by Mark Goodwin
Kate watched for a moment. “It went behind a tree.”
“That’s okay. She’ll be back. Do you have a shot for the one in the center?”
“No.” A small shrub obscured her view. “But if we shoot the does, won’t we endanger the population?”
“It’s the apocalypse. All game animals will be hunted to within a hair’s breadth of extinction. But, it will eventually come back into balance.”
Kate waited for one of the does to reappear. “How do you figure?”
“A few of each species will retreat deep into the mountains, where humans have rarely set foot. They’ll reproduce and begin to trickle back into the rest of the country after we’ve been thinned out to where humans aren’t such a threat.”
“Thinned out?”
“Kate, most of the country isn’t going to survive this thing. I’d imagine half the population will be wiped out before winter is over. By this time next year, we could be looking at an eighty-to-ninety percent die-off.”
Kate considered the grim reality and held the AK steady. “I see her butt.”
“Just wait. As long as nothing spooks them, you’ll get a shot.” Scott kept his rifle trained on the doe to the right.
“Why do you think so many people will die?”
“Thanks to you, we took quick action to stock up before the lights went out. Most people didn’t seize that opportunity. And thanks to Pritchard’s stock-pot-and-wooden-spoon church bell, we were able to come together as a community. We have water and we have plenty of space to farm in the spring. We’ve been given a fighting chance. But the people in the cities, they have little to no resources. No clean water in most instances. Very little farmable land. Some will try to flee the cities, but if they have nowhere to go, the elements will kill them.
“Unfortunately, the monsters will thrive. They’ll be a big part of the die off. Without the thin blue line to keep them in check, they’ll grow more aggressive, more violent, and more dangerous with each passing day.”
“Monsters?”
“Yeah, monsters. We used to call them bad people, but they’ll morph into a completely different sub-species. People like the Badger Creek Gang, they’ll get so mean that they’ll no longer qualify as human beings.”
A chill shot up Kate’s spine. “The ones you locked up, they all got out?”
“I’m afraid so. But don’t worry about them. We’re stronger than they are, and if they come, we’ll be ready.”
Kate took some solace in Scott’s words. “Thanks. I see another deer. I think it’s the buck!”
“Can you hit it?”
“I think so.”
“I’m still going to try to hit this doe. We’ve got a lot of people to feed. Take up the slack in your trigger and squeeze on three.”
“Got it!”
Scott started the count. “One…two…three!”
Bang, Bang!
Kate watched the buck leap then take off. He ran for a few feet, then dropped suddenly. “I think I got him!”
“I dropped mine also. Good job!” Scott picked up the walkie. “Don, are you listening?”
“Yeah, did you get it?”
“Yep. Kate took a big ol’ buck. Can you cover my position until ten o’clock tonight?”
“If you save me a tenderloin.”
“Sure thing. And maybe we can have one of the hams roasted by the time church is out tomorrow. Stop by Jack’s on your way down the hill. Tell him I’m going to need some help cleaning these animals.” Scott stood up from the overwatch shelter. “We’re blessed to have you as part of the community, Kate. I thank God that He sent you when He did.”
“I’m the one who’s blessed. If we’d stayed in Atlanta, we’d have all been dead by now.”
CHAPTER 9
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
2 Samuel 1:27
One week after the locusts took down the power grid, Kate awoke to the distant sound of gunfire early Wednesday morning. Kate grabbed her AK-47, and with her sweatpants still on, stepped into her hiking boots, which she kept near the bed. She snatched the radio from her bedside table on the way out the door. She switched it on and pressed the talk key while bounding down the stairs. “What’s happening?”
Pritchard was on the graveyard shift at the checkpoint. “They’s shootin’ over at the McDowell place.”
“How did they get past the gate?”
“Devil if I know. Filthy vermin probably sneaked in through the woods. Just get over there as quick as you can!”
