Patriots Awakening

by R. M. Strauhs

  Susan had her thinking cap on. When Brandon and his group entered the cave, more sleeping quarters had to be made. Cord gave his room up to Beverly and Anita. Cord, Brandon, and David put bunks in the tunnel, where Enrique’s group came through the wall. They had plenty of room with the bunks end to end. Now, with a newly married couple, there had to be different arrangements made.

  She pulled Stephan away from the crowd where they could talk in private. “How about we make a bridal suite down in the north tunnel where the old vent is? It’s a large room and would make a good bedroom for them. She’d even have room to put up her looms and sewing machine.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Stephan said. “But it would be a great idea if you and I took the tunnel, and we could make very loud, passionate love, and not have to be quiet. Let’s give them our room, please, please?” He gave her his best puppy dog look.

  Susan burst into laughter and immediately gave him a locked on kiss to end all kisses.

  “Oh, I love it when you’re bad,” he mumbled between kisses.

  “After all, I’m a ‘cave woman’ and all us cave women are wild about our men.”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sakes. Would you two break it up?” a disgusted voice called out.

  They pulled their mouths apart to see their son standing next to them, hands on hips, looking agitated. Susan noticed for the first time her son was as tall as herself.

  “Yes, Phillip. This had better be good,” Stephan snarled.

  “Hell if I know. Ralph told me to tell you to get your ass to the control room.” Phillip snapped.

  Stephan sprinted toward the control room.

  “Phillip Martin! You will not use curse words. Do I make myself clear, young man?” Susan was mad and had fire in her eyes and was shaking her finger in his face.

  “Yes, Ma’am. Sorry.” Phillip took off at a dead run before his mother scalped him.

  Susan hurried toward the control room to see what the emergency was. She found the men clustered together, listening to the short wave radio, and joined them.

  “I repeat. This is Jarmain Euclaid. I am the new world leader and here to help you. Bandits who refuse to peacefully accept the new benevolent administration and wage terror on the peace-loving forces of our new world government will be punished severely for the greater good of all. Those who cooperate will have food and safety.

  Ralph finally turned off the short wave. “It’s a tape and just keeps repeating.”

  “Is he real or is that some sort of joke?” Susan asked, looking at the men.

  “We have no way of knowing. This Jarmain person could be real and have caused the downfall of the planet, or he could be a crackpot playing games,” Stephan told her.

  “Hey guys, come here.” Mike called out as he poked his head in the control room.

  The TV had a video of a man saying the same thing they’d heard on the radio. It, too, repeated over and over.

  “He’s sure a smug son of a bitch,” Cord commented.

  “Is that supposed to be the New World flag?” Ralph asked. The flag hung as a backdrop. It was a black flag, a blue box in the center, with a green ring inside the blue box.

  “Can’t say he has much artistic taste,” Susan mumbled.

  “That man’s a joke. No way in hell will I ever swear allegiance to him.” Brandon spat out.

  “Might get interesting around here pretty soon. He’s making his move now after we’ve had a few months to settle down and start coping. But winter’s starting, and that’s a bad time to start any campaign,” Stephan said. He walked over and hit the off button on the television.

  “The winter will kill off thousands more people. You know there are people who don’t know how to fend for themselves so they’ll either freeze or starve.” Alice stated.

  “Hey, maybe that’s the plan.” Mike said. “Hungry, starving people given warmth, food, and shelter in exchange for signing up with him.”

  “Why hasn’t he offered it before now . . . if that’s his plan?” Anita asked.

  Glancing at her, Stephan began thinking aloud. “Well, maybe Euclaid wasn’t set up. After the chaos, it would take time to put things into motion. Also, the longer he waited, the more people would die. Euclaid is smart and has culled out the weak, because he can’t handle an overload. If the people have made it until now, then they’ve survived the virus, and bacterial attacks, and are smart enough to fend for themselves in warmer weather. I can see where he’d want strong, intelligent people under him . . . but people he can break and get to do his will.” Stephan shifted his gaze to Mike. “But to get them, Euclaid has to offer the carrot. And that carrot could very well be what you just said, Mike . . . food and shelter for the winter.” Stephan stopped talking but continued looking into his Godson’s eyes.

