The E.M.P. Chronicles (Book 1): 458 Miles & 24 Days

by McTatey, Zayden (Oz)

  “Hello stranger,” she said.

  “Hello,” Nicki said. “We’re looking for information. Do you know what happened?” Nicki asked.

  “That’s funny,” the lady said. “Everyone around here is starving to death or needs first aid supplies and you’re asking what happened. Do you have food or first aid supplies?” the woman finished.

  Quick on her toes, Nicki responded, “We need food, too, but I was hoping you would have information on when the government or state would arrive.”

  The lady gave Nicki a sharp look and said, “The government is not coming. You’re on your own. People are starving and beyond desperate. I recommend that if you have food or first aid supplies, you be a good neighbor and share or at least trade.”

  The rest of the group began looking at Nicki suspiciously as the woman continued, “You have no signs of malnutrition. Your hair looks like it was recently washed. You have no dirt on you and your clothes are clean. Need I say more?”

  Nicki did a quick glance over her right shoulder and saw Randall about twenty feet behind her. She was relieved knowing he hadn’t drawn the attention of the rest of the group.

  “We don’t have food, at most another day’s worth, and we take baths and wash our clothes in the creek. It’s that simple,” Nicki said.

  Making direct eye contact with Nicki, the lady said, “Let’s hope so for your sake. Now, the true question. Why are you wearing a bulletproof vest? You must have supplies. Why don’t you tell us what you have and how much? This will go much better for you if you cooperate. Consider it Socialism where we share everything with everyone.”

  The group slowly began closing in on Nicki. They blocked any exit she may have thought possible. She needed to signal Randall. She needed her son to leave and head for safety. That was all she cared for. Before she could touch her ear, signaling Randall to head for safety, the sound of gunfire could be heard from behind the group.

  Everyone dropped to the ground including Nicki. She slowly raised her head to see Randall with his gun slowly scanning the group of people on the ground.

  Using his loudest and most commanding voice he said, “If you move you will be shot! Everyone, place your hands above your head and reach as far as you can. Now!” he yelled.

  Nicki stood to her feet and walked to her son’s side. A couple of the people in the group lifted their head to see what was going on when they were greeted with Nicki yelling, “Don’t be stupid. Listen to him. Keep your heads down!”

  Nicki had drawn her Springfield and had it at the low-ready position.

  “This was a huge mistake,” the lady with the long grey hair said and continued. “We gave you a chance to help and instead you point your guns at us. You hold us hostage and threaten our lives. We’ll remember you. We’ll remember your son.”

  While continually scanning the area, Nicki and Randall were making a slow retreat back to their bikes when Randall caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

  “That’s Stacey,” he thought to himself.

  He turned to look again when they made eye contact with one another. His heart sank. He immediately felt weak and wanted to reach out to her and help her when his mother pulled him by the shoulder.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  Randall did not respond.

  As they rode home, there was only silence. There was no conversation. Only reflection on, yet again, how the world had changed forever.

  41

  Primitive Skills

  AS DAWN BROKE ACROSS THE SKY, NAOMI LOOKED DOWN AT OZ and Cheyanne. She was tired from pulling guard duty all night. Her thoughts wandered back to Johannes and what had happened. The Navy had prepared her for many things in life but never the loss of her husband and never in those horrific circumstances. She began to feel sorry for herself when she realized that Cheyanne and Oz, to an extent, relied on her to be strong. No matter what she did, no matter what she thought, she had to be strong for both of them. They depended on her.

  She returned her gaze to the skyline and saw the beauty all around her. The green trees, the haze coming off the mountains, the rolling valleys, the shifting clouds, and then reality.

  “All this beauty surrounded by desperate and evil people,” she said to herself.

  Startling Naomi, Oz said, “I’m not desperate and definitely not evil.”

  “Did you read my mind?” she said.

  “Nope. You said it aloud,” Oz responded.

