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Post by arkansascob on May 22, 2020 10:32:19 GMT -6
Thanks Bret for more chapters but thanks more for the insight into your life. It touched me and made me start thinking about things. Long story short is I am the black sheep. I more or less walked away from family many many years ago for various reasons. Some legit and some selfish. Maybe I need to retouch things before it's to late.
Also want to say thanks for the link to RedBird. Listened to the song then googled them. I like what I hear.
Thanks again for the read.
Oh and not sure where you was going with the Ashen Horse thing and amazon. I know Ive read every story that I know of written by you and I have really enjoyed each and every one. You have a special talent in my opinion.
COB
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Post by bretf on May 22, 2020 19:00:03 GMT -6
Free: I’m not sure it’s an avalanche. Maybe more like a slow-moving mud slump. The girls aren’t as forthcoming to me as Chad was no matter how much I cajole them. They like to go their own way and not share until they’re ready.
Thanks!
Texican, Thanks! Always appreciated. And yeah, 9 is turning into quite the beggar.
9: really? You’re spending that much effort hanging on from this chapter? Man, I’m afraid what will happen when the girls try to leave you hanging. You know, they’re just messing with you now. If I could put words in their mouths, they might say … Never mind, I can’t repeat it.
But since you asked, here you go:
Chapter 7
It was Crocker and his men’s turn to be stunned.
Chapter 8
A man
Okay, I hope that works for you until Ali and Brooke help me flesh them in.
Udwe, hopefully you're right.
Cob: always nice to hear from you.
As my life has evolved, friends have dropped away. But my family has been there for me, even when I was a total dip----- and didn’t deserve their understanding. I hope you can reconnect with yours.
I’m glad you enjoyed the link and can have patience.
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Post by 9idrr on May 23, 2020 19:46:31 GMT -6
Thanks, Bret. Nice to see you've given me TWO chapters at once. That'll show them doubters on here who's the Whiner First Class.
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Post by bretf on May 24, 2020 6:01:55 GMT -6
Chapter 7
It was Crocker and his men’s turn to be stunned. Crocker recovered first. “The whole town will be together, including Mat?”
Franklin added, “And Coop? And Chad Smoke? Holy shit!”
Brooke said, “You seem to be a man of few words, but it works.”
Russ chuckled and addressed Crocker’s questions. “Well, Colonel, yes and no. Most of the town will be here as well as a lot of people who don’t live here. People are coming in from all around.”
Crocker said “I did think it’s strange to see so many people coming here. What’s up?”
Russ said, “Ever since That Day, entertainment is lacking. Therefore, when something is happening, people flock in from all around. And these youngsters are the best entertainment in the region. They’re putting on a show later today.
Crocker’s eyes widened and he asked the twins, “Can I have time in your show to lay this out to everyone?”
The girls looked at each other and Alison said, “I don’t know. This is our big spring celebration show. You know, winter’s over and it’s a time of rebirth and growth.”
“Yeah, your message is a real downer,” Brooke said.
“Are you saying you’ll deny me?” Crocker asked, “And give China …” he stopped, seeing the smiles all around him. “You’re jerking my chain again.”
Alison said, “I guess we better,”
“Give you time,” Brooke said,
Alison: “Otherwise, Mat and Aunt Heather will,”
Brooke: “Kick our butts. And if they do,”
Alison: “We’ll have to kick yours and,”
Brooke: “you don’t want your men to see,”
“You get whipped by a couple of girls,” they finished in unison.
Crocker smiled while shaking his head. “All right then let’s work out the details.”
#
The covered shelter at the fairgrounds was filled, with many more people standing outside it. Conversations turned into whoops and cheers as Alison and Brooke climbed onto the stage, two hay wagons parked end to end, and went to the front-center. Each carried a guitar. They were followed by Brian and Joe, Brian carrying a fiddle and Joe going to an upright bass. Two men trailed them, one with a dobro and the other carrying a banjo. The last onto the stage was Carol and Chad Smoke.
“You told me!” a man yelled to them.
“I didn’t tell him anything. Did you Alison? Or are you Brooke,” Alison asked in a loud voice.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure, but I am sure I never told him anything,” Brooke said over the laughter.
“No!” the man shouted. “The song! Do the song!”
“Oh, the song. I don’t know; that one’s pretty sad. How about a happy song instead?” Alison stated.
The song they began, while sounding lively and upbeat was far from it. It was the Kingston Trio’s Merry Minuet. Everyone who knew the twins knew they played it as a dig on the destroyed world and all the problems it’d had. And was still creating as everyone would know when they turned the stage over to Colonel Crocker. When the macabre final line of the song came, most everyone in attendance, survivors of the nuclear exchange added their loud voices.
Keeping with the opening theme, the group moved next to REM’s It’s the End of the World. It was followed by a series of songs the girls had written, inspired by real-world events.
The first was upbeat and lively even if the lyrics weren’t.
“Gather around and we’ll tell you a tale
How even the great and mighty can fail
Once upon a time as the old folks tell
Our world was a marvel and not a hell
So long ago it was full of wonder
Before envy and conceit pulled it under”
The next two songs dealt with day to day life everyone lived years after That Day. They were followed by another lively and pointed song.
