Sharecropping The Apocalypse: A Prepper is Cast Adrift

by Ron Foster

  She remembered his instructions about the need for patience with certain situations because it was just wise to do and particularly remembered the example of it he had taught her about deer hunting. David had explained to her not to let her exuberance of wanting to check out a freshly shot deer for example override the wisdom he had taught her about the nature of such game and the need to wait sometimes. A deer David had told her was first to be respected as a dangerous animal, more than one unwary hunter had had his ass kicked or even been killed by messing with what they thought was a dead deer.

  At first Julie thought when David started to relate his hunting stories that he was trying to play a prank or joke on her in some kind of way as to how such a beautiful and docile looking creature could ever be aggressive towards a human let alone kill someone unless it was in pain and got a lucky antler stab in.

  David had however changed any misguided notions she might of still had of Bambi cuteness when he explained the deer’s fighting style to her and even provided a YouTube video of a 265lb misguided photographer who ended up in the hospital from messing with one when it was rutting season. Dumbass had sprayed himself with deer attractant.

  Julie had always thought that a deer’s horns were its primary weapon but David quickly corrected her and explained the creatures knew boxing like a kangaroo and those hooves could be razor sharp.

  Another favorite thing of a deer in a fight was the two front hooves at once mustang stallion style stomp on you from the rearing back on its hind legs position. What’s odd about a deer is that they can stand on two legs and go backwards and forwards in their Chinese Kung Fu fighting Mantis stance and stay up in that position much longer than you would think. It appeared to be their favorite style of engaging taller humans in a game of fisti cuffs that the human was likely to lose.

  When David had showed her the first YouTube outdoor amateur video of someone actually engaged in a battle with a deer and the statistics about how many people nationwide in the media had actually been attacked by deer her opinion of the sweet lovable creatures had changed.

  They were indeed deadly and were not going to necessarily run at you like a bull or a goat and use their horns. They would rear on their back feet like a bear and say bring it to them or they were going to carry it to you like a bar fight with a redneck in some backwoods saloon and you better be ready for it.

  Although deer generally are docile and timid animals that do not attack humans, the deer population explosion, due to human activity, has greatly increased deer-human contact. In addition deer have been forced to live in close proximity to humans and as a result they have lost their fear and become more aggressive toward humans, especially when feeling they themselves or their young might be threatened.

  With the ubiquity of phone cameras, the Internet abounds with disturbing video of deer violently attacking people and pets.

  The next thing David told her to admire and respect was that a deer when shot was often able to run 50 to a hundred yards or more on pure adrenalin alone whether they were just wounded or already dead away from the threat or attacker and then they would stop. If you pursued a wounded deer and they thought danger was after them they could start back up and run for miles before they expired.

  If you were sitting up in your deer stand or hunkered down in a hide or blind and you just shot a deer, wait even if you saw the perfect shot take the beastie down. If he runs he will pause and if no pursuit is noted he will stay in one place and bleed out and you will have less of a chase or distance to pack out the meat. Give the animal a chance to die in peace and the meat tastes better. David told her that those that hunt with dogs find out that animals that are chased taste different than those that can expire without relentless fear or anger driving blood to the surface of the skin etc.

  Poke the son of a bitch with your gun barrel at a distance before inspecting it in case life remains was also a caution he had given.

  Your attitude can provoke a deer in rut or a doe with fawns. Deer are territorial during these times. If you turn away and retreat, an attack is much less likely than if you stand your ground or move toward the deer. If all else fails you can puff yourself up to look bigger and shout and raise hell waving your hands and arms.

  Surviving a Deer Attack

  If you still are attacked, try and protect your head and face. If possible grab the antlers or front legs.

  In the case of whoever that was had run from them, David was probably waiting until they got far away or if they were going to get help or others to wait for them to approach him so he could watch them carefully at a distance he chose.

  David and Julie sat on the porch and watched the road leading towards them for about 15 minutes before loading up everything and going back to the first house. Nothing untoward was evident in the chicken coop or around the house so once again there was nothing to do but watch and wait. The hours passed slowly as they talked about setting out off the plantation to try and find a road to the river and try and locate Crick or attempt to see what was going on over at the island.

  “Julie do you want something to eat? You got a choice of MRE`s or some of that Wild Mushroom Risotto you like so much we got from survivalbased.com (10% off foodstuffs coupon code Prepper1). David asked looking around for a suitable spot to set up his Silverfire Scout stove. (Coupon code Prepper1 for a few bucks off and free shipping)

  David had his big Silverfire Hunter model rocket stove with him for cooking the big meals but the small lightweight scout couldn’t be beat for a quick dish or heating water to reconstitute dehydrated or freeze dried food.

  Just gather up a few thumb size sticks. Throw in a cotton ball dunked in a bit of Vaseline and that’s pretty much it to make a fuel efficient basically smokeless fire.