  “Of course,” she said and then continued. “If I read the map right, we’ll be in Adairsville within the next eight hours. From there, we head to Ringgold and then into Chattanooga. We can keep heading north from there until we hit Nashville or we can cut east to Cookeville, Tennessee.”

  Cheyanne looked over to Oz seeing him rubbing his chest and asked, “Does it still hurt? You know, where you were shot.”

  “Yes, it does,” Oz said with an attitude.

  “Oz, can we camp one more night? We’ve been going strong for only God knows how long. One day of rest would be good plus it gives us time to find food,” Naomi said.

  “I know,” he said before he was interrupted by Cheyanne.

  “Oz, why can’t we just eat some of the natural vegetation you’ve talked about,” she asked.

  Oz took a minute to think before saying, “Naomi, great idea. We’ll rest an additional day but make it a learning day. We’ll teach Cheyanne the difference between cover and concealment, as well as how to set snares. We’ll also spend a little time on wild edibles. In today’s world, it’s a necessary skill.”

  The group ate what little food they had after which Oz and Naomi started teaching Cheyenne about strategic tactics.

  “First, Cheyanne,” Naomi said. “I need to teach you an important lesson: the difference between concealment and cover. A lesson you would have thought Oz would have remembered. Concealment is not the place you want to be when bullets start to fly. Concealment does not stop bullets hence the reason Oz was shot. Wooden doors, car doors, and most house walls, which are made of sheetrock, are examples of concealment. Concealment only keeps you hidden not protected. Cover, on the other hand, keeps you hidden and protected. Always hide behind things that can stop a bullet. Trees and boulders, in ditches, anything that can prevent bullet penetration. Promise me you’ll do that?”

  Cheyanne started laughing and said, “I won’t pull an Oz. I promise.”

  “Seriously ladies,” said Oz.

  “Now, on to plants,” Oz said. “I’m not an expert on the local vegetation but it should be easy enough to identify some good healthy vegetation. The climate and area are somewhat similar to my Kentucky back yard,” Oz said.

  “But first, let’s set some snares,” he said.

  Oz reached into his backpack and pulled out a ten-foot section of 550 paracord.

  “Cheyanne, this is 550 paracord. It’s called 550 paracord since it can hold up to 550 pounds before it breaks. A prepper’s best friend. When you take the outside cover off, called the sheath,” he said as he handed her the sheath, “there are seven additional smaller strands. We’re going to use those seven additional strands to set several snare traps. The odds are low we’ll catch something, but we need to try. Naomi is it okay if she comes with me?” Oz asked.

  “Fine by me,” Naomi said and kissed her daughter goodbye.

  “Let me explain what we’re doing,” Oz said to Cheyanne and continued. “A snare can be used day or night, rain or shine, and in any climate. Look for game trails. To find game trails, look for trampled grass, well-worn paths, animal droppings, tracks, animal shelters, sources of water and food, and broken branches. As I just mentioned, the key is to make sure you place the snare where you see signs of animal life. Snares placed randomly are a waste of time.”

  Oz chose several locations along the game trail and showed Cheyanne how to make and set a snare.

 
“Now, let’s go get your mom and look for edible plants. Time to forage for food,” he told Cheyanne.

  With Naomi at their side, Oz said, “First, the basics. The important part of forging is to make sure you know exactly what you’re eating. You can do this by visualization, meaning you visually identify physical traits of the plant. Don’t limit yourself to visual identification alone. Lots of wild edible plants have look-alikes. Second, you’ll need to learn how to differentiate similar plants by smell, feel, texture, etc. It’s not a rule, but in many cases, poisonous plants are unpalatable and have a rank smell. That said, taste should only be used if you’re sure the plant is not poisonous. Some plants, such as water hemlock, are deadly in very small doses. Third, understand habitats. Simply put, you won’t find cattails in the dessert or cactus in the north. Fourth, companion planting is also important. Many plants are commonly found growing by other identifiable plants. Fifth, seasons. You’ll need to understand seasons and which plants grow when and where. Sixth, you’ll also need to learn which parts of the plant are used for what. For instance, the ripe cooked berries of elderberry are safe to eat but the bark, stems, and roots are poisonous. And finally, only forage plants that appear to be healthy. Plants can be afflicted by disease, fungi, pests, or pollution. Harvesting healthy plants minimizes the risk of illness and means you’re getting more nutritious food.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll put this little green plant down until I know it won’t kill me,” Cheyanne laughed.

