by Crane, J. J.
Betty shared her thoughts over the walkie-talkie. “From here, most are now in your part of the woods, Rob. The heavy concentration is near the funnel area.”
If true, it’s exactly what we wanted. The intruders had to come up a slight slope where there was less cover to choose from. When we designed the funnel idea, we noted the optical illusion that made it seem there were more trees closer to each other than in reality. Any significant charge and their men would be out in the open much longer than they would have anticipated. It would become a killing field if we shot well.
“Keep them in your sites,” I said. “If they want us, they have to come into that funnel. When they enter that, you guys take them down as best you can.”
“No problem,” Kenny K said.
“How you doing, honey?” I asked.
“Steady, baby,” she replied. “You just make sure you and my babies stay safe.”
“Roger that,” I answered, then wondered what my kids were up to. I heard their voices over the walkie-talkies at various times but had little else to go on.
Doc & Pam’s Yard
“We shut that attack down,” Jason said, his eyes in a dead stare as if visualizing what to do next.
“You think there are any more?” Doc asked standing alongside Belle and Katie.
Jason shook his head. “That attempt is finished. Our first prisoner said the attack we just thwarted was it. The only thing left is, what do we do with them?”
“Don’t kill them, Jason,” Maya blurted.
Jason clenched his jaw. He didn’t like the insinuation. “Doc will check them out when we finish this fight.”
The small band of neighbors stood on the side of Doc’s house. Each of them kept a weapon loosely trained on the prisoner who was on his knees, hands straight up in the air.
“We need rope, duct tape, anything that can tie this guy and the others up,” Curtis said.
“I have some of both,” Doc said.
“Good, get it. Then we tie these shits up and get back to helping end this thing,” Jason said as he looked off towards the end of the cul-de-sac.
Katie interrupted. “If it’s all the same to you guys, I want to find my husband. With all the fighting that we came under, I never called him back to help us.”
“Go,” Jason said.
Katie checked her weapon to see she had three rounds in her rifle then looked at her fanny pack to see she had three full magazines and a few spare rounds jangling about. “I’m good. Stay safe.” With that, she took off.
Doc returned quickly with both rope and duct tape.
A gleam came over Jason’s eyes. He looked at the prisoner. “Get up shitbag. It’s time to move.”
“Where are we bringing him too?” Belle asked.
“Over to Pam’s place. We have prisoners over there,” Jason said. “Might as well keep them all together in one place.”
Doc placed a hand on Belle’s shoulder. “Attend to Steve. He’s alone, mourning over Linda.”
Jason wasn’t as kind. “If Steve can, tell him we need help at the end of the block. We’ll bury her later.” He then looked at the prisoner. “Get up.” Jason kept the barrel of his shotgun trained on the man’s head. “Just give me a reason to pull this trigger.”
“Jason,” Doc said with a demanding voice.
“What?” Jason snapped. “These bastards came to kill us. They killed Jenny. Do you want me to show you?”
Doc backed off. “Jason, it’s no reason to treat these men like animals.”
“Treating them like animals is too good for these shits,” Jason returned. He turned to Curtis and Maya. “Get him over to those shrubs with the others. After you tie this one up, duct tape their mouths and bind their wrists as extra security.”
Curtis looked at the prisoner. “You heard the man, let’s move over to those bushes. Hands high so I can see them. Any funny moves and I’m shooting.”
The prisoner obeyed and moved over to where they were directed. Maya followed.
Jason turned back to Doc. “I know you must think I’m insane. And, maybe I am. But recent experience tells me, if you are soft, you’ll get killed. I never asked for any of this.”
“No one has,” Doc responded. “Let me help now.”
“I’m not taking chances,” Jason said. “Rob wants you out of harm’s way as much as possible. You saw your action. So, I’m asking nice. I need you to go back into your house until called upon.”
Doc stared at Jason. He felt Jason wasn’t kidding and certainly wasn’t taking the chance he might go off on him.
“I’m sorry, Doc,” Jason said, softer. “You are too valuable to the rest of us.”
Doc let silence fall between them. Sporadic gunfire sounded in the distance, and the two neighbors stood like it was an ordinary occurrence. “I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Jason. Jenny was a lovely young lady.”
A tear rolled down Jason’s cheek. He grit his teeth. “Thank you, Doc. I appreciate that.”
Doc placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Jason… you need to take a break. This is going to take time to process.”
Jason nodded, sniffled, and wiped the glistening tear off his cheek. “I’m sure you’re right, but right now, we have a fight to end.”
Knowles’ Yard
The attack came to a standstill once again. We sat entrenched in our positions through mine and Pops’ yards. The enemy appeared grouped behind the end edge of the defensive barrier, along the trail that led to the lake. June, Kenny K, and Betty guessed that the enemy numbered between fifteen and twenty.
The silence that smothered the area felt like molasses had dripped over all of us. No one could move or wanted to. Movement would bring on gunfire. From my position by the RV, I could see our team pop their heads up for a second, scan and disappear back down like a bizarre game of ‘whack-a-mole.’
