Not Dead in the Heart of Dixie

by R Kralik

  He said he “will not walk in this world much longer” and wants to make sure they are in a safe place. He prayed that someone good would come along, and believes that his prayer has been answered. In other words, he invited himself and his granddaughters to come and live with us. How could we say no?

  Jason asked if there was gas in the SUV and Mr. Wilson said there was. Jason followed us home in the Cadillac SUV with Mr. Wilson and his granddaughters inside. We loaded his walker and several other things, including a huge generator, into the goat trailer while Shawna and Lisa loaded their remaining food, clothing, and personal items in the back of the Cadillac.

  We arrived home, and when everyone saw that we had company, they came out to greet us. The entire group fell in love with Mr. Wilson and everyone says they like the girls as well. Those girls can talk like magpies!

  For tonight, Mr. Wilson is sleeping on the chaise and Shawna and Lisa are sleeping on the sofa bed. I have no clue where we're gonna put them. I guess we could enclose and insulate the garage. Maybe something will come to me by morning.

  Meanwhile...

  Mick got a good bit of the moat filled in. He said that one more day ought to do it. I think Kevin has backhoe duty tomorrow, but I'm not positive.

  Marisa and Carisa made a venison roast for supper. Carisa plugged the big crockpot into the power strip and put the roast in this morning. She added a couple cloves of garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. It was ready and falling apart at supper time.

  They opened several jars of red baby potatoes, and experimented with dehydrated broccoli and cheese powder for side dishes. It turned out to be pretty darn good. The roast was delicious.

  Mick told them that it was now one of his favorite meals. Mr. Wilson told them that it was the best meal he'd ever had. They were glowing like those old, toy glow worms.

  Our new members ate every drop off their plates and thanked us numerous times.

  We got huge brownie points with Nana for bringing home textbooks. She told Amber and Michael that school starts tomorrow. They’re still young enough to be excited about it.

  For some reason, I wanna be close to Mr. Wilson. He is a truly good man and that's rare to find these days. I bet I can learn a lot from him. I know I can tune-up my manners.

  Three more mouths. Where are we going to put them and how are we going to do this?

  I'm heading to bed and ponder that question while I try to fall asleep.

  Bye for now.

  Monday, March 17

  I was trying to be super quiet when I got up to make coffee. Shawna and Lisa woke up anyway. I felt terrible for waking them.

  They sat at the kitchen table and talked my ear off while I drank coffee. I offered them coffee, water, milk, or apple juice, and they both chose milk.

  They said that their grandfather had a serious talk with them last night and they're grateful that we allowed them to come here. The thought came to mind that these girls might make good role models for Carisa, Valerie, Merry, and Amber.

  Nana came in to help me with breakfast. We decided on oatmeal and canned fruit.

  We were in the middle of figuring out how much we needed to make, since we had three additional people, when Lisa screamed and fell to the floor. Shawna ran to her and picked her up while asking what was wrong. Lisa pointed toward Mr. Wilson. They both stood over him and cried.

  Mr. Edward C. Wilson went to heaven last night. I believe he was only holding on until he found a safe place for his granddaughters. My heart was aching for the girls and I was upset that we'd lost such an incredibly good man.

  We wrapped him in sheets and took his body to his Cadillac.

  Nana and I finished making breakfast and everyone was somber while they ate. Neither Shawna nor Lisa ate a bite, and neither of them said a word while Nana and I cleaned the kitchen.

  They went out front to make small talk with Jeremy and Valerie who were standing watch. I guess they're still out there. The rest of the crew headed out to work on their plans for the day.

  Mick and Dane are digging Mr. Wilson’s grave in our little graveyard. We'll have a small service after lunch.

  I don't even know these girls, and now I'm responsible for them. My mind is in a fog.

  3:00 PM...

  Lunch was a somber affair. We had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

  We all went over for Mr. Wilson's memorial service. Pop tried to say comforting words for the girl’s sakes. I don't know if those words gave them any comfort, but a couple of the bible verses gave comfort to me.

  After the service, Shawna handed me a letter her grandfather wrote last night. I brought the letter home to read, and I'll type it out for you.

  Dear Mrs. Kapper,

  If you are reading this letter, please know that I am now where I wish to be. I am in heaven with my darling wife, Patricia, and my son, Ethan. You can be certain about this because our Father promised it to whosoever believeth in him.

  If our Father allows, we will be watching Kapper Hill Compound. We will welcome with open arms any deserving member that passes from earthly life into heaven, however, I hope to see none of you for many years.

  My earthly passing is good for your community and my granddaughters. It will prevent any further burden or imposition my failing health might have caused.

  I have spoken with my granddaughters regarding the contents of this letter and they have both agreed to follow my instructions. I am currently overwhelmed with emotion. Please, bear with me.

  Forgive any spelling or grammatical errors within. I learned to read and write at the age of twenty and haven't practiced the art of written language as often as I have practiced my “gift of gab.” Had I known how important written correspondence would become, I would have studied it vehemently years ago.

