“I'm getting out of here.” Jones said.
“Speak up if you can move outside on your own power.” Freeman said loud enough Dave clearly heard him.
“I'm Dave, and I'm fine.” Dave said, taunting the killers.
“Go to hell!” Jones yelled in anger.
“I'm okay,” Joshua said.
“I can move, but I hurt.” Wilcox said. “I've taken some lead in my belly and chest.”
“Can you move on your own?” Jones asked.
“I think so, if not, leave me.”
“We will leave you if you can't keep up.”
“Anyone else?” Freeman asked.
“I think Lee, Moses and Manny are dead.” Jones said, and then added, “If you can, pick up a body and let's leave now.”
Dave heard them discussing leaving and held his fire, because he just wanted them gone. Many times in the future he would regret his decision. In less than two minutes the invaders were gone and seen limping away from the house. Two shots were heard upstairs, followed by two screams outside. But the small group kept moving in the darkness toward the safety of the stolen blue truck.
The trip back to town was quiet and as Freeman drove, he said nothing. Finally, as they entered the city limits of Rolla, he said, “Issac, hand me the quart of whiskey under the seat. My ear is throbbing and I'm not in the best of moods.”
“Here.” Issac said as he pulled the cork from the bottle and handed it to Freeman.
Taking a long pull, Matt then handed the bottle back to Jones and said, “They were waiting for us!”
“You mean you didn't expect guards?” Jones asked, irritated by Matt's comment.
“I didn't expect them to be wide awake and full of fight, no I didn't, and that surprised me.”
“I expected them to be ready. These men are not a couple of redneck cowboys and you'd best remember that. I think we killed three or four of them.”
“I only heard one scream, so I doubt we killed any of them.”
“I can't believe we only hurt one. There was enough lead flying in that room to kill all of us. No, we had to at least seriously injure three of them.”
Freeman pulled up in their driveway and into the garage. He got out and helped all the injured into the house. Jones stayed with the dead and as soon as everyone was inside, he began preparing his “pork” for the market.
Chapter 11
After the departure of Freeman and his gang of idiots, Dave moved to the other side of the room looking for Mike. He found the injured man laying on his back, right in front of the blackened fireplace. Using some twigs and small pieces of wood, he soon had a fire burning. He then moved to the injured man and opened his shirt.
He placed a bandage on the front and exit hole of the wound. He then went to get his pa, because Mike was seriously injured and he was hurt beyond Dave's limited knowledge of first aid.
“Pa, I need your help!” Dave yelled.
His pa met him at the top of the stairs, “What do you need?”
“I need you because Mike stopped what looks like a 30.6 round with his chest. He's likely bleeding on the inside pretty hard. He was having problems breathing when I left.”
“Jonas! I need to run downstairs and treat your brother's gunshot wound.”
“I heard. Go and do what you can for him.”
“June, I need you and Carol to remain up here, but come out of the closet for now. I'll do my best for him, Jonas, which might not be enough. We need a surgeon with us.”
“Just do what you can, because that's all we can expect if seriously hurt. If he lives or dies is God's decision, not ours.”
Dan and Pa moved to the fallen man. Dan squatted, felt his neck for a pulse, and said, “We can't help this man, because he's already dead.”
“What? That can't be, because he was alive and moaning when I left him.” Dave moved to the man and was surprised he's passed away when he wasn't gone five minutes.
“Son, feel for a pulse and you'll not find one. He's gone.”
Dave pulled a blanket from the sofa that was nearby and covered Mike from head to toe. He shook his head at the senselessness of him dying.
“You okay?” Dan asked.
“I'm fine.” Dave said and then added, “It's not like I knew him a long time or he was family. I just met the man less than a week ago. I'm about ready to move back to the camper.”
“I know the feeling but really, we're safer in here than the RV. Bullets would go right through the camper.” Dan said. “Keep your eyes open, I need to go to Jonas and let him know his big brother is dead.”
Dave nodded.
“I suspect he'll take it rough.” Dan stood. “You move to a window and keep guarding until one of us relieves you.”
“Okay, Dad.”
Walking up the stairs, Dan moved to Jonas and said, “Jonas, I'm very sorry, but Mike didn't make it. He was dead when I got there. He took a big 30.06 slug in the center of his chest.”
“H . . . he's dead? That can't be. You didn't make a mistake, did you? He's to outlive all of us, Mike is.”
“He's gone. I suggest you go downstairs and spend some time with him and your pa. We need to get him buried in the morning beside his mama and aunt.”
“I need to see. You might be mistaken and he's just knocked out or something. He can't be dead, and you'll see.”
“Go, Jonas.” Dan said and then moved for another window to guard. Denial wouldn't bring Mike back and he's seen many men in war zones refusing to believe their best friend was now dead.
Minutes later a loud scream of anguish filled the farmhouse. Jonas had finally realized his only brother was as dead as it gets.
Morning dawned with a light rain, more of a slow drizzle, as Dave and Dan dug a grave for Mike. Neither spoke often, and usually Dave would talk his father's head off. When the grave was dug, they climbed from the muddy hole and both moved to a small stream about a hundred feet from the cemetery and washed the mud from their hands and forearms.
