The Day America Died! Frozen Apocalypse: After the EMP- A post Apocalyptic America

by A J Newman

  “Zack, I still recommend you all should hide out for the next year until the gangs and thugs kill each other off. This is serious business and people are going to die if you keep confronting every asshole that comes along.”

  I was getting hot and my ears must have been three shades of red when I replied, “So what would Miss Princess Warrior do? Hide for a year.”

  “No, I would go out and kill every one of those assholes. Zack, I’ve been in training all of my life to survive and kill to protect my home and family.

  You are trying to train as you go and there just isn’t any short cut to becoming proficient at survival, killing and military tactics.”

  Davi batted her eyelashes at me and said, “Do you really think I’m a Princess.”

  Ally responded, “Princess go find your own knight in rusty armor. This one’s spoken for.”

  I slept straight through the night thanks to the Ibuprofen Joan gave me for the pain in my chest. I rolled over on my back and the pills must have worn off because my chest was throbbing. I opened my eyes and Ally stared into my eyes as she ran her fingers through my hair.

  “Good morning lover,” she said as she ran her hands down my chest.”

  I said, “What are you doing?”

  “We’ve been married for months now and if you don’t know what I’m doing I feel sorry for you.”

  “You know what I mean. I’m injured and my chest hurts like a son of a bitch. I can’t…help, help…”

  She rolled over and out of bed saying, “I was just messing with you. I’ll get a couple more pain pills for you, but after those wear off, you’ll have to tough it out you wussy.”

  “So you think that acting horny and making fun of me is the way to show me that you love me?”

  Ally stepped close to the bed, took her t-shirt off, dropped her panties to the floor and said, “Yes, I like flirting with my husband,” as she ran into the bathroom to take a shower.

  “You forgot my pills, ow.”

  ✪✪✪

  ✪

  Chapter 10

  Break in Winter

  The Campground

  A week had passed since we wiped out the drug and slave gang. The Clan was healing nicely and my ribs didn’t hurt nearly as much as they did the first time my body armor saved my ass. Callie’s ribs were still very sore and she remained on light duty for the next week.

  Davi conducted classes in military and SWAT tactics to every adult and we gave age appropriate training to the kids. All of them were taught to respect weapons and proper handling. They learned to reload magazines, put out fires and hide from the enemy if needed. Even with these events, we still had a lot of time on our hands.

  We were all suffering from cabin fever. The classes and the organized games helped a bit with the boredom, but as time dragged by, we became overly anxious to do something…….…anything. Tempers were beginning to take on a ragged edge.

  Ally and I were caught up on all of the love making we’d missed during my recovery from the shot to the chest.

  I fell more in love with her every day and thought less and less about Geena until one day I just didn’t think about Geena at all.

  Ally had been in an oppressive relationship and bloomed in front of my eyes. She was smart, quick-witted and very funny. She was always flirting with me and teasing Mike. She played several jokes on Mike and only I knew the perpetrator’s identity.

  Mike came to breakfast cussing and muttering as he sat down with the rest of us, he said, “I was just sitting down for my morning dump when……………..”

  “Uncle Mike, too much information is bad for my digestion.”

  “As I said, my ass just hit the seat when a big assed harry spider fell in my lap. It was a fake spider, but I about killed myself getting out of the bathroom.”

  Lynn spoke up, “Yes, and he fell into me with his pants and underwear down around his ankles. My friends, I saw more of Mike than I ever wanted to see.”

  Roger laughed and said, “Did it scare the…” he looked around, saw the kids and added, “the poop out of you?”

  “I think I had a heart attack. Three days ago, it was the clear wrap across the top of the door and the week before the clear wrap on the toilet. That sucked. Who hates me so much?”

  Ally replied, “Maybe you have a secret admirer and they just want your attention or maybe it’s a ghost.”

  Everyone laughed and picked on Mike throughout the meal.

  I caught Ally alone after breakfast and asked, “Ally, how do you manage to set these traps without being caught? I couldn’t keep a straight face and it would only take a minute for everyone to see the guilt in my face.”

  “Dear, that’s because you are an amateur. I however, am a professional. I am akin to the ninja, dressed in black that can walk among mere mortals without being seen. If you tell anyone it’s me, I’ll make you my next target.”

  “Whoa girl, I’m on your side, of course I’d be insane not to be. Just promise me there will be no blood or violence.”

  “Deal.”

  “What if Mike retaliates and innocent bystanders are pranked.”

  “Collateral damage is a distinct possibility during pranks.”

  The pranks stopped for a while and Mike never knew who had targeted him, however about once a week after that everyone, including me, was pranked.

  One night just after we went to bed, I asked Ally if she was the one pranking everyone.

  “Darling, I did not pull a prank on Sally or you. I’m innocent. My bet is that Mike is pranking everyone to make sure he gets the original perpetrator.”

  “I’m not convinced.”

  “Babe, the pranks have kept us from killing each other and they make for great conversation at meal time. I will cease fire for 90 days if it makes you feel better.”

  “So it is you and not Mike.”