  “And they’ll sign their lives away, won’t they?” Mike asked.

  “Yes, they will. All the people will see is what that man is offering, not what Euclaid truly is. He’ll then have his Army of followers all over the world. Hitler would be jealous of this bastard.”

  “I’d like to know where Euclaid’s headquarters is located and pay him a visit,” Enrique stated.

  “I would, too. But getting to him would be hard. This man has planned this war for a long time and, I’m sure, he has prepared well. Hell, I doubt anyone even knows what country he’s in even if they had the means to go after him,” Cord said.

  “Daddy, can we go back and play in the snow some more?” asked Margarita, Enrique’s little girl, as she pulled on his shirtsleeve.

  Stephan squatted down to her level. “Honey, we can’t today. There are some mean men out there, and we have to stay hidden from them. Do you understand?”

  She shook her little head yes and sadly walked away dragging her favorite bankie behind her.

  “Shit! I hate having to do that to the kids. And from now on none of us go out because of tracks in the snow. An aircraft could spot them, and I’m sure Euclaid has pilots already lined up, or some of the new members will be pilots. Hell, I need coffee.” Stephan walked away, upset.

  ~~~

  “Rocky Top here. Hey Dudes and Dudettes. There’s a lot of activity here in Denver. Those assholes are sure up to fuckin’ no good at the airport. Fuckin’ military comin’ to town, big time. I’m bailin’. Over and out.”

  “Thank you, Rocky,” Cord whispered to himself. “Hey, Stephan, come in here.”

  “Yeah, what’s up?”

  “Rocky just reported heavy military movement at the Denver airport, and he’s leaving ASAP. Must be getting bad in that area for him to bail like that. He didn’t say which way he was heading. I wish him and his girl lots of luck.”

  Stephan let out a low whistle. “Been what now, three or four days since Jarmain’s broadcast? He’s working fast.”

  The radio came to life. “Aircraft flying formation. Out.”

  Then another voice came on. “Holy Moly. Ugly man on the move. Convoys. Watch your six. Out.”

  From the other side of the room, Ralph said, “This is getting downright serious fast. You all want to join me in a silent prayer for Rocky and the rest of the folks out there who need God’s help?”

  The guys bowed their heads for a couple minutes and then said the Amen’s.

  “I hope Rocky Top and his girlfriend get to a place of safety. That’s what I prayed for. Too bad he doesn’t have a way of getting here.” Mike stood sullen, leaning against the doorjamb. “I like him a lot.”

  “I know, Mike so do I. I don’t think he knows it but he signed his own death warrant with that last broadcast.” Stephan slammed his fist down hard on the table.

  A voice from the radio made them all jump. “Transport ships offloading North Carolina. Out.” The transmission was weak, but they understood it.

  “Oh, if I was only in a sub right now,” Raul stated. “Where’s he had all these men hidden?”

  “My guess is he recruited thousands on the other side of the world before he was ready to come to
the States. You know, in Africa, Russia, and maybe an Arab country or two. We’re going to be dealing with soldiers who have no use for Americans,” Stephan said dryly. “By spring we’ll be in the thick of it.”

  ~~~

  Everyone awakened early all excited to prepare for the big day. November first, Cord and Alice’s wedding day. Irma was busy putting the icing on the large two layer cake she’d got up at four in the morning to bake. It was going to be beautiful with the pink roses she’d made out of icing the day before. The kids made flowers from tissue paper all morning.

  Alice had been in her room working on clothing for the wedding party for the past couple days, which gave Susan time to get the bridal suite put together as a wedding surprise. She’d drafted the older boys to help her carry the beds and the loom.

  Alice learned some time before that Ralph had been an associate pastor in his church. That was official enough for her and she’d asked him to perform the ceremony. He couldn’t have been happier.

  Two o’clock came, and everyone gathered in the main room, ready and waiting for the big event.

