Will and Ray looked at each other.
“Best case scenario?” Ray asked, giving me raised eyebrows.
I nodded.
“They’re just curious about who’s up here and they want to make sure we aren’t a threat to anyone.
“And worst case scenario?” I asked, not really wanting to know.
This time it was Ray who took the deep breath, “They’re a small scouting party of a larger group who wants what we have. These guys were sent up for data collection…to look for signs of defenses, determine weak points, estimate our numbers, and figure out what we’ve got up here that might be of value to them and whether it’s worth taking.”
“They’ve already got our ATVs,” Will chimed in.
“If that was the same group,” said Ray. “That could have been a totally unrelated incident. We don’t know for sure.”
“So what do we do?” I asked.
“Well, the way I see it, we have a couple options,” Ray tilted his head to one side, considering. “First off, these guys know…or at least ought to know, that they’re not dealing with complete idiots since we already took the time to barricade the entry road. So they may not chance an outright attack. However, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t cause us trouble in other ways, things like hunting around here, trying to steal more stuff, and possibly even taking pot-shots at us when we’re outside. We can’t be sure at this point who we might be dealing with. They could be completely normal individuals like us or they might be some backwoods rednecks who just like to shoot at things and steal stuff. So we could just sit tight, beef up our defenses, and hope for the best. The problem might just resolve itself.”
“And if it doesn’t?” I asked.
“Then there’s option number two,” Will added. “We do a scouting mission of our own. We could follow the tracks back to wherever they came from and do something to let them know that we’re paying attention.”
I thought about it for a minute. From the corner of my eye, I could see Claire had stopped her card game and was watching us with interest.
“Well…” I said finally, still pondering, “…hopefully it’s just some wayward hunters who got curious about what we’re doing up here. Food is probably running short for people and they may be expanding their hunting grounds.”
I could see the doubt in both Will and Ray’s eyes.
“And I’d prefer not to have to risk sending out a scouting party,” I continued. “I don’t want any misunderstandings blowing up into something more than they are. The last thing we need is a re-enactment of southern Illinois. However, if we just sit on our hands and wait, we might be caught with our pants down. So let’s do this. We’ve already got our defenses in place and a good plan should somebody come after us here at the castle. I don’t really want to raise concerns among the rest of the group, but I think we should tell them what you’ve seen so that we are all more vigilant and don’t put ourselves in any unnecessary danger. We’ll have a group meeting tomorrow morning. We’ll explain that for safety’s sake, no one will leave the house for any reason without a weapon and a partner. Meanwhile, I want you two to scale back on the hunting. We’ve got plenty of food and we don’t want to appear greedy. Keep your outdoor activities closer to home. But when you’re out, keep an eye out for any new tracks. Once a week, you two, me, and Dad will make a scouting mission to the areas where you’ve mentioned you’ve seen tracks to ensure that these people aren’t coming back.”
I looked at the two men and they looked at me. “And I guess we’ll just go from there. How does that sound?”
They nodded, and shrugged.
“Guess that about covers it,” Ray said.
“Anything to add or that you’d change?” I asked.
Will cleared his throat and looked away uncomfortably.
“What is it?” I asked, knowing that something was bothering my dear brother.
“We think we should go into town,” he said. “Just to check things out and see what’s going on.”
I hung my head back in despair. The last thing I wanted was risking going into a populated area which could create all sorts of issues if not handled in the right way. And even if it was handled correctly, it didn’t mean that it couldn’t stir the pot in some way we hadn’t contemplated. From bringing back the flu with us if it was still out there to making a misstep with any local inhabitants, getting ourselves into more trouble was not at the top of my list.
“Why?” was my exasperated response. I couldn’t see many if any good reasons for such an endeavor, nor did I see any good coming from such a trip.
“Well, we were looking at a map of the area and there isn’t much around here,” Will explained.
“Huh!” Ray laughed. “That’s an understatement.”
“Yeah, it’s more than not much,” Will agreed. “I mean, there’s hardly anything besides the little town of Tipton, and from the map, it looks awfully tiny. So we were talking about it and we thought that any sort of organized community or group would likely be based out of there. Maybe we should go in and introduce ourselves. They might have things kind of organized there. I mean, it’s been a while since the start of the flu. They might have set the town up like in the old west…you know, a sheriff, a doctor, a post office, a church, a schoolhouse, a general store…that kind of situation.”
“And lots of bar room brawls and cowboy shootouts?” I said. “No thanks. We don’t need any of those things right now. So why risk it?”
“Right now we don’t need any of those things,” Ray said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t need the kinds of services and supplies such a community could present in the future. And the longer we hold out up here like hermits, the more we become outsiders. And outsiders are often viewed not just with curiosity but with fear. And while that fear might not start off as much, it’s like witches in Salem, eventually, after enough talk and conjecture, the townsfolk will come to burn you at the stake whether you deserve it or not.”
I took in what they were saying, trying to stay objective, but I just didn’t like it.
