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Post by bitsmith on May 14, 2021 20:12:43 GMT -6
TIA – Chapter Eight
Once on the streets, William shouted at A-shon to follow him. He set a fast, but moderately difficult pace. The trailer bounced around a lot as they cut through alleys, and dodged potholes. And he just kept them moving east, then north east. A-shon was starting to flag and fall back. He had taken off with such speed, like it was a sprint. He did not how to ride for long distances. Another thing he was going to have to learn. Not seeing any persuit, William slowed the pace. Motioning A-shon beside him, William looked over the gearing and chain as A-shon pushed hard, but slowly on the pedals.
“You are in top gear, aren't you?” William asked. A-shon panting, only nodded. “OK. You did great on the escape sprint. But now, we are in for a couple of miles of steady, maintained speed. Find that balance of gears on that bike to maintain the same speed and nearly the same pace as me. Watch my knees. Right now, you want to maintain a steady rhythm, so you can catch your breathe, without stopping, or sacrificing too much speed. Just ease into it. You are working too hard.”
“I need to stop, soon.” he panted. “I can barely breathe. I need to drink something and I'm a little light headed.”
“OK. Keep with me for … about four or five more miles, then we will be near someplace we can stop. This next turn, up, is to the right. It will have a short, but challenging hill to keep this speed. Drop the front gear out or down to climb it. Then downhill about a half mile and go back in with the front, another climb for a quarter mile, and repeat the gearing. From there, it will be mostly flat for about two miles. Then a left, a few curves and downhill a ways. Then a right, into an old state park. From there, we will find a place to make camp. Are you with me?” William shared.
“Yeah. My head is clearing. I'll be OK, I think.” A-shon answered.
About ten minutes, later, William led them off the street and onto a paved path into the state park he promised to find. A-shon learned to read Williams hand signs for shifting up and down as they continued a quick pace. William leaned into a parking lot entrance, and past a covered pavillion onto a foot path. It was barely wide enough for the bike. The trailer rattled, A LOT, as it bounced along. Suddenly, William stopped the bike, down shifting, quickly. A-shon followed as William dismounted. There was a wash in front of them.
“A-shon, carry your bike across that fallen tree and park it, on the other side. Then come back to help me with the trailer.” William instructed. In the time it took A-shon to return, William had disconnected the trailer from his bike. Together, they man handled it across and A-shon returned again, to recover William's bike. “Rest here a minute. I want to find a camp site. Keep your eyes and ears open. Stay OUT of the trailer. I'll be right back.”
William proceeded along the rock wall to his left as he went upstream along the wash. He found a wide space backed into a curve of the wall with a bit of an overhang. It was very humid in amongst this growth. He hoped it would be enough to help disperse any smoke from a cook fire. Looking around, William discovered the source of the trickle stream a couple of feet below the campsite.
He returned to where he had left A-shon. He watched the young man for a minute or two. Watching as the boy fidgetted and moved about. Pacing. Stripping leaves off of a small branch he had taken from a tree.
Stepping out from cover, William surprised the boy with how quietly he moved.
William approached him, very quietly and very closely. “Here is what I want you to do … pick up all these leaves and such you tore up. They are a dead give away of someone having been here. Put them in a pocket. Then carry your bike along this ledge. Carry it on your right side so it won't get caught up on the wall. Step on the stones as much as you can, to limit your tracks. You will know when to stop.”
A-shon, unhappy, looked at the ground and started picking up the small leaves and pieces. William hand pulled the trailer to the small, tight campsite. Then returned for his bike. He had to backup a short distance, as he met A-shon on the path. A-shon was carrying his bike, having left the one they took from John. They did a hand off with A-shon going back. Just a few minutes later, they were together in the campsite.
“A-shon, you will need to drink, here shortly. And it won't be that water you were worried about, from that creek. Take this. It's called an 'ET' or 'Entrenching Tool'. Climb down into the wash. Pretty much under our feet is a small trickle of water coming out of the wall. I need you to dig a small hole under it. About the size of a large kitchen sink. Call it 2 feet by 2 feet and about 2 feet deep. This will make filling our water bottles and other items easier to deal with. When you have it dug out, QUIETLY call to me. We do not know who might or might not be around here. And dig quietly, too.” William advised.
In little more than a whisper, A-shon asked, “And what are you going to be doing, while I'm digging, quietly?”
“Well … I'm going to check the contents of my trailer. See if anything is broken. Then I'm going to break out a couple of pans and start a fire. I'm going to try to get set up to make sure there is nothing in that water from the wall that is likely to make us sick. Then, I'm going to QUIETLY cut down a couple of saplings so we can make a carry frame, like a backpack for you. Maybe a couple of more, if I find the right size, to be made into the long arms of a trailer for your bike.” William stated. “Do you have a problem with the division of work?”
“Oh, uhm … no, I guess not.” A-shon stated, realizing he had no clue what to look for in sapling, let alone what a sapling even was.
“Good. Let's get busy, then.” William said, with a sincere smile.
It only took A-shon about 30 minutes to dig out the hole William had asked for. Then he took a little initiative of his own and dug a shelf near the water hole. He said it was for pans, and such, so washing could be done there, easier. There was a large mostly flat stone within reach, though upstream, of the watering hole.
“Hey, William? Are you there?” A-shon called out.
“Yeah, I'm here.” William called back. “Are you ready for the next part?”
“Yeah, I guess.” A-shon answered. “I'll be there in a minute.”
“No. I brought it to you.” William said from above. “Here, fill up these two buckets. Then close the lids.”
“These are cat litter buckets” A-shon stated.
“Yes, they are. And the lids make them very useful.” William stated. “Fill them up, watch for anything in the water. We are going to heat the water, before we put it in our canteens and bottles. Then we both are going to bathe out of them. Are any of the clothes you brought actually clean?”
“Not really.” A-shon said, sheepishly. “Really did not have a washing machine around, you know?”
“OK. I get it.” William stated. “Oh, and we need to talk about what you know of the general area we met in. I'm looking for someone who I think is there. Maybe you bathe, tomorrow, then and wash clothes, tonight.”
“I don't know how to wash clothes this way … “ A-shon admitted.
“That's OK. I'll show you.” William stated. “Now, I'm going looking for those sapplings I told you we will need. I should not be gone long. Probably not over 30 minutes. If you get those filled before I get back, sort out your clothes. Just what you want to wash, tonight. Including those socks from John. We will worry about how to do a larger load, later. I also set out another granola bar for you. Along with a large bottle of clean drinking water.”
“Actually, that was not bad, earlier. A bit bland, but not bad.” A-shon smiled.
“Good. This one will be a little better tasting. It has piece of dried apple in it.” William shared. “Remember, small, nibbles. And with the dried fruit in it, small sips, too.”
“Hey, before you go, I just wanted to say … “
“You are welcome. Like I told you, though, this is not going to be easy.”
William returned a short time later to find A-shon sitting by the fire. It was a warm day, but the fire still felt nice. The liter bottle of drinking water was empty. His sheet was laid out on the ground with his stuff folded and sorted on it.
Looking up, A-shon sighed when he saw William returning with a tied bundle of small trees. William dropped them by the sheet. “OK, kid. Time to get back to work. Break time is over.”
“OK. What do you want me to do?”
“First, find three similar sized rocks. About the size and rough shape of footballs. Here is what want them for. The fire is doing well. But we really cant cook anything on it, because it's not stable enough to put a pan into. So, the rocks will go into the fire. We will lay firewood between them, kind of forming a Y. And they will be close enough together to hold a pan, over the fire. We will want a hot enough fire to bring the pan of water to boiling. That water will go into the larger pot and then it will be refilled with cold water from the bucket and we do it again. When the water cools, we fill our drinking containers. This takes some time, especially over such a small fire. More fire and we end up giving ourselves away.” “That sounds easy.” A-shon says. “I'll go find the rocks.”
A-shon, good to his promise found the rocks and placed them around the fire. Surprisingly, they were almost shaped like footballs, as William had asked for. A-shon put the in the fire and used a larger forked stick to move them around. Then he added more pieces of wood to the fire. William smiled as A-shon looked up to see the smoke was visible. “What did I do wrong? It's making a lot of smoke.”
“You put green wood on the fire. Take a few pieces from the other stack and put on top of them.” William said. “It will still smoke a bit, but not as much, or as long, with burning dry wood on top.”
“Wow. How did you learn all this?” A-shon asked, joining William at his sheet.
“A lot from reading, some from the military. And a lot through trial and error.” William stated. “Choose what you are going to wear, tomorrow. I'm going to teach you how to do your laundry.”
While A-shon was separating out the next days clothes, William put a small pot of water over the fire, then pulled the sack with the supplies taken from John's friend. Back at A-shon's sheet, he laid out items to help A-shon, such as two of the pocket knives. And the nice Gerber multi-tool. The boots and belt went there, too. A silver looking chain with a few items hanging from it. They appeared to be a silver half dollar and two silver quarters. These, also, went on the sheet. As did a 'rape' whistle, a couple of bandanas, a digital watch, and a pair of wrap around sunglasses in their case.
"Your water is boiling," A-shon told William.
"Great. take that 3 gallon bucket and fill it with water. Then add th boiling water to it. That should make it warm, not hot. Put one article of clothing in, at a time. Anything really dirty, leave it to soak for a few, then come help me with the next step." A-shon joined him, quickly. "OK, next step, is to figure out how we are going to dry them. We want to use the heat of the fire without making the clothes smell like smoke ... so ... get a bunch of thick green leafy limbs and branches. With long arms. What we do, is we plant them, around the fire. Hang the clothes on the outside of the leaves. The levease collect most of the smoke smell. We get a little extra heat into the clothes to dry quicker. Plus, we create a natureal draft to help heat the fire and contain that heat at the same time. Every 20 to 30 minutes, you check the clothes to see if they are dry. For them to dry faster, make sure we wring most of the water out of them. That is another process. You want a very long and mostly straight pole like limb that you can handle fairly easily. When you wash, then rinse your clothes, twist them to wringe out most of the water. Then attach one item of clothing to the far end of the pole, then waive it about, before you put the item on the fire shell you are going to build. Take my hatchet to get the branches. and get them from at least 100 yards away, and not all from the same place."
"OK. I think I see how it will work. But, uhm ... I don't have any laundry detergent." A-shon stated.
