Down the Hole

by Sally Six

  “Brian, I am sure they will send in the National Guard or someone else with food. The government always does in cases like this so I think we will be okay.”

  Brian said. “I don’t think so Mom. If some cities have been nuked, the last thing they’re going to do is come give out food. How will they do that if this has happened all across the country?”

  “We’ll just have to sleep on it for now Brian and see what happens. Anyway your dad will know what to do when he gets home. I am sure of it.”

  “It’s getting awful late. I wish he would come home.” Beulah then went to the living room window to look out into the dark. As the night went on, Brian laid down on the sofa, his dads old 22 rifle beside him. Beulah left the window after an hour of standing and watching. She sat in a living room chair and was soon asleep. Their first night was over.

  Chapter 4

  Gramps Word

  Reno Nevada sane day:

  Olive looked out of her car window as she sat at the school waiting for the boys to come out. It was 2:35 PM. It had been a very long day. She had more meals to cater today than she had expected. She still had an 8:00 PM delivery to make tonight.

  At least she had time to pick up the boys and make them and her husband, David, a good meal before she had to leave again. He would see to it that any homework was finished and that they went to bed when they should. With her sister, Kate, here now it helped. She was good at helping the boys with any homework David couldn’t. She could see the boys now running down the steps of the school towards the car. Olive popped the locks on the doors as they neared. They opened the doors yelling, “Hi Mom,” in unison.

  She said hello to her twin boys and asked if they had a good day, it was their first year at the Junior High.

  “Yeah sure, great mom.”

  Kate was already home from work when Olive and the boys pulled in. Good that helped a bit.

  She could help the boys get started on their homework while she got dinner going.

  David wasn’t due home till around 4:30 PM. At about 7:00 PM, she would run out to the shop to pick up the already prepared meal to take to the Henry’s home. They would heat it at their home themselves.

  “Hi Kate, were home.” Olive yelled out to her sister.

  “I’m back here Olive throwing in a few clothes to wash.”

  Time went by quickly and before she knew it David was walking in the door. She looked at the clock. He was a whole hour and a half early tonight. No wonder the time seemed to have flown past. It really hadn’t. She went over to give him a hug and a kiss and to ask what was up that got him home so early.

  When she looked up at him, the look on his face was one of shock. “David, what’s wrong?” She asked.

  “The news, they just said were about to be nuked. I was listening to the car radio on the way home. They said we have incoming missiles at this very moment.”

  Olive said. “You sure it wasn’t a joke of some kind David?

  “No, no way it was. People were beginning to panic at the store. Oh I quickly stopped at Wal-Mart and bought all the freeze dried foods I could get my hands on along with a Coleman stove and several cans of fuel, sleeping bags, matches and other camping gear, water cans and gas cans. The gas cans I stopped and filled and topped off the tank on the van. Then I stopped at Safeway and loaded up on canned meats, vegetables and canned fruits”

  He seemed to come out of it and started to pull her outside. “Wait,” he said and turned and yelled at the boys and Kate to come help get things out of the van.

  He had them all outside starting to unload and yelled. “Stop.”

  “What?” They were all saying since the boys and Kate didn’t know what was going on in the first place.

  “Back in the house everyone. Start packing winter clothes, shoes, gloves and anything you think you will need for a couple months. Olive pack kitchen stuff also, pots, pans and things like that. Also stuff to eat off of that won’t break easily.”

  Olive yelled. “Wait. What do you mean, pack? I have clients to take care of yet tonight.”

  David told her. “Not tonight you don’t. This country is about to be nuked and we’re in a bad place being in the city. We need to get out of here. We are going to Gramp’s house up in the hills.”

  The twin boys, Tyler and William, along with Kate just stood there and repeated. “Nuked, we’re being nuked?”

  David yelled. “Get in the house and start packing now. Go and hurry. I want us out of here in less than 30 minutes.”

  Everyone started to move then including Olive. She really hadn’t believed him until now. David wasn’t one to yell at anyone. About 35 minutes later, he had them in the van. He wondered how long they had left as he pulled out of the driveway. David had the petal to the metal as he took the back roads to the highway. He was headed west as fast as he could go.

  Olive looked over at him and said. “David, what in the world are you doing? You never drive this fast. We are going to end up with a speeding ticket.”

  “No way am I slowing down. I don’t know how much time we have left before something hits. We need to get as close to Gramp’s place as we possibly can.”

  By the end of that conversation, they were pulling onto the freeway. She could see the knuckles on his hands were deathly white on the steering wheel. She decided that she best tell him to slow down and relax a bit. They would be there anyway in about 30 minutes at normal speed. So she did just that.

  He glanced over at her. “You don’t understand do you?” He continued to speed down the highway looking for the cut off to the first back road to Grandpa’s ranch.

  Beulah looked over at him cringing at the speed he took the corner, the tires squealing. “What don’t I understand?”

  David told her. “As soon as a nuke hits anywhere near us, we will get an EMP. It stands for electromagnetic pulse. Then everything electric will cease to work unless it’s in a faraday cage or otherwise protected.”

  “Why should that bother us? We are in our van.”

