Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie

by R Kralik

  The man was slumped over the arm of a recliner. His left hand was resting on the seat cushion and there was a Springfield XDS 9 that had fallen out of his hand and down to the floor. He was missing most of the back of his head, and brain matter had sprayed across the back of the chair.

  The end table held a 50 round box of 9 mm ammo with seven bullets missing. Beside the ammo was a medicine bottle, and the label said it was Desyrel. It had been prescribed for Tabitha Guddy, and it was empty. I'm assuming they used the Desyrel to send the cherub to heaven.

  Mick took the ammo box and put it in his pocket. He also took the Springfield and we slowly headed off to check the other rooms. I felt like I was in a fog, like I wasn't really there, like it was all a bad dream.

  We got a small amount of food from the cabinets. It's all canned or boxed food and we're grateful for it. There's probably enough to last our group about three days. That's three days of food we didn't have before, right?

  I found a 4-pack of toilet paper and an almost full roll beside by the toilet. I also found a roll of paper towels in the kitchen and several packs of AA batteries in one of the drawers. I took the dish liquid, laundry soap, cleaning supplies, and a box of lawn sized garbage bags. I took every prescription and medication bottle or packet I could find, even if there were only one or two doses left.

  Mick found two more boxes of 9mm ammo, and we are grateful for that too. He also found two 20 lb propane tanks in the garage. One was hooked up to a propane grill and the other was sitting back in a corner. There were a few tools as well. Mick and Soo stuffed them in the back of the Jeep along with the food.

  There was some kind of mini-van in the garage. Mick grabbed one of our empty five-gallon cans and siphoned out almost five gallons of gasoline.

  Soo and I headed to the next house and Mick went to get the Jeep and trailer. There was a huge pile of garbage on the porch near the front door. The garage door on the side of the house was unlocked and we went in.

  Mick was about to try the door when we heard barking coming from inside, and it was BIG, MEAN, DANGEROUS barking, and it was more than one BIG, MEAN, DANGEROUS dog. I don't want to know what those dogs have been eating.

  There was a toy lawnmower in the back corner. It makes sounds when you push it, and it looks like one of those bubble-blowing mowers. I took it for Caleb.

  There was a riding lawnmower, a push mower, and miscellaneous types of sporting equipment. We left all those things except for a wooden baseball bat that Soo felt he needed. There was a GMC pickup truck and Mick got about four gallons of gas from the tank and poured it straight into the tank of the Jeep. That's four more gallons than what we had before, right?

  We were all hungry, so we sat on the Jeep tailgate, ate our muffins, and drank our water. Soo ate an old granola bar from the backpack while I smoked and Mick quietly looked around. We didn't talk.

  The neighborhood was eerily quiet. There were no children laughing and playing, no TV sets with the volume too loud, no radio's blasting out heavy metal music, and no teenagers sitting on car hoods and talking. It felt strange to be there, in the silence.

  I stomped out my cigarette and we stuffed the backpacks into the rear of the Jeep. We headed for the small house on the other side of the Guddy house.

  Mick backed the Jeep and trailer up to the front of the little house. It was a cedar sided cabin with a covered front porch that ran the length of the house. The lawn was manicured and the house sat back from the road a little farther than the Guddy house. I noticed that the side and back yard was fenced with those wooden fence sections like you find at Lowe's or Home Depot.

  I asked them to recall that we had almost been eaten by BIG, MEAN, DANGEROUS dogs at the other house, and told Mick to knock before kicking the door open, and he did.

  We tried the doorknob and it was locked, so we walked to the wooden double gate that led into the back yard. We looked through the crack between doors. There was a '66 Mustang up on concrete blocks and painted with splotches of gray primer. There were a few toys, a sandbox, and an empty doghouse. I saw no movement, so I unlatched the gate and headed in.

  The back porch was the same size as the front. There was a door leading into the house, but it was locked as well. There were curtains hanging in all the windows and we couldn't see inside.