  “I am not all that hungry at the moment but I could eat if you want to now or we can keep waiting for a bit longer. I hate just sitting here; I am up for going scouting for that river road we were talking about. There has to be some access to a boat launch or a landing around here somewhere close.” Julie said standing up and stretching after sitting in one place so long.

  I agree, hey hang on a minute I think I hear something.” David said looking towards the long driveway into the plantation and listening intently.

  “Sounds like a tractor or something heading our way.” Julie said looking off in the distance and then pointing off in the distance as a dust cloud appeared and pickup truck leading a tractor began to appear in the distance.

  “Well lookie here, the cavalry has finally arrived! Glad we sat here and waited so long.” David said as he and Julie walked towards the driveway waving a hand in greeting.

  “Somebody’s parked over there at my house Clem. That must be that feller David that Crick said was coming. “Bertha said pointing towards the two waving figures.

  “I reckon it is; now we get to finally meet that feller.” Clem said honking his horn and waving his arm out the window at the couple.

  “What in the hell kind of tractor is that?” David said as the odd paddle wheeled tractor came into view and began honking its own horn.

  “I bet it’s some kind of Crick contraption he built specific for the rescue but I never seen one like it before. Do you think it is steam powered?” Julie said trying to get a better look at it by walking off to the side a little and thinking it resembled a old paddle wheel boat on the Mississippi river.

  “No its gas or diesel powered. I think that’s what they used to call a swamp tractor or a rice field tractor. I have seen something similar to it working in a rice paddy in Louisiana one time. Some folks use them on farms and other people use something similar to go after Cyprus logs in the bayous.” David said as he got a better look at it as it got closer.

  “Hot damn there is Loomis; I recognize that cowboy hat of his. Hey Loomis!” Julie called looking at the packed cab of the truck as it turned into the driveway. Loomis was squished up against the passenger side, Bertha was in the middle and poor skinny Clem looked like he woul
d ooze out the driver side window with all that weight leaning against him.

  The vehicles pulled in the driveway and parked and everybody bailed out all at once in happy meet and greet,

  “Hot damn David you made it! Hey Julie girl, it is great to see you!” Crick said getting ahead of the pack to shake hands with David and hug Julie.

  “Mr. Loomis I presume?’” David said with a laugh doing a Stanley Livingston in Africa interpretation as he greeted the familiar horseman.

  “Look who we got with us Loomis said indicating ---Beauregard and Ben who beamed smiles and said their greetings ecstatically that the prepper clan was shaping up well for the rescue.

  “This here is Clem, Bertha and Rossy Ross.´ Crick said introducing the plantations caretakers.

  After a brief conversation about how was David and Julie’s trip down here and that Cricks house was still standing last time they saw it, Bertha finally invited everyone to move inside her home to get out of the noon day sun.

  “Hey Crick does anyone else live here? Me and Julie saw someone running out of the chicken coop a few hours ago.” David said as he followed Bertha and Clem into the house.

  A puzzled look came over Crick as he looked toward an equally puzzled Clem and Bertha frowned.

  “You think your Maw snuck back here Rossy?” Bertha inquired.

  “What did they look like?” Clem asked and shook his head in bewilderment who that might have been after the sparse description that Julie and David gave in response.

  “Don’t sound nothing like my Maw but I will go see if I can spot them here about.” Rossy Ross said

  “I will go check on my chickens. You all excuse me. You can entertain the guests for a might Clem, I can’t imagine who that might have been if they just run off like that.” Bertha said skeptically and headed towards the backdoor with Rossy following

  “You be careful now Rossy Ross, you don’t take no unnecessary risks now you here me?” Clem called after them.

  “I won’t, I got my 20 gauge handy if the varmint wants to object about me following them and asking what it was they were doing here abouts.” Rossy called back and then followed Bertha out the rusty screen door.

  “That girl could probably track a possum up a tree but she sometimes doesn’t have too much walking around sense when it comes to dealing with strangers in the modern world.” Clem said and then asked if anyone wanted some cool tea from the stoneware crock Martha had sitting on the kitchen counter wrapped in a damp cloth.

  After everyone settled into their seats, talk soon turned to what survival gear David had brought with him and how the people on the island were faring with their various kits and gear they had been using.

  David explained about his fish nets and trot lines he had brought with him and his thoughts on how they needed to basically set up a commercial fishing venture to try and sustain the prepper survivors. Everyone thought the plan would work because we were not dealing with your normal group of refugees. As a whole the preppers had the number one skill they needed to survive and that was the willingness to face adversity and persevere. They were alive because they had the will to live and had the spirit and skills to see themselves through this disaster as a capable and pretty cohesive community.

  The conversation paused abruptly as the voice of Rossy was heard calling from behind the house and for everyone to come a running.

  .

