by S A Ison
“It just seems so unreal, so hard to believe that all over the country and all over the world, people who have the knowledge to fix things may be dead. Or will die, because they can’t get food, or don’t have access to transportation to get food.” He said.
“With their deaths, the knowledge dies. They may one day repair it, and rebuild, but we are so remote here. We would be one of the last to see it come our way. I have no idea the extent of the damage. I don’t know a lot about electrical grids or the turbines and equipment that produce it. We think the solar eruption has fried every electronic circuit.”
“Yeah you are right Willene, and I was just hoping that maybe someone would at least be trying to get things back up. And yeah, I know, they probably are trying, or at least I hope they are. The military may be able to get things done, but they may have to fight with the people in the cities. I have a feeling, people are going crazy there. No food coming in and it has turned into every man for themselves. Even here, the killing started fast.”
“Combine that with the disease that will come with massive die offs, especially in large urban areas and cities. Even now, those big cities could be at war, killing each other for a can of dogfood. And no burials, not for that many people. Cholera may well be brewing.” She said, sadness and muted horror in her voice.
They stopped and she put the NVGs up to her face and scanned around. She saw the dog once more go off into the woods, she knew Charley was asleep with Monroe. She wondered if he were hunting small game.
“I’d say you were one of the rare people that had food put away. Most people don’t, I’m pretty sure, most people don’t know how to hunt, or grow vegetables. They don’t know how to survive. There are quite a lot of people who lived on ready-made food, boxed food and takeout. We are now getting into the time where whatever they had in their pantries is running out. So, if they can’t find anything, they’ll die or kill others to get what they need.” She said, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.
“All things considered, I’m damn glad to be here. Tonight, I want to start standing watch. I have been walking around for a bit, and though I still hurt, I feel better and stronger.” Clay said.
“Sounds good to me, I’ll let Harry know and we can work you into the rotation. It will be nice, that means we can each get a whole night off at some point.” Willene grinned up at him, she heard his soft chuckle.
“Go to bed Clay, let your mind and your body heal, it will be morning soon enough.” Willene advised when they came back around to the front of the farmhouse.
“Sure nuff, night Willene, see you in the morning.” Clay said and disappeared into the darkness of the house.
Willene went to sit in the swing, she moved slowly back and forth, using the NVGs to look around. It was quiet, but she knew that would be short lived soon. People would be moving this way, looking for food and that was when the real fun would begin.
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Alan sat at the kitchen table with his grandfather, Wilber Tate. Both ate quietly, Alan had made oatmeal and had fried up a couple of eggs. The bacon was gone, but there was still bread, though it was a little stale. Butter sat in a round crock and homemade jam helped the bread considerably. They sat in companionable silence.
Alan had come home the other evening, weeping. Wilber had been alarmed, and his grandson had told him about the Santo family and about the baby he’d found. Wilber had held his grandson, unable to speak himself, between the rage he felt and the grief that choked him.
“How’s ya feelin grandson?” Wilber asked the boy conversationally.
“I’s okay Pop Pop, I was wannin ta ask ya bout what we could do, you know, ta help these folks. Thar’s gotta be a way.” Alan said, his face and voice solemn.
“Well, I’s been ponderin on that vera thang. I’s got my friends, they’s old, but they’s capable.” Wilber said.
“I was spose ta ask iffin you’d know Boney Patterson, heard tell he was a sniper in that Vietnam war.” Alan said, taking another bite of oatmeal.
Wilber grinned, his friend Boney had a reputation, “Yes, he shorn do, an I’s gonna go ta see him taday. You can come long wit me.”
“Thanks Pop Pop, I’s need ta do somthan, I’s just cain’t sit round an do nothin.” Alan said, a soft smile on his sad face.
Wilber reached over with his spotted arthritic hand and patted his grandson gently. “Don’t worrit grandson, we’ll kick them sonbitches asses. They won’t not know what hit em.” He grinned a gummy grin and laughed, his teeth still in a glass.
