War Dogs Heading Home

by A J Newman

  She aimed high and pulled the trigger. This time, several fell to the ground, and others stopped in their tracks. Jan said, “The first two shells were birdshot to warn them. The third was # 4 Turkey shot. They got stung a bit from this range but received my message judging from the way they turned tail and ran.”

  Jan took off pedaling as fast as she could until they were safely away from the neighborhood. She stopped and motioned for Billie and Mark to join her. “I’m going to stick to back roads all the way to our property, but we will go through a few areas with several houses clustered together. I’ll ride fast through them and will not stop for anything.”

  Mark asked, “What if they’re friendly?”

  Billie answered. “Son, we can’t trust anyone now. People are running out of food and might want ours. Someone might also want these bikes. Listen to Jan and do what she says.”

  Jan caught Mark’s eye. “Son, my husband, is one of those preppers, and while I didn’t think it would ever come to this, I did learn a lot from him. Hiding and staying away from other people is our best bet for survival during the first ninety days. We will have more than enough food, and the property is hidden inside a large forest.”

  Mark wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but knew to shut up. He didn’t think the situation was really as bad as his mom made it out to be, and wondered if this was a short-term power outage.

  The trip was uneventful, except a for bit of excitement when a man and a boy tried to get them to stop. “Hey, do you have any food or water?”

  Jan spoke in a low voice. “Billie, watch behind us.” Then she pulled her shotgun from its scabbard and called out. “Sorry, we were hoping we could get some water from you.”

  The man looked surprised. “We don’t have any.”

  Jan placed the shotgun across the handlebars and began to pedal away. Mark and Billie followed and were soon out of sight of the pair. Mark asked, “Why did you lie to that man? We have plenty of water and food.”

  Jan pointed to Billie. “I think you need to talk some sense into that boy. I think he has a good heart, but a slip of his tongue could get us robbed or killed.”

  Billie rode beside Mark and reiterated what Jan had said earlier about keeping their food to themselves so they could survive, and about avoiding strangers. She could tell the boy just didn’t get the gravity of the situation they were in now.”

  They pedaled at a more leisurely pace and made it to Jan’s property before midnight.

  ***

  The local doctor stitched what was left of Ray’s ears together and gave him painkillers and antibiotics to take. Later that week, Ray escaped and killed the men guarding him. He stuck around the area until he had killed every person who had been at his trial or involved in his capture. He stole food and other supplies to help him complete his mission. Ray was now focused on only one thing.

  ☆

  Chapter 10

  By the third day, the ladies had regained their strength and recovered from their gastrointestinal issues. We packed everything into the cart, and I called for MMax, so I could lift him into the cart. It was then, I noticed MMax’s original bandages were missing. I called him over and saw where the hair had been shaved around the wound. There was a narrow line of a scar, but no wound. I checked his fresh wound, and it was still healing. He leaped into the cart by himself. I knew the treatment of injuries had made considerable improvements in the last ten years, but this surprised me.

  I took my plastic boot off and peeled my bandages back to see several similar fine lines across my foot and ankle. I stood on my foot, and while there was some pain, it was far less than last week. I said, “Karen, could you help me pull two of these wool socks on and place a boot on my wounded foot?”

  I told Karen where to find my boot, and she took excellent care of my foot. I stood up and walked without my crutch. “Damn, this is great. Holy shit, it’s almost a miracle! I’m going to give my jaw and foot an extra week, and then I think I will be healed.”

  “Watch the language. Even if you are mumbling, the girls can hear you curse,” Karen scolded.

  “Sorry, I’ve spent the last ten years with soldiers who curse like sailors.”

  Karen asked, “Did you have any women in your unit?”

  “Yes, even in combat teams. I think we had about thirty percent women. And yes they cussed like sailors too.”

  Karen made sure the girls were out of range. “Did y’all err …?”

  “I’m sure that happened more than the Army liked. Nothing like that happened while we were close to enemy lines,” I replied.

  She didn’t ask if I had slept with any of my squad. I had, but I would have lied. I don’t know why, but lie I would.

  We continued working our way over to Murfreesboro Road on the back streets until we found it just below the old quarry. “We’re only a few miles from my mom and dad’s home. I want to race there, but we need to keep being cautious. I’ll get you a good meal, and then you can be on your way to Smyrna.”

  Karen frowned. “Jason, could I talk you into helping us go on over to Smyrna?”

  “I guess so, but only after I spend a couple of days with my mom and dad. I haven’t seen them in almost a year. I was worried about you and the girls, and I was thinking the same thing. I’d hate for you to travel alone these days.”

  “Thanks, I’d feel much better about my girls’ safety.”

  We camped for the night in a thicket about a mile from my home. As much as I wanted to rush home, I took the time before the sun faded for MMax and me to scout the area, and I didn’t like what I saw. Many of the homes I remembered had burned to the ground, and others had numerous bullet holes. There were freshly dug graves and buzzards circling in the air. There had been a running battle, and there was no way to tell if the good guys had won or lost. The burnt homes led me to believe the good guys had lost and got the hell out of Dodge.