“And what about Claire?” Will added. “Sure, you guys found enough diabetic supplies for now, but what about this summer when she starts running low again? It’s not like we can go out and hunt her up some insulin. Or what about when we start running low on ammo? We’ll have to find some sort of supplier eventually, and the most likely spot will be in town…or in a town. Face it. Like it or not, eventually we’re going to have to leave the safety of our little enclave up here and head back into civilization. Given, it may not be the civilization we remember, but it might be all that’s left.”
“Heck, there may not be anything left down there at all,” Ray said. “But we’d probably be better off finding out sooner rather than later. Like Will said, it could be kind of like the old west. There could be a salesman. What did they call them? A peddler? Somebody who travels around from town to town selling wares and supplies, but he might only come in to town, especially a small one like Tipton, just once or twice a year. We just have no idea, but eventually we’re going to have to find out.”
I sat, absorbing their words, not liking them, but understanding them. Finally I nodded. “You make some good points, but I don’t think we should do a scouting mission like that right now.”
“Why not?” asked Will.
“Things are good right now, and I want them to stay that way. We all do. But I’m a realist. I know they can change and change quickly. I don’t think we need to push our luck though. We should let the situation come to us a little bit more.”
“Come to us? What do you mean by that?” Will asked.
“We have a great defensive position up here. It would be hard to get at us unless you had a pretty big group under your control. We’ve got weapons, a castle fortress, a plan of defense, and the high ground. There’s no need at the moment to start risking our lives by going sneaking off into town. Who knows what’s going on down there? It might be like you said. Things might
be getting organized and there could be a nice little community set up. If there is, then it probably isn’t going anywhere soon. So what’s the hurry? But if it’s not, we could be walking into a hornets’ nest, and I just don’t think it’s worthwhile right now.”
“So when do you think it would be worthwhile? Ray said.
“Spring,” I said. “Maybe around March. Once the snow melts and it makes it more difficult to track us. You guys think you can wait that long?”
They were silent.
“I guess,” Will finally shrugged. “It’s not like we’re itching to get right down there. But we thought it would be a good idea to bring it up. I think March sounds fine. But I also think that we should be a lot more vigilant than we have been. We’re starting to get complacent up here. And while it’s nice to be comfortable, it can also be dangerous.”
“Jesus,” I said, laughing and shaking my head. “You two old farts are starting to sound like me now. It’s sad. You need to relax a little…and that’s coming from me! You need to go get laid or something.”
“Hey,” Ray laughed. “I’m trying, but Pam’s about cut me off. She’s afraid of getting pregnant out in here in the boondocks with no doctors around.”
“Probably a good idea,” laughed Will. “I’ve heard you Mexican boys are a pretty fertile bunch.”
“Oh, you’re one to talk,” Ray said. “You’ve already got two. You’d better be careful yourself.”
“True,” Will considered.
“So March sounds good to you two?” I said, getting back to business.
They agreed that it was.
“Good,” I said. “Then we’ll have a meeting tomorrow and let everyone know what’s going on.”
After they left, I hefted another massive log onto the fire and sat back down in my chair to watch the flames flicker and dance. I rubbed the smooth cold leather of the chair’s arms with my fingertips as I thought. The natives were getting restless, and I couldn’t say I blamed them. I had to admit, they had a point. We’d eventually have to try to re-establish contact with the outside world. I just didn’t think now was the right time. It took people a while to adjust to new things and new situations, and having society torn asunder by a horrendous pandemic was certainly something that could take some getting used to.
* * *
Christmas Eve brought snow and some holiday fun. We cancelled “school” for the kids, allowing them a free morning to watch movies as a special treat. In the afternoon, we braved the chilly temperatures to go out and build snowmen, complete with their own snow castles, which we then used as we broke into teams to have a huge snowball fight.
For dinner, we decided to go for a cozier, homier atmosphere and moved the dining room table into the family room. We found a copy of It’s a Wonderful Life in amongst the Coughlins’ movie collection, put that on, and built a roaring fire in the fireplace.
With everyone toasty, warm, and waxing sentimental as we watched Jimmy Stewart ponder the value and merit of his existence, I broke out the bottle of whiskey I’d been saving for just such an occasion and the adults sipped the small shots I poured for them. As my gift to the guys, I opened the last box of cigars that I’d stashed away along with the whiskey. Will and Ray’s gifts were the meats on the table, and Sharron’s were all the veggies. Meanwhile, Claire, Emily and Pam had the kids put on a special dinner show for us as their gift to the group. But Joanna’s gift to the family was best of all. She had found a cookbook in the library from 1897 that described in detail how to make handmade ice cream, and she had perfected the craft in secret using the remains of some powdered milk we’d still had among our supplies, mixing us two gallons of vanilla ice cream, which we managed to consume in its entirety for dessert. It was more ice and less cream, yet it made me realize just how much I’d missed the delicious frozen treat and how I’d taken it for granted back when it was so commonplace.
After the movie ended and we’d finished with our lovely dinner, we put on a compact disc of holiday music that Janet had found, and sang along, often severely off key or with mix-matched versus and phrasing.