  Ralph stood next to the control room and standing next to him, the groom, Cord, and the best men, Brandon and Stephan. The men were dressed in blue jumpsuits, as that was the only men’s clothing in the cave other than fatigues or sweat’s. A tape played, The Wedding March. Out strolled Simon, dressed in a blue jumpsuit, being his mother’s ring bearer . . . his growing spree cost him wearing any clothes he’d brought from the house. The couple had to use the wedding set she had from Blake, as there were no other rings.

  Next, out marched the two bridesmaids, Alice’s daughter, Brittany, and Susan. Alice had taken one of her better dresses and altered it to fit Susan. It was blue-gray chiffon. At least Alice’s shoes, which matched the dress, fit Susan perfectly. Thank goodness Brittany hadn’t grown much and could still fit into her Easter dress. It was a frilly mid-length baby blue and white. They each carried blue tissue flowers.

  Finally, the door opened, and out came Mike, dressed in a pair of dark blue slacks, matching sports jacket, and white shirt, which had been his father’s and a perfect fit . . . walking his mother down the aisle.

  Alice was radiant. Her gown was dressy but simple . . . baby pink, tea length chiffon. She wore pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and white pumps. She’d pinned small pink and white tissue flowers in her black shoulder length hair, and carried a pink and white tissue bouquet atop her white leather bible. This wedding was more beautiful and more special than one costing thousands and thousands of dollars.

  Alice had tears running down her cheeks as she repeated the vows. Cord gently and lovingly wiped them away and told her how much he loved her. At that point there wasn’t an adult who wasn’t choked up.

  After the ceremony, everyone retreated to the dining room for cake and punch. Irma had done a beautiful job on the cake. The music started in the control room and filled the air throughout the cave. Cord led his new wife to the floor of the main room and started the first dance. Soon everyone was dancing and bumping into one another due to space. They didn’t care or notice . . . they were in a world of their own and having the time of their lives.

  When they broke for sandwiches, Susan blindfolded Alice and Cord and led them to the secret honeymoon suite. “Okay, remove the blindfolds. Congratulations you two. Byeeeeeeeee.” She ran and closed the steel door, locking the couple inside the tunnel.

  The newlyweds discovered a candlelit table set with food and drink. The bed, which was two bunks pushed together, had a pretty, bright, flowery spread over it which had been brought from Alice’s house.

  ~ 26 ~

  Rocky Top and his girlfriend, Amanda, cleared the house in record time after he gave the last warning over the short wave of military activity at the airport. The home they’d occupied sat on the outskirts of Denver, which made escape easier. The young man knew the time would come when they would have to break and run and had prepared for it. The homeowners owned skis, snowshoes, and a couple snowmobiles, which Rocky had gassed up and ready. He’d strapped the snowshoes and skis to the snowmobiles. In a back compartment of the snowmobiles, they had stuffed every piece of heavy winter clothing they could cram into them, along with a six foot long piece of garden hose for siphoning gas out of whatever abandoned vehicles they might encounter along the way. At least, he hoped they would find vehicles with gas still in the tank. Who knew where they might end up stranded?

  Rocky had a mass of red curly hair and stood almost six and a half feet tall. He’d been a basketball star his senior year and had a scholarship to one of the best colleges in the nation. At five foot six, Amanda looked like a midget standing next to him. Her auburn hair hung in a long braid. It was a happy day for both of them when she received a letter of acceptance to the same college as Rocky. They dated all through high school and became engaged to be married before college began in the fall. Her parents said they’d foot the cost of her tuition, an apartment, utilities, and food as a wedding gift to the kids.

  “Help me with these guns and ammo, and let’s get outa here,” he yelled, hurrying from the radio room.

  Dressed in skiwear, there wasn’t much else they had to think about taking from the home. The few food supplies found in the home were gone, and they now ran on empty stomachs. Rocky searched the neighboring area and found odds and ends to eat, but not much. He figured they were dead if they stayed and would probably die if they left, so it didn’t matter.

  Rocky opened the garage door; they each got on a snowmobile, started them, and immediately moved into the open. If they weren’t aware of the danger they were in, it would have seemed like a winter wonderland and a great day to go snowmobiling.

