Them: Society Lost, Volume Four

by Steven Bird

  Yuri placed his rifle on top of his hand which rested on a large stone in front of him. Carefully moving the AK-74’s safety selector down to the semi-auto firing position, he gently placed his finger on the trigger, took aim, placing his sights squarely on Romanoff’s back, and took a deep breath, preparing to fire.

  Just as he began to apply pressure on the trigger, Romanoff twitched and spun around, exposing an arrow embedded deeply in his thigh, mere inches from his crotch. Romanoff’s hand had barely enclosed around the arrow when one of the cave dwellers appeared out of the woods, running fiercely toward Romanoff, wildly swinging a large club.

  Connecting with Romanoff’s back, the man beat him ferociously until he struggled no more.

  Joining alongside him, another of the cave dwellers appeared, and the two picked Romanoff up before carrying him away and out of sight.

  Afraid to move, unsure if there were others in the area, Yuri sat perfectly still, listening and observing.

  After what felt like thirty or forty minutes, Yuri was satisfied that the two he had seen attack Romanoff were gone, and he stood to turn and walk away.

  To his horror, Yuri saw an insurgent militiaman standing behind him, having slipped up on him while his attention had been on the scene before him.

  As Yuri began to raise his weapon, the militiaman shook his head and warned, “No. Don’t do it. Lower your weapon.”

  Yuri’s heart pounded in his chest, knowing the man clearly had the advantage over him with his weapon already pointed directly at him. Yuri sighed, “My fight is over. Just let me go.”

  “Go where?” the man asked.

  Pausing, not knowing what to stay, Yuri confessed, “I… I do not know.”

  “You’re coming with us,” the militiaman insisted.

  Just as Yuri prepared to raise his weapon and go down in a hail of bullets, he noticed the man remove his finger from the trigger and begin to lower his M4 rifle. The man then reached out his hand, offering it to Yuri, and said, “We’d like you to come with us. As our friend.”

  Stunned, Yuri took the man’s hand and shook it. With his eyes watering, a flood of emotions he hadn’t felt in a very long time rushed to the surface.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  While Jessie, Nate, Britney, and Yuri flew along at tree top level in a former news helicopter turned militia asset on their way to Del Rio, Tennessee, home to Nate and the others, Jessie looked back to see the shadow of the former police Bell Jet Ranger helicopter that followed along behind, carrying Q, Tyrone, and Daryl.

  He couldn’t help but think about how young Britney, who had been through so much and had lost everyone and everything important to her, was flying along in a helicopter with three men who would have, and almost did, make the ultimate sacrifice to rescue her and give her a new chance at life.

  The rhythmic thump of the helicopter’s rotor beat seemed to sooth the young girl to sleep as she lay her head on Nate’s shoulder, closing her eyes and truly relaxing for the first time since Jessie had met her days before.

  Looking at Yuri, Jessie could see uncertainty in his eyes. The man had literally given up everything, and due to his actions, if word somehow got out, he would not only be a wanted man here in America, but would likely never see his home across the ocean again. In their post-collapse world, a global government would be the only group with the assets and freedom to make transoceanic travel possible anytime in the foreseeable future, and even if he did make it home, chances were the charges of his treasonous crimes would follow.

  As Jessie’s mind wandered through all that he had experienced since losing everything and leaving his homestead high in the Rocky Mountains, he wondered what his search for his sister would bring. Would he find heartache or happiness? He feared the former but held out hope for the latter. Either way, he was getting close, and his nerves were becoming frayed with anticipation.

  Looking across at Nate, whose eyes were locked onto his, Jessie grinned, “You’re almost home! I’m sure they’ll fix you up real good and have you back up and about in no time.”

  Smiling, Nate sighed, “Hell, I don’t care if I’m up and about. I just want to be home with my wife, Peggy and our son, Zack. I’ll gladly take a long, painful recuperation as long as I wake up to their smiling faces every day.”

  “Sheriff Jessie,” Nate interjected, looking at Jessie with his head cocked off to one side.