“First the pox and then the bombs
Oh my God, what have we done?”
The next song, in honor of Chad and Carol and their travels, was Patty’ Griffin’s “Ten Million Miles”. Of course, they hadn’t walked that far, more like six thousand, but many of the lyrics fit what they’d gone through.
The following song was another of their own, inspired by and similar to Alan Jackson’s “Where were you” only in their version, besides changing the month, their next line was “when the skies filled with clouds,”
It was followed with another nod for Chad and Carol; Mary Chapin Carpenter’s, 10,000 Miles. The slow, mournful song set the mood for the next song. The group paused longer than normal at the finish, waiting for the raucous applause to die down. The assemblage fell silent at a single long note from Brian and his fiddle. All the other instruments fell silent but for Chad on his guitar, playing softly. The twins’ voices blended in unison as they sang the slow ballad.
“You told me you were coming back but you never did
You left me home all alone, pregnant with your kid.
You said we’d be together until the end of time.
Then you left me wondering if it was only just a line.
I laid awake that endless night longing for your voice
Did you run from me and your child, did you even have a choice
The lights went out and it wasn’t you who came beating at my door
It was hunger, death, and suffering when I needed you much more.
You told me you were coming back but you never did.”
The girls quit singing and Brian played a slow mournful dirge on his fiddle.
“Mom said you were a loser and I told her she was wrong,
But I began to wonder when your absence grew so long.
Starvation came and then our daughter was born dead
I cried oh so many nights and wished it was me instead.
I swear to Almighty God I wish it was me who was dead.
You told me you were coming home but you never did.”
Again, Brian played the mournful solo. The audience was silent, many with tears streaming down their faces as they remembered that awful time.
“You told me you were coming back but it wasn’t true
Now I spend all my time alone and missing you.
The bleak and dreary days were the longest of my life
Many times I wondered if I was a widow or a wife.
Did you burn up in the blast or did you just waste away
I wasted away more and more every single day
Our world together ended on that fateful night
Times got hard, growing harder, try though I might
I wondered many times who’d gotten the better deal
I’m still not sure, not even close, after years to heal.
You told me you were coming back but you never did.”
Brian played again, the poignant lyrics and fiddle touching many in the silent audience deeply.
“You told me that you loved me as you walked out the door”
The girls quit singing. In a stage voice, First Alison and then Brooke said,
“You left me there all alone
In the prison that was once our home”
Together, they finished, the final whispered,
“You told me you were coming back but you never did
You told me you were coming back
You told me”
The crowd was quiet during the song, with many tears shed. The song was too vivid a reminder for many people of what they’d been through, what they’d lost. It wasn’t quiet when they finished as the crowd burst into cheers and applause.
As it slowly died down, Alison said, “We have a special guest we’re going to turn the stage over to after one last song.”
Brooke added, “I hope you’ll pay close attention.”
The final song, fitting for the girls’ sense of humor was “Bad Moon Rising”.
Crocker shook his head and rolled his eyes.
The raucous cheers quieted when Crocker walked onto the stage in his full uniform. His men, also in uniform, flanked him, two steps back. Russ Camp, at Crocker’s earlier request also joined them. Jimmy Franklin scanned the crowd, looking for the familiar face of Larry Cooper. Michael Chen looked over everyone, getting rough estimates of the number and makeup of the people present.
Crocker began by introducing himself and his men. He followed with information about the President and the efforts they were making restoring order and the country. He concluded with the reason he was there and the threat facing them all.
The pavilion erupted in noise.
The skepticism Alison and Brooke had shown was tame compared to several of those present. Survivors who’d lost family members to the pandemic, the blasts, starvation, complications from radioactive fallout were still bitter so many years later. Two men gathered their families and stormed away.
Crocker stood as solid as a statue while he waited for the uproar to die down.
From the center of the crowd, Mat Gomez and Larry Cooper stood and worked their way to the stage. They both hopped up, and Mat turned and faced the crowd. The gathering quieted.
Mat cleared his throat and said, “I don’t blame you for being skeptical, I would be myself if I didn’t know Colonel Crocker. I served under his command in Afghanistan and learned to trust his wisdom and knowledge. If he says we’re facing an imminent threat, I believe him. And I sure as hell will do all I can to keep this country from falling to China.”
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Post by udwe on May 24, 2020 10:23:27 GMT -6
WOW!
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Post by 9idrr on May 24, 2020 20:40:12 GMT -6
Just goes to show you that you only think you're the one runnin' your own life. Thanks for postin' this chapter again, sir.
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Post by texican on May 26, 2020 22:11:48 GMT -6
Bret,
Thank you.
Texican....
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Post by bretf on May 31, 2020 6:14:37 GMT -6
Chapter 8
A man in the crowd stood and said, “Mat’s word goes a long way with me. If he vouches for you, I’ll listen. What do you want from us?”
Crocker weighed his words and then said, “It’s not what I want, it’s what our nation needs, and it’s two-fold. First, it’s imperative we get the word out. Second, we have to stop the Chinese forces from crossing the Cascade Range.”
