Prepper's Crucible (Omnibus, Volumes 1-3): A Post Apocalyptic Tale (Preppers Crucible)

by Bobby Andrews

  “Should we get out the pot?” Mary asked.

  “No, we can just cook them in the can,” Bud replied. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and ignited some twigs, which he then covered with larger thumb-sized branches. He set the two cans carefully on top of the fire so they sat level and would not tip over. He let the cans warm for five minutes, stirring them a couple times. Satisfied that the stew was hot, he got a pair of pliers from his ATV, pulled the cans out, and poured the stew into a large bowl. They each got a spoon and bottle of water, then leaned against ED’s ATV while taking turns dipping their spoons into the large bowl.

  “We’re down to swapping spit now?” Ed joked.

  “It just saves a bit of time and water. We only have one bowl to clean,” Bud replied, somewhat defensively.

  “What are we going to do if the ATV won’t start or we have a breakdown?” Ann asked again. She was clearly anxious.

  “We ditch everything except weapons, food and water, and we ride the rest of the way together,” Ed replied. He threw his arm around her and hugged her tightly. “Don’t worry,” he said. “Chances are it will start and we’ll get to Prescott. If not, we adapt and overcome. I promise you that, no matter what, we are going to get there, we are going to survive, and eventually we will thrive.” He kissed her forehead and added, “even if we have to walk, we will be fine. It will take longer and we might get a bit hungry, but we have our packs and weapons, so we will get by.”

  “Yeah, it’s gonna be fine,” Bud added. Both men knew that losing an ATV would be a real setback and would pose a difficult problem. But, there was no point in letting the women worry when that wouldn’t change anything, so they put the best face on it they could and tried to reassure them.

  After they finished eating, Ed said, “let’s check and see if Mr. Murphy is still in the neighborhood.” He went to the ATV, touched the radiator once, and spun the top open. “Hand me a bottle of water, would you?” Ed passed it to him and he poured it through the opening.

  “Need another one?”

  “Yep.” Six bottles of water later the radiator was full. Ed sat in the driver’s seat and started the ATV with no problem.

  “Mr. Murphy must have gone on vacation,” Bud said.

  “Don’t worry. He’ll get back to work before too long,” Ed replied, laughing.

  “Let’s slow down the pace until we see if your ATV overheats again. How about we keep it to fifteen for the first half hour or so?”

  “Probably not a bad idea,” Ed replied. “When we get to the steep climb, we’ll know for sure if the problem hasn’t gone away. That’s when the real stress will hit the engine.”

  “How are you doing on gas?”

  “I still have three-quarters.”

  “Same here.”

  “Good thing these things sip gas. I didn’t think of the possibility we could run out on the trip.”

  “Me either,” Ed confessed.

  “We got the site cleaned up,” Mary said as she approached the men. She put the empty stew cans in the cooler and said, “we don’t want to leave a mess behind.”

  “Are you and Ann ready to go?” Bud asked.

  “Just one minute.” She poured some water in the stew bowl, cleaned it with a paper towel, and placed it in the cooler as well.

  “Ready,” she said.

  “Where’s Ann,” Ed asked.

  “She’ll be here in a minute,” Mary replied. Ann came out of a stand of bushes and took her place next to Ed. Mary got seated in her ATV and said, “let’s get a move on. I want to get this over with and sleep in a bed ASAP.”

  “A-men,” Ann replied. The group departed with Ed in the lead. Bud trailed in the event that Ed’s ATV suffered another breakdown. The first fifteen minutes went without incident. Ed’s ATV ran without the temperature gauge rising. Stopping on a hilltop, Ed and Bud examined the terrain ahead through their binoculars. Seeing nothing unusual, they started down the hill and entered a flat meadow, where they were able to increase their speed to 25 miles an hour. They were now entering a series of switchbacks, ascending at roughly a ten-degree angle. They wound through the trees on either side of the trail until they reached another hilltop and stopped, side-by-side, to examine the trail ahead with their binoculars. About a mile ahead, they noted yet another ascent, this one at a slightly steeper angle than the switchbacks they just passed through.

  “Look to your one o’clock,” Bud said. “You see that guy on horseback entering the main trail from the right?”

  “What the hell is he doing here?” Ed replied.

  “Looks like he might be a park ranger. He’s wearing some kind of uniform.”

  “Yeah,” Ed said slowly, peering more intently through his binoculars. “I think he is a ranger.”

  “You see the rifle scabbard?”

  “Yep. It looks like it might be a lever action. He’s wearing a pistol, too.”

  “I say we sit here and let him come up on us. I don’t want to come around a corner someplace and startle him.”

  “Yeah, I agree. But, we stay armed. Nobody is taking my weapons for any reason and if he starts something, I am not about to lie down just because he’s wearing a uniform.”

  “I don’t think he’ll try anything. It looks like he’s just inspecting the trails,” Ed replied.

  “Yeah,” Ann said. “Don’t get all ninja. The guy is just doing his job and of course he is armed. Who would be out here without having a weapon?”

  “I wonder how long he’s been out here?” Mary said.

