by R Kralik
We were near Soo's burning house when one of the women from Wilky Place came stumbling toward us.
She was burned so badly that I couldn't tell who she was.
On her hips were the two youngest, starved children. She dropped them at Soo's feet and fell to the ground, moaning. I bent to try and comfort her but she yelled for me to get to the house and find the third child, Vicki. She said I would find her in the cellar behind the house.
The woman was dying, but I didn't stay with her. I carried the two young children to the basement and handed them over to Emma. Soo went after Vicki, and Hisa, and whoever else might be alive.
I headed back down the hill and saw Darlene and Tom Sulligent coming toward me. Tom was carrying Vicki in his arms. I asked about Hisa and Tom shook his head. My heart almost flew out of my chest. Hisa was gone. I couldn't believe it.
I shook myself back to the present moment and told Tom to go to the basement with Darlene and Vicki. He said he'd leave Darlene and Vicki there but he wanted weapons and he wanted to fight. I told him where to find several of the weapons that Emma brought home, and to holler as he approached the house. He headed toward the house with Darlene and Vicki.
The air was lit by the fires and I saw Buttercup run past, barely missing me. I felt the wind.
I looked toward the direction she was headed and saw Jesse at the bottom of the driveway with his hands in the air. A stranger in a military uniform was aiming a pistol at him. I knelt to aim at the man, but didn't get a chance to shoot. Buttercup plowed into the stranger and Jesse hit the ground. The gun fired, but the bullet missed.
I watched in awe as Buttercup reared up on her hind legs, whinnied, squealed, and stomped the man's brains out. She headed to the trailer fence and began pacing the length of it, snorting out her demands. She wanted out but I wasn't about to let her out. I yelled at her to protect the house and kids, and she actually turned and trotted back up the hill.
Jesse ran toward me and asked about Carisa. I told him where she was and that Elaine had one side of the house guarded but he needed to guard the other. Of course, I warned him to holler as he approached so he wouldn't get shot.
My mind went back to Hisa and I had to pull it away. I concentrated on finding Mick without getting myself killed. I dropped to the ground and crawled down to the trailer fence. Dane's woodshop was fully engulfed and the night was lit with flames.
A body fell from the top of the trailer fence and another one jumped down after it. The first body was a stranger in a military uniform and the second was Shawna. She was beatin' the hell out of the first body. She raised a large knife and thrust it through the stranger's chest. She pulled it out, raised it again, and shoved it through his eyeball. Then, she smiled at me and disappeared into the night before I could say a word.
I heard a voice say “Hey, sister.” I knew the voice and looked up to see Pop crouched and walking toward me. He sat beside me and we leaned against the trailer fence while he told me what he knew.
He believed we were under attack by a group of fake military. He said their primary target was probably the fence crew. He told me a few things he'd witnessed, including the explosion of Hisa and Soo's house.
He saw two men launch grenades into the house and he had barely a moment to tuck himself behind the trunk of a large pine before the grenades exploded.
I asked about Clinic Diane and he told me it was fine but probably had a little blast damage. I told him that I saw Soo, Merry, and Valerie, and that Tom Sulligent said Hisa was dead. He stood from his crouched position and headed toward Clinic Diane without telling me what to do. I couldn't believe it. I had no idea what to do, so I crawled in one of the trailers and hid behind several bales of hay while I thought out my next move. Dane's house continued to burn.
I was in the middle of thinking when I heard tires squealing and vehicles on the road. Someone had arrived. I prayed it was someone who'd be on our side, and God said “Yes.”
I had no idea who was on the road, but I could tell they were shootin' at the bad guys 'cause whoever was manning the machine gun was cursing up a storm and shouting nasty things to the “fakers.”
I wanted to climb on the trailer fence to watch but, of course, I didn't.