"Neither to I. So, you will use one of those cakes of lye soap. One of them is for you." William concluded. "You REALLY need it."
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Post by texican on May 15, 2021 12:46:02 GMT -6
A-shon is leaning from William. Will it be enough soon enough? Only BS knows.
Thanks bs for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by eyeseetwo on Jun 5, 2021 18:24:55 GMT -6
I'm liking the story so far. This could get real interesting real quick. What would make it interesting? It would be interesting that he finds more good folks than nefarious ones and he builds a network of folks helping one another.
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Post by eyeseetwo on Jun 5, 2021 19:13:56 GMT -6
Thank you! Practical skills galore.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 9, 2021 18:22:53 GMT -6
TIA – Chapter Nine
“Alright, A’Shon,” William starts in. “Your clothes are dry. Time for you to wash your ass. We don’t have a pond or lake for you to get into, so a pot bath, it will be. Make up two more pots of water, just like you did for your laundry.”
“Uhm … OK. But … “ A’shon started. “ I don’t see any towels around here. And I supposed to just air dry, like the laundry?”
“You could, but I would prefer you did not. In survival mode, like we are in now, towels are handy. But sheets are even more multi purpose. They can do anything a towel can do, but generally speaking, they spread out to make a larger shade. They are not as fuzzy as towels, so, straining and filtering water through them gives better results. Can work as a tarp. Is good to wrap fresh meat in, to keep bugs away. Can be used as ground cover or apart of a summer tent. Can be cut or torn for bandages. A lot of different things you can do with sheets. And they weigh about the same, take up about the same amount of space, and they dry quicker. Especially in the sun on a breezy day. Most people don’t see bed sheets as being handy, when they go scavenging, so … ”
“Oh. I know where there are probably 15 or 20 sheets, still in their plastic, last time I looked.”
“Good. We will take a look for them, tomorrow. In the mean time, wash yourself, then wash the sheet, after you get dressed. We are fairly safe here. So, cleaning up after yourself is a good plan to be ready tomorrow, or the next day. You may not want to tear the sheet you washed and dried with over a cut or other wound.” William advised. “Meanwhile, I will see what I can do about finding us some vegetables to go with some ramen noodles. Be back, soon.”
“Can I wash these clothes, when I do the sheet?”
“By all means. Like I just said, limited danger here gives time to prepare for more difficult days ahead. I should be back in about a half hour.” William told A’shon, carrying his bicycle away with him.
-----
William left A’Shon to take care of himself and climbed up the hill they were camping in the shadow of. At the top, he leaned the bike against a tree then took up a spot out of A’Shon’s sight, but where he could still watch the young man, and if necessary, hit him with the slingshot. William did forage around a bit, as A’Shon bathed, then dried and dressed. And he started making fresh wash water for the sheet and the clothes he had been wearing. As the water was heating up, he decided to get nosey. He started getting into the trailer, going through things. William picked up a black walnut, pulled back the elastic of the slingshot and nailed A’Shon a glancing blow across the back of his head.
“SHIT! What the hell was that?” A’Shon shouted as he rubbed his head. He put things back as they had been and left the trailer to check on the wash water.
William continued to watch as A’Shon quickly washed, wrung out and hung up the sheet to dry. As his dirty clothes were soaking, he decided to look through the things William had left him on a sheet, spread across the ground.
A’shon stood, putting on the belt, and feeding the multitool case on the belt, as well. Then he pulled it out, opening and figuring out each item on it. Putting it away, he picked up the silver chain with the coins and hung it around his neck. He added the watch to his wrist, and folded the bandanas to go in his back pockets. All four of them. The pocket knives went into each pocket, the whistle also hung around his neck. The only thing left were the sunglasses in a hard clamshell case. He looked over his bike for a way to store and carry them. Finally, he took a bandana out, making a small hammock on the horizontal bar, under the seat that would keep the sun glasses case safe, but not easily gotten to.
William continued to watch, as A’Shon again, started to poke around the his trailer. This time, he pulled out the food stuffs bucket. He took some jerky and a few more snack bars, folding them in to his already clean laundry. As he started to open the bucket that had more dangerous items in it, William pulled back on the elastic with a stone, this time. About the size of the walnut previously used. This time, it was no glancing blow, across the back of his head. But roughly 3 ounces of rock, travelling at nearly 200 feet per second, from a height and a flight line of maybe 60 feet that smacked him above his right ear.
A’Shon stood up suddenly, surprised and then pitched forward as his lights went out.
William picked up his bike and carried it back to the campsite. Unhappy, disappointed, and aggravated with himself. He had hoped A’Shon was someone worth keeping around. Stealing the food items, though a crime, could be forgiven. But if he had gotten into that other bucket … There would have been serious problems. -----
A’Shon woke to find himself tied to a tree in a sitting position with his hands tightly bound at an uncomfortable angle, behind the tree. His dirty laundry was now drying over the fire and it was dark.
“What’s going on, old man?” A’Shon hissed. “Untie me, now. I’m going to kick your ass for this.”
“No. And no you will not kick my ass.” William stated. “Not tonight, anyway.”
“What happened to me?”
“You were sticking your nose in places it did not belong. I told you to stay out of my trailer.” William lifted the lid on the bucket A’Shon had been starting to look into. “I already reclaimed most of the food you took. I left you one jerky and two bars. Good idea on hiding it in your clean clothes. This is the bucket that would have hurt you.” William reached into it and pulled out boxes of ammo, arrow heads, a braced slingshot with extra pouches and elastics. The last thing to be pulled out was a small .380 pistol. He held it in his hand.
“I tested you, kid.” William said after a moment of silence and heavy sigh. “I learned I cannot trust you. I learned you are a thief. I learned you can not follow instructions. I learned you are little more than an intelligent animal, not a human being.’ I was starting to hope you might be someone worth helping get out of this place. I know many places you would have been safe and welcome, if you were trustworthy, honest, and willing to work. Such a waste, now that you will have to die without having ever really lived like a free man.”
A’Shon struggled against his bonds. William put everything of his own away into his trailer. Then he picked up the green sapling frame he had made. Used the sheet to wrap up all of A’Shon’s affects and put them all into a kitty litter bucket with a closing lid. He then silently secured it to the frame. A’Shon continued to struggle while also watching.
“I swear old man, when I get out of these ropes, I’m going to kill you. I’m no bitch. I won’t let you kill me. Not like this.”
“Shut the hell up, child.” William barked. “I’m not going to kill you. I’m just going to leave you. Here. Tied up like that. Before I leave, I will cut one string that is holding you. It will give you the movement you need to get yourself untied. Here is a pack for you. Change into your boots and leave. Leave this city on the bike. You have enough to start learning to survive on your own. I’m leaving, now. I expect it will take you about 15 minutes to figure it out. Then another 15 to actually escape. Put out the fire, when you leave.” William then drug his trailer around behind A’Shon and started going up the hillside to the top where he had hidden and spied on the kid.
“Hey! What am I supposed to eat? Where am I supposed to go?” A’Shon yelled to no answer. He continued to struggle against his bonds that were still too tight to allow him any movement. “You forgot to cut the string so I could get myself out of this, asshole.”
“No. I did not forget. I wanted to give myself ample head start, just in case you get lucky.” William whispered in A’Shon’s ear. “I would recommend you head west and south. Stay out of big cities. Don’t steal anything that other need and have. That will get you dead, in a hurry. Work for or trade for what ever you need. Hide the necklace with coins. Anyone sees it, they are going to try to take it. It has value to it. It’s appears to be silver. Silver you can trade like money. The small coins are worth about what you could have bought with $10, before the crash. The larger one, about $15. Spend it wisely. I would use it to get spare tires, tubes and chain for your bike.”
“If you are so pissed at me for snooping, why are you helping me? Leaving me with money and tools?”
“Because you helped me get away, this afternoon. May have saved my life. So … consider this me trying to save yours.” William said, as he used the straight razor he kept tucked in the top of his boot, to cut the one string A’Shon would need loose to start his escape. The one string that would allow him to reach the gerber multitool still on his belt. “If I see you, in less than a year, I will kill you. So go west and south. Avoid St. Louis. Memphis too. Stay to small towns. If you go to a farm or homestead. Park your bike, get off of it, put aside any obvious weapons. And stand with arms at your side, but away from your body. Palms out to who ever you wish to speak with. Call to them politely. Ask if they have any work in exchange for what you need. And if you can, watch them for at least an hour or two, before you do this. Learn a bit about their ways to make sure they are not aggressive or threatening. Let them be wary and respect them for it. Let them approach you or call you to approach. If they tell you to leave, then do so. Quietly. Respectfully. People are very untrusting, these days.”
“And what if you see me more than a year from now?” A’Shon asked.
“I will consider if you have grown up enough to be considered a man, a responsible man. Or if you are still a child – animal, selfish in his short-sighted ways.”
“If I ever see you, again, I will kill you.” A’Shon stated. “I will never forgive this type of disrespect.”
“Kid, you need to grow up some, so you can then understand what the word respect actually means.” William said, just before silently moving away.
“I know what respect means. And this is not how you treat someone who you recognize may have saved your life.” A’Shon whined. Then he sat silent, listening and looking around for William. He sat still as he could, listening for him. “Are you still there, old-man? Are you hiding, again? Just cut me lose, so I can get out of here. I’ll just leave. I won’t cause any trouble. I’ll just go. Please, cut me loose? …. Old man? Uh, William? … ”
Shouting A’shon cried out, “You forgot to cut me loose!”
From the hill top came William’s voice, “Did I forget? Or have you just not tired hard enough?”
A’shon saw the shadow the voice came from turn and walk away. He started struggling hard, trying to pull his arms to the sides and way from each other, his wrists still against the tree trunk. Crying, he leaned forward. His hands raising up from the ground, along the tree trunk. And he felt some slack. He pulled up, again and felt more slack, but he could not bed farther forward. He struggled until he had his legs under him and started to stand up. Now he was standing. He could move a bit, but his hands were still tightly tied to each other. Then he thought about the multitool. As the Velcro tore apart, he heard William shout at him. “Remember! Recycle the ropes. They may save your life, again, some day.”
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Post by texican on Jul 9, 2021 20:30:10 GMT -6
A'shon screwed up a good thing. A'shon will not live for he is a thief and will always be a thief.
