SURVIVING ABE: A Climate-Fiction Novel

by O'Brien, J. Z.

  "He's grumpy as usual. Most of the critters I treat with cow salve get that way, but none've died yet, so I expect he'll be fine too."

  "Is it just me, or did you lose a building since yesterday?"

  "Those two boys that got loose wanted to warm up by a fire as their last wish, we accommodated them."

  "Lucky for you we came by to investigate, I'd say. Anybody hurt?

  "No, Andy used his head, and Jen used a 12-gauge, so we're good," Tye said and winked at Andy.

  When Ben looked closer he saw the mostly hidden bandage under Andy's hat and said, "Every time I see you somebody has just taken a club to your head, you need to put a helmet over that target."

  "Someone stole my last one, are you here to investigate and help me get it and my bike back?"

  When the chuckles died down Tye said, "Ben, pull your trailers up by the house, the well and the generator are in back. I'm thinking we ought to form a perimeter with the trailers and the house. We can tell our stories later, sound good?"

  ~~~

  Reb walked onto the back porch. "Ben, come on in the house to investigate how a pie comes out of the oven, you probably need the energy."

  "Reb, I was hoping to get an invite, it smells delicious from here." Ben looked at how the two trailers were placed in conjunction with the farmhouse while he walked across the backyard. He could see they had only a start; bringing the area up to a defensible perimeter would take a lot more energy and materials. He planned to talk with Tye about it.

  At the table Ben watched as Andy, with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder, walked past the window on watch, and then Ben looked at Tye. "I see you have a higher level of security around here since the shop burned down. Tell me what happened, right from the get-go, while I start on this piece of pie. Thanks, Reb," Ben said before taking the first bite.

  Tye related the story to the Deputy and watched him while he ate the slab of pie, washing it down with a cup of coffee. Without asking a single question Ben let Tye finish and then leaned back in his chair, wiping any crumbs from his face with a napkin.

  "To sum it up, the two men that got rescued by their gang really didn't, they got loose, then came here and set fire to the shop. Then when they attacked Andy they were killed, one by Andy and the other by Jennifer; their bodies are in the shed. Andy was the only one of you injured in the attack. Have I got the facts straight?"

  "It's just a minor cut and a lump," Andy said walking in from the front door.

  "Just for your information, I know what happened yesterday when Sam got shot. He told me all that you did to save his life. As of today you've inflicted more damage on this gang than local law enforcement personnel. I've got no problem with that. In fact, I think I speak for all of us at the department when I say we appreciate your help."

  "Well, we need to keep that under our hats. Another piece of pie?" Reb asked.

  "I'm good Reb, you better keep that pie for your next meal. No one says FEMA without another f-word as a prefix. We haven't seen any help coming from the Feds, and I doubt we will see much when, and if, it does arrive. In just our county probably half the population was homeless or on the verge of it from the flooding, and that was before the ice storm hit. Stalled cars are everywhere, the roads are damn near impassable in places, bridges are damaged, and so are the railroad tracks. Biggest damn mess I ever did see. How're you folks set?"

  "We'll manage. How about you and your family?" Reb asked.

  "Since our house flooded we'll be living in our fifth-wheel trailer for the foreseeable future, as will Wes and his family. Our little operation gathered quite a bit of food before we were forced to move the first time, so we're okay that way. Since drinking water is now available from your well we're set to hunker down for the next storm."

  "You're kidding, my weather radio doesn't work anymore, but the last report I heard made no mention of another storm coming," Jennifer said.

  "Unfortunately, I'm not kidding. The weatherman from the local TV station is a neighbor and he told me the storm-track over the U.S. is still stuck in place and another winter storm is coming. It's not forecast to be as bad as Abe; but neither was Abe forecast to be as bad as it turned out to be," Ben answered.

  "You're welcome to park your RVs out here as long as you need to, we're high enough it won't flood, and the well has plenty of water if you have the will to pump it," Tye said. "We surely need more defenders, this four-year-old is wearing us five adults down all by himself." Tye grabbed a speeding Leo on his third circuit of the kitchen table.

  Ben stood up from the table saying, "It sure is a load off my mind that my family has a safe place to stay. Let me get the group together and we'll introduce everybody and set up a watch schedule. We all need to be careful who we let get close; people are hungry and getting desperate."