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Gerhard Friedhof stood in the mayor’s outer office, shifting restlessly from one foot to the other. The sheriff was in the office with Mayor Audrey, and he could hear their murmuring. Gerhard had come to the sheriff asking for help on his farm. Since the power had gone out, none of his big equipment worked and he had crops in the fields that needed tending, some ready for harvest. If he didn’t get help, he’d lose much of the food. Not only that, people had been sneaking onto his lands and stealing the food. He had a large family to feed and he also had field hands and their families. He would be willing to share, but he had to have something to harvest in order to share.
The door opened and Sheriff Yates waved him in. Gerhard was a thin wiry man, and his clothes were usually much too large on him. His head poked out of the collar of his shirt like a turtle’s head coming out to investigate. This was made more apparent when his head entered into the office long before his body followed.
“Come on in Gerhard, have a seat.” Audrey said, waving the thin man over to an open chair.
Yates sat down beside Gerhard and smiled at the man encouragingly.
“Well, Mayor...” he began, but Audrey stopped him, lifting a pudgy hand.
“I’ve decided to change my title to President, I think it has a more impressive connotation. I’m goin to put out a declaration in a couple days. Sheriff Yates will be our new Vice President.” He grinned a wide toothy grin, his crooked teeth yellow.
Gerhard blinked, unsure what to say, so he nodded. “Well, President Audrey, I got a lot of produce that’s a comin near ta harvestin. I got people a sneakin on my land, an they’s a stealin me blind. I can’t harvest without my machinery, and I need help.” He said, his breath going out in a gush.
“I hear you clear enough, I thank we can help you Gerhard. We got some folks in the coal mine that might appreciate bein outside that mine, and workin your farm.” President Audrey said, a wolfish beatifical smile across his face.
“You can’t mean like old time slave labor, President?” Gerhard asked horrified.
“Why sure Gerhard, we got to put these people to work if they wanna live. Otherwise, I’d just execute them all. Is that what you want Gerhard, me to just go on an kill these folks? Or do you want help, and they get fed good? I’ll leave it to you to decide their fate.” Audrey grinned an oily smile.
“I ain’t want nobody to die, Lord help me. I just need help with my crops.” Gerhard said, his voice rose and sweat began to pop out on his forehead and his head retreated back down into his collar, his eyes large and looking around the office for an escape.
“Well then, the matter is settled, they live and they’s gonna help you with your farm. Now, because you’ll be getting these extra hands, you be turning over the majority of the crops to the town. I’ll have my men come along and guard the prisoners and make sure nobody is gonna steal from your farm.” President Audrey declared brightly, standing up and walking toward the door.
Gerhard scrambled up from his chair, nearly tripping in the process, he ducked his head and bowed at the same time, not sure what protocol was called for. He was so addled, he ran into the door jam, and bounced off and staggered.
“Careful there Gerhard, wouldn’t want to knock yourself out.” Vice President Yates laughed, and helped lead the man out of the building, his hand under Gerhard’s elbow.
Gerhard walked down the steps of the building on rubbery legs and stood looking around on the
sidewalk. He was shaking, fear and confusion battling for control of his body and mind. It was frightening, the way they’d looked at him. It was like they were almost insane. They were smiling, but their smiles were those of an alligator or a snake. He’d felt the hair raise all over his body in primordial fear. His primitive brain knew danger when it was near, and they were dangerous, no matter how much they smiled at him.
He’d only wanted help with his farm, he had only wanted to save the food that would rot out there, and waste away. He’d not wanted slaves for heaven sakes. Why had they put the lives of the people in his hands? Why had they made him choose the fate of those poor people? Slaves for Christ’s sake. What in the world had Beattyville come to? And President? Vice President?
Gerhard had been sure things would go back to normal soon. That the government would help them get their power back. It hadn’t happened, and he and his people had struggled to keep the crops going, but without the equipment, it was just too much.
Gerhard knew he’d not even make a profit, but he certainly didn’t want the food in the fields to just rot and fertilize the field. Many people were hungry now, some showing up at his farm. He’d done the best he could and given them some of the ripened food. He and his own family didn’t’ have a lot, but they had more than most and so he’d shared what they had. But slave labor?
