“Mel,” beamed Beatrice, with open arms and a big smile. “How are you and why haven’t you come by?” Beatrice was your typical Fifties mom, always cooking something and running the house; and Dean was the father and grandpa who laid low, always tinkering with things in the garage.
“I’m fine,” replied Mel, hugging her. “Just got busy, I guess. I had no idea we lived so close to each other.”
“We’re going to be working with Mel, Dad,” David informed everyone. “We just can’t do it all by ourselves,” he added.
“I know, son. We all have to find people we can trust or we haven’t got anything.”
“Let’s have breakfast,” offered Beatrice, laying out a plate of pancakes with eggs and bacon.
“How do you keep all this?” asked Mel, looking at the eggs and bacon.
“Chickens,” beamed Beatrice. “People just do not realize how much laying hens can feed you in a time of need. We’ve been raising hens for years up here.
“And a generator to keep the fridge running. Well, that doesn’t hurt much either,” she added with a laugh. “No ma’am,” said Mel. “Doesn’t hurt at all.”
After breakfast David pulled Mel aside. “OK, old buddy. Now let’s see what you’ve got.”
They took the boat back across the lake, with Mark and his friends providing cover from their vantage point.
It was a quick two miles to reach Mel’s house. They paused one hundred yards out and watched the house for about five minutes.
“Looks quiet,” whispered Mel, as he walked slowly towards the house. “I made the other guys think I didn’t have any weapons, so they wouldn’t take them,” said Mel in a low voice.
As they approached the front porch David could see the house was fairly hidden by trees and bushes. It was a sturdy two-story cabin with enough space to hold maybe 6-10 people comfortably if needed. There was enough firewood under the front porch to last most of the winter.
“Let me put some coffee on,” offered Mel, as he put the camp-style pot on a small propane stove.
“I’m really going to miss this stuff,” admitted David.
“What do you mean?” asked Mel, with a slight smile.
“You know, when it’s gone. My dad and mom maybe have another few days before they run out and it all eventually goes bad.”
“Yep,” replied Mel. “It sure does…unless of course you have raw beans.” He pulled out a bag of green beans and said, “They don’t start going bad until you roast them.”
“No shit!” exclaimed David. “I’ve never seen green coffee beans.” “Yep, and I’ve got plenty of ’em,” remarked Mel.
“Well, then I’m glad I didn’t kill you this morning! I would have missed out on all this.”
“Screw you,” quipped Mel, both of them laughing.
After a cup of coffee, David asked, “OK, Mel. What do we have here?”
“How about a tour, David? I think I have a few things to add to our new group. Let’s start with food. I don’t have chickens,” admitted Mel, “but I do have freeze-dried food. Have you heard of Wise or Mountain House Foods?”
“Yeah, I know about them but didn’t get around to ordering any until a couple weeks ago. Never got delivered, I’m afraid.”
“Then I’m sure you know they are good for up to 25 years! Let’s go into the basement and I’ll show you what a paranoid prepping guy keeps getting on hand,” Mel added.
“Holy crap!” said David, as he reached the last stair of the basement. There were two large rooms filled with buckets of food, stacked five deep.
“How did you keep all this from your buddies we met on the lake?” asked David.
“Fuck, man. They are not my buddies and you’re screwing with me now. You know this.”
“All right, old friend. I’m sorry—won’t happen again… But how did they not find all this?”
“They just showed up and wanted some food and booze. I kept a little food and some whiskey in the kitchen, just in case, and got them drunk enough to want to go out looking for something else. I was trying to figure out an escape plan when all the shit happened… Hey, look over here,” he added, pointing to a small room in the back.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” said David, as he opened the door and saw stacks of ammunition and at least 30 rifles, most in their original boxes.
“Will this help the cause?” asked Mel.
“I think it just might,” replied David.
After the tour wrapped up with a variety of water purifiers, gold and silver coins and a collection of alcohol and cigarettes that would rival a Las Vegas casino, David said, “OK, old friend. Let’s get a plan together.
“We’ve got two choices, as I see it,” he continued. “We add you to our small group and have enough supplies to wait this out and stay low…”
“Or?” asked Mel.
“Or we start adding skilled people to the group and become a force to be reckoned with if someone comes around looking for a fight. I’ve got a son to protect, so I can go either way with this.”
“You know,” confided Mel, “I never married or had kids. I used to joke around with you before…well, I mean when you were married and Mark was young. I thought I had it good being single and playing the field. Now I’m just lonely, if I’m being honest. I’ve been up here all by myself for a few years now, and since everything has gone to shit and won’t get better soon, I’d like a chance to be happy—maybe find a girl and start a family. I don’t see that happening with the group we have now,” he added with a laugh.
Now David was laughing too. “No, I don’t think Mark and his friends are your type,” now laughing even more.
