THE END - Book I - Of THE EVENT SERIES

by Marshall Huffman

  “Ain’t gonna be easy,” Eric said.

  “Maybe not possible,” Billy added.

  “Nevertheless, we have it better than the first settlers did. Someone will figure a way to get the radio stations back on line and I suppose the military will be working on it as well,” Randy said.

  “What military? You think we still have a bunch of Jarheads running around someplace?” Billy asked.

  “I would think so. We have underground bunkers all over the place and who knows what else. Maybe the submarines were protected by the water just like we were from the dirt,” Randy replied.

  “Heck, I never even thought about that. Yeah, it makes sense. Some of them had to have survived and they are probably out looking for survivors right now,” Billy said enthusiastically.

  “If they aren’t now, I’m sure they will be soon. There is still the possibility that other states on the east or west coast survived. Maybe Washington survived or at least some of it.”

  “Now that would be a damn shame if Washington survived. We wouldn’t lose much if those jack-offs were vaporized. Actually, we might be better off.”

  “I’d like to say you were dead wrong but I couldn’t do it with a straight face,” Randy said chuckling.

  They had been driving through West Virginia and working their way south. By the sixth day they had found five more mines and a total of seventy-six men and thirty-two women. Generally they were well received and most saw the need to try and make their way to the McCormick mine. At each place Randy, Eric and Billy would try to explain the logic of gathering in one central location. It wasn’t until they were heading down 219 when they saw a sign that announced the entrance to the Dunkirk Mining Corporation that things changed.

  “Let’s check it out. Looks like a pretty big operation,” Eric said.

  “That’s what we’re here for,” Randy replied and turned down the gravel road.

  They had gone about a mile back when bullet shattered the windshield sending shards of glass flying. Randy slammed on the breaks and a cloud of dust covered them as the Jeep came to rest.

  “Anyone hit?” Randy asked.

  “Just grazed my leg,” Eric said.

  They all bailed out of the Jeep and crouched down behind the rear.

  “What the hell was that all about?” Eric said.

  “I don’t think they are too happy to see us,” Randy said.

  “Why the hell not? They don’t even know who we are,” Eric said, pinching the gash on his leg.

  They sat behind the Jeep for several minutes but nothing happened.

  Finally Randy yelled, “Okay, you got our attention, what’s going on?”

  “Who are you and what are you doing here?” a voice from someplace above them said. Randy tried to locate the source but it was impossible with all the rocks and trees surrounding the hill side. Even with no leaves on the trees he couldn’t spot anyone.

  “We are survivors from a mining company in Pennsylvania. We are looking for other survivors,” Randy yelled back.

  “You got guns?”

  “Yes.”

  “Toss them out where I can see them.”

  “They are in the Jeep.”

  “Get them. Carefully. Toss them in front of the vehicle.”

  “Look, they are in the Jeep, we can’t get to them without you taking a shot at us. No way am I going to do that,” Randy replied.

  “I could just shoot you right now,” the man’s voice said, drifting over the hillside.

  “I supposed you could but what would be the point? If you don’t want us here we will just back out and go on,” Randy said.

  A silence followed for several moments.

  Finally the man said, “Step out from behind the Jeep with your hands up.”

  “You won’t shoot us will you?”

  “Nope.”

  “You’re sure.”

  “I said I wouldn’t. Now step out or…”

  Randy looked at the others. They shrugged so he put up his hands and walked to the front of the Jeep. The other two followed a few seconds later.

  “Stay where you are. Someone will come to meet you. Don’t do anything foolish or make any sudden moves or they will shoot you. Understand?”

  “We’ll be right here,” Randy replied.

  “Now what?” Eric whispered.

  “We wait and see what happens. I have a gun in my pocket so if worse comes to worse we will try and shoot our way out,” Randy whispered back.

  “We would be dead in ten seconds flat,” Billy hissed.

  “If you have a better plan, I’m all ears,” Randy said.

  They stood there with their hands up for what seemed like hours but it was actually only a minute. Two men came walking toward them, both carrying rifles pointed in their direction.

  “Here we go. If something does go down, try to get in the Jeep and get the hell out of here,” Randy said quietly.

  They waited as the two men stopped a few yards from where they stood in the hot sun.

  “What are you doing here,” the taller of the two said.

  “We are looking for others that came through this like we did.”

  “This? Meaning everyone else is dead?”

  “Correct.”

  “How did you survive?” the short man asked.

  “We were all underground when it happened. We think that is what saved us. We have been going to various mines trying to locate people. So far we have found about one hundred and seventy others alive in West Virginia alone.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “It’s true. I have a paper in my pocket with the names of the mines and the number of people we found.”

  “Hand it to me and be very, very careful. Our man up there,” the tall man said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, “Is kind of itchy.”

  Randy lowered his hand slowly and fished the paper out of his pocket.

  He started to take a step toward them with the paper in his hand when they both yelled, “Hold it. Just toss it on the ground.”

