by Akart, Bobby
Once the set of the Hunger Games movie franchise, the Henry River Mill Village was now owned by Ryan and Blair Smart, and it had taken on a new name—Haven.
Chapter Three
Morning
New Year’s Eve
The Haven
Western ghost towns have always been a tourist destination. Travelers enjoyed visiting the dusty remnants of old mining towns left over from the glory days of the Gold Rush era, now abandoned but still filled with iconic tumbleweeds and decrepit horse troughs.
In the Eastern U.S., there was another financial boom in the early twentieth century that resulted in small towns and villages springing up in support of what became known as the Industrial Revolution.
New innovations in manufacturing and automation swept the nation like wildfire, with small towns and villages being constructed to support the workers who came from rural America seeking work. Often situated along rivers or near shipping ports, these new manufacturing facilities took advantage of the easy transportation and the unlimited free power the steady flow of a river could provide.
As a result, the quintessential mill town was born, with the iconic image of a riverfront factory attached to a large waterwheel. It was a scene that emerged all along the East Coast and became just as prevalent as any horse-drawn carriage.
One such town had been established along the Henry River thirty minutes outside Hickory, North Carolina, one of the leading furniture industry centers in the state. The mill town, known as Henry River Mill Village, was established in 1905 and, like so many gold-panning towns of the Western U.S., promises of employment and high wages lured new residents.
For a while, the new mill town delivered on those promises. In a short period of time, as interest in the town grew, more structures were constructed until thirty-five small homes, a two-story boardinghouse, and numerous outbuildings supported the population, who worked almost exclusively at the mill.
For decades, the mill produced miles upon miles of fine yarn. However, like the boomtowns that rose out of the crusty dirt during the Gold Rush, this mill town was destined to go bust.
Eventually, industry found its way into larger population centers, using energy resources far more efficient than waterwheels, and the appetite for fine yarns began to lessen. The Henry River Mill shut down in 1973.
Sadly, the town began to die. People moved away, seeking work or a better life for their families in large cities like Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. The town was totally abandoned by 1987 when its last resident found work elsewhere and left. All that remained was a ghost town, a throwback to the industrial age from the turn of the early 1900s.
The property changed hands as each owner fought vandals and mischievous teens. Then a totally unexpected thing happened to this quiet, desolate part of North Carolina. Hollywood came knocking.
The Hunger Games movie team needed a location that exuded a dystopian feel in a post-apocalyptic world. The structures that remained were in remarkably good condition considering their age of over a hundred years. The producers agreed the abandoned town would serve as the ideal setting for the fictional District 12 that appeared in the first movie of the series.
During the filming of the movie, the actors and production crew began to have an unusual feeling about Henry Mill Village. Very subtly, it became apparent that the property might be haunted. Several unusual sightings occurred, especially at night along the banks of the Henry River as well as in the main house, the largest of the structures on the property, where sounds of breaking glass and large objects striking walls could be heard.
After the filming ended and the team pulled out, the town was returned to its abandoned state, but the rumors of the hauntings persisted. Since the filming ended, a family purchased the property and began to conduct historic tours on the property, focusing on the Hunger Games film and the property’s hauntings.
When Ryan learned that Henry River Mill Village was discreetly on the market, as soon as he and Blair settled their Mega Millions lottery winnings with the state of Florida, they made an offer and closed thirty days later.
The Haven was born.
Chapter Four
Morning
New Year’s Eve
The Haven
“What’s on tap for today, fellas?” asked Ryan as he fiddled with a pencil and a notepad on top of the table. His mind was still on the events he’d seen on the news earlier. Sometimes he hated when he was right.
“Well, all the boys are still up north for the holidays,” began Alpha. “It was good of ya to allow them the whole week between Christmas and New Year’s weekend.”
Ryan sipped his coffee through a straw and nodded. “We got an early start because winter hit them early and shut their building sites down. Plus, now that we’re in our second winter of remodeling the old worker homes, we’ve become more efficient.”
“Storing the building materials in HB-2 helped,” said Alpha.
“Well, it made sense to have them bring another barn with them from Vermont when they came south in October. We’ve got all the lumber we need to do our renovations and frame up several more homes. The window and door packages in the shipping containers, coupled with the roofing materials, just about give us four new tiny homes for the right buyer.”
Echo added to the conversation. “Speaking of which, Miss Blair said you have two sets of prospects coming in today. That’s kind of odd for a holiday, isn’t it?”
Ryan shrugged and sat back in his chair. “Not if you watch the news. The country’s fallin’ apart, boys.”
“Just like you said it would,” added Alpha. “I’ve got buddies who went into the Guard after they left the Army. They’re being deployed all over the place, from the Mexican border to the big cities. The president keeps adding more guardsmen because the media argued he was violating Posse Comitatus with his use of regular military.”
The Posse Comitatus Act was passed by Congress in 1878. The law prohibits the use of the military for law enforcement purposes. The act allows, however, the president to mobilize the National Guard in a state with the governor’s consent, and usually upon the state’s request. This carved out an exception to the act in which the National Guard could be used under state authority or by executive order of the president.