  “Yeah, that one they call poison ivy,” Oz said with a smirk.

  “Alright, back on track, ladies,” he said. “Some of the common, healthy, greens that we can get this afternoon are dandelions, stinging nettles, lamb’s quarter, and acorns. It won’t fill our bellies, but it will provide nutrition and hopefully, just hopefully, the snares will catch a little meat.”

  As the group walked, Oz helped the ladies identify natural edibles. They pulled enough vegetation to feed them for several days. They returned to camp, cleaned the plants, and made a quick vegetable-like stew. Though still hungry, they went to bed with hopes of having meat the following morning.

  EARLY THE NEXT morning Cheyanne woke Oz and her mother up. She had excitement in her face. In her right hand hung a rabbit.

  “Not bad,” Oz said.

  “Can you teach me how to clean it?” Cheyanne asked.

  “I’ve only seen it on the internet but I’m sure we’ll figure it out,” Oz said with a smile and laugh.

  Cheyanne, Naomi, and Oz each got a small piece of cooked rabbit complimented with a nice dandelion salad. Not much, but better than nothing. They would have to continue their hunt for food, but what they ate would allow the group to continue northward on their journey towards Kentucky.

  42

  Kill or be Killed

  THE SOUNDS OF TRIPWIRES GOING OFF COULD BE HEARD FROM all sides of the house. It sounded as if a stampede had rushed onto the property.

  Lloyd scrambled looking through windows on each side of the house. He could see that there were, at a minimum, two people on each of the four sides of the house.

  “Nicki!” Lloyd yelled. “We’re surrounded. At least two armed people on each side of the house. They haven’t approached yet but it sure in the hell looks like they are going to. Oh yeah, it looks like they have protective vests on to boot.”

  “Randall, Connie, Cali, grab the AR-15s and rifles. Randall, take the south side of the house. Cali, take the west side. Lloyd, take the east side. Connie, keep the magazines full as we empty them. I’ll take the north side!” Nicki barked before turning to Buzz. “Buzz, hide in the closet and do not come out until one of us comes and gets you. No matter what you hear, stay in the closet” Nicki said.

  Scared and frightened, Buzz reluctantly opened the closet door and sat down.

  Understanding Nicki’s orders, each of the family members took their assigned position. “Everyone, vest and helmets on. Radios and headsets on. Radio check in one minute,” Nicki ordered.

  With the family members geared up and now in communication with one another, they were ready as best they could be.

  “If you have a clear shot, fire,” Nicki said firmly while continuing. “They won’t hesitate to kill you or our family. Now is the time to act. The time to protect our family. Every time one of those bastards goes down, call it out. That will be our queue to move to another position and help where needed.”

  Before she could say another word, she heard the sounds of an AR-15 fire followed by Randall saying, “One down on the south side. One to go.”

  It was nearly impossible to hear because as soon as Randall fired, all hell broke loose. Bullets began hitting the house easily penetrating the walls. Randall quickly transitioned to the second guy who was now running full speed towards the house. Randall fired at least twenty rounds before announcing, “Second guy down on the south side.”

  Immediately Nicki responded “Randall, help your sister, now, go!”

  “10-4,” Randall replied.

  “One down on the east side,” Lloyd said.

  “I’ve got my two pinned down but can’t get a clean shot. They’re hiding between the Suburban and the garage. Looks like we’ll wait them out,” Nicki reported.

  The next transmission the family heard over the radio was a scream from Randall, “Cali’s been shot! Mom, she’s been shot! She’s bleeding bad, mom!”