It didn’t appear the enemy wanted to move from their positions. Taking a breath, I decided to run into my house and grab some extra ammo. If I heard gunfire I would return, but I thought, why not use the respite to reload.
It didn’t take me more than two minutes to retrieve ammunition when I also decided to grab two AR-15’s and the ammo bags attached to them.
When I came back outside, I saw that Ted and Samantha had positioned themselves against the RV.
“What gives?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”
“Better position to the intruders,” Ted said.
“Great,” I said and handed Ted one of the AR-15’s and the ammo bag. “Between the three semi’s upstairs and now two down here, we can end this thing.”
“It’s been almost five minutes since they have fired a shot,” Ted said. “And, the movements we’ve done… no one has shot at any of us.”
“Then they have to be low on ammunition,” I reasoned.
“That’s my guess too,” Ted said.
“Why not ask them to surrender,” Samantha suggested.
“Couldn’t hurt,” Ted added.
“Wouldn’t they retreat if they didn’t want to fight?” I asked.
It was then that Katie arrived. She was breathing heavy from her sprint.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Katie took a moment to catch her breath. “We repulsed an attack that came by Doc’s place.”
The three of us looked on with happiness and shock. I had heard other gunshots but never put the pieces together that an attack unfolded.
“Where are the others? Any casualties?” I asked.
“Linda’s dead,” Katie said. “I don’t know how many are dead, but there are prisoners.”
I said nothing at hearing about Linda’s death.
“Where’s Dave?” Katie asked.
“He’s holding the firepit with Pam and Bobby,” I said. “I promised them help.”
“I’ll go,” Katie said and turned.
I grabbed her. “Hold on Annie Oakley. It isn’t that easy. We’ll give some cover fire. I’ll come out with you. Ted, y
ou take the front end of the RV. It has the best sightlines to the woods. Samantha, get behind your dad’s truck.”
“Got it,” she said.
I picked up the walkie-talkie and called for upstairs to cover on my three count. I brought Katie with me to the back end of the RV. It had the best cover and shortest run to the firepit area.
“Ready?” I asked.
She said yes.
“Cover fire in 3, 2, 1, fire.” As soon as the first blasts unloaded, the two of us made a mad dash for the pit. Some sporadic fire returned but not nearly as much as I thought we might encounter.
I asked everyone how they were holding out? It seemed they were managing. I let Dave and Katie have their embrace before telling them to pay attention to the matters at hand.
With little return fire, I chanced to ask for a surrender.
With all my breath I shouted. “We know you have very little left in ammunition. We have superior gunfire and position. Any attack will be futile on your part. If you lay down your weapons and come out from your cover with your hands raised, I can assure you that no harm will come to you.”
The silence lasted all of three seconds when a voice yelled back. “Never.” Another few seconds passed when I heard the same voice scream out, “The Last Full Measure!”
A barrage of gunfire erupted from the enemy line. Instantly I heard the chatter of bullets rip into my house. A quick glance revealed clouds of dust floating around the windows on the second floor.
“June,” I shouted into the walkie-talkie.
“Yeah, I’m here,” she answered.
“Thank God.”
I turned back towards the enemy and saw their men charging at us. Muzzle flash lit up the scene as if someone was turning light switches on and off real fast.
I got into position and began to fire. I heard shots from Pops’ house, and I heard some from my yard, but when I glanced around me, everyone froze. “Fire those fucking weapons!” I screamed.
Pam looked at me, her face pale, eyes wide with fright. John wasn’t any better.
“This is it. We end it now,” I screamed over the roar of gunfire. Glancing to my other side, I noticed Katie hunched over Dave, blood pouring out of him and into the dirt.
A loud ding sounded only a foot away as a bullet ricocheted off the trailer. I focused on the enemy. Several were still charging, others ducking behind trees but all of them entering the funnel area.
I spotted the propane container we half buried in the ground then saw the other. One was less than fifty feet away. There was one person by it. The other tank was closer to a hundred feet away. I spotted four men by it. I lined up my sites on the further one and began to pull the trigger on the AR-15. Around the fifth shot, the air filled with a thunderous boom as a flash of fire unfurled around the immediate area. I could feel the pressure of the explosion press against my chest. Screams followed. One of their men got up from their positions and began to run out in the open. Seconds later, bullets filled him. Then the next propane tank exploded, and more screams came as several men came in its path.
Rather than surrender, seven of their men tried one last charge, while unleashing a barrage of gunfire. We met their assault with equal fervor. Almost instantly, four of the enemy became riddled with bullets, to the point that the shooting kept them standing for a couple of seconds, gravity be damned.
As the last of those men fell to the ground, the gunfire quickly ceased. That’s when I finally heard the words I wanted to hear, ‘we surrender.’ It was over.
I leaned against a piece of old furniture and took in a long breath and turned to Pam. “Thank God.” But, she didn’t answer. Propped up on some wood, her gun pointing straight, I touched her. Her body fell away from the rifle, and that’s when I noticed most of her face missing. I felt my stomach turn, but a moment later, I felt that she probably was finally at peace, now with her boys, proud that they all died fighting for a cause they believed in.
I looked out over my cover and spotted several men, kneeling in place, hands straight up over their heads.