  Mick put size thirteen pressure on the door and we went in. Everything was as neat as a pin. It looked like one of those display homes you can tour when you're lookin' to get a new house built.

  The cabinets were wide open without a crumb left inside. The closets were mostly empty, with just a few summer clothes hanging on racks. The only thing out of place was a note on the dining room table. The note read "Alex, If this is you, we went to Grandpa's in the east. We love you, Sean and Amanda."

  We looked around a little longer and left everything as it was, including the note. We went back to the Jeep and decided to head home. I told Mick to take the scenic route because I did not want to go back through town. We pulled away from that little neighborhood knowing we’d be back.

  10:00 PM...

  We had Diane's Memorial service after supper. We looked like a rag-tag team of beaten-up railroad hobo's standing there with candles as our only source of light. Pop said a few words, and we all said the Lord's Prayer together.

  She gave her life to protect us. I hope she's in heaven with her mom and dad. I hope she's keeping an eye on us, and rootin' for us when times are tough.

  We came back up the hill and sat in the living room for a while, remembering Diane,

  I made goulash for supper. It was fast and easy and it filled the empty spots in our tummies, but not in our hearts.

  I'm tired and on my way to bed. I'll write more tomorrow.

  Bye for now.

  Sunday, January 26

  9:30 AM...

  Breakfast is over and the kitchen is clean. The invalids had their morning meal and everyone who needs it is medicated. I came in here to catch my breath and get a little distraction from all the noise out there. I'll need to start laundry in the next hour or so.

  Mick helped Pop get up on the porch and into the house. We put him in the recliner so he can prop his knee and stay warm by the fire. Nana says she'll make supper on the cook stove while she's taking care of him.

  When I began storing food I wanted to get enough long term stuff to last for nine months to a year. I was saving for the three of us in this house, the three in Marisa's house, Nana and Pop, and my sister's family. I was almost at the four month level.

  We don't have my sister and her family here, but we do have Hisa, Soo, Merry, Jeremy, Michael, and Caleb. Jeremy eats enough for two and Caleb only eats enough to count as a half a person.

  When I did my last Super Walmart run, I thought I was adding about a month to my preps. The restaurant haul added around two months. So, if we stay at fourteen people and we don't loot anymore, we'll have enough for about 6-8 months, but we'll be missing a lot of things and we'll be eating a lot of beans and rice. I'm hoping the garden will help with that.

  I also want to plan for my sister's family in case they come back. We need meat, and lots of it. We need real eggs. If I see any sign of live chickens, I will tackle them to bring home.

  We must loot and we must take on new people. We need a group large enough for safety's sake, but not so large that we can't feed everyone.

  When the garden starts to produce it will help stretch our supplies, and our future will depend on how much we can preserve and save this spring, summer, and fall. We'll stop finding propane and gasoline at some point, probably sooner than we think, so we must take that into consideration.

  I have no idea what to expect. I'll have to get all my canning jars out of the attic, and any Nana has in her attic as well. If we take on more people, our six month safety zone will drop with each person unless they bring a big ol' load of food with 'em. If we get attacked and raided, and come out still alive, we'll be in trouble in the food category and probably in the weapon
and ammo categories as well.

  Pop has one or two more weapons to outfit someone. Soo and Mick are at Pop's house to pick up ammo and a few other things.

  Nana said there was an old washing machine with a wringer in the loft of the barn but she doesn't remember when she saw it last. She says "it's been yeeaarrrs." I told Mick to be sure and look for it. Oh, how I'd love to stop wringing out clothes by hand. The yellow dish gloves are a thing of the past. We've put holes in them and scrubbed them to shreds. My hands must be toughening up because they don't hurt after doing laundry as bad as they used to.

  Mick and Soo plan to get the new pool bleached and set up when they get back. After that, they'll start the work on the fence. I'll take lunch down to them because I don't want Carisa walking up and down the hill in broad daylight.

  Jason says his ankle feels a little better. Hisa shook a wooden spoon and told him he couldn't be running and playing on it yet.