  ~~~

  Midafternoon, after the get-acquainted meeting and the assigning of watch schedules, Tye and Andy accompanied Ben and Wes to the shed where they loaded the two bodies into the back of Ben's pickup. "We need to report in with the Sheriff, so we may as well take these two to the morgue; they'll be stacking up against the walls by now, so I'm not looking forward to it. We'll be back later this afternoon."

  "Bring ammo if you can," Tye said to Ben before he and Wes drove off.

  Gus & Ela - Unaweep Canyon, CO

  Wandering the house and looking out the remaining windows, Gus watched as the world presented itself for inspection by the first light of a new day. Normally he would enjoy seeing the canyon awaken to the sun's rays. Instead, with dawn as the traditional time for launching attacks, Gus felt nervously expectant.

  At a noise from behind, he spun around to find Ela coming from the living room. He relaxed his grip on the rifle, "Morning."

  "Good morning Gus, sorry to scare you. Anything happening?"

  "Nothing yet, but as you can tell, I expect it to at any time. The coffee pot's set, it just needs the burner lit."

  Ela did that, then turned back to face Gus, "Still planning on moving to the shop today and keeping watch from there?"

  "That's my vote, but I want to eat first."

  "I'll make us a couple of egg sandwiches, if you want."

  "That'd be great. Kinda keep an eye out the side window while I make the rounds."

  Ela stood at her spot by the window and nodded in reply, she watched the light of the new day bring color to the canyon walls. The thought of her mother missing the morning's beauty gave her warning that a wave of grief hung over her that would engulf and incapacitate her if she allowed it to. Instead, she walked purposefully to the stove and started making breakfast.

  ~~~

  After checking the approaches to the house Gus went in to check on Beth. She appeared to be sleeping, but he suspected she was still unconscious. Gently he opened her eyelids and found the difference between the sizes of her pupils more pronounced than it had been. Sitting beside her on the couch he pondered what that meant. Concussion at least, but what the term really meant, and what to do for her, he had no idea.

  As his eyes wandered around the room they settled on a carved, wooden mallard duck decoy being used for a doorstop. It was as if cylinders in his brain had finally clicked into alignment and opened him to a flash of awareness. Al's last words to Beth. He went over to pick up the decoy, and then he carried it into the kitchen where he set it on the table with a clunk.

  Ela spun around at the noise, equally on edge. Her eyes went from the decoy to Gus's eyes, and a look of understanding replaced the one of fright, "Use the decoy," she said, repeating what Beth had told them Al's last words had been. "And that's the decoy Al was talking about? But use it how?"

  Without answering Gus picked it up by the neck to get a closer look. As he did he felt the head move a fraction of an inch. With a little effort he pulled the duck's head out of the body, a yellowed roll of paper came with it.

  On the paper he read 45, left 3 to 15, right 2 to 51, left to 80. Gus knew exactly what the numbers represented. He looked up
to see Ela sliding over-easy eggs onto some bread, and then she met his gaze with an expectant expression on her face, waiting for him to say something.

  "Pretty sure this is the combination to the safe. Al must have been trying to remind Beth that he kept the combination in the decoy. Been in the duck a long time to yellow like this, maybe she forgot about it over the years," said Gus.

  "Let's try it! I'll bring the sandwiches."

  Gus made a quick check of the approaches to the house before trying to open the safe. Since the lock on his gun safe operated in the same manner, it took only a minute before the door swung open. Long guns were stored on the right and ammunition on the left. On the top shelf across both sections stood a pile of folders and some plastic cases.

  Gus found 5.56 ammo for the ARs, 9mm ammo for Con's Beretta, and .45-ACP ammo for Al's pistol. A shelf lined with boxes of 12-gauge shells and a pump shotgun proved even more interesting to Gus. He immediately pulled the shotgun out and started loading it. When he finished putting shells in the gun he started filling his pockets. He turned to Ela, "This gives us a much better chance to defend ourselves."

  Ela finished her breakfast and said, "I'll go take a look around while you explore what's in there, okay?"

  "Good call, I’ll load up the other guns while I'm at it." He found some loaded magazines and a holster for Al's pistol. Then he loaded Con's pistol. He put it back in its holster and set it aside, hoping Ela would see it and decide to carry it. If she didn't do it on her own, he would suggest it.

  The safe proved a mecca for ARs. Gus found two more AR style rifles and ten loaded 30-round PMAGs. In addition, he found two ammo cans packed with 10-round stripper clips. What he found in the safe gave them enough firepower to let any attacker know the place was well defended, as long as they weren't caught off-guard with an ambush like Beth and Al were.

  Al's taste in bolt-action hunting rifles ranged from .22 LR to 300 Win Mag, all were scoped. Although Gus expected to find a collection of guns in the safe, finding one of such high quality as this surprised him. He knew that just the NightForce scope on the 300 Win Mag cost a couple thousand dollars. He'd get with Ela and see if they could find a will in the safe. He had no qualms about using the guns at the moment, but he had to believe normalcy would return at some point, and when it did he planned on returning the guns to Al's heirs. He closed the safe, latched the door. and moved the dial five degrees. Now the safe appeared to be locked, but he could unlock it after a quick five-degree flick of the dial.

  Armed with a holstered .45 semi-automatic pistol, an AR-15 on a sling, and carrying a 12-gauge pump shotgun he went to find Ela.