“How are a bunch of farmers with deer rifles and shotguns we’re low on ammo for supposed to stop an army, for God’s sake?” a man yelled. “Throw rocks at them?”
There were several more calls along the same lines and it appeared Crocker would lose control of the meeting.
Russ stepped forward and yelled, “Hey, give the man a chance to talk.”
The crowd quieted for their long-time leader.
“No, you won’t have to throw rocks. I hope,” Crocker said.
“You hope?” Someone called.
“We have plans for –”
“How do we know it’s not all bullshit?” a man interrupted.
The Smoke twins joined Russ.
Alison said, “We want to tell you about this afternoon. I don’t know how, but these guys,” she indicated Crocker and his men, “have some equipment that sees things from space.”
“Satellite images,” Russ interjected.
“Yeah, what he said,” Brooke said. “Russ, Doc, the town council, we were all at their camp and saw all this stuff. You know, Mat taught us not to be very trusting, but we believe Crocker and a huge army is coming.”
Russ nodded his head.
There were several comments and grumbling from the crowd.
Crocker said, “So, as I was saying, you won’t be alone. We and other groups have been delivering the same message everywhere on our way to Washington. Groups we’ve talked to are mobilizing and moving as we speak. If you choose to help, you won’t be alone.
“If we’re going to have any chance to come out of this, the Chinese have to be contained until the regular army gets there.”
“What regular army?” a man shouted.
“Contrary to local belief, the United States is alive. We’ve been reforming the nation and bringing law and order back to areas that are in open defiance of the legitimate government.”
“What legitimate government?” someone shouted.
Crocker said, “The last lawfully elected government of the United States. They have been functioning on a limited basis, working to re-form the country so they can call for new elections. Until that happens, the last duly elected officials are in charge.
“We’d made great progress and then this threat arrived. The army, while leaving peacekeepers, is mobilized and heading this way. However, they move slow.”
“And just how are we supposed to contain the Chinese” a man yelled.
“A munitions convoy is on the way, ahead of the main forces. They have arms, ammunition, artillery batteries, and explosives. The Russian nukes hit us hard but several stockpiles survived. However, there won’t be enough manpower for all of it; that’s where you and other groups like you come in.
“It will reach you before the Chinese do. In the meantime, at every stop we make, we leave a trainer and two rifles. It’s nowhere near enough but the best we can do under the circumstances. With God’s blessing, it’ll be enough.”
“What if your convoy doesn’t get there in time?”
Crocker didn’t answer right away. He looked across the gathering slowly. When he spoke, it was soft, yet able to be heard by all in attendance. “Pray it does. Because if it doesn’t, their forces could pour out of those mountains like ants from a kicked-over mound and spread everywhere. If they breach the mountains, I don’t see how we can stop them. There’s too much open country on this side. And nothing to slow them for hundreds of miles.”
“What about planes?”
“Yes, the Chinese have planes. There’s a stock of surface to air missiles in the convoy so you’ll be armed if they go your way.”
“Do we have any?”
Crocker’s face twisted. “Yes.”
Murmured conversations broke out among the gathering.
Crocker looked over the crowd. Most faces showed they got it.
“So, all able men and women need to mobilize as fast as possible. Also, you need to get the word out in the surrounding area. We have to stop that plaque from crossing the mountains. We have to.”
Crocker watched as they digested his words
.
After a long silence a voice called out, “And I suppose you, some son of a bitch we don’t know a damn thing about, is planning to lead us on this grand venture?”
“No. The Central Idaho contingents will be under the command of Russ Camp. We’ve given him a field commission of Captain. Though limited, he does have some experience. It’s obvious he has your respect.”
“Hell yeah,” was yelled out and echoed by many in attendance.
“Captain Chen will be in co-command with him,” Crocker said indicating the man behind him in uniform.
Chen looked as if the news was unexpected.
“Mat should be in charge with Russ. We know and trust him. Hell, this Chen guy could be a Chinese agent for all we know.”
Chen steeled his features at the rebuke.
“I trust Chen with my life, and as for Mat, if he’s agreeable, I have something that better fits his skill set in mind,” Crocker said.
“Yeah, so where the hell will you be while we’re trying to stop the horde from swarming over the mountains?” was yelled. Like the previous questions, several chimed in with like comments.
Crocker looked across the crowd, weighing his response. “I suppose seeing what I’m asking you to do, you deserve to know some of it. I’ll be with Mat, infiltrating the enemy.”
For once, his response didn’t create calls and shouts.
“Also, I’m hoping Larry Cooper here will be with you. If you don’t know his story, Coop is uniquely qualified for this mission,” Crocker added.
With a nod and gesture to him, Russ took over the meeting. “Three primary highways cross in that region. I’d like all of you that can go to be with me. I plan on spending tomorrow preparing and leaving the next day. We’ll take every truck we have available. And those of you who aren’t up to going needs to spread the word. I don’t want to see a swarm of Chinese soldiers and tanks roll into our town.”