Eventually, Will, Ray, Dad, and I moved the dining room table out of the way. We packed up the few leftovers but left most of the dishes in the kitchen to be dealt with later. Then we rejoined the rest of the family to enjoy A Christmas Story and watched as little Ralphie pursued his Christmas dream of finally getting his Red Ryder BB gun. One by one, we gradually drifted off to sleep…warm, cozy, and content in our castle domain.
CHAPTER 14
It had been my plan to cook some venison sausage and make biscuits and gravy, using some of Sharron’s homemade squash bread as the biscuits, for our Christmas-morning breakfast. Sharron had been doing her best to stretch the two bags of flour that had come with the castle, but even then, our supply was dwindling.
I wished we had a few chickens for fresh eggs to supplement the meal, but I pushed this item off as a spring-time goal.
Claire and I had just woken up, and I was working to rekindle the still glowing embers in the fireplace to start heating water for tea when Claire’s shouts brought me running out to the kitchen.
“What the hell?” I yelled as I stumbled my way through our still-sleeping clan in the family room and into the kitchen where Claire was peering out the window that overlooked the backyard. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” I asked.
Claire was just pointing outside, mouth open, wordless.
I squeezed up beside her to get a view of my own. I could see immediately what had caught her attention. Both doors of our refrigerator were standing wide open.
“Shit!” I hissed, running back to the family room to find my shoes.
Others had been roused from their slumber by Claire’s shouts and were quickly throwing their clothes on while at the same time tossing questions at me regarding what was going on.
“I don’t know. The fridge is open,” was all I said.
I didn’t bother to put my coat on, and after removing our back-door security bar, I darted outside.
My first thought was that an animal of some sort had raided our food supply – maybe raccoons or even a bear. But while I knew raccoons were incredibly crafty and might be responsible, upon seeing that the entire fridge sitting empty and there being no food bits or shredded container pieces left around the area, I discounted raccoons as an option because I knew them to be messy creatures. And I doubted a bear because, while it may have been a possibility in these parts of Tennessee, I realized that scents tended to attract them, and with everything frozen and the fridge sealed up tight, I didn’t think that was too likely either. The boot prints in the trodden snow around the refrigerator confirmed my other theory and worst fear…humans.
I took a deep breath and pounded my fist against the side of the refrigerator, half in anger at myself for being so stupid as to leave our supplies out where they were vulnerable, half in sadness and frustration that the human race, even after being decimated by the worst pandemic in history, still couldn’t find a way to live peacefully and without harassing one another. The thought of having to replace the food was a disappointing one, but more than that, I was upset because I knew that this most recent appearance of people around our home would stir up the desire either to confront them or at least investigate them, especially among Will and Ray.
A decision would have to be made, and I wasn’t looking forward to the discussion that I knew was coming.
I turned and followed the tracks in the snow with my eyes as they led off toward the tree line, and then I walked slowly back inside, stomping my boots free of snow at the door and taking them off just inside to let them dry.
Will and Ray met me there. The rest of the family had congregated in the kitchen chattering noisily about what had happened, who might have raided the fridge, and what we should do about it.
“They got us, didn’t they?” Will said, frowning and nodding his head.
“Yep, they got us,” I agreed dejectedly.
&n
bsp; “I knew it,” he said. “It was only a matter of time.”
“Perfect timing too,” said Ray. “They waited until Christmas Eve when they figured we wouldn’t be paying as much attention as we should and then they nailed us good. They get everything?”
I nodded, still mad at both myself as well as the intruders, “Yeah, they got it all.”
“Goddamn it!” Will said in annoyed agitation. “Assholes!”
“Maybe they thought it was our Christmas gift to them,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. But my attempt at levity fell flat.
“Why did Santa take our food?” asked sweet Jason, confused by the whole situation.
Hearing his words, I had immediate flashbacks to watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas as a child.
As Claire led Jason back into the family room, I could hear here softly telling him that since we didn’t have cookies to leave out for Santa, he took some of our meat instead, and that this was okay because Santa needed to eat too since there wasn’t much food at the North Pole and he had all those elves to feed.
I thought it was a pretty good spur-of-the-moment explanation to our innocent little boy. But I knew such white lies wouldn’t act to quell the anger and confusion among the rest of our group. Will especially was hopping mad. I couldn’t say I blamed him really. It was his efforts and Ray’s that had built up our stockpile, and they had worked hard at collecting, cleaning, and preparing a variety of meats for the group. To have it stolen hit them especially hard. And now he wanted his revenge.
“I say we follow the tracks and get our meat back or at least steal something of theirs to even things out. This is bullshit! We worked our asses off to get that meat and these lazy fucks just waltz off with it!”
Ray was quiet, but I could tell he was seething on the inside. As an FBI agent though, he’d learned to control his emotions better than Will. I also knew that while Will just wanted revenge, Ray was considering the best course of action and the most efficient and safest way in which to extract our revenge, should we decide to do so.
The Systemic Series - Box Set Page 33