  David was patient and said. “Honey all vehicles run on electrical systems. The EMP will fry all of them and not one will be running afterward.”

  She got a shocked look on her face turned to him. “Step on it Dave.”

  He swerved in and out of traffic. They were soon to the cut off. He felt like he took the corner on two wheels.

  Meanwhile the boys and Kate in the back of the van had heard the exchange of words. They just sat quieter than they had been for years in the car. Kate was in a state of shock of all her own. Her parents had told her for years that this kind of thing could happen or a natural disaster at a moment’s notice and to always be prepared both physically and spiritually. She just had never believed them. She had thought her parents were a bit kooky. That kind of thing just didn’t happen these days. This was the twenty first century after all. Yeah sure there were the hurricanes and earthquakes, but the government was taking care of those people. So why won’t they take care of everyone for this.

  Then she did remember something her dad told her. The words came back to haunt her. He said. “If there was a real big disaster, there would just be too many people for the government to help. Most people would be on their own for some time to come.” Now she wished she was back home in Washington at the new home after all. Back in the boonies as she told her parents. She had told them that she did not like living in the boonies as her social life was the pits there. Now it meant safety.

  They were five minutes from Gramp’s ranch in the Sierra’s when they saw a small bright flash coming from behind them just beyond the mountain range. There was also one ahead of them just barely lighting the sky and the van just shut down. The one thing that David was worried about was which way the wind was blowing. Would it blow fallout this way? They continued to coast down the hill and came to a stop part way up the next hill. David put on the brakes and set the emergency brake.

  “Well that’s it,” he said. “Looks like we walk from here.”


  He turned to look at his wife and her face was white. “It’s okay Olive. We’re only about three miles from the ranch. A couple of the hired hands will come back with me and help push the van to the ranch.”

  He turned to the kids in the back. “Kate, boys, grab your backpacks and or whatever else you what for right now that you can easily carry for a couple of miles.”

  They all filed out of the van. Everyone looked around first when they got out. They had never seen the world so dark. They realized after a few minutes that it wasn’t so dark after all. The moon made shadows in the night. They hadn’t realized that it could. David thought they would need flash lights to see their way down the road, but now he knew they wouldn’t.

  They started their walk and 20 minutes later they were walking up the ranch driveway and across the cattle guard. Finally, they all felt safer. As they neared the house, they all heard a click. Someone came out from behind the porch post and then a gruff voice said. “All right far enough. What’s your business here at this time of night?”

  “Juan you ol codger. It’s me David and the family.” David returned.

  “David that’s you. Guess my eyes aren’t so good anymore. Your granddad will be glad you got here. Go on in son. Sorry about that.”

  The family all climbed up on the porch one by one with David taking up the rear. Olive gave two knocks on the door, opened it and entered the living room.

  Theodore O’Dell came up out of his chair. Olive saw he was sitting and reading by an oil lamp. Theo was 68 years old, half Irish and half Spanish, a trim 6 feet tall with brown eyes and a dark complexion. He had been born on this ranch and lived on the ranch all his life. Except for the short tour of duty at the end of the Korean War when he was in the army. He had never been much of anywhere else.

  Theo turned to look at the door that had just been opened. “I thought I heard voices outside. I knew ol Juan would take care of it. I am sure glad to see you. I was hoping David would haul you all up here.”

  He was headed to give the family members a hug and greet them right.

  “I didn’t hear your van. Well that’s stupid,” he said to no one in particular. “The EMP would have taken care of that.”

  “You must have gotten out of Reno in good time. How far did you have to walk?”

  David went over to his grandfather and said. “Gramps, we got out about 40 minutes before the crap hit the fan. I’m afraid I broke a lot of speed laws along the way. Then about 20 minutes ago, the EMP hit and the van stopped. We didn’t have a real long walk.”

  “Gramps,” David said as he gave his grandfather a hug. “I need a couple of the ranch hands to help me push the van here.”

  Theo looked at Dave. “Heck boy we can do better than that. I’ll have Duke get 2 of the horses, Kicker and Black Boy. They can pull that van of yours back to the ranch. One of you can ride one back while the other steers the van.”

  “I’ll be back in two shakes,” said Gramps. “Make yourselves at home.”

  Out the door he went. Halfway to the bunkhouse, they could hear him yelling for Duke and Red. A faraway door was heard slamming and someone yelling back at Gramps.

  He was right. A few minutes, later Gramps was coming back into the house.

  “That’s done. They should have those horses saddled and the harnesses on them in a few minutes David and you will be ready to go. Dukes bringing some good heavy rope. Those two big Clydesdales should have no trouble at all pulling the van here.”

  Gramps then turned to Olive and the kids. “Let’s get you all settled into your rooms. We have more than enough room in this old house for everyone.”

  Up the stairs he headed. He turned around and said when no one had moved to join him. “Well come on. What’s holding you back? You glued to the floor?”

  The boys both grinned and said. “We’re coming Gramps.” They started to run up the staircase.

  Olive and Kate then headed up behind gramps and the boys. After Olive gave Dave a quick kiss, he went out the door.

  Dave could see the silhouettes of the 2 horses and Duke as he led them over to the ranch house.

