After the Republic

by Frank L. Williams

“I love the way you think,” Joshua embraced her. “I’m glad you have a positive attitude about this. Let’s get some rest.”

  They unrolled two sleeping bags. Reagan curled up nearby and Joshua kept his pistol within reach. His mind wandered as he drifted off to sleep. What will the future bring? How long will it take the conflict to find its way to us?

  PART II

  CHAPTER 6

  Joshua was awakened by a cold nose on his arm. Reagan nudged him a couple of times. “Okay, boy.” Joshua rubbed his still-heavy eyes as he slowly sat up.

  What a difference a week has made, he thought. Just a few days earlier, Joshua had watched President Wagner’s first State of the Union address with renewed hope for America. This was a man who truly believed in America, who understood what made it great. Now, he was gone, along with most of Congress. A series of deadly attacks had crippled the nation, and now those attacks had made their way to North Carolina. A wholly unqualified man with questionable principles, Nelson Armando, was now the President. Joshua’s best friend, Perry, had lost his two beautiful children in the attack on Raleigh. Now, just a few short days later, Joshua had led the love of his life, Rebecca, and a group of friends across the state to a new home. Without the leadership and tenacity of Bob Kendall and Kane Martin, they might not have made it here. To this strange new place in which he now found himself. How did all of this happen?

  Rebecca rolled over and forced her eyes open. “Good morning,” she mumbled.

  “’Morning.” Joshua yawned. “How did you sleep?”

  “Not bad, considering we slept on a floor. I was completely wiped out.”

  “Same here. I could use a cup of high-test coffee.”

  “We’ll have to dig the coffee pot out of the Explorer.” Rebecca stretched and then yawned.

  Reagan didn’t waste any time, making a beeline off of the front porch. While the dog did his business Joshua surveyed the vehicles parked around their cabin. Rebecca joined him on the porch. “Well, we got all of these people here,” he said. “What the heck do we do now?”

  “We’ll figure it out.” She trudged down the steps and retrieved the coffee pot, a note pad and Joshua’s tablet.

  “Well, this won’t do us much good.” Joshua held up the tablet and frowned. “No signal.”

  “It’ll do us some good to disconnect from everything. Those things can be a ball and chain anyway.”

  Joshua shook his head. “Maybe, but we still need to know what’s going on in the world.”

  “Let’s get some coffee and look around our new place,” Rebecca said. “I’d like to at least have a few things settled in by tonight. It would be nice for this to at least resemble home.”

  While the coffee was brewing they explored the cabin. In many ways it was similar to the farmhouse they had left: there was a large master bedroom, a master bathroom, two smaller bedrooms – one of which would become Joshua’s study – a small bathroom and a large living area. The kitchen was undersized but functional and had room for a table. The walls featured wood paneling and had a rustic look about them, and the living area featured a large brick fireplace with a wood stove.

  “Thomas did a good job,” Rebecca observed. “I like it.”

  Joshua nodded and looked at his watch. “It’s 8:00. I’ve got two hours to get ready. They’re going to be looking to me for guidance, and I need to start off on the right foot.”

  Rebecca kissed him on the cheek. “You go get ready. I’ll start moving the small things in and figuring out where I want the bigger items.”

  Joshua sat back down on the steps. Reagan rejoined him as he began scribbling furiously on his note pad, mapping out an agenda and his opening remarks. An hour and a half later he looked up and realized people were beginning to stir.

  ***

  It was 10:00, and everyone had gathered around Joshua’s front porch when Thomas’ Suburban made its way down the mountain. “Let’s get started,” Joshua said. “Rebecca has agreed to take notes. Jim, will you open us in prayer?”

  After Jim offered the invocation Joshua continued. “First, we’ll have Thomas give you an overview of the property. Before he does that, don’t forget that everyone will need to make an arrangement with him for the use of his land. Thomas, come on up.”

  “’Morning, y’all,” Thomas took off his well-worn baseball cap and scratched his head. “I’m glad to have y’all here. Heck, I’m just glad we all made it here. That was quite a trip.” Thomas’ son, Tommy, passed out maps.

  “The building in the middle with a ‘J’ on it is Joshua’s cabin, where we’re standing now.” Thomas twisted his toothpick in his mouth. “The building marked with a ‘D’, just up the path, is Drew’s. Thanks to Drew, there will be a community shelter across the path from his cabin.”

  Joshua glanced in Drew’s direction, perplexed. That’s interesting, he thought.

  “This is the road where we came in,” Thomas continued. “I’ll get each of y’all a key to the gate. This little path leads to the lake, and this one leads up to my cabin.” Thomas paused and cleared his throat. “My family and I tend to keep to ourselves. That doesn’t mean we won’t hang out with you guys some. Just respect our privacy and let us keep this area for ourselves.”

  “Absolutely,” Joshua interjected.

  Thomas continued. “The red spots are where my guys have drilled wells, dug septic tanks and added power connections. Come see me after the meeting and we’ll decide who gets which spot.” Thomas pointed at a space on the map adjacent to the areas earmarked for cabins. “You guys can fence this in and use it for the cows. This stream will give ‘em water unless it’s overly dry, then you’ll have to bring it from the lake. There’s a path just past Drew’s cabin that leads up to the Appalachian Trail. That’s about it. Any questions?”

