it secure?”

  “Head that way.” Bill pointed toward a small cluster of trees.

  They all began to walk toward the camp as Roger taxied the gyro copter closer.

  The Fitch and Avalon planners hoped the slavers would not know they were coming. Surprise was always a nice element of any battle. Hit hard and sudden to catch the enemy off guard and either press the attack or withdraw, whichever is most advantageous in the moment.

  A field with a high plateau was identified as a good location to set up headquarters. The hospital tent was erected adjacent a meandering creek, small and shallow with a steady water flow. They would need water… and plenty of it. They set up a makeshift kitchen to feed the Soldiers. Full stomachs always fought better than empty ones.

  Mike and Sam did a little exploring and determined the battle parameters were to be off to their left and down into a valley. The floor of this area was strewn with large rocks, most of which were the size of a beach ball, but many were the size of a small car. They would provide adequate cover. Sam and Mike knew that slavers on dirt bikes would be fast, and their mobility would be superior to their own. The ultimate advantage would be theirs, however, because of the surprise element and the excellent cover this area provided.

  The prevailing wind appeared to be away from them going down into the small valley from this plateau. Randy and Roger showed up at the plateau. They had been down below scouting out the enemy position. They ex
plained the slavers position to Mike and Sam who were reviewing a rough map of the area.

  “Their camp is here.” Greg interjected… he would be on a knoll nearby once the attack began. As a trained Army Sniper, he and his Spotter would be there. He indicated the area on the rudimentary map he had drawn.

  On the other side of this area is another prominent elevated spot that Eric Bell and his Spotter would protect. They would have excellent coverage of the entire area and would be able to take out any key players in the slavers group.

  “A sneak and peek this morning placed the slavers’ main camp here,” he indicated this area with his index finger. “I suggest our main force be placed in this area and readied for an attack.”

  Mike liked it. It would certainly work. The logistics were excellent. He smiled. These men were excellent Soldiers. They were all looking at him, and Mike realized he needed to elaborate on the rudimentary plan laid out by Roger. “Greg, I like it. I want you and your Spotter to work your way to the position you indicated here. Once you’re set, radio us. Eric, you and your Spotter make your way down to your location. Radio once you’re in position and then wait.

  “I want fifty men over here. They’ll protect the hospital and make sure it doesn’t get overrun. Sam, I want you to be in charge of them. You’ll have a .30 caliber machine gun mounted here, and that will give you a good sweep from left to right.”

  “I want Randy to be in charge of the troops down here midway through the valley. Randy, I want two mortar teams here and here. They’ll have the opportunity of first blood. Once the old tank gets here from Fitch, we’ll place it here. I expect it to be arriving in another fifteen or twenty minutes.” He indicated on the map where it would be situated.

  As he placed the small X’s on the map, he penciled in the initials of the key players. “I’ll take twenty men and we’ll suck them into the trap here. We have to make them believe we stumbled on to them accidentally… and as we retreat, hopefully we’ll get them to chase us. We’ll come in this direction. We’re going to go down there in a few minutes and dig a few trenches that we can jump into once the chase has been initiated.”