I crouched and went back up the hill toward the house. I almost forgot to holler as I approached, and felt a chill run down my spine. Carisa or Marisa could have shot me. The thought of either one of them having to live with that scared the crap outa me. I hollered “It's Momma, Don't shoot!” Thank goodness, no one shot.
I ran inside and almost tripped over Marisa who was lying on the floor, aiming her pistol out the door.
I grabbed the binoculars from the kitchen, went out on the front porch, and squatted behind one of my huge concrete planters. I almost had a bird's eye view of what was happening.
The Strike Team had arrived.
I wouldn't have been able to see a thing if the flames from Dane's house, Soo's house, and the Peterson house wasn't roaring with life. Flashes from all the gunfire made me think of lightening bugs. The flashes were everywhere, and moving.
There were three large trucks with guns mounted on the tops. Two of those guns were getting business. I saw the large, green, enclosed truck that had camped here when Mick and Dane were missing. I knew it was “that” truck because Michael had stuck a SpongeBob sticker on the passenger door and it was still there. I sent a thank you up to Jesus for whoever invented strong binoculars.
There was a second truck identical to the large enclosed truck, but it was missing a SpongeBob sticker.
I saw the rear doors on those trucks fly open and lots of dark figures come pouring out.
Twenty seconds later, I heard men screaming. I heard lots of men screaming
Josie used a second set of binoculars and watched the chaos with me. I had to threaten her keep her from going to find Chris. I told her I'd accuse her of endangering a child if she walked one foot down that hill. She stopped and thought for a moment, then agreed with me.
She grabbed her weapons and used the porch railing to climb up on the porch roof and then made her way to the roof of the house. I almost had a heart attack when I saw her foot slip a little. I guess you can't take the “soldier” out of Josie. Her baby may come out wearing camouflage.
Anyway, she was up there, loaded for bear with an infrared rifle scope she found on one of the weapons Emma stole from the guys who killed Cleve. God help any member of the fake military that appeared within her sites. I'm sure he/she is no longer walking this earth.
The battle went on all night. Men screamed. Men died. Men tried to climb the fence and Dane shot their legs out from under them before he and Jason put a bullet through their heads.
The bulk of the fake military was handled by the strike team and the cursing maniacs using the machine guns.
We won, if you really wanna put it that way. We have several dead and many injured.
Ian and Rick killed more men by breaking their necks than they did with bullets. Ian lost a pinky finger. It was shot off when one of the fake military guys was aiming at his head. He continued to break necks, slice throats, and shoot bad guys without that finger. He's not interested in going to look for it. Chris ordered him to see the strike team doctor and he's there now.
We lost Hisa.
Soo found her body several yards from the house. Her neck was broken and we believe she was thrown against a tree when the house exploded. My heart is aching for Soo, Merry, and Valerie. Soo's only injury is on the inside. He hasn't cried or broken down, and is concentrating on handing out supplies to other members of the group.
The three of them are in Clinic Diane, handing out basic bandages and medical supplies. I loved Hisa too. I still haven't come to terms with the fact that she's gone. I have no idea what we'll do for a medic.
We lost Nicholas. Mick found him lying on top of the trailer fence with his throat slit. His rifle was still in his hands.
Sabrina’s in shock. She won't get up and c
ome out of Carisa's room, or eat, or speak a word. She is staring into space. She isn't crying. She's rolled up in a little ball, sleeping on a bean bag chair.
Anna is there with her, sitting on the floor beside the bean bag chair and rubbing Sabrina's head as she gently talks to her about things other than Nicholas.
Isaac has no injuries but his mind has “stepped out for a minute.” Every move he makes, including feeding himself, reminds me of a robot.
We lost Tessa and Bree. They were found with bullets through their heads and their throats sliced open on the porch of their little wooden house. Bree's pants were pulled down but the strike team doctor says she wasn't raped.
Shawna and Lisa appeared on the back porch. Both girls were covered in mud, leaves, and debris. They have numerous bruises and scratches. They are both wild-eyed and jump at every sound.