  You might have noticed I was able to walk several miles that evening without much pain. My foot and crotch were much better. This new bioengineering was just starting to revolutionize medical science just as the world fell apart. Now, we would be back to dying from an infected scratch.

  On the way back, I sent MMax out to find a rabbit. He was back in just a few minutes with a plump rabbit, so I sent him out for another. He quickly returned with another fat, juicy rabbit, but this time, after dropping it at my feet, he begged to go hunting again. “MMax, go fetch a rabbit for Tina.”

  MMax disappeared but caught up with me a few minutes later with a giant rabbit in his mouth. I hoped finding food would always be this easy. I hadn’t set any snares or even fished for food so far. I knew as the store-bought food disappeared, survivors would depend on wild game for meat. On the way back, I prayed this nightmare would end quickly when FEMA and the National Guard rolled in with tents, blankets, and food.

  While I was gone, Karen searched the woods for more edible plants. Upon my return, I saw the girls had gathered wood for our fire, and Karen was busy making a salad and cooking some kind of greens. She saw the rabbits and spoke to me. “That MMax is wonderful. He singlehandedly is keeping us from starving.”

  “I helped. I told him to fetch rabbits,” I said, and then noticed MMax wanted to go rabbit hunting again. “Stay, MMax.”

  I cleaned the rabbits and threw half a rabbit to each of the dogs. Then I placed the remaining two on the spit and gave a chunk of rabbit meat for Karen to make my rabbit paste. The smell of the greens was inviting I have to say, but the memory of the horrible night came to mind. Karen saw my nose scrunch up at the sight of the greens. “I promise, these greens won’t make you sick.”

  “I’ll eat some tomorrow after you ladies survive the night. It’s not that I don’t trust you …”

  “Well, spit it out.”

  “Once bitten, twice shy.”

  Karen acted as though her feelings were hurt and began tersely telling me about the plants. “This is Poke Weed, and the tender spring shoots can be cooked lik
e asparagus or cooked like greens. This one is Wild Mustard, and it can be used for seasoning, cooked as greens, pickled, or used in a salad. The last one is a wild onion. I think even you can see that it’s just an onion. Does that make you feel better?”

  I cautiously smiled. “Yes, it does. However, the thought of having the sh …”

  Karen made the time out sign with her hands. “Please use the words diarrhea or trots.”

  “Trots for three days still scare me a bit. That last episode used up all of our toilet paper. Thank God we found some in that abandoned home, or we would’ve been using corn cobs and leaves,” I replied.

  Karen turned to me with her hands on her hips and moved a lock of hair from her face. “Just be that way. I’m trying to contribute, and you just make fun of my efforts.”

  Both girls ran to their sobbing mother. Missy said, “Mom, he didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m scared of eating the stuff too. I felt like I was dying.”

  Karen hugged both of her girls for another minute. “Okay, point taken. Each of us will eat a small sample of each type of plant and take notes. If anyone gets sick, we won’t try that plant again.”

  I replied, “I’ll take the wild onion.”

  “Chicken shit,” Karen barked back to me.

  I said, “Language. We have young ladies present.”

  “Asshole.”

  “Mom!” Both girls said at the same time.

  I carefully examined the plants, and she was correct. These were some of the plants found in my Army survival manual, so I scooped up a spoonful and began mashing them, so I could eat the slimy green paste. Karen watched, but didn’t say anything until later.

  I taught the girls how to tend to the roasting rabbit and turned my attention to Karen. “I’m sorry for hurting your feelings. I recognized the plants from my Army training, but couldn’t resist picking on you.”

  She looked up at my face. “That was mean of you to tease me after I poisoned everyone. I still feel bad about that.”

  I wanted to tease her some more, but bit my tongue. “I’m sorry. My sense of humor can be an irritation to others, and for that, I am sorry.”

  “Okay, I’m over it. Let’s move on to supper.”

  The next morning came, and as usual, when MMax wasn’t on high alert, he slept on his back with his legs in the air like a dying cockroach. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and I saw Missy walking up behind MMax. A twig snapped, and MMax levitated, spun around in the air, and looked Missy in the eyes. He growled that growl that said, “Surprise me while I’m sleeping again, and I’ll bite your silly ass.”

  Missy was frightened and backpedaled until she fell down on top of Chrissy. MMax and I laughed at her. Well, I can tell MMax was laughing. MMax is a big goofball and loves to have fun scaring people.

  We ate a cold meal and broke camp. Karen noticed that neither MMax nor I got into the cart and just walked. “Are you sure your foot is up to walking two days in a row?”

  “I think so. I know this may not sound right, but I don’t want my mom to see me arrive as an invalid. She has probably been through enough by now.”

  She answered, “Good Boy,” and MMax’s ears stood up.

  Karen saw MMax and Tina walking along with them and said, “Can a female dog be trained to be a service dog?”

  “Of course,” I replied. MMax is my second service dog. SSally the first was with me for several years before she was severely wounded and had to retire. I was close to SSally, but MMax was special.”

  Karen asked, “Can you train Tina?”

  I thought before answering. “I’m not a trainer, but I can teach her to be a good guard dog.”

