Trouble in America: Five Apocalyptic Stories

by Pete Thorsen

  The hardest were all the children that were found dead. There were twenty seven teams of two and they worked for about eight hours straight. In that time eleven hundred seventy three men, women, and children were found dead and laid in the mass grave. The road block was removed and all the shot up vehicles were left in the hospital parking lot. It was approaching sundown when they finally all retuned to their own homes.

  The next morning the chores still had to be done. Deb made a meager breakfast and all of them made an attempt to eat it. It was the same at lunch; they were all having a hard time understanding the senseless killing of all those people. Deb said it must have been in retaliation for them killing those bad guys but Del explained that there was no way they had the time to do it all in that short a time span.

  He said they must have started the killing as soon as they came into town and never stopped until they had killed them all. They all threw themselves into work at the farm. Deb with Eve’s help was canning some of the things out of the garden. This was done every couple days as different things would ripen and be ready to can. And later there were often another batch that would ripen.

  Deb had a small tractor and some old equipment. She usually bought all her hay but Del used the tractor (Deb did have a farm tank with some fuel) to cut, rake, and haul the loose hay to the small barn. Then he put as much hay as he could in the loft and the rest in the empty unused stalls.

  After a couple weeks things were better for everyone. Time was healing the wounds from what they had seen and done in and near the town. One day when Bill and family were over Del suggested that they salvage some of the things in town. There was bound to be a lot of food there and if it was not used it would go to waste.

  Also feed at the feed store would not last and would go to waste or worse become a breeding ground for rats. The others had mixed feelings on this. All agreed that it would be a shame for anything to go to waste when it could not be replaced. But it was like stealing and that did not feel right.

  Del asked about the propane this fall. Obviously many in the area would freeze if they did not get more propane delivered. Should that not be distributed to save their lives?

  Likely some in the area were close to starving right now shouldn’t they be fed if possible? Farmers likely needed fuel which could be obtained from the gas stations in town. Shouldn’t they get the fuel so they could raise more food to feed others? Everyone likely needed candles or lamp oil and it was just sitting in town, should it not be used? What about fuel for the hospital’s generators? What about the books in the library?

  Everyone thought about those questions. Who did the things in town belong to? Was it right to let everything go to waste or rot away? Was it some how now community property? If this were normal times, vacant places would eventually be seized by the county to cover back taxes then sold for the betterment of everyone in the county.

  If the items and places were now used for the betterment of those in the county what was the difference? Was it different because we were just normal citizens? Normally we elected or hired people to act in behalf of the citizens of the county. How is it different if instead of electing someone to do it the citizens did it themselves?

  There were likely many fruit trees in the town. Should the fruit be picked? Or just left to fall to the ground and rot there. No one could fault the logic of using things to save lives. But it still did not feel quite right.

  Maybe the food should be gathered and placed at the hospital that could act as a food pantry for those in need. They talked about it at some length and did not come to a solid decision but kinda decided that the food pantry idea was the best bet.

  Del said the next day he would take the bike and ask a couple of the neighbors what they thought and maybe ride all the way to the hospital to check on them and see if they would go along with the pantry idea. Also anyone with extra food could drop it off at the pantry to benefit others that might be in need. That part everyone agreed with.

  The next morning after chores Del left on the bike and talked to a few neighbors on the way to the hospital. There were still five people staying at the hospital and Del talked to them about his plan. They said they thought it was a good plan and the hospital was all about helping people so it was a natural to have the pantry there. They also said there was plenty of room in the many storage rooms or heck they could just use the reception area. Two offered to help collect food items and Del said he would be back tomorrow with his truck.

  Eve and Del were at the hospital early the next morning and the four went to town. Del would stop between two houses and the two nurses would do one house and Del and Eve would go through the second house. Besides food they collected common things that everyone would need like candles, matches, blankets, diapers, feminine supplies, and toilet paper. They found a surprising amount and made several trips throughout the day to unload at the ‘pantry’.

  They worked all that day and did the same the next five days also. Del siphoned what diesel fuel was left in the shot up vehicles the last day and it was enough to refill his truck tanks. They also made signs which they posted at the churches and government buildings that told those in need that a food pantry was located in the hospital.

  Also at the hospital Del talked them into putting up several bulletin boards so local people could post things they were looking for and/or had available to trade. Del posted asking for a bull to breed his sister’s milk cow and would trade food for the service with their name and address. While at the hospital he checked what they needed for fuel for their generator. They had two and one was natural gas and the other was diesel. They had used the gas one until it had quit running from lack of fuel and after had been very frugal with running the diesel powered one.