Crocker motioned for the twins, Mat, and Coop to follow him. They jumped off the back side of the hay wagon, moving out of earshot of Russ and the townsfolks discussion.
Chen followed as well. “Colonel, I thought I was going to be with you. You know I’m fluent in their language.”
“Yes, I know Captain, but look at what these people are going up against. I have faith in Camp, but his experience is too limited. Having you with them will give them and us a better chance of success.”
Chen still didn’t look happy but knew how to follow orders.
Crocker turned his attention to Cooper. “Coop, Jimmy Franklin told me all about the exploits you and he had getting home from Afghanistan. I’d like you with Chen and these men to teach them all you can in a short time about evasion and destruction. You need to destroy every road crossing those mountains. God willing, you can remove their armored vehicles from the equation.”
“Sounds good. We sure as hell wouldn’t stand a chance against tanks.”
“Right, but I think a bunch of deer hunters will hold the advantage in those mountains if everyone is on foot.”
“Just give me what I need and we’ll light up those passes like the Fourth of July,” Coop said.
“That’s what I was hoping to hear,” Crocker said.
“What about me, Colonel? You want to infiltrate the enemy?” Mat asked.
Croker didn’t answer right away as Chad, Carol, Brian, and Joe joined them.
“I don’t know if you met before the show,” Mat said. “This is my brother, Chad Smoke, and his wife, Carol. You can talk freely in front of them.”
Crocker nodded and asked, “So how is your Mandarin?”
Chen looked up in interest.
“I never was fluent, and I’ve gotten rusty over the years,” Mat said. “But it should come back if I’m exposed to it.” Mat was a polyglot, learning languages easily. The city he’d grown up in was a melting pot of cultures, exposing him to many at a young age. “So, anyway, what’ve you got in mind?”
“It’ll be more dangerous than facing the Chinese in the mountains. The rest of us,” Crocker indicated the group around him, “except for Chad and Carol, need to get to the coast as fast as we can. We have to establish communications, warn the citizens, and prep them for guerilla warfare. It’d be best if we can get there and get started before the Chinese land. When they do land, we have to infiltrate them so we can report on their movements and plans.
“You know, Colonel, the moment I saw you I knew you weren’t here for a social visit. But I never expected anything like this,” Mat said.
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Post by 9idrr on May 31, 2020 20:43:45 GMT -6
And it just gets better and better.
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Post by texican on Jun 1, 2020 0:37:08 GMT -6
Bret.
The twists and turns are just starting.
Thank you.
Texican....
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Post by bretf on Jun 9, 2020 5:05:41 GMT -6
Chapter 9
With time of the essence, Crocker crammed Mat, his family, Brian, and Cooper into the Humvee to return them home. As they sped down the empty highway, Alison leaned forward and said, “This is a nice ride even with the drab paint job but you should let me or Brooke drive.”
“Right. Show me your driver’s license,” Crocker said with a wink at Mat.
“What’s that?” Brooke asked.
“You have to have a state-issued license to operate a motor vehicle. I’m sorry, but without it, I can’t let you drive. Rules, you know,” Crocker said.
“Rules? You, the king of conscription cares about rules?” Alison asked.
“Besides, our minds and abilities give us license to try whatever we want. So can we drive our not?” Brooke asked.
“I don’t think letting you drive would be a good idea,” Crocker said. “Have you ever driven anything?”
“How did you manage to make colonel?” Alison asked.
“I know, your dad was a Senator, wasn’t he?” Brooke added. “Cockroaches and their offspring.”
“So what if we’ve driven or not. Put aside your macho guy in charge attitude for a minute and think like a leader instead,” Alison said.
“My dad wasn’t a Senator,” Crocker grumbled.
“Okay, so consider this grand mission of yours. Don’t you think we all need to be competent with operating all equipment at our disposal? Including this truck?” Brooke said.
Alison said, “Suppose you or Mat or someone else gets hurt and we need to get the hell out of there fast.”
“Wouldn’t you feel like an idiot, bleeding out while we look at this thing, clueless?”
“Your life might depend on it sometime.”
“Or our brother’s, or Brian’s or Joe’s.”
“And if we need to drive this thing but can’t, well if the Chinese don’t kill you, we might have to.”
“Mat, are they always this subtle?” Crocker asked.
“I learned long ago to never dismiss their suggestions. Even when they sounded silly, they made a lot of sense. However, they could use some work with their delivery.”
Alison and Brooke smirked at each other.
“Tell you what,” Crocker said. “Tomorrow when we hit the road, you both will get to learn to drive this thing.”
“Now you’re talking like a leader.”
#
The Humvee’s headlights illuminated the fronts of the twin glass-fronted hillside homes as Crocker pulled to a stop.
“This looks nice, Mat. Other than two houses and a huge family, it’s what I envisioned from your plans,” Crocker said. “I still find it hard to believe you’ve got such a large group here. I thought you were looking for solitude when you got out.”
“Yeah, I was, and as you know, plans are only good until the first move is made. After that, they all go in the toilet.
“Having the family show up was a huge surprise but I’m glad it happened. I was dead inside and didn’t know it. It took a long time to realize it and how much I needed family. Family other than our unit.”