  Both Shawna and Lisa have been trained with firearms and the art of self-protection. It is a necessity these days, especially for young women. When my son left us, I decided to provide both girls with the most intense and eclectic education(s) available.

  Both girls have spent many years learning at one of the best boarding schools in the country. They are well educated in fine arts and music along with reading, writing, and arithmetic. I taught them self-preservation and unwavering confidence. I'm sure you’ll discover their worth as time passes.

  They will mourn for me greatly. Please allow them to recover with as much time as needed. We should all be flattered that those we care for the most will mourn the absence of our presence.

  I trust that you and your beloved husband will care for my most precious gems and keep them safe from the dangers of this sorrow filled world. I only ask that, should you find yourselves incapable of carrying out this responsibility, you find a deserving family who will be blessed by the joy of their company.

  The girls can, no doubt, care for themselves, but alas, they are very young and in need of guidance. I believe I have found love of life and very level heads in you and Mick. After ninety-two years, a man learns to trust his instincts. Mine tell me that you will care for my girls as your own. I doubt very seriously that I’ve been fooled.

  The house in Blanket Cove belongs to the girls equally. They have been instructed to allow your group to receive and utilize anything of use you find there. Check the attic, you may be surprised.

  I bid you a fond farewell and thank you for considering my request. In my heart of hearts, I believe you’ll accept this challenge.

  Kind Regards,

  Edward C. Wilson

  I knew that man was an angel is disguise. I've decided to treat these girls like they’re my own. They are welcome to stay here and work at surviving with the rest of us. I cannot prevent either of them from leaving if they choose, but I hope they won't.

  I don't know what everyone else is doing, but I'm going to lie on my bed and mourn until supper. See ya later.

  10:30 PM...

  Mick has decided to get sheet rock, insulation, carpeting, and paint from Lowe's. We’ll transform
the garage into a large bedroom for Shawna and Lisa.

  They both want to stay here and work, just like everyone else. Shawna asked that we add them to laundry and cooking duty as soon as we see fit. She also wants to stand watch, fight “insidious monsters,” and help with anything else we ask of her.

  Both girls had culinary arts and party planning classes at their boarding school. We might be in for some gourmet meals.

  Both are them are well trained to safely and correctly use weapons. Both have archery skills, and are trained in several martial arts. I should ask them to give lessons to us all.

  Shawna was on the track team and tennis team. She can run like the wind.

  Lisa is very talented on the piano and with music, in general. Finally, my old piano can stop collecting dust. Nana asked if she’d give piano lessons to anyone interested, and she said she'd love to.

  Both girls are sleeping on the sofa bed again tonight. Mick plans to work on their room while the other men work on the fence tomorrow. Deuce, Luke, and Larson will help. I suppose that means they're going to Lowe's.

  Kevin has backhoe duty tomorrow, and Dane wants to learn how to operate the crane truck. Jeremy and Jason will be out, taking bolts from utility poles.

  We’ll have to do laundry again tomorrow. There's not a lot, but Lisa and Shawna brought quite a bit with them. They haven't washed clothes since this whole mess began. I don't wanna think about how their laundry will look and smell.

  Shawna asked that she and Lisa be allowed to do their first laundry loads alone. I suppose they're embarrassed.

  Why do we keep finding teenagers? Where’s the rest of the middle aged folks? There's gotta be a few somewhere. I never imagined that teenagers would take over the world in my lifetime.

  I'm headed to bed. It's been an emotionally exhausting day.

  Bye for now.

  Tuesday, March 18

  I’m gonna lose my mind.

  It's already 9:30 and Rebecca and Lisa just started making breakfast.

  We had visitors this morning. Kevin was screaming his head off at 6:30 AM when a large motorhome came flying up the driveway.

  Two men jumped out and screamed for help while they carried a woman inside to the dining room table. Kevin recognized them immediately.

  The woman is Major Josie Minor, and she's in bad shape.

  She has been raped, starved, and beaten. Hisa had them carry Josie to Clinic Diane because the medical equipment is there.

  I got most of the story from the two men who brought her in. Their names are Rick and Ian, and they are soldiers from Josie's unit. They may be the only ones left.

  Per orders from top brass, they were heading from South Mississippi to Nashville for an important meeting involving high ranking officers. Every member of the unit was sworn to secrecy and ordered not to reveal their destination. They crossed the Tennessee State line and decided to make camp for the night.

  Suddenly, several grenades landed in the middle of camp and explosions followed. Rick said there were strangers in military vehicles and ATV's tossing grenades all over the place. The entire unit became frightened, confused, and panicked. Rick began looking for something to climb to get a clear shot at the attackers.

  The unit was attacked by a large group calling themselves “National Guard.” The battle was bloody, and Josie’s unit quickly lost control. Rick said most of them were murdered in cold blood by grenades and gunshots in the back as they scrambled for their weapons.

  Two or three civilian motorhomes traveling with the unit quickly fled the area instead of fighting.

  Dark was almost upon them and Rick was having trouble distinguishing between the members of his unit and the arrogant, blood-thirsty attackers. He knew that all was lost, so he climbed down and carefully began searching for survivors.

