Tsunami

by Benton, W. R.

  Neither had a weapon, but the barn was filled with things that could be used to kill with. Freeman was the boss of the two and while not very smart, he knew what he wanted and would control Jones as they took what they wanted.

  They were both looking around in the barn, looking for another weapon. They had a three prong pitchfork and now they need a club of sorts. The other man, Jones, picked up a blacksmith five pound hammer and asked, “Ya think this will work?”

  “Ya, it'll do fine. Hide, I hear someone coming. We'll kill them then hit the house.”

  The two quickly blended into the barns surroundings.

  Frank Garcia and George Lopez, workers on the farm, were coming to get a post-hole digger to repair some fence along the watering pond. Both men were short, about five feet tall and perhaps three inches. Frank had the start of a pot belly, but George was slim and neat. Both wore jeans, blue work shirts, cowboy boots, and Stetson hats. They were second generation Americans from Mexico and both were fluent in English and Spanish. They were both good men and often saved most of their pay, except enough for a quart of Tequila a month that they sipped at times after a hard day of work.

  Freeman noticed both cowboys wore guns in holsters, like the old cowboy movies, and they looked to be .44 pistols. With the men being armed, it meant his first thrust of the pitchfork had to be a deadly one.

  “The digger is over here, by the harnesses.” Frank said as he picked up the post-hole digger to show George. It was then Freeman moved. He ran the pitchfork into Frank’s back and as the man screamed, the bloody tines popped out his stomach. Pulling the pitchfork from him, the thief stabbed him in the side as the man twisted in an attempt to avoid more injury.

  As Frank screamed, Jones moved forward and struck George hard on the side of his head with the heavy hammer and the man dropped instantly, without a sound. Jones moved to him, stood over his head, and struck him three more times on the very top of his head. The only sound from George was the dull thud as the heavy hammer drove his broken skull into his brain. He was dead in a heartbeat.

  After having the pitchfork go through him twice, Frank swung the post-hole digger with all his strength and caught the man on the side of his head. Freeman dropped to the floor of the barn and began to quiver and shake. Jones, looking in his friend’s direction, was filled with panic. Freeman had all the ideas and knew everything. Dropping his hammer, he moved to Freeman, as Frank used the last of his strength to move toward the house to warn his boss and family.

  Frank was seeping blood from the small holes in his body, but knew his major organs were bleeding harder on the inside, so he understood he was a dead man. His final goal on earth was to warn his boss of danger. By the time he reached the front door, he was bleeding heavily from his wounds, especially from his eyes and ears. Death was near because he had no strength and was weak. He pulled the door open, staggered in and fell to the carpet, landing hard, and was dead.

  There were screams of fear from the women as the old man moved to Frank, spotted his injuries and said, “May, get the guns upstairs and do the job now!”

  The old farmer squatted by the body and removed the pistol from Franks holster, checked the load and then removed a bullet from his cartridge belt. He loaded the 6th chamber, so he was fully loaded. None of them walked around with a hammer resting on a live shell. It was a good way to get shot, if the gun was dropped or the hammer was forced down for some reason. He shook his head at the senselessness of Frank's killing.

  Jones was able to bring Freeman around but the man was in deep pain and had a deep cut on his forehead, all the way to his skull. Like most facial injuries, it bled profusely. He ripped part of George’s shirt and bandaged his cohort in crime. After wrapping him he said, “That'll stop the bleeding but what do we do now, with you hurt?”

  “Help me to my feet. I can stand but have a hard time getting up. We need to get in the house and kill those inside. That stupid Mexican almost killed me with that post-hole digger. Then we need the keys to a vehicle. After that we'll kill a big critter and return to town. From now on, when we need food, we'll just raid this place.”

  “What of the two men who went off with the truck?”

  “What about them?”

  “When they return to all these bodies, they'll come looking for us.”

  “They have no idea who we are. All they will know is the people here were killed. Let's move, because we have no idea when those two will return.”

  Chapter 7

  Dan, his heart beating loudly in his chest, turned his flashlight on and then sighed when he saw what was making the noise. He thought of killing it, but then changed his mind, because they didn't need the meat.

  Seeing his ax beside the door, he picked it up and said, “I'm going to trim the branches from the fallen oak away from the door. Then when I tell you, try to open it from the inside.”

  “Okay, Dad.”

  He moved to the tree trunk of a medium sized oak and was able to chop off three branches against the door to the RV.

  Moving to door, he called out, “Son, it's me, so don't shoot. The noise was caused by a young buck that has his antlers tangled in a lawn chair. Come out and give me a hand. I need you to hold the light for me.”

  He heard the door unlock with a snap and Dave walked outside. He laughed when he saw the young buck's horns caught in the webbing of the lounge chair. Dan handed him the flashlight and then moved to the deer's head. He worked the webbing and soon had the animal free. The deer stood, shook his head and then ran from the RV without so much as a glance back.

  June's head poke out of the door as she asked, “You mean that was a deer? I was terrified it was someone wanting in here. Thank God it was only a deer.”

  “Everyone back in the RV and lets try to sleep again. It's a long time until dawn.” Dan said and they smiled at Dave.

