by Pete Thorsen
I finished the box and set it in the sun with a dark can full of water inside. After about a quarter hour I opened the box and it was slightly warm inside. I thought about it and tried to remember if I had ever seen a solar cooker but the only thing I could remember seeing was a big expensive factory made one with a big upside down silver umbrella design.
Then I got the idea to make my own winged design and I cut some plain thin panels in what I thought might be a practical size and covered them with aluminum foil and then adjusted them so I hoped they would concentrate the sun’s energy into my box cooker. After another quarter hour or so I checked and I thought the inside was much warmer.
An hour later my can of water was quite warm and I claimed success. I told Bev I would cook her supper in my new cooker tomorrow. So the next day about noon I made a simple stew with rabbit meat (which I fried before adding it to the mix) and put it into a cast iron Dutch Oven that was likely older than I was and set it inside the new solar oven to cook.
I did check it every hour or so and it was cooking about like a slow cooker on the low setting would do. At the same time I would turn the cooker to follow the sun’s travel. The stew was a success when we had it for supper that night. Bev complemented me on both my culinary skills and my engineering prowess. It almost made me blush.
While the solar cooker was a success we really had no need for it and I seldom used it after its triumphant trial run. The winter crept by and we often talked about the summer that was ahead of us. We did sometimes watch the highway for any activity and saw very little. One day I was just out by the county road alone and had to shoot another man. I stayed in my position after my single shot and was not surprised when Bev materialized near me some time later.
There were also no stations on the TV or radio when we happened to think about trying to find them. We no longer ever saw a single plane in the sky.
As it got closer to spring I shot another deer while it was still cool out and we froze all the meat. My supply of freezer paper was just about gone and while I did have a bunch of plastic wrap that could be used I would rather use the regular freezer paper. Our food supplies were dwindling down (other than meat) and we were both concerned about our future food supply.
I showed Bev the garden seeds I had and my plans for a garden. She admitted having no knowledge of gardening and I told her of my very limited knowledge on the subject. Looking around we did find a couple books that my folks had but we really learned very little from them.
We did learn that most people that had gardens ‘canned’ their produce for later use. I vaguely remembered my mom canning vegetables when I was young and we even found her old canner but we knew nothing about how to do it and what other supplies we would need to do so.
As the spring was getting closer and time to be planting was getting nearer we talked about what we should do. I had the seeds but we did not want to waste them by doing something wrong. We both thought it was probably not that hard and we were making it much harder than it likely was with all of our worrying. You dug up the ground, planted the seeds, and watered it as you watched it grow. It had been done for centuries and we could do it too.
But we still worried and we were getting lower on food supplies all the time of course. We easily had enough to last until we had our own garden produce but the worry was still there. We decided together to take a trip to town to see if we could buy anything.
Chapter Fourteen
The trip to town would have to be done very carefully. We did not know how bad things were there and how many people were actually left alive there even at this point. We talked about how we could pay for what we wanted if there was some sort of store open.
We both questioned whether money still had any value and decided that was what we would try first. We also had the coins and jewelry we had gotten from the guys who had tried to kill Bev and would use that for trading.
Last resort was trading some of the guns and ammunition we had acquired. While Bev admitted that the guns and ammo would always have value in any society she was very reluctant to trade things to others that they could in turn use against us. I saw her point right away and we decided to only use the weapons for trading as a very last resort.
We discussed the merits of driving most of the way and then hiding the vehicle and walking the remaining distance rather than just driving all the way into town. We ended up deciding to drive all the way.
That way we would have all of our trade goods with us and could make a fast escape if we encountered trouble. We had two pickups so if one got shot up we would still have the other we could still use later. We would take packed backpacks that we could quickly grab containing enough food and water so we could make it back home on foot if need be.
The trip was dangerous but we hoped it would pay off. If we could buy or trade for things we needed and hopefully also get some information and news that we craved, it would be a great trip. But if we just made it there and back without serious injury we would be thankful. Bev schooled me in what and where to look for trouble. Though the pickup was fairly quiet, people would still hear us coming but they would likely not have enough time to set up any kind of traps. Caution would be paramount every minute we were away.
If we talked to anyone we could give no indication of where we lived or even if we were from the area at all. We would have to watch our back trail on the way home to be sure we were not followed. Bev said our main worry and something that would be almost impossible to watch for was snipers who could shoot from a distance and from cover where we would never see them, quite possibly even after they shot. Just one of the risks we would be taking on this trip.