  After an hour of searching and finding no one alive, he heard HDI's approaching. The attackers quickly left the area and Rick headed for the river under the guise of darkness.

  Ian was actually in the river, bathing, before the attack began. His clothing and gear was tucked under the overhang of a large rock on the riverbank. A group of attackers drove past. He stayed in the water for several more minutes before climbing out to get his clothes and gear. He dressed and headed for camp.

  Bullets were flying all over the place and loud explosions lit the night. There was so much dust and debris in the air that he could barely make out the camp, much less the identities of the people running to and fro. He turned and headed back to the river.

  Ian found Rick the following morning. They both were hiding out in trees and brush on the banks of the Tennessee River when Ian saw Rick sneak to the river's edge for water. He recognized Rick and called out to him.

  The battlefield was covered in dead bodies, and HDI's were roaming around. Rick and Ian watched the area from the branches of a couple of large pine trees for two hours before deciding that there was no one left to save.

  They grabbed what supplies they could carry from a partially burned gear truck and headed south along I-65, running from HDI's who noticed their presence. They didn't shoot because they feared that the attackers were still in the area.

  They walked for two days. When night approached on the second day, they decided to go into the woods alongside the highway to set up camp, find water, eat, and sleep. They set up a small tent and gathered firewood to heat water for their MRE's. Rick was ready to strike the match when Ian stopped him.

  Ian pointed toward twinkling lights further back in the woods. He and Rick went to investigate.

  They found a large camp.

  Uniformed and civilian men were outside the tents, going about their business. Rick recognized the insignia on their uniforms. It was the same insignia their attackers were wearing.

  The group was huge, and most of them were drunk. Neither man would venture a guess as to the number of men there.

  There was a large motorhome on the edge of camp.

  They decided to try and get close enough to hear the guards talking. They hoped to hear conversation from inside.

  They climbed a massive oak tree and hid in the branches above the motorhome. They stayed there all night and into morning, listening to the guards. They hid themselves behind the thick trunk and prayed that no one in camp would tilt their head and look up.

  Sometime near mid-morning, the door to the motorhome was thrown open and a body with its hands and feet bound was thrown out. It landed at the feet of three guards keeping watch.

  The guards yelled “thanks, man!” to whomever had tossed the body their way. Rick and Ian were struck with terror when they recognized the body lying on the ground. It was Josie and she was almost unrecognizable.

  She had been beaten. Her face was severely swollen and her uniform was covered in blood.

  Rick almost jumped down from the tree right then and there to blow the guards head off but Ian lifted his hand to stop him. He motioned across the large camp. There were armed soldiers milling about and many were heading toward the motorhome. Rick sat back on the branch and never took his eyes off Josie.

  The guards stripped her naked and positioned her with her forehead and knees on the ground.

  A skinny guard in an ill-fitting uniform picked up a long, thin stick from the ground and began whipping her across the back and buttocks. Her body jerked with each blow. She grunted every time the stick landed, but she didn't scream. Blood was running in rivulets down her back. Rick almost bit through his knuckle, watching the torture.

  The skinny guard threw the stick to the side and stepped back.

  Josie was flipped onto her back and her arms and legs were positioned in a spread eagle position. Four men sat on her arms and legs, pinning them to the ground.

  A tall, obese man dressed in civilian clothes stepped up near her head and dropped his pants. The entire group laughed while Josie almost choked to death on his urine.

  Several men bent down and began pinching her all over her body. They pinched and pulled at
her nipples, spit on her, and several peed on her face and torso. One man pulled chunks of pubic hair from her body and tossed it into the wind. Her skin was red and inflamed.

  Several men extinguished burning cigarettes on her thighs. She grunted, but she didn't scream.

  Rick was about to come apart at the seams and almost had to tie himself to the tree branch. The soft human side of his brain was telling him to get her out of there, but the well-trained military side was telling him that any attempt at rescue during the event would get all three of them dead and left to the buzzards.

  Ian was feeling the same way. He left bloody scratch marks on the tree branch where he was sitting. Both men felt anger and rage at the highest level they've ever felt.

  For one split second, Rick thought that Josie had spotted him while she was lying there on her back, being tortured. She quickly averted her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Suddenly, she yelled out “are you gonna screw me or play with me?” at the top of her lungs. The men around her laughed at her response and a few of them bent to bite her thighs and breasts. She spit at them and was rewarded with a punch to the face and a kick in the ribs. Her lips were busted, bleeding, and swollen.

  They lifted her by the legs and tied them to two separate tree branches about three feet apart. She was hanging upside down with her legs spread. A large blanket was thrown over the branches, and covered her almost to her armpits. The men formed a line in front of the blanket tent and the man at the front of the line began slapping her hanging breasts.

  They entered the blanket tent one at a time, and viciously raped her as she hung upside down. They were shouting vulgar comments and giving each other high fives as they walked away.

  Ian and Rick counted 19 men enter and exit the blanket tent before Josie was cut down and thrown back inside the motorhome. One of the guards threw her clothes in after her.

  At this point of the story, I got up and ran around to the side of the house to vomit. I felt the same as I did when we found Valerie.