Slaves! His wife, Jutta, was going to blow her top. He was frightened, Audrey had thrown the word death out there like it was nothing important. Like these people’s lives didn’t matter. Like it was easy to snuff out a life, just like that, with a word.
He walked over to his horse, he’d had to ride the animal to town, it was the only way to get anywhere these days. He was a good horse, about fifteen years old, and didn’t mind taking a long ride. He had three other horses that his family rode, and several that they used on the farm.
He’d been using those horses to help with the heavy work. It wasn’t enough, he needed more hands. He had three other men working for him, but they could only do so much. Even their families had pitched in. It came down to man power and he just didn’t have it. But to have people enslaved, slaves working on his land?
Oh, his wife was gonna throw a fit, he just knew it.
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Wilber and Alan walked along the quiet road, lined with large oaks and pines. They had left out after breakfast, it felt like a good day to walk. Wilber liked walking, it kept his joints lubricated. In winter, he stayed indoors, so now was the time to take advantage of the great outdoors. It would take a couple hours to reach Boney’s place, so Wilber had filled a poke with some canned ravioli, the kind that had the pop-top, some animal crackers and a few bottles of water and four soft drinks.
They’d seen a few people as they walked, and he’d nod to them. He had an old colt 45 tucked in his waist, his shirt loose and hiding it. He’d made Alan leave the shotgun at home.
“Iffn them thar KKK boys sees us with weapons, they’s gonna take’m. Can’t have that.” Wilber had said.
They came to a stop in front of an old gray shack home, it was old but immaculate and orderly. A woman and three children were out in the yard, pulling weeds from a garden. There wasn’t a lot there, but the plants looked healthy and seemed to be growing well. The children were neat and clean and looked fit.
He nodded to her, “Mam, how be it? Is ya’ll doin okay?” he asked kindly, smiling.
She stood up and wiped the sweat from her brow. “Bout well as kin be spected. Husband’s out huntin.”
“Anybody come by want’n your guns? Or some of your’uns food?” He asked.
“No, none so far.” She said, suspicion entering into her eyes, and they narrowed, looking him over.
“Well, them thar KKK boys might be payin you and you’uns a visit. Mayor’s send’em out looking fer guns n food. Maybe, you might want ta hide what weapons you have, and leave out the bad ones. Maybe, hide most of your’uns food, only leave out some rotten stuff.” He suggested kindly and saw her eyes soften, a grateful smile curving her lips. She nodded.
“Thankya kindly sir, I’lls tell my husband, when he comes back.” She said, smiling once more, some of her teeth missing, it didn’t detract from her old-time beauty.
Wilber waved goodbye and he and Alan continued. He knew Audrey would take from even the poorest. A couple of miles down the highway, he and Alan stopped by a heavily shaded curve in the road. The sun was high and though clouds came and went, the sun was beating down hard. Wilber took out a bandana and wiped at his face. He found a wood fence and sat down on the railing.
He looked around but saw no one, nor any animals. The fence abutted a pasture and he wondered if there were any cows. He cocked his head and listened, but heard nothing but the birds in the trees and the constant droning of insects, cicadas murmuring their pleasure.
“You’uns thank that family’all make it Pop Pop?” Alan asked worriedly.
“I spect they will, I thank they’d been live’n rough and lean all they’s lives. This ain’t nothin new ta them. The young’uns looked good and healthy and they was clean. Them parents see’n that the kids grow up right. Now if the mayor will juss keep his paws off their food.” Wilber said, and sighed heavily as he drank the water.
“Look, someone’s a commin, on a horse.” Alan said, standing up and putting his bony hand over his eyes to shade them.
Wilber looked up the road and saw a thin man riding their way. The man road loosely on the horse, his body in tune with the mount. It took a few minutes for the horse to reach them. Wilber recognized Gerhard Friedhof, he was old John Friedhof’s son, both men were farmers. Gerhard had taken over when his father John, had a stroke.
“Hey Gerhard, how ya doin son?” Wilber asked, smiling up at the man on horseback.
Gerhard slid easily off the horse, his shirt nearly covering his face until he pulled it down into place. Gerhard nodded and his face nearly crumbled in on itself.
