Fall of the Cities: Planting the Orchard

by Vance Huxley

  * * *

  “Good morning Harry Corporal Miller.” Cyn kissed Harry long and soft, and cuddled in with a happy sigh.

  “Not morning yet, and it’s Harry in here.” Harry gave a happy sigh as well. The Donna Summer track had been the album version and went on and on. “Je t’aime” followed, then one breathy track after another that had drifted through his head and mixed with their own heavy breathing and happy sounds.

  “No. You’ll always be Harry Corporal Miller to me.” Cyn gave a little wriggle. “Though I still need to check what you wear in bed.” The giggle was silent and felt wonderful.

  “I might sleep walk and return the favour after this.”

  “Ooh, I wish you could.” Cyn sighed. “But there are five of us in there, and the others would be jealous. Well two would because Marcie and Nita have a key as well.” She sniggered. “Santos will be answering a mystery message in the next few days I think. Once Nita finally works up to it.”

  Cyn rolled partly over on top of Harry to look down at him with a serious face. “You must think we are sort of a bit loose.” She kissed Harry gently. “Luring you in here and such.” Cyn gave a little smile. “Marcie really is a loose woman I suppose, but not with freebies.”

  “Not really. Startled and really, really happy, but I didn’t exactly drag my feet.” Galloped happily towards her, Harry thought

  “Ah, but you’re a bloke.” Cyn gave a little smile. “The thing is, the world is going to hell. You three are really nice blokes compared to the assholes where we live. Lived, because the place will be stripped bare by now.” She gave Harry another little kiss. “We all decided that we wanted a really nice memory before you leave.”

  Cyn sighed. “Well actually Nita has gone a bit daft over Menzies. She’s got it bad. Marcie wants a bloke who treats her really gently and is truly sweet on her. I want the memory of a clean, decent bloke who I genuinely fancy. Something to last us through the shit, because the government can’t stop it now. Not until the oil is sorted and that might be too late.” She put an arm right over and round Harry. “Hold me tight Harry Corporal Miller. Give me nice memories.”

  “I won’t be forgetting this myself Cyn. Heh. A night of sin with Cyn.” Harry chuckled.

  “A whole night? Yes please. I’ll work on it.”

  “Oh yes. Though I’ll have to get back soon.”

  “No, not yet. The little electric alarm over there will tell us when, so you’re there for your good morning. Now the idea of this was to help you sleep.” Cyn kissed him gently. “So sleep, Harry Corporal Miller.” Harry slept and there were no dead faces waiting for him in dreams.

  * * *

  Three days later Menzies walked past Harry, gave a big smile and said “Broom cupboard? Sarge would go crackers.” Then carried on walking.

  Though neither of them were smiling after watching the news the next day. “Maybe it was the CIA, since they finally got around to Venezuela?”

  “Christ no. Surely they wouldn’t do that? The morning news said that cloud was once the third biggest refinery on the planet, and the explosion had registered as an earthquake.” Menzies looked grim. “The CIA might have done that I suppose, but not with the city next door. The fireball ate a third of it eventually. Not the CIA, for God’s sake.”

  “If it was they left it too late. The USA is on fire from one end to the other. No, I reckon it was just whoever organised the first lot finishing the job.” Harry thought a minute. “All right, not actually organised. Started, then stepped back and let the local nutcases finish the job. Hamas have been making sugar rockets for years and that’s all it needs, apparently, to burn a refinery. Or to screw up the repairs.”

  “The glories of the internet. There’ll be step by step instructions on there. I’m sorry for the Yanks and all that, but it leaves us really in the shit. No friendly tanker to fill up the national petrol tank now.” Menzies looked at Harry. “I’ve got to get Nita out of here.”

  “I’ll look into it, since I’m Sarge’s blue-eyed boy at the moment.” Though everyone was much too busy for five nights as the news re-ignited the riots. This time mornings didn’t bring relief and the riots continued well into daylight. The soldiers were dead on their feet by the time the streets quietened down again.