“Dad,” Dave asked, “do you think all of us will end up like Mike one day? I mean, dying in an attempt to stay alive.”
“Dave, I have no more an idea what tomorrow will bring than you do. I see the next few years as a time the weak will die and only the strongest and smartest people will be alive when a new government forms. I fully intend for me and my family to be there when the new United States is formed and up and running.”
“I guess until that day we fight for what we have, need or want, right?”
“That's right, and remember the world is filled with worthless people. All the jerks and hoodlums are alive and well right now. They will soon be out as tribes as they come together and try to survive like we're doing here with the Baker family. By joining with others like us, we can live longer and perhaps survive this mess.”
“What is going on in the world right now?”
“I have no idea really, but when we return we'll watch the morning news, which will hopefully give us a good idea of how things are shaping up. You getting hungry?”
“I could eat, but I'm always able to eat.”
Dan grinned and said, “Come with me and we'll see what we can find this early for a growing boy to eat. They cut across the field this time and half way there they ran across a gut pile from a cow. The big green blowflies were swarming on the guts and maggots were seen crawling over the intestines, bladder and lungs. It was killed at earliest yesterday and not last night. The flies had been given enough time to lay their eggs and the eggs had turned into maggots.
“Smells bad, wooo-eeee.” Dave said and Dan chuckled because the smell was bad. Someone had poached a cow, butchered it and they took off with the meat.
“Jonas and his Pa will have to bring his herd closer to the house if they want to keep eating beef.” Dan said.
“Could they cut them up with a chainsaw?” Dave asked.
“I see no reason they couldn't use a chainsaw. It'd be fast too. Why? What made you ask that question?”
“I don't know, the idea just came to me looking at the gut pile. They didn't leave an ounce of meat, did they?”
“Nope, none at all.”
“Huh.” Dave said and then shook his head.
“I'm military, not a farmer, and while we had a few animals on the farm I grew up on, they were all waiting for the stew pot and were not sold for income. I will tell Terry and Jonas and let them decide what must be done to protect the beef. I suspect a guard will be need to be posted.”
They soon walked into the house and Dan reported all he'd done and seen. “The most important thing is Mike's grave is ready. Well, that and the poaching of your animals.”
“Someone will have to be a ghost rider for our beef and horses, not to mention our stored gasoline. See, times haven't been rough long enough for people to get super hungry. Gas, transportation or horses, or even dogs for meals hasn't happened, but it will. Once real hunger kicks in, we'll be hit every night. There may come a time when all our animals will have to be kept in the barn to keep them from being taken.” Terry said. He was feeling much better and while his eyes still looked dead, he'd survive a deadly encounter and was a lucky man. But, he didn't feel lucky and more than once he wished he'd been killed with Anita. He knew he'd not last long now, because he loved his wife much more than he did himself.
“Starting tonight, we'll place a guard in the house and one in the field. The man in the field can roam and keep an eye on things.”
“We need to set some booby traps too. Nasty things that will hold the attempted thefts down, only it may kill some of the thieves.” Dan said.
“I know a few things about booby traps,” Terry said, “since I spent two years in Vietnam during the war. We'll use the same traps they used and most men know nothing of them, unless they are old coots like me.”
“Wow,” Dave said and then he asked, “were you in the infantry or a desk job?”
“I was a young Staff Sergeant, E5, and was what you'd call a four striper, a squad leader, and I was an 11 Bravo, or infantry man. I spent many a night in the jungles and been in more than a dozen firefights. I eventually was promoted to a desk and spent my last three months in Nam as a REMF and I loved every second being in the rear.”
“What does REMF mean, Mister Baker?” Dave asked.
“I think your Daddy can tell you later today. See, I don't use that kind of language these days. We used a lot of foul language and were as tough as nails, and had to be.”
“Did the war produce a lot of different booby traps?” Dave asked.
“I can remember about a dozen I ran into all the time. Sometimes we found them early and before anyone was hurt. At other times, even if we knew they were there, we still had people killed. They started booby trapping the booby traps.”
“I don't understand.”
“They might have booby trapped the front gate to a village and it was left out in the open, so we'd maybe spring another booby trap while trying to disarm the gate trap. Then the gate trap would be a real situation or at times be fake. We never knew what we'd run into and if nothing else it slowed us down and produced fear.”
“Dad, why don't you and Dave go into the kitchen and talk while I discuss some things with Dan and his wife? Sooner or later the two women will have to help us protect what we have or we'll lose it all.” Jonas said.
“I hear you. Okay, Dave, come with me and we'll discuss booby traps.” Terry stood and slowly made his way into the kitchen. His injury was causing pain this morning and he'd sip some whiskey as they talked.
Jonas discussed the need for two additional guards and defenders, making it clear he felt the two women were as able as the men to defend the place. June agreed, but Carol hesitated, stating, “I don't know if I can kill someone, to be honest.”
“Could you kill someone if they threatened your family, home, or way of life?”