Before coming out from my spot, I yelled further instructions. “Stand up. Keep your hands high and walk towards the opening by the metal trailer in front of you. If anyone is thinking of an ambush, every one of these men surrendering and the rest of the prisoners we have will die.”
A voice answered, “understood.”
Slowly I rose. I kept the barrel of my weapon out in front of me, my finger stroking the trigger. As I came out from behind the cover, I counted six men with their hands up. Glancing towards the ground, I spotted bodies strewn about. It looked eerily like people pretending to be dead, but the blood-soaked ground gave it away.
Ted soon joined me as did Bruce then Peter. We walked with cautious steps towards the men. Others from our side began to rise up from behind their protection, guns trained on the intruders.
“Another five steps then down on your knees and keep your hands in the air,” I demanded. This would have all their men in an open area and leave them as targets if they tried anything funny.
Then I heard my name called out in stereo, ‘Dad.’ Turning, I saw Curtis and Maya lightly jogging toward us.
I smiled wide. I wanted to run to them, embrace them, kiss them. Ted saw my expression and told me to go, that he and the others could hold the fort.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Ted shrugged sarcastically. “What are these guys going to do now? It’s over.”
“Bind their hands and legs,” I said. “We’ll get their story soon enough.”
Before I could even take five steps both my kids were on top of me, giving me a big hug.
“Mom?” Maya asked.
“She’s fine. She’s upstairs,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll be down soon.”
No sooner than the last of my words left my lips that two successive shots fired off in the distance.
Curtis turned to Maya. “Emma.”
“We gotta go, dad,” Curtis said.
“I’m coming with you,” I said. I looked at Ted who understood. When I turned to run, Maya and Curtis were already a good twenty paces ahead of me.
The Road
The kids ran way faster than I could even think to. Jason came bolting out of Doc’s house in a full sprint.
I heard Curtis ask him where he went, and Jason replied he was reloading his weapons.
I shouted to Jason that the intruders surrendered.
“Then why the gunfire?” he asked.
“Emma… strays escaping,” I blurted. “Where is she?”
“Up the road, by the first car wedge,” Jason said as we teamed up, the kids out in front of us. “She’s in bad shape… couldn’t go on. She asked for a weapon just in case someone came near her.”
“She must have seen someone,” I said before noticing the kids come to a stop. Maya dropped to the ground onto her knees. A second later she cried out.
The two of us came up to them, and we saw Emma slumped back against a car, eyes closed, the shotgun just to her side.
“She got one…there,” Curtis said pointing to a body not ten feet off the road.
“Good for Emma,” Jason said.
“How’s it good for Emma?” Maya asked through her tears.
“She got one before they got her,” Jason said.
I leaned over Emma and noticed something. “She’s breathing,” I shouted.
Several shots suddenly fired, breaking the momentary silence.
Curtis fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
I rushed to his side. “Son!”
Curtis grimaced. “My side. I got hit.” He squeezed his eyes tight, coughed and spit. “It hurts like hell.”
Jason swung his shotgun around. “In the woods. I see him.” A second later, he began to run up along the side of the road. “Maya, help me out.”
“No,” I shouted at her. “I will. Stay with your brother. Check out, Emma.” I quickly rose, pointed my AR-15 into the woods and followed Jason.
Jason was twenty feet ahead of me when I witnessed him take a shot to the chest. The weapon fell out of his grip like he’d been drilled by a linebacker on a football field. A second later he dropped to the pavement, his knees crushing into the asphalt before falling over face first, no arms out to cushion the blow.
“Jason!” I yelled as I stared at his motionless body. A bullet hit the road by my foot, snapping me out of my haze. I saw one shooter. He looked to have fired his last shot as he stared at his weapon. Without a second to lose, I aimed my AR-15 at the man who was clearly going for his handgun. Just as he retrieved it, I fired, then again, and again, and again, hitting the man at least twice, once square in the torso.
Looking at where Jason lay, I saw that he began to pull himself up and crawl. Scanning the woods and then back at Jason, I quickly sought the cover of a tree.
“Jason,” I called. “Get down. Stay still.”
But no shots came forth. I guessed that I killed the gunman but couldn’t be completely sure.
I called out into the woods. “Come out with your hands in the air, and no harm will come to you. You are outgunned.”
No answer came. I turned towards Jason and saw that he was trying to crawl to Jenny.
I looked out into the woods again. There was no movement. For the sake of cover, I fired off three more shots in the direction of where the gunman was. No response.
Watching Jason again, I saw him clawing at the road trying to drag himself forward. I got up from my cover and worked my way towards him. No fire came my way.
“Jason,” I called from ten feet away.
He didn’t say anything, preserving all his strength to pull himself closer toward his dead wife. With each slow grab, I prayed he would get there.
Looking back and forth between the woods and him, I watched as he dug his fingernails into the road in another effort to get closer. One nail pulled right off his finger as he continued to get to Jenny.
“Jason,” I whispered, not even sure why I was calling out his name. He didn’t answer. I watched him make one last reach. His hand came to a stop within inches of touching her pale hand. I looked away, choking back my own tears at seeing his devotion to her come to an end.