by Jack Hunt
“A defector.”
He nodded.
Elliot took a deep breath. “You said he went in two weeks ago?”
“That’s right.”
“So why haven’t you gone in after him?” Elliot asked.
“I would have, in fact we were thinking of raiding the place but fortunately someone beat us to the punch and it didn’t end well. Three days ago an unknown group attempted to take the place. There was close to a hundred of them — far more than us. All of them were killed before they got inside.”
“Well that might be to do with the fact that they were… stupid!” Damon said shaking his head before chuckling. “Who in their right mind attempts to take out people inside a compound?”
“Shelby’s men did,” Mack replied. “That’s how he took over the place. No, we have to be smart. Most of the core group remain inside the compound but they still venture out. The few that go are heavily armed.”
“And so are you,” Elliot said making a motion with his head towards his men. “Why not just pick your moment?”
“I will not let others die for one man.”
“So you’re going to leave him in there?” Gary asked.
“I didn’t say that. I just don’t intend to start a war.” He looked around at the group. There was a variety — mostly people in their early thirties, late forties, and a few kids in their teens.”
“Well, neither did America but that didn’t stop those Korean bastards from dropping bombs on us. Which reminds me, do we even know if they have invaded?” Damon asked tucking into the potatoes while everyone observed him. “What? It’s just a question.”
“Highly unlikely,” Mack said. “Why bother? Dropping those bombs was like hitting the first domino in a batch. Since then thousands have died from starvation, disease and roving gangs like Shelby and his assholes.”
Elliot shook his head and turned back to Mack. “When we heard the message over the ham radio, they said there were just over a hundred in there. How many people does this Shelby have?”
“Roughly forty,” Calvin said. “But that’s just his men. If you include the refugees, it’s well over two hundred.”
“Well surely not everyone is on board with this group, right? If one of us goes in, we can search for your friend,” Elliot said.
“Out of the question. This isn’t your fight.”
“No it’s not but we just traveled almost two thousand miles in the hope this place would offer something better than what we came from.”
Mack rose to his feet. “Then I would advise you to go back.”
“That isn’t happening,” Damon said getting up and leaning against a tree. “You don’t know the shit we went through just to make it here. Have you seen the roads out there?”
Elliot chewed it over. “So you’re going to do nothing?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what?” Elliot asked.
Mack stared into the fire. For all his ability to train a group that could sneak up on them, he hadn’t done much of anything to try and get his friend out. “We’re not military. None of us are. Just folks from towns in the area. Right now our plan is to pick them off, one at a time. Take down their defenses then move in.”
“Trust me. That doesn’t work,” Damon said.
“And you would know?” Mack asked.
Damon looked at Elliot and Gary and smiled. “Let me tell you a story,” he began.
Chapter 1
The stench of feces made him want to gag. It had been two weeks since he’d suffered brutally at the hands of Frank Shelby and his men. Ryan Hayes had remained chained to the pole in the center of the compound for the better part of five days before they cut him loose and allowed his brother Samuel to tend to his wounds. Although they hadn’t killed him they’d made it painfully obvious that he wouldn’t be getting the same first-class treatment as the rest of the refugees. In fact anyone who attempted to cause an uprising was punished and given duties that would humiliate them even further. His task? Disposal of human waste.
With a single person releasing two to three pints of urine a day, and a pound of excrement, it made for a messy task that Shelby had appointed to him. It was that or starve. He along with Timothy Heart had been put to work digging a ditch on the far north side, far away from the living quarters and close to the wall. They would then have to carry out buckets of slop and empty them. Once done, it would be covered with dirt and they would repeat the process. In the heat of the Texas sun it was almost unbearable.
Of course the compound itself had its own toilets that worked on a septic system that used water from a nearby stream and was powered through solar and wind generators but that wasn’t the waste they were handling. Oh no, those kinds of facilities were only for the elite, the inner circle, those who had proven their loyalty to Shelby and had been branded with his own group’s initials.
In the week leading up to his release, Ryan had watched as Shelby had put the rest of the compound to work on creating several inner fences. His brother Samuel had explained what the motivation was. The idea behind it was to have the phase two bunkers used by those who were new to the group. Shelby would provide a limited amount of resources, just enough to give them reason to stick around but not enough that he couldn’t entice them with more if and when they proved they could be trusted. Essentially he had divided the compound into three parts like an onion ring, the outer, the inner, and the central ring where Shelby operated. It was still in the early stage of development and only those who made it into the center were branded. Those on the outer rim had no clue what they were getting themselves into. They had been told that it was a form of trust building, a way for Shelby to protect his community and weed out those who weren’t serious about New Hope Springs.
It was a subtle form of manipulation, and one he’d given a lot of thought to since his arrival. Ryan hoped they’d be able to take him down from the inside before the power over others went to his head.
Timothy shifted another scoop of shit into the ditch. It splattered up the dirt walls. “Why don’t you tell your brother to slit his throat in the night?”