  Randy shrugged and tossed it towards them. The shorter of the two closed the distance and picked it up. He handed it to the other man. He opened it and they both glanced at the names and figures.

  “You have actually been to these places?”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Randy replied.

  “I guess you were right Jake, it was the ground that saved our ass,” the short man said.

  “Looks like.”

  “Can I ask you a question?” Randy said.

  “I guess.”

  “Why did you take a shot at us before you even knew who we were or what we wanted? You know you almost hit Eric,” Randy said.

  “That’s two questions. The first answer is because we have been raided by a bunch of others twice now. We had to fight them off both times. They had more men but we had the high ground and knew the land. For the second part, if we wanted him dead or you for that matter, you would already be dead,” the man named Jake said.

  “Raided? What do you mean?”

  “We have a lot of food, water, and vehicles. They wanted them. It’s as simple as that.”

  “They just came in and tried to take them?”

  “Yep. Almost caught us off guard. We lost two good men. They lost six.”

  “Son of a gun,” Eric said.

  “That’s crazy,” Billy added.

  “Crazy or not, that’s what happened. We just didn’t want you to think you could waltz in here and pull the same thing.”

  “Hell, there are only three of us,” Eric said.

  “Ever hear of a scouting party? We just weren’t prepared to take that chance again.”

  “Do you know where they came from?”

  “We think the Lambert Mine. It’s just over the ridge a ways. They were on foot so we expect it had to be them.”

  “I guess that means we don’t want to stop there,” Eric said.

  “Only if you want to give up the Jeep and everything else you have,
” Jake said.

  “How many do you have left?” Randy said, trying to get back on track.

  “Seventy-one men and thirty-nine women.”

  “Thirty-nine women? Wow, that’s the most of any place we have run into so far,” Billy said.

  “Why are you so interested in the women,” Jake said, looking hard at them.

  “It’s just that we are surprised to find so many at a mining company. I mean we have found some at various places but never this many,” Randy said, trying to break the tension.

  “The owner is a woman. I guess she is what you would call a women’s advocate,” the shorter man said.

  “You mind if we put our hands down. My arms are falling asleep,” Randy said.

  “I guess it’s alright.”

  “The guy in the hills, he won’t open fire will he?”

  “Naw. Not unless I give him the signal,” Jake said.

  They all lowered their hands slowly. Their arms tingled from holding them up that long.

  “You have a weapon on you?” Jake asked suddenly.

  “I do. In my pocket,” Randy said.

  “Then just keep your hands out of your pockets, fair enough?”

  “Fair enough,” Randy replied.

  The tension had passed. The gunshot, while certainly unpleasant and risky, made some sense. If someone was raiding them it would be wise to have someone watching as a stop gap measure.

  “So now what?” Randy asked.

  “I recon you can come back to the complex and we can all sit down and talk,” Jake said.

  “Jake, I’m Randy. This is Eric and Billy.”

  “This is Little Al. Small in stature but a hellion in a fight,” Jake said.

  They all shook hands and were escorted back to the complex. Eric was limping slightly. They left the Jeep where it was. Randy was a little worried about their provisions and weapons but didn’t feel they were in a position to say much. The complex, as Jake called it, was much bigger than any they had been to except for the McCormick. Only a few men were around, most with guns of one kind or the other.

  “Everyone is pretty much hunkered down until we feel comfortable with who you are,” Al said.

  “I understand,” Randy replied.

  They entered a small building on the north side of the complex and had a seat at an oblong table.

  “So you were underground when it happened,” Jake asked after they were all seated.

  “I was in a cavern and Eric and Billy were at the mine.”

  “How long ago did you leave?”

  “The mine? Six days ago,” Randy said.

  “Seven,” Eric corrected.

  “Anyway, it seems like years.”

  “And you have been just going from one mine to another trying to find people.”

  “Essentially that’s right. And trying to get them to come to the McCormick mine because of its size and the facility. Yours is pretty good but the McCormick one has medical staff and a town nearby where provisions can be brought in. They have rigged up electrical power and water. It’s also easy to find.”

  Like everyone else they had found the argument about why they should leave where they were, came up.

  “I see your point but we would have to put it to a vote. We decided we would vote on all important subjects. Of course in something like this, they can pretty much do what they want. Go or stay, we wouldn’t try to stop them.”

  “Then why vote?”

  “Democracy. Or at least the concept,” Jake said.

  Randy had to admit, he had expected most of the people in this region to be backwards and yet they were pretty damn sharp.

  “Can you introduce us to the rest of the people and let us tell them what we have in mind?” Randy asked.

  “We can. Keep in mind they may not take to you very well. Outsiders aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms in this area.”

  “I can relate. We will just lay it out and they can take what we say as logical or tell us to piss off.”

  “You have food with you?” Al asked.

  Randy tensed.