  * * *

  When the riots finally subsided the soldiers went back to raiding strongholds to help the police out. The first was a huge concrete tower block. Another six men didn’t come back though three of them should recover in hospital. The little force was being slowly whittled away.

  “Flash-bangs? They should have given us real grenades.” Menzies came very close to spitting.

  “It’s to do with Human Rights. I asked Sarge. We are not allowed to use explosives inside civilian structures with innocents present.” Harry tried to keep the disgust out of his voice.

  “The bloody gangsters or whatever use explosives and petrol bombs!” Menzies threw his hands up. “Then we’ve got rifles when they’re in our faces and can’t get the bloody barrel round fast enough.” Harry threw something onto Menzies’s bed, and the corporal stared at it. “Where did that come from? We’ll be in deep, deep shit if anyone sees that.”

  “We’ll be in good company. Nearly all the corporals and sergeants will be carrying one if we collect enough.” Harry threw two clips across to join the handgun. “Fifteen rounds a clip should give you breathing space. It’s up to you to keep it in working order. The damn thing will need cleaning for starters.” Harry gave a grim smile. “Luckily some of the assholes don’t know that so their weapons keep jamming. Work fast. We’ve got two days if we’re lucky, before the next one. So be ready.”

  “Christ, Harry. What’s happening?”

  “The world’s going mad, Menzies.” Harry sighed. “Worse than that, we can’t stop it. If the Army decide to send us someplace else, we can’t even save the girls.”

  “Christ Harry, we have to.” Menzies looked stricken. “I can make her a dependent. Put in to marry her.”

  “Nita?”

  “Yes. I’ll see Sarge.”

  “It won’t work. Apparently there’s been a lot of it and the Army has put a block on it. No permissions to marry until the emergency is over.” Harry had asked because Maynard was completely lovesick. He wanted to marry Marcie, and rescuing had nothing to do with it.

  “But if she’s a dependent? I’ll get her pregnant if I have to.” The last was a whisper.

  “Won’t help because Sarge gave me all the news. Fully, legally married and your wife gets married quarters. If you’ve already got a kid and the woman is registered as your next of kin, she gets married quarters. That’s already got a kid, Menzies, not bun in the oven.” Harry sighed. “We’ll have to watch Maynard or he’ll go AWOL.”

  Menzies muttered but Harry didn’t catch it. “What?”

  “I’m her first. Her first bloke. For fuck’s sake Harry, there has to be something.” Menzies had his head in his hands and couldn’t see Harry’s stunned face. Cyn had said Nita was working up to it and was daft about Menzies, but he hadn’t thought that meant losing her virginity. Christ!

  “Well you’d better bloody well stay alive then. Clean that damn thing and make sure you can use it.” Menzies looked up, startled. “How do you think she’ll feel if you end up in a body bag? Make some really nice memories for if that happens.” Harry shrugged, a bit uncomfortable at the next bit. “That’s what Cyn, Cynthia wants. Some good memories at least for when things get shitty.”

  “Christ. So you’ll just walk away with thanks for the memory?” Menzies wasn’t startled now, he was getting angry.

  “No, you daft bastard. If it would get her out I’d put her down as a dependent as well, but I can’t. Think, man, you could be dead next time round. Give her a lot of nice things to remember about her first bloke, and no moping and shit.” Harry thought hard. “Come on the next supply run and find her something, a keepsake. A brooch or frilly knickers, whatever.”

  “That’s looti
ng.”

  “That’s requisitioning. What do you think she’s wearing?” Harry stopped and gave a slow smile. “I’m damn glad someone lost what Cyn looted.”

  That certainly changed Menzies’s mood since he also gave a slow smile and took a trip down memory lane. Harry wondered briefly if some prostitute had left her undies here and they’d been shared round, then didn’t care. They weren’t Marcie’s because that Teddy wouldn’t have fitted Marcie like it had Cyn.

  On the next trip Harry had a fairly good idea what sort of keepsake Menzies got because he disappeared into a jewellery shop. One with massive steel shutters that hadn’t been looted which was impressive these days. Since there was someone still inside and no argument broke out, presumably Menzies bought the whatever.