  Nicki listened intently at the sharp piercing screams coming from the bedroom. She could hear Cali in pain and then suddenly, nothing.

  “Lloyd, Randall, I need to get to Cali. Randall, take my position. Keep those two pinned down.” Nicki said as she fired several blind shots at the two pinned down gunmen before switching with Randall and rushing to Cali’s side.

  She quickly put her fingers over Cali’s carotid artery and felt a pulse. She could see blood seeping from her shirt and quickly isolated the wound. Cali had been shot in the upper left shoulder. Nicki saw the entrance wound and quickly sat Cali up to look for the exit wound.

  “Thank God,” Nicki said. The wound had gone through her shoulder.

  “The bullets not lodged in her shoulder. It went straight through. She’s losing blood, but she’ll be fine,” Nicki said over the radio.

  “First aid kit. Does anyone know where the first aid kit is?” Nicki said over the radio.

  “Downstairs in the room with the ammunition,” Lloyd said exhausted.

  “Hang on baby,” Nicki said as she reengaged herself in the firefight.

  As Lloyd was scanning the area for his aggressors, he saw an odd figure off in the distance. He quickly looked through the AR-15 scope and still couldn’t make out what the person was doing. He grabbed the binoculars, placed them up to his eyes, and spotted a middle-aged woman talking into a radio. It appeared as if she was talking to someone, but who? Was she a bystander or was she giving the attackers directions? He couldn’t be sure. He looked again and saw her point to the left while talking into the radio. Lloyd instantly saw two men running to his right.

  “She’s giving them directions. She’s telling them where to go,” Lloyd said to himself.

  Lloyd picked up the AR-15 which had been sighted in for 100 yards. He placed the reticle on her upper chest and pulled the trigger. She went down. Lloyd followed up with a second shot, grabbed the binoculars, and saw no movement. As he continued to watch the downed woman, he saw one of the attackers running toward her. The attacker was running full speed in the open appearing not to care whether they were shot at or not. They were going to get to the woman on the ground no matter what. Without emotion, Lloyd quickly transitioned the AR-15, lined the moving target up with the reticle, achieved a sight picture, and pulled the trigger twice. The figure fell to the ground landing on top of the woman.

  “I got another one,” Lloyd yelled into the radio.

  Before the family knew what happened, the sounds of gun
fire stopped.

  “They’re running back into the woods,” Randall said.

  “Yep, they’re carrying away the two I shot,” Lloyd replied.

  There was no response from Nicki as she headed straight for the basement, grabbed the first aid kit and ran back upstairs to Cali’s side.

  “I sure hope your dad knew what to put in here,” Nicki said under her breath.

  Nicki opened the first aid kit and pulled out a QuikClot® hemostatic gauze bandage to stop the bleeding. She placed several over the front and back of Cali’s shoulder.

  “Randall, hold these in place. I need to start an IV but first, we need to move her downstairs. Help me,” Nicki said.

  While Nicki held the bandages in place, Randall carried his sister downstairs. Once downstairs, Nicki started an IV and told Randall to find clindamycin in their medical supplies.

  “We need to make sure her wound doesn’t get infected. Hurry,” Nicki said.

  With Randall getting the medication, and Cali unconscious, Nicki cleaned the wound, replaced the blood-soaked hemostatic gauze with new gauze, and placed an Israeli emergency bandage around her shoulder to hold the gauze in place.

  Once Randall returned with the medication, Nicki gave Cali the clindamycin though an IV push.

  “We watch her and let her sleep,” Nicki said.

  “She could have died,” Randall said as he held his sister’s hand.

  “But she didn’t,” Nicki said trying to be strong.

  “What happened today creates anger and vengeance in me. I want to kill those men who shot her. Mom, I’ve never felt such hatred toward anybody like this in my life,” Randall said as his tone changed.

  “Randall,” Nicki said as she began to cry. “What has this world become? Neighbors killing neighbors. My children carrying guns and shooting people. My father-in-law has become the family sniper. And your dad. Where’s your dad? We need him!”