  “What? What is it?” Jessie asked.

  “I told you my full name. I told you right before you went off to find help. But you never gave me your full name. How the hell do I not know that by now?”

  Laughing, Jessie answered, “I guess we’ve just been a little too busy to worry about the little things. It’s Townsend. Jessie Townsend.”

  “Nice to meet you, Jessie Townsend,” Nate greeted him with a smile.

  Reaching out his hand as well, Yuri said, “Yuri Kovalenko.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you properly, Mr. Kovalenko,” Jessie replied, taking his hand.

  “Nate Hoskins,” Nate said, shaking Yuri’s hand as well.

  Looking out the window, Nate announced, “We’re almost there. They’ll land just outside of town in a small pasture, then they’ll truck us on in from there.”

  When the helicopter touched down, several militia members, from nurses to security personnel, rushed out to meet them. They were led over to a livestock trailer that was hooked to a well-used John Deere 2355 farm tractor.

  “Climb on in,” one of the security officers urged over the noise of the helicopters taking off and disappearing over the tree line.

  As they drove, their accompanying security detail changed clothes in the back of the trailer, donning worn out denim jeans, Carhartt jackets, and other such farm-related attire.

  When the trailer was pulled into town, Jessie was shocked to see what appeared to be fifty or more happy townspeople gathered around to welcome their heroes home.

  Pulling to a stop in front of the Del Rio Baptist Church, Nate was quickly carried out where a tearful woman and a young boy anxiously awaited, running to Nate’s side at first sight.

  Jessie’s heart welled up with emotion at the sight of such a wonderfully happy ending to the painful saga they had all just endured.

  Britney and Yuri were then led into the church, where they would both be cared for and provided for until more permanent accommodations could be found.

  Just as Q turned to Jessie and began to speak, he was interrupted by a dark-haired man in his mid-forties with a peppery gray beard who ran up to shake Q’s hand.

  “Q! Thanks so much for bringing Nate home!” the man exclaimed. “Nate’s mom Judith is on her way down from the homestead with Molly and Jason now. She’s desperate to see him.”

  “Jessie, this is Evan,” Q said, introducing the two.

  “Did you say, Molly?” Jessie asked, shaking the man’s hand.

  “Yeah, my wife, Molly Baird,” Evan responded.

  Seeing confusion on Jessie’s face, Q asked, “What’s wrong?”

  Turning back to Evan, Jessie said, “Where is your wife from… originally?”

  “Colorado. That was a long time ago, though. Why?” Evan wondered.

  Jessie’s heart began to pound in his chest. Could it be? Could he finally be at the end of his long, difficult struggle to find his last remaining family member?

  Turning to see a woman in her sixties running into the church with tears in her eyes, Jessie heard Evan shout, “Jason, over here!”

  Looking to the man Evan had referred to as Jason, Jessie saw a woman, a few years younger than he, standing next to him. He hadn’t seen his sister in many years. They had been separated by a bitter divorce at a young age, and Jessie and his sister had simply drifted apart. Sure, they had written the occasional letter or sent a Christmas card at times, but as the years went by, they had seemed to go their separate ways with their divided family. And once the attacks that had driven the country into collapse began, they were completely los
t to each other.

  Even after all those years and all the changes each one of them had gone through, Jessie recognized Molly, and could see her as the young girl he remembered so fondly from his childhood.

  Her eyes instantly locked onto his. Neither of them could believe it. After all these years, miles, wars, and turmoil, brother and sister were reunited in the most unlikely way, thousands of miles from where their journey had begun.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  One week later…

  Sitting on the front porch of Evan and Molly’s homestead, Jessie rocked back and forth in an old antique rocking chair, with his bandaged leg propped up on the porch railing while he sipped a cup of coffee, watching as the fog burned off to reveal the beauty of the mountains surrounding Del Rio.

  Seeing several men work their way up the road to the home on horseback, Jessie stood up and limped to the door, saying, “You’ve got company.”

