Joanie managed a thin smile as Patric stepped out of the 'van to attend the meeting in the main shower block. It was only fifty metres distant and he arrived to find the warden standing on a chair at the far end, with about twenty men warmly wrapped in anoraks and snow boots, awaiting developments. At 12.05am, the warden began.
‘Good afternoon, folks, thanks for coming. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Cliff Beaton, the site warden. I believe that you need to be brought up to date regarding our situation. I should start by stating that the national and local situation is extremely grave. Some of you will have seen the broadcast made by the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon, which outlined the desperate predicament in which we find ourselves. In short, the snow is here to stay for the immediate future – perhaps for up to two weeks – or more. Governmental infrastructure is quickly breaking down and it seems reasonable to assume that we are on our own. There will be no cavalry charging in to magically lift us out of here.’
The group of men listened in stunned silence.
‘To continue, let me sum up the situation on this campsite. There are twenty four motorhomes and caravans remaining on the site, including my deputy and myself. There are sixty people now camped out – twenty four men, twenty four women and twelve children under the age of sixteen years of age. Every outfit is now parked up and secured and I can only assume that you are taking individual precautions to protect yourselves. You will have noticed that the mains power is off. This is not a local but a national phenomenon. Power stations have been unable to cope with the enormous added demand and power cuts have started already. Didn’t take long, did it? Nevertheless, we have a large supply of Calor Gas and luckily it's propane, which continues to flow down to minus forty degrees C. However, please do not waste the gas. If you need to exchange cylinders, report to the reception and we’ll oblige – free of charge. For those of you with Gas Low systems – I have experience as a gas fitter and am confident that I can jury-rig an adaptor to provide a flow if and when you need it. Just let me know well in advance – I don’t want a call in the middle of the night, cos I won't be coming to the rescue until the morning!
Regarding this toilet block. It's brand spanking new and state of the art. It has its own diesel-fuelled generator which, as you can hear, is currently running and supplying heat and hot water to the complete facility. We have disconnected the flow to the other two blocks – so this is the only facility for hot showers and other ablutions. Later today I will be issuing a rota for all campers, which will prevent crowding and waiting. Please play the game and stick to the rota. Don’t be selfish with water either – keep your showering brief or with a friend.’
This comment got some surprised looks but before anyone could object, he continued.
‘Of course, everyone has the option of trying to leave the site. However, there is no possibility of exiting via road. It is blocked. No one is coming to remove the blockage and quite frankly, until there is a thaw, no vehicle will drive up that hill – or down it! So, frankly, we are stuck with each other and my fellow wardens and I will do our best to help you survive – because that's what we have here – a survival situation. The PM stated as much yesterday, and I believe we need to react pro-actively if we are to make the best of things.
In that light, I have decided to pair up outfits for mutual support. I will now read out pairs of names, with pitch numbers. I suggest you now find each other and introduce yourselves before I continue.’
The warden read out the list and Patric was paired with a Ted and Mary Boxer, a couple in a motorhome and in their sixties. They shook hands and briefly commiserated, as Beaton restarted his briefing. Patric was very impressed by the man who had clearly decided to get a firm grip of the situation.
‘Regarding food. Hopefully, you’ve got enough for immediate needs. Please let me know if anyone is desperate. There will be two daily treks to the SPAR in the local area and we will travel as a group. No one is advised to venture out alone. Mutual support is the key. I suggest that you also travel around the campsite in pairs – and as I implied, showering together is also recommended!’
This comment raised an embarrassed titter.
‘The first run ashore is today at 1400 – that's 2pm for civvies! As you may have guessed I’ve had twenty-five years in the services, as an Army engineering officer, so I know something about survival and leadership. However, I could use all of the help I can get. As you leave the toilet block I would be obliged if the pairs would check in with me to confirm the personal details I hold, and to let me know of any relevant skills we can use. I would bet that everyone could help in some way. I plan to make the shaving area at the end a meeting room and will set up a couple of tables with chairs for people to sit at when they need a bit of company. Please only use it during your rostered ablution slot.
Finally, I shall bring round a list with relevant details, which you all might need to consider. Please read it and please feel free to offer advice – although I can't guarantee to always heed it. I have to consider the majority and to paraphrase Mr Spock; the needs of the many will outweigh the needs of the few! Now, are there any questions?’
A man raised his hand.
‘Thank you Mr Beaton – Cliff - that was very helpful and I think I can safely speak for everyone here when I say that we are grateful for your attitude and assistance. We are all apprehensive and I think that a corporate spirit is vital. However, one issue that concerns me is ill health. My wife is on serious medication – can we raid a chemist whilst on a food foray?’
Others also nodded at this suggestion. The average age in the room was probably sixty!
‘Of course, we’ll do that today. Please let me know individual requirements on your way out.’
Another man chipped in.
‘I’m a retired doctor, maybe I can help, Cliff?’