  ~~~

  After putting the breakfast dishes in the sink she went out the front door, and away from the sounds of Gus loading the weapons at the safe. She wanted to avoid any sounds of imminent violence that seemed to plague her new world. The early morning stillness away from the house offered her a private moment to mentally process the events of the past week, when her world had shattered, leaving loss and uncertainty instead. She knew the current situation wouldn't allow her enough time to rebound from the despair that would envelop her, if she allowed herself to dwell on her mother's death. Some new calamity could come at any moment, and she needed to be mentally ready for anything.

  Away from the house any sounds made by approaching snowmobiles, or people walking in the frozen snow, would be easier to hear. Doing something, even if it meant nothing more than listening, helped her find direction and a sense of purpose. Wearing one of Beth's winter coats she felt comfortable in the cold that lingered from last night. Her breath fogged in the chilled morning air as she walked further from the house, until she no longer heard any sounds coming from there. She stopped under a tree on the side of the house facing Gateway and the direction from where they expected trouble or help, whichever it turned out to be, to arrive.

  In the quiet morning she heard a magpie's wings as it flew by, the bird curiously checked her out, hopeful she represented a meal in some way. The black and white scavenger landed in a tree, not far from the one she leaned against, and watched her intently with beady, obsidian-like eyes. Ela kept her eyes on the bird hoping the magpie could detect the approach of anyone, or anything, before she did. A few minutes later her hopes were realized when the startled magpie suddenly took flight. Ela looked around to see why, and found Gus opening the front door, the aware bird long gone before he stepped out.

  Gus saw her and came toward her looking well armed; a fashion statement for the new world order, she thought. Before he made it through the snow to her they both heard the sounds of a motor. Gus shouted and motioned Ela toward the shop. He got there first and opened the door, but they hesitated outside, listening before going in.

  "It's getting further away now," Ela said.

  "Yeah, I think it's on the highway going toward Gateway." Gus paused to listen and look around while he considered the new development. "Okay, that was our warning. We need to get serious about getting ready to defend ourselves, and I think the shop is our best bet. You with me on this?"

  "Gus, I don't know. I understand your plan, but I'm not sure how it will work if we are attacked. Why not have me in the house and you in the shop?"

  "That's fine, maybe better." He went in and put the shotgun on the bench along with its ammunition and then turned back toward the house for another load.