Thanks BS for the chapter.
Texican....
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 11, 2021 16:44:16 GMT -6
TIA – Chapter Ten
William waited from cover and watched as A'Shon exited the woods, following the same path he had. It was a rather obvious foot and former mountain bike path. It came out onto a sidewalk on Fort Benjamin Harrison. Turned out to be a sidewak in the now overgrown golf course in the former state park. Now, A'Shon had an idea where he was, he looked around, trying to figure out the best way to go. He stood still, looking around as the morning was coming on strong. He felt his stomach rumble. He started to take his pack off, then thought to leave it on. He did not beleive that William had actually left him any food stuffs. Looking along the edge of the formerly mowed golf course he sees bushes with berries on them. Plump, purple-ish berries, looking similar to blueberries, yet different. And so many of them. But he did not recognize them. So, he looked further for something more familiar. Something he could recognize. Then he saw something familiar. A thicket of apparent blackberries. Large, plump berries, the size of his thumb, flattened. He picked one, carefully chewing on it, tasting it, carefully. The slightly sweet berry, bursting in his mouth with the oh so familiar and memory dredging flavor. Suddenly he was pulling the ripest ones he could find, ignoring the throns and scrapes. Suddenly his hand was full and he needed the other to pick more. As he was looking about for a solution, he remembered he had bandanas in his pocket. Before pulling one out, he ate what he harvested, and dove back into the brush for more, piling them on the bandana. Before long, he had to put out another bandana for all he was collecting. With three bandanas piled high, he stopped harvested and looked around because the silence was so eerie. Before long, he spotted a picnic table about 60 yards away. Looking at what he had with him, he took off his pack, laying the berry laden bandanas on the flat back of it and started marching to the table. Leaving them, he returned for his bicycle. As he ate the berries in peace, he thought about all that had happened to him in the last 24 hours. He paused to rub the bruise from where William had shot him with a slingshot.
"William" A'Shon thought. "What a cracker. Some fool, old white man, thinks he can live off of the land? Thinks that being respectable is possible? Thinks the right thing to do will actually help anyone?" And he stopped as he was holding another berry, about to pop it into his mouth. "FINE. old man!" A'shon shouted as he stood. "I get it! There is more than one way live."
A'shon stripped off his pack that William made for him. Carefully studying the rope trying the kitty litter bucket and other items onto the green stick frame. When he thought he could recreate it, he untied enough to take out the bucket. Looking closely, he saw that what he thought was padding, was actually a sheet and a thin brown blanket folded in a particular way and wrapped with a length of rope to hold it in place. The entire wood frame was just pieces of springy green sticks, bent and in some cases split, then tied together. But not with rope, or even string. It looked like the strings of the bark that covered the young green sticks forming his back pack frame. A few more minutes of study and A'shon understool how the pack was made and felt confident that he could make one, himself. He immediately related that a larger pack would equal more weight he could carry. The he realized that the frame fit the bucket closely. This limited movement within the pack. "Yeah, old man. I'm starting to see it, now. I'm starting to see the why of things." A'shon whispered.
A'shon refolded the blanket and sheet to as close as he could recreate it's it former shape, before tying it back to the frame. Putting the frame back on his back, he felt the padding bunch and slide. Several times, he re-folded and tied it until he had it right. He learned to fold it flat on the table, getting clean creases and keeping it tight, once folded. Then it fit back on the frame, as though made for each other. He smiled, nodding, at his success. Stopping, he reached for another berry, to find that he had nibbled them all, as he studied and refolded the blanket and sheet combo. Looking around, he felt he was in a safe enough place, he left the table with only one bandana and returned when it was full. He kept watching the table up the hill as best he could, even while picking the berries which required him to turn his back. When he got back to the table, he found a book that had not been there, before. It was a well worn copy of the SAS Survival Guide. A'shon laughed at the author's name of John 'Lofty' Wiseman. There were pieces of grass sticking out of the book, like bookmarks. He went to the first one that showed a color drawing of a plant with purple - black berries. They were poisonous. Nodding, he thumbed the book, stopping now and again for a picture or sketch that caught his attention. Finally, he was at the last page, the back cover missing. There was a note scrawled there.
-- Ashon - read it well. abide by it. stay out of trouble. Become a good man. Don't be like me. It's better to live one life well, than live a second half of a life making up for bad choices.
It was signed 'The Old-Man'
A'shon looked around but did not see anyone. "I will do my best, Old Man," A'shon promised.
A'shon continued with his inventory by opening the bucket. Sitting on top was a large Altoids tin. Opening it, he was surprised at how much was in it. A bit of fishing line and a coupld of hooks. A travel pill bottle like aspirin used to come in, but it was full of wooden matches and the scratch strip to light them with was glued to the outside. A few cotton balls in a tiny ziplock baggie were coated with something slippery and pastey. A tiny folding knife. A'shon noticed that the knife edge was sharp on one side with the flat side flush agaisnt the body of the knife. A small plastic compas, a few safety pins of different sizes. a sewing needle and a tiny spool of thread. and a length of heavier string coiled with a thin wire with loops on the ends.
A'shon looked at all the stuff from inside that altoids tin in confusion. But he does not understand what each item is for. Why have oily cotton balls? Why the tiny knife when he has the knife in the multi tool? With is the thin wire with loops for? Shrugging he carefully puts everything back into the small metal container and closes it. Aggravated that it does not stay closed, he closes it, again, setting it aside with the book on top of it. Next he takes out his clothes. Dry, clean underwear, jeans, socks and two t-shirts and his favorite hoodie. All not only folded, but also rolled up very tightly. Under them were three of William's snack bars and a small pouch of jerky, all inside a small pan with a split wire handle that hinge-wraped around the pan. the very bottom of the bucket held a large, carefully folded sheet of pastic. Pulling it out, A'Shon recognized it as a heavy construction trash bag. He put the plastic back in first, the pan and food in next, minus one snack bar, sicks and underwear around the pan, the tightly rolled clothes, standing as they had been. Because the tin was not staying closed, he slid it down the side of the bucket, using his clothes to hold it closed, then he set the book on top and closed the folding lid.
"Thanks, William. You won't see me for a year, or more. But when you do, I swear, I will be a better man."
A'Shon loaded everything back onto the pack and mounted the bicycle. As he leaned forward to throw a leg over, he felt the silver necklace move and fall out from under his shirt. Remembering what William had told him, he took it off, wrapped it in a bandana that was mildly dirty with the little pins from between the blackberry bubbles, and stuffed the tiny fortune in his pocket. Looking around he decided to get out of the park and get his bearings. He had a long way to go, though he did not know where he was going. He just knew he was going south and west. It was mid July, now. Hottest time of the year, for Indiana was just around the corner. Late August. But then, it would be fall and winter. Time to head south, where it will be warmer for winter. But first ... "I think I want to get a few things." A'Shon thought.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 11, 2021 19:38:51 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Eleven
A'shon road his mountain bike along a sidewalk, then a tiny gravel path until he came to a road. Taking it to the right, he was even more confused about where he was. The road was barely two cars wide and looked more like an old country road, rahter than a city street. He had decided to go right, becuase the road went downhill there. He kept his legs pumping at a regular rhythm as Willima had told him, and used the gears to change how fast or slow he moved. As the road started to climb, he down shifted, first one gear, then another. The farther he climbed the hill, the slower he was moving and before long, he was at the lowest gearing and was no where near the rhythm he wanted. About 20 meters from the crest of the hill, he dismounted and walked the bike to the zenith. At the top, he was disappointed to find there really was no downhill reward for the climb. But he did see city streets. Peddaling along, A'shon started making an inventory of what he wanted to get for the bike. He wanted a light and one of those generators for the wheels. Which then had him thiniking about a flashlight. Then he thought about a flashlight with rechargable batteries that the generator could recharge. Looking back over his shoulder, he decided he wanted some kind of mirror, just so he could keey an eye on anyone coming up from behind. Not that there were many cars out, he still wanted to keep an eye open behind. He saw the bike had a bottle holder on the upright. And he realized he was thirsty. So ... where to find water bottles? And how many could he carry, reasonably?
Thinking on it, he remembered what William had told him ... to get a couple spare tubes, patch kit and tires. Thinking on it, he realized he needed a pump, too. Remembering the Walmarts had all been raided, maybe he could find what he wanted there? And there was one out past Fort Harrison. Now, he had a destination. A place to go to. As soon as he figured out where he was.
Shortly he was at the intersection of 56th St and Post Road. He checked the former CVS on the corner. It's doors had been busted, probably by addicts and dealers looking to get drugs out of the pharmacy. He started to park his bike, outside, but decided to carry it inside, for fear it would be stolen. Lifting it, he carried it on his shoulder, which was difficult with the pack, over the broken glass that used to be a door.
Once inside, the store was dark, he took a moment to let his eyes adjust. First he went to the corner where the food and drinks were. Of course, everything had been stripped from there, already. From the back of the store, he turned up the next aisle. Vitamins and health aids. Pill bottles were everywhere. And he had no idea what, if any would help him. Then he thought 'what the hell? What were those called? The ones his foster father used to take, every day, just for general vitamins? Multi something' So, he leaned his bike against a shelf and got on his hands and knees looking through the packages. He found a bottle with a knee on it labeled glucosomine. It read it was good for stiff and painful joints like knees. He set aside three of them on a shelf. before long, he came across the silver labeled bottles he was looking for. A multi-vitamin meant for men over 50. He set those aside, as well, though he continued to look for similar product for younger men, such as himself. Finding what he wanted, he had 5 bottles of the general multi-vitamin and three bottles of the glucosamine, he continued down the aisle. turned and again, went down the next aisle. It was medicines. He grabbed up a couple of bottles of alergy meds, then he saw bottles of aleeve and advil, remembering the TV commercials for allday relief, but could not rememebr which it was for. So, three more of each of those and he stopped. He could not carry any more, unless he started putting stuff into his already full kitty litter bucket. He set everything on a shelf, together, and left his bike to look for some kind of basket or bag he could still carry. Walking up another aisle, he found the 'trial and travel' sized items. Making a mental note, he marked it in his head for location, and continued on. Shortly, he was in the men's shaving section. He found two different zieds shaving kit bags. And four boxes 'labeled safety razor blades'. He emptied the stuffing out of two shaving kit bags, one of each size. He added the blades into one of them. And continued on. Next aisle was 'household goods', most all of which required electricity. At the end of it was home repair items. And again he marked it in his head to come back to. The next aisle was a mix of all sorts of stuff ranging from womens purses to hemorrhoid blow up pillows. And then he saw three things he immediately could use. First was a largish fanny pack. But the picture on the packagins showed it as being on the person's back, not side or front. And it had pockets on each side that already held water bottles. Adjusting the belt, he strapped it on, finding it did not interfere with his pack. He grabbed a 'spare', uncertain where he would store it. Next he picked up two pencil boxes for the back to school section. Then put them down, when he thought about food containers and ziplock bags might be better. Lastly, he picked up a pack of 5 short permanent markers.