“From what I’ve seen on the news in the last week or so, we’re gonna need to double the size of the Guard,” said Ryan. “Either way, interest in the Haven has grown substantially over the last six months, and we’re now at the point we can be very selective.”
“Based upon what you have in place, what kind of people are you still looking for?” asked Echo.
Ryan stood and wandered around the spacious foreman’s office. “You know, Echo, we’ve always treated this like a business, but it’s not about money. You guys know what happened that enabled us to cut the check for this place. We have a much larger purpose, as you know, that will benefit all of us. Toward that end, the selection of the people whom we sell to is the most important role I have.”
“It’s a people business,” added Alpha.
“Exactly,” said Ryan as he walked past his right-hand man. “With every home or parcel we sell, it’s not about the money but, rather, whether this person is a good fit for our community. They have to be like-minded thinkers, committed to what we believe in. But they also have to offer something of value.
“Security was first and foremost, and we’ve filled those slots with very capable folks. We’ve also made arrangements with our security team that ensures they’ll be here when the time comes.
“Initially, we needed guys who were handy with tools, both from a construction standpoint and the ability to maintain anything mechanical around here. Even in a grid-down scenario, with our solar arrays and accompanying power generators, our machinery will be a luxury that must be maintained to last for many years.”
“Farmers too, right, boss?” asked Echo.
“You bet, my friend. Farmers, hunters, expert canners, and even surv
ivalists. We never know if a situation might arise in which we’ll need to send a team outside the Haven on a run of some sort. We need people who can go beyond the gates, live off the land if necessary, and get back here alive.”
Alpha asked, “How do you feel about your medical personnel?”
“Weak. The ones we do have on board are absentee owners. There’s no guarantee they’ll make it here if a catastrophic event occurs. Sure, we have several of us who know how to bandage up wounds and deal with minor breaks. Blair has made sure our Armageddon Hospital is well equipped and stocked with supplies. But we need more people capable of treating sickness and injuries.”
Alpha finished his coffee and looked at the snow flurries that were beginning to land on the windows. “If this stuff sticks, you might have cancellations.”
Ryan walked over to see for himself. He pulled out his phone, which beeped, indicating he had a text message from Blair. She was awake.
“Well, the first guy is a communications specialist. During our background check, we confirmed he had ample knowledge of different radio systems and off-grid communications methods. Heck, the guy even claims he can set up what he called a Bob Ware phone system.”
“Huh?” asked Alpha. “You mean barbwire?”
Ryan laughed as he finished off his coffee. “You heard me right the first time. I said Bob Ware, like it was some fella’s name. The guy coming this morning was born and raised in Texas. He’s an avid hunter and fisherman. He’s got the comms skills and—”
“Hang on, boss,” interrupted Echo. “You gotta help me out here. What’s a Bob Ware phone system?”
Ryan smiled and explained what he’d learned online. “The guy brought it up during our second phone interview and promised to give me the details when he comes by this morning. Here’s what I learned. Back in the day, especially on large ranches in Texas, barbed wire was used to encircle their property and keep the cattle in. In order to communicate with the ranch house, or a barn like HB-1, they hooked up store-bought telephones to the barbed-wire fencing.”
“No way,” said Alpha.
“Yeah, true story,” continued Ryan. “They’d run a thin wire from the house to the barbed wire. The telephone signal would follow the length of the wire and transfer down the line along the barbed wire to the other phone’s location.”
“Well, I’ll be dogged,” said Echo. “I’ve had a farm and I’ve never heard of such.”
Ryan patted his friend on the back and made his way toward the door. “Well, I hope we’ll never need such a crazy way of communicating, but this new guy has the mindset to create one if, or shall I say when, the time comes.”
Leaving that ominous thought hanging in the air, Ryan took off for the newest building on the property, Haven House, designated HH.
Chapter Five
Midmorning
New Year’s Eve
Haven House
“Where are they? Where are my girls?” Ryan announced as he quickly closed the heavy wood-carved front door in an attempt to keep the cold wind from blowing the moist air into the Smarts’ home. The winter storm that had been predicted days ago was showing itself, prompting hazardous-driving warnings and causing air travel to descend into chaos due to cancellations.
“They’re in here, Daddy, eating their brunch like good girls,” Blair replied on behalf of the girls, whose faces were buried in a bowl of kibbles and boiled egg. Rarely did Chubby and The Roo come up for air when it was time to eat. Chubby, naturally, knocked her yummies out first. Then she’d hover over her sister’s bowl until she finished. At the first opening, she’d sneak in and lick The Roo’s bowl. The poor child never seemed to get enough to eat.
Ryan entered the kitchen and kissed Blair on the cheek.
“Your lips are cold!” she playfully protested.
“Yeah, but your cheeks are warm. Thanks for thawing me out.”
She swatted at him with a kitchen towel and turned back to the stove. “I’m gonna invite Alpha, Echo, and his missus over for lunch. I’ve got chili simmering, and corn bread is next on my to-do list. Whadya think?”