  When he returned to the house he found Ela in the living room looking at Con's Beretta. Opening the safe he said over his shoulder, "I loaded that up for you with one in the chamber."

  "Thanks."

  "You familiar with it?"

  "No."

  Gus went over and picked up the holstered pistol and pulled it from the holster. He showed her the safety mechanism, how to eject the magazine, and how to pull the slide back to release and load the weapon. "You seemed to indicate you're familiar with guns, in general, when I handed you the AR-15. Are you?"

  "Mom taught me to shoot one that looks the same, but I think it was only a .22 long rifle. Earlier this year a friend took me to a range and I fired his 9mm, but that's it."

  "Sounds like you're good to go then, remember to release the safety, and keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot. Both your pistol and the AR work the same way, they'll fire each time you pull the trigger until you're out of ammunition. Then replace the magazine, release the pistol's slide, or the AR's bolt, and go back to firing. And please check out what is behind your target, it might be me or another friendly, if such people still remain in this screwy world." He went over to find Beth still unconscious. After throwing some wood on the fire he partially closed the flue to make the fire burn as long as possible. Returning to the safe he grabbed the 300 Win Mag, a load of ammo for it, and then headed for the shop.

  Tess & Eric - Corsica River, Chesapeake Bay, MD

  Up before first light Tess put some coffee on the stove and then looked out the companionway to find Eric still asleep under a salvaged sleeping bag in the cockpit. Seeing him caused her to wonder how a person knows if they're going crazy. If doing dangerous things was a symptom, she was doomed. Letting him stay aboard last night and agreeing to take him with her today, suggested her ability to reason had taken a direct hit during the tornado.

  While waiting on the coffee she started straightening up. Many items she thought were secured had gone adrift yesterday when Robin rolled at least 90 degrees. She tried to see the mess as instructional; she now had a much better idea of what rough seas could do.

  About the time she poured her first cup of coffee she heard Eric stirring in the cockpit. She got another mug out and filled it, then handed it out of the companionway. "Good morning."

  "Thank you, good morning, Tess."

  Tess sliced two apples and put them on a plate with bagels and cream cheese, handed that to Eric, and climbed up to the cockpit. "If we're really going to do this then we need to have as much diesel, food, and potable water aboard as we can find places to stow it. We
need to finish salvaging what we can and get going," Tess said, between taking bites of her bagel.

  "Before the tornado I could find and put my hands on all of that, but who knows now. We'll need to see what's left that we can get to. The storage shed and garage look less damaged than the house, that's where the diesel is. I have twenty-five gallons in five-gallon jugs for my Kubota tractor. The tractor has a bucket on it, if we need to move debris to get to the pantry for the food. There are a few cases of bottled water and beer in there too."

  "Though it doesn't appear that anything aboard is damaged, I need to put the boat back in order, check the rigging, and run through some system checks before we take off. While I do that can you rummage around your place and see what else is salvageable?"

  "Exactly what I was thinking. I'll pile all the useable stuff that I find on the dock, and then I'll come out in the kayak and get you when you're done aboard.

  ~~~

  Ashore Eric went straight to the shed where he hoped to find his tractor, a Kubota B2650, still operational. Though covered with branches, mud, and other wind-blown debris, the tractor appeared undamaged and started right up. After getting it out of the shed he loaded the yellow, plastic diesel cans into the tractor's bucket and hauled them to the dock. He then turned his attention to the rubble pile that had been his house. It appeared that the roof went first, and then the walls blew over while being stirred by the rotating winds. Using the tractor's bucket, he scrapped a path to the area of the house where the kitchen had been, and then shut the tractor down.

  On foot he started searching through the piles setting aside usable clothing, food, and anything else he thought useful on a sea voyage. When Eric had salvaged enough useable items to again fill the bucket, he motored the tractor to the dock and added them to the growing pile.

  By midmorning he'd found everything Tess had asked for, plus some things he thought would be useful, and then decided to check in with Tess. Eric paddled out to Robin with half a leftover pizza he had found in his refrigerator along with two, still cool, bottles of beer. "Permission to come aboard?"