  6

  CAPTIVE AUDIENCE

  “Hey Bertha I need some help here! Hey Clem you all come outside right now and see! I got myself a prisoner out here!” Rossy Ross yelled out.

  “What the hell? Who you think she has out their Bertha?” Clem said rising and hurrying towards the backdoor shotgun in hand. It only took but a moment of confusion for everyone to start tripping over each other all hurrying after him and trying to get out the backdoor all at the same time to see what in the world was going on.

  The spectacle they beheld was very strange one indeed. Rossy had some poor disheveled and dirty skinny middle aged man that looked the worst for wear backed up against the barn and looking at them fearfully as Rossy Ross kept her .shotgun trained on him.

  “Who you got over there as a prisoner Rossy Ross? Who in the world are you stranger?” Clem said eying the grimy bearded fellow in threadbare clothes.

  “He says his name is Will Perkins but you ought to just call him plain old thief. Do you know that son of a bitch broke into my house and tore up my door? I tracked his sorry ass from your chicken coop and when I noticed he was heading towards my house I took the shortcut and cut him off trying to leave my driveway. Evidently he had already broken into my place before he found his way over here. Ain`t that right Piss Willie?” Rossy snarled at him.

  Evidently the new nickname Ross had pot on him was pretty apt as the poor soul evidently had peed his pants by the wet spot that appeared on the front of his jeans.

  “Don’t eat me!” the pitiful soul squeaked.

  “I done told you ain`t nobody eating anybody a hundred times you crazy old coot!” Rossy scolded in his direction.

  “That don’t mean we won’t hang you for being a dirty lowdown burglar though”. Rossy snarled.

  “Now child quit scaring that man. He looks like he is scared of his own shadow and probably just wanted something to eat. Lower your gun a bit Rossy Ross and let’s hear his story before we decides what to do with him,” Bertha advised.

  “I kind of like the hanging suggestion.” Clem said wanting to bedevil the man further for his alleged crimes and misdemeanors.

  “Now you hush yourself too Clem. It seems to me that you have been caught with your hand in the cookie jar before after thinking foolishly that you just couldn’t live without something.” Bertha chided.

  “Now Mr. Will you need to explain yourself better and I don’t want to be hearing no lies. You tell me the truth now, what were you doing sneaking around my chickens and breaking in Rossy Ross’s house?” Bertha said scrutinizing the man further.

  “I am sorry, please folks believe me I am very very sorry. I told Rossy how sorry I was, I didn’t know anyone was living in that old house I broke in to and I didn’t even steal anything but a few cans of food. I wouldn’t even have done that if I hadn’t been starving to death. I ain`t ate nothing in three days and the last thing I had before that was a can of carrots.” Will said like he was about to cry.

  “Well son I guess we can overlook a whole bunch of misguided judgments maybe if you are actually in such dire straits but what are you doing around here on Mc Cloud property anyway? You don’t look like you are from any parts around here” Bertha declared.

  “Can I have some water? I am about to fall out.” Will pleaded.

  “Sure. One of you all goes get the man a drink of water. Better yet, stranger you go sit up on the back porch stoop and finish telling your story. My mule doesn’t take to strangers and its best for all of us if we move away from the barn. Bertha said and waved the interloper along towards the house.

  Will drank a glass of water down so fast he had to get rid of a coughing fit before he could carry on with the rest of his story. Julie handed him another glass of water and cautioned him to take it easy and sip this one or he would make himself sick.

  “Ah yes, thank you for your kindness. Like I said I am terribly sorry to have caused so much trouble for you all. I am basically what I used to call an honest man but these troubling times have me doing things I thought I would never consider.” Will began before Rossy reminded him the worst thing he could have possibly considered was breaking into her house.

  She just fumed a bit when Clem told her to hush up and let the man get on with his story about what he was doing around these parts.

  “That’s a tale of woe and misery my friend that I hate to repeat seeing how you all think so badly of me already.” Will said.

  “I can’t see myself thinking any worse of you than I already do!” Rossy said before a warning look from Bertha quelled any further out bursts from her un
til Will finished his story.

  A greatly deflated and miserable Will carried on with his story and told them that he was living in an apartment outside of Birmingham when all the trouble started and after about three days had gone by he went out looking for water and food.

  The military and police he said were riding around telling everyone they needed to stay in their homes and observe the curfew imposed by the governor and that he had heeded that advice as long as he could. He explained that was all well and good that they were telling him to stay at home but he didn’t have the means to stay in his place and not venture out because he was already out of water and the few liters of soda he had been drinking off of were about gone. He had to have him some supplies so he ventured out.

  The pool in the apartment complex had been drained for the winter and now only contained some greenish slime laden dubious water so he was in a quandary as to what to do before he was blessed by a rainstorm and he and the other residents in the community spread out every pot, pan and container they had out to catch the bounty. That thunderstorm had helped out immensely and he had gathered several gallons of water and stored it as best he could.