“I just done did come from President Audrey’s office.”
“President?!” Both Alan and Wilber said at the same time.
“Yeah, President, and Sheriff Yates is now Vice President. They done made themselves that. I ain’t seen no lections.” Gerhard said morosely, his hands going into his light brown hair and pulled at it, knocking his hat off. He bent and picked it up and slapped it along his leg.
“You’uns wanna know what they made me do?” He cried out, his nerves seemed to be getting the best of him. Wilber knew Gerhard’s father was high strung and it seemed the son had inherited the same nervous energy. Probably why they were so thin.
“What Mr. Gerhard? What they done did?” Alan asked, his eyes wide.
“They’uns done did made me take slaves, slaves for god sakes. Said I could have’em work on my farm or they’d just put them ta death, it was up ta me. All I’s wanted was some help with gitten the harvest on some of the food, so it don’t go rotten in the fields. I ain’t asked fer slaves, sweet Jesus on Christmas.” He said and started pulling at his hair.
“What? The Mayor is making you take on slaves? From where and how?” Wilber asked, shocked, but not surprised.
“From the coal mine, said he’d just asoon kill’em. Said was up ta me. My Jutta is gonna have a fit, she’s just gonna burst a gasket. I don’t know how I’ma gonna tell her. Oh, she’s just gonna be fit to be tied.” He said, walking back and forth agitatedly, strangling his hat and looked to be near tears, his lips trembling.
Wilber looked at Alan and smiled, his grandson blinked. He watched Gerhard’s agitated and jerky movements. Then he stood, and placed a calming hand on Gerhard’s thin shoulder, he could feel the wiry muscle beneath, like a spring coiled way too tight. Wilber thought the man might fall apart, all his arms and legs going in different directions.
“Gerhard, Gerhard, listen. Son, stop amovin’ and listen to me. This is good. This is very good.” Wilber said, smiling.
“Good? Is you crazed man, sorry. It’s just that, my Jutta is gonna go irrashnal on me. Ya�
�ll just don’t know, her great, great granny was half black. She got cousins in Lexington that is black. Slaves for gosh dern sakes. My god, she’ll just explode.” Gerhard said, near tears, his lower lip trembling.
“Gerhard, sit down, you is about ta fall apart. Sit and listen ta me. Me an my friends is lookin fer a way ta get them people outta that thar coal mine. Ta help them escape. Boy, don’t you’uns know? We just found that way, with you.” Wilber laughed and looked at Alan who had begun to grin, the smile stretching across his thin face, and the light coming back into his sad eyes.
“Do what?” Gerhard asked, his large blue-gray eyes going back and forth between Alan and Wilber.
“Look it is important ta git them people outta that mine and git them ta your farm. We’ll come up with some kinda plan to help all of them folks there ta escape. Fer now, go along wit Audrey, let your’un wife know it is just fer show. Iffin you trust your workers, let them know. We’ll figure out somethan.” Wilber said and patted the younger man on the shoulder again.
“Lord a mercy, I just don’t want my wife ta go crazy on me. I cain’t have no slaves, that ain’t right. That thar mayor an sheriff is plum crazy. They done did scare me ta death, they talked like killen them folks was as easy as a blowin out a candle.” Gerhard said and snapped his fingers.
“Yep, well, we’ll figure out how ta deal wit them thar idjits.” Wilber said.
“Thanki Mr. Wilber, I’s sure do preciate your help. I know my wife woulda just lost her mind.” Gerhard said and shook Wilber’s hand almost violently.
Wilber watched as the man got back into the saddle and set off at a faster pace. The sound of the horse’s hoofs clacked off in rhythmic canter. He watched for a long moment and then turned to Alan smiling.
“Well grandson, let’s get ta Boney’s place, we got some plannin ta do.” He laughed and picked up the bag of food and drink, his step a little lighter now.
There was hope now, it would be hard, maybe impossible, but it was a chance. It was a better chance than what they had this morning when they’d stared out. He shook his head once more at the thought of the crazy bastards that had taken charge of the town. Clearly, they were out of their minds.