So one bright sunny morning we left for town in the pickup we had acquired from the bandits. I put no extra gas in it because it contained plenty for this trip and any extra gas would be wasted if we ended up abandoning the truck. We each had our pistols and Bev had her own AR15 rifle and I had an ‘acquired’ SKS rifle. It was only a few miles to the edge of town but we drove slowly with both of us watching everywhere looking for trouble or someone we could talk to for at least information on the condition of the town.
We saw no one on the way in and were even more cautious when we came to the edge of town. But we saw no one anywhere. We came to some apartment buildings but they looked deserted. As we started to see businesses we could see that all had been broken into, even offices and such. Everywhere we looked there were doors hanging open and broken windows were very common. Some buildings had been set on fire at some point in the past with some just burned to the ground and some still standing but obviously gutted by fire.
It was closer to the middle of town that we saw the first body or what was left of it. Then we saw several more in various stages of decay. Most of the bodies appeared to only be partially there. Our guess was that people had let their dogs and cats run free when they ran out of pet food and the pets had eaten any dead bodies they found (and maybe had killed a few people also).
When we got to where there were a couple grocery stores we stopped and just looked from the truck. There were more bodies here and we really doubted that anything was left inside those stores. None of the bodies appeared very fresh, which I guess was maybe a good thing for us. We had yet to see any sign of life, either man or animal.
I drove farther into a residential area and many of the houses had burned and some places whole blocks had totally burned. On a whim I drove north a short way to the Tuzigoot National Monument. I thought the gift shop might be still mostly intact and we could maybe find something worthwhile there. I stopped in front of the visitor center and though we saw that the door had been broken open I stopped anyway. I took the keys and we each took our rifles with us.
There were a couple vending machines that were smashed open and someone had obviously taken whatever food that was for sale in the gift shop area. We walked around and each of us grabbed several different items that we thought might be useful. In the book area I took a copy of many o
f the books on Indians and Indian life along with books on local plants including one for edible plants. Also several maps of the area.
Leaving the visitor center I drove to an area that said authorized personnel only and found their work shop complex. There were a few pickups and I had brought my siphon hose with and one vehicle had some gas so I siphoned it into the gas can I had brought with and got enough to fill the pickup I was driving. In the shop (the door was already broken open) there were many tools and such. I did take a couple hand saws, a pick, a couple shovels, and two axes. I also found many boxes of deck screws in different lengths which I took with along with a cordless drill/screwdriver and two battery packs and the charger.
There were a few gas cans of which I took two even though they were empty. Leaving the area I drove the short distance to Dead Horse Ranch State Park and we went through the same process there. We got a few more things and I was able to siphon out about ten gallons of gas into the cans I had with.
At Bev’s request I drove through the ‘industrial area’ of the town. There were some warehouses and businesses in this area but we found nothing that we wanted to investigate farther at this point and I turned back toward home.
Our trip was not a total loss but we had met and talked to no one so far. Things looked about as bad as they could be though with homes and businesses burned down or all broken into and with all those dead bodies just left lying in the streets for a long period of time.
We were reasonably sure there were people around and very likely we had been watched on many occasions but no one had tried to make contact and had at least not fired on us. Still it was disappointing seeing only devastation and meeting no people. The Verde River ran almost right through town so anyone near it would at least have access to water.
We left the town with no trouble and I drove back towards home. I stopped just over the crest on a couple of hills on the way home and waited but no one crested the hill behind us so we apparently were not being followed.
At the county road turn off going towards our place I stopped after driving a couple hundred yards down the dirt road and we walked back to the highway and cutting a couple branches from a juniper tree we brushed out our tracks leaving the highway all the way to where we were stopped. Then we just drove on home.
Chapter Fifteen
I did not understand not finding anyone in town and thought Bev might have an idea.
“What happened to all the people?”
“We saw some lying in the streets. There are way more that are dead in their homes I’m sure.”
“Why would they be dead?”
“When the electric power shut down virtually everyone lost their water supply and those in town also lost their sewer system. You live in the desert you know just how long a person will last here without water.”
“But the river runs almost right through town.”
“And if they drank that water without boiling it they would be even worse off than before they drank it. Plus you can bet that many people died a violent death at the hands of other people. Some likely left town in the misguided hopes that they would be better off someplace else. Plus even if they had water what would they eat?”
“There are several grocery stores in town.”
“And each grocery store you said yourself was running low on food a very long time ago. Even in good times a store like that only had about a three days supply of food on hand and requires constant restocking. I am quite sure food was an issue way before the power shut down. Many people likely ate their pets and I would not be surprised if some ate each other.”
“Cannibalism? Really?”
“Maybe not but desperate people do desperate things. And starving to death takes a long time. I bet at some point most anything at all would look like food to a starving person.”
“So you think everyone in town is dead?”