  Hisa says I can take my butterfly stitches off day after tomorrow. I can't wait 'cause they're driving me bonkers.

  Jeremy's leg looks pretty good and there's no sign of infection. He'll have a big ol' battle scar when that leg heals. I hope he behaves and stays in bed so it can heal properly.

  He doesn't like peeing into a plastic milk jug, but at least he's able to sit on a bucket with the door closed for brown potty. I told him I was gonna start feedin' him less so he can start poopin' less. He didn't appreciate my sense of humor and turned bright red.

  Marisa can't walk on her foot without a lot of pain. She's using one of our walking canes. Hisa told her to keep it propped up and to continue to put ice on it. Michael, Amber, and Caleb are making sure the icepacks stay up there.

  I hear a car coming up the driveway and I can tell by the sound of the engine that it's Mick. I'm off to see what he brought back.

  2:00 PM...

  Mick and Soo got the washing machine. It's still in the bed of the S10.

  I did a load of laundry, anyway. I have a lot to do, and the old washing machine needs to come off the truck and have all the spiders and cobwebs washed out of it. The laundry is hanging on the line to dry.

  I took fat pieces of homemade bread with chunk chicken and sliced peaches down to Mick and Soo for lunch. I came back up and cleaned the kitchen, and now I'm taking a breather.

  I'll be heading out in a few minutes to split wood. With everyone, basically, ordered to stay off their feet and Soo and Mick on fence duty, there’s no one else to do it. It'll have to be me. I've taken a pain pill and I'm waiting on it to start working before I go out there.

  Carisa and Merry say they can help by picking up pieces of wood after they're split and putting them on the wood pile. They'll also be placing the logs up on the big stump so I don’t have to lift them. I'll make sure they stand way back when I'm swinging that ax.

  Tomorrow, we're going to loot Lowe's. We're hoping to find concrete so we can start setting fence posts. Hisa and Soo will move into the Stang house when we get the fence finished.

  We'll convert the motorhome they're using into a small medical clinic. All the medications will go there, and since there are three beds, Hisa can stay with any patient she needs to look after. The motorhome belonged to Diane and her Dad before they both went on to their heavenly rewards. Our clinic will be named "Clinic Diane" so we can keep her memory alive.

  Right now, Jeremy is on the couch and Soo and Hisa are using the queen sized bed. Merry is staying in Carisa's room.

  I can feel the pain medication working, so I'm off to split wood. Wish me luck, 'cause I haven't split wood in "yeaarrrs."

  10:00 PM...

  O M G, I hate splitting wood. I'd forgotten how tedious it is.

  The girls and I added enough wood to get through another five days in total. I'm hoping Jason's ankle feels better by then 'cause we need to cut down more trees and make more logs. I swear, I never want to see another ax handle as long as I live. The blisters on my hands are sayin' the same thing. My back is better than I thought it would be, but it protested the entire time I was swingin' the ax.

  Nana made shepherd’s pie for supper with real mashed potatoes. I sat on the floor and ate in front of the fire. I thought I might fall asleep in my plate if I sat comfortably at the table.

  Mick and Soo don't look any better than I feel. They're covered in red dust. Only the places behind their sunglasses looks clean. Mick had to change clothes and take a bath before I let him climb in bed. He still plans on lootin' at Lowe's tomorrow.

  The new pool is set up and collecting water.

  I'm exhausted, and I'm signing off.

  Bye for now.

  Monday, January 27

  5:45 PM...

  I am in pain, worn out, and an emotional wreck. We looted the Lowe's and got concrete.

  We brought back a Grandpa, with a grown daughter and grandson. They have their own guns. They have a Chevy Silverado with a tiny camper. They don't have food.

  We found a girl tied to a post in a barn. She was naked and sick. She has been abused. We killed the man that had her. She's been eating bugs and raw squirrel.

  We have three white chickens. They led us to the girl. I don't know what kind they are. I hope they lay eggs.

  We killed a bunch of HDI's.

  I can't stay up to write. My back is really hurting and I'm gonna lie down. I'll write more tomorrow if I can get out of the bed.