  Once inside, Dan said, “Son, you did the right thing and we had no idea it was a deer. It could have just as easily been a bad man. I'm proud of all of us this night.”

  “What happened?” Mary asked.

  Dave told her and then laughed.

  “Do you really think things will be that bad before too long?” Mary asked.

  “What do you think? Imagine you've not had any food in three days, you see a family living in the woods and you smell food being cooked three times a day. You have no hope for a meal and maybe you have a young child who cries all night for food. What would you do?”

  “I see. Couldn't we give them just a little?”

  “Mary,” June said, “you need to toughen up. We cannot feed the world with what little supplies we have. If we feed someone today, how will they eat tomorrow? Soon we'd be without food, because we gave it all away. Then, how would we survive?”

  “I understand that but it seems so cold blooded to not feed the hungry.”

  “It's a dog eat dog world out there right now and only the strong and the smartest will survive. We will feed no one who is not a part of our group. If we add a person or two, it will be for what they can do for us or their experiences in the past. I'd love to have another veteran or two, because it's going to get hard and maybe too difficult for one man to keep us safe. While Dave is good, he lacks the experiences developed in combat or fighting that is needed.”

  “That makes sense.” June said and then yawned.

  “We need to try and sleep again.” Dan said and moved for the bed, with June right behind him.

  Dawn came early and Dan let the two youngsters sleep as he and June had coffee while they watched the world news.

  “. . . Many counties are reporting of millions of dead, even after the advanced warning given by American scientists before the asteroid struck. Officials reported that some countries did not take the warnings seriously and others had no way to move 200 miles inland to avoid death. Most of those deaths were in undeveloped nations and poverty kept them in place. Some island nations like England or Australia, have reported their nations are greatly reduced in bot
h size and population. The tsunami was deadly in both countries. The English are reporting they're still in shock from the speed and height of the waves and the severity of the earthquakes. The United Kingdom reports at least a 70% reduction in population, with Australia right behind them with a 65% loss estimated. This disaster was pure hell on island nations. Our own Hawaii is gone, and forever I suspect. Rescue boats that arrived hours after the tsunami have found very few survivors and they were in the water. I now take you to Joann Mitchell who is reporting from the Philippine Islands. Joann?”

  It took a few seconds for the middle-aged woman dressed in a partially unbuttoned brown safari shirt, matching shorts and sandals to connect.

  “John, the government here states the many smaller islands that make up their country are gone. The President said no outer island can be seen from the air and bodies are turning up in the water or washing ashore on both Luzon and Mindanao. The numerous small islands between the two large land masses are gone. Estimates are being given now with a good 70% of the population of the Philippines dead or otherwise unaccounted for. The airports are all closed and no aircraft traffic has occurred since the asteroid struck. It is unknown at this time when the next flight will happen and until then, I am stuck here. This is Joann Mitchell, reporting from Luzon, in the Philippines.”

  “Officials are issuing warnings that more earthquakes are due and they may be as bad as the last ones we had or worst. The experts are telling folks to sleep outdoors and be prepared for more shaking. They suggest we gather water, food, and supplies now, before the earthquakes strike again. I take you now to . . .”

  As the TV blared, Mary sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was still tired and sleepy, but it was a new day and she needed to help where and when she could.

  “Morning, sleepy head.” June said as she smiled warmly at her daughter.

  “Morning, mom. What's for breakfast?”

  “Pancakes, bacon and fried eggs.” June said and since she was standing by the stove, she flipped a pancake over.

  Dave climbed down from the overhead area and said, “I can't believe you didn't smell the bacon cooking. I'm not really a coffee drinker, but it's hard to beat the smell of fresh coffee perking and bacon frying in the morning.”

  “Where is dad?”

  “Outside shoveling snow.” June had no more than spoke than the earth jumped up, twisted and then fell back.

  “Earthquake!” June screamed then added, “Everyone outside and now! Move! Go, go, go!”

  The door for the RV was close and all three were outside before the earth stopped moving. A fissure opened about twenty feet away, releasing a foul smelling gas and molten rock. Then in a sound that reminded Dave of a giant fart was heard as the opening shot melted rock a good twenty or thirty feet into the air.

  Dan appeared at the engine end of the RV and yelled, “Come to me, you're too close to the hot magma!”

  Mary screamed as a small bit of the melted stone struck her on the calf. She stopped and began to scream hideously as the liquid rock burned her leg. Her body danced in almost a comical way, the pain was severe enough to almost drive her insane.

  June grabbed Mary's hair and pulled her behind the RV with Dave right behind her. The hole in her calf was about as big around as an eraser on a pencil.

  “Did the hot rock hit her?” Dan asked, his eyes filled with deep concern.

  “M . . . My calf! It's, uh, oh, burning! Help . . . . me please, Daaad!” She shrieked as she clawed at the wound, but the rock was deep inside her flesh now.

  Grabbing a handful of snow. Dan began pushing it into the small hole in her leg, ignoring the little blood oozing from the wound. She continued to scream and the stone was so hot, it could be heard hissing as the snow melted when placed against the heat. Finally, she passed out from the pain and dropped back limply. The melted rock soon fell from her leg, having burned all the way through, to land in the snow. It was about a ¼ of an inch long.