Now he went back to the pill bottles and bike. He put the pills into fanny pack he was wearing. Then wheeled the bike over to the travel section, where he loaded up with muscle cream, sunburn cream, toothpaste, a couple of toothbrushes with head covers. He picked up a small package of bandains, then thought about an entire first aid kit. Which he immediately went looking for. Which took him past the tools section, again. He picked up a small hank of rope and a small role of electrical tape, thinking about the generator and rechargable batteries. Finding the first aide kits, he searched until he found one that loaded with stuff, and instructions, that also fit snuggly his fanny pack. As he was heading back to his bike, he stopped for another of fannypacks. Once back to the bike, he started searching for how he could put it on the bike. He realized he would want the first aide kit easily accessible. At first he tried the handle bars, but he was not sure about a road light, yet, so he continued looking. Finally he found the back of the seat had two wide but shallow places for straps to attach. Looking at that, then pack, he had an idea and went back to the tools section, then the where he found the first aide kit, again. Using a pair of 'paramedic scissors' he carefull cut off the waist straps. And again, he went out to where he foudn the packs, and located two of the smaller fanny packs with narrower straps. He cut those off and returned to the bike, Feeding those through he found that a couple of slits int eh back of the pack, would allow him to attach it to the seat in a way that would keep it from rubbing the tire.
This was something A'shon had done, on his own. Something he figured out, for himself. No one ridiculing him for anything. No one pointing out how to do something. All on his own. And he was excited by it.
Smiling to himself, he pulled the paper packaging off the pill bottles and stuffed them into the shaving it bags. Then he took off his pack, and stuffed them in side the ropes and against the wooden pack. He remembered to save the wide straps he had cut off the first aide pack. Looking at the frayed ends, he went looking for lighters. He found a pack of 5 of the tiny Bic lighters on a shelf behind the counter. Then he went looking for matches, taking one large pack that held 10 smaller boxes of wooden matches. He also found a large bag of the small votive candles. He decided to leave them as he really had no way to carry the candles. Then he slow walked the entire store, up and down each aisle looking for anything that he just absolutley had to get. Realizing he was limited on what he could carry he found nothing else in the store he felt he just absolutley had to grab. Once outside, the skies had gotten cloudy. He felt a rain was about to come. So he got on his bike and continued east, then northeast to the Walmart.
As he biked through the Walmart parking lot, he was amazed at how much stuff was out there, left to rot. Clothes, electronics that had been smashed. It amazed him at hoe people had taken stuff that they never could have afforded. He guessed the smashed stuff was from fights and the like. Once at the door, he again, carried his bike inside. This time, he had made himself a mental list of what he wanted to get. First and foremost, he wanted a pump, tires, patchkit and tubes for the bike. Looking deeper into the store, once called a super center he realized it that far back he needed to go was nearly pitch black. He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and walked the bike beside him. Stopping at the impulse buy items in a check out lane, he saw a pack of 'emergency candles'. Just what he would need for his shopping in the back of the store. Once he got to the back, he found the sporting section. The first thing he saw were water bottles. He found the largest one that would fit in his bottle carrier on the bike. Next, he found a pump, and realized he had no way to attache it to his bike like the image showed. Next he found 'replacement pump clamps'. 10 minutes later and the use of his multi-tool's phillips screw driver head, he had a pump securely attached to the bike. He used the candle to read the tire size and found three boxes of tires and 4 boxes of tubes. Then he saw the generators he wanted. And added one to each tire, front and back. Next was the mirror he wanted. But no lights for the bike. He continued through the sports section and found a a security chain for the bike. And a trailer. It was smaller then William's, but it was a start! It was meant for carrying a child in a seat. A'Shon thoughtthis was a game changer for him. That is, until he tried to attach it to the mountain bike. The clamp on the end was the wrong size. Disgusted he just sat on the floor.
A sudden bright light lit up the entire store for just a moment, and was followed by an incredible crash of thunder. He had not noticed, but it had started raining pretty hard. But in that flash, he had seen another mountain bike on a rack. I was chained into place, but it was the same brand as the trailer. There had to be tools around he could use to get the bike down, this was a WalMart, right? Off he went to find a metal saw. The wax from the candle was hot as it ran down the length of the candle and onto his fingers, so he stopped and looked for a camping lantern. he found a propane one with a bottle. Once it was lit, he blew out the candle and set the lantern in teh child seat of an empty shopping cart. He then got serious about his shopping. He found a small tent, a sleeping bag and mat. And two more propane bottles. Then he stopped as he saw 'Hikers Backpacks' a little wider than what William had made for him. Definitely longer. Lots of side pockets. And he had an idea. And anotehr rumble of thunder reminded of the rain, which reminded him he was thristy. On the shelf right beside him was a 'collapsible 5 gallon water jug'.
He got to thinking ... how could he fill it with rain water? A funnel and a hose? Those would be in automotive ...
Shortly, A'Shon was outside, in the rain. Having pushed a wheeled clothes rack outside. Attached to it was an umbrella, open and upside down. a funnel taped to it's outside with a hose running down into the water jug. He watched as the heavy rain filled the jug in just a few minutes. Pulling it back inside, he went after another jug and a 5 gallon bucket.
Once he was back inside, with 15 gallons of water, he was soaked to the bone, himself. Grabbing a towel as he walked by to dry himself. He started to feel a bit guilty about all he was using and taking. ANd wondered if William would approve. He settled his own mind by believing he was taking what had been abandoned.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 17, 2021 22:09:23 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Twelve
William rode his bicycle through the heavy rain after seeing A'Shon collect water for himself, at the Walmart. 'That kid just might become somebody. And hell of a trick with the umbrella' he thought as he he was being pelted with stinging rain. The trailer was bouncing about behind him, empty. Pockets of his jacket and cargo pants contained a few tools, two firearms, extra magazines for each, two serious knives, a padded garrote, rope and duct tape. And his ever friendly sling shot. It was time to find the girl and bring her home.
Approaching the old methadone clinic, William was able to spy on the building where Margaret was being held. Only two sentries patrolling the building and not leaving the recessed area of the ground floow to avoid the rain. Waiting. The worst part of any operation. Intel gathering, stake outs, target location verification, tango threat assessment. They all took time. Time William had, but did not want to spend, standing in the rain, under a stunted tree with a poor canopy. Chilled from the rain, teeth chattering, muscles starting to cramp from standing so long, William started looking for ways to get the building to empty in a way that would allow him to isolate Margeret and safely carry her out. Then he saw another local refugee pushing a shopping cart towards the shanty town A'Shon had come from. Hiding his bike and trailer in the space between unkempt shrubbery and the clinic walls, William limped up to haggard old man.
"Have you heard?" he asked as he got close enough to be heard.
"Heard what?" the miserable old man asked.
"About Fariq?"
"I don't give no damn about Fariq Al A Fradie-cat," the old man shrugged of William and turned to leave.
"He found FOOD! A lot of it. He's had people carrying it in, all day. Small bags and boxes of it. I heard he got it from a military supply truck." William recognized the Cavalry patch on the man's jacket. "I wonder how many soldiers he had to kill to get it."
The old man stopped, looked at William limping to keep up, then the building. "Don't matter. Nothing we can do about it. He's got a small army in there."
"And there is a small army out here. A lot of hungry people out here." William suggested.
"They will kill us all." the old man said, with a sigh. "His kind never helps others."
"But I do." William said, standing taller and dropping his soaked sheet he was cowering under for show. "I will get his food for you and your people in that camp. I just need you to help me get in. Any sign of danger, anyone gets hurt by his thugs, you all turn and run. I just need a distraction to get in."
The old man eyed William warily, until he saw the 3rd ID shoulder patch. "So you know a thing or two abotu getting in there?"
"I do. And ignore the patch. It's not mine."
"Yeah. Sure. You don't move like you are old or hurt. Your limp is too exagerated." The old man told him. "And you don't stink enough. Stop washing every day, if you want to fit in around here. How many do you want for your distraction?"
"As many women and children as you can get. Find a loud, solid, leading woman. Dark skinned. One that will remind those thugs what their mama should have taught them. Keep the men, half assed trying to stop her. She needs to be on a mission to get food to feed the kids and elderly in your camp." William suggested. "Got anyone like that, in the camp?"
"Yeah. Got a couple, actually. But Letty is who you really want. She's been upset since her grandson A'Shon disappeared."
"I know A'Shon. He's a good kid. And on a better path. He's not running with those thugs I met a few days ago. Last I saw of him, he was at the Walmart on Pendleton Pike. He was figuring out how to make tools to collect drinkable water. And he was building up a bicycle to carry stuff on." William said. "When last I spoke with him, he was planning a trip south west, I believe was said."
"Good for him! She's not his grandmother. But might as well be. She's his foster mother. But all her fosters called her something akin to grandmother. He's a sharp kid. But he kind of lost that, when he fell in with the thugs to eat." The old man said. "Think you can bring him back to her?"
"Yes. I think I can." William said. "Will he stay? I don't know. But he's old enough to be making up his own mind."
"You did something to him, didn't you?"
William stepped back, not seeing what he had done to A'Shon as anything immoral.
"No, no, not like that. I don't take you for predator. Or a pedo. But you care about people. Certain people, right? I remember how you tried to ride around the camp, the other day. You were polite. You just wanted information and to be on your way. Yeah. I remember you. You showed him he could be a man, right?" the stooped old guy asked.
"Something like that." William said. "He helped me out what could have been a bad situation. I owed him. So I taught him something of value. A bit of self-respect."
"A man can't be a real man without that." The old guy agreed. "Let me get Letty good and wound up. She will get everyone mobilized. When you see us moving out, you will know what you have to do, and how long you have to do it."