  “No, I have not pranked anyone but Joan, Roger and Callie for several weeks.”

  I brought everyone together and read them the riot act about how the pranks had to stop, when, during my speech a large black spider fell in my lap. I swatted at it while dancing in my chair. I crushed the damn thing while everyone was laughing their asses off at my expense.

  “Who’s the asshole who dropped the spider on me?”

  Mike couldn’t stop laughing while he answered, “Zack, uh…ha, uh...that spider committed suicide. I guess we won’t be seeing him again.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess that’s true. Now, if I can just get my heart rate back to normal. Oh, and please, everyone, stay out of the Halloween boxes.”

  Ally tried to keep a straight face while she said, “Hon, I think it was a coincidence. No one could get a spider trained to jump on my big Ninja spider killing husband on cue.”

  “Look this shit is not funny. I could have been hurt.”

  Everyone just laughed harder and piled on the comments after my statement.

  “Big man, afraid of tiny spider.”

  “Zack, you looked like a man in a phone booth trying to kill a snake with a 9 iron.”

  “Daddy, I’ll protect you from those mean ole critters.”

  I finally calmed down even though my face and ears were fire engine red and said, “Now back to the matter at hand, “No more pranks.”

  Mike laughed while he said, “Zack, we can’t stop the insects, or animals from attacking you.

  I gave him the finger and left the room. The dirty bastards made fun of my killer spider dance for weeks.

  Then, in mid-January the snow stopped, the weather warmed and it felt like spring. The snow took several days to melt off the roads, but it didn’t totally disappear from the shady sides of hills, and woods, but it was finally nice enough to enjoy being outside. The temperature was in the mid 60’s in the afternoon and we spent much more time enjoying the sun and warm air.

  I knew the good weather might not last and proposed to the team that we send a small group over to scout out Rolling Hills and make contact with Bert’s brother Jak
e, who was the sheriff of Warren County.

  We had promised to come back and check on their progress in eliminating their gang problem, but hadn’t been able to make it back.

  “Ally, I’m going to go over and check things out in Rolling Hills. It would be nice to move back into a house until we can go back home. I’ll take several of the guys and Davi in case we need some firepower.”

  “Take Paul, he needs the experience. How long will you be gone?”

  “Probably over and back in the same day; however, we’ll pack for a three day excursion.”

  “Wear your body armor.”

  “As the commercial said, ‘I never leave home without it’.”

  “Be careful, and watch out, in case Prescott has spies in Rolling Hills.”

  “Damn, I hadn’t thought about that happening. I guess that bastard plans to annex all of Western Kentucky eventually and it makes sense that he wants to know what’s going on in the towns around Daviess County. I’ll have to think of a way to get to Jake without everyone in town knowing about our visit.”

  ***

  “Davi, we’re going over to Rolling Hills this week. Prescott could have spies there. I want to meet with Jake without letting everyone in town know who we are, and what our business is. Any ideas?”

  “You’re right; we could be under attack in just a few hours if the news got back to that ruthless bastard. Let me give it some thought.”

  “Okay, but think fast. We need a plan before we enter Rolling Hills.”

  “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t enter Rolling Hills.”

  “So how do we meet with Jake?”

  “We get a message to him.”

  “How?”

  “Ask Bert. He knows Jake the best and should have some way to craft a message that only Jake would understand saying to meet us at a certain place.”

  “Great idea.”

  Bert thought for a minute, laughed and wrote a few words on a sheet of paper.

  I read the note and asked, “Who are Abby and Betty Dill?”

  “You don’t need to know, but Jake will. You only need to know the location of the barn.

  ***

  I asked Mike to stay back and watch over the camp while Davi, Roger, Paul and I drove over the meeting location. Bert was still recovering from his wounds and it was too soon for him to travel, or he would have gone to see his brother.

  “Paul, would you please fuel up my pickup. Everyone check your weapons, bring body armor and prepare for a three-day journey.

  Roger replied, “Zack, it’s only a half hour drive.

  “I know, but just in case the shit hits the fan let’s always be prepared.”

  “Ben, please mount the SAW on top of the cab. I know it’s overkill, but I never want to be on the short end of a gun fight.”

  Davi added, “If we get into a firefight, that SAW could make the difference in us coming back alive. Zack, there are some metal plates in the barn that I’d like to bolt onto your truck to give us some armor. Can I have Paul to help me install the armor?”

  “Of course, Paul, please help Davi ruin the sublimely beautiful lines of my classic 1949 F1 Ford by installing a machinegun on top of my cab and armor on its body.”

  It only took Ben a few minutes to mount the SAW. Davi and Paul worked most of the day bolting metal slabs onto the tailgate, bumper, both doors, and behind the cab. The truck looked like a cross between a demolition derby car and a 10-year-old’s idea of a tank.

  We loaded up the next morning before sunrise and checked each other out before heading over to Rolling Hills. I wanted to travel while most people were still asleep, or having breakfast.

  We didn’t think there would be any issues, but we were always alert for danger. We left the camp and drove for twenty minutes on side roads before getting on Highway 231 South.