  “I was just asking. If you have food we won’t have to feed you. We are trying to ration what we have,” Al explained.

  “We have food if you don’t mind us going back to the Jeep.”

  “You,” he said, pointing to Randy, “Can head back and bring it here. The others stay. We’ll get everyone together in the meantime. I’ll have someone patch up this feller’,” Jake told him.

  Randy didn’t like it and he was pretty sure Eric and Billy didn’t think too much of the idea either but there was little they could do about it under the circumstances.

  “Thanks. I’ll be back shortly,” he finally said.

  “Give me a few minutes before you leave. I need to let our men in the hills know what’s going on,” Al said and headed out the door.

  They waited five minutes before Randy slowly walked back to the Jeep and drove it the center of the complex.

  “You think it’s safe?” Eric asked when he got back.

  “I think so. I really do,” Randy said.

  “I damn sure hope your right,” Eric replied.

  Randy was happy to see that someone had attended to Eric’s leg. A few minutes later men and women began to file out of the different buildings and circle around the Jeep. Randy stood on the seat so he could address everyone.

  “First let me say congratulations for having survived whatever happened. We don’t know much more than you do except that the same devastation has taken place from Indiana to here that we know about. The only people we have been able to locate have all been in mines or underground for one reason or another. We have not seen any sign of the government so far but I suspect some of them survived. We came to try to convince everyone we come across to join us at the McCormick Mine in Pennsylvania. It’s not that far from here. We are doing this because it is obvious not many have survived and we are spread out from here to who knows where? The only reasonable course of action is for all of us to unite for a number of reasons. The most evident example is what you have had happen here. We have sent out other teams to different states and are hoping to locate as many people as we can find. Once we get a large group together we can decide the next course of action.

  I realize I am asking a lot. You don’t even know who I am really but one thing is sure. If we stay divided we will all suffer in the long run. We can show you how to get transportation working so you can make the journey. We have electricity, medical facilities and an abundance of food. Before you decide, we will spend the night here and answer any questions we can.

  I see several of you were burned by the sun; we have medical supplies that can help with that sort of thing. We want nothing from you except your strength in numbers. Isolated and alone will make those staying behind easy prey for the renegades that have been trying to raid your sanctuary,” Randy told the crowd.

  Most were listening intently but a few had already started to drift off. They were the ones that were going to stay no matter what he said. He had expected as much. He knew there would always be that few that thought they could go it alone.

  “All right, these men will be around all day and staying the night. They have their own food so it won’t cut into our reserves. I suggest you take this chance to talk to them,” Jake announced.

  The rest of the day, groups of two or three would stop them and ask questions. Most asked about what it was like in the rest of the country and what they had seen. They all tried to keep it as positive as they could without making it seem like everything was still unchanged.

  By nightfall they had a feeling that almost all of them would move to McCormick. Their gut feeling was right. Seven elected to stay behind but the rest decided they would relocate. Randy, Billy and Eric helped them get the older vehicles up and running.

  “Where you headed to next?”

  “Lost World Caverns. I guess it’s just a few miles from here,” Randy said to Jake as they were packing to leave.
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  “You think people survived in the cave?”

  “If my theory holds true. I hope they had a huge crowd,” Randy replied.

  “Just be careful. That other group may be watching the road. If I was you, I wouldn’t stop for anything until you got to the next place you’re headed,” Jake warned.

  “I’m hoping we can talk to sense into them if we do cross their paths. Listen, I'm not trying to tell you your business but I would do everything I could to get those holding out to go with you. They won’t last long without the help of others,” Randy said.

  “I’ll do what I can but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

  “Do what you can for them,” Randy said, climbing into the Jeep.

  “Sorry about the windshield,” Jake said as Randy held his head to one side to see.

  “I’m just thankful you didn’t really hit one of us.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Eric said.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, but it still hurt like hell.”

  “But consider the alternative,” Randy said and started the Jeep.

  “That’s easy to say when it isn’t your leg,” Eric replied.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Las Vegas

  Kim had been in Las Vegas for three days and the novelty of having the run of the city was starting to wear off. She went from one casino to another and spun roulette wheels, betting huge piles of chips and making outlandish wagers on black jack. She would bet thousands on a single roll and win or lose, it didn’t make one bit of difference.

  She went to car dealerships and sat in exotic cars like, Ferrari, Porches and Lamborghinis. It was great fun but after a while it lost its luster and she knew she was going to have to decide what she needed to do next.

  Playing like a big shot with no one else to oooh and aaah about your accomplishments wasn’t as much fun as she thought it might be. The excitement needed an audience to be meaningful. She did have fun shopping along the Grand Canal. She spent hours putting on the most expensive and exotic dresses and clothing she could find. The great part was that she didn’t have to pay a dime for anything she wanted.

  In the end she didn’t take anything except a new pair of jeans and a couple of tank tops. She couldn’t bring herself to give up her favorite pair of hiking boots.