William nodded.
"Tell me two things. They really got food in there? And what are you going up there for?"
"I'm here to get a girl and take her home to her mother. The preacher's daughter."
"I know which one you mean. They live on the top floor. The women are kept in the north east corner. Fariq lives in the south west corner. Opposite corner of the building. 15 or so in his gang in the buidling at any time. Rain like this, they will be all spread out to either avoid him or they are with him kissing his ass for crumbs."
"I know the type. Any other intel I can use?"
"Yeah. The stairs are in the center of the building. North and south sides of the elevators. Sound carries in them. How long do you need?"
"Three to five minutes to get in. Five minutes to climb to the top floor? Presuming I'm not met with any resistance. Another ten to find and grab the girl. Five more to get out? 25 to 30 minutes of noise, demands, and general protesting mayhem." William described.
"And if they DO have food in there?"
"I will let you know what and where. Hopefully the girl can tell me. Or one of the thugs." William promised holding out his hand, offering to seal the arrangement.
"One more thing. If you get the chance, kill that son of a bitch. He's caused nothing but pain around here, since he made himself a 'Modern American Mullah' as he calls himself."
"If I have the opportunity, I will put an end to him." William agreed.
They shook hands.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 17, 2021 22:52:06 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Thirteen
William manaaged to make it to the far side of the building from the sentries. The main entrances were the east and west side of the building. He was stopped under a broken window just around the corner of where the protest would be. And the old man was not lying when he said Letty was the woman to lead this group of people. She was marching up the hill toward the building, 20 or 30 people in tow. mostly women and children, a few men, just as William had suggested. Seeing the sentries attention elsewhere, he carefully entered the broken window, avoiding getting cut.
The inside of the building was dark. Very dark. William watched as two more men came out of a stairwell in a hurry, moving towards the main doors.
Once in the stairwell, William heard what he thought was music. But there was no electricity. Fariq had something that made electricity! "Well, that makes things a bit more interesting" William muttered to himself as he climbed the stairs. As he approached the second floor, he heard steps of men coming downt he stairs. Quietly, he ducked through the open door way and hid in the shadows, just out of sight.
"What do those scum want?" one the thugs asked the other.
"How the hell do I know? We both were told the same thing. Now shut up. Just waive the gun at them. They will leave then. Just don't try to shoot anyone. They can't know we are out of ammo. Or they will take over hte building and all the food!"
"I know! I know," the first to speak said as they passed the second floor door. "With all the that food we could just stay in the building for over a month! All of us, I bet!"
"Shut up! Or we won't ...." The voices faded as they got to the first floor and out of the stairwell. Quickly William climbed up two more flights, before he had to take cover in the fourth floor shadows. That is when he found himself in trouble.
"Who are you?" came a loud grumbling voice.
"I'm William. Who are you?"
"I'm Tony. And I'm going to kill you."
"Why do you want to kill me, Tony?" William asked, looking for anyway around fighting and making the entire building aware he was there.
"Don't want to. But I have to. I have not eaten in four days." Tony said. "Fariq sends me food, sometimes. Sometimes my food fights. I don't like it when my food fights. It does not taste as good when they fight."
William looked closer to the detritus on the floor. The dark stains partially hidden by the muted gray light coming from open office windows and doors. Patches of light and dark. William started to reach for his pistol, then redirected his hand to the small pouch on his belt that the asp baton was held in. The sound it made was all the more ominous as it came from teh darkest shadow he could move into, without getting too close to Tony.
"Tony? How long have you been here, like this?"
"I don't know. Somethimes Fariq will take me out, but only at night."
"Do the other men here help you?"
"No. They only bring my the food."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tony. It sounds like you have very few friends." William said.
"I have Fariq. I don't need any otehr friends." Fariqs voice was closer, now.
William moved across a beam of grey light to another wall, away from Tony.
"I see you, William." Tony said. "Are you going to fight, too?"
"Tony, I don't want to have to fight you. But I am not your food, either. No one brought me to you, did they?"
"uh, no."
"So, how can I be food, if no one brought me to you?" William asked, still looking for a way out of this situation.
"You are not food? But I'm so hungry."
"No, Tony, I am not food. Would you like for me to bring you some food?"
"Fariq said that only friends give food to each other, anymore."
"Then let's be friends, Tony." William suggeted as nicely as he could. One hand holding the baton and the other hand on his undrawn pistol.
"You bring me food, and I will think you are a friend." Tony said. "But no fighting food. I'm too tired to fight food. Its does not taste good, when I fight and smash it."
"OK, Tony. I need to go, though, so I can get you food. OK?"
"OK, William." Tony agreed. "Bring me food and be my friend."
"Yes. I will bring friend Tony food. Food he does not have to fight." William promised as he made quickly for the door. Where he ran into a thug, nearly knocking him over the railing. Instead, William grabbed the thug's jacket with both hands allowed himself to bounce off the thug, dropping himself down onto his back, rolling and throwing the man throught he open doorway to Tony's domain.
"Yes! William is friend. He keep promise and bring me food!" Tony shouted.
Next William hears a crunching sound and Tony laughs. "No fight in this one! Thank you, friend William!"
William fights back the bile instantly in his mouth as he realized Tony probably broke the man's neck, before starting to eat him. Picking up his baton, William starts the climb, again.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 18, 2021 9:59:13 GMT -6
TIA -- Cahpter Fourteen
Willima cringed as he continued to climb the stairs, hearing Tony laughing and breaking a body as he ate. Of all the nastiness in the world, cannibalism is one that William has never been able to accept. Just the thought of it is always enough to turn his stomach.
William stopped, checking out the 5th floor through it's open door. It was set up as a kind of barracks, from what he could see. Cubicles were set up as private 'rooms' with office doors laid across the tops with sleeping pallets on them. With the weak light, William could not see much, so he had no estimate of the number of men still in the building. He chose to continue his climb. He hoped the people from the camp were safe, still.
Checking the 6th floor, he saw nothing. It was empty. Just large open space, as though it was prepared for a remodel.
The 7th floor had also been empty, but was currently filled with supplies. Camping supplies, propane tanks, small generators, gasoline cans, some full. As he walked around the floor, he found crates of military gear, but no weapons. And cases of MRE's. he slipped one into each cargo pocket of his pants and continued up the stairs.
The music was louder, as he approached the top floor. It was not his style of music, but it worked for some. Also, he noticed the scent of skunk. Shakinghis head, he realized it was marijuana he was smelling. Smiling he thought that maybe this would be easier than he had first thought.
Slowly he opened the door to the 8th floor. The smell of pot was strong in this southwest corner. He could see out the windows, the taller towers and buildings of downtown Indianapolis. It was an incredible view. Until he heard someone moving about. Quickly he ducked behind a couch.
"I swear! I saw someone!" a panicked voice cried meekly as others laughed.
"Man! There ain't no one there. You're just high! That's all it is," another voice laughed at the first.
"Come on. Fariq wants us to check on the green house. Make sure the winds haven't broken it, again." Came a third voice.
William quickly looked around. He had no where to go. The stairwell he would be seen or heard. This couch would not hide him when they went for the stairwell door.
Moving the end of the couch, he waited. As that first leg came visible, he reached out with his asp baton, hard. With a satisfying crunch, he realized the knee cap was broken. The screaming was certain to bring others, but these two stoners remaining were slow to realize what was going on as William unleashed painful kicks and punches back and forth one to the other until they fell.
Standing, baton in his right fist, left hand losely open he was ready when others came around the corner opposite the direction the first three came from. Five turned the corner, all in a group. William tossed the baton into the air, catching it with his left hand and his right drew his pistol. The first three fell as quickly as he could pull the trigger. The last two were sliding on the carpet, trying desperately to reverse direction as William took more careful aim, shooting each in their leg.
Kneeling beside one of the screaming and crying men, William grabbed him by a fistful of long, stringy, sparse beard. "Where is Margaret?"
"F*&^ you, man! You shot me in the leg!"
The other goon was trying to get up on one good leg.
"I won't ask, again. Where is Margaret?" William asked, jerking the beard bit harder.
"I don't know! Who is she?"
William dropped the beard, placed his pistol in teh down man's chest and threw the dropped baton at the man attempting to quietly limp away, knocking him to the ground.
Standing, he put a foot on the wounded leg, applying pressure, pistol pointed at the mans chest, again. This time he asked the other man, looking straight at him, "Where is she? Where are the women?"
"I can't tell yo..." The man stopped as William fired a single bullet into the man under his foot. "Man! I can't tell you! Fariq will kill me!"
"What do you think I will do if you don't tell me where to find what I'm looking for?"
"Man! What do you want from me?"
"I want to know where the women are."
"Over there. They sleep in that corner office, over there. His favorites have their own rooms on either side." The thug cried, looking down the barrel William had in his face. "But they ain't there. He's got them with him. Over there. Other corner. They are his shield. Whenever anyone comes against him, they immediately go to him."
William knocked the thug upside the head with his baton, putting him out. before turning to the corner Fariq was hiding in.
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 19, 2021 8:45:38 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Fifteen
The music was louder still, as William approached the closed door. Before opening it, he listened. Voices. Several of them. He could not tell what was being said, as he changed magazines in pistol. Kneeling, he collapsed the baton and put it away, before pulling his other pistol.
Looking around, William realized he needed some distraction. He had no intel on who or how many were in that room. When he saw a fake potted tree, he had an idea.
William left his spot beside the double doors to grab the tree, placing it the middle of the door he intended to open. He then went to the thugs he had already taken out, taking clothes from them, he was able to hang a jacket some what convincingly, in the dark, on the tree, next was a hat and a mask.
"If you want to live, put down your weapons, get on your knees and put your hands on your head!" William yelled. "Team! Prepare to breach in 3! ... 2! Kill anyone who moves! 1!" William lied aloud as he flung the heavy door open before dropping to the ground.
Gunfire rattled his teeth as the tree was shot to hell. He could feel the misses going through the wall above him. Others hitting the heavy solid wood doors.
When he heard the clicks of dry fires, William slid his upper body around the edge of the door, quickly firing off four shot. Two for each of the men looking with suspicion ath their now empty guns. A quick peak showed showed one man left standing, hiding behind two women, closely side by side.