“Well, I see a peace in you that wasn’t there before. So, let’s all make sure we stop the Chinese so you can return to a safe home.”
They exited the vehicle as the glass door into the main house slid open, Heather and Dan stepping out.
“Mat, what’s going on? What happened? Where’s Chad?” Heather asked. It was rare for a motor vehicle to drive to their home and never one like the Humvee.
The moon and stars provided enough light to see everyone without the headlights, though not well.
“We dropped Chad off at Nick’s place. This is my former CO and friend, Colonel Jim Crocker. Colonel, this is my wife, Heather, and dad, Dan Smoke.”
“Why are you here? Driving that rig and dressed as you are, it can’t be a social call. Not after this long,” Heather said.
“I wish it was. It’d be nice to get to know the folks that tamed Mat. Unfortunately, under the circumstances, we won’t have time.”
“What circumstances? What are you doing here?”
“You get straight to it, don’t you?”
“He needs our help, Aunt Heather,” Brooke said.
“We had to threaten to beat it out of him before he told us anything. Maybe you need to use the same tact,” Alison said.
Mat said, “Beatings aren’t necessary. Yes, he needs our help. The country is about to be invaded by the Chinese.”
“Maybe I should make a pot of tea. It sounds like this may take a while,” Dan said.
“We can do it in the morning. We all should get some sleep,” Mat said.
“As if I could sleep after hearing this,” Heather said. “So what’s going on?”
Heather and Dan’s faces grew hard as Crocker gave the condensed version. When he finished, Heather said, “Carol, Dan, it looks like you’ll need to watch over the kids while I’m gone.”
“Uh, I can’t watch the kids. They should stay here, not go with me to Washington,” Dan said.
“Dan, I –”
“No, you –”
“Hold it, both of you,” Mat demanded. “I appreciate your desire to go but I really don’t want you to. Hell, I don’t want to. I don’t want Chad, Alison, or Brooke going but we have to. Please, stay here, enough of us are going for one family.”
“But I have experience. People like me are needed,” Heather said.
“Yes, you do, but I also watched you give birth to our babies. Please stay here,” he said in a soft voice.
Mat looked at his dad, “Stay, so they have a mom and a stable home no matter what. Please!”
They all looked silently at each other.
Mat tried once more. “Heather, although Carol would do a great job, the kids need you here, especially Noah.” Noah was their two-year-old son. They also had eleven-year-old and four-year-old daughters.
“But Mat –”
“But nothing. The kids need you here. And I,” Mat paused, seeming to search for words. “And I need you to be here,” he finished in a strangled voice.
It was quiet for a long minute before he said, “And I need you here, too, Dad. The place needs you. Heather, Carol, Amy, and the kids all need you. And I need to know both of you are here safe so I can do my job. These two will be with me so I can keep an eye on them. And Chad, well, he’ll be Chad. At Least he’ll with a big group. But if either of you goes, I can’t concentrate on what I’m doing. People are going to die on this venture and I can’t bear the thought of either of you …” He looked pleadingly at each of them before turning his back to them and wiping his face.
“Maybe we should all sleep on it. Colonel, we’re a little short on beds. A recliner is the best we’ve got,” Dan said. “The girls can get you a couple of blankets.” He turned and led the way into the house. “As if I’ll be able to sleep a wink after hearing that.”
#
With first light, all adult members of the clan minus Chad, including those who’d arrived after meeting Chad and Carol during their travels gathered. They sat on benches around the outdoor plank table. Platters of cheese, boiled eggs, and dried meat sat untouched beside jars of milk. The pot of hot tea was receiving attention, however.
They’d yet to begin the discussion when Lindy, the family dog, jumped up and ran down the trail. “You might as well hold up for a bit, Colonel. It looks like Chad and Nick are joining us in a bit,” Mat said.
In under a minute, three riders appeared on the trail accompanied by the dog. One of Nick’s cousins was with them. They dismounted and joined the gathering.
“This everyone?” Crocker asked. “Brian’s getting the Indian Valley people together there, right?”
“Yeah, this should be it,” Mat said.
Crocker laid out the situation, adding a few more details than he had the previous night. In conclusion, he said, “So, Mat, the girls, and I need to take off right away. Glen Camp will be here late this afternoon to get the rest of you that can go to Hamilton. Russ Camp plans on starting out tomorrow morning.”
Howie Smoke, Chad’s cousin who’d he’d met on his travels and returned home with him and Carol clutched his wife Amy’s hand tightly. “I guess I should’ve known Chad wasn’t finished dragging me on adventures,” he said resignedly.
Nick, without his normal grin, said, “Looks like you’re right. But he’ll have me and you to keep him from doing something dumb this time. Hopefully, it’ll be enough.”
Amy had turned pale as the implications of Crocker’s narrative sank in. Howie would go. Her dad, Chuck, poor eyesight and all would go. She’d be left with their infant son to worry.
Many looks were shot around the table. Dan, haggard-looking from a night without sleep said, “I guess I’m staying to keep the place up, with Carol and Amy, if everyone else is going. Heather?”