‘Brilliant, I knew this would work out okay. Right, let's get started’.
The men broke into a feeble round of applause and then all checked in with Cliff before returning to their vans. Patric arranged to go on the food run, and six others plus the warden would set off at 1400 with a wish-list of essentials. The warden had a huge supply of toilet chemicals, so this aspect was not an issue. Patric also arranged to share dinner with his new friend at 6pm, and then trekked back to Joanie to give her the news. He re-cleared the snow from around the habitation door and climbed back inside. After giving Joanie the update, she was at first extremely shocked and concerned about the national situation. She burst into tears at the thought of her parents and children being trapped themselves, uncontactable and as frightened as she was.
Patric tried to console her with the reasoning that the met men probably had it all wrong, that the snow would probably be gone by tomorrow, that they’d be home in a day or two and that this nightmare would soon be over.
However, not surprisingly, Joanie was inconsolable and Patric realised that he had a job on his hands to keep her concentrated on their own very precarious situation. Nevertheless, he had to try, as he now realised that they were isolated from the civilisation they were used to and if they were to survive this crisis, he would have to get his wife onside.
Patrics’ next job was to join the trek out to the SPAR shop, so he left his wife with the task of preparing the evening meal. He suggested that she pop next door to their ‘partners 'van’ and introduce herself. It would really help to chat to someone else, and try to take her mind off her own personal problems. She agreed, and after preparing a flask of hot tea for the trek, Patric knocked on the 'van two pitches along as he left for reception and introduced Joanie to Ted and Mary, who welcomed her in for a chat. She seemed slightly happier, so Patric continued with his assignment for the afternoon.
He was the last of the men to join the group now waiting inside the campsite reception area. They had been assisting the warden clear a large area around the doorway with snow shovels, so access became easier. Someone had also cleared around the shower block area an
d Patric noted that this duty was also rostered on the info sheet given to him by Cliff the warden.
‘Right, chaps. Pair up and stick together. I'm assuming that everybody is fit and well and are up to the march? It's going to be tough, but thankfully the wind has dropped marginally, so it shouldn’t be too harsh. I’m glad to see that you’ve all brought rucksacks. If there are no questions, let's go! It should take about thirty minutes in this weather. Look out for each other. I’ll lead – Patric Silver’s pair will go last.’
With that, Cliff led the way outside and started for the site exit. They made a good, steady pace to begin with, dodging round the now largely buried vehicles blocking the hill. They rested briefly at the summit and continued in a direct line to the park exit, which they reached in good time. The roads outside were void of movement. Any cars were covered in snow and there had been nothing moving here for a while. They crossed to the centre of the road and turned right at the lights, arriving at the SPAR shop ten minutes later. Surprisingly it was open!
‘There’s Asian enterprise for you,’ Cliff shouted, and went in.
Slamming the door behind him, Patric was the last to enter, and after shaking himself down discovered a fair crowd of people shopping and talking animatedly.
‘I’m sorry, sir,’ explained the owner to an irate customer,’ there's no bread or milk left. There have been no deliveries for two days of any sort.’
Cliff looked around and spoke briefly to his team.
‘Get a basket, fill your lists, I’ll pay and let's get home. Whilst you’re doing that, try and glean any info which we can share back at camp. Do not get involved with other customers and for God’s sake don’t reveal where we've come from.’
The men set about their tasks, filling baskets with items from the lists supplied by Cliff to avoid needless repetition. Patric added a few items of his own – including chocolate and glucose sweets. Two men were squabbling in one corner over the last dozen eggs, so he steered clear to avoid any trouble. It took about twenty minutes to buy and pay for their supplies, and they spent ten minutes packing their rucksacks. Each man also had one large plastic shopping bag full of items to carry as well.
When everyone was ready, Cliff led the way out of the shop back into the snow. The return journey was uneventful and they retraced their steps almost exactly. They stopped and rested twice due to their extra loads, and a couple of the men slipped and fell, but no serious damage was done.
Negotiating the hill was tricky, but they managed it by completing it in stages, supporting each other. Ninety minutes after initial departure they all arrived back safely with their booty.
Cliff removed his goggles.
‘Well done everybody. Now return to your vans. These supplies will remain here under supervision. You will see from your rotas that you each have a fifteen minute shopping window from here every day, when you will have the opportunity to top up your supplies. It's the best way to prevent hoarding. Agreed!’
They all nodded sagely. It probably was the most sensible way forward. Supplies were going to be critical. However, Patric had furtively secreted the extra sweets and chocolate about his person.
‘Further trek times and personnel allocation are on the info sheets. Thanks once again – it's time to get back to your pitches. I suggest that you read carefully everything on the info sheets. If there's anything I’ve missed, please let me know. Good afternoon, chaps.’
It was 4pm when Patric knocked on Ted’s 'van and rescued Joanie, who looked a lot happier. Ted and Mary would share their evening meal tonight, so Patric was invited to stay until then. This seemed sensible as a cross fertilisation of ideas and info would be useful and heating one 'van was more economical than heating both!