Another voice came over the radio. “This is Don, keep one person on the checkpoint and one on overwatch. This could be a diversion to get a larger force through the gate. Everyone else, meet me at the Peterson’s place across from Scott’s house.”
Gavin stepped out of his room, eyes wide as saucers and wearing his tactical vest.
“Did you hear that?” Kate looked down to see that he’d managed to get his boots on but still wore his boxer shorts.
Gavin’s hair was going in every direction. “Yeah.”
“Are you going to fight like that?”
He looked down, then back up. “Yeah.”
“Let’s go!” Kate opened the door and clicked on the flashlight attached to the barrel of her AK-47 with two small C-clamps.
“Aunt Kate! Wait for me!” Sam came out of his room, more dressed than Gavin, with his AK in his hand.
“Get your sister and keep an eye on the house.”
“But Aunt Kate!”
She looked up to see Vicky standing at the top of the stairs with her rifle. “This is important, Sam. We don’t know how many people are here and what they’re up to. You and Vicky have to guard the supplies.”
“Okay, we’ll defend the house,” Sam said.
Kate rushed out the door and down the yard, walking beside the driveway so as not to make noise by tromping through the gravel.
Gavin stayed close to her side, pacing his breath. “I should have put on some pants.”
More gunshots rang out from the direction of Scott’s house and the two of them continued running toward the danger.
“Too late for that now.” She saw Pritchard along with Corey and Annie Cobb standing with guns ready at the end of the Peterson’s driveway. She sprinted toward them. “Don’s still not here?”
Corey pointed at the house. “Jack and Don went inside the house. They told us to keep watch out here, in case any intruders tried to get away.”
“What about the back of the house? Is anyone watching that?” Gavin inquired.
“Not that we know of,” Annie replied.
“But don’t just shoot anything that moves,” Corey added. “Obviously, Scott will be trying to get Amanda and David out of there.”
“Got it.” Kate followed Gavin to the rear of the house. More shots were fired in the house. They tucked low to avoid stray bullets.
A man clothed in all black jetted out the back door toward the tree line.
“He’s not on our side.” Kate leveled her rifle and let the front sight of her AK lead the fleeing culprit. POW!
Gavin’s rifle barked out two more shots.
Suddenly, rifle fire came out the back door. Bullets whizzed by Kate’s head. She knelt behind a tree. “They’re spraying cover fire.”
Gavin lay prone on the ground and peeked around the side of the tree. “We can’t let them get away, or we’ll have to fight them again.”
Kate warned, “Don’t take a shot until they’ve cleared the porch. Otherwise, we risk a bullet going into the house and killing Scott, Don, or Jack.
Gavin growled with his teeth set tightly against each other. “That gives us a short window. They’ve only got about a twenty-foot sprint to the cover of the woods.”
“Okay, let them think it’s safe to go and open up when they run.” Kate readied her rifle for the final assault.
More gunfire echoed from inside the house.
“There they go!” Gavin fired five round
s.
Kate spun around from behind the tree and let her AK-47 rip through rounds as fast as she could pull the trigger. “I dropped one of them!”
A muzzle flashed from the ground near the tree line. POP, POP, POP!
Gavin grabbed Kate and pulled her behind the tree. “He’s not dead yet.”
“Nothing is as dangerous as a wounded animal. I have to finish him off.” Kate changed magazines, took a deep breath, then used her rifle to pound the area where she’d seen the muzzle flash.
“You hit him. A few times.” Gavin put his hand on her back.
Kate waited for a while to see if other hostiles would try to retreat. She listened for more gunfire from inside the house. She picked up the radio. “Don, are you guys okay in there? Do you need us to come in?”
Moments later, his voice came back. “Not yet. Jack and I are clearing the house. Once that’s done, I’ll need you and Annie to come in here.”
“10-4.” She looked at Gavin curiously.
Jack’s voice sounded solemn when he finally spoke over the radio. “The house is clear. Mr. Pritchard, head on back down to the checkpoint in case of further attacks. Corey, stand guard outside. Send anyone else that shows up down to the checkpoint. Kate, Annie, we could use your help in here.”