  Drew raised his hand. “I was glad to see the power working in mine and Joshua’s cabins, and I’m assuming it’s connected at the other home sites. Obviously the power company expects to get paid. How will we handle that?”

  “Man, that’s a good question,” Thomas answered. “Right now it’s all on one account, so you guys can just make arrangements with me and I’ll take care of it. I’ve got some contacts with the power company and with some guys who work down at the dam.”

  “Thomas, I hate to see you bear the responsibility for paying all of our bills,” Joshua interjected. “Don’t you think it would be better to put these on separate accounts?”

  Bob jumped in. “Negative. That could attract unwanted attention and unnecessarily expose us.”

  “Good point as always, Bob,” Joshua responded. “Everyone make arrangements with Thomas to cover their power bills.”

  “That works for me, man,” Thomas said. “Any more questions?”

  Drew again raised his hand. “Similar question. Obviously, whatever county we are in will expect property taxes to be paid on this. How do you want to handle that?”

  Bob again piped up. “To avoid drawing attention to our presence we should make arrangements with Mr. Page and pay him for the taxes. No deeds should be altered with the county tax office at this time.”

  “Thomas, is that okay with you?” Joshua inquired.

  Thomas shrugged. “All right with me.”

  “We must all be prepared for the fact that we could eventually lose electrical power,” Bob added. “We must be prepared to make do without it for extended periods of time, perhaps permanently.”

  Caroline audibly groaned.

  Joshua tried to move the meeting along. “Any more questions for Thomas before we move on to the next item?”

  Once more, Drew raised his hand. “I do. I’m not getting a cell phone signal here. Are the rest of you guys able to get one? If not, how do we stay connected to the outside world?”

  “Man, I don’t get much of a signal up here either,” Thomas said. “But I think it’s kind of nice. Pretty much everyone I need to talk to is right here. If I do need to make calls I tend to do it when I’m in town.”<
br />
  Bob offered a warning. “Contact with the outside world could compromise our position. You are advised to remain off the grid as much as possible.” Bob looked in Drew’s direction. “And you, boy, you need to break your addiction to all of those gadgets. They are a crutch and make you a liability for the rest of us.”

  “Whatever,” Drew muttered under his breath. “Jerk.”

  Joshua scratched the back of his neck. “Guys, that’s enough. We don’t need to be bickering among ourselves on our first day here.” Drew and Bob both nodded begrudgingly, but Bob kept his glare on Drew. Drew avoided eye contact with Bob.

  “I agree with Bob that communication with the outside world – particularly electronic communication – could endanger us,” Joshua added. “But I also agree with Drew that I would like to know what is going on elsewhere in America. Thomas, we brought our satellite dish and TV with us. Do you think we can get it working?”

  “Be careful,” Bob interjected. “While I advised you to bring the dish, upon further consideration if you use the satellite box you had at your farm it could contain identifying information. In light of the incident at the farm, they will be looking for you.”

  “Y’all, I think we can work around that,” Thomas said. “I’ve got satellite hooked up at my cabin and a guy that works at the satellite company owes me a favor. I’ll see what I can do about getting you a new box.”

  “Thanks,” Joshua said. “If we can get the satellite working, without compromising our position, that will enable us to monitor the outside world. Does anyone have any more questions for Thomas?”

  There were no additional questions. Thomas said, “One more thing, some of my workers will be here this afternoon and can help y’all unload and get set up. They’ve been up here working the past two weeks, and they’re good folks.”

  Bob frowned. “Their presence concerns me. How do we know they will not compromise us?”

  Thomas took the toothpick out of his mouth and twisted it in his fingers. “Let’s just say they don’t want to draw attention to themselves either. They just want to get paid and be left alone.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Man, you don’t have to worry about them. They know I’ve been trying to sell lots and cabins. It’ll seem normal to them. And they don’t want to be bothered either.”

  “Hmm. We’ll see.”

  Joshua moved on. “Next, we need to discuss the rules under which we will operate. I’ll go over these and then find a way to get you all printed copies. We’ll officially vote on them next week after you’ve had time to read them.”

  “You mean we don’t have to pass it to find out what’s in it?” Drew chuckled.

  “I guess not.” Joshua grinned and then reviewed the proposed rules:

  We will operate under the authority of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of North Carolina.

  If we arrive at a point at which the United States government is no longer functioning, we will continue to operate according to the tenets of the U.S. Constitution unless we voluntarily join forces with another sovereign national entity.

  We will not cede our autonomy to the United Nations or any other international entity.

  We will elect a governing council comprised of five adults who reside within the camp.

  We will operate under a free-enterprise barter system.

  Everyone is expected to contribute to developing a sustainable food supply.

  No one should expect anything for free.

  The camp will hold council elections each February. Every adult over the age of 18 who resides in the camp shall have one vote. Voting shall be by secret ballot and the top five vote getters will be elected. If there is a tie for fifth place there will be a second election between the candidates who are tied.