  They had some fuel left and Del said he would do what he could to see that it was refilled. They would have to see about what to do about heating and water. So far they had been using a water tanker ‘borrowed’ from the fire station which they refilled at a local water hole and they boiled the water they used for drinking. Del also asked all of them if they knew one of the propane delivery men. One person knew a guy that used to do that and gave Del directions to his place.

  Del also asked about anyone that worked for the electric company as a lineman. Again one of the people thought they knew someone but were not sure but after looking in the phone book gave Del his address. On the way home Eve and Del put up several of the home made signs stating the hospital was now also a food pantry.

  The next day Del went to visit the propane delivery guy (it was the same one that had delivered to Deb’s house). Del asked him if he would help people by delivering what propane was available to those that needed it in the area. Those with gas furnaces could not use it without electric but many had gas ranges that they could use for heat and cooking over winter.

  The man (Paul) said that was a great idea and he would certainly do so. He said he could also drain the propane from vacant places to pump into the tanks of those in need. While Del was there he asked the man if he knew of an electric lineman in the area. He did and the man lived only a couple miles away. Del thanked him and went directly to the electric guy’s house.

  Del asked him if there was any way he could route the power from the solar farm in town to help the locals. Thoughts were to power the hospital and/or the town water pumps to get water to the hospital. Obviously it would only have power when the sun was bright but would be a huge help. The man (Sam) said he would have to look things over and would need a helper and would like to talk to someone from the city maintenance crew.

  Del said he would be a helper but was unsure if any city workers were still alive but could likely find the names of the workers at city hall or the city maintenance shop then look in the phone book to find their address. Sam also said they would need a bucket truck but he knew where they were stored in town so that would not be a problem. Details were ironed out and they would start first thing in the morning.

  The next morning
Del dropped Sam off at the electric company maintenance building (Sam had a key) and Del went in search of a city worker. After a lot of work Del came up with a list of names for the workers and with the phone book found out that three of them lived out of town a little way. The first one he found was a secretary but gave Del directions to one current worker and one retired worker that would both have the knowledge Del needed for the job ahead.

  The first address had no one home but the second (John) was home and was eager to help. Del and John met up with Sam at the solar farm on the very western edge of the town. Sam said he could send the power to the hospital without too much trouble but getting it to the pump stations without powering everything in between would be difficult to impossible. John said the city had a three-phase diesel generator that he could power the well with and send the water to the hospital (and a lot of the town) but it would not be practical for very long periods of time. Del said how about a few hours every three days or something like that? John thought that would be feasible until they ran out of fuel. Del thought they could find a fuel truck in town and pump diesel into it (if they couldn’t find a full one) and drive it to the well site for generator fuel.

  Sam said he could route the power today as it is a fairly easy job with the hospital so close to the solar farm. Sam thought he could do it alone so Del and John went to get the water situation fixed if possible today. Del dropped John at the maintenance shop and got directions to where John wanted the fuel truck delivered (if one could be found).

  Del had previously spotted some fuel trucks at other times he had been in town because he realized their future value. He found two with diesel fuel in them and ran back to the hospital to get another driver so he could drop one fuel truck at the well site and one near the hospital generator fuel tank.

  Dropping the nurse back at the hospital he told her about the grid power they would be getting during daylight hours and the normal city water they would be getting a couple days a week so they could fill their tanker truck with clean city water (they could sanitize the tank truck with bleach or chlorine first).

  A couple of the hospital workers had also continued the salvage of food and many other items from the town buildings which they brought to the hospital and the power would make sorting and organizing all that stuff much handier. The solar power and the city water would be deeply appreciated so they could take showers and clean the place up.

  Del went back to see if he could help Sam and found out that Sam was just about done with this end of the job. He had to run down past the hospital to keep the power from going past there. When Sam left to do that second to the last step (Sam had to come back and send the power out from the solar farm as he wanted to work with a dead line at the other end first) Del also left to see how John was doing.

  When Del arrived at the well site John was just pulling up in a city truck. He had been shutting off valves over a lot of the town. John said many places would still be receiving water but that should not hurt anything as it would just be normal. John said he would leave the water on right now and run out to talk to the hospital folks and work out a schedule with them for when and how long the water would be on. Del thanked John and after starting the water pump going they both left to head back to the hospital.

  At the hospital Del and John were talking to the whole staff when the lights came on and everyone cheered. They now had power every day the sun shined and full running water a couple days a week. Shortly after the lights came on Sam showed up with the bucket truck and was thanked by every person there. Things were not back to normal but it was certainly a huge improvement for everyone there. Sam warned them that they had to be careful with some of their sensitive equipment as the power they were getting might not be enough on cloudy days or near sunrise or sunset.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The summer was running out and fall was coming. Bill and Del had gone hunting and this time Bill let Del shoot his first deer. Del did the gutting and the skinning also. They dried the meat and after it was dry they shot two more deer and dried that meat also. They wanted to build up their supply for winter of dried meat and when it got cold they planned to shoot a deer now and then during winter as they could freeze all the meat just by keeping it outside out of the sun in coolers.