  Joining him on the porch, Evan looked at the riders through a riflescope and said, “That’s Pastor Wallace and Daryl. They also have another horse in trail.”

  As Pastor Wallace and Daryl rode up to the house, Jessie was stunned. His ornery old lineback dun quarter horse, Hank, was with them, being led along tied off to Daryl’s saddle.

  Waving them up, Evan quickly retrieved a cup of coffee for each and invited them to join them on the porch.

  “Hey, Jessie!” Daryl said with a smile. “We thought you might know this handsome fellow.”

  Letting go of the porch railing, Jessie limped off the porch and hobbled over to his beloved horse. “I don’t believe it,” he said. “How is this possible?”

  Dismounting, Daryl explained, “My wife, Linda, has always been a lover of all things horse. She’s got herself a good little business going these days training and caring for horses, in exchange for barter and trade.

  “A feller she deals with from the Newport area was out on a supply run when he ran across this fine specimen. Linda is always particular about where horses that come our way are obtained. We don’t want any part of the horse thievin’ business. Anyway, she trusted the guy, and his story added up to being in the general area of Chestnut Hill. The math just seemed to add up with what you had told us.”

  Stroking Hank on the neck, Jessie asked, “What do I owe you? What did you pay for him?”

  “Don’t you ever insult me with a question like that again,” Daryl declared, handing Jessie the lead rope tied to Hank’s halter.

  Jessie tied Hank to the porch railing and joined the other men on the porch, once again taking his seat and propping his leg up on the railing. “Doctors orders,” he stated, trying not to seem rude.

  “So, all things considered, how are you settling into things here in the great state of Tennessee?” Daryl asked.

  “I’m loving every minute of it,” Jessie replied as he shook Daryl’s hand. “And now that I’ve got Hank back, well, I can’t complain at all.”

  “Mr. Townsend,” Pastor Wallace greeted with a nod, shaking his hand as well. “We didn’t get a chance to make proper introductions back there in the woods.”

  “Yeah, there was a lot going on, to say the least,” Jessie replied. “So, you were Gunny Wallace in a previous life, I hear?”

  “Previous, and sometimes present life, when need be,” Wallace admitted. “The old me has had to show his face a few times as of late.”

  Changing the subject, Pastor Wallace said, “In addition to bringing back the horse, I figured Jessie still had a lot of unanswered questions swirling around in his mind that I may be able to answer about what happened back there.”

  Seeing Jessie’s interest pique, Pastor Wallace gestured to the chairs and suggested, “Please, gentlemen, let’s all take a seat.”

  Once they were all settled, Pastor Wallace explained, “Well…” he began, unsure of where to start. “Our boys roamed the entire area, and based on the intelligence you gave, we found the cave system where the girl was taken. Since we had adequate men and supplies, we made entry into the cave. I must say, that was some setup. They could have remained hidden out there forever if they hadn’t given us a reason to come looking for them.

  “Anyway, we engaged several more of… them… whatever they were supposed to be, killing the remaining few. We thoroughly cleared every chamber and passage of the entire system. You can trust me when I say, we got the last of them.”

  “What about that UF officer who Yuri said was taken by them?” Jessie inquired.

  “Oh, we found him, too,” Pastor Wallace asserted, raising an eyebrow. “Well, some of him, anyway.”

  “So, he’s dead?” Jessie queried, desperate for confirmation.

  “He’s very dead,” Pastor Wallace replied. “They seem to have eaten him.”

  “What!?” Evan exclaimed.

  “I’m afraid that’s the fate many others had met, as well. And I’m sure Yuri and the girl would have, too, if he hadn’t fought so hard for their escape.”

  “Wow,” Jessie shuddered, leaning back in his chair, just trying to soak it all in.

  “There was some truly sick, evil stuff going on in there,” Pastor Wallace added. “The crazy part is, we still don’t know who they were or where they were from. We combed through that place like a crime scene and couldn’t find one written word. To our knowledge, no one had heard them speak a word, either. Did you?”