Gavin put his hand on her shoulder. “Do you want me to come in with you?”
She shook her head. “No. Go tell Sam and Vicky that the threat has passed for now.”
“Okay, I’ll be back.”
She looked at his muscular legs and fought a grin. “Put some pants on while you’re up there.”
“Yeah, I was going to.” He turned to go up the hill. “But thanks for reminding me.”
Kate met Annie at the front porch and the two of them walked into the house.
Don met them inside the door. “Scott is dead. Looks like it was some of Lloyd Graves’ boys. Most likely some kind of vendetta for Scott locking him up.”
Kate knew that name too well. “The Badger Creek Gang?” She looked around at the four dead bodies lying on the living room floor. “Is that who these people were?”
Don picked up a Glock sitting too close to the hand of one of the corpses. “That’s what Jack seems to think.”
“Are any of them Lloyd?” she asked.
“Jack said Lloyd is not one of the dead. Three or four other hostiles cut out when Jack and I came through the front door. Scott took out a few before he died. Amanda shot one of them. David killed another. One of them got the drop on Amanda, grabbed her from behind and was using her for a shield. Made David drop his gun. Then, one of them held a gun on David while the other two started tearing Amanda’s nightgown off of her. David went wild when they tried that and the one with the gun pistol whipped him pretty good. That’s about the time when we came in.”
Kate shuddered. “You got here before they…”
“Yeah.” Don looked at another corpse on the floor. “But she's shaken up. I think she’d feel more comfortable being consoled by females, considering what she’s just endured.”
Kate leaned her rifle by the door. Annie did the same. Kate took a deep breath and readied herself for the difficult task at hand. She knew death, was well-acquainted with deep personal loss, and understood, perhaps better than anyone, what it was like to see a loved one taken so violently. She walked into the bedroom. Jack held fifteen-year-old David in his arms. David’s anguished moans were of sorrow mixed with wrath. Kate turned to see Amanda wrapped in a blanket, sitting in a corner. Kate took a seat by her and slowly put her arm around the sobbing woman.
Amanda stared longingly at the body of Scott lying on the floor. Someone, Jack probably, had pulled a sheet over Scott, covering his face. Nevertheless, Kate knew it to be him, simply from the way his bereaved widow looked at the motionless mass beneath the pure white sheet with the dark crimson stain.
Kate looked up at Annie. “Could you bring us a glass of water?”
Annie left the room to fulfill the request.
Kate pulled Amanda closer. “Scott was a wonderful person. The whole community will miss him. Not like you and David, but we’ll miss him. It’s hard to imagine now, but you’ll get through this. Do you feel like getting cleaned up?”
Amanda’s eyes shifted around the room, looking at the corpses strewn about the floor. She shook her head.
Annie came back into the room. She gave the water to Amanda who took a small sip. “I’m a nurse. I’d be happy to take a look at you… or David if either of you has any injuries.”
Without speaking, Amanda shook her head again and gave the glass to Kate.
Kate took the water and set it on the nightstand. “After we were attacked, I remember not feeling safe in my own home. That feeling has passed, but it was very difficult for the first few days. Would you and David feel more comfortable coming up to my place for a day or two? We’ll make sure Scott is taken care of.”
Amanda seemed lost for a moment. Kate wasn’t sure if she was processing the offer or if she’d drifted off to a faraway place. Seconds later Amanda looked Kate in the eyes and nodded.
Kate slowly stood up. “Okay. Let’s pack a bag for you, get dressed and head on up to my place. David, do you want to pack some of your things? You and your mom are spending what’s left of the night at my house.”
He shook his head. He’d stopped bawling, but his eyes were as red as a raging bull’s. “I’m not leaving my dad.”
Kate hated to speak about such a sensitive matter, but she’d been forced to deal with the same reality for herself, her niece, and her nephew. “David, I don’t want to sound cold, but your father is gone. He was a good man who loved God. He’s with Jesus now. He doesn’t need you. However, your mother is still here and she does.”