  “I . . . is she dead?” Dave asked, fulling expecting yes for an answer.

  “No, the pain was too much for her and she's passed out.” June said as she brushed the loose strands of hair from Mary's face. It had burned all the way through her flesh and exited on the other side. The smell reminded Dave of burnt pork.

  “Why so little blood?” Dave asked.

  “The rock was still liquid when it struck her and as it passed through her leg the heat cauterized the wound. My God, the pain must have been horrible.”

  The fissure began to burp more lava so Dan got in the RV, started it and backed a good 200 feet from their camping spot. The others joined him inside after packing Mary to the camper. Dave had her arms, while mama had her feet. June passed Dan, still in the drivers seat and she was crying.

  “Lay her on the floor, get in, and close the door! We need to get out of these woods, because big trees are falling. Dave, check the stove, because I smell burnt food. The last thing we need is a fire. Hang on, all of you, because I'm getting out of here.” It was then a huge oak tree fell with a loud crashing sound right in front of the RV. Some limbs from the tree struck the windshield and cracked the glass.

  Dan backed up and turned toward the gravel road. The ground was still shaking violently and fissures were seen to open, but few were very wide. They soon entered the turn off and as Dan moved slowly down the dirt road, he said, “I'm going to cross the bridge if I can. So, everyone hold onto your seats.”

  Dave move to the back window to watch behind him. He saw smoke, fire and dust behind them, just as Dan did looking out the windshield in front of them. Tree were falling all around and most were big trees next to an opening in the ground.

  June was so scared she constantly prayed, asking God to save them.

  Then, as quickly as it started the quake stopped.

  Seeing the concrete bridge over the Little Piney River, Dan goosed the RV and struck the bridge doing 50 miles an hour. In two seconds or less he was over the small concrete structure.

  “Dad! The bridge just collapsed into the river. Made me shudder to see that.”

  “We're across and that's all that matters.” Dan said as he stopped right in front of a huge treeless field. He grabbed the bolt-cutters and left the RV, moving to the fence. He cut about 12 feet of wire from the fence and removed one fence post. He then drove through the hole. He then moved back to the fence and using a hammer, he placed the fence back as good as he could. He was about a foot shy with the wire but didn't think it was a big deal. But cutting the wire the fence was no longer stretched and taut. This would have to do.

  Acres of open range was their new home, but Dan moved them over a hill that faced the road and only a little of the RV's roof would be seen from the roadway. He then turned the RV off and moved to June, who was quiet now.

  Dan pulled the first aid kit from the overhead cupboard above the stove and opened it. He pulled out a gauze dressing, some medical tape, a tube of triple antibiotic ointment and said, “Dave, bring me the bottle of whiskey on the dresser by our bed.”

  “You taking to drinking with all of this going on?” June asked, surprised by his request for hard drink.

  “No, not hardly, but I might take a snort to settle my nerves, but that will be later. The strong drink is all we have to kill Mary's pain and a burn like she has will bring her pain each time her heartbeats.”

  “You're going to keep my baby drunk?” June asked, not believing her ears.

  “No, but when she hurts she'll need a pain killer. Now, I have some codeine pills my doctor gave me, if you want me to use them instead, but they can kill a person.”

  “No, no codeine pills, because some people get addicted to them, while others go to sleep and never wake up. We'll stick to whiskey and I'm sure it will work fine.”

  “June, we have no choice and I'm sure she's tasted hard drink before. I know I had by her age and I suspect you had too.”

  “I tried it after finding about a shot of whiskey in my dad's glass, fol
lowing a party. I drank it down, turned green and puked. I still don't like strong drink. If left up to me, I'd drink beer once in a while, or maybe a glass of wine, but only on hot days.”

  “She needs her pain killed. I'll feed her the alcohol and we'll deal with issues associated with the drink later.”

  “Do you mean her hangover?”

  “I do, or the shakes. I've had deep pain before and it's hard on a body.”

  “When?”

  “When I got my purple heart.”

  “Oh, I wasn't thinking of your purple heart, sweetheart. I know that had to hurt.”

  “It tore the car the bomb was in all to hell and back and I was standing almost on top of the thing. I heard the explosion, but never felt the metal from the bomb strike my legs and belly. For about ten minutes I was okay and in no pain, then it hit me and I went into shock. I remember being cared for by our medic and he had been wounded too. He dressed my wound as the leader called in a chopper to pick the wounded up. I went out on the first trip and I remember hearing jets hitting the area around us with missiles as the chopper waited for us to be loaded. Then I must have passed out, because I woke in a hospital and in pain.”

  “It's snowing again.”

  “I'm not surprised. The Asteroid must have knocked both poles out of kilter or something.”

  “I have no idea but snow in August is not typical.”

  “We'll survive until the weather gets back to normal. I'm going to take Dave in a few minutes and circle this field to see what is around us. That way we know where the threats may be, safe routes out of here and houses that are used or vacant. I fully expect the ground to open up one day and swallow the RV.”

  “That's fine and sounds like a good idea. I have guns, so we're safe or as safe as we can get.”