  Rocky Top and Amanda traveled without problems, following the snow-packed highway from Denver. Heavy snow fell most of the day, and that helped cover their tracks . . . on the off chance anyone would notice.

  The day was already dark, but by early evening, Rocky kept an eye out for shelter. It seemed luck might be with them when he spotted a row of cabins under a grove of tall pines. The main house sat a quarter mile up the hillside from the cabins, so he decided to chance breaking into the one farthest from the house. He figured this place was for summer tourists, as there was no ski lift in the area. If there was no one about, they would at least have shelter out of the snow and wind, even if it didn’t offer heat or food.

  After parking the snowmobiles behind the cabin, Rocky yanked the door open to a cold, one-room structure. After looking at their free accommodations for the night, he returned and brought two rifles and ammo into the cabin. It had been a long, tiresome day. They lay down on the bare mattress, clutching each other for warmth, and fell asleep.

  ~~~

  “DON’T MOVE!”

  Rocky and Amanda awakened with a start. A bright light shined in their eyes.

  “Don’t you make no sudden move toward those rifles, boy. I’ll blast your asses straight to hell.” The man’s voice came from behind the bright light.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not moving,” Rocky Top answered. “We just wanted to come in out of the fuckin’ storm for the night, man. We mean you no harm. I saw your house, and if we’d meant any dirty business, we’d have already been in on you and not out here freezing our fuckin’ asses off, don’t you think?”

  “Wait a minute . . . what’s your name? You got a nickname?” asked the voice.

  “Yeah, Rocky Top’s my nic. Why?”

  A roar of laughter filled the room, and the man said, “Hell son, put your hands down. I know who you are. Get your butts up and come on to the house. Too goddamned cold down here, and you’d freeze before morning. My name’s Dick Maddox.”

  ~~~

  Dick and his wife, Gail sat the cold, starving couple down in front of the roaring fire in the huge stone fireplace and brought them food and drinks.

  “How do you know me,” Rocky asked after finishing off a cup of hot chocolate.

  “I’ve been listening on the short
wave.” Dick chuckled. “Haven’t talked on it any, just been listenin’. Only way I can find out any news. Sure did hush up after your last broadcast. All I hear is some official giving instructions to go to those damned camps.”

  “Mr. Maddox, when I saw the number of military landing at the airport, I just wanted to warn everyone and get out. I didn’t care where Amanda and I went, or if we froze to death. I wasn’t going to die at their hands.”

  “Same thing Gail and I been talkin’ about. We’re too close to Denver and Colorado Springs to feel comfortable. Hell, you found us without even trying. I have a niece, my sister’s daughter, in a remote area, and we’re leaving tomorrow to try and make it to her house. You and Amanda are welcome to tag along if you’d like. Alice has plenty of room.” Dick offered.

  “Why not? At least you have a place to go to. Thanks for the invitation. That’s good of you.” Rocky didn’t want the man to know how relieved he was.

  ~~~

  “Can you believe how quiet the radio has been lately?” Ralph asked. He, Cord, Brandon, and Stephan were sitting in the control room.

  “Yeah, I noticed. It slowed down and then same as stopped, soon as Rocky and the others reported all the troop movements that day,” Stephan answered.

  “Nothing to see out there except snow and more snow,” Cord said as he turned from the periscope. “Would be damned good skiing. I bet there’s at least a fifteen foot cover.”

  “I know I’m damned tired of listening to that person telling everyone there’s food and warm shelter available. Euclaid’s on every fuckin’ short wave band and on the TV twenty-four hours a day. I’m assuming they must have some electric power on in the cities to do that. It probably also means folks have the power, but no food, or gas for heat. They’ll still go into the centers. It’s a no win situation out there.” Brandon picked up his empty coffee cup and left the room.

  Meanwhile, in one of the bedrooms, Susan, the doctor, and Maria, a nurse, were busy. Juanita was having a baby. Raul sat with his wife and tried his best to offer comfort. From Juanita’s calculations, the baby was coming a month too soon, which was, of course, of great concern.