David looked at Amanda. Tears began to flow again. “I’m sorry, Mama. I wanted to stop them but…”
Amanda resumed crying also. She opened her arms to her son. The two of them embraced for a long while.
Jack tapped Kate gently on the shoulder. “Let’s give them some space for a moment.”
Kate quietly dismissed herself and followed Jack and Annie into the living room.
Annie walked toward the door. “David has some serious lacerations on his lip and forehead. Probably not life-threatening, but he could use some stitches. I have some Steri-Strips and sutures up at the house.”
Kate looked at Don. “Will you go with her? She probably shouldn’t be walking around out there by herself. We don’t know where the other thugs could be.”
“Sure.” Don shouldered his AR-15 and followed Annie.
“Annie, come on up to my cabin after you collect your supplies.” Kate locked the door behind them.
Two hours later, a thin vermillion glow began beyond the mountains, breaking the absolute darkness of the sky. Kate poured another cup of hot tea into Amanda’s cup and sat down next to her. “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have my bed.”
“I couldn’t take your bed.”
“I insist.” Kate put her hand on Amanda’s.
“You’re very kind, Kate.”
David emerged from the downstairs bathroom, wearing his pajamas. His face was badly injured. Two Steri-Strips held together a long gash on his forehead and three stitches mended the deep cut on his lower lip.
Vicky jumped down from the counter. “David can sleep in my bed.”
“That’s very kind,” said Kate. “Where will you sleep?”
“In my sleeping bag, on the floor.”
“What floor?”
“My floor,” Vicky said innocently.
“How about you sleep on the living room floor, next to me.” Kate’s smile indicated that it was more of an order than a recommendation.
David stood behind Amanda with his hands on her shoulders. “Thank you for the offer, Vicky. But if I could just borrow your sleeping bag, you can keep your bed. I’d like to sleep in the room with my mom, if that’s okay.”
“Oh, sure. I’ll go get it. I’ll put it in the
room with your mom’s bed.” Vicky scampered up the stairs.
Amanda put her arm across her chest and took her son’s hand. “All the emotion has drained me. Kate, if you don’t mind. I think we’ll turn in.”
Kate stood up. “Sure. I’ll be down here if you need anything.”
“Thanks again. Good night.” With eyes full of sadness, Amanda looked pitiful. David walked up the stairs, his arm around his grieving mother.
Vicky came down as they were going up. “Good night, David. I’m really sorry for your loss. I know it sounds cliché, but I really do know how bad you’re hurting.”
David paused, his battered face in bitter sorrow. “I know you do, Vicky. Thanks for everything.”
Vicky pulled up a stool at the counter next to Kate.
A short knock on the door preceded Pritchard’s entrance.
“Come in,” said Kate, after Pritchard had already let himself in.
Don and Jack trailed in behind him, both looking somber.
“Isn’t Gavin with you?” Kate felt concerned.
“Don’t you fret. The boy’s down yonder with them Cobbs. They’s cleanin’ the place up a mite. We got them bodies drugged out of the house. Ain’t got enough gasoline to set ‘em a fire like we did that last bunch. They’ll have to sit ‘til we can stoke up a good brush fire in the mornin’. I don’t reckon they’ll fester much bein as cold as it is and all.”
Kate wrinkled her nose at Pritchard’s uncanny ability to make the gruesome sound even less palatable. She turned to Don. “Did you see where they came from?”
“Jack and I are going to track their path once the sun is fully up. I’m guessing they came through Laurel Ridge, on the other side of the mountain.”
“From the top of the mountain? Scott’s house was near the bottom of the hill. They would’ve had to pick their way through all that timber. Nobody saw anyone with flashlights?” Kate held her teacup in her hand.
“They could’ve had night vision.” Jack put his weight against the counter.
“Like in the movies?” Vicky leaned forward in anticipation of his reply.