“No some people will always survive, just like us. We do not have much but we are still alive. I am sure there are several people at least in town and there might be many. Those left alive will be very careful and resourceful people with a strong will to live.”
“What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should make another trip in and try to do some salvage at some of the stores. While there is likely no food left, there are many very useful things and things we need that would be still there.”
“You mean like go to Walmart and see what we can find?”
“Yes we could try there but we should also try every thrift store, antique store, hardware store, and maybe some other places like the warehouses.”
“Well there are bound to be things we could use. I was sure hoping to trade for some food though but I see your point that is very likely impossible. So do you think anyone left alive is a threat to us?”
“I can not answer that but we will have to assume that they are a very real threat to us and be very cautious. It is not very likely we will see any that are left unless they want us to see them.”
“OK so we go back into town tomorrow morning. I’ll take a couple of empty gas cans in case I can find some more fuel someplace. Maybe we should also try the library too.”
“The library is an excellent idea.”
We did a few things more to prepare for our trip in this time. I removed the tail light and brake light bulbs from the pickup. In a phone book we looked up the places we wanted to go and first found the addresses and then found routes to those places on a map.
We made a list of places we wanted to visit so we would not forget any. We took out all the trade goods that were in the pickup but left our emergency packs in place. We also took the same guns as we did the first time. We both took strong flashlights with because it would be dark in any buildings we entered.
We were a little more at ease this time after encountering no one on the first trip but we both knew we had to be on our toes the whole time we were away from our home. Danger could be lurking anywhere.
We left early the next morning. This trip would take longer because we would be searching in many buildings and that would likely be a rather slow process using only flashlights and a lot of caution.
We made several stops in town and each time I backed the pickup as close to the door as I could for easy loading and a fast getaway. Every store had been broken into and looted already but this we had expected. We found items we needed or wanted at every stop we made and sometimes carried out quite a lot of things to the pickup. Carts were hard to use in the stores because trash was all over the floors everywhere we stopped. We each grabbed a few bags or a basket near the checkouts to use for our ‘shopping’. We often made multiple trips out to the pickup to unload which also gave us a chance to scan the area for anyone approaching. We never saw anyone though.
We stopped at a Home Depot and both found many items inside and then for our last stop we went to the Walmart that was located nearby. I had stopped at two used car lots in our travels and had siphoned enough gas to fill all the gas cans I had brought with. I had also found some gas fuel stabilizer in one store and took many cans to use in all our fuel.
By the time we stopped at the Walmart the back seat area of the pickup was packed and pickup box already contained quite a load. If we found much at this Walmart I would have to find a tarp to help hold down the load in back. Again we each found many things and made several trips out to the pickup to both unload and watch for trouble. I had a tarp and bungee cords ready next to the truck for when we left after I saw that we would need to tarp the load for the trip home. We were spending more time here than I thought we would.
I was getting more socks, underwear, and other clothes when I thought I heard something in the area of the fitting rooms. Using our pre-arranged signal I shined my flashlight wildly around the ceiling for a bit then pointed it straight up so Bev could locate me easily.
She was by my side quickly but cautiously. Putting my mouth right next to her ear a whispered as quietly as could that I thought someon
e was in one of the fitting rooms but that I had not actually seen them.
Chapter Sixteen
We moved together towards the fitting area and then separated to come from different directions. When we were both in position (we flashed our lights on the ceiling as a signal) per our agreement I spoke.
“We are armed but friendly. Come out slowly and we will not harm you in any way. Come out right now. We are done here but would like to talk to you. We will not harm you and will leave you in peace after we talk.”
Nothing happened and we heard no movement. After a wait I spoke again.
“Please just come out and talk to us. We will not harm you. We have talked to no one for a long time.”
Again we waited then Bev spoke which surprised me because that was not the plan.
“Please you are safe with us. Come out.”
It was just a moment when we both heard a stifled cry and then a voice.
“Please don’t hurt me.”
It sounded like a little girl’s voice and I waited for Bev to take over.
“Its OK honey we will not hurt you. Look at my light and come over to me. I think I would like to be your friend. Would that be OK?”
Bev turned her flashlight back on again so the little girl could find her. We both heard movement moving toward Bev’s position. Then I heard Bev speak again.
“That’s right honey come over to me. I won’t hurt you.”
I could hear murmurs coming from Bev’s position but I could not make out the words. After a couple moments Bev spoke loud enough so I could hear.
“A man is going to come over here with us. It is OK because he is good man and I promise he will not hurt you.”
It was obviously a signal that I should come meet our new friend. I walked over with the light partially hooded with my hand. Bev had her light on so I could see them both and when I got close I flashed the light over myself so they could both see me.