  “If he started from the northern trailhead, it must be a few days anyway,” Bud speculated. “He may not even know what’s happened if he doesn’t have a radio with him.”

  “Well, we’ll find out in about ten minutes.”

  They all got out of the ATVs and used the stop to stretch, get water, and watch the horse and rider slowly grow larger until the ranger stopped about twenty feet away and said, “this trail isn’t approved for ATV’s. What are you doing here?” He looked to be around forty years old and his face was weather-beaten from exposure to the sun. His horse was a large mare, and his saddlebags appeared to be full.

  “We are on our way to a ranch in Prescott,” Bud replied.

  “That’s fine, but you had to pass at least three signs that say this trail is not approved for ATVs. So, why did you ignore those signs? You think the law doesn’t apply to you?” He was clearly getting angry that they were on the trail.

  “Can I ask you if you heard any news in the last few days?” Bud asked.

  “I haven’t heard anything. I’ve been on these trails for three days. I have my duty radio, but nobody has come on to report in for two days, which is unusual. I think it’s broken, because all I can get is static.” Bud and Ed looked at each other.

  “I don’t quite know how to tell you this, but the world has changed in the last two days. The Vice President was on the radio last night and he reported there is no power, communications, or transportation anywhere in the country. Somebody hit us with an EMP, and we are using this trail to get to the ranch because chances of making it on the highway are slim. The country is descending into anarchy.”

  “Whoa,” the ranger said. “Slow down and start from the beginning.” Ed and Bud took turns explaining what had happened and how they had already encountered potentially violent situations. When they finished explaining what the Vice President had said during his speech, he stared at them in disbelief.

  “Do you still have that radio with you?”

  “It’s in my pack.”

  “Why don’t you pull it out and show it to me. But do it slowly.” His hand moved to rest on his pistol.”

  “I know this is hard to believe, but we are telling the truth,” Bud said. “They are supposed to rebroadcast the speech every half hour, so we can just wait for the next broadcast, and you can see for yourself that we aren’t lying.”

  “I never said you were.”

  “All right. Let me get the radio and fo
r God’s sake, don’t shoot me. I’ll bring the pack over here so you can see I am not going for a weapon.”

  “That will be fine. Go ahead.” Ed, Ann, and Mary stood beside the ATVs and watched the ranger carefully. Bud returned with the pack and cautiously removed the radio. He showed it to the ranger, who nodded for Bud to continue. Bud switched it on and handed it to the ranger, who dismounted and set the radio on the hood of the ATV.

  “If they are broadcasting on the half hour, we got about a five minute wait,” Ed said. “Let’s find some shade.

  “Okay,” the ranger replied. “Let’s get under that tree. What are your names, by the way?

  ”I’m Ed. This is my wife, Ann. His name is Bud, and this is Bud’s wife, Mary.”

  “Do you have any I.D.?”

  “Sure,” Bud replied, reaching for his wallet and extracting his driver’s license before handing it to the ranger. The others followed suit and the ranger carefully examined each license before handing them back

  “Thank you,” he said. “At least I know you are from Phoenix. That part of the story is true.”

  “Of course it is,” Ed replied, a note of exasperation creeping into his voice.

  “No need to get huffy. I’m just doing my job. When I encounter four armed people in a remote area, I would be foolish to not take precautions.” Ed was about to answer, when the radio came to life, and the vice president was again introduced. The speech was identical, but also contained a plea for people to stay home, and for the looting and rioting to cease. The ranger stared at the radio in disbelief, his face growing more concerned as the speech went on. When it was over, he turned to the group and said, “okay, take me through the EMP thing again.”

  “Try to think of it as a giant short circuit that travels on air waves and destroys everything that has electronic components,” Ed explained.

  “You said earlier we got nuked. Right?”

  “Most likely,” Bud replied.

  “You know who did it?”

  “Doesn’t really matter. The fact is we are up the creek without a paddle. From now on we all better think more about getting through the day than worrying about who is responsible,” Ed said.

  “Are you married?” Mary asked the ranger.

  “Yes, two kids. Been married twelve years.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “Prescott Valley. We live just outside of town.”

  “You best get home and take care of the family,” Ann said.

  “I was going to finish inspecting the trail down to the southern end, and I was supposed to ride back in one of the pickups.”

  “Forget that,” Bud said. “Get home to your family. By the time you get to the trailhead, it’s going to be complete chaos and you probably wouldn’t make it back home.”

  “How long will it take to get power back?”

  “Nobody really knows. It’s never happened before, but my guess is several years.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  “No, it’s not. It’s probable. We’ve been studying and getting ready for this for four years. We aren’t scientists or anything, but we know a lot about it, and that’s our best guess,” Ed replied

  “You guys are preppers?”

  “We are,” Bud replied.

  “I used to think you guys were nuts.”

  “That’s very common. It’s a pretty misunderstood thing. We don’t prep because we know something is going to happen. We do it because we know that there are many threats out there, and any one of them could put us in jeopardy. Think about terrorism. Our intelligence services and law enforcement have to bat one hundred percent. They only have to miss once, and it could be game over. What do you think the odds are of being able to do that in the long term?” Ed stared at the ranger after falling silent.