  “No, I didn’t,” Jessie confirmed. “And as a matter of fact, the only communications of any sort that I heard were those horn blasts.”

  Continuing, Pastor Wallace explained, “We found one of the horns. It resembled a Viking war horn. I don’t think they’re related in any way, though. There was nothing else ‘Viking’ about them. If one dug deep enough into a library of the macabre, I’m sure a culture or belief system they were trying to emulate could be found. Or hell, some sick psycho may have just wanted to start his very own end of the world cult. Who the hell knows? All we can do now is be thankful that every last one of them has met his maker.”

  “Did you see any other UF activity in the area?” Jessie asked.

  “A few of our boys, bringing up the rear on our way out, saw a helicopter off in the distance. They believe it was a Mi34, but couldn’t be sure.”

  Slapping his thigh, Daryl proclaimed, “This sure is one screwed-up world we live in.”

  Smiling, Jessie agreed, “Yeah, but it’s got some exceptionally wonderful people left in it, so maybe there’s hope for it, after all.”

  “So, what now?” Daryl asked.

  “What do you mean?” Jessie asked, seeking clarification.

  “Now that you found your sister, what’ll be your next adventure?”

  “I’m staying right here. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve found my new home, and the only adventures I’ll ever partake in again will be whatever unfolds right here in these hills.”

  ~~~~ The End ~~~~

  A Note from the Author

  First and foremost, let me take a moment to thank you for buying and reading Them: Society Lost, Volume Four. This is my twelfth book, and I’m thankful beyond what words can express for each and every person who has bought and read my books along the way. Your support has been life-changing for my family and me, to say the least.

  Your support over the past year or so has been especially important to me. As anyone who follows me on social media knows, my life is spread pretty thin. I’m the chief pilot/flight department manager of a corporate flight department for a nationwide electronics retailer, a farmer, a husband and father, a homeschooler, and a writer. I can’t remember the last time I woke up and wondered what I was going to do that day. The question in my mind is more like “of all the things I have to do, what will I be able to get done?” At least I can’t complain that I’m bored.

  People often ask me how I find the time to write. Whew, that’s a good question, but it’s a passion that I just can’t let fall to the wayside, and again, your support keeps me going.

  This book was very fun to write
. It takes place in my neck of the woods after Jessie’s long, cross-country journey, as well as blending with my first series, The New Homefront, bringing those beloved characters back for more adventures. I’ve had a lot of people asking for more from the folks from The New Homefront, though they may not have expected to see them here. From a timeline perspective, this book would take place after The Resolution, unofficially making it the sixth book in the series.

  As you may have noticed, Jessie’s journey throughout the Society Lost series has run the entire gamut. It started out as a homesteading/prepper, post-apocalyptic story, followed by a vigilante justice western, and has somehow evolved into a horror, all with a little comedy sprinkled in (some of you may debate the comedy part). Maybe I’ve just got a dark sense of humor. It’s been quite the ride to say the least. When I think back to all of Jessie’s adventures, I just think, wow, what a journey it was.

  What’s next for me? I’ve got several things in mind. Often times, a book just jumps into my head and refuses to get out until I put pen to paper…uh, I mean…key to electronic signal. Over the course of the next year, I really hope to address all of them and get at least four, and hopefully six new novels out. Don’t hesitate to let me know what you want to see next.

  Thanks again for taking time out of your busy life to read this book and to let a piece of my imagination into your world. May God bless you and your family now, and in any future we may face.

  Respectfully,

  Steven C. Bird

  About the Author

  Steven Bird was born and raised in the Appalachian coal town of Harlan, Kentucky, where he grew up immersed in the outdoors. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and moved to the Seattle area, where he served on active duty for eleven years, eventually retiring out of the reserves at just over twenty years of service.

  Upon leaving active duty, Steven began working as a charter pilot and a flight instructor. Eventually finding his way into a turbo-prop airline, and then on to a jet airline, he acquired thousands of hours of flight experience before leaving the airline industry to fly for one of America’s largest cellular retailers.