  Davi rode in the cab with me while Paul and Roger were in the bed. Roger manned the SAW and Paul watched our rear.

  We drove slowly to avoid running into an ambush. There weren’t any other vehicles on the road, and we stopped frequently to scout ahead using my binoculars.

  As the sun rose, I only saw a few people stirring around in their houses and no one paid any attention to us. I spotted the roadblock just where we thought it would be before the exit to the Natcher Parkway.

  I quickly pulled off the road behind some bushes and stopped a few hundred yards away from the roadblock. Roger stayed with the truck while Paul and I worked our way down the ditch on the south side of the road until we were only a hundred feet from the roadblock.

  Davi gave us time to get ready to back her up and then walked up to the roadblock to pass the note for Jake to one of the people manning the roadblock.

  She had her rifle slung over her shoulder and pistol on her hip as she approached the roadblock waiving a white handkerchief.

  One of the men stepped out and said, “Well what can we do for you, young lady?”

  “Do you know Jake Alford?”

  “Well of course we know him, he’s the sheriff and we work for him.”

  She handed him the envelope and said, “Take this message to him and please don’t open it.”

  The man took the envelope and said, “You can stay a while and visit.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks, maybe next time.”

  She turned and walked back to the truck. We watched as one of the guards hopped on an ATV and headed into town with the note. Then we worked our way back to the truck and headed to the meeting place.

  We turned around and took two back roads to the barn on the corner of County Road 2665 and Dedmond Road. I hid the truck in the barn and waited on Jake.

  “Zack, I seem to remember another barn a while back and you getting caught with your pants down.”

  “That’s why we’re posting guards front and back. Davi take the front entrance and Roger, you take the first hour at the back. Paul and I will relieve you in an hour.”

  Davi and Roger took their weapons, and gear, and then went out for guard duty.

  Paul walked up to me and said, “What was that pants down comment?”

  “Paul, I was supposed to be on guard duty and got distracted. While I wasn’t paying attention some bad men came in the barn and captured us.”

  “Was that when Sally, Geena and you were coming here from Oregon?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hey, Paul, I don’t want you to answer this unless you….…”

  “The question is, am I keeping an eye on you?”

  “Well sort of. So my wife doesn’t trust me?”

  “Oh no, she trusts you. She just doesn’t trust any woman around you, and she really doesn’t trust Davi.”

  “Paul, I haven’t done anything to lose your mom’s trust.”

  “She knows that, but what you don’t know is my dad was screwing every woman he could get his hands on. Mom tried to believe him, but she caught him just the week before TSHTF, she’d had enough and filed for divorce. Listen, she doesn’t know that I know all of this so please don’t tell her.”

  “Don’t worry, Paul, I won’t and I would never break your trust.”

  Paul, did you ever figure out who was pulling all of the pranks on everyone?”

  “Yes, it was mom.”

  I laughed and said, “How did you figure it out?”

  “Well mom once told me that she and one of her girlfriends had been the pranksters at their high school. Then I saw dad become a primary target every time he came home late, or the next day.

  She fed him everything from Cayenne pepper to Exlax, and sometimes both together. She found out who some of the married women he was seeing were, and sent them flowers signed with his full name to their husband’s work address. That, of course, was just to get their attention…and it did.”

  “Oh shit.”

  Paul broke out laughing and said, “Yes literally, he also came home black and blue a couple of times.”

  A few minutes later Davi
yelled, “Truck approaching with two men.”

  I told Roger to keep a watch on the backside while Paul and I joined Davi to confront the occupants of the truck.

  Davi and Paul, meet the truck while I stayed out of sight. “No one will know you two.”

  The men parked the truck in front of the barn and walked up to Davi and Paul. I could hear Jake ask where his brother was.

  I stepped out from beside the barn and said, “Hello Jake.”

  “Hi Zack, where’s my brother? I heard rumors that Prescott had killed him.”

  “Your brother is safe back at our home location. He was shot escaping from Prescott’s men, but he and his family made it to our place. He warned that Prescott was coming to kill Mike and me. We escaped and headed this way.”

  “Can I see Bert?”

  “Of course you can. I was hoping you’d come alone. How well do you know this guy?”

  “Steve is my brother in law, and best friend. You can trust him.”

  I replied, “Move your truck into the barn and we’ll bring each other up to date.”

  I introduced my team to Jake and Steve, and then filled him in on our story since we last saw him.

  “That damn Prescott is trying to take over the entire country. He came to Rolling Hills a couple of months ago and met with our town council. He tried to talk them into joining his Community Protection Cooperative. We had heard about his dealings with the gang in Anderson and Bert had already told me not to trust him.”

  “How did he take that answer?”

  “He was pissed, but he smiled and said, “There are dangerous people out there and they will be coming to your town to take your food, weapons and women. If you don’t join us, I’m absolutely sure that you will regret it.”

  I said, “A not so veiled threat.”

  Jake replied, “I told him that he should keep his men in Daviess County so we don’t accidently kill them when we shoot the thugs trying to rob us. He got mad and left.