Heather nodded, her face grim. “I’m staying, too.”
Mat looked grateful as Dan received confirming nods.
Fred Lewis, another who’d joined the family after meeting Chad and Carol, said, “You say you’ve been drumming up support on your way. Does that include Deseret or Utah, whatever term you use for it?”
“Yes,” Crocker said. “We got a quick meeting with the President there.”
“And what did Dear Dad say?”
“Dad?” Crocker asked.
“Yep and my brother Doug is the high commander and chief executioner in the southern region. The last time I saw him, he’d put a noose around my neck and left me balanced on a stick of wood. He’s a sadistic bastard, I have to say.”
Crocker shook his head and said, “Okay. The President said he’d call a meeting of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They would decide what their best response should be and act accordingly.”
“So, he gave you the definitive ‘yes, no, maybe so’. Sounds like Dad.”
Mat looked around the group. “All right. It looks like it’s set. Alison, Brooke, get your gear. We’re out of here in twenty minutes.”
The twins were ready sooner, stowed their gear in the Humvee, and made the rounds telling everyone goodbye.
Chad hugged them a long time and said, “You two be careful. It’s a different world away from home. I’ll be looking for you to come and pick us up when this is done so we can all come home together.”
“You too, and it’s a date,” Alison said.
“And don’t let Howie shoot himself,” Brooke added.
They walked to the Humvee and Brooke climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Hey,” Crocker snapped. “Your turn will come when we’re on a highway with less chance of you destroying everything around us.”
“Chicken,” Brooke said.
“No just cautious. It let me live long enough to make Colonel, after all.”
“Oh, all right,” Brooke said. “But our lessons start as soon as we clear Indian Valley.”
Alison nudged Crocker with her staff. “Will that work for you, boss?”
Crocker grinned despite the situation.
“I think it better.”
#
Crocker looked at Brooke as the Humvee sped down the highway. “I smell a rat.”
She looked sweetly at him. “Really? I don’t. How about you, Ali?”
“No, not yet anyway. Maybe he farted and is covering for himself before we all gag.”
Brian fought to keep his face straight. The girls’ minds had leaped at the possibilities at the first sighting of Crocker. And despite the situation, they were playing him as much as they could. Fresh meat, indeed.
Mat grinned. Though he was used to his sisters’ antics, it was something else to see them unleash on his former and current commanding officer.
Crocker shook his head. “No, I didn’t fart. It’s an expression. I think you mislead me about driving.”
“What’re you talking about?” Brooke asked.
“We never said we could or couldn’t drive,” Alison added.
“We only suggested we needed to know how to drive this truck.”
“You know, be well versed with all the equipment we’ll have.”
“So what do you think commander? Are we officer material if we like this army stuff?”
“Able to say one thing without telling a lie but meaning something else?”
Crocker rolled his eyes. “You’ll have to bring it up with President Morton.”
“Oh, then we’re in. But tell you what, you won’t have to salute us. All that ceremony nonsense is too stuffy.”
“I’ll try to remember it,” Crocker said, rubbing the side of his face facing the girls with his middle finger.
Mat couldn’t stop himself from busting out laughing.
#
Crocker’s men looked up in surprise when the Humvee rolled into their campsite with Alison at the wheel.
“Back up to the fuel trailer so we can hitch it,” Crocker told her.
“Nope, you’ll have to do it.”
“What, don’t you know how to back up?”
Brooke snorted. “Well, no! That requires looking back.”
“There’s too much of that from old codgers like you.”
“We’re modern, forward-looking women, always moving forward.”
Alison killed the engine and got out of the truck.
Joe was there to greet them. “So, you pulled it off, I see.”
Alison smiled. “Did you ever have any doubt?”
“Not for an instant.”
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Post by sniper69 on Jun 9, 2020 5:30:06 GMT -6
Thank you for another excellent chapter!! It is appreciated and always nice to see more of your excellent writing.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Jun 9, 2020 14:49:13 GMT -6
Them girls sound like a hand full
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Post by texican on Jun 9, 2020 20:20:43 GMT -6
Bret,
The twins and mat, chad, howie and lots of others off to war. Are the twins carrying their battle sticks?
Thanks for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Jun 9, 2020 21:23:57 GMT -6
I expect there's a lot of adventure comin' on the followin' chapters.
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Post by hunter77 on Jun 10, 2020 1:04:26 GMT -6
Cain't wait to see what's next.
Thanks for the chapter
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Post by bretf on Jun 19, 2020 6:34:50 GMT -6
Chapter 10
The atmosphere was somber at the Smoke – Gomez home after the Humvee drove away. In near silence, the rest of the group who’d be leaving gathered everything they thought they might need. As the provisions were gathered, they were stacked near the plank table.
Through it all, Chad was torn between duty and his family. Since embarking on their travels, he and Carol were as close as two people could be. Adding two kids to the equation made him want to stay even more. It tore him apart inside that he’d be leaving them. He spent as much time as possible throughout the day with them and his dad. The memories of his last homecoming were too vivid; the changes in his mom and her subsequent death. He hated to go away and leave his family behind, not knowing what he may return to. If he returned.