  The governing council shall elect one of its members as chair at a meeting immediately following the council elections. A majority of the council votes cast shall be required for the election of the chair.

  The council will discuss issues which impact the security and general welfare of the camp.

  The council will not pass any rules restricting free trade or free enterprise within the camp.

  The council will not pass any rules restricting the private property rights of those within the camp.

  Everyone is free to come and go as they please.

  If the camp comes under attack every able-bodied male is expected to assist in the defense of the camp.

  Every adult shall be expected to own and maintain a functioning weapon and know how to use it.

  No one will invite an outsider into the camp without permission of the council.

  The council shall not make any formal alliance with any outside entity without a vote of the full village, either in the annual meeting or a special called meeting.

  There shall be no standing taxes required of residents by the village. However, the council may, by a 4/5 vote, require one-time assistance for specific projects.

  The council may be called upon to settle disputes between camp residents. If the dispute involves a council member a special meeting of all residents will be called at which a three-person panel will be elected to hear the dispute.

  All decisions of the council may be appealed to a full camp meeting.

  If three or more residents sign a request for an appeal of a council decision, the council must call a special camp meeting to hear the appeal within ten days.

  Once established, these rules may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those present at a called meeting of the camp, provided that a detailed notice of the proposed changes is given to all residents at least ten days prior to the vote.

  “These rules are based on a few important, fundamental principles,” Joshua continued. “Those include personal freedom coupled with personal responsibility, free enterprise, private property rights, due process and limited government. No one person will be the ‘dictator’ of this camp. The power to make decisions lies with you and the people you elect to the council. I believe these rules will help ensure that everyone here is treated fairly and that we are all on the same page. Additionally, I would like to thank Drew for helping put these together. Does anyone have questions based on what you’ve just heard?”

  “I don’t have any questions, but just wanted to say that this is impressive,” Jim said. “It’s almost like we’re developing our own Constitution.”

  “In a manner of speaking that’s the idea, but I hope the real one will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.” There were no further questions. “We will get you copies of these and make them official next week. Without objection, we will consider these rules of operation to be in effect until they are formally adopted next week.”

  “Mr. Winston, when do you plan to hold elections for the council?” Bob asked. “The past few days have shown us that events can happen very quickly. We need leadership in place.”

  “I was planning to open the floor for nominations after we conclude our other business today,” Joshua answered. Bob nodded in approval.

  “Next, I’d like to bring up Bob Kendall,” Joshua continued. “As you all know, over the past twenty-four hours Bob has gotten us out of hot water more than once.”

  A round of applause sprang up from the crowd. Joshua cocked an eyebrow as he noticed Drew doing a half-hearted obligatory golf clap. “I believe we can all agree that Bob earned that applause over the past day. Now he is going to discuss security protocols which, after the troubles we encountered just trying to get here, are very much needed. Bob, come on up.”

  Bob stepped onto the porch and addressed the crowd. “As the events of yesterday demonstrated, danger is all around. In the wake of this week’s incidents, people outside of this camp will become increasingly desperate. They will be desperate for food. They will be desperate for some sense of normalcy. They will be desperate for the very thing we will build here. Desperation leads to lawlessness. And if they find out that we are here and di
scover what we will have here, they will be a threat to us. While you are free to come and go as you please, I advise you to be cautious. Do not travel alone. If you travel outside the camp, let someone here know where you are going, who is with you, and when you expect to return. Always have a weapon with you. McGee learned that lesson at the gas station yesterday, didn’t you, son?”

  “Yes sir, I did.”

  Bob nodded. “Good. Further, if you encounter anyone outside of this camp, do not under any circumstances tell them where we are. Give them misinformation if you must, but do not lead them here. Always be vigilant in making sure no one is following you. Mind your surroundings at all times. Additionally, it is noteworthy that, other than the incident at the farm, the two altercations in which we were involved happened after dark. People will do whatever they deem necessary to survive, and they will use the cover of night to do it. If possible, all travel outside the camp should be done during daylight hours.”

  “Next, I know many of you are accustomed to using these so-called ‘social media’ sites. If you find a way to access social media, it is imperative that you disable any functions which would divulge our location. Do not post photos. I recommend that you cease all usage of social media, period.” Bob puffed on his cigar and pointed in Drew’s direction. “That means you, boy.” Drew did not acknowledge the jab. Joshua cringed.

  “Instruct your children on the importance of refraining from social media use or otherwise divulging our location,” Bob continued. “Additionally, we may want to investigate acquiring different vehicles than those we used to travel here. Further, wear dark clothes that do not stand out, even when you are in the camp. We do not want to draw attention from anyone whether on the road, on the trail, on the lake or in the air. With Mr. Page’s permission, Martin, McGee and I will construct a security perimeter around the camp to obscure our location and make it difficult for intruders to enter undetected. We will inform you of the appropriate places to enter and exit.”

  “Every able-bodied male should be prepared to defend this camp if necessary,” Bob concluded. “Martin, McGee and I will hold trainings for the men who wish to assist with our defense. I advise every real man to participate. The trainings will continue daily until those who participate are prepared and will then be held with less frequency to ensure that you remain sharp. Do you have any questions? If not, that is all.”