  “Not good,” he admitted.

  “And that is only one of the threats. There are many more.”

  “Well, I guess you were right and I was wrong.”

  “It’s not a contest or a game. Believe me, we are all losers. There is no joy in being right.”

  “What’s your name?” Mary asked.

  “Cory.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Cory,” she replied. The group took turns shaking hands with the ranger and again introducing themselves.

  “How long do you think it will take you to get home?” Ann asked.

  “At least three days.”

  “Do you have enough food and water?”

  “Yes, this was supposed to be a six-day trip. I packed enough fo four more days, so I’m good.”

  “I wish we could offer you a ride,” Ann said. “But, as you can see, we have no room.”

  “That’s okay. Missy and I have done this trail a hundred times, going up and down. I wouldn’t leave her here no matter what. She’s a good horse.”

  “What can you tell us about the trail to the forest from here? We have never actually ridden it,” Ed asked.

  “Well it is pretty rugged and kinda peters out in three places. Each time it gets hard to follow, you have to head west a few hundred yards. It never picks up to the east because there are cliffs in that direction.”

  “Anything else you can tell us?”

  “There is a ranger tower and a small cabin about ten miles ahead. There are also a few streams and springs along the way. Do you have a map?”

  “Sure.” Ed got the forest service map and handed it to the ranger.

  “The fire tower and cabin are to the east of the trail around here.” His finger stabbed the map.

  “What about the streams and springs?”

  “The spring is here.” He pointed to the map. “That water is pure. You can drink it right from the spring.”

  “Are the streams clean?”

  “You have to filter that water. It might be clean, but I wouldn’t chance it.”

  “Do you think any areas are unpassable with ATVs?”

  “No, but there are a few rough spots here and there.” He pointed to the map twice. “You might have to slow way down there as they are vertical, and you could tip the ATVs. I would probably dismount in those areas and crawl up the hill, walking on the side of the vehicle and making sure you have the slant away from your side. That way, if it goes over, you won’t get crushed.”

  “How long are the stretches where you think we need to dismount and walk the ATVs up?” asked Ed.

  “Well, the first one is over a mile, and the second one is probably about the same.”

  “What sort of time do you think we can make?”

  “I don’t really know, but I am guessing it will take at least an hour on each pitch.”

  “Anything else?”

  “You could stay in the cabin tonight. It would take about three hours to get there.”

  “Does it have beds?” Ann asked.

  “Two singles. Not the most comfortable, but better than the ground.”

  “Oh my God! I have died and gone to heaven.”

  “Once you get to the cabin, the worst of it is over. After that, it levels off and you probably can get to Prescott in around four hours.”

  “We’ll definitely take you up on the offer of the cabin,” Bud said.

  “You paid for it,” Cory joked.

  “Can we have a moment to chat by ourselves?” Mary asked.

  “Sure,” he replied and moved off to tend to his horse. Mary called the group over and whispered, “we should ask him if we can do anything for him. He has helped us out and we should return the favor.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Bud asked.

  “We could leave an ATV for him at the trailhead.”

  “Whoa there,” Ed replied. “We need those ATVs. We can’t start picking up strays.”

  “Well, we could take one back from the ranch and leave it,” Ann said.

  “How do we get it back from him?” Ed asked.

  “Go pick it up at his house once he makes it back.” Ann replied, shrugging.

  “Give me a minute to thi
nk about this,” Ed said. “How about we just ask him what we could do to help out?”

  “Okay,” said Mary. “Do we all agree?” Three heads nodded in unison and they walked over to where he stood.

  “Cory,” Bud said. “You’ve been very kind to us and we are wondering if there is anything we can do for you?”

  “I’m fine,” he replied. “But I am worried about my wife and kids. That part in the speech about rioting got my attention. They are pretty much defenseless where they are.” He looked troubled as he spoke.

  “So, what can we do?”

  “I am not really sure. I guess I need a bit to think about it.” He paused for a moment, and then said, “any chance you can do something to look out for my family until I can get back?”

  “What did you have in mind.”

  “I don’t really know. I’m just worried about them.”

  “We could see about looking in on them or something like that. I can’t really promise you that, but I can tell you we will make every effort.”

  “That would be good. It would give me some peace of mind. I just realized it’s going to take me five days to get home. The three days I said earlier was to get off the trail. I still have another forty miles through the National Forest to get to my house.”

  “That’s going to leave you short of food,” Bud said.

  “I’ve been hungry before.”

  “We have a few MREs we can leave at the cabin for you.”

  “Thanks, I don’t like being hungry, but a person can go three weeks without food.”

  “You know the rule of three?’

  “Sure, you can go three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food. We all take survival courses as a part of our training.

  “I’m impressed, but let’s get back to what we can do to help. We could try to pick you up at the trailhead in three days and cut two days off your trip. You could take the ATV home, and we could come get it at your place when things settle down.”

  “What about Missy?”

  “Your horse?”

  “Yes.”

  “We could figure out a way to get her back to the ranch. She would have to stay there a day or so before we could get back to pick her up. There’s a lot of grass in the forest and many streams. She would be fine there for a day or two.”