  Thursday, January 30

  Hey, Mick here. Its three days after the Lowe's trip.

  Robin told me to write this and I don't like doing it.

  I'm sorry, Robin can't come to the computer right now. She killed her back splitting wood, doing laundry, and going on the Lowe's run. She is dying from pain.

  Hisa took her butterfly stitches off so she can look pretty in her coffin.

  There was real goat’s milk on her lunch tray today. She tasted her first rabbit stew and liked it. She might write a sentence the next time she has to get up and go pee.

  Marisa can walk now. Jason can walk too.

  I have to go put fence posts in the ground. Thank You.

  Love, Mick

  Friday, January 31

  10:00 AM...

  She Lives! Muwaaa haa haaa.

  Yes, I’m alive. I'm still in some pain but I'm much better! Mick brought the metal walker that we looted from Walgreens up from the basement and it works pretty darn good! I can take myself to the potty now. I can also sit in the computer chair. Boy, are you in trouble!

  I've spent hours, and hours, alone. I need to spend time out of this room with more of the human species. Opie and Tig come in to lay on the bed with me occasionally, but they can't talk back. I need some serious conversation time. I also need to know what's going on around my house.

  The goats are giving us almost one gallon of milk a day. We're drinking it and Nana is cooking with it. It's absolutely delicious. We have three more does who are due to kid at the end of next week.

  Jesse (that's the grandson we got at Lowe's) is doing the milking and daily goat care. He says he loves animals and wanted to be a farmer with a big cattle or horse ranch, but the end of the world has taken that dream away.

  The chickens haven't laid any eggs yet, but Soo says it's probably because we're in the middle of winter and chickens don't lay as much this time of year.

  They're probably freaked out 'cause they're living in a motorhome and eating whatever bugs the kids can find along with winter grass they've been pulling up. They've found quite a number of Japanese beetle larvae. Yay! I hate those stinkin' things. Soo says the Japanese government sent them here long ago to take over the United States. I told him I thought that was why they sent honeysuckle. He said that "honeysuckle was the Chinese attempt."

  There's several rolls of chicken fencing in Mr. Peterson's shed, so Jesse is building a run for the chickens. Hopefully, they'll calm down and give us nice fresh eggs. I told Mick that I wanted to find a rooster so we can make more chickens, get more eggs, and have enough for the cook
pot someday. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

  Well, I know I have to start with the Lowe's run and catch you up with everything that's been happening. So, here ya go.

  It was hard to get out of bed. I was still exhausted from the day before but Mick and I agreed that there was no use continuing to scavenge chain-link unless we had concrete to go with it.

  Nana had already packed a bag of jelly biscuits. We had plenty of water bottles in the back-seat of the Jeep, and we each had a thermos full of hot coffee. We also had an emergency backpack in each vehicle. We each took our own weapons along.

  We took the Jeep with the goat trailer attached, Jason's Dodge with the flatbed attached, and the S10. It was Soo, Mick, and me. We had to ride alone and I didn't like it.

  We pulled out right after the sun came up and headed to the Lowe's ten miles south of us. If we didn't find anything there, we would head to the Lowe's thirty miles south of that. We each had a full tank of gas and Mick put four full gas cans in the floorboard of the Jeep. We added two empty gas cans to each vehicle in case we came across an abandoned vehicle we could loot.

  Mick has come up with a plan to use re-bar for reinforcing the fence. He wants to weave re-bar through it, sort of like weaving a blanket. The vertical re-bar will be sharpened to a point and will be two or three feet about the fence line depending on what lengths of re-bar we get. Hopefully, we can find enough re-bar.

  We took back roads to get to Lowe's and saw only four HDI's the entire ten miles.

  When we pulled in the parking lot, we could see that the front windows were busted out and glass was laying everywhere.

  Mick headed around to the back of the store. Soo and I followed. As soon as he turned the corner, Mick slammed on his brakes and I almost rear ended him. Soo had to slam on his brakes right behind me.