The four new friends spent the afternoon chatting and preparing the evening meal, agreeing to host alternate main meals. Breakfast and lunch could be done individually. They studied their info sheets and rotas, agreeing that Cliff had thought of almost everything. Their ablution slot this evening was 5.40 to 6.00pm and at 5.35, they all set off with their washing kits to the shower block. As they arrived they discovered the previous shift just finishing, and chatting to half a dozen campers sitting in the communal area. Everyone seemed in good spirits and Patric sincerely believed it was due to the excellent leadership of Cliff the warden. He had brought the whole camp together and had given them an aim - and some order – which is what most people want in a crisis.
They showered and shaved in steaming hot water, which was absolute bliss. Sharing cubicles wasn’t necessary, but Patric didn’t preclude the option in the future! After chatting with the group following theirs, the foursome returned to Ted’s ‘van, and sat down to their evening meal of chicken stroganoff with pilau rice. They relaxed and chatted, playing crib for a while, until about 11pm when it was time to return to their own 'van to sleep.
Settling into bed, Patric summed up the day.
‘It's not so bad, is it? Cliff seems to have got the camp organised really well. There's plenty of hot water, gas, food and companionship. We are relatively warm and I reckon we can sit this out for a week at least. It’ll all be over by Christmas, anyway.’
Joanie was silent because she was fast asleep. Patric smiled to himself and quickly dropped off as well, following his exhausting day, after briefly praying for the bloody snow to stop.
Day 7 – En-route to Boston – 3:00pm
Brady allowed Jane to lead the march, as he considered it would give her good experience in pace-setting and navigation. Not that the navigation was difficult, as it was basically a straight road – albeit a road that was fast becoming indistinguishable from the countryside itself. The first rest point was to be at the Ancaster crossroads, where Brady knew that there were several houses to choose from. Maybe even a barn would do for an hour. The going was good and they completed the walk in less than an hour, found an empty two-floor semi, broke in and sheltered from the wind, drank hot cocoa and nibbled on a cold sausage sandwich that George had provided. Once again they had encountered nobody and Brady grew more and more convinced that an enormous catastrophe had overtaken the UK.
Brady led up the A153 towards Sleaford for the next leg. They hadn’t seen a soul – or a body - all morning and it didn’t seem likely that they would. They trudged up the hill and kept going for another ninety minutes, until they spotted the small village of Wilsford, which was down a short slope. Many of the terraced houses had snow banked-up to the first floor, but on the outskirts was a large barn that appeared to have an accessible hayloft. They diverted off the road by about twenty metres and entered the loft entrance through an open hatch. It was empty and cold but out of the wind, so they doffed their rucksacks and settled down to rest. The sled always remained outside, turned on its side to deflect snow. After a while, they both noticed a strange sound from one corner of the hayloft. Brady immediately put his finger to his lips indicating silence, suspecting that they were not alone. He stood up and looked around as the noise re-occurred. He walked gingerly to the corner of the loft, peered into the darkness, and discovered a truly pitiful sight. Two small, very weak calves were lying prostrate and lowing quietly. They were very thin and seemed to be suffering from dehydration and hunger. Yet two more others lay dead beside them, and it was clear that these two wouldn’t last much longer either. He turned back to Jane and described what he had seen and reflected that this sort of thing must be happening all over the country. No farmers – no animal husbandry and eventually most farm animals would all starve, freeze and perish. Jane was sympathetic, but they both realised that this was an inevitable consequence of the snow and there was little that anyone could do to alleviate the suffering. However, Brady reluctantly decided to dispatch the two suffering animals with his shotgun, which he did just before they vacated the loft. It was the kindest thing to do.
The next stop would be the railway, or the commercial garage, at Rauceby. It depended on how fit they felt when they reached the village and what time they were m
aking – it was already nearly 1.00pm. Jane led again and it wasn’t long before they came across the first bodies of the day. There was a small hump in the snow and a shoulder covered in a red anorak jutted into the storm. They ignored it, as there was nothing to be done, and the poor souls would be completely buried soon anyway. It wasn’t really a public health issue yet – but only God knew what would happen when the thaw came. There must be hundreds of thousands of bodies scattered across the country.
However, this was not their immediate concern; they must reach their next stop quickly, so they continued apace and reached the garage by the railway crossing, just west of the A15 junction and roundabout. The forecourt and cars for sale were completely covered with snow, but the upper floor was still visible and Brady spotted a candle burning and a man sitting in the window.
They approached carefully, as darkness drew in, to find the man standing up brandishing a large shotgun. It was pointed straight at Jane and Brady, so they pulled up sharply and stopped. The man was waving the gun and mouthing something easy to discern.
‘Fuck off! Fuck off!’
Snow! The Series [Books 1-4] Page 32