  * * *

  “We, the Army, will go in the end. What will you all do then?”

  Cyn hugged closer. “I don’t know. We can’t go home, any of us.”

  “You could stay here? The Army has put up sandbags and fixed up the windows.” Harry wasn’t sure how much they’d help though.

  “No, this place is too near the airport. The rioters will come to loot that and include this place. They’ll think a hotel has booze.” It did, firmly under lock and key so the soldiers didn’t neck the lot and get disorderly. Cynthia was thinking hard. “We need an old library, or something like that. Maybe a church. Something solid enough so those bullets don’t come through the walls.” That was Harry’s fault, explaining that a high powered rifle would shoot through a brick wall.

  “I’ll keep my eye open, and ask the others. Will everyone want to go the same place?” It would be safer, probably, but Harry didn’t know how well they got on.

  “Probably. We weren’t really friends before but this has sort of pulled us together. It would be safer.” Cyn grinned. “Don’t check your rucksack, Harry Corporal Miller.”

  “Not until I find a broom cupboard.”

  “Now you’ve reminded me, why are we in here?” Harry could see the tip of her tongue in the low light.

  “You’ve forgotten? What can I do to remind you?”

  * * *

  “That’s a bloody library, and definitely not on our list.”

  “Shush, Tredwell, you’ll get all hot and bothered. My books are overdue? I need some midnight reading?” Harry smiled and headed up the steps to the solid stone building with the big wooden doors. It also had small windows with pointed tops where there had been an attempt to make it medieval.

  Tredwell was right behind. “You don’t need midnight reading according to rumour.” Harry whirled and Tredwell went back a step. “Christ man, what do you expect? One girl gives you bloody great smiles every time she sees you, and an extra egg or whatever. Half the blokes are sure you’re at it somewhere, and the where is driving them crazy.”

  “Why?”

  “Because more than one would make a run for one of those girls if there was somewhere private. From the bloody smiles you found one, you jammy bastard.” Tredwell was smiling. “Not me, I’ve got a wife and anyway, if I was you I sure as hell wouldn’t share.” The LC looked beyond Harry. “Now why a library?”

  That was said in a low tone and Harry looked past him to the puzzled men on the lorry. “Looking for a cookbook, lads. I fancied a Chinese for a change.” They laughed. Harry looked at Tredwell and spoke lower. “Come with me but we’ll leave a couple of men at the front, and put two round the back, right?”

  “Done.” Tredwell turned. “You two guard the back, you two guard the door, and the rest of you make sure nobody nicks the lorry. What sort of reading do you fancy?”

  “Cowboys.” “Sci-Fi.” “What you got?” “Any dragons?” “Military of course.” The last had a big grin.

  “The rest think about it, for when we check what’s in here.” Then he turned back to Harry and hefted his rifle. “After you corp.”

  Harry stopped just inside the door. “Quick thinking, and actually a good idea.”

  “If I ever have another idea, do I get another stripe?” Tredwell smiled. “I’m bored bloody stiff so yes, I’m going to requisition a book or two. Now why are you in here?”

  “I’m looking for a good strong place to leave the hotel staff when we get pulled out.” Harry watched the shock hit Tredwell, and then watched him rally. “Yes, do you want to leave them to what’s on the streets.”

  “So why here?”

  “Big stone walls. I told Cyn, er, Cynthia, that rifle bullets go through bricks so she wants stone walls if possible.”

  Tredwell’s eyes lit up. “Sin. You’ve got a girl called Sin?”

  “Her name is Cynthia to you and Cyn is a shortened version, OK?”

  Tredwell was trying not to laugh. “Yeah, no problem. Christ, I’d love to have that to drop out over a pint. Oh yes, I once had a bird called Sin. Does she sin?”

  “Shut it.”

  “Yes corp. So why are we in here? Oh, we’re in here for sin.”

  Harry had to laugh. “Yes we are. I want to check for gas, electric, toilets and suchlike. To see if they could all live here for a bit until it dies down.” Harry sighed. “It could be a while.”

  “How long? I’m a bloody mushroom as well and that sigh knows more than I do. Give.”