  We hid our cart full of supplies in the woods and took off walking to my home. I stuck to the woods as I took my merry band of survivors to my home. About every other home showed signs of damage or was burned to the ground. We finally saw the long driveway back to my home, and I asked the women to hide in the bushes with Tina, so MMax and I could scout out the area around the house.

  I snuck through the bushes and woods on the north side of the property until I arrived even with the house. There were several broken windows, and many of my parent’s possessions were scattered on the porch and sidewalk to the driveway. I thought, “Crap, someone had ransacked my home! Where are Mom and Dad?”

  There wasn’t anyone around. I peered into the windows and didn’t see anyone. I entered the back door and found that most food or other useable items had been removed. I was now scared sick for my parents. I walked back up the driveway and yelled for Karen and the others.

  I sat on the porch with tears in my eyes as Karen approached. “Jason, what’s wrong. Where are your folks?”

  “They are gone, and the place has been ransacked. I don’t see any bodies or graves, so I hope they left on the first day to our property north of here. My dad was one of those doomsday prepper guys, and has an isolated farm and old cabin several miles from here.”

  Karen had tears flowing down her cheeks. “Jason, you need to go find your parents. The girls and I can make it to our home in Smyrna. Go now. We will miss you, Jason Walker. Be safe.”

  I wanted very much to leave at that minute, but couldn’t leave this family unprotected. I stood up. “No, let’s get you safely home and only then, will I go find my parents. My dad can protect Mom. Stay here while I go get the cart. Look in the back of the closet in my parent’s room. There should be a false back wall. There’s a finger hole on the left side. Move the panel, and you should find some food and survival supplies. Please check this out while I’m gone.”

  “Please go to your parents. I would love to have your protection, but your family comes first.”

  “Karen, I’ll be back in less than two hours. MMax, stay!”

  I walked out of sight and hustled on the way back to where we’d hidden the cart. In my haste, I took the road back north, which turned out to be a mistake. I wasn’t far from the cart when I saw some bushes move in the woods. A few minutes later, two men walked out of the woods with guns drawn. One of them said, “Who are you?”

  “I’m Rex Horn, and I’m returning to Lebanon from a trip down to Atlanta. Have either of you been to Lebanon?”

  “Well, Rex Horn, hand over that pistol and empty your pockets. Where’s your food and other supplies located? You’re traveling very light for such a long trip.”

  I knew where this was heading, and I didn’t want a fight. “I was robbed just north of Murfreesboro. The assholes took everything I had.”

  “So, they left you with a pistol after taking everything you had?”

  “No, I took it off the three men who just walked up behind you,” I said, knowing the chance of them falling for this trick was slim and none. However, one of the men whirled around to see who was behind him, which distracted the one still facing me. I drew my gun and shot the same time as the man fronting me. The bullet hit my chest and stung like hell. I shot again at the second man, hitting him in the back before he pulled the trigger, sending a wild shot into the trees. My chest hurt a bit as I shot each of the men in the head to finish them off. I know it sounds cruel. However, the bastards were going to kill me for a pistol. My chest began to hurt like hell as I checked it. I lifted my shirt and didn’t see any blood. There was a bruise on my chest that was getting darker by the minute.

  There it was again. The exhilaration from winning the gunfight and killing the men was a huge rush at first. Then the realization that I had killed again struck me. The high was great, but the crash downward, and guilt later screwed with my mind.

  The bullet had struck the small tin that held my survival fishing equipment. It was in my shirt pocket, which also contained the .22 pellet that had hit the tin can, and banged it into my chest. The asshat had a damned pellet gun! I searched the men and found a tin of pellets to go with the Benjamin pump air gun and a .38 S&W on the other scumbag. There was a half-empty box of .38s in his pocket. I rubbed my chest and then dragged their bodies into the brush.
<
br />   The two men lost their lives because they wanted to rob me, and I almost died because I didn’t trust them to take my possessions and leave me alive. If the scum had a .38 or a 9-mm, I might be dead now, and no one would read my story about the apocalypse. I didn’t know if I was stupid and lucky, or stupid and good at what I do best. The Army trained me to kill, and now that skill had come in handy to save my life.

  As I walked the horse, goat, and cart back to my parent’s home, I reflected on the current situation. Were there millions of bad people out there just waiting for the opportunity do bad things, or were there millions of good people driven to do bad things to survive? I felt no sorrow for the lives I had taken in battle, and now I didn’t feel anything, except the urge to get back to the girls to make sure they were safe.

  My 9-mm was in my hand and the .38 in my lap on the way back to my home. I didn’t see anyone this time and called out for Karen when I turned down the driveway. MMax and Tina came running, and MMax jumped into my lap. MMax intensely sniffed my clothes as if he was looking for something. Tina followed MMax and almost turned the cart over. Karen and the girls waved from the porch. I waved back to them and decided not to tell them about the dead men.

  I said, “I’m back and ready to head on to Smyrna. Can you ladies be ready in half an hour?”

  “Jason, are you okay. You look, well tense.”

  “I’m good.”

  Karen said, “Maybe.”

  I noticed they looked different. They were clean and smelled good. None of us had a proper bath since the day the crap hit the fan. “How did you get a bath?”