William stood from behind the wall, his pistol carefully aimed at Fariq's head. The pistol Fariq held was empty, the slide locked back. Both women were crying.
"Shut it, bitches." Fariq growled. "You stay back! Stay back! I will shoot them!"
"With what? Your pistol is dry. You are out of ammo. And I've got at least two left. So, tell me. Where is Margaret?" William spoke softly.
"Who?" Fariq countered. "I ain't got no 'Margaret' here, old man."
"That's a shame. She is the only one that might have been able to save your life. I don't like bullies, though I am a bit of one. I prefer to think of myself as less bully and more of a balance against bullies. Margaret came here with the preacher? He drove the church van you have downstairs. They brought food to give away to help those in need." William explained, as he moved around the room. Ignoring Fariq had his threats to the two girls he was using as a shield. "You, obviously, are not a true believer, Fariq. Is Fariq even your real name? Or ... is your name more like 'Derick Thompson'? As this old high school photo suggests? That was what? 6, maybe 8 years ago?"
"So what? I did what I had to do to survive." imposter Fariq cried in desperation.
"You have no idea about what survival is really about. I mean, here you are, like the typical coward, hiding behind two defenseless women. Let them go."
"Why should I? huh? What's in it, for me? Right now, they are keeping me alive."
"Because Fariq, these women are exhausted. Can't you see that? You are holding them up as much as you are holding them in front of you. How long can you keep that up? And when you can't hold them up, anymore? That is when you and I are going to dance." William promised.
"hehah! What? You think you can take me on? Do you KNOW who I am, old man?" Fariq barked as the message was sinking into the girls. they were starting to lose their legs.
"Do I think I can take you?" William asked. "No. I do not THINK I can take you."
"Then why even try?" Fariq mocked.
"Oh, Fariq, I KNOW I can take you. I believe in that as fact and only by my death at your bare hands would convince me otherwise." William lays out the bait for the angry young man. Looking out the window, William sees the crowd is still at the entrance of the building, with him at another corner. And a plan starts to come together.
Fariq shoves the women away. "Sit down. I want you two to see this. I want witnesses to me stomping this old man's ass. I want people to know, what happens to anyone who decides to mess with Fariq al A'Faraed! ... No. Better yet, go get all the other girls. Especially Margaret. She needs to see there is no leaving me."
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Post by texican on Jul 19, 2021 20:35:58 GMT -6
bs,
Fariq is going to be dead. William should just shoot him now.
A'Shon is starting to use his brain. He just may be useful to himself and others.
Thanks for the chapters.
Texican....
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Post by bitsmith on Jul 25, 2021 13:23:08 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Sixteen
A'shon stopped working on his bicycle and trailer when he heard something in the quiet walmart. He was trying to load up his trailer in the best way he could to carry everything he was taking from walmart. The trailer had been too small, designed to carry a shild in a car seat. He looked about him at the mess he had made on the ground. And the noise came again.
Picking up a ball bat, he looked around him, realizing he could not see much. Everything outside the circle of light from the two lanters he was using was a wall of black and darkness. He stooped to turn down the lantern closest to him. Blinking a few times, he immediately saw he was no longer alone in the deserted walmart.
Holding his bat high, "Show your self. I know you are here."
"Yeah. I'm here. This is my place." Came back the voice.
"I've seen no one else here. I saw nothing to show it was claimed."
"Of course not. If I showed it was claimed, then people would come and challenge me for it."
"What do you want?"
"I'm curious what you have been working on, all morning."
"Just a way out of here" A'Shon answered back. "Someone showed me there is a better way to survive. That's all I want to do. I want to survive and I want to move. I don't want to be stuck in this town, any longer."
"Who was this person who showed you that 'better way'?"
"He called himself 'William'" A'shon called back. "I really don't much about him. But he showed me a few things. And it got me to thinking."
"What did he show you?"
"He gave me a book about plants and stuff. Showed me how to find water. How to wash clothes. How to ride a bicycle for long distances," A'Shon finished.
"I'm sure he taught you more than that." the disembodied voice called, again, from a different location, closer.
"Yeah, he did. He showed me that I don't have to be a fool. I don't have beat people to survive. I can help them and be better for it."
"And who is going to help you, in here, now?" the voice asked. "You are in my place. Taking my stuff. How are you going to pay for what you are taking?"
"Like I said. I did not know this was claimed. I thought it was abandoned." A'Shon said.
"Well, what have you got to trade?"
"What do you want?"
"I would have to know what you have to knwo what I would want."
A'Shon was quiet as he thought over what was being said. "No. Because then you set a price to take too much. Tell me a price, now."
"Oh, I think we can work out something. Such a pretty boy. A pretty, pretty boy."
"Hey, look, man. That's not my thing, you know?"
"Oh, but it can be. If you are willing to learn. You said 'William' taught you how to survive? Well, he did not teach you everything, did he?" The voice came, again. It was just the other side of the next aisle. "I mean, there is surviving and then there is surviving well, right?"
"Look. I'm not into that. I'm no bitch."
"Sure you are." came the voice and a body from around the endcap. "You are my bitch, now, pretty little boy. Playing with your toys, here."
A'Shon looked around and saw another person come around the endcap at the other end of the aisle. The two people blocking him in ... they were the ... same person.
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Post by sniper69 on Jul 25, 2021 13:48:12 GMT -6
ah twins trying to mess with A'shon. Can hardly wait for another chapter.
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Post by eyeseetwo on Jul 26, 2021 18:57:33 GMT -6
May the young man become a strong warrior to protect him from the vile twins!
Thank you for adding t9 your story.
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Post by 2t2crash on Jul 31, 2021 13:06:48 GMT -6
Loving the story!
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Post by sniper69 on Nov 5, 2021 14:32:32 GMT -6
Please sir, may I have some moar?
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Post by CountryGuy on Dec 18, 2021 11:16:40 GMT -6
Great story, hope you pick it back up and continue on.
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Post by bitsmith on Mar 26, 2022 17:05:30 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Seventeen
Both women jump up to leave at Fariq's bidding.
"Stop!" he shouted, almost immediately. "It does not take BOTH of you, does it? Are you both that pathetic and useless?"
"Hey, dumbass! Just let them go. They will see, soon enough what happens to assholes like you." William chided.
"Like me? There IS nobody like me!" Fariq barked back with a laugh. "I am a KING, here. And there can be only one king. I would have a prince, if these whores would produce, but they cannot. Pathetic bitches."
William laughs.
"What do you find so funny, old man?"
"You." William continues to chuckle softly, shaking his head. "Here you are. Some kind of self claimed king, with an entire harem of women that you can't even impregnate while raping them. And you are so dense, you can't even figure out WHY."
"What would you know about it?" Fariq screams, getting louder.
"Well, Fariq, Fariq-da-freak, I know that any man who tries to impregnate so many women and fails ... It's his inability to perform that is the problem. Not the women." William continues. "Is that your problem, freak? Can't get it up, no more? To many drugs? Is that it? Or ... Oh, my. Surely that could not be it ... you really don't LIKE girls, do you? Do you prefer boys? Freak with his boys club?"
William kept pushing Fariq's buttons. The young man had already shown himself to be fast. And William was tired. And old. So, he kept pushing Fariq into his anger.
"No! Can't be! I'm not that way!" Fariq screamed again, louder, just as a gaggle of young women came into view, around the door. "Margaret! Why are you so slow? I sent for you! What took so long! Tell him. Go on tell him! Tell this old man how I'm not gay. He thinks I'm gay."
"Wha-What? I don't understand. Who are you?" Margaret struggled as she saw William. "I know you, don't I?"
"Bitch! TELL HIM!" Fariq continued to scream.
"I'm William. I was sent here to get you and to take you home. Your mother is waiting for you to come home." William shared, gently.
"She's not leaving here!" Fariq shouted as he started to charge William.
William backed away, closer to the windows, facing the center of the room. Fariq continued to scream uninteligibly as William placed his feet and lowered his center. At contact with Fariq's attempt to tackle him to the ground, William grabbed Fariq's belt, rolled backward and shoved Fariq up, letting his momentum carry him.
Face first.
Into the window.
Eight floors up.
With nothing to slow him but cracked, hard, blacktop.
William pondered a moment as he looked out the window at the growing red stain below, 'What stopped the scream? The fall or the impact? Or had he just ran out of breath?' Shaking his head, he turned around as the women were sobbing, huddling together. All but Margaret. She was starting to look alive. Hope was dawning on her face as she realized Fariq was gone.
He slowly walked up to her, offering her his hand to shake. "Hello, Margaret. Are you ready to go home?"
"Home? I can really go home?" She asked.
"Oh, yes. Your mother and the sheriff, both I believe, will be very happy to see you, again."
Margaret shook herself, as though she were shrugging off a jacket. Standing taller, she went to the other women, speaking to each by name. Touching a shoulder. She turned, facing William, "They are coming with me. I am taking them home."
William looked at them all, started calculating how he would herd so many cats that distance, when a thought occurred to him. "Can you drive? Do you know where the keys are to the church van?"
She marched over to the large desk at one end of the room, opened a drawer, pulled out a kew ring with a hand sized cross haning from it. "Here they are!"
William smiled, "Great! Get the girls and their things into the van, and hury! I'll get you gas for the van."
"We can help. Just give me a minute to get the organized." Margaret promised as she started ushering the girls out of the room, each with tasks to perform. She took three others up to the roof. They came down in pairs, carrying three fuel cans each pair. "This shoudl be enough to get us home. Have you seen my dad?"
"I do not know. Don't think I've met him. But come on, we need to go." William said, "Here, give me those two cans so we can move faster."
Shortly, they were on the ground floor and coming out the door. Suddenly, William was knocked to his ass by the old man he had spoken with, earlier. He carreened throught he girls, getting to Margaret, as she stopped and threw her arms around him. "Daddy!" was all she could get out, before they were in each other's arms.
The rest of the people gathered started entering the building. "Letty!" William called out. "Hang on a second! Don't let them go in, yet!"
Letty turned as her name was called, seeing it was William, she stopped the crowd from advancing. William rushed over. "Look, there IS food in there. There are also floors of filth. And a very large, angry man named Tony who has been mistreated. Tony can be VERY dangerous. OR he can be your best friend and protector. But keep that in mind. And tell him William sent you to help him, ONLY if you intend to help him. If you use my name so you can hurt him, I will hurt whoever hurts him. He does not deserve that, but that is what he has been getting as a prisoner and thung."