Despite his many offers of work, Dan refused. Their time together was too short. Work could wait.
All too soon, Glen Camp arrived in a pickup truck to take everyone to town for an early departure. No few tears were shed as Chad, Howie, Chuck Gray, and Fred loaded their gear.
Chad clung to each of his children, making John state, “Dad, you’re squeezing me too tight.”
“I’m sure I am, Pal. You know I’ll be gone for a long time, so you have to help Mom take care of Lisa Faith. And help her and Grandpa all you can.”
“I will. Now stop crying.”
“I can’t help it.”
The men climbed solemnly into the pickup. Chad sat in the back watching his family as long as possible.
No one spoke as they watched the pickup drive away, the quiet interrupted only by sniffs and sobs.
When the pickup was out of sight, Dan looked at Mat and Heather’s oldest daughter. “Hope, would you milk please, Hon?” Without waiting for an answer, he started walking down the trail in the direction the pickup had disappeared.
“Dan, if you don’t need to be alone, can we all go with you?” Carol asked. With a look at Amy that said she wouldn’t accept ‘no’ for an answer, she said, “Amy and I can help Hope take care of the goats and chickens when we finish.”
Dan stopped and looked at the women and children. “Of course, we all should go. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
The entire group started down the trail, turning at the well-worn path to the vantage point first Chad, then Lisa and Dan had trod daily. They stopped and looked down the valley. Dan held each hand out. They were taken by Heather on one side and Carol on the other. Amy and the kids joined the chain.
With a catch in his throat, Dan said, “Dear Lord, I come to You again from this spot where I’ve pleaded for Your mercy, deliverance, and blessing so many times. I can’t know Your ways but I beg You, please Lord, please, keep our family safe and deliver them home to us whole.” He paused, his face twisted with anguish as he searched for words. “Just bring them all home. Amen.”
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Post by texican on Jun 19, 2020 18:35:44 GMT -6
Bret,
Thank you.
Family parting and not knowing the final outcome is a burden, but prayers help.
Posted reviews at Amazon for Book 1 and Book 2. Moar Hounds show how well you like Bret's writing and post reviews on Amazon.
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Jun 19, 2020 21:14:32 GMT -6
Some families seem to always answer the call.
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Post by cutter on Jun 19, 2020 22:03:28 GMT -6
Lots of dust here in Kentucky tonight. Aw hell, I'll just admit it. That chapter brought a tear or three to my eye. Keep 'em coming, in your own time and as you're able. I appreciate your hard work. Your passion for your writing shows.
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Post by 9idrr on Jun 20, 2020 20:41:21 GMT -6
Lots of dust here in Kentucky tonight. Aw hell, I'll just admit it. That chapter brought a tear or three to my eye. Keep 'em coming, in your own time and as you're able. I appreciate your hard work. Your passion for your writing shows. I respect your opinion on this, cutter, as another writer probably appreciates what it takes to do good stories more than those of us who just read 'em. You guys have shared a lot of good stuff with the rest of us. Thank you. And thank you, Bret for keepin' the Smoke Clan goin'.
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Post by accountant on Jun 24, 2020 15:12:46 GMT -6
Bretf,
Thank you for your latest addition to the Smoke family saga, my friend.
Always good to see your words on my screen.
Sincerely, A.
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Post by bretf on Jun 27, 2020 5:39:19 GMT -6
Thanks for the comments. They’re always appreciated!
Chapter 11
It was late afternoon when Alison braked the Humvee to a stop on the center of the Umatilla Bridge spanning the Columbia River.
“Oh My God! Brooke, look at all that water!”
She shut off the engine and clambered out of the truck staring in awe. It would’ve been impossible before the smallpox pandemic. Back then, the interstate highway linking Oregon and Washington had a steady stream of traffic. But stopping was no longer a concern. The Humvee was the only vehicle in sight.
It’d been a day of wonder for the twins. They had little recollection of the time before moving to Mat’s house and little opportunity to leave their immediate area since. Though not always fast due to twelve years without road maintenance, they’d traveled faster and farther the day than Alison and Brooke could remember ever going. They’d stopped in strange towns, talking with more strangers than they’d ever seen. They’d traveled through farm fields, sagebrush-covered hills, lush green valleys, and mountains covered by towering pine trees. They’d dropped from those lofty mountains to go through nearly flat land with little growing on it to break up the monotony. It was all fascinating in its foreignness.
Brooke hurried to the bridge railing with Alison. “Wow! And I thought the Snake River was huge. This is like thousands of Wilson Creeks poured together.”
Crocker, Franklin, and Mat joined them. The rest of Crocker’s crew had been left behind, Chen in Hamilton, and the other men at La Grande and Pendleton respectively. Franklin would stay as trainer in Kennewick, part of Washington’s Tri-Cities, the group’s destination for the night.
Mat chuckled. “It’s too bad we can’t go over there,” he said indicating McNary Dam a short distance upstream. You’d really see some water then.”
“It looks like a wall across the river. Is that a dam?” Alison asked.