“David,” Mel stated with a half-straight face, “you’re a sarcastic shit but I miss you, brother. That’s the truth.”
“Me too, bro. Me too… All right! Then let’s get a group started!” David added.
They secured the cabin and headed back to the lake to see Mark and his buddies.
“Let’s go back to the house,” David said to Mark. “Chad, you and Jimmy stay here and watch the lake.” “Yes, sir,” they both replied.
David, Mel and Mark took two of the three four-wheelers back to the house.
“Pop, Mom, can we sit and talk for a minute?” asked David. “Mark, I want you to hear this too. I’ve decided to officially add Mel to our little group.”
“That’s good, son,” replied his dad, Dean.
“Well, there’s more,” added David. “We have decided to actively pursue like-minded and skilled men and women, and possibly children, for our group.”
“Now wait just a minute,” argued Beatrice. “I’ve only got so many chickens and I’m not sure we can support more folks here.”
“I know, Momma,” agreed David, “but things are changing and we need to be ready to defend our homestead.” He gave Mel a look, not wanting to bring up the shooting earlier.
“Mel has a good bit of provisions he is adding and there is only strength in numbers. Besides, Mel needs a good wife,” he said with a smirk.
“I think you’re right,” interjected Dean. “I’m sorry, Beatrice, but we need a formidable group when it gets really bad.”
“Son, can I talk to you outside?” “Sure, Dad,” said David.
“What were all the gunshots about? Is everyone all right?”
“We are, Dad. We are.”
Mark headed back down to the lake. “Mel, let’s talk,” said David.
He and Mel headed out the front porch with a bottle of 12-year Glenlivet and two glasses of ice.
“This is what I’m going to miss,” said Mel.
“You’ve got plenty of alcohol,” replied David. “No, I’m going to miss the ice!” stated Mel.
“How many neighbors do you think are within two miles of the lake on all sides?” asked David.
“Well, probably 30-50 houses and maybe 40-70 people, I guess,” said Mel.
“We need to secure an area and let it be known it’s ours,” replied Da
vid. “However big or small that is…and we need to defend it with everything we’ve got.”
“All right,” agreed Mel, “but that means going door to door to see what we’re working with.”
They planned on staying at David’s parents for the night and would spend the next three days canvassing the area.
“I’ve got a ham radio,” reported David, “but never did get a license. I’ve got a buddy down in Dallas I’ve been trying to get hold of to see what’s going on outside of here. Seems there are quite a few radio operators across the country with similar circumstances. Looks like we’re in it for the long haul.”
* * * * * * *
Chapter Twenty-one ~ McKinney, Texas
“All right. Let’s gather ’round,” I called to the adults in our house. “As you now know, we were able to secure necessary weapons, thanks to Lonnie and our new friend and partner, Vlad. This will ensure our ability to confront and deal effectively with anyone seeking to do us harm, and provide safety for our families.
“We will need to make concrete plans for our journey to Colorado. It will not be easy and it will not be without loss, but it is vital for our survival. There is no alternative, I’m afraid.
“We will need to be ready in four days...
“Goodnight,” I finished, as I pointed our sons to our room. I wanted to have one last night with just us, in case it never happened again.
“What about Suzie and Veronica?” asked Hendrix. “They will be just fine for tonight,” I assured him. Everyone was helping out with them, but lately Tina had taken a shine to them and I knew they were in good hands.
“Boys,” I announced when we got into the room. “Your mom and I love you and we are proud of all of you. We only want the best for you. I’m sorry all of this is happening and you can’t go to school. We are going to keep you and your friends out there safe. And when we get to Colorado, we can start a new life.”
“I love Colorado, Daddy. Yeah, me too!” they all agreed.
“Good, boys. It’s going to take a while to get there but we will make it, I promise.” I prayed to God I could keep that promise.
The boys were up early the next morning. “I guess when you live by sunlight you go to bed early and get up the same,” I told Joy.
“Daddy, let’s pretend we’re going to school today,” said Jax. “OK, son. You’d better get dressed quick,” I replied, “so you won’t be late and have to talk to the principal.” I felt a wave of emotion, knowing they would probably not attend school for quite a while, if ever again.
“Damn those North Koreans,” spatted Joy. “I think they are just pawns in a lethal game,” I told her.
“Damn Kim Jong Un and his inner circle. They are responsible for this,” she added.
“Daddy, are we going to die?” asked Hendrix. “Not until you’re 99,” I assured him, tickling him on the belly.
“This…” I stated to Joy, “is why I will fight to the very end.”
After a communal breakfast, not unlike the Ranch where I grew up, I addressed the group.
“We are headed to Colorado in three days. I will get a few people together and map out the best route to go. My family and I drove there last year and have an idea of a good way forward.