  Harry gave, and answered questions.

  * * *

  “The rumours among the men aren’t completely right but if anyone put them all together they point that way. Though not well enough for anyone to realise how bad it is.” Tredwell looked really worried now. “Shit, I’ve got to get back to the barracks. My missus is there, and two bloody kids.”

  “They’re safe enough there. It’s the ones who aren’t married who are in the shit and the Army aren’t allowing marriages just now. No more dependents, but this is all supposed to be kept quiet.”

  “Crap. I won’t say because some of those with serious girlfriends back home would go AWOL.” Tredwell looked round. “This place needs a couple of freezers, a generator, a couple of fridges and some decent furniture. Beds as well.”

  “What?”

  “If we tell the lads it’s hush-hush they’ll keep quiet. Especially if we let them sort out some books. Even more especially if we let them take more next time, to sell to the rest.” Tredwell looked at Harry with a big smile.

  “I doubt that will actually work, but why are you even trying?”

  “Because you mentioned not being able to get married or take dependents. That means you asked, Corporal Miller, so it matters to you. If we can we’ll fill the fridge and freezer, and throw a few cartons of beans in here.” Tredwell laughed. “Now I’ll be able to tell the lads over a pint back in quarters about this bloke who had a girlfriend called Sin. How he fitted up a Sin Palace.” Harry had to laugh as well.

  The two of them looked at the small room with a stove and sink, and the larger toilet area, and agreed this would do. Harry looked out the back window. “That’s a bonus.”

  Tredwell looked out of the window as well. “Too true, no neighbours and it’s a decent neighbourhood anyway. Those look like the playing fields for a school out there. Since next door is a church, the only neighbours are that little block of flats the other side and there’s the car parks in between.” The LC thought a moment. “Damn, I was thinking of fields of fire and suchlike and they won’t have guns. Though it will be easier to defend these narrow windows if they have to.”

  Harry realised he’d been thinking the same way. He scowled in disappointment and frustration. “Better still if they’re boarded up and everyone makes like a mouse for a while. The government will have to sort it out eventually.”

  “Still good enough?”

  “Good as we’ll get.” Harry sighed. “Now we need to square the lads.”

  Tredwell laughed. “Not a problem because I’ve been thinking about it as we looked round. This stripe means sod all authority so we learn to get things done willingly.” He looked around. “Would you be astounded to learn that the Army were leaving squads to kee
p an eye on things? Very quietly of course because we’re mushrooms so it’ll be a tiny rumour.”

  Harry looked at him and started to smile as Tredwell continued. “The men setting it up might think they’re the ones being left. They’ll want it nice, won’t they, though without telling some nosy officer.”

  “So what they put in here will be tucked away out of sight.” Harry’s smile grew. “I’m not playing cards with you, ever.”

  “Nobody does. Just to make sure the location stays secret, they get to sell a few books on. Then if this gets out the blokes are in deep shit for looting and selling stolen property.”

  The result over the next few weeks wasn’t luxurious, but it would be a good start. Not chairs and settees, but some mattresses and bedding were installed. One squaddie suggested solar panels in case the electric went, and a camping stove with a supply of gas canisters went in as well.

  The lorry was backed up to the door so nobody could see what went inside, but some of the boxes of books were carried round to the cab in plain view. All of them in fact since not many books were taken. Though that looked to the occasional spectator as if the Army were emptying the library. Since the place was boarded up and the door nailed shut when the squaddies left, and was still intact when they returned, nobody was very curious.

  * * *

  Sergeant Wilson looked at the boxes and then at Harry. “A TV and a video player?”

  “Yes Sarge. The shop was gutted but we dug these out. We thought the lads could watch videos to stop any more fights over cards.” Harry smiled and waited. One of the squaddies wanted a video player in the hideaway as they were calling it. Another had mentioned that one of those would be popular back at the hotel since the men still couldn’t watch live TV. Though rumours of the troubles both home and abroad were getting stronger and unrest was spreading.

  Sarge sighed. “I’ll ask in officer country. Where will you get the videos from?”