“For sure. I’ve got that interview at eleven. After that?”
“Yeah, I’ll let them know,” replied Blair. She continued mixing the corn bread recipe from her Aunt Sissy’s cookbook while Ryan scooped up the girls’ empty bowls and set them in the sink. Then Blair turned to business. “Are you still a hundred percent on the new guy?”
Ryan opened the refrigerator and stared inside. He surveyed his choices on something to munch on, much like a bear who’d just entered a campsite and was faced with too many options. He opened the deli drawer and pulled out a pack of sliced Swiss cheese to satisfy his craving.
“You know how it is,” he began. “We seek these people out, or they’re referred to us. Then we scour the web and social media to see what we can learn about them. They have no idea we’re even interested in pitching the Haven to them. Yet we know they’re open to the prospect based upon their Facebook posts.”
“I know,” interjected Blair. “Our whole approach is weird, but we can’t just open the Haven up to anybody. We have to be able to trust these people to have our backs, and everyone else’s who lives here. You build a team through recruitment, not an open or revolving door.”
Ryan put away the cheese and munched on a slice as he spoke. “Well, this fella fills a void we have in the communications aspect of the Haven. When the time comes, knowledge will be power, or in our case, information will help us secure the place. Whether it’s within the confines of our fences and walls, or keeping abreast of events around the country, we can better protect ourselves from outsiders by keeping up with their activities.”
“His paperwork looks good, too,” added Blair.
When the Smarts came up with the concept of the Haven, they decided to be very selective in whom they sell property to. Because of their financial windfall by winning the lottery, they didn’t need the money from prospective entrants into their secretive community. However, they felt it was necessary to charge their new residents something so they had a financial stake in the Haven—skin in the game, as they say.
If a prospective resident had a strong résumé, which meant having useful skills, a verifiable background, and a like-minded approach to preparedness, but were unable financially to make a purchase with cash, the Smarts would finance the property with only ten percent down and low payments thereafter.
Ryan grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and drank half of it down. He rummaged through the junk drawer, as they called it. It was a catchall for everything from pens and notepads to scissors and Ryan’s pillbox for his daily medications. Despite his excellent conditioning, now that he was in his sixties, his doctor suggested he continue his blood pressure and cholesterol medications daily.
He checked his watch. “Do you wanna meet him?”
She brushed past him and touched her hand to his shoulder. “Nah, I trust your judgment. The vetting part passed my test.”
“All your PI training paid off,” added Ryan. When he and Blair met, she’d maintained a private investigator’s license, during which time she became adept at conducting background investigations. With the explosion of information on the internet, her duties in vetting prospective buyers online was much easier.
“Somewhat, but you’re the best judge of character. Size him up, and if you’re not sure, introduce him to Alpha. He doesn’t like many people, so if he approves, then I say bring him on board.”
“He wants to buy an existing place. He’s into the rustic feel of the Haven.”
Blair laughed. “Good, sell him H13 down by the old mill site on the river. It’s got plenty of ghosts to satisfy his rustic feel.”
Ryan hit the bathroom before going back out into the cold and stopped to check the news headlines on his iPad. A lot of the focus in Washington was on the briefs being submitted to the Supreme Court in advance of next week’s big court hearing. He read part of the story to himself.
The justices called for more briefs in the president’s attempts to shut down the Twenty-Fifth Amendment action taken against him by his cabinet. They seem to be singularly focused on the propriety of the attempt, so the Court granted review of the lower court decisions to determine if the overall case had merit.
There have been several amicus curiae, friends of the court, briefs filed by nonparties to the action from all sides of the political spectrum. One Court commentator referred to these additional briefs as noise, claiming they were purposefully designed to confuse the Court as to the real matter at hand.
All eyes will be on the president’s legal team, led by Pat Cipollone and Hayden Blount, a former clerk to Justice Samuel Alito. Court watchers believe Blount has a unique perspective into the minds of the justices that could tip the scales of justice in favor of the president.
Ryan closed his iPad and smiled.
“You go, Foxy!”
Chapter Six
Late Morning
New Year’s Eve
The Haven
“I’m impressed with your security,” said the young man as he extended his hand to greet Ryan. “Walter O’Reilly. Nice to meet you, sir.”
Ryan tucked his cell phone back into his pocket and removed his glove in order to shake hands with their visitor. “Ryan Smart, and sir is not necessary. It just makes me feel old.”
The two shared a laugh and O’Reilly continued. “Well, I have to say it wasn’t a bad drive from St. Louis. After I passed Knoxville and got off the interstate, it was a little bit over the river and through the woods, but not too bad.”
Ryan looked at O’Reilly’s transportation. It was a newer model GMC conversion van with an enclosed trailer attached to its hitch. The jet-black ensemble had a mysterious look about it that raised Ryan’s curiosity. “That’s quite a rig. I guess, um, I expected you to fly in to Charlotte and rent a car.”