Pop is fine. His knees and back are sore, and he's in the motorhome with Nana. They'll only allow me and Rona inside.
Kevin has a long knife wound on his back. Rona has him in her motorhome and she's trying to figure out how to clean the wound and stitch him up.
Elaine is fine and she's caring for Dane who has a gash across his cheek, a busted knee, and a lot of busted knuckles. His right hand may be broken and he's in line to see the strike team doctor.
No one, other than the Sulligent’s and the kids, made it out of Soo and Hisa's house.
Brenda was the member from Wilky Place who was burned to death while she rescued Vicki, Dale, and Tricia. Melody was there as well. Her body hasn't been found.
None of the remaining members from Wilky Place are hurt. I don't even know if any of them were here.
Everyone else is fine including Emma and the teenagers as well as Amber and Michael.
I'm fine. I have no physical injuries but my heart is broken in so many places that I'm afraid it'll never grow back to together. Most of my pain is from the loss of Hisa.
Twenty-three members of the fence crew were killed including Staff Sergeant Surn. Chris is devastated. He and Josie are in her motorhome and they won't allow anyone in.
The Strike team lost no one, but they have four live, fake military men tied to the back of the truck. The men are naked except for their underwear.
There were actually five captured members, but an expert in the art of torture from the Strike Team was able to confirm from the fifth man that the group was the ones who killed and burned Sniper and the two guards. They did it for fun.
When Chris heard that, he ordered that the fifth man be tied from a utility pole beside the road and left there alive. His mouth was taped and his voice box was methodically destroyed beyond repair. He can't scream or utter a word. I don't intend to visit or allow the kids near the field. I don't know what Chris plans to do with him.
Clinic Diane has cosmetic blast damage, but it still runs and I'm thankful for that.
Dane's house is burned to the ground.
Soo's house is burned to the ground.
The old Peterson house is burned to the ground.
One of the fence trailers has a huge dent where a fake military vehicle was forced off the road and hit the side.
There are large numbers of HDI's in the field and on the road. They were drawn here by the sounds of battle. The Strike Team along with the remaining member of the fence crew are putting them out of their misery, and ours.
I'm headed out to help Nana and Emma prepare to feed a large number of people. The fence crew's mini-cafeteria was destroyed.
If the field is clear of HDI's before supper, we'll bury Hisa, Nicholas, Tessa and Bree.
I don't know whether I'm coming or going.
See ya later.
11:50 PM...
We buried Hisa, Nicholas, Tessa, and Bree before supper. One of the fence crew members is an ordained minister and Pop took him up on the offer to conduct the service. I think Pop is emotionally spent.
I'm feeling extreme depression. Please forgive me if this entry is short and straight to the point. I've taken two Benadryl tablets for no reason other than the fact I want to fall asleep and not dream.
Chris has contacted home base. They're sending a large supply unit and several high ranking members to view the carnage and meet with Chris.
They'll be here by tomorrow evening.
I can't think clearly. I'm in emotional agony.
Bye for now.
Thursday, April 24
I woke up in bed alone this morning. I could hear the men talking in the kitchen and grabbed one of my white hotel robes to head out and see what they were doing.
We have a table that seats eight, and every chair was filled with male members from Kapper Hill. They were cleaning guns. Mick looked up at me and said they intend to clean every gun on the place today, including the ones Emma brought back. I thought that was a good idea.
Nana, Emma, and Marisa were in the kitchen, making a gazillion biscuits and two huge pots of oatmeal. We have to feed our folks plus the fence crew and the Strike Team. We're not feeding the fake military prisoners a damn thing.
Chris gave orders to the fence crew to take care of all the bodies, both HDI and fake military, and burn them at the power lines. They'll start the job after breakfast.