“I could fight to save one of us, including you, but I’m not sure if I could do the job to save a building or a way of life. I really don't see them nearly as important as a human life.”
“What if I told you if you destroyed this home, or our way of life, we'd probably all die? This farm has the needed animals and food to keep all of us alive. We will eat the beef, eat the veggies, and have a freezer and canned veggies in the storeroom. By destroying our building there is a very good chance you and I would be dead within a year. Death, our deaths, are what we are fighting against, not just a building.”
“Well that makes a lot of sense to me spoken that way. Still taking a life is no small matter.”
“Sweetheart, you'll never be asked to attack people, only to defend us against others that want to kill us and take what we have.”
Carol nodded and then said, “Okay, I can do what you need. As long as we are defending what is legally ours, I'll do what it takes to keep what we have. Deal?”
“Deal? Of course it's a deal, and a good one.” Jonas smiled and then looked at June as he asked, “What about mama?”
“It they attack us, they'll be threatening my babies, and like all mother animals around the world, I will die protecting my young.”
“Good.”
Jonas finished slicing the meat and smiled at the huge pile of meat three dead men had provided and he could have sworn it was pork, if he'd not just butchered them. He placed the last “pork steak” into a plastic bag and then closed the opener on the bag. Then, moving to the house he entered and said, “I need to take Joshua with me to guard as I sell some “pork.”
“Pork?” We don't have any . . . wait a minute. If they catch you selling human flesh they'll hang your butt from the highest tree, and I don't blame them. That's plain nasty, my man. You do what you want, but I suggest you stop and right now.”
“No one will notice and I'll not be gone long. I'll leave Wilcox with you, so if you're attacked you have a way to fight them off.”
“No one will attack here, because we are traders and everyone needs a trader at times. You make sure you take the body parts out at night and bury them. If we're found with them on the property, we'll probably be lynched, and rightfully so. I want you to think carefully about what you're doing and how much trouble will result if you are found out. I'm sure some are so hungry it won't make a difference, but Christians and Conservatives will not take the eating of human flesh lightly. Keep in mind they own the majority of the guns and ammo in this country.”
“I'll think about it, I promise. If we'd taken the ranch, I would have a fresh beef to trade for, but that didn't happen.”
“I need more men, is all. I will enter through the back and front door the next time.”
“Hey, good idea, and they can't defend every entrance, huh?”
“No they can't defend against maybe 20 men, huh? I'll use the men, then run half of them off or kill them. I won't feed that many men, even on a farm. Only, we'll need to keep one of the people in the house, because I don't know how to grow things or how to care for cows. We can use the horses for transportation and if things turn rough, we can eat them.”
“I need to go and get rid of my fresh meat. Joshua, are you ready to leave?”
Freeman said nothing, but thought, You passing human flesh as pork will get you a horrible death if people learn of your actions. Eating human meat is a terrible sin for any Christian.
Joshua walked to the door and said, “I'm loaded and have three extra magazines. I'm ready when you are.”
“Keep your eyes open, Isaac, and remember our discussion.”
Jones nodded and then left.
Jones spent four hours wheeling and dealing his meat. Then a man approached and asked him how much meat for a pair of night vision goggles that worked, along with six extra batteries.
“I have a wife and three little ones. I need to feed them and when the people raided the police department, I got the goggles, batteries, and a couple of tactical vests. Both vests have full compartments, including grenades and radios.”
“How much for the two v
ests and Night Vision Goggles (NVGs)?” Jones asked.
“All the meat you have here, plus a hand gun, with ammunition.” the man said and then gave a nervous smile.
“Any particular handgun or will any do?”
Pulling his .38 special, Jones said, “I can give you this pistol, all the meat, and a box of ammunition with 40 rounds.”
“Deal!” the man answered quickly. He then said, “I've had some people moving around my place and need to stop them before they turn mean on me.”
“What you do is none of my business. How old are you?”
“I just turned 20, why?”
“Want a job?”
“Doing what, and I'll not break the law.”
Jones scratched his neck and said, “Working for me. I had two families run me off my farm and I want it back. Eventually I'll attack them and take my place back, but right now I raid it every week or so and kill a cow or pig. That's how the meat ends up here. Your pay will be five pounds of meat a day. Any meat you bring in will be half yours, and the other half goes to feeding all of us.”
“I'll work for the meat and I'll be here in the morning at 7:30, but I need to know how to get to your place, and I'll come there daily. I will be armed too. See, I needed one more gun, so my wife and I will both have guns. She was raised a country girl, so she can shoot. I was in the Army until the asteroid struck, then I lost my job. Jobs are harder to find around here than meat.”
“The job is simple, just do what you're told and ask no questions, understand? What is your name too?”
“Sure, I understand, and the job sounds like the military to me. Uh, my name is Ferrell, Stuart Ferrell, and I go by Stu.”
“We're somewhat like the service, but really don't have the discipline or the rules the Army had. We have things to do and a few need guns to accomplish. I suspect to get our farm back will take a hard fight and all the guns we have will be needed.”
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