"And just who do you think YOU are to be telling us what to do?" Letty argued back, still riled up from earlier.
"I'm the man that risked his life to kill the thungs endangering your life and getting you enough food to probably feed your camp for a month. I'm asking only for a bit of respect for a life that has been abused enough," William snapped back. And if you do not liek that, I'm sure I can 'sell' this building to an even worse thug that Fariq was. If you are going to survive with this new found wealth, I suggest you start with an inventory and ration it out. When word gets out you have these resources, and that word WILL get out, many will either come join your camp or come trying to take it over for their own gain."
"What are those people doing with OUR gas?" Another in the group shouted, starting to march over to the van. "And they are taking OUR van, too!"
William rushed over infront of the hot young man. "They are taking what is thiers so they can get home. They are taking those girls with them. Those girls are going to need support and help. And will be able to get that in a quiet country community. Let them go. Help them go, if necessary. But do not try to stop them. They have been through enough. Been through what you could have done to them if you had been accepted as one of those thugs. Then agian, you can look at it as compensation for NOT helping them, sitting back, letting that harm come to them."
"That's not right, man! I need that van, so I can get to MY home!" the youth shouted.
"Where is your home?" William asked.
"Detroit, man!" the youth pushed William, as he tried to get past him.
William grabbed the youngm an by him upper arm with a bloody hand. "Do you have the ability to grow crops in Detroit? Would you be willing to return here, with food to give and to sell to help people? Because that is what that old preacher will probably do, as long s he can keep that van running. He will be back. And he will hep others. He will FEDD people in need. What are you going to do? Just go home? I've been to Detroit. NO ONE in his right mind would want to go back there. It is a thousand little kindgoms at constant war. Many have been burtn down to nothing but waste. Warlords and thugs who could not take what they wanted, burnt poeple out so not could have it."
"What did you do, old man? Ride that bike up there? I don't believe you did. Now get out of my way. I'm getting MY van!"
"Stop it! You take that van, and you may well be killing the rest of us who took you in. Helped you. Provided for you." Letty spoke up, seeing the wisdom William had shared. "That is the preacher's van, let him and his daughter go in it with enough gas to get home AND come back with food for us."
"I don't care! I want to GO HOME!" the kid shouted, "Hey! Get away from MY van!"
William, again, grabbed the boy by the upper arm. The young man spun and punched at William, surprised that he missed AND was suddenly falling. Landing hard on his back, the air rushed out of his lungs in a great 'WHOOSH', as William was suddenly sitting on his chest, knees on the kids arms. "One" was all William said, with finality. Letty stood watching, wrining he hands unsure what was about to happen with her people only seeing William was sitting on the boy. "You only get one free shot at me. And you missed. Now, let me tell you what you are going to do. You WILL leave those people alone! They have the capacity and the desire to do good in this crappy world. A world made crappy by people with short sight like yours, kid. All you care about is what YOU want! If you tried to drive to Detroit in that van, I doubt you made it out of THIS city with it.You sure as hell would not make it out of the state. That is why I ride a bicycle. It's might be slow, but very few will take it from me. And if soem does, There are enough of them around to build up another one like what I have now. If you want, I will stay and help you, like I was helping A'Shon. But you WILL. LEAVE. THOSE. PEOPLE. ALONE!"
William stood, then offered the kid a hand up, which was brushed off hastily.
"Letty, I'm sorry. You see why those peopel should have what was theirs returned to them. You helped that preacher. And he knows you did. And he will be back to help you. I suggest you get these young people to start finding gas so you can help the preacher come and go. Again, bicycles with trailers are a good way to transport that stuff. Let alone other uses for such a vehicle." William said to her, while watching the kid. Others of Letty's group had moved around to be between the kid and the van.
"Thank you for not killing him, too. He's young and hot-headed and just homesick, I guess you could say." Letty apologized.
"We all are homesick, Letty. But I'm serious about helping the preacher and getting gasoline for him to help you more." William said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to help them get on their way. And please, everyone, remember what I said about Tony in there. He can be a great protector if you treat him right. and you can help him possibly recover his humanity." Letty nodded to William, then to the rest as she went to the boy, leading them all inside.
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Post by bitsmith on Mar 26, 2022 17:39:40 GMT -6
As is typical for you, bitsmith, you have a great story developing here. Thank you. Thanks. I often worry about how much or too much detail.
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Post by cavsgt on Mar 26, 2022 17:43:57 GMT -6
Glad to see you back!!!! Thank You for all of your effort entertaining us. phill
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Post by bitsmith on Mar 26, 2022 20:39:12 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Eighteen
William approached the van juts as the preacher was closing the gas can and tank access.
"Thank you, son," the preacher started. "You did what I could not and brought me daughter back to me. How can I ever repay such generosity?"
"You can go home, hug Esther tightly, thank her for sending me. And then, you can come back here, with food for Letty and her people. She should have gas to help you get back and forth. Fariq will no longer be a problem."
"Stains usually are a problem only to those who look for little things to be problems." The preacher said as William looked inside the van. The girls were all seated and covered in blankets and bruises with Margaret looking after them. When she saw him, she rushed out of the van, jumping on him.
Hugging him tightly, she thanked him for saving her and the other girls.
William held her out from him, smiling into her eyes, "You are most welcome. But do me a favor, if you can. Soon a young man should come across your town. His name is A'Shon. He has been a bad boy. But he is now trying to learn to be a good man. If he comes to your town, welcome him. Put him to work. Teach him abotu being a better person. I think, if he survives and comes out the other side, he will have the potential to be a great man."
Margaret and the preacher both smiled. Nodding Margaret asked, "Where is he, he can ride back with us?"
"Last I saw of him, he was assembling gear for a long bike ride at the WalMart." William answered, suddenly concerned when he saw her face turn ashen.
"If he is at the WalMart, then he is already dead. Even Fariq and his guys woudl nto go into the walmart. There are two ghosts in there. And they kill anyone who enters." She said, regretfully.
"SHIT!" William muttered. Turning, he start to sprint for his hidden bicycle.
"Where are you going?" Margaret cried.
"To try to save him! I let him go in there, unprepared. He's not ready for that." William called back, before turning again to sprint to his bike.
The Preacher ran to Letty as she was exiting the building with a box of MRE's under her arm and the young man who wanted the van right behind her. Panting he told her, "A'shon in danger! WalMart. William is going there, now! Go! Help! Get in the van!"
Letty dropped the case of MRE's, grabbed the young man and ran, as best she could to the van. Waiving others to join her. The rest stayed to continue emptying the building. Soon the van was moving and it was full. Letty navigated as the Preacher drove in the torrential rain.
They saw William jump from his still moving bicycle and hit the ground at a dead run, as he entered the dark Walmart. He looked to be so small and yet so fast from the far side of the parking lot.
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Once in the building, William shouted, "A'SHON! SOUND OFF!"
"Hel... " was all William heard. But it was enough to start with. Enough for him to know A'Shon was still alive. Was near the back wall and the opposite corner of the store.
William then walked into his own, personal version of Hell. In an instant every fight, fire-fight, every conflict, argument, disagreement came flooding through his mind. Every tiactic he knew jumped forward and was shoved aside. His mind processed the facts that he knew. Most likely two enemies. One target to rescue. Enemy home turf. Darkness. As his eyes adjusted to the place he saw light on the high celing and shadows. He did not pull his pistol for fear of shooting A'Shon in the darkness. Carefully, William walked slowly, deeper into the building. After the checkout stands, he turned right, away from the stinking rotten smells of the grocery area. The large aisle was littered with clothes, boxes, and shopping carts. The shadows were stable and unmoving as he carefully moved in the dark.
Another scream came from the back of the store. Longer, this time. William struggled against the urge to rush back there. He saw the shaddow of a small bottle on the floor as he turned a corner. Opening it slightly, he smelt acetone for removing nail polish. And he had an idea. The dark was their friend and his enemy. He decided it was time to change the rules. Dragging a small rack of clothes out into the middle of the walkway, he quietly moved everything else away from it. Then he emptied the acetone onto the clothes. Before lighting them on fire. As the fire grew, he sprinted down a side aisle, towards the center of the store, trying to stick to the shadows, himself. Another rack of clothes, women's denim, was pushed out into a walkway and lit. These were harder to start, without the acetone, but a piece of packign paper helped.
"William! They are comming for you!" A'Shon shouted. This told William it was working. The fires were a good distraction, and he again ran towards the center of the store, where the pharmacy had been. The faint light was enough for him to see, grabbing a cook pan and a wooden spoon as he went through housewares. Walking quickly, he stopped to scoop up packing peanuts and other styrofoam. Once in the beaty section, near the pharmacy, the closest fire was starting to die down and he heard the identifiable sound of a cart being pushed with a bad wheel. That is when he noticed the smaller fire was also moving ...Women's stocking went into a pocket, and another bottle of acetone was placed in the pan, as well. Then he carefully climbed the pharmacy exterior wall. On it's top he could see what was happening. Two figures, both dressed in black were using shopping carts to push both fires towards the check out stands. He used the shadows they were making for him to his benefit. Crouching low, he slowly added the acetone to the styrofoam, making it a gooey paste,then he slowly and carefully ladeled two spoonfulls each into the toes of the stocking, tyeing them carefully closed and setting them aside. The two dressed in black were starting to stalk their way to the back of the store, having met on that front lane. People were starting to come in the door he had entered through. At his loudest, with head turned towards the near by ceiling he called out, "DON'T COME IN!"
A'Shon heard it and started shouting as well to stay out. It was dangerous in there. A'shon just kept making noise as the two in black searched for William. The echo off the ceiling had fallen across the store like he was everywhere. William watched as the two slowly started creeping down a nearby aisle of fitness supplements. He twirled one of the goo filled stocking and launched it in an arch to fall behind them. Then another in front of them landed with a splat sound. The last two he held together and lit them, before launching them almost on top of the first ones. The two enemies were caught off guard by the falling balls of fire that spalshed and suddenly flared in front and behind. They were trapped by bright, hot fires.