The captured members from the fake military will be placed in a large truck when the unit arrives. They'll be taken back to home base and interrogated for information. I don't know what'll happen to them after that
The KIA members from the real military will be placed in a large freezer truck when the unit arrives and be taken back to home base, and any family that's alive and known to the government will be notified
We've inherited three old Jeeps and a Humvee from the fake military crew. The remaining vehicles are full of bullet holes and none of them will start. Chris says he'll have them hauled away. He expects at least 400 troops to be with the supply unit and another 50 to be with the high ranking officials who come to observe.
I don't think anyone plans to leave the compound today. We need to take care of our own business and clean up the burned buildings and debris. We also need to supply two more meals to the large group of people here. Our flour supply dropped in volume greatly with all those biscuits. Lunch and supper will be beans and rice.
After breakfast, Marisa will take the kids back to her house along with the TNMNS who'll have lessons from Shawna and Lisa all day. Shawna's eyes look haunted but her demeanor is the same as always. I wonder if we'll ever find out how many enemies she killed on her own. I may not want to know.
I'm not sure where I'll spend the day. I may go from project to project.
I plan to help Pop and Emma in the garden this morning. Then, I'll help prepare and serve lunch. We'll have to eat in shifts because we don't have enough cups and bowls for everyone to eat at the same time.
After lunch, I may spend time with Amber and Michael, watching them while they play. I may go out to the meadow and watch Deuce ride Buttercup while the little filly tags along. I may bury myself in the laundry. I guess I'll play it by ear.
We can serve the biscuits and jam on napkins. The oatmeal will have to be served in shifts because of the lack of enough bowls. I want everyone here to eat before the troops come up so they can help serve. See ya later.
2:30 PM...
Darlene Sulligent ate beans and rice for lunch. She went to the bedroom in one of the houses at Wilky Place to take a nap and she didn't wake up. She is gone. We buried her in the little graveyard.
I have no more words.
11:00 PM...
The supply unit has arrived. They're busy setting up camp in the field and all over the hillside. Camp noise is back again. I'd forgotten how loud it was. Stern voices are shouting orders, vehicles are being moved around, and tents are being set up.
We had a wonderful surprise only minutes after they arrived.
I was on the front porch watching them set up camp when I saw a figure walking up the driveway. I knew it was female because of the way it was walking. I had no
idea who it was, but there was suddenly a spark of hope in my mind. The spark was right.
Rebecca is home and she's doing well! Yay! She found out that she has Lupus and was also anemic when she arrived at home base. She's been treated well, taken care of, and has no complaints.
You should have seen Jeremy's face when she walked into the kitchen. He went down on his knees, wrapped his arms around her waist, and cried like a baby. He didn't give a hoot who was watching.
She pulled him to his feet and they headed out the back door and down the path to their little wooden house with their arms around each other.
The high ranking officials have arrived as well. They brought along motorhomes. There are three of them, and three motorhomes.
They're basically surrounded with a human fence made up of troops with red badges on their shoulders. Chris will be meeting with them in the morning inside the top official's motorhome. Breakfast will be served to them while they meet.
The mess tent will be up by morning. That means we may be able to get the kitchen back in order by lunch.
I spent two hours this afternoon, watching Amber and Michael play Candy land and various other games. They made up their own rules and some of them were hilarious. They dressed me up in a crumpled Burger King crown and made me wear numerous strands of Mardi Gras beads. My scepter was a roll of Christmas wrapping paper. I gave them orders, knighted them, and made them do ridiculous things. They had a blast and I felt much better when I left Marisa's house.
I suddenly thought of the young soldier who set up the washing machine. I talked Mick's ear off about the boy until he got up, put on his boots, and went to find out if the boy was still alive.
He came back half an hour later and confirmed that they boy had, indeed, made it through. I asked if he knew the boy’s name and he said yes. He is Timothy Stein, and he's from South Carolina, and that's all Mick knows, and I should “hush about it now cause he's not going back to find out Tim's shoe size or anything else.” That information was good enough for me, so I left the subject alone.