“It’s not as easy as that,” Ryan said eyeing the two soldiers who watched them like hawks. “He’s earned his trust but no one can get close enough to him.”
“But you said he was in the same room with him. Why didn’t he kill him?”
Ryan shoveled another scoop of soil over the top of excrement. Some of it flicked back and landed on his shoe. He removed the boot and used a cloth to wipe it. It stunk so bad he felt his gag reflex kick in.
“You take the head off one, another will rise in its place. You can be sure that if we take him out, his brother John will step into his spot and if he’s gone, one of the others will take up the reins. No, we have to be smart about this. Observe, study and turn them against each other.”
“Yeah, and how long is that going to take?” Timothy said wiping his brow. The heat of the morning bore down on him causing sweat to form in his lower back. A bead trickled down the crack of his ass.
“As long as it takes,” Ryan replied.
“And meanwhile we suffer.”
Ryan looked at him. “You have a better idea?”
“Yeah, kill him.” He stabbed the air with his finger. “Ryan, you took out five of his men, because you knew this place like the back of your hand. Get your brother to set him up in a room to discuss the future of the compound and have him slice his throat.”
Ryan leaned against his shovel with a frown on his face. “And then have my brother emerge to face the rest of his men? You saw what they did to me without Shelby’s command. They would kill him. No, I know you want him dead, believe me I do but we have to pick our moment and right now is not it.”
Timothy spat into the hole of piss and shit. “Well you better come up with it soon or I’ll do something, as I don’t think I can take any more of this shit. No pun intended. I would rather be dead than endure these kinds of conditions.” He retu
rned to scooping slop into the hole like a prisoner of war.
Frank Shelby sipped his morning coffee as he sat with Samuel and one of his other men in a new tower he’d erected at the heart of the compound. It gave him a clear 360-degree view of what was happening at any given moment. It also allowed him to envision new ways of making the compound better and more secure.
He breathed in the air. “It’s amazing what lengths people will go to in order to survive, don’t you think?” Frank said turning to Samuel who was also drinking coffee.
“People want to live,” he replied.
“True but it’s more than that, Samuel. They want to live free. Big difference. Now some might say that what I’ve created here in a matter of weeks goes against everything that New Hope Springs offered but tell me this — do you see anyone complaining?”
Samuel shook his head.
“That’s because when you strip away the false sense of what makes you and I who we are — we’re the same. We need air to breathe, water, food, sexual satisfaction, sleep, clothing and shelter. These are the basics but these alone will not make us feel complete. We must take it a step further and offer people safety, social belonging, self-esteem and eventually self-actualization.”
“Maslow’s hierarchy,” Samuel said turning to him.
“Very good. You’ve been reading the book I gave you.”
“I’ve devoured it.”
Frank nodded. “And that’s what this place is based upon. The outer layer of our compound provides strangers with the basic needs, and in turn once they have shown a sense of gratitude, trust and loyalty we are able to move them into the next area where we’ll offer our newfound friends protection. If anyone gets sick, they will be treated by our doctor, and with medicine, and they will get to enjoy protection at night and by day. Believe me when I say this, Samuel — just those two things have been proven to be very strong motivators. But we won’t end it there. No, if we really want people to lay down their lives, we must show them that the center ring can provide them with family. I’m talking about giving them a strong sense of belonging, social acceptance, self-esteem and respect among their peers.” He took a deep breath and gazed around. “Look around you, Samuel. See how it’s working for the good of everyone. This is what I was on about when we first arrived. I know you all couldn’t see it but can you now?”
Samuel turned and nodded. “Yeah.”
“But it doesn’t stop there. Look closer. What is missing from all of this?”
He shrugged so Frank clued him in. “Transcendence. That’s something we physically cannot give people but it’s what can take them from being a stranger, to a friend, to a family member, and to finally becoming a true follower — the kind of person who will do anything, even die for you. Can you tell me why?”
Samuel looked down into his coffee. “Behaving a certain way and relating to one another is just a means to an end, eventually we must go beyond that and experience something higher.”
“You’ve got it. Some might call this altruism or spirituality, I call it building an army that will change this state and eventually this country.”
Samuel frowned. “You don’t want to stop here?”
“Of course not. It can’t end here. People desire growth, they desire it even if they won’t admit it, and that’s what I plan to give them. But first we start with the basics — the bare essentials that are needed to survive. Those people down there, eating, and drinking and chatting without a care in the world, how do you think they view me?”
“With a sense of gratitude.”
“No, with a sense of distrust. See, that’s the thing about humans, Samuel. We mistrust anyone who doesn’t know and respect us. This whole thing I am doing is to get to know them and to earn their respect. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses and once you know that, you can achieve a lot with a little bit of leverage. You no longer have to threaten them, or nag them into helping you. They will willingly take up arms and protect and die for you. What you see out there, is an army, it just doesn’t know it yet. Does that make sense?”
He nodded and got up. “I should get going. Lots to be done.”