  “How you doing Duke? What a time, isn’t it?” Dave said.

  Duke’s deep voice came out of the dark beside one of the horses. “It sure is at that Dave. I guess we’re in deep crap for a while. Glad you got here safe.”

  “I concur with that one Duke. I found out what Gramps and my in laws have been saying the past few years were right on the head after all.”

  Duke and Dave talked about the turn of world events as they rode to the van. They were there in no time. Duke and Dave made quick work of tying the front fender strap to the harnesses. Dave got in the van as Duke leaped to the back of Kicker. He had a hold of Black Boys reins. The trip back to the ranch was uneventful for which Dave was very glad. He had enough excitement for one day. They pulled the van over to the garage and left it there. Duke and Dave untied the horses and Duke took the horses off to the corral.

  Dave made his way back to the house. He remembered to grab his other backpack and Olive’s suitcase. After he got to house, he went on in. The family was back in the living room and were telling Gramps about the flashes of light that they had seen from both directions of the sky.

  Gramps started to talk. “I was watching the news today. I like to watch and keep currant with what’s going on in the world. When the alert and news of the impending nukes hit. I wouldn’t let the ranch hands go on into town like they like to on Friday nights. They were a bit ticked at me until I told them about the incoming nukes. We’re pretty well set here with animals and stored hay with grains for the animals and us. I have had an ideal we were on a short string as far as world politics for some time now and have been storing things away a little bit at a time.”

  Dave just stared at his grandfather with awe. “You really knew something like this was going to happen?”

  “Son with the things that I have seen happening the last few years, you would have to be blind not to have seen the signs.”

  Dave got kind of red in the face. “Gramps, I guess I was just plain not paying attention or didn’t want to see. I won’t do that anymore because I think we are in for a world of hurt when people start to get hungry.

  “We, and that includes me and my family are spoiled.”

  Dave hung his head and then continued. “If it hadn’t been for knowing that we could come here, we would be some of those people. In a few days, we would have been getting hungry and desperate. I have to apologize to you and my family for now having to come here and live off of you. I do promise gramps that I will work hard to make this up to you and pull my own weight. I promise my family will pull their own weight too Gramps.”

  Olive, Tyler, William and Kate looked at Dave. They now knew their world had really changed.

  He turned and looked at his family and said. “The world is a different place now. You will not and I repeat will not go anywhere except right here by the ranch house and buildings by yourselves. You will listen to whatever Gramps has for you to do. We will be working hard now to keep body and soul together. We will most likely have to protect this place against invaders and poachers. Anything else gramps that you have to add?”

  “Yes,” Gramps said. “Tomorrow you will all start shooting practice with no exceptions. There will be no if ands or buts about it. You will learn on both pistol and rifle. You also will be called on to help protect this ranch and each other.”

  Olive butted in. “But Gramps, the boys are too young to do that kind of thing.”

  Gramps said rather loudly. “BULL HOCKY. I was shooting deer for the family at their age. They will learn.”

  Olive didn’t say another word about it after that.

  “Well,” said Gramps. “Tomorrow is going to come early. I think we all best hit the sack. Good night to you all.”

  Off he went around the stairs to his bedroom and Dave said. “I guess he is right. We all best get to bed. Let’s go, boys go on.”

/>   Everyone got up and made their way up the stairs with Olive and Dave in the first room, Kate in the next and the boys at the end of the hallway.

  Their first of many long days had ended.

  Chapter 5

  The Mine

  Idaho Mountains same day:

  Ellen looked over the cliff as a light cool wind blew up the mountain. They had been living up here by Elk City, Idaho for about ten years now. Seems like just the other day that they moved up to this beautiful mountain home. When they moved up here, it had been a more thriving area. The logging companies were doing a booming business. Now everything was bust and closing down making Elk City almost a ghost town. Many of the small towns in Idaho were becoming ghost towns more or less. A few were becoming vacation or hunting retreats areas for the city people, but most were just slowly dying and disappearing. Her husband Edward had gone from working in a sawmill to trying to have a business with his dad building specially designed trailers, but that didn’t seem to be doing well either now.

  They had been up higher on the mountain woodcutting since 9:00 AM. It was now 3:00 PM. The last load was on the trailer and it was time to go home. Edward had just started the truck so she headed back over to the other side to get in. The three kids were already in the back seat of the king cab.

  Ellen loved the mountains. She loved the fresh air, the trees and the sound of the birds and animals. At least she didn’t have to worry about dinner when she got home. She had put the crock-pot on with pork and potatoes shortly before they left. It would be done and ready to eat by the time they had all the wood unloaded from the trailer. Everyone pitched in and the large 16 by 6 trailer was unloaded in no time.

  Before long they were home and she shooed the kids into the house after unloading to get changed and cleaned up.

  As they stood by their home, she leaned back into her husband and enjoyed the feel of his strong arms as they came around her. They could enjoy a few minutes of peace and quiet while the kids were cleaning up. They hoped. Not one minute had gone by and all of a sudden the house door came open on the cabin. “Daddy! Mommy! Something’s wrong on TV.” Ken was yelling out the opened door.