“Yep. And depending on which side of the fence you were on, that one and others on the Columbia and Snake Rivers either gave life to the region or destroyed a way of life.”
“What do you mean? Brooke asked.
“Well, you know we don’t get enough rain for agriculture, so the dams hold the water from winter snow for farmers. And see those power lines? The dams produced electricity with the backed-up water. They allowed the high desert country to grow and flourish.
“At the same time, they were a major problem for salmon and steelhead migrating upstream to spawn. Hardly any fish were making it back to Idaho when the pandemic hit. Before the dams, salmon even ran in Wilson Creek every year. Groups had been fighting for years to remove the dams.”
“It’s amazing it’s still here after some of those flood years we had,” Alison said.
“They’re not all still intact,” Crocker said. “I’ve seen satellite images of one being taken out in a high-water year. And right after the nukes, we heard some eco-terrorists blew up a couple of them. As if Portland didn’t have enough problems already, that wall of water really raised hell.”
“What’s eco-terrorists?” Brooke asked.
Crocker chuckled. “Oh yeah, you two wouldn’t know about them.” He spent several minutes explaining.
“Well, I like fish, but I also like everything to grow in the garden. You’d think they could’ve figured out something to work for both sides,” Alison said.
“You’d think, but they fought about it constantly,” Mat said.
“Okay, if you’ve seen enough, we need to get going,” Crocker said. “We still need to meet with the folks in Kennewick this evening.”
#
The Humvee passed slowly through Kennewick, Washington, traversing many streets until it’d passed through most of the town. As they drove, Crocker had the microphone to his mouth. “National emergency. Meet at Al Robinson Park on 4th Avenue for details. Spread the word,” blasted from the roof-mounted speaker.
Dusk was settling as the truck braked to a stop near a milling crowd. More people still were approaching the park. The group exited the vehicle and the crowd arranged themselves where they could see and hear.
Crocker described the situation they were facing. As always, the crowd was filled with several skeptics, leading to full darkness before most were satisfied. City leaders assured Crocker they would do their part.
Three men lingered as the crowd dissipated. “So, Colonel, are you just going to let those bastards land on our soil uncontested?” one man asked.
“I don’t want to, but I don’t see how we can stop them,” Crocker said.
“Well, we’d like to be there to greet them. We can’t stop them all but I think we can take out a chunk of them. We don’t have artillery as you’re accustomed to but we have something that could surprise the hell out of them.”
“Explain,” Crocker said.
“Well, before the world went to hell, we,” he indicated the men with him, “and a few other guys started a Scout project, a contest to build catapults and trebuchets to chuck pumpkins. You know how it is, get a bunch of grown-up kids playing with something like that and it kind of escalated.”
Crocker grinned and said, “Yeah, some guys never grow out of those urges. But how will throwing pumpkins help?”
The man smiled and said, “You see, our trebuchets got bigger –”
One of his friends interrupted him. “And then the professor here,” he indicated the man who’d been doing the talking, “decided pumpkins were too boring. He started playing around with fertilizer, fuel, and Styrofoam.”
Croker digested the news. “You guys have been making napalm bombs?”
Alison and Brooke had been listening quietly. Alison asked, “What does all that mean?”
“What’s trebuchets and napalm?” Brooke added.
“I’ll explain later,” Crocker said. “After I know more.”
“It’s not a lot, but we have ten trebuchets that can throw one of his exploding pills a couple of hundred yards.”
“I like what I’m hearing, but I don’t have a way to get you and your equipment over there. And well, you’d be pretty damn close. The Chinese will have real artillery. What you’re talking about is suicide even if you can get there,” Crocker said.
“Yes sir, but that’s war. We can line up our full battery and fire, then get the hell out as fast as we can. If we don’t make it, well, at least we’ll have taken more of those bastards out than they could be expecting. And we’ll send them the message they aren’t welcome here.”
Crocker thought about it for a bit before he said, “Do you have what you need for your exploding pills as you call them?”
“Yep, for one full battery shot, and a few more we can scatter about and with luck, set off with a rifle.”
“You know, they’re most likely going to have an advance, men on the ground to recon the area before the main forces land. I can’t stop you if you’re determined, but you have to realize you most likely won’t return.”
The man shrugged. “I don’t have that long anyway. It hasn’t been confirmed by the doc but I know I have cancer, courtesy of that wonderful nuclear war and winter we went through. Between you and me, I’d rather go down in defense of my country than wasting away in a bed, having someone clean me up after I shit myself. Does your man have any specifics as to where they’ll be landing?”
“One location he’s heard is Dash Point.”
“I’m familiar with it. It’s near the southern end of the Sound and there are a beach and pier there. It’ll be a good spot to make a final stand.”
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Post by bluefox2 on Jun 27, 2020 9:07:19 GMT -6
The last part of this chapter is typical of the thinking that a bunch of us old vets have if things really go south around here. there will be no retreat from the final stand.
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Post by cutter on Jun 27, 2020 13:10:30 GMT -6
I'm neither old, nor a vet, but I share the line of thinking. I'd rather not live to see a win, than to suffer in the loss.
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