“Very good. I must say I do enjoy our chats.”
Samuel turned away.
“Oh, and Samuel, I want you to locate Merle Davis. He’s planning on taking a group out. I think you’ve proven yourself over the past week and I want you to see what the next level looks like.”
He gave a short nod and backed away, climbing down the ladder. Frank lit his cigar and imagined what it must have been like for God when he finished creating the world. He took a puff and said, “And God saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good.”
On the ground Samuel looked up and muttered under his breath. “Your time is coming, asshole.” Levels? This man was deluded.
Samuel wandered away to gather what he needed for a run. In the past week he’d tended to his brother’s wounds and made an arrangement with Frank to allow Ryan a second chance to prove himself. Of course this was all just a ruse, a means to keep him alive while they formulated a plan to take down the group. As he crossed the yard he saw Harlan Jacobs peeling potatoes. Harlan looked at him and diverted his gaze. There was a sense of shame. Here was a man who had created the compound and yet when it came down to it, he was weak. Samuel spotted his brother coming back with empty buckets. They made eye contact and he smiled but his brother didn’t return the gesture. He had made him promises, some of which he knew he couldn’t keep. The fact was as much as he wanted Frank dead; he couldn’t deny the system he’d created was working. Strangers were coming in and the group was getting larger, stronger and more capable of holding back anyone who tried to attack. He thought back to last week and the group that had tried to take the compound. The fight was over so quickly; it didn’t even feel like a war. That had boosted the confidence of those inside. Whereas Harlan had failed, Frank had succeeded in demonstrating every word that came out of his mouth. People knew that, even those that hated him. It was like the old saying — better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. His rules were hard at times, his punishment severe but there was no denying the results he was getting — people ate, drank, felt protected, and there was no taking that away from him. If they didn’t act fast even those who might have willingly got on board with destroying his regime might turn and be the ones who protected it.
Within a matter of minutes Samuel located Merle gearing up with two other men — all three had rifles slung over their shoulders. They were in the middle of checking ammo.
“Merle, Frank asked me to see you. He said I’m meant to go out with you. You doing a run into town?”
He smirked and cast a glance at the other two. “Yeah. We’re doing a run. Jump in the back of the truck, we’re heading out in five minutes.” He climbed into the rear of an old green military truck. They’d brought it in a few days after they’d raided the compound. He’d seen it go out a few times, mostly when they went hunting for livestock. Samuel had asked Frank why he was going to so much trouble to hunt for meat when they had more than enough to last them three years. He said it was all about staying ahead of the game. There was no telling what tomorrow might bring and the early bird got the worm, so to speak. Each time they returned, several men would gut the animals and they’d be placed in a smokehouse to dry.
He still hadn’t been trusted with a gun. Frank said it was coming but until then only his men would be carrying, along with those that had proved themselves. Samuel glanced down at the thick wad of animal guts that hadn’t been washed out the back. He sat beneath the tarp gazing at the floor thinking about his last conversation with Ryan when Merle jumped in and banged the front of the truck.
“Two minutes then we roll.”
He sat across from him staring intently. “So it seems Frank thinks you’re ready. He says you have what it takes to be part of our inner circle.” He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t trust you. You understand? Not for a second.” He took two fingers
and directed them at his eyes then shot them back at him. “I’m watching. We’ll see today what you’re made of.”
Just as he said that another one of the men assisted someone into the back. There was a bag over his head.
“What the fuck?” Samuel muttered.
Merle was quick to respond. “Settle down, it’s a small matter we need to handle.”
Samuel looked at the guy and tried to recognize who it was by his clothing but it was useless as there were already too many people. Over the past two weeks, the numbers had gone from just over a hundred to two hundred, including Frank’s small group. The dividing of people into three sectors had made it much easier for them to control, assess and deal with any troublemakers, and there had been a few. Not everyone wanted to follow the rules, no matter what they were offered. That’s where Frank was wrong. Sure, people had basic needs but they also had morals and weren’t blind.
Merle banged on the front of the truck. “Let’s move out!”
His other guys pulled up the tailgate and gave it a bang before sitting beside Samuel. The truck rumbled to life and rolled out, causing them all to bounce in their seats. True to his word, not for a second did Merle take his eyes off Samuel.
Outside, the truck continued on for close to twenty minutes heading north of the compound. They veered off the main stretch of road and down into the forest, into unfamiliar territory. He wanted to ask about the man with the hood but he figured Merle would only shoot down his questions. Despite the rapport he’d built with Frank it had come at a cost. There were those among his men who were still supported his brother John, and he figured that before John got tossed into the sweatbox, he’d told them to keep a close eye on Samuel.
When the truck finally came to a stop, they all climbed out and he looked around.
“What’s the deal? Why are we here?”
As Samuel came around the truck there were three nooses hanging from a thick oak tree branch. Below each one was a short, loose stump. They brought the guy up to one of the stumps and placed him on it. From the moment they looped the noose around his neck he started squirming and crying.