“Let’s get the ham up and running,” I told Jake and Lonnie. “I’ve got an old buddy halfway to Colorado that may be able to help us.” My ham radio had not been used in over a year and it took me a few minutes to get everything working properly.
My old buddy, David, lived in New Mexico, close to the Texas/Colorado border. David and I were roommates at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He was the only one between here and Colorado that I knew I could trust.
Jim was a ham radio amateur and taught a class on it at the local community college in Plano. I asked him to set up and run it as his full-time job now. “I’ve got about 30 minutes,” I told him, “so can you give me a crash course?”
“You’re joking, right?” he asked. “It takes years to be good at this.” “All right,” I conceded, “but I want to know what’s going on out there in the rest of our country and be able to talk to some other people.”
“You tell me what you want to do and I’ll make it happen, but nobody touches my equipment—sound fair?” “Deal,” I replied. “But when we get to Colorado, I want the full course.”
“Get any information you can,” I told Jim. “Write it down and if you contact David Jenkins in Raton, New Mexico, come and get me right away, day or night.”
I took the first shift with Jim. There was a lot of chatter on the airwaves.
Some guy calling himself “the chosen one” was broadcasting a radio show from Topeka, Kansas. “The time is here,” he said. “The sinners have been judged and will now be tried… Join me, sinners, that you may be stripped of your evil ways and made clean. All things are made whole as I lead you down the road of Salvation. There can be no other way. Find your way to Topeka and join my growing group of loyal servants. We will amass an entire army of chosen people and march across the land, purifying the wicked. That’s all for now… Tune back in every day at 9 a.m.”
I asked Jim to write down the coordinates. What a nut job, I thought. “I want to keep an eye on that guy.”
“Sure. I get what you’re asking; I’ll keep track of him,” replied Jim.
I searched for something else and heard a guy out of Florida talking about bugging out to the Everglades. He was looking for a few “good men” to set up a small group. “I need guys who don’t mind fights, snakes and gators,” he said. “Basically no pussies,” he added with a deadly serious tone.
“OK, buddy,” I said, laughing to myself. I searched some more and got talking with a woman on Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Seattle. “I was out there a few years ago,” I told her. “Beautiful Island… I wish I were there with my family now,” I added. She said her name was Greta and she was taking care of two small children. Her husband was in New York on a business trip when it happened. She was scared and she and her girls were out of food. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her husband would most likely never make it home.
“I remember when I was there, Greta, that blackberries grew wild all over. Do you remember ever seeing them?” I asked. “Oh yes!” she said, sounding excited. “I didn’t even think about that because I always drove past them without a second thought.”
“Do you know where some are?” I asked. “Yes! Yes! Oh thank you, Lance,” she said.
I needed to keep searching for David but ended up spending another hour helping Greta get a plan together for her and her daughters. “You should now be OK finding food, clean water, trustworthy neighbors, and be able to keep your girls safe,” I advised, after reviewing her options and teaching her a few things, even if only by voice.
“Yes, Lance. Thank you so much,” she agreed. “My husband and I will be grateful to you.”
“No need, Greta. I have to go now, but I’ll check back on this channel in a few days and see how you’re doing.”
I gave up my shift to Lonnie and Jim, wishing I would have gotten hold of David, but feeling happy that I may have helped Greta and the girls.
“How did it go?” asked Joy. “Well,” I reported quietly, “there is a good mix of crazy fuckers and warmhearted families, all jockeying for their positions in this new world. We are going to need to keep a close eye on both.”
“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,” I heard as my boys came running from the other side of the house. “We missed you, Daddy,” they all said excitedly.
“I missed you guys, too, but it’s only been three hours, buddies.”
“That’s a long time, Daddy,” asserted Jax. “It’s like two whole movies!”
I laughed. “Yeah, I guess so, buddy. I love you guys and Mommy more than anything in the whole world.”
“Yeah, we know, Daddy. You say it like all the time,” said Hudson. “Good! If I ever stop, you can kick me right in the knee,” I added, laughing.
“Wha
t’s the matter, Joy?” I asked, since she looked like she was about to cry. “Go play, boys,” she told them, and took me into the bedroom.
“This is what’s wrong,” she said sadly. “Right here, right now is as good as it’s going to get. It will never be better than this. Our whole world is fucked now.”
“No, no, Honey,” I countered, taking her hand in mine. “The world has been screwed up for a while, and other countries have endured worse than this for a long time. We will never be the same country we used to be. But when we get to Colorado, we can be safe and happy. We can live a simple life and really watch the boys grow up. No more traffic or 50-hour work weeks unless it’s for ourselves, farming and working the land. It’s going to be hard no doubt, but we will be together as a family, with friends and neighbors, and that’s all I care about.”
Next World Series (Vol. 1): Families First Page 18