  A local farmer had brought his bull over for a couple weeks so Deb’s milk cow got bred. They would have to live without milk for awhile. Del had brought more feed for the chickens and the cow from the feed store in town. Late in the summer many neighbors had banded together to hunt down several dog packs that were in the area because they had attacked three people and killed and ate one of them. Also the dog packs were killing a lot of livestock in the area.

  In the fall one day Paul the propane guy stopped in and filled the tanks at Deb’s and Bill’s houses. Paul said there should be enough propane for this winter but next year everyone would have to get by on their own some how. Paul’s payment from everyone was a meal and conversation.

  One day when just Deb and Del were out taking care of the chickens Deb told him she had enough of his stupidity and he had best ask Eve to marry him that week or he would get kicked out of Deb’s house. Del asked Deb if she thought Eve would marry him and she told him again how stupid he was and just ask her.

  The next day Eve and Del went for a walk together and he asked her to marry him. She said nothing at first and he could plainly see she was in shock. He was sure she was going to say no when she threw herself into his arms and said yes while kissing him. Eve made him run all the way back to the farm to tell Deb. Deb just smiled and congratulated them both.

  The girls then totally ignored Del as they put their heads together to start planning the wedding. After awhile they handed a note to Del and told him to post it on the bulletin board at the hospital. It simply said “Man of the Cloth needed to perform a wedding on October 27 in one of the churches in town” with their names and address on the bottom. After handing Del the note he was completely ignored again. Still not really knowing what he got himself into he took the bike and rode out to post the note as per his orders.

  In the following days the farm had a large number of visitors. It seemed that everyone that they hardly even knew wanted to help with the preparations for the wedding. It was very shortly obvious that this would be an event that included basically every person left in the area. The wedding was scheduled for eleven in the morning at one of the churches that had an attached dining/entertainment area.

  Behind the building an assortment of gas grills and camp stoves were cooking up a feast. The reception area was decked out with amazing decorations. Del was ‘forced’ to wear the tux that was found for him along with Bill as the best man. Eve in her gown was spectacular and Deb the maid of honor also turned every head. The wedding was rather short but the reception lasted the rest of the day.

  At the end of the reception an honest to goodness limousine was waiting out front with a uniformed chauffeur. After the bride and groom were seated the limo made a loop of the town and deposited them at a small home on the edge of town. The driver escorted them to the door which he opened then he promptly retreated back to the limo and was gone.

  Stepping into the small home the bride and groom found the place lit with several candles. The rooms were spotless and had food and drinks on hand. Del had spotted his truck parked outside the place. Strung across the room was a sign just saying ‘congratulations’. The bedroom was amazing and looked like a picture from a fairy tale. When they checked the closet they found some of their clothes and several sets of new skimpy lingerie for Eve.

  The new couple stayed at the bridle suite for several days and took many walks around the town before returning back to the farm to find some furniture had been rearranged to provide more room in the bedroom they would now share.

  Things got back to normal quickly as work had to be done by everyone to prepare for the coming winter. Three families moved from their ‘all electric’ houses into town to houses with woodstoves
in them. Firewood was gathered from vacant houses in the area to heat the houses for winter. Some other families moved in together in the country as it was easier to heat one house rather than two.

  By the time it got cold everyone was ready for the long winter. With many helping, all vacant houses and commercial buildings had all the water drained (or as much as possible) from the water lines and water heaters to keep them from being ruined from freezing over winter. This was done both to the houses in town and the vacant houses in the country.

  No one wanted anything that was likely irreplaceable to be damaged. The food pantry was a big hit and everyone used it but most used it to trade food items they had plenty of for items they needed. Some just brought in more food that they wanted to share. The bulletin boards were used by all and there was a lot of trading done, often services or regular labor was traded for goods or other services.

  Hand pumps were found and put on the gas station tanks in town where people freely filled cans or vehicles with fuel. No one had anywhere to drive to so other than farmers/ranchers little fuel was actually used. Stabilizer was added to all the fuel tanks so the fuel would not go bad. Many did use fuel for chainsaws to cut large amounts of firewood. Woodstoves were found and installed in many homes for both heat and cooking.

  Some people salvaged solar panels and batteries so they could power simple lights for the long winter. Everyone had reverted to the age old system of getting up with the dawn and to bed shortly after the fall of darkness. In the short winter days many wanted to have lights in the evenings. The library was reopened and books were gathered from all the vacant houses and brought to the library so everyone could enjoy them. The hospital staff was kept active with births and the many accidents from people learning skills they never had.