William quickly climbed down and ran to A'Shon. Together, they both grabbed baseball bats and William half carried an injured A'Shon towards the exit. Seeing the situation, the Preacher ran in to help carry A'Shon out, just as William was tackled by two shadows. A'Shon was left in the light, as he fell. Grunts and impacts were heard moving in the dark to the side. The light from the door giving a curtain of darkness to the light. The Preacher grabbed up A'Shon and started for the door. A'Shon pusshed the preacher away, just in time to swing the ball bat at one of the attackers.
With a cry, the attacker fell and slid through the light and into the shadow on the other side.
"I will kill you more slowly for that, 'A'Shon'." came a female voice filled with loathing and pain. "Your hero is dead, by now. My brother will have killed him. He is too quick when he kills. Does not enjoy the sliding of life out of the eyes like I do."
A'Shon stood his ground, in the light. Ball bat in hand, ready to swing. Turning his head to follow the voice as it moved in the dark. He swung his bat as an empty display stand came flying at him from the darknes. The only warning was a grunt of effort. The wireframed display was too much mass to be swatted aside, as it entagled the bat and knocked A'Shon to his back. And she was on him. Dressed all in black, long stringy, dirty black hair, wearing black gloves, her fair white skin in high contrast with the oddly purple black lipstick. As she sat on his chest, she pulled a fist back, ready to punch his face, when a sudden clatter of steel bouncing and sliding across the floor caught her attention. And A'Shon suddenly struggled hard as William's asp slid within range of grabbing. She looked for a sign of the threat before looking back to A'Shon, just as he swung the baton into the side of her head. Together they rolled into the shadow.
Grunting and impacts were heard as the two struggled.
Willim was suddenly in the rail of light from teh doors. Those outside could barely see the motion of mortal combat between William and an assailant all in black. William was waining. It had been a long day for him of fighting and rushing out here on his bike. He heard a crunching sound from where he last saw A'Shon. The young man he was battling heard it, too, and smiled. "Your boy is dead, now you join him. This is OUR store."
"I'm not dead." A'Shon called out. "But that bitch is."
William's attcker paused just a moment, giving William the time he needed to respond, taking advantage of the surprise, He knuckle punched the inside of the exposed knee, to a satisfying crunch and scream of pain. As they both fell, it was a struggle to determine which leg or arm belonged to who. A writhing mass of flesh and cloth and boots until finally, another crunching sound was heard. William's arms just flopped away, a moment after, as he was on his back. A'Shon struggled to his feet and limped to William. Together they drug the dead body off of William as Letty's followers entered.
"Are there any others?" Letty asked.
"I think it was only the two of them," A'Shon answered as he approached her for a hug. Two others approached and helped William to his feet.
"Would someone please grab fire extinguishers and put out the fires I started. There is too much stuff in here that is still usable to anyone who knows how to use it." William asked and three ran off into the darkness.
"Old man, thanks for the save. But why?" A'Shon asked.
"Because you had not yet had time to grow up. But I was VERY proud to see how you used that umbrella."
"Oh, yeah. It just kind of came to me as I was ... Hey! Wait a moment! How did you see that?" A'Shon asked.
"I kept an eye on you. And good job in that CVS, too. Are you up for finishing your trailer in here?" William asked.
"Yeah, but give me a minute, will you? I'm hurting over here."
"Yeah. I need a little rest, too. But where is my baton? You should always return any tool you borrow, A'Shon." William chided to the Preacher's chuckling and Letty starting to laugh at A'Shon's expression.
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Post by bitsmith on Mar 26, 2022 21:33:21 GMT -6
TIA -- Chapter Nineteen
After several minutes on his back, telling everyone he was not seriously injured, William motioned for help to get up. "A'Shon? How many bicycles did you see back there?"
"Uhm, at least 6 more? But only three more trailers. Why?" A'Shon asked.
"Because, We are about to have a working seminar on building out a trailer for you and three others. Right, Letty?" William asked with a pained smile.
"Damned right! There are 'bout to be some changes 'round here! Serious changes, William." Letty cried out with joy. "Civilization is coming, ya'll. And if you don't like it? Then get on out of here!"
William nodded as he started moving to the sporting goods section and others started following him. They all stopped as William turned down a partially lit aisle in automotive. "Say, Preacher? Does your van have a trailer hitch on it or just a receiver?"
"Uhm, just the 2" receiver. Why? What are you thinking?"
"Bike racks." was all William said in reply.
"OH! Yeah! I like that idea!" the Preacher said as Margaret agreed! One of the younger children who had come with Letty suddenly came into the aisle, carrying a lantern.
A'shon turned to two others, "Would you please go back up front and get two shopping carts? I think we are going to need them." Both boys pouted, afraid they were going to miss something until Letty told them to get moving.
"Don't worry! I will explain it all, when you get back." William said and the two took off at a sprint.
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"OK. That does it. All the bikes are assembled. The trailers are attached. That was a good idea, Preacher, to check the stock rooms! I'm surprised they had not been looted before us!"
"I'm glad to have helped! And there is SO MUCH stuff back there!" The PReacher exclaimed, "A lot of canned goods! What are you going to do with it all, Letty?"
"I'm going to share it. Far too many people are starving. And that tricycle is going to help!" Letty beamed a smile.
"OK. So, everything is now assembled. A'Shon and I have other shopping to do for his trailer. So ... everyone else ... take your carts and go to the front of the store. Those of you on bikes, load up the trailers. As soon as the rain stops, you all can roll out." William strongly suggested.
"But what about you two?" one person asked.
Another with a bike and trailer combo asked, "Can I come with you, please?"
One of the adults again complained with a huff, "I still don't understand why YOU get to make the rules on all this stuff!"
"OK, Marcus, let me put it to you in a way you WILL understand," Letty started. "Because YOU are not strong enough or bad assed enough to take it from him. THAT is why. He AND A'Shon earned it by fighting for their lives. They get to decide and A'Shon has deferred to William, because he trusts William to do what is RIGHT FOR US ALL!"
"I wasn't give the chance to take him!" the fool whined and quickly shut up as he saw William point a Glcok at him from 20 feet and A'Shon aiming a bow, fully drawn from less than 10 feet away. He slunk away like a pouty 4 year old though he was probably more like 40.
"Alright, everyone. You heard the man. Time to go!" Letty said loudly as she started escorting peopel away from William and A'Shon.
Once alone, A'Shon asked, "Really, why did you come back for me?"
"Exactly as I told you. You had not had a chance to learn anything on your own, yet. You were just starting to realize how to THINK and to REASON. Truly, I'm proud of you, kid. But I want to know if you understand HOW you got here?"
"Uhm ... yeah, I rode that bicycle."
"That is NOt what I mean. Yes, that is technically and physically accurate. But what decision put you on the path to end up here in the first place?"
"I this some kind of lesson I'm supposed to think about?"
"Yeap, it is. So, think about it and let me know. In the mean time, grab a cart and let's go shopping!" William said.
"OK. I want to get some sheets. I think I will need another shower, after today."
"See what I mean? You learned something. Also, have you noticed your voice is a bit fuller? Your diction is clearer? And your words are thoughtful?" William asked. "Some times, we enter into a situation that breaks us or fixes us. But every situation, be it looting a CVS or defeating psychopaths intent on killing us, or even just taking a moment to appreciate a beautiful sunset ... it has the opportunity to change us. WE have the opportunity change us. You will find, that after today, life will NEVER be anything like it was for you, last week. And you will also find yourself haunted by the events of today, as well. Grab four of those dry bags. One will be for your sleeping bag and mat. For the next several weeks, you will probably wake suddenly from a dead sleep, sweating, panting, terrified. And for a moment, you will think you are back here. You WILL get through it. Yes, you ARE messed up in the head, now. Everyome with any soul or respect for life will be, after taking a life. When I got out of the Army, it was called PTS or PTSD. My grandfather's time, it was called 'shell shock'. The worst times will be when you are doing something, anything else, and suddenly you just start crying. Sobbing. And there may be no reason for it. Or, maybe there will be. A crunching sound, barely heard at the range of your hearing. Or, maybe instaed of causing you to cry, it will put you super high alert, and instantly ready for a fight. Four of those, too. They are the best bed mats. A little heavier than the foam pads, but MUCH more comfortable and roll up tighter. See this knob? It's a valve. You open it, then roll it out. And it fills with air. Close it and it is a thin air matress. Open the valve and roll it up, tightly, to get all the air out to travel." William explained as they slowly walked the aisles.
"Man, this is going to suck, isn't it?" A'Shon asked.
"Yes, it will. But when it does, ask yourself, 'how much worse would it suck if she had won instead of you? How much more woudl being dead suck?' That does not always help, but it does bring in the correct perspective. It was you or her. Personally, I'm thankful you won. Because I was just about to die, too. EVERY fight that is truly you or them ... you give it EVERYTHING you have to win. To be alive after." William stated, firmly. "But be sure going in that it is truly a fight for your life. Being haunted killing a person trying to kill you is one thing. But to be haunted for an accidnetal death? That is a totally different situation."
"Are these rain suits really any good? I mean, they are small enough and light enough ... ", A'Shon asked.
"Well, do you want to wear that bright yellow when trying to escape in the rain?" William asked. "Honestly, they are good gear to have. They are practical, useful, and as you pointed out, small and light weight. But ...If you get wet before you put them on, you are uncomfortable. If it's heavy rain, it's usually better to seek shelter than to keep moving. So, think on it. Think about where you want to go in the next few months and decide for yourself."
William smiled when A'Shon tossed four into the cart.
"OK. Now explain your decision." William challenged. "I am not saying you are right or wrong. I just want to understand your logic."
"Because it is summer, now. We could be out in the open with miles to go, before we get to shelter. If we see the storm coming, we can prepare and continue. If we don't and we continue to ride with wet clothes we are cold and miserable which means we need warm, dry shelter, which may not be avaialble."
"Good thinking. So ... why four?"
"Two for each of us. Because they are thin, not very sturdy, probably easily torn. I figure trying to put on those pants, in a hurry, with our boots on, they will probably get torn. So, a second set is good to have and later the torn set will be re-used into something else."
"Very good, A'Shon." William beamed. "Very good, indeed."
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Post by bitsmith on Mar 26, 2022 21:34:28 GMT -6
Glad to see you back!!!! Thank You for all of your effort entertaining us. phill Thanks. Been gone far too long. Have a LOT of pent up 'issues' to kill off and prep / survival ideas to think through.
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